PLML 06

Chapter 06

“Kyaaaah! Shi—! Te, Theooo!”

Jeyna pounded on the bathroom door, practically trying to break it down.

She was convinced there was a ghost behind it.

The deeply wrinkled face was pale and colorless. The hair, pure white like from a myth, flowed down to the waist.

Draped in a white cloth that looked like a shroud, the old man silently approached. Not a single footstep was heard. Seeing this, Jeyna’s face turned deathly pale.

“Theo, Theoris! Theo!! Please come out, quick! T-There’s a ghost! A ghost, I swear!”

“Please wait a moment. Jeyna, I’m still not dressed…”

“No, forget the clothes! There’s a ghost! Aaaaah!”

At Jeyna’s piercing scream, Theoris opened the door. Just out of the shower, he was wearing only a bathrobe. Jeyna clung to him tightly.

Her hands groped his bare chest. Embarrassed, Theoris tried to pull her off, but worried she might get hurt, he froze in place, still holding her.

“Your Grace, I’m glad to see such affection between husband and wife, but may I ask that you keep your displays of love private.”

The old man spoke calmly, seemingly unaffected by the chaos before him.

“H-Homel, this isn’t—!”

Theoris began to protest but then sighed and gently patted Jeyna.

“Jeyna, it’s alright. He’s not a ghost.”

With her face buried in his chest, Jeyna sniffled.

“Not… a ghost?”

“Yes. I told you yesterday I’d be hiring a servant.”

“Well, yes, but still…”

Jeyna slowly turned her head toward Homel. He smiled gently, seemingly to reassure her. But the smile only made her more uneasy. No matter how she looked, he didn’t seem like someone who was alive.

Seeing Homel’s smile, Jeyna clung even more tightly to Theoris.

Theoris turned a deep shade of red. His face and even his neck flushed bright crimson. Watching him, Homel chuckled softly and backed away.

“Since the two of you seem to be enjoying an intimate moment, this old man will excuse himself. Call me when you’re finished, Your Grace.”

“Wait, Homel, hold on! This isn’t—!”

“No need to explain. The lady is clearly embarrassed.”

Without giving Theoris a chance to clarify, Homel vanished out the door.

“Jeyna, I’ve sent Homel away. Please calm down now.”

Theoris looked down at Jeyna, who was trembling like a newborn kitten in his arms, and desperately suppressed his desires. If things went on like this, he wasn’t sure what he might do. So he scooped her up.

“W-What?! Theoris, wait, what are you doing?!”

As her feet left the floor, Jeyna kicked her legs in protest. Theoris carefully held her slender waist, as if afraid she might break, and carried her to the bed.

Startled by the supposed ghost, Jeyna was finally beginning to regain her senses.

‘I made a fool of myself in front of Theoris again…’

Just thinking about screaming “ghost” at a living person made her face burn. Too embarrassed to meet his eyes, she covered her face and shut her eyes tight.

‘But he really did look like a ghost! How can someone walk without making a sound? And that voice, too…’

Trying to justify her earlier actions, Jeyna peeked at Theoris through her fingers.

He was unusually quiet—he’d been fixing his robe, his face still red.

‘Come to think of it, his body is amazing. My husband, huh.’

She could still vaguely feel the sensation of his chest under her fingers. His body was so well-toned, it was almost inhuman. Broad, muscular chest, chiseled abs, and those big hands that had gently patted her—hands that weren’t the only thing about him that was… big.

‘No! Get your mind out of the gutter!’

Jeyna smacked her own cheek.

Sure, she was an adult and they were married, so there was nothing wrong with these thoughts—but she still needed to maintain some decorum.

‘Theoris doesn’t like women who are too forward.’

She remembered playing How to Love the Obsessed Man, and how picking all the lust-driven choices early led to a dead-end route.

‘Until he’s completely mine, I need to hold back.’

While she was lost in thought, Theoris finished getting dressed and sat beside her. There was a slight distance between them—perhaps due to what had just happened.

“Theo, earlier—”

“Jeyna, just now—”

They both spoke at the same time.

“You first.”

“No, please, you go ahead.”

“No, really—go on.”

An awkward silence fell. Theoris eventually spoke slowly.

“I apologize for earlier.”

“Huh? For what?”

She had no idea what he was apologizing for. She’d caused a scene, groped him, and screamed about ghosts. Why he was apologizing, she couldn’t understand.

‘Is he trying to save me from embarrassment?’

But his eyes were too sincere for it to be just pleasantries.

“I… I touched you without permission…”

He trailed off and bowed his head. Seeing the redness of his ears, Jeyna barely held back her laughter.

‘Wait, is he apologizing for that little touch? How can someone be this adorable? They should rename the game to How to Love the Purehearted Man!’

“Theo, it’s okay. We’re married. That much is perfectly fine.”

‘Honestly, I’d be okay with much more than that.’

“You weren’t uncomfortable?”

Seeing his clear, innocent gaze, Jeyna suddenly felt guilty. How could she be burning with impure thoughts in front of someone this pure?

“Why would I be? There’s no way I’d dislike physical contact with you.”

As soon as she said it, Theoris wrapped his arms around her.

She could hear his heart pounding. His flushed face buried into her shoulder. His ragged breaths tickled her chest.

Jeyna gently stroked his hair. Holding him like this felt less like hugging a man and more like cuddling a large, clueless puppy.

And even as he held her, Theoris was careful not to put too much weight on her. His attention to detail made her heart flutter.

He lifted his head. A cool breeze drifted through the open window, passing between them. The moonlight shimmered in Theoris’s slowly blinking eyes. The room was dim, the mix of shadows and silver light setting a mysterious mood.

Their eyes locked—tender and full of affection. A secret moment. A soft moonlight filtering through the dark. If this were a movie, it would be the climax.

Jeyna closed her eyes. Frozen like a statue, Theoris gently rested his hand on her shoulder. He embraced her as if she were made of glass.

The most perfect kiss scene in the world. Their heartbeats rose in tempo like a waltz. Just as it was about to reach its peak—

Knock knock—

An out-of-place dissonance ruined the moment.

‘Right… guess it’s not event scene time yet.’

Like a child caught sneaking around, Theoris instantly sprang away from her. Jeyna fixed her hair.

“Tell them to come in.”

Clearing his throat, Theoris lowered his voice—a sharp contrast from how he spoke to Jeyna.

“Come in.”

Jeyna stifled a giggle.

“Why are you laughing?”

“It’s just… you’re cute.”

“…Excuse me?”

“I said you’re cute. You.”

“If it displeases you, I’ll change.”

“No, no—it’s a compliment.”

“Your Grace, if I should excuse myself at times like this, please give me a sign in advance.”

Homel had entered without them noticing and spoke calmly. Theoris looked flustered but quickly regained composure.

“What is it?”

“I attempted to handle the work myself, thinking you were occupied, but some matters require your direct attention. I apologize if I disturbed your time together.”

“No, it’s not like that. Don’t worry.”

Despite his words, Theoris looked disappointed. So did Jeyna. The mood had been completely ruined thanks to Homel.

She didn’t expect to go all the way, but a kiss wasn’t too much to ask, was it? Did he really have to interrupt?

“Then would you come to the office for a bit?”

“Alright. I’ll head over now.”

“I’ll return first, so please join me after you’re finished.”

Homel gave Jeyna a wink as if to say, “I know everything,” and left.

‘Seriously—if you know everything, why ruin the mood?’

Jeyna swore to herself that she’d get back at him. She was the lady of the house; Homel was just a servant. If she wanted to make his life difficult, it’d be easy.

While Jeyna burned with revenge, Theoris slipped on a light outer robe.

“I’ll be back. If you’re tired, feel free to sleep first.”

“I’m fine. Not tired at all. I’ll wait, so take your time.”

Theoris smiled.

His face suddenly came close.

Before Jeyna could blink, he kissed her gently on the forehead and hurried out the door.

Jeyna stared blankly at where he had been.

‘Wait… what was that?’

Realizing what just happened, she clapped her hands over her mouth.

A soft kiss like something from a new couple. Not even on the lips or cheek, just the forehead—and yet, her face burned. She ran to the window to cool off.

The moon glowed in the deep navy sky. Remembering Theoris’s loving gaze made her look down shyly.

She could still feel the warmth of his lips on her skin.

‘Sure, we didn’t get to kiss properly thanks to Homel, but I got to see a cute side of Theoris. I’ll let it slide this time.’

Jeyna decided—for now, she’d forgive Homel.