You are at the End of the Downfall

Peon took Kaela’s hands, which were gripping so tightly her finger bones visibly turned, and placed them on his shoulders.

“It’ll hur— it’ll hurt you…”

Seeing Kaela struggle to maintain formal speech while in distress, Peon chuckled softly.

“You’d need to build up a lot more grip strength to hurt me.”

Why did legs come in pairs? One would be enough, but having two made it difficult and embarrassing.

Kaela had no chance to refuse as she tightly gripped his shoulders, enduring the pain. As he worked on her other leg, her body leaned more towards him, adding more weight.

But Peon showed no sign of discomfort. In fact, his body was like a heavy rock, seemingly unaffected by her leaning on him.

“And Kaela. Call me however you want, and speak however you like. Don’t feel constrained.”

Was it possible not to feel awkward around him? Kaela thought it impossible. How could she not feel awkward around a man who had been a kind older brother, then coldly cut off everything and turned away, never to look back?

Peon was unpredictable, his inner thoughts hard to discern, yet he was endlessly noble and beautiful in his solitude, impossible not to admire.

“When it’s just the two of us, you don’t need to follow etiquette.”

And now, having died and returned to the past to meet him again, he pours gentle words into her ears that he would never have said before. Despite being married, he was kind enough to massage Kaela’s swollen legs.

Was this a gift given to her, so tired of false hope? Peon was so gentle and warm that she wanted to believe it, but at the same time, her wariness made her afraid, unable to understand why he was acting this way.

“I can adjust to you.”

There was no reply. Just uneven breaths and soft hair brushing against his jaw and neck, and a light, fragile weight leaning on him a bit more. Peon comforted Kaela as she struggled.

“Bear with it a little longer. You’ll sleep much more comfortably.”

As soon as he applied a bit more pressure, a scream burst out. Her frail hands, devoid of strength, pushed him away.

“Stop, stop…!”

She just wanted it to end. But the pain in her legs, which she had surrendered to him, was intensifying. Kaela looked up at him, panting, and pleaded.

“Please.”

Her voice, almost a whisper mixed with ragged breaths, sounded pitiful.

“Please, stop…”

Peon stared down at her for a moment as she whimpered in pain, then closed his eyes tightly before turning his head away.

Get a grip. The spies would surely misinterpret the suggestive moans coming from the wedding chamber and report to the Emperor, so he just needed to focus and not mix in any personal feelings. He shouldn’t react to those tear-filled eyes.

“I can’t. We’re almost done.”

With a gasping sound, her sweat-drenched face fell back. Peon supported her neck, letting her lean completely against him.

“It’s okay. You’ll feel better after this. Don’t you already feel the difference?”

From the perspective of someone nearly crying from pain, it was an irritating and annoying thing to say, but his voice sounded so soft and kind.

His body firmly supported her as she leaned on him. It was a tempting refuge for Kaela, who had nowhere else to rely on or place her heart, but in reality, it wasn’t even a refuge. She’d be fortunate just not to be driven away.

Realizing she was enjoying leaning on him under the pretext of getting a massage, Kaela wanted to hit herself. Her eyes reddened, and tears welled up.

“Breathe, Kaela. Breathe. Come on.”

She was completely out of it. His strong hands gripped her legs tightly and wouldn’t let go.

“You might have some bruises tomorrow.”

She nodded, squeezing her wet eyes shut. Her spilled golden hair touched his shoulder and became disheveled. Her sweaty white forehead shone in the moonlight that had stubbornly seeped through the tightly drawn curtains.

Kaela was in pain and simultaneously embarrassed. If she had practiced horseback riding more diligently, this awkward situation wouldn’t have occurred.

With her eyes and cheeks flushed red, she covered her mouth to stifle her sobs. If she had known it would hurt this much, she wouldn’t have done it. She wouldn’t have even started.

“It’s okay. We’re almost there.”

His touch, soothing her like a child while firmly massaging her calves exposed beneath the white nightgown, wasn’t unpleasant at all.

Every time his hands touched her, the muscles screamed precisely where it hurt, so there couldn’t have been any other intention. Besides, Peon didn’t see her in that way. She knew that.

“You’ll feel much better in the morning. You’re doing well. No, relax, Kaela. Don’t tense up, you need to relax. It hurts more if you’re tense.”

Beatrice probably wouldn’t have created such an embarrassing and awkward situation. She would have been more sophisticated.

It was the stiff, unsophisticated, and ignorant Kaela who was having this ridiculous wedding night. Having been compared so often, Kaela had developed a habit of comparing herself, and tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.

No matter how much she told herself that this was all pointless, that it didn’t matter and she shouldn’t attach any meaning to it, it was still too embarrassing and pathetic to be clawing at Peon’s shoulders and making animal-like groans.

“You’re enduring well.”

It was obvious just from how he was soothing the much younger Kaela like a child compared to Beatrice.

She decided to think it was for the best. Having shown such a pitiful sight, she could now avoid repeating her foolish behavior and focus solely on her impending death without forgetting.

Why did she always act so stupidly? Did she think things had changed because the person who had contributed to her father’s death was now helping to save him? Kaela just found herself utterly pathetic and despised herself for not being able to let go of this lingering attachment.

“…ela, Kaela?”

At his call, she suddenly raised her head. Then she forgot to breathe. Peon, much closer than she expected, was looking at her with an indecipherable expression.

Kaela unknowingly stared back at him. As their gazes intertwined, she couldn’t avoid the purple eyes she had always fled from. As if captivated, she remained fixed in place.

Belatedly, a tension that had nothing to do with her overwhelmed her. It was as if the tension was being transmitted from those eyes.

“Does it hurt a lot? Did I… do it too roughly?”

His thick, low voice was directed entirely at Kaela. The slight tremor in his voice might have been because he was feeling the same tension. Her lips, moistened from biting them so much, quivered as much as his voice.

“It’s oka—”

Her trembling lips whispered, then abruptly stopped. Peon was pouring himself into her. The powerful signal he was sending overwhelmed her, making it impossible to even avert her gaze. It was as if he wasn’t allowing her to look away.

Look, he seemed to be commanding, look at me. Like this, the distance would gradually decrease until she was finally engulfed.

‘No, it can’t be.’

However, a warning even stronger than Peon struck Kaela. She flinched as if pricked by a needle, trembling as she sharply turned her head away.

“Th-thank you, thanks. I think I can sleep now. It feels much better.”

Squeezing out words that barely came out, she hurriedly distanced herself from Peon.

Her entire body, unable to even meet his eyes, stung. The Grand Duke’s frosty gaze was surely devouring her. She must have been out of her mind.

Belatedly, Kaela’s face burned. How could the Grand Duke, who loved Beatrice, feel any tension towards her? She kept her head bowed low, staring only at the blanket.

“Feeling better?”

But the voice that reached her was much lower and more heated than she had thought. Kaela slightly raised her head again.

“That’s good. Then go to sleep.”

Rising from his seat, Peon spoke while staring intently at her.

“Sleep well.”

“Yes, you too…oppa.”

The new bride answered tensely under her husband’s gaze. She watched as he briefly entered the bathroom, then quickly lay down.

‘His gaze felt like it was burning.’

Strange. She tilted her head in confusion before closing her eyes. Her cheeks were flushed, and she wanted to fall asleep before he returned.

Her legs felt light and refreshed. It was embarrassing to feel his warm body temperature everywhere his hands had touched.

She forced her eyes shut. Don’t misunderstand, it’s nothing, she muttered repeatedly, dozens of times.