After the wedding, Leticia felt heavy-hearted, having sensed Dietrian’s discomfort around her.
In truth, his expressions of discomfort were brief.
He avoided eye contact and released her hand a bit too quickly. Other than that, he was exceedingly polite throughout the ceremony.
This made her feel worse, guilty for making him uncomfortable despite his efforts to hide it.
She wished she could spare him from the wedding night, but that was impossible. Josephina would surely send people to ensure the consummation.
‘How can I make Dietrian more comfortable?’
While pondering alone, she noticed an unfamiliar yet familiar object on the table.
After hesitating, Leticia reached for ‘that object,’ which surprisingly provided an answer.
‘If I prepare myself first and wait under the covers, perhaps it will ease Dietrian’s mind.’
She hadn’t anticipated that her ‘preparation’ would become a mental bombshell for Dietrian.
“Your Highness?”
At her puzzled voice, Dietrian startled and stepped into the room.
“I’m sorry.”
Leaning against the door, he looked down at the carpet, lost in thought.
Is this a dream?
Could it be a dream?
It must be a dream.
‘Yes, this is a dream.’
He lifted his gaze, and there it was – her small hand clutching the blanket. His heart sank at the sight of her delicate, pale wrist.
Quickly, he averted his eyes again.
‘This isn’t a dream.’
Dietrian’s face flushed red. He stood frozen, his hand clamped over his mouth, unable to breathe.
‘What should I do?’
Dietrian hadn’t planned on consummating the marriage with Leticia that night.
It was because he had genuinely fallen in love with her.
Had he viewed this marriage solely as a royal duty, he would have fulfilled any necessary obligations, including the wedding night and beyond.
But now, this marriage was no longer just about the well-being of the Principality for him.
He wanted to give Leticia everything properly, at its best. He wished to redo the wedding under everyone’s blessings, not under their scrutinizing eyes.
The same went for their wedding night. He didn’t want to subject her to humiliation in a situation where someone might interrupt them.
After all, this wasn’t the marriage she had wanted. Knowing it was a burden for her, he wanted to make it as comfortable as possible.
Because he longed for her love.
He had told himself to resist the overwhelming desire to be close to her, to be patient. He had come to this room calming himself with that resolve.
‘I’m going to lose my mind.’
Could he just go through with the wedding night? Could he give in?
Should he just do it?
If he just went ahead…
But that wasn’t right.
‘Stop these crazy thoughts and get a grip.’
He finally managed to move his stiff body. Then his eyes caught sight of something peculiar. On the table, there was a wine glass and a bottle. A bit of red wine remained in the glass.
Noticing his gaze, Leticia spoke cautiously.
“I was so nervous. I had a little to drink.”
“…You did well.”
He nodded nonchalantly and tilted the wine bottle toward Leticia’s glass. He needed a drink too. Staying sober was too hard under these circumstances.
But nothing came out of the bottle. He tilted it again, but still nothing.
What was going on? Confused, he heard a small whisper beside him.
“I needed more than one glass. I ended up drinking it all. Hic.”
Dietrian blankly alternated his gaze between the empty bottle and Leticia.
“Hic. Hic.”
Leticia hiccupped continuously. Now not only her face, but also her neck and shoulders were flushed red.
“Why do I keep hiccupping, hic.”
She covered her mouth with the back of her hand.
“I’m sorry. This is actually my first time drinking, hic.”
“…”
“Except for feeling a bit fuzzy and strange, I think I’m fine, hic. I’m not drunk.”
Leticia blinked slowly and tilted her head. Then she let out a warm breath and said,
“Or am I? Maybe I am drunk… Maybe not…”
The blanket she was holding began to slide down. Her slip dress, slender shoulders, and delicate collarbone became increasingly exposed. She smiled at him innocently.
“I actually don’t know…”
Caught in her cuteness, Dietrian was startled back to his senses and quickly moved. Just before the situation became dangerous, he barely caught the slipping blanket.
“Your Highness?”
Leticia looked up at him dazedly. Her slightly parted red lips seemed to be inviting him. Dietrian managed to speak.
“You should lie down.”
“Hic?”
He kept his gaze as high as possible while gently pressing on her shoulder.
Feeling the warmth of her palm and the delicate bones of her shoulder was almost too much, especially since she had been drinking.
The temptation was overwhelming. Dietrian closed his eyes tightly, silently praying to every deity he could think of.
‘Please help me not to make a mistake. Please.’
However, Leticia didn’t lie down. She tilted her head, then giggled and resisted.
“Could you please let go of your strength?”
“I don’t want to.”
Dietrian squeezed his eyes shut again.
“Hehehe.”
After a struggle, he finally managed to get Leticia to lie down and opened his eyes. She smiled up at him, sprawled on the bed, her blonde hair fanned out on the pillow. His heart skipped a beat. He quickly pulled the blanket up to her neck.
“I think I’m drunk…”
Right. She was drunk. He had to keep his composure.
‘Stay focused. Now more than ever, I need to be in control.’
He hung his coat on the chair and removed his shirt, revealing his lean, well-defined muscles.
He took a deep breath to steady himself, thinking about what needed to be done.
‘People sent by Josephina will be here soon. I need to be ready.’
He decided to lie down, covered only by a sheet, keeping as much distance as possible between them. Suddenly, he felt a surge of anger.
‘What kind of person is Josephina? Sending people on a night like this. Is she insane?’
The idea had seemed ridiculous from the start, but seeing Leticia in such a state made him even angrier.
How distressed must she have been to drink alcohol for the first time? His anger helped him regain some calmness he had lost upon first entering the room.
Swallowing his sigh, he carefully lay down beside Leticia.
“I’ll just lie down for a moment, Leticia.”
She looked up at him with her clear green eyes, causing a twinge in his heart. He clenched the blanket tightly to resist the urge to hold her.
“Lying together might be uncomfortable for you, but please bear with it just until the people sent by the Saintess arrive.”
Dietrian maintained maximum distance, lying face-to-face with her.
“Yes… Sigh.”
Leticia breathed unevenly, huddled up. The sweet scent of wine from her breath made the veins on the back of his hand, clutching the blanket, stand out prominently.
“Hmm…”
“Are you cold?”
Her shoulder was exposed above the blanket. Dietrian hesitated, then reached out to adjust the blanket.
As he did, Leticia gazed up at him.
“Is this… too far for you?”
“What?”
“Should I come closer?”
Without waiting for an answer, she leaned her forehead against his chest.
Dietrian’s breath caught. It felt like a hammer blow to his heart. He managed to exhale, but his mind was spinning.
The warmth touching his bare skin was intensely real.
With the blanket half-draped over her, he found himself in an embrace.
Unable to muster the courage to push her away, he remained frozen. Seeing him motionless, she smiled faintly.
“So it is true then…”
Her warm breath tickled his sensitive skin. Leticia moved even closer.
Something soft pressed against his chest.
What could it be? Surely not her lips.
Dietrian clenched his eyes shut. He was reaching his limit.
“I know… that I’m making you uncomfortable… But just hold on a little longer, the people my mother sent will arrive soon…”
Just as his restraint was about to break, a peculiar phrase caught his attention.
Uncomfortable?
Who is enduring whom?
Am I enduring her?
Dietrian had been holding back with all his might, restraining his overwhelming desire to be close to her. But Leticia’s words seemed to imply something else as if he was ‘enduring’ her presence.
“Just bear with it for half a year. Then, as you wish, I’ll grant you a divorce…”
Her words jolted him back to reality like a bucket of cold water poured over his head.
Grant me a divorce as I wish?
Who wishes for a divorce?
‘Do I want a divorce?’
Wasn’t a divorce what she wanted? He wanted to spend a lifetime with her.
“Leticia.”
Forgetting his resolve not to touch her, he urgently grasped her slender shoulders.
“Do you think I want to divorce you? Why would you think that…”
“I’m cold…”
Just then, Leticia shivered and burrowed deeper into his embrace. Her thin arms wrapped around his waist.
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