Kael rose from his seat. He walked over to the corner of the room, then neatly arranged and stacked several thick pieces of looted cloth to serve as a makeshift bed on the wooden floor, which still smelled of fresh sap.
"For now, we’ll sleep on these, okay?" Kael said, patting the pile of cloth. "Next time, I’ll have to explore deeper into the forest to look for materials we can use to make a simple mattress."
Kael turned his back to Lizzy. Behind him, the white-haired woman’s expression remained deeply gloomy, shrouded in jealousy that burned in her chest. Her lips kept moving as she muttered bitterly, cursing Cherry’s name over and over again.
Staring at Kael’s broad, unprotected back, Lizzy bit down hard on her lower lip. Even though Kael had sworn that nothing strange had happened between him and Cherry, the dark thoughts in Lizzy’s mind refused to settle.
"My husband is so handsome... There’s no way he’s never been involved with another woman before! He might have even slept with lots of women... Damn it! This is driving me insane!"
Wildly swirling negative thoughts took control of her instincts. Her pupils narrowed sharply. Moving without making a sound, Lizzy crawled closer to him from behind.
"You’re mine alone! You must be purified... After I kill you, I’ll follow you into the afterlife. There’s no way a man like you could possibly be completely innocent!"
Just as Lizzy’s cold hand hovered in the air, ready to seize Kael by the neck from behind, Kael, whose instincts had been honed by countless dangers, suddenly turned around! He caught Lizzy’s wrist and twisted it gently but firmly, locking it in place before pulling the mature woman down onto her back on the pile of cloth.
Kael chuckled softly, looking straight into his wife’s eyes from above. "Do you really not trust me, Lizzy? In that case... I’ll dedicate this entire first-time experience of mine exclusively to you tonight."
The warmth of Kael’s fingers as they gently traced the contours of hers slowly washed away the waves of anger in Lizzy’s chest. The man above her wasn’t lying. His gaze was pure, filled with sincerity and utterly free of deceit.
The madness churning inside Lizzy melted away in an instant. She reached up with both hands, wrapped them around the back of Kael’s neck, and pulled her husband’s face down to press their lips together in a deep kiss.
That night, the cold forest wind seemed to disappear. Warmth spread between them like a meadow in spring bathed in the golden rays of the evening sun. Their robes and protective garments slipped away one by one, allowing the dragon to enter and explore the hidden cave.
The sharp pain at first gradually faded, replaced by waves of mysterious pleasure neither of them had ever experienced before. Beneath the roof of their newly completed wooden cabin, there were only soft whispers, ragged breaths, and the nighttime chorus of crickets bearing silent witness to the union of two souls.
The following morning, sunlight streamed through the gaps in the wooden window. Kael slowly opened his eyes, his face looking utterly exhausted, as though every last ounce of his stamina and soul had just been drained away.
Beside him, the pile of cloth was empty. Lizzy was nowhere to be seen, apparently having gone outside at dawn. Kael lay there, staring at the cabin ceiling and allowing his body to rest for a while before letting out a long sigh.
"Ugh... My entire body feels sore and achy," Kael muttered to himself. "Although... it really was far more pleasurable than a sip of clean water or a delicious meal in the misery of a battlefield. But I still don’t understand how so many men out there can become so hopelessly addicted to it that they even commit heinous acts like kidnapping and enslaving women." This chapter was taken from novelping.com without permission.
The physical intimacy they had shared the previous night had also left him with a major surprise. It turned out that the forty-year-old woman with a dark past as an assassin... had still been completely chaste and a virgin before last night.
"???????? ???????????? ???????????? ???? ?????? ??????????," Kael thought, unable to suppress a faint smile.
With what little strength he had left, Kael slowly got to his feet, put on his outer clothes, and pushed the wooden window shutters wide open.
Outside, near the pile of firewood, Kael spotted Lizzy busily preparing something.
The woman’s face looked bright and happy, radiating a tenderness that seemed utterly unfamiliar. On a wooden board lay fragrant grilled fish, several fresh forest fruits, and a perfectly roasted rabbit.
Kael smiled faintly as he watched the scene. "When did she wake up and prepare all of this?"
By chance, Lizzy turned around and noticed her husband watching her through the window. In an instant, a genuinely sweet smile spread across her face. With her cheeks tinged a delicate pink, Lizzy waved at him with an adorable, bashful air.
She then arranged all the dishes on a small wooden tray before heading toward the cabin’s entrance, her gait somewhat awkward and stiff.
"Wait right there, Kael!" Lizzy called from outside.
Kael simply watched in silence, leaning against the doorway. Lizzy placed all the food on the wooden floor, then took Kael by the hand and pulled him down to sit facing her.
"Come on, let’s eat! Make sure you finish everything, darling," Lizzy said enthusiastically.
Kael inhaled the appetizing aroma of roasted meat. "Wow, it smells delicious. I hope I don’t die from how good it tastes this time, hehe." Kael was certain that, with his wife’s spirits soaring this high, there wouldn’t be any poison involved.
With great care, Lizzy cut off the most tender piece of rabbit meat and held it right in front of Kael’s lips.
"Come on, open your mouth... I made this especially for you with my secret seasoning!" Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
"Secret seasoning?" Kael accepted the bite and chewed slowly. It was savory, perfectly cooked, and delicious. Kael sighed in relief.
Lizzy giggled, her eyes narrowing into crescent moons as the blush on both her cheeks deepened. "The secret seasoning is... love!"
Hearing such sweet and innocent words come from Lizzy’s mouth, Kael couldn’t help but feel warmth welling up in his chest.
"Love, huh?" Kael smiled sincerely and wiped the corner of his wife’s mouth. "In that case, I’ll finish it with just as much love."
That morning began with laughter and lighthearted teasing between the newlyweds.
After their stomachs were full, Kael fastened his sword to his waist. Today, he planned to explore the forest in search of soft materials, such as cotton or thick, furry hides, to use as stuffing for their mattress.
"I don’t know if there are any kapok trees or animals with good hides around here," Kael said as he checked his supplies. "If only we had some sheep... I’ve heard rumors that a species of animal resembling sheep lives in the wilderness. They’re called wild sheep. I hope we can find some."
"Wild sheep?" Lizzy interjected, listening to him. "You mean animals with thick white wool, sharp, curled horns, and very muscular bodies?"
Kael turned to look at her. "Have you seen one before?"
"I once saw one by accident while pursuing an assassination target in the northern forest," Lizzy replied, stepping closer. "But those animals are extremely aggressive, powerful, and very hostile toward humans."
Kael nodded in understanding. He knew the animals’ reputation as well. Their hard horns could crush bones, and they were exceptionally good at hiding amid the dense forest.
"Well, we’ll just look for whatever materials we can find," Kael said with a relaxed chuckle.
Lizzy immediately wrapped both arms around Kael’s sturdy arm and rested her head against his shoulder affectionately. "I’m sure we’ll be incredibly lucky today, my dearest husband."
The two walked hand in hand, venturing ever deeper into the silence of the vast, dense forest.
However... far beyond the thick canopy of towering trees, a strange pair of eyes continued to watch their every movement from the darkness. The predator’s gaze wasn’t fixed on Kael. Instead, it was locked entirely onto Lizzy.
The creature stood motionless on a tree branch, its black, razor-sharp claws digging into the wood as saliva dripped between rows of terrifying, pointed teeth.