Chapter 122. Reunion with Princess Catherine
The royal palace buzzed with excitement over the return of the hero who had ended the civil war.
The aging king, whose health had visibly improved since the crown prince's recovery, lavished praise upon Lucian, granting him a higher title along with some of the fertile lands and vast wealth confiscated from the rebel nobles who had been purged.
A grand celebratory banquet followed.
Amidst the envious and jealous gazes of the nobility, one man approached with a genuinely bright smile—Count Gerard Blanc.
"Lucian! You terrifying bastard, you've gone and outranked me now, haven't you? Ugh, my stomach hurts just thinking about it! Hahaha!"
Gerard had been stationed at the southern border to defend against potential invasions from the Kurkan Kingdom, which had prevented him from participating directly in the civil war—a fact he deeply regretted.
"I should've been there fighting alongside you to earn my share of the glory. But congratulations anyway. My wife and I will visit Eckhart Castle soon to raise a toast in your honor!"
"Didn't you just visit not long ago? Is the border so peaceful these days that you have all this free time?"
Lucian feigned ignorance, brushing off the remark.
His mind flashed back to the sandwich swapping incident—when he had taken Gerard's wife, Isela (Madame Blanc), and Maria, stacking them atop each other before pounding into them like a beast. The memory of filling both his friend's wife's holes made it painfully awkward to face Gerard's cheerful expression.
"Ah, don't be so cold! Weren't you happy to have us visit? Hahaha!"
Gerard smirked at Lucian's discomfort and clapped him on the shoulder.
This guy is truly incorrigible.
Lucian shook his head and quickly excused himself.
He approached the king, who was in high spirits, and spoke in a hushed tone.
"Your Majesty. Now that the traitor Viscount Gamon has been executed... I would like to request the restoration of the Elrheim family, who were unjustly destroyed because of him."
"Ah, that matter? Worry not. As I mentioned before, the process is already underway. They will soon regain their former honor. I intend to grant them all of Gamon's lands and wealth as well."
Lucian bowed at the king's generous response.
"Your benevolence knows no bounds. There is one more request... The head of the Elrheim family has already passed, but his daughter, Ella (Victoria), is under my protection. I ask that she be officially recognized as the family's head."
The king stroked his beard, frowning.
"Can a young woman alone manage such vast lands and wealth? The vulture-like relatives won't stand idly by."
"I will vouch for her. She and I... share a bond as close as kin. The Eckhart family will support her."
The king nodded at Lucian's resolute gaze.
"If you personally guarantee it, then so be it. But remember—if problems arise, the position may have to be passed to a male heir of the family. Assuming one still lives, of course."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Lucian smiled inwardly. He had finally fulfilled the wish Ella had begged for every night beneath him. No longer would she be a fallen noblewoman or a mere maid—she could now hold her head high as the rightful head of her house.
Just as Lucian took a sip of champagne to relax—
A delicate lily-like fragrance drifted toward him, and a woman who had been sitting demurely beside the king quietly took the seat next to him.
Princess Catherine.
The kingdom's flower, Catherine.
She had shed all traces of girlishness, blossoming into a fully mature and enchanting woman.
Her raven-black hair, like melted night sky, was elegantly pinned up to accentuate her slender neck. Her sapphire-blue eyes, deep and clear as the ocean, were mesmerizing enough to rob men of their reason.
The deep ruby-red dress clinging to her body left nothing to the imagination—her ample chest, narrow waist, and smooth hips proved why she was renowned as a peerless beauty even beyond the kingdom's borders.
"Count. You've been back for so long without saying a single word to me... How cruel."
Catherine pouted slightly as she whispered.
"I heard you got married. Is that why you're being so careful around me now?"
Her tone carried a mix of jealousy and playful sulking. Lucian smirked as he looked at her.
"Your Highness, how could I ever forget you? I've been waiting for the right moment to greet you, but the young lords have formed layers around you. I couldn't find an opening."
"Oh, you should've just ignored those boys and reached out first. Aren't we closer than that?"
Lucian nearly laughed at her provocative words.
Boys? The princess herself was hardly older than them.
To Lucian, Catherine still seemed like the adorable little sister he had known since childhood—so lovely that he often thought, If I ever have a daughter, I'd want her to be just as sweet and beautiful.
But while Lucian saw her with brotherly affection, Catherine's heart burned darkly—no, crimson—with desire.
Are we... really just that?
As she met Lucian's sharp, sculpted face, a shiver ran through her.
Disappointment, joy, and a love so deep it robbed her of reason.
A memory she could never erase suddenly resurfaced.
The palace lake. A rocking boat.
The two of them in a 69 position, exploring each other's most intimate places in a lustful act of passion.
The sensation of Lucian's hot tongue insistently licking at her virgin entrance, and the terrifying, throbbing monster that had filled her mouth before thrusting deep into her throat.
Ahh...
Catherine's hand trembled around her champagne glass.
At the time, she had been drunk on the atmosphere—blinded by her infatuation for him—letting herself be led without resistance. But looking back now, sober, she realized just how scandalous and depraved her actions had been for a princess.
A man with a fiancée—no, now a married man—and yet she had lusted after him, baring her most shameful and precious places, mingling their saliva.
Every time that sinful memory of pleasure surfaced, her face burned, and a wet heat pooled deep inside her. Even now, she could feel her silk panties dampening beneath her dress.
That day... you whispered love to me. You held me and breathed such hot words...
Now that he's married, has he forgotten me? Was his affection just a fleeting game?
Catherine had told herself no hundreds of times. But no matter how much reason she forced upon herself, the thirst she had harbored since childhood for this fatal man before her refused to be quenched.
And the fact that he belonged to another—
That forbidden title only twisted the princess' noble heart into something sicker, more depraved.
The next morning, the palace gardens.
Lucian had borrowed an intriguing ancient text from the royal library's forbidden section and stepped outside to read in the garden.
With the undine gone from the lake, he felt no guilt over breaking his promise—his mind was at ease.
The warm sunlight and gentle breeze made for a rare moment of peaceful reading amidst the endless battles and the torment of Mana Overload Syndrome.
Flip, flip.
As he turned the pages, a sweet lily fragrance suddenly tickled his nose. A presence approached from behind, carefully avoiding any sound.
Whoosh—
"Got you!"
Someone wrapped their arms around Lucian's broad shoulders from behind.
He had already recognized the scent as Princess Catherine's, but he pretended to be startled, looking up from his book.
"Hm? Your Highness? What brings you here—"
"Count—no, Marquis... Ugh, that doesn't feel right. I'll just call you Count like before."
Catherine nuzzled her face against his back and giggled.
Then, pressing her lips close to his ear, she whispered sweetly:
"Lucian. Close your eyes for a moment. I have a gift for you."
Lucian chuckled. A playful request from a lovely woman—he had a good guess what the "gift" would be. But despite himself, he obediently closed his eyes in anticipation.
Mwah.
Catherine's soft lips brushed lightly against his cheek before pulling away.
A feather-light peck, gentle as a bird's touch.
But in that moment—her scent, the sensation of her ample chest pressed against his back, and the image of her beauty flooding his mind—Lucian's primal instincts flared.
His eyes snapped open, and he turned, yanking Catherine by the waist into his arms.
Before she could even think of escaping, his lips crashed onto hers.
"Mmph—!"
What had been a chaste kiss on the cheek instantly transformed into a deep, passionate
French kiss
.
Lucian's hot tongue pried past her parted lips, thoroughly exploring her sweet mouth. He tangled with her small tongue, gently sucking on her lips.
"Nn... Ah, ngh...!"
Catherine flinched at the sudden animalistic counterattack, but soon relaxed, melting into his strong embrace.
[Images: 6 illustrations depicting the intimate scene between Lucian and Catherine in the garden.]