Chapter 79

After finishing my tea in a somewhat disheveled state on the bed, I could have just lain there and sought more sleep as if relishing a lazy day off. However, Asulin and I chose to make our weekend more productive.

Rather than simply chatting while meeting each other’s gaze, we delved deeper into understanding one another.

“Comfortable?” she asked.

“Pillow soft,” I replied.

“Good?”

“This coziness makes me want to spend hours without doing anything.”

“So, that’s good then?”

“Of course.”

“Thank goodness.”

With my head resting on her thigh, we conversed like this.

Originally, given the shock she still carried within her, I should have offered her my thigh as a form of rest. But instead,

“After becoming your spouse, I’ve always wanted to do this for you someday.”

She firmly refused my offer to make her comfortable after finishing the tea, insisting on saying this instead. Thus, we ended up in this position.

When I noticed her fatigue sneaking into her joyful smile as she basked in satisfaction, I felt it wasn’t enough to just smile; I needed to ensure Asulin could rest.

“When you’re at ease, Andy, my heart feels at peace too. Being together like this makes me feel even more relaxed physically.”

Unable to counter her words, which seemed to have already eased any weariness, we simply gazed into each other’s eyes repeatedly.

Though no words were spoken, only our gazes softened and exchanged.

The happy silence shattered when Asulin reached out her hand toward my head, resting on my knees and thigh.

I couldn’t miss the meaning behind her silent gesture. It mirrored the way I often stroked her hair when she was asleep.

Her touch was gentle, among the most cautious I’d seen her use on me, akin to someone delicately cleaning dust from a fragile ceramic piece, despite the harmony of beauty and mystique in her appearance.

Since childhood, her calloused hands had been noticeable from diligent sword training. Each time they brushed against my head, an odd tingling sensation stimulated my scalp.

I hadn’t been surprised by her rough touch since I anticipated it when she extended her hand.

‘Feels good…’

I was astonished by how much comfort such a coarse sensation brought me, contrasting with her beautiful exterior.

Sometimes, when I stroked Asulin’s hair, did she find the same peace I did?

Just as this thought crossed my mind,

“When you stroked my hair, it felt so good. That’s why I’m doing this to return the favor… How do you feel about it?”

Asulin asked, seeking my opinion on why she was stroking my hair.

“I feel overwhelmed by your kindness. I feel like I should stroke your hair more often now.”

I smiled, and naturally, Asulin’s expression brightened with relief.

“Even though I haven’t fully enjoyed our time together, seeing you happy makes me feel better.”

Yet, despite feeling relieved, she still seemed to carry guilt for not spending proper time with me due to her duties.

“Actually, I’ve been fine just being here with you.”

I tried to lighten the mood, hoping she wouldn’t feel more remorse. Seeing her act guilty when she hadn’t done anything wrong made me feel bad too.

I didn’t expect her to instantly let go of her guilt with just one sentence, but I hoped she would.

“As for you, sometimes just one word from you can bring me overwhelming happiness…”

Asulin’s face flushed as she spoke happily, her eyes momentarily shifting away from mine.

We had shared our hearts and bodies successfully last night.

I wondered if there would still be any awkwardness in facing each other again, but Asulin had a different view.

“I wonder if it’s right. I feel like I haven’t given you much, yet I owe you a debt that I can never repay.”

Asulin shifted my body to the right, speaking of a ‘debt.’ At first, I didn’t understand why she turned my body.

“There… It’s still here.”

She touched somewhere on my body, then said,

“The mark of a moment that will forever be a debt to you still remains.”

I realized what she meant. The deep scar on my right arm, a remnant from a battle during the Succession War, was the unpayable debt she referred to.

During the final days of the war, amidst the chaos caused by demons, a creature slipped through my defenses, leaving a mark on my right arm.

Had Asulin not timely dispatched the demon, I might have lost my right arm and become a one-armed swordsman, losing my few advantages.

Thus, the scar reminded me of her timely intervention.

“But our alliance during the turmoil in the Zakarat Mountain Range was based on necessity, not trust or loyalty.”

Asulin recalled the past with a tone mixed with regret.

“Anytime I showed weakness, there was an opportunity to betray me or use the demons. Yet, you chose to protect me, enduring wounds. This made me realize how differently I started to regard you.”

She reached out and gently touched the faint remnants of the scar.

Her affectionate touch, unlike the earlier gentle stroking, brought warmth that even the roughness of her calloused hand couldn’t diminish.

“If it’s not too much trouble, may I see other scars on your body?”

Her careful voice conveyed how precious I was to her.

However, showing her the scars from our fierce battles might remind her of the harsh circumstances back then.

“It might look ugly…”

I tried to joke, politely declining her request, but

“…It’s okay…”

Asulin’s expression turned tearful.

“I want to see the scars that hold your sincere heart, every single one…”

Even though she hesitated, her desire to see the traces of my dedication was evident.

“…Just a little…”

Finally, I turned my body to the right, revealing my back to Asulin.

Most of the injuries I sustained protecting her were concentrated on my back, except for the one on my right arm.

Though it might seem odd for a knight to have many scars on his back, considering I often had to show my back to others, it didn’t bother me much.

In fact, I didn’t feel ashamed because I just wished she wouldn’t feel unnecessary guilt when remembering those times.

But Asulin’s reaction to my scars was peculiar.

At first, she tenderly touched the old wounds, sighing softly, expressing both tenderness and regret.

But suddenly, her hand moved to a spot I didn’t remember, trembling violently like leaves in a breeze.

“What’s wrong? What did you see that startled you?”

Curious, I turned my head to look at her expression.

Relieved to see no sign of guilt on her face, I responded.

“Hey, Andy…”

“Yes?”

“Last night… Did I hurt your back?”

Her face flushed as she asked about the previous night.

“Oh.”

I understood why she had frozen when inspecting my back.

During our passionate exchanges last night, driven by intense pleasure beyond her limits, Asulin had scratched my back lightly with her nails. The marks were more vivid than the scars left from protecting her.

“I’m glad. They’re signs of your joy. I hope you’ll leave them again next time…”

I joked to lessen her embarrassment, but

“Ugh! Stop!”

The effect backfired, making her feel even more embarrassed.

“Something happened!”

The commotion drew Katarina into the bedroom.

Seeing my face buried in Asulin’s thigh, her posture exposed, Asulin’s face flushed red, covering her face with both hands.

“…I apologize deeply.”

Mistakenly thinking she shouldn’t have entered, Katarina quickly bowed and left.

The sound of the door handle creaking echoed through the room.

Both Asulin and I were enveloped in a mix of embarrassment and discomfort.

“…I’ll be more careful next time.”

In my haste, I forgot to use formal language.

“Yeah.”

I couldn’t think of anything else to say.

The storm of embarrassment and shame swept through the room and us.

“But perhaps I’ve been lying too long. I feel a bit sleepy.”

“Feel free to lie down. I can be your pillow. I can do this much.”

Once the embarrassment faded, she used her thigh as a pillow, allowing me to fall asleep.