The Eve
"This place is..."
The rain had stopped, and in the early morning air thick with the scent of damp earth, Ferzen loaded Euphemia into the carriage and set off quietly for somewhere unknown. When they finally disembarked, a quaint, old-fashioned clothing boutique named Azelia came into view.
The dresses adorning the mannequins at the entrance were so breathtaking they drew involuntary gasps of admiration. Stepping inside revealed bolts of luxurious fabric neatly arranged by type.
Even Euphemia, confined to the remote Ruerg, had long heard tales of the renowned tailors under Azelia's banner and their exquisite craftsmanship.
"These clothes we have are more than enough already..."
"..."
She tugged tentatively at the hem of Ferzen's coat and ventured the words, but no reply came.
Euphemia gave a wry smile and lowered her head.
If he wanted to play dress-up... as his doll, she had no choice but to comply obediently.
"Oh my... Brutein—no, Count Ruerg now, I presume?"
"It's been a while, Madam."
"To what do we owe the pleasure?"
"What other reason could there be to visit Azelia? I'd like to discuss a dress for my wife."
"Shall we take the lady inside to measure her, then? We can consult on the details afterward..."
"I'll handle the consultation."
"Hm..."
The madam of Azelia glanced between them at Ferzen's words, sensing the subtle tension in the air. But she soon flashed a bright smile, entrusted Euphemia to one of her staff, and sat down at the table with Ferzen.
"Do you have a particular theme or style in mind?"
"I have two requests. First, a dress that highlights her beauty without being overly extravagant. Second..."
She listened intently to Ferzen's lengthy explanation...
'Hm?'
The madam caught the contradiction embedded within.
'They're already married...'
Why request a wedding dress? Puzzled but professional, she maintained her welcoming smile and attended to Ferzen with utmost care.
Azelia wasn't in the business of prying into others' affairs, after all.
* * * * *
After their brief morning outing, Euphemia returned to the mansion and sat on the bed, resting her chin on her hands clasped over her drawn-up knees.
"..."
Three months of meaningless repetition.
Even her academy duties had been postponed, so if asked to name the most significant act in her daily routine...
Apart from sleep, Euphemia had no options left.
The funny part was, it no longer even hurt.
It had become utterly numb.
Learned helplessness, plain and simple.
Eating, bathing, sleeping, and occasionally spreading her legs to receive his seed—the cycle was embedding itself as the milestones of her life.
Bang!
"..."
The door flew open.
Ferzen, finally cleared by the visiting physician and freed from the casts on both arms.
Creeeak...
He stretched his stiff, unused muscles, approached her side, and naturally pulled her into his embrace.
This bosom, once only a source of fear and discomfort...
Now conveyed nothing but warmth and comfort.
"Ah..."
Ferzen's large hand glided softly over her breast and side, settling on her lower abdomen with gentle taps.
In the three months of learned helplessness, much had transpired, so Euphemia could interpret this unspoken signal without words.
But familiarity eluded her here, still.
Grasping her skirt hem herself and hiking it up to expose her undergarments and half her body...
It remained shameful, mortifying.
If Ferzen did it himself, she could console herself that she had no choice. But doing it herself amplified her submission, stirring self-loathing each time.
'Don't men usually obsess over breasts...?'
The sudden thought made her shake her head and lift her skirt higher.
If he fixated on her breasts instead of her womb, he'd surely seize her upturned nipples and toy with them endlessly.
For Euphemia, that might even be...
"Ahhk!"
Her thoughts shattered; a pained moan escaped as she pitifully rubbed her face against Ferzen's chest.
With both hands clutching her skirt, this was the best act of coquetry she could muster now.
"When will you bear my child?"
"I-it h-hurts..."
As Ferzen pressed firmly above her womb like he was venting frustration, Euphemia whimpered through teary eyes.
Even in fertile periods, the odds were generally 20%.
With no issues on either side, it averaged six months.
Conception on the wedding night happened, but exceptions were exceptions; statistics were statistics.
Yet Ferzen had fed her pregnancy-boosting foods consistently and ejaculated inside her multiple times per session during that span, with no result...
Irritation laced with anxiety bubbled up.
As the novel's main heroine, Euphemia couldn't be infertile. But as the villain, Ferzen?
Rather than pivot to NTR, the author might have planted that as a final safeguard.
"I-it could be... a p-problem with you..."
Pregnancy wasn't simple, yet he vented the stress solely on her. Blinking back tears like dewdrops, Euphemia shot back.
"..."
Ferzen reflexively furrowed his brow.
An uneasy possibility he was already contemplating, voiced so brazenly...
Was it courting the whip, or sheer audacity?
"Ah..."
Unwanted pregnancy, and shifting all blame to her alone—it was an outburst born of injustice.
But as the air chilled like ice, Euphemia panicked, trembling violently, desperately trying to retract her words.
"N-no, that's not... I-I'm sorry..."
"..."
"I-it's my fault... f-for not conceiving... your seed..."
"..."
She begged as abjectly and pathetically as possible, but Ferzen remained silent.
Trembling, she reached out, seized his arm herself, and pressed it hard against her belly.
"Ack! Hic...!"
Volunteering for punishment before worse could come.
"...Enough."
Though profoundly displeased, seeing Euphemia go this far soothed his irritation.
Without commands, if a dog instinctively obeys... does the master feel this joy?
Wiping the tears from her eyes, Ferzen removed his hand and smoothed her skirt back down to her knees.
"It was my greed. Time will sort it. We'll keep at it steadily, as we have."
He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her eye corner.
Euphemia clasped her hands lightly at her chest, nodding slowly to cling to his tenderness a moment longer.
"I-I'll... e-effort too..."
"Ha..."
Ferzen chuckled, lips curling faintly.
"Words from the heart, are they?"
"I-I mean it..."
"Then shall we try even outside your fertile window?"
"..."
"See?"
Gazing down at her sudden silence, Ferzen nipped her earlobe.
"Nngh...!"
"I've told you before. Your acting and lies are amateurish. Remember that next time you speak."
"Ah, h-hic..."
Teasing disguised as discipline lingered provocatively.
Knock knock.
But soon, a knock from outside. Ferzen looked up and permitted the maids entry.
"E-excuse us..."
Eyes downcast, the maids stepped in cautiously.
Recalling the time Euphemia had hiked her own skirt while being scolded, they aimed to spare her further shame if it recurred...
Fortunately, it hadn't.
"Here is the... item you requested."
"Set it down and go."
Following his curt, indifferent command, the maids placed the silver tray atop the small bedside drawer.
As the door closed behind them, Ferzen held up the familiar dessert from the tray before Euphemia's eyes.
"Do you know what it is?"
"N-no..."
Still nestled in his arms, avoiding the maids' gazes, Euphemia glanced at it and shook her head.
"They call it Ruebe."
Thanks to Lee Seojin's memories, the name didn't roll off Ferzen's tongue easily either, but regardless, Ruebe was this world's yogurt.
A trendy one, recently sweeping the capital.
"Try some."
"..."
Ferzen scooped a spoonful and brought it to her lips. Reluctantly, she accepted.
"M-mm..."
Strawberry juice mingled in, flooding her mouth with sweet, sugary bliss.
Gulp...
Swallowing, Euphemia unwittingly smacked her lips like a traveler finding an oasis in the desert.
Sugar itself was a luxury hard to come by in remote Ruerg.
Noting her reaction, Ferzen resumed, feeding her his share as well.
"Ah..."
Soon his hand stilled; the cup sat empty save for the spoon. Regret tinged her expression.
But realizing she'd devoured his portion too, shame flushed her cheeks.
"Delicious?"
"Y-yes..."
A tiny, creeping whisper.
"S-sorry..."
"No need to apologize. I don't care for sweets much."
Casually, he cupped her chin, tongue tenderly licking the Ruebe from her lips.
"This suffices for me. I was surprised how well you ate, though. I'll have it brought often."
"..."
At his words, Euphemia tried to play it cool but nodded faintly all the same.
A barely perceptible motion, but Ferzen caught the affirmation clearly.