No Such Thing as a Chaste Man! Just Give It Ten Tries! - Chapter 11
“I know enough not to wear just anything to the Sun Palace’s Grand Hall banquet.”
“There is also the ceremonial attire of the Order.”
Ephelinus’s blue eyes remained fixed on Seo-ah’s face, as if afraid to let his gaze wander even for a moment, lest he catch sight of her bare shoulders or the exposed top of her chest.
This showed that he was certainly aware of her.
And rightly so. After all, she had already shown him everything down to her most private places, and had repeatedly tried to allure him both physically and emotionally.
This hint of resistance was actually welcome—it felt like proof that he wasn’t indifferent to her or blind to her as a woman.
But still…
‘I shouldn’t be too forward yet. Otherwise, he’ll be back in the Holy Kingdom by nightfall!’
A step back for two steps forward.
Seo-ah lightly adjusted her footing to steady herself and rose from his arms.
Once Ephelinus confirmed she was standing upright, he let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Then, reaching inside the firmly fastened neckline of his robe, he pulled something from an inner pocket. The light, semi-transparent fabric in a soft cream color was clearly a type of cape. It looked like a modified collar for a choir robe.
While Seo-ah watched, still unsure of what he was doing, Ephelinus unfurled the cape and draped it over her shoulders. It flowed down her back like a choir hood, and he tied the lace ribbon in front of her chest.
During the entire motion, his lowered gaze remained fixed on a safe spot somewhere around Seo-ah’s face, careful not to stray.
His line of sight might have easily brushed past the ribbon he was tying, but right below it were the two mounds snugly pressed together, so he seemed to be making an effort to avoid slipping.
The only sound was the soft rustling of the lace ribbon as it rubbed together.
“…You didn’t need to attend this event in the first place. It’s only to appease the Senate.”
“……”
“And now, dressed like this, you’re even more likely to satisfy them.”
Before long, his practiced fingers had tied a perfectly symmetrical ribbon. The cape cleverly covered the cleavage suggested by the dress’s neckline and even extended down her back, covering much of her exposed skin.
Since the cape was semi-transparent, the shadowed outlines of her curves and silhouette still showed through, but it provided modest coverage.
“You’re not planning to send me back just to make the Senate happy, are you?”
Seo-ah chuckled, lifting the loosely hanging cape off her head. When had he even prepared something like this?
“If you keep doing things like this without permission, Lady Miriam will scold you.”
Using Lady Istel as an excuse, Seo-ah rolled up the light fabric and tucked it into one of her pockets. Her dress pockets, which hung low below her thigh, were filled with various items she’d prepared for today, including Jenny’s concoction.
Ephelinus’s gaze then shifted down toward her shoes. The silk ribbons on her shoes wrapped elegantly up her ankle.
The one difference between Seo-ah’s attire and that of most noble ladies was that her skirt hem was cut daringly short, ending around her calves. She disliked long skirts that covered her feet, and even in the Holy Kingdom, she wore her uniform shortened to knee-length as her own signature style.
Ephelinus had always looked at her shortened skirts with a disapproving face, and even now, it seemed as if he thought this was proof she hadn’t fully adapted to life in Genève.
“The outfit was designed by Lady Miriam, so you have no right to interfere, Your Holiness.”
“……”
“If you’re worried about my heels, then you can just escort me. Isn’t that what a gentleman does?”
As he pressed his lips firmly together, Seo-ah grasped his arm and gave him a bright smile. Seeing his unkind refusal, she added a slight playfulness to her tone to make him uneasy.
For the first time since they’d stepped down from the carriage, Ephelinus’s gaze lingered on Seo-ah, captivated by her smile. His deep blue eyes seemed to reflect a flicker of emotion.
But Ephelinus quickly turned his head. His sharply defined jawline tensed slightly.
