The light of the early night* was bright. (the word also doubles as ‘first night’)

The dark interior was adored and covered in red fabrics. The red cloth was even across the ceiling, fluttering, and red candles were emitting a soft glow.

Adele was sitting in a slip on the edge of the bed; she grabbed the hem of her dress with trembling hands. The maid who had tied her slip’s bre@st straps noticed her disquietude.

“My Lady… … . Are you okay?”

“It’s hard to breathe.”

Adele, breathing heavily, raised her head.

The mirror a maid had put up for dressing up her madame– Adele– her appearance and uneasy figure was reflected in it.

Her fine light brown hair, her face turning white from tension. Neat, straight features and light brown eyes shaking anxiously.

Cute pink lips that were currently being bitten and turning red.

Adele sighed deeply, turning the mirror face down.

“Madame, shall I loosen your slip?”

“I’m not talking about that.”

The maid knew. That Adele was having her first night at the age of 32. And that this was also her second wedding.

It was when the maid tried to give her words of comfort and consolation that the din of footsteps and the clattering of striking joints of armor rubbing against itself interrupted her train of thought.

Adele raised his head at the unusual sound.

Noah, her husband from now on—in fact from this very day, was standing at the bedroom entrance.

Dressed in dark red armor, he stepped on a white cloth bedecking the floor with muddy shoes.

Adele fluttered at the overbearing appearance of Noah.

After a moment, he took off his helmet, revealing dark hair and nicely tanned skin. Noah watched Adele with sharp golden eyes, then raised his red lips.

“*Smirk*… … .”

Adele chewed her lips.

The maids who were anxious around Noah blushed at his smile.

They started to move to remove his armor for the first night, but Noah shook his hand.

“Get out.”

His low bass voice reverberated, and the maids quickly left the room.

When she was left alone with Noah in the room, Adele clasped the bedsheet.

As he slowly sauntered, approaching her and the bed, Adele bowed her head.

Noah, who she thought would climb straight into the bed, entered the bathroom attached to the bedroom instead.

He didn’t even look at Adele. Shoot. When she heard the splash of water in the bathroom, Adele trembled and crawled to the corner of the bed, hugging her knees with her arms, hoping the time would stop.

She didn’t want him to come out of the bathroom.

But, to her dismay, the door to the bathroom where Noah was staying opened with a smooth creek.

Adele raised her head at the sound, and the scene of a clean and wet Noah entered her sight.

Noah was wearing an indigo robe that clearly showed his chest and wiping his dark hair with a towel.

The water droplets from his wet hair passed past the golden eyes with long lashes, descended to the side of his straight nose, and touched his red lips.

*Tuek* Noah unfastened the belt that tied and held his robe together and let it drop to the floor.

Then his body with wide, broad shoulders and taut muscles shined in the moonlight.

As the cloth around his lower body fell, it was delayed in its journey to the floor by an object before it completely fell—Adele saw the reason—a massive p**nis between his thick legs. She was looking at Noah’s body as if she had been possessed, blushing at the huge object and turning her head–greatly flustered when she realized what she had been doing.

Undaunted, a completely nude Noah walked over to the bed while Adele retreated, trying to create distance by scooting back.

Seeing her apprehensive behavior, he smirked with those bloody, red lips.

Adele turned her head, wanting to disappear at his blatant ridicule. Again, she ran into his fiery golden gaze.

His eyes were full of passion to devour her as a woman.

Shocked at the prospect of facing a hungry beast, Adele’s body stiffened, feeling suddenly exposed and susceptible.

“It’s the beginning of our first night.”

Perplexed, Noah looked at Adele hunching.

“You shouldn’t be squatting like that, or maybe we could use it.”

“…… How about rethinking this again?”

“What?”

Noah asked softly as he moved closer to her, sitting at the end of the bed. But Adele flinched. However, he continued with his informal speech.

“I am your brother’s wife.”

“Not anymore. Because my brother is dead.”

Noah was calm without any feelings even though his brother was dead.

To him, it was okay to reach out to her, who was his sister-in-law only just a few days ago.

Adele shook his head in trembling as he touched her white ankles.

“Who obeys the law these days?”

“I do.”

“Everyone marries and puts each other on their family registry and lives separately. Who is even getting married, ahhhk!”

Instead of answering, Noah grabbed her thin ankle, pulling and dragging Adele down. Suddenly, she was in the middle of the bed. Struggling, she shifted her legs to escape.

As she did that, the less the slip stayed on her and the more clearly her legs were exposed.

“L-let go…….”

Noah, who ignored Adele’s words, caressed her white legs with his big hand.

With a satisfied smile, he lifted one leg slightly and licked it very slowly, as if savoring it.

“Oh!”

As the surprised Adele moaned, Noah licked her inner thigh at a faster rate. This time, he bit her chubby flesh and sucked it.

Slurp– the cold, delicate, tickling sensation, made Adele shiver as if she were trying to escape, but he did not let go.

“Open up.”

“……”

“Sister-in-law, spread your legs.”

When Adele didn’t, instead of answering, Noah spread her legs wide with his hands.

Before she could even be surprised or stop him, he took his hot mouth to her la**a, licking the mouth of her v@*ina, and pressed the ******is with the tip of his tongue. After that, he sucked intensely.

Slurp, chuw!

Adele’s mouth fell agape to the thrilling sensation that flashed through her and caught her unawares.

“Oh, oooh!”

His tongue focused and sucked her cli**ris for a long time.

It then rubbed against the entrance of her v@*na and entered in.

Overwhelmed and not entirely in her right mind, Adele’s legs shuddered, and she grabbed Noah’s head. “No, ooooh, ah, haa d-don’t do it, uhhgnn…….”

Noah, who opened his mouth, put his thick finger this time through the damp hole. It was very narrow because it was her first time, but it was wet.

Smiling, he gently stroked her *******is with his thumb.

Then, the more he did, the more Adele’s waist squirmed, her br*@sts jiggling and her ni***es growing er*ct.

“Ah!”

“Sister-in-law, you’re going to break my fingers.”

“Oh oh, d-do… it uh… … .”

“How will mine enter when you’ve tightened it like this?”

A hard, hot thing touched Adele’s feet. Between Noah’s legs, it was the size of his forearm. Noah rubbed his ***** against her before she hurriedly moved her feet.

At the same time, the finger poking Adele inner circle moved quickly.

“Ahhhh, huh…….”

The wetter she got down there, the more cloudy Adele’s eyes became.

“No, no, ah ahhh, I feel good…….”

She felt the pleasure wriggling with his fingers savagely moving.

“Ah— no, ooh!”

Adele continued to hold back the sensation that something was about to pour out of her—it terrifyingly felt like she was about to pee! But just when she thought she was about to stop flinching, Noah’s thumb pressed her cli**ris firmly.

“Ahhhh!”

Spray! There was a flood of transparent liquid fluid that came out of Adele’s va**na.

She was unwittingly drooling and breathing wildly, and Noah pulled out his finger.

“*Panting*… … .”

“Oh, you go too fast.”

Noah stared at Adele, sticking out his tongue, and licked his wet fingers soaked from her squirting.

His overly obscene appearance made her whole body hot.

“H- how on earth…….”

How did this all happen? It was just a brother-in-law relationship. It was a family, but one with proper distance—that kind of formal relationship.

It was from that day that the relationship went off.

Adele looked at Noah, closed her eyes, and remembered the day.

At the entrance to the castle of the Duke of Maktus, merchants and servants piled the goods carried on the ship. At the forefront stood Enon, the head of the Maktus family, looking through the goods. Adele, standing behind him, handed him a sheet of paper with the list of items.

“Enon, here,” she said.

“Hm,” he said turning to look at her. Adele’s light brown hair and hazel eyes shone.

Her features would be considered plain conventionally but her sweet temperament won over people readily. Enon, looking at her, thought he was lucky to have a person like her by his side. He took the paper.

“Thank you,” he said.

“I’ll be along, soon,” said Adele, “Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“Push myself?” said Enon, smiling, “It’s you who works harder than me. You worked so hard to prepare for this voyage. The Emperor gave the order out of the blue…”

Their country, Astria, always had trade problems with the neighboring country, Telen. The Emperor had instructed the Duke of Maktus to build goodwill with Telen before the divide between the two countries worsened.

There had been a lot of preparation for gifts and exchanges that was to be offered to the other country. “It’s alright,” said Adele, smiling, “I have always had a knack for these kind of jobs since my parents hold top positions as well. It wasn’t very difficult.”

“Just as well that this nerdy guy has a capable wife like you,” said Enon.

“You are the Duke,” said Adele, “You are capable enough. And flattery will get you nowhere.”

When Adel gently patted him on the shoulder and Enon’s face flushed. He took her hands in his. “I will buy you whatever you want this time,” he said, “You can look forward to it!”

Adele smiled. “I will be late,” she whispered in his ear. “Go now.”

“There is still time!” said Enon, “Ah, there is Noah.” He pointed to a figure on a horse galloping towards the castle. Adele saw his reach the castle and getting off the horse. He took off his helmet to reveal his messy black hair, sharp jawline and tanned skin. His golden eyes gleamed. She avoided looking at him.

As usual, the women who were present blushed as he arrived.

“Is that Noah Maktus?” asked one.

“Yeah. He saved the Emperor’s sister by breaking through a thousand enemy troops in the last war,” said another.

“I heard he never missed a single enemy, and he killed them all.”

“He is so handsome!”

No one particularly understood the foreign tongue of the merchants. Noah just looked at them as they talked, his curious gaze making them smile and blush instantly.

Upon reaching his brother, his wife at his side, Noah shook his Enon’s hands.

“Noah!”

“Brother.”

Enon grinned. “Been so long since I saw you!” He then glanced at Adele, as though seeking her permission to introduce her to Noah. She nodded and gave him an awkward smile.

“This is your sister-in-law, my wife, Adele.”

Adele met his striking golden eyes. He looked beastly, so to speak. Cold and ruthless. She flinched without meaning to. Noah raised an eyebrow at her involuntary reaction.

“Sister-in-law,” he said, “nice to make your acquaintance.”

“Thank you,” she said, “Nice to meet you too.”

Adele lowered her head after the introduction. Noah, meanwhile, cleaned his sword on the grass and sheathed it. The smell of blood invaded Adele’s nose and she tried not to gag. Adele went pale seeing the amount of blood.

“Adele,” said Enon with worry, “You are suddenly pale. Are you okay?” He held her by her shoulders, gentle but firm. “Is it the blood?”

Adele shook her head trying to tell him that she was alright. Enon rubbed her back softly to soothe her.

Noah mouth twitched. He only seemed amused.

“I feel sick…” Adele said wearily, finding support in her husband.

“Oh, can I now expect a nephew, sister-in-law?”

Adele’s body stiffened at the word nephew. Enon, who had alternated between the two, sighed and asked the maid standing next to her. When the maid took the faltering Adele, Enon put his hands on his waist.

“Why are you cleaning up your blood here? She has a weak stomach,” Enon said, sounding annoyed.

“I didn’t know that,” Noah replied.

“It’s been two years since we got married, but you’re still having a hard time getting along with her… Oh, and also, pay some attention to your sister-in-law, and don’t make silly jokes.”

“I’m already giving her a lot of attention.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes, excessively.”

“Stop with the jokes!” Instead of answering, Noah looked at Adele sitting far away. A drop of water flowed from her lips to the elegant arch of her white neck, a drop she had not swallowed.

Crumpled forehead, he followed at it persistently with his eyes half closed.

Sensing his gaze, Adele turned her head to the side and their eyes locked.

“Noah!”

Noah turned his head towards Enon – his much smaller built, older brother – calling him with a stern look on his face, “You know the reason why I’m calling you right?”

“No, I don’t.”

“What an honest kid you are.” Enon held Noah’s hand. He didn’t care that it was covered in blood. “You should’ve known about this. I’m going to board a ship heading to Telen. It will be about a two-month journey,” Enon informed him. “I’ll leave this castle and my wife, for you to care for.”

Noah couldn’t remove his hands from Enon after hearing his sincere plea. “The servants of our household know their place, but the merchants may look down on your sister-in-law, as a woman who does internal affairs,” he continued. “But it’ll be different if you are here. Those arrogant jerks won’t stand up to you. Also….”

Enon’s words faded, and he struggled to open his mouth again but was finally able to say, “I could also die while sailing. I know that’s unlikely to happen, but if anything does happen, I’m asking for you to be responsible and take good care of the castle and your sister-in-law. It’s my plea.”

Noah turned his head, hearing his brother’s serious request. At the end of his gaze was Adele having a conversation and laughing with other women. He raised his lips and spoke in a low voice, “Of course, brother.”

“Thank you, that makes me feel at ease,” he said, sighing in relief. “I’m thinking of stopping by the island you told me about the other day. How did you know that there was a mine on the island?”

“I found it by chance while searching for a way to attack the enemy.”

“I thought you didn’t care for our household affairs?” Enon stared at Noah, impressed. But Noah never answered his question.

His little brother had always been hard to predict. He had been bedridden his entire childhood due to an illness. Noah had had an awkward relationship with Enon though because he’d entered the academy dorm early. But after their parents had passed away, they’d started engaging more with each other. He spoiled him now whenever he returned to the palace, and Noah would be happy and excited, thinking of it as a reward. Enon felt the tip of his nose watering up, and spoke while rubbing it, “Anyway, thank you for telling me about the mine.”

A sailor waved his hand from afar, “We need to depart now!”

“I need to go now. Please get closer to your sister-in-law while I’m away.”

Noah raised his eyebrows hearing Enon’s words, “How?”

“By having a meal together or go for a walk together and have a conversation. Anyway, be good to her. She can’t stop living her life as a woman because of being married to me.”

Enon looked at Adele with guilt-filled eyes. The sailor waved his hands again, and Enon hurriedly moved his feet and said, “Stay well!”

“Enon.” Enon looked backed at Noah who called him. “Do you love my sister-in-law?”

“Of course. Is that even worth asking?”

Enon smiled and hurriedly ran to the entrance. Adele who was already waiting there waved her white embroidered handkerchief at him and Noah looked sadly back at them, holding the handle of his sword, but left it in its holster.

“So he said he loved her.” No one heard his words and Noah smiled smugly.

***

It had been two weeks since the owner of the peacock garden had left. Meanwhile, rosebuds were blooming in the beautiful garden, sprouting liveliness on the old wall brick wall. Looking through the window from the second floor, Adele smiled as she felt the freshness that early summer brought.

“Lady, your breakfast is ready. You can go down when you are dressed.”

“Thank you,” Adele answered with a kind voice as she sat in front of her dressing table. Drying her hair that had been washed by the maids, she slowly started to dress. An auburn-haired girl, named Lina, said excitedly while brushing Adele’s hair, “Lady! There’s a new rose tea coming in today! I tasted some and it was delicious!”

“Is that true? Well, I’ll be expecting some then.”

Lina blinked her eyes hearing Adele’s gentle voice. Her answer sounded indifferent for someone who loved drinking tea.

“Lady, are you sad that the Master is away?”

“Hmm…”

“You look disheartened.”

The other maids nodded their heads in agreement. Adele was about to answer that it was because she had a lot to attend to, but her thoughts were interrupted by a rough voice from outside, “Pay loyalty to the Black Knight commander!” It was the knights’ thunderous pledge of loyalty.

The maids stopped what they were doing, as they were also surprised and Adele sighed heavily, “So he’s still at the castle then.” She said out loud by accident.

“Pardon?” One of the maids asked.

“Are you finished dressing the lady?” The knight asked.

“Almost, we’ll hurry up,” replied one of the maids, feeling flushed.

The maids moved their hands diligently as Adele signed that she didn’t want to talk anymore. They quickly opened the bedroom door once they’d finished dressing her.

Adele frowned and walked down the stairs, noticing that the first floor was busy, which was usual.

In the middle of the hall, Noah was sitting in front of the long wooden table which had a delicious spread of all kinds of food, from fresh salads to seafood. He lifted his head when he heard footsteps entering the dining hall. Not knowing how to act when their eyes met, she smiled awkwardly.

“Are you having your meal here today?” He asked.

“Yes,” she answered shyly.

“Please sit,” he invited her.