My Ruin to You - Chapter 90

Post-o****m Valen was far more indulgent. He laughed off the death threat and nipped at the tip of her nose before slowly pulling out. Her stretched hole gaped slightly, dripping white onto the ruined sheets—a disgustingly lewd sight.

“It’s leaking, Roseline. Clench.”

He swiped his tongue over his lips, then gave her a*s a light smack. Roseline yanked the blankets over herself with a scowl.

Pervert. Deviant. Horny bastard. Her glare said it all, but she kept her mouth shut, panting heavily.

Valen tidied himself first, then wiped between her thighs with a damp cloth. Cleaning up after s*x had always been his responsibility. At first, she’d flinched at every touch, but now—despite her grumbling—she accepted it without protest.

Even now, half-asleep and still scowling, she didn’t resist. Her eyelids drooped, exhaustion overtaking her. Watching her drowsy face, Valen’s expression softened.

He draped a cloth haphazardly over himself before perching on the edge of the bed. His large hand, seemingly unable to resist touching her, cupped Roseline’s cheek. Half-asleep, she instinctively nuzzled into his palm, drawing a soft chuckle from him as his lips curved.

“What to do… You shouldn’t fall asleep yet.”

Her long lashes fluttered open, revealing drowsy eyes glazed with exhaustion as they focused on Valen.

“I’d love to let you sleep, but we have to leave soon.”

“…Me too?”

“Naturally.”

The place you naturally must go.

No subject was needed—the destination was clear. The capital.

“What about the knights who entered the stronghold yesterday? You said they haven’t returned yet.”

Roseline pushed herself up unsteadily. It wasn’t just that she wasn’t mentally prepared to face the capital; their safety mattered deeply to her.

“I have no reason to wait for them.”

His fingers brushed her tangled hair behind her ear with surprising gentleness, but his tone remained indifferent. He wasn’t wrong. A man of his standing had no obligation to account for every subordinate’s whereabouts. Besides, it was only right to deliver the marquis’ severed head to the capital before it spoiled further.

As the ruins of her future loomed closer, Roseline’s face paled dramatically. Just like when she’d seen the marquis’ grisly trophy yesterday, her stomach churned, and her pulse thundered erratically.

◇◇◇

She’d assumed her condition would improve as they traveled, but it only worsened the farther they got from the territory.

Her breath grew shallow, her skull pounding with the violent rhythm of her heartbeat. She tried to steady her breathing, but it was no use. Reluctantly, she began channeling mana in small bursts, using it to forcibly stabilize herself.

While the mana flowed, she managed to regain some semblance of calm—but it never lasted. Once the energy dissipated, the hammering pulse returned, and soon her vision blurred with dizzying vertigo. Oh no… Why is this happening? Am I going to drop dead before we even reach the capital?

“Using mana again, I see.”

Valen tugged the reins, halting his horse, and the knights behind them followed suit. Keeping the reins in one hand, he pressed the other to Roseline’s forehead. Even accounting for the cold weather, her skin was alarmingly cool—unusual, given that her body typically ran warmer than his.

After testing her temperature repeatedly with his palm and the back of his hand, his expression hardened.

“Tell me where and how you’re unwell.”

“I’m fine. Just a little uncomfortable.”

“You wouldn’t be burning mana like that if you were fine.”

“…My stomach’s a bit upset. Maybe it’s from riding for so long.”

“How curious. Are you with a child already?”

Roseline recoiled, jabbing her elbow into his chest with a glare. Valen let out an amused huff—”Hurts, does it? And yet you’ve got strength to spare”—before turning to bark orders at the knights behind them. “Scout a campsite.”

Sirga and two cavalrymen peeled away, vanishing down a forest path.

Even after the horses had fully stopped, Roseline’s condition didn’t improve. Not when dismounting, not when her boots hit the ground. Her head remained bowed, shoulders trembling intermittently.

“Look at me.”

Valen gripped her chin, forcing it up. His sharp eyes—rarely ever wide—flickered with something unreadable.