“What do you mean, what happened?” I narrowed my eyes and gave him the iciest expression I could muster.
That caught him off guard. His gaze lost its edge and became soft and adorable. “So nothing happened?” His murderous aura shrank back into his body, and he silently stepped down from the railing.
I rose to meet him as he approached, trying to be as elegant as I could.
“There was something that troubled my thoughts a little.”
“Did she do something?”
Lucas tilted his blade, a dagger I didn’t even realize he’d drawn, and pointed it directly at Yana. She flinched, her eyes wide, and shook her head furiously.
Haah… Unbelievable. He’s the second prince and Hero of Bern, and yet he handles people with zero delicacy at all…
“Prince Lucas.”
“Yes, my dearest wife?”
By addressing him formally, I’d hoped to signal that he was in for a reprimand, but he answered with the sweetest expression and a voice like honey, before planting a gentlemanly kiss on the top of my hand.
His behavior changed so drastically as he regarded me that I saw Yana just about collapse in the corner of my eye. Sorry, he just really enjoys being scolded.
I glared daggers into Lucas’s face.
“Did you really mistreat a Majaarian noblewoman who happens to be both a princess of the Aram tribe and a royal consort?”
“…” He blinked and then glanced coldly at Yana, who still kneeled on the ground, trembling. Then he fixed his gaze on me as I reached out toward his cheek.
“Lucas, answer me.” I stared him down, but with my hand cradling his face, assured him I wasn’t angry and definitely wasn’t resentful.
He hesitated a bit, then blushed furiously as he gave me a sheepish look.
“I did.”
“What?!”
He wrapped an arm around my waist like he needed the comfort and practically whimpered. I heard Yana’s breath catch in her throat, probably surprised to see him acting so vulnerable.
“Why?”
“That bi—er, woman snuck into my room several times. And I got angry.”
He was about to call her a bitch. So, he admits it. And he’s holding a grudge, too. It’s gonna take him sooo long to apologize.
“She only did that because Prince Islan ordered her to. He was trying to make something happen between the two of you, wasn’t he?”
“Y-yes, but listen! I didn’t touch her, and she didn’t touch me, either! I dislocated her shoulder with the sheath to make sure there was no contact! So don’t get the wrong idea!”
He pressed his forehead against me while giving me a pleading look, and I just had to grit my teeth.
He actually remembered when I said not to let other women touch him… It was the wrong kind of devotion, but he was so earnest about it that it was hard to stay mad!
But hey, maybe now’s my chance to set him on a better path. Like, ‘don’t assault women at any stage of growth!’
And I would die before letting it be known I swooned over the part where he tried not to let her touch him.
“I know that. I know you’ve always been faithful to me. That you could never love anyone else, and I know it’s not your fault that they didn’t believe you when you said you couldn’t love another. Still, didn’t she already apologize back at the shop? I know she kept coming back each time you sent her away, but she was under royal orders. You knew as much, didn’t you?”
“Yeah…”
He nodded like a sad puppy, his eyes sparkling with devotion as he leaned in for a kiss.
Nope, not so fast!
I pointed at Yana. “Then you’ll be apologizing, right?”
He froze, halfway to the kiss. His mouth was still slightly open.
Yeah, not getting out of this one with affection.
“Lukie, you’re the Hero of Bern.”
“…”
“Prince Lucas?”
“…”
He looked away in a huff, not wanting to apologize. Unbelievable!
Was that sweet little “yeah” earlier just him basking in my trust? You are unbelievable, Lucas!
“My beloved knight, surely you understand that our eminent status demands we hold ourselves to certain standards of conduct, yes? Princess Yana is a member of the Aram tribe, who are close allies of Bern’s mercenaries.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll be more careful. Sorry for causing trouble.”
That was fast. But also, that apology was directed at me. And I don’t think he cares about being the Hero. I think being my knight means more to him than anything else.
And judging by the subtle shift in how people were looking at me now, he absolutely did that on purpose. He knew what he was doing.
Was this his plan all along? To get mad on my behalf, make a scene, and when all eyes were on me, show everyone that I stood as his equal, if not his better?
“Then, Lucas… Please apologize to Princess Yana like a proper knight.” Even though I was fairly sure what the answer would be, I asked it out loud, and to my surprise, Lucas offered her a deep, formal bow.
“My actions as Cecilia’s knight were inexcusable. I vow to make amends, Princess Yana Salkishan, heir of Aram.”
A stunned silence settled upon the room, and I wanted very badly to bury my face in my hands.
He didn’t just make the Hero of Bern owe the Aram tribe a debt, but made it look like I, his wife, was the one who had extended that favor. And since it was I who had shown them such respect, the Aram tribe would probably start seeing the people of Bern more favorably.
That would be great for negotiations with Prince Islan, but lately it was like Lucas enjoyed handing me the reins.
The same man who was a total sadist kept handing me the reins right when our road led to chaos. I needed to figure out how to rein him in before we ran ourselves right off a cliff…
While I was silently panicking, Yana waved her hands and offered me a mortified bow.
“N-no, I was the one who was in the wrong. Please, there’s no need to…”
I was about to say I hoped we could be friends moving forward, but then Lucas’s hand suddenly reached around to the back of my head and casually turned my face toward him. Then, with the most self-satisfied smirk he could muster…
“See? I wasn’t wrong.”
“Lukie!”
We were doing so well! Why would you say that now?! I shot him a glare, but froze when I saw his golden eyes flare, dark and ready to devour me.
“…!”
“If you really trusted me, don’t you think it’s a little unfair that I’m always the one getting scolded?” He whispered into my ear in a voice filled with desire, gliding his lips across it so no one else could see, and I felt my shoulders jerk in response.
“Nngh… Th-that’s not what I meant! So, wh-what do you want me to do?”
I knew he wanted a reward. That much was obvious. But Yana was standing right there, so I couldn’t exactly just throw myself at him.
So instead, I leaned into his fingers, which brushed against my lips, wordlessly telling him I’d accept it if he did it.
He blew a warm little laugh right into my ear.
“Heh… You only act that soft when it’s just me. It’s infuriatingly cute, you know? It makes me want to ruin you, Cecilia.”
“Wh-what?”
“You’ve got your mouth open for a kiss, right?”
“Wait, what—”
Oh, no! Oh no, I completely forgot about that rule! We’re already the center of attention, standing right in the VIP box of a freaking coliseum. I really don’t think we need to make out on top of that!
“W-wait, Luc—mmph!”
He held my face in place, and the next thing I knew, his tongue was in my mouth, and I let out a moan, tears in my eyes.
He must’ve noticed, because he shifted his hand over to discreetly obscure my mouth, which was probably soaked from our kiss. And that only made me cry even more!
That’s the wrong kind of consideration, Lucas! Don’t make out with me like this in public!
“Nngh, mm, ahh…”
The sensation building up inside of me made my heart race.
My body was still primed from our kiss back in the dressing room, and this amorous encore fanned my flames back to blazing life. If he kept this up, I was sure I wouldn’t be able to stay on my feet. Through my tear-filled vision, I gazed at his golden eyes staring right back at me and pleaded in a breathless, trembling voice.
“Nngh, I-I’m done, p-please…”
And my sadistic husband just swept my hair back from my neck to display the marks he’d given me earlier, before running his wet tongue over them, which had everyone around us blushing in embarrassment.
“Guess I’ll stop here. I trust you’ll reward me properly later, but this’ll do for now.”
I can hear everyone whispering about the hickeys! I want to disappear!
“Y-you should go back! Everyone’s waiting!”
“Ha ha. All right, all right.”
He tapped his chest lightly and flashed me a naughty smirk before turning back to the arena, waving at the opponents, who were now whistling at us. Then he glanced back at me, his voice dropping low. “Cecilia. I’m not gonna let anyone lay a finger on you.”
“Yes, you’ve made that very clear!”
Just hearing him say that enveloped my heart in such warmth, I thought I’d burst.
“Are you okay now?” His voice was so gentle and full of concern that it actually hurt.