Chapter 70
“Don’t Run Away…”
When Himena startled and turned around, Kylean was standing behind her silently, backlit by the light, smiling.
Trapped between the bedroom door and Kylean, Himena panicked and quickly pulled her hand away from his grip, then made an excuse.
“Uh, um, the vice-captain said from today I should serve the Marquis… so they gave me a new room… and I was just organizing…”
“Hmph, I see.”
“Yes. So… you came to rest now? Has the banquet ended?”
“Not yet. It’s been a while since we had a drinking party, so it will probably go on later.”
“Oh, I see. Then please go back inside and rest. I’ll be going now…”
Bang!
Just as she awkwardly smiled and tried to leave, Kylean’s arm blocked the door.
“Going back to the banquet hall?”
“Well… I guess… everyone might be waiting…”
“Don’t go…”
Kylean rested his head on her shoulder and whispered softly.
His warm breath against her neck made Himena’s heart race wildly.
“Ma-Marquis… are you drunk?”
“I wonder… everyone was determined to get me drunk. So… maybe I am a bit drunk…”
“Then you should go back inside and rest quickly.”
“That’s strange…”
“What is?”
“Maybe it’s just me… but you smell exactly like my fiancée…”
‘What? No way! Sniff sniff. That can’t be right!’
Himena felt a pang inside, sniffed her own arm discreetly, then quickly brushed it off.
“Th-That can’t be. I didn’t put on anything… and besides, that beautiful lady wouldn’t smell like a man like me. Maybe your nose is clogged from the alcohol?”
“Hmph, maybe.”
“Yes, that’s right! You must be tired from the long journey and drinking. You should go in and rest…”
As Himena tried to push him away by his shoulder, Kylean suddenly wrapped his arm around her waist.
“Wait a moment… I’ll rest like this for a bit…”
Every time he spoke, his hot breath brushed her neck, and Himena’s heart pounded so hard her face flushed red.
But deep inside, she doubted his intentions—he talked about his fiancée while holding her, Hermes, suspiciously.
‘Look at this, look! As soon as he’s away from his fiancée, he’s trying to cheat! And yet people say he’s not a playboy… huh, I can’t even prove I’m the same person…’
“Um, please go back inside now, Marquis. Really.”
Himena turned the bedroom door handle quickly to push him away.
“Ugh!”
The door suddenly swung wide open, and Kylean, who was leaning on her, nearly stumbled.
“Oh, M-Marquis, pull yourself together! This way! You really are drunk!”
Himena helped him unsteadily to the bed.
“Here… lie down. No, not that way… this way, lie down straight… oh! Ah!”
“Ugh!”
While trying to lie Kylean down properly, she tripped on his feet and they both fell onto the bed.
“Oops, sorry… I really must be very drunk. Hermes, are you okay…”
Kylean lifted his head to apologize to the Himena underneath him, but then froze when he saw her face so close, almost touching his nose.
In the quiet, dark bedroom…
In his own bed…
Lying next to the woman he loved, their breaths touching…
His desire, fueled by alcohol, began to overcome his reason.
He held Himena’s small face in one hand, and with a burning gaze full of longing, traced her eyes, nose, and lips one by one.
Her pale and smooth skin…
A small but proud pretty nose…
Mysterious purple eyes trembling as they looked at him…
And her surprisingly parted, full red lips…
“Ma-Marquis…”
‘Just a kiss… just once…’
As he reached to taste her lips, suddenly a voice echoed in his head.
“Wouldn’t a loveless kiss still leave wounds?”
“Isn’t that something you should only do with someone you truly love?”
“Ugh…”
At that moment, Kylean clenched his eyes shut and groaned painfully, struggling to hold onto the last thread of reason fading away.
‘No! If I force this, she’ll run further from me! I have to hold back! Think of something else! Something else!’
“Ma-Marquis?”
When Kylean frowned and held his forehead, Himena worriedly called out, thinking he was in pain.
“Frog… lizard… toad…”
“Huh?”
“What else was there? Salamander… rattlesnake… iguana…”
“Oh, really! Yikes!”
“Ugh!”
Himena pushed him sideways with all her strength, annoyed.
“No matter how drunk you are, why compare me to frogs and lizards? Do I look that strange? You really have some weird drunken habits!”
She got off the bed and angrily took off his shoes, throwing them on the floor.
“There are lots of cute and pretty animals too, but all your comparisons are reptiles or amphibians! I’ve never heard of anyone being told they look like a salamander before!”
“Kekeke…”
Kylean laughed, covering his eyes with his hand, trying to hold back his chuckles.
“Having fun? Must be fun teasing your subordinate!”
“Heh heh heh… Hermes… being with you is so much fun.”
Himena sat on the bed, roughly unbuttoning Kylean’s jacket, sticking out her lips.
“Yes, yes. If it’s for the pleasure of my superior, then I don’t mind being a toad or salamander. I should just be thankful I’m not thrown to some beasts as food! Right…”
“Hermes.”
Kylean suddenly grabbed both her wrists as she tried to unbutton his jacket.
“Why, why? Even so, you have to take off your jacket to sleep…”
“Stop. I might not be able to hold back anymore…”
His dark eyes blazed hotly as he looked up at her and whispered lowly.
Himena glared at him quietly.
“Do you know what you resemble, Marquis?”
“…What do I resemble?”
“A black panther. A very sly one!”
“Hmph, a sly black panther…”
“One thing to tell you — no matter how hungry, black panthers don’t eat frogs.”
“…Is that so? Then!”
Whisk!
“Ah!”
Kylean pulled her down onto the bed again and embraced her from behind.
“Marquis!”
“I won’t eat you… just stay like this for a while. Until I fall asleep…”
He buried his face in her back and softly asked.
Himena struggled to get away but gave up, pouting.
“Tch… maybe… my main duty as secretary isn’t supposed to be a human pillow, right?”
“Heh heh, of course not.”
“Phew…”
Himena sighed deeply, thinking it’d be better to just get this drunk black panther to sleep quickly.
“Please pay me a lot.”
“Heh heh heh. Got it. I will.”
“Hmm. Should I count sheep to help you sleep?”
“Sheep?”
“Yes. One sheep… two sheep… three sheep…”
“Heh heh heh…”
“Stop laughing and sleep quickly. Four sheep… five sheep… six sheep…”
“Hermes…”
“…Yes.”
“I missed you…”
“…!”
“Don’t run away from me… don’t go too far… please…”
Himena felt her heart tighten at his desperate whisper against her back and said nothing.
Pretending not to hear, she slowly counted sheep again in a small voice.
“…Seven sheep… eight sheep… nine… sheep…”
Soon, his breathing evened out as he fell asleep.
Himena stayed still for a moment, then quietly slipped out of his arms and closed the bedroom door.
“Serpentis Sheriff, you’ve come in vain. The young lady left early yesterday morning for the Notos region.”
The butler apologized to Eron, who had come looking for Himena without notice, informing him of her absence.
“Traveling to Notos? With Marquis Termos?”
“No. The Marquis returned to Acticos to prepare for the hunting tournament, and the young lady rode off alone with Sir Royce, her bodyguard.”
‘Right after the engagement ceremony, she went traveling alone away from the Marquis… Himena… I heard she was insulted by Prince Diego at the imperial support event, maybe she got hurt again emotionally and had a hard time…’
After hearing about the scandal at the imperial event and the prince’s reprimand, Eron was too worried about her to stay still whether her fiancé was nearby or not.
“When will she return?”
“She said she would avoid the hunting tournament, so perhaps after it ends.”
“Butler, has their wedding date been set already?”
“No. The duke hasn’t said anything yet, so it seems no date is set. But both are past the usual marriageable age, so it will be arranged soon.”
“I see. Understood.”
“If you have anything to say, I will pass it on.”
“Tell her to come back after the hunting tournament.”
“Yes. Farewell, Sheriff.”
As Eron left the mansion with a heavy heart, someone called after him.
“Sheriff!”
“Hmm? Aren’t you the lady’s maid?”
“Yes, I’m Mari. We’ve met a few times before, right?”
“Yes. What is it?”
“I heard from the young lady before that you were persuading a novelist who defamed her…”
“Oh… yes.”
“Could you tell me how that is going? The lady has been staying away from the mansion a lot lately, and I think it might be because of that.”
Mari asked carefully, her face full of worry.
“Our young lady acts brave on the outside but is very sensitive inside. People keep spreading bad rumors about her… now she’s struggling to hold on. That’s why she went through with a fake engagement with Marquis Termos, even though she didn’t want to… Ugh!”
Mari quickly covered her mouth in embarrassment.
“So it was true.”
Eron’s expression darkened sharply.
“Did the young lady tell you? Did you know, Sheriff?”
“No. I just happened to overhear it. So the duke agreed with the plan?”
Mari looked around cautiously, then led him to the garden and lowered her voice.
“No. Only the young lady, the Marquis, myself, and Sir Royce know about this plan. The duke believes you two really like each other.”
“I see…”
“Since you already know, I’ll be honest. This engagement is a contract plan to refuse the prince’s persistent courting after turning down his proposal and to restore the young lady’s tarnished reputation by having the novelist change the story.”
