I sat up in surprise.
“You need not be curious. I really can’t do it. You’ll be frustrated.”
Eldon caught me as I tried to escape and laid me back down on the bed, then climbed on top of me.
“Y-Your Highness…”
Eldon’s face looking down at me on the bed was very unfamiliar. I was looking at his black eyes that gazed at me clearly, then turned my head away feeling somehow embarrassed, but he grabbed my chin and made me look at him again.
“How strange. There’s no way the notorious Rosenthal is a virgin.”
“This is my first time facing someone I hold in my heart.”
‘So it wasn’t sincere with the third prince. And you’re my first love. I won’t take the third prince’s side even after breaking off the engagement.’
I said while looking straight into his eyes. Perhaps reading the meaning contained in my words, Eldon smiled with satisfaction.
“Your voice tells lies, but your body speaks truth.”
Eldon put his hand inside my shirt and fiddled with my nipples. I was startled and instinctively tried to push him away, but ended up caught in his hands.
“Your Highness, if you do this…”
“Which one is the truth?”
He tilted his head obliquely as if exploring, then put his hand inside my pants.
“Your Highness!”
Eldon’s hand circled over the chastity belt. Even though he only indifferently touched over the leather, my whole body trembled and fluid gushed out. And the indifferent touch gradually began to become persistent.
I could feel his hot hand even through the leather to the inside. I bit my lips to suppress the bursting moans. Once again, I’m the only one feeling and getting excited. I didn’t want to show such a foolish appearance.
But I couldn’t help my waist twitching. When he traced up over my penis, it gradually swelled and completely filled the inside of the chastity belt. I twisted my body in excitement and pain when Eldon withdrew his hand.
“It’s proper to wait until the wedding, but if the bride wishes, we can consummate. Rosenthal Chendewden, what do you think?”
You mean you want to have sex with me now? Why? You’re Rosenthal whom you despise so much.
Crown Prince, don’t tell me you have a taste for those who can’t do it…? Is that it? Should I have just pretended to be good at it?
Regret flooded in but it was already too late. Eldon caressed my lips as if urging an answer. A sweet scent spread through my whole body and my body melted heavily.
The penis blocked in the chastity belt was painful, and the inside of the entrance was itchy. I just wanted to mingle bodies like this. But a thread of reason held me back.
Rosenthal was a dominant Omega, Eldon was a dominant Alpha. The union of dominants has a very high probability of pregnancy, and in fact, Rosenthal succeeds in getting pregnant through just one sex. And thanks to that, gets killed. Right in this room.
“N-no!”
I absolutely must not sleep with him. I must not give in to temptation either. The moment we mingle bodies, I’ll face a brutal death ending.
“Is that so?”
Eldon obediently sat up. It was just simple curiosity, he didn’t truly have the heart to have sex with Rosenthal. I did well to endure. If I had given in and gotten pregnant… Phew, just thinking about it was terrible.
“Stay comfortably in this room until the wedding.”
“…Work?”
“Draw pictures if you’re bored.”
“I am deeply honored.”
What’s his scheme? There’s no way he’ll leave me comfortably alone. Besides, he’s determined to marry me after all!
“And I’ll keep the key.”
“Pardon?”
Originally Eldon had been keeping the key. I would receive the key when I woke up in the morning, then return it again at night after finishing work. Why is he saying such things now?
“I’ll keep it in the morning and afternoon too.”
So he means he’ll have it all day long!
“Then what about me? If something comes up while Your Highness is handling affairs…”
“You can just come find me whenever you need to. Crown Princess.”
Eldon raised the corners of his mouth. His appearance was a beautiful demon itself.
***
“How is the Chendewden eldest son here…”
Gail, Eldon’s most trusted retainer, asked me with a displeased face.
Indeed. Why am I here? I really didn’t want to come either. Why would someone who just wants to hole up in their room and draw pictures attend a secret meeting of the Crown Prince faction?
“Because I can’t be separated from His Highness the Crown Prince for even a moment.”
I swallowed my complaints and stated the reason as it was, neither subtracting nor adding. After going to the party alone wearing this hideous thing and tasting extreme pain, I’ve been following the Crown Prince around like a leech. Picking apples would be better—the daily stress was indescribable.
Eldon must be just as annoyed, but he didn’t show dislike or chase me away. The fun of tormenting must be greater than the annoyance.
“Ah, is that so?”
The retainers looked flustered and alternated between looking at me and the Crown Prince’s face.
They were faces wondering when he became in such a relationship with shameless and lascivious trash who betrayed the third prince and clung on because of the ambition to become Crown Princess.
“Yes. He says he’s anxious without Your Highness by his side.”
I smiled a bright smile that anyone would mistake for lovers.
Eldon, you suffer once too! Only when strange rumors spread about you and someone you despise will you come to your senses and stop this kind of thing.
But contrary to my expectations, the Crown Prince rather raised the corners of his mouth and smiled contentedly.
“The Crown Princess likes me so much. It’s annoying but can’t be helped.”
Ah, what is he saying? Seeing his leisurely appearance makes irritation surge. Even if I understood everything else, the title ‘Crown Princess’ he attaches without fail was too repulsive.
Only four days remained until the wedding, but he showed no sign of wanting to break off the engagement, and I couldn’t run away because of the chastity belt.
But I hid my complicated emotions and only wore a social smile. This is the Crown Prince’s den. These people will all become Seha’s allies and cheer when I die. It would be troublesome to be disliked.
Then suddenly Alpha pheromones rushed in. When I glared at Eldon, the only Alpha here, in confusion, he wore a smirking smile.
Damn it. My Omega body felt sexual excitement reflexively, and my member gained strength and began to tightly fill the chastity belt. That bad bastard. He must have felt bad because I moderately ignored his words.
“…Yes. I like His Highness the Crown Prince very much.”
I gave the answer Eldon wanted. He chuckled and only then reined in his pheromones.
What kind of bastard is he? Does he think I’m his toy? Eldon acted stranger with each passing day. Though it didn’t appear in the original work, he’s a worse pervert than the third prince. Is it fun to hear someone you dislike say they like you?
You despise me. You’ll stand throughout the wedding with a shit-eating expression, then neglect me on the first night and make eyes with someone else. You’ll torment me to give up the Crown Princess position then kill me. If I just said I’d leave, you’d let me go, so why are you so desperate to plant death flags!
“Hmm, I see.”
Words like “you look good together” or “congratulations” didn’t come out even as empty words. Only gazes of disgust toward me quickly passed by.
They cleared their throats then gauged my reaction. It seems I’m in the way of sharing secret talks of the Crown Prince faction. I was about to say I’d wait outside when Eldon opened his mouth.
“It’s fine, so proceed.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
After Gail reluctantly bowed his head, he glanced at me and continued speaking.
“We hear an illegal slave auction is held once every two weeks in the basement of Miel Art Museum.”
Ah, I realized as soon as I heard his words.
This is the beginning of the novel, the illegal slave auction episode where Eldon, Seha, and Arleigh meet for the first time. From now on, the story I saw in the novel will begin in earnest.
“Crown Princess, are you listening?”
I was carefully retracing the first part of the novel in my head when Eldon interrogated me like a strict teacher. If I can’t answer here, he’ll refuse to give me the key and be spiteful, right?
“Ah, yes. You said Grand Duke Curtis is backing it.”
“……”
The atmosphere was instantly wrapped in silence as if cold water had been poured. When I became flustered, the Crown Prince briefly corrected.
“No, I said a large power must be backing it.”
Ah, they haven’t figured that out yet.
Seha’s slave auction takes place on the night of the Crown Prince’s wedding. The Crown Prince neglects Rosenthal and participates in the slave auction, then rescues Seha and arrests Grand Duke Curtis, the actual owner of the slave auction and the Empress’s younger brother. Due to this, the third prince’s side receives a major blow.
“Did you hear it from the third prince?”
Eldon’s eyes flashed coldly. I was just in the process of erasing suspicions about the relationship with the third prince, so it would be troublesome if it started again. If I’m not careful, I might not be able to escape from that hideous thing until I die.
“No. Since Grand Duke Curtis is the actual owner of Miel Art Museum, I guessed.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. There are quite a few forgeries and stolen goods among the paintings at Miel Art Museum. I looked into it because I was suspicious.”
Eldon thought I had deep knowledge of art. After hearing my explanation, his eyes softened somewhat.
“Are you certain?”
“Yes. I heard Grand Duke Curtis is addicted to gambling and even sold the grand duchy’s silver mine for a pittance, and to make up for that loss, he’s getting involved in illegal activities.”
Though I didn’t investigate but read the novel. Anyway, when I said this, the other retainers also nodded as if convinced.
“The eldest son’s words have merit.”
When Leon, the Crown Prince’s aide, accepted my opinion, Eldon also agreed and nodded.
“When is the next auction?”
“In four days.”
‘It’s the wedding day. The auction is held at the time when you should be having your first night.’
Everyone knew that fact but didn’t particularly mention it. Just a cold atmosphere circulated briefly as if cold water had been poured.
What does a first night matter in a loveless marriage? It’s rather good if it’s ruined. Even while feeling the retainers’ cold energy with my whole body, I was sitting still without much thought when Eldon glanced to gauge my reaction. Why is he acting like that?
“Shall we raid the auction house immediately?”
“There will only be small fry there now anyway. It would be better to infiltrate.”
Even knowing a bit early that Grand Duke Curtis is backing them, there was no big change in the flow of the story.
Silang, who is small in build but one of the empire’s top magicians, will deliberately get caught by slave traders and extract information.
“I’ll be the bait.”
As in the original, Silang raised his hand and stepped forward. Everyone agreed, but Eldon shook his head.
“No. That’s a last resort. There’s no need to take risks when there’s another method.”
“What? If you mean another method…?”
Eldon placed his hand on my shoulder and smiled broadly. Oh, why are you looking at me like that? So burdensomely….
