Chapter 16: A Seduction Scheme

Edwin raised an eyebrow at the sight that greeted him as he stepped into the room. All the lights in the room had been extinguished and the room was only dimly lit by the burning fireplace and candles in various parts of the room. 

Behind the desk in the center of the study, two fancy red armchairs were placed opposite each other, slightly ahead of the large window. Between the armchairs was a small table with two empty glasses and several bottles of wine. 

Two candles also adorned the table, each perched atop a slender candlestick. Their flames flickered, casting a soft glow and filling the air with the sweet, enticing scent of roses.

Edwin had never expected to encounter anything like this on his way here. Although he felt a little uneasy, he also began to look around curiously. Eventually his eyes fell on a woman with long red hair who was standing a little away from the seats, with her arms folded under her ample bosom.

From Edwin's position, this beautiful woman could only be seen from the side, and also her head was facing towards the window. Because of this, her face was not clearly seen, but her stunning body was in full display for Edwin's eyes.

She was wearing a long red evening dress that enveloped her curvaceous body. Her waist-length, flowing red hair seemed to radiate a soft light around her. With her slim waist, plump hips and long, smooth legs visible through the slit of her dress, she looked sufficiently seductive that her figure could ignite the desire of even the most chaste man.

The elbow-length black tulle gloves on her hands added dignity to her beauty, while the blue crescent-shaped earrings she wore and her flawless white skin complemented her gorgeous appearance. 

The dress left her slender shoulders exposed and her upright posture increased her noble bearing. And her huge breasts were visible through her deep cleavage, pushing the dress to its limits.

As Edwin approached this gorgeous woman with steady steps, he couldn't help but be captivated by her mature beauty. 

Although Edwin, who had been feeling strangely clouded in his mind lately, was sometimes affected by strange emotions, there had never been a time when he could not control them. But now, in the face of this luscious beauty, a strange sensation surged through his body and he couldn't suppress it.

'She is so beautiful...'

As Edwin absent-mindedly examined her every detail, he suddenly realized what he had just been doing and couldn't believe himself.

'W-What's happening to me?

Even though he knew it was rude to stare, he couldn't take his eyes off Salina's refined elegance and alluring beauty. Before he lost the ability to think straight, Edwin quickly shifted his gaze to the level of the woman's head, which was turned towards the window. 

As much as he wanted to watch the body of this gorgeous woman in front of him because of his own inner urges, she was, after all, the mother of his good friend Amber. Knowing this, Edwin, didn't want to embarrass Amber by giving the impression of being indecent in front of her mother.

Barely able to wrap his head around these thoughts, Edwin stopped when he was slightly in front of the seats. Then, he began to wait for Salina, a few meters away from him, to say something. But as he stood there, he couldn't help swallowing a little because of his dry throat.

"I apologize for disturbing you at this hour, Sir Edwin. But my busy schedule has left me with little time." Salina spoke in a melodic and seductive voice, different from her usual serious one.

Even though Edwin could only see her red hair, he made sure not to look away from the back of Salina's head. The reason why Edwin was so tense was because he was afraid that if he averted his eyes, his attention would be drawn back to her tantalizing body.

"Don't worry, Lady Salina. I can understand that you are very busy as a family leader. It's really kind of you to talk to me in your hectic routine."

Salina's eyebrow twitched a little as she heard Edwin's respectful and polite worlds. 

'If you think you can fool me like you fooled my daughter with this good guy act, you're wrong! Let's see how long you can hold back boy.'

As these thoughts crossed Salina's mind, a seductive smile formed on her face and she narrowed her eyes slightly in a teasing way. After making her preparations, she slowly turned her head. 

"How kind..."

When Salina turned her head, she met the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. As she continued to speak her words, her voice slowly faded away. For a moment she lost herself in those magnetic blue eyes and lost touch with reality. The intention of acting that Salina had planned and the series of questions she had prepared disappeared from her mind as if carried away by an enigmatic breeze.

Edwin, who finally saw Salina's face, froze in his place, and started to stare into her eyes too. An indescribable feeling began to fill his chest, then his whole body. His heart began to beat as if it was racing with someone.

Because his gaze was focused on Salina's head, the first thing Edwin saw when she turned around was the captivating eyes of the woman in front of him. They were like two bright stars, bearing years of experience and weariness but still bright and pretty.

All that was heard in the room was the crackling sound of wood burning in the fireplace. It was as if the world had stopped and the moment these two people met had become an immortal and living picture. Even though they were both aware of the strangeness of the situation, neither Salina, whose heart was beating wildly, nor Edwin, overwhelmed by emotions that he did not understand, could look away.

Only gods knows how much time passed. Finally, Edwin, pulled himself together, lowered his head a little and began to speak in a strained voice. His face was slightly flushed with embarrassment.

"Lady Salina, I apologize for my rudeness! I... I meant no disrespect!"

"..."

Although he got no answer, Edwin did not look up and waited silently for Salina's reply. It was only when Edwin looked away that Salina came to her senses, but her mind was still on those beautiful, piercing blue eyes she had just seen. 

Like Edwin, she blushed and averted her eyes to the side. She didn't say anything for a while, but realizing that the other person was waiting with his head lowered, she spoke quickly. There was a slight tremor in her voice.

"It... It's not important, Sir Edwin. I too lost myself for a moment, please forgive me." 

Edwin finally lifted his head, looked at Salina's face again and tried to change the subject. Having finally suppressed the strange feeling that had been suffocating him, Edwin had regained his composure and wanted to dispel the awkward atmosphere.

"… I found out from the maid who accompanied me that you had called me here to thank me. Actually, that's not really necessary. I only did what I knew was right, not because I wanted to get some kind of benefit."

Salina, still lost in his eyes when she looked at Edwin, but having recovered quickly from the initial shock, Salina, with her years of experience, managed to respond with a polite smile. Meanwhile, the redness in her cheeks still had not disappeared and her heart was still beating rapidly. But she was stubborn, as it hurt her pride to be inferior when faced with this man's calm demeanor.

"I understand, but if I don't thank you properly, it would be a disgrace to my family name."

Salina frowned after her own words and spoke again, this time with a serious look.

"Thank you, Sir Edwin, for helping my daughter and the soldiers of our family in their difficult time. On behalf of the Redwood Family, I'm grateful to you."

"... You're welcome, Lady Salina" 

Edwin decided not to stop this stubborn woman's thanks any further. After all, each person had their own rights and wrongs. He knew that he had to act differently in different situations.

Salina smiled sincerely when she heard Edwin's kind reply. She acted as if the seductive expression and demeanors she had just put on had never existed.

"Then please sit down, Sir Edwin." She gestured elegantly to one of the empty seats. "Besides, I wanted to have a little chat with you anyway. I've heard from Amber that you are indeed a mighty warrior, you must have practiced with incredible tenacity at your age, impressive indeed."

Edwin slowly walked towards the armchair Salina had gestured to and sat down calmly. 

"Thank you, Lady Salina, but I am still at the beginning of this journey and have much to learn." Edwin replied humbly.

As Edwin spoke these words, Salina sat gracefully in the armchair opposite him. She folded her black tulle-gloved hands in her lap with the elegance of a noblewoman and smiled politely. Salina was a stern woman, but she was also an experienced noble lady of many years and knew exactly how and where to behave.

"You are indeed both humble and far-sighted, Sir Edwin. People of your age are tend to be arrogant and hinder their progress. I really appreciate your attitude toward your situation."

"Thank you, Lady Salina. I think I can say my teacher was good." Edwin said with a sincere smile.

Salina involuntarily averted her eyes. Her normally stern face flushed in response to Edwin's smile. Salina, who had started to pay attention to Edwin's other features since they had broken eye contact earlier, was once again shocked by his handsomeness. Of course, this time she had no intention of embarrassing herself as before.

While taking a deep breath, Salina looked at Edwin's face again. Every now and then his blue eyes drew her in, but she resolutely resisted and began to speak elegantly.

…

In the beginning, the conversation was generally characterized by Salina's questions and Edwin's respectful and calm answers. But after a while, both of them became a bit more relaxed. Then, Edwin also became more proactive, starting to ask Salina questions about her life as a noble and her relationship with Amber.

Salina welcomed this change and cordially answered Edwin's questions. She had already forgotten her purpose in inviting Edwin here and focused on the most pleasant conversation she has had in a long time. 

Actually, she had tried to seduce Edwin in order to make him reveal his true personality. If the result was that Edwin couldn't control his pants and made a move on her, she had planned to castrate him here and now.

When it came to Amber's future, this stern woman who loved her daughter more than anything else would not hesitate to go to extremes. For Salina, it was better for Amber to be angry with her in the short term than for her to be upset about being cheated on in the future. That's why she didn't hesitate to conduct such a test for her daughter's potential partner. 

Of course, it was hard to imagine that any man could pass such a test. But this crazy woman, who was ready to do anything for her daughter, was not in the right mindset to realize this. 

As a noble, Salina was no stranger to such tricks. Usually it was an attempt to seduce someone to get information or to find out their plans. Of course, this was also a new experience for Salina too and she was just trying to imitate what she had heard from others. If Amber's future wasn't on the line, she would never have attempted such a thing.

Still, it didn't seem to matter much anymore. Time flew by and they both sipped their wines and chatted happily. For the leader of the Redwood Family, it looked as if her plans had come to nothing. However, she didn't seem to be complaining too much about it.

* * * * * * * * * *

(For Some Extra Chapters)

#patreon.com/GreatCloudy