The Sub Male Lead is Burning with Jealousy - Chapter 9 Part 9
Like the other houses, the Noer Dukedom had also recommended a candidate. Originally, they planned to pick a suitable young man from a distant branch of the family, but an unexpected individual suddenly showed up.
‘Is this an opportunity, or a trap that will drag our family into ruin?’
Though he was reluctant, Duke Noer had no choice but to join hands with this individual, as the price offered was too great to refuse.
“I am not trying to topple the Empire or bring down the current imperial family.”
He claimed he had no intention of revealing his dragon form or harming the Emperor. What he wanted was to drive a wedge between the Emperor and the Empress.
“What do you plan to do to Her Majesty, the Empress?”
In truth, it hardly mattered, but Duke Noer still needed to probe his intentions. Narrowing his yellow pupils, the stranger responded coldly,
“That’s not something for a mere human to meddle in.”
Had Duke Noer been given time to consider, he might have preferred that. But the dragon demanded that he swear an oath to him right there on the spot. In exchange, the dragon revealed the location of land rich in magic stones.
He would surely draw the Emperor’s ire, but if the magic stone mine were truly as immense as the dragon’s servant claimed, it would be worth the risk. It could make the Noer family the richest in the Empire.
Before sealing the deal, Duke Noer asked for a rough idea of the land’s location. The dragon, planning to kill him if he refused, obligingly revealed it.
The mountain range lay in a region unrelated to the imperial family or any other duchy. Duke Noer believed he could easily secure it and accepted the dragon’s terms.
‘If he really looked down on the Emperor, he would have just kidnapped the Empress outright. The fact that he didn’t, and even declared he wouldn’t harm the imperial family, must mean…’
The dragon feared the imperial family and the Empire. Duke Noer was sure of it. It was a precarious situation, but if the dragon wanted to remain hidden and scheme quietly, that might not be a bad thing.
As long as they weren’t caught. As with all such matters, remaining undiscovered was all that mattered.
Duke Noer repeatedly drank his wine, reassuring himself with these thoughts.
***
On the festival eve, Rahil had to admit he had reached his limit.
‘This is driving me crazy!’
There were no official meetings today. All he needed to do was attend the opening ceremony for the contest to select the Knight of Autumn, then move on to the circular arena to watch the Empress’s participation in choosing the Maiden of Abundance.
Still, he hadn’t neglected his now-customary morning kiss. A few days earlier, Anais had tried to refuse him for a moment, but after persistent coaxing, she had given in. Perhaps as a result, when Rahil simply mentioned a kiss this morning, Anais had closed her eyes first.
“…….”
To be honest, he didn’t want to leave the room. Seeing Anais, with her innocent face and eyes closed, waiting for a kiss, he wanted to melt her with a deep kiss, str!p her clothes, and indulge in her and forget about the entire damned event!
‘I’ve held back for too long.’
There were limits to holding out with nothing but m@sturb@t!on. Doing absolutely nothing was torture, but ending this with just a single kiss every day was also driving him mad.
He knew how good it could be. He knew how sweetly Anais would whimper in his arms. The memory of it alone made him restless to the point of insanity.
Last night, he had almost gone without sleep. Only the thought that if he dozed off during tomorrow’s event and displeased Anais—potentially losing the next day’s kiss—had allowed him to finally close his eyes.
This morning’s kiss was short and sweet. Realistically, it was long enough for Sion to bang on the bedroom door and nag him, but to Rahil it had passed in a flash.
‘I’m going to lose it.’
How many more days can I possibly hold out like this? Just thinking about it tortured him. But if he clung to Anais now, he was sure she would scorn him—or perhaps look at him as if he were some kind of disgusting insect.
‘…How can Anais be so calm? Does she not want it, too?’
She had mentioned her sensitivity had increased threefold. Judging by her reactions in bed, that didn’t seem like a lie….
‘Then again, it’s not like this is the first time I’ve been the only one desperate for more.’
For Anais, sleeping with him might be like an overly sweet dessert—something that’s nice occasionally, but too cloying to enjoy frequently.
Still, the mood between them wasn’t bad. If that damned dragon’s ring hadn’t interfered between them, he wouldn’t have needed to appoint Francis as her guard and he could have found a way to seduce Anais by now, somehow…
‘Damn it. In the end, it’s all that dragon’s fault!’
If he could just kill that dragon, he could send Francis back to his rightful place and have an excuse—such as trying for a child—to share a bed with Anais again. If she actually got pregnant, it would complicate things, but that would be a problem for later.
“Your Majesty?”
Rahil, who had been muttering to himself while radiating a dark, menacing aura, suddenly shifted his expression completely as he turned to face Anais.
Since they had to move from the imperial forest to the circular arena once again, her dress, though ornate, was not too heavy. It was even enchanted to be lighter.
‘If armor can be enchanted, why not a dress?’
Rahil’s eyes sparkled as he took in Anais’s appearance, then fixed his gaze on her face. She looked magnificent enough to go straight to a ball.
“You’re truly beautiful.”
