He held her hand and led her closer to the lake. Even though she wondered where they were going and how far he would take her, Elysee followed him silently as he led her.
When the tip of her shoe was about to touch the water, unexpectedly, the scene in front of her eyes changed.
“Uh…”
It was awe-inspiring magic. Blake expectedly watched her surprised face with a pleased expression.
“Isn’t it amazing?”
Even though she knew in this world magic existed, the current phenomenon was unbelievable to her.
‘Where am I?’
Elysee studied her surroundings deliberately, but instead of gaining some footing she became even more perplexed.
Surprisingly, the place where they were standing was a place she was very familiar with. But it was also a place that wasn’t actually present in any of the scenes of <The Fallen Lovers>.
There was a small cabin amongst the golden wheat fields, and on its front porch were two rocking chairs side by side. Everything was familiar to her, including the folded blanket on one of the chairs.
“What is happening….”
“The lake is called ‘Fantasy’ and will take you where your heart truly wants to go.”
Elysee closed her mouth and looked around. It was so vivid as if it were completely real.
“This is the place my wife has in her heart. It looks very peaceful.”
Blake didn’t hear a response from her.
‘Of all things—why, here….’
She couldn’t control her emotions nor her expressions at all. Would ‘he’ be standing there, waiting for her if she opened that door?
In her memory, ‘he’ would be wearing an apron that didn’t fit him. The sleeves of his white shirt would be rolled up, and his hair that was neat would now be gently disarrayed and curl around his forehead.
[What do you think about my birthday gift? You said you wanted to live in a place like this a long time ago.]
‘He’ greeted her with delight warming up his cool and sharp eyes, donning a soft smile.
The moment she recalled it, her stomach churned—feeling nauseous, Elysee covered her mouth.
‘This takes me where I want to go?’
Elysee scoffed. If she had any reason to wish for this place, it would be to slap Cain Liberto across the face. Perhaps she would feel better if she hit him until she lost sensation in her hands.
“Elysee?”
“…Now let’s go somewhere else. If possible, to the place you want.”
Blake, who was looking at her with a puzzled look, nodded. It seemed that her reaction was unusual.
“Alright, then…”
Elysee blinked slowly. The cabin vanished. The cold tips of her clammy fingers slowly warmed up.
“This is where I wanted to go.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a new place unfolded in front of them.
“This is…”
“It’s the first place we met.”
It was the temple where Blake Frozen [t1v: previously his last name was Freysen, I’m changing it] and Elysee Clanton had their wedding. The moonlight and candlelight that permeated through the windows sincerely lit the calm hall.
Elysee had watched ‘herself’ get married before being possessed on a monitor while listening to Philip, the boss of the Fantasy Control tower. explain her assignment. Before she had possessed Elysee, an artificial intelligence had temporarily occupied this body.
Except for the fact that all the crowds of people were absent, the temple looked exactly the same as the day of the wedding. Elysee looked around the hall clearly curious.
“The wedding was quite long.”
His voice came from her side, Elysee looked up at him. While he stared at her passionately, he bit the tip of his gloves with his teeth and slowly took them off.
Instantly, Elysee felt her unpleasant memories of Cain Liberto cleansed and purged.
The young and handsome Grand Duke radiated sensuality from head to toe. His gloves fell on the floor one after another, but neither of them paid attention to it.
“If I could turn back time, I would have kissed my wife on the spot.”
Before Elysee could blink Blake held Elysee and put her on the podium. It was a platform where alcohol to be shared by the married couple [t1v: in many asian cultures sharing alcohol is a marriage rite] under the watch of the High Priest was laid out. It was only after Blake placed her on the platform that their eyes were leveled.
Mesmerized, Elysee gazed deeply into his blue eyes.
“Like this.”
After lifting the glass and taking a sip, he placed his lips over hers. Sweet wine flowed from his mouth and into her open lips. His tongue gently swam through her mouth until the wine scent in her mouth faded.
When their lips parted and his lips fell, Elysee licked her lips.
“Delicious.”
His eyes deepened and grew darker with passion.
“Then let’s have another sip.”
He poured wine in his mouth again, and kissed her. The second time was even sweeter. His tongue entwined with hers seemed melt her reason away.
As their kiss deepened and grew more intense, she started to lean back. Supporting her head and back, Blake carefully laid her back down, as he seamlessly continued to deeply kiss her.
They continued to share drinks until the silver cup ran out of wine. Elysee’s cheeks flushed, her blush reaching her beautiful swelling and jiggling breasts that moved up and down with her harsh breathing. Both of their bodies grew hot.
“We’re done drinking.”
“I noticed. The glass is empty.”
Her eyes grew round.
“Are we going back now?”
“I can’t. I didn’t come here with my wife to just share a glass of wine.”
“Is that so?”
Blake’s hand went up her thigh. Elysee moaned as he caressed her intimate part.
“I want to watch my lovely wife become erotically disheveled here and now.”
Blake’s fingertips gently rubbed over her underwear as he brushed his lips over Elysee’s exposed shoulder. His seductive breath turned her body feverish.
Although she had only drank a few sips of wine, Elysee felt drowsy as if she were drunk. She took a deep breath and yielded her body to his touch.
His fingers pulled back her wet underwear and immediately fondled her clit.
“Ah…!”
Indeed, in the rich capital, many people were deprived of wealth and fallen aristocrats were common. The butler who lived in contact with the nobility knew it well. Most of the fallen aristocrats who called upon their workers as guests were ignorant.
Fallen noblemen were despised but relied on their one pride. Contract brides who married to exchange status trade were often defeated and ignored by their servants.
‘But I don’t think you’re gonna make it that far.’
That was the sentiment of the butler who saw Elisha walking around the mansion.
The next day, the butler went to see Elisha after breakfast. Her attire was nothing short of frugal. She seemed to have only one dress. Elisha asked quietly,
“Can I go out for a bit? I have things I need.”
“I’m sorry, but I think it would be better to discuss that with the general when he gets back.”
“He must have banned me from going out.”
Elisha made a slight frown. The butler spoke in a gentle manner that he called upon a merchant to come in the afternoon so she could order from the comfort of home,
“So the only thing he’s allowed me to do is shop?”
Elisha asked without hesitation.
“That’s…….”
Her way of conversing was clear and concise.
That was the second impression the butler had of Elisha. He tried to be a little tactful.
“You can do whatever you want. Inside the house. If there’s anything you want, I’ll do it.”
“Then how about cleaning up?”
“What?”
The butler doubted his ears. Elisha’s downcast hazy eyes were suddenly looking straight at him.
“Can I clean the house?”
“…There’s nothing you can’t do….nothing wrong with it. Why do you have to……. You don’t have to do anything. You can learn the housework slowly…….”
“I can’t be lazy when my husband is out on the battlefield. Besides, my body starts to ache when I’m still.”
Elisha’s words shocked the butler even more.
“Oh, and—”
Elisha added calmly.
“The cleaning I’m talking about is not just sweeping and polishing.”
Elisha pointed to the hallway.
“Let’s sort out everything that’s rolling out there.”
And ten days later, the butler changed all his first impressions of Elisha.
***
“I think we can save a little money from this side. Also, please add only one servant who can write well. I think I need to make a list of the artworks in the house. I’ll draft it, and this is…….”
“Excuse me….. lady. Can you read the books?”
“Do you think I can’t read the numbers?”
“No, I’m not saying that. Ledgers aren’t just numbers.”
Elisha smiled softly. It was a smile that was almost invisible, and that was the biggest change of expression the butler had ever seen.
“When I was in the monastery, Rosaria-nim, the head of the monastery and archbishop, took me under his wing, teaching me read this novel on that 1 villainess, how to bookkeeping for the monastery, and that’s when I learned the basics.”
“Oh, do you mean Rosaria-nim, the war hero? Indeed…….”
I guess you’re not an ordinary person. The butler thought it was the first reversal of his assessment of her. The next day, more surprising things happened.
“The general is on the battlefield, so you don’t know when he’ll be back. Since I am short on time, I’d better go around the mansion and introduce myself to the employees.”
“……Yes? So you’re going to say hello to the subordinates?”
‘Yes, am I not allowed to? When servants encounter me in the mansion, they are so startled as if they had discovered a ghost.”
“Ha. But…Madam, as you may have heard, the general does not consider rank or status when selecting men. So……, especially the knights directly under the general, they can be very rough.….”
“They’re rough?”
Elisha tilted her head as if she didn’t understand.
“Ian and Nora were very kind.”
“…….”
The butler thought of Ian, a former spy who had been a drug addict. He was secretive. Nora was a woman who rarely spoke.
In addition, Corin, one of the knights, had been a prisoner.
“They don’t swear, they don’t hit anyone, they’re good at carrying out orders even if they have complaints.”
“Then…..Are you…?”
“Then let’s go right away. I’ll do it on my own. Take your time, butler.”
That day, Elisha made a full-day tour of the mansion and greeted each employee lightly. Everyone looked shocked.
And the following week she said something astonishing.
“I heard that today was the day the general was supposed to eat with his men. The general and I should be present, so I’ll go out instead.”
“…are you serious?”
Once every two weeks, Lucerne had a banquet with his men.
Elisha was going where the rough soldiers and knights appeared? It was an alarming tale. Elisha tilted her head as if asking what the problem was.