“……”
Do you think you’re being funny right now?
Kane felt his dignity had been wounded.
He was going to loudly tell this woman— No!
Kane watched as Vanessa strode right into his private space, already treating this place as her own home.
She sat on the edge of his bed, unable to sit still, swinging her little feet and playing with his slippers.
What a pair of delicious snacks— wait, no, this is outrageous! Does she even have any respect left for me as the Household Master?
Kane straightened his back, puffed out his chest, and marched toward Vanessa with determined steps.
Taking a deep breath, his voice boomed out at the top of his lungs:
“You get out of—”
“Oh, right, your Royal Capital Recall Order has been officially issued. Pack your things, once we’re done here we’ll head back to the Capital. Oh, and by the way, openly defying a Royal Decree is a serious crime— at best, it’s Household Execution, at worst, a National Manhunt.” Vanessa reminded him, looking truly earnest.
“…—out. For something this big, you could’ve just sent someone to inform me. Why bother coming all the way here? Isn’t that a hassle?”
Kane rubbed his hands together, his face plastered with a fawning, ingratiating smile.
Vanessa blinked her eyes.
She sat on the edge of the bed with her legs together, but since she hadn’t bothered to tidy her skirt, the opening at the side was wide, exposing her shapely, alluring legs to the air, glowing with a delicate sheen.
Suddenly, she crossed her legs, propped her right elbow on her thigh, rested her chin in her palm, and asked with a hint of curiosity:
“How much of a hassle am I, exactly?”
She paused for a moment, then added:
“Please be detailed. Without precise data, it’ll be hard for me to make an accurate record.”
What are you even recording that for… Kane’s mouth twitched, but he still asked, “How detailed do you want it?”
Vanessa’s slender finger tapped her chin, her elegant brows furrowed as if she were deep in thought.
She really did seem to care.
If that was the case, then maybe being a bit more detailed wouldn’t hurt.
Kane was always flexible with his bottom line.
Just as he was thinking this, Vanessa lifted her head, her expression serious. “Preferably detailed enough that no one would want to jump out the window to escape.”
Kane slapped his thigh and pointed at Vanessa’s nose:
“Vanessa, don’t push your luck! Do you believe I’ll—”
“Oh, by the way, Kane, why are you cross-dressing as a man?” Vanessa asked with genuine curiosity, “Is this some kind of special hobby of yours?”
“You… Look at you, coming over so early that you didn’t even have time to change clothes. Dressed so thinly— what if you catch a cold? Hurry back and put on something warmer.”
“If not, then to keep Princess from catching a chill, I’ll just have to jump out the window and run down to grab you a coat to keep you warm.”
That’s right, Vanessa wasn’t dressed in her usual military uniform today.
She wore a thin Silk Nightdress that perfectly accentuated her figure.
The white shirt collar was slightly undone, revealing a stretch of snowy neck, her exposed skin as clean and smooth as jade, radiating a faint floral fragrance and an intoxicating beauty from every inch.
Her legs were clad in Black Stockings, the edge of the stockings barely visible under the short skirt, revealing a sliver of delicate, fair skin.
A simple, elegant look, yet it outlined the most perfect waist-to-hip ratio.
She was simply born with a Sacred Black Silk Physique.
Kane looked at Vanessa, who’d walked in and confidently flaunted her charm. His Adam’s apple bobbed, his heart pounding as if several rabbits were trapped inside.
His mouth was dry, his tongue parched.
Unconsciously, Kane had already fallen silent.
Until Vanessa parted her lips:
“You like black stockings?”
“?!”
Kane was utterly lost in thought, and the sudden question startled him.
He looked up, meeting Vanessa’s cool, emotionless gaze.
“Ah, no, I just…”
“Shouldn’t you be answering with ‘Mm, yes’ right now?”
As she spoke, Vanessa even mimicked the blank look Kane had given her earlier.
And, honestly, she did look a bit like him.
No wonder people say couples look alike— they really are cut from the same mold.
But Kane would never admit it.
Especially after being taunted by her like this, he had to stand his ground— No!
“Bu—”
“Do you want to touch them?”
“Can I?!”
The moment he blurted it out, Kane regretted it, wishing he could slap himself.
Kane, oh Kane, how can you be so weak to temptation?
She offers, and you just take it?
She’s obviously luring you into a trap, and not only did you not realize it immediately, you’re even rushing to hand yourself over. Are you that eager to die?
Ugh!
Simp!
Useless!
Kane cursed himself fiercely in his heart, bracing for the brutal ridicule he knew his ex-fiancée was about to deliver.
He knew all too well how wicked Vanessa’s personality was. He would never forget that night, the utter humiliation his ex-fiancée had inflicted upon him.
To be allowed to play with the Princess’s beautiful legs at will— just thinking about it, it’s obviously impossible… damn (a kind of plant)!
Vanessa uncrossed her legs, scooted closer to Kane, and lay sideways on the bed.
She lifted her skirt just enough to reveal more than half of her thigh, the tight stocking band leaving a mark on her fair skin.
Before Kane could react, her long, slender, black-stockinged legs pressed together and gently rested on his thigh.
Her delicate foot pointed toward his gaze, ankle taut, the flesh under the Black Stockings showing a healthy glow.
It looked both innocent and tempting, yet somehow reserved.
She tilted her head, her cheeks flushed, and her lips parted to say two simple, direct words.
“Go ahead.”
“……”
Kane’s mind went completely blank.
His face was as red and hot as 2.5 strips of Wu.
His former dream— his fiancée’s “snack”— was actually within his grasp.
Oh my, this was the universally acknowledged First Female Lead’s delicate foot! At this moment, Kane truly felt as if he’d conquered the whole world.
Especially since Vanessa was wearing his absolute favorite— Black Stockings.
Right now, every cell in Kane’s body was screaming two words.
Battle!
Battle! Battle!
It’s time for battle!
Let me out! I want to battle!
“Thank you, maybe next time— no, actually, I’ll pass.”
Though he was fired up, at the critical moment, Kane’s reason prevailed.
Not just because he still doubted Vanessa’s true intentions, but more importantly… he really didn’t have anything left.
Nothing at all— so what was he supposed to battle with?
Reluctantly, Kane pushed the “snack” off his leg and got ready to stand.
However, Vanessa acted as if she were possessed by something unclean, doing something completely out of character again.
“You’re not going to touch? Then… do you want me to touch you?”
Vanessa murmured softly, and then her toes, tightly wrapped in stockings, gently touched… Wait! Where are you touching? Stop! That’s where Enya just—
“Ah~~~.”