As Ingrid woke up, she felt a gentle tickling sensation on her lashes. Curiosity piqued, she opened her eyes, only to find a hand suspended in mid-air, just inches away from her face. Ingrid turned her head to get a better look at the owner of the hand.

"Why are you here?" she asked in a slightly hoarse voice. However, there was no hint of surprise in her face, as though it was only natural for him to be there—to be by her side.

Aleric did not respond. He had a frown on his face as he looked at Ingrid intently—like she was a difficult problem he had a hard time solving.

Ingrid took the time to study Aleric's face as well. In this world, there is not one single face that she finds attractive apart from her own, and that fact remains. Yet, time and time, she finds herself looking at him—drawn by his charm as though she was spellbound.

Perhaps he also practiced witchcraft. Then it would make sense why countless women eye him like hungry hyenas wherever he went despite his terrible reputation.

It is quite regrettable that none of them were courageous enough to present themselves in front of the tyrant and barbaric crown prince. They longed to be that one special woman whom he would treat differently from the others. But they were cowards. Had they been bold enough to step up and meet his gaze, perhaps they would have gained his interest.

The thought made Ingrid's heart throb. If not for her father's army, would the crown prince even ask for her hand in marriage? Or will she be just another insignificant woman in his eyes?

Ingrid's hand moved on its own and touched Aleric's prominent nose. Seeing that he didn't mind, she became bolder and began tracing his thick brows, down to his well sculpted jaws until her fingers stopped on his ruddy lips.

Ingrid swallowed. She could still remember how soft they were—like clouds of sweetness and warmth. Her face turned red at her own thoughts. Ingrid quickly pushed Aleric to hide her embarrassment. But before she could escape from the confines of her bed, a strong arm pulled her back and felt something soft and hot smash on her supple lips.

He kissed her as though he was trying to devour her, his tongue exploring every corner of her mouth. It was a dizzying kiss full of lustful desire that sparked an unknown flame in her and she willingly allowed herself to burn.

A soft moan escaped from her lips as Aleric’s hand traveled from her shoulder down to the arc of her waist. She gasped when she felt a hand grasp her well-endowed chest, giving it a light squeeze that sent a tingling sensation to her core.

"My lady?" Called a maidservant's voice while knocking on the door.

As though freed from a spell, Ingrid's eyes went wide and she quickly push Aleric away. There was a hint of annoyance on Aleric's as he glared at the door with murderous eyes.

"Y-yes?" She croaked, while giving Aleric a light squeeze on the shoulder, warning him not to do anything stupid. But who would have thought that such an innocent gesture would reignite the dying flames.

Ingrid's eyes went wide when Aleric gobbled her lips once more. And amidst all rationality, she found herself responding to his kiss clumsily—in the best way she could.

"It is time for lunch, my lady. May I ask where you would like to have your meal?"

Ingrid gasped realizing the made is still there. She pushed Aleric away and he relented after giving her another deep kiss.

“My lady?”

"T-the dining hall! I'll eat in the dining hall!" Ingrid answered hastily, flustered.

"Very well my lady."

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Ingrid glared accusingly at Aleric as they heard the leaving footsteps of the maidservant. However, an awkward silence soon followed. She buried her face in her pillow as realization of what had transpired dawned on her.

"If your highness could please leave," she asked in shame, still hiding her face.

"How heartless," Aleric lamented dramatically. "I'm quite sure we were heading towards something more in~hmmp!"

Ingrid quickly pressed her hands on Aleric's mouth, her face filled with a mixture of horror and embarrassment.

"You...do you have any shame?!"

Aleric licked Ingrid's palm causing the latter to quickly pull her hands. He couldn't help a low rumble of laughter to escape from his mouth while looking at her angry face. Her cheeks were puffed and her beady eyes looked as though they were about to start shedding tears.

"Why, what's so wrong about what we did? He asked in a low teasing voice as he leaned towards her.

Ingrid backed away, but felt the headboard behind her. A series of emotions danced around her emerald eyes—panic, nervousness, anticipation...desire. She pressed her eyes closed when Aleric's lips were a hair's-breadth from hers. However, the anticipated kiss did not happen. Instead, she felt his breath tickle her ear.

"Once we're married we'll be doing a lot of those and more..."

Ingrid felt shivers run down her spine. But when she opened her eyes the crown prince was no longer anywhere to be found.

Ingrid took a deep breath, trying to settle the turbulence on her chest. She bit her lips as she looked back to what happened earlier. If it wasn't for the maid...his hand...

She groaned and buried her face in her hands.

"I must have gone crazy."

After finally calming down Ingrid stepped out of her bed and headed for her closet. But as she walked past her full body mirror her movement stopped.

Ingrid turned red from head to toe when she saw the girl reflected in the mirror. Her hair disheveled. Her lips swollen. Meanwhile one side of her robe was off her shoulder, revealing a glimpse of her well-endowed chest.

Ingrid fell on the floor while covering her face with her palm in shame.

***

Inside the drawing room within the grand duke of Lennox’s castle, two men could be seen sitting across each other. One was glaring at the other as though he would kill him and any given moment. While the other sat languidly with a grin, unbothered by the other person’s piercing gaze.

“I assume you already found the mole in your midst, grand duke.” Crown Prince Aleric brought about.

Grand Duke Rasmus’ darting glare towards Aleric became even more sharper.

“I don't think the affairs of my house are any of your business, your imperial highness.”

The Crown Prince placed his leg on top of the other and said, “But of course. I know my boundaries. However, this incident does concern my fiancee and future empress, so I have no choice but to meddle.”

“You…” the grand duke sighed as he tried to rein in his anger. “Your imperial highness, my daughter is precious to me. If it is my army you need for your conquest of the north, I would gladly aid you. Furthermore, I swear to assist you in any way I can in your future conquests as well.”

Aleric leaned forward his lips arching upward. However, the Grand Duke's next words instantly erased the smile off his face.

“In return, I humbly implore your highness to leave my daughter be. I do not wish for her to be used like a tool. She has already suffered enough.”

Aleric's hand clenched. What the grand duke said should have been music to his ears. Grand Duke was offering his assistance to him without him needing to marry his daughter. Yet, it made him anxious instead.

“I am not marrying your daughter merely for the sake of your army grand duke. I am genuinely interested in her.”

The words that came out of his own mouth surprised him. What was he saying? What is this desperation he is suddenly feeling?

“I was interested in archery once,” Grand Duke Rasmus shared. “For a bit I committed myself into practicing the art. But after some time, I stopped because I never grew to love it as much as I thought I would. Now the priceless bow I fought the greatest archer in the empire to get is sitting in one of my storehouses somewhere, gathering dust.”

An awkward silence enveloped the entire room. Only the ticking of the golden clock attached on the wall could be heard.

The Grand Duke stood up, breaking the silence.

“If I may be bold your highness, your wealth and power does not make you worthy of my daughter. As a matter of fact it makes you the most unworthy candidate for her hand. Your world filled with danger and carnage is not a world I wish my daughter to be a part of. I do not care if my daughter marries the poorest man in the world. As long as she can be happy, safe and loved. As long as the man she married can make her eyes lit up and make her feel secure enough to grace him with her beautiful smile. That is all that matters.”