It's Too Late for Regrets - Chapter 3.2

Night.
It was a night when a big moon hung in the clear autumn sky, with no clouds in sight.

Only the sound of Ines desperately trying to catch her breath filled the dark room.
Her soft body always melted the man’s firm reason. Holding her trembling figure, Rayan let out a slow, lazy breath, then slowly pulled away from her.

“Ugh…”

Ines flinched slightly.
As the heat faded, the usual discomfort that couldn’t be digested remained, just like always.

By Eleanor, Rayan had never thought of himself as someone who would be so easily swayed by instinct.
His mind still rejected it—this woman. And the way he turned into a lowly beast whenever he was with her.

But if he couldn’t give up the pleasure that came from giving in to instinct… then the only choice was to clearly draw the line.
The only time he allowed himself to break that restraint was during sex. Only then.

In other words, once the night ended, so did any leniency he gave her.
They had never spent a morning together, nor had they ever fallen asleep in the same bed. He completely separated himself from her and stood up.

“…?”

Ines barely opened her eyes at the movement of the shifting sheets.
Half-buried in the pillow, she saw his bare back. The moonlight revealed the tense, tightly woven muscles in motion.

“Your Highness…”

As he reached for the shirt hanging loosely at the edge of the bed, he turned to look at her.

“You’re leaving?”

“Yeah.”

His reply was quick and weightless.
Ines fell silent.

There were many things she didn’t know—especially about relationships between men and women.
Because she didn’t know, it took her a whole year to realize that it wasn’t normal for a man to leave immediately after something like this.

She didn’t even know whether it was okay to ask him to stay. No one in Jenaire had taught her things like that.

So saying this took a lot of courage.

“I have something to ask you.”

“….”

“There’s something I’ve been wanting to say for a long time… but I never had the chance. I hope you’ll listen today.”

The man only stared at her coldly, still holding the shirt.
After every time they were together, he always returned to his calm self, as if he’d never been passionate at all. Like a completely different person.

Afraid that he would leave again just like always, Ines instinctively reached out her hand.

“Could you stay a little longer?”

She grabbed his arm and pulled. Unlike her fragile, branch-like limbs, his muscles were firm and full.
And surprisingly warm.

As he silently looked down at her hand, he moved his arm. Ines’s hand fell helplessly onto the sheet.

Just as her heart dropped and began to break again, his arm— which had pushed her away—wrapped around her waist.

He climbed back onto the bed, pulled her into his arms, and lay down with her.

“Talk.”

His breath pooled hotly in the dip of her collarbone. Looking at the silver light crumbling in her vision, Ines opened her mouth.

“It’s about Ronya… the girl we brought from the Kingdom of Apael. Do you remember her?”

“Yeah.”

“She seems to be getting bullied by the maids.
So… I was wondering if I could bring her under me.”

“Don’t ask me about things like that. Just take care of it yourself. You can tell the head maid.”

“But the head maid said she needs your permission. So… I’ll take this as your permission.”

It took a lot of effort not to stop talking there.
The silver hair that filled her vision slowly moved down until it disappeared completely.

“And also…”

Her thin waist was grabbed by his large hand.
Rayan Eleanor’s touch hadn’t become any gentler since a year ago. Red marks bloomed quickly on her pale, smooth skin.

“About the promise we made… ah!”

Her short gasp was swallowed up by the rough tongue prying open her lips.
It searched every corner of her mouth, forcing down saliva that wasn’t even hers.

At some point, her legs had parted again. From the same place that had just accepted him moments ago, wet sounds began once more.

“I’ve been… thinking…”

Even as her vision flashed white from the overwhelming sensation, she didn’t give up and continued, word by word.

“One of the books in the library said the first thing every human deserves is freedom…”

“So what is it you want?”

“I want… to go outside.”

Even while suppressing her moans, Ines’s eyes showed determination.
Rayan let out a breath in disbelief. Was she really about to say something like “run away” in front of him?

Ines spoke firmly.

“I want to step outside the mansion.”

“Didn’t you hear what the doctor said?”

Rayan barely stopped himself from harshly twisting her thigh upward.
If he used any more force, her frail body would snap like a twig.

“No.”

“Why not?”

Ines’s blue eyes showed a mix of defiance and resistance. She asked again, this time with more strength.

“It’s not like I’m overdoing it. If anything, this is harder…”

“If you want to go out, wait until winter is over. Not now.”

“Your Highness, that’s too—”

“You—”

Before she could speak again, he cut her off with a familiar lie.

“I’m just worried about you.”

“…Ah.”

“I just want you to stay in the safest place.”

But Ines’s eyes were full of doubt. Her small, weak hand firmly pushed against his chest in refusal.

“This place isn’t as safe as you think.”

At those words, Rayan stopped moving. After a moment of thought, he held back his desire and paused.

The sticky hand that had been between her legs moved to gently lift her chin.

“What do you mean?”

“….”

“Is someone bothering you, Ines?”

He was glad he hadn’t left earlier. He had clearly told everyone in the mansion to treat Ines with respect.
While she held the title of Grand Duchess, her honor was his own.

After a brief pause to find her words, Ines began.

“When Your Highness isn’t here, the staff won’t listen to me.”

“They ignore your orders?”

“No. It’s more like… they don’t hear me at all.”

“….”

“It’s not much different from when I lived in Jenaire… Everyone is like that, Your Highness.”

Every time Rayan left the mansion, Ines felt like she became invisible.
Everyone thoroughly ignored her.

Of course, she knew not everyone could like her right away, so she made her own efforts.
She walked around the mansion, tried to talk to the staff, trying to understand the atmosphere of Eleanor.

But they never shared anything with her.
The doctor treated her half-heartedly, and the maids ignored her needs.
She often had to find the hidden medicine and take it herself.

She felt completely isolated in this huge mansion.
If it weren’t for Berry and Ronya, or Rayan who visited from time to time, even someone like Ines wouldn’t have been able to stay composed all the time.

She placed her hand on Rayan’s broad shoulder and leaned on him ever so gently.

“I just… I wish they would at least answer me when I speak. Any kind of response would be fine.”

“….”

“And I wish they’d stop hiding the medicine. It’s such a struggle to find it…”

“I understand. I get it.”

Rayan cut her off there.
He didn’t need to hear more. It was nothing that wouldn’t be fixed with a single order from him.

She was just a naturally sensitive woman. Now that her basic needs were met, she was starting to notice other problems.

“I’ll tell the steward. So don’t say you want to leave this place for something like that.”

He had no intention of stirring up all of Lezan again over such a petty reason.

To silence her further, Rayan covered her lips with his own.

The storm of passion that must’ve been overwhelming for her didn’t calm until much later.
Without saying another word, Rayan wrapped her limp body in the blanket and laid her down.

“…Earlier, I read a poem.”

With a faint breath, Ines murmured.

“Love is like a delicate flower in spring, a hot breeze in summer, golden crops in fall, and stinging snowflakes in winter…”

“….”

“It said love is colorful and beautiful, and sometimes painful, but still dazzling.”

It seemed she had been reading a popular book of love poems.
Rayan got up without much interest and put on his shirt, when he heard her soft voice again.

“I love you.”

“….”

Rayan stayed silent. Love. A strange word.

She didn’t seem to be expecting a reply. There was no pressure.
She just paused for a moment and said it again.

“I love you.”

It was unclear whether she was really saying it to him.
It sounded more like she was trying to convince herself.

Maybe it would’ve been better if she had just said it to the air instead.

Just then, she turned her head. This time, their eyes met.

Ines gave a faint smile. What shone in her blue eyes was love—still unbroken.

She spoke again, this time more clearly.

“I love you, Rayan.”

All his earlier thoughts shattered.

The thorn that had briefly resurfaced vanished again.
In its place came a satisfying sense of relief.

…What was I so worried about?

She was clearly a woman who would quietly stay in his domain without running away.
That one confession confirmed it for him.

“In spring, let’s go out together.”

“…Alright.”

Rayan answered without hesitation. It was one of the few sincere words he had ever spoken.
If a simple outing could keep her obedient, he didn’t mind.

Ines’s face lit up with pure joy.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

From that day on, she began to end her words to him with that happy confession—like a habit.
Sometimes with sparkling eyes, other times with a longing face like today.

“I like you.”
And at times, with a voice so blind in devotion—

“I love you…”

Eventually, her confessions became something completely natural to him.

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