The Villainess Lives Twice: Butterfly's Dream (IF Story) - Chapter 91

“Breathe out.”

Cedric’s low voice slid over Artizea’s wet lips. Lost in the moment, she came back to her senses and exhaled deeply, then inhaled just as deeply.

Her body understood what had happened before her mind did. Her entire face flushed bright red, her breath came in ragged gasps as if from running, and her heart pounded loudly. Heat coursed through her entire body.

Thump.

Cedric pulled her cheek gently and pressed his forehead against hers.

“You really do make things difficult for me.” 

He whispered with a face that seemed both pleased and troubled. Artizea stared at him dazedly.

“What do you mean by ‘difficult’?”

“I was going to wait until you turned eighteen.”

Until then, he intended to be strictly her guardian.

One might argue what difference three days makes. But if three days ago was acceptable, what about a week ago? And if a week ago is fine, why not a month ago? If that’s allowed, then what about three months ago?

If he lets the line blur like that, it will keep slipping further down. A guardian shouldn’t do that. Considering they live under one roof and he holds absolute influence as her protector, even choosing eighteen as the threshold was a generous concession to himself.

He also knew his attitude toward Artizea couldn’t be fully objective, that he couldn’t separate personal and official matters. So he decided to follow imperial law rather than trust his own judgment.

But he was no saint. The girl he loved had tears in her eyes, shouting that she liked him, and he wasn’t disciplined enough to endure it quietly. Even after three lives, she still shattered his principles wilfully.

Artizea’s eyes widened. Cedric gently brushed her bangs aside and said.

“You’re right. I don’t want to have a political marriage with you.”

Her eyes grew even wider. Before she could misunderstand, he quickly added.

“I want a romance.”

“Lord..Ced…”

“That’s why I planned to break off the engagement I made to be your guardian. Not because I don’t like you, but because I wanted you to choose me without any obligation.”

Cedric smiled and carefully continued.

“I want a marriage for love, not politics. I want there to be no reason except for you and me.”

Artizea forgot how to speak. She prided herself on her quick thinking and judgment, but her mind went blank and she couldn’t grasp his words.

Once again, her body understood first. She felt like her entire being had turned into a beating heart. Her whole body thumped rhythmically.

Cedric lowered the hand that had been caressing her cheek and gently took both of her hands. His own face was red.

“How about it, Lady Artizea Rosan? Will you formally be in a relationship with me?”

“Lord Ced.”

Her breath was too short to answer. Cedric didn’t wait for her reply and lifted her hand, pressing his lips softly to the back of it.

Artizea nodded slightly but felt that wasn’t enough. Taking a quick breath, she said.

“On the condition of marriage.”

“That seems a bit soon.”

“I won’t accept anything else. And I absolutely won’t let you break the engagement if not.”

“That sounds like a very favorable offer for me.”

Cedric said with a laugh and pulled the hand he was holding toward him.

Artizea awkwardly stood up and was pulled toward him. Cedric sat her on his knee and hugged her.

She had been held like this many times as a child, but this moment was completely different. Artizea cautiously wrapped her arms around his neck.

Cedric lightly grasped her chin with one hand and pulled her toward him. Artizea gasped in surprise.

In that instant, he gently bit her full lower lip with his own.

“Hng…”

Though it wasn’t a particularly provocative act, a soft, surprised moan escaped from Artizea’s lips.

Her mind went blank again. Flesh touching flesh, skin rubbing skin. Holding hands or hugging wasn’t much different, yet why did this cause such heat and breathlessness? Perhaps because it connected to the other’s insides.

Unaware of how much patience Cedric exercised to not chase after the lips instinctively, Artizea clung to his head, staggering slightly.

Their lips brushed softly several times before pulling away. Each time she forgot to breathe, Cedric whispered softly, “Breathe”. When she finally inhaled, he twisted the angle slightly and kissed her again.

Only after feeling her body grow heavy as if sinking into his arms did the kiss end. Artizea gasped and murmured drowsily,

“Why…”

“Why…?”

She struggled to finish her sentence. Cedric lightly brushed her reddened lips with a finger and asked again. Artizea protested with cheeks blazing red.

“Why, are you so good?”

“Haha.”

Cedric laughed out loud. Artizea angrily clenched her fists and pounded his chest, but he didn’t mind at all.

He sighed deeply and rested his chin atop her head. The carefully done hairstyle might get ruined, but Artizea had no time to care. Cedric murmured softly.

“It’s probably because I kissed you so many times in my dreams.”

“…”

“For decades.”

Before and after she became his wife.

Unaware of this, Artizea only blushed and fidgeted in his arms without saying a word.

Silence returned to the carriage. They stayed wrapped in each other for a moment until Artizea lifted her head, looked up at him, and said again.

“Kiss me more.”

“What?”

“Kiss me. Make up for how sorry you are.”

Cedric was embarrassed but then he bowed his head again. He didn’t dislike it, but he hoped she’d at least realize how much he was holding back.

***

Lysia, mounted on horseback, arrived at the mansion a step ahead of the carriage.

“Lady Lysia?”

As she returned on Cedric’s horse, Ansgar, who was near the lobby giving orders to other servants to move flowerpots, looked at her with a startled expression. 

Lysia explained that Cedric would be returning with Artizea by carriage and sighed deeply.

“Uh.”

“Did something happen?”

“Lord Ced is just so clueless. Why does he always have to say things in that way?”

“Did Lord Ced say something wrong?”

“If he had just said he came because he wanted to see her, wouldn’t that have been better? Instead, he talked about having extra time. And Lady Tia has been so sensitive lately…”

She had initially fled the scene, but in the end, they would meet again at home. Would she have to witness the fight between Artizea and Cedric up close? While siding with Artizea wouldn’t be hard, she wondered if this would be easily resolved.

And besides, the birthday party was just three days away. She thought maybe she should give Cedric a stern talking-to, but from what position?

She really didn’t want to get involved in someone else’s love quarrel.

As she was confessing everything honestly to Ansgar, including what Cardriol had said earlier, she saw the carriage approaching.

Debating whether to take a shower first to buy herself a little more time to escape, Lysia finally decided to just wait. Retreating prematurely wasn’t the mark of a novice knight.

At last, the carriage door opened in front of the entrance. Cedric stepped down first and escorted Artizea out.

Artizea’s hair was a little tousled and her face was red. Lysia tilted her head in confusion. 

It seemed unlikely they’d had a physical fight inside the carriage, but she worried perhaps Artizea had been so upset she’d been pulling at her own hair.

“Lady Tia, are you okay?”

“Huh? Ah, yes!”

Artizea answered brightly, smiling, and quickly answered the question she thought her friend would want to know first.

“We’re breaking off the engagement!”

Crash!

The sound of flowerpots falling echoed from all around. Lysia’s eyes turned dark.