Ch.136Side Story) Race (8)

    Kirsy felt her heart drawn in instantly, but she was also afraid.

    Susan seemed to be overestimating her. While this method might be simple from her perspective… Kirsy was still an inexperienced virgin lacking crucial information.

    For several days, she’d said. Even one day would be arduous—how could this possibly work?

    But Susan had sharp instincts. This place had been Payne Family’s Territory before becoming Mels’ territory.

    It wasn’t by chance that she’d managed to protect her tavern in these crime-ridden streets.

    Reading Kirsy’s emotions, Susan gently reassured her.

    “Mrs. Mels, listen. It only requires patience—everything else is simple.”

    “…Patience…”

    Though unsure what kind of patience she meant, Kirsy eventually nodded.

    This was advice from an expert. By using it, she was confident she could get ahead of other women, especially her sister Asena.

    Susan had mentioned it was currently trendy. No matter how much Asena studied, she couldn’t learn about trends from books.

    Kirsy was willing to do anything to receive the most love from Caden.

    “Please tell me,” she requested firmly.

    Susan nodded and leaned in to whisper the method.

    As Kirsy listened, her determined expression gradually… gradually began to redden.

    Susan explained every detail over a long period.

    By the time the conversation ended, Kirsy had her head bowed, biting her lip.

    Her expression was complex—embarrassed yet pleased, worried yet expectant.

    “…It seems… too difficult to endure…” Kirsy whispered.

    ****

    When Kirsy returned to the territory, Caden was pacing anxiously in the plaza before the castle.

    Other soldiers who had gone searching for her in town accompanied her return.

    “Kirsy!”

    As soon as Caden spotted her, he rushed toward her.

    Kirsy hadn’t yet decided what expression to wear when facing him.

    Throughout the journey back, she’d been so focused on rehearsing the method that she’d forgotten to prepare herself.

    While Kirsy stood there flustered, Caden quickly approached and held her face.

    “Ah!”

    “Are you hurt anywhere?”

    “…Huh?”

    His face was filled with worry, regret, and guilt.

    Though she’d only been away from him for a day, it felt like she was seeing him after a long time, filled with longing.

    But Kirsy composed herself.

    She determined how to act by reading his expression.

    As she’d once revealed to him, Kirsy wasn’t as innocent as Caden thought.

    She could do anything to receive his love.

    …Though she’d learned to moderate herself somewhat, this situation seemed worth exploiting.

    For Susan’s intimate instructions to work, Caden’s willingness was crucial.

    “…Hmph.”

    Kirsy turned her head slightly, pretending to be upset.

    She already realized her action of sneaking into town without Caden’s knowledge had been excessive.

    She knew she was in the wrong too. Yet she couldn’t stop herself.

    She brushed off his touch and began walking toward the garden.

    All her attention focused on whether Caden would follow. He needed to follow her.

    With an anxious heart, Kirsy walked slowly.

    If he grew tired of her behavior and turned away, she planned to drop the act and cling to his pant leg.

    Fortunately, Caden followed.

    “…Kirsy. Let’s talk.”

    “…Hmph.”

    Of course, Kirsy had legitimate grievances. Caden’s behavior the previous night had certainly crossed a line.

    Thinking about last night still made her feel frustrated. She had plenty to say to him.

    Kirsy continued walking toward the garden without responding to him.

    Though inappropriate to think about now, she felt oddly happy that Caden was following her to comfort her.

    It gave her the illusion that he was the one pursuing her.

    When they reached a place where they were alone, Kirsy turned to face him.

    “…”

    As she prepared to speak about how hurt she’d felt the previous night, those emotions began to resurface.

    Unlike earlier, being alone with him made her want to express her grievances.

    Even Kirsy herself was surprised at how one-dimensional she could be.

    “…Do you love me, oppa?”

    Letting her suppressed emotions burst forth, Kirsy asked.

    This was no longer pretense or acting. Her true feelings were emerging.

    “…Of course I do.”

    “Then why do you treat me like you hate me?”

    “…”

    “Why do you do everything with unnie and leave me behind? Why am I always second to unnie?”

    Caden had already moved closer and embraced her. Kirsy buried her face in his chest and continued to pour out everything she’d been holding back.

    “…You pushed me away saying ‘next time,’ but why do you embrace unnie? Why don’t you push her away?”

    “…I’m sorry. It’s not because I dislike you.”

    “…You’re lying. Be honest. You don’t like me.”

    If he actually answered that he didn’t like her, Kirsy was prepared to cry endlessly. She asked hoping he would contradict her words.

    “…No. That’s not true.”

    “…I’m trying too. I love you too. Why do I… always feel like you’re just doing things with me out of obligation?”

    As she spoke, Kirsy could clearly feel her own resentment.

    She hated being pushed aside, but she also hated being treated as an afterthought.

    She disliked the feeling that he was with her only because he’d been with Asena.

    It felt like wearing her sister’s hand-me-down clothes.

    If he’d already done something with Asena, his actions toward her didn’t feel genuine.

    She wanted him to express his love to her first, and to Asena reluctantly—not the other way around.

    Caden held her tighter and whispered quietly.

    “…I was wrong this time. Even I think I went too far. But please believe me. It’s not because I dislike you.”

    Kirsy swallowed, suppressing her hurt feelings.

    Now came the main point.

    “…Can you prove it?”

    “…What?”

    “That you love me…”

    Kirsy lifted her head from his chest. She looked at him with unconsciously anxious eyes.

    “…Can you prove it… for me…?”

    Caden looked down at her, then lowered his head to kiss her forehead.

    *Smooch*

    “…Of course, Kirsy.”

    He promised her with an expression like he was handling a precious treasure.

    ****

    Afterward, Kirsy asked me for just one thing.

    To listen to her requests for the next five days.

    I could refuse requests I didn’t want to fulfill, but she hoped I would grant them all.

    It wasn’t a problem for me.

    From the moment Asena discovered my intimate relationship with Judy, I had anticipated intimacy with Asena.

    And when Kirsy discovered my intimacy with Asena, I expected the same with her.

    Having prepared myself for the ultimate consequences, there was nothing I couldn’t grant among Kirsy’s requests.

    …Well, unless she made some insane request like having intercourse in front of everyone, reviving her villainous tendencies.

    While organizing documents with Daisy, I tried to calm my complicated thoughts.

    Recently, everything seemed to be accelerating.

    Not that I disliked it, but adapting to these changing relationships was overwhelming.

    Since everything was new to me, calculating the appropriate distance afterward was also complex.

    Perhaps sensing my concerns, Daisy suddenly stood beside me and placed her hand on my shoulder.

    Was she going to give me a massage like before?

    I smiled and took her hand on my shoulder, when Daisy said:

    “…There’s something on your neck.”

    “…”

    At those words, my body froze.

    On my neck were bite marks and kiss marks left by Asena the previous night.

    That morning, I’d forgotten to hide them when I heard Kirsy had disappeared.

    While kiss marks might be ambiguous… Daisy wouldn’t mistake bite marks for anything else.

    Seeing my flustered reaction, she must have become even more certain about how these marks had appeared.

    “…Hmm.”

    Daisy silently returned to her desk and examined the documents.

    Though I hadn’t done anything wrong, I kept watching her nervously.

    *Knock knock knock*

    Salvation arrived as I was enduring the awkward atmosphere.

    “C-come in.”

    Without even wondering who might be visiting, I granted entry.

    Then Kirsy appeared, like a maid, pulling a cart with food.

    “…Kirsy?”

    “Oppa, I brought lunch. I’d like you to eat it. I cooked it myself.”

    I was secretly impressed. Was this her request?

    Wanting me to eat food she’d prepared?

    I should be the one thanking her—Kirsy’s innocence was simply amazing.

    Then Kirsy lifted the silver lid covering the plate, revealing the dish.

    “…?”

    A strange combination of foods lay there. It barely qualified as cooking. It looked more like a collection of foods.

    Eel, rarely seen. Chives from the north. Oysters, fatty duck, and raw garlic.

    It took me a while to figure out what these items had in common.

    “…”

    Every single one was a stamina-enhancing food.

    The hair on the back of my neck stood up.

    I looked at Kirsy’s face.

    “…I hope you enjoy it.”

    It felt like I was seeing for the first time the surging desire hidden behind her innocent face.


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