Chapter 53

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Scars and Surprises
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“Ah, Your Excellency…!”

Her wavy hair splayed across the white bedsheets. Aileen clutched the lilies to her chest and looked up at Cesare.

With the large man looming over her like a beast, she felt as if she were about to be devoured. His crimson eyes, gleaming brightly even in the darkness, only amplified the feeling.

He placed his hands on either side of her head, his gaze locked with hers. The longer their eyes met, the more flustered Aileen became. Unable to bear it any longer, she gently turned her head to the side, but he commanded in a soft voice.

“Look at me.”

A man more accustomed to giving orders than anyone, he knew exactly how to do it. Aileen immediately looked back at him.

Cesare supported himself with one arm, his other hand toying with Aileen’s lips. The texture of his leather glove against her skin sent a strange sensation through her.

The bedroom, lit only by a small lamp, was steeped in a soft darkness. As he touched her lips, Aileen’s breathing grew uneven. When her breaths had become completely irregular, she managed to find her voice.

“You’re here…?”

It was a belated greeting, to say the least. A shy attempt to ease the shame and awkwardness, but for some reason, Cesare seemed to like it.

“…Yes.”

He slowly pulled Aileen into his arms. The hard medals and buttons of his uniform pressed against her soft skin. A dizzying feeling washed over her, and she tried to close her legs, but his thick thigh was already between them, pinning her in place.

With their bodies pressed together, Cesare whispered a greeting in her ear.

“I’ve returned, Aileen.”

The sharp scent of alcohol wafted from him. As the groom, he must have accepted every drink offered by the guests. Held in his arms, Aileen secretly took a few small sniffs.

The smell of alcohol on her father had always been repulsive. Whenever he came home heavily intoxicated, she would open all the windows to air out the house.

But strangely, Cesare was different. The scent of liquor on him was moderately bitter and sweet. It was probably because he had drunk a lot of fruit wine.

While Aileen was covertly sniffing him, Cesare also took a deep breath in and out. He gently licked her neck with his tongue.

He licked and sucked as if savoring candy, then slowly bit down. As if leaving teeth marks wasn't enough, he pressed his lips firmly against her skin and drew in sharply.

Only after staining her neck with red marks did he pull away. He licked his own lips, just as he was about to remove Aileen’s nightgown.

*Achoo!* A sneeze escaped her. Aileen sniffled and apologized.

“I’m sorry, Your Excellency.”

When Cesare began to laugh, Aileen’s face instantly turned red. She had even worn a risqué nightgown, only to ruin the mood with a sneeze. At this rate, she couldn’t blame him for treating her like a child.

He chuckled for a long while. Rubbing his face lightly against her hair, which was scattered across the bed, Cesare asked in a voice laced with amusement.

“Are you cold?”

“Yes. But not very, just a little. To be honest, it’s not that different from me being undressed. But the reason I suddenly sneezed, I think, is because I touched your uniform. The medals, and the buttons… things like that. They’re a bit cold, you see.”

Aileen diligently explained herself. Cesare, still smirking, pushed himself up. As he stepped off the side of the bed, Aileen sat up as well.

“This is the first time someone’s demanded I take my clothes off.”

Aileen was about to say that wasn’t what she meant, but she closed her mouth. On second thought, that was exactly what she meant.

“W-Well, if we’re going to do it anyway…”

She managed to mumble a reply, but her voice held no confidence. She had long since prepared herself for the wedding night, but she knew very little. The only things Aileen knew about intercourse were what Cesare had taught her.

“I suppose I must. Since my wife has commanded it.”

He unbuttoned the collar of his uniform right in front of her. He undid them one by one, starting from the top. Then, he unfastened his shirt buttons as if tearing them open, revealing the collarbones beneath his thick Adam’s apple.

Aileen gasped, and in that moment, all the buttons came undone. His firm chest and abdomen were laid bare.

Unlike him, who was uninhibited about undressing in front of others, this was a first for Aileen. The shell of her ear, peeking through her hair, was already bright red. Gazing at her small, flushed ear, Cesare asked casually.

“Want to touch?”

Aileen’s eyes widened at the incredible offer. Then, her white face turned a pitiable shade of red, and she trembled.

“What? Me? Touch you, Your Excellency? No, Cesare?”

“Don’t you want to?”

“No, it’s not that I don’t want to. It’s just so sudden, ah!”

He grabbed her hand and placed it on his chest. Aileen flinched as if she had touched a toxic chemical with her bare hands.

“I-I-I need a moment to prepare myself…!”

Ignoring her protests, Cesare held her hand and moved it himself. He made her feel the thick pectoral muscles and brushed her palm against his nipple. Then, he moved her hand down to his abdomen. She could feel the bumpy texture of his perfectly defined muscles.

Aileen had no choice but to touch every part of his upper body. All the while, she fidgeted, not knowing what to do, muttering for him to stop, yet at the same time, she swallowed hard.

This was a musculature forged not for beauty, but through countless battles. And yet, it was beautiful. Feeling the texture of his healthy, resilient skin, Aileen thought blankly.

*‘A man’s body can be this beautiful.’*

Just as she wiggled her fingers, wanting to give a small squeeze, she felt a texture different from the smooth skin she had been touching.

The moment she identified the source of the foreign texture, her head went cold as if doused with icy water. Aileen grabbed his uniform jacket. Then she threw it wide open to both sides.

“Ah…”

Cesare’s body was covered in all sorts of scars. Slashes from swords, gunshot wounds, and even marks that looked like they were from a whip.

With a trembling hand, Aileen touched each of the scars that marred his body. Her nose quickly began to sting. She bit her lip hard, but it wasn’t long before her eyes welled up with tears.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

Her heart ached with sorrow, but Cesare himself acted as if it were nothing. He finished taking off his uniform jacket and lifted Aileen into his arms. Cradling her like a child, he kissed her tear-streaked cheeks.

“Don’t cry, Aileen.”

Aileen wrapped her arms around his neck. She choked back her sobs, but a sudden thought made her lift her head and meet his eyes.

“Show me below, too.”

Perhaps his lower body was covered in even worse scars. Wondering if there was any way to keep the commander-in-chief of the imperial army from being sent to war, Aileen urged him on.

Cesare gave a slightly troubled smile but obediently followed her command. He set her down on the bed and unbuckled his belt. *Click.* The metallic sound echoed in the quiet room.

He took a step toward her and asked.

“Do you really want to see?”

“Yes! Quickly.”

His groin was right in front of her face, which was a little intimidating, but she answered firmly. And immediately regretted it.

“…?”

Cesare slowly lowered his trousers, along with his undergarments. Aileen’s eyes gradually widened as she saw what was revealed. When it was fully exposed, she rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.

Her tears vanished instantly. Suddenly, Aileen remembered what had happened at the brick house. That day, Cesare had tormented her endlessly but had done nothing for himself. He had definitely said this:

*“I don’t want to frighten you.”*

He had said it like someone who possessed something that would make her run away if she saw it before the wedding, and he had smiled meaningfully…

Her face paled as she stared at the twitching rod. Though she hadn’t touched it with even a fingertip, under her gaze, it grew on its own, rearing its head.

“What’s wrong? Not what you expected now that you see it?”

Cesare let out a languid moan and smiled.

“You said you wanted to see, Aileen.”