Chapter 76

Elise nestled halfway into the undulating ripples of his chest. Amidst the bitter herb fragrance lingering in the air, her own scent seemed almost concealed. Rezette gently cradled Elise’s chin with his fingertips, coaxing her to lift her head with the subtle strength of his guiding hand. Leaning against the bed at an angle, he gazed wordlessly at her. From a distance, Elise’s cheek gradually warmed as she faced him.

Observing the man before her, she thought, ‘I’ve never seen him like this before.’ His typically ice-cold gaze, armed with resolute determination like a frozen lake, now bore a languid gleam. The usually neatly swept black hair, which unveiled his entire face, was partially scattered over his forehead. Rezette casually brushed aside the disheveled strands, but a few still lingered over his eyebrows, hinting at a change that intrigued Elise.

Elise had never seen him this disheveled before. Perhaps that’s why the blossoming affection between them, exploding like a burst of spring, still seemed somewhat subdued. It was not an icy barrier but a burning flame and a dizzying lightning.

Yet, Elise vaguely thought that maybe this unpolished appearance was closer to the true nature of Rezette Kyrstan. He didn’t seem like the person she usually saw. It was not an icy barrier but a burning flame and a dizzying lightning.

Rezette kept his eyes fixed on her as he turned his head to release the lingering smoke from his mouth, revealing the distinctive aroma of a bitter medicinal herb in the air.

“It’s medicinal smoke,” he stated, and Elise, eyeing the vapor cautiously, saw him lower his head, lightly brushing his lips against her nostrils.

“It’s harmless. Would you like to try?” he offered, and after a moment’s hesitation, Elise nodded. This experience reminded her of a time in a distant west region of Grandel when Andrei had procured a similar remedy for her inability to swallow anything, not even medicine. Medicinal herbs rolled in broad leaves, set ablaze, and inhaled – a practice reminiscent of what Rezette was proposing.

Inhaling the offered fragrance, Elise recognized it instantly.

“Ah, Valerian….” she murmured, familiar with the calming effects of the herb she knew well.

Elise, too, had once relied on it consistently, requiring careful consumption. This herb was the same one she had ingested by the handful during the fifteen years when she sought to end her life quickly. During that time, she confined herself to her bedroom for six months, undergoing a detoxification process.

The effects were swift. The tense and taut nerve strings remarkably eased. Despite being aware of the potential harm of overuse, Elise, in need of relief, took a few more sips.

Rezette, seemingly approving of her actions, gently stroked the back of her head. This delicate touch contrasted sharply with the man who had been rigid and unyielding just moments ago.

It was a paradox. Everything seemed contradictory.

Elise’s gaze wavered as she studied him.

Which version of him was real?

Was it the quiet and chivalrous persona he displayed? Or the raven’s nature, driven by the need for something precious and gleaming, as Genovia Irrien suggested? A merciless assassin, as the world labels him? The emperor’s relentless enforcer? The animal that pursued her relentlessly through the night?

He was a complex individual. Rezette Kyrstan had always been that way. Yet, why does even her heart struggle to comprehend and remain unsettled?

Do I resent you…? Elise wondered.

Undoubtedly, there was a hint of such a sentiment. It wasn’t solely because of his rough embrace. Initially, it had been somewhat disheartening and vexing that he remained silent about the news from the southern part of Grandel.

However, as their gazes locked in this moment, even the bitter emotions seemed to dissipate. Given that their relationship lacked a foundation of trust and loyalty from the outset, the absence of a profound sense of betrayal became apparent.

Elise scrutinized his handsome face as if it were a sculpted masterpiece, studying it for an extended period. Although Rezette merely gazed at her without uttering a word, he refrained from posing any direct inquiries. Instead, he intermittently smiled and lightly poked her left cheek, seemingly curious about the intense scrutiny she was subjecting him to.

This smile was a rare sight, one that he seldom revealed. His eyes softened, as though beholding a particularly endearing child. Despite everything, he wasn’t someone to despise, and Elise sensed a warmth creeping into her ears. 

Even though he had brought her to such a wretched state, with tears and suffering, she couldn’t harbor any hatred for him.

Was it the lingering effect of the medicinal smoke? Occasionally, he did present an impressively noble facade. Yet, a subtle sadness lingered, creating an inexplicable emptiness.

If only you had come to me a little sooner, she regretted. Had she become entwined with him before the arrival of Genovia Irrien in Rotiara, before Genovia beguiled him with her cunning words and instilled in him a heavy sense of hope, many things might have unfolded differently. She wouldn’t have fallen so easily under Genovia’s manipulative sway in the first place.

However, time, once passed, cannot be rewound. Elise acknowledged that she shouldn’t harbor emotions beyond the confines of their contract, and that conviction remained steadfast even in the present moment.

It was a painful reality. Despite being closer to each other than anyone else in the world, an insurmountable distance still loomed, one they had to maintain. Emotions like love couldn’t be allowed to interfere.

It could perhaps be described as a fleeting attachment, a brief affection that sprouted as a shield for gratitude and a sense of security. Elise’s eyelashes quivered momentarily before settling.

But even if it’s just that… she thought, when I eventually leave, it might hurt a lot.

Yet, in that very moment, Rezette disrupted her contemplations, as if tossing a wrench into her conscience.

“Elise, it’s easy to tell when you’re thinking about something else.”

Rezette extinguished the medicinal smoke’s tip with his thumb, casually dropping it somewhere. The smile that had graced his lips vanished without a trace. Squinting his eyes, Rezette clenched his jaw and fixed a firm gaze on her.

“Every time I see that face…”

“Re-Rezette.”

“I keep realizing it’s not a pleasant feeling after all.”

Elise squealed as her body turned abruptly. The thin strands of silver hair cascaded gracefully into the air as she settled onto the sheets, feeling the weight of the man pressing down on her once again.

“You said it was the last time, just a moment ago…!”

Her plea, bordering on a scream, was abruptly cut off, left hanging in the air.

***

The bedroom door was securely locked, and it wasn’t until late afternoon that the duke’s summons finally arrived. While diligent servants filled the bathtub with warm water, the canopy over the bed remained firmly lowered, unable to completely conceal the thick atmosphere pervading the entire room.

Ivetsa cast anxious glances at the crack in the canopy. Only sporadic rustling sounds reached her ears, and silence dominated the space. However, once the bath and simple meal preparations concluded, an indifferent command to depart followed.

“Well, if you need anything, feel free to call…”

“Come out, Ivetsa.”

Lady Pettison signaled to Ivetsa, who quietly lowered her head—a gesture cautioning against hasty intervention, as they couldn’t predict the duke’s mood.

Before long, the bedroom door securely closed once again. Only after the sounds of the servants had completely dissipated downstairs did the canopy tremble.

Soon, the gentle sound of water began to resonate in the bedroom.

***

Droplets of warmth glided down Rezette’s fair skin as he reached beneath the water to inspect his body. Even in her slumber, Elise contorted, accompanied by sounds of discomfort.

“It seems a bit swollen,” Rezette noted, though he expected nothing less. In his eyes, it wasn’t a severe outcome, a minor sacrifice compared to the graver scenarios he had imagined.

Elise remained oblivious until Rezette thoroughly dried and adorned her in lightweight sleepwear.

“Elise,” he called, attempting to rouse her with a gentle shake, but her forehead merely wrinkled, showing no signs of waking. Abandoning the plan, Rezette carefully laid her back on the bed.

The scent of her body, once soaked by the water, dissipated, replaced by a fresh and fragrant floral aroma vibrating in the air. The semi-solid form that had stood upright solidified once again.

Rezette clicked his tongue in irritation. She’s quite stubborn. Unsure of how many more doses of medicinal smoke he’d need to burn to avoid contact until she woke, he sighed in frustration.

Despite removing sexual desire from his life, he couldn’t erase the inherent nature of his existence. The restraint was inevitably susceptible to desires. Even if it wasn’t a manifestation of madness, once the reins were loosened, putting them back on became nearly impossible.

Fortunately, Rezette considered it a stroke of luck that he could control it to some extent. Elise, on the other hand, wasn’t as fortunate as even Rezette’s own mother.

In reality, if Elise hadn’t occasionally lost herself in contemplation while in his presence, she might have broken free from him a bit earlier. If only she hadn’t directed her gaze towards the window, as though she were ready to abandon him and take flight at any moment. And then, if only she hadn’t looked at him with those unavoidably sorrowful eyes.

It felt as if a leaden weight had been placed at the pit of his stomach. Would this unexplained discomfort be alleviated if he continued to possess her?

Dangerous thoughts, cultivated in anxiety and nourished by the infertile soil of a mediocre imagination, delved into treacherous depths. The immediate imperative was to extract every ounce of magic from Elise’s body.

Subsequently, it crossed his mind that it might be advantageous to tame her until she transformed into a woman solely devoted to him, available at his whim for as long as necessary. If, in the process, she were to conceive, that would be even more advantageous.

As for what lay beyond, well, that was a matter for later consideration. After all, a dragon fetus thrived on magic, and Elise’s body harbored a mysterious font of magical energy. If the plan was to extract magic regardless, allowing the unborn child to absorb it could offer a potential solution.

So, all you need to do is give birth well, Rezette thought, endlessly caressing the small and slender woman.