Chapter 20

After only a few passes of Leon’s hands, she was left wearing nothing but a thin chemise. When she saw her dress tossed out of the bed and hitting the floor, she tried to rise, but a firm hand pinned both of her wrists down against the sheets.

“Y-You can’t just throw my clothes like that. At least fold them—”

“What a strange thing to say. Since when does a princess concern herself with tidying clothes?”

“Ah… that’s…”

Caught out by a habit she had long practiced without thinking, Adeline pressed her lips tightly together. Fortunately, Leon didn’t seem to find it strange.

No, more than that, the truth was that the situation left her no room to worry about such things at all.

“And right now, you should be focusing on this.”

Her upper body, which had been trying to rise, tipped back with a thud at the hand pushing her shoulder. Now lying flat on the bed, Adeline blinked. She had been certain it was nothing more than a joke, but a sensual air surged unmistakably from the man looking down at her.

Even in the darkness, his features stood out with striking clarity. Beneath sharp eyes lay long lashes that fell with an almost elegant sweep, a nose ridge cut as though sculpted, a strong jawline, and finely shaped lips.

The rumors that many women sought him out despite his notorious temperament suddenly seemed understandable.

That didn’t mean, however, that she was willing to tolerate whatever he pleased.

Seeing the look in her eyes, like one reserved for an unsavory ruffian not worth associating with, Leon barely restrained a laugh and leaned in to murmur in her ear.

“Just make it look passable. There are people from all three nations watching outside right now.”

“….!”

Adeline’s head snapped around. She turned her gaze toward the door, though Leon’s shadow blocked her view, leaving her unable to see clearly.

“…You’re joking, right?”

“I know you’d like it to be a joke, but if you really don’t believe me, try screaming. I’m rather curious to see who would come running.”

Even though the words bordered on mockery, judging by the man’s expression, now distinctly grave, it didn’t seem like a lie.

Looking once more toward the door, she saw the light beyond it waver faintly through the tightly shut panels. Realizing that it meant at least one person was standing outside this room, her lips parted.

“So you’re not completely foolish after all.”

“There must be guards posted behind that door.”

“They likely sent them away under the pretext of our first night.”

“Why?”

“Because there are plenty of people curious about what goes on between us.”

Leon’s breath brushed her cheek as he murmured the words, his expression unchanged. The room was so quiet that the sounds outside seeped in all the more clearly. Someone was definitely listening, holding their breath.

“They’re the ones lurking outside, watching us. That’s why we need a performance.”

Though they were called allied nations, each was ultimately a country that put its own interests first, and they were all watching one another closely. Adeline instinctively measured the distance from the bed to the door, swallowing her surprise at the man’s sharp awareness, keen enough to sense the faintest presence.

“Just pretend, at least.”

“How…”

“Like this.”

“Huhk…”

Before she could say anything, his lips crushed down on hers. Startled by the wet sensation forcing its way between them, she sucked in a sharp breath.

“Wai—”

“You’re a woman with no sense of romance. Keeping your eyes open during a kiss.”

Leon spoke in a flat voice as he licked along her palate. His damp tongue pushed in, sweeping over her neat teeth before fastening onto her inner flesh and sucking.

When her tongue shrank back, he tangled it impatiently, as if annoyed.

“Hngh, I… can’t breathe.”

Her breath grew increasingly ragged. When Adeline let out a small moan and pursed her lips, his tongue pried through the gap and forced its way in. A large hand caught her jaw and tilted her head back, opening her mouth at an angle she couldn’t resist.

“Mmph…!”

With no chance to escape him, a hot, slick tongue invaded her mouth. It ensnared her tongue as she tried to retreat and swept up over her tender palate, sending a shudder racing through her entire body.

Her pupils shook wide as though her senses were being paralyzed.

His arm slid around Adeline’s waist. At the firm pressure tightening around her, her back struck the bedpost. The space to escape shrank by the second.

“Nngh, wait a moment. Why are they even interested in our bedchamber?”

“Aren’t there an irritating number of people in this palace whose nerves are on edge because the princess went and tried to run away for no reason?”

“Huuhk. So you’re saying it’s all my fault?”

“I can’t stand annoying things either, so don’t make a scene and just play along. At least pretend you’re feeling something.”

“I-I’m hyperventilating… I feel like I’m going to die.”

“You won’t die from just a kiss.”