CH 134

The office was shrouded in silence. Everyone opened their mouths in surprise. It was an unbelievable sight.

The rumors were true. They heard that their Lord could handle fire, but they didn’t know if it was really true… It was so shocking that people didn’t know how to close their mouths. Among them, some people couldn’t tell if it was a dream or reality.

“Viscount Getirom, you’re fired.”

Cersinia lowered her outstretched hand, and her bloody eyes shone toward him.

“M-My Lord…”

Viscount Getirom was stunned, but Cersinia was ruthless.

“The money you embezzled in the name of protection tax, gave it back to them double and got out of Glory.”

“Pl-Please let it go just once! Consider what I’ve been working for! I-If you let me go just once—”

“What are you doing?”

Her gaze, staring at the Viscount who begged for her mercy, turned to the guard.

“Take him away.”

The cold command came as if frost had descended.

“Yes.”

The guard, who was waiting in front of the door, grabbed Viscount Getirom’s arms and pulled him out as if he had been waiting for that.

“M-My Lord! I was wrong! Please, please…!”

Viscount Getirom begged with an earnest voice throughout being taken away, but it was useless. Cersinia had no intention of overturning her decision.

When you pretended to be the owner of something that wasn’t yours, you should have prepared to pay that much for your sins.

“Tsk. Put him in a dungeon.”

She gazed at the man who was shaking insignificantly, wearing nothing but burnt shards of cloth.

“P-Please save me! Please spare my life!”

Tak.

The office door closed at the end of the man’s struggle. The guards carried out both Viscount and the man.

Shaking them lightly as if dusting them off, Cersinia turned her gaze away.

“There will never be another unfair contract like this again. I will return back the money you have paid for protection tax.”

She said it sternly towards the people who had bewildered expressions on their faces.

“…”

“…”

At Cersinia’s remarks, the merchants only glanced at each other.

Is this for real? Can they believe her this time?

Eyes with doubt, anxiety, and fear mixed in it.

“Joanna, give it away.”

After reading those eyes, Cersinia gave instructions to Joanna. Joanna, who came after receiving the call, handed out the contract that she had brought with her, one by one.

“It’s a new contract. An additional clause states that we will not take any unfair advantage other than the monthly rent, so you can read it and sign it.”

Joanna handed out all the papers, but the merchants were only looking at each other’s eyes, not looking at the paper in their hands. It was like people were waiting for someone to sign this contract first.

“C-Can I sign here?”

Then, someone broke the uncomfortable silence and raised their hand. It was a middle-aged woman beaten by the man in the shopping district earlier.

“Yes, that’s right.”

Joanna gave the woman a pen she had prepared. The woman was handed a pen and gulped down. She exhaled deeply enough and then slowly began to move the pen she was holding. The trembling woman’s hand crookedly wrote her name. Meanwhile, the woman’s eyes were shaking greatly. She signed it, believing it would be different this time, but still looked anxious.

“… I’ll do it, too.”

“M-Me too…”

The hesitating merchants also took the courage to sign it one by one.

“…”

Cersinia looked at the situation without saying a word. She had a look that they didn’t know what she was thinking, but her crimson eyes sunk lower than ever. Ben captured that image of her in his eyes.

* * *

That evening

Cersinia hugged her knees as she soaked her body in the hot tub.

“Ha…”

Inside the bathroom, a heavy sigh sank with hazy steam. She was in thought all the way from Heness shopping street to the mansion.

She was lucky today. Because it happened when she went out to the Heness shopping street. Thanks to that, she learned about the unfair contracts and solved them quickly, but this may have been happening elsewhere.

She usually double-checked all the documents she had reviewed. Still, if they were determined to deceive her, many things couldn’t be judged by just looking at the documents.

“It’s a problem.”

Cersinia chewed her lips with a worried face.

She’s complacent. She was mistaken that she was doing well just by sitting at her desk and understanding everything just by looking at the documents. No, maybe she wanted to believe that there would be no problem with that.

The title was given by chance, but she thought she was doing well without problems. It made her think she was a pretty decent lord. But she could have found something wrong in the document but just passed it by with a cloudy eye, saying that there was no such thing.

“I’m no different..”

She buried her face in her lap, which rose above the water.

She was no different from the bureaucrats who Limapheus had been terrified of.

Today, all the merchants signed new contracts. Still, everyone was afraid of the new contract. She explained there was no unfair clause, but they couldn’t have known because they couldn’t read it. This was a problem that must be solved.

Cersinia knew the best solution for that. The solution was for her to continue to live here. If she settles down here and regularly inspects from time to time, nothing like today will happen.

But it wasn’t something she could decide on her own. Because she had someone by her side who promised to be with her for the rest of her life…

Knock, knock.

Then a knock was heard.

‘Didn’t I already tell no one to come in because I wanted to be alone?’

“It’s me, Cersinia. May I come in?”

But the voice from outside was unexpected.

“Ben?”

Cersinia looked at the door with a puzzled face.

‘He’s coming in? Where? Here?’

“N-No. Wait a minute. I’m taking a bath now.”

“I know”

“…”

It was her who was puzzled by the answer that came without hesitation.

‘What?’

She panicked but got up from the bathtub because she thought it was urgent.

“Wait a moment.”

“It’s all right. I will wait.”

Cersinia’s movement stopped for a moment when she tried to put on a robe. The answer is that it doesn’t really matter. Only then she realized everything and sit back in the bathtub again.

“…Yes. Come on in.”

Creek.

The door opened, and he entered the bathroom.

“…”

Cersinia’s eyes fluttered open at that moment, and her breathing stopped for an instant.

Ben was dressed comfortably, but his upper body was not wearing anything. It was as if he was expecting to get wet. Ben approached her without hesitation, only looking at her eyes. His gaze was so hot that the skin he gazed at was burning.

Cersinia, stiffened by the light tension, came to her senses and pulled her knees up to cover her body. They had seen each other’s bodies several times, but she couldn’t help but feel embarrassed and ashamed in such a bright place.

“Cersinia.”

“H-Huh?”

His voice, which flowed out wildly, was so sexy that it made her stutter.

“May I get in?”

Suddenly, he stopped in front of the bathtub and stared at her with his eyes. Cersinia felt trapped in those burning eyes. Her mouth went dry. Somehow, it felt like the desire reflected in his eyes was deeper than usual. But she had no intention of refusing in the first place, so she nodded without a word.

With her permission granted, Ben moved his body as it was. With a splash, he entered the bathtub.

“…”

Cersinia bit her lip, trembling with the elevated emotions. The bathtub was spacious, but he was sitting right behind her back. Ben naturally stretched out his arms.

The bathtub was wide, but he sat right behind my back.

“Heuk…”

Cersinia breathed in surprise. His arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer. They could feel each other’s flesh as her light body was pulled by his hands. It was to the point where there was no room for water to get in.

Cersinia couldn’t breathe properly. Because even with the slightest movement, the outline of his muscles touched her back clearly as if they were drawn in front of her. In addition, his regular breath was tickling her neck and ears.

It was so sensational that her head was dizzy, and her heart was pounding faster. Maybe it was because of the hot air in the bathroom and the hot body temperature she came into contact with. It was silent in the bathroom.

All she could hear from time to time was the sound of droplets failing. Maybe that’s why she was so nervous that her pounding heart could be heard.

“Cersinia.”

Then, Ben, who had been silent for a few minutes, opened his mouth. Surprised by the sudden call, her slender shoulders trembled.

“Yes…”

Cersinia was embarrassed and touched the nape of her neck, burning with embarrassment. Somehow, she thought she was the only one nervous right now…

“Ah…”

It was that moment. An unexpected touch made her red lips let out a moan. His lips touched her with a squeaky sound. His lips slid very slowly, and he kissed each of her fingers. She bit her lip as she felt a tingling sensation that made her toes curl up.

Ben, who kissed all five of her fingers, carefully wrapped his hand around the back of her hand and lowered her hand into the bathtub. Her neck, which had been hidden, was exposed. Her earlobes were red ripe.

Looking at her with obsessive eyes, he lowered his head and then softly bit the nape of his white neck in unbearable desire.

“Uh…”

Then, in his arms, she trembled with a sound of pain. Ben buried his face deeper into her neck, feeling the soft skin against him. The smell of water and strong body odor permeated his nose. It was a scent he didn’t want to let go of for the rest of his life. Without realizing it, he grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly. It was projected from the bottom of his heart that he didn’t want to let go.

“…”

Cersinia lowered her gaze at the gripping power and looked into the water. His hand was trembling slightly, holding her hand with force. Unlike usual, today, his emotions were unusually deep and dark.

“Ben, what’s wrong?”

“Wait a moment.”

Cersinia, who turned her head to look at him in anxiety, couldn’t. Because he hugged her tighter by the waist.

“I want us to stay like this a little while longer.”

His muffled, mumbled voice touched her skin and scattered.

Cersinia waited for him silently. Just until he opened his lips again, at his wide arms.

How long has it been?

His lips opened when the hot water in the bathtub had almost cooled.