The Price of Breaching the Contract - Chapter 57

Yulania, sitting on the bed, slowly swung her legs. The wound had completely healed without a trace.

Santia stood before her, his hand reaching for her knee exposed beneath her white nightgown.

Lately, Santia’s touch had become very natural. Yulania alternately looked at the large hand subtly caressing her knee and his stoic face, suppressing a laugh. The thought of him chasing after only her with such a cold face, wondering where to touch, was amusing.

However, she couldn’t help the corners of her eyes from curving into crescents.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Looking at you how?”

“With very meaningful eyes, as if you’re mocking me.”

“Oh, my.”

Yulania continued with a smile, unfazed.

“I was wondering why you’re touching my knee.”

“It looked cold. Bare legs.”

“It’s not cold. The weather’s been getting warmer lately.”

Yulania stretched her leg out, placing her foot against Santia’s calf.

“See? Not cold, right?”

“Were you always like this?”

In truth, Santia was having a hard time adjusting to Yulania’s recent changes. Her attitude was almost too affectionate. Yulania, who had been a calm and emotionless princess, was now a playful and laughing girl. Every time this happened, Santia felt something surging inside him, threatening to burst out.

“Well, I don’t really remember what I was like before taking the medicine.”

“The reason for making you into such a cold person.”

How much effort did it take? All of Santia’s questions turned into anger directed at the King. He swallowed the curses rising in his throat.

“What? You don’t like it?”

“No.”

“Then you do like it?”

“Yes.”

Whether she knew his complicated feelings or not, Yulania was brighter than ever. Santia never imagined he would use the adjective ‘bright’ to describe her. The disconnect was that severe, and the tickling sensation in his chest was unfamiliar.

“That’s a relief. I like myself now, too.”

Yulania smiled brightly at Santia, who seemed somewhat dazed. She had come to realize that she had been abnormally apathetic before. So she wondered if her husband’s wandering behavior was due to her attitude.

“You always had a lot of complaints about me, didn’t you? Saying harsh things.”

“I didn’t say harsh things. You did.”

“Me? What did I say?”

“To go out and meet other women.”

How was that a harsh thing to say? Yulania recalled the situation at the time, wearing a strange expression. She was convinced that the only thing Santia, who had everything, lacked was a woman. Come to think of it, he hadn’t been drinking alone in a melancholy way or acting out of sorts lately. She had been too busy dealing with the devil and welcoming Alban to notice.

As she continued to think, she connected their recent constant companionship and Santia’s nightly stamina. Yulania, having come to her own conclusion, asked her healthy husband with somewhat shocked eyes.

“Were you really that sexually frustrated?”

“That’s not it.”

Yulania’s mouth, about to retort, was silenced by another mouth.

Santia was using his physical advantages very effectively. Yulania accepted the pleasant warmth, making a new conviction in her mind.

‘I knew it.’

The skin beneath her fingertips was soft. Unlike his sharp impression, Santia had very delicate skin to the touch. This wasn’t the first time Yulania had woken up first and looked at his sleeping face.

It was amazing that he possessed such strong power within his fragile skin, as if it would be easily wounded by a blade. Yulania gently stroked his cheek with her thumb, then grasped his firm jawline with her palm.

Then, the arm around her waist tightened, causing her hand to fall away. Yulania, her face buried in his chest, grumbled softly.

“Why are you pretending to sleep when you’re awake?”

But Santia didn’t answer, only pulled her closer into his embrace. Yulania squirmed against the stuffy warmth on her face and called out to him, meaning for him to move away a little.

“Santia.”

But he pretended not to hear, not letting her go. As the calls continued, the arm around her tightened even more.

“Santia?”

Just then, she saw his Adam’s apple moving up and down before her eyes. Yulania slightly raised her head and kissed the protruding Adam’s apple.

The next moment, Santia grabbed her shoulders with a strong hand and pulled her away. Only then could they face each other.

“Are you crazy?”

“Did that make you feel bad?”

Yulania flinched back, watching his expression, taken aback by his unexpected, fierce reaction. Santia’s face, freshly awakened, was frighteningly stern.

“No, that’s not it—”

“……?”

“Never mind.”

But when his expression softened, she was relieved and opened her mouth again. He had ignored her calls until the words she had just said had struck him as absurd.

“Santia.”

“……?”

“How can you say ‘Are you crazy?’ as a morning greeting?”

“Greeting?”

“It was your first words.”

Yulania pouted with a slightly sulky face.

“I’m sorry. Good morning, then.”

“Yes, good morning.”

But when Santia gave a sigh-like greeting, she smiled again and returned the greeting happily. And when she confirmed that he was awake, she twisted to get up.

If only Santia would let her go.

“Where are you going?”

“Aren’t you getting up?”

“There’s no urgent business, is there?”

Santia, languidly stretched out like a hibernating beast, looked up at Yulania with drowsy eyes. With a gaze that seemed to be enticing her, she leaned back against him, pretending to be unable to resist.

“Santia, but why do you keep using honorifics? It’s been a long time since the royal family left.”

“Do you need to know the reason? It’s not a bad thing, is it?”

“That means there is a reason? Yes, I’m curious.”

“It’s like this.”

“Yes.”

Santia hesitated for a long time. His serious eyes looked down at Yulania. And the words that finally fell were enough to make her smile even brighter.

“I want to respect you, even like this. You.”

“That’s a commendable reason.”

Yulania tilted her head slightly, giving a teasing smile as if praising him.

“If it’s commendable, then stay still.”

“You’ve been sleeping in lately.”

Santia responded by pulling her back into his arms.

“Winter is not far from over. When spring comes, we’ll have to go out even if we don’t want to get up, so let’s stay like this for a while.”

“It’s going to get busy soon.”

“That’s right.”

It was a short sentence, but it contained a lot of meaning. When spring came, they would have to deal with the postponed royal family, and preparations for the banquets that they couldn’t do in winter would slowly begin. But Yulania’s eyes widened in confusion at the hand that was gently stroking her waist.

“But isn’t this an unnecessary display of affection?”

“It’s part of an effort to have an heir.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course. Would I have any other ulterior motives?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Then I’ll have to make it so.”

“Ah, again—!”

Conversations that went on this long always ended with Santia’s patience running out.

Everyone in the castle knew that the Duke and Duchess of Makari slept in late in the morning. The servants knew that if the two of them went into the bedroom together, they should not be woken up until the bell rang, no matter how late it was. And on particularly late days, the maids would bring in fresh, fluffy new bed sheets.

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