Chapter 50 – One More Time

“You were awake.”

“I wanted to talk to you about something, so I waited.”

“To me?”

“Yes.”

Her nodding head was as adorable as a bobblehead doll.

Cabellenus sat beside her with a smile on his lips.

Even though he didn’t want her to have a tough time waiting, he couldn’t help but feel happy when he saw her waiting for him.

“What do you want to talk about with such a serious face?”

“It’s an important conversation.”

Alicia repeatedly nodded as if she had made up her mind.

She wanted to talk more with James, but she couldn’t speak comfortably because of Mrs Morco.

If she spoke nonsense in front of Mrs Morco, James would be in trouble.

And, in the first place, this was a matter between herself and Cabellenus.

Listening to James, who was a third party, wouldn’t solve the problem.

“I don’t know what it’s about, but feel free to speak. I’ll listen to everything you say.”

“Well…….”

Alicia picked her words carefully as Cabellenus touched her.

At first, she was worried about whether she could say it, but she was comforted by the affection that lingered in his touch as he brushed her hair.

“Do you have another woman besides me?”

“……What?”

The wrinkles were clearly visible on Cabellenus’s smooth forehead.

Alicia did not remove her gaze even when she saw the man’s crumpled face.

She wanted to hear the truth directly from him and not from anyone else.

“Where did you hear that?”

“Do you have another woman?”

“…….”

“Why can’t you speak? Is there really another woman?”

This time, Alicia’s expression became distorted.

Only then did Cabellenus come to his senses and hurriedly grabbed her by the shoulder.

“No. Nothing like that.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

The glimpse of doubt he detected in her gaze caused Cabellenus to let out a laugh.

The appearance of her trying to harden her gaze to look strong just looked cute rather than scary in his eyes.

“By the way, why did you hesitate?”

Now she knew how to ask questions, too.

Cabellenus burst into laughter again at the sight of Alicia looking like a cat with its fur raised.

In the past, he couldn’t figure out why everyone liked small animals, but now he thought he could understand it a bit.

“Why are you laughing and not answering me?”

“I didn’t expect you to say that.”

“You told me to be honest.”

“That’s right. I did.”

It was always pleasing to see the woman trying to change little by little without getting bound by the past.

Cabellenus lowered his head and lightly kissed Alicia’s lips.

Alicia blushed with embarrassment, but her eyes were still full of strength – it was as if she had no intention of giving up until she received an answer.

“Even if you don’t make that face, I’m yours.”

“Really?”

“How can I make you believe me?” Cabellenus softened his voice as much as possible.

Alicia leaned her cheek against Cabellenus’s hand with a bashful expression.

No matter how carefully he stroked her cheeks, the calluses that covered his hands rubbed her cheeks every time.

But Alicia loved his hard hands.

She loved his body temperature that was higher than others, the hands that were large enough to cover her face, and even the calluses that made his hands look unattractive.

Of course, her favourite thing was the man’s eyes.

The peculiar eyes, reminiscent of a beast, were intimidating, but Alicia knew how sweet the eyes were when they looked at her

“I want you to be a model.”

“Model? What for?”

“A model for a painting.”

“That’s–”

“I want to draw you.”

Alicia took the lead before Cabellenus could finish his words.

She had already drawn his picture countless times, but that was not enough.

She wanted to properly and perfectly capture the man’s appearance on the canvas.

“It wouldn’t be very interesting to paint something like me.”

“No way. Your Grace is very interesting.”

Cabellenus was momentarily rendered speechless at the opinion of him that he had never heard before.

Alicia seemed too sincere for him to say that she was only trying to please him.

“……I’ve never heard that I’m interesting.”

“Your Grace is a very interesting person. And…….”

“And?”

“You’re pretty – very much so.”

“That’s also a fairly strange assessment of me.”

It had been a while since someone had called him pretty.

Cabellenus frowned, retracing the memories that no longer crossed his mind.

He probably heard it when he was young, but Cabellenus hadn’t heard it since he started wandering the battlefield.

“And, you’re also very handsome.”

“I think I’ve heard that a few times.”

“Not a few times. You must have heard it a lot.”

“Is that so?”

Cabellenus glanced sideways at Alicia’s countenance.

This time again, Alicia was sincere.

That fact made him feel unexpectedly good.

He thought appearances didn’t mean much, but the praises from Alicia’s mouth sounded pleasant.

“That’s why I’m in trouble.”

“Why are you in trouble?”

“It’s quite difficult to capture it entirely on the canvas.”

“It sounds like you’ve drawn me before?”

“……You’re not going to get angry, are you?”

It was against the rules for someone to say everything they had to say and then step away from it.

Cabellenus relaxed his shoulders as he looked at the unpredictable woman.

“Why would I be angry?”

“……I actually drew Your Grace many times.”

“Why?”

“Well, I wanted to draw you the most.”

“…….”

Cabellenus swallowed down a lump in his throat.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“After hearing your words, I want to see the pictures you drew.”

He wasn’t interested in art, but the subject kept coming up like this, so he had no choice but to be interested.

Cabellenus raised the corners of his mouth mischievously as he watched her act shy and meek.

“That’s a little…….”

“Difficult?”

Cabellenus tilted his head.

Alicia stared blankly at the figure before her and swallowed dryly.

Again, she wanted to draw the image of Cabellenus right now rather than secretly remember it so she could sketch it later.

She wanted to remember this moment forever by capturing it all on a canvas.

“It’s not good enough, so I’ll show you later once I draw it properly.”

“I want to see it now.”

Cabellenus stealthily approached even closer.

Alicia wasn’t particularly vigilant. Even her upper body was inclined to one side.

“It’s embarrassing.”

“The drawing I saw the other day looked really good.”

He liked that she wasn’t wary of him, but it also bothered him.

With contradictory feelings, Cabellenus brazenly held Alicia’s face.

It wasn’t until the distance was so close that their noses were touching that Alicia’s face turned bright red.

“Well, that’s because Nixon helped me.”

“Nixon……”

“It’s James’s surname. Your Grace said it was unpleasant for me to call James by his name…”

“I did. But…….”

Would she regard him as narrow-minded if he told her that even saying his surname was unpleasant?

Cabellenus looked at Alicia for a moment.

Even though the woman got used to it, he was satisfied with how she blushed at his gaze.

“Don’t you remember me saying something else back then?”

“Something else?’

“My name.”

He wanted to continue making her feel uncomfortable so that he could check the effect he had on her.

“That’s…….”

“Is it still too much? Or, maybe you have to speak up like before…….”

“Stop it!”

Recognizing Cabellenus’s intention, Alicia reflexively reached out and covered his mouth.

However, once triggered, the man’s pranks did not stop.

“I-I……!”

The soft touch on her palm made Alicia stiffen, and she couldn’t even say another word.

Her eyes, which had grown so large, constantly shook.

At that moment, the man’s hand wrapped around Alicia’s wrist.

The slender wrist was captured effortlessly by one of the man’s hands.

“I-I made a mistake…… huu.”

Alicia couldn’t speak anymore and bit her lips.

Even though Cabellenus could easily take her hands off, he didn’t.

Instead, he kissed her tender skin gently.

Alicia looked at Cabellenus with an uneasy gaze.

It would be nice if he said something, but he didn’t.

He was only willing to bury his mouth in Alicia’s palm and remain silent.

Alicia could only wriggle her innocent fingers.

Even though he was only pressing his lips against her palm without any other movement, her mouth dried up for no reason.

A fever of heat seemed to rise from the place where his lips touched.

“L-let me go.”

Alicia, who couldn’t stand it anymore, slipped her hands away. Now there was a slight gap between them.

Alicia breathed a sigh of relief.

Of course, it was for a very brief moment.

“I don’t want to let go.”

Alicia immediately regretted her actions when she felt someone’s breath gently brush her skin.

However, there was no way out.

Although he wasn’t using any force, she couldn’t get out of the man’s grasp.

No, perhaps she didn’t want to.

Alicia stared at the glimmer of gold that shone subtly between the man’s curved eyes.

The eyes with prominent pupils clearly resemble those of a predator’s.

“If you don’t like it, you can push me away.”

He hoped that she wouldn’t push him away.

Cabellenus’s lips landed on the tender skin of her inner wrist.

Alicia watched the figure before her with anxious eyes.

She couldn’t take her eyes away from the man’s inhuman look that sent a chill down her spine.

She couldn’t deny that she really liked the man’s greed as he kissed both wrists alternately as if swallowing his prey little by little.

Alicia hesitated and took a deep breath.

Then, she opened her mouth while looking at the man, straight in the eye.

“……Cabellenus.”

“…….”

She was only calling his name, but her heart was beating so fast.

Alicia pretended not to notice her flushed cheeks and moved her stiff lips to call the man’s name again.

“Cabellenus.”

It was hard at first, but the name she called again came out easier than the first time.

Alicia said the man’s name once more with a more confident face.

And at that moment, the view suddenly changed.

“……Please say my name one more time.”

The hand that had he captured was released, but she still couldn’t move.

Alicia looked up at the man’s face and swallowed dryly.

She suddenly felt a soft cushion behind her back.

Only then did Alicia realise that she was lying in bed.

“One more time.”

He buried his face against Alicia’s nape like a child.

Alicia’s face burned red again at the breath that tickled her throat every time he spoke.

Alicia pursed her lips and then carefully opened her mouth again.

“Cabellenus…….”

Nevertheless, she didn’t want to leave the man’s arms.

She’d be lying if she wasn’t embarrassed, but she liked the man who was clinging to her.

“Cabellenus von Schwarhan Blanche.”

“…….”

“As expected, the name is too long to say,” Alicia muttered as if complaining.

The long name was a symbol of power, so everyone envied it.

Still, Alicia sometimes wished that Cabellenus’s name was not so long.

He was a good man, but there were moments where it felt more difficult to hold him in her arms.

“Then, call me whatever you want.”

“Can I do that?”

“Yes.”

Alicia.

A soft, low-pitched voice rang in her ears.

Alicia stretched out her arms and hugged Cabellenus.

However, no matter how hard it was, she didn’t want to let go.

She now knew that something as simple as calling his name made him happy, so she couldn’t give up.

If she hadn’t tasted it at all, she wouldn’t have known about it.

It wasn’t easy to forget the taste she already experienced, just like how saliva naturally accumulated in her mouth when she thought of lemons.

Alicia slowly tightened her arms around Cabellenus’s neck.

The man’s face gradually got closer, and his lips overlapped with hers.

Then, at that moment, Alicia’s face distorted.

“W-wait……!”

Alicia urgently pushed Cabellenus’s shoulder away with her hand and hit him roughly.

“What is it? Are you feeling unwell again?”

Cabellenus immediately rose up to check Alicia’s complexion due to her uncharacteristic violent behaviour.

Even though her hands were covering her mouth, he could tell that her condition was unusual just by looking at her pale, tired face.

“N-No…… wait…….”

“Tell me the symptoms, no. I’ll call the doctor right now.”

“I-I’m fine, eurppp……!”

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t suppress the feeling of nausea.

It felt like she had to clear out everything inside her stomach to calm the rumbling.

Alicia couldn’t hold back the feeling of nausea and roughly shoved Cabellenus away, bolting out of her seat as if to escape.

In the end, all that was left in the bedroom was Cabellenus with a bewildered expression on his face.