Ch.111The Night at the Mansion (2)

It took me a long time to notice, but once I did, conversations with Marie became inevitably awkward. If my suspicions were correct, Mother wouldn’t have given me any medicine, and Marie wouldn’t have come dressed like this.

Until now, I hadn’t thought such a situation would arise, and I believed that if it did unexpectedly, I could handle it smoothly. But the problem is the desire that Cecilly has heightened through her… efforts.

Whether Cecilly deliberately planned this or unintentionally exuded sensuality, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to endure. My sexual urges have been challenging to manage since my reincarnation, and today I’m reaching my limit.

‘Fortunately, I can still hold back for now.’

I slowly raised my head, which I had lowered, and looked at Marie. She sat before me in a revealing evening dress that exposed most of her chest area.

What’s more, now that I could see her up close—something I couldn’t confirm earlier from a distance—the dress was even more provocative. The fabric seemed to be sheer, subtly revealing her fair skin underneath.

They say men feel stronger desire toward women who show their skin discreetly like this rather than those who are completely naked, and I’m experiencing that firsthand.

Having Marie, of all people, appear before me dressed like this is making my head spin. Her dress alone strongly conveys her intention to be intimate with me.

“Isaac. Can you tell me why you called me? And don’t we have a lot more to talk about besides this?”

Marie spoke up while I was barely suppressing my desires with maximum patience. Her voice was still as refreshing as ever, but given the atmosphere, even her voice sounded seductive.

I removed my hands from my face and faced Marie directly. She seemed embarrassed too, her face slightly flushed and her lips trembling.

Thankfully, I wasn’t the only one feeling tense. This gave me enough confidence to finally speak.

“…Yes. I called you because I wanted to talk. But that outfit…”

“What about it?”

“…Never mind. Let’s talk about that later. The time—no, the night is still young.”

“… …”

I didn’t say the time was long, but that the ‘night’ was long. Though it might seem like a subtle difference, in this situation, it carried an entirely different meaning.

It was essentially my indirect permission to grant Marie’s wish. She seemed to understand the implication, as her cheeks, white as rice cakes, grew redder, and her beaming face gradually began to change.

Just before an awkward silence could settle in, I decided to get straight to the point. The reason I called Marie to my bedroom is, as everyone might guess, because of my relationship with Rina.

Although Rina and Leort have wronged me greatly, they are imperial royalty of the Empire of Minerva. Making them enemies would do no good, and I need to establish them as strong allies, like during this exhibition.

Cecilly has declared she would protect me, but the position of demons is currently uncertain. So making Rina firmly my ally would make my future easier.

‘I used to avoid politics so much, but life is truly strange.’

Indeed, no one can predict their future. To think that I, who disliked politics, am now trying to persuade Marie to make Rina an ally.

Still, it’s better to prepare in advance rather than being dragged around. When I resume publishing, my value will increase, and I’ll inevitably be involved in politics whether I want to or not.

“Marie.”

“Yes?”

“This might be sensitive for you. It’s about Rina.”

*Flinch*

Perhaps because I mentioned Rina, who was beyond a bad connection—she was an object of contempt—Marie’s body noticeably flinched, and her upturned lips quickly dropped.

The atmosphere, which had been heating up as if about to ignite, plummeted instantly. I wondered if I should have brought it up, but this is one of the challenges I need to resolve someday.

As the saying goes, it’s better to take action early than to clean up a mess later. I want to stop postponing issues until they become crises.

“…Why Rina?”

Marie slightly furrowed her brow and questioned me, perhaps a bit displeased that I had dampened the mood. Her expression and tone were full of discontent.

I fixed my gaze on her face, resisting the urge to look downward. From here, I needed to speak carefully to ensure Marie wouldn’t remain displeased and to restore the atmosphere.

I stared intently at Marie’s face, which remained beautiful even with a frown, and expressed what I wanted to say.

“I’ve been curious, and I’m planning to get closer to Rina and Lord Leort in the future. As you know, Biography of Xenon has grown exponentially with each new release. By the time it concludes, even nations might not be able to handle its influence.”

“…So you want to make Rina an ally? To protect yourself, your family, and your household in case things go wrong in the future.”

“Exactly.”

As expected of someone from the Reckyless ducal family, Marie precisely identified what I wanted. However, her displeased expression remained.

For her, this might be a matter of pride. Why seek out imperial royalty when she, from the Reckyless family, is already by my side?

But when my identity is revealed, countless eyes will focus on me, and dark hands will reach out. To prevent this, I need as many allies as possible.

“Isn’t Cecilly enough? She said she’d support you in every way.”

“It’s not that she’s insufficient. But she’s not enough either. As with the manuscript theft incident, everything in this world is uncertain. In the worst case, I could be kidnapped.”

“… …”

“And what I fear most… is you and my family getting hurt because of me.”

I don’t care what happens to me. As long as I’m the only one affected, it’s fine.

But my family is different. Considering the love and dedication they’ve shown me, they are like irreplaceable treasures.

The thought of them being harmed because of me… it’s truly horrifying.

As someone who lost his family in an accident in the blink of an eye in my previous life, I want to prevent that at all costs.

“Especially you—I want to protect you no matter what. You liked me even before knowing I was Xenon, and you even confessed to me. You are an irreplaceable treasure and a precious woman to me. Just imagining you getting hurt… I’d be tormented for life. Until I reveal that I’m Xenon, you’ll protect me, but after that, it’s my turn to protect you.”

“… …”

“Please understand my feelings. It’s okay if you think I’m selfish. I’ll do anything to protect you.”

“…That’s just like you to think that way.”

After I poured out my feelings, Marie chuckled and responded. When I looked up, I was surprised to find her resting her chin on one hand, staring at me with an expression that seemed to say she couldn’t help it. Her blue eyes held a deep emotion and were slightly moist.

She then slowly closed her eyes as if organizing her thoughts, and when she opened them, she looked directly at me.

“Are you playing with my heart? Can you really take responsibility for those words? About protecting me?”

“I’ll protect you even if it costs me my hands.”

“When you put it that way, I can’t refuse. Alright, I accept.”

It seems I’ve successfully persuaded her. I briefly rejoiced inwardly, but then maintained my composure and asked the question I wanted to ask.

Even if I make Rina an ally, progress will be slow as long as Marie and Rina maintain an awkward relationship. Somehow, I need to reconcile these two for a smoother future.

“Having her as an ally isn’t enough. I’m curious about what happened between you and Rina.”

“…Why that too? Isn’t making her an ally enough?”

She frowned, showing clear dislike, as if I had touched on a trauma. A markedly different reaction from before.

However, I continued steadily with what I wanted to say. This is something I’ve been curious about and an issue that needs improvement.

It might seem like I’m overstepping, but it’s not right for potential allies to be at odds with each other. That’s why I’m taking the initiative.

“Even with allies, pent-up emotions between people can cloud judgment. Moreover, Rina seems to feel sorry towards you too. As I said earlier, I want to prepare for contingencies.”

“… …”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you. But being at odds with imperial royalty might come back to haunt us someday. If Rina were to harbor ill intentions, we’d face a formidable enemy.”

“Sigh…”

My persuasion seemed to have cooled her head, as Marie closed her eyes and sighed deeply again. Thankfully, it seems to have worked.

Marie maintained her chin-resting posture, shifted her gaze elsewhere, and tapped her cheek with her finger. After a moment, having organized her thoughts, she quietly began to speak.

“…As you said, it’s an issue that needs to be resolved someday. In a way, I was petty too.”

“What happened?”

“Well… as you know, Rina and I were childhood friends. The Reckyless family was one of the Emperor’s close associates, so we naturally grew close. Since we were the same age, my father sent me to the imperial palace. I received all my education there, including etiquette. That was fine, but the problem was the social gatherings. It happened when I was 12.”

“Social gatherings…”

Unlike our family, which governs a small rural village, high-ranking families debut in social gatherings from a young age. They gradually expand their networks to secure their future.

I’m certain Marie and Rina received tremendous attention. After all, they were an imperial princess and a duke’s daughter. They couldn’t help but attract attention.

“As you know, I can instinctively see through people’s true intentions. I’m fine now, but back then, I was too young to manage my expressions. Rina, on the other hand, was completely different. Not only was her expression management perfect, but she also captivated people with her eloquent speech.”

“Were you jealous?”

“No way. What do you take me for? I just thought, ‘Wow, she’s amazing.'”

Marie waved her hand in denial at my guess. For someone else, it might have been natural to feel jealous, but she was so pure that she didn’t even have the chance to feel envy.

“But the problem arose from elsewhere, not from Rina or me. An imperial princess and a duke’s daughter—that might seem perfect, but… as you said, there are always people who feel jealous.”

“Did someone spread rumors or try to drive a wedge between you?”

“Yes. From the age of 15, a baron’s daughter began subtly separating us. Without either of us realizing it.”

This was the beginning of real political maneuvering. I listened attentively with a serious expression, anticipating a grave story.

Marie glanced at me, then chuckled and continued her explanation in a low voice.

But I could see it. Her hands had started to tremble intermittently. The trauma seemed deeply embedded in her heart.

“You know that the real power among nobles often lies with barons, not dukes or marquises, right? Her family was one of those influential ones. But they were also very ambitious. Ambitious to rise higher.”

“… …”

“She began to isolate me thoroughly. Whenever I approached Rina, she would separate us for baseless reasons, and she would also speak ill of me to Rina. Of course, Rina didn’t believe it at first, but as it accumulated… Rina also…”

“Stop. That’s enough.”

I think that’s enough. I quickly grabbed Marie’s hands and firmly cut her off.

Not only were her hands trembling, but her voice was shaking as she spoke. Marie slowly raised her head as I took her hands. Without realizing it, tears had welled up in her eyes.

I looked at Marie with a sympathetic gaze. Her usual confident and energetic demeanor had completely vanished, leaving only someone betrayed by a friend.

There’s hardly anything as terrible and painful as being betrayed by a trusted friend. Especially experiencing such a thing at a young age would have left a deeper scar.

Fortunately, it seems they cleared up the misunderstanding and handled the situation well, but for Marie, it remained an unforgettable memory. I now understand why she so despised and contempted Rina.

“I think I shouldn’t have asked. I’m really sorry. I had no idea such a thing happened…”

“No, no. We cleared up the misunderstanding afterward, and that baron’s daughter was expelled from her family. In fact, Rina even bowed deeply to me in apology. I just didn’t accept it.”

“It’s not that you didn’t accept it, but that you couldn’t.”

Trust between people, once broken, is extremely difficult to restore. Even with lifelong efforts, it’s often challenging.

Just as a nail removed from a wall leaves a hole, the hole pierced in a person’s heart can never be completely repaired.

“…You won’t do that to me, will you?”

Marie roughly wiped her tears with the back of her hand and asked me with a moist voice. I silently held her hand firmly and spoke resolutely.

“Never. No matter what happens, I’ll only tell you the truth.”

“And yet such a person is having an affair with Cecilly?”

“… …”

This leaves me speechless. When I remained silent like a mute who had eaten honey, Marie burst into laughter as if it was a joke.

Then, pinching my cheek, she acted nonchalantly.

“To think you’d be with another woman when you have such a pretty girlfriend. And that woman is even prettier? I can’t let this slide. I’ll have to torment you all night.”

“…Did you talk well with Cecilly?”

“Yes. I’ll specially permit Cecilly.”

Whatever they discussed, there didn’t seem to be any discomfort. If anything, it felt more like relief.

Moreover, from the nuance that she stood above Cecilly, it seems Marie firmly held the choice.

I inwardly felt relieved and sighed with relief, but then I gently grabbed Marie’s wrist as she pinched my cheek.

And slowly, very slowly, I placed it on the desk. Marie moved her arm without any resistance, following my lead.

“… …”

“… …”

So we both, without saying a word, just held hands and looked at each other. Just looking at each other made the atmosphere increasingly intimate.

I started from Marie’s face and slowly lowered my gaze.

From her slender nape, to her chest that was mostly exposed and prominent, to the skin faintly visible through the evening dress.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her figure, which was like a painting, and it simultaneously stimulated my desires like a needle prick.

As if there was nothing to hide anymore, I was openly looking at Marie with lustful eyes.

“…Isaac.”

Marie called my name with a shy demeanor. I slowly raised my head.

She avoided my gaze as soon as our eyes met, then tucked her hair behind her ear. And in a voice as quiet as an ant crawling, she said:

“Um… during the performance, you said we should talk in the bedroom while having coffee.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know what that meant?”

I don’t know the exact meaning, but isn’t it similar to the famous “Want to come over for ramen?”

We didn’t even take a sip of coffee because we were busy talking, but the meaning alone is sufficient. I had already firmly made up my mind.

I held Marie’s hand more firmly as she blushed and spoke with embarrassment.

“I didn’t know then, but I think I know now.”

“… …”

“…Want to drink?”

To my indirect question, Marie…

“…Yes.”

Gave a direct answer, granting permission.

After hearing her answer, I slowly tilted my chin up and exhaled deeply. Then, with a cautious attitude, I asked her:

“Won’t you regret it?”

“I won’t regret it because it’s you.”

“I’m still lacking in many ways and might be frustrating at times.”

“I’m boisterous and stubborn.”

Marie clearly countered each of my concerned questions. As she did so, she seemed to gain courage, and eventually faced me directly and exchanged gazes.

I stared at Marie’s eyes, which were evenly mixed with determination, tension, expectation, and affection, and then silently stood up. Marie also stood up as I held her hand as if escorting her.

“…Isaac.”

“Yes, Marie.”

“I love you.”

Marie, with a deeply flushed face and a smile, confessing her love to me. She looked so beautiful, cute, and sexy that I couldn’t hold back anymore.

I slowly brought my face closer and stopped right in front of Marie’s nose. Even with my face so close, Marie never turned away.

“…Me too.”

*Swish*

I released our held hands and slowly, gently moved them up and then behind her back. My other empty hand also brushed past her thin waist and moved to her back.

Every time my hands moved like a snake, Marie’s delicate body flinched. Meanwhile, I finally managed to embrace Marie.

I had only been looking at her from the front, so I hadn’t realized, but I could now feel that her back was also generously exposed. The sensation of her back was transmitted directly through my hands.

“Haah…”

As I embraced her, Marie exhaled a hot breath. Then, fumbling with my body, she carefully and strongly embraced me.

Unlike the hugs we had shared before, I could fully feel her skin and heartbeat. Her large breasts pressed against me through the evening dress.

Marie’s breasts, soft like marshmallows, changing shape freely with the slightest pressure. I wondered what it would feel like to touch them with my hands.

But it’s not time yet. Marie is the woman giving me a sweet first night, so she should be treated as preciously as a glass artwork.

“…Isaac. There’s something down there…”

“You made it like this.”

“… …”

Marie seems to have felt my manhood starting to swell. She kept glancing down at my lower body, which was fully engorged.

In response, I moved my hands, which were on her back, downward, as if saying “where are you looking?” Not too fast, not too slow, just enough for her to feel it fully.

“Eek!”

Marie trembled and made a strange sound at the sudden stimulation. Startled, she tightened her arms around me. But I didn’t stop there.

The fact that her back was exposed meant my hands could invade further down. I gently caressed her back and at some point, stroked down to below her waist.

Not quite reaching her intimate parts, but by caressing her buttocks and wide hips like handling porcelain, I began to tease her.

“Mmm… Ahh…”

As the fresh stimulations continued one after another, Marie trembled and moaned. When she couldn’t bear to look at me and lowered her head, I grabbed her chin with one hand and forcibly lifted it.

“Mmm…? Mmph!”

And then came a surprise kiss. Marie stiffened at the sudden kiss, but soon relaxed and accepted it.

I held the back of her head with one hand and her back with the other, indulging fully.

*Chu! Chuup! Chu!*

Not just a simple kiss of lips meeting, but a passionate deep kiss as if exploring each other. Just as I firmly held Marie’s head, she also responded by embracing my neck.

Licking lips, gently biting, and inserting tongues between parted lips to search for their counterparts.

Finally, our tongues intertwined and exchanged saliva, craving each other’s love.

“Whoa…”

“… …”

After a period of indulgence, we both separated our lips as if by prior agreement. A thin silver thread stretched between our lips before breaking with a snap.

I briefly tasted the sweetness in my mouth and looked at Marie’s face.

With her tongue extended and eyes unfocused, she clearly expressed a feeling of ecstasy. An expression more suited to vulgarity than elegance.

And due to the intense kiss just now, one of the straps of her dress had slipped down, completely exposing one of her breasts.

“…Marie.”

“Haa… Haa…”

Already excited to the fullest, she couldn’t even respond properly and was panting. I slowly brought my face closer and whispered in her ear.

“I love you.”

“M-me too…”

As soon as she answered with a trembling voice, I took action. I gently caressed her face, then lowered my head and placed my lips on her slender, long neck.

And I gently licked it with my tongue, savoring the scent of her skin. Having just washed, the sweet soap fragrance stimulated all my senses.

“Mmm…”

She seemed satisfied too, letting out a sensual moan and trembling slightly. I slowly led her towards the bed and…

“Ahh!”

By grabbing her already exposed breast, the deep night in the mansion began.