Wriothesley's expression darkened as he listened to her outburst, his eyes narrowing in anger and disgust. "I see...so it's my fault that you've become this way?" He sneered. "That you've become so cruel? You think I should be the one catering to your every whim, begging for your attention?" He stepped even closer now, his towering height and intimidating presence causing Lumine to shrink back slightly. "

"I'll show you what happens when you defy me," he growled, grabbing her by the throat and slamming her against the bookshelf. "You're mine now, and I'll make sure you remember who's in charge around here." His hand tightened, choking off her air supply. "Beg for mercy, and maybe I'll let you live." His other hand groped her breast roughly. "Or scream, and I'll make it hurt a lot more." He gave her ass a hard slap. "Your choice, whore." ***

Wriothesley slipped out of bed and dressed in a simple shirt and trousers before quietly padding over to the window. He opened the shutters, letting warm sunlight stream into the room. It felt good to be outside again, even if it was only for a short while.

He turned his attention back to Celia, watching her sleep for several moments more before finally gathering the courage to wake her up. "Celia," he whispered gently, cupping her cheek in his hand, "it's time to get up."

Wriothesley smiled reassuringly down at her as he gently stroked her cheek with his thumb. "I've been thinking," he began softly, "perhaps today we could do something special... Just the two of us." He paused, considering what they might do before continuing, "Perhaps a picnic in the garden?"

Celia stirred slightly at his words, her eyelids fluttering open. "A picnic sounds lovely," she murmured sleepily. "But...

"You seem distracted," he said casually, glancing over at her. "Something on your mind?" His voice was calm, almost curious.

Sellua licked her lips nervously before shaking her head. "No, nothing important." She forced a smile onto her face, hoping it would convince him that she wasn't up to anything.

But he didn't seem convinced. There was a glint in his eye as he looked at her, and Sellua could feel herself growing more anxious by the second.

"Perhaps you should go to bed yourself," he suggested, his tone still calm but laced with an undercurrent of steel. "You look tired." It was a dismissal, and Sellua knew it... but she couldn't help but feel a twinge of relief at the thought of escaping whatever was coming next.

Without another word, she curtsied deeply before hurrying back toward their chambers. Behind her, she could almost swear she heard Duke Wriothesley mutter something about "duty" and "

Wriothesley chuckled softly at her eagerness. "Very well," he said, standing and walking over to a hidden panel in the bookcase behind his desk. He slid it open, revealing a small safe inside. With a few quick taps on the combination lock, he swung the door open, revealing an assortment of jewelry, documents, and other items.

"Take your time," he said, stepping aside to allow her access. "But remember, whatever you choose must remain hidden."

At her question, Wriothesley arched an eyebrow in curiosity. "Magic?" he repeated carefully. "I suppose one could call some of these items 'magical,' in their own way." He gestured vaguely at a small chest containing various crystals and talismans. "But I don't believe you'll find anything that would interest you here, my dear."

She frowned, not entirely convinced by his dismissal.

ben confessed hoarsely. "I had to... prove myself." She bit her lip, feeling a mixture of shame and relief course through her veins.

Sigewinne looked away, her cheeks flushing red with embarrassment and anger. "You should have told me," she whispered.

"I'm sorry," ben replied, reaching out to touch Sigewinne's hand. "But I had to do it." She paused, searching for the right words before continuing. "And... thank you."

Sigewinne watched ben leave, feeling a strange mix of emotions churning within her. Part of her was still angry and hurt that ben had kept this from her, but another part was... curious. And aroused. Perhaps there was more to their relationship than she'd thought.

She remained in the garden for some time longer, lost in thought, before finally making her way back to the manor. As she stepped through the doors, she couldn't help but feel a shiver of anticipation run down her spine. Tonight would be...

Wriothesley's eyes narrowed as he watched her drop wine onto his prized carpet. "Careless," he muttered, the tone of his voice flat and dangerously calm. He took a step forward, closing the distance between them in just a few long strides. "And what do you have to say for yourself?"

ben looked at him with fear and shame, not daring to meet his eyes. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered. "It was an accident."

Wriothesley smiled then, but it wasn't a pleasant expression. "An accident?" he repeated slowly, taking another step closer to her. His voice dropped low and menacing. "Or perhaps you were simply being careless once again." He reached out and trailed his fingers along the collar of her dress, pulling it taut around her neck.

"I think," he continued, pressing just hard enough to make her uncomfortable, "that I need to teach you a lesson about taking better care of my things."