🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 32
“Then I’ll be off. See you at the palace.”
“Yes, take care…”
“Lady Lena, this way please.”
Just in time, Sir Ishar stepped in front of me, blocking others’ view. Surrounded by the knights, I watched Calix say his final goodbye to Count Kuphin.
Suddenly, I found myself wondering what the other nobles in the capital thought of Calix—Duke Calix Axel Heretrio.
He’d be the perfect groom candidate.
But… do they know how awful his personality is?
Watching him hold a normal, polite conversation like any other noble made him feel like a completely different person.
Soon, Calix walked over and casually placed an arm around my shoulders.
“Let’s go.”
At his word, the knights all moved in sync.
Since our group was large, we naturally drew people’s attention. I didn’t even have to try, and I could feel stares prickling my cheek.
Waiting for us outside the station was a carriage with the Heretrio family crest.
I leaned toward Calix and whispered quietly.
“You ride the carriage. I’ll ride a horse instead.”
If I pulled my hood all the way down, no one would recognize me. I was already thinking about which knight I could borrow a cloak from when Calix asked:
“Why?”
He sounded genuinely curious, so I answered quickly.
“I’m supposed to be a commoner mage, right? It’d look weird for me to ride in a noble’s carriage.”
“Ah.”
He seemed to understand. Great. Then I just need to find an empty horse—
My thought was cut off when Calix grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward him with a smug look.
“That mage is a commoner who doesn’t know how to ride a horse, remember?”
What?
“So…?”
“So if she can’t ride, what’s the Duke supposed to do? Be generous and let her ride in his carriage, of course.”
Before I could say anything, he had already opened the carriage door.
“Get in.”
……
So I never had a choice to begin with.
I glared at him—subtly, of course—and took his hand, climbing into the carriage.
Once inside, Calix sat across from me. I rested my chin on my hand and stared out the window, deliberately avoiding looking at him.
The carriage rolled smoothly along.
I reached out to lift the curtain slightly and peek outside. But the moment I made eye contact with a curious passerby, I quickly dropped it back down.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
I looked down.
Calix’s polished shoes, gleaming in the sunlight, were right between my feet. My own foot was tucked perfectly between his.
He must’ve noticed where I was looking because I heard a quiet chuckle. Then, his foot gently tapped mine.
……
When I didn’t respond, he did it again.
Tap.
……
I clenched my jaw.
He was giggling softly now.
Do people know the oh-so-dignified Duke Heretrio is actually a smug little trickster?
I looked at his shiny shoes again, then slowly lifted my foot…
…and stepped right on one.
Firmly.
“Ow.”
He said it like it didn’t even hurt.
When I lifted my foot, there was a scuff mark where I’d stepped.
Looking at it filled me with a strange sense of satisfaction.
Probably no one else would get away with this.
Not even the original heroine from the novel would’ve been allowed to step on Calix’s foot like this.
This was my privilege.
I knew it was petty, but somehow, I felt a little better.
“Feeling good?”
His voice made me jump. I looked up—our eyes met.
Calix was leaning forward with his chin on his hand, just staring at me.
“You’re probably the only person who’d enjoy stepping on my foot.”
That made it sound like I had some weird fetish.
“Well, I’m also the only one who can step on your foot.”
I shot back proudly.
But his expression suddenly shifted. He sat up straight and bit his bottom lip lightly.
What now?
“What.”
I was about to ask if he was actually upset when he suddenly asked:
“Can I kiss you?”
“……What?”
I blinked, confused. He rushed to add:
“I want to kiss you.”
“Out of nowhere?!”
“Just let me kiss you.”
What did I do to push this button?
Before I could even figure it out, Calix leaned forward, cupping my cheek. His movements were rushed.
Our eyes met—and I realized I wasn’t going to reject him.
And judging by his expression, he realized it too.
At some point, my hand had reached for his arm. He leaned in.
He looked like he was about to dive in—
But instead of kissing me right away, he bit my lower lip gently.
“Ow.”
My little protest disappeared into his mouth.
I didn’t know what had triggered him…
But the moment our lips met, I realized—
I’d wanted this too.
The hand that had grabbed his arm was now resting on his shoulder.
He tilted his head, and his tongue slipped into my mouth.
Instead of pushing him away, I tilted my head back and opened my mouth wider, letting him in.
That definitely fired him up. One of his hands slid behind my neck.
If we weren’t in a carriage, he probably would’ve pulled me in tighter.
That thought made me laugh inside.
Despite the awkward space, Calix was all in—kissing me deeply and relentlessly.
His tongue twisted through mine, teasing and tasting everything.
I reached out and pulled him closer.
One of his knees ended up on the seat next to me. I was practically sliding down into the cushions.
But I didn’t care.
Both arms wrapped around his neck. I was completely caught up in the sweetness of the kiss—
Screeeeech.
The carriage came to a gentle stop.
It was like the spell was broken.
We must’ve arrived at the Heretrio estate in the capital.
“……”
“……Damn it.”
Calix muttered, glancing toward the door.
Then his eyes flicked back to me—and without missing a beat, he started showering me with little kisses.
On my lips, my cheeks, the corners of my eyes, my nose…
He let out a sweet sigh.
“Should I come to your room tonight?”
Even if I was out of it, there was no way I’d nod to that.
“……Don’t even dream about it.”
The words came out breathlessly and were swallowed by another kiss.
Everywhere his lips touched left behind heat and longing.
He finished with a deep, slow kiss—his tongue gently gliding across mine.
That’s it, I thought.
But then—
Our eyes met again, and he couldn’t help himself. He kissed me again, tongue slipping in.
Only when I shoved him did he finally stop.
What if someone sees us like this? I worried.
But Calix didn’t care at all.
Before stepping out, he turned and looked at me.
Then, without warning, he took off his coat and draped it over my head.
“……?”
“Don’t take it off.”
Wow. As if this didn’t look even more suspicious.
But Calix didn’t care one bit. He swung the door open boldly.
With his coat over my head like a blushing bride, I followed him out.
He reached out his hand.
“Welcome to Heretrio’s estate in the capital, Lena.”
Behind his smiling face, I could see the neatly lined-up servants bowing deeply—thankfully, they couldn’t see us.
Your lips are totally swollen too…
I swallowed that thought and quietly took his hand.
The Heretrio estate in the capital was totally different from the one in his territory.
That one felt like a massive medieval fortress. This one looked like the perfect example of a noble’s mansion in the capital.
There were no winding paths or artistic displays of family history.
Honestly, if they changed the crest on the front gate, any noble family could move in and no one would question it.
My room here was also—of course—right next to Calix’s.
It was probably the Duchess’s room… but I didn’t even want to argue about that anymore.
The knights who came with us immediately went off to check out the practice grounds and lodgings set aside for them.
Calix?
He locked himself in his room the moment we arrived and hadn’t come out since.
So now, I was lying alone on the sofa, thinking about what had just happened.
Still touching my lips, which felt warm and slightly swollen.
“I’m insane.”
But I couldn’t deny that the kiss felt good.
And deep down, I had wanted it.
It was like the heat from the lakeside moment had finally caught up with me.
Now, I might have something else to worry about—
Not about Calix making a move, but…
what if I’m the one who jumps him first?
“Should I come to your room tonight?”
If I didn’t want to regret saying “no,” I had to be careful.
Just then, I heard a soft knock at the door.
“Come in!”
