Chapter 140: An Intoxicating Night (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 140: An Intoxicating Night (2)
My face flushed bright red at his words.
“Wh-when did I ever!”
“Don’t you remember? That day, after I lost control…!”
“Be quiet!”
I hurriedly scrambled to cover Loik’s mouth.
“Thath night, you touched my chetht…!”
“I didn’t think you were this kind of person, but you’re a terrible drunk!”
I tugged on Loik’s sleeve.
“Hurry up and go to sleep!”
“But you really did touch it…”
“Quiet!”
* * *
Having finished my work for the day, I lay down in bed early.
The exasperating Grand Duke had acted perfectly normal once we returned to the temple, as if nothing had happened.
I was so exhausted from the day’s events that I felt like I would fall asleep in an instant.
Just as my eyes were about to drift shut, a shadow as large as a mountain slipped into the darkened room.
Water dripped from the black silhouette.
I was about to scream at the sight of the figure looming over me when the familiar scent of winter hit my nose. A lethargic voice called my name.
Wait, didn’t I leave him with the servants to help him bathe when we parted earlier?
“Why did you come here without even drying your hair?”
“It’s dry.”
Loik shook his head like a puppy to dry his hair, sending cold droplets of water flying onto my face.
“Ack, cold!”
“Is it cold?”
Loik stealthily propped a knee onto the bed and crawled under the covers.
“I’ll hold you so you won’t be cold.”
He let out a silly, cute laugh.
No, really—how could a man who was perfectly fine after drinking Snow Wine get this drunk off a few berries?
I recalled how dragons were said to get drunk if they ate Elfberries.
Is he a dragon or something?
The thought gave me pause.
Wait, Loik possesses the mana of a dragon, so…
Don’t tell me he inherited dragon habits, too?
I reflexively covered my mouth.
Then that means he’s basically half-dragon, isn’t he?
Loik wriggled his large frame, trying to squeeze into the small bed. My pillow quickly became damp from his wet hair.
“Annette. Why are you covering your mouth? Is it because you don’t want to kiss me?”
Loik slowly moved my fingers away from my mouth, one by one.
Wow. My half-dragon husband is lying in my bed right now, acting like a total drunk!
Putting it into words made it sound even weirder.
However, the shock of this startling realization didn’t last long. Loik pressed his face against my hand and nuzzled it, as if asking to be pampered.
It seemed my husband was the type to become flirtatious when drunk.
Narrowing my eyes at this newfound discovery about the Grand Duke, I spoke firmly.
“Loik, Elfberries are strictly forbidden from now on.”
“Annette, your hands are so soft.”
I pushed away Loik’s face as he continued to rub against my palm.
“And go sleep in your own room.”
“Can’t I sleep here?”
His sculpted face put on a pathetic expression.
“Of course not!”
“But… this isn’t what we agreed on.”
“I was the one who made a wish to go on a trip together… so why did those other bastards get to spend more time with Annette?”
“I just ended up doing those knights a favor.”
Seeing him grumble with that handsome face…
His complaints are actually quite reasonable.
I shrugged my shoulders as if granting him a great favor.
“I’ll grant you a different wish instead. Tell me what it is.”
When I nodded, Loik bit his lip as if deep in thought. I could clearly hear the sound of him swallowing hard right next to my ear.
“What is it? Why are you hesitating so much?”
After a moment of hesitation, Loik finally spoke.
“Lucion…”
“…Prince Lucion?”
“…Can’t you not?”
“I wish you wouldn’t meet that bastard Lucion anymore.”
My eyes widened at the unexpected wish. Why was Prince Lucion coming up now?
Loik didn’t answer; he just kept fiddling with the sleeve of my pajamas. His lips pouted as if he were holding back more words.
“…Loik, are you jealous?”
A low, grumbling voice drifted out.
“I think that bastard likes Annette.”
“We’ve only met once.”
“Anyone with even one working eye would have no choice but to fall for Annette the moment they saw her.”
Lord Grand Duke. I appreciate the sentiment, but you’re being far too delusional.
Loik waited for my reaction with half his face buried in the bed. His shoulders were hunched, looking tense as if he expected to be scolded.
Seeing him like that made my heart soften instantly.
Instead of teasing him, I gently brushed back the black hair that had fallen over his face.
“Loik, you said you liked me yesterday.”
A moment of silence followed. I could feel Loik’s entire body stiffen with tension. Even the sound of his rhythmic breathing stopped.
“It’s hard for me to give you an answer right away.”
The fist clutching the blanket near my waist tightened.
“…I am fine.”
“I can’t tell you everything, but my situation is a bit complicated right now in many ways.”
I gently stroked the back of his hand, where the veins were bulging.
“But if I ever decide to let someone into my heart, it will definitely be you, Loik.”
Loik gasped at my words. His damp eyelashes fluttered.
“I will never be torn between you and someone else. I promise you that.”
“That… that is enough.”
His voice, muffled and strained, cracked with emotion.
Loik fumbled through the darkness to grab my hand. I could feel his entire body trembling uncontrollably through his fingertips.
“Annette, that really is enough.”
Murmuring as if his throat were tight, Loik curled his body and pressed his forehead against mine.
He placed a trembling hand on my cheek and met my eyes. His face was shadowed with his back to the moonlight streaming through the small window, but his dark eyes sparkled.
“It really is enough.”
Loik softly kissed the bridge of my nose.
Leaving moist traces around my mouth, Loik’s lips gradually moved lower.
I felt a soft sensation touch my chin and pull away, and before I knew it, his hot breath was tickling my neck.
He gently licked the sensitive skin of my throat.
With a faint, wet sound, his lips traced down my neckline. Loik shifted his body, moving further down.
Wait, if he goes any lower than that—!
His lips finally touched the tender flesh below my collarbone. A shiver ran down my spine as his lips nipped and sucked at my skin.
Before I knew it, both of his hands were gripping my waist firmly.
Unable to even flinch, I clutched the shoulders of Loik’s shirt. His hot lips toyed with the lace along the neckline of my pajamas.
If he went any further, he’d be inside my pajamas…!
“Your Highness, are you asleep?”
Suddenly, a voice came from the door.
Eek! The sound of Cecilia’s voice made every hair on my body stand up.
I frantically pulled the blanket over Loik.
“If you’re not asleep, I’m coming in!”
“Wait, don’t—!”
Cecilia whispered softly and opened the door. She was carrying a tray and a glass of water.
“I forgot to bring you water this evening.”
I tried my best to answer calmly to avoid letting her notice the large silhouette huddled under the covers.
“It’s not fine. You shouldn’t use a Holy Relic to drink water just because you’re thirsty like you did today.”
Cecilia set the tray down on the bedside table.
I felt Loik squirming under the blanket. I pressed down hard on the covers to tell him to stop.
His large body flinched for a moment, then he buried his face against my chest.
“Y-yeah. Thanks. You should go to sleep too, Cecilia.”
His hot breath tickled my bare skin from inside the blanket.
Cecilia tilted her head, seemingly confused by my awkward behavior, but eventually said goodnight and left.
Once the door was closed and I was sure she was far away, I whipped the blanket off.
I had intended to give him a piece of my mind, but Loik’s eyes were already closed.
Don’t tell me he fell asleep?
His broad chest rose and fell slowly and silently.
No, what am I supposed to do if you fall asleep here!
“Loik! Wake up.”
I shook him a few times, but his eyelids only fluttered briefly.
Because we were so close, his soft lips brushed against the skin below my collarbone every time he took a breath.
I tried to push his chest away, but his arms were wrapped around me so tightly that he wouldn’t budge.
I mean, I did say I wouldn’t look at other men. But that didn’t mean it was okay to cross the line so recklessly like this…
After struggling for a bit, I eventually gave up on my futile attempts.
Whatever.
I reached out and touched the back of Loik’s head; his hair had dried in the meantime and felt soft in my hand.
So that was all because of Lucion.
I thought to myself as I slowly stroked his hair.
I felt like I finally understood why Loik had seemed so excessively drained in the carriage last time. I could understand why he was so wary of the men around me and why he acted as if he wanted me all to himself.
Because Loik only has me.
But I didn’t want him to feel depressed by comparing himself to a man like Lucion. Loik was already a man with so much suffering. There was no need for me to make him feel even more anxious.
I hadn’t been lying when I said Loik was a perfect person. He had become the warmest and safest refuge for me since I transmigrated into this world.
— “I will never be torn between you and someone else. I promise you that.”
It had been a bit of an impulsive thing to say, but I wanted to reassure him.
— “Annette, that really is enough.”
Still, hearing his rhythmic breathing, it seemed he had fallen into a peaceful sleep.
I can’t avoid meeting Lucion entirely, but…
I should try to avoid meeting him one-on-one as much as possible.
Being held in arms as warm as a thermal magic tool, I soon felt lethargic.
Before long, my eyes drifted shut.