"MY LADY, Sir Kiho has returned."

Tilly literally dropped what she was doing (stitching a white handkerchief) when she heard the news from Leni, and then stood up. She was shocked because when they were talking via their communication device last night, Kiho told her that he'd be home the day after tomorrow. "He's already here?"

"Yes, my lady," Leni confirmed. "The other servants have assembled in the main entrance to greet the master."

She immediately bolted out of the room.

If her father saw her running down the grand staircase, she would definitely get scolded. After all, running when your life wasn't in danger was considered "unladylike." She was trying her best to fit in this world again but her second life as a modern woman had changed a lot of things about her personality and beliefs.

And most of all, she just really couldn't wait to see Kiho again after twelve lonely days of being apart.

Kiho was giving his black cloak to David, the head butler, when he turned to her. His face instantly lit up. When he realized that she was running towards him, he handed the bouquet if red roses that he was holding to the head butler. "Tilly."

"Kiho!" Tilly said excitedly. "You're back!"

Then, she literally threw herself at him. Like she expected, he caught her without a problem. He even spun her around that made her giggle.

[Gosh, this is such a newlywed's behavior.]

The best thing out of that was he didn't put her down yet.

"How are you, honey?" Kiho asked while carrying her effortlessly in his arms as if she was just as light as a feather.

"I'm better now that you're back," she said. "Why didn't you tell me that you'd be back today?"

"I wanted to surprise you," he confessed. "Did it work?"

"Yes!" she said. "But I wish I could have asked the chef to prepare your favorite food instead of mine."

"No, it's okay," he comforted her. "I like everything that you like."

She smiled warmly at him. "Welcome home, hon."

"I'm glad to be welcomed home by you, honey," he said gently.

After saying that, the captain asked David to hand her the bouquet of red roses.

"Thank you," she said while adoring the flowers. "I love flowers."

"I also got you some unique jewelry that you'd probably like," he said. "Would you like to see them now?"

"Later," she said. "You should rest first, Kiho."

"Uh-huh," the captain said, then he started to walk towards to stairs. He obviously didn't have any intention to put her down yet. "Have you been eating well, Tilly? Why does it feel like you've lost weight?"

She laughed softly while shaking her head. "It's just your imagination. I didn't lose weight."

She was about to say something but she stopped when she realized that the servants were watching them. The maids were blushing but they looked happy. The butlers also seemed pleased. While Louisa (the head maid) and David (the head butler) looked like proud parents.

[Oh. I've noticed it a while ago but the servants seemed to have been more accepting to Kiho than they did before.]

The servants used to be scared of Kiho because of his bad reputation and his lack of interest to change other people's perception of him.

So she was thinking that her presence might have helped the servants see Kiho in a different light. The captain may have not noticed it but every time he was with her, he would let his guard down. Thanks to that, the people serving her might have realized that he was just an awkward shy person and not a cold-blooded monster.

[I'm happy for Kiho. He needs more people by his side more than ever. If his servants are loyal to him, then he would succeed as the future Duke of Oakes.]

"Should I ask them to stop looking at us?" Kiho whispered while he was climbing up the grand staircase. Ah, so he noticed that the servants were watching them with interest, huh? "Just tell me if they make you uncomfortable."

"No, it's fine. Let them watch all they want," Tilly said. Then, she hugged his neck tight. "They're just happy for us."

***

THE bathtub sex was very good– it made Tilly realize just how much Kiho had missed her.

She had to grasp the edge of the tub hard while he was on top of her, thrusting fast and deep inside her while his hands were on either side of her head– pressed against the wall. It was an awkward position but he did her so good that she didn't mind that her back kind of hurt. He gave her multiple delicious orgasms and they did it thrice in the bathroom.

To simply put, they spent many hours in "taking a bath."

And now, she was lying on her husband's chest while his hand played with her hair. Both of them were just in their white robes.

"Look at this, honey," Kiho said while showing her the necklace in his other hand. "This is a cheap jewelry but I thought you'd like it."

"I do," Tilly said genuinely. Then, she touched the dangling moon-shaped pendant with a preserved blue tiny flower inside. Yes, the pendant was made from resin. She almost forgot about that. "It's beautiful, Kiho. Thank you."

It wasn't the only resin jewelry that he got for her. The others were already in her jewelry box in the other room. That was because he got them a lot of it. She just chose the pieces that she liked best to keep in their chamber.

"From now on, I'll buy you the dresses and jewelries from every nation or kingdom that I'd visit," he promised her. "Especially the unique ones."

She kissed on the cheek as reward. "Are you going to report to His Majesty tomorrow?"

"Yes," he said while placing the necklace on the night table. "But I'd be free after that. His Majesty said he'd give me a few days off to prepare for the Hunt. We can make up for lost time."

"That would be lovely," she said. "Kiho?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you spare my father some of your time?" she asked. "Father said he wanted to talk to you once you've returned."

"Of course," he said. "I plan to ask you to visit Duke Prescott anyway."

"Really?"

"Yes," he confirmed. "I heard that Duke Prescott was a very good hunter during his peak. I wanted to ask him for some advice."

"Oh, I didn't expect that you'd want advice from my father," she said in amusement. "I mean, you're already a swords master and your Mana is one of the strongest in the empire."

"Hunting is different from assassination," he explained. "I heard that hunters do some sort of ritual to pay respects to their prey. I'm not knowledgeable when it comes to that and I want to learn it before the Hunt."

That was just one thing that she liked about Kiho.

He wasn't embarrassed to let her know about the stuff that he had no knowledge of. And most of all, he was always willing to learn.

[He's so humble.]

"I'll let Father know that we're going to visit him," she said. "Kiho?"

"Hmm?"

"I don't want you to be surprised so I'll tell you why my father wanted to see you," she started carefully. Then, she looked up at him to watch his reaction. "Hon, my father wants you to have your own last name."

He just didn't look shocked.

The captain froze. If it wasn't for the movement of his chest, she would have thought that he already stopped breathing.

His reaction was understandable though.

"House Prescott is one of the oldest families in the empire," Kiho said in disbelief. "And to be honest, I don't mind taking your name once the duke passed his title to me. He doesn't have to go this far for us."

"I said the same thing to my father," she said. "But it seems like he won't change his mind anymore. He said he'd make House Prescott a vassal for the family that we will build with your new last name."

He looked even more shocked.

"Once you become the duke, you'd also inherit my father's duchy," she continued. "We'll be the Duke and Duchess of Oakes when that happens."

He swallowed hard. "Well, I already expected that when we got married. But I didn't expect it to happen this soon."

"I know, right?" she said sympathetically. Then, she touched his cheek. "Take your time before you decide, Kiho. If you don't want to have your own surname, please be comfortable to say it to my father. I'll support your decision."

He looked at her as if he was relieved by her support. "But if I let you decide, what would you want me to do?"

"Can I be honest?"

"Of course."

"To be frank, I want you to accept my father's offer," Tilly said seriously. "If you just simply take my father's title and become a Prescott, you'd still be looked down because you were only married into my family. But if you get a last name, you'll have your own identity as the future Duke of Oakes. My father is willing to make House Prescott a vassal for our family because he believes in you. He trusts us, Kiho."

And if Kiho became a noble in his own right, his debut in the high society would be much more impactful than simply taking her father's title.

[If our family becomes powerful, then we'd get more freedom. And yes, the royal family can't touch us if majority of the empire's economy depends on our businesses. I have to the richest noblewoman and make Kiho an untouchable duke.]

They needed to be that strong for Winter.

"I'll consider that, Tilly," Kiho said seriously. "I'll think about it carefully before I make a decision."

"Thank you," Tilly said. "And I apologize if I somehow put pressure on you."

"You don't have to apologize for that," he said. "I know what marrying you means. And I accepted that because I'm willing to take anything and everything if it means being with you for the rest of my life. I'll never think of my responsibility as a burden."

She never felt so thankful to be back in that time more than she did now.

[I wasted this treasure in my past life. So whoever brought me back here, thank you. I don't know what you want me to do but I'm certain about one thing: my family won't suffer this time.]

Her thoughts were cut-off when the captain suddenly kissed her on the lips.

"Oh, wow," she said. "What a pleasant surprise."

"You were spacing out," he said. "What were you thinking?"

"I've missed you," Tilly said genuinely. "I'm just so happy that we're together again."

Kiho gave her a small smile...

... and then he rolled over to position himself on top of her.

[Gosh, we're so horny.]

********