Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Warm, soft lips pressed against hers. The feeling was unfamiliar and strange, but not unpleasant.

Olivia screwed her eyes shut, trembling.

It was just their lips touching. It was a tradition. A necessary step in the marriage process, that was all.

But despite knowing that, her face turned bright and her heart pounded fiercely enough that anyone close to her might hear it. And Lennox was indeed close enough for that, his breath skating over her face.

They pulled apart after a while, and she opened her eyes with a small sense of relief.

Red eyes shone with a desire like an eternal flame.

Embarrassed, she called out to him cautiously, “…Lennox?”

“I swear to you,” he began in an unusually low voice, “that I won’t break this sacred vow no matter what.”

She looked at him curiously. What was he doing?

“Oh, the marriage contract.” Olivia nodded.

“Come here.” A firm hand on her back pulled her closer.

“…!”

Lennox’s thumb came up to her face, resting on her lower lip as he gazed at her carefully. Her face flushed due to the sudden intimacy.

He grinned, satisfied with her response. “I need you to fulfill your part of the promise right now, though.”

Olivia blinked slowly. Lennox felt his throat burn, like he needed something clean and cool to fill his lungs. He ached for relief.

Yes, relief…

His eyes turned to her lips. Tempting, beautiful lips.

Those same lips parted slowly. “What do you mean?”

Lennox replied steadily, “I need your strength.”

“The energy of epure?” Olivia’s eyes widened.

He nodded.

“Then, let’s put our hands…”

“No, not that.”

“What?”

“There’s a more efficient way than holding hands.” Lennox smiled, lowering his head to bring his lips closer to her ear. “A more intimate, deeper contact.”

Olivia flinched, making him laugh softly.

“The deeper the contact, the better I absorb the energy. Rather than holding hands, it’s better to have your arms around me.”

Her eyes trembled slightly. “Then…”

“Now that we’re married, can we use a more effective method?”

The frank explanation and soft tone were surprisingly convincing, but it was clear that he was leaving the decision up to her.

“It’s been three days since I got energy from you, so I’m starting to go crazy.”

Olivia could tell from his aura that despite his composure, his desire was at a high level. Lennox clasped her hand, recalling the sensation of his lips touching hers.

‘It was the first time I’ve felt so satisfied.’

And it wasn’t just because of the energy of the epure. It was her softness, her warmth and fragrance, that made her so hard to resist. He wanted to feel her again, even if he had to give her a ridiculous excuse.

“Well…” Olivia bit her lower lip nervously.

The sight was insanely tempting, but he reined his anxiety and desperation in.

And his patience was rewarded.

“I’m not… experienced in those matters. Please don’t expect too much from me.”

‘That wasn’t my goal, anyway.’

Lennox swallowed those words as Olivia hesitantly stretched her arms towards him. Now, it was his eyes that widened when her hands met behind his neck. He hadn’t expected her to be so assertive.

“If you’re going to do it, do it right.” She laughed playfully, all signs of trepidation gone. “If you don’t, you won’t be able to do it again,” she threatened cutely.

His eyes closed in bliss. “I don’t think you’ve realized, but…” Lennox gently put his hands behind Olivia’s neck. “I’m an apt learner.”

Then he kissed her again.

He savored the moment first, gently making contact, before coming to bite her soft lower lip.

“Ah!” She didn’t feel any pain, but the thrilling sensation brought forth the short exclamation.

Lennox didn’t miss the opportunity, slipping his tongue into her mouth as it opened wider.

“Unf…”

Everything she gave, he took with gusto and responded in kind, until soon it felt like they were sharing a single breath. There was no hesitation between them, Lennox revealing a deep lust in his demanding motions, Olivia awash in curious desire.

Her breath began to stutter.

Lennox, noticing that she was overstimulated, caressed her back gently.

And yet he didn’t let her go. They pulled apart only to breathe before diving back into each other in an attempt to quench their thirst.

Eventually, Olivia could no longer hold herself up and Lennox pulled himself away with a finality.

“Ha…”

I was dizzy and my legs were shaking enough that I needed to lean on Lennox.

Also…

‘That was…’

The memory was too vivid. My face felt like it was burning. I needed to remember that it was just to fulfill the conditions of the contract. That it didn’t mean anything else.

Slowly, my feelings subsided. I pushed Lennox’s arms away with both hands and he stepped away without complaint.

“That’s enough, isn’t it?”

He tilted his head, lips curling languidly. “Do you want the honest answer?”

“No,” I shot back instantly. “A polite answer would be better.” I hastily changed the topic before I got caught in a trap again, “Anyway, there were no problems, so we’re done with the wedding.”

“Did your dream come true?”

“Perfectly.” I smiled broadly and nodded. “I initially didn’t like that it was a temple that was no longer used, but that was because I hadn’t known how beautiful the interior was.”

It was common to officiate outdoor wedding ceremonies on the lawn of a vibrant temple, in front of the guests. On the other hand, Lennox suggested a wedding with just the two of us in an unknown temple.

“Are you sure it’s okay that we don’t have a witness?”

In the empire, people were required to bring at least one person to testify to the validity of their union. Yet again, we boldly avoided that tradition. I liked that it was only between us, but the question had remained in the corner of my mind.

“You agreed that you and I were witnesses to each other’s vow.”

“But just in case…”

“It’s just etiquette. These procedures are only man-made, after all.” Lennox glanced at the wall behind the altar. “That’s not the custom that’s really important.”

The pure white marble had a relief that reflected the light. I stared at the wall, then slowly shifted my gaze. Something caught my eye.

There were statues surrounding the altar in a semicircular shape, as if protecting it. Angels of God, presumably, the heavenly creatures of varying abilities and characteristics.

My feet brought me closer.

One was carved with long hair, closing its eyes in prayer.

Was it because the statue was already white that I imagined that the angel really had white hair? It somehow felt familiar… even though this was the first time I’d seen it.

I quickly cleared my mind and moved to another statue.

But… something was strange.

All the statues were of similar height and style, placed at regular intervals. There was one spot, however, with nothing in its place. There was a faint discoloration on the floor, like a trace of a statue that was no longer there.

“But why?”

Lennox tilted his head. “It’s because it was cast away to be exiled forever.