As soon as she returned to her room, Vivian locked the door and slid down into her seat. Her face was pale as a corpse as she breathed heavily.

She had finally discovered Duke Baitness’s true purpose.

Touching and embracing her carelessly.

Every time, she had read the enthusiasm in his piercingly blue eyes, but hadn’t been wary. She thought it was malicious suspicion, a misunderstanding. But all of it pointed to one thing.

That man’s bedroom, bed, and bedding. He calmly suggested they sleep together.

She also realized that Mayer’s rather refined suggestion to become a mistress was preferable. To the only daughter of an enemy family, to someone he had promised to kill, his arrogant gaze offering one side of the bed with an emotionless face seemed not to even consider refusal.

‘Miss. Men’s desires do not consider any moment or situation. They may whisper false love as truth in order to possess your body. So you must never, ever fall for men’s sweet words.’

Her mother, who needed a way to protect the family’s vast inheritance and beloved daughter from inevitable downfall, instructed the tutor to give early sex education as her social debut approached.

An innocent woman is easily deceived by a sweet mask.

Mother warned not to easily trust men who propose, not to give body and heart to whispered love, to at least avoid the worst situation of losing everything by falling for vile tricks.

So even when she needed safety and stability, she rejected all the small proposals and was wary of them.

She closed her eyes and pressed down on her calming chest. Feeling strong pressure, she struggled to hide her trembling voice. But the deeper the night grew, the more vivid the bright blue eyes that held enthusiasm became.

***

The storm shaking the windows was tremendous. On the contrary, the summer heat had broken and preparations to welcome autumn had begun. Once this storm passed, the cold wind would soon come knocking at Rodinia’s door.

Edwin picked up the letter on the table. It was a letter from Baroness Baitness in Rotermond.

Starting by asking if they really had to go separately to Her Majesty the Queen’s birthday, she said it was unkind for the master of Rotermond not to show his face even once, and suggested leaving Rodinia early, staying in Rotermond for about five days, then going to Ferington all together.

After briefly concluding the main point, she added a postscript at the bottom, the length of which rivaled the main text.

“Even if you don’t bring Miss Eveline to Her Majesty the Queen’s birthday event, I recommend coming to Rotermond together. Wouldn’t you feel stifled being confined only to Rodinia? Miss Eveline, who must have suffered much heartache, also needs a trip to refresh. Bring Windler too.”

After reading the entire postscript, Edwin put down the letter and was about to pick up another when Eveline appeared with a knock.

It had been days since he’d seen Eveline’s face, who had been frantically avoiding him even as the blazing summer heat broke. He had overlooked her not appearing even at mealtimes, thinking she would ignore him confidently, even messages through Abernethy. But on the contrary, Eveline opened the door willingly.

“It’s been a while, Miss Eveline.”

“Yes…”

Her usual peach-colored skin and red lips, the rosy blush full of vitality, had peacefully maintained their place despite the long days. Only the deepened shadow of wariness in her eyes and noticeably passive attitude were Vivian’s sole changes.

He gestured as he approached the full-length mirror standing there, and she walked over with steps that a snail could have outpaced.

Vivian in the mirror barely reached his shoulders. He had thought she was tall, but seeing her standing next to him, she didn’t seem that tall after all.

Vivian couldn’t approach boldly and stood awkwardly. The mirror reflected only half of Vivian’s face. It was the left side.

Her deep mouth corners fidgeted uncomfortably. She seemed to have steeled herself, or to have something she wanted to say, but it was hard to read Vivian’s true feelings from just half her face.

“…But, Your Grace.”

Her eyes, passing over his reflection in the mirror, landed on the round table to the right. On it lay a measuring tape, notepad, and a pen.

“I’ve never measured a person before, so there could be errors. Wouldn’t it be better to leave it to a professional?”

After figuring out Edwin’s purpose, she deliberately distanced herself. Though she was in a hurry for the receipt he would write, she couldn’t jump into the wolf’s den before preparing herself to face him.

She always thought and worried. For now, guiding him to change his mind would be the wisest method.

Until he suddenly called her through Abernethy to come measure him, she had just outlined how to persuade him. She just lacked the courage to say those words. Thinking today was her chance, she directly opened the door to the wolf’s den, but in the end couldn’t bring herself to speak.

She only muttered in a dejected voice that she foolishly had never measured anyone before.

“Today, Miss Eveline has gained the opportunity to see if she can become an expert.”

Edwin smiled. A clean and flawless, distinctly aristocratic and elegant smile.

I was deceived by that smile. Mr. Sheffer, and me too.

Vivian narrowed her eyes and snatched the measuring tape from the table, moving behind Edwin’s back. She couldn’t help but be flustered as her view was suddenly blocked.

Was he this tall with such a broad back?

She knows. That he’s an unusually tall man, that he has sturdy shoulders. But seen up close from behind, he was enormous enough that it wouldn’t be strange if he reigned from her very peak.

Vivian held the long measuring tape from one shoulder across to the opposite shoulder.

Contact with him was unavoidable. The wide-set frame and the firm, large muscles covering it transmitted through his clothes.

Once when she saw a wolf running through the snow in Preston, she felt fear even from a distance at its overwhelming size. Even while occupying his weak point, she was seized by a feeling just like that time.

After measuring, Vivian wrote the shoulder size on the notepad on the table. Then she stood before him with nervous eyes.

The face seemed better than the back, but even that wasn’t so. Her nape burned hot from his blatant gaze. Yet Vivian kept her expression as calm and oblivious as possible. She firmly resolved not to act according to his intentions.

“Could you… spread your arms?”

He obediently spread his arms. Suddenly finding this situation strange, Vivian glanced up at him.

There was no enthusiasm in the cold blue eyes that couldn’t read thoughts or emotions. All that was reflected in his gaze was a distorted face.

Vivian immediately lowered her eyes and put her hands under his spread arms to wrap around him to measure his chest circumference. Unable to reach because she had kept a distance from him, she reluctantly took a step closer.

It couldn’t be pleasant to feel like she had thrown herself into his arms. It felt like being stripped naked and held in his arms, just like that day when her nightgown was torn at the lake.

After measuring his chest circumference, she turned back to the table and secretly exhaled the breath she had been holding. After noting the chest measurement, she stood before him again.

It was then, as she stretched out her hand to measure his waist circumference. When a soft hand imbued with warm temperature caressed her cheek, Vivian was startled and reflexively stepped back. The cold surface of the mirror touched her body.

She stared in shock at Edwin as he lowered his hand left hanging in the air. Yet he remained unperturbed. That point shattered Vivian’s anger, the composure she had barely maintained.

“Your Grace.”

She raised her voice in a clear, enunciated pronunciation. It was the opposite expression of Edwin, who was smiling peacefully and tilting his head.

“You keep touching me suddenly, please stop doing that.”

“Why?”

It was a calm retort to her bold warning. That instantly deflated her willingness to even go to war.

That expression and gaze really seemed not to know the reason.

She was so dumbfounded and exasperated that she was at a loss for words. After sorting out her rough breathing, she chose an appropriate answer to give.

“Because it’s… it doesn’t feel good.”

“Then try to endure it.”

At that, Vivian growled fiercely. She put down the measuring tape clumsily and placed her hands on her hips.

The aggressive posture piqued Edwin’s interest. The persistent gaze that seemed to want to devour the thoroughly angered Vivian whole provoked even greater anger.

“Why should I endure it? I have no reason to endure.”

“Because it’s me, not someone else.”

“It’s not okay for others, and it’s not okay for you either, Your Grace!”

It was similar to a roar or scream mixed with resentment, and as fierce as a legendary dragon spewing cruel rage. When Edwin only pulled at the corners of his mouth without reacting, she turned around sharply, convinced that words weren’t getting through.

But her caught arm, the pulling force, crushed Vivian who couldn’t escape anything into Edwin’s arms. She tried to resist, but the more she did, the more she endured him steadfastly, lest her only remaining means of attack be bound as well.

“Then try to make it so I can’t touch you.”

“That’s not something I can do. It’s something you shouldn’t do, Your Grace.”

After glaring with wide eyes and retorting vehemently, a faint sense of awkwardness hung between the two. The argument that would have continued by Edwin not answering stopped without warning.

All the more, external senses became clear. This man’s body and warmth and scent.

Vivian swallowed and closed her eyes. She focused on the sensation of being crushed and crumpled by the huge man while holding her breath. The more she did so, her head cooled, but her exhaled breath was not very stable.

“…Please let go now. Even if Abernethy bursts in, he’ll point fingers at me as an unchaste woman. Why don’t you understand? The more Your Grace does this, the more both my reputation and Your Grace’s reputation won’t be safe. So you should stop saying things like come to Your Grace’s bed, that I am yours, that you’ll touch me… You should stop all that.”

She didn’t expect to have to say these words while being restrained like this. It was words she had prepared for persuasion, but much was omitted. It was around then that Vivian, after organizing her thoughts once more, made up her mind to add the forgotten things.

Edwin loosened his grip on Vivian’s wrist a little. Just enough that there was no chance to rashly escape, but not enough to feel pain.

“Do you think I desire you?”

“…Then you don’t? Why did you tell me to come to Your Grace’s bed then? Why are you holding me now when I say I don’t want it? Look at Your Grace and me now. This isn’t right. Even if others have such desires for me, you of all people shouldn’t, Your Grace.”

His hand passed over her flushed fair cheek to her fiercely protesting lips. Like a slightly astringent summer fruit not yet ripe, but sour and stinging enough to snap one awake, having absorbed plenty of sweet sunlight. The lips before his eyes made him imagine such a taste.

Swallowing that, putting my thing inside that.

Because his thoughts went that far, letting go of the small body became an even more complicated matter.

Contradictorily, that’s why he had to let go. For fear that he might cross a truly irreversible river and not even feel regret.

Edwin willingly let Vivian go. Bouncing back from the recoil, Vivian scrutinized Edwin before her.

While speaking of desire, the coldly indifferent Edwin did not even create the slightest ripple, chillingly. On one hand, it might seem better than men wearing masks of sweet words to deceive, but neither could receive Vivian’s welcome.

The two watched each other in silence. As that silence lengthened, the boiling heat gradually subsided, following a downward curve. The fierce look had completely left Vivian’s ashen eyes, now calm.

Edwin turned away, but Vivian still did not withdraw her wary gaze.

He opened the top drawer of the mahogany cabinet and brought out a rectangular checkbook and pen. He intended to write her a receipt.

“Sit down. You should receive payment for taking measurements.”

Edwin sat at the table first and nodded toward the opposite seat. Knowing the purpose of having her take measurements, that receipt could not be welcome. His intention to write a receipt in this situation was also obvious.

“What is your purpose in writing me a receipt? Are you trying to pay me for touching me?”

At the bold question, blue eyes sank coldly. His expressionless face was so deep it was hard to guess what he was thinking, making anything difficult to predict.

“How could the noble Miss Eveline have such an insolent thought.”

“…I didn’t even finish taking all the measurements. But you tell me to receive payment for taking measurements, so it’s strange.”

“Who do you think you are.”

He sneered contemptuously. The man who had just been burning with desire and possessiveness in lust-filled eyes was gone.

“What great woman are you that touching you would be satisfying enough to hand over money.”

Vivian’s face flushed red hot. Unlike her lips squirming with embarrassment, her gaze straining not to lose was clear.

“That’s not what I meant, I said I don’t like being touched, so I thought you were giving a receipt to…”

“Miss Eveline. I have no intention of giving you a receipt even if you ask for one in exchange for letting you touch me.”

Vivian, interpreting it as meaning he wouldn’t do anything morally reprehensible, felt somewhat relieved. But she couldn’t let her guard down completely.

“I do desire you, however.”

His steady voice stopped right there. The words that might follow piqued her curiosity.

“But I don’t covet you.”