Chapter 14: Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Riv stared at Duke Sentoren, who was trying to provoke her.

That man didn’t seem to intend to free himself from Marianne.

Still, Riv was the only one who couldn’t give up the possibility.

‘I want to live. I have to do anything to live.’

Her body would rot if she died anyway. They said she was a witch, but she couldn’t even perform magic. Since she had yet to find a way to escape from the palace, she had to secure an alternative.

“I don’t want to die. I can’t even take my life.’

It would have been nice if she could be freed from Marianne. And so, it was very easy to make up her mind.

“Duke Sentoren, keep your promise.”

“Right.”

After taking a deep breath, Riv reached over her dress.

It would take a long time to get out of this huge dress.

Her stomach heaved while taking off the pile of clothes, their volume was too large. The sound of undressing filled the very small drawing room. Her huge clothes quickly stocked up like a huge mountain.

Riv got out of the pile of clothes dressed in a chemise.

Perhaps because she had a hard time taking off the gigantic clothes, sweat formed on her forehead. Her body was also sweaty.

Has her dress always been this heavy and bulky?

It was a relief to be freed from a terrible pile of clothes, but Riv didn’t think of looking back.

She didn’t know how old and worn-out her dress was.

“I’m so sick.”

The chemise was thin enough to show everything when the light was transmitted. Just being dressed in this thin slip made Riv feel ashamed.

Riv, who was trying to fix her tangled hair, decided to leave it be. She looked back at Duke Sentoren. He remained expressionless without any sign of attraction.

A look without any emotion or discomfort.

Her body went cold as if splashed in cold water.

“I don’t know how to seduce.”

“I think so too.”

“Even if I’m fully naked, it won’t work for Duke Sentoren.” Riv lamented.

Just in time, the afternoon sunlight poured on her.

It was thought that her figure would be exposed and she’d shine because she was turning her back on the light, but that was all.

The duke looked indifferent even when he saw her body. Rather, she thought it was fortunate that he didn’t laugh at it.

He wasn’t phased by her.

‘Do I think this would change fate? I look like a fool.’

Riv turned around.

‘I was a fool in anticipation.’

After all, nothing changed.

Riv looked down at the heavy  pile of clothes and tried to pick them up and wear them.

However, she felt a man’s hot breath on her back.

“If you want to seduce me, do it properly, Madame Katana.”

She didn’t reach the pile of clothes.

Her body was lightly dragged back by the man.

“Huh?”

She wouldn’t have been lightweight because she was tall, but Duke Sentoren lifted her easily as if she were a child.

“What?”

At this ridiculous moment, while Riv was trying to say something, Duke Sentoren sat on the sofa hugging her.

Their bodies touched. Just as she was trying to breathe, his lips pounced on hers.

“……!”

His breath passed through her lips. She couldn’t help but part them.

“Uhn!”

This kiss was supposed to be the second time he touched her, but it felt more urgent than before.

Another word would be ‘barbaric’; literally being attacked.

In an instant, Riv, laid under the man, realized that it was not easy to push him away.

Her head was dizzy.

Her body was not easily controlled, but somehow he was blocking her with strong force. Not only was her mouth locked, but her hands were also firmly caught by him and she couldn’t budge.

“S-Stop!”

Even a sound couldn’t leak out. A strong and persistent kiss followed.

Long after, Riv couldn’t get away from him even though his lips fell off. The strength left in her body had been drained.

And Riv felt shocked when his wide arms and strong muscles filled her view. What she thought first was that she wanted to be taken by this man.

‘Why?’

She didn’t think she’d be the object of someone’s desire.

“Duke Se-Sentoren.”

“Call me Lionel.”

Riv was hypnotized by his husky voice, mixed with hot pants.

“D-Duke.”

The moment Riv turned her head, she faced Lionel. His face was right in front of her.

“Li-Lionel.”

Their bodies were too close.

“Ah!”

Riv wasn’t used to hugging someone.

She never imagined that she would have an unethical affair with Princess Marianne’s fiance. She almost felt possessed by Duke Sentoren. Listening to his heart beat, she leaned against him and trembled.

The anxiety grew that this man might make her give up everything she wanted.

He already knew who she really was.

What if he told Marianne about Riv’s disguise?

‘You idiot, Riv.’

Riv bit her chapped lip and cried inside.

“Duke.”

Lionel caressed her lips and said, “My name is Lionel.”

He swept Riv’s hair and face naturally.

Like she was his own property.

Riv’s fear grew bigger.

“Your Grace, I have to go back to the palace.”

“I know.”

“I didn’t mean to seduce the duke.”

It was not something she had to say in front of him, that too, when she was undressed and tangled with him. Riv knew well that her words were not convincing.

She didn’t know that the Duke, Lionel’s gaze, was appreciating her pale, slim legs and body curves hidden under her thin old chemise.

Riv was so terrified that she couldn’t even recognize herself.

“I’ve never meant to harm the Duke.”

“I know. You’re scared.”

Riv didn’t know how tempting she looked. She didn’t know even more that it made Lionel’s heart beat.

Lionel looked at Madame Katana’s body, which had always been hidden under those horrible bulky clothes. She was tall and didn’t have a small frame, but she didn’t have fat.

Instead, she had long, elegant limbs, a full chest and butt compared to her physique. Her waist was extremely slim.

Her body figure was seductive.

Even when she took off the terrible clothes, Madame Katana looked much younger than he expected.

‘It’s like she’s become a different person.When I took off the cocoon, a butterfly popped up…’

Lionel realized that she was close to his ideal type.

Tall enough to be on par with him, strong but slender body without fat due to hard work. She was different from vulnerable and fragile ladies. She had health and freshness that was unlikely to break even if she was treated violently.

‘Where has this woman been?’

He wanted to taste her. It was not too late to make rational judgments afterwards.

Lionel held his lips again. His lips planted kisses on her chin, shifting from her lips. Her skin tasted sweet and salty at the same time.

“Hnn.”

He didn’t mean to go until the end, but until then, he wanted to taste her as much as he wanted.

He thought she was dangerous the moment he touched her. The one who was teased and tempted seemed to be Lionel himself.

From the moment he tried to take off the rest of her clothes.

“Oh, no!”

Madame Katana stopped his touch.

“P-Please.”

Lionel slowly moved away from her after a long time.

Riv shied out of Duke Sentoren’s arms and came back to her senses.

‘This is just playing with fire.’

There was no future for Duke Sentoren to sleep with her.

He can’t even choose her instead of Marianne.

All he wanted was probably one night, that was all. Thinking so, her body froze.

‘Are you surprised? What are you thinking about, Duke?’

Come to think of it, everything was because of Marianne. Marianne was much more important to this man than Riv.

If Duke Sentoren chose Riv as his opponent to play with fire, that was also because of Marianne.

Riv asked the Duke Sentoren, “Did I succeed in seducing you?”

“Well…”

Riv smiled cynically at the indifferent man’s answer. This man knew from the beginning that she was not interested in other desires and wishes.

All she wanted was to leave the palace and survive.

“I, I have to go back.”

Riv woke up pretending to be determined. It was difficult to delay any more time.

She looked down at her ruined clothes and bit her lips. She picked up the clothes she had taken off and put them on quickly. She tried to wear thick cotton padding that inflated her body under those large clothes. Her hands were shaking, making her unable to dress properly, so she messed up.

“Wait.”

Lionel approached her and tried to dress her. Riv firmly hit the back of his hand.

“Don’t touch me. Don’t!”

“Calm down.”

Riv couldn’t dress properly for a long time. The torn dress was roughly fixed so that the tear could not be seen. Picking up the bonnet that fell down, she sighed.

Lionel, who had been out of the drawing room for a while, told her, “I told them to prepare a carriage for the royal palace.”

“Alright.”

Riv’s words were short. Lionel pointed at her hair.

“Your hair is all messed up, so you’d better get it fixed.”

“I don’t care, Duke.”

“Madame Katana.”

“This was a mistake.”

At Riv’s words, Lionel sighed and added, “But it won’t be good if Marianne finds out who you really are. Marianne does not know about that disguise, right?”