Chapter 149
A Man Like a Monster
That night, Karsian released all the desire he had built up, as if he had made up his mind to do so.
However, the way he did it was entirely focused on Eleanor’s pleasure.
Eleanor realized for the first time just how many sensitive places her body had.
Just as he had declared, he thoroughly explored her, finding every spot that made her feel good—touching them, tormenting them. Sometimes, he even buried his face between her legs and did things so embarrassing she could never have put them into words.
Eleanor was completely swept away by the pleasure he gave her. Heat burned through her body, and white light flickered repeatedly before her eyes.
And yet, even while her mind was nearly blank, there came moments when clarity struck her.
‘Is this… really possible?’
That moment came when he removed the last of the clothes clinging to his body.
What filled her vision was far beyond anything she had imagined. The shock was so great that, for an instant, she wanted to run away.
She instinctively stepped back, and Karsian—seemingly interpreting it as a cute little attempt at resistance—ruthlessly grabbed her legs and pulled her toward him.
His strength was overwhelming. Though he appeared to move lightly, she was dragged to him without the slightest chance to resist.
After that, her memories became hazy.
Her pale body was shaken again and again, and pleasure-soaked moans filled the bedroom. The ecstasy was so intense she felt like she might lose consciousness. In fact, she might actually have blacked out for a moment.
Even when she thought it was over, it wasn’t.
Karsian would give her just enough time to rest, and when her strained sounds softened, he would take her again. Eleanor gave up trying to count how many times it happened.
The night that felt like it would never end finally ended when dawn broke.
Even then, it was only because Eleanor declared that she would die if it continued any longer. If she had stayed silent, Karsian looked ready to remain locked in that room for days.
“You’re… a monster.”
Eleanor, who now looked noticeably thinner, accused him in a hoarse, cracking voice.
Of course, she couldn’t place all the blame on him—she had also given in to temptation and gone along with it. Still, she firmly believed that the one who tempted her first bore the greater responsibility.
Her entire body ached as if she had been beaten. If she couldn’t blame him, who else was there to blame?
“I hear that a lot from my knights.”
Karsian replied shamelessly as he placed a small piece of chocolate into her mouth.
Unlike Eleanor, who was half-collapsed in exhaustion, Karsian looked perfectly fine. Considering that he had been the one moving relentlessly all night, his stamina truly was monstrous.
It was impressive—and irritating.
That he had exhausted her like this, then worried she might collapse and fed her water and chocolate, only made it worse.
Karsian wiped Eleanor’s entire body with a damp towel before finally lying down beside her. Eleanor naturally rested her head against his chest.
Perhaps because they had already lain together once, her heart felt strangely at ease. His now-familiar scent seemed to calm her mind.
“Did you hear? Sir Seth became my guard.”
She felt like she could fall asleep the moment she closed her eyes, yet she didn’t want to sleep just yet.
They had talked throughout dinner, and even during breaks, they had chatted endlessly—yet she still had so much she wanted to say.
“Yes, I heard. Do you like him? Did that bastard act rudely toward you? Or anyone else, for that matter?”
A face naturally came to mind, but Eleanor shook her head.
If Amira’s behavior crossed the line, it would be better to tell him—but for now, it still remained within what Eleanor could tolerate. Besides, tattling about others simply didn’t suit her nature.
As always, Eleanor didn’t like borrowing someone else’s hand to take revenge.
“I’ve been fine. And Sir Seth seems to be good at his job. I think he’s competent.”
“…If that’s the case, then that’s a relief.”
Karsian’s eyes narrowed slightly. Eleanor, unaware, continued speaking.
“Sir Seth, Sir Russell, and Aide Adrian—you said those three are your closest people, right? Could you tell me more about them?”
“Yes, of course. Seth and Russell have been with me since my days in the subjugation squad. Russell is a commoner by birth and was famous for his strength even among the squad. Seth, on the other hand, was the eldest son of the Marquess of Merveny—one of the most prestigious families in Royster.”
“The eldest son of a marquess joined the subjugation squad?”
Eleanor had already guessed Seth was a noble. His gestures, speech, and attire all carried a refined air.
Still, learning that he had been part of the subjugation squad was unexpected—and intriguing.
“It was strange indeed. Many people were shocked and wondered if he’d lost his mind. The truth was simple. Back when I wasn’t acknowledged as Royster’s heir and was living with the subjugation squad, a noble suddenly came to challenge me to a duel. He was annoying, so I sparred with him a few times. Then he followed me to the squad and pledged loyalty to me. That was Seth.”
“The Merveny household must have been in an uproar.”
“Yes. It was a scandal that shook all of Royster. Back then, the subjugation squad didn’t enjoy the prestige it does now, so it was even worse. But Seth is the type who stubbornly clings to what he believes is right. No one could stop him. His engagement was broken, and the position of heir was taken by his younger brother—yet Seth never left the squad. And since the others didn’t fully accept a noble as one of their own, he must have gone through a very difficult time.”
The story changed Eleanor’s view of him.
She recalled the red-haired man who had glared at her coldly and felt a quiet sense of admiration. Losing an engagement and having one’s position taken by a sibling felt all too familiar. Perhaps because of that, she felt an unexpected closeness to him.
“Still, once Russell acknowledged him, Seth’s relationship with the others quickly recovered. When you face life-threatening situations together, it’s hard to keep hating someone competent. A few years later, after I became Grand Duke, Seth had become the pride of the Merveny family. He helped me greatly while I was adjusting to my new position.”
“Then did he regain the heir position? What about his fiancée?”
“……Eleanor, you seem particularly interested in Seth. Is that just my imagination?”
Suddenly, his red eyes gleamed dangerously.
If she said it wasn’t, he looked ready to run off and wring Seth’s neck immediately.
Sensing danger, Eleanor quickly denied it.
“What? Of course not. You were just explaining so interestingly that I got curious.”
“…I see.”
He still looked suspicious, but didn’t press further.
So he’s jealous.
The unexpected side of him was cute, and Eleanor smiled inwardly.
“The Marquess wanted Seth to become the heir again, but Seth refused both the title of viscount and any engagement. He said living as a knight was far more comfortable. The marquess still hasn’t given up, but knowing Seth’s stubbornness, I doubt he’ll ever change his mind.”
“That makes sense. Then what about Adrian? Did you meet him after your succession?”
“I was introduced to Adrian while preparing for my ascension. By my father’s order, he was in charge of my education. He’s the son of a renowned scholar and made a name for himself academically, which earned my father’s favor. Now, he’s entirely my man—but since he was once my teacher, he sometimes shows a sense of duty to mold me into a great ruler. As a result, he occasionally disobeys my orders ‘for my own good,’ which makes me consider dismissing him.”
That included hiding what Eleanor had gone through in Astria.
Remembering it again stirred fresh anger.
Perhaps I really should have dismissed him.
Karsian regretted it briefly.
“Do you have any other questions? Is your back feeling any better?”
“Yes, I’m fine now. Maybe because you massaged it—my back feels better than before.”
“Then perhaps…”
Lowering his voice, Karsian looked at her meaningfully.
After several experiences, Eleanor knew that look well—it was the look he had when he was about to seduce her.
She slowly stretched her leg forward, and just as expected, she could clearly feel how heated he already was.
‘Is he really a monster?’
There was no other explanation. Even though she was inexperienced in such matters, she knew enough from what she’d seen and heard that this wasn’t normal.
“Don’t even dream about it.”
Eleanor scolded him with an exhausted expression.
“Yes.”
Karsian replied in a dejected voice. Though it was hard to see clearly, his expression also looked downcast.
A sulking Karsian—wasn’t that adorable?
Eleanor struggled to suppress a smile.
Like attracts like. She herself was just as far gone.
***
A week had already passed since Eleanor began staying at Trava Palace.
She was slowly getting to know the palace. By behaving quietly and observing carefully, she had gained a rough understanding of how things worked—and how people related to one another.
As she had felt on their first meeting, the head butler Harvey was genuinely kind. However, he lacked the firmness expected of his position, so some of the servants took advantage of his gentle nature.
Without needing further investigation, it was clear that the true power in the palace was Amira.
She had once been the wet nurse who personally raised the previous Grand Duke’s sons—the unfortunate heirs of Royster who had died. Having lived in the palace for so long, she had extensive connections both inside and outside, making her untouchable to most.
Strictly speaking, Harvey outranked her—but even he lived cautiously, watching her mood.
Seth and Russell didn’t get along well with Amira either.
The reason was simple: they were former members of the subjugation squad brought in by Karsian.
As the wet nurse of the legitimate heirs, it was only natural that she had never truly accepted Karsian, an illegitimate child. Over time, as Karsian proved himself by leading Royster better than anyone, her hostility toward him faded.
Still, accepting everyone he brought with him was another matter entirely.
Eleanor was one of those people.
