Maxi began to tremble, and her breaths came in sharp gasps as though she were drowning. Riftan’s hand glided up her waist to cup her breast, where his thumb rubbed her taut nipple. She was on the precipice of a crumbling dam. His passion swallowed her like a tidal wave, sweeping away all her thoughts.
“R-Rif-“
When she finally managed to tear away for a gulp of air, his mouth was on hers again. She tried rapping on his back to knock some semblance of rationality into him, but to no avail. His hand slid beneath her chemise as he hungrily sucked on her tongue.
She had to cling to his neck to remain standing. When his long, hard finger stroked the sensitive bud within her wet bush, it was as if lightning struck, and her body spasmed.
Good God.
He was driving her to climax all too quickly. She reflexively squeezed her thighs, then raised her hips to guide his finger even deeper.
Soon, an unbearable tingling began to spread from her lower abdomen. Though she tried to cling to her self-control, her efforts were futile. Before long, she was imploring against his lips, “P- Please, Riftan. Please.”
She heard him swear under his breath, followed by tearing fabric. Maxi’s eyes widened. Riftan threw her ripped chemise on the floor and swooped her up into his arms.
“You don’t have to ask,” he muttered gruffly before rubbing his lips on the crook of her neck. “I’m the one who should be begging. Goddammit, do you have any idea how much I-”
He was unable to finish, for she had taken his face in her hands so she could drive her tongue into his mouth as he had done earlier. A choked moan gushed from him.
Maxi eagerly inhaled his breath as she stroked his nape, damp with sweat. Shuddering, Riftan lowered her onto the rack next to the tub and pressed himself between her legs.
The thrilling sensation made Maxi squeeze her eyes shut. She was close to losing her mind. The heat of his member pressed against her damp undergarment. Pulling on his tunic, she undulated her hips against him.
“T-Take off your clothes.”
Riftan quivered as he gazed down at her.
“N-Now!” she said feverishly.
She did not catch whatever he mumbled next, but he threw off his tunic. Her chest tightened. Even though he had lost weight in the harsh campaign, he was still breathtakingly beautiful.
She caressed his muscular chest with trembling fingers before peppering his broad, golden shoulder with kisses. A sharp moan escaped Riftan’s lips. He had been impatiently tugging at the straps of his trousers, but he stopped to pull her up and smother her with his mouth once more.
He left the room without waiting for her reply. Maxi vacantly stared at the door as it clicked shut. She suddenly felt chilled as though doused with ice water. She pulled the blanket close, biting her lip. Though a part of her was concerned that something serious must have happened for Ursuline to be so adamant, she could not help but feel resentful that he had refused to wait even a day longer.
And here I thought we would finally be able to close the distance between us.
After rubbing her forehead irritably, Maxi composed herself and strode to the bath. She would not be the only one tormented by unsated desires. He would surely end the conversation as soon as he could and return to her.
Intending to make herself presentable before he came back, Maxi immersed herself in the steaming hot water. She used a rough towel to scrub herself clean and meticulously applied perfumed oil to her coarse skin.
When she was finished, she slipped into the garments prepared by the servants and carefully examined herself in the mirror. Though she could hardly describe herself as dazzlingly beautiful, her rosy skin and her damp hair, sleek and free of frizz, were certainly appealing. She stared into her gray eyes, gleaming with determination, then pinched her cheeks to add more color to them.
A knock came at the door. “I have your supper, Lady Calypse.”
“C-Come in.”
A maidservant strode into the room with a large tray in hand. “You must be famished, my lady. The cook has been working hard since dawn after receiving word that the army would be arriving today. I hope the food is to your taste.”
The maidservant prattled cheerfully as she placed plate after plate of sumptuous food on the table. Maxi looked on in delight at the crisply roasted ham, bass soup, a slice of golden pie, and honey- pickled fruits with mashed peas.
Her expression suddenly changed to one of confusion. Though it was more than enough food for one person, it was hardly sufficient to fill the stomach of a brawny knight.
“I-Is there no more? My husband will be joining me shortly.”
“Sir Riftan has informed us that he will be dining with the knights. He instructed us to bring you your supper as he would be returning late…” the cheerful maidservant trailed off when she noticed Maxi’s face hardening.
Maxi quickly adjusted her expression. “Y-Yes, there seem to be many reports for him to hear… since he has been away so long.” Reassured, the maidservant’s brightness returned, and she began chattering once more. “Many things happened here as well, my lady. Reinforcements from the Remdragon Knights and troops from Osiriya and Balto arrived a month ago. I heard from the soldiers that they were prepared to set out to the Pamela Plateau if they continued to hear nothing from the coalition army. Everyone was terribly anxious for news.”
“I-I see.”
Had Ursuline arrived as part of the reinforcement? It was certainly not surprising. The pope, along with the monarchs who had funded this war, would have suffered substantial financial losses had such a large-scale campaign ended in failure. For the Council of the Seven Kingdoms, waiting patiently for the army to return was simply not an option.
“Oh, look at me. I’ve been babbling again,” the maidservant said apologetically when she saw Maxi’s face clouding. “I shall excuse myself now. Please ring the bell if you require anything.”
When the maidservant left the room with the empty tray, Maxi sat down at the table and began to eat. Even though she was famished, she had so much on her mind that she could hardly register the clacking and scraping of her cutlery. After nibbling on bits of bread dipped in soup, Maxi soon lost her appetite and got up.
She could not simply sit and wait. It would be better to go look for Riftan herself. Still, she hesitated when the thought cropped up that he would not be pleased.
After hovering by the door for some time, she eventually made up her mind to remain in her quarters. She took out some of the records she had found inside the monster city, intending to pass the time with study, before she realized that her accumulated fatigue and full stomach had made her sluggish. The complex codes and ancient texts became a jumble in her mind.
Sleep prevailed as she continued staring at the text crowding the parchment, and she fell into a deep slumber.
