Deborah could not understand Yuria because she did not know the heart of the person who was crushing hard on someone.
âPoor man, that he has to say such a bad thing even if heâs not sincereâŠâ
But for Yuria, Rixus was the benefactor who saved her life.
The admiration and gratitude for him had been in her heart for a very long time from then on.
Such a mindset was not easily changed.
Yuria could only say that Rixus treated her with very common noble etiquette. But if he just danced with her even once⊠She treated every little thing like that as special.
It was like the defeat of someone who has a one-sided love.
Rixusâ meaningless acts were steadily re-edited, and they meant a lot to her.
So, the feelings she had built up over the years and her earnestness towards him did not collapse upon the words that Rixus uttered once.
Which was very good for Deborah.
âOkay, Lady Yuria. I can see that the Crown Prince has a special regard for youâŠ?â
âReally?â
Deborah smiled pretentiously with honey on her tongue.
âOf course, lady.â
This was enough, right? It was time to incite action.
âBy the way, where is the Crown Prince nowâŠ?â
She was too slow-witted to stick to him, so where did he go?
âThe Crown Prince has gone to change his clothes. His shirt was all soaked in wine.â
â!â
Deborahâs eyes changed completely.
âLady, what are you still doing here?â
âYes?â
The corners of Deborahâs lips rose softly. As if she was imagining something good.
âOf course you have to go and help him change clothes.â
â!â
âThe Crown Prince must certainly need a helping hand.â
Yuriaâs face turned red in an instant.
âHow dare IâŠâ
Deborah clasped her arm and gazed at her closely.
âLady, when dealing with the Crown Prince, remember one thing.â
Deborahâs olive-colored eyes shone as if she was revealing an absolute secret.
âThat he is also a âmanâ after all.â
â!â
Deborahâs gaze swept through the smooth skin of Yuria, who was overflowing with an innocent and beautiful sexual charm.
âWho would resist the temptation of a woman like this?â
It was a relief. That Yuria was one of the most beautiful in the Empire.
If she was determined to seduce, there would be no man who would refuse.
Even a man who had a certain woman in his heart would want to deviate from her for a moment⊠Deborah was sure.
And that one moment was enough.
It was a small opportunity to break this precarious marriage.
That was enough for Deborah to turn the social world upside down.
âThe Crown Prince does everything himself whenever possible. Iâve heard that he doesnât take good care of his clothes.â
Deborahâs voice became as soft as the flapping of a butterflyâs wings.
âIf you go now, he will be changing clothes by himself.â
Yuriaâs eyes flickered.
Deborah was convinced as she looked into those eyes. Her heart had already floated into the river.
All she needed was to touch the paper boat with her finger so that it could be swept away by the current.
âLady, you said that you would repay the favor to the Crown Prince, who is a lifelong benefactor.â
ââŠâŠ.â
âAre you going to just watch someone like that get into an unhappy marriage?â
âTo stop that, you have to do something. Isnât it? Even at the expense of purity.â
* * *
After a while.
Yuria was standing in front of a door with her hands held together.
The mere thought that Rixus was beyond the door made her feel like her mind would be blown away by the tension.
âHis Highness the Crown Prince is changing in the rightmost room.â
There was no way the servant would tell a lie, so there was a 100% chance that Rixus was inside.
Of course not. The conscience in her heart whispered. Are you crazy? Yuria Mavis?
No matter how pretentious the marriage was, this was something that only an unscrupulous woman would do.
If she did something stupid like this⊠She wondered if she could ever receive Godâs forgiveness.
Now, on Yuriaâs slender legs, there were fresh red scars.
Not only that, but the hem of her dress that was like fairy wings was stained with mud and in some parts, torn.
She did it herself. To seduce him today.
She swore she would never use pitifulness as a weapon, but now, her desperation was too great.
If she could use it as a weapon; she wanted to catch him even by scratching everything she had and didnât have.
âWhewâŠâ
She took a trembling deep breath and grabbed the doorknob.
âI have to open it right away without knocking. And put on a surprised expression.â
âSince I have to pretend I went into the wrong room.â
And when she finally opened the door.
She didnât even have to pretend to look surprised.
Because she was startled by the stark, skin-colored sight in the room.
â!â
* * *
The broad back, like a carnivoreâs, was split by muscles.
As if to prove how fiercely he survived on the battlefield, the large and small scars that clearly existed left an overwhelming impression on the viewer.
Back muscles that moved slowly along the spine and⊠⊠Apollo dimples recessed into the thick waist.
(TL/N: yâall are probably either flabbergasted or fuming with rage now, so maybe this will make you laugh. âSpineâ was supposed to be âvertebraeâ â the 33 individual, interlocking bones that form the spinal column.)
It was a body that gave a suggestive sensation just by looking at it.
In particular, the scene was too provocative for an innocent girl to see.
ââŠâŠâ
Yuriaâs chest thumped and hardened like wax in place.
The man simply glanced at the opened door, noticed her, then naturally put on his shirt.
It didnât take long as he was accustomed to dressing alone.
Soon, a heavy low tone slapped Yuriaâs stiff cheek.
âLady Mavis.â
â!â
She was startled by his low, clear call.
âWhatâs going on here?â
Rixus had succeeded in his hunt, approaching her with boredom and a leisurely pace, like a lazy beast ready to devour his prey.
He was the man who showed his bare body, but the woman who saw it was a hundred times more embarrassed than him.
ââŠâŠâ
Eventually, when a large shadow appeared in front of her, Yuria was startled.
It felt like all the words she had prepared were disappearing into her throat.
She strained her voice to answer.
âIâm really sorry, Your Highness. I was rudeâŠâ
She meant it so far. She had no intention of entering while he was in the middle of changing his clothes.
ââŠI was going to my room, this was a mistakeâŠâ
And this was a lie that was carefully prepared.
ââŠâŠ.â
Rixus looked down at her without answering for a while.
Those eyes seemed to be checking the truth of her words, so Yuria was very nervous inside.
But without being as nervous, Rixus broke the lie very simply.
âI know that the ladyâs room is on the third floor.â
ââŠâŠYes?â
âI remember you came down from the stairs on the third floor to greet me when I came to see the Margrave two years ago.â
With a remarkable memory, he looked down at her with his eyes loosely narrowed.
âDid you get confused between the 5th and the 3rd floor?â
âAhâŠâŠ!â
Yuria turned red from her head to her toes.
When there was a risk of being caught lying, even a novice liar showed wit.
âThatâs right! Iâve been recuperating in Malta for so long⊠and I must have been a little distracted.â
Rixus replied indifferently, without even commenting on her excuse that she was forgetful and distracted.
âI see.â
It was the time when he was about to pass by without saying goodbye.
A tiny little hand popped out and grabbed his sleeve.
âYour Highness!â
ââŠâŠ.â
Rixus stopped walking and looked down at his sleeve.
It was the first time. He was conscious of the sleeve she was holding on to.
At that moment, a voice passed through Rixusâs head.
âYou have long sleeves.â
It was Beryliaâs voice. The mysterious words that he couldnât understand even if he thought about it all night and day.
A small riddle given to him by his own precious woman.
The moment he realized it, a tickling and hot energy spread through Rixusâs heart.
The corners of his lips rose slightly.
âCute.â
The low tone he used when talking to himself was as sweet as whipped cream.
âYou said you werenât jealous.â
Yuria couldnât understand what he was saying to himself, butâŠ
The smile that Rixus gave when he thought of Berylia was so warm and friendly that it made her dazed for a moment.
It was such a heart-fluttering smile that made even those who saw it excited.
âYour Highness?â
âWell.â
At Yuriaâs call, Rixusâ eyes turned back to her.
His eyes were like the spring sun that had just disappeared.
He was still thinking of his girl.
Those eyes gave Yuria great courage.
âI have one request. I hurt my legsâŠâ
The next words were difficult to spit out, akin to pulling her heart out of her throat.
ââŠCan you take me to my bedroomâŠ?â
It was a subtle temptation.
ââŠâŠâ
Rixusâ eyes returned to its usual coolness as he glanced down at her legs.
A bloody, muddy and torn dress â she would look troubled to anyone.
Yuria trembled like an injured bird as she tugged at his sleeve.
âIt hurts so muchâŠâ
âYou canât walk at all?â
âYes, Your Highness.â
Yuriaâs blushed, and she shyly nodded her head.
At that moment, Rixus simply grabbed her small chin.
He descended for a while, hence his broad shoulders, that were like a beastâs, were at eye level.
Badump, badump, badump.
Yuriaâs little heart was beating fast.
His arrogant, chilly, blue-violet eyes magnified as if penetrating her.
His terribly low voice pierced her heart.
âThe lies have increased.â
â!â
âI canât walk at allâŠâ
His eyes turned to her legs, and then he stared at her as if to pierce her eyes.