TPOP 62

Chapter 62

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Diana obeyed the order not to take any action without his permission. Her face was erotic as she clung to him and cried, but her pale complexion, as if all the vitality had been sucked out of her, was not very pleasing to the eye. He didn't even feel like painting her.

"...".

Felix crossed his arms and looked down at her with displeasure. He had intended to wait and see how long she would remain silent, but his patience quickly wore thin.

Comforting a woman who couldn't see required more effort than he had anticipated. With her vision blocked, she showed no reaction to any of his nonverbal expressions. The wall covering Diana's corneas also blocked the space between her and him.

So if Diana continued to remain silent, he would have no choice but to speak first.

"Diana."

"Yes."

Her lips were heavy, but her response was quick.

"Should I send you to the hunting grounds in the forest?"

It wasn't a calculated decision. The reason came to him belatedly.

Whenever he mentioned the forest, Diana's expression changed. Her face, with a hint of vitality, was aesthetically much more beautiful.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"Um, when?"

Diana impulsively grabbed his collar. It was a cute gesture. Felix stroked her small, round head and prolonged his words.

"Well..."

"Please let me go. Even an hour is fine. Even less than that is fine..."

Diana swallowed hard. She had instantly forgotten that she needed his permission, and she traced Felix's chin with her finger.

She traced his cheek, cheekbone, and the corner of his eye with her fingertips, then looked up. Her gaze, which had seemed to stray slightly, quickly returned to him. Her light green eyes revealed nothing, but she was definitely looking at him.

That should be enough to count as making eye contact. Felix, reasonably satisfied, replied casually.

"Three days from now, when I return."

"Oh, will you go with me...?"

Diana's lips parted slightly. Just as he was about to frown at the disappointment in her tone, she hurriedly muttered.

"I want to swim... Is that okay?"

"Swim?"

Diana was familiar with water. The river that flowed through the hunting grounds connected to a valley with a waterfall. The water wasn't shallow, but she was the kind of woman who would welcome being deliberately pushed into deep water.  

Felix narrowed his eyes and spoke ambiguously.  

"We'll see."  

"...You'll go with me in three days, right?"  

She asked as if seeking a definite answer, but Diana tried not to get her hopes up.

Instead of answering, Felix moved her position back a step. The moon had already set, and the angle of the moonlight had changed. He stood Diana in the brightest spot and gazed at her intently.

Diana, another name for the moon.

She was a woman who suited the twilight before dawn. Mysterious and beautiful.

Even without seeing it, he could tell what kind of atmosphere the spring of Balestega, which he had never seen in his life, would have. It would surely be something he couldn't take his eyes off of.

Felix leaned his head against the wall, crossed his arms, and stared at her before blurting out.

"Kiss me."

"......"

"Then I'll swear on my name."  

The Crown prince's statement that he would swear on his own name was truly significant. However, Diana couldn't fully grasp the weight of his words.  

When Diana hesitated to answer, Felix chuckled.  

"I'll swear on my throne. Do you understand now?"

His throne. Even the crown prince couldn't break a promise that heavy.

Diana slowly approached him, careful not to bump into him, and reached out her hand toward his face again. Her fingers, which had been groping in the air for a moment, soon landed on his soft lips.

Diana raised her toes and pressed her lips against his. Now she knew without being taught that a kiss was not just a rubbing of the lips. Diana naturally tilted her head and pushed her small tongue into the corner of his lips. She gently touched his patiently waiting tongue and then carefully wrapped it around his.

Diana moved her tongue as if she were melting a candy she had cherished for a long time. She wasn't particularly skilled, but each small movement was extremely careful, just like her usual self.

However, due to the difference in height, Diana's body kept swaying as she stood on tiptoes. Only after Felix bent his upper body did Diana's heels touch the floor. Only then did she feel more comfortable kissing him.

Diana's hand, which had been resting on Felix's cheek, gradually moved to the back of his neck. The man felt her slender arms wrap around him, and his neck muscles tensed.

Diana, gasping for breath, finally pulled away from his lips. She realized too late that she was holding his neck with both arms.

Diana quickly released her arms and took a step back. This was enough. The thought crossed her mind that it might have been too deep, but she didn't care.

There was no need to deny it. Assuming it wasn't rough or painful, physical pleasure sometimes numbed reason. It was an act without meaning or value, so there was no need to feel guilty or ashamed.

Felix looked into her downcast green eyes and gently wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her. They would go back to the bedroom like this. Diana recalled the countless nights she had spent so far and bit her lip.

"Do you know what the most vicious and evil kind of love is, Diana? It's physical love..."

Soon, her buttocks touched the soft sheets. As expected, it was Felix's bedroom. The man who pushed her down pulled the blanket over Diana.

Diana called out to him in surprise.

"Master?"

"Go to sleep. From now on, it's okay to come here, so keep that in mind."

She had expected him to immediately start undressing her, but instead, he unexpectedly sat up. Diana instinctively sat up as well. Before she could even process the meaning of his permission to come here, she grabbed him.

“When will you be back?”

“After I finish sorting out the tasks brought by those annoying nobles.”

It sounded like he was talking about official business. Diana recalled the hurried footsteps she had heard when she entered the living room earlier. They must have been nobles who had come to discuss matters with the crown prince.  

“You promised to come in three days’ time.”  

“Yes.”  

His voice was gentle. It was devoid of mockery or hollow laughter, carrying only the weighty charm of its timbre. It was a voice she had long since ceased to admire.

“Always act like this, Diana. Lovingly, like just now.”

“……?”

He stroked Diana’s cheek and then left the bedroom.

She wrapped herself in the blanket and listened to his footsteps fading away. She felt dazed.

The man who had been as sensitive as someone with thorns stuck in his fingernails for days suddenly became generous.

In an instant? That couldn't be. There must be a reason...

All Diana had done was kiss him as Felix had ordered. No, that's not it. She touched his cheek and hugged his neck. So he was happy that she reached out to him first?

Did he mean for her to act lovingly?

Lovingly, as if she loved him...

After much deliberation, Diana suddenly sighed silently. Ah.

The sweeter she acted, the more he warmed up to her.

Excited by this realization, Diana trembled. She had thought that if she kept her mouth shut and obeyed, she could lull him into a false sense of security, but that wasn't the answer. The way to calm the unpredictable man's mood and get the answer she wanted was this.

‘But why?’

Why did he like it when she acted sweet?

Such a question suddenly came to mind, but she pushed it deep into her heart. A strong possibility came to mind, but it was probably just her own delusion and exaggeration. She had no more time, energy, or heart left to be consumed by futile fantasies.

It seemed like she wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.

***

Two days passed quickly.

When Diana, who had been as pale as a wilted flower, suddenly regained her vitality, Emile asked in surprise.

“Why are you so excited all of a sudden?”

“Can you tell?”

“Very much so.”

Diana quickly composed herself. But she couldn’t hide her flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes.