Herald hid his anxiety as he kissed Retina’s face, neck, and collarbone. He longed for the woman who seemed to love him but didn’t fully open her heart to him. He briefly pressed his moist lips to her cheek, leaving her hanging, and showed a somewhat clinging figure.
‘Do you also want to give me everything?’ Herald, who kissed Retina, looked into her blue eyes. With a delicate gesture, he explored her lower back, desiring more from Retina. It wasn’t just the heart that was in a hurry. There seemed to be a heat gathering in the lower abdomen.
Anxious that Retina’s feelings might have changed during their separation, he exhaled a restless breath.
However, Retina didn’t immediately respond to Herald. Instead, she found his lips and took the initiative to kiss him first. What she could offer to him, who pledged to give her everything without hesitation, was evident in the clumsy but emotionally charged kiss.
“I don’t need a grand and luxurious proposal. Just like now, if we can be together, it’s enough. I’ll always be here until Your Majesty leaves.”
“That will never happen. I’ll do whatever it takes to prevent it.”
Herald promised Retina, who thought she might leave someday. The reason he devoted himself to state affairs day and night It wasn’t just about handling the martial arts competition. He poured all his efforts into making Retina officially his partner, not just a member of the government.
“I love you. I desire you madly. Retina Cecilia, only you.”
Overwhelmed by the growing desire, Herald gently caressed Retina’s back. He was careful not to treat her recklessly, as if handling delicate glass that might break with a little force.
“I want to become one with you. Let me feel you… allow me.”
Retina nodded as she sought his permission. As Retina granted permission, he kissed her deeply, swallowing her lips in one gulp. His touch on the corset strings was skillful yet urgent.
In an instant, Retina’s position reversed, and the two of them collapsed onto the sofa bed. Despite the shallow dust rising from the fabric, the joyous laughter didn’t cease, as if something wonderful had happened.
The two people lying on the narrow sofa, pressed tightly against each other, seemed determined to make up for the time they couldn’t see or touch each other. Harold, like a long-starved person, explored Retina while she, showing possessiveness, continuously caressed him, soothing him.
In the dimly lit space without a single candle, Retina couldn’t clearly see Harold’s complexion. However, she was relieved to hear that he didn’t seem to be in a bad condition after reaching his climax; he just fell into a deep sleep.
‘He must have been really tired, complaining about not being able to sleep properly.’
It was the first time she had seen the prince in such a state. She was surprised at how much tension and fatigue had accumulated, causing him to faint as soon as he reached his peak. Knowing that he had merely fallen asleep, she sighed in relief and swept her hand through his hair.
“Are you awake?”
Feeling the movement of the arms that confined her, Retina asked. Herald, still half-asleep, raised his head, confirmed that Retina was still beside him, and then lazily turned his face away.
“…Has it been a long time?”
“No, not even thirty minutes.”
Retina, brushed Herald’s hair to the side. Even with a brief nap, traces of exhaustion were visible on his face.
“Then a little more… like this.”
After waking up but still groggy, Herald, who didn’t get up from the sofa, hugged Retina tightly. It seemed like it had been a while since he had slept with his head supported.
Usually, he struggled through the sleepless hours, reluctant to waste time tossing and turning, enduring until he finally dozed off at his desk. Due to this, he often suffered from stiff muscles in his neck and back. Now, having Retina by his side, he could enjoy a brief but deep sleep.
“You haven’t been sleeping well, right?”
“Who said that? Sat?”
“I won’t tell. You’ll scold him again.”
“If it’s not Sat, then it must be Ilyan.”
Herald easily recalled Ilyan, who had been lecturing him until just before he went down to the estate last week. He could deduce the likely culprit. If it were that rascal Sat, he would have warned him not to worry Retina unnecessarily.
“Though not to this extent, I usually struggle with sleep. Nightmares and headaches prevent me from falling asleep without medication”. Herald had only slept without taking any medicine when he spent the night with Retina at the mansion.
“Every night, I especially wanted to see you.” It was perhaps natural for him to crave the only person who allowed him to exist as his unstable self, ignoring all external pressures and wanting to elevate Retina to the status of princess. To keep her by his side without causing her harm required patience.
“Did you miss seeing me?” Herald asked, tickling around Retina’s navel with his fingers. Although he had heard about the ongoing negotiations with Prince Norden Raglaras, Retina’s letter did not mention any of it. Expecting Retina to bring it up first, he received a letter that didn’t contain the expected content about facing the negotiations.
“Yes, I did.”
“Your response was delayed.”
“My heart was aching from not being able to see you.”
Retina, who laughed at the ticklish sensation, groaned at the pain in her abdomen as Herald pulled her closer. He gently smoothed her belly, where she complained of muscle pain, and kissed her above her chest.
“What did you do to get muscle pain in your stomach?”
“Um… a physical training session?”
“Physical training? Did noblewomen do that?”
“In fact, there were talks of a marriage proposal coming my way, much like how the Queen is seeking a princess for the Crown Prince. They requested me to demonstrate my physical strength as a condition.”
“Marriage proposal…”
“Since I’ve been rejecting all suitors so far, they asked me to consider it since it came as a condition from the ones who sought to marry the Crown Princess.”
Retina spoke as if she had no choice. Watching Retina casually talk about negotiations involving different people, Herald realized the complexity of the situation. He wished she had gotten upset with him for meeting with knights. However, Retina seemed to have expected this, accepting it with ease, making it difficult for him to reproach her.
“I know. I heard you met with Norden.”
“Did you know… about it? I was planning to tell you once everything was settled since there were very few who knew.”
“Would you have kept it from me if I didn’t know?”
Herald growled as he turned Retina’s face towards him. Even if Retina accepted her fate, he could not tolerate it. He would never let it happen.
“I wasn’t planning to deceive you. At that time, nothing was decided. I found out when I went there.”
Retina explained this to Herald, who was like a predator, not wanting to miss its prey. Even he didn’t hide the Crown Princess competition from her.
“When it’s decided, are you planning to bid farewell to me before going north with Norden?”
Herald held Retina tightly, as if he didn’t want to let her go. Even though it wasn’t a confirmed event, it felt like something was being taken away.
“I want to exile the prince from the empire immediately.”
“Then the relationship with the north will be strained.”
“Do you like Norden? Enough to willingly sacrifice for the empire’s relations?”
“That’s not it, but…”
Retina elongated her words. She knew what the Crown Prince was worrying about. He was probably thinking about how I, with the same hair color as Norden, might feel. And if the prince found out about that fact, he would undoubtedly choose me.
Retina calmly stroked Herald, who was clinging to her. She could have given him a false answer that he wanted to hear, but she didn’t. Instead of worrying about an uncertain future, she decided to focus on the present moment they shared.
“The person in my heart is only His Highness, the Crown Prince.”
Retina patted Herald’s chest and stood up, leaving him behind. It was time to leave the room. Although it was supposed to be a party that continued throughout the night, she had been absent for too long. The maids might be looking for her.
As Herald’s jacket, which had covered her, fell away, Retina’s back and waist were exposed. Considering the dress she was wearing, there was no evidence left on her shoulders, but below was a mess. There were traces all over her fair skin, creating an impression that made the reddened marks visible. There seemed to be some bruises on the inside of her legs.
