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Layla didn't want to say it. She didn't want to expose her dirty laundry.

(T/N: Dirty laundry:personal or private affairs that one does not want to be made public.)

It was the first time that someone couldn't smell her, and she didn't want to say it with her own mouth that her body had a stench.

But what excuse did she have to explain why she couldn't go to the market?

You're bleeding.

What?

Layla lifted her head at the voice she heard immediately next to her ear. Bioust, who was sitting opposite to her, was suddenly out of sight.

Your hand is bleeding.

He was instead standing behind Layla, leaning against her back and whispering in her ears. He reached his hand out from behind and pulled Layla's finger out of her mouth.

As Bioust had said, red blood was welling up from her thumb. It was the place where a torn nail was sloppily attached.

Layla stared blankly at the blood.

Should I treat it?

His languid whisper pierced Layla's ear.

Treat?

Layla asked back, as if she didn't know what treatment was. But it wasn't that she didn't really know what it was.

Would you like me to lick and put saliva on it?

Not that!

Embarrassed by his words, Layla turned her head to look at Bioust. He looked at her with a gentle smile without any agitation.

Ah

Her face heated up.Then she remembered his treatment yesterday.

She didn't know what it was, but her body tingled when Biost's tongue touched her. The sole of her feet felt itchy and her toe curled up. No, it wasn't just her toes. Her whole body trembled, and shuddered without her realizing.

And oddly enough, she didn't hate it.

It doesn't hurt?

A gentle voice rang in Layla's ear. This was also weird. She just said it, she felt chills and goosebumps appear. Although it wasn't cold.

It was a feeling similar to when he licked her hand.

It's okay, I'll heal you immediately.

Hu-

And Bioust wrapped and bit Layla's finger. Just like yesterday, his rough tongue touched Layla's skin.

What Bioust said was right. The pain had already healed. She could only feel his tongue rather than the injury.

At first, he sucked Layla's injured thumb, and then his prickly tongue pressed her finger to the roof of his mouth. His tongue, which held Layla's finger to the roof of his mouth, began to rub against it.

Slowly or quickly. Sometimes, while hugging her tenderly.

Feeling a little nervous, Layla grabbed her table with her other hand. Otherwise, she felt like she was going to be swept away somewhere.

She didn't know where it was, but it felt like she was being dragged somewhere far and deep.

Layla

A gentle whisper called her name. No one had ever called Layla with such a sweet voice. She couldn't remember the last time she had ever heard her name in another voice.

And in fact, a shivering goosebump appeared.

Hnng

At the sound of her own groan that was unfamiliar to her, Layla unconsciously shut her eyes tightly. It was the first time she felt this feeling.

Layla.

He only called out her name, but when Bioust saw Layla trembling, he smiled. As he exhaled his breath into her ear, she trembled even more.

In the beginning, it was Bioust who held Layla's hand. But now, Layla was holding his hand tightly. Layla held Bioust's hand tightly, as if she believed that she would fall somewhere if she let go of his hand.

Layla's thumb that Bioust sucked, has blood dripping along with his saliva.

'What a waste.'

He quickly shoved Layla's finger back to his mouth.

Aah!

Layla, who thought she couldn't hold it in anymore, held Bioust's hand tighter than before. The weak grip was so cute that Bioust sucked Layla's finger in return.

Then the taste of Layla spread into Bioust's mouth.

It didn't taste like fishy metal. It was sweet.

It wasn't sweet like sugar, sweets, or any fruit, but it's taste could only be described as sweet.

And it was the same addictive taste as the delicious seawater that he was thirsty for.

No matter how much you drink, it is not enough, you want more and more, and you end up dying of thirst, and despite knowing that, you still want it.

Just her fingers weren't enough.

A few drops of blood were unbelievably insufficient.

Bioust wanted everything about Layla.

He wanted to mercilessly crush this pitiful flower, plunder her without leaving anything, and chew her without holding back.

From head to toe, the desire to chew everything and make all of her his own like a beast, swelled up in Bioust.

W-wait, stop!

It may be because she recognized Bioust's desire. Like a herbivore, instinctively aware of a carnivore.

Layla, who had been trembling in Bioust's arms, suddenly stopped him and scrambled to get out of his arms.

T-there's stew.

Holding back her gasping breath, Layla said so.

You said you like meat. There's a stew made of pork.

Right now, what Bioust wanted to eat was not stew, but Layla.

Is that so?

But Bioust politely retreated. He released Layla's hand that he had been holding, and removed his body, which had been so close behind her.

I'll re-heat the stew. Wait, Wait a minute.

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Still gasping her breath, Layla rose from her seat.

Yes. That sounds delicious.

If Layla wasn't focused on walking on her trembling legs, and wasn't calming her trembling hand, she might have seen it.

Unlike his gentle and kind words, Bioust was looking at her with sharp and ferocious eyes.

Bioust was looking at her as if he desired to taste her again.

His Highness the Crown Prince may be thinking of making Baron Valencia's daughter as the Crown Princess.

At the words of Suli, Baron Valencia and his wife's mouths opened wide. What they were hoping to happen may really happen.

I-is that true?

Of course.

Looking at the face of the Crown Prince's attendant speaking with a smile, the Baron could not believe what he had just said.

My daughter is going to be the Crown Princess. So am I going to become the Crown Prince's father-in-law? Then, the future father-in-law of the Emperor of the Orlion Empire? Is my daughter going to be the Empress of the Empire?

Oh my gosh!

Hearing the voice of her wife, who covered her mouth with her fan and sighed in amazement, the Baron secretly pinched his thigh.

It hurt. It certainly wasn't a dream.

D-did His Highness the Crown Prince say that himself? O-or that is just what you're sensing?

His Highness the Crown Prince said so himself.

The Baron swallowed dry saliva. He took it lightly when it was said that the Crown Prince's attendant had something he wanted to say to him.

Does the Crown Prince have something he wanted to eat tonight? Or did he feel uncomfortable all night? He can only think of such small things.

If they had done something that would cause them to blame the Baronin, the hostess, and their daughter, he thought that Ariadne would be mad at them.

But, oh my gosh! To think it was about the Crown Princess.

Do you need time for your daughter to pack up?

P-pack up?

Yes. His highness seems to be planning to take your daughter directly to the Imperial Palace.

The Imperial Palace?

Yes. He is planning to have her enter the palace in advance in order to learn the atmosphere and etiquette of the imperial family before formally welcoming her as the Crown Princess.

E-enter the palace?

Like a parrot, the Baron asked back to Suli. His head was not working properly with what was happening so suddenly.

As if Suli knew everything, he looked at the Baron with a generous smile.

Yes. Will it take a long time to prepare?

N-no! We can't keep the Crown Prince waiting! We will prepare it quickly.

Yes. I appreciate it.

Yes. We will.

The conversation is over. Normally, it was time for Suli to leave the study.

But Suli was still looking at the Baron and Baronin with a smile on his face.

As if they had forgotten something.

Hey, is there anything else you want to tell us?

No. Nothing. Just

The attendant's kind smile turned into an ambiguous one.

I think the Baron promised me something.

I promised something to attendant-nim? Ah!

It was then that the Baron realized why this servant was not going out. He quickly opened the drawer and took 500 shillings from it.

Ahahaha! I forgot about it because I was in such a hurry.

As the Baron placed it on the table, Suli stayed still and lowered his head with an ambiguous smile.

This time, while the Baron was bewildered, not knowing what the problem was, the Baron's wife poked him in the side.

If you are going to become the Emperor's father-in-law in the future, give some more.

Ah? Aah!

Only then did the Baron understand the atmosphere, and quickly opened the drawer again.

'Wait, how much should the emperor's father-in-law give?'

Baron Valencia, who had been contemplating, took out an additional 500 shillings and placed it on the table. It was not until a thousand shillings came out did Suli collect the money.

You didn't have to do this but I will use it for a good cause.

There was no need to explain that the good cause was for Suli himself.

Then, when will Baron's esteemed daughter be ready?

How long do we have?

The sooner the better. How about tomorrow?

Tomorrow? Tomorrow is

The Baron quickly shook his head.

Ariadne's dresses and jewelry were quite enormous. Ariadne wouldn't give up on them just because she's entering the palace. Was it possible to pack them in one day?

If it will take a while, the day after tomorrow is fine. The important thing is for the Crown Princess to enter the palace safely and comfortably.

The day after tomorrow was also tight, but Suli talked as if he was giving them plenty enough time to finish.

I understand. We will pack her bags right now so that they can leave the day after tomorrow being the latest.

Then, the day after tomorrow it is.

Feeling the thousand shilling in his pocket, Suli smiled with satisfaction.