Akkard’s whisper in my ear was exceptionally sweet. My ears seemed to melt because of his low, decadent tone. 

He shook Damia with only one phrase and then took out his handkerchief.

“Here, you can use this.”

“……Thank you.”

Only then did Damia come to her senses.

According to rumors, Akkard liked to play with sweetly-ripen women. The moment he caught on to her sexual inexperience, this little deviation would undoubtedly come to an end.

So Damia smiled unabashedly, as if she was familiar with this sort of situation.

She stilled her shaking hands and accepted the handkerchief Akkard had offered and bowed her head.

“You’re very kind. I’m Damia, daughter of Count of Primula. May I know your name?”

It went out more coquettishly than I thought. It was a relief.

Of course, there was no way Damia would not have known his name.

Akkard was the most recognizable figure in the large and colorful society in the capital.

So this remote northern area could be chewed and swallowed by Akkard with ease.

Nevertheless, Akkard thought her pretending not to know, asking for a name was cute and charming.

One corner of Akkard’s mouth went up in amusement. He was willing to go along with her tricks and match her pace.

“I’m Akkard, the second son of a Valerian civil servant and the Royal Knights Commander. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

His large hand skillfully wrapped around Damia’s hand. He slowly lowered his lips on the back of her sticky hand that still had honey wine on it.

Unconsciously, Damia stopped breathing as she looked down on Akkard, bowing and kissing the back of her hand.

His lips just touched my hand, but it was hot and tingling as if I had a burn.

It was just then. His tongue slid out from between his artfully-shaped lips and licked the back of my hand.

‘……!’

Where he licked was the very part that Damia had seductively licked before when she was enticing him to approach her. Akkard’s tongue gently swept slowly over it, as if making an indirect kiss.

The touch of his hot tongue was unnerving.

His beautiful eyes laughed and gleamed provocatively at Damia, and when he met her eyes, she couldn’t help but blush.

I finally understood why women, even with full knowledge of his notoriety, still fell for him.

Akkard Valerian was so seductive, enticingly wonderful, and beautiful.

Rather than keeping her objective in mind, Damia lost her wits, her head entirely blank with a fuzzy whiteness.

I could not breathe properly because I was caught by the incredibly terrible color.

Damia even forgot to act, reverting to her true self and stared at Akkard with admiring eyes. Akkard also stared into her eyes without blinking, and even though the greeting was over, and it was long past what was seen as acceptable in public, Akkard still held on to Damia’s hand.

“I don’t know if it’s too forward to say this even though we’ve only met for the first time.”

Akkard’s mouth held a lower voice heavily blurred with his aching desire.

“If you don’t mind, my lady, would you accompany me tonight…”

It was finally the moment Dami was looking forward to.

“—Wait a moment, please. Lord Akkard!”

Cesare, who had cut in from the side, intervened with a smile.

Because of him, the sense of immersion that existed between the two was shattered.

Damia unintentionally sighed deeply.

For a moment, I completely forgot the existence of Cesare. That’s why I was so focused on Akkard.

“……..”

Akkard was ostensibly displeased with Cesare’s interruption.

He glanced at Cesare with an expressionless face. His cold eyes contained a great deal of pressure; there was no doubt he was the Royal Knights Commander.

Cesare was also not an easy foe.

He opened his mouth with a dismal smile on his face, even when facing Akkard’s burdensome gaze.

“I said hello to you earlier, right? This is Damia, my sister, my favorite ‘family’ member.”

The thin veneer of his words actually meant: get your hands off my Damia right now.

A wry smile grace Akkard’s face when he heard Cesare’s words, clearing understanding his connotations.

“‘Family,’ you say?”

He repeated Cesare’s words mockingly. Then he turned his eyes and looked over Damia blatantly.

“That’s an interesting word.”

***