Saved By The Mad Duke
Chapter 126: The Late Night Snack, Part II

Chapter 126: The Late Night Snack, Part II

"I see."

Aideen could not lie to herself –– she was hoping that their shared connection would convince Ylva to believe in true devotion once more, and she was glad that the witch saw true love in Tillian’s actions as well.

"So what about the King? How is he feeling? I should pay him a visit in the morning. I am so happy he is now free of that heartbreaking curse!"

"King Yuraon already left for the Capital, I am afraid visiting him will be quite a challenge now."

"He did?! Oh my... I did not even have a chance to say goodbye..."

The Duke paused and stood in front of his wife, offering her a light pat on her head, his lips stretching into a warm smile.

"It is indeed a pity that you could not, but he was happy, and he extended his sincere gratitude for what you have done for him. It can never be repaid in full. A truly remarkable life is now awaiting him, and I am convinced our paths will cross many times in the future."

The princess nodded and smiled too. After all, there was truly no reason to grieve. The young King was destined for a great life, and she was happy to have been honored to be a part of such destiny.

"Here we are, the sacred kitchen."

Tillian jiggled a small metal key inside an old lock securing the kitchen doors and once it was opened, he lightly pushed the door, inviting Aideen to come inside.

The lady was strangely excited. She had visited the castle’s kitchen only once before when Bella was showing her around and introducing her to the staff, but now the feeling was completely different.

The moment she walked inside, her eyes, though still veiled in darkness, began to glow with mana and her senses were keenly attuned to every corner of the room.

The comforting aroma of baked sweet bread mingled with the subtle notes of various herbs, enveloping her in a cocoon of warmth and familiarity. Each scent, intensified by the magic of late hour, was a tale of Martin’s culinary talents already familiar to her taste.

Though she could not see the intricate patterns of the tiles beneath her feet or the old designs adorning the walls, she felt a deep sense of connection to the heart of the kitchen. Here, amidst the rhythmic ticking of the clock, she found solace in the symphony of scents that danced around her, bringing her back to the warm memories of those distant times when smell was her only guide in the dark world.

And the smell of good food was the most comforting of them all.

"What would you like to eat?" Tillian stood in front of a tall wooden shelf with a few loaves of white bread wrapped carefully in soft towels. He picked one up, unwrapped it, inhaled its aroma to affirm its freshness, and turned around, continuing, "The bread is still soft. Maybe we can find some jam to go with it?"

"Jam?"

Aideen’s eyes glimmered with a surprisingly childish enthusiasm. She loved jam, perhaps more than anything else, and while she was not particularly a sweet tooth, jam was the only type of food she could not give up.

Bella always asked Martin to put it in her morning pastry, but what really made the princess happy was to eat it just like that, straight from a jar like a spoiled, sneaky child.

"Would you like some jam, Aideen? I see there are several types... Which one do you fancy?"

"Strawberry! I’d like some strawberry jam, please."

Tillian could practically see his wife wiggling her tail from behind the long wooden table, and it made him release a hearty scoff. He found a small jar of strawberry jam among the others, twisted its lid open, and placed it on the table before her, together with the round loaf of sweet bread that emanated a pleasant though strong aroma of vanilla.

The Duke then stepped away from the table to find a spoon or a knife to assist the princess in spreading it on the bread. However, when he returned, much to his astonishment, Aideen found a different way of tasting the jam.

With her index finger placed between her lips, she offered her husband a guilty look and shrugged her shoulders, to which Tillian replied with another generous laugh.

"I had no idea you were so fond of jam; you could not wait to taste it! Is it good?"

Removing her finger from her mouth, the princess nodded and smiled. Taking a seat right beside her, the Duke leaned closer and said, his voice turning unexpectedly seductive, as he added,

"Can I have a taste too?"

Hesitant at first, Aideen, though aware of how exactly the man wanted to taste that jam, was not sure how to proceed. However, as Tillian’s piercing eyes refused to leave hers, she carefully dipped her finger into the jar, then brought it closer to the man’s lips, patiently waiting for him to do his part as well.

With his eyes still glued to hers, the Duke gently grabbed her hand and moved it closer, wrapping his soft lips around her finger, wiping the sweet berry mixture off her skin.

The princess could not help but wonder how, after all the intimacy that had already been shared between them, her husband still never failed to cover her skin with hundreds of goosebumps like that.

With a quiet, slightly embarrassed voice, she asked,

"How is it?"

Moving his lips away from her finger rather reluctantly, Tillian grinned and answered,

"I’m not sure... Can I get some more?"

Hot blood rushed all the way up to her cheeks, tinting Aideen’s porcelain skin with a strong hint of blush. Charmed by the irresistible force of the Duke’s piercing gaze, she dipped her finger in jam once more and brought it to his parted lips. However, instead of letting him do the same thing again, this time, she smeared it across his lower lip and challenged him with a daring look of her own.

"Aideen..." Tillian licked his lower lip and smiled again. "I think I need another try to see what you find so fascinating about strawberry jam."

The princess decided to be even bolder this time. Dipping her finger in the jar again, she now brought it closer to her own lips, smeared the jam across them, and whispered,

"Maybe this time, you will finally see it."

The Duke scoffed, then leaned forward, and moved his tongue over his wife’s lips before finally covering them with his, initiating a deep and passionate kiss.

Aideen was right. This time, he could really feel it. The sweetness of jam mixed with the taste of the princess’s lips. The dangerous combination that made his head spin.