TPOTLPIM Chapter 33

Cecilia pulled out her wrist that had been caught by Teros. When she was met with his innocent eyes that seemed to ask 'why are you doing this?', she was speechless.

"Um, I should prepare for bed early. Let me just go wash up for a moment."

Since she had already bathed before dinner, she only needed to freshen up her face. Cecilia stood up to go to the bathroom attached directly across from the bridal chamber.

"Shall we wash up together?"

"What?"

Cecilia's expression instantly colored with shock and bewilderment.

"I was joking."

What kind of joke was that, delivered with such an expression? Cecilia stared intently at his face as he claimed it was a joke with the most serious expression imaginable, then hurriedly fled to the bathroom.

As she roughly washed her face with the water the maid had prepared, Cecilia muttered to herself.

"Ugh... dangerous."

She pondered deeply once more about the direction she wanted to take. Since she had formally married Teros, they were now in a relationship where spending the night together would be proper. So why did she find herself hesitating at the thought of spending the night with him?

Multiple reasons came to mind at once. Today's marriage had not been conducted in the presence of parents, relatives, and friends. It didn't feel like a marriage recognized by everyone. She felt that only after Teros returned from the Demon's Forest and they properly held a ceremony with everyone watching would she truly feel like they had become husband and wife.

Another reason was the love potion. She wanted to properly spend their first night together after he had awakened from the potion.

Cecilia realized that she wasn't prepared to spend the night with Teros just yet. But if he seduced her like he had moments before, she felt she wouldn't have the power to withstand it. As Teros's sensual face floated into her mind, Cecilia shook her head back and forth.

"Sleeping in the same room is definitely dangerous."

She steeled herself with determination upon determination before finally returning to the bridal chamber. She intended to tell Teros that they should each sleep in separate rooms that had been prepared for him.

When she boldly opened the door, she saw Teros sitting at the table with a serious expression.

"Um, Teros."

"I won't do anything."

"What?"

"I said I won't do anything. Cecilia, you wanted to postpone even the marriage until the love potion's effectiveness ended. We may be married, but I won't ask for anything we could do as husband and wife until the effectiveness wears off."

"B-but earlier you held my wrist..."

"That was still not doing anything."

Ugh. Cecilia was rendered speechless. It seemed that this man and she had vastly different standards for what constituted 'not doing anything.'

Teros stood up from his seat and positioned himself in front of Cecilia, then firmly grasped her hand.

"So tonight, let's both sleep here. This is the last time we can spend together just the two of us before I go to the Demon's Forest."

His words, as if he had seen right through Cecilia's thoughts, left her unable to push him away. After he went to the Demon's Forest, she would think of him and miss him every day. When that time came, wouldn't she regret not spending a little more time together at this moment?

After much deliberation, when she nodded her head, Teros seemed to understand her intention from even that small movement and gently stroked her hair.

The two sat at the table and talked a little more.

"Being together like this reminds me of when I entered Cecilia's room before."

At the words that evoked memories, Cecilia let out a soft laugh.

"I told you not to cross over the carpet."

"I listened to you so well then, didn't I? Weren't you disappointed that I listened too well?"

"Of course not."

As Teros spoke about that day, his expression grew subtly, imperceptibly darker. Were Dmitri's poetry collections still sitting on that bookshelf in Cecilia's room? They would be. There would be no particular reason to discard them.

Even though he didn't want to care, he couldn't help but be concerned. He had asked Dmitri to comfort Cecilia while he was away, but sometimes he regretted whether this was the right thing to do.

The two people who had just become husband and wife that day finally lay down side by side in bed when the starlight began to fade. Cecilia lay with her back turned to Teros as if building a wall between them.

Teros carefully embraced her from behind. He could feel her body stiffen in surprise.

"You said you wouldn't do anything."

"Please let me have at least this much, Cecilia."

Teros buried his face in the shoulder of her turned back. A faint apple scent seemed to emanate from her body. To remember this moment for a long time, Teros deeply inhaled her fragrance.

The next day. Cecilia's eyes snapped open before the sun even rose. Feeling the weight of the thick arm wrapped around her waist from behind, her face heated up for no reason.

When she turned to lie on her back, she could see Teros's face as he slept, breathing deeply. As if entranced, Cecilia observed that face, then reached out her hand to stroke his straight nose bridge and brow bone. It was a face where masculinity and handsomeness coexisted simultaneously.

She gathered a little more courage and pressed her lips to Teros's forehead. Usually, Teros approached one step faster than her pace, making it overwhelming just to accept him, but now, sleeping like this, he appeared defenseless and gentle.

However, Teros opened his eyes even at that small touch.

"Ah, did I wake you? I didn't mean to wake you up."

"Do it once more."

A languid smile spread across Teros's lips.

Cecilia hesitated for a moment, then leaned forward and this time pressed her lips to his cheek.

"That's nice."

Teros barely managed to restrain himself from immediately pulling Cecilia into his arms and frantically kissing her forehead and cheeks. He wasn't confident how far he could control himself if things progressed further, and there was a new kind of pleasure in watching her gradually approach him first. Instead of taking any action, he quietly closed his eyes.

As he lay still with his eyes closed, he felt the touch of small, soft lips again on his closed eyelids. It was a careful kiss.

This was really hard to endure.

He finally pulled her tight into his embrace so she couldn't slip away and kissed her forehead and cheeks. As the rather hurried kisses settled, the two began to lock gazes deeply with each other. When Cecilia, who he thought would surely avert her eyes, instead met his gaze with flushed, excited eyes, Teros became dazed as if he'd been struck by something.

"Hah... What should we do?"

At Cecilia's innocent eyes asking the meaning of the question, Teros continued.

"I don't have the confidence to leave Cecilia behind."

He hesitated for a moment, then sat up and escaped from under the blankets.

Really dangerous. He realized anew that Cecilia could shake him with just small glances and gestures.

But Cecilia's initiative in approaching him first that day wasn't the end of it.

After finishing breakfast and before he got into the carriage returning to Hasblue, Cecilia rose up on her tiptoes toward him and kissed him. She spread both arms wide and pulled his neck toward her with all her might.

For someone who had been mindful of the maids' and coachman's gazes during their physical contact, this was bold behavior.

Teros embraced the waist of Cecilia as she kissed him and closed his eyes. He had to remember this moment for a long time.

"I'll come see you off on the day you depart."

"Don't come. I'll be dragging all sorts of rough things along, so there's no need for Cecilia to come."

"Those rough things are just weapons made by our family, aren't they?"

"There are weapons, and other things too."

There were also the rough knights. He didn't want to see those guys glancing at what kind of person their lord's wife was. Cecilia would obviously become a spectacle.

"I'll go and come back safely. As quickly as possible."

"Please stay healthy and come back safely."

Though the farewell was simple, the regret felt in their gazes couldn't be hidden. The carriage departed, and Cecilia stood in that spot, following the diminishing carriage with her eyes until it disappeared over the hill.

As an empty feeling surged over her, she felt as though she had truly become alone.

She returned to her room and searched for the magical communication device. She intended to contact Asen, who would be accompanying Teros on the expedition for some time, to convey her greetings.

"Welcome, Cecilia!"

When Cecilia visited Odik Castle, she threw her arms around Asen the moment she saw her. After the explosion incident at Alpensio Palace, Cecilia had once sought out Asen. It was to express her gratitude in place of Hadel for saving them by putting up a barrier. But at that time, both Asen and Cecilia were each consumed with their own worries and concerns, so they couldn't converse for long.

Asen, whom she was seeing after a long while, had good color in her face. It seemed to be thanks to Hadel being freed from confinement and returning as the head of Odik.

"I heard that both Lord Hadel and Asen are following along on the expedition to the Demon's Forest. I'm being indebted to the Odik family once again."

"What debt, Cecilia? Don't say such hurtful things. And it's not like we're following along purely out of goodwill. Teros's help was significant in getting my brother released from confinement this time."

"I understand why Lord Hadel is going, but why is Asen following too... There are lots of monsters and it's dangerous. I tried to dissuade Teros, but he just says he needs Asen."

Hearing this, Asen was relieved that Teros was unexpectedly good at keeping secrets. He hadn't revealed the story about Asen's power even to Cecilia. She had always thought of him as a person without compassion or tears, but perhaps he was unexpectedly trustworthy.

"It's okay. I'm really looking forward to the Demon's Forest. My brother gave me permission to use magic to my heart's content when I go there. Magic improves with practice, but I haven't been able to use it much because I've been careful due to my history of causing accidents. I plan to try all the things I couldn't do normally."

Not being able to use it much was to that extent? Cecilia reviewed the major and minor incidents Asen had caused with magic over the years. Even before getting involved with her over the love potion incident, Asen's eccentricities were famous in high society.

Whether she knew Cecilia's thoughts or not, Asen spread her arms wide and drew a large circle with a face full of smiles.

"When I go to the Demon's Forest, it'll just be monsters and the knight order. I won't have to worry about causing harm to other people. It's all my world! Hehe."

There it was. Asen's reaction when it came to anything magic-related. When it came to magic, she sometimes seemed to go crazy like an uncontrollable colt.

"Asen, it's good to use magic, but you can't harm the Red Knights."

"The knight order is strong, so even if my magic misfires, they can dodge or overcome it."

Cecilia shook her head firmly.

"Still, you must protect your allies that you need to work together with."

At Cecilia's reaction, Asen's excited mood calmed down and she nodded seriously.

"Yes, I will. Cecilia. You're worried about Teros, aren't you?"

When Asen winked with one eye, Cecilia burst into laughter.

"Would I only be worried about Teros? Asen, don't step forward into dangerous situations and make sure to hide."

"I don't know if that suits my personality, but I'll try."

Asen usually appeared gentle and timid, but often impulsively stepped forward when gripped by strange sense of justice.

The two young ladies chatted while drinking tea until the teapot was completely empty.

It was only when the blazing sun began to sink toward the horizon that the two young ladies emerged from the room together. As Cecilia walked through Odik Castle's corridors with Asen, she saw through the window the wizard battalion standing in formation in the back courtyard.

"My brother summoned relatives from all over. Only the relatives who are cooperative toward us volunteered for this expedition. Succeeding in this matter is important to us. If we fail, the other relatives will devour my brother."

"What if you succeed? What benefit would the Odik family gain?"

Looking at Cecilia's innocent questioning eyes, Asen recited exactly what she had heard from Hadel.

"If we succeed, we gain the connection of the Marquis of D'Anstone."

"Ah."

Hearing her husband's title flow from Asen's lips, Cecilia blushed with embarrassment. There was no such thing as free cooperation among nobles. Hadel couldn't possibly be following Teros on the expedition purely out of gratitude for being released from confinement.

Thinking that Teros, who had been concerned about various things behind the scenes, had only shown her his smiling face in front, her heart ached. He had never told Cecilia in detail what moves he had made to resolve the crises that had befallen the Serin family. The Dant ducal family suddenly becoming a target of attack was also likely something Teros had done while getting blood on his hands.

'I need to become stronger too.'

Cecilia unconsciously clenched her fist tightly. This time she had relied on him for many things, but if a similar situation arose again, she wouldn't just be a burden to him. She should be able to solve problems together and help him.

Then Hadel's voice was heard from the darkness at the end of the corridor.

"Are you leaving already, Miss Cecilia? No, Lady Marquis of D'Anstone."

Hadel, who appeared from the darkness, gently bowed toward Cecilia with gentlemanly courtesy.

"Lord Hadel!"

Cecilia beamed with joy at seeing Hadel after a long time. Hadel seen up close still had his beautiful face and platinum hair swaying, but somehow felt gaunt.

Cecilia lifted the hem of her dress and bowed her head respectfully.

"You must have suffered greatly at the imperial palace. Thank you for risking danger to save us that day."

While Cecilia's gaze was fixed on the floor, Hadel exchanged glances with Asen and understood that Cecilia still didn't know about Asen's power. Cecilia still believed that it was Hadel who had created the protective barrier from the explosion.

"Ahem. If you're grateful, then repay me for your entire lifetime. At any rate, you've become a proper marquis's wife just as you wished. Watching a crow transform into a swan makes even me feel proud."

What? Hadel was still Hadel.

"Becoming a marquis's wife wasn't my wish, it was Lord Hadel's wish. I've fulfilled your wish. Let's call it even for saving my life from the explosion."

At the somewhat shameless words, cracks appeared on Hadel's face.

"Indeed, a crow cannot become a swan. I must have been momentarily mistaken."

That's right. With Hadel, this kind of bickering was just right. Without realizing it, a smile formed at the corners of Cecilia's mouth.

Wait, did I see incorrectly? Cecilia blinked her eyes as she looked at Hadel's face. Hadel also seemed to have a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Two days later.

On the morning the Red Knights and wizard battalion set out on their expedition, cold autumn rain drizzled from the sky.

From early morning, Cecilia worried whether the knights would tremble from the cold, whether the wheels of the wagons carrying weapons would get stuck in the mud, and she couldn't remain seated at home.

She draped a thick shawl over her dress and ran to a nearby temple.

Though Cecilia wasn't usually a devout believer, today she poured all her strength into focusing on prayer.

She prayed desperately for God to watch over and protect her husband, her dearest friend, and her father. 'If only I had prayed more frequently and lived as a more faithful person receiving God's love.' It seemed she could dedicate her very soul to make the prayer she was offering now come true.

"Uuugh... sob..."

From her closed eyes as she prayed, the tears she had been holding back flowed without cease. The two hands she had brought together in front of her face for prayer trembled violently.

She finally collapsed while sobbing, as if crumbling. To think that prayer was all she could do in this situation. She felt infinitely powerless and wretched.

Kneeling before the statue in God's image and shedding tears, Cecilia eventually wiped her tears by rubbing her cheeks with her sleeves. This was not the time to just cry.

"I'll come again tomorrow."

After offering her farewell to God, she stood up resolutely and turned to leave.

Clack clack. The sound of footsteps striking the temple's crude stone floor conveyed a somehow resolute feeling as it dispersed into the air.