WMT | Chapter 21

Theodore laughed. The sound vibrated in his throat—and Wiss felt it through their connected lips.

He was touching Wiss, studying his reactions.

He was being watched. Every helpless response laid bare, exposed.

Wiss turned his head in embarrassment. But that wasn’t a good choice.

He met eyes with the full-length mirror placed in the corner. Wiss couldn’t understand why such a thing was in the bedroom.

Of course, it was probably intended for checking one’s appearance before leaving the bedroom.

But for Wiss at the moment, it was a completely useless object. Its purpose was the worst.

He could see exactly how he was sprawled out. Seeing his own flushed, panting face made Wiss want to bite his tongue in shame.

However, Theodore was kissing his neck and moving downward.

“Stop… Ugh, don’t…”

“If I don’t do this, you’ll get hurt.”

“Just…!”

Even though Wiss wasn’t familiar with intimacy, he could tell what Theodore wanted to do.

He wanted to relax Wiss’s body, didn’t he?

It was unnecessary consideration. He just wished it would end quickly!

“Just?”

“Ugh, faster…”

“More than this?”

Theodore teased with his teeth. He heard him laugh. The breath he exhaled tickled his skin, sending a shiver and warmth through his stomach. The heat that started inside warmed his chest and reached his head.

“No, not that…”

“……Is this what you mean?”

Theodore bit down again.

“Yes! Ugh, no…!”

Wiss felt frustrated that this guy couldn’t understand him. He sniffled helplessly.

“……Do you like this?”

That was as far as Theodore’s rationality went.

His caresses stopped. Wiss didn’t know why but felt relieved.

But it was premature relief.

Anyway, Wiss succeeded in preventing Theodore from delaying any further.

── .✦

Wiss came to his senses with pain.

Birds were chirping. The sunlight was streaming in, as if they hadn’t drawn the curtains last night.

It was a bright morning. But Wiss didn’t feel refreshed, due to the pain in his waist and unspeakable places.

It still felt like there was something foreign. The skin that had been bitten was still marked, red and swollen. When he pulled down the blanket, the chafed skin protested in pain.

Wiss tried to get up but almost collapsed.

‘Is he crazy?’

His legs wouldn’t support him.

It felt like muscle pain from overtraining. Do people really do this at night and walk around so energetically during the day?

Wiss tried not to think too much about what happened the night before. It felt like he’d been hit by a carriage.

So it was… an accident.

His hands were still trembling, making it hard to grasp the gown. Only after he managed to put it on did he feel relieved.

He didn’t know what he was relieved about.

‘Why is my body shaking like this?’

Wiss was puzzled when Theodore grabbed his waist.

His skin flushed and his stomach tickled.

Theodore kissed Wiss’s back and spoke in a husky voice.

“You’re already up?”

He could sense his scent. Wiss thought he understood why Theodore had been so keen on sniffing him last night.

He smelled like a sharp forest. A deep, stimulating scent. Yet it felt subtly lingering under his skin, making his body itch. He wanted to smell it more properly.

‘Do I need to hit my head to come to my senses?’

Wiss wanted to smack his own neck. This body was useless.

“Get some more sleep. You must not have rested well last night.”

‘Whose fault is that?’

Theodore rubbed his forehead against Wiss’s waist and laughed.

“You should manage your pheromones. It’s hard to keep my sanity…”

“Pheromones?”

“……Or should we continue? Are you not satisfied yet?”

Wiss’s face flushed.

“No!”

Theodore burst into laughter. Wiss fastened his gown. He wanted to get away from Theodore, but his waist was held, making it impossible.

‘Why is this guy acting so familiar?’

Even Wiss felt uneasy about how Theodore seemed like someone he knew well.

Sharing a bed creates a bond. Wiss avoided sleeping with political marriage partners for that reason. Mostly because he didn’t want to empower any faction.

But what was this guy thinking, sleeping with Wiss?

‘No, that’s not it.’

In this case, the situation was different for Wiss.

Usually, a child born from a political marriage would be the heir. Isn’t a child between them the biggest proof of an alliance?

Wiss felt a chill.

“What should I do? To control the pheromones.”

“……You don’t know how to control them?”

“I forgot.”

Wiss said without batting an eye. Having lived as a Beta all his life, he didn’t know that was nonsense.

Theodore thought it was like saying he forgot how to blink.

‘Is this a seduction?’

“……You’ll have to learn again. I’ll help you.”

Theodore smiled and climbed on top of Wiss. Wiss fell back onto the bed.

The knight’s body pinned him down, making it hard to breathe. When Wiss opened his mouth, Theodore didn’t miss the chance and captured his lips.

After a long kiss, Theodore lifted his head. Then he kissed him again.

“You shouldn’t open up so easily.”

“Ugh…”

“Try to keep it closed a bit more…”

“Ah…”

“The sweet scent keeps leaking out… Your Highness, you have no talent for this.”

“What did I…”

Theodore wasn’t good at explaining. Wiss had no idea what he was trying to explain.

“……Or maybe it’s the opposite.”

Wiss was dazed, receiving kisses, and snapped back to reality at the sound of laughter.

“I’ll teach you slowly. We have plenty of time.”

‘Time?’

Wiss returned to his senses. He didn’t have time. There was something he needed to do before it was too late.

“Wait, wait a minute…”

“……What’s wrong?”

Theodore removed his lips from Wiss’s cheek, which he had been nibbling.

“Should we hold the nobles gathered in the capital for now? It’ll be troublesome if they return to their territories.”

“……?”

── .✦

Theodore’s adjutant, Jessen, couldn’t understand why he was summoned to his superior’s bedroom on the first day of his honeymoon.

But there was an order from the Duke.

“Bring the investigation documents.”

It was an order to bring the statements and circumstantial investigation documents of the raid masterminds.

Who would dare defy such an order?

As he moved with the documents in his arms, Jessen thought his superior might have discovered something. Like a hidden collaboration between the Summer royal family and King Riendell.

‘Is he interrogating him on the first day of the honeymoon?’

Jessen didn’t like Prince Wissmia, but he felt sorry for him. The prince probably didn’t know much about any schemes. He was just caught up in it.

‘It’s going to be the worst day.’

But Jessen’s speculation disappeared once he reached the bedroom.

“I’m coming in.”

“Ah, you’re here. Stop there. Don’t come in.”

“What?”

The Duke personally opened the door and took the documents. Jessen wasn’t surprised, as the Duke was known for his down-to-earth personality.

But he was blocking Jessen’s way with his body. When Jessen tried to pass by him, he moved a step to block him again.

“……?”

Jessen caught a glimpse of the bedroom through the door. Prince Wissmia was still in bed. But his skin looked strange. From below his face, it was flushed red, as if he had a fever.

“……!”

“There might be questions, so wait a moment. It’s not appropriate to invite anyone in right now.”

Jessen thought he understood why it wasn’t “appropriate.” He replied, pale-faced.

“Yes. I’ll wait in this room.”

The Duke nodded and returned to the bedroom. The door closed.

The room connected to the bedroom had many distractions. Jessen wanted to focus on Prince Wissmia’s portrait, but he couldn’t stop his attention from being drawn to the bedroom.

From inside, he heard this conversation.

“Shall we try a little more? You’re lacking patience.”

“If you go out like this, it’ll be a big problem.”

“Don’t cry. Still, it won’t do. If I do it for you, we’ll have to start over from the beginning…”

“……I guess it can’t be helped. You’re quite spoiled.”

What on earth was happening inside?

Jessen’s superior was known for his straightforward nature. With his abilities, status, and looks, what could he possibly lack? He had been fending off temptations since his teenage years.

But the conversation coming from inside was anything but chaste…

He couldn’t hear Prince Wissmia’s responses. He guessed he was crying.

‘No, I didn’t hear anything.’

Jessen covered his ears and emptied his mind. It was for his superior’s honor.

A while later, the bedroom door opened. Jessen had become haggard in the meantime.

“Come in. His Highness has something to say.”

“What? Yes.”

Prince Wissmia was still in bed. Jessen was afraid he might see a tear-streaked prince, but the prince’s face was clean. The only difference was the pile of documents around him.

Jessen was puzzled. Why was Prince Wissmia reading the documents he had handed to the Duke?

“Baron Hover, Baron Clanet, and Count Rad weren’t interrogated because they’re nobles of Summer?”

The prince asked.

Jessen was taken aback.

“How did you know that?”