ITPMHFN 64

Chapter 64

He slowly shifted his gaze.

“Your Grace. It’s Vernon. May I come in?”

In that moment, the harsh coldness that had frosted his eyes melted away like mist.

The tension that had coiled at his fingertips and the tightly pressed line of his lips relaxed naturally.

Before he knew it, he had returned to his usual calm expression and spoke.

“Come in.”

The door opened cautiously, and Vernon, holding a candlestick, peeked his head in.

“Your Grace, the night is late. Shouldn’t you be resting now?”

Had it gotten that late already?

Looking out the window, he saw the night sky densely filled with starlight so abundant it seemed ready to spill over.

Denok nodded and began to tidy up his space.

A faint smile formed at the corner of his lips as he rose from his seat.
So faint that even he was likely unaware of it.

It was time to go meet the wife who was waiting for him.

“…….”

Quiet footsteps echoed down the corridor.

Silent, yet his strides were somewhat long.

Soon, having finished his preparations, he opened Edith’s door.

An unexpected scene unfolded before his eyes.

“……You’re here?”

Edith greeted him with an awkward laugh.

She was hugging the blanket tightly up to her chin, with only her head poking out.

……I had no choice.

Being fully conscious and showing myself in this outfit was far too embarrassing.

Trying to pull the covers down just a little, I gripped the blanket tightly and put on a nonchalant face.

‘Ugh, to have to face him again while wearing this…’

Inside, I was screaming with shame.

Why did the sensation of the thin fabric clinging to my body feel so vivid?

Facing Denok, I asked as calmly as I could.

“You’re quite late. Is your research going well?”

Hesitantly, he, who had been standing at the door, stepped inside.

He answered in a low voice.

“There are still… some parts I’m pondering.”

“You must be tired. You should get some sleep soon.”

“Yes, but…….”

His shadowed gaze lingered on the blanket I had pulled up to my neck.

“……What are you doing?”

I flinched slightly but forced a smile and nodded.

“I’m cold. The temperature drops so much at night these days.”

“Is that so.”

I knew it myself. It was a ridiculous excuse.

I felt like cold sweat was about to break out on my forehead.

But I stubbornly continued my act.

“It’s late. You should get to sleep.”

Pulling the blanket even tighter, I pretended to lie down.

Perhaps he realized I had no intention of answering.

Denok finally approached the bed without a word.

Only when the space beside me dipped with his weight did I slowly turn my head.

“Well then…….”

Out of habit, I leaned toward him.

Just like always, a kiss to soothe his magic.

The moment I softly parted my lips, his tongue met mine carefully.

Sometimes gentle, sometimes persistent.

The sensation of him caressing the inside made my tension ease unwittingly.

As I found myself focusing on the kiss without realizing it, the grip of my fingers on the blanket loosened.

At that moment, Denok’s hand wrapped around my back and pulled me into his embrace.

‘……!’

Pulled in before I could even protest, I lost hold of the blanket.

‘……No.’

Frantically trying to grab the blanket again, my breathing became tangled.

Continuing the kiss while short of breath, I ultimately had to twist my head away.

I gasped for air. My dazed head finally felt like blood was circulating again.

Denok’s eyes frowned with dissatisfaction.

“Ah, sorry. I’m out of breath. Hah.”

But Denok’s lips immediately crashed against mine again, swallowing my breath once more.

A persistent movement, as if telling me not to pull away.

But the problem was, whether it was because he had grown accustomed to contact with me,

Or because he was instinctively seeking me out to suppress his magic,

As the kiss continued, he was becoming increasingly proactive.

Deeper, more greedily.

My body grew hot, and my breath became increasingly ragged.

Because of that, I lost my focus again, dropped the blanket, and had to turn my head away.

“Hah…… Hah.”

I parted my wet lips and took a deep breath.

Only by doing so did I feel like I could regain my senses.

But contrary to me, it seemed that for him, it was a fuse that blew his reason away.

“Are you going to keep making me this frantic?”

“No, it’s just that…”

“If this continues, I won’t be able to calm down even if we stay up all night.”

True to his words, Denok’s magic didn’t budge an inch, as if this level of contact was insufficient.

Strangely, it had been like this lately.

Since some point, I had to kiss him a little longer to calm his magic.

So, we needed to do more, that was correct.

While I hesitated, he pulled me tightly against him without any explanation.

I had no chance to grab the blanket.

Finally, the deeply cut slip was exposed outside the blanket,

And I vividly felt my soft flesh being pressed against his firm chest.

Simultaneously, our lips met.

The tip of his tongue, which had lightly traced the inside of my mouth, pushed deeper as if driving me forward.

It wasn’t suffocating or dizzying, but a sensation of being swallowed by a deep swamp slowly consumed me.

At the same time, intense heat rushed to the sensitive area between my legs.

As if the tingling pleasure from before was reviving…

“Euk!”

Suddenly, his slick tongue pushed deep into my throat.

And as if deciding not to hold back anymore, it moved greedily on its own.

Sucking strongly on my little tongue, then gently rubbing for a while.

Even though saliva I couldn’t swallow dripped from the corner of my mouth, he didn’t pull his lips away.

Instead, he twisted his head, revealing a desire to go even deeper.

‘Clearly, it’s just to suppress the magic…’

Instinct kept rearing its head.

My body wanted it.

That sensation from that time, his touch, and…

I flinched.

I instantly pushed him away strongly.

Then, I took a deep breath of the air I had been lacking.

Denok’s intense gaze was fixed on me.

No, precisely, on my lips.

As if he wanted more. As if this wasn’t enough.

‘…No.’

I bit the inside of my mouth firmly.

Anything beyond this… it didn’t seem like it would be just contact for the sake of ability anymore.

Ignoring my pounding heartbeat with effort, I turned my head away.

“…Hah. I think that’s enough for handling your magic now.”

“…Is that so.”

His voice sounded terribly low.

Without looking at him, I closed my eyes.

And I felt his magic.

Somehow, it felt more resistant than usual.

As if telling me not to put it to sleep, as if it wanted to play a little more.

I caught the magic that was teasingly trying to escape and channeled my energy into it.

Finally, his magic, which had been rumbling restlessly, gradually settled.

“Good night.”

Still avoiding his gaze that remained on me, I lay down directly and tried hard to invite sleep that wouldn’t come.

Around the time Edith’s breathing had evened out like that,

Denok opened his eyes, which he had closed.

And let out a long sigh.

To be honest, if she hadn’t pushed him away earlier,

Well, could he have stopped on his own?

An answer didn’t come easily.

Since Rachel left, their nights had seemed peaceful on the surface.

Yes, on the surface.

Because they ended with a simple kiss, without the deep contact like before.

But, his body was different.

Like a child constantly pestering for the first candy it ever tasted, it complained it wasn’t enough.

He was deeply addicted to the sweetness he had tasted just once.

He wanted more.

Closer.

Longer.

He kept growing impatient.

Even though he had restrained himself well until now…

Today, when she seemed to avoid kissing him, something in his head snapped, and he couldn’t control himself.

It was as if some desire sleeping within his body had awakened.

Even just the touch of her breath was enough to make his nerves stand on end…

‘Damn.’

Finally unable to suppress his frustration, a curse leaked out at that moment.

Just when he thought she was fast asleep, Edith stirred slightly and turned her body toward him.

Her rosy hair cascaded over his shoulder, and a fresh scent dug into his nostrils.

Perhaps it even shot straight to his brain.

It couldn’t be this vivid otherwise.

“Ugh.”

Denok’s brow contorted.

A groan finally burst through his tightly clenched teeth.

It was because her body heat was felt perfectly through the thin slip.

As she stirred, her pure white thighs were revealed under the hitched-up slip, and her chest revealed a deep shadow.

This was more cruel precisely because it was unintentional.

“…….”

In an instant, a tight pressure tingled and burned his reason.

In the place left as blackened ashes, only desire remained, only an unextinguished ember.

“Hah……”

Denok slowly twisted his gaze away.

His blurred blue eyes traced Edith’s face.

She was fast asleep with a face that knew nothing.

Her green eyes were hidden behind her eyelids, and a faint breath leaked from her slightly parted lips.

That moist, wet gap, the place that had accepted his tongue just now…

Denok’s pupils darkened.

‘…I’m going crazy.’

The gaze he had struggled to avert now fell to her neck.

A sheen, whether from sweat or moonlight, made her skin glisten.

He remembered the time he had kissed her there.

So, so sweet.

And the high-pitched moan that erupted when he sucked there was so pleasing to hear.

The fact that this woman was within his reach, right here, right now, was slowly breaking down his patience.

It felt like an unbearable thirst was burning his brain.

But.

‘…I must endure.’

Denok closed his eyes and forcibly erased the tantalizing images.

They weren’t real husband and wife.

She was someone who would leave one day.

He had to hold onto his reason somehow.

But simultaneously, a voice surged up from a corner of his mind.

Like a thirst that scorched the throat, that whisper grew increasingly persistent.

‘You’ve come this deep inside me, and now you say you’ll leave?’

‘Did she say she’d leave for freedom? I could give her enough freedom even by my side.’

‘If I can protect her. If the status of Luciano can consume Sertia, wouldn’t I be able to keep her by my side?’

The unidentified voices whispering seductively scratched at Denok’s reason.

“…….”

These were desires so unfamiliar to him.

After forcing out a rough breath, Denok quietly got up.

And crossing the lightless room, he headed to the medicine cabinet in his own room.

Numerous sedatives filled the cabinet to the brim.

They were medicines he hadn’t touched even once since Edith returned.

He hesitated for a moment, then took one out and swallowed it in one go.

A terribly bitter taste spread in his mouth, but he gulped it down immediately.

The slender thought that he didn’t want to disrupt her peace, that he didn’t want to be hated, was barely holding onto his reason.

As he let out a long sigh, sleep poured over him.

Finally.

“Ah, euk! De, Denok!”

But what is this?

“Hah. W, wait just… Euk!”