Reynard whispered in Valentin’s ear in his distinctive low voice. It was nothing special, just a single word of response, but it felt like fluffy dandelion seeds were spreading from his ear to his cheek, tickling him. It was probably more because of the situation than the meaning of the words. When Valentin thought he had been rubbed enough, he opened his mouth again.

“Now that you’ve done my belly, please do my shoulders too.”

While very naturally brushing his hair that was covering the back of his neck to the front.

Reynard barely held back the laughter that suddenly tried to burst out. Just a moment ago, he was acting as if taking off clothes or getting a massage was uncomfortable, but his attitude changed like this. At the request made so confidently, he wanted to ask what would have happened if he hadn’t taken off his top.

“Your neck and shoulders are a bit lumpy.”

The alpha, who seemed like he had never massaged anyone in his life, skillfully touched the omega’s few muscles and spoke.

“Yes… I’ve been pushing myself a bit lately.”

“There was too little time.”

“That’s right. There was so much to do in a short time that I must have gotten tense without realizing it.”

The sensation of pressing with just the right amount of force in his hands, not too hard, felt good. Valentin slowly melted into a puddle.

The delicate massaging touch on the back of his neck gradually approached the front again. With hands that had leftover oil from rubbing his belly, Reynard began to gently caress Valentin’s sides and chest. The body that had completely melted from the pleasant touch leaned back more comfortably and moaned, “Haa.” It was the very act of lying down and rolling around comfortably inside, not knowing he had entered the lion’s mouth.

At that moment, hot lips descended on the white shoulder. 

The pheromones changed color.

The scent that had been speaking of warm and affectionate love became thick and captivating. Such blatantly lascivious pheromones were excessively long-awaited.

Right, this was how it felt. Valentin slightly recalled the past two nights that had burned fiercely to the point of turning to ashes. The fragrance that stimulated all the peripheral nerves of the body and awakened the dormant pleasure… The thick and pungent pheromones.

“Ahh…”

As their skin was also in close contact, there was an immediate reaction to the sexual pheromones. He felt something flowing out from below. Goosebumps began to rise on the parts the alpha’s fingertips were exploring.

Everything in his mind and body was getting hot. Valentin unknowingly raised his body that had been sitting like melted candle wax. And kneeling, he turned around and placed his hands on Reynard’s strong shoulders. The omega’s eyes were slightly flushed.

“…Reynard.”

“Yeah.”

The mumbling lips called his husband’s name. It wasn’t a call to get a response. Valentin repeated the name of the one who had become his spouse inside his mouth. Isn’t it such a handsome name, as if seeing it for the first time? He looked like he had forgotten even what he was trying to hide by defending the robe so much as he muttered as if enchanted.

As if experiencing it for the first time, Valentin took in Reynard’s upper body with his eyes and hands. The shoulders touching his palms were firm and broad. White hands carefully swept down the frame that was almost twice the size of his own shoulders. The very body of an alpha, perfect and full of vitality.

It had muscles and textures that would likely be exhibited as a mighty man throwing a huge discus in the center of some temple. They were firm, overflowing with elasticity, and delicately split and sculpted.

In the past nights, there was no time to examine his body so blatantly and in detail like this. Looking at the deltoids and triceps also firmly divided into pieces, just that alone seemed to make his bottom wetter. The skin darker than his own flesh, looking like it would shine… The dizziness and excitement rose to the point of feeling faint.

“Your body is really cool. It’s beautiful.”

Admiration, ulterior motives, and lust were mixed together as if looking at a splendid and perfect sculpture.

“To receive such praise from the most beautiful being on earth. I’m honored.”

Reynard smiled leisurely, raising the corners of his mouth at Valentin’s appreciation. It was a theatrical remark, not mundane like lines on a stage, but it somehow suited him who was better than the actor.

An adult’s composure, an adult’s smile.

Valentin wanted to make that calm face more desperate. After gazing at Reynard’s body that stayed still as he explored with an enchanted look for a long time, he lowered his head.

As the slowly lowering head descended, Reynard’s mouth opened.

Just like when he kissed him thickly, a pink tongue poked out sharply from the small mouth. And Valentin put it straight into the mouth that opened as if to welcome it.

As soon as the hot lips and tongues touched, Reynard’s hands and arms softly enveloped Valentin’s body.

“Ah…”

It was a temperature that seemed to melt.

No, perhaps what was hot was his own excitement and feeling.

With his cute tongue, he swept the alpha’s hot palate and rubbed against the thick flesh. The excitement rose fiercely to the top of his head.

“Mmh.”

“The doctor said, not yet.”

“…It’s fine. I want to do it…”

The head heated up by hot pheromones and the heat urged the alpha.

Soothing the whining Valentin, Reynard reached out his hand. The movement that had been caressing his body and heightening the excitement gradually went down. Wanting to feel that movement, Valentin continued the kisses while constantly exploring Reynard’s forearms.

“Valentin.”

“…Yes.”

When the tongues and lips that had been entangled stickily and pleasantly all along pulled out, Valentin answered with a sullen face.

“Lie on your back.”

Saying that, Reynard carefully laid Valentin down.

And he said just one thing.

Just one powerful and irresistible thing.

“I’ll do it with my mouth.”

And so, their true first night.

Valentin not only melted but became boneless at the alpha’s lips and hands.

* * *

Valentin’s vague plan to diligently move around from the next day was very easily thwarted.

Once the body melted on the bed, it naturally sought sweetness the next day as if addicted, and so the second day on Île Saint-Pierre was extremely honeymoon-like.

On the third day on the island, as soon as he heard the chirping sound of birds greeting the morning, Valentin’s eyes fluttered open.

The blood of his previous life was boiling. The incomprehensible compulsion that one must move diligently at a travel destination…! The fierce will that he couldn’t end the trip by being crumpled on the bed every hour like this!

After fully enjoying the breakfast Reynard brought to the bed, Valentin finished preparing to go out lightly and immediately dragged his arm.

Through a persistent interview with the local coachman, Valentin satisfactorily grasped the tourist spots of the island.

They immediately prepared a carriage and went up to the monastery, which was the first building built on this island and had a long history. The priest serving the old religion was not flustered by the foreigner’s active approach and offered a blessing prayer to the couple and the child in the belly. Valentin was moved and, after receiving the prayer, poked Reynard’s side and ordered him to make a large donation.

After that, the omega who had fully received the alpha’s pheromones while having lunch enjoyed a nap for a couple of hours and then grabbed his husband’s hand again. Reynard was puzzled. It seemed like something similar had happened just a few hours ago…? It was a strangely repetitive, naturally tight and precise schedule.

Reynard’s expectation of a relaxed and leisurely schedule at the mansion, as befits a honeymoon, was being shattered. A sense of déjà vu like receiving summer training rushed in. Even though he felt the strangeness, the man in love excitedly let himself be dragged along as if the hand of his husband weakly pulling him was some kind of enormous strength. A posture of obedience as if there could be no refusal for a single moment. It was very desirable as the conduct of a newlywed groom.

“The high tide will come rushing in soon.”

Valentin’s pace quickened.

“If we walk a little more from here, there will be a cliff. Looking down from there, the chef said you can see the crescent-shaped cove fill up with water. The sight of the moon filled with water… It will be truly breathtaking.”

The only thing breathtaking to me is you. Come to think of it, when did you even chat with the chef? Reynard was amazed to the point of admiration at Valentin’s casual affability.

They were dressed in clothes that made it impossible to know which country’s nobles they were, in a commoner-like fashion. Thanks to that, no one paid attention to them walking around busily. As it was a tourist spot with many outsiders, people had even less interest in others.

They watched the emerald-colored water rise to high tide, rode a carriage down to where the beach was, walked on the sand barefoot, and picked up seashells. Following the steps full of curiosity, they also explored a nearby coastal cave and returned to the mansion just before the sun rose to the top of their heads.

‘Since I don’t know when I’ll come back, I have to enjoy everything I want to do and see before I leave.’

Although he received this island mansion as a wedding gift, he abandoned the complacent thought that he would be able to easily come and go to foreign countries later on. Especially for the next 3 years or so.

Valentin had too many upcoming schedules waiting for him, such as the duty of the Grand Duke’s mercy to be carried out, the role of the Grand Ducal House’s mistress, the gathering of spouses from vassal families to be organized, and the social activities demanded by the imperial family.

Moreover, the child would be born after the next year. He didn’t know well what parenting was like yet, but there was no way he could easily travel long distances with a young child. It was obvious that it would take several years to wait until the child grew enough to make long-distance trips possible. Reynard might have said to just leave the child and go if he had heard, but Valentin had no intention of doing that.

Anyway, it was highly likely that there would be no leisurely trips like this for the next few years.

Preoccupied with that thought, Valentin was moving his steps so diligently like this. To spend the week’s time on this island very effectively, without regret.

Reynard, who had no idea about the reason, was dragged by Valentin’s hand and unexpectedly had a Korean tourist experience, spending the whole day. Finding it hard to believe his reality, he quietly harbored hope inside.

‘Tomorrow will be different…?’

But such complacent hope was meant to be shattered.

As if it was a lie, the summer training-like travel schedule was the same the next day.

This time, the couple left the island and headed inland. It was because Valentin said he wanted to buy souvenirs for both families. A bustling street in a small city much more developed and populated than the island greeted them.

Although it was a regional small city, as befitting a truly bustling downtown, Valentin walked with quick steps through the busily moving people and carriages, loud noises, various smells, and smoke. Of course, while holding her husband’s hand with one hand. Reynard was about to burst into laughter because his position and mood were so identical to yesterday’s.

“Take it slow. No one’s going to take it away.”

“No, I’ve spotted a very plausible place over there.”

The eyes of the one who had already found the target were intense. Too sparkling for eyes heading towards a mere candy store…

Finally arriving at the destination, Reynard asked with a dubious face as he watched Valentin grab the doorknob of an old store entrance.

“If you’re a viscountess, wouldn’t you have eaten much better things than what they sell in a place like this?”

Although he said that, the man who had promised to obey for life naturally removed Valentin’s hand and opened the door first so he could enter nicely.

“Usually, places like this are the real deal.”

You don’t know anything, do you? Valentin raised his nose and pointed to the old signboard that read ‘depuis 1753.’ The fact that it had persisted with one thing for nearly 100 years since 1753 AD was evidence that there was something special about this place. This persistence usually served as proof that it tasted remarkably delicious. Valentin shrugged his shoulders and entered through the door Reynard had opened.

“Wow… Yes, this is it.”