Diana found it difficult to breathe, like a fish caught in a net.

‘Constantly enchanting people without a care.’

Her head spun from the love so clearly residing in those blue eyes.

‘At this rate, I’ll fall head over heels again.’

Diana awkwardly blinked her eyes while tightly grasping the sturdy forearms that seemed like they would never budge.

Yet, the boulder-like body didn’t even flinch under the grip of her cotton-soft hands.

Instead, it swelled to the point where veins bulged out, startling Diana.

“I think I should get going now. I snuck out during the kids’ class time, so Angela will worry if I stay too long.”

“…It seems like class is ending earlier than usual.”

“Is that so? There’s no clock here, so I’m not sure.”

“I know. It’s still early.”

Fingers clumsily intertwined like tangled threads.

Diana tightly clenched her interlocked hands and lowered her gaze. When Raoul stared at her without a word, there was a different meaning.

Although they had only shared a few deep kisses, now, with just a meeting of eyes, their love burned like a furnace.

It was clear that Raoul wanted to spend the remaining time like lovers.

However, Diana felt uncomfortable.

At a time when she was secretly plotting to board a ship, she didn’t want to act shamelessly, whispering words of love.

But why am I…!

Was it because she was burning up along with his temperature? As Raoul tickled her palm, Diana was so startled she nearly jumped.

“Eep…!”

As her bottom hit the counter, the nearby medicine cabinet shook, and withered barley leaves fell in a crumbly mess.

The palm placed on the counter was pressed tightly, and the sensation of temperatures mixing and rubbing together hotly melted her body.

‘It’s strange…’

Soon, her head lowered, and the mood instantly reversed.

As Raoul devoured her lips as if he would eat her up, her waist fell backwards, and her head bent to the point of pain.

Needing something to support herself, Diana quickly pulled his neck into an embrace.

Before long, her lips were tightly sealed to the point of lacking oxygen, and eventually, Diana was the first to twist her head and remove her lips.

“Huff… Haa…”

Taking a deep breath, both sides of her chest ached with a stimulating scent.

Diana pressed her irregularly rising and falling chest even closer to Raoul’s body and affectionately stroked his back.

As if taking that touch as an active courtship, Raoul moved even more passionately.

Taking advantage of the brief moment their lips parted, he lifted Diana onto the counter and kept her within his arms, solid like prison bars.

Their lips met once more, and a tingling breath spread throughout their mouths.

Diana shed a few tears at the sensation so electrifying that her vision turned white. ‘Raoul one, Raoul two, Raoul three.’ The entire world was only Raoul.

Diana gave her lips as much as Raoul wanted, and even rubbed the tip of her nose against his.

It was an action she wasn’t even aware of herself.

She would caress his smooth collarbones, nuzzle his cheeks, and if that wasn’t enough, she would lift his face and directly kiss him.

In the end, it was a time when they were both so immersed in each other that it was hard to tell who was yearning for whom.

“Haa… Haa…”

Ragged breaths continuously rose and fell between moist, red lips.

Everywhere was filled with Raoul’s scent, making rational judgment impossible for Diana. To the point where she couldn’t think of anything other than Raoul.

But the moment that heated atmosphere subsided was in an instant.

It was when Raoul leisurely stroked down her ribs and buried his lips in the tautly stretched neckline, deeply inhaling.

The hand that had been circling her waistline gradually expanded its range and lightly tapped the very top of her ribs.

And the moment the protruding flesh was pressed as if being touched, Diana’s senses snapped back, and she pushed Raoul away with superhuman strength.

“Gasp…! Wait…”

At the urgent voice as if requesting rescue, Raoul’s eyes flew open.

“Wait… I haven’t thought that far yet.”

As Diana hurriedly covered her body and lifted herself, Raoul’s complexion darkened.

Seeing Raoul’s sunken appearance when he had looked so happy, her nose inexplicably stung.

However, this was a reflexive action. It wasn’t a matter of will.

‘These things are meant to be done on a bed. Does Raoul want to go that far?’

As far as Diana could remember, the union of a man and a woman was excruciatingly painful.

The beautiful depiction of the first night in novels was merely a fantasy, and in reality, it was only painful and humiliating to the point of tears.

If only that were the case, it would have been fortunate.

The consequences brought about by one wrong mistake were terrible. Carrying a child with a sinful body, the harm eventually extended to the pitiful child as well.

‘What if that happens again? We’re not even married yet…’

Worried about Raoul’s gloomy complexion, Diana mumbled an apology.

“I’m sorry… Did I startle you?”

Despite the love she had longed for rolling into the courtyard after overcoming trials and tribulations, everything still felt awkward and unfamiliar.

‘If I keep rejecting him, will Raoul be disappointed…?’

Seeing Raoul’s silence, Diana shed tears, feeling hurt.

‘I thought you would understand, though…’

As Diana bit her lip tightly and let out a small sob, the body reacting to that sound stiffened once more.

In her aching heart, Diana timidly tugged at her innocent tunic top.

“…Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“…”

“It’s not that I don’t love you. It’s just that I’m not used to this… Raoul? What’s wrong with you?”

The silent Raoul looked like a rock stuck in the ground.

Diana briefly placed her hand on his slumped shoulders, and only then did she notice that he was trembling.

‘Why is he acting like this?’

Upon closer inspection, the area around his eyes was also red. It was at that moment when Diana widened her eyes and removed her hand.

“I’m sorry, Diana.”

“…Huh?”

With those words, Raoul’s head completely twisted to the opposite side. The fist that cut through the air was none other than Raoul’s.

‘What is this!’

Diana was so surprised that she jumped off the counter.

It was a loud and dull sound that made tears disappear.

“What are you doing! Are you okay? Hey, let me see your face! Is it bleeding?”

Diana pulled his tilted face and examined the sunken cheek. It was so hard that bruises were already starting to form. Raoul muttered in a despairing voice.

“No one would disagree that I am the worst Lycan in history.”

“…What?”

“I’m the worst.”

“You don’t think it’s because of what I said, do you? I don’t think you forced yourself on me. It’s not like that…”

“That’s not important. You have the right to reprimand a lover who pounces on you like a puppy without knowing your condition or mood… I have a duty to be a spouse who knows you better than you know yourself.”

With her gaze fixed on the injured cheek, Diana pulled his neck and soothed the sullen Raoul.

“…It’s not like I wasn’t in the mood from the beginning. I love you deeply too. It’s just that our progress was much faster than I thought… I was just a little startled.”

Without touching Diana with a single fingertip, Raoul muttered self-deprecatingly.

“…You’re right. I also think it was an unrestrained behavior.”

“We can adjust to each other little by little… But who would hit their own cheek…”

Diana was deliberately astonished by the extreme self-deprecation.

“I’m sorry, Diana. It’s not that I don’t cherish you. If you felt disrespected… It’s a mishap caused by my impatience.”

“Yes, I understand. Since I understand, can we treat the wound first?”

“If that’s what you want, I’ll gladly accept any punishment.”

“Punishment, what punishment…”

I enjoyed everything too…

Raoul pleaded as if he had committed a great sin.

“But please don’t abandon me. Stay by my side and keep teaching me so I can become the perfect person for you. Otherwise, I…”

Raoul trailed off. Diana was dumbfounded by the words that sounded like an apology or a threat.

She also recalled what the nymphs had once said.

“They’ve had a messed-up mental state since their ancestors. A race that goes insane if a woman doesn’t love them, isn’t that a kind of threat?”

Diana went under the deeply bowed head and stared at the sulky, droopy puppy eyes.

‘Are you threatening me right now?’

When she looked up with an absurd gaze, waves crashed in the blue eyes. As if he would burst into tears at any moment.

‘The Lycan I know doesn’t have this image…’

At times like this, he was a textbook large dog. One who only knew its owner… A furball that pounced without knowing its size.

Diana tidied the silver hair she had messed up and cupped the heated cheek. Then, she met his eyes with her chin pressed against his chest.

“Are you worried I might leave you?”

Raoul paused for a moment before answering.

“…I just want to become a person worthy of you as soon as possible.”

Seeing as he didn’t deny it, did he have such thoughts on one hand?

Diana asked again.

“What kind of person is worthy of me…?”

“…At least not a man who calls you to a ruined apothecary. He wouldn’t make you cry during precious time either.”

Her eyebrows curved in heartache. Diana sincerely comforted Raoul.

“What’s wrong with an apothecary? I like it here too.”

“If I had obtained a title, I would have at least made you say those words in a city as beautiful as Sezan.”

“…”

“I wouldn’t have had such childish jealousy either.”

Recalling the scandal article in the newspaper some time ago, Diana thought about the heartache Raoul must have endured alone.

While feeling sorry, she also felt a bit relieved.

‘Even someone as perfect as you thinks you’re lacking.’

Perhaps that was why. For the first time, Diana revealed her heart.

“I… get jealous a lot too. I often feel insecure, no less than you.”

Raoul shook his head resolutely.

“You and I are different. You were hurt because you thought I had betrayed you. It wasn’t simple jealousy.”

As his low voice sank heavily, Diana stroked the red cheek and whispered with a sorrowful heart.

“Actually, I’m worse than you. You might get sick of hearing it…”

“…There’s no way.”

“…It’s true. In fact, I’m also jealous a million times in my heart. I get anxious thinking you might leave me, and I fret over the thought of you meeting someone better.”

“…”

“I’m so grateful that you don’t hate me. Sometimes, it feels like a dream that you stay by my side, crying and laughing with me. To me, you’re that incredible.”

Raoul finally showed tears.

“…There’s no way I could hate you, of all people.”

Hot droplets fell on the round cheeks.

‘You really cry so easily at my words…’

As Diana moistened her lips with the moisture gathered on her chin, Raoul removed the hand hidden behind his back and carefully wrapped it around her shoulders.

It was an action that could be considered as barely touching rather than grasping.

“I only love you. I always will.”

“…Yes. Then we have no problems at all, right?”

“Of course.”

Raoul curled his lips prettily as if relieved.

Instead of a deep kiss, Diana lightly rubbed her nose against his.

Even without intense skinship, happiness rushed in so much that it was overwhelming. It was a time so happy that it was unbelievable to think she would deceive Raoul and board a ship this winter.