.jpeg)
Fortunately or unfortunately, Nox's lips stopped at a dangerously close distance.
But just because his lips didn't touch didn't mean his breath didn't either.
The hand that had been lightly holding her chin slowly descended and settled on the nape of her neck.
At the touch of his fingers gently stroking her smooth skin, her shoulders involuntarily hunched.
"Princess, do you dislike it when I do this?"
"...Of course, I said...!"
With a level of intimate contact she had never experienced in either her past or present life combined, Yevgenia's face was already flushed to its limit.
Nox, who had been silently looking down at her like that, pulled away without a moment's hesitation.
As she rubbed her burning cheeks and looked up at him dazedly, he smiled, somehow looking even colder, and spoke.
"Then erasing the 'name' will be difficult. What shall we do?"
Her words caught in her throat.
So, right now...
'Is he saying he won't help erase the name unless I do this and that with him?'
He was truly a madman.
She was left speechless with absurdity, but Nox only deepened his smile as if that was the reaction he wanted.
Yevgenia, who was secretly gnawing on the inside of her cheek, asked.
"...How far are you going to go?"
"Hmm. To where you can't handle it?"
"Isn't that something you only know after trying?"
Even though just closing the distance had made her exposed skin as red as a tomato, she was acting brazenly as if she were used to such things, so there was no way he'd buy it.
Nox let out a small snort and closed the distance again.
This time, grabbing her nape and waist at once and pulling her into an embrace.
"Wai—, ah...!"
As the flustered Yevgenia opened her mouth to say something, a slippery tongue invaded the space between.
The tongue that lightly brushed past her front teeth scraped against the bumpy roof of her mouth.
With a feeling as if her throat was tickling, she unconsciously grabbed Nox's clothes.
He caressed the gums holding her teeth and swept over the soft area under her tongue.
The feeling of someone else's tongue touching a part of her body she wasn't even fully aware of!
Frowning, she shook her head slightly.
"Tha—, hmph, stop, ah..."
A wet sound echoed in her head.
It felt as if his tongue was poking around not just her mouth but her entire body.
Her hands, burning hot, grabbed Nox's forearm and shoulder, going past his clothes.
She could feel his firm body filling her palms.
The sensation of having her breath stolen with every exhale gave her chills.
Not missing the moment when the strength in her hands loosened slightly, Nox lightly bit her lower lip.
"Eek...!"
With a brief pain, he pulled away and wiped his dirtied lips with the back of his hand.
Red lipstick smeared around his lips, creating an odd atmosphere.
Yevgenia, panting shallowly, hastily rubbed her own lips.
"Still think you need to try to know?"
"Tha—, that..."
As Yevgenia couldn't continue her words, Nox slightly lowered his body, completely blocking her, and his subtle hand groped her waist.
Due to the narrowed distance, her chest, heaving with each breath, touched his.
Each time her chest was slightly pressed against his firm body, the prickly tension grew.
Her thighs automatically tightened at the knee that was stealthily pressing between the hem of her dress.
He cupped Yevgenia's cheek with one hand and whispered lowly.
"How is it. Is it okay to go further here? I really intend to go all the way."
"...Y—, you, you, you madman...!"
Yevgenia, flushed bright red, pushed him away with all her might.
But somehow, it felt more like he allowed himself to be pushed rather than her actually pushing him away.
Hastily straightening her dress and standing up, she glared at him so fiercely it hurt her eyes.
"For what, for what purpose are you trying to... go all the way...? Is this really for erasing the name?"
"Oh, what if it's not? Are you going to slap my cheek or something?"
"Depending on your answer."
Her voice was thick with complex emotions like anger and embarrassment.
Staring intently at Yevgenia like that, he tilted his head slightly and spoke with an endlessly light attitude.
"It might not be, or it might be."
"......"
"Well... Even if it's not absolutely necessary, a night with a beautiful woman like you is too precious to miss. Ah, is this also an answer deserving of a slap?"
Smack—!
So hard was the slap that Nox's cheek instantly turned red.
Seeing him stroke his own cheek and burst into laughter made her feel like her insides were exploding.
"...Madman. That someone like you is truly a member of the imperial family... the Artlux Empire must be nearing its end."
He looked more like a madman now than in any appearance she had seen so far.
'A night my ass, spend a hundred, a thousand nights alone!'
Nox must have calculated in that brief moment that as long as she was 'Princess Martyr,' she couldn't possibly expose his true identity.
Otherwise, there's no way he would show such an attitude to someone who knows his true identity.
What made her even more furious was the reality that his calculation was perfectly accurate.
'Damn those imperial family bastards!'
With a disgusted expression, Yevgenia turned away, breathing heavily.
It felt as if Nox's laughter was following her from behind, making her feel even more foul.
"Madman, to think I tried to get help from that bastard..."
It was a past so naive it made her own skin crawl.
Surely, there must be a way to break off the engagement even without erasing the name.
Even if breaking it off is impossible, she could just take action before Raymond and send him to the abyss.
If all else fails, she could also meet another man and create a 'real' heir.
Either way, it seemed better than receiving help from such a madman.
'If I go looking for that bastard again, I'm not Yevgenia Martyr but Yevgenia Larsen!'
'...Even now, if I drown Raymond and become Larsen, would that work?'
One month after slapping Nox's cheek and leaving.
Yevgenia was sincerely prepared to change her name to Larsen.
To the extent that if he just helped her break off the engagement, she could do kisses or whatever as much as needed.
And for good reason.
"Prince Larsen, are you serious?"
"...Yes. But... what's with that way of speaking? It's been bothering me since last time."
"It's expressing the psychological distance between me, who wants to break off the engagement, and Prince Larsen, who doesn't understand that."
At Yevgenia's sincere answer, Raymond shook his head as if frustrated.
Nox had definitely made a similar gesture before, so why did they look so different?
Even before realizing her past life, his face, which seemed the most handsome in the world, why did it now look so much like a buttered gorilla...
"Haa, Yevgenia. Get a grip. The moment the name manifested, our marriage already became a fait accompli."
"...Let's concede that point a hundred times over. Then isn't it your side that needs to get a grip?"
"Why me?"
The fact that she almost blurted out a curse was absolutely not due to a lack of patience on Yevgenia's part.
Her coldly hardened gaze turned toward the woman beside Raymond and in front of her.
Pink hair like cotton candy that wrapped around the darkness, matching Raymond's black hair amazingly.
Round, large eyes with an expression dripping with innocence, and even cute lips...
An appearance truly befitting a 'female protagonist'...
"Lady Stella Aer."
"...Ah, yes, yes, Princess Martyr!"
"Doesn't anything occur to you, Lady?"
"Uh... Yes? What, what are you referring to, I'm not quite..."
'The point that you're riding in the same carriage as people about to have an engagement ceremony? The point that you matched your dress color with that prospective fiancé? The point that it's a color that clashes with my dress, the prospective fiancée?'
They were points obvious even without such lengthy thought.
Unlike Yevgenia's cream-colored dress, the outfits of the two lovebirds had somewhat darker hues.
But the fabric used was so luxurious that the light shimmering and reflecting off the dark fabric made their outfits sparkle even more.
It looked like a meticulously prepared couple outfit with the intention of wearing a color opposite to Yevgenia's while perfectly blocking any room for her to argue, 'Aren't you wearing too dull a color for a banquet?'...
And what about the cufflinks and necklace matched to each other's eye colors?
Is it such a common situation to ride in a carriage with a prospective fiancée while dressed in an outfit that clearly boasts 'We're dating~' to anyone who sees?
'Since when did our empire become such an open society?'
Yevgenia, pressing her forehead, forced herself to turn her gaze away from Stella and glared at Raymond.
Then Raymond, lightly pulling Stella's shoulder into an embrace, spoke.
"Yevgenia, don't torment Stella. To persecute such a delicate woman..."
"...Anyone would think I'm a strong man."
"Then why don't you try acting feminine like Stella?"
"Huh?"
Good heavens, how can he utter such outdated words?
Interpreting Yevgenia's shocked expression in some way, Raymond, looking somewhat triumphant, shrugged his shoulders and said.
"Who knows. If you wait quietly, someday I might pay attention to you too."
The one who reacted first to that disgusting confidence was not Yevgenia.
If not Yevgenia, and not Raymond who spoke, then there's only one person left, right?
"...Gasp. My Ray, would you really do that? Stella, that kind of... sob!"
"Oh, Stella. As if that could ever happen. The possibility of that one becoming as virtuous a woman as you is something even if the goddess herself descended, it would be impossible."
"Ray..."
'It's truly a bumper year for bullshit...'
The problem is that this insane spectacle isn't the first time today.
One month ago, the strict order from Yevgenia's father, Duke Martyr.
'Before the engagement ceremony, make appearances with Raymond at banquets or tea parties.'
At first, she thought she'd only have to attend one or two places, but as it turned out.
'The more, the better. And try to reveal the name as much as possible.'
She could fully understand her father's intentions.
Holding an engagement ceremony without any prior groundwork would inevitably bring disgrace upon the Martyr ducal house.
It had already been considerably tarnished by Yevgenia's notoriety, but obstructing the future of a perfectly fine prince was another matter.
However, if the existence of the 'name' was revealed, public opinion would definitely turn toward the Martyr ducal house and Yevgenia.
A being from mythology possessed that much power.
'Later, after breaking off the engagement, things might get troublesome, so I've just been keeping it hidden...'
At first, Raymond would at least be discreet and only rush to meet Stella at the banquet hall.
But as Yevgenia said nothing, he now openly started bringing Stella along when coming to escort her.
He seemed to think that Yevgenia had finally accepted and complied with that insane plan — main wife Yevgenia, concubine Stella.
Seeing that spectacle made her want to just tear her dress and reveal the name to the whole world.
At that moment, Raymond would become a true fool who didn't recognize his own fate, and Stella would become a tactless person interfering with fate.
'...In exchange, I'd have to rush into marriage with Raymond. Rather than burying my future in hell, it's better to endure a little hardship now. Just bear with it a little longer.'
Looking at Stella, who was acting coy as if clinging to Raymond's embrace with soulless eyes, she wondered if she should call it impressive or astonishing...
Forcing herself to swallow a sigh, Yevgenia rested her chin and cast her gaze out the window.
Then, upon seeing the mansion gradually approaching beyond the window, she hastily composed her expression.
Not long after, a polite voice came from the coachman's seat.
Knock knock—
"Princess, Prince. We have arrived at the residence of Marquess Nagelsman."
The moment the carriage door opened, Raymond, who had alighted, extended his hand for escort.
Just as Yevgenia was about to naturally place her hand on it, Raymond instantly withdrew his own hand.
"...What are you doing?"
"Ha. Yevgenia. Why are you so inconsiderate?"
'What nonsense is this?'
"What nonsense is this?"
Her inner thoughts slipped out unintentionally, but she wasn't sorry.
Even if it had gone through her brain, the same words would have come out.
As if completely unaware of how nonsensical his words were, Raymond clicked his tongue with a pitiful expression and said.
"We should let Stella get off first. Being such a delicate person, just riding in the carriage with you must have been very taxing."
As Yevgenia stood frozen in absurdity, Stella, her cheeks dyed red, cautiously stepped past Yevgenia.
Raymond, showing a more polite escort posture than ever, placed Stella's hand on his arm and headed straight for the mansion.
"...Huh?"
.jpeg)