In the midst of Celia’s hesitation, it was time to depart. Celia was the first to mount the horse, followed by Leonis. Since it was a war horse, it could accommodate two people. 

Celia had been put on a horse while unconscious, but it was the first time she had ever been on one. She clung to his arm, embarrassed, and Leonis seemed to enjoy it. 

Leonis’s broad chest supported her back while Celia’s waist was encircled by his strong arm. Wrapped in his embrace, Celia cast a glance at Leonis.

Leonis bowed his head toward Celia’s face, his lips curved upwards. In response to the breath she felt on her ear, Celia shrugged her shoulders.

“The journey to the village is not long. I’ve sent a man to fetch the Duke’s carriage, so getting there will be quick and easy.” 

The low voice made Celia want to cover her ears. Leonis chuckled and spurred his words as she cast a peek at him.

It was a tedious march because they were on the lookout for the monster’s head. Leonis and his men arrived in the village just before noon.

As Leonis mentioned, there was the Duke of Cardian’s carriage, maids who would serve Celia, and escort drivers. 

Celia stepped down from Leonis’s horse, barely escaping his grasp. Leonis, who had gotten off, drew the escort back and assisted Celia in getting into the carriage.

Leonis’s attitude toward Celia made the maids and escort knights decide how to treat the new Duchess of the Duke’s family. Even still, it was a marriage that forcibly ended an engagement.

‘Is the Duke really in love with her?’

Since there was a long way to go, the maids quickly got into the carriage. Leonis jumped on the horse and rushed to get going. He had considered riding in the carriage with Celia, but he couldn’t because he was leading the soldiers and it would be better for Celia to rest without him.

Celia, who had settled into the carriage, made every effort not to fall asleep, but she did so soon. Her quick-witted maid then draped the blanket over Celia’s shoulders and knees.

✦ ✦ ✦

Celia was dreaming.

It was a repetition of what had happened before, and she realized she was dreaming as well. She found herself sucked into a dream, unsure of what to do. I didn’t think he would….

“Huh…”

It was impossible to forget the gentle touch on the chest. Leonis didn’t have the softest hands. He had spent his entire life fighting monsters or humans with a sword, so his palms were firm and rough.

Nonetheless, it was odd that her body kept getting hot, yet it’s not in an unpleasant way.

‘It’s a dream. It’s because it’s a dream.’

When Leonis gave her a bath in the tent, she chalked it up to the heat of the water he poured on her. She didn’t want to believe it was the touch of a man she’d only met a few minutes before.

‘Ah… but Leonis is the male lead in this novel….’ 

In addition to ‘the male lead of rated 19 romance fantasy novels’ being a nobleman, it was necessary to have skills that could plunge the female lead into endless bliss from the first experience. Even if the detailed genre of the novel was a waste.

Leonis didn’t deviate from that setting. She could feel his kiss as well as the back-and-forth touches that were now traveling through her body.

“Haa… yes, ahh….”

Before taking a bath, all of the visible bodily fluids of monsters had been cleaned away with a wet towel. So she didn’t have to pour hot water again and rub herself several times. Perhaps.

Celia was well aware that Leonis’s thing was sweltering. She shivered when his member accidentally rubbed against her thigh.

She was on the verge of looking at it, but she couldn’t bring herself to do so. She expected it to be unrealistically big. It was an embarrassing thought.

‘No, let’s just see. It’s just a dream anyway….’

She couldn’t see it, so she pondered on what kind of image would be represented in her dream. When Celia peered at it, it was obscured by the misty water vapor.

‘Oh… I should have just looked at it when I got the chance.’

“Celia.”

Celia shifted her legs in surprise when Leonis’s large palms brushed over her thighs. Leonis chuckled at Celia’s reaction.

“If you close your legs, I wouldn’t be able to wash them, would I?”

“Hey, you don’t have to wash it up there.”

As if teasing the crevice between her closed thighs, Leonis slid his fingers back and forth. Since it was already wet there, a slick fluid flowed down her thighs.

“It’s a bath to wash off the body fluids of monsters, but you should also wash other places. We’re not going to be able to dress like this.”

“Ahh… Even if I do… ugh, um…”

The fingers that stimulated Celia’s thighs crawled through her legs. Leonis gently sucked Celia’s lips and kissed her. As their pressed tongues connected softly, Celia’s knees weakened.

“Ugh, ah….”

Fingers had crawled through the crevices and across Celia’s thighs, rubbing her delicate clit. Ahh, Ugh….. Leonis let out a ragged breath as he tasted Celia’s mouth, who was holding back her moans.

“It keeps flowing here. Should I slip my finger in here and scrape off this sweet liquid? Is it better if I put mine in and plug it in?”

Celia felt good as silky wet fingers stroked her buds and petals. Leonis’s eyes darkened as Celia panted and leaned against his arm. 

He had no intention of taking Celia’s first in the bathtub. He was only interested in seeing Celia’s reaction.

Celia groaned without answering. Her flushed face was so lovely that he wanted to swallow it in one bite, but Leonis resisted.

“As soon as your body recovers…. we will spend the first night. We won’t do it now, so you’d better be prepared. ”

The whispering lips pressed back onto Celia’s lips.

Leonis rubbed Celia’s petals and clit as he deepened the kiss. As he skillfully stimulated her clit, Celia felt her first climax in his arms.

“Ugh….”

When Celia opened her eyes after a brief moan, her face heated. It was due to the fact that she was not the only passenger in the carriage.

‘I didn’t make any strange noises while I was sleeping did I?’

When she looked at the maids, they just lowered their eyes as if nothing had happened. Celia wrapped her flushed cheeks with both hands.

What should she do from now on?

She can’t decide whether she will stay with Leonis or divorce him. But if she stayed with him for too long, she’d end up in bed with him.

‘I think I’ll let it slide if I’m tempted.’

His body and face was just her cup of tea. His personality… It was subtle, but at least until the curse was lifted, he seemed to be nice to Celia.

Leonis would pursue Celia to the depths of hell if she left before the curse was lifted, so Celia planned to break it.

The problem is…

‘Breaking the curse has never been revealed.’

Even in the original, the curse was not lifted. It’s just that Leonis has been able to live and function without being affected by the curse because of his relationship with Lily.

It was only natural that Lily had no intention of lifting Leonis’s curse in the first place. At the end of the day, the curse was passed on to the princess, resulting in catastrophe.

‘The imperial family was cursed, and it appears that the problem was caused by the previous emperors’ magical tools.’

The princess’s magical tool, which she brought to the gates of hell, was similar. Leonis will be able to break free from the curse if they can figure out how to deal with that magical tool.

Even if Leonis couldn’t lift the curse in the original story, he believed that seeing his offspring through Lily would prevent the curse from spreading to his children.

That’s why he became more obsessed with her.

It was difficult to tell whether Leonis’s prediction would lead to reality because they died without having children.

‘If I’m going to have a relationship with Leonis… I have to have that.’

Celia’s affection for Leonis had not yet manifested itself so she has yet to choose whether or not to live with him. This is also the case before deciding whether to have children with him or not.

Fortunately, it was easy to use contraception in this world just by putting on a magic item that contained contraception magic. It is usually in the form of a ring. Some people wear earrings, bracelets, or anklets depending on their taste.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Montague would have taken care of the marriage, but the items related to contraception would not be there.

‘I don’t think Celia had anything like that… I should go out and buy it separately.’

Celia had a relationship with her ex-fiancé, Fabian, but they never had sex. Celia didn’t dare to because of her fear of Marquis Montague. Fabian didn’t bother hurrying it either since they were supposed to marry in the not-too-distant future.

While she was lost in thought, the carriage entered Asylus. Celia’s eyes widened as she saw the splendor of a massive city comparable to the capital.

She can’t compare it properly since she only saw the capital in passing through a carriage on the day of the wedding but at first glance, it can be seen that Asylus is just as good as the capital city.

Asylus was a fortress that had been damaged by a monster invasion. Its walls and streets were in the process of being repaired. The monsters’ lifeless bodies were removed, and bloodstains were cleaned by spraying soil on them.

Civilians were relieved and cheered at the return of the Duke and the knights. Judging from the appearance, the damage was not significant. Leonis seemed to think it was worthwhile to rush without even having a wedding reception.

Somehow, Celia felt better and looked at the street with a seemingly invisible smile. In the distance, Duke Cardian was approaching her.

[Amelia’s Team Note: Be patient everyone, it was just a dream :smirk:]