Belladonna wrapped her arms around Escalion’s neck and opened her mouth, allowing him.

His thick tongue immediately invaded through the opened gap.

Soon, the bedroom was filled with wet sounds.

Belladonna felt strength entering her whole body and embraced him even tighter.

Escalion gradually increased his force, pushing her down onto the bed.

“Ha……”

As the back of Belladonna’s head fully touched the pillow, Escalion briefly removed his lips and breathed heavily.

“You didn’t drink, right?”

“No, I didn’t.”

Belladonna chuckled and shook her head at the question, unsure if it was sincere or a joke.

Perhaps there was more sincerity than jest, as relief flickered in Escalion’s eyes.

He sent a burning gaze as he grabbed Belladonna’s wrist and buried his lips on the soft inner skin.

As he sucked hard, a red mark quickly bloomed on the white wrist.

“I’m going to leave many of these on your body. Is that okay?”

Escalion asked, showing her the inside of her wrist.

Though unsure what it meant, Belladonna nodded.

Confirming her answer, Escalion’s gaze intensified.

Soon, he moved his body over her lying form.

“I’ll ask one last time. Can you really endure it?”

Escalion asked, gripping Belladonna’s slender ankle with one hand.

Belladonna silently looked up at him.

His eyes were already reddened, and he was looking down at her while breathing roughly.

‘If I nod now…’

Belladonna swallowed dryly and bit her lower lip.

They would spend their long-delayed wedding night, and she would exchange rings with him tomorrow morning.

Until now, they had postponed the wedding night with divorce in mind, but now her thoughts of divorce were becoming blurred.

‘Is this okay?’

Though confused feelings arose, one thing was certain – she absolutely did not want to return to Astanya.

‘And above all…’

She herself desired him very much too. To the point where she no longer cared whether he had a mistress or not.

“You’re not focusing?”

Escalion said, moving his hand gripping her ankle to press his lips against her calf.

He slightly bared his teeth and gently bit that area with very little force.

Belladonna flinched and closed her eyes.

As it was her first time experiencing such things, everything felt unfamiliar and frightening.

“Answer me, Bella.”

Escalion muttered in a low voice.

Belladonna nodded without opening her eyes.

In this position, she felt too embarrassed to face him directly.

“Open your eyes.”

Escalion said firmly once again.

Feeling like she might cry, Belladonna lifted her eyelids.

His half-lidded golden eyes, wrapped in excitement, were looking down at her.

“…Yes, it’s okay.”

“Good answer, and so obedient.”

Escalion immediately smiled with satisfaction.

He moved his thick upper body to lower his head and captured her lips.

As her vision was blocked, Belladonna’s delicate voice disappeared into his mouth.

Belladonna lifted her heavy eyelids.

The rising sun was now faintly illuminating the dark bedroom.

‘I didn’t get a wink of sleep in the end.’

Even after the initial storm had passed, Escalion did not calm down easily and drove her to the edge several more times.

Whenever she was about to fall asleep, he would press his heated body against her again, and she couldn’t stop him, so she had to stay awake all night.

Belladonna could only blink her eyes helplessly, her arms and legs sprawled out lifelessly with no strength left.

I’m so exhausted…

“Are you feeling alright?”

Just then, Escalion, who was coming out of the bathroom with a round basin filled with water, noticed that Belladonna’s eyes were open and asked.

Belladonna weakly raised her eyes to look at him.

Escalion set down the water-filled basin on the bedside table and began wiping Belladonna’s body with a wet towel he had brought along.

“You don’t look like you have the strength to go to the bathroom. Tell me if it’s too cold.”

Belladonna entrusted her body to him, half-dazed.

Escalion carefully wiped her body with the warm, damp towel, then gently massaged her legs.

As he loosened the stiff areas, she felt like she might fall asleep soon.

‘But…’

Belladonna turned her eyes to gauge his reaction.

Last night, unable to hold back anymore, she had cried out with her voice.

Now that he knew she could speak, and even if he understood and let it slide, she couldn’t avoid mentioning it forever.

Belladonna raised one hand to grab his arm moving over her body.

“What is it?”

Escalion asked without taking his eyes off her.

She couldn’t bring herself to speak. Belladonna licked her lower lip nervously, her mouth opening and closing.

Escalion raised his head to look at her and spoke with a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“Do you want a kiss?”

No…

Belladonna weakly shook her head.

We’ve already done that a lot…

Escalion smiled leisurely at her reaction and tilted his head.

“Then why? Was last night not enough?”

Absolutely not…

Shaking her head again, Belladonna hesitated before opening her mouth.

“I… I can’t explain everything right now, but… ah, can I continue not speaking in the future as well?”

Escalion looked at Belladonna.

His deep golden eyes quietly gazed at her.

Finally, he nodded and said,

“Of course. Do as you wish.”

“…Thank you for understanding.”

“It’s nothing. I don’t mind since you’ll probably let me hear it better than anyone else at night.”

What are you saying!

Belladonna immediately furrowed her brows and raised one hand to hit his shoulder.

Due to her lack of strength, it wasn’t a very threatening punch.

Escalion chuckled and grasped her small fist.

“Why don’t you stop worrying about that and get some sleep? I’m not sure if I’ll be able to let you sleep tonight either.”

Belladonna gaped at her husband, who seemed far too energetic.

Though they had both stayed up all night together, he looked perfectly fine.

Escalion put the towel he was holding back into the basin, then rolled onto the spot next to Belladonna and pulled her tightly into his arms.

He let out a satisfied groan as he stroked Belladonna’s hair.

“I feel happy.”

“…”

“It’s happiness to please my wife all night and then lie down holding her languid body close.”

You’re really incorrigible…

Belladonna snorted and buried her face in his chest.

Even as she thought he was hopeless, she was feeling similar emotions herself.

“By the way.”

Just then, Escalion, who had been gently stroking the back of Belladonna’s head, suddenly spoke.

“Are all the songs that commoners sing while working similar?”

“Pardon?”

“The song you sang at the Papal State. Is that something everyone in the Elineros Empire knows?”

Is he talking about the work song I was caught singing in the restricted area?

Belladonna lifted her head slightly to look up at his face.

“The song I sang?”

“Yes, that one. And the songs the farmers here sing too. From what I’ve heard, the lyrics and rhythms seem to vary slightly between cities, but it’s interesting how easily people sing along.”

“Ah, they’re basically different for each city… but work songs usually have lyrics wishing for a good harvest from the heavens or praising the nature commonly seen around, so they can sound similar at first listen.”

“I see.”

Escalion murmured softly as he stared into space. Belladonna quietly watched him.

“Then the one you sing would be the Astanya version, right?”

Huh! Belladonna stopped herself just as she was about to thoughtlessly answer yes.

Come to think of it, it might seem strange to him that Saint Belladonna would know work songs usually sung by commoners.

“Ah, I suppose so. I must have picked it up unconsciously from hearing those working at the Papal State sing it.”

“I see. It felt like it had been a while since I’d heard it.”

Belladonna looked up at Escalion with wide eyes.

‘Now that I think about it, Escalion said he had wandered around different parts of the Elineros Empire.’

Escalion, who had been staring into space, turned his gaze to Belladonna in his arms and looked at her with an unreadable expression before slowly opening his mouth.

“I lived in Astanya before.”

I know… You’re telling me quite quickly.

Belladonna listened attentively, still not relaxing her tension.

“Back then, I had no money, so I stayed in a village where farmers lived rather than in the city where mercenaries usually stayed. Hearing you sing that song reminded me of that time.”

Escalion shrugged his thick shoulders and averted his gaze.

Finally free from his intense stare, Belladonna blinked her eyes.

‘If he stayed in a village where farmers lived, he might have really been near the village where I lived in my previous life…’

Belladonna glanced at Escalion, who had already closed his eyes and was breathing evenly.

If so, where exactly did he live? Surely we didn’t run into each other…

“Stop staring and go to sleep.”

What! You’re the one who started talking first! Belladonna ducked her head, feeling unreasonably wronged.

She could feel his chest moving against her as he chuckled from above.

Belladonna tightly closed her eyes in his embrace.

‘Anyway, it seems Escalion doesn’t consider my not speaking to be very important. But it’s probably better to continue being careful for now.’

It seemed dangerous to start conversing with him normally right away just because her husband had found out.

If she let her guard down, others might discover that she could speak, and that could lead to suspicions about her holy power.

‘For now, it seems Escalion will keep the fact that I can speak a secret…’

I’ll have to think more about how to act from now on.

Being in Escalion’s warm embrace naturally made her feel drowsy.

Belladonna pushed her complicated thoughts aside for now and drifted off to sleep, listening to his steady breathing.