Chapter 24

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: Chapter 7. The Original Villainess (2)

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엔딩인 줄 알고 돌아왔더니 장르가 바뀜

31화

The lips that had briefly touched and parted swallowed breath once more.

Edelaine bit her lower lip and turned her head away, but it was no use. Shane grabbed her chin and turned her back toward him, then bit down painfully on her lower lip.

"Mmph, mmph."

"Open your mouth, Edelaine."

"Nngh…."

A flurry of light kisses trailed over Edelaine's face as she resisted. Shane pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth, the tip of her chin, her cheek, and the corner of her eye, then smirked slyly.

"So stubborn."

She planned to bite Shane's pretty lips if he tried to kiss her again. But as if he'd anticipated it, Shane slid the hand gripping her chin a little lower and firmly pressed the spot between her neck and jaw joint.

"Ah!"

With her gasp, his thick tongue slipped through the gap in her lips. As the kiss deepened in an instant, Edelaine kept pushing desperately at Shane's chest. But he didn't budge an inch.

To be honest, Shane was good at kissing. No, he had to be. She might not have much experience herself, but the tingling in her fingertips and head made it clear he was skilled.

She knew just when her breath was getting blocked by the heavy pressure of his lips and the unfamiliar sensation of his tongue licking her mucous membranes, teetering on the edge of dizziness—he'd pull back just enough to let her gulp a single breath before stealing it away again. Every now and then, her back arched involuntarily.

Finally, as if annoyed, Shane grabbed both her wrists and pinned them above her head, then released her lips.

'This bastard, where the hell did he learn to kiss like that…!'

Edelaine huffed in frustration. Shane lowered his eyes, steadying his breath, then chuckled softly.

"I've never learned."

Damn mind-reading.

"You looked at me like I was some playboy. It was my first kiss."

"Yeah, right."

"It's true. Though I've fantasized about it endlessly."

"……."

So just how much natural talent did he have? As Edelaine stared at him in a daze, he leaned down and slowly licked around her mouth, glistening with saliva.

"Touching anyone but you disgusts me."

"No, wait, hold on, Shane…."

This time, she really had to push him away, or they'd go straight to their wedding night. Edelaine tensed up completely. Force wouldn't work. Crying or begging were her only options… but even those seemed unlikely to succeed.

Edelaine realized anew just how complacent she'd been.

If Shane wanted, this "story" could easily turn into a dark, explicit 19+ tale. Whether she wanted it or not didn't matter.

Wow, this insane lack of safety awareness….

There was no excuse. She obviously couldn't win with strength….

They were married now, so neither practically nor morally was there a way to refuse. By this world's standards, rejecting marital relations wouldn't be understood.

Edelaine stiffened rigidly, glaring at Shane in high alert.

She wanted to warn him that if he touched her, she'd bite—and this time, she'd draw blood. But Shane obediently released her hands from above her head. Then he rolled off her and lay down beside her.

"Huh?"

"What, were you hoping I'd pin you down?"

"No! No, not that!"

"I get it after you say it once. Not even imagining you wanted it."

"That's… not it."

Edelaine cautiously propped herself up on her elbows. Shane lay with his arm as a pillow, eyes closed.

"Not mad anymore?"

At her words, Shane finally cracked his eyes open. He gazed at her through narrowed slits.

She'd said it to provoke him. To cut him off cleanly and push him away.

She'd chosen sharp, wounding words despite knowing they'd hurt. Just moments ago, he'd seemed angry as she'd intended, but now he was calm as if he'd swapped masks, steadying his breath. It threw her off.

Shane spoke. He seemed fully composed now, even leisurely.

"If I got mad? What do you think would happen?"

"……We'd fight?"

"How? Physically?"

"……."

"Or with words? Either way, it wouldn't end well."

Shane smirked, lifting one corner of his mouth.

"Good thing I stopped before I fell for your provocation and did something irreversible. Right?"

His gaze briefly dipped below her neck before flicking back up. The meaning was clear. Realizing what "irreversible" meant, Edelaine's cheeks flushed bright red.

As she tried to scoot back off the bed, Shane grabbed her waist faster, pulling her off-balance so her face smacked right into his solid chest.

"Ah, oof."

"Hold back the moans. My patience is hanging by a thread as it is."

"What! Then let go!"

"Can't do that. Why do you think I held back?"

"Held back what…."

"You really don't know what I held back for, Edelaine?"

"……."

Edelaine was great at lying, but she knew this wasn't the moment for it.

Pretending ignorance might prompt him to "show" her, which would be disastrous for her.

As she averted her eyes, Shane continued.

"Don't worry. I haven't done anything yet. I can't promise not to do what you hate… but…."

"What's with the vague wording…."

"I won't pin you down, at least. Not unless you want it."

"That's never gonna happen?!"

"Isn't 'you never know with people' your favorite saying?"

"This one's certain."

"Fine, fine. Let's sleep."

"Go sleep in your room. It's not like there's only one bedroom."

"This is my room."

"……Then I'll leave."

But the arm around her waist was like iron—unyielding. Edelaine slapped at Shane's arm. It didn't budge. She thrashed wildly, but soon her legs were fully entangled too, trapping her.

"I said I'm going!"

"No use, Edelaine. I'll follow you anywhere."

"……."

"So just sleep. This room's the most comfortable."

"……There are so many bedrooms in this mansion. I don't care if they're messy. I can sleep anywhere? Honestly, just lay out a blanket on the floor. I thought my back would hurt, but with straw underneath, it was soft and nice. No, I don't even need a blanket…."

After fleeing abroad, she'd stayed in a temporary hideout for a few months.

The place Lucian had arranged carried too much risk of discovery. She trusted Lucian's abilities, but the world had its uncertainties. If his tail was caught, any hideout he'd provided would be exposed in an instant.

Edelaine had gone much farther than the planned settlement she'd told Lucian about. Even Lucian, who'd helped with the initial escape, and Lloyd weren't told the final destination.

'Lloyd's face when I got the ship ticket at the original destination was priceless.'

It wasn't fatal, but the wound from being stabbed through with a sword wasn't light. Crossing the border again in that state? He'd think she was insane.

'Can't we just heal at the place Lucian found and stay?'

'It's not that I don't trust Lucian….'

'You don't trust him.'

'……Of course I trust he'll handle the job perfectly since he took the commission. I do. But people are complicated. You can't know everything in their hearts.'

'You trust no one.'

'Lloyd, I trust you.'

'You talk a good game. Even keeping this from me until now.'

'I didn't want to burden you. You had so much to handle. I'm sorry.'

'If you're sorry, walk properly. Don't lean on me. You know I'm shorter, right?'

Of course, sneaking across the border injured had been hell. She barely ate or slept. She felt near death, but the joy of escaping nightmares carried her through.

Lloyd had suffered greatly.

Really suffered.

Gems and jewelry took time to sell and were too conspicuous, so they'd rented a place with only the cash they had. It was naturally rundown.

They lacked furniture and essentials, sleeping on bare floors with just a blanket for days. And that was while injured; now healthy, she didn't even need that.

But Shane wouldn't budge.

"I'm curious why you had to sleep without even a blanket."

"……."

"But hearing it might make me mad again, so I'll hold back."

"Why would that make you…."

"How could I not get mad knowing you suffered?"

"……."

An answer she hadn't expected. If anything, the one making her life hardest right now was him.

"What was your super-competent servant doing?"

"Lloyd slept beside me without one too…."

"Ah, beside you."

"No choice. It was a single room."

She didn't need to look up to imagine his crooked smile. Shane seemed satisfied with that, pulling her close and resting his chin on her crown.

"I have no choice either, Edelaine."

"What do you mean! You think I don't know how many bedrooms are in this house?"

"I can't sleep without you."

His low voice left Edelaine speechless for a moment.

It would've been easier if she could call it a blatant lie.

"Holding you calms my anxiety enough to sleep."

Edelaine knew all too well the agony of insomnia from unease.

"Give up, Edelaine. No matter what you say, I won't let go. You'll never escape my side… ever."

Just sleep.

What kind of terrifying declaration of possession was this—and at the same time, a bottomless confession?

Edelaine stared at Shane's closed-eyed face for a long while, dazed. Her insides churned, her head throbbed.

She knew her face was burning red without even looking.