Chapter 29

Soon my posture changed, and I leaned against the bathtub.

The hand of Riorem, who had been holding my shoulder, was now gripping his own genitals.

While Riorem was stroking himself, the thick fingers still left inside me continued to lightly explore my vaginal opening.

Through the convulsing walls of my vagina, his fingers slipped smoothly.

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

A dull friction sound continued.

At a speed incomparable to the carefully exploring fingers inside me, Riorem’s genitals trembled.

I watched absentmindedly and tightened my lower abdomen.

I felt the fingers that had been repeatedly moving in and out hesitate.

In the silence, Riorem climaxed.

A sticky, mucus-like fluid dripped onto my chest.

Only then did silence fall again in the room.

Splash, splash.

The bathwater stirred and struck the bathtub walls.

I closed my eyes as I looked at the man who neither withdrew his hand nor could still thrust his stiff cock inside me.

It was as if he was telling me to wash.

Fortunately, my fever had completely gone by the morning before we left for the hunting grounds.

After confirming that my fever was gone, Riorem immediately devoted himself to hunting practice. It seemed he hadn’t been able to concentrate while I was sick.

It was fortunate that Riorem was motivated and started preparing for the hunt, but a different problem came to me.

That was Teumesa Labros.

Teumesa stormed into the bedroom exactly 20 minutes after Riorem left.

Right now, Teumesa could criticize me without a hint of guilt.

My body was fully healed, and Riorem wasn’t here.

However, as Riorem Bellik’s adjutant, Teumesa was too busy blindly disliking me.

After briefly scratching my nerves as if greeting me, Teumesa got straight to the point.

“Only His Majesty and the Crown Prince know that you’re here. For now.”

“It’s annoying, but your king is a smart man.”

Teumesa didn’t deny it.

“So the loose schedule is a concern. The Crown Prince might try to contact you.”

“Ah… that could be.”

It was obvious.

From their perspective, they couldn’t know my intentions.

If by any chance they were displeased that I had become Riorem’s slave, it was like holding a powder keg.

They would keep looking for opportunities to escape and would do everything to contact the outside world.

‘And normally, it’s understandable not to accept the situation of a princess becoming a slave.’

Hence the sinister rumors that the captured princess was raped and impregnated to be kept by their side.

I hesitated a bit and asked,

“If I say I don’t feel much difference between being sold as Princess Peroa and living as a bedroom slave, would they believe it?”

“Would they?”

Probably not.

I quietly looked down at my teacup.

“Then they will try to give me an appropriate hiding place.”

The king of Arete would want to hide me.

But they wouldn’t believe I was satisfied living in this bedroom… so they’d try to hide me by giving me something that would prevent complaints.

Even if I didn’t particularly want that. For their peace of mind within a range they could accept.

At that moment, Teumesa cleared her throat with a troubled face, as if reluctantly bringing up something she absolutely didn’t want to say.

“…The real problem is that the Crown Prince meeting with you in the first place is a problem. Whether they meet openly in front of the general, or secretly.”

“Ahaha!”

“You’re laughing? That’s the biggest problem.”

Unlike the serious Teumesa, I couldn’t help but laugh.

That’s right.

If there was contact with the Crown Prince, Riorem was the biggest problem.

Not only his adjutant, but also the boy who picked flowers, and even the king who would receive my letters — all jealous Riorem wouldn’t let any man who wanted to secretly talk with me pass.

And I, meeting him as well.

‘So that’s why she said it with such a poker face.’

I suppressed my laughter and raised the teacup.

As I swirled the now cold, bitter tea in my mouth, Teumesa brought up the next topic.

It was quite solemn, as if this was the main point.

“I really hate how the general is strangely swayed by you… but I think we should use that this time.”

Teumesa pushed a pouch on the table toward me.

I readily took it. I was curious what this clever woman had come up with.

Previously she gave me a pen with poison, so I wondered what unique solution she had now.

But inside were only sewing thread and needle, and a white handkerchief made of soft cotton.

Combining this content and what will happen from tomorrow, only one conclusion came to mind.

“But… really?”

I looked Teumesa in the eyes to confirm.

Without realizing it, a sharp voice slipped out.

“…What exactly do you want me to do with this?”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? You’re supposed to give a hand-embroidered handkerchief.”

The typical gray eyes of an Aretean gazed silently at my face.

“Have you never done this before? Maybe you’re too much of a noble lady to have ever given one to anyone?”

“I can’t lie about that.”

A flush of color rose to Teumesa’s face.

She looked like she had caught an opportunity.

I quietly stared down at the sugar bowl.

I was annoyed that she acted as if she’d found my weakness.

I even thought about throwing it at her face since it was the perfect size.

But… despite my irritation, it wasn’t a bad idea.

Riorem gets excited every time I do something a noble lady would.

It was just after he had learned the methods and etiquette of hunting.

He must have also learned about giving embroidered handkerchiefs, so if I received one, he might immediately get aroused from the waist down.

‘As long as I don’t have to do it myself, it’s a perfect plan.’

Better than getting caught meeting the Crown Prince and getting oral punished in a tent with no soundproofing.

I eventually accepted the pouch containing the sewing kit.

The next day at dawn.

A group consisting of one carriage, three servants, one wagon carrying luggage, and five knights left Dynamis Castle.

Teumesa was not among them.

With the limited number on the invitation, only the bare minimum could be taken.

Perhaps because of that, Teumesa’s expression as she watched the carriage leave was not good.

‘Either that, or she’s disappointed because what she expected didn’t happen.’

I recalled Teumesa’s expression when she looked at the handkerchief I had completed.

Contrary to expectations, her reaction seemed more embarrassed than disappointed at the neat embroidery.

‘She probably hasn’t heard how harshly the Duke of Peroa trained his daughters.’

As I stared out the window, a curtain suddenly fell over it.

It was Riorem.

I shifted my gaze from the window to him.

“Get down from the window. Someone might see you.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle.

How common is it for a woman to be wrapped up so her face and hair aren’t visible, and yet someone would stare at her intently?

After they found out that the tightly covered woman wasn’t a fiancée but a bedroom slave, they would probably be curious.

‘Still, they’d just think it’s excessive or wonder how pretty she must be to be wrapped like that.’

So even Teumesa probably didn’t oppose me being taken away.

Anyway, I obediently got down from the window and went to Riorem’s side, leaning on his shoulder.

Startled.

The contact made his body jump.

Ignoring that, I asked,

“How much longer do we have to go from here?”

“About three… four hours. We’re planning to avoid the royal road.”

“You’re trying to hide that you’re the one going with the Crown Prince, huh?”

“It’s not confirmed yet. Whether we really are allies or not.”

“Hmm.”

I buried myself deep in Riorem’s embrace.

“What kind of person is the Crown Prince?”

“Why are you curious about that?”

“The only royal I know is Alpheos tu Arete. If the Crown Prince is anything like that man, he’d lure you in just to kill you pretending it was a mistake.”

“You talk as if I’d listen to you.”

I quietly listened to Riorem’s voice.

There was no aggression in the voice above my head.

Apparently, my excuse was quite plausible.

I know nothing about the Crown Prince. I only recently learned his name was Leonidas.

But I already knew he was different from Alpheos.

‘If he were anything like that madman, Riorem would have refused the king’s offer.’