It was a clear day without a single cloud.

Outside the window of the moving train, a metasequoia-lined road full of spring’s pale greenery unfolded.

Eyes resembling the freshness of the light green leaves blooming outside the window were fixed on the text.

She was always a woman who reacted honestly and uprightly.

Caeron Roman de Ellios, who had been staring intently at the light green eyes that hadn’t moved for quite some time, chuckled.

Aidel Fluor’s eyes trembled slightly in response to his laughter. She cleared her throat softly and turned the page of the book she had been reading.

“My duchess seems to really enjoy books.”

The hand turning the page momentarily paused. Aidel gently raised her head. The mischievous smile on his lips deepened.

“Seeing how you look at each page for so long, as if you’re going to memorize it.”

Aidel’s pupils suddenly enlarged, and she lowered her gaze. Her snow-white earlobes turned bright red.

Aidel was in the first-class compartment of the train heading to the Ellios Grand Duchy. It was a private space that only the Grand Duke could use.

The moment she entered, she was surprised. The inside of the train was like a luxurious small villa.

The first-class compartment, which used an entire car, was filled with furniture made of mahogany.

There was a table with drinks like tea and whiskey and fruits, comfortable sofas, and even… an antique bed for sufficient rest during the long journey.

This space, equipped with a bathroom including a bathtub, was so unbelievable as a train compartment that if not for the moving scenery outside the window, one would never believe it was inside a train.

From the moment the attendants disappeared and only the two of them remained in the first-class compartment, Aidel began to feel nervous.

Especially her eyes trembled uncontrollably when looking towards the bed. She never imagined there would be a bed on the train.

To hide her nervousness, she deliberately took out a book from her bag, but… the letters simply wouldn’t register in her mind.

“I’m starting to get bored.”

As Caeron Roman de Ellios swirled the whiskey glass he was holding, the ice cubes inside clinked against each other.

“And I’m feeling a bit tired too.”

At his words about being tired, her eyes furrowed slightly.

‘He did come back late last night…’

She thought he must be quite tired, having returned late and then departing early in the morning.

However, if Shade Hilburn had heard his words, he would have fallen over backwards in disbelief.

A few years ago, when the Grand Duke participated as the commander of the allied forces in the civil war of the Rattle Kingdom, he led the operation flawlessly for three days straight without a wink of sleep.

His eyes shone brightly, without a trace of fatigue, until the moment of victory.

If it were Shade Hilburn, who had witnessed this firsthand, he would have known that the Grand Duke’s claim of being tired from a late return was nothing but an absurd exaggeration.

“Are you very tired?”

The innocent duchess had no way of knowing this. As her eyes, filled with concern, turned towards him, Caeron Roman de Ellios smiled triumphantly.

“I’d like to rest a bit.”

Caeron Roman de Ellios, who had put down his whiskey glass on the table, slowly rose from the sofa.

“Would you like to rest with me?”

He reached out his hand towards her.

“Leave that book you can’t concentrate on there.”

Aidel’s mouth opened slightly at his words, which accurately pinpointed that she had only been pretending to read.

Her hand gripping the book unconsciously tightened.

Looking at the Grand Duke’s outstretched hand, her eyes began to tremble again.

She instinctively knew that he would head to the bed for rest.

Caeron Roman de Ellios’s smile deepened as he watched her reaction.

He liked this moment. The moment when her calm heart began to waver because of him.

As he gazed at the woman’s troubled face, he took the book from her hand and placed it on the table.

“Let’s act more productively, Aidel.”

Caeron Roman de Ellios whispered lowly as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms.

“Once we’ve rested enough, those letters in the book will surely enter your mind.”

Of course, he had no intention of letting that book steal her attention for the time being.

She would be too busy looking only at him.

“Shall we rest now?”

His deep blue eyes shone brightly, just like when he had participated in the battlefield, as he looked at the captive who was firmly caught.

Liar.

Aidel glared at the man above her, biting her lips to hold back the excited breaths escaping.

There was no way this man, pushing her so intensely, could truly be tired.

She had no time to blame herself for foolishly falling for his sweet lies.

Aidel hastily swallowed another moan that was about to burst through her teeth.

“Your Highness… There are other people outside…”

Moreover, this was inside a train, although it was a separate compartment. In the connected cars, there would be attendants and other passengers.

Just being aware of this fact made her body heat up so much that she couldn’t think straight.

The sound of the steam-puffing train seemed like the pounding of her pulse.

Her wheat-colored hair rippled like waves over the white sheets. The woman bit her lips even harder.

“Don’t mind them and concentrate.”

He gently stroked her lips and inserted his index finger between them. He didn’t want to hurt her delicate, petal-like lips.

“If you want to bite something, bite this instead.”

Her face flushed with embarrassment as she held his firm finger in her mouth.

Unable to bite hard, her pitiful face, caught between what to do, was unbearably lovable.

As her body temperature rose, her scent intensified. The more that scent reached his lungs, the more satisfaction filled him.

Outside the window, the red sun was setting, burning the last remaining light.

After the relentless, powerful waves had passed, Aidel sank into the bed like a shipwreck.

She was so exhausted that she couldn’t muster any strength in her body.

Caeron Roman de Ellios, deciding to give a moment’s rest to his tired captive, pulled her into his arms. His arms wrapped around her body like ropes.

Crumbling in his firm embrace, Aidel could now finally take the rest he had suggested.

Her rapid pulse and ragged breathing gradually became steady. Her drowsy eyes slowly closed.

Caeron Roman de Ellios also closed his eyes, briefly kissing the forehead of his woman who had fallen into a deep sleep.

“Wake up, Aidel.”

Aidel, who had fallen into a deep slumber, gently opened her eyes at the low voice calling her.

She met eyes that held the blue dawn’s light. At the same time, the sleepiness fled from her eyes.

“I think we’ve rested enough now.”

Feeling anxious that something might start again, Aidel clutched the blanket. Caeron Roman de Ellios laughed out loud at her wary gaze.

“Don’t worry. It would be troublesome if you fell asleep again from exhaustion. We don’t have enough time to give you sufficient rest.”

At his words, memories from before she fell asleep came flooding back, and Aidel’s face turned red as she turned her gaze to the window.

The pre-dawn sky, before the sun had fully risen, was dyed a deep blue.

Through the dim view, the horizon could be seen in the distance, with the red sun slowly peeking out.

“Could that be… the sea?”

Aidel asked, staring blankly out the window.

She unconsciously let out an exclamation, captivated by the sunrise over the sea. It was a majestic sight she had never seen before.

“That’s right. Welcome to the Ellios Grand Duchy.”

To be precise, they had already entered the Ellios Grand Duchy while she was asleep… but the train had continued running without pause, arriving at the eastern edge of the Ellios Grand Duchy.

“We should prepare to get off the train now.”

At Caeron Roman de Ellios’s words, Aidel quickly assessed the situation.

The Grand Duke, who had surely been as disheveled as herself, was now perfectly dressed.

On the other hand, she… Aidel pulled the blanket up to her neck and spoke in a trembling voice.

“Just a moment… please turn around.”

The bathroom was within reach, but she still had to take a few steps to get out of bed.

She planned to quickly enter the bathroom and wash up and change clothes while his gaze was averted.

“We’ve already seen everything… why now?”

At Caeron Roman de Ellios’s meaningful gaze, Aidel suddenly felt her body heat up.

They had taken a rest that was not really a rest from the afternoon when the sun was up. They had embraced each other even more vividly than on their first night.

Remembering his beautiful muscles that had moved so delicately, Aidel’s face flushed again.

Thinking that he would remember her body just as she remembered his, she couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes.

“…Please…”

Aidel pleaded to him in a small, teary voice. Even though he had already seen her body, she didn’t have the brazen courage to stride confidently in front of him again.

Caeron Roman de Ellios couldn’t take his eyes off his shy duchess. Her skin, glowing even more transparently in the morning sunlight, was lovely with its spreading blush.

“If that’s what you want, gladly.”

He wanted to dye her entire body in an even deeper color, but… if he teased her too much, the flower bud might close tightly, so Caeron Roman de Ellios backed off.

As he turned his back, Aidel hurriedly gathered her clothes and headed for the bathroom. It was a movement completely different from the duchess’s usual gentle gait.

Only after closing the bathroom door did Aidel’s legs give out, and she sank down slightly.

She sighed deeply and stood up to wash, when at that moment, a short knock was heard from outside the door.

Aidel startled greatly and her body shook.

“Aidel.”

It was the Grand Duke’s voice.

“Wh-what is it?”

She asked in a very flustered voice, tightly gripping the doorknob.

“Come to think of it, there’s something I forgot.”

“Forgot…?”

There was a hint of laughter in his voice coming from outside the door.

“Before Marlin left, she earnestly requested something of me.”

“…What was it…?”

“Since there’s no lady-in-waiting to take care of the duchess… she told me to help directly.”

“…!”

Aidel’s pupils dilated and began to tremble severely.

Surely not…

“I think that included helping with bathing… Shall I help you, Aidel?”

It was a mischievous tone. Even knowing his words were a joke… Aidel’s legs gave out again, and she sank down, gripping the doorknob.

When there was no answer from her, momentarily speechless, Caeron Roman de Ellios knocked on the door again briefly.

At that knock, Aidel came to her senses and let out a low scream, shouting in a voice higher than usual.

“It’s fine! Absolutely not! I can do it alone!”

Just from her urgent voice, he could imagine what expression she must be wearing. The pleasure this imagination gave him made the corners of his mouth curve gently.