Chapter 155: Self-Control
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 155: Self-Control
To calm his racing heart, Loik drew in a deep breath, expanding his lungs to their limit.
I need to keep my wits about me.
"Won't Pyros find it too heavy with two people on him?"
"He probably won't even realize you're there, Annette."
Answering her innocent question, he barely managed to maintain his composure.
Just then, Pyros tossed his head, and Annette’s small shoulders gave a startled flinch.
"Are you scared?"
"A little," Annette admitted, her voice uncharacteristically tense as she stole a glance downward. "It’s much higher than I thought it would be."
"Don't worry. I’ll be holding onto you tightly."
As he wrapped one arm firmly around her waist, Annette instinctively shrank back.
"If you're feeling very nervous, hold onto the reins here."
At his suggestion, her small hands gripped the leather so hard her knuckles turned white. The sight of the back of her head, stiff with tension, was incredibly endearing.
Loik gently covered her fist with his other hand as he held the reins.
"Then, let’s head out."
With a light nudge of his heels against Pyros’s flanks, the horse kicked off the ground and began to gallop.
*
Riding a horse was far more frightening than Annette had imagined.
The scenery of the stables vanished in an instant, replaced by a blur of forest path. Though it felt like Loik was controlling the pace for her sake, the world still whipped past far too quickly.
Just as her entire body was beginning to stiffen with nerves—
"It’s alright, Annette," Loik whispered low against her ear. "Lean back against me. Make yourself comfortable."
He tightened his grip on her waist. That solid, heavy warmth gradually began to melt her tension.
The dust kicked up by Pyros soon mingled with the dampness of the shaded forest, releasing a refreshing, earthy scent. It was the same cool scent she often noticed on Loik when he returned from training.
Her rigid shoulders slowly relaxed.
As the short forest path ended, a vast, open field stretched out before them. Her heart swelled at the sight of the lush greenery visible beyond the horse's flowing black mane.
"Let's rest here for a moment."
Loik brought the horse to a halt in front of a massive tree standing in the middle of the field.
Dismounting as gracefully as he had climbed on, Loik reached his arms out toward her. When she leaned toward him, his large hands caught her by the waist and lowered her lightly to the ground.
For some reason, the nape of Loik’s neck seemed flushed with heat. The wind had been so cool while they were riding, though.
"Are you hot?"
"Come into the shade."
I took Loik’s hand and moved into the shadow cast by the tree. Just as I was about to sit on the bench there, Loik suddenly stepped in front of me.
"Wait a moment."
He pulled off the vest he was wearing over his shirt and spread it across the bench.
"Sit here."
"I don't mind sitting directly on it."
"It’s a bench used by those knights. It’s dirty."
It was a remark that would have surely offended any knight who heard it, but I sat down on the vest without a word.
Loik soon brought over a large canteen and poured water into a cup, handing it to me.
"You must be thirsty."
I took the cup eagerly. Perhaps because of the ride, the water felt incredibly cool and sweet as it slid down my throat. When a few drops trickled down my chin, Loik gently wiped the moisture away with his palm.
His face, windswept and handsome, was cool to the touch yet seemed to radiate an inner heat. As I studied the slight flush beneath his eyes, our gazes met, and I instinctively looked away.
— "From now on, I’m going to woo you. So that you can never run away from my side for the rest of your life."
The words Loik had spoken last night echoed in my ears all over again, making it difficult to look him in the eye. Honestly, if he set his mind to seducing me with a face like that, I wasn't sure I had the strength to resist.
"How did it feel, riding a horse?" Loik asked, carefully tucking a stray lock of my hair behind my ear.
"It was more fun than I expected."
I had been nervous, but riding was a far more enjoyable experience than I’d anticipated. Galloping through the wind had left me feeling quite refreshed.
"I'm glad. It seems you have a natural talent for riding, Annette."
"All I did was sit there."
"In the beginning, just being able to stay balanced like that is impressive. Many squires fall right off the first time they get on a horse."
It was obvious he was just trying to flatter me, but it didn't feel bad to hear.
"I'm sure you'll learn to ride properly in no time."
Hearing those words, I suddenly realized what had been bothering me—the source of the slight discomfort that had been scratching at the corners of my mind.
"Loik, were you... perhaps embarrassed?" I asked hesitantly. "Because I didn't know how to ride."
Loik’s expression instantly hardened. "Did someone say something to you?"
Since coming here, I had always been full of confidence. It was always a joy to surprise people with my knowledge and experience—from creating the 'Today's Menu' for the inn and helping with 'Cecil's Recipe' to building the shopping district by the lake.
Perhaps I had been so satisfied with life here because I could finally gain the sense of fulfillment and self-assurance I never truly had before my reincarnation.
But the more I became involved in this life and its high society, the more my shortcomings as a noblewoman would be revealed.
"I just wondered if it was a bit shameful for someone who is supposed to be the Grand Duchess to not even know how to ride a horse."
Loik gently took my hand. "May I be honest with you?"
"..."
"I was happy."
"Happy?"
His long, calloused fingers intertwined deeply with mine.
"I was happy that I could be the first person to teach Annette how to ride..."
Leaning toward me until our faces were almost touching, Loik slowly rested his forehead against mine.
"I was so happy that I could be the one to have any of your 'firsts'."
Sshhh—
A breeze blew through, causing the dense branches above to rustle loudly against one another. As Loik’s loose black hair tickled my eyes, a strange tightness coiled in my stomach.
When I winced slightly, he placed a gentle kiss on my eyelid.
"Am I a base man for thinking such things?"
His low, baritone voice made my ears burn with heat. Instead of waiting for an answer, Loik’s lips descended onto the bridge of my nose. Everywhere his lips touched, my skin felt as if it were being seared by a branding iron.
"Loik, you said you were going to woo me..."
His lips paused.
"Did you decide to woo me with your body?"
The words slipped out before I could stop them, prompted by his suddenly expert movements.
Loik let out a low chuckle. "If I woo you with my body, will you fall for me?"
My face turned as red as a burst tomato at his words.
"Anything is fine with me, as long as it keeps you by my side."
As he spoke, his lips drifted down to brush against mine. Our joined hands remained entwined, fingers tracing patterns against skin. He repeatedly nipped and tasted my lips, hovering just on the edge of a real kiss, until they were slick and damp. Finally, he swallowed my lips in a soft, deep kiss.
As the kiss grew heavy and lingering, my back instinctively arched. Even as I grew breathless, he pressed his body closer, following me as I tried to tilt my head back.
Loik tilted his head hungrily, his tongue tangling with mine until my mind went blank, flashing white. His hand began to stroke my back repeatedly, causing my shirt to ride up.
And finally, the moment his hot hand slid beneath the fabric and touched my bare skin, Loik froze.
He let out a ragged breath and slowly withdrew his hand. When he lifted his head, his face was consumed by a deep, smoldering heat. Gritting his teeth as if in pain, he carefully straightened the hem of my shirt. The veins in his forearms stood out in sharp relief.
"I'm sorry, Annette," Loik said, his voice strained as he swallowed hard. "I went too far..."
His voice trailed off as he stood up abruptly. He strode a few paces away and stood with his back to me. His chest heaved as he ran a hand roughly through his hair.
Watching him struggle to calm his arousal made my own face burn. Even in this situation, I couldn't help but notice his tall stature and thick thighs.
Catching my breath, I fanned my face with my hands. It was becoming clear that I wasn't exactly cut out for the demure life of a noblewoman.
*
Once he had finally suppressed the heat, Loik turned back to see Annette nodding slightly.
When he picked up the vest from the bench, dust fell from it. If he put it back on now, the dirt would get all over Annette. Loik crumpled the vest and stuffed it into the bag hanging from the saddle.
"Come here."
As he gently pulled her by the waist to lift her back onto the horse, Annette’s loose shirt shifted forward. In an instant, the pale skin beneath her collarbone was exposed, and Loik hurriedly averted his eyes.
Fortunately, Annette didn't seem to notice.
The body he had just managed to calm began to heat up again, completely ignoring his efforts. It was becoming harder and harder to endure in many ways, but he didn't want to lose his reason in front of her.
Shaking his head vigorously, Loik climbed on behind Annette with a forced, stoic expression.
Then, he immediately bit his lip.
Just because one vest was missing, the sensation of Annette’s back against him was far too vivid.
Loik closed his eyes tight, feeling his head begin to swim.