Chris entered my room visibly tense, her nerves evident in the way she looked around.
“P-Please... be gentle with me, Baron,” she said, her voice shaking.
Under normal circumstances, that’s something one would say in the bedroom, not immediately upon entering. Clearly, her nervousness was clouding her judgment.
Some nobles with unusual tastes might find a woman trembling with such innocence alluring, rushing straight into things. But I had no intention of being so hasty. I preferred when both partners could enjoy themselves.
“Chris, we’re not starting right now. Take a deep breath and try to relax first,” I said calmly.
“Yes, Baron,” she replied, taking in a deep breath and exhaling slowly.
The movement made her chest rise and fall in a way that unintentionally drew my gaze.
If it had been Chloe, she’d have noticed my glance, crossed her arms, and lifted her chest teasingly.
After a few deep breaths, Chris looked at me, her cheeks flushed like a ripe apple.
“I thought I’d prepared myself for this for days, but being here with you, I’m suddenly so nervous,” she admitted, her voice trembling slightly.
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Some would take this as a cue to suggest postponing, but that’s the sort of thing only someone with no tact at all would say.
Instead, I reached for a magical “potion” to help her relax.
“Would you like a drink, Chris?”
I offered her a glass of sweet grape wine, potent yet pleasant to the taste.
“Thank you, Baron.”
I once heard that atmosphere is the most important part of a first experience.
It felt a bit funny to be recalling something I’d heard, especially since my own first time with Chloe was an entirely different experience. She’d practically devoured me with her passion.
Given that, I’d had to rely on the wisdom of scholars on the internet to approach this more naturally.
The first step was to ease her nerves with some light conversation.
“I heard you went to a café with Chloe on Wednesday?”
“Yes, we had a chestnut parfait. The chestnuts were sweet, and there was plenty of whipped cream. It was delicious.”
“Really? I thought Chloe didn’t like that sort of thing. She never orders it when she’s with me.”
Most noble families have to pay to enjoy a parfait like the one served at Café Rothschild, but our family can indulge in such treats every day.
After all, it’s my business, so I know all the recipes.
Chris lowered her voice, smiling shyly.
“Chloe said the Baron isn’t particularly fond of sweets, so she didn’t want to make you uncomfortable by offering you a taste.”
“I don’t go out of my way for sweets, but it’s fine once in a while.”
I mean, when your lover is feeding you, it doesn’t need to be the most delicious thing in the world.
Chloe was so considerate; it was charming. I’d have to spoil her next time, maybe sit her on my lap and pamper her like a pet.
“Chloe is always thinking about you, Baron. Even when we went shopping afterward, she was only looking for clothes she thought you’d like.”
“She doesn’t know this, but sometimes her love feels a bit overwhelming.”
Once, I’d jokingly mentioned getting a cat, and she’d responded that she didn’t want me to love anything else. She even offered to be my cat instead.
It was cute to see her act playful, pretending to purr and nuzzle, but...
‘She’d remember even the most casual things I’d say and would do her best to fulfill them...’
It could feel a bit much sometimes.
“I told her as much. I said it’s clear how much she loves you, but if she’s always that intense, she might end up tiring you out.”
“That explains why she’s been putting more attention into other things lately.”
In the past, Chloe’s life revolved around me nearly 100 percent. These days, I’d say it was more like 80 percent me, 10 percent Chris, and 10 percent other interests.
It still felt a bit intense, but I could handle it. There were moments, though, when her whispered dreams of “our baby” got to be a bit much.
With that, Chris and I continued our light-hearted conversation, with her gradually relaxing as we went along.
The wine was potent, and it seemed she hadn’t realized how much she’d had. She was already on her fifth glass, her face flushed a soft pink, her mouth slightly parted.
She wasn’t babbling nonsensically or overly tipsy, but it was clear the atmosphere was just right.
“Chris, I love you,” I said gently, brushing her cheek.
At this point, a rookie might rush to make a clumsy move. But rushing ruins everything.
“Let’s continue to be happy together, building a future, and maybe one day, raising a child who looks like both of us.”
Soon, I’d be marrying Chloe and, eventually, Erica, who was still only fifteen. We’d raise children together, stepping into a new chapter I’d never experienced.
Though it made me nervous, I wasn’t afraid. With the right support, we could handle anything.
I leaned in, placing my lips softly on Chris’s, then guided her to the bed.
We didn’t get up until Chloe came to wake us the next morning.
Shortly after, we set off for Rabat Island.
Upon arrival at Rabat Island, the head of the knights welcomed me warmly.
I’d mentioned I was coming, but I hadn’t expected him to come out to greet me in person. It was a bit overwhelming.
“Well, if it isn’t the hero of our knights, Baron Medici! It’s a pleasure to see you!” he exclaimed.
It had only been about a month and a half since I’d changed my family name.
Given that Rabat Island was somewhat remote, it wasn’t surprising that he hadn’t heard about the change.
“Please call me Baron Rothschild now. I changed it to avoid confusion with my brother’s family name.”
“Baron Rothschild, the Red Shield. A fine name. Though I think ‘Golden Shield’ would suit you better.”
What an oddly morbid suggestion.
That’s as absurd as eating raw crab with dried persimmons in Joseon. Just because I enjoy making money doesn’t mean I want such an outlandish title.
“People already say I’m too much of a materialist. Imagine what they’d think if I went by Golden Shield!”
“True, true.”
“By the way, did you prepare what I requested?”
“You mean the strong liquor? We’ve got about 300 tons ready. I never thought you could make such a potent drink from sugarcane.”
His emphasis on its strength suggested it turned out just as I’d hoped.
‘In less civilized nations, strong liquor is as precious as gold.’
Although it’s less addictive than opium, it can still create a dependency where one cannot live without alcohol.
Much like the Russians, who, during prohibition, would distill disinfectants or industrial alcohol into liquor.
“Thank you. Here is the payment we agreed upon: 1,500 gold coins. Please verify it.”
The knight commander chuckled as he glanced at the receipt I handed him.
“I trust you wouldn’t cheat me. Thanks to you, our order has never been better. With this influx of funds, our ranks have tripled, and we’ve been able to capture far more pirates.”
Who would’ve thought that raiding villages and enslaving their people under the guise of religion would be something to boast about?
I’m clearly not fully in sync with the medieval mindset yet.
“That’s great to hear.”
“Today’s a good day; care to join me for a drink? I’ve got some strong stuff we confiscated from the pirates.”
“Yes, I’d be glad to.”
After enduring a night with the booze-loving warriors, I set off for Botswana.
The place where the Botswana tribe once lived had changed quite a bit.
“With more people gathering here, it’s starting to look like a small settlement.”
It was reassuring to see everything unfolding just as I’d planned.