Beneath the Surviving Princess's Joyful Facade - Chapter 27

“You’ve gotten a bit of a tan playing in the sun. It looks healthy,” he said with a grin.

Miesa wondered if she should respond to that, and Eirik, brushing off his dirt-stained pants, added, “When we first met, you were so pale and thin that I was worried, but now you seem quite lively.”

He looked at her with a soft smile, making Miesa feel strange. It was odd to have someone care enough to notice her changes.

“Look, there’s a gardener coming from afar,” Eirik pointed out.

At his words, Miesa quickly grabbed as many branches as she could get her hands on and began digging the ground.

“Oh, young master, young madam,” the gardener greeted nervously from a distance.

“Are you checking the bird nests daily?” Eirik asked.

The gardener replied politely, “Yes, I’m making sure these trees don’t grow too wildly, so if a bird nests, it will be easily spotted. But I haven’t seen any yet.”

“Good. You’re doing well,” Eirik said, leaning against the tree with his eyes closed. The gardener hesitated as if wanting to say more, but eventually left.

“He’s gone. You can relax now,” Eirik said once the gardener’s footsteps faded.

But Miesa, still squatting uncomfortably, whispered, “That man doesn’t like me digging the ground.”

Despite seeing her sulky face, Eirik shook his head firmly. “No gardener would like seeing you dig so deeply under a tree.”

“……”

“That gardener has worked for our family for generations. He’s very diligent and honest. It’s natural for him to be concerned seeing you dig like that.”

Then he added, “But if he ever speaks to you disrespectfully, that’s another matter. I would, of course, punish him.”

Even though his firm answer wasn’t the support Miesa had hoped for, she didn’t feel upset. It was intriguing how he spoke like a king from a fairy tale—kind, just, and wise.

Books and people are different. Miesa didn’t trust those who walked on two legs. This man seemed proper on the outside, but his attitude could change at any moment.

“Let’s head back inside. Staying out too long in the heat isn’t good for you,” Eirik said.

Yet, frustratingly, he never revealed any true malice.

That evening, Miesa spent time with him on the bed again, which she found very strange and unnecessary.

He kept asking questions, and she answered. Yet nothing went as she thought it should. Instead of moving forward, he just kissed her all over, turning the initial ticklishness into a strange, tingling sensation.

When his tongue touched certain spots, it even made her breathless. She hadn’t moved, yet her breathing was fast, as if she’d been running.

When she paused to catch her breath, he stopped too, urging her to continue.

“Please keep talking. Which of the things I’m doing do you like?”

During the day, he was so polite, but at night he showed no mercy. He didn’t grant her any of what she wanted, insisting she keep talking and performing unnecessary actions.

He was slowly licking her neck, a part she knew wasn’t involved in the consummation process. She couldn’t understand why he was doing it.

But he waited for her answer, so she spoke again. Among the things he did, she liked being carried by him.

“…I like it when you carry me, Eirik,” she said.

“Why is that?” he asked.

When Miesa panted and didn’t respond, Eirik paused and waited, not continuing what he was doing. As the silence stretched on, he even moved off her. If she didn’t cooperate, he wouldn’t touch her all night, so she had to keep answering. Frustrated by the situation, Miesa reluctantly began to speak again.

“When I walk… I have to put a lot of strength… into my legs. If I walk for too long…”

“Take your time. I’ll wait.”

“If I walk too long, my legs cramp. So, I like it when you carry me. Especially on the stairs.”

“I see,” he said, gently turning her over and carefully touching the back of her thighs and calves.

“You must put a lot of strain here,” he noted.

“Ugh…”

Even though he was just touching her lightly with his fingers, the area felt like it was burning. She whimpered and twisted in discomfort.

Miesa felt utterly resentful of the entire situation. Why did she have to be the one forced to answer all the questions and endure this when both of them were doing this to stay alive?

On the other hand, Eirik wasn’t entirely comfortable either. Her reactions—the changes in her breathing and the way her body moved—made it difficult for him to maintain control. When he kissed her breasts earlier, he almost crossed the line he had set for himself. He kept reminding himself that she wasn’t someone he should see as an object of lust.

Her turbulent life and her almost childlike ignorance about sex were reasons enough. So, he asked again, “Tell me if you want to stop. I’ll stop at any time.”

“I just want to consummate the marriage, Eirik,” she snapped, spreading her legs for emphasis. “This is the part you need to use. My shoulders and chest don’t matter.”

Eirik hastily brought her legs back together. “Please, leave your legs alone. Not yet.”

“How much longer do we have to wait to get closer?”

“At least, not tonight.”

He had seen between her legs earlier. She was so small and unprepared that forcing himself into her could cause serious harm.

He needed to stimulate her body somehow, but what kind of caresses could heighten her senses without being too vulgar? His mind couldn’t come up with a clear answer.

“Is there anything else you want to tell me?” he asked.

“Shouldn’t this be enough for us to get closer?” she grumbled, but knowing she needed something from him, Miesa continued after a moment’s hesitation.

“The fourth room from the end doesn’t need to be locked. I won’t fall from the balcony again.”

“That’s good. So, no more incidents from the balcony.”

As he kissed her fingertips and then moved to her palms, he remembered he hadn’t kissed the inside of her elbow yet.

“Eirik, this is really pointless…,” she sighed, looking up at the ceiling as he brought his lips to her elbow.

Knowing what she was likely thinking, he playfully nibbled the soft skin inside her elbow.

“……”

Even though she probably realized what he was doing, Miesa lay there with a resigned expression. Seeing her like that, Eirik couldn’t help but laugh. He then started softly biting and kissing her shoulders and neck, unintentionally leaving more noticeable hickey marks than expected.

“Did that hurt?” he asked, worried he might have been too rough. Although he hadn’t known how to control his strength the first time he started kissing her, he felt he had been too harsh tonight.

“Not at all. It didn’t even tickle,” Miesa replied, as if it were no big deal.

Despite the man’s playful nibbling, it didn’t affect her. It was just a headache dealing with his constant antics.

“If I hurt you, you must tell me,” he said seriously.

“Yes,” she replied, but she knew she wouldn’t actually say anything if that moment ever came.

What worried Miesa more was the possibility that he might never do the painful act she was anticipating.

“Look at this, look,” Gella clucked her tongue in disapproval as she saw the hickey marks Eirik had left last night.

“I’ve known the young master for years, and I never expected him to act like this. He’s always been so proper,” Gella said, her tone shifting between respect and disdain.

As Miesa played with her hair in the bathtub, Gella pounded her chest in frustration. “He never even talked to women. We in the knight’s brigade weren’t even seen as women to him. While other knights fooled around with girls at taverns, he’d lock himself in his room with maps.”

“……”

“To see him acting this way now, it just shows that all men, whether they’re lowly like my father or noble like the young master, are the same. It’s like their conscience is all tied to their lower half,” she sighed deeply.

She continued, “I always thought my brother Tully had it the worst, but you, young madam, have it worse. Just look at your body. What is this…?”

When Gella spoke again, her voice was filled with anger. “And who does this to a precious royalty? It’s outrageous. This is a person’s body!”

Miesa rested her chin on her knees and quietly agreed. Exactly.

“It looks like old wounds were reopened and festered badly. It must have been so painful. In Cladis, even a blacksmith’s daughter wouldn’t be treated like this. Whoever did this will surely face divine punishment.”

Gella’s eyes were filled with sympathy, but Miesa felt sorry for Gella instead. She pitied Gella’s naive belief that God would stand with the good and punish the wicked.

***