The crisp, refreshing warmth of the early morning sun broke beautifully over the grand architecture of the Rosenberg duchy.
A gentle, cool breeze swept through the open arches, carrying the faint, melodic chirping of the morning birds into the master wing.
The entire fortress remained blanketed in absolute serenity.
Inside the quiet room, Grand Duke Killian and Princess Evelyn were lying fast asleep on the grand royal mattress.
This time, Evelyn had not crossed the center line during the hours of the night.
Instead, her beautiful French porcelain doll was resting dead center across the divider, acting as a small, silent guardian between their sides.
Slowly, a bright ray of morning sunlight spilled through the window glass, striking directly across Evelyn’s face.
Her eyelids fluttered open against the light.
Letting out a long, heavy morning yawn, she forced her torso upward to sit on the sheets, extending her arms in a lazy morning stretch.
She turned her amethyst eyes to the left, taking in the sight of the silver-haired Duke.
Killian was lying perfectly still on his designated side, sleeping with a rare, absolute tranquility that completely smoothed the edges of his usual stoic armor.
Evelyn watched his calm profile, her gaze softening to an unprecedented degree as a gentle smile touched her lips.
She muttered softly to the quiet room, “He only appears this deeply peaceful while he is fast asleep…
otherwise, his presence is completely the opposite.”
Deep within the sanctuary of her mind, her heart did a sudden, erratic flutter as a sweet thought took over her thoughts.
‘Looking at our posture like this…
it truly feels as though the two of us have honestly become a real husband and wife.’
Driven by a sudden, playful impulse, Evelyn slowly leaned her upper body across the pillows.
She extended her small hand through the air, gently pressing the tip of her index finger against his smooth, bare cheek.
Her face was hovering a mere fraction of an inch away from his profile.
Blink.
Without a single fraction of a warning, Killian’s midnight-blue eyes snapped wide open.
Moving with sudden, effortless speed, his long fingers reached up, firmly grasping her wrist mid-air.
“Agh?!”
Evelyn violently jumped in surprise, her breath catching in her throat in a pure state of hadbadi as she attempted to pull her hand back.
Killian smoothly forced his torso upward, sitting back against the headboard without releasing his grip.
He looked at her flustered face, a dangerous, deeply amused smirk breaking across his handsome features.
Before she could speak, he reached out his alternate hand, gently and playfully pinching both of her cheeks, tugging them lightly as his deep voice boomed with an absolute, teasing smoothness.
“So…
you ultimately managed to lay a finger upon my person while I was sleeping after all.”
Evelyn’s entire face instantly erupted into a spectacular, burning crimson red, her shyness short-circuiting her brain as she stammered frantically in an extreme blush.
“I—I…
I was merely attempting to evaluate whether your person was genuinely fast asleep or not!
That was the absolute extent of it!”
Killian raised a single silver eyebrow, his eyes flashing with pure amusement.
“Is that so?”
Evelyn let out a nervous, rapid chuckle, nodding her head frantically.
“Yes!
Absolutely!” She quickly wrenched her wrist free, sliding off the mattress in a rush.
“I…
I must proceed to fresh up immediately!”
Without waiting for a single second, her face burning like fire, she practically darted into the adjacent bath chamber to hide from his heavy gaze.
Killian sat alone on the grand bed, a genuine, soft smile gracing his handsome features as a low chuckle escaped his lips.
He shifted his gaze down, noticing the golden-haired doll still resting across the center of the mattress.
He reached down his long hand, lifting the porcelain doll into his palm.
As his fingers gently combed through its golden ringlets, his mind automatically recalled the intimate proximity of last night’s waltz, and a profound, solemn vow took over his thoughts.
‘If only…
if only a beautiful future manifests where the two of us continuously remain together as one…
then without a single shadow of doubt, a day will arrive where she and I shall formally step into a real marriage.’
Killian offered a soft smile, placing the doll back onto the pillow with absolute care.
He slid his long legs off the mattress, walking smoothly toward the grand balcony doors.
He pushed the glass open, stepping out into the crisp morning air as the cool wind rustled his silver hair.
He took a deep, refreshing breath, looking out over his vast duchy.
“The morning air carries a completely distinct sensation today…”
He rested his long hands against the stone railing, his mind entering a state of deep reflection.
‘It truly feels as though the two of us have transformed into a genuine husband and wife in reality.
Waking up side-by-side across the identical sheets, stepping down together to share our morning feast…
these are profound sensations that I have absolutely never experienced throughout the entirety of my existence.’
A short while later, the high-profile couple was sitting comfortably at the obsidian table inside the grand dining hall.
Evelyn was shifting her gaze across the various silver dishes, her amethyst eyes searching for something specific.
Killian quietly observed her from the head of the table.
Moving with elegant grace, he lifted a silver server, placing a warm, perfectly glazed piece of chocolate bread directly onto her porcelain plate.
His deep voice was smooth and conversational.
“Is this precisely the item your eyes were hunting for?”
Evelyn’s eyes widened in profound surprise.
She looked up at him, her voice fluttering with amazement.
“How…
how on earth did you manage to discover that?”
Killian took a slow sip of his black coffee, his midnight-blue eyes locked into hers with absolute sincerity.
“I possess a complete, absolute understanding of every single item that pleases your heart.”
Evelyn’s cheeks flushed a delicate pink, a proud smug spark flashing within her features as she tilted her head.
“Oh, is that so?
Well…
I, too, possess a complete understanding regarding your personal preferences, Lord Killian.”
Killian lowered his cup with a soft click, a single silver eyebrow rising.
“Tell me…
what exactly matches my preference?”
Evelyn leaned forward slightly across the table, a mischievous smirk coloring her face as she whispered playfully.
“You possess a particular preference…
perhaps your memory has failed you, but it involves a certain morning scene right after a bath.”
COUGH!
COUGH!
The sudden mention of the shirtless collision short-circuited Killian’s throat completely.
He violently choked on his coffee, coughing as his high cheekbones violently flushed a brilliant crimson red in pure, unadulterated shyness.
Standing rigidly near the arched entryway, Sebastian and Maria caught the exchange.
The strict head butler and the head maid instantly lowered their heads, a rare, soft chuckle escaping their lips as they attempted to maintain their deadpan masks.
Killian adjusted his collar frantically, forcing his voice into a strict, defensive wall of authority as he growled.
“I explicitly declared to your person on that very morning…
my attention was absolutely not directed toward the soft contours of your body.”
Evelyn’s smug expression widened beautifully.
She rested her chin in her hands, teasing him mercilessly as she spoke out loud. This story is hosted at novelping.com.
“But…
I absolutely never uttered a single syllable regarding my physical body just now!
The fact that your lips automatically mentioned it…
it means your mind was truly and honestly driven crazy by the sight of my bare form!”
Maria could no longer contain her amusement, a loud laugh escaping her lips before she quickly covered her mouth.
Killian’s ears turned a spectacular, burning shade of red from pure embarrassment.
Evelyn chuckled softly, leaning closer.
“What is this?
Have you become entirely shy, Grand Duke?”
Killian took another rapid sip of his coffee, refusing to look into her eyes as he muttered stubbornly, “Absolutely not.”
Evelyn reached out her small hand across the space, playfully pinching the tip of his burning ear.
“But…
your ears are actively radiating a brilliant red color, Killian.”
Killian went entirely quiet, his statuesque frame freezing under her touch.
Evelyn pulled her hand back, a radiant smile gracing her features.
“Very well…
I have completely understood the truth now.”
“What exactly have you understood?” Killian pressed flatly.
“I shall deliver the response at a later hour,” Evelyn replied happily, elegantly finishing the final bite of her chocolate bread.
She wiped her lips with a linen napkin, rising from her chair.
“Regardless…
my morning feast is officially completed.
I shall take my departure now.”
Killian cleared his throat, his deep voice returning to a smooth, commanding register.
“Proceed straight toward the grand library.
I shall materialize there shortly.”
Evelyn’s shoulders dropped instantly, her entire posture slumping in pure, comical exhaustion as a loud groan escaped her lips.
“What?!
Am I truly obligated to face that towering mountain of heavy books once again?!”
“Yes,” Killian confirmed firmly.
“Today, we are required to thoroughly read the sections detailing the absolute distinctions between minor and major high-level healing magic.”
Evelyn let out a defeated chuckle, rolling her eyes playfully.
“Alright, fine…
I am going.”
Evelyn walked swiftly back to the master bedchamber first.
She marched over to the royal bed, lifting her French porcelain doll into her arms as she cradled it gently against her chest.
She offered a bright, maternal smile, whispering, “Come along now…
Mom is going to escort you directly to the library today!”
Holding the doll securely in her lap, Evelyn walked down the quiet stone corridor, entering the grand library.
She took her place on the long velvet sofa near the large windows, placing the heavy volume open across her knees.
A considerable amount of time passed.
Click.
The heavy mahogany library doors pushed open smoothly, and Killian stepped into the room.
The absolute second his midnight-blue eyes scanned the parlor, he froze completely, a silent, genuine smile breaking across his handsome features.
Evelyn was absolutely not reading a single line of the text.
Instead, she was lying flat across the velvet sofa like a small child, holding her porcelain doll high in the air, playfully throwing and catching it with pure, innocent joy.
Evelyn caught sight of his towering frame and violently scrambled to sit upright, her face flushing with mild shyness as she smoothed down her gown.
“Killian!
You…
you have officially arrived!”
“Yes,” Killian responded smoothly, walking forward with slow, elegant strides.
“It was entirely inevitable that I would step inside this room.”
Evelyn quickly adjusted the open grimoire, clearing her throat.
“Tell me then…
which specific section are we required to examine?”
Killian reached out his hand to pull the heavy volume closer, taking his place on the seat directly beside her frame.
At that exact same fraction of a second, Evelyn extended her own hand forward to adjust the pages.
Touch.
Their fingers collided smoothly across the paper, their bare skin contacting with an intense, sudden warmth.
Both figures froze completely, their movements halting in unison as a profound, pin-drop silence blanketed the entire library parlor.
Evelyn raised her gaze, her amethyst eyes locking directly into his deep midnight-blue eyes.
Neither of them pulled their hands away, their hearts pounding with a unified, rapid rhythm.
PITTER-PATTER!
Suddenly, the heavy clouds outside the glass windows violently ruptured, and a sudden, heavy downpour of rain began to crash furiously against the glass panels, shattering the quietness.
Evelyn snapped her head toward the window, her amethyst eyes lighting up with unadulterated, childish joy as she witnessed the rain.
She turned back to Killian, her voice fluttering with eager excitement as she clutched his sleeve.
“Listen to me, Killian!
Can…
can we please postpone the reading of this book to a later hour?
I have a profound, burning desire to step outside and completely soak my person within this beautiful rain!”
Killian quietly scanned her radiant, exceptionally happy face.
Seeing the pure innocence dancing within her eyes, his heart melted completely.
He let out a low, gentle rumble.
“Very well.
The grimoire can comfortably be examined at a later time.
Let us step outside.”
Evelyn’s face lit up with absolute delight.
Without losing a single fraction of a second, she firmly gripped his large hand, violently guiding the Grand Duke down the grand stone corridors until they burst through the massive main entrance doors of the mansion.
Evelyn stepped onto the top of the grand marble staircase, the cool, heavy rain pouring beautifully over her frame.
She extended both of her palms toward the open sky, catching the fresh droplets as a bright, musical laugh escaped her throat.
She looked back over her shoulder, her voice carrying a sweet warmth.
“Killian!
Come along, step into the open air immediately!”
Killian moved with slow, elegant steps, materializing directly behind her back.
He slowly raised his long, gloved hand, extending his palm out from beneath the stone awning to allow the cool rain to soak his skin.
Evelyn turned her torso around, looking up at his handsome profile with an expression of pure, unadulterated happiness.
Without a single second of hesitation, Evelyn sprinted down the remainder of the marble stairs, stepping dead center into the middle of the open courtyard beneath the pouring sky.
She began to twirl and dance like a completely carefree, innocent child, her golden hair billowing around her wet frame as she jhumed in absolute bliss.
Killian stood at the base of the stairs, his midnight-blue eyes entirely locked onto her ethereal, dancing figure. New chapters come out on novelping.com first.
Moving with slow, deliberate grace, he walked out into the pouring rain, approaching her proximity.
He extended his long arms, his hands gently yet firmly wrapping around the smooth contours of her waist from behind.
Evelyn paused her movements, her breath catching as she felt his warm touch through the wet fabric.
She turned her face slightly, whispering softly, “Killian…
what exactly has occurred to your mind so suddenly?”
Killian brought his face close to hers, his deep, gravelly voice dropping into a low, resonant murmur.
“Will you perform the absolute honor of soaking within this rain together with me?”
Evelyn’s heart did a violent flutter, a radiant smile breaking across her lips as she replied happily, “With absolute, profound joy…
my Lord.”
Killian adjusted his grip around her waist, lifting her hand smoothly as he guided her into a classic, sweeping waltz right in the middle of the open, rain-soaked courtyard.
Moving with absolute, fluid grace, the two began to dance beautifully beneath the pouring heavens, completely oblivious to the cold storm.
They held each other tightly, their gazes locked into an intense, unbreakable eye contact as the rain continued to wash over their smiling faces, dancing continuously until the heavy storm finally began to clear away.
Upstairs on the grand balcony of the master wing, Sebastian and Maria were standing side-by-side, quietly observing the breathtaking scene unfolding below.
Maria wiped a soft tear of joy from her eyes, her voice whispering with deep emotion.
“Throughout the absolute entirety of my service inside this estate…
this is truly the very first time I have witnessed our Lord experiencing such profound, genuine happiness.”
Sebastian adjusted his spectacles with his usual deadpan efficiency, his voice dropping into a tone of deep respect.
“The bond possessed by the two of them…
is without a single shadow of doubt the most precious and beautiful alignment in this entire world.”
The downpour finally ground to an absolute halt, the dark clouds parting to reveal the warm sunlight once more.
Killian and Evelyn brought their movements to an elegant stop in the center of the wet courtyard, panting slightly as they stood close together.
Evelyn looked up at the sky, a trace of playful disappointment in her voice.
“Oh, no…
the rain has officially stopped completely.”
Killian looked down at her wet, beautiful face, a soft smirk touching his lips.
“A highly unfortunate occurrence, is it not?”
“Yes, remarkably unfortunate,” Evelyn chuckled softly.
Without a single fraction of a warning, Killian suddenly leaned down, shifting his weight as he effortlessly scooped her slender frame straight up into his large, powerful arms, lifting her in a flawless bridal carry.
Evelyn’s entire mind short-circuited instantly, her face turning a spectacular, burning crimson red as she gasped in extreme blush, “Killian—?!”
Killian began to march up the wet marble stairs with absolute ease, his deep voice smooth and absolute.
“If you attempt to navigate these slippery, wet stone steps while wearing those high heels…
your footing will definitely fail and cause you to plummet.
Allow me to directly transport your person straight back to the master chamber.”
Evelyn clutched his shoulders tightly, her heart hammering violently against her ribs in pure shyness as he carried her through the grand iron main doors, walking all the way up the grand staircase until he pushed the double doors of the master bedchamber open.
Killian walked over to the grand bed, gently lowering her body down until she was sitting comfortably across the velvet sheets.
But the absolute second he attempted to pull his torso back to stand upright, a sudden resistance yanked his frame forward.
TUG.
Evelyn’s delicate silver necklace had become completely and violently entangled within the intricate golden buttons of Killian’s formal black coat.
Lost his balance due to the sudden resistance, Killian’s towering frame violently pitched forward, crashing straight down across the mattress directly over her body.
BOOM!
Killian materialized a mere fraction of an inch away from her face, his powerful torso hovering directly over her frame as they lay pinned together across the sheets.
The proximity between them was so exceptionally absolute that their breaths mingled in the quiet air.
Evelyn’s breath caught completely, her chest heaving frantically as her heart rate accelerated to the maximum capacity, a profound crimson red flushing across her entire face.
An absolute, heavy pin-drop silence blanketed the master chamber.
Neither of them moved a single muscle, their eyes locked into an intense, suffocating gaze that short-circuited their brains.
Evelyn’s fingers trembled violently as she slowly reached up, her small hands moving carefully between their chests to meticulously untangle the silver chain from his golden button.
After a few breathless seconds, she successfully slid the necklace free, her voice whispering out in extreme blush.
“Killian…
I have successfully extracted the necklace from your coat.”
Killian did not pull his body away.
He remained hovering directly over her wide amethyst eyes, his deep, gravelly voice dropping into a low, dangerous murmur of pure, unadulterated passion.
“I assure you…
that matter holds absolutely zero importance to my mind right now.”
Knock!
Knock!
Knock!
A sudden, frantic, and exceptionally heavy pounding violently broke the intimate tension from the oak doors.
Killian and Evelyn instantly broke apart, shifting their frames back into a proper position across the mattress as they cleared their throats.
Killian’s expression hardened back into a wall of stoic authority as he commanded sharply, “Enter immediately!”
The double doors were violently thrown open, and Sebastian rushed into the chamber, flanked directly by a junior perimeter guard.
Both of their faces were completely translucent with pure panic, sweat pouring down their brows as they moved with frantic haste.
Sebastian adjusted his spectacles with rapid urgency, his deadpan voice dropping into a serious register.
“My Lord…
this guard has just arrived from the borders, carrying a highly crucial, catastrophic report!”
Killian stood tall, his midnight-blue eyes flashing with cold gravity.
“Speak.
What crisis has manifested?”
The junior guard dropped onto his knees, his voice trembling frantically with terror.
“Grand Duke…!
The sudden downpour of heavy rain has violently broken the seals across the outer perimeter!
A massive horde of terrifying, unknown dark creatures has launched a violent, relentless attack directly upon the neighboring village!
The structures are being torn to shreds, and the entire population is currently being completely destroyed and leveled to absolute dust!”
Killian’s features contorted into a freezing mask of pure, murderous fury as he grabbed his silver sword from the wall.
His voice boomed through the room with absolute command.
“What?!
Move immediately!
We must depart for the front lines this very instant before a single innocent life is lost!”
He violently turned his head toward the bed, his midnight-blue eyes locking onto his fiancée’s pale face, his voice carrying an unyielding, protective sweetness.
“Evelyn…
look after your own safety with the utmost care within these walls.
I shall return to your side within a few moments.”
Evelyn clutched the sheets, her heart thumping as she nodded firmly.
“Yes…
please take care, Killian!”
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