Inside the bathroom.
"Haa…."
Rose's red hair, soaked with water, hung long down her back.
I sat in the bathtub, holding Rose from behind.
Chalbak.
As I rested my chin on her wet shoulder, the water's surface rippled gently with the movement.
Droplets beaded on Rose's skin glittered like jewels. Around her nape, the marks I had left bloomed like red flowers.
"…Rose."
As I called her name in a low voice, Rose turned her head slightly to look at me.
"Dane."
Her cheeks, flushed pink from the lingering afterglow of pleasure. Her lips, even redder from the moisture.
Her hazy eyes gazing at me proved what kind of time we had just shared together.
"…Hoo."
I buried my nose in Rose's nape and drew a deep breath.
The scent of water, Rose's characteristic sweet fragrance, and the dense traces of what we had just shared together mingled in the air.
"This isn't a dream, is it."
As I murmured, Rose reached up and cupped my cheek.
"For a dream… every inch of my body aches too much."
I swallowed the lips of Rose, who let out a small laugh.
"Mm…."
The soft curves and supple touch of Rose's body pressed against mine made my barely-calmed desire threaten to rear its head again.
But right now, I only wanted to feel this peaceful silence and Rose's presence.
Chup.
With eyes closed, we focused only on each other's warmth.
Only the sound of water lapping and our saliva blending filled the bathroom.
"Haa…."
Rose opened her eyes narrowly and pulled her lips away.
The languid tilt of her expression was so sensual that I barely suppressed my desire.
Chalbak.
Rose wriggled around to face me, sitting opposite.
"Dane. About me feeding you poison… are you not angry?"
"No need."
I answered dismissively, almost anticlimactically.
"Besides, Rose, your very existence is already no different from poison to me."
"Ah…."
"Though for poison, it's far too sweet."
I flashed a grin and bit Rose's lip once before letting go.
"Wasn't it that I needed your permission to die, anyway?"
Rose only parted her lips, staring at my face as if spellbound.
Her green eyes, deep as a swamp, grew deeper still. Something strange swirled within them.
"…That's right."
At last, Rose smiled softly.
Then, in place of the swirl, only the smooth polish of emerald light remained.
"You must receive my permission."
"What did you plan to do after feeding me poison?"
I asked, wondering if what I had just seen was an illusion.
"What were you going to do if I didn't act according to your will?"
Rose bit her lip firmly, then—
Hwaek.
She suddenly pulled me in by the neck and embraced me. Then she whispered in my ear.
"I was going to die with you."
"……."
"Dane, now you're the only one I have."
I let out a brief sigh.
The small warmth wrapped around my body squeezed me with a strength that felt like it could crush me. At the same time, the faint trembling reaching me stirred a pang of pity.
"Rose."
I gently pushed Rose's shoulders back and met her gaze.
"Don't ever say things like dying again."
I told Rose in a firm yet gentle voice.
"As long as I'm alive, there will never again be a reason for you to defy death."
"…Yes."
I was very pleased with Rose's obedient answer.
Chalbak.
Rose reached out again and nestled into me. It was an affectionate gesture, like a child seeking comfort.
"Dane, let's… rewrite our contract."
"What contract?"
I played dumb with a nonchalant voice.
"I don't recall. I did stuff some unused papers into the fireplace recently, though."
"…Dane!"
Rose snapped her head up and glared at me.
She thought she was glaring fiercely, but it wasn't scary at all. It was just cute.
"Doing that doesn't make it invalid. The other copy is with me anyway."
"So, how do you want to rewrite it?"
Unfavorable topics should be swiftly sidestepped—that was the rule.
I grinned and pulled Rose's hand to rest on my chest.
"Wasn't it already written here?"
"…Mm."
Though her face flushed red, Rose didn't pull her hand away from my grasp.
Puyuk.
Rose buried her face in my chest and spoke.
"First, faithfully fulfill your role as my husband every day. Even when no one else is watching."
What an insolent attitude, throwing back the contract terms I had once recited.
But my heart began to race with joy.
"Fine. What's the second?"
As if inviting her to continue, I gently stroked Rose's hair back.
"Second, cross the line. As much as you want."
"As much as I want?"
I chuckled and turned Rose's words back on her.
"Do you not know better than anyone how dangerous those words are?"
"I'm saying it because I know."
"……."
She got me there.
But far from feeling defeated, I was simply enjoying this sweet war of words with Rose.
"Next?"
"Third, help me."
I felt Rose's palm press harder against my chest.
"How do you want me to help?"
"I told you that my father approached me at the Harvest Festival. He urged me to betray you and side with Henrik."
Rose took a deep breath and began to speak slowly.
"You'll also remember that there's a maid named Sonya who followed me from Vikander. A very diligent girl who reports my news to the family."
I was starting to get an idea of what Rose was going to say. But I waited quietly for her to finish.
"I'm going to deceive Sonya and have her tell my father's side that I want to stand with Henrik."
"……."
"Because Henrik would want to either eliminate me or use me."
It was a meticulous and cold calculation that included even herself.
"In other words, you intend to let your uncle use you in order to feed him false information."
"Yes."
"Why must you take such a risk?"
I rebutted Rose with a deliberately cold voice.
"The poison your uncle sent through Joel has already been neutralized thanks to you. All that's left is to deal with the enemies on my birthday."
"At the cost of your precious knights and guards? What about the casualties among your territory's people?"
Rose lifted her head and looked me straight in the eyes.
"When Henrik hears from Joel that Your Excellency has fallen, he'll mobilize all his forces to attack Schmaichel."
"I'm prepared for that level of damage. Do you think I'd fear someone like Henrik?"
"But if I pretend to collude with Henrik, we could reduce that damage. No, we could reduce it to zero."
Rose's eyes gleamed with cold intelligence. It meant this was a persuasion born of thorough calculation and deliberation.
"I don't want to see Henrik ruin your birthday or defile your territory for even a single second."
Rose reached out and cupped my jaw. Her gaze, a mix of desire and madness, tickled my cheek.
"A perfect victory like this suits you, Dane."
Her whispering voice carried a strange power, making me lean in as if bewitched.
"Above all, the future is already changing little by little. Just as you and I have already experienced."
"……."
"We can't assume that Henrik and Joel will act exactly as they did in your memories. We'll cast bait to make them move according to our will—"
Before Rose could even finish.
Cheombyeong!
I roughly pulled Rose's waist, submerged in the water, toward me.
"Mm…!"
With a short gasp, Rose's wet body slammed roughly against my chest.
The languid atmosphere from moments ago vanished without a trace. I glared into Rose's green eyes, shaken with bewilderment.
"Insolent."
My voice, dangerously low, spread through the steam.
"How dare you speak of throwing yourself as bait in front of me?"
"Dane, this is efficient… mmph!"
I grabbed Rose's chin and kissed her recklessly.
It was a one-sided kiss that stole every breath and roughly explored every corner of her mouth.
"Mm, mmnn…!"
Rose pushed at my shoulder, seemingly short of breath. I paid no mind and bent Rose's waist, pushing her deeper into the water.
Cheolssak!
The water surged violently, drenching us both.
Only when Rose's face flushed red and the corners of her eyes grew moist did I slowly pull my lips away.
"Haa, hah… Dane……."
Rose leaned against me, panting. The expression mixing pain and excitement was indescribably alluring.
"Don't test my patience."
I muttered with a face steeped in cold satisfaction and hot fury.
"I am the only one who moves you."
Rose wasn't intimidated at all by my domineering attitude.
If anything, the swirl in her eyes that had briefly calmed seemed to rise again, before dissolving into languor.
Tuk.
Rose rubbed her forehead against my chest and whispered, feigning submission.
"…I'll keep that in mind, Dane."
"I'll accept the contract. But I have my own conditions."
I swallowed a sigh and lifted Rose's chin to meet her gaze.
"Your part ends at leaking false information to Sonya. Dealing with Henrik after that is entirely my responsibility."
"Yes."
"If the moment comes when even a single fingernail of yours is harmed, I'll abandon everything and save you first. Understand?"
Rose stared into my eyes instead of answering, then—
Jjok.
She briefly stole a kiss from my lips. And smiled brightly.
"I understand, Dane. I am yours, after all."
A new contract was established.
No written contract was needed. The marks I had left on Rose's body served as one.
"So, where should we start?"
At my question, a mischievous smile spread across Rose's lips.
"First… we need to lay down a smokescreen, don't we?"
**
Ujikkeun!
From inside the room, the sound of something heavy smashing against the wall and shattering could be heard.
"Stop, Your Excellency!"
Instead of her usual calm voice, Rose's scream, torn apart by fury, rang out.
Jjaenggeuraeng!
Immediately after, the sound of something shattering echoed all the way down the corridor.
"How dare you!"
Dane's chilling voice followed.
It meant something unusual was happening between the two who had been so affectionate.
"…Good heavens."
"What to do."
The servants in the corridor exchanged glances and held their breath.
However.
"……."
Sonya, standing with a laundry basket in hand, was different.
'I knew this day would come.'
For Rose, who had been so arrogant riding on her husband's love, ruin had finally begun to find her.
Sonya hurried her steps. She had to deliver this news to the Vikander household as quickly as possible.
However.
"Haa."
What was actually happening inside Dane's office was completely different from what the servants in the corridor imagined.
Kung!
Dane lifted Rose onto the desk, having just swept aside the items on it. Then he buried his lips against Rose's nape.
"Is this enough?"
Rose let out a heated sigh and smiled.
"…Not yet."