A Shadow Cast in Paradise - Chapter 62

Janette asked as if poking a dangerous object from afar.

Riana felt like she might explode from her probing.

“……What good would it do you to know?”

“Don’t tell me, you slept with the master?”

Riana couldn’t hide her expression.

Emotions she knew she should conceal but hadn’t yet fully masked wavered too easily.

“Really?”

“……No.”

Riana denied it, avoiding eye contact.

Denying it like this wouldn’t undo what had happened, but she thought it might at least prevent various future incidents.

But Janette strode over and grasped Riana’s skirt.

Riana reflexively backed away, trembling slightly.

“What are you doing!”

“I’m trying to check.”

“Check what?”

“Whether you did it or not.”

Janette’s hands persistently tried to probe Riana.

She grabbed her skirt and arms, forcibly trying to lift her clothes.

Her malicious hands were mixed with pent-up anger from yesterday’s events.

“Let go!”

Riana roughly pushed Janette’s body away.

Janette stumbled backwards and hit the wall.

In that instant, Riana suddenly thought.

Last night when Sched approached, why couldn’t I push him away like this?

Why couldn’t I cry out that I didn’t want it?

Why couldn’t I properly refuse him when he has a fiancée?

Because he was a Lupus in heat, because I was scared, because I knew I couldn’t overpower him physically…

Riana knew it couldn’t be explained by such reasons alone.

Last night, she had wanted him.

At first, when the pain piercing her whole body overwhelmed her, she should have run away.

But the transition from pain to pleasure was instantaneous.

Before she could escape, the pain was devoured by intense sensuality.

With heretical blood flowing through her, she was accustomed enough to enduring pain to be callous to it.

But withstanding pleasure and desire was unfamiliar.

Every time that hard, massive body let out a low, satisfied moan, she too shuddered.

Unmanageable lust pressed down on her and overwhelmed her.

His scent flowed in with the hot air, spreading like fog and making her mind go blank.

The sensation was so vivid it was confusing.

So she couldn’t be proud, or feel wronged, or angry in the face of the money Giselle had handed over.

Meanwhile, Janette was surprised that Riana, who was usually unresponsive, resisted so roughly, but then frowned again.

“You little wench!”

As if thinking this turned out well, Janette rolled up her sleeves and lunged at Riana.

At that moment, someone firmly grabbed Janette’s wrist.

“Ah!”

Janette turned her head in surprise to find Grita there.

Standing at 190cm tall with a sturdy build and an inexplicably intimidating aura.

Even if Janette tried to resist, the hand Grita had caught wouldn’t budge at all.

Grita silently shook her head slightly while looking at Janette.

“I, I was just trying to check if something bad had happened to her. I was worried…!”

As Janette rambled out excuses, Grita’s hand gripping Janette’s wrist tightened.

“Ugh!”

The strength involuntarily drained from Janette’s hand.

Only after Janette released Riana did Grita let go of her wrist.

Grita stared at Janette with slightly furrowed brows.

“I was just worried about this girl, that’s all!”

Janette shouted angrily while clutching her sore wrist, then stormed out of the room.

Riana was left standing there alone.

Grita looked at her intently.

“……I’m sorry.”

Grita tilted her head slightly at Riana’s apology.

As if wondering what she was sorry for.

“For making you worry.”

Grita shook her head in response.

Riana quietly looked back at the mirror.

The appearance she had tried so hard to make neat and tidy was now a mess.

Her hair, which she had combed back cleanly without any stray strands, was disheveled again.

The newly ironed maid’s uniform she had put on was now wrinkled.

As if mocking her attempts to appear normal with all her might.

Riana bit her lip and lowered her head.

Then careful hands readjusted her scarf.

When Riana flinched in surprise, Grita patted her once.

Unlike her rough appearance, her touch was delicate and careful.

Riana realized she was doing her best to comfort her.

As soon as she noticed this fact, she felt like she might cry.

Afraid that if she said thank you, the tears would really burst out, Riana kept her mouth tightly shut.

“Tomorrow, I’ll be able to leave, right?”

Riana asked in a trembling voice.

Grita nodded.

Yes. That’s enough.

Tomorrow Sched will leave for the heretic hunt.

Riana repeated this fact to herself, trying to steady her heart.

[This is the timeline separator]

In the early dawn, Sched stood by the window, gazing out at the foggy view.

Paradel’s usually clear weather was cloudy for the first time in a long while.

It wasn’t just a brief morning mist, but a thick fog that would make the air hazy all day long.

A light drizzle fell in droplets on the window.

Thin streams of water trickled down the glass.

As the sunlight that used to shine on Paradel cooled in the raindrops, the heat that had lingered somewhere in his body also cooled.

It had been just one night.

Complicated thoughts filled the space where the heat had dissipated.

After Giselle had poured out her anger and left, he had been lost in thought after thought.

And he became certain.

His heat was connected to Riana Serpens, or more precisely, Louise Ideana.

His body, which had never reacted to Giselle or other women, flared up like flames at a single drop of her scent, a single breath, a single fragment of her gaze.

Only then did suspicions slowly arise.

Heat that responds to one person, mate imprinting.

‘That’s impossible.’

There are conditions that must be met for imprinting.

But this was the first time he had experienced heat symptoms, and he had never attempted mate imprinting.

He was confused. And afraid.

Afraid that a small piece of her might remind him that he was a beast.

Afraid it might draw out his ugly and barbaric true nature.

Why had it come to this?

When he first met her after 8 years, his goal was clearly revenge.

Revenge against the Ideana who killed his brothers and comrades.

Revenge against Louise Ideana who betrayed him.

But… somewhere along the way, he had lost his way.

Did I really want revenge?

When just seeing you look at me like that is so painful?

At that moment.

“Your Excellency. I’m coming in.”

At the voice that came with a knock, Sched’s body reflexively turned around.

A calm voice that sent chills down his spine.

Riana had come.

Why? For what reason? Does she not intend to avoid me?

He was confused.

But at the same time, light entered a corner of his heart.

Would Riana have seen the pleasure, the joy, and… perhaps what could be called love, that he had felt?

The fact that she came to him first, perhaps…

Click, the doorknob turned and the door opened.

Sched remained frozen where he stood by the window, unable to take his eyes off the door.

A cloudy day, early dawn, a room lit by lamplight.

Riana walked in with her usual calm steps, holding a water pitcher and towel.

His lips went dry.

But.

“I’ve brought water and a towel, Your Excellency.”

Riana announced in a dry and indifferent voice, then prepared the water and towel as all maids do according to their assigned duties.

She was as boring, monotonous, and emotionless as any other day.

Sched stood in place, watching her move skillfully.

Last night felt just like a dream.

It was as if those memories engraved and tangled in his mind had vanished completely from the world.

“Since it’s cloudy, I brought a few more candles. I’ve made sure the water won’t get cold…”

“Riana Serpens.”

If there hadn’t been a white scarf tied around her neck, he might have really thought that night was a dream.

“What are you trying to do now?”

Sched clenched his fist at her nonchalant attitude.

Even if she didn’t feel the same damned emotions as him, he could understand.

He had even thought she might feel the exact opposite emotions.

Anger, hatred, disgust, contempt, fear.

He had been prepared for her to harbor such feelings.

But this woman…

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Your Excellency.”

“What…?”

Riana answered dryly, lifting her eyelids with an emotionless face.

Sched was momentarily at a loss for words.

While he failed to continue speaking, Riana bowed her head.

“If there’s nothing else you need, I’ll take my leave now, Your Excellency.”

She bowed her head holding the empty water pitcher and tray, then turned towards the door.

“Stop.”

Sched commanded coldly to her retreating back.

But Riana’s steps did not cease as she headed for the door.

“I ordered you to stop, Riana Serpens.”

When his voice grew even colder, her feet stopped in front of the door.

But she did not turn to face her master.

Sched felt his head grow hot.

It was a different heat from the passion during his heat.

He strode over, grabbed her, and whirled her around.

The maid who had finished her duties looked up at him with an expressionless gaze.

As emotionless as a statue that had turned to stone after meeting eyes with some monster from mythology.

Sched was confused.

“…Don’t you have anything to say?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She repeated the same words like a parrot.

The corner of Sched’s mouth twisted.

“…Do you think if you insist with that shameless face, everything will be as if it never happened?”

Sched pulled at one side of the scarf wrapped around her neck.

“If you pretend not to know, will these marks disappear?”

The scarf came off too easily, revealing reddish-purple marks underneath.

On her white nape, the brand proving last night was clearly visible.

Only then did Riana’s eyes show a flicker of emotion.

See? When it’s so easy to get caught.

Only now was he satisfied with her reaction.