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At the mention of the scent, she first winced from surprise.
It seemed to her for a moment that he meant something unpleasant.
But the longer she looked into his red eyes, the stranger her thoughts became.
It seemed they were exactly as on that night...
As then, she couldn't distinguish a joke from the truth, and if she was mistaken in her feelings, it would be incredibly shameful to her.
Eileen looked away from Cesare.
Meanwhile, Cesare slowly stepped into the room.
Having ended up in the center of the modest bedroom, he finally lowered Eileen to the floor.
Then he again began to unhurriedly inspect the room.
He didn't just look, but also touched things in different corners.
His hand pressed on the back of the small one-seat sofa Eileen often used.
The sofa, perfectly suited for Eileen, seemed tiny to Cesare.
It was too small to support even his back.
Eileen silently watched his inspection until he headed for the bookshelf with diaries.
In panic she cried out:
"E-eh, Your Majesty... that is Cesare-nim!
Want to see this?
It's a rabbit toy Diego-gyon gave me!"
She grabbed the toy lying at the head of the bed and began to desperately shake it.
Fortunately, Eileen's desperate gesture drew Cesare's attention.
Perhaps he was only pretending, but at least she managed to distract him.
"Want to see the bathroom?
There is much interesting there!"
It was a tiny bathroom adjacent to the bedroom.
Hardly could there be anything interesting there, but Eileen urgently needed to distract him, so she babbled whatever came to mind, drawing Cesare after her.
Cesare smirked and followed her.
Having ended up in the bathroom, she was lost.
In despair Eileen showed him toothpaste:
"I made this myself!
Well, not quite from scratch..."
She’d simply added several herbs to store-bought toothpaste.
The feeling of freshness was pleasant, and everyone she’d given it to was delighted.
Eileen strained her brain to the utmost before the listener.
Just so as not to start explaining types of herbs, their appearance, composition and properties...
While Eileen struggled with the impulse, Cesare suddenly smiled.
"How to use it?"
"E-eh, just as usual... when brushing teeth..."
"Show me."
Yielding to his persistence, she unexpectedly offered: "Then maybe Cesare-nim will try too?"
She hadn't expected agreement, but Cesare immediately answered in the affirmative.
They stood together at the small sink and tried the paste.
Like everything here, it was adjusted for Eileen and uncomfortable for him, but Cesare without complaint repeated her movements.
The muscles of his forearms moved under the rolled-up sleeves of his shirt.
Splashes of water fell on them and flowed down.
Even such a simple action as washing hands under a stream of water fascinated her.
Cesare thoroughly washed his hands and turned to Eileen.
The latter, having been peeking at him with interest, winced from the direct look.
‘Caught red-handed,’ Eileen, although he said nothing, in panic jumped out of the bathroom.
In her haste she didn't see the way and tripped over the sofa.
Eileen flopped onto the sofa face down, one leg on the floor, the other on the armrest—an absurd pose.
She tried to get up but couldn't move because of a light pressure on her back.
Cesare softly pressed her with a palm to the sofa.
The force was small, but sufficient to immobilize her.
At first she thought it was a joke.
But for some reason he was in no hurry to let go.
The pressure slightly intensified, making breathing difficult, and Eileen cautiously called: "Che-Cesare-nim?.."
But Cesare didn't answer.
He only sighed and finally spoke: "Next time," he said, "do not let anyone into the bedroom, even if they ask."
In his low voice sounded something alarming.
Eileen hastily answered: "Except you, no one has entered my bedroom.
Even Father." More likely Father just wasn't interested in her room.
"So one needn't worry."
She expected praise, but Cesare silently held out the other hand.
He leaned on the sofa back and leaned over.
His large body blocked the light, casting a shadow over Eileen.
Almost covering her, he pressed his lips to her ear and asked quietly: "And you don't worry about what I might do?"
Eileen tried to turn, but a sharp order followed: "Do not turn back, Eileen."
She immediately turned her head back, burying her face in the sofa fabric.
"But with you... with you everything is fine..."
Precisely because it was Cesare, she had let him in.
He wouldn't treat her badly.
Even if he did, she didn't object.
All those horrors he’d warned about: murder, irreparable harm...
If it came from him, she would accept.
*‘My life belongs to Cesare-nim.’*
Like her mother, Eileen was ready to give everything for him.
Although, likely, Cesare didn't need her piteous life...
"You don't need to replace me.
Understood?"
When assassins appeared in the greenhouse, Cesare had told her not to sacrifice herself.
But if such a moment came, Eileen would want to die for him.
*‘Although it's unlikely to happen.’* Cesare was a strong and beautiful creature.
He could protect himself, and around him were soldiers ready to help.
For Eileen there existed nothing she could do for him...
Even Morpheus, conceived with such ambitions, had turned into a catastrophe.
"You can kill me or cause irreparable harm.
For Cesare-nim won't harm me without reason.
If such happens, it means I am to blame myself."
She set out her thoughts in detail.
Now he should understand that she hadn't let him in by accident.
Her trust and devotion seemed sufficient to her.
But soon Eileen realized she had completely misunderstood his intentions.
Cesare slowly lowered himself.
His firm chest pressed to her back, and something heavy and hot came up against her thighs.
Feeling his whole weight and warmth, Eileen opened her eyes wide.
She only made a short sound when he again pressed his lips to her ear.
"So this too is your fault?"
Hard teeth slightly squeezed her pinna, and tongue slid over the curve.
The paralyzed Eileen belatedly jerked, trying to get out from under him.
Cesare slapped her on the lower back, from which her whole body together with the sofa shuddered.
Then he punished her, firmly squeezing her earlobe with teeth.
"A-ah!.."
It was so painful that tears stood out.
The jerking Eileen immediately again submissively buried herself in the sofa.
In a trembling voice she tried to make excuses: "I...
I didn't mean that!
This is hardly my fault... a-a-ah, don't lick there!.."
He pushed his tongue into her ear.
The sound filled the eardrum.
A wet, indecent sound deprived her of reason.