Chapter 164. First Night (1)
Annette primly brushed her hair behind her ear.
“It’s not that I dislike it, but…”
Every time Annette trailed off and moved, the fluttering hem of her skirt tickled his heart.
“I’m joking.”
Loic lifted his chin and spoke, trying not to stare at Annette too openly.
“Please sit for a moment. I’ll warm the room more.”
Loic placed several refined mana stones into the fireplace, meant to be used instead of firewood.
Soon, crackling sounds filled the air, and the room grew pleasantly warm.
Annette sat awkwardly on the edge of the bed.
“Is there anything you need?” Loic asked.
“I’m a little thirsty…”
“Ah, I’ll bring some tea right away.”
“Instead of tea… do you have wine?”
“…I’ll bring wine.”
Loic rushed to the dining room in a highly tense state and brought back snow wine.
While Annette slowly drank one glass of the chilled wine, Loic, seated on a stool across from her, nearly finished an entire bottle by himself.
It wasn’t that he was getting drunk. He was just unbearably thirsty.
When Loic let his gaze drop slightly from Annette’s face, pale skin came into view.
Feeling disgusted with himself, he lowered his head completely—only for her white ankles to stand out instead.
There was nowhere safe to look.
He was also very aware of his own exposed upper body.
Scars covering his waist and back aside, the problem was that his lower body kept reacting on its own, making his nerves feel like they were about to snap.
Thinking it would simply be nice to be alone together had been a mistake.
‘I didn’t know it would be this painful.’
Tiern wouldn’t be too far away.
Once Annette fell asleep, he would call all the servants and the knights back immediately.
With that thought, Loic checked the fireplace once more and stood up.
“You must be tired. Please go to sleep early.”
At those words, Annette, who had been sitting quietly, widened her eyes.
“Where are you going?”
“I’ll sleep in the next room.”
Loic spoke a bit firmly to reassure her.
The villa had only one master bedroom, but there were plenty of guest rooms.
Suppressing the heat boiling inside him, Loic smiled calmly.
“If you need anything, call me anytime. I’ll come right away.”
Just as Loic started walking, trying not to be conscious of his embarrassing state—
Annette suddenly grabbed his pants.
“Ugh.”
Startled by the sudden stimulation, Loic hurriedly grabbed his waist.
“Annette?”
Annette puffed out her cheeks and raised her eyebrows sharply.
“You’re just going to leave like this?”
“…What?”
Annette sighed as if frustrated and spoke firmly.
“Loic, what do you think I’m wearing right now?”
Flustered, Loic quickly scanned Annette’s outfit again.
What was she wearing?
A thin piece of fabric that looked like it would slip off if touched even slightly.
“T-that… pajamas…”
“A wife is wearing something this sexy—no, pretty—and your reaction is that indifferent?”
At her pouty, duck-like lips, Loic stammered.
“In-indifferent? That was never my intention.”
Honestly, it was absurd.
Couldn’t she see that he was barely restraining himself from pouncing on her like a beast?
“Loic, didn’t you say you were going to seduce me?”
Annette asked, narrowing her eyes.
“I… did.”
“So then you’re just going to leave your wife alone in the bedroom like this?”
She usually complained about being sore and begged for kisses so easily.
Without realizing it, Loic clenched his trembling fingers tightly.
His heart pounded violently.
He couldn’t understand what Annette really meant.
Impatiently brushing his bangs back, Loic sat on the edge of the bed, keeping a bit of distance from her.
‘Calm down. Annette doesn’t mean anything serious.’
He must not get excited and try to swallow her whole.
Forcing himself to breathe steadily, Loic began to speak.
“F-first of all… Annette, you are extremely… well, honestly, dangerously beautiful right now.”
Annette tilted her head slightly and leaned her ear forward as if listening closely.
“And I’m not as… gentlemanly as you might think.”
How could he calm her without saying outright that he was in heat?
“This kind of stimulation is hard to endure… I mean, this is all for your sake…”
Loic’s words became more and more tangled as he gripped the bedsheet tightly.
That was when slender fingers gently brushed the back of his hand.
“Am I really… beautiful?”
Annette looked up at him, the corners of her eyes slightly red.
As if possessed, Loic reached out and tucked the golden strands behind her ear.
“You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in this world.”
At those words, Annette bit her lips as if trying to hide her rising smile.
“…Honestly, sometimes I’m scared.”
“Why?”
She tilted her small head as she asked.
After hesitating, Loic finally confessed his true feelings.
“I’m afraid that Annette staying by my side isn’t real.”
As he carefully moved her hair away from her neck, her white chest rose and fell softly.
Just seeing that filled his heart with deep happiness.
‘I’m a man cursed for life. There’s no way I should be given such a blessing.’
Sometimes I’m terrified you’ll suddenly say all of this was just my illusion and turn away coldly.
Loic swallowed those final words.
“I’ll take back what I said about you being indifferent.”
Annette smiled slightly, her cheeks flushed.
She probably thought it was just something nice to hear.
‘Without knowing how I really feel.’
Just as a sense of sadness welled up—
“But then why were you wearing a ribbon?”
“…What?”
Loic fell silent as he saw Annette pick up the ribbon that had been lying around.
“That is… well…”
If he held back here, he’d look even stranger.
In the end, Loic explained the ribbon in full detail.
“…They said it was trendy, so I just tried it once.”
‘Why did I even put that on.’
Just as his face burned with embarrassment—
Annette’s flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes caught his attention.
“But I didn’t see it?”
“…What?”
“You said it was my gift. I haven’t unwrapped my present yet.”
At her teasing words, steam practically rose from Loic’s head.
This woman really—
Annette was clearly doing this on purpose.
Whenever he was put in an awkward position, his lovely wife always seemed to enjoy it.
Her playful gaze, full of anticipation, was fixed on him.
It would damage the dignity of the Grand Duke of Blenheim if others saw this.
“……”
But honestly, if Annette could enjoy herself even for a moment, he could endure any embarrassment.
“So when are you giving me the present?”
Seeing Annette lean forward impatiently, Loic finally turned around and tied the ribbon around his neck.
His reflection in the mirror was ridiculous.
A huge body with an accessory that didn’t suit him at all.
Biting the inside of his cheek, Loic turned back to Annette.
Oh my goodness!
I had been ready to tease him, but I stared blankly with my mouth open.
Loic wearing a ribbon around his neck was incredibly captivating.
“Loic, it suits you so well.”
I exclaimed while watching him look embarrassed.
“I should start ordering ribbons separately from Ramondria.”
“Please stop teasing me.”
Seeing Loic pout made me burst into laughter.
“I’m serious! How does our Grand Duke manage to look good in everything?”
When I spoke gently, the resentment on his face softened a little.
“As long as Annette likes it, that’s enough.”
Ah.
I really do like Loic.
I had realized long ago that I liked him.
I was just scared to fully settle in Blenheim by trusting only Loic.
Because people’s feelings can change anytime.
But now, I had to admit it honestly.
I like Loic—the man who, despite being embarrassed, tied a ribbon around his neck without complaint just because of one word from me.
More than I thought.
The red satin ribbon draped over Loic’s chest swayed slightly, as if tempting me.
‘I want to touch Loic more.’
Slowly, I placed my hand on his chest.
In an instant, his large body stiffened.
“Annette?”
Loic’s tense breathing gradually grew hotter.
As I traced my hand over his firm muscles, I grabbed the end of the ribbon.
“Then… can I unwrap the present now?”
At those words, Loic swallowed dryly and grabbed my wrist.
“Annette.”
His voice had dropped low.
“If you go any further, I won’t be able to hold back.”
His eyes, filled with intense desire, stared straight at me.
Don’t hold back.
Maintaining eye contact with Loic, I pulled on the red ribbon.
Before the knot even fully came undone—
Loic’s hot lips rushed at me and swallowed me whole.
