Linia Took in a Child - Chapter 3: The Man with Red Eyes (2) (M)

His voice, rough as if parched from a long thirst, echoed in her ear. Linia froze at the sound of a buckle being undone behind her.

“N-no, not here…”

“You can make all the noise you want.”

Edwin spoke in a gentle tone as he held her small hands in his own. Guiding her toward a nearby tree, he pressed her body against it and positioned her hands to grip the trunk.

The large hands that had covered the backs of hers pulled away, only to firmly grab her buttocks, squeezing and spreading them apart. Sliding his fully erect member into the cleft between her cheeks, Edwin began rubbing against her. The tip of his shaft, already slick with precum, glided easily against her skin.

“…Wait, ngh…!”

As the tip of his shaft pressed into her sensitive entrance, a soft groan escaped Linia’s lips. She clawed at the rough bark of the tree with her nails, her legs trembling faintly. She already felt as though simply standing was too much for her.

“…Ahh!”

But before she could adjust, the firm flesh pushed deeper inside, parting her from within.

Listening to the continuous moans spilling from her, Edwin felt the tight ache in his lower body intensify. Despite her tightness, the warmth inside her was intoxicating. Moving leisurely, he stroked her inner walls with his shaft, pressing himself in all the way to the base.

When he reached deep inside her, she instinctively leaned her upper body forward, as though trying to escape. Her trembling figure, pressed against the tree, looked as though it might collapse at any moment. Edwin, with one arm wrapped tightly around her waist, skillfully continued to move his hips.

“Nngh… Ah! Hnnngh, ugh…!”

Holding her close from behind, Edwin pressed his lips to her delicate shoulder. As he opened his mouth and bit down on her skin, Linia shuddered violently. He began thrusting faster, increasing the intensity of his movements. His hips slammed upward forcefully, as though aiming to fill her completely, before he tensed his lower body tightly.

Finally, a warm liquid spurted deep inside her, coating her inner walls. Edwin released the skin he had bitten, leaving faint teeth marks, and exhaled a satisfied breath.

Linia, barely able to stand with her weight supported by his arm, thought it was finally over and attempted to move away from his embrace. But just as she began to pull back, a hot palm pressed against the underside of her thigh.

Startled, Linia froze. Desperate to get away, she reached back with her hands to push him off, but he didn’t budge. Instead, he pressed his body even closer to hers.

Then, he lifted her left thigh, spreading her legs wide. As her inner thigh opened fully, his rigid shaft slipped out, sliding free.

Linia panted shallowly, her breaths uneven. The cold air brushing against her exposed skin sent a chill down her spine. As she squirmed to push him away, a milky fluid began to trickle down from below.

He pressed the escaping seed back inside her as his shaft pushed once again into her tight entrance. Linia knew that no matter what she said, the man wouldn’t stop. The thought that neither pleading nor resistance would work left her feeling resigned. She let her body go limp, attempting to accept him more easily.

“Haah…”

As Linia’s once-tense body softened slightly, Edwin began moving his hips again. He found her delicate, swaying figure beautiful as she yielded helplessly to his motions. The pale, rounded curves of her chest bouncing in the air, her trembling toes, and the slight twitching of her fingers—all of it captivated him.

Each time her nipples brushed against the rough bark of the tree, she whimpered pitifully. Her cries of anguish sounded sweet to Edwin’s ears, making him want to tease her further. It felt as though she was finally embracing the pleasure he was giving her, and he wanted to hear her cry out even more.

“There’s no one here, Linia, so you can cry as much as you want,” he murmured.

“Hngh…! Ah! Ahhng…!”

“Well, maybe the beasts in the forest are listening.”

Gripping her waist, Edwin leisurely pulled his hips back. Then, with a sharp thrust, he drove himself into her again, causing the fluids spilling from inside her to splatter down her thighs.

“…Ahhng, ah!”

“Crying out so lewdly like that… haah… what would you do if some aroused beast came to claim you?”

His breath was rough as it brushed against the back of her neck.

“You’re already struggling with a human cock. Do you think you could handle a beast’s?”

At his vulgar joke, Linia’s shoulders trembled, and she tightly closed her eyes. All she could do was hope for this moment to end as quickly as possible.

“Haah… Was my joke too cruel?”

Edwin smirked as he spoke, finding her sensitivity endearing. Even such crude words seemed to wound her, which only made her more adorable in his eyes.

He pulled her trembling body into a fierce embrace. He wanted nothing more than to fill her insides with his seed. Yet, no matter how hard he pounded into her like a beast, the insatiable thirst he felt refused to be quenched.

From the start, her body seemed made for this purpose—to take his seed. Her naturally enticing scent, her voice, even the breaths she exhaled were unbearably stimulating. He couldn’t help but think how ridiculous it was for someone with such a sinfully erotic body to call herself a saint.

Her inner walls, trembling as if in fear, clenched tightly around him, urging him on. With his shaft buried deep inside her, Edwin finally released, spilling his seed into her waiting body.

Eventually, he withdrew his shaft from her tight entrance. As their tightly joined bodies separated, her head and arms fell limply downward, devoid of strength.

Edwin turned her body toward him. Her long eyelashes were soaked with tears, and trails of dampness remained on her pale, bloodless cheeks. As he gazed down at her unconscious face, Edwin slowly lowered his gaze further.

Her thighs were drenched with a mixture of fluids. Seeing her in such a pitiful state stirred him again, making him feel himself grow hard once more. He pressed her body closer to the tree trunk, ensuring it was firmly against her.

At that moment, Edwin noticed scratches on her arms.

The faint red marks appeared to have been caused by the rough bark of the tree. If he continued like this, her delicate white skin would undoubtedly end up scraped and bloody.

‘Well, I suppose there’s no helping it.’

Suppressing the growing urge to take her again, Edwin adjusted his clothes. Lifting Linia into his arms, he began walking back toward the mansion, already thinking about continuing where they left off—this time, on the bed.

*

When she opened her eyes, she was lying on the bed. The faint light of early dawn streamed softly through the window. Her entire body ached and stung. Linia had to grit her teeth to suppress the groan that threatened to escape her lips.

Slowly, she pushed herself up into a sitting position. As the blanket that had been covering her chest slipped down, her bare body was fully exposed. Scratches were scattered across her pale skin. The chilling sensations from the previous night came rushing back, and Linia instinctively curled up.

After a moment, a thought suddenly struck her—Ruin. Linia quickly dressed and headed straight to the child’s room. Her urgency caused her steps to falter repeatedly. One step at a time, she forced herself forward until she finally reached the door. Opening it, she held her breath.

“Ah…”

Relief flooded through her as she saw Ruin asleep in bed. The anxiety that had gripped her melted away, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Her knees nearly gave out beneath her, but Linia forced herself to move and sat on the edge of the bed. She began to carefully check Ruin’s body, searching for any signs of injury. Thankfully, there were none—not on his arms, legs, or anywhere else.

Finally, Linia leaned in to examine the child’s face. As she did, a tear that had pooled in her eye fell onto Ruin’s soft, white cheek. At that moment, Ruin stirred and opened his eyes.

“…Linia?”

“Yes, I’m here,” she whispered.

At the sound of his sleepy voice calling her name, Linia cupped Ruin’s cheek with one hand. Gently, she caressed his face as if to reassure him.

“You were so scared, weren’t you? It’s okay now, Ruin,” she said softly.

Ruin didn’t say anything, and Linia simply held him close. Even though it might have felt suffocating, Ruin remained still for a long time, letting her embrace him. The warmth of his small body gradually steadied the trembling in Linia’s hands.

“I’m so glad you’re safe. I was so worried something might have happened to you.”

“Thank you for coming back safely,” Linia whispered once more.

After a long pause, Ruin finally opened his tightly shut lips. In a voice still thick with sleep, he began to recount the events of the previous day, stumbling over his words as he spoke.

“…When I woke up, I couldn’t see anything. I kept calling out, but no one answered.”

Ruin explained that he had been trapped in a pitch-dark room all day, completely alone. And then, when he woke up again, he found himself back here.

“I’m scared to fall asleep. What if I wake up in that place again?”

“…That won’t happen,” Linia replied softly.

She couldn’t bring herself to tell Ruin about the man. The man had warned her not to reveal anything about him to anyone. She was terrified of what might happen if she disobeyed—afraid that Ruin or someone else could be harmed. Perhaps the abduction was his way of showing that he could hurt others whenever he wanted.

“I’ll stay right next to you. I’ll hold you tight so that no bad person can take you away.”

“You promise? Not even for a second, okay?”

“Yes, I promise.”

Linia answered as she pulled the small body deeper into her embrace under the blanket. The soft, short hair on Ruin’s head tickled her chin, sending a faint tingling sensation through her.

As Linia gradually regained her composure, she felt Ruin stir in her arms. When she loosened her hold, Ruin lifted his head. His wide, fearful black eyes drooped slightly at the corners, brimming with worry.

“Linia, can I sleep with you from now on?”

“How about we start tonight? You can sleep in my room from now on.”

Ruin nodded twice and then leaned back into her embrace. Feeling the child’s unease, Linia gently stroked his hair, her touch as tender as possible.

“When you wake up, I’ll still be right here. So don’t be afraid—you can go back to sleep.”

At her soft reassurance, Ruin quietly closed his eyes and nestled into her arms. Soothed by her calming touch, he quickly drifted off to sleep, the tension leaving his small frame.

* * *

Two days had passed since then. Every morning when Linia woke, the first thing she did was check if Ruin was still beside her. It was only after seeing his peaceful face nestled in her arms that she felt reassured.

During that time, the man had not returned even once. While the sudden peace should have been a relief, it only left Linia feeling more anxious. The fear that he might appear that very night gnawed at her, yet the hours slipped by all the same.

That evening, after an early dinner, Linia and Ruin were in their room when a visitor arrived at the mansion—it was Russell. Despite the unexpected visit, Linia went downstairs to greet him in person.

Judging by his slightly disheveled black hair, it seemed he had ridden here on horseback. Still, his voice carried the same polite tone as always. After a brief inquiry about her well-being, he quickly moved to the main topic.

“I came because there’s something I need to tell you,” he said.

“If it’s a long conversation, would you prefer to come upstairs?” Linia offered.

“It is a bit late, but if it’s no trouble, I’ll take you up on that,” he replied courteously.

Linia led him up to the second floor. As she opened the door to her room, Ruin immediately sat up and called out, “Linia.” His swift movement made it seem as though he was about to rush into her arms.

However, when Russell followed her into the room, Ruin hesitated. He froze mid-motion, as if unsure what to do, and then lay back down, pulling the blanket over his head. It was clear he was uncomfortable with Russell’s presence. The sight brought a faint smile to Russell’s face, as though he found it endearing. But the smile quickly faded.

“What I need to discuss might not be suitable for the child to hear… Perhaps it would be best if Ruin stepped out for a moment. My apologies to him,” Russell suggested cautiously.

Linia glanced at the bed, her expression uneasy.

“Linia, do I have to leave?” Ruin asked, peeking out from beneath the blanket, his wide eyes filled with uncertainty.

Recently, Ruin had refused to be apart from her, even for short moments. While he could tolerate being alone for a few minutes, anything longer—especially at night—terrified him. The memory of that day still haunted him, making solitude unbearable.

“Can Ruin stay and listen?” Linia asked. “He’s been afraid of being alone in the evenings.”

“If that’s the case, I understand. I’ll keep it as brief as possible,” Russell agreed.

Linia and Russell sat across from each other at a small table in the room. After a moment’s hesitation, Russell began to speak.

“About three days ago, a fire broke out in our territory.”

Linia was stunned into silence, her expression betraying her shock at hearing about such a significant event. After a moment, she cautiously spoke.

“Then, were there… any survivors?”

“Unfortunately, by the time the fire was extinguished, everyone had already…” Russell trailed off, deliberately omitting the rest for the sake of the child listening nearby.

He recounted how he had visited the scene the day after the fire. It had been a harrowing sight. The charred bodies were burned beyond recognition, making it impossible to identify anyone.

To understand what had happened, Russell had spoken with investigators. One investigator, who had spent the night examining the site, noted something peculiar—it didn’t seem like a simple accident.

The first witness to notice the fire, a resident of the estate, testified that there had been no screams or sounds of distress from the burning house—only eerie silence. The neighbors speculated that the victims had been deeply asleep and unable to escape. However, the investigator suspected the victims might have already been dead before the fire began.

Later that afternoon, another witness came forward: a woman living in the house across the street. She claimed to have seen someone enter the house just before the fire broke out. It was dark, and she hadn’t been able to make out any details, but she was certain the figure was a tall man.

“Aside from the fire, there was also a missing persons case that same day,” Russell added gravely.

“A… missing person?”

The timing struck Linia like a cold blade—it was the same day Ruin had gone missing. She glanced at the window, where the faint glow of sunset had faded into darkness. The room’s heavy atmosphere, coupled with the thought that he might be outside listening, made her tense up instinctively.

“The missing man’s body was found this morning, but… I heard it was severely mutilated,” Russell continued in a somber tone.

The victim was the son of a wealthy merchant family. He had gone hunting in the mountains but was found at the bottom of a cliff. His head had been shattered to the point where identifying him was only possible by his clothes and physical features.

One oddity stood out: the victim’s wife had stated he was wearing a navy coat when he left, but the body was found without it.

That wasn’t the only strange detail. The village doctor, after examining the body, insisted that the condition of the head couldn’t have been caused by a simple fall. Instead, it appeared as though his skull had been crushed from both sides by immense force, causing it to burst.

“The investigator suspects it was a murder staged to look like an accident. They also believe the arsonist and the killer might be the same person,” Russell explained.

At this point, Russell glanced at Linia, worried. Her face had gone pale, and she kept her gaze lowered, her hands tightly clenched. She was clearly shaken. Russell found himself wanting to reach out and hold her trembling hands, but he continued speaking instead.

“Since the culprit hasn’t been caught yet, I’m concerned that this estate, being so close to the incidents, might also be at risk. That’s why I wanted to suggest something, Linia. I can arrange for you to stay in one of the guest rooms at my estate. It’s safer there.”

His voice carried genuine concern, as he worried that the mansion—occupied by only three women and a child—might become an easy target.

“Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness. In that case… we’ll accept your offer and stay there for a while,” Linia replied, her voice steady despite her inner turmoil.

“There’s no need to thank me. I haven’t even begun to repay the kindness you’ve shown me. I’ll send a carriage tomorrow morning,” Russell said with a small smile as he stood, ready to leave before it got any darker.

As Linia stood to see him out, Ruin suddenly slid off the bed and ran to her. With light but determined footsteps, he threw his arms around her waist, holding her tightly as if to stop her from leaving.

“Ruin, I’ll just step out for a moment,” she said gently.

“…I’m scared. Don’t leave me alone.”

Ruin’s faint, trembling voice tugged at Linia’s heart. She gently raised a hand and stroked his hair, trying to comfort him. As she hesitated, clearly feeling sorry for not being able to take him along, Russell offered her a reassuring smile.

“Make sure to lock the doors securely. I’ll see you tomorrow at the estate, Linia.”

“Yes, have a safe trip back.”

Russell turned his attention to Ruin, who was still clinging tightly to Linia. He had intended to bid the child goodbye, expecting the same reaction as always—avoidance. But to his surprise, Ruin had already lifted his head to look directly at him.

Even more unexpected was the faint curve of the child’s lips—it was a smile.

“Goodbye,” Ruin said softly.

“…Yes, see you tomorrow,” Russell replied, trying to mask his surprise.

The boy had always avoided meeting his gaze before. Was it possible that Ruin was finally growing comfortable with him? As comforting as that thought should have been, Russell couldn’t shake the unease settling in his chest.

There was something unsettling about the way those jet-black eyes had locked onto his. For a fleeting moment, he had the distinct impression that Ruin’s expression wasn’t just polite or innocent—it seemed amused. Almost as if the boy was enjoying something only he understood.

* * *