Breeding Instinct - Chapter 3: Sanghyeon (1) (M)

Among the nobility of the Chevell Empire, a discreet rumor was circulating—speculation about the identity of Duke Royce’s “Pink Rose.”

In the Chevell Empire, a “Pink Rose” referred to a nobleman’s lover, someone he was romantically involved with without marriage as the ultimate goal. Sometimes, it also described a partner from one’s youthful, passionate days when love was pure and untainted.

In short, it was a sweet and elegant way to refer to a woman favored by a nobleman, even if her status didn’t quite match his.

“Did you hear? Recently, they’ve been ordering a lot of dresses from Penelope Wells Boutique.”

As a result, whenever a tea party was held, both noblewomen and young ladies of aristocratic circles filled the air with gossip about Duke Royce and his mysterious partner.

“Oh my, I never imagined Duke Royce was such a considerate gentleman.”

“Of course, we all know he’s handsome and charming, but I always thought he was a bit intimidating. Who would have thought he’d shower his lover with so much affection?”

“And apparently, he’s been receiving a lot of marriage proposals lately.”

“Hoho, unlike before, when people were a bit hesitant because of that old rumor.”

“You mean the rumor that he was… interested in men?”

“Oh my, how could you say such an embarrassing thing out loud?”

“Well, now that we know it’s not true, why not talk about it? Come now, aren’t you beyond blushing over this? You’re no naive young lady anymore…”

The tea party was hosted by Countess Liffe. Both the countess and her daughter, Leonie, subtly frowned at the gossip swirling around their guests.

If it were about another noble, they might have ignored it. But the rumors about Duke Royce, who was closely connected to the Liffe family, were not welcome. For Leonie, in particular, it was frustrating to hear people gossip about someone she admired.

Of all the guests, the ones Leonie disliked the most were the women of Baron Maclen’s family. Despite their relatively low rank, they flaunted their beauty and acted as if they were above others.

At the center of the current conversation was none other than Baroness Maclen herself. Though she was undeniably beautiful, her lack of refinement and haughty manner made her intolerable.

“Mother, why did you send an invitation to the Maclen family?” Leonie asked, clearly displeased.

Countess Liffe sighed and whispered in response, “My old friend from back home is determined to marry her daughter into a noble family in the capital. They may be from an earl’s family, but they’re provincial nobles with poor estates. It would be difficult to marry her off unless it’s to a baron or viscount. And there aren’t many eligible bachelors at the moment.”

“…Surely you don’t mean to introduce her to Philip von Maclen?”

Leonie frowned deeply at the mention of Philip, whose reputation preceded him.

“Leonie, how many times have I told you not to make that face? You’ll get wrinkles if you keep it up.”

“Fine,” Leonie replied curtly. She pressed her fingertips to her forehead before carefully painting a serene expression on her face.

“Always remain a sweet young lady, my dear,” her mother said gently.

“Yes, Mother.”

Though they were the hosts, both women observed the guests carefully, keeping a close eye on the liveliest table in the room.

“Oh my, Baroness Maclen, what’s that necklace you’re wearing?”

“This? Ah, let me tell you,” Paula replied, her face lighting up. Delighted by the attention, she delicately touched the pendant with her fingertips and spoke with a boastful tone.

“Our dear Philip bought it for me, saying it reminded him of my eye color and that it was beautiful.”

“My goodness, what a thoughtful son he is!”

“Philip loves surprising me with little gifts like this,” Paula added with a proud smile.

The emerald pendant around her neck appeared to be around 30 carats. The surrounding noblewomen and young ladies looked on with curiosity and envy.

“Mine’s also a gift from Philip,” said Lily, showing off her necklace. It had a different design but was similarly adorned with an emerald pendant.

Openly boasting about their possessions was far from proper behavior. Just as Paula and Lily were basking in the attention, an earl’s wife discreetly asked,

“By the way, does Philip von Maclen still frequent gambling dens? My son ran into him recently, and he mentioned that Philip was extremely drunk. I’m worried he might harm his health.”

Her comment was like a bucket of cold water, causing Paula and Lily’s expressions to freeze. Before they could retaliate and spoil the mood, Countess Liffe swiftly intervened.

“Once he finds a wife, he’ll surely be well taken care of. It’s nice to learn a new side of the young Baron Maclen,” she said with a warm smile.

The hostess’s smooth redirection worked. The other guests turned their attention back to their own conversations, leaving the tense air to settle.

Grateful, Paula and Lily smiled at Countess Liffe, who seized the chance to inquire further.

“Isn’t Baron Maclen’s son of marriageable age? He must be receiving plenty of proposals.”

“Hmm, yes, there are quite a few,” Paula admitted.

“Of course! He’s so handsome—it’s only natural,” the countess added.

“But none of them have really caught our interest. If you know of a suitable young lady, I’d love a recommendation,” Paula said with a hopeful tone.

“Well, as it happens, I do know someone,” the countess replied smoothly.

Both women exchanged knowing looks, their conversation flowing naturally as they assessed each other’s intentions.

However, one countess, unable to tolerate their cheerful exchange, recalled something her husband had mentioned and spoke up.

“Baroness Maclen.”

“…Yes, what is it?”

Paula’s mood soured instantly. She disliked being interrupted by someone who had just been gossiping about her son, but since the speaker outranked her, she forced herself to answer. Despite her efforts, her displeasure was obvious to the onlookers, who exchanged whispers among themselves.

“I heard you have a younger daughter. Why didn’t she come with you today?”

The deliberate mention of the Maclen family’s biggest secret left Paula visibly shaken. For a moment, she couldn’t hide her displeasure. Every time something like this happened, Paula felt an overwhelming hatred toward Kanna. Why did that child have to be so different from her other children?

The countess, pretending not to notice Paula’s discomfort, pressed on with a sly smile.

“My husband saw her recently and said she’s truly beautiful. I was hoping to meet her today. It’s a shame she didn’t come.”

At the mention of her husband meeting Kanna—who was practically confined to the house—Paula and Lily turned pale.

“Oh my, Countess,” one guest interjected, pretending to be surprised. “Where did your husband see her? Isn’t the youngest daughter of the Maclen family known for never leaving the house? I heard she even skipped her debutante ball. Did I get that wrong?”

“No, you’re absolutely right,” the countess confirmed. “But it seems she stepped out of the house briefly. My husband happened to see her during that time. He told me about it, and…”

Sensing the growing attention, the countess paused dramatically, preparing to reveal more. Before Countess Liffe could stop her, the situation escalated.

Unable to control herself, Paula suddenly stood up and splashed tea at the countess.

“Kyaa!”

“Don’t you dare insult a sick child!” Paula cried, her voice filled with anguish as she collapsed onto the floor, sobbing. Lily knelt beside her, trying to comfort her mother.

“Mother, it’s okay. Kanna will get better, I’m sure of it…”

“Lily, it’s too much. I just can’t bear it anymore. What did that child ever do wrong? This is all my fault…”

“Mother…” Lily whispered tearfully.

The other guests, who had been watching the scene with curiosity, quickly shifted to sympathetic tones, offering words of comfort.

“Oh my, I had no idea she was unwell. Baroness Maclen, you must have been through so much hardship,” one guest said with a kind smile.

“I know an excellent physician. Let me introduce you to him.”

“Honestly, I had no idea it was something so serious…”

Just when it seemed like the disastrous tea party was taking a turn for the better, the atmosphere suddenly froze at the sound of a cold voice. Countess Liffe and Leonie felt their hearts drop.

“How can you be so shameless and deceitful?”

“Excuse me? No matter how high your rank, Countess, you have no right to insult our family like this!” Paula shouted furiously.

The countess who had been splashed with tea calmly wiped herself with a handkerchief and stood up. Her expression was filled with disdain as she glared at Paula and Lily.

“Have you never wondered how your son, who spends his time gambling, managed to buy such expensive necklaces? And is your youngest daughter truly unable to attend because of an illness? Or is it because she’s not even at home?”

Her pointed remarks caused Countess Liffe and Leonie to stiffen. They recalled something Count Liffe had mentioned casually not long ago.

“The duke was very pleased with the deal I helped arrange. It’s fortunate that His Highness the Crown Prince was understanding this year.”

Both women, well aware of what the Crown Prince despised most, felt a gnawing suspicion rise in their minds.

The countess who had been splashed with tea walked up to Countess Liffe, struggling to keep her composure.

“If you intend to continue associating with such a vulgar family, you can leave me out of future invitations,” she said curtly. “Good day.”

Her words carried significant weight, as they had once maintained a friendly relationship as fellow noble families. Countess Liffe was visibly shaken, while Leonie quickly grasped the gravity of the situation.

Thinking fast, Leonie began guiding the other young ladies away to defuse the tension.

“Oh! I have something for you all. Would you come to my room for a moment?”

“That sounds lovely! It’s a bit chaotic here,” one of the young ladies responded eagerly.

Sensing the escalating tension, the other girls eagerly followed Leonie’s lead, leaving the troubled scene behind.

The lively tea party had clearly ended in disaster. Countess Liffe sighed deeply, realizing she had no choice but to take control and clean up the situation.

But no matter how hard she tried to focus, the words of the earlier countess and her husband’s passing remark kept echoing in her mind.

Could it be… that what the duke acquired on the black market was the youngest daughter of the Maclen family?

The mere thought sent a chill down Countess Liffe’s spine. The idea of a noble purchasing another noble was so absurd it seemed unthinkable—but now, she wasn’t so sure.

* * *

Recently, Kanna had been assigned a personal maid named Marie. Marie assisted Kanna with her daily life whenever Damian left to attend to his work. She rarely spoke, but Kanna found that comforting rather than unsettling.

It had been nearly a month since Kanna arrived at the mansion. She was gradually becoming accustomed to her new life under Damian’s guidance. One of her daily morning routines was undergoing a check-up. Initially, it was unbearably embarrassing, but over time, she had become somewhat desensitized to it.

“You should spread your legs wider, Kanna.”

“Yes…”

Kanna, who was barely hanging on the edge of the bed, spread her legs wide and spread her labia majora with her own hands to reveal her vaginal opening. Then Damian brought his face close and looked closely inside.

“It looks a bit swollen,” he observed.

He opened a prepared jar of ointment and applied it evenly to his fingers. Since they were physically intimate every night, it wasn’t uncommon for her delicate skin to become irritated and swell.

Still, Kanna never once voiced that she was in pain. Having come to understand her personality well by now, Damian didn’t scold her. Instead, he chose to take even more careful care of her himself. Surprisingly, he found that this kind of attention wasn’t unpleasant.

“Ah…”

“I know it’s cold. Just bear with it for a little while,” he said gently.

When the cool ointment touched her warm skin, it melted quickly and began to drip. Damian caught the excess ointment with his fingers and continued applying it inside, repeating the process several times.

“Hmm.”

After a few repetitions, a playful expression crossed Damian’s face, and he spoke with a mischievous tone.

“This doesn’t feel like ointment… It’s troublesome if you start leaking fluids while I’m applying it, Kanna.”

“S-sorry…”

Even without much knowledge, Kanna instinctively knew that the words Damian used were crude. Normally, his speech was refined and serious, but in moments like these, he deliberately chose provocative language.

Once, she had asked him if there was a different word he could use. He had chuckled and responded:

“This expression suits us better. You’re my female, and I’m your male. We’re not just having intercourse—we’re practicing mating.”

Hearing those words, Kanna had worried for a moment that her true nature had been discovered. It felt too much like something one would say about animals.

“You’re distracted again. I told you to focus only on me when we’re together,” Damian said.

“I’m sorry…”

“Hmm, I can’t just let this go, or you won’t learn your lesson. Turn around and lie on your stomach.”

Until now, Damian had been teasing yet somewhat gentle. But as his expression turned cold and commanding, Kanna grew tense. Having experienced his “discipline” a few times before, she knew exactly what position he was asking for.

Trembling slightly, she turned onto her stomach. She raised her hips so he could see clearly while pressing her upper body against the bedding.

“Spread your legs wider,” Damian ordered.

“Y-yes…”

As she complied, her parted folds opened fully. The sound of moisture accompanied the motion, and her pale skin gradually flushed pink with embarrassment.

Damian quietly observed Kanna, his gaze focused as he slowly ran his hands over her now slightly fuller hips.

“Even after being disciplined before, you still don’t listen. Shall we try punishing a different spot?”

His warm hand, noticeably hotter than her skin, glided slowly downward. Instinctively, her body reacted, causing her to tremble. Kanna found it strange how her body was growing accustomed to his touch.

“I won’t do it again…”