Chapter 2: Temptation (5)
The Grand Duke noticed the marks only after pressing his satisfied lips to the damp, sweat-slicked nape of Ronen’s neck. The faint, fan-shaped bruises were easy to miss unless one looked closely, but they were scattered across his body. Had whoever left these marks—who had broken the rules by marring his skin—really held Ronen gently afterward?
Only then did the Grand Duke realize how unnaturally stiff Ronen’s body had become. It wasn’t just the long absence making him tense—perhaps he was enduring pain, his muscles locked in resistance. The thought sent a surge of uncontrollable rage through the Grand Duke.
“……Who did this to you?”
The Grand Duke licked the back of Ronen’s neck as he asked, his voice low and restrained. At that, Ronen’s body tensed even further.
“If you won’t tell me who, I’ll punish you instead.”
Even with the threat, Ronen stayed silent. The Grand Duke hadn’t expected an answer—he knew Ronen’s nature well enough. He’d sooner take the blame himself than betray anyone. So this was just a warning: Brace yourself. What comes next won’t be easy.
The Grand Duke withdrew his thumb, which had been stretching Ronen open. He gripped his hips harder, spreading them wider before aligning himself and thrusting in all at once—a clear act of retaliation. The pain, sharper than any whip, made Ronen bite his lip and endure in silence.
The wet, friction-filled sounds of flesh meeting flesh filled the air, savage and relentless.
***
Hakan was strolling through the largest garden in Antonello with Ardwino, his expression bright with leisure. His pace was unhurried as he admired the well-maintained greenery.
“……So today, I returned here with the Grand Duke. My body still feels like it’s swaying from the ride. The roads in the Grand Duchy of Canis are terrible—no matter how many times I suggest paving a proper path between the Empire and the Duchy, he won’t even pretend to listen. It’s exhausting.”
“Goodness…… That must have been rough. Yet you still went all the way to the Duchy to see him. You must care for him deeply.”
“Perhaps it’s because we’ve been close since childhood. When he’s not around, something feels…… empty. Like a habit, I suppose. A thought will strike me, and before I know it, I’m talking to him—only to realize no one’s there to listen. Doesn’t that sound lonely?”
“I can imagine. To have been together since you were young…… I’d sensed your closeness, but I hadn’t realized your history went that far back. Though I must admit, I can’t quite picture the Grand Duke as a child. Was he always so…… reserved?”
“Reserved? Ha! You have such a kind way of putting things! That’s why I like you. Well…… he was quiet, but ‘reserved’ isn’t the word. Arrogant. Self-absorbed. He didn’t spare a glance for anyone else—like they weren’t even worth his attention. He treated me the same way. His gaze never properly landed on me.”
Hakan, now lost in memories of the Grand Duke’s childhood, grew chatty, regaling Ardwino with stories of how the young Canis had slighted him and how wounded he’d been. Ardwino listened, offering the occasional sympathetic remark and even asking questions—genuinely intrigued, it seemed.
Just as Hakan’s complaints veered into outright insults disguised as nostalgia, a commotion erupted nearby. Both men turned toward the noise. Beyond a hedge, four men stood in confrontation—two in knightly garb with swords at their waists, the other two dressed like middle-class commoners. Behind them, two women clung to each other for support.
“How dare you lay hands on a decent woman! Do you even deserve to call yourself a knight?”
“Decent? Look at her—where does she seem decent to you? She flashed her tits at me first! I thought she was a whore offering a good time.”
“Exactly! I figured she was a prostitute too. She came onto me, so what’s the big deal?”
“What? A prostitute?”
“You bastard, didn’t you get caught last time dragging my sister off by the hand? You’re a repeat offender, and now you’re making excuses?”
“Did I?”
The crowd swelled, obscuring the scene. Ardwino, watching with a grim expression, finally spoke up.
“First Knight Order.”
He exhaled sharply, frustration evident as he raked a hand through his hair. The irritation he’d been suppressing seeped through.
“Are you alright?”
“Of course. It’s just…… there’s been too much of this lately. Did you know? The number of women coming to confess has risen. Unwed maidens admitting they carry a knight’s child.”
Hakan was well aware. After the war, knights—flush with wealth and prestige—had flooded into Duran, the city of pleasure. Drunk on their newfound status, they roamed the streets, preying on any woman who caught their eye. Whether it was delusional grandeur (believing their rank entitled them to any woman), the assumption that money could buy anything, or simply being too drunk or high to think—no one knew.
Either way, women swept up in the atmosphere or those who fell victim to the knights’ advances were now everywhere, their pregnancies impossible to hide. The knights’ reputations had plummeted, and the public had grown wary. Only those like Ardwino—who still upheld their duty—were left shouldering the blame.
“Aren’t those women partly to blame? I’m not defending the knights accosting random women, but if they consented and ended up pregnant, isn’t that on them too? It’s not just the knight’s fault.”
“Well…… yes, but—”
“They must have incredible stamina and virility to bed so many women in such a short time.”
The sheer disparity between the number of knights carousing in Duran and the women available was staggering. Hakan, momentarily at a loss, suddenly perked up and asked Ardwino, who looked increasingly gloomy:
“Come to think of it…… you don’t, do you?”
“Pardon?”
“I’ve never seen you with a woman. You’re young, full of vigor—you should be at least looking—but I’ve never gotten that impression from you. And you’re not even with the Papal Court, so why the celibacy?”
“I…… I suppose I’m not that open about it……”
“Really? Then you must be pent up.”
“……What?”
“Since you’re in such a foul mood today, I’ll take you somewhere good. A proper release will do you wonders!”
“No, that’s not necessary—”
“Are you refusing my kindness as a friend?”
Hakan’s pitiful expression left Ardwino flustered and speechless. Before he knew it, he was being dragged along by Hakan.
“Oh my, who do we have here?”
“Madame, today I’ve brought a very special friend. He seems unfamiliar with such places, so I’d appreciate your…… attention.”
Only then did Cornelia notice Ardwino standing behind Hakan. Her face lit up with delight.
“Oh! A knight? I’ll tell the girls to take extra good care of him.”
Cornelia had been growing increasingly irritated—whether because the high-end brothel’s exclusivity intimidated potential clients, or because too few patrons frequented it, she wasn’t sure. But if knights started coming, business would boom. And given the rumors about their stamina, the girls were already vying for attention. Hakan merely sulked.
“How disappointing.”
“Nonsense. Since we have no other guests today, I was thinking of hosting a special gathering. What do you say?”
“……Special?”
Cornelia smiled and whispered instructions to Marilla. Soon, the table was laden with snacks, wine, and sweets. Ardwino didn’t notice, but Hakan grinned knowingly. Tonight would be a debauched feast.
***
Ardwino staggered to his feet, pushing away the woman clinging to him, his body unsteady. His vision swam, his senses heightened to an unbearable degree—hot, too hot, like his skin was on fire. His body felt weightless, yet heavy with heat.
Then it hit him: He wasn’t drunk. He’d been drugged.
So much for a “special gathering.” The wine—or something in it—had been laced. Drugged, he’d be helpless, more reckless, more wanton than usual.
“Where is he?”
Ardwino needed to leave, but he couldn’t just vanish without a word. He stumbled through the room, searching for Hakan, but his friend was nowhere to be found. Hands grabbed at him; voices blurred into noise. He ignored them all, focused solely on finding Hakan.
Unaware of Ardwino’s panic, Hakan lounged against the headboard, a naked woman in his arms. He, too, was unclothed, his mind hazy, his body melting into pleasure. Every touch sent waves of ecstasy crashing through him. This was paradise—why would he ever want to wake?
So when someone shook his shoulder, it took him a long, blissful moment to register the interruption.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
