Between Destruction and Pleasure - Chapter 6 (M)

On the other hand, the man was still impeccably dressed from head to toe. The stark contrast between them stoked her feelings of shame and pride.

“You too—take it off.”

“As you command.”

The man complied easily once again. After dealing with nothing but obstinate nobles her whole life, it felt strangely satisfying to see someone obey her words so willingly.

Would his attitude remain the same if he knew she was the Princess Catherine? The thought crossed her mind, but she decided not to take that gamble.

The man shrugged off his clothes without hesitation. When he removed his shirt, his muscular physique was revealed, just as she had expected. Unconsciously, Catherine gulped.

It wasn’t the first time she had seen his bare upper body. She had once observed a training session on the parade grounds, where some knights had shed their shirts. Naturally, their physiques were impressive, befitting men of their station. But this man was different—his proportions, his broad shoulders, his entire frame seemed innately superior.

“Does it look that appetizing?” he teased.

Catherine flinched at the man’s sly remark, quickly turning her head away.

With a metallic clink, the sound of fabric slipping down followed. He seemed to be removing even his pants.

Unable to suppress her curiosity, Catherine sneaked a glance out of the corner of her eye. What she saw made her gasp, her eyes widening in shock. That thing was no different from a weapon.

Regardless of Catherine’s horrified reaction, the man climbed back onto the bed and pinned her beneath him. His tongue traced a long, wet line down her cleavage while his hands twisted her sensitive nipples.

“Ahh!”

A sharp sensation shot through her mind—whether it was pain or something else, she couldn’t tell. Her legs, already unsteady, trembled beneath her, and she squirmed weakly in response.

As his hand brushed along her side, then trailed down toward her hips, Catherine felt herself gripped by a strange sense of anticipation.

Each time his firm teeth grazed one of her sensitive spots, she flinched involuntarily.

“So sensual, so sensitive,” the man murmured as his hand crept closer to her most intimate area.

“Ah… ngh.”

When Catherine squirmed slightly at the unfamiliar sensation, he used his other hand to firmly pin one of her legs in place.

“T-this is strange… stop…”

“Stop? Just like this? My, you’re bolder than I thought,” he teased with a chuckle.

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

“I get it—you’re eager. But you’ll have to be patient. If we rush, you might get hurt.”

At his words, Catherine stiffened and clamped her mouth shut. Seemingly satisfied, the man let out a low chuckle and resumed moving his hand.

It was only then that Catherine realized just how wet she had become.

“Well, no wonder you were in a hurry,” he remarked, clearly amused.

The lewd sound of wetness echoed, and Catherine, mortified, covered her face with her hands. It was as if she had completely forgotten that she was still wearing a mask.

“Hah… hah…”

Her body grew increasingly hot, her breathing quickening in response.

The obscene noises embarrassed her deeply, but she had no time to dwell on that as an electrifying sensation bloomed within her.

Eyes tightly shut, she whimpered softly, unaware that the man was gazing intently at her. His knowing stare seemed to see through everything, but Catherine was too overwhelmed to notice.

Suddenly, her legs were lifted completely, and the man slid himself between them.

“No, don’t… ah,” she whimpered.

“Just stay still,” he murmured.

The sensation that followed was indescribable, a feeling she couldn’t begin to put into words.

So this… this is what sex is really like?

She’d read and heard about it enough to know what the act entailed in theory. But when she listened to others recount their experiences, the stories were rarely about pleasure or ecstasy; most spoke of discomfort or how tedious it was.

Driven by loneliness and curiosity, she had stepped into this moment—only to find it was far more shameful, far more thrilling than she could have ever imagined.

“Ah…!”

A sharp, almost scream-like moan escaped her lips. It was only then that the man finally lifted his head.

His lips, glistening with wetness, were shockingly lewd. Even with the upper half of his face obscured by a mask, the intensity of his dark, greedy gaze was crystal clear.

What expression must I be making right now? Catherine wondered, suddenly thankful for the mask she wore. At least her own face was hidden.

And then, the man spoke, his voice low and commanding:

“From now on, what happens…”

The man raised his upper body and began positioning himself properly, firmly grasping her legs in his strong hands.

“Please forgive me. I’ll try to go slow, but I doubt it will be easy.”

“Huh…? Ah…!”

Catherine’s body tensed up as she felt the sharp sting of pain.

“Relax… just relax,” the man said, pausing his movements to gently stroke her waist in an attempt to soothe her.

“Hahh… hahh…”

The maids were right—sex was painful.

Up until now, the sensations had been enjoyable, even thrilling, but if this was what sex truly entailed, she didn’t think she would ever want to do it again.

As that thought crossed her mind, the man’s face drew closer. He gently nipped her lower lip before his soft, moist tongue slipped past her lips, coaxing them open.

“Mmph… ngh.”

As the man began to move slowly, her pained moans were swallowed entirely by his mouth.

He wrapped her tongue with his, sucking on it as his movements gained momentum.

“Ahh… hah…”

Catherine gasped for breath, trying to handle the overwhelming sensations coursing through her.

The man’s breathing grew heavier as well. Through her hazy vision, she caught glimpses of his dark bangs swaying with his motion and his piercing black eyes fixed intently on her. For this moment, at least, those eyes seemed entirely satisfied.

Is this why people say sex brings them closer?

Knowing this would likely be the last time they’d share such intimacy, Catherine felt a pang of regret. If they removed their masks and faced each other afterward, would they even recognize one another?

Surrendering herself to the rising waves of pleasure and emotion, Catherine let her body sway in time with his. As the pace quickened, the fleeting thoughts clouding her mind began to dissipate, leaving only the sharp sensations originating from where they were joined.

The friction, the heat—everything coiled deeply within her core and traveled up and down her spine, like a fire spreading through her entire body.

After what felt like an eternity of being rocked in this overwhelming rhythm, the pain began to dull into a tepid ache, replaced by something far sweeter.

“You’re absolutely intoxicating,” the man murmured, his voice low and rich.

She didn’t know how much time had passed when he leaned forward, pressing their bodies closer together.

“Ahh… ngh

Clinging to the last threads of consciousness, Catherine reached up and pulled him closer by his neck. As he neared his climax, his movements grew faster and more urgent.

Then, all at once, Catherine’s nape stiffened, and her vision flashed white.

“Ah…!”

“Whew,” he exhaled, his face marked by a satisfied expression.

As she saw the look of contentment on his face, Catherine’s eyes fluttered closed, her body finally succumbing to exhaustion. It had been a night of excess—too much wine, too much pleasure.

The man, now expressionless, watched her sleeping figure for a moment before leaning closer. Carefully, he removed her mask and wig, revealing her true face. A faint smile tugged at his lips.

“As if I wouldn’t recognize you,” he murmured softly.

Even if she didn’t recognize him, it didn’t matter.

Muttering quietly to himself, he pressed a gentle kiss to her pale, exposed forehead before pulling away.

* * *

“Mm…”

The sunlight streaming through the curtains stirred Catherine from her deep slumber. Her body felt stiff, and it was unusually hard to get up today. As she shifted under the blanket, she suddenly noticed something felt different than usual.

Then, fragments of memories from the previous night flashed through her mind.

“Gasp…!”

Catherine reached for her face with trembling hands. Thankfully, she felt the familiar texture of her mask. Sitting up, she realized she was dressed in a soft, white robe.

‘Did… he put this on me?’

Looking around, she spotted her clothes and undergarments from the previous night, neatly washed and folded at the corner of the bed. Her face flushed red at the sight.

Catherine hurried to her feet and quickly changed, stepping in front of the mirror. Her body was clean, yet her wig and mask remained untouched. She carefully lifted the mask to check her face.

“Phew… I must be insane.”

What on earth had she done last night?

Her mind raced with worry. Had the man seen her face while she slept? But it was too late to dwell on it.

Throwing a robe over herself, she slipped out of the mansion without looking back. Despite its size, she encountered no one on her way out.

Where was the man? This seemed like his room, but where had he spent the night?
Pointless questions swirled in her mind as she quickened her pace. Judging by the sun, it was still before noon, thankfully.

She had to leave quickly to avoid suspicion.

As she crossed the expansive garden and approached the grand front gates, Catherine finally turned to look back.

“This place is… what even…”

The mansion was several times larger than Ivy Castle, where she resided. It boasted a vast garden, with a gentle stream running through its center and a magnificent fountain. The scenery and sheer scale of the estate were breathtaking, almost unbelievable for a house located in the heart of the capital.

Catherine paused for a moment, taking it all in before hailing a passing carriage.

Before long, she arrived back at the castle. Familiar with the guards and gatekeepers, she easily talked her way inside and returned to Ivy Castle without incident.

After days of inquiries, she finally discovered the identity of the place she had spent the night.

‘The man… was Duke Lucas Williams.’

Lucas Williams, the Duke.

Of course, Catherine had heard of him. She even knew about him—but now that she thought about it, she had never actually seen his face up close.

She had only caught glimpses of him from afar, and at most, he would briefly greet the Emperor at a ball before retreating to the second floor, making it nearly impossible to meet him face-to-face.

However, she had heard countless rumors about him and his immense influence.

A fortune rivaling that of the royal family. Nearly all of the empire’s fertile lands belonged to the Williams estate, or so they said.

And, of course, he was a war hero.

Back when the previous Duke of Williams was still alive, it was said that Lucas distinguished himself as a knight on the battlefield, achieving remarkable feats of valor.

Thanks to his accomplishments, Lucas, despite being born a bastard, earned the Duke’s trust and was adopted as the Duchess’s son, eventually inheriting the title of Duke.

Some labeled him a ruthless killer, but for the empire, he was an indispensable sword and shield.

Even now, neighboring countries refrained from provoking the empire, largely due to their fear of Duke Williams.

However, lingering questions remained about the deaths of his brothers, who had all perished one after another during the war they fought alongside him.

Whispers speculated that Lucas might have been the one who killed them, but such accusations remained unspoken in his presence, forever trailing him like a shadow.