Chapter 117: Confinement – 2

“No sound at all, I swear.”

Valon, leaning his chair back, glanced briefly at the bickering crew around him while swaying in place without stopping.

Mikel of the Yanes unit stood at the center, leading the conversation, with the crew gathering in small groups around him.

“Maybe you just didn’t hear it?”

Sanders tilted his head as he spoke.

“Was it just me? Nobody heard it! The whole castle went dead silent when Lady Vivian rampaged, so if there was any sound, we’d have heard it! We could even hear an ant crawling.”

Mikel vehemently waved his hand in denial.

“Hmm… really? That’s strange.”

Sanders put on a thoughtful expression for a moment.

Mikel firmly shook his head as he responded to the follow-up questions.

“You’re all wrong. What’s this nonsense about Lady Vivian going berserk because she likes Kailo? That’s absurd! Is that the kind of person Lady Vivian is? Someone who’s always composed suddenly doing something so reckless because of Kailo? There must be some political reason beyond our understanding!”

He was resolute.

“The noble and graceful Lady Vivian liking Kailo? That’s ridiculous. Sure, Kailo is an okay guy, but this is Lady Vivian we’re talking about. The Lady of Loctana, the genius who rebuilt the crumbling Rondor family. Not to mention, her beauty is so divine it feels like a miracle sent from the heavens. That Lady Vivian? Obsessing over Kailo?”

Mikel couldn’t believe that someone as perfect as Vivian would cling to a mere man, especially someone as ordinary as Kailo.

Listening to his words, Sanders tilted his head and countered,

“…Can you really conclude so much after just a few days? What if she’s shy and hesitant?”

Mikel snorted at that.

“Shy? Someone as high and cold as her? If she felt that way, she would’ve already acted decisively. And if she were the shy type, she wouldn’t have locked Kailo up in the first place.”

“Then what’s your point? Why did she imprison Kailo?”

Sanders pressed, and Mikel replied with a frustrated expression,

“…Well, Kailo is a prisoner, and he tried to leave without following protocol. Of course, she’d be angry. I get Kailo’s side too, but rules are rules, right?”

“If she was just angry, she could’ve thrown him in the dungeon. Why lock him in her room instead?”

“…Well, maybe she wanted to show some courtesy as a friend?”

Sanders clicked his tongue, as if the conversation was now a waste of time, and snapped at Mikel.

“You’re just twisting things to fit your own narrative. Lady Vivian kissed Kailo in front of everyone, for crying out loud! And recently, she even brought a drink to his quarters! Are you just ignoring all that?”

In the end, Mikel clutched his head in despair.

“No, no, no!! My Lady Vivian would never obsess over someone like Kailo!! That goddess-like woman, clinging to Kailo? No way!!”

He shook his head frantically, unable to accept it.

Valon leaned back in his chair, silently watching the commotion unfold.

“Hey, Valon!”

Mikel suddenly turned his attention to Valon.

“You’re one of Kailo’s closest friends, right? Say something!”

Valon replied indifferently.

“Say what?”

“What’s the truth? Did Lady Vivian really do all this because she likes Kailo? That Lady Vivian?”
Valon lowered his feet from the table, straightened his chair, and spoke in a low voice.

“…Why does it matter?”

“What the hell? Of course it matters! Are you saying you’re not jealous? Lady Vivian likes him enough to act like this?”

“Jealous?”

Valon clicked his tongue.

His tone was laced with irritation, drawing everyone’s attention.

Valon hadn’t intended to join the argument, but he had been preoccupied with thoughts of Kailo for the past few days.

He knew exactly why Kailo had hesitated to kill, why he hadn’t returned home.

“…How many scars do you have on your body? Have you ever counted the ones on Kailo?”

Mikel hesitated, sensing the shift in Valon’s tone.

“What, what’s this all of a sudden—”

“All those scars, they’re for Lady Vivian. Haven’t you seen the burn marks on his back? He broke his leg saving her that time too. Have you forgotten all that?”

“Valon, that’s not—”

“And there’s so much more we don’t see. I’m sure the memories they share, ones we can’t even imagine, are endless. They’ve been through things we can’t understand. I think Lady Vivian did all this because she does like Kailo. But…”

Valon stood up, spitting on the ground.

The guilt he felt toward Kailo still weighed heavily on him.

“…But don’t be jealous. Unless you’re ready to endure the same hardships Kailo has. Watching him, I just feel sorry for the guy. Don’t you? Do none of you feel bad for him? That guy was a great noble back in his homeland, someone we couldn’t even meet eyes with. And now he can’t even smell the air of his home, stuck here. What’s there to be jealous of?”

“You bastards. And you still want to joke about this? Don’t you feel any remorse toward Kailo?”

Mikel scratched his head awkwardly.

“Well, I just… If I didn’t joke around, I’d feel too uneasy, you know? Why’d you have to take it so seriously?”

Valon didn’t respond, leaving the now-silent quarters.

He walked toward the castle for patrol, spotting Wallace and Martin ahead of him.

“…Where’s Kailo?”

Valon asked.

Martin clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“…Still locked up, of course.”

Wallace sighed, scratching his head.

“What do we do? No matter how I think about it, there’s no answer.”

Valon lowered his head in silence, deep in thought.

Wallace continued, shaking his head.

“Honestly, Kailo could’ve left. But he stayed and saved all of us. No, no… we should say he willingly put the leash on himself.”

Valon took a deep breath.

The castle was bustling with preparations for Vivian’s 18th birthday celebration.

The dirt paths were crowded with maids stirring up dust as they worked, while the marble corridors echoed with the hurried footsteps of servants.

The entire castle was busy welcoming the upcoming guests, but amidst the activity, a tense quiet lingered, as if everyone was walking on eggshells around Vivian.

Valon’s vision blurred as he took in the scene.

He pressed his lips together, thinking for a moment before whispering softly.

“…I’ll have to do something.”

***

The conversation with Kailo had already concluded, and while she thought ignoring Kailo’s demands wouldn’t leave any lingering discomfort, the bitter aftertaste proved stronger than expected, making it impossible to sit still.

With a delicate rustling sound, Vivian stepped out from behind the thin screen.

The sheer fabric of her clothes revealed her curvaceous silhouette.

Her short nightgown, barely covering the lower edges of her underwear, left her legs fully exposed, illuminated softly by the flickering candlelight.

Vivian, her damp hair wrapped in a towel, approached me.

The natural, unpretentious motion gave the illusion that we were an old couple or lovers.

If not for the alien constraint of the handcuffs tightly clasped around my wrists, the sensation would have felt even more vivid.

It had been four days since I was imprisoned.

Her damp hair fell softly over her shoulders, curling more delicately than usual.

As she dried her hair, a subtle, familiar fragrance emanated from her movements.

“Isn’t it fascinating, Kailo?”

Vivian suddenly spoke.

Allowing me to witness a forbidden moment of beauty she would never show anyone else, she asked,

“We’re only getting started now, but most adults have probably already been through all of this.”

“They all pretend to be virtuous, elegant, and pure… but in the end, they’ve all experienced the same vulgar intimacy.”

I understood what she was trying to say.

It was true—we grew up together, and with that came certain realizations.

The adults around us had been hostile toward us, making it hard to imagine that even they had indulged in similar behavior.

“Isn’t it funny to think about how they’d act so upright the next day, facing others with brazen confidence? From a child’s perspective, it’s absurd.”

She chuckled lightly, meticulously organizing the documents on the desk.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her as she moved.

Once she finished tidying, she approached me with a serene expression.

Stopping at the foot of the bed, she gazed at me.

I looked back at her.

The bed, the blanket surrounding me, Vivian standing by the footboard, the dim desk and bookshelf in the background, and the warm candlelight that enveloped her body.

In that glow, Vivian watched me silently with a smile, biting her lip gently.

“…It feels so good to have you like this.”

Her voice was low and subdued.

“It’s like you’re truly mine now.”

She carefully climbed onto the bed, first placing her knees on it, then advancing slowly.

Like a lioness, she approached gracefully, inching closer with every elegant movement.

Each motion emphasized her feminine curves.

Her clothes and body brushed against the bed, making faint sounds.

Eventually, she reached me, pressing against my thighs and crawling over my body like a cat.

Every touch of hers felt like fire.

A burning sensation spread from her hands, consuming me.

Her expression, gestures, and the atmosphere she exuded clouded my reason.

My heart pounded wildly, perhaps because of the curse.

What man wouldn’t be affected when the woman he loves so madly acted this way?

It was humiliating.

My mind insisted on hating her, but my body wouldn’t cooperate.

“…Is this what you learned from Lady Linne?”

I barely managed to twist my tongue to insult her.

“…Huh?”

Vivian tilted her head and let out a light laugh.

Desperate not to be swayed by her, I hurled another taunt.

“You always act tough, but behind the scenes, were you just learning how to seduce men like a whore?”

Vivian sneered at my provocation.

“Well, isn’t that lucky for you? Now I get to see this reaction of yours.”

Her hand slid effortlessly between my legs.

The moment her hand touched that sensitive spot, I involuntarily flinched.

“Pfft…!”

Vivian burst out laughing at the sight.

I gritted my teeth against the raw, blatant stimulation.

“Why are you… touching so shamelessly?”

“Why would I feel shame about touching what’s mine?”

Despite her bold words, her face was different than usual.

Her cheeks were flushed, and so were her ears.

Her breaths were warmer and rougher than usual.

There was definitely a degree of performance in her behavior.

But the way she claimed me as hers felt entirely genuine.

That much was undeniable.

She pressed her body against mine.

With my hands bound, I could do nothing.

She rested her upper body against me, wrapping her arms around my neck as she had at the drinking table.

This time, the difference was how intimately she pressed against me.

There was no gap between us.

She erased all distance between us completely.

Her cool body enveloped mine, sending shivers down my spine.

“…I like how your body is always warm. Must be because you’re from the North?”

This was the boldest she’d acted in the days I’d been confined.

“…Ha.”

She clung to me, fulfilling her desires.

Then she slid off me and, as if continuing her earlier actions, placed her hand on that spot again.

“…Stop it.”

I whispered as the sensation overwhelmed me once more.

“Why?”

Her questioning tone, as if she truly didn’t understand.

“Don’t you know why?”

Swoosh.

Swoosh.

Vivian moved her hand with deliberate motions, pretending not to hear me.

Nothing I said seemed to reach her.

She studied my irritated expression closely, then lightly laughed and leaned in, her lips brushing against my ear.

Perhaps this, too, was something she had learned from Lady Linne.

After a soft kiss on my ear, she whispered.

“…Should I use my mouth?”

I clenched my fists tightly.

Vivian smiled faintly, continuing her whispers.

“…If you give up and agree to be mine, I’ll do it until morning. Imagine it—a chance to ruin my face, the one everyone praises as beautiful. Wouldn’t you love to punish me for acting like this?”

It was the devil’s whisper.

“…Don’t you want to see me struggling to hold onto what’s yours?”

I squeezed my eyes shut, then opened them to look at her and spoke.

“…Stop it. Please.”

In my base thoughts, I longed to see it, which made it even harder.

But my short plea, devoid of such feelings, froze the air in the room.

Vivian’s expression hardened little by little, and her hand hesitated, pausing mid-motion.

Somehow, my earnest request seemed to wound her.

“…Is it something worth begging for that much?”

She whispered.

Then, as if her interest had waned, she withdrew her hand.

Vivian stepped away from the bed.

Adjusting the chains as usual, she granted me just enough freedom to lie down on the bed.

“…Let’s end it here for today.”

She said.

“Lie down, Kailo. It’s time to sleep.”

But I didn’t lie down.

For some reason, following her words felt like losing.

Even with my pride already shattered by my body’s reactions, I couldn’t bring myself to comply.

Instead, I leaned stiffly against the headboard of the bed.

Vivian watched my unmoving form and said no more.

“Sigh…”

Her exhale snuffed out the candle.

The room plunged into darkness, and she quietly climbed onto the bed.

She made no further effort to make me lie down.

Instead, she rested her head on my thigh.

Her face was now obscured by the shadows.

“…Kailo, could you stroke my head just once?”

Her voice was low and quiet.

The sharp edge she usually carried had softened into a momentary vulnerability.

It felt as though the girl who had stripped off her armor had reappeared before me after the darkness fell.

In this moment, she seemed less like a tyrant trying to own me and more like a fragile girl yearning for protection and love.

“…My hands are tied. How do you expect me to do that?”

I replied in a dry tone.

Vivian gave a small, bitter laugh.

“…Right. Sorry.”

I suddenly asked,

“…How long are you planning to keep me locked up?”

Vivian’s answer was firm

.”Until you surrender.”

As though there was no need for further discussion, she changed the subject and bid me goodnight.

“Goodnight, Kailo. Dream of me. I…”

After a quiet moment of contemplation, she added,

“…I’ll dream of you smiling at me.”

Her final words faded like a light breath.

Hiding in the darkness, I trembled slightly at those delicate words.

…Honestly, I couldn’t even remember the last time I smiled at her.

Gradually, her body relaxed against me, her tension melting away.

Silence once again enveloped the room.

It felt as though the tiresome days of our endless battles had returned, leaving behind an exhausting day.

Yet, along with that exhaustion, a faint sense of shared familiarity crept into my heart, born of enduring such moments together.