“Is there anything else?”
“I thought we might turn to more couple-like endeavors.”
Arnald smiled and slid an arm around Byletta’s waist.
When had he gotten that close? Byletta was stunned by the speed of it all.
That morning, the Arnald who appeared before her had seemed rather out of sorts. Like something had fazed him. But he appeared to be recovered now. At the moment, his gaze was filled with pure curiosity.
“Wh-what are you…”
Was he going to ravish her again like he had the previous night?
Still frustrated at being toyed with last time, Byletta pushed back against Arnald’s chest. But he was undaunted.
“The contract is signed. That means you’ve agreed to this, have you not?”
“Yes, but…”
With him pouncing on her so suddenly, Byletta couldn’t stop her heart from racing. She’d already bathed, so she was prepared for him. If she hadn’t been, perhaps she could have used that to buy herself a bit of time.
“Don’t you think it’s still too early for sleep…?”
“Hm? Too early…? Eight o’clock certainly is quite early for bed. But I thought we wanted to give ourselves some extra time to prepare.”
How long was this man intending to take? Byletta desperately wanted to avoid another till-dawn affair. She wanted to go to her factory the next day.
“There’s a commemoration celebration later this month. If we’re to join the party afterward, you’ll need time to get ready, won’t you?”
“Huh?”
A commemoration celebration?
She no longer knew what that word was supposed to mean.
“I’m not well versed in how long it takes a woman to get ready, but I do know that you cannot simply throw on a uniform like us men and be done with it. From what I hear, it’s an entire process—putting on fine apparel, selecting jewelry, applying skin care and the like.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Haven’t you heard? There will be a formal ceremony to commemorate the current armistice at the end of this month. The initial celebration will be held earlier in the day, with army personnel and their families being invited to a victory banquet in the evening. I believe the invitations have already been sent. Perhaps mine has been sent to my army-issued residence.”
“Oh, no, it hasn’t. I heard all about this from your father.”
This was probably the same invitation that Count Swangan had mentioned to her before.
So a party under the guise of a victory celebration would be held during the late afternoon. But if it was at the end of the month, that meant…
“One of the conditions of attendance is the accompaniment of a partner. I would be very pleased if you would join me.”
Arnald sent her a devilish grin. For as much as he was maintaining a cool demeanor, there was a viciousness underneath. Byletta felt a rush of shame. She’d let the man fool her once again.
Her face was getting warm now, but Byletta did her best to keep her cool. She mobilized all the willpower she had to keep her voice steady.
She hadn’t expected “living as husband and wife” to include things of that nature. She should have made sure he worded it better. She just hadn’t expected him to apply that particular clause such a wide breadth of activities.
“Fine, I will.”
“Thank you.”
Byletta didn’t have any dresses that would complement a military uniform. And even if she ordered one, the days she had until the event were limited. She happened to know where she could obtain some jewelry, but if she didn’t request a set at the store tomorrow, it wouldn’t arrive in time for the event.
As Byletta tried to settle her mind—still dizzyingly flipping between shame and dress planning—a pair of thin, shapely lips, a whisper of gratitude still upon them, drew ever closer. Before she could fully realize what was happening, she’d been drawn into a deep kiss that took her breath away.
Her bewildered heart found itself captured just like her lips.
“Huh…? Wh-what…”
“We’re living as husband and wife. Just as we agreed.”
Byletta was shocked by the way her body seemed to submit to her husband’s kiss. Unable to resist, her body trembled in anticipation of receiving the same pleasure it had the night before.
Despite her confusion, Byletta couldn’t help but want to admonish her body for betraying her rational mind.
“It still hurts.”
“I see. I’ll be gentle this time.”
“May I just choose to decline instead?”
“This is a part of our wager. I’m not going to do anything that increases the odds in your favor. Besides, I want to get to know you better, my wife.”
Byletta had heard Arnald was a heartless and tyrannical man who prioritized strategy. It seemed he lived up to that reputation. Winning their wager would always come before caring for her. Byletta desperately tried to push down a feeling of defeat. Was this truly her future?
Without sparing a thought to how she might be feeling, Arnald picked Byletta up and carried her to their bedroom next door. He handled her like a piece of furniture, but his grip was unexpectedly gentle. Delicately lowering her down onto the bed, he placed one hand on the edge of the mattress while the other got to work undoing the buttons on her nightgown. A smoldering heat ignited inside Byletta at the kisses he gently traced over her open neckline and the teasing movements of his hands.
His caresses were completely different from those of the night before. It was like she was making love to another person entirely.
“What has changed?” Byletta asked.
Her husband let out a pained sigh as she hazily looked up at him from the bed, but that was his only reply. To avoid answering the question, he initiated another deep kiss. Entwining their tongues, he teased the inside of her mouth as if to placate her.
The heat in her body heightened, taking control of her. All her thoughts melted away. While the sensations themselves were gentle, the pleasure they imparted was intense.
When she let out a long exhalation in an attempt to escape the fever her husband was creating within her, Byletta was surprised to hear a long, sweet moan escape in its place.
From there, a gentle night unfolded. It couldn’t have been more different than the last.