35 How About I Relieve It For You... With My Hands?

Alea's attention was drawn to the red marks on Erica's wrists, resembling the aftermath of being bound with a rope. Along with it, a putrid smell wafted from her. Strangely enough, despite the unpleasantness, Alea found the scent oddly intriguing, though she couldn't quite comprehend why.

"What is this smell coming from you, Erica?" Alea inquired, her voice laced with a mix of curiosity and concern.

"Oh, I've been showered," Erica responded nonchalantly.

"Showered? With what?"

"With affection," Erica answered, a serene smile playing on her lips.

Her smile only fueled Alea's irritation, and she couldn't hold back her harsh words any longer. "You truly are a despicable person, you know that? If you hadn't interfered, it would have been me standing here, not you."

"I apologize, sister. But I had to resort to unsavory methods to get the chance to meet Lord Cian. I am prepared to face whatever punishment you have in store for me. I won't resist because I believe what I did was worth it," Erica replied calmly, her determination unwavering.

"You've transformed into a completely different person in just a matter of hours. Something must have happened between you and Lord Cian, hasn't it?" Alea pressed, her curiosity tinged with jealousy.

"Yes, something has indeed happened. But I'll leave it to your imagination," Erica teased, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

With those words, Erica walked past Alea, only to turn around and gaze at Cian one last time. "Goodbye, Lord Cian. I hope we have another chance to meet in the future."

Cian returned her gaze, his tone filled with a hint of anticipation. "I hope so too." A knowing smile played on his lips as he sent her a message through his gaze, silently conveying, 'No, we will definitely have another chance to meet. And when that happens, you will willingly submit to me.'

Erica blushed, understanding the unspoken message, and nodded, granting Cian permission to do as he pleased with her.

"I eagerly await that day," Erica remarked with a hint of excitement.

While Cian and Erica shared their silent exchange, Alea and Damian couldn't help but wear bitter expressions.

Alea's thoughts raced with frustration. 'It was supposed to be me talking to Lord Cian...' She then glanced at Damian, holding him responsible for the current situation. 'If it weren't for him, I would be the one with Lord Cian, not Erica...'

Damian, on the other hand, couldn't help but sense a mysterious allure emanating from Erica. 'What the hell? Did Cian really mark her with his seed?'

Damian had heard that a woman could exude such allure after being showered with affection. And when did that usually happen? During sex, of course. He assumed that their intimacy had progressed to the point of sexual encounters. However, he was unaware that Cian and Erica had only engaged in pseudo-sex, without actual penetration. Nevertheless, Damian blamed Cian for Erica no longer being a virgin. 'This is all that guy's fault!'

At that moment, he felt an intense urge to punch Cian in the face, but he knew better than to act on it. The maids glared at him, their eyes conveying a clear warning that they would not hesitate to kill him if he laid a hand on their master. Even with his guards by his side, they would likely be dispatched within seconds by the black-haired maid alone. And while she was terrifying, the brown-haired maid was equally chilling. Her eyes were colder than the northern continent itself, freezing Damian to his core.

Damian couldn't help but feel a mix of resentment and begrudging admiration towards Cian as he observed the cold gazes from the maids. 'Are these girls his sex slaves too? I can't believe someone like him has made more progress in that aspect than me,' Damian thought, his frustration brewing.

While Damian seethed with envy, he couldn't deny a certain level of admiration for Cian's accomplishments. Cian had already surpassed what Damian himself desired—to leave behind his virginity. 'I just hope that Alea will fulfill that wish for me...'

Alea, Damian's fiancee, seemed like the most likely person to make that wish come true. Little did Damian know, Alea had no intention of entertaining such thoughts.

"Thank you for taking such good care of my sister while she stayed at your manor," Alea said, offering a smile. "I hope you will honor us with your presence in our manor as well, Lord Cian."

Cian nodded in response. "I will gladly accept your invitation."

With that, Alea, Erica, and Damian turned away, Alea and Erica offering a bow before departing, and Damian simply clicking his tongue in frustration.

As Cian observed their retreating figures, Maya, the brown-haired maid, and Vera, the black-haired maid, approached his side.

Cian stole a sidelong glance at Vera, who seemed to be avoiding direct eye contact with him. When their eyes met, she quickly averted her gaze, her face turning slightly red.

A smile formed on Cian's lips. 'You haven't changed, Vera. Even after eight years, you're still as cute as ever. And...' His gaze lingered on her for a moment. 'I never imagined you would grow up to be this beautiful.'

His attention then shifted to Maya, who simply smiled and left, seemingly aware of what he had in mind.

"Please forgive me, young master, but I have something important to attend to," Maya said before making her exit.

With Maya's departure, Vera and Cian were left alone in the vicinity. However, the atmosphere grew increasingly uncomfortable for Vera, and she longed to escape the awkwardness of the situation.

"Excuse me, y-young master," Vera stammered.

But just as she turned to leave, Cian reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her into an intimate embrace from behind. Vera was taller than Cian, so he couldn't put his chin on her shoulder, but his hug was as intimate as much.

"Vera... Do you hate me for leaving you?" Cian's voice was filled with genuine concern.

Tears welled up in Vera's eyes as she trembled, her voice barely above a whisper. "Y-You finally regained your memories, y-young—little brother?"

Cian nodded, his grip on her tightening ever so slightly. "I did..."

"...And you...finally remembered me?" Vera asked, her voice trembling with a mix of hope and pain.

Cian nodded. "I have..."

His memories of Vera had been sealed away by the elixir, including their deep bond and love for each other. But even during that time, Vera had faithfully remained by his side, serving as the head maid of the household.

"...I thought you would never remember me, little brother," Vera whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Cian's heart ached at her words, realizing the immense pain he had unknowingly inflicted upon her. "How could I ever forget the first person I fell in love with?" he said softly, his voice filled with regret.

Vera reached out for his hands that were wrapped around her, seeking comfort. "I love you too, little brother... But..." Her voice quivered as she spoke. "It was deeply hurtful when you forgot about me. Every night, I cried, and I couldn't help but believe that you didn't love me anymore. I was constantly consumed by despair, seeing you grow closer to Maya. I was so, so sad..."

Cian remained silent, taking in her words. It was difficult to comprehend the immense pain and suffering he had unknowingly caused her. He had chosen to forget Vera in his pursuit of revenge for his mother's death.

'...I have been a terrible person. But... even so, deep down, I still believe it was necessary,' he thought, grappling with conflicting emotions.

His decision to forget Vera had been driven by his burning desire for revenge. Though it sickened him to acknowledge, he still believed that forgetting her had been the right course of action in order to achieve his goals.

"But still... I never expected her to stay by my side, even after all that had happened. Foolishly, I thought her love for me would fade over time. But I underestimated just how deep her feelings ran..."

Cian couldn't help but believe that their connection was nothing more than a fleeting infatuation, destined to wither away with the passing of time. Yet, despite eight long years of separation, during which they were unable to communicate and Cian had all but forgotten about her, Vera's love for him remained steadfast. It burned brightly within her, refusing to be extinguished.

'If my memory serves me right, she's now twenty-one,' Cian mused, trying to make sense of it all. He couldn't believe that Vera's affection for him had endured since she was just thirteen, and throughout all those years of silence. He had hoped that she would have moved on, that she would have found a normal, healthy relationship for herself.

But deep down, he couldn't bear the thought. Cian shook his head, dismissing the notion entirely. 'No,' he thought fiercely, his possessiveness taking hold. 'Vera belongs to me. I won't allow anyone else to have her.'

He held Vera tightly in his arms, his embrace filled with a mix of remorse and desire. Leaning in closer, he whispered softly into her ear, his lips tantalizingly close. "I'm sorry, Vera, for everything you've had to endure. My actions were driven by a desire for revenge against our father, and I never stopped to consider how it would hurt you. But please know, my love for you remains unwavering."

Vera's cheeks flushed. "Really? Do you truly love me?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"I love you, Vera."

Vera's breath caught in her throat, and she swallowed nervously. Suddenly, she became aware of something pressing against her backside. "Eh? Something hard is pressing against my butt..." she stammered, her face turning crimson.

Cian's voice grew husky as he admitted, "That's my arousal, Vera."

"Your... arousal?" Vera gasped, her mind racing with realization. "So, does that mean... you finally see me as a woman?" Her cheeks burned, embarrassment and anticipation mingling on her face.

A smile tugged at the corners of Cian's lips. "Yes, Vera. I am finally seeing you as the woman you've become," he confessed, his voice laced with desire.

Cian's movements became bolder as he slowly rubbed himself against her backside, the intimate contact intensifying the heat between them. But a sudden realization made Vera's eyes widen. "Wait, little brother. We're outside..." she reminded him, a touch of caution in her voice.

"Then... should we continue this in my room?" Cian suggested, his voice filled with anticipation.

Vera's heart raced with a mix of excitement and nervousness. Could it be that they were finally going to take their relationship to a more intimate level?

"I did promise that once I felt desire for your body, I would make love to you with a passion like there's no tomorrow, didn't I?"

Vera's cheeks flushed an even deeper shade of red as the implications of his words sank in. She had eagerly expressed her anticipation for that moment, and now it seemed it might become a reality.

However, she hesitated and mustered the courage to speak up. "I-I-I'm sorry, but I don't think I'm quite ready yet," she admitted, her voice tinged with nervousness. "I feel unprepared... I haven't bought any beautiful lingerie or special perfumes for such an occasion."

Cian's response was filled with reassurance and desire. "You don't need to worry about that," he assured her. "In fact, after making love to you in your lingerie, I want to experience the raw intimacy of our bodies completely bare. Perfumes won't matter either. We'll be consumed by the scent of our passion as we surrender to each other..."

As steam rose to Vera's face, her mind filled with vivid images of Cian ravishing her. However, she couldn't shake off the embarrassment of engaging in such an intimate act without proper preparation. It wasn't just about lacking lingerie or perfume; she also worried about her unprepared grooming down there.

"Um... I still feel unprepared, little brother," Vera stuttered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Would it be alright if we waited for another time? Maybe tomorrow?"

Cian's smile remained gentle as he looked at her. "Of course, that's perfectly okay. I'll wait for you until you're ready. But..." His gaze then shifted downward, his eyes fixating on the bulge pressing against her backside. "What should I do about this, though?"

Vera's heart raced even faster as she considered his words. She swallowed nervously before mustering the courage to respond. "Ah... Then, how about I relieve it for you... with my hands?" she suggested, her voice filled with a mix of shyness and eagerness.

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[Author's Note: "Did you all enjoy reading the story? If you did, I would greatly appreciate it if you could share your thoughts and comments about the story so far. Your feedback would be a great source of motivation for me to continue writing. Thank you, and I hope you have a wonderful day.]