“Already?” Everyone was taken aback.
They had thought the wedding of Fratis would require at least a month or two of preparation. After all, she was the princess of the Clinton Empire, representing the royal family’s dignity. No one expected the royal family to act so quickly.
“There’s no helping it. The royal family’s situation right now… sigh.” Raphael sighed and said no more. He then added, “The royal family will notify others to come in the next few days. The wedding will formally begin in seven days, so you all should spend some time with her in the meantime.”
The topic of the royal family was too sensitive, especially since she was the third princess of the empire. They had to be extra cautious with their words.
The three of them exchanged looks, unsure of what to say.
It was obvious that the king was personally handling the wedding. If even the princess couldn’t do anything about it, what could they possibly do?
“I’m fine, you don’t need to worry.” Fratis wiped her tears away. Then, as if remembering something, she pulled out a variety of desserts and food from her storage ring.
As she took them out, she said, “These dishes can only be made by the royal palace chefs. I specially asked them to prepare some…”
Looking at the exquisite food laid out in front of them, the group fell into silence. Sophia pressed her lips together, Lucia felt a slight sting in her eyes, and Raphael’s face was full of guilt.
“If the food gets cold, it won’t taste as good. You should try it while it’s still warm,” Sophia urged, then picked up a delicate tiramisu and handed it to Luca, smiling as she said, “Luca, why don’t you try it first?”
Luca nodded slightly, took the pastry, and took a bite.
The texture was soft and flaky, with the taste of cream blending with the scent of fruit.
The flavor seemed familiar, probably because the dessert contained red berries from Redwind City.
“So? Is it good?” Fratis looked at Luca, her eyes full of expectation.
Luca nodded and smiled. “It’s the best dessert I’ve ever had. Is there more?”
Fratis’ eyes instantly turned into crescent moons as she smiled.
She stood up, shaking her head with a grin. “There’s no more. But tomorrow, I’ll ask the royal chefs to make more for you.”
With that, she turned and waved. “It’s getting late, I’m going to rest now. You should all get some rest as well.”
Watching Fratis walk away, Lucia looked confused. “Why is she suddenly so happy?”
Raphael didn’t understand either. “Maybe she’s come to terms with it.”
Sophia didn’t speak, but gave Luca a cold look.
Her gaze was as if she were looking at a scoundrel.
Luca twitched at the corner of his mouth but pretended not to notice. He waved his hand. “I’ll head back to my room too.”
…
Through the palace chambers,
Led by a maid, they arrived at the bedroom.
As soon as the door was closed,
A soft body pressed against Luca.
The thin gauze dress couldn’t hide her slender and curvy figure.
The soft touch made Luca’s body stiffen for a moment.
He forced himself to suppress the rising emotions and said, “If you want to leave, I can help you escape.”
“I can’t leave, and I shouldn’t leave…” Fratis pressed herself against Luca’s back, her voice soft and delicate. “The royal family and my father need me. If I leave, Clinton will be finished…”
Luca furrowed his brow, turning around to look at her pale, delicate face. He spoke seriously, “A throne sustained by marriage alliances is doomed to fall. Sacrificing yourself for it is meaningless.”
Fratis shook her head slightly but didn’t say anything further.
She only stood on tiptoe and gently pressed her lips to Luca’s, whispering, “Tonight, I want to stay here… with you.”
“Okay…” Luca nodded, but then suddenly his eyes widened in realization.
“What did you just say?” He looked at Fratis in disbelief, thinking he must have heard her wrong.
A flush of red rose to Fratis’ cheeks, but she met Luca’s gaze directly.
Her eyes were as soft and gentle as water as she spoke again, “I said… I want to be your bride tonight.”
As her words lingered in the air, the sheer fabric of her gown slowly slid down to the floor.
The soft, silvery moonlight spilled over her fair, delicate body, casting her graceful figure as though it were a perfect work of art. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
Luca’s breath hitched for a moment as he looked at the scene before him.
Then, he felt a surge of heat rush from his abdomen, rapidly rising and flooding his mind, faster than any magical energy he had ever felt.
As Fratis’ body pressed closer, he instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist. Her skin was delicate and smooth, like the finest jade.
When their lips met, Luca’s breathing grew heavier. His hands began to move on their own, unable to resist the desire surging within him.
By the time he regained his senses, he had already carried Fratis to the edge of the bed. His clothes had long since disappeared, lost somewhere in the heat of the moment.
Fratis’ hands looped around Luca’s neck, her face flushed with a shy, spring-like glow. Her slender neck was tinged with a soft blush.
Her eyes were hazy, as if ripples were dancing in them. The words she spoke seemed to come from the very depths of her soul.
Fratis whispered softly, “Luca, I like you.”
…
Meanwhile, at the Phillips family estate.
The luxurious mansion was brightly lit, exuding an air of opulence.
In the study, Duke Lyon called for Finn and spoke in a low voice, “The wedding between you and Princess Fratis is set. It will take place in seven days. His Majesty has already issued an edict to notify the other nobles.
“This marriage will surely make waves throughout the entire Clinton Empire. In the coming days, you should get closer to the princess and build a good relationship. We can’t afford any accidents with this wedding.”
Upon hearing this, a pleased expression immediately appeared on Finn’s face, and he respectfully replied, “Father, don’t worry. During this time, I will make sure to spend more time with Princess Fratis.”
Duke Lyon nodded, then suddenly seemed to recall something and asked, “Has that boy arrived in Southwind City today?”
At the mention of Luca, Finn’s expression darkened. “Yes, I came with him. The Desire Demon Box and Undead Coffin are still in his possession. Don’t worry, Father, I will get those things back.”
Finn would never forget the humiliation Luca had caused him. How dare a mere commoner try to steal from him? Back in Southwind City, with Orf and the others protecting that bastard, Finn had no choice but to tolerate it. But now that they were in Dawn City, no one would be there to protect him. Finn was sure of that.
Duke Lyon nodded, a hint of concern in his voice. “This concerns the entire Phillips family’s legacy. We can’t afford to make any mistakes. I’ll send more ‘Ghost Kings’ to help you. Make sure to bring back the Desire Demon Box and the Undead Coffin.”
“I’ll bring back his head along with the Demon Box!” Finn’s lips curled into a sinister smile.
The “Ghost King” were elite guards personally trained by the Phillips family. They were all high-ranking professionals, and many were even Superclass. Only the current head of the Phillips family could command them.
With such reinforcements, even if Luca had ten lives, Finn was confident he could turn him into minced meat!
…
Early in the morning, as the sun rose.
The sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, illuminating the disheveled bedroom.
A cool breeze blew in, dispersing some of the lingering scents, and it was enough to rouse Luca from his sleep.
Fratis, her golden hair in disarray, was lying in his arms, sound asleep. Her face wore an expression of contentment and exhaustion. Her soft, fair chest was pressed against him, forming a half-circle, and her long legs lay fully over his, causing Luca’s blood to stir once again.
He struggled to suppress the flames of desire rising within him. Rubbing his temples, Luca couldn’t help but sigh deeply.
“I still couldn’t resist…” he muttered to himself, realizing that this time, he had truly gotten himself into deep trouble.
Although he had felt some attraction to Fratis before, it had never been more than friendly. There were some things he could have just ignored, but now it seemed too late.
But now, after the two of them had slept together, their relationship had changed. If he just ignored everything and let Fratis marry that bastard Finn, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself.
“I’ll wait and see if there’s a way out. If there’s no other choice, I’ll have to forcefully take her away,” Luca thought to himself, resolved. Even though this plan would go against Fratis’ wishes, if it came down to it, he would have to take her, no matter the cost.
Luca was about to withdraw his arm and leave when, unexpectedly, Fratis woke up, still half asleep.
“Are you leaving?” she sat up, rubbing her eyes as she spoke vaguely, not noticing that the blanket had slipped off her, fully exposing her delicate body to the air.
“Ah!” As soon as she realized, her face turned red, and she quickly pulled the blanket back over herself, embarrassed to even peek out.
You’ve already seen so much last night, yet you’re shy now…
Luca shook his head, lowered it, and kissed her on the forehead. “Go back to sleep. I’m just going out for a bit.”
Once he reassured Fratis, he quickly got dressed and left.
However, Luca didn’t expect what happened next.
As soon as he closed the door behind him, he looked up and saw two familiar figures walking toward his bedroom.
Luca froze for a moment.
It was Sophia and Lucia.
Lucia, surprised, said, “Up so early? We were just about to come wake you.”
Luca’s expression stiffened. He forced a smile and said, “I went to bed early last night. What does the teacher need me for?”
Lucia rolled her eyes. “Today, the king is awarding you an honor, remember? Since it’s still early, we were going to take you shopping for some new clothes. You’ll be meeting His Majesty, and such a formal occasion requires you to look your best. Wearing your gear would be a little inappropriate.”
Luca let out a silent sigh of relief. “Alright, I also need to step out for a bit.”
Lucia came over and linked her arm with his. Just as she was about to get a little too close, she suddenly sniffed the air and looked at him curiously. “What’s that scent on you? Did you spray perfume?”
Luca froze for a split second.
He quickly composed himself and, with an even expression, said, “Is that so? Probably the maid sprayed perfume in the room, and some of it must have gotten on me.”
“It smells nice. I’ll ask the maid to spray some for me later tonight,” Lucia didn’t think much of it and patted him on the shoulder. “Let’s go. You can trust my teacher’s sense of style and taste; she’ll have you dressed up as the most handsome young man in Dawn City!”
Sophia, who had been watching Luca’s forced smile, narrowed her eyes slightly, her brows furrowing in suspicion.
Why did the scent on him… remind her so much of the perfume Fratis wore?