05.

The walk back to her room felt endless. Henesstia couldn’t tell if her feet were touching the ground or if she even knew where she was headed.

She stumbled into her room, slamming the door shut behind her before collapsing in front of it. Cold sweat dripped down her face like a torrential rainstorm.

Go to him? Was she really supposed to walk into his room on her own two feet and face him? Henesstia was no longer a naive girl, unaware of the implications.

“I don’t want to go.”

she whispered to herself.

She wanted to cover her ears, crawl into the corner of the room, and pretend she didn’t know. Why had she gone to that well in the first place? She should have endured her thirst, even if it meant being parched.

But what would happen if she didn’t go to Riad Ingel?

What if he never acknowledged her, never accepted her as his wife? If she let this opportunity slip away, would he abandon her for good?

‘Once the Count returns, make sure to have a child.’

Heron’s voice echoed repeatedly in her mind.

What if Riad returned, and she did nothing? What would happen to her?

And what about her mother, still under Heron’s control?

Her hands and feet began to tremble uncontrollably. The fear of what could happen if she did nothing was too overwhelming to even imagine.

* * *

It took her a long time to gather the courage to knock on the door.

When she finally knocked, the sound reverberated through her body like a shockwave, trembling all the way up her arm. Standing alone in the quiet hallway, she tried to calm her racing heart as she waited for the door to open.

Eventually, the heavy door creaked open, and light spilled through the crack.

“I didn’t think you’d actually come.”

Riad said, standing in the doorway in a thin nightgown, his hand resting on the frame. He looked down at Henesstia before opening the door wider.

“Come in.”

Tossing the towel that had been loosely hanging around his damp hair onto a nearby sofa, Riad turned his back to her.

Henesstia hesitated, staring at his broad back for what felt like an eternity.

Why was she still hesitating after coming all this way? She had knocked on the door and asked to be let in. Her fingers nervously grazed the cold bottle of medicine she had brought with her.

It was a sedative, given to her by Heron, with instructions to use it when Riad returned. She fidgeted with the smooth bottle hidden under her sleeve.

Suddenly, Riad turned his head, catching her frozen in the doorway. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

“Not coming in?”

“…I will.”

Henesstia finally said, forcing herself to move.

The room greeted her with warmth, unlike the chilly air outside, though it still felt devoid of any human presence.

The room was dimly lit by a few candles, their light flickering against the dark tones of the space, giving it an eerie glow.

The door quietly closed behind her. She instinctively whipped her head around, feeling like a mouse trapped in a cage.

Riad watched her reaction carefully, tapping his foot against the floor with a soft thud, causing Henesstia to jerk her head back in his direction.

“You act like I summoned you here to torment you.”

He said, smirking as he tilted his chin at her.

“Are you planning to just stand there all night?”

The small vial in her hand felt unbearably heavy, its weight pressing down on her palm as if it were made of lead.

“My room isn’t so unworthy of a noble lady like yourself, is it?”

At the word ‘noble’, Henesstia’s hesitant steps faltered.

He was right. Unlike the rest of the house, which often felt crude and outdated, his room was tastefully decorated, exuding a timeless elegance.

The room was filled with expensive, high-quality items that Henesstia, once a noblewoman accustomed to luxury, recognized instantly. These were things she had once lived among—before her father’s gambling destroyed their family fortune.

Riad Ingel, too, stood among these fine things.

“Once again.”

Henesstia spoke, her voice steady despite her fear.

“I’m not Lady Ardin anymore. Please address me as Countess Ingel.”

With a firm tone, she took another step closer to him.

The sound of her heels clicking on the marble floor mingled with his quiet voice.

“If you want to claim the title of Countess Ingel, you’ll have to act like it.”

He murmured as he looked down at her, his presence looming larger as she approached.

Now that she had willingly moved closer, the overwhelming pressure he exuded felt even more intense. Henesstia had never encountered a man as physically imposing as Riad. Stories about him killing wolves with his bare hands suddenly seemed entirely plausible.

He uncrossed his arms and reached out, grasping the ribbon tied at the front of her dress.

“I didn’t expect you to show up in a robe that makes you look like a monk.”

Startled by his comment, Henesstia instinctively recoiled as his fingers brushed the fabric near her chest.

“A… monk?”

She stammered, momentarily confused by his strange remark.

The pajamas, one of the clothes she had bought yesterday, were far from something a monk would wear. Henesstia’s eyes darted around nervously, feeling embarrassed. He must have been misunderstanding something.

After a moment of hesitation, she took a deep breath and spoke.

“The clothes monks wear have neatly stitched cuffs, completely cover the neck, and are usually plain white or black. My clothes are a light peach color, have lace at the ends, and the fabric is different from what they wear, so that comparison is wrong.”

Riad opened his eyes wide at Henesstia’s carefully spoken words. Then, he twisted one corner of his mouth into a smirk.

“…Huh?”

Shaking his head, he suddenly grabbed Henesstia’s shoulders.

It happened in an instant. The man, who seemed to be filling her entire vision, disappeared, and the world shifted as if the scene had changed. In the blink of an eye, she saw the ceiling above her.

“I don’t know about all that. It just seems like taking it off would be the end of it.”

And then, as if replacing the unfamiliar ceiling, her entire view was filled with Riad Ingel.

“Don’t you think so? The esteemed princess of Ardin.”

“…It’s Ingel now.”

Her back met the soft bed. It smelled fresh, as though dried well in the sunlight, and with every movement Riad made, the bed swayed under his weight. Henesstia’s body stiffened.

“I wonder if you’ll still want to say that later.”

Henesstia’s anxious gaze trembled, unsure of his meaning. Her shoes had been removed, leaving her bare feet nervously tugging at the edge of the blanket.

“Mm!”

But her thoughts couldn’t continue.

As Henesstia fluttered her lashes and tried to gather her resolve, something rough brushed against her lips, stopping her. A strong scent of leather filled the air.

It didn’t take long for her to regain her senses. The heavy body of the large man pressing down on her, the soft lips touching hers, and his golden eyes observing her, reflected in her own wide, round eyes.

All of this felt like a painting, making her question if she was dreaming.

“Open your mouth.”

Riad exhaled heavily and rubbed his fully erect member against her hips. The nightgown she wore offered little to no barrier.

“Haa…”

As he slowly moved his hips and licked the roof of her mouth, Henesstia, startled, placed her hands on his shoulders. Her frozen body, unsure of what was happening, began to tremble as it loosened.

Riad clenched his teeth as he looked down at her trembling red eyes, gazing up at him with confusion and helplessness.

Like a delicate small animal, Henesstia, who looked as if she couldn’t even hurt a fly, kept trying to move her hips back, away from his prominent erection between her legs.

“I’m already being more patient than you deserve by not shoving it in immediately…. Haa.”

Riad bit down on Henesstia’s lower lip, his large hand gripping her hips tightly.

As their clothes brushed together and their genitals met, a small cry escaped from Henesstia’s mouth.

“Hik…!”

As her mouth opened, Riad didn’t miss the chance, slipping his tongue inside. His thick tongue played with the inside of her mouth, grazing her soft inner flesh. His hand moved downwards, pushing up the dress until her thighs were exposed, slipping inside her underwear.

“Ah…! No, stop!”

“No? You walked into my room yourself to do this, didn’t you? Am I wrong?”

Looking at the trembling woman clinging to his arm, Riad took a deep, ragged breath. Her weak resistance only fueled his excitement.

He bit the edge of her ear as he pushed his hand deeper, feeling the coarse hair between her legs. His fingers slowly explored her warm, tender skin.

“Ugh… Uh…”

Henesstia desperately grabbed his wrist, but it was no use. Riad gently rubbed the tight opening that was far too small to accept anything. Pushing his fingers inside before she was ready would surely hurt her, so instead, he peeled back the skin of the sensitive spot above and began rubbing it slowly. He pried open her legs as she tried to close them and teased her most delicate area in his palm.

“Please, no… Don’t… don’t do this.”

“If I don’t, it won’t fit since you’re so tight.”

“Sob… Hng…”

Henesstia arched her back and dug her nails into the blanket. As he touched her there, a chill ran through her body, followed by a slow buildup of heat below. It was a sensation she’d never experienced before, and her legs tensed up instinctively. As he pinched and rubbed her clit between his fingers, words of pleading spilled from her mouth.

“Not there, not there. Please… just for a moment…!”

“Why not? Hmm?”

He whispered right next to her ear as he sucked on it, his breath brushing against her earlobe. Her swollen clit had already grown thick and engorged. As his wet fingers persistently teased her, Henesstia’s strength left her body.

Her cries began to blend with soft moans.

Riad, observing her reactions closely, grabbed her rounded shoulders and swiftly pulled her upward. Henesstia, now on her knees, kept collapsing, so he spun her around effortlessly. Holding her tightly from behind, he slid his palm over the area just below her navel.

Her head rested against Riad’s shoulder. She tried to pull away from the prodding sensation near her hips, but Riad only bit down on her shoulder, seemingly amused.

His hot hands, which had been lingering around her stomach, slowly caressed her ribs before grabbing hold of her breasts.

“Tell me, why shouldn’t I touch my own wife’s body?”

“Hng… Nng…! Ah!”

Supporting her collapsing body with his strong arms, he groped her soft breasts. When he pinched her nipples between his fingers, Henesstia’s voice scattered into the air. Her back weakened under his playful touch.

“Damn.”

He felt like he could release just from touching her body. Her delicate frame, which seemed like it might break with any rough handling, turned red wherever his hands roamed.

“Hah… Hng…!”

Henesstia’s sobs grew louder as his heated hands roamed over her. Kissing the corners of her tear-filled eyes, Riad finally laid her back onto the bed.

Seeing her face made him feel even more crazed. Her tear-brimmed eyes, her trembling lips whenever he brushed her lips, and her swollen, red lips—there wasn’t a single part of her that didn’t drive him wild.