The Grand Duchess Hears the Song of the Raven - Chapter 2

Her clear green eyes sparkled like a sky after rain or a fresh forest, giving off a refreshing feeling. The man, feeling as if he might get lost in them, grabbed Leila, who had come dangerously close.

The man’s movements were extremely cautious as he held a hand much smaller and more delicate than his own. However, the strength in his grip expressed his stubborn possessiveness. Feeling that strength, Leila flinched noticeably.

“S-Sorry, Your Grace. I was just…”

“No.”

The man spoke firmly. As soon as Leila called him “Your Grace,” the man’s brow furrowed in displeasure. Leila quickly averted her gaze, sensing his irritation. Her unease intensified as instinctive fear grew stronger.

“I told you before, didn’t I? You can just call me by my name. At least when we’re alone like this, please do so.”

“……”

“Dear.”

The man whispered sweetly. His voice was so gentle and honeyed that it seemed as if it were drenched in sweetness. Leila didn’t turn away from the face that was approaching hers. Soon, she felt his breath through their softly touching lips, and the warmth of his touch heightened her senses.

“I’m offering you the best possible choice right now. So that you can protect what you want to keep.”

The man smiled slowly, his lips curling as if to show that if she followed the path he was suggesting, everything would go smoothly. His arrogance was unmistakable.

Leila stared at his shadowy face, feeling a stinging pain in her chest. It wasn’t the first time she had felt that pain, but this time it was accompanied by an unfamiliar sensation of her heart pounding.

It was as if she could hear the beating of her heart echoing in her ears. She wasn’t sure if this pounding came from fear or from emotions stirring inside her.

“I respect your decision.”

The man finally let go of her hand, leaning forward to press his lips to Leila’s cheek. The musk scent that had filled the air as he approached tickled Leila’s nose.

People sneered that even the smell of this man’s body carried the scent of blood, but Leila smelled something no one else knew as she relaxed her body.

The sensation of the bed behind her felt unfamiliar. The soft and warm bed was so comfortable that it wouldn’t have been surprising if she fell asleep immediately.

Suddenly, the man, now much closer, cast a shadow with his large frame. Leila inhaled sharply as she felt the weight of the man on top of her.

As his body pressed closer, the pressure increased. His thick, firm thigh pressed between her legs, nudging them apart. Startled, Leila tried to close them immediately, but the force holding them open was stronger.

Swish… The sound of fabric brushing echoed softly, and Leila’s breath quickened. The man moved slowly, stroking Leila like the gentlest person in the world.

His lower body, now firmly nestled between her spread legs, pressed harder against her soft skin, increasing the pressure. His hand soon reached out, grabbing the hem of her light nightgown and pulling.

Leila instinctively dropped her hands to cover herself. The man, feeling her resistance, looked down at her. The room, dimly lit by a few candles, was heavy with tension.

It was like a silent battle between attack and defense, like a spear and a shield. Though the moment was brief, Leila panted as if she had been struggling for hours.

“Your…”

“Javier.”

Leila’s voice, attempting to address him as “Your Grace,” was cut off by his firm tone. Javier. He emphasized the word as he whispered to her.

Leila couldn’t resist his hypnotic murmur, and her words faltered. His lips brushed her ear, his low, baritone voice lingering as he repeated his name like a child insisting on getting his way.

“At least when we’re alone, please call me by my name, dear.”

“…Yes, Your Gr- no…”

“……”

“…Javier.”

His breath, warm against her ear, left a tingling sensation. Leila shivered as chills ran down her spine. Sensing her reaction, Javier smiled, one corner of his mouth lifting as he pulled Leila into his arms.

Pinned beneath his large frame, Leila gasped as her chest was pressed against him. Even though their bodies were pressed so tightly together that it was hard to breathe, Javier didn’t let go. Leila, sweating from the heat and confusion, couldn’t understand why he was doing this.

“If you know what’s real, why go through this…”

Leila’s weak voice mumbled as she finally freed herself from his grasp. As Javier buried his face into her neck, inhaling her sweet scent deeply, he raised his head to look at her flushed face.

The room was dark, but the faint moonlight allowed Javier to see her expression clearly. Without answering, he wrapped his large arm around her shoulders, while his other hand loosened the ribbon of her nightgown.

Leila gasped as she felt a forceful touch between her spread legs. The sensation was unfamiliar and strange.

“That…”

Javier paused for a moment before slowly licking the nape of her neck. His warm breath tingled her skin as his tongue traced a path from her shoulder to just below her earlobe. Startled by the strange sensation, Leila hunched her shoulders to push him away, but the same sensation soon touched her other shoulder.

Javier bit down softly, as if he were about to devour her whole, sucking hard enough to leave a mark on her soft skin.

“Because you are my wife.”

“Aah!”

While Leila was distracted by his insistent touch, her skirt was pulled up in an instant. She had nothing on underneath, and her thighs were already wet with a transparent fluid.

Javier reached down, stroking the damp area. His scarred hand was rough, stimulating her even more. Where his hand had brushed against her skin, a red mark was left behind, the sensation burning slightly.

“Hah… Leila…”

Javier whispered again, his voice sounding excited. His words rolled off his tongue as if he were savoring a sweet dessert, satisfaction clear on his face.

Leila felt a tingling sensation in her lower abdomen, and that place twitched in response. Another rush of fluid seeped out, and her breath came in ragged gasps.

“You’re so sensitive… so responsive.”

Javier’s rounded fingernails scratched lightly below her navel. Gasping, Leila bit her lip hard to stifle a moan. Her slender waist trembled as she squirmed, trying to distance herself from him.

Javier quickly reached down, brushing over her pubic bone. The skin from her lower abdomen down to that sensitive area tingled as his hand passed. This time, he slipped his hand between her thighs, tickling the skin where her legs met.

“Shh… Just let yourself feel.”

Leila’s breath came so fast that she felt dizzy, her vision blurring. Javier’s stimulation was like a relentless wave, overwhelming her. Even though she knew this was wrong, she couldn’t escape it.

No, she didn’t even think about escaping. It seemed as though she would have to get used to this feeling, to the sensations he was giving her. She thought that if she just accepted it, her future life might be easier, and her suffering might lessen.

‘No, I…’

Leila struggled to hold on to her fading thoughts, forcing herself to move. Her body, which had been lying limply on the bed, started to respond again. But Javier, quick to notice, grabbed her and held her down.

“Ah!”

The nightgown she had tried so hard to keep on was now undone, the ribbon loosened. Even though she had barely been swept up in his touch, the shame returned with overwhelming force.

“Leila.”

“Aah!”

Javier moved even closer, pulling her waist into his arms. Her slender and frail waist seemed so fragile. As if savoring that impression, Javier tightened his grip on Leila as he embraced her.