Breeding Instinct - Chapter 2: Crescent Moon (5)

Only then did Kanna properly face Rosabelle, who stood frozen for a moment, staring at her in awe. When they first exchanged greetings, Rosabelle hadn’t realized just how striking Kanna’s appearance was.

There was something unique about her aura—a captivating combination of beauty and sensuality. It felt almost otherworldly, as if she weren’t human.

Rosabelle snapped back to reality when she noticed Kanna’s eyes slowly lowering to the floor.

“Oh! My apologies. If you tell me where the dressing room is, I’ll assist you.”

“This way,” said Landon, stepping forward to guide them.

Kanna followed Rosabelle into the dressing room and immediately began taking off the maid’s uniform, eager to change since she knew Damian was waiting outside.

“Ah, wait a moment,” Rosabelle interrupted, pulling out a measuring tape. She meticulously recorded Kanna’s measurements, leaving no detail unchecked.

Kanna felt slightly uncomfortable under Rosabelle’s intense gaze, especially once her maid’s uniform was fully removed. When she tried to cover herself with her long, flowing red hair, Rosabelle gently stopped her.

“Young lady, I still need to measure your neck circumference. Please wait just a moment,” said Rosabelle, working quickly and precisely. Having measured hundreds of people, she skillfully checked every detail with impressive speed.

Even in the middle of her busy task, Rosabelle noticed the faint marks on Kanna’s body—clear signs of intimacy. It didn’t take her long to realize that this girl was the rumored partner of the famously reserved Duke Royce.

Rosabelle was convinced her good fortune had struck again. With renewed respect, she carefully finished taking Kanna’s measurements and helped her into the dress.

“If you ever need comfortable sleepwear or loungewear, feel free to tell me. I happen to be very skilled at designing such outfits,” Rosabelle offered.

“…Yes,” Kanna replied softly.

Rosabelle had grown used to the vanity of noblewomen or women favored by noblemen. They often started with modest requests, only to demand increasingly extravagant items. However, Kanna’s complete lack of interest in material things caught her off guard.

“Are we done?” Kanna asked quietly, uncomfortable being alone with a stranger for too long.

“Yes, we’re all done. You look wonderful,” Rosabelle assured her.

The dress, made entirely of various shades of blue fabric, was perfect for spring. Light yet designed with a high neckline, it was ideal for the transitional season.

“Oh! I also brought a pair of matching shoes. Would you like to try them on? I believe they’ll fit perfectly,” Rosabelle suggested.

Kanna glanced at the shiny blue shoes with curiosity, contrasting with the plain black work shoes she was wearing.

“These shoes were made as part of a set with the dress. If you’d wear them, I’d be honored. Consider them a gift from me,” Rosabelle said warmly.

After a moment of hesitation, Kanna slipped her feet into the shoes. As Rosabelle had predicted, they fit perfectly. Kanna took a few steps in place and was surprised by how comfortable they were, despite being new.

Her mother had always insisted that new shoes would hurt her feet, giving her only worn-out shoes from her sister. Her mother had said it was a sacrifice on her sister’s part, allowing Kanna to wear more “comfortable” shoes.

Kanna had never doubted her mother’s words—until now. For the first time, something felt wrong. Her chest tightened, and she felt an unpleasant sensation, as though something heavy was pressing against her nose and mouth.

Unable to endure it, Kanna suddenly bolted out of the dressing room.

“Oh, Young Lady!”

Rosabelle was alarmed. Kanna, who had seemed perfectly fine just moments ago, had suddenly turned pale and dashed out. Worried, Rosabelle quickly followed, only to see Damian standing just outside the dressing room. She gasped silently at his imposing presence.

“What’s going on?”

Damian had been waiting on the sofa but had walked over when he sensed her pheromones. At that exact moment, Kanna burst out of the dressing room.

It didn’t take long for Damian to realize that Kanna hadn’t noticed him visually—she had sensed his approach through his pheromones. She didn’t seem startled at all when she saw him and immediately ran into his arms.

Although she had trouble responding to his pheromones earlier, she now instinctively reacted to them in moments like this. Amused and pleased, Damian hugged her tightly.

“…Is it because you don’t like it?” he asked.

Kanna shook her head silently in response.

“Kanna, I believe I’ve told you once before—that kind of behavior is considered rude,” he said softly, his voice dropping slightly.

Kanna trembled and lifted her head, meeting his gaze. “…I do like it.”

“Then why do you look like that?”

She remained silent, unwilling to share anything about her past. Instead, she clung tightly to his waist.

Seeing her stubborn refusal to explain, Damian decided to read the answer in her pheromones.

“My deepest apologies!” Rosabelle exclaimed nervously. “I gave her the shoes as a gift, but it seems they didn’t please her. I sincerely apologize for the offense.”

Startled, Kanna looked up at Damian in confusion. Half understanding the situation from her expression and pheromones, Damian raised his hand dismissively and said, “Leave the catalog behind.”

Now that Kanna had clothes to wear, Damian saw no reason to rush. He took her hand and led her back to the bedroom, leaving Landon to handle the aftermath.

Once inside, he sat her on the windowsill before taking a seat across from her.

“If you don’t speak clearly, no one will understand,” he said.

“…”

“If you don’t want to explain with words, try expressing it to me in another way,” he added.

Damian was planning to use this opportunity to encourage Kanna to communicate with him through her pheromones. But Kanna looked puzzled by his suggestion.

She blinked, her lips parting slightly before she finally spoke.

“…The new shoes… they’re really comfortable.”

“Kanna, that’s not enough for me to understand. You need to explain in more detail,” he urged.

“Y-yes… A long time ago, my mom said new shoes hurt your feet, so she gave me my sister’s shoes instead. She told me to apologize to my sister because… because her heels got blistered from wearing new shoes because of me…”

Hearing her words, a wave of heat surged through Damian’s mind. This information hadn’t been in the investigation report—naturally, such details could only be learned from Kanna herself or extracted from the people of the Baron Maclen family through more… persuasive methods.

For now, those methods were not an option. Damian clenched his fists, suppressing the rising fury that threatened to overwhelm him.

Sensing the sudden shift in his pheromones, Kanna turned pale and trembled slightly.

Damian considered her animal-like ears, trying to determine what kind of beast she might be. He had been unable to find any matching species within the Chevell Empire.

However, since he was still investigating through trade connections, it wouldn’t be long before he found out. Based on her reactions, he suspected she might belong to a prey species.

There was another reason he believed that—every time he looked at her, his mouth watered. The strange mix of hunger and desire she awakened in him was undeniable.

A woman who aroused both his appetite and lust at once—how unfortunate that their fates had intertwined in such a complicated way.

Leaning back in his chair with a lazy posture, Damian extended his hand toward her.

“Come here.”

His voice, unusually gentle, seemed to cast a spell on her. Entranced, Kanna approached him.

“Closer,” he said softly.

She stepped closer, eventually settling on his lap. Damian wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close until their chests touched.

“Kiss me,” he whispered.

“…Pardon?”

“A kiss. We didn’t kiss yesterday,” he said, his voice low and playful.

Though he had stolen a kiss from her when she was fast asleep the night before, he feigned innocence.

“Uh… um…”

At his request, Kanna’s face turned red as her eyes darted nervously. After some hesitation, she slowly pressed her lips to his. Recalling a scene from a romance novel she had read, she opened her lips and gently bit down on his well-shaped mouth.

Caught off guard by her bold attempt at a kiss, Damian couldn’t help but chuckle. His quiet laughter startled Kanna, and she pulled back, not understanding why he was laughing. But seeing his warm expression, she couldn’t help but stare at him blankly.

“Hah… You’re just like a child. No, actually, even kids these days know what a kiss is. You’re more like a baby.”

Though he had been trying to suppress his desire, her clumsy attempt amused him. Smiling softly, Damian’s eyes curved in delight.

“Try again,” he said.

Kanna hesitated. The romance novel had described a kiss that way, but judging by his reaction, it didn’t seem quite right. Unsure what to do, she glanced around nervously.

Watching her with amusement, Damian tilted his head slightly and smirked. “I’ll teach you how to do it. Then you can try again.”

“O-okay…”

The moment she opened her mouth to answer, his tongue slipped inside like a living creature. The unfamiliar sensation of the wet sound close to her ears made her instinctively grip his arm and open her mouth wider.

The intrusion was different from when she had accidentally bitten him before, but it still felt vaguely familiar.

Damian tilted his head further, perfectly locking their lips together. His tongue explored her mouth thoroughly, tracing her soft inner cheeks and occasionally brushing against her sharper-than-usual canines. He flicked the roof of her mouth and teased it with gentle strokes.

As their tongues intertwined more deeply, their saliva mixed and dripped between their lips. Each time their mouths parted and reconnected, slick, wet sounds filled the room.

He lightly bit her lower lip, tugging it playfully, then sucked it back into his mouth. Despite doing nothing more than kissing, he found himself entirely engrossed, fascinated by how soft and warm everything about her was.

Taking a deep breath, Damian caught the scent of her slowly spreading pheromones. The sweet, cool fragrance filled his senses, bringing him an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. It felt like sinking into pleasantly warm water—calming yet dangerously addictive if he let himself go too far.

Still locking lips with her, Damian chuckled again. For the first time in his life, he was experiencing a range of emotions he’d never known.

His long fingers slid up her back, settling on her delicate, pale neck. Gripping her firmly, he deepened the kiss, rougher and more demanding than before.

He completely forgot his earlier intention of letting her take the lead. Her presence was shaking the foundations of his world, and Damian vowed to immerse her entirely in his own colors before she could change him any further.