“Hah..”

Letting out a dry cough, Rowena drew in a long breath.

She didn’t realize it earlier, but she began to feel lightheaded as she sat there. She drew in a deep breath of air to cool her head.

At that moment, the duke approached her without making a sound, untied her carefully braided blonde hair, and began to print kisses on her neck.

“Ah.”

Rowena let out a hot breath and arched her back. The man who had kissed her neck followed up with a deep kiss behind her ear, where her pulse pounded.

“Duke.”

The corner of her mouth rose, and Rowena turned and hugged his neck.

Killian leaned down, letting her slender arms lead the way, and pressed his lips against her neck, and made his way to her shoulder. She closed her eyes as she felt her chest heat up, and Rowena slid her hand through the strands of his pitch-black hair, teasing him with her touch. The sensation of it wrapping around her fingers was soft and itchy.

“Umm.”

The drunken arousal began to build up tension in the air. Rowena suddenly moaned and opened her mouth.

“So you’re wearing a vampire costume.”

“Yes.”

He smirked and buried his face in her collarbone, as if inhaling her scent.

She lowered her hand that had been stroking his head and held his chin, making him turn his face to look at her.

“Come on, Duke. After you drink all my blood, will you let me go?”

“No.”

Killian replied without hesitation, placing his hands behind her knees and under her arms, slowly lifting her up. Rowena allowed him to do that without resistance and wrapped her hands around his neck. Carefully holding Rowena in his arms, Killian stretched out his long legs and moved to open the glass door.

“I have a favor to ask.”

He did not answer but looked down at her with a calm gaze.

“I want to find a tutor for Damian. I… As you know, I don’t know much.”

“I’ll look into it.”

His response was calm and straightforward, contrary to her expectations that he might get angry.

Gathering more courage, Rowena kissed him on the cheek. She didn’t have time to be surprised by his calm reaction, so she quickly added.

“In fact, I have an acquaintance from the past.”

“…Acquaintance?”

Killian, with a slight frown, opened the bedroom door.

His bedroom was twice the size of hers. It was a massive, dull room with only the necessary furnishings, in direct contrast to the room next door with its rosewood furniture, marble carved fireplace, glamorous chiffon curtains, and fresh flowers.

Killian, who rolled down the dark blue bed covers, carefully placed her on the large bed.

“I do not feel like it today because I am drunk.”

When Rowena turned around as if she were whining, he pulled off her shawl and bit her shoulder.

“Ah, it hurts!”

“Is that acquaintance a man?”

“Yeah, but… Ah!”

She felt the cold air against her skin as her dress slipped down to her waist. Killian ran his long forefinger down along his spine, then asked in a low voice.

“How do you know him?”

“He’s my favorite author. I heard he is very old, and I felt that he would be an appropriate literature teacher…”

His hand that was sliding down reached her hip. He gently held a lock of her blond hair that was draped over her body and asked.

“His name?”

His voice was softer than earlier. Rowena answered as she opened her closed eyes.

“Rodrick…Rodrick Diphons.”

It was Jeremy Dish’s pen name, known only to her, his niece. He would make sure that she would escape from this fortress-like castle.