Elisha’s eyes grew wide. His lips overlapped with hers under the moonlight. What a strange… … kiss. 

He touched and held her lips very carefully. Chu, smooch —A soft, hot kiss brushing against her lips met and parted and met again in the cool air.

Waiting for his tongue, Elisha involuntarily licked her lips a little. Then, as Lucerne’s tongue slowly seeped into her mouth, he gingerly held the back of her head.

The wet sound of sucking each other’s tongues echoed in her ears. As Lucerne slowly moved Elisha’s head, his tongue moved like a flame in her mouth.

It felt like a small spark had exploded in her head. Her knees almost lost strength. Aroused, Lucerne excitedly began to tighten around Elisha’s body, but his hands traveling down her back halted on her ass. His fingers spread wide, and both hands clenched an asscheek; he squeezed and then let go.

“How appetizing. You should get well soon.”

“… … .”

“Then I can love you in bed.”

Elisha turned her head away, hiding her pink face. She rubbed the corner of her mouth, feeling self-conscious.

“Let’s go in,”

Lucerne whispered. He picked up Elisha very carefully and cautiously carried her to her quarters.

And when he got to her room, he laid her on her bed, and his eyes slowly swept up and down her body. Even if he had said earlier that he’d wait, it was a look that would make one doubt the sincerity of his intention.

“When you’re all better,” 

Lucerne said.

“I should tie your hands and hang them around my neck. And I won’t let you go until you’re crying with pleasure from bouncing on my cock as I hammer you from below.”

“… … .”

Elisha wanted to glare at him. But she instead put the blanket over her face and pretended not to hear him. Lucerne tucked her in, putting her blanket all the way up to her neck.

“I can’t trust you completely. And you have to respect my command. There’s still a lot of things that are uncertain.”

Elisha nodded. She didn’t expect his full confidence.

“Do as you see fit.”

“But I’ll cooperate with your plan.”

“… … .”

Elisha’s arm twitched.

“But, I don’t know what you are thinking. I need to know everything about what you’re planning and doing.”

“I know. I will not disappoint you,”

Elisha said cautiously.

“So, how were you going to move me next time?”

“Please let me meet only one person.”

“Alright,”

Lucerne nodded in agreement.

“Do you know who I want to meet?”

“Know. It’s probably one of the two. Both are possible.”

Elisha’s eyes widened at the name of the person Lucerne whispered. She nodded in affirmation. They were thinking the same thing.

“Yes. That’s it.”

“But only after you get better.”

“Yes, and the purchase in Yurif. Then—”

“We handled the payment without any problems, and will send guards to closely monitor the area so there is no tresspassing. You just have to decide how to wield that weakness and how ostentatiously to expose it.”

Elisha couldn’t help the rare smile that spread across her face. Maybe they’re more of a villainous couple than Jacob or Carola. But she thought Lucerne was a much better person than them, and she felt fortunate to work for him in this lifetime. 

“And I might have to spend more money soon.”

“I’ll set money for you from now on, just leave a record and use it as you like. I’ll review it later, but you don’t have to ask for permission for every single thing.”

Elisha nodded. It was fortunate that Lucerne was much more generous than she had anticipated.

“Thank you, General,”

Elisha whispered.

“Instead. I have a condition.”

Intent, she opened her eyes wide.

“Address me by name.”

It wasn’t a difficult request. Elisha meekly bobbed her head.

“Yes, Lucerne.”

Lucerne’s hands relaxed and returned. His hand was still on Elisha’s upper body under the covers.

“Then. Good night.”

Lucerne did not answer. However, his strange expression remained in her head for a long time that night.

Indeed, he was a strange man, Elisha concluded, a thought she had over and over again for the hundredth time.

*** 

Elisha spent her time recovering in bed.

‘If you have money, you heal quickly,’

she realized. Was it out of the goodness of his heart? Or was he trying to reward her? Lucerne summoned three well-known healers from the capital to examine her.

Inwardly, Elisha was astonished. It was true that those with real healing powers encourage the body’s functions to increase the ability to heal naturally. But their fees were usually in the billions.

‘You better not ask me for this money later… … .’

In the first place, it was not a fatal injury, and the recovery was quick, but Lucerne had the doctors and priests see and report the results of their treatment. Each time they did, their faces would turn gray.

‘Even high priests and doctors are afraid of Lucerne… … .’

After living in the bed for a week or two, Elisha became more and more bored. Then came Lunar Day. At the beginning of winter, everyone went to pray on the day of the biggest full moon.

She wasn’t particularly religious, but since she was a child, she had always gone to the temple of the gods on Lunar Day, so she wanted to go to pray. Unfortunately, Elisha had a hard time getting her words out.

“On Lunar Day, it will be too crowded. But I’ll be free the day after tomorrow,” Lucerne said bluntly. 

She missed the timing to say ‘I can go alone’ again.

‘I didn’t mean to ask you to go with me.’

But Elisha knew that he would be angry if she ignored his sincerity.

If she had known what would happen that day, she would not have nodded her head so calmly.

***