Chapter 43…
Tession murmured without lifting his face from her. As he spoke, his hot breath brushed across her collarbone.
Even so close, he still smelled of something soft and warm — like wood.
Cynthia felt her whole body flush in an instant. She lifted her trembling arms and placed them lightly on his shoulders.
“P-Please… stop now…”
But instead of pulling away, Tession wrapped his arms around her waist and spoke in a low voice.
“Cynthia, to be honest… I had a hard day today.”
“Huh?”
At his words, Cynthia’s eyes widened. His face was buried against her neck, so she couldn’t see his expression.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
She raised one hand to the back of his head, unable to coldly reject someone who said he was struggling — not with her personality.
And if he’s leaning on me like this… then something serious must’ve happened.
‘Did he… have another one of those childhood nightmares again?’
Even though he had woken up with the help of magic potions, his trauma hadn’t been completely healed. That thought made her heart ache.
“Your Grace, please— lift your face for a moment and look at me. What happened?”
“…Just a little longer. Let me stay like this.”
Tession rubbed his face against her neck and buried his lips even deeper beneath it.
Ugh… this is crazy…!
Cynthia swallowed hard, forcing herself to calm down.
No! I can’t feel this way toward someone who’s sad! Think good thoughts, good thoughts!
“Alright. I’ll hold you until you feel better.”
Cynthia reached out and gently stroked his broad back.
He looked so lonely — a man who rarely opened up to anyone.
I managed to make him open his eyes… but how do I heal his heart? Should I suggest professional counseling…?
“Cynthia.”
Lost in thought, she looked up as Tession slowly pulled away. She felt an unexpected pang of disappointment as he did.
“Do you feel a bit better now? Should I call a maid to bring you some water?”
“Would you?”
…Huh? That’s strange…
When she saw his face, Cynthia blinked rapidly. His reddened eyes, the intense gaze, and the dangerous flicker in those violet pupils…
If she wasn’t mistaken, the emotion in them wasn’t sadness or loneliness—
“I’m just… burning up inside,” he murmured.
…It was unfulfilled desire.
Cynthia looked up at him in confusion. His eyes blazed as though asking for something.
She felt the air between them shift — heavy and charged.
‘No… no way…’
Cynthia swallowed hard.
This was Tession, the famously pure and chaste man who had stayed a virgin even in the original 19+ reverse harem novel where the heroine seduced half the cast! For him to look at her like this… it felt like complete character collapse.
‘So I must be the one misunderstanding! It’s my filthy imagination, not him!’
Resolving that in her mind, Cynthia quickly looked away and grabbed the large bell on the bedside table, planning to call a maid for cold water — anything to clear the air.
Whether he was acting strange or she was, one of them had to come to their senses.
“Cynthia.”
Before she could ring it, Tession’s hand shot out and caught her wrist.
Her gaze snapped back to him.
“Yes?”
“Just… wait.”
He leaned in close, his hand sliding up to cup her cheek. His palm felt too warm.
Her fingers tightened around the bell handle unconsciously.
Why… why does it feel like this?
With a dazed look, she met his gaze — and Tession spoke softly.
“It’s strange. Whenever I look at you, I just get… thirsty.”
“I-I’ll have the maid bring some wa— water—”
“No.”
His low voice cut her off.
“That’s not what I mean.”
Then what…?
She looked up at him, bewildered. But staring into those dark violet eyes that had sunk low and deep, her head spun, and she felt her reason slipping.
Tession’s gaze dropped blatantly to her lips as he slowly leaned closer.
W-wait, what’s happening?!
Cynthia froze. She couldn’t push him away or pull him closer. The warm, woodsy scent surrounding him grew thicker, almost suffocating.
Her head throbbed; her blood rushed upward. Logic blurred, and a strange, aching thirst filled her.
‘Is… is this the thirst he meant?’
Cynthia swallowed hard.
She didn’t understand what was happening — only that she wanted him to quench it.
Then, Tession’s lips brushed against her neck.
“Ah…”
Cynthia grabbed his shoulders. The metal decorations on his uniform felt cold beneath her fingers.
“Wait—”
“…Do you dislike it?”
He raised his head, eyes dark beneath the moonlight streaming through the window. Cynthia’s heart nearly stopped.
“It’s not that I dislike it…”
“Then?”
Tession tilted his head slightly, lips brushing upward from her jaw to her ear.
“Ugh… Y-you’re not supposed to be like this!”
The moment his hot lips touched her earlobe, Cynthia couldn’t hold it anymore and shouted.
Tession chuckled softly, finally pulling away.
“Cynthia, sometimes you say the strangest things.”
“…”
“As if you know me very well.”
…Oh, if only he knew.
Pinned beneath him, Cynthia rolled her eyes silently.
“And what kind of person am I, according to you?”
His amused voice dropped low.
Cynthia hesitated, then whispered,
“S-someone disciplined… composed… chaste— I mean, abstinent! Someone not interested in these kinds of things…”
“Me?”
Tession laughed softly, richer this time.
He took a strand of her hair from the sofa and brought it to his lips.
“I-I’m serious…”
Cynthia stammered, though she was fairly sure she was right.
His low voice brushed her ear.
“Hmm… is that so?”
Cynthia quickly recalled the novel’s details.
‘He was so uninterested in romance that readers even joked the Grand Duke Tession Lumanoff must be asexual…’
“What are you looking at?”
Tession caught her chin, forcing her to face him.
Startled, Cynthia met his predatory eyes — calm, but sharp like a lion watching its prey.
“Disciplined and chaste. And uninterested in such things…” he murmured.
Hearing her own words echoed back made her cheeks burn red.
Tession’s fingers toyed with the ribbon on her chest, his violet eyes gleaming.
“Shall we find out if that’s true?”
“Y-Your Grace…”
Cynthia’s breath came fast. His hot breath drew nearer until she squeezed her eyes shut.
I-I don’t care anymore!
—Clang! Jingle!
The bell she’d been gripping fell from her hand, rolling across the floor with a loud chime.
The sharp sound shattered the tension. Both of them froze.
“Ahhh!!”
Cynthia shrieked at the sight of his glowing violet eyes inches from hers. She shoved him off and bolted upright.
“Tession, please leave!”
Her shout made his face fall immediately. He looked genuinely hurt.
“…What did you say?”
“I told you before— I’m doing this to protect you! You can’t act like this, Your Grace!”
Tession rose from the bed, frowning as he approached her.
Cynthia swallowed hard as his long strides closed the distance.
Standing before her, he looked down and asked quietly,
“I can’t act like this?”
He lifted her chin with his fingers, forcing her to meet his gaze.
“Does this kind of behavior make you uncomfortable?”
“N-no, not uncomfortable.”
“Then unpleasant?”
“No… not unpleasant.”
“Then what?”
“…It’s just unfamiliar. Awkward. Because… you’re not like this.”
Tession chuckled softly and released her chin.
“You speak as if you know me very well, Cynthia.”
Of course I do! I read your entire original story!
Cynthia bit back the retort, realizing too late how rude it had been to throw him out like that — especially when this was his villa.
“…I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
She averted her gaze.
Even though she’d been a devoted reader of the infamously explicit “H.A.N.J.A.N.H.A.E.N.G.”, she had never — not before nor after reincarnating — experienced this kind of physical closeness firsthand.
In short, she’d only ever read about it.
“I overreacted. I was surprised, but I shouldn’t have kicked you out. This is your villa after all…”
“No, it was my fault. I pushed too far without thinking. I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful next time.”
Cynthia glanced up at him carefully.
“Are you… upset?”
“Of course not.”
Tession’s tone was gentle now.
He looked at her with softened eyes and added,
“There’s nothing you could ever do that would upset me, Cynthia. Not before… and not ever.
