ETCHY 26

Chapter 26

*Knock, knock.*

Just as Crescentia’s quiet rest was about to begin, a polite yet firm knock sounded.

“May I come in?”

At the deep bass voice coming from outside the door, Crescentia sprang up. As she straightened her clothes, the door opened silently.

Soon, with the bright light of the corridor behind him, the silhouette of a large man appeared.

“You’re awake.”

Erich murmured as if to himself and entered the bedroom. His large feet pressed gently into the rug, and his long legs crossed slowly.

The corridor light shining from behind his broad shoulders made his black hair gleam translucently.

Perhaps because she had been resting with her eyes closed in the dark room, the light that disappeared as Erich casually closed the door remained in Crescentia’s eyes like an afterimage.

“…Crescentia.”

Erich slowly reached his hand toward Crescentia, who was sitting on the bed. She stared up at him blankly, as if spellbound by the low voice calling her name.

A warm body temperature touched her cheek, and Erich gently cupped her face. He stroked her cheek and continued in a low voice.

“I heard you were ill. Fortunately, your fever has gone down.”

“You knew about me?”

“Did you think I wouldn’t?”

Erich chuckled and sat down on the edge of the bed. As his massive frame added weight, the mattress bounced and Crescentia’s body swayed.

“Ah…!”

Erich lightly caught her with his firm hand. His hot breath reached Crescentia’s ear, and along with the fresh bergamot, the scent of forest wood brushed past her nose.

The moment she caught his scent, memories of the times she had been with Erich came crashing over her.

Rough, inconsiderate, painful.

“…!”

Crescentia pulled away from Erich as if burned. As she recoiled backward, Erich tilted his head slightly.

“Why such revulsion? Have I done something wrong?”

“It’s not that…”

“Hm?”

“There are… things I want to ask you.”

Crescentia’s lips moved. There was so much she wanted to ask Erich.

Why he took her so roughly, whether that was his usual way. Why he always left her behind. Whether he had truly worried about her when he heard she was ill.

But the question Crescentia chose was the most businesslike. She opened her mouth to first ask about the disposition of her escort knight.

“I want to know why you…”

“‘Anton’?”

Crescentia, who had been about to bring up Anton’s matter from earlier, flinched. Because the moment she mentioned her escort knight’s name, Erich’s eyes turned menacing.

“You speak quite affectionately of that escort knight. Not Sir Anton, not Drago, but Anton. You must be quite close.”

“That’s… because he came with me all the way from Regina.”

“Is that all?”

“Pardon?”

“I asked if that was all.”

“Truly, Erich. I simply cannot understand why you’re acting this way…”

Crescentia answered, bewildered by his persistent questioning. She had no idea at what point she had offended him.

“I just hope you’ll be kind to the people from Regina.”

“Ah.”

Erich let out a low exclamation. At some point, the hostility had vanished from his expression. He looked at Crescentia with eyes devoid of emotion and spoke.

“I prefer to keep things brief. Is that all?”

“Why did you…”

Crescentia moistened her lips in front of her indifferent husband. She wanted to pour out her resentment toward Erich.

But when it came time to speak, her lips sealed shut. To utter just a few short words, Crescentia had to muster all her strength.

“Why did you leave me alone?”

“There was urgent business.”

Erich answered Crescentia’s accusation calmly. At first glance, it seemed as if she was the one at fault, not him.

‘Urgent business…?’

Crescentia felt a surge of emotion and clutched the hem of her nightgown.

A careless and vague excuse.

What exactly was that business? What was so important that he had abandoned Crescentia while she was still wet? Even after leaving her to shiver through the night and suffer from a high fever, Erich seemed utterly unbothered.

“It seems that’s the end of your questions.”

Erich said indifferently and brought his hand to Crescentia’s collar.

“Now it’s my turn.”

Unlike Crescentia, who was tense to the utmost, Erich appeared at ease.

He was always like this.

Never tense, never trembling. Which only made Crescentia feel more like a fool.

It was the same now.

“On our wedding night, and last time too. Tia, when I’m with you, strange things happen to me.”

Erich gave a dry laugh as he looked at Crescentia’s finely trembling eyes.

She was a woman who stirred so many emotions in him.

So seemingly easy, yet—

Making him suffer the degrading feeling of being nothing but a stud.

And a curious woman who easily granted him the deep sleep he had so desperately craved.

“So I need to know. Whether it’s coincidence. Or whether…”

Erich spoke slowly, gripping Crescentia’s shoulder. The moment her pink eyes widened—he gently pushed her delicate body down.

“Or whether it’s not mere coincidence.”

Erich laid Crescentia on the bed and cast his shadow over her. Suddenly lying in bed with him just like on their wedding night, Crescentia’s heart pounded uncontrollably.

“Wh-what are you talking about?”

“Do you use a special perfume? One that aids sleep?”

“Per-perfume?”

Just as Crescentia, utterly bewildered, was about to ask back—Erich, whose body was pressed over hers, lowered his head.

He buried his nose in the nape of her neck where her silver hair was tousled and took a deep breath. As if not wanting to miss a single trace of Crescentia’s scent.

“Erich?”

Before she knew it, Erich’s hands were coiling around Crescentia’s body like vines, gripping her tightly.

“Is this it. Is it because of this…”

Erich buried his face in Crescentia’s shoulder and mumbled incomprehensible words. Even though her chest was pressed flat against his firm torso, he tried to press their bodies even closer.

‘What does perfume have to do with anything?’

Crescentia blinked, trying to make sense of the situation.

Her perfume was nothing special. It was a common Regina peony perfume. If she had to find something different, perhaps it was that it mixed with her natural scent to add a fresh powdery note.

But she had never heard that scent helped with sleep. Besides…

“I’m not wearing any perfume right now.”

“Liar.”

Erich murmured low and rubbed his face against Crescentia’s shoulder. It looked like a giant wolf climbing onto a person and acting affectionate.

Crescentia, who had been waiting for Erich to pull back, swallowed dryly and asked.

“E-Erich. Why… are you doing this?”

“Hoo…”

Erich persistently traced the curve from Crescentia’s ear down to her shoulder. Then, with a hand as large as her face, he slowly stroked down her silver hair.

Like stroking a child’s head—gently and carefully.

“Erich…?”

“Shh. Quiet.”

Erich turned his head and brought his lips to Crescentia’s ear, whispering. At the sweet voice that made her whole body break out in goosebumps, Crescentia flinched and froze stiff.

Erich moved his hand down Crescentia’s body and pushed her undergarment to the side. Then he pushed a hot heat into the place where her thighs began.

Crescentia gasped at the overwhelming intrusion, tears streaming down her face. She gripped the sheets and arched her back.

Erich once again crashed into her like a disaster. He invaded and handled her roughly, as if she were part of his own body.

Crescentia’s chest heaved. Accepting him was always overwhelming. Her breath rose to the back of her throat. Hot tears streamed across her cheeks.

Crescentia, defenseless, accepted him and swayed. Their joined bodies were hot, but her heart grew cold.

“Hoo.”

Erich let out a slow, wet sound and breathed hotly. He didn’t stop until Crescentia lost her senses and clung to him, until she passed out.

And this time again.

Erich left the bedroom after falling into a deep sleep beside Crescentia. Before she opened her eyes.