Now, the sound of thunder no longer reached my ears.

‘Ah…… good.’

All my attempts to keep distance from him melted away into nothingness. Everything felt sweet and sticky. My entire body burned with heat, and my breath kept running short.

Thud. The soft sensation of the bed touched my back. Yezar had me within his gaze. At that moment, he let out a brief, quiet groan.

“Ah…….”

His eyes were on my body. Only then did I remember I was wearing nothing but a thin nightgown. I quickly covered myself with both hands.

“D-don’t look!”

“S-sorry.”

As if the previous intensity had never happened, he blushed as usual and turned his head away. He looked around, spotted the fallen blanket, and hurriedly picked it up, tucking it tightly up to my neck.

“I didn’t see much……”

His voice was so faint it sounded like an ant crawling—completely untrustworthy.

“But then why is your face so red? You said you didn’t see much.”

“T-that’s……”

“Liar.”

“I have no excuse……”

He couldn’t bring himself to turn back toward me, clearly flustered and embarrassed.

‘Didn’t you just now act so bold? When I struggled to breathe, you kept clinging to me, stealing my breath. And my lips too……’

Recalling what had just happened, my face flushed hot. Ashamed, I pulled the blanket up over my face and spoke to him.

“Yezar.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Thank you. I’ve calmed down because of you. You didn’t have to indulge my whims like this…… I feel like I’m troubling you again.”

His boldness was probably just to soothe me quickly, seeing me tremble. I expressed my gratitude. Though, of course, my mind was tangled.

‘Sigh. I tried to draw a line, but ended up doing something even more intimate with Yezar.’

If I’d known this would happen, I should’ve said nothing at all. Or would he have done even more for me, frightened as I was, if I hadn’t spoken up?

‘Still, I’m the real problem. Someone as dark-hearted as me doesn’t suit that pure, innocent man.’

“No, you’re not troubling me at all. Whenever you feel weak or overwhelmed with fear, please lean on me.”

See? Yezar speaks so kindly, with no ulterior motive. I lowered the blanket slightly and looked at him. He was the picture of the ideal husband, as always.

Somehow, though, this didn’t feel right.

‘No matter how much he says it’s fine, isn’t it wrong for him to have given his first kiss to me, his contractual wife? First kisses matter to both men and women, don’t they?’

In the novel, he never shared such intimacy with anyone else because of his love for Bertisha—even when Bertisha herself had no feelings for him.

So clearly, I must be his first kiss.

“Yezar, giving your first kiss to me, your contractual wife…… are you sure that’s truly okay? This kind of thing means something, doesn’t it?”

First touch, first kiss…… It shouldn’t have been me. This should’ve been with someone he loved.

“It should’ve been with someone you love more. Someone other than me.”

As I said “someone else,” Bertisha’s face flashed in my mind. I knew that once, she was the one he’d wanted to share this with. An unpleasant feeling kept rising from within.

‘I’m disgusting…… Yezar is struggling to move on from Bertisha, trying so hard. And here I am, jealous, bringing her to mind for no reason.’

Then, he met my gaze.

“How could I kiss or share such intimacy with anyone other than my wife? My wife is Julietta—you.”

“B-but I’m only a contractual wife…… If it’s just out of duty, it won’t truly be good for you in the end.”

Hearing this, Yezar lowered the corners of his eyes, looking hurt.

“You’re telling me not to again. Even if it began as a contract, Julietta, you are my wife now.”

“That’s true, isn’t it?”

“Could you ever kiss or entwine tongues with someone who isn’t your husband? While having a husband?”

“Of course not! With a husband present, I could never…… with anyone else!”

“Then why are you pushing another person onto me? I already have you right here.”

He tapped my lips lightly with his finger, as if scolding me for saying something wrong. Not a single word he said was incorrect.

Yet something felt off. It kept sounding as if our relationship wouldn’t end.

Then, he asked me in a deeply sorrowful tone.

“Or perhaps…… did you dislike kissing me? Are you rejecting me by suggesting I should do it with someone else?”

“That’s impossible! H-how could I dislike it…… I was so dazed I didn’t even notice the thunder……”

Yezar was flawless at everything. Truly. Even though he’d never done this before. The way he stirred something deep inside me sent shivers down my spine.

“You’re good at everything, Yezar. Even this. You did well. So I never thought I disliked it.”

At my shy confession, he stiffened for a moment. The finger that had been tapping my lips now gently pressed and rubbed against my lower lip.

“Did I really do well……?”

I already said he did. Why was he asking again?

“W-why keep asking, it’s embarrassing! One time should be enough!”

“I want to take note. I’ll need to comfort you again next time.”

That sounded almost like a shy confession. But I instantly felt flustered.

‘Is he saying he’ll kiss me again next time?’

That couldn’t happen. It was problematic. If I got used to kissing, I might start wanting more.

So I changed the subject. It was something I’d wanted to avoid bringing up out of jealousy, but since I’d originally intended to mention it, it was the only way to escape this awkward moment.

“…Yezar, actually, there’s something I wanted to say. I held back because I didn’t want to make you worry. There’s been so much talk about Her Majesty the Empress’s pregnancy.”

At the mention of Bertisha, his hand stopped rubbing my lower lip.

“Yes, it was even in the newspapers.”

“After that, I received a letter from Her Majesty. She said she’d like to meet and talk.”

I watched Yezar’s reaction. I doubted he’d care about Bertisha, but I was slightly worried. Soon, he let out a deep sigh.

Then he replied, sounding somewhat displeased.

“She’s being unreasonable. Now that she’s carrying a royal grandchild, you’ll have no choice but to please her and avoid saying anything bold.”

“That’s probably true.”

“If anything happens, she’ll try to blame you. Nothing must go wrong. I’m worried.”

“…If something does happen, will you help me, Yezar?”

Without hesitation, he answered.

“Your matters are my matters. If Her Majesty behaves rudely, come straight to me and tell me. I’ll do my best to make her apologize.”

“But what if I suffer some rude treatment, yet you don’t want to get involved with Her Majesty again, so you say it’s fine? Would you just let it go then?”

He paused for a moment at my question. But soon, he smiled and replied.

“No. I have no intention of letting your matters go. But please remember this—my concern isn’t for Her Majesty. It’s only for you. She will never again occupy my thoughts or my heart.”

“How can you be so sure……?”

I had trained hard with him, but old feelings weren’t easily discarded. He might have managed it at the banquet. But if Bertisha stubbornly brought up memories and approached him again……

“Even at the banquet, the only thoughts I had when facing Her Majesty were of you. Two more months have passed since then. The last remnants of old memories within me have nearly all been let go.”

His fingers moved. He gently rubbed upward at the corner of my downturned mouth, as if lifting it into a smile, and whispered sweetly.

“Now, the only thing precious to me is the time I spend with you. I’m an ordinary person who doesn’t wish to hold onto heart-wrenching pain and sorrow for long.”

Had he really let go of everything? All his love, longing, and affection for Bertisha?

Then, what was filling the emptiness in his heart now? Time with me? Daily life together? If he was filling it with such simple, unremarkable moments, he truly was a humble man.

“…Yezar.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Are you happy now?”

At my curious question, he wore an expression as clear and clean as the sky after rain.

“I am happy, Julietta.”

His words held not a trace of falsehood—only pure sincerity.