A Dangerous Seduction
I returned to the Grand Duke's Office after Savinelli's welcoming ceremony.
"Oh? Your Grace? What is that box?" Lucius asked, his eyes landing on the small, unfamiliar box sitting on my desk.
"Ah, this? It's a gift from Count Savinelli. Take a look..." I replied, turning the box toward him and sliding it open so he could see inside.
"Whoa! Are these cigars? He gave you this many?" In this world, cigars were a luxury commodity. They were made from a plant native only to the New Continent, and the production process took at least one to two years of aging, so their exorbitant price tag was only natural.
"Want one?" I asked. Though I was currently smoke-free, I used to smoke back during my academy days. It was mostly pipe tobacco back then, though... The modern cigarettes common on Earth didn't exist here; there were only cigars and pipes. While pipe tobacco was relatively cheap, cigars traded at astronomical prices.
A box of a hundred like this would easily fetch around thirty gold coins. Considering an average laborer's monthly wage was about twenty gold, it was a luxury far beyond the reach of the common man.
"Wow! I'd love to try one." I pulled out a cigar and snipped the tip. Snip! Handing it to Lucius, I conjured a small flame at my fingertips and personally lit it for him.
"Cough! *Hack!* Cough!" Watching Lucius choke and sputter, I chuckled. "Draw it in slowly, like you're smoking a pipe. Don't inhale too deeply."
"Ugh, it's so bitter... Why do people even smoke these?" Lucius groaned, his face turning a pale shade of green as he grimaced.
"Oh? Have you never even smoked a pipe before?" He nodded weakly. "Of course not. How could I afford something as expensive as tobacco?" I let out a wry smile at his response. "Well, cigars are exceptionally pricey, but pipe tobacco isn't nearly as bad."
Back at the military academy, pipe tobacco had been quite popular because it was surprisingly affordable. It was made from lower-quality leaves compared to cigars, and it didn't require the lengthy aging process.
"Ugh... I don't get why anyone would pay so much for this..." I grinned at his misery. "It's like whiskey or brandy." It was especially effective at enhancing the flavor of alcohol when paired together.
"If I have to smoke this, I'd want to be paid for it." It was only natural for a beginner to react that way, given the overwhelming strength of the aroma and flavor.
"Is that so? Well, if it's not to your taste, there's nothing to be done. But you have to finish what you light, you know?" When Lucius tried to hand the cigar back to me, whining, "I really don't think I can finish this," I simply shrugged. "Then... do whatever you want with it."
Having quit smoking long ago, there was no ashtray to be found on my desk. Understanding my implication, Lucius sighed. "Whew... All right, I'll go dispose of this myself." As he scurried out, I looked down at the box of cigars with a satisfied expression.
I had gone to the department store today on an errand. While there, a lingerie shop had caught my eye. On a whim, I ended up buying some beautiful undergarments to seduce Deviang.
"Is this a bit too scandalous?" It was pure white, but ornately embroidered with gold thread... and the bottom half was practically translucent. Now that I had actually bought it, it felt incredibly daring, but I quickly shook my head to clear my doubts.
This is Deviang we're talking about. Half-hearted attempts won't work on him. Considering how he hadn't laid a single finger on me under the pretext of 'protecting' me, I figured I needed to go at least this far.
Actually, even his excuse of 'protecting' me was strange. Didn't I clearly tell him last time that I would let him do it? Had he forgotten, or was he simply not interested in me? He hadn't shown any reaction whatsoever. And yet, it was obvious he loved me.
Seeing how he bought me that tiara I wanted, he wasn't just in love with me—he was completely head over heels. Otherwise, a man who valued money as much as he did would never have spent such a fortune on a gift for me.
My mind grew tangled trying to understand why he kept his distance so unnaturally, but tonight would be different. A wife waiting for her husband in sheer, see-through lingerie... unless he was an absolute fool, he would have to realize what it meant.
No, wait. This was that Deviang. He was incredibly sharp and shrewd when it came to politics, but bizarrely, he was completely dense in this department. Well... nobody was perfect. I supposed it couldn't be helped.
This time, I'll be the one to seduce him. I'll make sure he can't possibly resist. But even as I resolved to do so, a wave of anxiety washed over me. Can I really pull this off?
I had never tried to seduce a man in my entire life. As an imperial princess, there had never been any occasion or reason for me to learn such a thing. This was all Deviang's fault. How could two people share the same bed for so long without a single thing happening?
Sometimes, I wondered if he might be impotent, but remembering what I had accidentally seen one morning... I knew that wasn't the case. It was... incredibly large, wasn't it?
He had been fast asleep. My heart had nearly leaped out of my chest when I saw a massive shape bulging against his trousers as if trying to tear through the fabric. I had read in a book from my mother that men experienced morning erections, but seeing it with my own eyes was a completely different story.
My heart had raced, and a strange mix of embarrassment, ticklish anticipation, and... Gulp.Does... all of that actually fit inside? A deeply sensual curiosity had washed over me.
Before that, I had genuinely suspected he might be dysfunctional. And who could blame me? Whenever I subtly tried to entice him, he would somehow resist, leaving me with no choice but to doubt his manhood.
Even without a physical relationship... because I loved Deviang, and because I was grateful just to be by his side, I had tried to be content. I could feel his sincere love for me, which mattered more than physical intimacy. I told myself that was enough. Marrying a man as handsome and considerate as him was already the greatest blessing of my life.
But after witnessing that sight, those comforting thoughts vanished. Emotional connection was important, yes... but wasn't physical intimacy just as crucial? Besides, we needed to produce an heir eventually. That was why I decided to stop dropping subtle hints and go for an outright, undeniable seduction.
"He will definitely give in." According to the book my mother gave me, men were highly visual creatures. It said that a teasing glimpse was far more stimulating to a man than complete exposure...
"He won't think I'm strange, right?" Anxious about how I smelled, I carefully applied a luxurious scented oil to every corner of my body. I had bought it at the department store because the clerk promised it possessed a sensual aroma that would awaken a man's primal instincts. I had my usual perfume, of course, but that was just a scent I liked. I wanted to give Deviang a completely different, intoxicating impression, so I had made this bold purchase.
On top of that, looking at the Dragon Heart and Unicorn's Horn I had received from my mother gave me a surge of confidence. If I threw myself into his arms like this, surely he would crumble. If he was a man... he would have no choice but to yield.
Knock, knock! Ah... he was already here. Just in case it wasn't Deviang, I hastily threw a thin robe over my shoulders before calling out, "Who is it?"
"It's me," came the reply.
I won't let you escape tonight... Just you wait.
Knock, knock! I knocked on the door of our bridal chamber, and a voice drifted from within.
"Who is it?"
"It's me."
I was truly exhausted today. Normally, I would have stayed up working even later, but my body felt unusually heavy, prompting me to return early.
Ah... I'm in deep trouble. The moment I saw Theodora clad in nothing but a sheer robe, my instincts screamed a warning. Tonight... was going to be a battle.
Just... brush it off like usual. I couldn't even count how many times she had blatantly tried to seduce me. When we lay in bed, she would hug me from behind, toy with my ears, or subtly brush against me. There had been countless moments where I was on the verge of losing control and pouncing on her.
Gulp.Surely she isn't wearing nothing underneath, right? No, there's no way... As I stood frozen in place, plagued by these thoughts, Theodora glided toward me with a dangerously enchanting smile—a smile that could make any man fall instantly in love.
"You had a long day today, didn't you? Come, sit down."
"Oh? Uh, right." She took me by the wrist and guided me toward the sofa.
"You worked so hard today. Just a moment." With those words, she picked up a decanter from the table and poured a liquid into the glass before me.
"Th-this is...?" The color and aroma were all too familiar. Was this... Dragon Heart?
"I brought this because I was worried you've been so tired lately. Hold on." She then picked up a white substance and began grating it with a cheese grater. "You always said you felt energized after having this, right?" She smiled almost mischievously as she began sprinkling the cream-colored powder over the Dragon Heart.
Sh-should I run away right now?
"Y-yes, that's true, but..."
This was far too blatant. If I gave in here, it was all over. Gulp. I desperately racked my brain for a way to escape this predicament, but no good ideas came to mind. Is that really my only option?
"I also prepared some wine so we could share a drink tonight." Theodora pulled out a bottle of wine wrapped in a white cloth.
A lawful wife, alcohol... and a stamina tonic. The combination of these three things made her intentions blindingly obvious.
Before I knew it, she had uncorked the wine and poured herself a glass.
"Here, darling. Let's make a toast."
Faced with her gaze, my hand trembled as I picked up the glass containing the mixture of Dragon Heart and Unicorn's Horn.
"S-shall we?"
As I awkwardly raised my glass, clink—the clear, crisp ring of crystal echoing through the room.
"What are you doing? Aren't you going to drink?"
Intimidated by the intense look in her eyes demanding I drink up, I stammered, "Oh? Yes, I'm drinking. I'll drink."
With a shaking hand, I tipped the glass back. Gulp. I emptied the glass in one go, while Theodora gracefully sipped her wine.
She really was breathtakingly beautiful. And instead of her usual rosemary scent... what was this? It was a different, highly provocative fragrance.
Get a grip! If you yield now, it's over! If I failed to preserve her purity, a Marriage Annulment would be completely off the table in the future. I can't be a madman who ruins his entire life just for a moment of pleasure!
I screamed internally, fighting with everything I had to resist her allure, but then—
"Darling, is it just me, or is it a bit warm? Spring must really be here."
As she spoke, Theodora slowly let her robe slide off her shoulders.
Gulp!
"Pfft... What was that? Did you just swallow your spit looking at my body?"
My mind went completely blank. Her porcelain skin was flawless, without a single blemish. The striking curves of her breasts and legs, combined with the sheer fabric of her lingerie revealing everything beneath, forced me to hastily avert my eyes.
"Oh my. Are you blushing, darling?"
With a soft giggle, Theodora wrapped her arms around me from behind. She whispered in a sultry, melting voice, "You know, you're exceptionally cute tonight. Mmm..."
As something soft brushed against my earlobe accompanied by her hot breath, I squeezed my eyes shut.
There was no other way. She had clearly made up her mind tonight; this was on a completely different level from her usual teasing. I had to use that.
"Wait, Theodora."
As I gently turned my head, I was met with her flushed, breathless face. Dammit! Why does she have to be so gorgeous? My rationality nearly shattered then and there, but I desperately clawed back my sanity.
"Just wait a moment."
Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out an object. Something that would deliver me from this absolute crisis.