“Alesia.”
A low, gentle voice enveloped Alesia. She looked at Franz with eyes full of fear.
The moonlight drew beautiful lines across his face.
Franz’s gaze was fixed solely on Alesia. Her heart, facing him, began to beat slowly, but strongly.
“You didn’t…”
Alesia’s lips moved slightly. She clutched the doorknob without even closing the door.
“You didn’t drink.”
At her quiet murmur, a slight frown creased Franz’s straight brow. He seemed to be trying to make sense of her words.
It was such a trivial question. Yet, he looked as if he was pondering some profound meaning.
“I thought about it.”
Alesia flinched. Franz’s hand had gently covered hers on the doorknob.
His firm hand softly enveloped hers.
Franz naturally removed her hand from the knob. Before they realized it, the distance between them had narrowed.
Alesia looked up and stared at Franz. Her breath brushed softly against his hair.
She stared blankly at his gently swaying golden hair.
Had she ever seen Franz from this close?
Had they ever faced each other so intimately?
If they had, she would have known his eyes weren’t just golden.
She would have seen the black, brown, and bright gold interwoven in his irises.
She would have known his eyelashes were a deep black.
She would have realized his pale complexion was due to his low body temperature…
‘So cold.’
Alesia suddenly looked down at Franz’s hand holding hers. As she stared at the veined back of his hand, a low voice sounded above her.
“May I come in?”
A polite question. Alesia blinked.
Franz was still standing at the door. Only now did she realize she had left him there the whole time.
‘Why was I so spaced out?’
Her cheeks flushed hotly. Just seeing his face up close had left her dazed.
Where had the Alesia who swore never to be shaken by Franz’s looks gone?
She quietly swallowed, hoping her voice wouldn’t tremble as she opened her mouth slowly.
“This is your chamber, Your Highness. You don’t need to ask my permission.”
“From today, it is also my consort’s room.”
“My room is just next door…”
“Please don’t say that.”
As Alesia turned her head, Franz stepped closer, and she closed her mouth.
Without hesitation, he shut the door and stepped inside. The sound of the door closing echoed loudly.
Alesia stood still, holding his hand.
Franz lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. His deep, mesmerizing gaze poured into her.
“From now on, you are my master. Everything I have is yours.”
Franz’s breath tickled her skin.
He showered her hand with delicate kisses, as if it were the most precious thing in the world.
With every kiss, her heart beat faster.
‘What is he doing?’
Alesia stared at him in confusion. She couldn’t understand his actions.
Why was he acting like her servant? As if he wouldn’t do anything without her permission?
This first night was so different from what she remembered—it left her bewildered.
Franz gave her one last kiss on the back of her hand and spoke earnestly.
“Please allow me.”
“Allow what?”
“To be your husband. To hold you tonight.”
“Is that something that needs my permission?”
At her question, Franz let go of her hand.
Alesia instinctively stepped back. A fear crept in that he might suddenly explode in anger.
That he would lash out and scold her like in her past life. That he could change in an instant.
“I will do nothing without your permission.”
But would he really?
The Franz standing before her now felt like a completely different man.
He knelt before her with humility. Surprised by his action, Alesia stepped back.
Her legs hit the edge of the bed, and she fell onto it with a soft thud.
As she landed, rose petals fluttered into the air.
Alesia blankly watched the petals drift down.
Before they even touched the ground in the moonlight, she found herself gaping at the sight before her.
Franz Eustace. The son of the sun, the second prince of the Laurentz Empire, was kneeling before her.
“Your Highness!”
“Please… give me your permission.”
Franz’s knee touched the soft rug. He placed both hands on her knees and pleaded.
“I want to bind our souls together, Resa.”
His hand gently rose. He stroked her cheek with his large palm.
Tucking a strand of her red hair behind her ear, he whispered softly.
“Tell me you want me.”
Please.
Alesia bit her lip hard.
That was the end.
Her resistance… ended there.
Alesia tried to comfort herself.
This was inevitable.
Only by becoming the partner in a soul-binding ceremony could she gain the right to neutralize Franz’s mana.
Even to abandon his mana later, they had to be bound first.
It couldn’t be helped.
“Ah…”
But why did her heart flutter so painfully?
Lying in bed, Alesia looked up at Franz, who loomed heavily over her. His upper body was bare, and he stared down at her intently.
His well-defined muscles shifted delicately as he moved above her.
Alesia moaned softly, her body moving with his rhythm. Franz clung to her desperately.
“Resa, more… more…”
You’re not enough.
Alesia spread her legs in response to his need.
The night was only just beginning.
Right after she gave her consent, Franz had pounced on her like a beast. As if he had never calmly asked for permission at all.
He couldn’t hold back his hunger, tugging her clothes off and devouring her lips.
He buried his nose in her neck and shoulders, inhaling her scent deeply. As if he couldn’t survive without it.
Pinned under Franz, Alesia swallowed dryly. His heavy breaths against her nape clearly conveyed his excitement.
“Wait…”
“No.”
When Alesia tried to shift uncomfortably, Franz suddenly sat up. Unable to bear his frustration, he roughly loosened his cravat.
Trapping her beneath him, Franz stripped under the moonlight.
His neatly tailored clothes were crumpled and tossed to the floor.
Panting, Franz muttered to himself.
“I can’t stop.”
Impossible.
Alesia stared blankly up at him, her face burning as she looked at his sculpted body.
She had never seen him completely bare before. In the past, he only ever loosened just enough to join their bodies.
His actions seemed to say he wanted to minimize contact with her. It shattered her heart every time.
This was the first time Franz had shown himself fully, unable to hide his desire.
“I’m yours, Resa.”
So take me.
With a growl, Franz fell on top of her again.
Alesia opened her mouth helplessly, receiving his hot breath. Just moments ago, his body had been cold—now it was burning.
“Hng…”
Franz kissed her and gripped both her hands. Pressing them down onto the bed, he trapped her in his arms.
“Franz…”
She gasped, calling his name. His demeanor was unfamiliar. More than that, she was surprised by her own arousal in response.
Alesia had never known a night like this.
The first night had been horrific. Joining bodies with Franz had meant nothing but humiliation.
She had never known this fiery passion, like a flame kindled within her.
“Resa…!”
She had never known a Franz who desired her this desperately.
As his hand slipped beneath her skirt, Alesia trembled. Her body relaxed and heated uncontrollably.
The terrible memories of that night began to be painted over with ecstatic pleasure.
