The Lycan's Bargain のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 41 - チャプター 50

Time passed excruciatingly slowly in the castle afterwards, each day blending into the next like a never-ending cycle. Silence dominated every part of the castle, life sucked out of the long, winding hallways of the palace. It was as if everyone was mirroring the emotional state of their ruler. It was depressing. As the person tasked with delivering the King's meals, I was the only one allowed to see him, but even my presence seemed to make little difference. The king remained shrouded in darkness, his chambers a constant, oppressive gloom that seemed to suffocate me. He rarely spoke to me, and when he did, his voice was laced with a deep-seated exhaustion that made my heart ache.I couldn't help but wonder if everything was alright with him. The memory of Helen's words about the dormancy that plagued him and its devastating effects haunted me, refusing to be silenced. If everything she said was true, then the king was already feeling the effects. He was slowly losing strength, getti

After that night with the Lycan king, my relationship with the king improved somewhat. Well, if you can call being permanently confined to his chambers an improvement. But that was it – the king never dismissed me anymore, so I spent all my sleeping and waking moments next to him, either lying beside him or simply being near him. His chambers had practically become my bedroom, and I no longer had to bring in food, as he began to summon other workers for that task. My duties were now limited to feeding him and occasionally cleaning his chambers when he allowed it.To fill the idle time, I would talk about everything and nothing, singing or sometimes humming a tune. The king would watch me with that intense, piercing gaze of his, his eyes gleaming in the dim light. I did numerous things to entertain myself and him – I'd pace around the room, run my fingers over the intricate carvings on the furniture, or simply sit and stare at the flickering candles. The darkness and chill of the chamb

I woke up from my slumber, my mind foggy and disoriented, my body feeling like it had been submerged underwater for hours. Taking a deep breath, I blinked rapidly, trying to shake off the haze. As I stretched my tense muscles, I became aware of the body next to me.My gaze drifted towards Aira, who was laying on her side, sound asleep. Even in the darkness that cloaked the room, she was still as clear as day in my eyes. My gaze stopped short as I took in her sleeping features: her lips lightly parted, the gentle rise and fall of her chest, her hair fanned around her in a soft halo, and her breathing soft and peaceful. She looked so at peace, so trusting, that a pang of guilt and unease struck my chest.Why was I keeping her around me again? At first, it was because she had helped quiet the demons in my head. Being next to her made me feel a sense of peace, if only for a short while, which is why I allowed her to stay. But now, it had gone way beyond that. The thought of her spending

I woke up from my sleep, my head spinning and my body heavy. Blinking away the fog that had settled in my eyes, I let out a low yawn, stretching my stiff muscles before becoming acutely aware of the tenderness on my breasts and between my legs. Stiffening slightly, I sat up on the bed, pulling away the covers as I rushed through my memories, before tensing as my mind replayed every single stolen moment I had with the king the night before.Was it the night before? I wasn't even sure. Being in this ever-dark chamber had me losing track of time. Unbidden, my mind drifted back to those moments, and a low smile began to form on my lips, my cheeks burning. The pleasure I had felt with the king this time far surpassed the previous one when I had sought out my relief myself.Why had he gone that far? Did he like me now? Now, you're reading far into it, Aira, I cautioned myself, the smile on my face dropping for a bit. It's just wishful thinking. His attitude towards me hadn't changed yet."I

The weeks flew by, and I started to notice improvements in the King's demeanor, which filled me with happiness and deepened my feelings for him. One of the most significant changes was his continued patience with teaching me to read. He'd spend hours with me, going over letters and words in the picture storybooks I adored. Thanks to his dedication, I could now read the books, although I still struggled with many words."You'll get better," he groaned one night, exasperated by my mispronunciations and muddled sentences after I finished reading a story to him.I looked up at him, my voice small. "You think so?""I wasn't expecting it to be this hard," I admitted, frowning at the jagged lines that had begun to take form in recent days.He murmured reassuringly, settling into the pillows. "Yes, you just need more practice."I smiled, clutching the book to my chest, resolving to practice more whenever he fell asleep.Our nighttime walks had become more frequent, with the King preferring to