Uriel Wayne Daina Alfred
Dreams often took random forms, but beyond that, they frequently reflected one's psychological state.
'……'
And Euphemia, in her lucid dream, lost herself for a moment.
Because beyond the beautiful window, a full moon shone down, its moonlight blending with the warm glow of the room's lamps to create a dreamlike scene… and she herself, seated in a chair, was nearing the end of her pregnancy.
Was this a compensatory reflection of the anxiety she hadn't shown outwardly about Ferzen taking Alfred's second daughter as a concubine?
Her future self, neither too close nor too distant, wore a faint smile on her lips and gazed at her kindly, as if to say there was no need to worry.
'Then……'
Where was he?
The thought crossed her mind, and as if the dream responded to it… the door opened, Ferzen entered, approached her future self slowly, caressed her nearly full-term belly with affectionate hands, and began planting tender kisses.
*Smack.*
The embarrassingly loud sound echoed.
It would have been enough to make anyone blush, but her future self accepted the affection as if it were routine, without even reddening her cheeks. Instead, she smiled seductively and wrapped her arms around his back.
The overflowing leisure and her characteristic seductive maturity made Euphemia feel a momentary sense of alienation, wondering if this was truly herself…
"Hah… mm…"
But when she saw her future self let out a lewd moan as Ferzen lifted the hem of her negligee and kissed her pure white belly, that doubt vanished cleanly.
After a long while of breathless moans, her future self pulled Ferzen's head close with a face full of allure, locked eyes quietly with the watching Euphemia…
And mouthed reassuringly, sweetly:
Don't worry. He's still a good husband even in this moment.
Euphemia flinched!
"……"
The dream ended there.
Or rather, it felt like it was chasing her out, refusing to let her spy on the happy moments that followed, pulling her spirit back to the real world.
Unlike the nighttime dream, warm sunlight poured into the room.
Turning her head carefully, she saw Ferzen sitting beside her.
"Has your fever gone down a bit?"
His pleasant mid-low voice.
His characteristically large hand on her forehead.
Feeling the affection seeping from it, Euphemia stared at him blankly for a moment before moving his hand to her cheek and nuzzling it like a child.
"Yeah……"
The faint lingering worry melted away completely.
June 9th.
5:30 PM.
Uriel saw the carriage emblazoned with the Alfred crest pull up outside the house Ferzen had provided and quietly rose to her feet.
There was nothing in this house worth taking anyway, so she left every trace of her life here intact, opened the door, and stepped out.
"It's been a while."
"Have you been well, Lady Uriel?"
"Yes. Let's go……"
She gave the coachman a soft smile and boarded the carriage.
Returning to the mansion in the capital after such a long absence, Uriel was promptly attended by the maids who followed her deferentially, as if nothing had happened, and entered the bathroom for meticulous care.
No perfume was applied.
For tonight's occasion of becoming a concubine, nothing could be more alluring than her natural scent.
"Eek! W-what are you doing?"
"To loosen knotted or stiff muscles."
"You're doing something you never did before. Did Grandfather order this?"
"Yes."
As the maids' hands reached her waist and inner thighs for massage, Uriel flinched in surprise.
"They say looser hip joints heighten sensitivity."
"What nonsense……"
Absurd as it was, Uriel sighed, but the maids continued massaging her body, gently relaxing the stiff muscles around her hips.
By the time she emerged from the bath, it was 6:30 PM.
Heading straight to the dressing room, Uriel was changed into a pure white dress.
Probably chosen to harmonize with his preference for neat black suits.
No jewelry adorned her.
Gerard might not mind, but Ferzen disliked such things.
Yes, even if this took the form of an auction.
Uriel herself was being packaged solely for Ferzen.
"We're finished."
After a long time, the maids withdrew their hands.
Uriel opened her half-closed eyes and gazed at her reflection in the mirror—subtle makeup enhancing her features—for a long while without speaking.
"Is there any part you dislike?"
"No…… Let's go."
Shaking her head at the maid's question, Uriel slightly lifted the hem of her dress and stepped forward.
When entering as a concubine, no ceremony was usually held.
The only case for a ceremony was when the husband openly declared he would treat the concubine above the wife.
'So……'
Even if she didn't desire a ceremony.
Just like that painting she'd seen long ago on the street.
Uriel, too, wanted to be etched happily with Ferzen.
*Creak.*
A luxurious carriage halted before the mansion in the capital's heart, purchased under the Alfred family's name.
Its emblem: a soaring blue hawk.
Anyone could tell it represented the northern overlord—the Aslan family.
*Thud.*
Sure enough, from the quietly opening carriage door emerged a man with grayish hair shimmering silver—Gerard.
He wore a bespoke blue suit from Azelia impeccably, though tension etched his face despite his efforts to hide it.
His rival was Brutein's direct descendant, after all.
'Time……'
10 minutes before 7 PM.
Not a bad arrival, he thought, straightening his attire before entering the mansion.
But upon reaching the splendid dinner hall guided by the maids, Gerard instinctively frowned.
Because the spread matched exactly what Ferzen had described in that restaurant back then.
Goat meat as the main dish.
Fruits not overly sweet.
'Even the elder is toying with me.'
His expression remained composed, but Gerard clenched his fist tightly, greeted Coleone Wayne Barreta Alfred, and took his seat.
……Five minutes before 7 PM.
Ferzen still hadn't appeared.
'Planning to make an entrance right on time, to assert dominance.'
Thinking it a childish power play to crush him, Gerard wet his throat lightly with wine and looked at Uriel.
Her white dress suited her fair, delicate skin perfectly.
Dressed with elegance, yet her ample breasts infused an undercurrent of lewdness amid the grace, instinctively stirring a sticky desire to paint that white with his own color.
"……"
Perhaps noticing his gaze, Uriel met his eyes then quickly turned away, making Gerard curl his lips slyly.
Even setting aside toying with his goodwill.
She'd called herself the family's property.
'So…… even if I win the bid, don't regret it.'
He might be gentle with people.
But with objects, he could be quite rough.
Five minutes passed, 7 PM arrived… but Ferzen never showed.
'Ha, haha……!'
He didn't know why.
But thanks to it, Gerard felt his tension ease and leaned back comfortably.
Yet 10 more minutes passed.
Another 30.
As Coleone remained silent, refusing even a sip, Gerard felt suffocated.
Like an actor in a play whose lead never arrives, unable to perform.
"I…… am not a stand-in, Elder."
Finally, to Coleone who sat motionless as if time had stopped, Gerard spoke.
Even if the man ruled the underworld as Alfred's old monster, this was excessive disrespect.
"……"
Coleone detached his gaze from the unopening door and silently stared at Gerard.
*Gulp.*
He swallowed reflexively.
Gerard clenched his loosened fist again.
Coleone's gaze was oppressively tyrannical.
Every wrinkle on his face seemed to slither like snakes, glaring at him; merely facing it drained Gerard's energy entirely.
No wonder the hallucination of the Aslan blue hawk—his family's emblem—being devoured by a serpent flickered before his eyes.
"Fine…… let's eat."
At last, after an eternity, Coleone spoke briefly, allowing Gerard to exhale his held breath and steady his breathing.
As Coleone began eating, Gerard gripped his knife, but his trembling fingertips made even slicing the meat difficult.
Of course, the food he finally managed to eat… was cold and tasteless.