Chapter 48.2

“We haven’t seen each other since Duke Lecardo had returned from the battlefield. And when you visited Cilliard Mansion, you avoided me like the plague. You only talked to my sister, Cassian.”

“…….”

“Also, I assumed you would give me that hairpin you bought. You got angry, and then you handed it to Seria afterward.”

As a child, Cassian once bought a white flower-shaped hairpin, and Yernia happened to find it in his bag.

Thinking it was hers, Yernia got excited and put the pretty white flower hairpin in her hair.

When Cassian found her, she laughed joyfully and said, “Thank you for the hairpin, Cassian! It’s so pretty.”

As his cheeks turned tomato-red, Cassian’s countenance hardened when he replied, “That’s not yours.”

Yernia had never felt so embarrassed in her life.

Was he just being shy?

She wanted to ask, but she didn’t.

“I know you bought this for me! I look pretty in it, right?”

“It’s not yours!”

Cassian came closer and snatched the hairpin away to put it in Seria’s hand, who came with him.

“Oh, it’s hers?”

Yernia pretended to accept the truth, but she was pretty shocked.

She ran towards her room and cried for a long time.

It was even more heartbreaking because she had a crush on Cassian then.

“It happened once or twice. Even if I wanted to ignore you after that completely, I couldn’t help but like you.”

What did he mean by misunderstanding?

Yernia understood it right away due to her embarrassment.

“I was a little hurt when we were young, but I’m alright now. I don’t like you anymore since you’re like my brother now——”

Cassian covered Yernia’s mouth with his, and she held her breath.

It was fortunate that the sudden kiss was short.

His lips brushed against hers, and he lifted them off immediately.

“No, we’re not.”

“…….”

“I didn’t like Seria.”

Her heart pounded in surprise.

It was the first time anyone had kissed her to prove their innocence.

“You didn’t? Alright, I trust you.”

“Don’t  you like me now, Yernia?”

“As I said, I don’t like you, Cassian. If you kiss me from out of the blue, I would hate you, but—-”

It scared her to death that her heart was beating like crazy.

“Is it okay if I get permission?”

That’s weird, too.

Did he want her permission that she’d agree to kiss him?

“I want to do it now. Open your mouth.”

“Are you crazy? Is this how you get permission?”

He didn’t ask if he could do it.

He straight-up told her to open her mouth.

Yernia’s earlobes heated at his bluntness.

“Also, look around. We aren’t the only ones here.”

Cassian couldn’t take it anymore and just grabbed Yernia’s hand.

Rather than being ashamed of other people’s presence, he told them of the time and place of his actions instead.

The Marquis hugged Yernia before he carried her back to the cabin.

“Hey, Cassian. I don’t want to do it in our room.” She whispered in embarrassment.

He closed the door and locked it.

“You said you liked me before. You can try to like me again.”

“…….”

“Don’t worry. I’ll help you. We could start by kissing first.”

As Cassian rushed towards her, Yernia tripped over the bed to avoid him.

However, Cassian took control and held Yernia’s chin with his hand.

When he began to lower her face, Yernia didn’t refuse.

She closed her eyes and parted her lips.

Yernia anticipated the kiss this time, but her heartbeats were still loud in her ears.

***

After kissing Cassian twice, there was something she realized.

Yernia didn’t want to admit it, but it turned out she loved it.

“Am I an animal?”

She didn’t think it felt good because Cassian was the other participant.

She must like kissing in general, and it made her feel shameful.

“Your lips are swollen.”

Yernia glanced back in surprise when she suddenly heard Marchioness De Bellet’s voice next door.

She was holding a long cigarette in her gloved hand.

“Why do you look surprised? Oh, this?”

Marchioness De Bellet put a cigarette in her mouth.

Cassian was glad she wasn’t smoking inside the cabin.

The wind blew.

“I already expected it to happen, but your wife didn’t look like she knew if she would enjoy it.”

“What kind of enjoyment are you talking about?”

“I could either be talking about a man or a cigarette.”

Her appearance was somewhat chaotic, as if she had just woken up from bed.

Somehow, her messy hair made her mood a bit strange.

Nevertheless, she was still a beauty no matter how often she looked.

“Is there something you’re worried about? Your expression is a bit different.”

Yernia was quite different from the first time Marchioness de Bellet met her.

Maybe, it was because she had no idea she was the future duke’s wife then.

Yernia touched her plump, swollen lips as she ignored the honest remark.

Should she tell her what’s on her mind?

What if she gets treated like a pervert?

“Did you do it with the Marquis yesterday?”

“What? How do you know?”

It was pretty obvious since she was a witness when it all went down.

The couple had rushed to their cabin to continue their make-out session.

“I thought so. But, the atmosphere must be a bit strange. That should be the vibe. So what’s the problem? Isn’t it good?”

Yernia shook her head.

“It’s better than that.”

The Marchioness De Bellet’s eyes widened slightly.

Then, she laughed–which sounded more like a gasp—a little later.

“Well, that should be good. Why do you look like you want to kill yourself then?”

“I don’t know how this would sound, but I like kissing. I don’t think that includes Cassian himself.”

Yernia said with her eyes closed.

The more she talked, the more perverted she felt.

She should apologize to Cassian for this.

“I want to do it one more time.”

“Haha.”

Yernia quickly shut her mouth.

What did she just say?

“No, it just popped out of my—-”

“You must have meant it.”

“…….”

It embarrassed her, but she did have a point.

She felt the quickness of her heartbeat inside her ribcage.