CHAPTER 139: SIDE STORY – A SILENT COMPETITION (11)

The wedding ceremony ended in grand success.

As we walked down the procession path, we were surrounded by congratulatory voices from every direction. Though I was the lord of this region and we were nobles, I hadn’t expected the entire event to unfold so smoothly, without a single complication.

Soon, we returned to the fortress, where we offered a feast to every guest who had come to celebrate.

The heads of houses under Praister, who had fought beside me in the war, paid their respects and raised their glasses. I shook hands with the families with whom we had recently formed new alliances.

Gifts to strengthen the foundation of our household piled up endlessly, and the music never stopped playing.

As evening deepened, the sky turned a shade of purple.

But perhaps the day had been too long?

“…Cayden…”

As I sat at the head table, watching the ball unfold, I felt a tug on my sleeve. I turned to see Daisy looking up at me, her face pale.

Startled by her uneasy expression, I asked,

“Daisy? What’s wrong?”

“…Ah…”

“Are you feeling sick?”

She gave a hesitant nod.

“…My… my head hurts…”

I glanced around quickly.

Fortunately, we weren’t drawing too much attention.

If everyone started worrying about her at once, the mood would be ruined.

And Daisy wouldn’t want that either. That’s likely why she had whispered it to me alone.

After assessing the situation, I gently took her hand and led her away.

A few sharp-eyed attendants tried to follow us, but the more people involved, the higher the risk of being noticed.

I waved them off, silently ordering them to stay behind, and successfully slipped out of the hall with just the two of us.

As we walked down the beautifully decorated corridor, I scooped Daisy up into a princess carry—something I hadn’t done since our vows.

“Ah—w-wait…”

“No one’s watching us. It’s okay. You said you’re feeling unwell—just lean on me.”

Why did this have to happen on such a perfect day?

I didn’t mind for my sake, but I hated the idea that Daisy might remember this day with discomfort.

She looked up at me briefly… then buried her face in my chest and softly whispered:

“…You still feel like my knight, Cayden.”

“If I don’t protect my wife, who will?”

I headed toward the physician’s room.

Given the size of the gathering, there was a higher risk of accidents. So, I’d arranged for both medicine and doctors to be on standby today. That, at least, was a small relief.

But as I walked, still carrying her, Daisy let out a long sigh.

“Phew!”

“…?”

It sounded… light. Even satisfied.

“Put me down, Cayden.”

“…What? Are you okay now?”

She smiled up at me and replied,

“Yes. I’m fine.”

Still puzzled, I set her down. She twirled in place, showing off that she was perfectly fine.

“…Wait, I thought you weren’t feeling well…”

“Of course I was faking it.”

“Faking it?”

I was taken aback. I never imagined gentle, graceful Daisy pulling something like this. I couldn’t help but chuckle, but I was also a little confused.

“Why pretend to be sick…?”

I trailed off as I caught the look in her eyes.

My wives were all gifted at speaking through their eyes.

Under the hallway lights, Daisy’s eyes shimmered with something I’d never seen before—desire.

“…It is our wedding night, after all.”

She said it demurely.

****

There was a certain thrill in sneaking away to do something secretive. Especially when it involved someone you thought was quiet and reserved.

Once we were in our room, we kissed passionately.

We held each other tightly, bumping into furniture as we practically devoured one another.

Clothing came off piece by piece, and before long, we were in bed.

Daisy’s golden hair spread beautifully across the sheets.

There are things you can’t return from once you start. For me, intimacy was one of them.

The more I experienced a woman’s body, the bolder I became—more in tune with my instincts.

The shy version of me who spent his first night with Judy had long since disappeared.

That didn’t mean I valued Daisy any less. In fact, drawing on that experience, I wanted to give her a moment that was less painful, more comfortable, full of love—and yes, even more pleasure.

I skillfully undressed her.

Thanks to the nights I’d spent with Keirsey, I’d gotten much faster at it. Back then, clothes had just been in the way.

Though Daisy had gathered up her courage to bring us here, she still blushed when I undressed her.

I caressed her gently, like handling fine porcelain, whispering words of love and admiration.

And I meant every word. Her body was as beautiful as her face.

After a long while of blushing and yielding to me, she finally spoke softly:

“…You’re… very skilled.”

“…”

I hadn’t meant to seem too experienced… Had I made a mistake?

“…It seems your time with other women has helped you.”

“…”

Suddenly—my whole body froze.

She might have said it half-jokingly, but her words carried weight.

To be honest… when I promised to marry Daisy first, we both assumed I’d share my first experience with her.

We weren’t ignorant of the value of premarital purity.

“…So you knew all along.”

Flustered, I blurted something out, and she shrugged.

“Of course I knew. Judy, Asena, Keirsey—in that order, right?”

In an instant, the atmosphere shifted completely. They say even the highest nobles live under their wife’s thumb—and maybe that was me now.

Trying to recover, I started planting playful kisses on her cheeks.

Smack. Smack. Smack.

It was my attempt at being cute. Whether it worked or not, Daisy giggled brightly.

“I’m not scolding you. I was just teasing. I’m a little sad, sure—but in the end, your soul was tied to mine first. That’s enough for me.”

“…My soul?”

“We promised to be together—living or dead. Did you forget already?”

“N-No! Of course not.”

Her tender tone carried her love. Daisy held me close and said,

“…When you accepted the other women, I had already anticipated this. Right now, the order may feel important, but I believe everything will be okay if we all get along in the future. I kept that in mind, so I tried not to feel too jealous when you were with others.”

Her thoughtful words showed just how much she cared for me.

I felt thankful that someone like her was mine. It was likely this very warmth that made me fall for her in the first place.

“…Also, this.”

She lifted her left hand toward me—more specifically, her ring finger.

“This ring… right now, it’s just you and me who wear it. In a way, it feels like I have you all to myself, and that makes me happy too.”

“Thank you. Always.”

“For what? Now come here.”

She cupped both my cheeks in her hands.

“…Keep loving me.”

That gentle yet suggestive request made me move again, after briefly hesitating.

After undressing Daisy completely, I took off my clothes as well.

While I was removing mine, she shyly covered her chest with one arm and her lower area with the other.

“You said you wanted me to love you, didn’t you?”

I played along with confident teasing, trying to ease the nerves of someone about to take a step into unfamiliar territory.

I gently held her wrists and laid them on the bed.

As I did so, her eyes blinked rapidly, and she let out short, nervous breaths. Her excitement was building.

I kissed her, raised both her arms, and pinned one down gently while my other hand touched her lower body.

Being able to hold Daisy like this unexpectedly stirred something in me—an intense but unspoken pleasure.

And it seemed the same was true for her. Despite being restrained, she didn’t resist at all.

She didn’t struggle to cover herself. Her arms stayed relaxed, and she didn’t squirm away.

She naturally offered me her tongue and tilted her head to make kissing easier for me.

The only sign of resistance was when she squeezed her thighs around my hand and pressed against it shyly.

The Daisy who once stood so firm and unyielding now gave herself over so easily to me. It was surprising.

We continued like that for a while.

Soon, she was noticeably wet. Feeling that everything was ready, I lifted my face.

“Haa…! Huh…?”

She blinked in confusion as the kiss ended, her body still clinging to mine.

There was only one answer I could give to that puzzled gaze.

“Look at this.”

I raised my hand from between her legs, and a sticky strand of fluid stretched between my fingers.

The playful gesture made Daisy recoil, blushing fiercely as she squeezed her eyes shut.

As if closing her eyes could make this moment disappear.

Her unexpectedly strong reaction only excited me more.

Just like I’d teased Judy, I now found myself wanting to keep teasing Daisy.

My arousal surged rapidly, and I adjusted our position.

I started with a typical position… and added a bit of my own variation.

I aligned myself beneath Daisy, my hips nestled between her thighs, which were now resting on my legs as I knelt.

Then, I took her ankles and lifted them, placing them over my shoulders.

It was a bold position, far more revealing, especially for someone like Daisy.

As I leaned in with her legs over my shoulders, she ended up curled beneath me, nearly folding in on herself.

Her knees almost touched her own shoulders, and her most intimate part was completely exposed to me.

Daisy shut her eyes even tighter.

“…I-Is this position really normal?”

She must have had at least a basic understanding of such things and knew this wasn’t exactly standard.

But the way she asked it anyway—perhaps for my sake—felt so endearing.

“Of course not,” I replied, smiling without hesitation.

“Wh-What?”

“But seeing you blush like this, Daisy… I just couldn’t resist.”

She covered her eyes with both hands. And yet… she smiled a little, as if finding some fun in all of this.

I was watching her closely—sensitive to every reaction.

Though I was acting on my desire, I had no intention of pushing her past what she could accept.

It was only because she didn’t resist and even smiled that we had come this far.

I aligned myself with her entrance.

“Haa… ugh…”

As Daisy let out a soft moan, I remained still.

“Daisy,” I called her name.

“Haa… ha…”

“Daisy.”

I said it again and again, grounding her in the moment as she struggled with a sensation she’d never felt before.

“Y-Yes…?”

“Can I… go in?”

When I asked, she covered her face again. I understood why she couldn’t look at me directly.

She’d never been in such a vulnerable position before.

“P-Please… do as you wish.”

She gave her answer.

I grew even more playful.

“…If you say it like that, I might get too worried and not be able to continue…”

Daisy peeked through her fingers, blinking as she looked at me.

“…I-I was the one who asked us to come this far… Why would I not want this…”

“…Really?”

“……”

She quickly covered her eyes again, shutting out the world.

But I didn’t stop teasing her.

“…Still, we’re husband and wife. I’ll act only when our hearts are aligned. I want to continue, Daisy. Would you say it too?”

“…Huh?”

“If you tell me to go ahead, then I will.”

Even I didn’t know where this mischievous side had come from.

Maybe it was Daisy who had drawn it out of me.

Because she was too sincere. Too graceful. Too modest.

A part of me wanted to blame her for being so endlessly pure.

“W-Why are you being so mean…” she asked, her voice soft, almost pleading.

At the same time, she instinctively pressed closer to me, her emotions brimming and showing in the smallest movements. Her whole presence responded, uncertain and nervous, but not resistant.

Still, I kept telling myself—if she ever truly disliked it, I would stop.

But the longer this continued, the more I started to believe she was… enjoying it.

“I’m actually a bit of a tease,” I admitted, lightly.

I always joked with Judy. I never stopped messing around with the twins.

This was simply who I was.

“……”

Daisy fell into a quiet pause.

“Daisy, if you stay silent, I won’t—”

“…Please,” she whispered.

“…What?”

“…Please… continue, Cayden. I’ve… wanted this.”

Her words sent a jolt through my heart. Not just excitement—something deeper, more emotional.

Because her legs were resting over my shoulders, I couldn’t lean forward to kiss her… but I poured all the affection I could into my words.

“…I love you.”

And then I moved forward, slowly and carefully.

“Ah…! Ngh…”

Though her body naturally pulled back at the sudden sensation, there was nowhere for her to retreat—she was completely beneath me.

As I continued, gently, we reached a place that marked a new beginning. And then I stopped.

I’d heard it was better to pause for a while—to let her adjust, to ease any discomfort, and help her feel more at peace.

Despite my playful teasing, I didn’t want her to hurt. This wasn’t about fulfilling just my needs—it never was.

If she wasn’t okay, I wouldn’t be either.

All I wanted was to show her a new side of herself—one that she’d feel safe and happy to reveal only with me.

So I carefully watched her reactions—every subtle shift, every stifled smile, every moment of tension and release.

“…Cayden…” she called out faintly.

“Yes?”

“…Please… stay still for a moment…”

“I planned to—”

Just as I was about to answer, Daisy’s hips moved slightly.

It was clumsy. Tentative.

But it was also a request.

“…Ha.”

I chuckled, stunned. Was she doing this consciously? Or was it her body simply following instinct?

Either way, it was enough.

Without waiting further, I slowly moved back—then forward again.

“Ahh…!”

Her voice rang out beneath me.

“Daisy, move your hands. I can’t see your beautiful face.”

“N-No…! I’m too embarrassed…”

“Daisy, move your hands.”

For the first time, I spoke to her a little more firmly.

There’s something about intimacy that strips people bare—not just physically, but emotionally.

And we both knew this wasn’t about dominance or disrespect. It was about being present. About sharing everything.

“……”

Slowly, Daisy moved her hands aside.

Her face came into view.

Tears had welled in her eyes. Her cheeks were flushed red.

…But there it was—a tiny smile curled softly at the corners of her lips.

Even though this was her first time, she was smiling.

She was… happy.

And that was all the permission I needed.

I began moving more confidently now, no longer held back by uncertainty.

The final bit of hesitation had vanished. I knew then—she was truly with me in this.

She tried her best to stifle her voice—but soft, trembling sounds still escaped through her nose.

The more Daisy tried to endure, the more it stirred something deep within me.

Realizing I’d been holding her in a difficult posture, I lifted my upper body to relieve some of the physical pressure on her.

“Huh…?”

But that gesture was only to ease her physical strain—not the emotional tension.

Without warning, I pulled away, and in one fluid motion, gently turned her over.

“Cayden?”

Caught off guard, Daisy now faced away from me, confusion in her voice.

I guided her hips back toward me, her posture shifting into something more vulnerable—more exposed.

It was the so-called “Doggy position.”

Before the warmth between us could fade, I moved to reconnect us.

“Cayden!!”

Now with her back to me and her face hidden, Daisy grew even more flustered.

“This… this is the kind of thing animals do…”

Though her words sounded like protest, her body language told another story. She didn’t push me away—just reached back with a shaky hand that barely touched mine.

I caught her hand gently and guided both of her arms behind her.

Without the support of her arms, her upper body sank into the bed, and her cheek pressed softly into the pillow.

I could feel how overwhelmed she was.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

“Hnn! Ah! Ah!”

“Haah… haah…”

“Cayden…! T-This is too embarrassing…”

She turned her head just enough to meet my eyes, her voice trembling.

“Embarrassing?”

“Yes…! It really is…!”

“Do you dislike it?”

“……Ah… ngh…”

“Daisy, I asked if you dislike it.”

“……haa…”

“You should answer when someone asks, right?”

“…ah…”

She couldn’t answer directly. Instead, she avoided the question altogether.

There was something almost unreal about the moment—something so modest and yet so daring in the way she reacted.

She kept adding to the fire I was trying to contain.

Smack!

I finally gave in to the rising tension. My hand landed softly on her—just once.

I couldn’t resist anymore.

“Hyah…!”

“Answer me, Daisy. Do you dislike it?”

“Ah…!”

Smack!

It wasn’t about hurting—it was about the thrill of how far we’d come. Even those who had admired her from afar back at the academy would never have imagined this moment.

…Though, the same could be said for Judy, or the twins.

Smack!

“Ah…! Cayden… that stings…”

“Just say if you don’t want this, and I’ll stop, Daisy.”

“…Ah…”

Still, she refused to say no.

That alone… was more overwhelming than anything.

“Daisy… I’m close… I should stop…”

“No, don’t…”

That reply came quickly.

She pressed herself closer toward me.

Her choice was made.

I no longer hesitated.

A wave of overwhelming release hit me, clouding everything.

As I leaned forward, I gently embraced her from behind.

She trembled softly under me, breathing heavily. Her body responded with a quiet intensity, and I could tell—she, too, had reached her limit.

We collapsed together in silence, sharing deep breaths and warmth.

When we finally turned our heads to face each other, neither of us brought up what had just happened.

There were no jokes, no teasing—just quiet, knowing smiles.

Daisy giggled softly. And I did too.

“…Haah… I don’t want to go back to the academy.”

She said it quietly. Our wedding had taken place during break, and now it was almost time to return for our second year.

“Why not?”

I asked, amused.

“…Because I want every day to be like this. We can’t do this at the academy.”

It wasn’t a lie. But I couldn’t help teasing her, like always.

“…Who says we can’t?”

“……”

Daisy fell silent for a long time. The idea of being that intimate at the academy seemed too much for her to process.

That’s what made her so graceful—so composed.

Keirsey had her reasons for caution now, but Asena, on the other hand, had openly discussed such possibilities with me.

“…Just kidding,” I said with a grin.

But this time, it was Daisy who whispered back.

“…Actually, there’s no reason we can’t.”

“…Huh?”

In that moment, it felt like something inside Daisy had changed.