TGDHC 292 SS 1 (1)

Side Story 1 (1)

Morning arrived.

I stayed under the blanket for a little while longer, enjoying a lazy moment with my eyes still closed.

Outside the window, birds chirped cheerfully, welcoming a fresh new day.

Somewhere nearby, the warm smell of freshly baked bread drifted through the air.

When I turned over slightly…

As always, a strong arm immediately pulled me into a warm embrace.

Just as a smile naturally formed on my lips, a low, gentle voice whispered,

“Annette… are you awake?”

Kiss.

Soft lips landed gently on my eyelids.

My forehead…

My cheeks…

The bridge of my nose…

Finally, my lips.

After covering my face with several slow, tender kisses…

I finally opened my eyes.

Loic looked down at me with his familiar warm smile.

“Good morning.”

It was a happy morning.

One I could experience every day without ever growing tired of it.

“Good morning.”

Still half asleep, I rubbed my eyes and smiled back at him.

Loic gently brushed my bangs away from my forehead.

“Did you sleep comfortably?”

“Mm…”

The moment I stretched…

A dull ache spread through my entire body.

I let out a small groan.

“It’s not because of the bed…”

“It’s because of you, Loic…!”

I looked at him as if to say,

You didn’t let me rest all night.

Loic immediately looked flustered.

“I’m sorry, Annette.”

His large hand carefully slipped beneath my waist.

“I really tried to be gentle…”

With an apologetic expression, he softly massaged my sore muscles.

“Today, don’t lift a finger.”

“Just rest.”

“Then…”

“Are you going to feed me too?”

“Of course.”

“Why would you even ask that?”

Even when I teased him…

His expression remained completely serious.

I couldn’t help laughing.

Honestly…

It was impossible for anyone to stay angry at this face for more than three seconds.

“Ah…”

“That feels nice.”

As he continued massaging me…

My muscles gradually relaxed.

My whole body became pleasantly heavy.

I quietly enjoyed this rare moment of peace.

We had truly been busy.

Blenheim had reorganized its borders.

Reformed its laws to fit the new Grand Duchy.

Officially received recognition of its independence from neighboring countries.

And on top of that…

We had been preparing for Loic’s coronation.

Apparently everyone thought we were overworking ourselves.

“You should at least take a day or two off before the coronation.”

“Exactly.”

“At this rate you’ll collapse before the ceremony even begins.”

Perel and Cecilia kept encouraging me to take a vacation.

They had a point.

After the coronation…

Finding time to rest would become much harder.

So I brought it up with Loic.

At first…

He looked excited.

Then he suddenly became serious.

“I have one condition.”

“This time…”

“No maids.”

“No aides.”

“No knights.”

“It’ll be just the two of us.”

“Deal!”

“And one more condition.”

“No working.”

“Not even a little.”

“…”

“You promise?”

He even hooked his little finger around mine to make sure I agreed.

And so…

We came to our vacation house alone.

Except for a few servants who permanently stayed there…

Only Loic and I were present.

On the way…

I secretly tried to pack a few work documents.

Loic caught me.

I had no choice but to leave them behind.

“Annette…”

“The only thing you’re allowed to look over at the villa…”

“…is my body.”

And true to his words…

From the moment we arrived…

He hardly left my side.

“Are you really that happy?”

“It’s the first time since then…”

“…that we’ve been completely alone together.”

“Since then…”

Meant our first wedding night.

Maybe that sweet memory was why…

The moment we arrived at the villa…

My heart had already started beating faster.

Then…

Last night…

After my bath…

I opened the wardrobe the servants had prepared.

Inside…

Hung an incredibly revealing nightgown.

Cecilia…!

Feeling embarrassed by my mischievous maid’s gift…

I still ended up wearing it into the bedroom.

“So…”

“What do you think?”

The moment Loic saw me…

His breathing became heavier.

“You’re beautiful.”

“Far too beautiful.”

His bathrobe hung loosely open.

His firm chest rose and fell.

Honestly…

That was exactly what I had wanted to hear.

Feeling shy after asking such an obvious question…

I lowered my head.

Loic looked at me with darkened eyes.

Then softly whispered,

“…I think…”

“…you’d be even more beautiful without it.”

His warm hands gently held my shoulders.

Slowly…

He slid the thin straps of my nightgown down.

After that…

I couldn’t think straight anymore.

Like our first night together…

Loic moved incredibly slowly.

Patiently.

But with endless determination.

Every touch was gentle…

Yet overflowing with burning desire.

Eventually…

My body became so hot…

I felt as if I would melt.

Only after I was the one begging him…

Did he finally stop kissing me.

“Loic…”

“Please…”

Remembering how desperately I had clung to him last night…

My entire face turned bright red.

Meanwhile…

Completely unaware of my embarrassment…

Loic continued faithfully massaging my waist.

He’s not going to stop until every muscle is relaxed anyway…

I quietly glanced toward the bedside table.

A report about the construction progress of Pogen Temple rested there.

Yesterday…

When I mentioned wondering how much work remained…

The official managing the project had personally delivered the report to the villa.

Loic hadn’t even let me open it.

As I secretly reached toward it…

“No, Annette.”

Loic immediately turned me back toward him.

“We promised.”

“No work.”

“But…”

“I’m curious…”

I looked at him with pleading eyes.

After trying to refuse…

He finally sighed in defeat.

“I’ll read it to you instead.”

He cleared his throat dramatically.

“The temple…”

“…appears to be nearly finished.”

“The remaining facilities will take a little longer…”

“But the central sanctuary should be completed before the coronation.”

“And?”

“…Apparently…”

“It’s the biggest and most magnificent temple on the continent.”

“Everyone who sees it will be so shocked…”

“…they’ll faint.”

I burst into laughter.

He was clearly making things up.

“And…”

“It also says…”

“‘Lady Annette should stop worrying about the temple…'”

“‘…and spend more time loving her husband instead.'”

“You’re lying!”

“That isn’t written there!”

Laughing, I reached for the report.

Loic quickly hid it behind his back.

“Give it to me!”

“I’m serious.”

“It says so right here.”

When I grabbed one arm…

He simply lifted the report high with the other.

After struggling back and forth for quite a while…

I finally ran out of strength.

I collapsed on top of him.

We were both laughing so hard that we could barely breathe.

Looking down at Loic…

I saw his relaxed smile.

I gently brushed his messy black hair aside.

His strong arms wrapped around my waist.

Feeling the pleasant warmth between us…

I buried my face against his chest.

Maybe because my muscles had finally relaxed…

Even though it was still morning…

I felt sleepy again.

“Loic…”

“Can we stay here just a little longer?”

“Of course.”

“I’d happily stay like this all day.”

As he gently pulled the blanket higher over my shoulders…

I closed my eyes once more.

Today…

Was another perfectly happy morning.

Meanwhile…

Loic walked alone beside the lake in front of the villa.

Annette had planned to take a walk with him after lunch.

But she had fallen asleep during an early afternoon nap.

Even I think I overdid it last night…

He had promised himself that this vacation would be about helping Annette rest.

But…

From the moment they arrived…

She had somehow become even more adorable than usual.

He simply couldn’t take his eyes off her.

How does she become more beautiful every single day?

He had managed to control himself until after dinner.

But…

The moment Annette walked into the bedroom wearing that thin nightgown…

Every bit of self-control disappeared.

As he walked…

He silently promised himself that for the rest of the vacation…

He absolutely would not act like a wild beast again.

Just then…

He noticed something in the distance.

Several small children had gathered beneath a large tree.

This area was where the villa’s servants lived.

They were probably the servants’ children.

Without realizing it…

He had wandered quite far.

As he turned to head back…

He suddenly stopped.

What’s going on?

The children were anxiously hopping up and down while staring into the tree.

Loic looked up.

A ball was caught high among the branches.

It was so high that only someone as tall as Loic could reach it.

One little child kept jumping with both arms stretched upward.

But it was obviously impossible.

Loic looked around.

There was no one nearby.

Only the children…

And himself.