That Lady’s Stalker - Chapter 42
Tension gripped my lower abdomen, and the muscles in my thighs tightened sharply. The soft barrier that had repeatedly struck the tip suddenly opened wide.
Instinctively, I didn’t let that moment slip by. I pushed the head into the opening. At once, her inner walls clenched around me, gripping every part of my length—head and s***t alike—with an unrelenting tightness.
“Liv, Liv! Ugh!”
I couldn’t hold back, calling out Olivia’s name as the hot liquid that had been seeping out finally erupted in a rush. The climax was long and overwhelming.
As the blood that had been concentrated below started circulating through my entire body, my head cleared. Only then did I notice Olivia, drenched in sweat. Her flushed cheeks were utterly endearing. I brushed the damp hair from her face and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
“Asher, you won’t leave me, will you?”
The heat in my body cooled instantly. Olivia’s voice was tinged with worry.
I was an idiot. I should’ve reassured her, but like a fool, I’d been so consumed by my feelings for her that I’d forgotten.
“…”
I couldn’t bring myself to promise her. Olivia didn’t press me for an answer. She simply closed her eyes and clung to me tightly.
The cold reality crept closer, pressing against my back, sending a sharp chill up my spine. I held her close, feeling an unfamiliar fear.
I loved the color of the sunset. It reminded me so much of her hair. But now, the crimson hue felt foreboding, even sorrowful.
“Liv.”
The situation I’d feared finally arrived. The taut string snapped. I didn’t want to leave her behind.
It’s an easy battle. Nothing to worry about. Words to reassure her swirled in my head, but what came out instead was something different.
“I love you.”
At first, I had been cautious, then I had held those words back, treasuring them. I had always wanted to whisper them to her, every moment. But I was afraid my love might feel suffocating, binding her too tightly. I had kept the words buried, fearing they might lose their meaning if spoken too easily.
I love Olivia.
From the moment she reached out her small hand to me to this moment when she rests on my shoulder, shedding warm tears, I have loved her every single day. And I will continue to love her.
My love belongs to Olivia alone.
Until the day my life ends, it will be her and only her.
“I love you, Liv.”
Ah, Olivia…
In the crimson-tinted carriage, I laid my heart bare to her completely.
997th Year of the Empire, November 5th
The situation was going smoothly. We had fought several minor battles, with almost no casualties.
But something felt off. For a small kingdom that had scraped together every bit of its forces to gather here, they seemed hesitant, merely testing the waters.
The tension was mounting like a wave, but it only gnawed at my nerves like a child tugging at the hem of my trousers. There seemed to be something else at play.
I couldn’t move forward until I understood it. Thousands of lives were at stake. I had to be cautious.
998th Year of the Empire, October 28
I received a letter from Olivia. I began to write out the situation in great detail to ease her worries but quickly erased it. It seemed it would only make her worry more.
So instead, I wrote what I truly wanted to say.
I love you, Olivia.
I will definitely return to your side.
I miss you.
999th Year of the Empire, January 2nd
“Spy unit leader, still nothing?”
“I’m sorry, we haven’t made contact with the high command yet.”
“We’ve cut off their supply lines; won’t they reveal their true intentions soon?”
“…”
Days dragged on without meaning, aimlessly passing. I noticed the spy unit leader’s face. It wasn’t a lie; he truly hadn’t been able to gather the information.
I’d planted several spies within the high command, yet they couldn’t uncover anything? For a war with the Kingdom of Dune to drag on this long didn’t make sense. Someone was deliberately misdirecting the flow of information.
I observed Haeg Barthan after I’d issued a warning. He didn’t seem to be paying attention to the meeting at all. While everyone else had serious faces over our inability to gather intelligence, he showed no sign of tension.
After the meeting, I called my direct subordinates.
“Keep an eye on Haeg Barthan. Report on even the smallest details.”
“Yes, sir!”
The issue wasn’t with the Kingdom of Dune. The enemy was within.
999th Year of the Empire, April 14th
“This morning, I saw him meeting someone secretly.”
“Did you find out who it was?”
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t confirm that.”
That greedy bastard was trying to pull me out into the open. It was easy enough to sense his transparent intentions, but the problem was in the method. I couldn’t rule out the possibility that he was in cahoots with the enemy.
My fists clenched in rising anger. If he had outright defied me, it would have been easier to deal with. He was as underhanded as his father.
999th Year of the Empire, July 7th
Olivia, my love. The war is dragging on. I’m sorry for making you wait. I miss you.
999th Year of the Empire, December 26th
“Urgent news. A charge order has come down from above. The time is set for 5 AM tomorrow.”
“Prepare.”
Finally, those who had been testing the waters were ready to throw eggs at a rock. And most likely tonight or by dawn, Haeg Barthan would make his move.
