She was so nervous that she did not realize she was biting her fingernails until the Duke of Croyso entered the room. Hearing his cane strike the floor with a clack, she hurriedly hid her hands behind her back.

"Have I not warned you time and again about that revolting habit of yours?"

"F-Forgive me…"

Hearing the biting chill of her father's voice, Maxi hung her head low. The duke clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

"Do not embarrass me. You have been fortunate beyond what you deserve. Should your repulsive behavior besmirch our family name, I shall not forgive you."

Cold sweat trickled down her back. As she opened her mouth to form some semblance of a reply, her spine went stiff with fear.

"I-I sh-shall do as you c-command, F-Father. W-When he comes, I-I will…"

Even without raising her head, Maxi knew perfectly well what sort of expression her father was making, for he wore a grimace of disgust whenever he heard her speak. Scrambling for words, Maxi tried to remain calm.

"I-I w-will persuade h-him t-to remain in th-this m-marriage…"

"Enough!"

The duke rapped his cane on the floor.

"Is it too much for you to talk and behave normally even for a day — no, for even an hour? What kind of man would want a stuttering wife?"

"I… I…"

"Riftan Calypse is no longer a low-class knight! He is now one of the best swordmasters in the continent — a hero who defeated the Red Dragon, Sektor! The church will annul this marriage at a word from him!"

Panting, the duke pressed a hand to his forehead. The mere thought of divorce scandalized him.

"I shall not allow the eldest Croyso daughter to be divorced by some lowborn knight! I will not stand by while my halfwit of a daughter ruins the reputation of this house!"

Maxi bit her lips, words rising in her throat like bile. It's not my fault. Neither she nor Riftan Calypse had ever expressed a desire to be wed to each other. It was her father who had pushed the marriage through.

As if he had read her thoughts, the duke followed with a scathing remark.

"If only you were half as beautiful as Rosetta… No, if only you were normal! Then I would not have to crawl at that lowborn's feet to humor his whims!"

At the mention of her half-sister, who was as beautiful as a rose in full bloom, the handful of defiance she had mustered slipped through her fingers like dry sand. The duke took in his daughter's face, which had turned deathly pale. He carried on without mercy.

"King Reuben may wish to take Riftan Calypse as his son-in-law, but there's nothing he can do if Calypse refuses! Had you managed to win your husband's affection, you would not be facing divorce! You have no one to blame but yourself!"

"B-But… h-he left for the c-campaign the d-day after the w-wedding…"

Maxi had hardly had a chance to talk to Riftan, let alone win his affection. She was about to protest when her vision went white for a split second as her father's cane landed on her side. Gasping for breath, she curled up. The pain was so severe that she could not even scream.

"How dare you talk back to me! Just thinking of that loathsome impediment of yours infuriates me!"

She quickly nodded to avert further blows. The duke's lips twitched as if readying itself to spew forth another stream of vitriol, but a knock on the door distracted him. He spun around to face the door. The quiet voice of a maidservant came through.

"Your Grace, the Remdragon Knights have arrived."

"Show them in!"

Her face filled with terror, Maxi raised her eyes at her father. He hissed through his teeth.

"Make it clear to Calypse that the marriage will not be annulled. I warn you once again — if you bring shame upon our house, you'll pay the price!"

The duke stomped out of the room. Maxi leaned against the window, stifling her breath while waiting for the throbbing pain to subside.

Blinded by the autumn sunlight streaming in through the window, she blinked back her tears. Crying would not make anything better. It would only drag her down deeper into the abyss.

Maxi clasped her shaking hands together. She had to collect herself — divorce was equivalent to a death sentence for a noblewoman. She would not only end up the target of ridicule, but also disgrace her entire family.

It was an unimaginable dishonor, one that could only be counteracted through a duel against Riftan Calypse. But the Duke of Croyso had no sons, and none among his relatives or sworn knights stood a chance against Riftan.

Who could win a duel against a swordmaster who had felled a dragon? Tarnishing her family name seemed inevitable. The duke would never forgive her — a timely accident might kill her before the annulment was complete. She would not put such designs past her father.

I must do everything to prevent that…

But would Riftan Calypse listen to her?

She bit her lips, feeling as though she was standing at the edge of a precipitous cliff. Her marriage had been arranged solely for the convenience of the duke and his knights.

Three years prior, when news had spread across the continent that Sektor the Red Dragon had awoken from hibernation, King Elnuima Reuben III had issued an order for his vassals to participate in a campaign to subdue it.

Duke Croyso had also been bound by law to gather his forces and embark on the campaign. But he had found a way to shift his duty to Riftan Calypse by marrying off his daughter.

Maxi shuddered, recalling the thinly veiled insults whispered among the guests on her wedding day. As a low-class knight, Riftan had had no choice but to obey the duke's command and make an appearance in the wedding hall. Maxi could not imagine the resentment and humiliation he must have felt that day. He had looked as if he was suppressing something, and she had been terrified by the expression on his face.

If I were half as beautiful as Rose, could I have won his heart?

These thoughts only deepened her torment. Riftan Calypse was a stunning man. Even Rosetta, who often mocked his humble background, could not help but blush when she saw him dressed in the ceremonial attire of his order.

Riftan could have chosen any beautiful lady to court. How could he possibly find a plain-looking woman with a stutter attractive, especially now that his accomplishments had superseded his lowborn status?

Now that he's likely to marry a princess, my pleas won't be enough to change his mind.

They had spent a single night together after the wedding. The following morning, Riftan had left for the campaign without a word, and he had never once written to her in his absence. Maxi could not be sure that he even thought of her as his wife.

With her mind clouded by dark thoughts, she had just buried her face in her hands when she heard a sullen voice.

"This is a sight to behold."

Maxi looked up with a jolt to see a giant of a man glowering at her from the door. She had not heard him enter.

"A wife trembling in fear while awaiting her husband's return from mortal peril," the man said sarcastically, approaching her with slow, silent footsteps.

Dressed in silver armor and a navy-blue tunic reminiscent of a monk's robes, Riftan was far more powerfully built and intimidating than Maxi remembered. Frozen, Maxi held her breath as she watched him draw closer.

"I didn't expect a warm welcome, but did you have to tremble as if I were carrying the plague?"

His frigid tone snapped Maxi out of her trance. Realizing that she had managed to displease him within minutes of their reunion, blood drained from her face.

"I-I am relieved t-to see you u-unharmed…"

What else could she say? She did not even know how to address him.

Riftan? Too intimate. Sir Riftan? He would surely mock her. Max's voice trailed off in confusion. Unsettled by his piercing gaze, she took a step back.

She could not fathom why he was looking at her like that. His face hardened further with each step of her retreat. Finally, he yanked Maxi's arm toward him with a threatening whisper.

"At least pretend you're happy to see me!"

She froze. Their bodies were so close that she could smell the potent undertones of leather, horses, and sweat. The overwhelming maleness of the scents pushed up memories that she had hidden even from herself over the past three years.

The curious heat radiating from his muscular body. A gaze that seemed to see straight into her mind. He had looked at her with that same look in his eyes that day. Like a hound about to rip apart fresh meat…

Maxi hastily lowered her gaze. She could feel her face burning. There was no stopping the torrent of memories now that the floodgates had opened. Memories of that night washed over her, as vivid as if they had occurred just yesterday.

(16+ content ahead)

"Take off your clothes."

A bewildered Maxi looked apprehensively at her new husband. Her nursemaid had led her by the hand to the bridal chamber just as the wedding feast was coming to an end. She was sitting on the bed after the maidservants had finished bathing her when he entered the room.

Unable to gauge his intentions, she could only stare at him wide-eyed. She could not comprehend why the man who had ignored her throughout the ceremony would abruptly make such a demand. Although she was vaguely aware that intimate, unspoken things happened between husbands and wives in the privacy of the bedroom, she had never been made privy to the details.

Her nursemaid had impressed upon her that she must follow her husband's commands and remain still, no matter what he did. Surely removing her clothes wasn't one of the commands that she was expected to obey without question… She was still in a daze when he pulled his tunic over his head and shot her an impatient look.

Riftan Calypse stepped closer. "Must I remove them myself?"

Maxi let out a gasp. Every cord of muscle on Riftan's body seemed to be made of steel. His shoulders were twice as broad as hers. His long, thick neck was connected to a solid chest, which tapered down to a taut, slim waist, not unlike that of a graceful panther.

Maxi had heard that Riftan was a giant even among the knights, but to see him standing before her eyes was overwhelming. Her mouth went dry. A few blows from her father had caused her unbearable pain. Would she survive if a man like Riftan decided to strike her?

"You're looking at me as if you've seen a monster."

Maxi flinched. His tone was frosty. He crossed the distance to the bed with a single stride and looked hard at her. Maxi's line of vision was filled entirely by his body, which gleamed bronze in the glow of the flames dancing in the fireplace.

"Do you find me so undesirable?"

"Ah… I-I…"

He leaned over her. Two black pupils embedded in a near-flawless face gave off a frightful glint. His mouth, clenched shut, twisted into a cynical smile.

"How could I, a lowly knight, expect to please the proud daughter of a duke?"

Maxi trembled uncontrollably at his contemptuous tone. As his wife, she was his possession and at his mercy. He had the right to flog her and subject her to the cruelest of punishments if he so wished. Realizing that she had earned his scorn, she broke into a cold sweat.

"Come. Fulfill your marital duties."

Maxi wanted to ask what her duties were, but the question never left her lips. She kept her gaze locked at his feet as his body cast a dark shadow over her. A long, calloused finger reached down to lift her chin. There was something subtle in his gaze that she could not read.

"A marriage is annulled if it is not consummated. Do you wish to leave me?"

She trembled, feeling as if she was drowning in the depths of those dark pupils. This brought yet another sneer to his lips.

"Speak now if you want me to dress and leave."

"…"

"I won't stop once we begin."

Maxi's mouth went dry. Her father would never forgive her if she let him leave. Remembering that they had never had a choice to begin with, she squeezed her eyes shut and began to unclasp her belt with shaking fingers.

She feared her father's blows far more than the shame that she would suffer at the hands of this strange man. Should she fail, her father would not stop at a beating. He would punish her brutally and send in another knight to this very room in a matter of days. She was nothing more than a tool for her father's convenience.

Maxi removed her jewelry one by one and set them next to the bed in suffocating silence. The only sound in the room was the crackling of burning firewood. Riftan's gaze bore into her. She pulled down the straps of her linen dress and removed her arms from the frilly sleeves.

The night air felt cold against her bare back and shoulders. Not daring to expose herself further, she stopped undressing, clutching the dress to her bosom. Seeing her hesitate, Riftan knelt on the bed and pulled her dress down.

W-W-Wait…"

The dress slipped off her body before she could stop it. She desperately clutched at her skirt. Riftan grew impatient.

"Keep your hands away."

"W-Why a-are you p-pulling…"

She gazed up at him in confusion. His face was concealed in shadow, silhouetted against the light. Being unable to see his expression only intensified her terror.

"Do you want me to leave? Make up your mind."

Maxi stifled her sobs. As she reluctantly lowered her hands, the dress slid to her waist. Riftan pulled it down further and flung it on the floor, sending shivers up her spine.

"There's no turning back now."

His deep voice chilled Maxi's heart. His rough, warm hands caressed her tense body. She pushed him away instinctively, only to end up caught more firmly in his embrace as he locked an arm around her waist. As skin touched skin, his body exuded an unfamiliar heat that made her shudder for a reason she could not explain.

"N-Not so c-close…"

He carried on as if he had not heard her stammering plea, leaning forward to brush a kiss on her ******. Maxi's eyes widened in shock.

Warm lips swept across soft skin. A shiver coursed through her body at this new sensation. At the sight of him burying his face in her bosom like a newborn babe, her mind went blank.

"Relax."

Using his calloused palm, he stroked her back, which was paralyzed with fear. His damp breath gave her goosebumps.

Rubbing his chin on her soft skin, he slid a hand under the garment that was covering her waist. Maxi jumped in shock, her lips quivering. She had never imagined that a man's hand would intrude on this region of her body.

"W-What are y-you—"

"Stay still. You'll get hurt without warming up."

Maxi's legs struggled helplessly. She had only ever exchanged a few greetings with this man, and now — now, here he was, touching her most intimate parts so casually. She could not believe it.

"P-P-Please, d-don't…"

She grasped his thick shoulders as if to plead with him. It was his turn now to quake and quiver. Her hands burned when she touched his firm, smooth skin as if she had wrapped them around a red-hot iron.

Riftan's lips moved slightly. But instead of words, Maxi received a rough kiss. He tasted of something savage and untamable. She was still trying to make sense of what was happening when he removed the last piece of clothing left on her. She screamed — but even that was swallowed by a kiss.

"Damn it…"

He let out a series of curses and moans. Maxi gasped for air like a fish out of water. He was encroaching on parts of her body that she had never even known existed.

She thrashed her legs against him, but they were soon weighed down by the bulk of his unyielding body. She was trapped like a helpless animal caught between the jaws of a wolf.

"Damn it, I can't hold back any longer…"

He muttered to himself impatiently, his fingers entering her deeper still. Maxi held her breath. She had long forgotten her nursemaid's instructions about dutifully submitting to her husband's will. Under his touch, her body twitched and jerked like a fish gasping for air, overcome by unthinkable sensations.

"N-No! D-Don't… Oh!"

It was futile to struggle; there was no chance of escape from his rough kisses and caresses. She tore at the pillow.

She could not believe that something so grotesque was happening. Her eyes felt as if they were on fire, and her mind spun.

What was happening to her?

(16+ content ahead)

"This will hurt a little."

After what seemed like a lifetime, Riftan's hand stopped. Maxi sank into the bed, her limbs hanging limply as she tried to catch her breath. Her body had been so tense that, drained of strength, she could not struggle anymore. Riftan undressed completely and wrapped an arm around Maxi's waist, lifting her up.

Their warm bodies touched. Only then did Maxi realize that they were both slick with sweat.

His back shone a reddish gold in the glow of the dim light, reminding her of the time she had sneaked into a blacksmith's workshop and watched how they cast statues out of molten gold. Was this how it might feel to have bubbling metal poured over one's body? She felt her body dissolve as if submerged in a crucible of liquid gold.

"Take a deep breath."

His voice had become so husky that it was hard to make out what he was whispering. His lips grazed her earlobe, sending chills down her spine. Holding onto his sinewy arm, she allowed her legs to open without thinking. Riftan promptly paired his hips to hers.

"Ah…!"

A dull pain radiated through her lower body before she could grasp what had happened. She struggled, terrified. He weighed her body down with his own to stop her from breaking free, then nibbled at her lips. Her breasts pressed flat against his rugged chest, she felt him enter deeper. Close to tears, she scratched at his arms.

"I-It… hurts…"

"Too tight…"

Droplets of sweat trickled down his neck and onto her face. As she writhed in an attempt to flee, he quivered slightly and used his two hands to secure her waist in a firm grip. A deep line creased his forehead.

"Just… stay still…"

"H-hurts… It h-hurts…!"

"Don't move, damn it— ugh!"

She felt his body tremble. She held her breath as he crushed her in an embrace. As if he could not hold back any longer, he began to move rhythmically. Each movement produced a sharp pain that drew a faint **** from her.

Her body rocked like a boat on turbulent water. Her mind sank into miry depths, her knuckles turning white from gripping the sheets. What was he doing to her?

"Damn…"

At long last, he released a strangled **** before collapsing on her. His body radiated so much heat that had the air been just a little cooler, it would have let off steam. Panting, Maxi could see that his shoulders were also rising and falling rapidly. She felt a strange sense of emptiness. Eyelids a flutter, she stared blankly at the ceiling. What had just happened to her?

"Why are you crying?"

It was only then that she realized she was crying. She tried to cover her face, but a wet tongue began to crawl across her cheek. He cupped her face so she could not turn away and hissed through his teeth.

"Don't look away from me."

His dark eyes flickered with intense emotion. The hairs on her nape stood up. He continued to pelt her tear-streaked temples and cheeks with kisses.

"You're now my wife. There's no turning back, whether you like it or not."

A hand reached into her hair to pull her into a kiss. There was little she could do but let it happen. Again and again…

When she woke up, it was well past noon, and Riftan had already left for the campaign. She learned from her nursemaid that a cleric had come to inspect the blood on the sheets and declare the marriage valid. She also learned that the consummation of marriage was a rite of passage for newlywed couples.

That was all that had transpired between her and Riftan. She had lost her virginity, and he had left for the Lexos Mountains in the duke's stead. It was difficult to believe that they were man and wife — even at that moment, with him standing before her eyes.

Lost for words, she stared silently at his stormy face. Her ears rang with echoes of her father's voice, threatening her with all manner of punishment should Riftan Calypse divorce her. Her lips, however, were sealed shut. What could she possibly say? He was a stranger to her — a husband in name only.

"For heaven's sake, stop shaking!"

Riftan yelled. Maxi flinched and took a step back. He tightened his grip on her arm and closed the distance between them again.

"Do you find me so horrendous? Have I come back a monster?"

"I… I…"

He ran a hand through the thick, shaggy hair that covered his eyes, glaring at her. Her vision blurred. Far from completing her mission — to persuade him not to divorce her — she had managed to offend him less than five minutes into their reunion. Her lips twitched.

I need to say something. Anything. Please…

"I, I… was m-merely n-nervous and… I d-didn't know w-what t-to say…"

Her cheeks burned red with shame. Tears welled up in her eyes. But this was not the time to burst into tears — that would only enrage him. She searched desperately for words.

"Y-You're n-not a m-m-monster… I-I-I'm j-just n-nervous… and c-c-can't stop sh-shaking…"

Her tongue failing her more than usual, she could not bring herself to meet his eyes. The mission had been hopeless from the start. How could she possibly persuade him when she had this dreadful impediment?

The burning flush crept up to the tips of her ears. She hung her head in shame, feeling exposed and vulnerable. Perhaps she would be better served by keeping her mouth shut; a proper woman would not stutter and shake like a halfwit.

"Damn it all…"

She flinched at his quiet cursing. Her father had been right — there was not a single man in the world who would desire her as his wife. Asking him to turn down a princess's hand in marriage would be ludicrous.

Overcome by a feeling of helplessness, she felt her eyes prickle with tears. At that moment, something cold touched her cheek, snapping her out of her thoughts. A steel gauntlet was cupping her face.

"Open your mouth."

Unable to grasp his intentions, she gazed numbly at the pair of black pupils that hovered a hair's breadth from hers. Riftan sighed as if his patience was being tested once more. He pushed her chin down and forced her jaws open.

A soft, wet tongue inserted itself into her mouth, causing her yet another shock. She found herself gripping his arm to steady herself.

Biting his lips, he muttered in annoyance. "Should've taken off my armor first…"

It happened so quickly that she had no chance to brace herself. She stood there uneasily until he pushed her onto the sofa behind her. Pressing a knee into the side of her thigh, he removed his silver gauntlet with a deft movement.

The long, thick fingers that emerged from the gauntlet touched her cheeks tenderly. Her hands clutched his tunic as if they had a mind of their own. Again, the man pressed his lips to hers while removing the other gauntlet. A warm hand dug into her hair and roughly grasped the back of her head.

His tongue twisted and tangled with hers, roving over her teeth. She found it harder and harder to breathe. She shoved at his chest, but he clamped down harder on her lips.

"Just a little more…"

Her heart skipped a beat at his pleading voice. Warm hands slid over her face and neck, stroking the curve of her back before they found her bosom. When he felt her squirm with embarrassment, he pulled her in by her waist and laid her down on the sofa. Then without delay, he pulled her skirt up.

"R-Riftan…!"

This time, she understood what he wanted at once. In a panic, her eyes darted toward the door. How could he do this in the middle of the drawing room — and in broad daylight, no less! — where someone could burst in at any moment?

But Riftan seemed unperturbed. He nibbled on the back of her neck, pressing his body against hers. When she felt his hardness between her legs, she cried out in shock. He began to rub against her slowly. With each movement, the steel cuisse covering his powerful thighs brushed against her, the cold metal raising goosebumps on her skin.

Unable to bear it any longer, Maxi shut her eyes tight. Then suddenly, Riftan sprang up and covered her body with his cloak. She realized that someone was watching them. A man dressed in the same armor as Riftan was standing at the door with a stunned expression on his face.

"What are you looking at, you little rat?!"