88 Considerations

--- Alexia ---

"Is this real?" I questioned aloud, pinching my cheek and flinching at the sharp pain that followed.

Indeed, it was undeniably real.

Lying there, enveloped in the warmth of his body pressed against mine, I marveled at how everything felt absolutely perfect. His sturdy arms held me close, providing a sense of safety and love that was undeniably comfortable.

I want to wake up everyday like this, for the rest of my life, thank you.

The soft rhythm of his breathing echoed in my ears, a soothing melody that only added to my comfort.

My body still felt sore, but it was a good kind of soreness. The kind that reminded me of the incredible pleasure we had shared.

I couldn't believe how intense it had been. We had both been so caught up in the moment, so desperate for each other.

I had begged him to go harder, and he had obliged, driving me to heights of ecstasy I had never experienced before.

Even now, I could feel my face heating up at the memory. It was embarrassing to think about how wanton I had been, how much I had enjoyed it. But at the same time, I couldn't bring myself to regret a single thing. It had been amazing, and I wanted to do it again and again.

'This is amazing, but...'

I can sense it on my skin.

It's too perfect.

No catch? That's impossible.

There are still unresolved issues that I've never been able to confront.

Considering his recent actions, it's evident that he didn't construct these walls as a response to some traumatic event that scarred him.

Being able to effortlessly dismantle all the barriers he's erected around himself implies perfect control over them.

However, if that's the case, there must be a significant reason, holding enough value for someone like him to go through such drastic measures.

I believe I know him enough to be able to guess that.

And if that's the case, does it mean the supposed problem is resolved, rendering the need for that way of life unnecessary? That just seems a bit too optimistic.

Hence, I can only assume the problem didn't vanish; rather, he must have discovered an alternative way to address it.

Since he never brought it up, it's not like I can ask him to share the details with me.

I want to have faith in him, truly.

My love isn't so shallow as to waver for such a reason. He has proven more than enough how far he's willing to go for me. However, there's a lingering concern that he might depart for some distant place someday.

Does he believe I would let him leave without taking me along? Well, he's sorely mistaken.

I'll follow him whenever he goes, if that's the last thing I do.

He'll have to take responsibility for making me fall head over the heels for him, for the rest of his life.

Also, another thing to address, would be his name.

Though I had resolved, during the time he was distant and walled off, to address him only by his full name or simply as 'you', now that's not reason enough to overlook the underlying issue.

He loathes that name.

Fray Von Garoff.

Back then, I thought his aversion to the name stemmed from him disliking me using it, but...

I'm not naive.

If he disliked me, he wouldn't have put that huge thing inside me, that argument does not stand.

Then, is he not Fray Von Garoff?

That's a wild guess, but he is a whole different breed compared to the sick bastard that was the original.

I know it might sound gullible to buy into rumors, but I crossed paths with the previous Fray at the Academy. Honestly, he struck me as nothing more than a useless drunkard, until he nonchalantly challenged me one day and wiped my ass clean.

Remembering that made me chuckle a little.

How far have we gone since that day?

Time truly flies, swift as the wind itself.

Honestly, I couldn't care less if he's not truly a Duke's son, but I just wish he'd be upfront with me about it.

I didn't fall for the persona known as Fray Von Garoff; instead, I fell for the man who smiled at me, protected me, and left an indelible mark in my heart that no one else could ever match.

For those reasons, I'm more than willing to use my influence to help him take control of the Duke Household, silencing any living witness that might testify against him.

Being a Princess without any concerns, thanks to my overwhelming strength, allows me to assert my influence effortlessly.

Right now, no one in this kingdom, aside from him, can stand up to me. I've swiftly dealt with anyone acting up, and the fear we instill in others only solidifies our dominance.

It might seem counterproductive due to the Cult of Diablos seizing opportunities to infiltrate our country, but the logic is straightforward.

Those individuals would have succumbed to the allure of power or increased status eventually offered by the Cult, so why bother?

Whether they openly revolt or scheme in the shadows, the end result is the same—they'll meet their death.

The final act doesn't change, it's the process leading to it that does.

Anyway.

In any case, I have the potential to claim the Crown Princess title, accumulating more power and dismantling the current faction supporting the incumbent one. However, I have no desire to seize what rightfully belongs to my sister.

It's true that I've always been envious of her, but that envy has never stemmed from the wish to truly take anything from her. I simply aimed to reach her level so I wouldn't be pitied, because that's what hurt me the most.

I merely want to live my life with this man, at present.

And nothing will stand in our way and live to tell the tale.

Nothing.

Even if he doesn't have any intention of assuming the Duke title, marrying me would bestow upon him a status even greater than a Duke's. However, it might be considered nothing more than an empty title if he lacks the strength to support it. Yet, for him, that's not a concern.

With Father at his beck and call, worrying about status is likely the least of his troubles.

Although in the heat of the moment, several things escaped my notice, I'm not foolish enough to overlook the truth upon reflection.

Moreover, it's not as if he was attempting to conceal anything.

Why would my Father suddenly attend a gathering of graduates, when he could easily summon us to the Palace at a more convenient time, in private? I pondered this for a moment, but I sensed a gaze fixed on me without any words being spoken.

I didn't want to keep my man waiting

"Morning. It seems we've broken one of the oldest cliches, with me being the one awake while you're still lost in dreamland."

I turned my head to look at him. He was lying on his side, propped up on one elbow, with a playful smirk on his face.

"Do we really need to follow the custom?" he replied, his fingers tracing lazy circles on my arm. "Besides, you drained me completely yesterday. Even with my endless stamina, I need to recharge."

He shifted closer to me, his hand moving from my arm to my waist, pulling me against him. I could feel his warm breath on my neck as he pressed a soft kiss there, making me shiver.

"But don't worry, I know just how to recharge," he murmured, his hand moving up to cup my breast, his thumb brushing over my nipple.

I let out a soft gasp, feeling a familiar heat building inside me.

"You're so eager," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. "Didn't you just say you were drained? How is this recharging..."

He chuckled softly, his lips trailing down my neck. "We both know how shameless we are, my princess," he whispered, his breath hot against my skin. "Let's start the day off right."

And with that, another intense session began...

---

Author's Note:

Sorry for my unreliable posting schedule guys, for now it'll be like this because of university, sadly, but don't worry! As I said, if I in the future decide to call it quits, I will post an announcement on webnovel, I will never ghost, because that's what bastards without a soul do.

I did owe you an afterwards chapter, so here it is.

This chapter has kickstarted some doubts Alexia had and her inner thoughts about the situation, but even if this is the case, as you can see, she doesn't really care about it. All she cares about is that he stays with her and does not leave her...