“Since you always looked down on me like this, I wanted to… Oh, it’s not too heavy or difficult, is it?”
“No, it’s not heavy, but…”
It was difficult—though not in the way she meant.
Both were in pajamas, it was nighttime, and they were on the bed. In such a setting, it was hard enough to maintain composure, especially now that Anje…
Aiden desperately tried to think of anything that wasn’t unholy to distract himself.
‘Manure, pigsties, cod liver oil, aphids, animal carcasses, Grandpa’s dentures, and… and…’
TL/N: LOL. AIDEN RN BE LIKE:
A warm, moist sensation touched his exposed chest. It was Anje’s lips.
Nothing else came to mind after that.
“Did it hurt when you got hurt?”
“Oh, no. I treated it quickly, so it wasn’t that bad—”
“Liar. Even the tiniest paper cut used to make me cry like a baby.”
“Actually, smaller cuts hurt more. If you’re badly injured all at once, the shock makes you numb to the pain.”
While Aiden babbled incoherently, she pressed her lips repeatedly to the scars revealed by his shirt.
Contrary to what Aiden might have felt, her actions carried no sexual intent. She simply wanted to soothe the pain he must have endured in whatever way she could.
After a while, she raised her head and tilted it slightly, her face still flushed, as rosy as a blooming flower—perhaps due to the lingering effects of alcohol.
“Why are you frowning like that? Would it be better if I licked it?”
“No! No, that’s not— I mean, it’s not that I’m rejecting the idea, but… maybe later. Not today.”
TL/N:
Aiden shook his head, trying to snap himself out of it.
The provocative situation left his mind slightly dazed. The strong aversion and shame that had consumed him earlier were now like faint mist on the horizon.
“Your expression was so off that I wondered if you’d already started feeling uncomfortable.”
“…That’s not it.”
It was the opposite—he felt so good it was almost frightening. Not even the most absurd lie could cover it.
“I just don’t want you to get hurt again.”
Her fingers gently brushed over the scars. Aiden swallowed the saliva pooling in his mouth before managing to reply.
“That won’t ever happen again.”
“Promise me? No more dangerous situations.”
He gasped softly as her hand ventured inward. Another button naturally came undone.
“Your body is always warm; it feels nice. Like soaking in a hot tub.”
Oh, God. Aiden closed his eyes and began reciting a prayer.
‘Our Father, who art in… in heaven…’
Who was it again? Someone was in heaven, but he couldn’t remember.
“How fascinating. You’re firm, unlike me—I’m soft everywhere. Is it because you have so much muscle?”
Anje’s hands grew bolder, exploring beneath his clothes. She found the firmness of his body refreshing, so different from her own.
‘Is this why he touches me?’
She recalled a lesson from her governess: ‘A virtuous wife should lie still in bed and silently accept her husband’s actions.’
Yet, exploring his body and discovering new things about him brought her unexpected joy. Any embarrassment or shame had long been overtaken by her curiosity.
“Can I undo just one more button?”
In the dim light, Aiden’s flushed face didn’t show any signs of dislike or discomfort. His expression was simply bright red, and his eyes seemed unfocused, even more than usual.
Perhaps he, too, had drunk too much. In any case, since he didn’t seem upset or distressed, Anje boldly proposed her idea.
Her words made Aiden flinch violently as if he trying to sit up.
“Let’s stop here for today.”
If she unbuttoned any more, it wouldn’t just reveal the scars from battle but also the whip marks from his early days in the prisoner camp and the burns Philip had inflicted with cigarette stubs.
Explaining those scars would require convincing lies, and his brain was far too foggy for that right now.
With a sigh of regret, Anje began buttoning his shirt back up.
“Even with scars, or maybe because of them, your body is incredible. You look like a statue of a war god.”
When she’d once spiraled into self-doubt about her own body, Aiden’s enthusiastic compliments had helped her regain confidence. Now, she wanted to return the favor.
“Thank you. So, if you could just… move down a little…”
“Oh, sorry! I didn’t realize I was heavy. You should’ve said so.”
“That’s not it.”
Aiden stammered stiffly, flustered.
“It’s just… it’s hard to hold back.”
“Hold back? Oh…”
She smiled knowingly, leaning in closer and whispering like a devil,
“You know, you don’t ‘have’ to hold back.… Now that I think about it, there’s really no need to take everything off—”
“Anje, stop.”
That comment was truly dangerous. Aiden mustered every ounce of restraint he had left. He wanted their first night together to be respectful, unhurried, and warm—not rough or rushed.
He raised his arm and mercilessly tickled Anje’s side, who stubbornly refused to move away.
She burst into laughter, rolling to the side, then buried her face in the pillow with a sigh.
“I think I’m still a bit tipsy. Talking all kinds of nonsense.”
He gently patted her head.
“Sometimes, being tipsy isn’t such a bad thing. It lets you speak more honestly.”
“True.”
She peeked up at him.
“Do we have to practice together again tomorrow?”
“…Yes, we do.”
He smiled faintly before letting his lips fall into a soft frown.
“Sorry for being such a husband that requires so much attention.”
“Don’t be silly.”
A sharp exhale escaped her nose in mild indignation.
“Everyone has areas they’re clumsy in. Me, you, everyone. We’ll get better little by little.”
Aiden admired this optimistic side of hers. Knowing there was someone who believed he could become a better person gave him the strength to actually change.
Blinking fiercely, he pulled her closer.
“Yes, we’ll get better.”
“…Even if you don’t improve, I don’t mind. I like you just as you are.”
She added shyly, then let out a big yawn. She was worried he might push himself too hard for her sake, given how devoted he always was to her.
“No, I’ll give it my best.”
Anje chuckled and teased him, calling him a ‘beast,’ but he remained serious. He felt sorry for having made her bring this up first, so he was determined to work harder to overcome his trauma.
“Of course. Tomorrow night is another chance… and the night after that… and the one after that…”
Her words, spoken with pauses, eventually trailed off. Aiden gave the now-sleeping Anje a brief kiss before closing his eyes.
He wasn’t sure if he deserved to be this happy, but he silently prayed for these peaceful nights with her to continue unchanged.
Even in his sleep, he often woke up to check if she was still beside him. Repeating his heartfelt prayers in his heart, Aiden embraced the warmth of her presence.
TL/N: ANJE DURING THE WHOLE SCENE BE LIKE:
* * *
The library of the Glasster Ducal House was colder than ever before. It wasn’t just because of the chilly autumn weather.
“So, did you retrieve the certificate I asked for?”
In front of the duke, who pressed with a frigid voice, the informant Thompson kept bowing repeatedly.
Not long ago, he had delivered “premium information” to the duke and had to revisit Rodmandy to obtain additional evidence regarding it. Because the mission was so secretive, he couldn’t deploy other colleagues or subordinates, so he had to act alone once again. However, the considerable sum he was paid by the ducal house made the effort worthwhile.
The problem was that the critical document the duke desperately sought—a “marriage certificate” to confirm whether Nancy Dilton was married—was nowhere to be found.
“I searched every church in Rodmandy, but regretfully… I couldn’t find it in any of the original records.”
“Tch, useless fool.”
The duke tugged at his mustache in frustration and took a deep gulp of strong wine as if venting his anger.
Knowing that the duke’s fury could escalate to whipping or kicking, the butler berated Thompson.
“Did you really check every church? Are you sure there aren’t any that were relocated or destroyed in the meantime?”
Considering that Nancy Dilton’s potential marriage would have taken place over 20 years ago, such a possibility seemed plausible.
Thompson, bowing his head and gauging the duke’s mood for a long while, hesitantly spoke.
“W-Well, there is one church that was destroyed in a fire a few years ago…”
‘Of course, that old man kept shielding him until his last breath.’
To think that the son-in-law he had once dismissed as insignificant might actually be the legitimate heir to the former emperor. If that were true, his daughter would automatically become empress.
The connection to the imperial family that he had so desperately desired had finally come full circle in the most unexpected way.
* * * *
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