LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 24
Whether they should meet often and get acquainted with each other or try to have a more intimate relationship.
Peyton’s meaning was not easily discerned.
If it was normal, it means they should go on a date. However, since this is the 19-rated world, it could mean that they should have a deeper relationship.
Getting to know each other might come close to physical acts.
Edith had to hide the flesh-filled imagination that she secretly recalled. It was tough for her to maintain her aristocratic attitude.
“Are you saying we should get to know each other? While talking?”
The man’s long legs twitched. Peyton bent his upper body to Edith and loosened his crossed legs.
His voice tone suddenly changed. When he lowered his voice, the atmosphere was created as if the two already had a special relationship.
“I want to do other things besides talking.”
“Other…?”
“Don’t you want to know how good a husband I am to you?”
He reached out his hand naturally.
It seemed to be put out like to escort or greet politely. She laid her hand on Peyton without much thought.
Peyton chuckled as if he were satisfied with something. As tall as his stature, his elongated hand slid in and overlapped with Edith.
He grabbed her wrist, then came in deeper and wrapped her forearm.
Their wrists grazed. Areas with unusually high body temperature were gently touched.
A hand long enough to hold a soccer ball in one hand reached her elbow and gave her a subtle stimulus.
“Ask me, Edith.”
The fingertips bent loosely and circled her upper forearm. The naturally curved contact area penetrated the side.
Although the dress worn in layers like armor and the men’s stiff coat were overshadowed, the delicate touch passed by her armpits and sides as if it was a coincidence.
It tickled a little, so Edith shrugged her shoulders. To be precise, it was more of a strange sensation rather than itchy.
“What do you want me to ask…?”
Peyton’s head, which had been floating far above, got close instantly.
She was terrified that he might accidentally bump her lips. She was startled and bit her mouth shut.
As she reflexively closed and opened her eyes, he waited at a really kissable distance. It seemed like it would come in as soon as her lips relaxed.
Instead of lips, their cheeks met.
“Anything about the body.”
There was an atmosphere of depravity in the small whispering voice. He showed by his actions what kind of demands he would like to receive.
Goosebumps rose at the touch of the man’s cheek.
The invisible fluffy hair tickled between their skins, and the lips that tried to convey the dense meaning remained in Edith’s ears.
She couldn’t even lift her head. It seemed like it would go straight into kiss mode if she had to.
“Come on, ask me. Maybe you should try kissing me.”
Without knowing what to do, Peyton’s touch dug into her elbow inside that had been left to the opponent.
Edith’s lips parted open and the groan she held back leaked out.
“You can hug me.”
He grabbed the back of her chair with his other arm. Soon after, one of his knees rested on the cushion.
When the tall man surrounded Edith with all his limbs, it felt as if she had been imprisoned. It was like a cage she couldn’t escape.
“All I want is…. There’s nothing for now.”
The hand that had been clasped in her arm suddenly climbed up her neckline. He grabbed his cheeks and chin together and caressed Edith’s face loosely as if he had coveted it.
Her face was burning hot from being swayed around. Peyton’s skin felt relatively cool.
“Then shall I ask first?”
Peyton changed the angle of his cheek, which had been barely touching the skin before. A thin lip slightly poked her cheek as if it were a mistake.
When she felt the touch of his soft lips, she began to realize that she couldn’t just feel it. She didn’t want to cross the line beyond this.
It was the usual case in 19-rated novels; if she followed Peyton’s instructions, they might go straight to the bedroom during their first meeting today.
This wasn’t a matter of his personality, but the original novel’s genre. It was the same reason Clyde and Adrian were particularly enthusiastic about touching her.
Edith, who had melted into her body with his active actions, barely uttered a word.
“W-wait….”
He didn’t lift his head and stood still, pressing his lips together.
A short sigh escaped, as if it was unfortunate.
“Look at me, Edith.”
He gently touched Edith’s earlobes and slowly lifted her head.
He stared at her gently. Edith also raised her flushed face to look at him.
It was then that she discovered his eyes were pitch black.
The vivid black rim was like a puppy and didn’t match his bright and rich image. It wasn’t the villain’s eyes with an evil scheme.
“Look at me the way I am.”
His knee on the chair cushion pressed against her thigh. Peyton’s presence struck her again.
“Maybe you’ll like it. I may be like this, but I’m not that bad as a guy.”
It could be that he was full of confidence, or it could be that he gathered all of his courage and said it to heat up. Either way, it was far beyond Edith’s expectations.
Maybe she had a prejudice against him. After he was marked as a villain, she hastily believed that he would not hesitate to do dirty things in the distant future.
She couldn’t believe that Peyton had such big, clear eyes like a dog.
And that he had a positive mindset, thinking about success rather than failure.
“Please take good care of me, too.”
Her head suddenly became complicated. How would the flow of the original work change if she married this man? Could she mend a potential mastermind and villain with her own hands?
She has to think more about whether the condition was great enough to endure such hardship. Edith has no desire to change the world and aims to live comfortably.
She drew the line at this point, fearing that she might misunderstand him saying, ‘Please take good care of me.’ as a sign of dating.
“And the question of funding that you mentioned earlier… I’ll think about it seriously.”
She could tell at a glance how he felt when she went back to talking about money. He couldn’t get out of Edith’s chair for a while, full of disappointment.
❋ ❋ ❋
Peyton followed Edith out of the house and regretfully said goodbye. He insisted several times that he was looking forward to meeting in the future.
Lastly, when he put his lips on the back of her hand, he didn’t move and stayed in the same position for a long time. His unwillingness to let her go seemed genuine. Edith was shy but she accepted his favor.
Peyton looked at the path beyond the gate where the Ketzmorris’ wagon disappeared from view.
The butler approached him politely and asked.
“How would you like to proceed? Please let me know if you need anything else.”
Peyton turned around and flicked his fingers.
He ruffled his hair that was as bright as the sun and nodded his head pleasantly.
He was filled with uncontrollable joy as he walked up the front stairway. He lifted his heels lightly and jumped up.
“I’ve decided on Edith. I’ll make this marriage a success. Just in case, see if there’s anything else we can offer to the Ketzmorris family as a negotiation proposal.”
The butler followed in short strides.
“Yes, I’ll investigate it.”
“And another important thing.”
He suddenly stopped at the hall’s entrance, raised one finger and waved it as if emphasized.
“I don’t think Edith is a Beta. Find out how her temperament is determined.”
Although her carriage had long since disappeared, Peyton felt Edith’s lingering scent on him. It was a scent that a Beta could never exude.
He didn’t notice it from a distance, but he could smell it for a moment when he tried to kiss her. It wasn’t just the smell of flesh. However, it didn’t release enough pheromone like another omega.
What were the circumstances that she was neither a Beta nor an Omega?
“What do you mean she’s not Beta?”
When the butler asked again, Peyton recalled her bewildered expression and attitude, defenselessly spilling her subtle scents.
“It doesn’t seem like she’s hiding it…. I don’t think she even knows.”
“Shall we do a background check? Or asking the Ketzmorris family doctor.”
“Then if you get caught, I will look bad to Edith. I’d like to see it reveal itself. You can ask anyone who enters and leaves the palace because there might be something obvious about Edith while she’s working.”
Regardless of the reason, she wanted to know Edith’s temperament first.
He sent a proposal on the condition that he knew she was Beta, but he was undoubtedly welcome if she was an Omega in reality.
Peyton was an Alpha. In the first place, he would control his pheromone with medicine if he married her. Since he was not a very strong Alpha, only commercially available inhibitors were sufficient.
But unexpectedly, she was an Omega.
Omega that smells amazing at that!
If the assumptions turned out to be true, Edith’s condition would be much better. Peyton’s terms should be changed as well.
Although he had already made an unconventional offer, he wondered what else he should give her while recalling her mouthwatering scent.
“Does Edith think today’s meeting is okay?”
The butler responded quickly.
“Of course. The atmosphere was amiable and nice.”
“I think I’ve been too clingy….”
“It wasn’t something the Duke didn’t like. If it were, she seemed to be the kind of person who would be firmly rejected it.”
The butler, who noticed the atmosphere between them while walking in and out of the drawing room, explained as if he was sure.
Peyton, who had been confused for a while, was gradually relieved to hear the butler’s story. Edith’s expression was bright all the time even in his eyes. As long as it went on like this, he thought the marriage would be successful.
Peyton, who turned his back on the bright light because the midday sun had not yet fallen, felt similar to the Sun God itself. Even more so when he smiled, revealing his teeth flawlessly.
“As expected, right? I also felt that Edith fell for me a little bit.”
The butler bowed his head politely without making a single mistake. His role in dealing with Peyton, who is just excited, was too much.
“Of course. It was definitely more than a good feeling.”
The butler’s eyes lowered and were strongly wary of Peyton.