Carynne opened the closet door. She had changed her clothes, but, as always, the attire didn’t quite satisfy her.
She wanted to wear something even a little pretty, but in the end, all she had were the simple black dresses that the maids wore. She changed into the same-looking clothes every day and ate the same food.
When would the new clothes arrive? Carynne didn’t want to count the days in anticipation. Moreover, a few new clothes wouldn’t be enough to satisfy her. When buying clothes, she had to personally touch and select hundreds of fabrics, decide on the garment’s style, choose which sewing line to use, and then have them tailored to fit her body.
Though she was the daughter of just a countryside noble, Lord Hare, she still used to wear custom-made clothes from the seamstress. Carynne couldn’t expect much from clothes that weren’t even measured to fit her body.
Carynne closed the closet door and went in search of Raymond.
She thought he might be in the dining room, but he wasn’t there yet.
“Where could that man have gone…”
Carynne passed through Raymond’s study, but he wasn’t there either. It was early in the morning. As she walked down the corridor towards the central staircase hall, she heard the sound of someone moving.
It was Raymond. As sunlight streamed down the windows of the first to the fourth floor of the central hall, the illumination hit him just right. As always, he was working diligently. He always worked hard at everything.
Except for one thing.
“Sir Raymond. Good morning.”
Upon Carynne’s greeting, Raymond looked up and saw Carynne. His lips curved into a faint smile.
“Did you wake up just now? Please wait a moment. Breakfast hasn’t been prepared yet.”
“Why are you cleaning here?”
“Because you pass through this hall every day. Wouldn’t it be nice if it were clean?”
“Do you clean it every day?”
“Yes.”
Raymond was cleaning, as he always did, and everything was immaculately neat.
Carynne was disappointed that she couldn’t wake up early enough to see what he looked like just after he got up from bed.
Raymond rarely appeared disheveled, even when they had lived together before. Except for the first night they stayed here, when he overexerted himself from cleaning, Raymond always woke up earlier than Carynne and went to bed later.
“You don’t have to work so hard.”
“I’m just doing what’s necessary.”
Maybe he worked so much that his sexual desire had disappeared?
Raymond took care of everything by himself including but not limited to: cleaning, feeding the remaining chickens and ducks, doing the laundry, preparing their meals and even managing his own chastity.
Carynne, who was unused to it all, eventually tried to help, but Raymond didn’t even want her to move. He thought it was too dangerous for her.
“Yes. I will take care of everything.”
Was that a good thing?
“Men who do housework are the sexiest.”
She recalled how the maids used to enthusiastically exclaim about their ideal type in the past.
Most of the male servants didn’t try to do their best, and the mothers of the maids also complained about the fact that women who retired from work at home never got a break and worked all day long.
That’s why men like Raymond, who were willing to do housework themselves, were seen as the epitome of charm and consideration. A man such as him would be regarded as a man who would never be found again.
“But…”
Was it really that charming for a person with enough wealth to dismiss all his servants and do everything himself? Wasn’t he just creating more work for no reason?
Carynne hoped that he would entrust all the tasks that could be done by hired help to other people and just spend more time with her in the present, rather than worrying about the uncertain future. It seemed like a waste not to use the money he had.
“I’ll be done soon.”
She wasn’t sure if this was sexy or not.
Carynne observed Raymond’s movements. His arms, revealed as he rolled up his sleeves, were well-built. His clothing was ordinary, but underneath, there was something out of the ordinary.
She already knew how the muscles beneath those clothes moved.
Even further down.
Flutter.
Carynne licked her lips with her tongue.
“What’s the matter, Carynne?”
Raymond, who was cleaning the floor, noticed Carynne’s gaze and stopped. He usually continued whatever he was doing during their morning greetings, but he must have sensed that something was unusual with Carynne’s demeanor.
“Why are you looking at me with such scary eyes…”
Raymond asked Carynne in a nervous tone, a voice that seemed to suggest he had done something wrong. Of course, he had done many things wrong.
Like the sin of neglecting his duties as a husband.
“Sir Raymond.”
“…Yes.”
“Stop what you’re doing and come here.”
Raymond hesitated for a moment, then pushed the broom aside and approached Carynne. Carynne watched as he climbed the stairs.
There was no sign of his steps faltering, and his exposed biceps were well-defined. Despite his simple attire, his body’s proportions and shape were perfect. He looked even better in his military uniform, but he also looked good even in these work clothes.
Raymond now stood a few steps below Carynne, and looking up at her, he reached up with one hand to touch Carynne’s cheek.
“Are you feeling ill? You don’t seem to have a fever, but your face is red.”
Oh, yes. There’s heat, alright.
“Sleep with me.”
“You woke up late today. It may sound like nagging, but you tend to sleep too much.”
Was he doing this on purpose?
Carynne grabbed Raymond by the collar. Since he was a few steps below her, it wasn’t difficult to grab him.
Raymond looked bewildered as Carynne grabbed him like this. Carynne looked down at him and said,
“I can’t stand it any longer.”
“…I’ll try harder. The porter will arrive tomorrow. The things we need…”
Carynne interrupted him and spoke again, looking Raymond in the eyes.
“I won’t beat around the bush. Let’s go to bed right now.”
“…Pardon?”
Raymond froze.
Carynne briefly wondered if he just heard her say that he should drop dead, given the way his face had changed as if he couldn’t believe what he heard.
Raymond’s face turned pale at first, then bright red.
Even his ears turned a deep shade of crimson.
“Carynne… We haven’t… We’re not even married yet…”
What’s he saying now? Carynne looked at Raymond with disbelief.
“How many times do you think we should get married?”
“Ah, um. Carynne, I mean…”
Raymond stuttered without properly looking at her.
“Right now… In this place… I know it’s just the two of us, but…”
“But?”
“It’s just, well. With your situation… We shouldn’t be too… unrestrained. There’s still a lot of time left… So for now…”
“……”
Listening to all this, Carynne felt like she had become the most shameless woman in the world. It felt like all the strength in her body was being drained entirely.
What could she possibly do about Raymond when he’s being like this?
“Yes, yes…”
“Carynne?”
Carynne let go of her hand that was holding onto Raymond. Right. Once again, Carynne had to suppress her desires. Just like how one would abstain from indulgence, from gambling, or from an adventure.
“…Fine.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“……”
For a moment, Carynne entertained the thought of hitting Raymond, but that thought soon disappeared as she instead grabbed Raymond by the collar again and kissed him.
It was a kiss filled with frustration. She forcefully pressed her lips against Raymond’s hard jawline and unyielding lips.
And before parting from him, she bit Raymond’s lower lip.
“I get it, so I’ll leave first. You can endure the pain. Let’s just say that I let off some steam.”
She backed away, but Raymond still seemed stunned. He nodded his head blankly, looking like he had lost his presence of mind.
“…Yes”
“…Sir Raymond.”
Carynne spoke to him several times in succession.
“…Yes.”
“Okay, I understand, so I’ll leave first.”
Carynne let go of Raymond, but this time, he didn’t release her. Carynne tried to pull away from his grip, but she couldn’t.
She endured his touch, irritated by his behavior. She didn’t want to see his face any longer, honestly. But Raymond seemed to have many excuses, and he didn’t let go.
“Sir Raymond?”
Raymond looked into Carynne’s eyes, took several breaths, then grabbed her face and kissed her again. It was a rough movement, almost the opposite of what he had said earlier.
The abrupt kiss left her breathless, and she pushed Raymond’s shoulders away. She was angrier with his rushed actions than anything.
“What… is this now?”
Carynne wanted to rebuke these actions that were in direct contradiction to his words, but she couldn’t say anything more.
Raymond’s eyes were fixed on her with such intensity, his gaze so deep that it would send shivers down anyone who looked into them.
“Carynne.”
Raymond pulled Carynne’s waist closer.
“Carynne.”
Raymond called her name again.
There was no need for an answer.
Carynne opened the closet door. She had changed her clothes, but, as always, the attire didn’t quite satisfy her.
She wanted to wear something even a little pretty, but in the end, all she had were the simple black dresses that the maids wore. She changed into the same-looking clothes every day and ate the same food.
When would the new clothes arrive? Carynne didn’t want to count the days in anticipation. Moreover, a few new clothes wouldn’t be enough to satisfy her. When buying clothes, she had to personally touch and select hundreds of fabrics, decide on the garment’s style, choose which sewing line to use, and then have them tailored to fit her body.
Though she was the daughter of just a countryside noble, Lord Hare, she still used to wear custom-made clothes from the seamstress. Carynne couldn’t expect much from clothes that weren’t even measured to fit her body.
Carynne closed the closet door and went in search of Raymond.
She thought he might be in the dining room, but he wasn’t there yet.
“Where could that man have gone…”
Carynne passed through Raymond’s study, but he wasn’t there either. It was early in the morning. As she walked down the corridor towards the central staircase hall, she heard the sound of someone moving.
It was Raymond. As sunlight streamed down the windows of the first to the fourth floor of the central hall, the illumination hit him just right. As always, he was working diligently. He always worked hard at everything.
Except for one thing.
“Sir Raymond. Good morning.”
Upon Carynne’s greeting, Raymond looked up and saw Carynne. His lips curved into a faint smile.
“Did you wake up just now? Please wait a moment. Breakfast hasn’t been prepared yet.”
“Why are you cleaning here?”
“Because you pass through this hall every day. Wouldn’t it be nice if it were clean?”
“Do you clean it every day?”
“Yes.”
Raymond was cleaning, as he always did, and everything was immaculately neat.
Carynne was disappointed that she couldn’t wake up early enough to see what he looked like just after he got up from bed.
Raymond rarely appeared disheveled, even when they had lived together before. Except for the first night they stayed here, when he overexerted himself from cleaning, Raymond always woke up earlier than Carynne and went to bed later.
“You don’t have to work so hard.”
“I’m just doing what’s necessary.”
Maybe he worked so much that his sexual desire had disappeared?
Raymond took care of everything by himself including but not limited to: cleaning, feeding the remaining chickens and ducks, doing the laundry, preparing their meals and even managing his own chastity.
Carynne, who was unused to it all, eventually tried to help, but Raymond didn’t even want her to move. He thought it was too dangerous for her.
“Yes. I will take care of everything.”
Was that a good thing?
“Men who do housework are the sexiest.”
She recalled how the maids used to enthusiastically exclaim about their ideal type in the past.
Most of the male servants didn’t try to do their best, and the mothers of the maids also complained about the fact that women who retired from work at home never got a break and worked all day long.
That’s why men like Raymond, who were willing to do housework themselves, were seen as the epitome of charm and consideration. A man such as him would be regarded as a man who would never be found again.
“But…”
Was it really that charming for a person with enough wealth to dismiss all his servants and do everything himself? Wasn’t he just creating more work for no reason?
Carynne hoped that he would entrust all the tasks that could be done by hired help to other people and just spend more time with her in the present, rather than worrying about the uncertain future. It seemed like a waste not to use the money he had.
“I’ll be done soon.”
She wasn’t sure if this was sexy or not.
Carynne observed Raymond’s movements. His arms, revealed as he rolled up his sleeves, were well-built. His clothing was ordinary, but underneath, there was something out of the ordinary.
She already knew how the muscles beneath those clothes moved.
Even further down.
Flutter.
Carynne licked her lips with her tongue.
“What’s the matter, Carynne?”
Raymond, who was cleaning the floor, noticed Carynne’s gaze and stopped. He usually continued whatever he was doing during their morning greetings, but he must have sensed that something was unusual with Carynne’s demeanor.
“Why are you looking at me with such scary eyes…”
Raymond asked Carynne in a nervous tone, a voice that seemed to suggest he had done something wrong. Of course, he had done many things wrong.
Like the sin of neglecting his duties as a husband.
“Sir Raymond.”
“…Yes.”
“Stop what you’re doing and come here.”
Raymond hesitated for a moment, then pushed the broom aside and approached Carynne. Carynne watched as he climbed the stairs.
There was no sign of his steps faltering, and his exposed biceps were well-defined. Despite his simple attire, his body’s proportions and shape were perfect. He looked even better in his military uniform, but he also looked good even in these work clothes.
Raymond now stood a few steps below Carynne, and looking up at her, he reached up with one hand to touch Carynne’s cheek.
“Are you feeling ill? You don’t seem to have a fever, but your face is red.”
Oh, yes. There’s heat, alright.
“Sleep with me.”
“You woke up late today. It may sound like nagging, but you tend to sleep too much.”
Was he doing this on purpose?
Carynne grabbed Raymond by the collar. Since he was a few steps below her, it wasn’t difficult to grab him.
Raymond looked bewildered as Carynne grabbed him like this. Carynne looked down at him and said,
“I can’t stand it any longer.”
“…I’ll try harder. The porter will arrive tomorrow. The things we need…”
Carynne interrupted him and spoke again, looking Raymond in the eyes.
“I won’t beat around the bush. Let’s go to bed right now.”
“…Pardon?”
Raymond froze.
Carynne briefly wondered if he just heard her say that he should drop dead, given the way his face had changed as if he couldn’t believe what he heard.
Raymond’s face turned pale at first, then bright red.
Even his ears turned a deep shade of crimson.
“Carynne… We haven’t… We’re not even married yet…”
What’s he saying now? Carynne looked at Raymond with disbelief.
“How many times do you think we should get married?”
“Ah, um. Carynne, I mean…”
Raymond stuttered without properly looking at her.
“Right now… In this place… I know it’s just the two of us, but…”
“But?”
“It’s just, well. With your situation… We shouldn’t be too… unrestrained. There’s still a lot of time left… So for now…”
“……”
Listening to all this, Carynne felt like she had become the most shameless woman in the world. It felt like all the strength in her body was being drained entirely.
What could she possibly do about Raymond when he’s being like this?
“Yes, yes…”
“Carynne?”
Carynne let go of her hand that was holding onto Raymond. Right. Once again, Carynne had to suppress her desires. Just like how one would abstain from indulgence, from gambling, or from an adventure.
“…Fine.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“……”
For a moment, Carynne entertained the thought of hitting Raymond, but that thought soon disappeared as she instead grabbed Raymond by the collar again and kissed him.
It was a kiss filled with frustration. She forcefully pressed her lips against Raymond’s hard jawline and unyielding lips.
And before parting from him, she bit Raymond’s lower lip.
“I get it, so I’ll leave first. You can endure the pain. Let’s just say that I let off some steam.”
She backed away, but Raymond still seemed stunned. He nodded his head blankly, looking like he had lost his presence of mind.
“…Yes”
“…Sir Raymond.”
Carynne spoke to him several times in succession.
“…Yes.”
“Okay, I understand, so I’ll leave first.”
Carynne let go of Raymond, but this time, he didn’t release her. Carynne tried to pull away from his grip, but she couldn’t.
She endured his touch, irritated by his behavior. She didn’t want to see his face any longer, honestly. But Raymond seemed to have many excuses, and he didn’t let go.
“Sir Raymond?”
Raymond looked into Carynne’s eyes, took several breaths, then grabbed her face and kissed her again. It was a rough movement, almost the opposite of what he had said earlier.
The abrupt kiss left her breathless, and she pushed Raymond’s shoulders away. She was angrier with his rushed actions than anything.
“What… is this now?”
Carynne wanted to rebuke these actions that were in direct contradiction to his words, but she couldn’t say anything more.
Raymond’s eyes were fixed on her with such intensity, his gaze so deep that it would send shivers down anyone who looked into them.
“Carynne.”
Raymond pulled Carynne’s waist closer.
“Carynne.”
Raymond called her name again.
There was no need for an answer.
