STVWDTD Chapter 39

Unrestrained Affection

When the last charred log exhaled its final red breath, her eyelids trembled and opened.

The air in the room had settled after being hot and humid all night, taking on a slightly cool quality.

Through the curtains that hadn't quite closed, the bluish light of dawn filtered in.

Diana, lying still with only her eyes open, wanted to stay buried in the sun-scented blankets just like this.

But she had to move. Her entire body felt heavy as she groaned and tried to pull back the covers.

"Sleep more."

A drowsy voice wrapped around her.

"Diana."

She couldn't even sit up before the arm extending from behind pulled her in.

Skin pressed against skin. She swallowed a moan at the grip that bound her tight.

The air surrounding them carried both lingering heat and tranquility.

"Rodrick?"

He didn't move at all, as if he'd fallen back asleep while holding her.

"It's today. We need to get ready quickly."

"……."

Instead of answering Diana's words, the arm holding her tightened.

They hadn't been able to leave for the capital right away.

The estate needed reorganizing before the move to the capital residence—transporting belongings from the North turned it into a major migration. Thus, preparation took considerable time.

Ten full days. While the castle's servants and Felice worked themselves ragged, Rodrick dedicated himself to spending time with Diana.

After driving away all the obstacles, they'd spent three days confined to the bedroom alone.

The knights grumbled that they were setting up a honeymoon suite, but couldn't make a sound in front of them.

"Rodrick, hurry."

Before she could finish saying get up, hot breath poured over her face.

He didn't stop kissing her everywhere. His touch grew dense and intimate, as if trying to reignite last night's heat.

The thirst wouldn't fade easily. The fulfillment he found through her was never enough, no matter how much he filled himself. He kept craving her.

"Can't do this in the carriage."

Diana, who'd been looking at him drowsily, blinked her pink eyes and frowned.

"Do what?"

"This."

He bit her lips again, as if to devour them. The beast knew no satisfaction.

"Don't you like it?"

His disheveled face with that lifted corner of his mouth was so sensual that she could only moan and surrender to him again.

The castle entrance bustled with dozens of carriages and horses. Add the servants who'd come to see them off and the knights' families—it was a market scene in its own right.

In the midst of the chaos, a bear-like massive man was clinging to his wife and crying.

"Huuung. I have to be separated from you again, honey."

Berzh and Carol were the castle's most notorious lovey-dovey couple.

The knights of the order who were saddling horses and reorganizing shook their heads, mouths shut.

They'd witnessed what the Second Knight Order suffered at Nathan's hands and had been keeping their mouths firmly closed ever since.

However, the elite knights who always stuck close openly spat curses.

"Huh. Disgusting bastard."

"Does he want to do that every time? Is he going to act like this every single deployment?"

"Stop it already. You're making those of us without wives feel pathetic!"

Carol, who'd been soothing the sniffling Berzh, shot a sharp glare at the elite knights.

Every single knight had received Carol's help at some point, so they couldn't raise their voices any further.

They started doing their jobs while pretending ignorance.

"Tsk. Honey. Wipe your tears."

"Uuung. Roses this time?"

Carol always embroidered handkerchiefs by hand overnight whenever there was an external schedule, even when the shop was busy.

"Yes, Lady Diana's family uses a lot of rose motifs. To give you some strength."

Berzh obediently wiped his tears and carefully tucked the handkerchief into his chest.

"Eat your meals properly. And don't come back with this handsome face all injured."

Carol tenderly stroked her husband's scarred face.

"Mm."

"If anything happens, take care of the young lady first. In this group, she ranks higher than the commander. You know that, right?"

"Mm!"

Carol patted his muscular, broad backside—thump thump—as if praising him for being good.

Ugh. Didn't see that. The elite knights clicked their tongues and looked away.

That's when Diana approached, dressed in traveling clothes as if fully armored.

Her appearance created the optical illusion that the surroundings brightened.

Indeed, among the rough, bulky Northerners, the bearing of a central noble from the capital stood out.

"My lady!"

Carol welcomed her warmly, declaring that beauties were the best after all.

"Carol. Were you saying your goodbyes?"

"Yes, please take good care of him."

Carol, small in stature for a Northerner, clung to her husband's arm. The two stuck together like a cicada on an old tree—they looked good together.

Diana inadvertently looked from Carol to Berzh and was startled.

"Oh my, Sir Berzh."

"My husband's handsome, isn't he?"

"He certainly is."

Berzh, who'd shaved off his bushy beard cleanly, revealed his strikingly handsome features.

Come to think of it, his elite knights all had above-average looks. Handsome enough that one might think they'd been selected by appearance.

There would be no disagreement that Rodrick, their captain, possessed unparalleled looks.

"Haha, I feel awkward though."

Berzh rubbed his angular jaw and laughed uncomfortably.

When the beard he'd grown diligently to make his plain face more manly was shaved, Berzh had truly wanted to cry.

Shaving the beard hadn't been his choice. It all started with a wish bet on a drinking contest.

'My goodness, you boosted my sales and you're using your wish for me?'

'Yes, is there anything you want from your husband?'

Diana, who'd paid off all the knights' tabs, decided to use the wish for Carol.

'Well, there is something.'

Carol, who'd been hesitating, soon spoke passionately.

'I wish he'd shave that bushy beard! He thinks it's so handsome! It's so inconvenient when kissing! I hate it whenever hair gets in my mouth, but he won't listen.'

The wish was thus used for Carol.

Berzh was immediately dragged to the barber and not only got the bandit-chief beard shaved but his hair cut as well.

"Honey. Can I grow my beard back?"

"Try it. From then on, no more kisses."

And so he became a cleanly handsome bear.

"Why are you looking at another woman's man?"

A large, strong man with an intimidating presence stood behind her. Since she'd already felt his mana, she wasn't surprised despite his silent approach.

"Jealous?"

"Yes."

She lifted her head to look up at him—a proud nose bridge, delicate lips, a sharp jawline. A handsome face with no unflattering angles even upside down.

Diana's lips curved up as she met the blue eyes looking down at her indifferently.

"You're the only man I see as a man though?"

"Still don't like it."

He pressed his lips down on the lips that tempted him.

Three full days. After living only on the bed with her, he'd become completely uninhibited about displaying affection in front of others.

"Wow. Captain. Really."

Why are you all like this? Another elite knight was about to run his terrible mouth.

"Shh, don't say a word."

The pair of lovers were emitting heat in their own world, no less than Berzh and his wife.

It was Felice who silenced the elite knights making sour faces.

'Every time you open your mouth, salary deduction.'

Ruin the mood and die. Felice was smiling while warning them with his eyes.

If he wanted to see his nephew too, he needed to clear away the obstacles bothering his brother.

"……."

The power of the one who controlled the castle's finances was strong. The elite knights couldn't make a peep and finished preparing to leave.

The problem was carriage assignments. Who would ride with Diana?

Rodrick rode on horseback at the front, so he didn't take the carriage. That left Noel and Felice, but—

Rodrick wouldn't allow it.

"I'm fine with it. The carriage is big, we can all ride together."

When Noel came running to cling to Diana, Rodrick immediately grabbed Noel by the scruff of his neck.

"Ack. Mister. Let go!"

Noel dangled and flailed, but he ignored it.

At some point, whenever Noel tried to cling to her, he blocked him. Specifically, he'd been blocking Noel ever since he'd shared his body with his ancestor.

His cool eyes were saying it. Your identity. Want it exposed? Then stay away.

Rodrick, who'd seen Noel's true form, absolutely wouldn't hand Diana over.

Diana, unaware of the circumstances, only thought Rodrick's jealousy was excessive. What was he doing to a young child?

"Noel. It's okay. Come here."

Noel, freed from Rodrick's grip, tried to run to Diana immediately. But this time Felice caught him.

"Haha. Sister-in-law. If brother rides with us on the way, the carriage will be cramped. I'll take him with me."

Felice had also planned to ride on horseback, but immediately changed plans.

Noel, cheeks puffed up like a balloon, dangled from Felice's hand. In the end, one carriage was hers alone.

Thus the procession toward the capital began. Naturally, Duke Schwartz didn't come out to see them off.

She'd visited his study before boarding the carriage.

The duke had said they'd already exchanged farewells, so let's not waste each other's time.

And to Diana as she turned to leave, he'd said:

'When you return, I'll hold the wedding ceremony grandly.'

The men of this family had a tendency to speak with the answer already decided. Diana answered with a pleased smile.

'Yes, Father. I'll be back!'

Various goods plus servants had joined them, making it a massive group on the move.

Under normal circumstances, they'd need double-layered protection with knights and even mercenaries, but with the imposing presence of the Düberg Knights surrounding them, not only bandits but even monsters couldn't approach.

"Helly."

The rattling carriage interior was quiet. At her soft call, Helly, who'd been sitting on the carriage roof, hung upside down to look at her through the window.

"What. Miss."

The bangs that had been covering half his face flipped backward as he hung upside down, revealing his face. A listless expression with eyes half-closed.

"Come in here. Let's talk."

At her words, Helly entered the carriage and sat across from her. Helly yawned lazily and raised his head as if to say, speak.

Diana leaned her body forward and laced her fingers together on her knees.

"So,"

Diana's pink eyes glinted coolly as she rested her chin on her hands.

"Who exactly is occupying the family now?"