SACBD

28

The next day, Lionel visited Madame Katana's room.

The maid, who was examining Madame Katana, was startled by Lionel's appearance.

"Duke, you came?"

Lionel, who wore only a shirt, pants, and a vest, had a harsher expression than usual. The maid looked back at Madame Katana, frightened.

"Looks like she's still sleeping."

"That's right."

"Okay. Get out."

At Lionel's words, the maid ran out of the bedroom.

In the empty room, only Lionel and Madame Katana were left.

Lionel stared at Madame Katana, who remained still.

"......"

His mood seemed to be getting weirder.

An unanswered question ran through his mind.

'Why did this woman save me?'

Even though she knew her life would be in danger? Was it because she knew that her life would be in danger even if she didn't save him?

Obviously, Madame Katana had asked him to choose her over Marianne from the beginning. But why this?

What attracted him to Madame Katana?

The attraction was instinctive. That night, Lionel wasn't normal, but he wasn't completely unaware.

He could vividly recall the memories of that hot night in his head. His body felt like it was on fire. A mixture of poison and fever took over his body.

It seemed that the blood in his body was circulating at will because of the excitement caused by the fever. His lust ran wild.

He must have been like a mad beast in the middle of the breeding season.

After a moment of storm and ecst**y, Lionel remembered how she looked at him. She looked at him with a worried expression on her face.

She took his hand and whispered words.

He couldn't remember her words, but the moment she touched him, he was healed. As if by magic, all his pain disappeared in an instant.

A mysterious light had been absorbed into his body.

'Why did I feel that way?'

Even if Madame Katana possessed mysterious powers, it didn't really matter to Lionel.

"Riv."

Lionel muttered her name and grabbed Riv's hand. Marianne had talked about it before.

Riv's dry hands were rough and ugly because of years of labor. They were bigger and callused, unlike normal women.

Stroking her hand, Lionel murmured.

"My hands are messed up, too, so we have something in common. Olivia de Katana."

As a soldier, his hands were also rough due to long training.

"Wake up quickly. I'm waiting."

Lionel gently stroked Riv's face.

"Riv seems to suit you better than the grandiose "Olivia"."

The last place Lionel's hand touched was Riv's parched lips . He looked at her plump lips for a long time.

Madame Katana, Riv, woke up the next day.

***

Wind blew through the ivory-colored curtains by the open window.