Thanks to it, Leticia and Dietrian couldn’t stay more than a handspan apart. A red ribbon was tied between them as if to ensure they wouldn’t separate. Flustered, Leticia untied the ribbon wrapped around Dietrian’s wrist.
“Why is this happening?”
The loosely tied ribbon came off easily, but as soon as it slid onto the table, it wrapped itself around Dietrian’s wrist again.
Untying it resulted in it rewrapping itself, over and over again.
It felt like a persistent, clinging presence, despite seemingly being aware of its surroundings. As Leticia struggled to deal with it, Dietrian spoke.
“Leticia. Let’s just leave it.”
“But…”
“Let’s do what we need to for now. We can untie or cut it later.”
Magic is usually nullified when the enchanted item is destroyed. While some magic can persist even after its form is broken, that kind of magic consumes several times more energy than ordinary spells. The ribbon, created to catch thieves, wasn’t likely to belong to such a category.
Leticia’s eyes drooped in defeat.
“I’m sorry, Dietrian. The magic in the ribbon seems to have gone wrong.”
“It’s all right.”
Dietrian spoke gently, laying Leticia down on the sofa. Though he was startled when the ribbon first bound him, he found himself surprisingly fine with it over time. No, he was more than fine; he was quite pleased.
‘It feels like I’m continuously connected to Leticia.’
In the eastern continent, they speak of an invisible red thread that ties lovers together.
Though this ribbon was too thick to be called a thread, and its purpose was far removed from the tender legend of the red thread, Dietrian’s thoughts were brimming with much more fervent imaginings than Leticia’s intentions ever were.
But what did that matter?
“This is fine, Leticia. Truly.”
Leticia was right there before him. Bound, no less. The thought thrilled him, as though he himself had become the shackle that tethered her to him.
Dietrian never doubted that he and Leticia were husband and wife, bound to spend their lives together. Leticia’s feelings would never change, and only death could part them.
Despite his utter confidence in her love, Dietrian occasionally found himself overwhelmed by an insatiable thirst for her.
At first, he was bewildered by his constant yearning for her, no matter how close they were. But over time, he accepted it.
Leticia was his most precious and cherished treasure. And the more precious a treasure is, the more anxious one becomes when holding it alone for a long time.
And now, that cherished woman was firmly bound to him. Bound by magic that wouldn’t come undone unless forcibly severed.
“So, let’s continue, Leticia.”
Dietrian intertwined his bound hands tightly and whispered, calming Leticia, who had been flustered by the ribbon. Seizing the moment, he pressed soft kisses to her face and shoulders.
“Haa… Dietrian…”
Relaxed, Leticia sighed languidly and embraced his head. At the same time, she felt him slowly press into her. The fullness of his presence, filling her wet walls, made her eyelids quiver.
Throughout the long night, he held her in various ways—sometimes as gently as ripples on water, sometimes so roughly that it felt overwhelming.
The methods varied, but one thing always remained the same.
Dietrian desperately desired her in every moment. Even as they were as close as they could possibly be, the longing in his eyes never wavered.
‘Tonight feels different somehow…’
Was it just her imagination? Tonight, he seemed even more urgent than usual. However, since his movements weren’t rough, she could still savor the dull pleasure. It felt as though he was restraining himself from pushing Leticia too hard, afraid of hurting her.
‘Why is that?’
Why did Dietrian seem more desperate than usual today? As Leticia exhaled heated breaths, enduring the stimulation, she found a clue.
The reason he seemed particularly urgent today.
‘To think I’d look like this.’
In the mirror hanging on the distant wall, the image of the two of them entwined in their lovemaking was reflected. Dietrian, perfectly dressed from head to toe except for his rolled-up shirt sleeves, and herself, disheveled and clinging to him.
Her bunny headband had slipped halfway off and was sprawled across her golden hair, while her thin negligée, now hanging around her waist, could hardly still be called clothing. Her right arm braced against the sofa’s backrest, leaving only her left arm free—but even that was bound with the red ribbon.
Though she had prepared this herself, it was an appearance far more provocative than her usual self would have imagined.
‘Did I go too far today?’
For the first time, she truly realized how startled Dietrian must have been when he saw her earlier gift. She began to regret her actions when Dietrian, exerting a little more force, turned her face toward him.
“You seem to have the luxury of thinking about something else.”
“No, that’s not… ah!”
Suddenly, a strong, deep thrust made Leticia swallow her moan. Thoughts of her gift evaporated as her mind turned blank.
“Hah…!”
He moved quickly, as if to claim back the time he had held himself back. The sudden and intense pleasure made Leticia furrow her brows. Coming so suddenly without warning—it was unfair.
“I was focusing, and then…!”
She had, after all, been thinking about her outfit during their intimacy, so it wasn’t entirely a lie.
“Liar. You weren’t making those pretty sounds earlier.”
“That’s because you were… going slowly…!”
“That sounds like you had time to enjoy yourself because I was being slow.”
“Ah…!”
Leticia bit her inner cheek instead of answering. It was an old habit of hers to suppress her moans whenever the sensation became overwhelming.
“Don’t do that, Leticia. You’ll hurt yourself.”
Dietrian immediately pressed his lips to hers, forcing her mouth open. To prevent her from biting her tender flesh again, he slid his tongue inside. He knew her habits well and addressed them swiftly. His kiss was deep and consuming.
“Mmph…!”
It was less a kiss of affection and more a kiss of possession. She felt entirely bound to him from head to toe. And indeed, she was. His soft tongue, the red ribbon, and his manhood—all held her captive. There was nothing she could control.
Even her moans were swallowed, leaving her body to sway as he drove into her.
Unable to cry out fully, the unspent pleasure built up far faster than usual, bringing tears to her eyes. The rising heat spread rapidly from her core to her entire body. As she reached her climax, her body shuddered, and she instinctively clenched tightly below.
“We’re not done yet, Leticia.”
Dietrian paused momentarily, wiping her tears, and whispered gently. Normally, he would ask if she was all right, but this reaction was unusual for him, and Leticia’s eyes widened slightly.
“Today is special because of the gift you gave me. Let me be a little more selfish. Just a bit more.”
Dietrian kissed her forehead before resuming his swift, rhythmic thrusts. Her overly sensitive walls, now swollen and tender, were repeatedly stimulated, causing Leticia’s face to twist with pleasure. The unrelenting, almost painful intensity of it coursed through her without pause, making her toes curl and her back arch.
“Haa…!”
Dietrian pinned down her bucking hips as the sound of their movements echoed sharply. Leticia, gasping and writhing, flailed her unbound hand until it grasped the sofa’s upholstery. Her fingers clawed at it with such force they turned white.
“Hngh, Diet…rian…!”
“It’s strange. I see you every day, yet I can’t understand why you’re always so beautiful.”
Dietrian gazed at Leticia, flushed and moaning in her heat, with enraptured eyes.
“You’ve always been beautiful, but today… you’re even more so.”
Perhaps this year’s birthday gift wasn’t a trip but Leticia herself. After all, in her current state, she looked like a beautifully wrapped gift from head to toe.
Disheveled yet enchanting, she seemed so small and precious that he wanted to tuck her away in his pocket forever.
Dietrian made no effort to hide these feelings; he expressed them fully. Leticia managed to whisper in response.
“I feel the same.”
“……”
“To me, you’re a gift too.”
Her effort to reply despite her difficulty was so endearing and heartbreaking that it tugged at his heart.
“Is it too much for you?”
In the end, Dietrian slowed down and asked her.
Though he had intended to indulge his desires today, seeing Leticia struggling caused his unbridled greed to gradually dissipate. Leticia exhaled softly and shook her head.
“No, I’m fine.”
“I thought you’d say that.”
Dietrian chuckled softly and planted a butterfly kiss on her. Even though she said she was fine, he refrained from moving too intensely.
This was a familiar scenario for both of them.
Dietrian often held back his desires for fear of hurting her, while Leticia, even when overwhelmed, would give her all to match his pace.
To others, their dynamic might seem stifling, but for them, it was simply how their love worked.
‘If anything, it’s to my advantage.’
Whenever Leticia struggled yet still tried her best for him, the satisfaction he felt in his heart far surpassed any physical pleasure.
“Let’s change positions.”
Dietrian gently lifted Leticia, her fragile body collapsing against his chest like a doll.
Leaning against the sofa’s armrest, Dietrian cradled her and began to move slowly where they were joined. Leticia, nestled against him like a child, shivered slightly. The change in position shifted the areas being stimulated, causing a dull ache below. Still, it wasn’t as overwhelming as earlier.
“I’ll move this time.”
Leticia whispered. Sitting atop him, she thought it would be better if she took control. Dietrian patted her head and back and spoke tenderly.
“Don’t push yourself.”
“I’m not.”
Leticia let out a soft, breathy laugh. She wanted to smile brighter, but she had no strength left. Bracing herself against his chest, she rose slightly.
“You’re not the only one feeling this. I feel it too. And since I said I’m your gift today…”
“……”
“I want to do this. Let me.”
With that, Leticia began moving her hips. Each time their connection rubbed together, her body instinctively tightened, but she exhaled short breaths to endure it. Dietrian, holding her waist to keep her steady, raised an eyebrow.
‘This… could be dangerous.’
With the shift in position, the negligée that had seemed like a mere scrap of cloth earlier now looked like clothing again. The problem was how provocative that image was.
The tattered negligée clung precariously to her body. A slight tug would reveal her partially exposed chest completely, along with the kiss marks he had left on her over the past few days.
Seeing Leticia, who had become a beautiful mess because of him, working so hard to please him made Dietrian bite the inside of his lip firmly.
Although clearly connected with Leticia, a sudden and intense thirst surged through him.
He wanted to hold Leticia tighter. To mess her up and make her cry. No matter what he did, in the end, she would give him everything he wanted. Knowing that only made him greedier.
Dietrian finally let out a groan and covered his eyes with the back of his hand.
“Was this a gift, or was it torture after all?”
“What?”
“I was barely holding back, and now you’re provoking me again. Surely, this isn’t going to continue like this for the next month, is it?”
At his grumbling voice, Leticia burst out laughing.
“What’s that supposed to mean all of a sudden?”
“Oh, wait. Don’t laugh. That’s provocative too.”
“Haha, sorry.”
“That’s not okay either. Apologizing while being tied up feels strange, you know.”
“Puahaha.”
“Ugh. I said stop laughing.”
Unable to hold back, Dietrian finally pulled her into a tight embrace. Leticia let out a shrill scream as she fell into his arms. Even the feeling of holding her back felt unbearably sweet, making him realize how dangerously close he was to the edge.
“I’ll just do it myself. I’ll take it slow so it’s not too hard on you. So stop torturing me and just stay put.”
“Haha.”
“I said don’t laugh. It’s really hard to hold back, you know.”
Despite his reproach, a faint smile appeared on Dietrian’s lips. Though it tormented him every time her laughter sent stimulation to his lower body pressed against hers… her laughter was always dazzlingly beautiful.
—
In the end, Dietrian finished their first intimate moment at the villa.
Leticia tried to take the lead again, saying she would move herself, but her weak, trembling attempts only served as greater stimulation, making it impossible for him to stay still.
He didn’t mind the slow pace, but watching her pause mid-movement, overwhelmed by the pleasure she had generated, was difficult to bear.
“Dietrian. Wait, just a moment.”
She flinched and froze, trembling as she clenched around him, then barely lifted her body to move again. Yet she faltered, her inner walls spasming as she struggled to stay upright. Her negligée, barely clinging to her shoulders, was on the verge of slipping off entirely.
Watching her like that, he felt as if he wouldn’t be satisfied unless he made her cry.
Even in the midst of such greedy thoughts, he managed to finish gently, surprising even himself with his restraint.
Still, once again, he realized just how fragile his reason became when it came to Leticia.
Whether she was resting in his arms without lifting a finger or trying to move on her own, it all excited him to no end. He thought it might be easier to just accept that he was a beast.
They decided to discard the negligée. Torn and stained, it was beyond wearable. Dietrian found relief in that decision. If he saw Leticia walking around in that negligée again, he wouldn’t have lasted five minutes before dragging her back to the bedroom. Dinner plans, serenades—everything would have been tossed aside as he spent the night consumed by unbridled passion.
Not that he was particularly rational even now…
As he lay on the sofa, savoring the afterglow with Leticia in his arms, Dietrian glanced at his free hand. The red ribbon still firmly bound the two of them together.
“Leticia. About this ribbon—should we just leave it as is?”
Leticia peeked up at him.
“What? Leave it as is?”
“It seems a shame to just cut it off like this.”
“Wouldn’t it be uncomfortable?”
“Well… not yet. Actually, I like it because it feels like we’re still connected.”
“I don’t mind. As long as you’re okay with it.”
Leticia smiled softly, her eyes crinkling. Dietrian chuckled and said,
“Alright then. Let’s stay like this for now. If it doesn’t work out, we can cut it later… Ah, wait.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I think we might need to cut it after all.”
Dietrian groaned softly as he wrapped her in his arms. Leticia tilted her head in confusion. He muttered under his breath like a sigh.
“With this on, I can’t give you the gift I prepared.”
“A gift?”
“Actually, I prepared a lute performance for this trip.”
“A lute? You, yourself?”
“Well, when you said you were preparing for the trip… I wanted to do something for you too. So, I arranged a few things.”
Leticia looked at Dietrian with wide, astonished eyes.
“Dietrian, you know how to play the lute?”
“Of course not. I learned it in a crash course over a month. Every dawn, I practiced string by string under strict tutelage. Poor Madam Louise had quite a hard time because of me.”
Madam Louise was a renowned socialite known for teaching music to young ladies of noble birth.
“No wonder… I thought it was odd you started your days so early lately…”
Imagining Dietrian squeezing time out of his packed schedule, summoning a notable tutor, and tirelessly practicing the lute at dawn, all to perform a serenade for her, filled her with amazement, joy, and a tinge of heartbreak.
“I can’t wait to hear it. When will you play for me?”
“After dinner, perhaps? You can look forward to that too.”
“Don’t tell me you practiced cooking as well?”
Dietrian grinned playfully.
“Cooking? That’s just the beginning.”
“Really? What else? Tell me what you’ve prepared.”
“Hmm, let’s trade, then.”
“Trade?”
“You said you studied before the trip, right? The ribbon, the bunny headband, the negligée… Oh, and the role-playing too. What’s next? At least give me a heads-up so I can mentally prepare.”
Leticia shook her head, laughing at his teasing.
“That’s a no. They said it has to be a secret to have the right effect.”
“Would you mind if I made a trip to the palace tonight? I should take a look at that book myself.”
“You’re not going anywhere. That’s a month-long lock, you know. I even paid a fortune to the former Archmage for it.”
“Speaking of which, do you think that person was really the former Archmage? Seeing as this ribbon caught the wrong person, it feels more like the work of a quack.”
Dietrian wiggled his arm bound by the ribbon.
“To be honest, I thought the same. But… as long as the outcome is good, isn’t that all that matters?”
“Well, that’s true.”
Thanks to the mischievous ribbon, they had created truly unforgettable memories, more than justifying its cost.
Dietrian entwined his fingers with hers, smiling.
“Alright. I’ll take my time receiving your gifts. After all, we have a whole month.”
“I’ll look forward to it too.”
—
What seemed like it would be a very long month turned out not to be.
Barely two days later, the lock rattled noisily. It signaled that someone had entered within a one-kilometer radius. Dietrian, who had been proudly showing off his embroidered handkerchief, glanced curiously at the closed door.
“Who could it be?”
“I’m not sure.”
The villa was deep within a royal hunting ground, a place not easily accessible. It had to be one of Dietrian’s closest subordinates.
Dietrian gripped the doorknob and uttered a brief activation phrase. The magic within the lock reacted to his words, glowing white. Moments later, with a soft click, the lock opened.
After inspecting the lock’s surface, Dietrian approached Leticia.
“It’s Julia.”
“I thought they were supposed to send a carrier pigeon first if there was something urgent… Why would this happen?”
“It’s likely not urgent. If it were critical, they would’ve ridden a horse.”
Since this was a month-long trip, Dietrian and Leticia had made various preparations to minimize their absence from work. One of those preparations was a magical communication device, acting like a carrier pigeon. Made by the former Archmage, it had been silent ever since their arrival at the villa.
“Dietrian, look at this.”
Leticia called to him while examining the magical device. Dietrian, focusing on the spot where the signal should have lit up, sighed with a hollow laugh.
“It must be broken.”
It seemed the so-called former Archmage was half a quack after all.
“We’ll have to head back for now. We can’t leave the palace without this magical device for a whole month.”
“That’s true.”
Both of them wore expressions of deep regret.
They had spent a truly dreamlike two days. They had hoped to fill the entire month with dense and unforgettable memories.
It was hard to believe it had ended so quickly.
Leticia gently took Dietrian’s hand and spoke softly.
“Dietrian, we can always come back.”
The first time is always the hardest, but the second time comes easier. Now that they knew how blissful their time together could be, they would find a way to carve out time for the next trip.
“That sounds good. Where would you like to go next?”
“I’d like to visit the place that inspired the myths of the Duchy of Genos. I’ve heard the sea there is breathtaking.”
“Lucia. That’s a wonderful choice. Alright, then. Next time, we’ll go to Lucia.”
Their regret was fleeting, replaced quickly by the excitement of planning their next journey.
Little did they know back then.
That during their next trip, another former Archmage, Heinz, would cause Leticia to lose her memories.
Nor could they have imagined that this bewildering ordeal would eventually become their most cherished memory.
It was on a day when the sky was as vividly blue as a painting.
The End
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