Chapter 16
Back when Lilien was little, she once got stabbed in the side with a wooden sword during a mock fight and started bawling her eyes out. What did Cairn do back then…?
‘I’m curious about what a titmouse’s egg looks like. There should be some in a hole high up in one of the trees in the Baltar palace gardens.’
Cairn had climbed up the tree like a monkey and brought down the eggs with careful hands so she could see them.
‘Okay, I’ve seen enough—put them back where they were!’
She’d ordered him to return them so the mother bird wouldn’t worry, and he’d dutifully obeyed.
So surely, he’d give in this time, too.
“I promise. I’ll do anything you ask.”
No matter how many tricks Lilien played on him, Cairn always fell for them like a fool.
“Really?”
“Of course. This time… want me to go catch you a bear or something?”
“No! Don’t kill any animals.”
“Alright, then what? Hm?”
He was already holding both her hands tightly.
“Well then…”
Lilien swung his hands playfully.
“Then… let’s kiss, with tongues.”
For a split second, it felt like the whole world stopped. Even the breeze around them seemed to still, leaving only their quiet breaths in the empty air.
Cairn, moving stiffly like a wooden puppet, had barely let go of her hands before she grabbed him again.
“You said you’d do anything!”
She stepped up close to him, tugging on the high navy silk collar of his shirt. The rough silver embroidery beneath her thumbs started to fray.
“Hm?”
Right then, a question suddenly hit Lilien.
‘When I see you with Sir Heddington, you seem so free. You even play little pranks and just act like your true self…’
Just moments ago, she hadn’t been able to hide how uncomfortable she was around Victor. But as soon as Cairn was by her side, all of her worries melted away. Not only was she at ease—she now found herself brazenly expressing all her desires to him.
Why was that?
She was on the verge of pondering the question when Cairn interrupted her train of thought.
“Lilien.”
She looked up at him with wide eyes at the sound of his low voice.
“You know, what you’re doing right now is s****l harassment. If you go any further, it’ll be s****l assault. Got it?”
His pointed words snapped her out of it.
She’d been so caught up in chasing inspiration for her writing, she hadn’t realized how inappropriate she was being toward him.
She quickly shoved him away.
“I’m sorry. Really, I’m sorry. I went too far.”
He nodded as he straightened his rumpled collar.
“We both messed up today. Let’s just pretend this never happened. Come on, people are probably waiting for us.”
“…Okay.”
He reached out his hand for a truce, and she quietly took it.
“I… I’ll just try to find someone else, then. Sorry again.”
Lilien wasn’t even sure why she was so desperate to try kissing him, but one thing was certain—she couldn’t just stop here. She had to do something. Writing was her only way to breathe, her only means of connecting with the world.
But could shy little Lilien really find another man to try this with?
“…What?”
“Hm?”
“What did you just say?”
“I said I was sorry…”
“Before that!”
“It seems like kissing means a lot to you, so I’ll just try to find someone else. Sir Regid said men can separate their hearts and bodies, so—”
The mention of Victor Regid made Cairn’s face darken even more.
“Hmm… Judging by your expression, maybe he’s not a good idea. So, can you recommend someone else? Preferably a real rake—someone who kisses people all the time, with a lot of experience.”
A guy who kisses as casually as he eats—maybe with someone like that, she wouldn’t feel so embarrassed.
“Hey!”
Cairn’s thunderous shout made Lilien jump.
“Do it with me.”
“Huh? But you said you didn’t want to.”
“Victor Regid is right. For most men, this stuff doesn’t mean much, so just do it with me.”
“But…”
“Come on.”
Now the tables had turned—Cairn was the one gently wrapping his arms around her waist. Everything had escalated so quickly that Lilien couldn’t even think straight.
“You started this, right?”
Cairn let out a deep breath, his Adam’s apple bobbing roughly. He hesitated a moment, then suddenly kissed her deeply. His heated lips teased hers open, gently coaxing her mouth to part for his tongue.
“Mmm…”
Lilien let out a soft moan as his thick, skillful tongue brushed teasingly against hers. She’d been the one to ask for it, but he was the first to make the move.
‘Cairn really is good at everything…’
Even in the whirlwind of it all, she was certain of that much.
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