YED Chapter 172

Saint Mernie Manor was quiet today as well. People wanted to visit this elegant manor standing at the end of the long avenue past the birch forest.

Although there were quite a few people in downtown Kerniola, unfortunately, the manor’s owner, second only to the emperor in status, was nowhere to be seen today. It seemed they weren’t going out at all.

It was natural for nobles to engage in “social activities” like interacting with people, horseback riding, fishing, and boating. However, the couple stayed cooped up in their manor, neither inviting people nor responding to invitations.

Such things weren’t of interest to the couple. The beautiful lady of the manor sat leisurely, still lost in thought.

What was the purpose of coming here? Wasn’t it to rest and love each other? After spending the entire first day in Peon’s embrace, she desperately woke up early the next day, gathered her canvas and art supplies from the morning, and tried to go outside to paint landscapes.

“Going to paint?”

“Yes.”

Kaela set up her art supplies on the wide lawn in front of the manor. With her bonnet ribbon tied firmly under her chin, she set up the easel and spread out the old, awkward canvas, then looked ahead.

What should she paint? Perhaps capture the view of Lake Foch as it entered autumn? The sky, the distant lake, and the vast manor would be nice. She could use red, blue, and green colors to her heart’s content.

Feeling a ticklish sensation, Kaela shrank back and looked to the side. Peon was gently tickling her neck with a clean brush.

“I should paint you too.”

“Huh? What?”

Peon looked down at her expressionlessly.

“On your neck. It’s marked.”

His gaze fell where the end of the swaying bonnet ribbon brushed.

“There too.”

Kaela’s face turned red.

“I would appreciate it if you didn’t say such things in broad daylight, Your Highness.”

The dignified princess firmly cut him off while snatching the brush from his hand.

“I was merely stating facts, My Lady.”

Being alone with Peon, and with the servants rarely visible, she had dressed more loosely instead of being completely wrapped up, and Peon alone was enjoying it. Kaela turned her gaze away from that handsome face and just glared at the canvas.

Art. One of the basic refinements of a lady. So let’s try painting diligently. But really, what should I paint?

Maybe I should have painted the apples that are starting to appear now.

Mentally, she hadn’t touched a brush or pencil for over 4 years, no, almost 5 years, so capturing a vast landscape was very burdensome. She didn’t think she could even sketch. Should she try painting something smaller? Like flowers or trees. Or maybe apples.

“What are you going to paint?”

“I don’t know. It’s been so long… I wasn’t good at it to begin with, but now I’m even less confident.”

“If it’s for fun, you don’t need to be good at it. It’s a hobby, right?”

“Yes.”

It was a hobby she hadn’t enjoyed for too long.

“I don’t think I can paint the landscape after all. I should start with something smaller.”

Maybe paint the old statue outside? Yes, that wouldn’t be bad. Kaela turned toward the statue covered in ivy.

“If you can’t find something to paint, paint me.”

Kaela’s eyes widened. The most handsome man in the world was looking at her sideways.

“Your expression says you hadn’t thought of painting me at all.”

“It’s a painting that might never be finished.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Modeling is really tiring.”

“Standing still is easy, and I just get to look at you. Not tiring at all.”

Is that so? Could it be? Well, Peon was certainly a more appealing subject than a statue. What artist wouldn’t feel that way?

She’d heard that quite a few painters in Craine had been quietly waiting for when the Grand Duke of Lusenford would sit for a portrait.

Wouldn’t it be something history would weep over if such a handsome man wasn’t recorded? Whatever opinions Peon might receive due to distorted truths, shouldn’t at least the fact of his handsomeness remain?

But Kaela hesitated. Shouldn’t this man be painted by a genius of the age, not left to his amateur wife’s hobby painting?

“I really can’t paint well.”

“I told you, you don’t need to paint well.”

Peon smiled slightly.

“I just want to be with you. Don’t you like that too?”

“I like being with you too.”

“Then paint me.”

He was always desperate to catch her gaze. Sometimes, even knowing there might come moments when Kaela would find it hard to forgive him, knowing she could push him away, he wanted to hold on.

Peon stood in front of where Kaela sat. His violet eyes turned toward her. He was brazenly staring through the artist. Kaela swallowed hard and looked at the canvas.

“Don’t move.”

“I can’t move at all?”

“A little is fine.”

Peon happily gazed at Kaela. What was she like when she first learned to paint as a princess? She must have been a model student who listened very well to her teacher.

Did she learn her hobby with some sense of responsibility that she had to paint well enough? Well, she was very diligent even when chasing after him. Peon habitually recalled one of the few good memories in his life.

Blue eyes looked at him seriously.

“There might be some physical changes, so please understand that.”

Physical changes? Her already round eyes grew even rounder. It was fascinating and cute how she reacted to every word he said.

How could Kaela still listen to his words despite everything? Is this what taking drugs feels like? How could this thrilling sensation of losing one’s mind stay maintained and feel new every time?

“I’m excited because you’re looking at me.”

Eyes excited with a tingling high devoured Kaela. It was hard to tell anymore who was the artist and who was the model.

The woman receiving that fervent, desperate gaze dropped her brush. With trembling hands, the brush clattered several times before rolling away.

If she had said clearly, “Honey, get a hold of yourself,” he might have pretended to compose himself and just smiled. Kaela looked down, her eyelashes fluttering like umbrellas.

Her peach-like cheeks and the collarbone area full of his marks turned completely red. No woman could remain calm under such openly worshipful gazes from a man like him.

Peon leaned on the easel and bent down toward Kaela. As the distance narrowed, her narrow shoulders hunched more, and her eyes trying desperately to find ventilation darted elsewhere. Peon’s eyes instantly narrowed.

That won’t do.

He’d just gotten her to look, where was she trying to go?

His urgent hand, pretending not to be urgent, brushed her chin with its back.

“Shall we go inside? It’s too bright out here.”

Yet he was afraid Kaela might avoid him.

“It’s daytime.”

Kaela answered, still avoiding his gaze but not avoiding his hand.

“Daytime isn’t allowed?”

Peon traced from her chin along her straight neck and shoulder, naturally raising her hand. Leaning his cheek pitifully against that hand, he murmured.

“I want you all the time.”

No, more precisely, he didn’t want to lose Kaela even to mere art supplies and a canvas. It was peace he’d gained after getting permission to clear away all distractions and diligently removing them.

For him, it was barely enough time to focus entirely on her, his only breathing space. The man’s eyes, already parched beyond measure, turned desperately, or intensely, toward his only being.

Kaela, whom he had dared to trample and ignore, was heartachingly docile. She was delicate and weak enough that he could dominate her if he tried.

So Peon waited more desperately. Even if her expression seemed somewhat friendly, he couldn’t just pull her in.

He dared not do so. Until an answer came, he could only use his body and face to beg her to look at him just a little and choose him just one more time. At least Kaela seemed to like his face enough not to slap it, though she had many reasons to do so.

“You can paint later.”

He firmly held her hand that had already moved away from brush and pencil to prevent it from returning, and looked at her straight on.

“We have plenty of time.”

The moment the held hand gently caressed his cheek, Peon knew. Ah, she came over. Again, you, kind and generous you, came over to me.

“Hmm?”

“Inside…”

He immediately wrapped his arms around Kaela’s waist.

“Yes.”

“We need to go inside.”

“Yes.”

So no one else can see. So only I can see you. So only you can possess me.

****

Much to Peon’s regret, his wife, Her Highness the Princess of Ostein, was a person with many hobbies.

“Aren’t you tired?”

Wearing a blouse and pants, picking up a riding jacket, Kaela glared at him sharply.

“Who made me tired…!”

That would be her sinful husband. Peon, quite loosely wearing only a robe, raised both hands.

The thin silk robe swayed softly as it fell over his thickly developed body. Despite being up for a while, he was still in that state of dress, unlike his usual self.

Since coming here, Peon seemed to have decided to fully enjoy his vacation and was properly lounging about. The diligent man who always woke up early to inspect the castle and check on the army had completely disappeared.

The only thing Peon focused on here was just Kaela alone. The only things he absolutely took care of were his wife’s meal portions, comfortable seating, proper sleep time distribution, and physical strength management.

So Kaela, who desperately raised herself from her husband’s peaceful swamp-like embrace, was much more industrious.

“Why horseback riding of all things?”

His beloved wife now declared she would go horseback riding. To Peon, horseback riding wasn’t a sport to enjoy but just a means of rapid transportation.

For a soldier who rode horses into actual battle while covering all of Lusenford daily, that’s all it was. And now that horses weren’t necessary, horseback riding was even more one of the things there was no need to do.

“I’m worried.”

“Even though I didn’t ride much in Lusenford, I still know how to ride reasonably well.”

“You only rode in carriages in Craine too.”

“But I need to do horseback riding.”

Kaela clutched her jacket and said. Ah, how cute. Peon quietly watched his wife who was lovably killing him again today.

No matter how crazy a man was, he wouldn’t rush in recklessly without considering his wife’s health condition. He just managed 24 hours very appropriately, feeding her well, letting her sleep well, and making her thoroughly happy.

He didn’t forget to share his power that was like medicine, and only embraced her without leaving a single scratch on her body. Is that why she had the energy to ride horses? He didn’t quite like that.

“Why?”

“I…”

Kaela hesitated, slightly embarrassed. Our precious Lady might find it a bit difficult for her pride to say. Her hand clutching the jacket showed firm resolve. So she’ll definitely say it. Peon waited leisurely.

“I think I need some exercise…”

“Ah.”

“I get, get out of breath.”

Leaning against the wall, Peon nodded and approached her.

“And muscle pain.”

“Does it still hurt now?”

“No, not that.”

Peon took care of all that, massaging and paying attention to it.

“I need to become healthier.”

Actually, she needed more stamina to handle her husband.

“That’s good then. But there’s no need to overdo it, Kaela.”

Peon shook his head.

“Since I fainted yesterday too…”

“That was my fault so you should scold me. Like just now.”

“Still. I can’t keep living weakly. I want to improve even a little bit.”

“Now that’s an admirable thing to say, honey.”

Watching Kaela who still seemed slightly surprised to hear that title despite him using it diligently, Peon smiled slightly.

“If you want to build stamina, wouldn’t it be better to have an expert help?”

“Expert?”

“Right here.”

“Ah, right.”

Kaela nodded. The victor of the North, knight of knights! Her husband who was the strongest in Crania, no, the whole world in terms of martial prowess.

“I think continuing what you’ve been doing is the way to become more skilled.”

Peon very lightly took her riding jacket.

“What I’ve been doing? What, which thing?”

“For instance, let’s practice horseback riding with me.”

The moment he pulled her waist, Kaela realized what her new horse would be.