“I’ll end up fucking you… hard. That’s the answer, silly.”

I pondered about his words overnight, puzzled at what he truly meant.

After Samael dropped those words, he broke the foreign atmosphere building up between us. He told me he will take a walk and would come back.

With that being said, he left without looking back. Internally, I hoped he wouldn’t return.

And he actually didn’t.

At first, it relieved me I could rest peacefully without him around. I haven’t slept for a day and my body craved for rest.

However, even without him around, I wasn’t able to sleep properly. In the end, I spent another night contemplating about my life.

When Samael, the Duke, came into my life, I felt constantly looking over my shoulders. Not to mention, he introduced me with these foreign emotions I’ve never experienced before.

Also, speaking vulgar words I’ve been hearing in the past.

“Fuck me hard?” I murmured, tilting my head to the side as I recalled his words.

Didn’t he already fucked my life that night? Does he mean he would make it even worse than it already was?

From my limited knowledge, that term was a swear word I’d often hear. But, even when I knew it was a swear word, he made it sound… so pleasant?

“Oh, Lilou! What are you been mumbling?”

As I was deep in my thoughts, Old Olly snapped me back to the current lapse.

I blinked my eyes, shaking my head lightly as I turned my head to Old Olly’s figure. There, she was approaching us while the children were busy doing the simple activity I learned from the main town.

As usual, Old Olly was bearing a grin that made it hard to see her eyes. When she arrived in our vicinity, she beamed me another bright smile and darted her gaze from the children to me.

“Are you alright, Lil?” She asked, still had her bright smile on her face.

“Yes, Olly. I’m just…” I paused, hesitant to confide in her.

“Just…?” asked old Olly, tilting her head to the side.

“Ahem!” I cleared my throat, standing up from the log I used as a bench.

“Old Olly, do you have a minute? Something is baffling me and you might help me.”

With an awkward smile, I raised my brows and cast old Olly a knowing look.

Old Olly stared at me for a moment before she nodded without a word. With that, Old Olly and I distant ourselves from the children.

“What is it that’s baffling our smart Lilou?” asked Old Olly, not beating around the bush.

I could feel her strong curiosity about my ‘dilemma’. Simultaneously, I also felt her desire to help if she could.

I pursed my lips in a thin line, clearing my throat once again.

“Old Olly, what does it mean when someone says; I’ll fuck you hard?” I asked, staring at Old Olly curiously.

Upon hearing my question, Old Olly’s smile slowly faded as her wrinkled forehead creased even more.

“I mean, when someone already ruined someone’s life and said that… does that mean that person will make the other person’s life even more miserable?”

Even I was confused by my question. However, I didn’t want Old Olly to think I was in that situation.

As Old Olly contemplated about my question, I waited at her response patiently. Old Olly was a wise woman.

Despite being a peasant, Old Olly was not illiterate. She was like a mother to me when my father passed.

Therefore, old Olly might enlighten me so I could prepare myself for what’s to come. The Duke was unpredictable and his words were sometimes vague, and sometimes he was overly blunt.

“Hahaha!” After a long moment of silence, Old Olly chuckled as she clapped her hands.

Seeing her reaction, I furrowed my brows in puzzlement. Wasn’t this an alarming situation?

Well, we all suffer an awful life. What else could we peasants do but laugh our situation off?

“Lilou, did someone say that to you?” Old Olly asked, her tone was as carefree as ever.

“No!” I quickly denied. “It was someone I know from the main town.”

I lied. I didn’t want to worry Old Olly or everyone once I told them about my numbered days.

“Ohh…” Old Olly nodded in understanding. “I think you misunderstood, Lil.”

“Huh?”

“That word is often used as a swear word, but its meaning is different.” Old Olly explained, but it didn’t clear up my puzzlement.

“I think the person who said that wants to do what husband and wives do.”

Old Olly added. Yet, nothing she said made sense to me.

“What husband and wives do?” I repeated in a questioning tone.

Did she mean working in the field together? Most of the farmers were husband and wives helping each other.

“Haha! Oh, Lilou. You’re as innocent as the children.” Old Olly chuckled, shaking her head lightly before raising her gaze back to me.

“That person who said that to your… friend, fancy your friend.”

In simple words, Old Olly summarized her explanation.

“Fancy her?” I repeated, suspicious of the explanation.

His Lordship said he liked me. However, I knew he truly meant he liked to eat me, literally.

“Let me tell you, Lilou. Never agree to it. Men will tell you all flattery to get what they want. Once a child is involved, they disappear without a trace.”

After Old Olly’s waves of chuckles, she looked at me. Her usual gleeful expression turned solemn as she stated.

“It’s not me!” Yet, I could only focus on the fact she still thinks it was me!

“Alright, alright. But if it happened to you, never submit to lust. Some people might take advantage of your innocence.”

Still bearing the same tone, Old Olly warned. I furrowed my brows as I discerned her seriousness in her remarks.

“Lust?”

“Yes. You will feel it once the time comes. It is a potent emotion that could have a bittersweet ending.”

I pursed my lips in a thin line as I exchanged gazes with old Olly. After a beat, I nodded and Old Olly placed her hand over my shoulder.

“You’re at the aged, Lil. And you’re body will soon crave for someone to explore it. Don’t fall for temptations.”

She added, nodding with resolve.

I didn’t respond until Old Olly returned to the field.

Temptations.

Lust.

Explore.

I felt like Old Olly just made it worse for me to understand. Obviously, I knew what she meant.

However, considering my situation, I couldn’t recklessly hop into that conclusion.

The Duke was indeed tempted to eat me right away. He’s a vampire and surely lust for blood. Perhaps choosing me meant he wanted to explore his taste buds?

Although he told me his reasons for choosing me, that didn’t change my situation. My life and death were still in his hands.

“I’ll end up…”

Suddenly, Samael’s last words last night crossed my mind. Immediately, the moment I recalled his tone, and how his fiery breaths felt in my ear caused my face to heat up.

“Wake up, Lilou. Perhaps, old Olly just said that because she didn’t know the entire story.” I mumbled, slapping my cheek lightly as I shook my head.