After a night that burned hot, the morning hours completely disappeared in their activities, and night came again.

Esika, who was exhausted and receiving a massage from maids, slightly lifted her eyelids to look towards the door.

So Esika was not weak in stamina.

She may have been before awakening as a spirit, but since regaining her martial arts, there was an incomparable difference from ordinary people.

Surely if Resban hadn’t gone that far, she would have been fine.

‘I didn’t know he would be… that strong.’

Esika gently blushed as she sensed the presence slowly approaching from outside the door.

To be honest, at first she thought it would end after once or twice.

Even those once or twice, she thought she might faint in the middle.

‘Did he take some aphrodisiac? I wonder if there are such drugs here too… Otherwise…’

Surely he wouldn’t continue like this today too.

Esika shook her head and said.

“You may withdraw.”

“Yes, Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

The maids who were kneading Esika’s tense calves rose at her command.

And as soon as they stood up, the attendant’s voice was heard.

“Your Highness the Crown Princess, His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived.”

When Esika nodded, the maids politely opened the door.

Outside stood Resban.

With his tall stature and broad shoulders, superior even compared to the knights of the imperial palace, and an exceptionally handsome face, he strode into the room.

Esika slowly raised herself from the bed.

Soon the maids left and the door closed.

“How was your day today?”

Resban lifted his long fingers to undo the top button of his shirt.

He must be hot after attending to state affairs.

Esika tucked her disheveled hair behind her ear, which had become messy while lying down receiving the maids’ massage.

“Well, I just ate some delicious food for lunch and had the maids give me a massage. Before that, I took a short walk out front.”

Esika looked out the window as she spoke.

“The imperial palace is quiet. The rules must be strict. It’s… completely different from the Klaus ducal family.”

In the ducal residence, it was not difficult to hear the maids and servants chatting in groups.

But as if casual conversation among employees working in the imperial palace was completely forbidden, they just acted like furniture.

Standing when told to stand, bringing things when told to bring, doing as told…

It was quieter than even the imperial palace of the Central Plains where power struggles ran rampant.

“I miss Sela. If Sela were here, I’d be less bored.”

Behind Esika, who was looking out the window, Resban lightly embraced her.

She could feel Resban’s firm chest through her back.

“I should comfort you. So you won’t regret coming to me.”

At his low voice, Esika smiled faintly.

“Try to comfort me somehow.”

And she turned to face Resban.

Resban gently kissed her lips.

“Somehow, as you say.”

It was a soft and affectionate kiss, different from yesterday’s breathtakingly intense ones.

After several gentle kisses, Resban held her in his arms as if trapping her and asked.

“How many times did you think of me today?”

It was an uncharacteristic question for Resban.

But he looked quite serious, so Esika chuckled.

Then, pretending to ponder, she thought and answered.

“Well, I think maybe twice.”

Resban looked at Esika with hardened eyebrows.

As if urging her to quickly raise the number.

“What about you, Your Highness?”

But Esika didn’t do as Resban wanted and instead asked him back.

“How many times did you think about me?”

Resban raised his hand to gently caress Esika’s cheek.

And gazing at Esika with deep eyes, he let out a low voice as if whispering.

“Why don’t you guess how many times, if you’re wrong…”

His hand caressing her cheek paused around her chin.

“…I’ll punish you each time you’re wrong.”

“Threatening punishment when you said you’d comfort me. That’s too much.”

“Sometimes distracting thoughts can also be a comfort.”

Suddenly remembering yesterday’s events, Esika’s eyebrows twitched.

In their relationship, there was no time to think of anything else.

He was so hot pouring into her that she just clung to his shoulders, almost sobbing.

“Guess. You’ll have to think carefully.”

At Resban’s voice, Esika pondered for a moment.

Then she moved her lips.

“Five times?”

“Wrong.”

Resban lowered his hand and undid her buttons.

The front of her light white dress began to come undone with soft pops.

“Ten times?”

Even as she said it, she thought she may have overestimated.

He must have had to handle many state affairs as soon as he left here around lunchtime.

He would have met many people, and faced the emperor too.

I should have said seven times.

“Wrong.”

“Then seven times.”

“Much higher.”

Resban smirked as if it wasn’t even close and pulled her waist closer.

Then he laid Esika down on the bed.

He blindfolded Esika’s eyes with the untied ribbon.

Esika could no longer see Resban’s expression.

She could only feel his deep presence and breathing.

“Twelve times.”

“You’re underestimating me. It’s enough to hurt my pride.”

Esika heard Resban’s voice by her ear, as if playfully growling.

Feeling his gaze on her, Esika’s breathing quickened a bit.

Soon he kissed Esika’s collarbone.

Her heart was beating faster and her body grew hotter.

“Fifteen…”

“It seems you have no intention of guessing correctly.”

Resban’s hot kisses continued.

He kissed Esika’s fingers, kissed the back of her hand, kissed her arm, and gently nibbled her shoulder.

The sensation was so dizzying that she twitched her toes.

“…”

Resban soon lightly kissed around Esika’s chest.

“Twenty… mm…”

Before Esika could finish speaking, Resban kissed her.

Resban’s breath somewhat roughly invaded Esika’s mouth.

His kiss was ecstatic, as if she would melt.

When he pulled his lips away, her breathing had become even more rapid.

How much martial arts she had trained was of no help in her relationship with Resban.

No, rather, because she was a master, her senses were developed, so his hot touch felt even more dizzying.

“Twenty times.”

Esika said with confidence, between ragged breaths.

But Resban silently lifted Esika’s dress.

His hands were firm, and seemed inescapable.

“I got it right, didn’t I?”

Esika urged him again.

Seeing this reaction, she thought she must have finally guessed correctly.

But his low voice, tinged with laughter, was heard.

“Today while signing documents in my office, you were right before my eyes.”

“…!”

At the dizzying sensation, Esika unconsciously curled her toes.

“Even when I had tea with Count Liheim for a moment, you were sitting beside me.”

“…”

“Even when I had an audience with His Majesty, you followed me, riding on my back. Like a ghost.”

His touch was being transmitted through all the peripheral nerves of her body.

Esika felt her temperature rising at his wet whispers.

“So your answer was wrong.”

“Uh… Resban.”

“Not for a single moment did thoughts of you escape from my side.”

He soon kissed her tender skin and Esika couldn’t swallow her ticklish moan.

So this was a riddle designed from the beginning for Esika to be unable to guess correctly.

“That’s cheating.”

“I understand. I’m a man far from fairness.”

Resban began to stimulate her as if to comfort her.

Even Esika, who at first tried to escape by tensing her legs, slowly began to surrender her body to his breathing.

“…Please, Resban…”

His comfort continued for a very long time.

He gently bestowed sensations similar yet different from yesterday, for a long time.

Until Esika was exhausted again.

Until she panted in his arms and yearned for him.

The thought that surely he wouldn’t do it so many times today became futile.

Resban held her, and held her again, unleashing all his thoughts of Esika from throughout the day.

Their relationship, which he had craved every moment, gave him stronger satisfaction than anything else, but she was like water in the desert.

Because it burns so hot, thirst soon returns.

Only when Esika was tired and half-collapsed did his conquest end.

At least today, Esika would sleep without any dreams.

**

It was around lunchtime the next day when Resban left and Esika took out the letter from the Heinz archduchess to read.

“Ugh.”

She stretched her stiff body before reading the letter.

She thought she should definitely do some qi circulation exercises soon.

He must definitely be getting some kind of aphrodisiac from somewhere.

Rustle-

The letters of the letter came into clear view.

How are you faring in this season of green foliage?

I wanted to attend the wedding to congratulate you, but I couldn’t get my heart in order so I wasn’t able to.

After deciding on the broken engagement, there was much noise in the family,

but Father respected my wishes.

In fact, even the day before breaking the engagement, all sorts of thoughts were swirling in my head,

but when the moment of breaking the engagement came, everything became clear.

That man was just an immature fool who was promiscuous and only cared about himself,

if I had stubbornly married him, happiness would have gradually moved further away from my life.

I learned through this incident that the world is not always beautiful.

This is a secret I haven’t told anyone, but I actually like romance novels.

I dreamed of a prince-like man from the novels, but the result being like this is just bitter.

Oh my, my lament about my circumstances went on too long.

Originally, all major decisions are bound to be accompanied by much thought.

Your Highness the Crown Princess. I’m thinking of going away for recuperation for a while.

There’s a garden that Father built recently.

Though it may not be as exciting as the capital, it will be enjoyable.

When I arrive there, I’ll be sure to send you fruit from the garden.

And if there’s anything I can help with, please let me know.

Since Your Highness the Crown Princess saved my life once, I feel I should help at least once too.

Have a happy married life.

And be careful of Her Majesty the Empress.

I’m sending a small gift that might be helpful to the Crown Princess in relation to this.

The Crown Princess’s younger sister, Aria Heinz.]

Esika chuckled. There was a notepad placed behind the letter.

It was unexpected to receive even a thank you letter.

Well then, shall we start another day.