Chapter 72

“If it was during the last day, then it was when we had danced together, right…?”

“That’s right.”

It seemed like she hadn’t been caught yet. Otherwise, there was no way that the Young Lady or even Knox would show no reaction towards her at all.

Vivian then looked up at him with such a complicated gaze in her eyes.

What sort of talk did they have at the place where she wasn’t permitted to? What did they even do and what did they even converse to one another? Even though it had been absolutely inevitable, she still couldn’t easily imagine the two of them being together.

“My dear.”

It was definitely none other than the very same source that had saved Vivian, after causing her to be on the verge of plunging into the dark, tumbling abyss.

He interlocked their hands together before leading Vivian’s fingers to brush against his own lips.

“What are you thinking about so hard?”

“Ah… no—it’s nothing.”

Even though he was still caressing her fingers and palm thoroughly and ever so carefully, Vivian could no longer feel any kind of sensation at all. It had been quite some time since her rekindled passion had gradually cooled down.

Vivian then straight away covered her chest before raising her body.

“I think I have to leave now. Since I’ve gotten your permission already, I need to return to the county and make myself ready.”

“You can’t. Did you not hear what I’ve just said earlier? I will have your body for as long as I’m unable to meet you.”

“When have you never been like that?”

Vivian’s slightly serrated words flowed out in an instant.

Then, her eyes met with Knox’s, which were clearly shocked by her actions, but Vivian deliberately didn’t add any more words to it.

Knox’s actions slowly became more cautious as soon as he learned that her mood had suddenly grown worse than before.

“It’ll definitely take a few days anyway, so why can’t you just stay with me for today? I just don’t want to be separated from you now that we’ve met after such a long time.”

“Even if it seems like an easy matter for you to decide, it’s not really like that for me. There’s still a lot of things that are left for me to coordinate.”

“Alexia.”

At his affectionate call of the Young Lady’s name, Vivian’s lips immediately became much stiffer.

Unfortunately, the name that he had uttered made her rise to her feet—completely. Vivian pushed him away firmly before trying to let go of his hand in the end.

However, the securely interlocked hands didn’t quite move as she had wished for. In fact, no matter how hard she tried to pry her wrist away, his hands still kept on clinging onto hers.

“Knox, please.”

Eventually, Knox heaved a sigh at the words that Vivian had desperately uttered. He released his strength slowly before letting go of the previously grabbed hand of hers.

Considering Knox, who had pushed her body rather forcefully during their first coitus, his current reaction was so obedient that she couldn’t believe that he was that very same person from before. It had been quite some time since his lower part had stiffened, but still, he didn’t stop her actions at all.

“But I just hope that you won’t forget what I’ve said earlier. The moment you’re staying here, I won’t be letting you go from my side.”

“…Yes. I’m very aware of that.”

When Vivian had fixed her hat properly, Knox began to sigh once again.

“Then, you won’t be meeting me until the appointed date, will you now?”

“Well, I’m quite busy. So, it will most likely be like that.”

“You’re not even making excuses anymore.”

Knox reached out his hand before hanging on to hers for the last time. His strength that held her hand was weaker than before, which seemed like it could fall off rather quickly with just a single shake from her.

“Then, decide the day quickly and come to my side.”

For some reason, Vivian suddenly felt that it had become more difficult to shake his hand off than ever before.

While she had maintained an ambiguous gap with him just for a while, she was only then able to leave the Grand Duke’s residence after Knox had unclasped her.

When Vivian arrived at the county soon after changing back to her original attire, the first thing she did was to head over to Alexia’s room.

“My Lady.”

“Gosh! Didn’t I tell you not to speak with my voice?”

She had sneaked in first like always and retorted irritatedly towards Vivian’s voice in an instant.

“I’ve already gotten his permission. If you were to tell him the date that you wished for, the Grand Duke had declared that he would be prepared for it.”

“Did you really get it?”

She stared at Vivian blankly for a while before flashing her bright smile.

“I guess he wasn’t that uptight of a man. I did hope for it, but I never thought that he’d allow it this easily.”