“… Really?”

Ariel couldn’t believe those words she had been desperately waiting for over the past few weeks, so she asked again against his back. But her heart had already started pounding painfully hard. She got off the bed and hurriedly began to dress herself properly.

Soon, when the now neatly transformed Ariel stood before him, a soft sigh escaped between Kaius’ lips.

The reason he let her carefully put on clothes that would soon be taken off again was because there were things he needed to confirm first. He also had a feeling that if left alone, he would pounce on her like a beast without even a chance for conversation.

Unconsciously glancing at the bed once, he took out wine from the cabinet and sat on the sofa. Ariel also approached and sat demurely across from him. He couldn’t help but chuckle at her attitude, so different from when she was undressing herself earlier.

“Drink.”

Her body, which had been warm on the bed just moments ago, had turned cold as if she had been shivering in the cold for a long time. That meant she had ridden a horse from quite far away. When he handed her the wine glass, Ariel took a sip and stared at him intently.

“… Are you serious? There’s only one seed left, so you absolutely must not cut it down.”

Ariel asked again, seemingly unable to believe it. He was about to furrow his brow, but seeing her golden eyes trembling anxiously, he couldn’t help but sigh.

Kaius slowly closed and opened his eyes, then nodded slightly while looking directly at Ariel.

“Ah…”

Her golden eyes, filled with joy, shone even more brightly. Seeing that look he hadn’t seen in recent times, a languid satisfaction spread from deep within his body.

“But remember this, Ariel. I’ve only allowed you to grow the flower first. Nothing else has changed.”

Ariel nodded unconsciously, her mind full of joy at having overcome the biggest hurdle. As a result, she didn’t pay much attention to Kaius’ words about nothing having changed. Perhaps it was natural, since she had never promised to bear an heir in the first place.

“Where have you been? And what’s with those clothes?”

“Pardon?”

As Kaius’ gaze lowered, Ariel’s head bowed as well.

The snow had stopped a bit earlier in the Sarin district where Ariel had been. When she heard that there had been heavy snowfall in the capital for two days around the time the road opened, Ariel had ridden her horse without even time to change her clothes. Raising her gaze again, Ariel unconsciously swallowed. His deep gray eyes stared at her intently, as if not tolerating even a hint of a lie.

“I was at the place where I was going to spend the remaining time, and since I couldn’t bring my luggage, I just bought these clothes.”

Surprisingly, she brazenly chattered about the fact that she had left home without a single excuse. While her impudent behavior was quite irritating, it was at least better than the listless demeanor she had shown over the past few weeks.

“Where is this place?”

Thinking there was no need to say such things, Ariel slowly shook her head.

“Tell me.”

Seeing her steady gaze and tightly closed dainty lips, Kaius chuckled softly.

Still so stubborn.

“Anyway, let’s set that aside. How did you know that Viscount Beloas is a demon?”

“…”

“Then what about the dangers of the demon realm flower and the demon realm plant guide?”

“…”

“And how did you know that I was the person you were trying to kill with that flower? This is the part I’m most curious about.”

His deep, dark eyes stared at Ariel persistently. Although she could answer, the more she did, the more lies would pile up, so Ariel couldn’t say anything. Looking at her finger where the Duchess’s ring was missing, Ariel was lost in thought for a moment, then nodded to herself as if she had made a decision.

Let’s be brazen. Whether he believes it or not. It’s better than another lie.

After taking a few more sips of alcohol, her mind became much calmer. But not too much. She felt she could now understand her mother’s words that sometimes alcohol can be helpful. The fact that it gives a lot of help when courage is needed. Taking another deep breath, Ariel met Kaius’ piercing gaze.

“I have no evidence for what I said in the note. I can’t even say how I came to know it. But it’s all true. And I wish Your Grace would believe that and not ask any more questions.”

Her manner of speaking clearly while looking at him straight on was not just cunning, but audacious. Now that you’ve gotten what you want, you won’t give any more explanations? While he liked the fact that she wasn’t telling lies, that aspect oddly irked him.

“Now I’ll be spending a lot of time in the greenhouse for the next few days. I need to do my best to grow the Japaros, since I’ve lost time. And I’ve brought the baby dragon to the greenhouse too. I named it…”

As her thoughts reached that point, Ariel suddenly remembered the letter she had left in his bedroom. She needed to return to Tris before Kaius and retrieve it.

Abruptly standing up, Ariel went to the window. Although it was snowing, the carriages seemed to still be moving, so the roads didn’t seem to be blocked. Ariel hurriedly put on her boots and held her cloak and gloves as she stood in front of Kaius.

“What are you doing?”

Kaius, who had been quietly observing her actions, asked in bewilderment.

“I just remembered an urgent matter, so I’ll go back to Tris first. Your Grace, please come at your leisure.”

Kaius’ eyes narrowed as he watched Ariel turn around after politely bowing.

Well, look at this.

Kaius thought he knew what had been oddly irritating him all this time. The guilt, tears, pleading, and desperation she had shown after he discovered all her truths were gone. Even though he had said nothing had changed.

She had become excessively brazen.

Clearly, the fact that she was still committing a sin by growing that plant again remained unchanged. And yet, she only disclosed the information she wanted to, asked him to believe her without proper explanation, and even notified him of future plans as if making an announcement. And saying “Your Grace, please come at your leisure”? This was completely the attitude of treating a stranger, not a husband.

Does she now intend to play the role of a savior after being a healer?

“Stop right there.”

Paying no heed, Ariel quickly walked towards the bedroom door. She became urgent because the letter contained content that he shouldn’t see now.

“I’ll go first and wait.”

It was then, as Ariel was opening the bedroom door, that her body suddenly floated upwards. It was because Kaius had approached and lifted her up.

“I told you. Nothing has changed.”

“Put me down. It’s really urgent.”

“And the potion you brought is all gone.”

At Kaius’ softly added words, Ariel let out a small sigh and stopped struggling. In her consciousness, Kaius’ well-being took priority over everything else. Kaius now clearly realized this. And he also realized that this was very useful in situations like now.

I understand, so I’ll follow.

Smiling slightly at the corner of his lips, he took off his wife’s boots and laid her on the bed. Although he hadn’t found out anything he wanted to know, Kaius couldn’t deny that he wasn’t in a bad mood. He sighed involuntarily at his wife’s soft and fragrant body that he hadn’t held for several days.

“W-wait a moment.”

His wife’s voice trembled lightly as she tried to stop his hands that were unhesitatingly undressing her. Good. This feeling was good. At least it didn’t feel like embracing a doll.

Ariel knew well that he would eventually have his way, and she had endured his body countless times, but the pressure from his large body didn’t easily fade.

Moreover, what she couldn’t understand was herself. Regardless of her feelings, her body heated up embarrassingly to these acts. The unfamiliar sensations awakening her body grew stronger as time passed, and along with it, her self-loathing and disgust towards herself grew.

Ariel reached out to pull the blanket over her body, which had been stripped naked in an instant, feeling ashamed under his gaze. But her hand, pinned down by Kaius, couldn’t achieve its purpose.

“Your body is beautiful.”

Ariel’s body trembled as if she had heard something shocking. Her eyes, which had been counting the engraved patterns on the bedroom ceiling unable to find a place to look, settled on the window where snow was falling. Seeing the white snow made her mind a bit calmer. Kaius, who had been looking at his wife’s flushed body, exhaled a turbid breath. He cupped her cheek with his large hand, drawing her gaze back to him, and his shadow covered her body.

His wife’s lips, which he tasted after a long time, were terribly sweet.

***

“Lord Ludvian, we’ve received an urgent message from Elder Zeblan. The elders supporting Lucifer are showing some kind of movement.”

“And?”

“Pardon?”

“To become the Demon King, one must pass the qualification test, and he has already failed, so what’s there to worry about?”

“But he is still the prince of the demon race, isn’t he? If by any chance the seal is broken, Lucifer will become the Demon King regardless of the qualification test.”

“Alraune is not something that can be obtained so easily.”

Alraune.

A plant that removes curses or seals and neutralizes poisons. An almighty plant that restores living beings to their original form. But equally difficult to obtain.

“Even if Lucifer obtains Alraune, it’s impossible. He needs to take the medicine for a hundred days without missing a single day.”

For that, multiple Alraunes were needed. If he had Ariel, it might be possible. But she is his. His, temporarily entrusted to Kaius von Elbartan.

From some point, Ludvian had developed a new habit. He started imagining the future, something he had never done before, and in those imaginings, he was always with Ariel.

***

Kaius indulged in his wife until late dawn before finally letting her go.

It’s just the duty of the head of the family.

He believed this without a doubt. How else could he explain being so passionate towards a woman who was trying to kill him?

Smiling slightly, Kaius pulled Ariel’s body, which was turned away from him, closer. The traces of him that had been erased during their separation now beautifully colored her fair skin again.

With a satisfied smile, Kaius stroked his wife’s hair and kissed her swollen lips again.

As usual, when he left the bed, Ariel looked at where he had disappeared, covering her body with the blanket. She stayed there for a long time, listening to the sound of water. Then, when the water sound stopped, she quickly went to her bedroom.