Chapter 69
69
Scarlett, who had returned to the capital by Tram, paused for a moment to watch the Tram heading west to the Dumpelt Territory.
She had received a lot of help from Viktor lately, with the College of Engineering and the luggage she had left in the lab. She thought she should express her gratitude even if she resented him, so she boarded the Tram heading to the Dumpelt Family.
The capital was cold throughout January, but not as cold as the desolate fields where the university was located. When Scarlett arrived at the Dumpelt Family by Tram, it was a little past four o'clock, and the sun was already slowly heading towards the western sea.
As Scarlett entered the mansion, Blight appeared.
"Have you arrived?"
Because Blight never knew when or in what state Scarlett would appear, he greeted her as if it were natural for her to come.
Blight led the way and said,
"It's terribly cold."
"It really is cold."
Scarlett said, following him up the stairs. When they arrived at Viktor's office, Blight knocked four times and said,
"Young Master."
Perhaps because of the title, Blight knocked one more time than usual to signal Scarlett's arrival. Because the door was cold in winter, any gentleman would open it for her. Viktor was one of them.
Viktor, who opened the door, stared at Scarlett standing in front of it for a moment. As Scarlett looked back at him, Blight retreated.
After a moment, Viktor asked,
"Scarlett, do you love me?"
"Huh? Yes."
Scarlett answered absentmindedly and swallowed a sigh. She was so distracted by Viktor's gaze that she blurted out the answer.
As she briefly wondered how to fix the situation, Viktor smiled.
"I see."
It felt like it had been a long time since Scarlett had seen Viktor smile.
Viktor approached and wrapped his hand around hers, saying,
"Let's go to the cedar forest. You said you wanted to go."
Scarlett was about to ask if only members of the Dumpelt Family could go there, but then she realized that he must have forgotten that they were divorced.
Scarlett was flustered, but soon nodded.
"Yes, I want to go."
"We'll go soon."
Viktor said, then got up and had a servant bring him his coat.
Scarlett thought the atmosphere of the house was strange. She felt that something was different from the last time she had come. When she glanced at the vase, the roses in it, in shades of deep and light pink, had no thorns. It seemed he was having the maids remove them.
'Did I unnecessarily add to their work…'
Feeling sorry, Scarlett's gaze fell on Viktor's hand.
There was a wound on Viktor's hand as he took off his white gloves and put on leather ones for going out. Except for the bulging veins, his hands were so smooth that it was hard to believe he was a soldier. Therefore, the long wound on his index finger was clearly visible.
Scarlett thought that if she were still his wife, she would never have let such a wound go unnoticed, so she walked over to Viktor without hesitation.
"Give me your hand."
At her words, Viktor looked at Scarlett for a moment, then held out his right hand. Scarlett frowned as she looked at the wound on the tip of his finger.
"How did you get hurt?"
Viktor didn't answer her question. Scarlett frowned and looked up at him, asking,
"I'm asking how you got hurt?"
"I was scratched by a rose thorn."
Scarlett paused at Viktor's words. He continued,
"You always remove the thorns. Now I understand why."
Scarlett's expression darkened as she remembered the sting of being pricked by a rose thorn. She stroked the wound on Viktor's hand. She thought that perhaps he was removing the thorns himself.
They walked together towards the cedar forest. The forest was beautiful, yet it intimidated people. It was a space where nature overwhelmed humanity.
"Beautiful."
"It is, in a way."
As they entered the forest, the scent of the forest that emanated from Viktor calmed Scarlett and made her heart flutter at the same time.
"Viktor."
Scarlett looked at Viktor. He looked back at Scarlett.
"Yes."
"Do you love me?"
"I do."
The thought that this might be the limit of the emotions this man could express made her chuckle.
*
Late at night, Viktor nonchalantly lay down next to Scarlett.
Scarlett stared at Viktor's face as he lay next to her, then reached out and cupped his cheek, trying to kiss him. Viktor then raised his upper body.
"…Why? Do you not want to?"
Scarlett asked, and Viktor looked at her.
"Of course I want to."
"You do want to?"
"I do want to."
Of course, he wasn't the type to sleep with a woman who had lost her reason. But on the other hand, thinking about his lukewarm reactions throughout their marriage, she wondered if she was the only one who enjoyed their intimacy.
Considering that intimacy is sometimes described as making love, she felt that just as she felt like she was the only one talking when they had conversations, she wasn't sharing love, but loving alone.
Scarlett sometimes resented Viktor for not being anxious. She had clearly given him permission to at least kiss her if she begged him. But he hadn't.
Scarlett sat up on Viktor's lap, who looked like he was about to get up, and faced him. Viktor stopped moving.
Scarlett put her hands on Viktor's shoulders and asked,
"Look at me, Viktor."
"……."
"Don't you want to touch me?"
Feeling upset, she asked, and Viktor chuckled.
Embarrassment belatedly rose at his laughter, and Scarlett's neck turned red. As she tried to get up, Viktor's large hand grabbed her waist.
And he pulled her close enough that their bodies were touching.
Scarlett shuddered at the dizzying sensation of his strength, then lifted her hips slightly off his lap and tried to bring her lips to his.
Viktor then blocked her mouth with his other hand, saying,
"No."
"Yes."
"How would you know."
"I'm saying yes, so why are you saying no?"
She thought it was a heart that would eventually turn to ashes and fly away in the wind. But even now, when the wind blew, only the embers flickered, shaking her as if they could ignite again at any moment.
Would the day come when this man would be swept away by such flames? A moment when he would make mistakes because of his emotions, suffer from what he couldn't have, and cry over lost love?
Scarlett said,
"I want you to break down."
Just like she had when she was in the Monastery, she wanted his heart to be shattered into pieces and roll on the floor at least once.
She wanted to look down at the broken pieces endlessly, then gather them with both hands and return them to Viktor Dumpelt.
She thought that Viktor Dumpelt should experience the feeling of being so in love that he was afraid, at least once. Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to close her eyes even in death because his perfect face would be too unfair.
"That would be difficult."
Viktor replied.
Scarlett sighed softly, removed his hand, and got off his lap. As she walked towards the door, Viktor also got up.
As Scarlett found the thick cardigan she had placed on the chair and tried to leave the room, he walked with large strides and pressed the door with his hand.
Scarlett looked up at Viktor and said,
"If you're going to be like this, let's sleep separately."
"Why."
"Because I don't think I can leave you alone if you sleep next to me."
Viktor chuckled as he saw Scarlett saying what she wanted to say with her soft lips, which he was afraid would be hurt even by a slight touch.
He grabbed Scarlett's wrist and pulled her towards him.
"Touch me."
"You said no."
"If you want it that badly, I have to."
Viktor lowered his head and whispered in her ear.
"Break me down."
Scarlett froze at his elegant voice, then involuntarily let out a groan.
Scarlett wrapped her arms around Viktor's slender waist. She could feel the composure in his inhumanly trained body.
Scarlett looked up at him and reached out her hands as if to tell him to hold her.
It was something that would be as if it never happened if they ignored it.
She thought that she would take him today because she was drawn to him, and pretend to be back to her senses tomorrow.
Right now, she just wanted to know. When he told her to come back to him, what was he thinking? Was it because he couldn't get a divorce because of his honor, was it lust, or was it really, as he said, love?
If she spent a night with him, would she be able to find out a little?
Viktor picked her up as if she were a light object and headed to the bed. And like Scarlett had done earlier, he sat on the bed and placed her on his lap.
Scarlett looked up at Viktor with a more intense tension than before. His expression was still the same. Just like before.
But after he told her to break him down, his expression didn't feel as frustrating as before.
Scarlett grabbed Viktor's face with both hands and made him lower his head towards her, biting her lower lip. She grabbed one of his hands and covered her mouth with it.
As Viktor's fingers inadvertently moved to stop her from biting, Scarlett slapped the back of his hand and glared at him. Viktor smirked at the sight, but Scarlett still didn't like the composure she felt from his expression.
When Scarlett made him touch her neck with his hand, Viktor lowered his head and kissed her. Scarlett was flustered, but she stroked Viktor's neck and shoulders and kissed him back.
She thought she was just using him. She hated him, but she couldn't deny that he was a perfect creation.
Besides, he was a good kisser. It was hard to compare since she had never kissed anyone else, but from what she had heard, not everyone felt like they were going crazy when they kissed like this, so he must be good.
He must have learned or interacted with the women he had met before, including Nina Hunter.
Had they also grown tired of this man who seemed like he would never burn?
'So Nina Hunter must have left without waiting as soon as she thought Viktor wouldn't come back.'
As Scarlett let out a hollow chuckle, Viktor parted his lips slightly and asked,
"Why are you laughing?"
"I suddenly thought of something."
"Still, you shouldn't do that."
Viktor said, coaxing her like a child, and pulled on the knot of Scarlett's pajamas.
As Scarlett tried to stop him, he grabbed both of her wrists and twisted them behind her back.
Scarlett was flustered by his sudden action and blinked, and the knot came undone.
Viktor lowered his head in that state and made eye contact with Scarlett, saying,
"Huh? Scarlett."
"……Don't talk to me like you're talking to a child."
Viktor smiled at her words and nodded.
"I'll be careful. This is an adult's business."
Viktor didn't let go of her wrists even though he knew she was uncomfortable, and after pulling up her pajamas, he grabbed her thigh and pulled her close to him.
Scarlett closed her eyes involuntarily as her body was pressed so close to his that their stomachs touched. If this was the reward for a brief lie, she thought it would be okay to do it a few more times.
