Thank You For The Confinement, Grand Duke! - Chapter 67.1

“…Uwaahh!”

As I was reading, an image suddenly flashed in my mind, causing me to throw the book I was holding without thinking. By the time I realized what I had done, I was covering my face with both hands and screaming.

…What on earth did I just do?

I knew this from reading it, but somehow, because I frequently read those 19+ novels, I unconsciously thought that kissing the neck was no big deal.

“Crazy, crazy…!”

The image of those golden eyes remained vividly etched in my mind. My heart kept racing, and I felt a tightness in my chest. Don’t we have any emergency medicine here?!

Someone, please give me some painkillers!

But of course, there was none.

Eventually, I wandered around like a zombie in search of Frii. Fluffy white fur—petting that fluff would definitely help me calm down! Where did that fluff go?!

As I roamed, I suddenly came back to my senses.

Right. Enfrise took Frii with him.

“Ugh, Frii…! Frii, come back to me!”

I wanted to bury my hands in that soft white fur. That silky sensation always healed my heart…!

Uh, uuuhhhhh.

Ah, but there was white fur here as well.

At the thought, I raised my hand and patted my own head. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as soft as Frii’s fluff, but it was smooth and silky, making my hand glide over it.

‘Hmm, this isn’t so bad.’

As I thought this and continued to touch my hair, that face appeared in my mind again.

“…Uh, uwaaah!“

‘I’m in deep trouble.’

No, even when we kissed, I didn’t feel like this. If we were being precise, kissing was definitely more intimate, wasn’t it?! He only pecked at the skin of my neck, so why was this happening?!

Why couldn’t I calm down?!

If it were fear, that would be one thing. At first, thinking about those eyes is frightening… but then something else! It felt like my body was heating up. Was that all? I also feel a chill, maybe even a shiver. At the end of that contradictory sensation, I found myself…

Imagining what would come next.

I mean, I’ve only kissed twice! That was something I’ve only ever experienced through books!

No way.

‘I’m a pervert…’

“Uh, ughhhh…!“

I really couldn’t take this anymore. At this rate, I wouldn’t be able to calm down.

In moments like this…

“Let’s make some paint.”

Jaha once told me that making paint helps settle the mind. That was how I’ve felt lately.

At first, I used to frown at the smell and open the windows wide. The scent reminded me of gasoline, but it had a peculiar note that made my stomach churn. However, now when I grind the paint and inhale that scent, it brings me a sense of calm.

Is it like meditating?

Of course, I couldn’t do it without opening the windows—otherwise, I’d get a headache.

I poured the pigment powder onto the clean black stone slab Tambor had prepared. Since I wasn’t using this for painting, I’d only need a little since I didn’t want to waste it.

The color I chose is a somewhat earthy orange. I’ve already learned this pigment is made from soil and is relatively cheap. I actually asked Jaha which pigment was the most expensive—the one I should avoid—and which colors were more manageable. I couldn’t remember everything, so I memorized the three cheapest and three most expensive ones. Still, just because it was cheap doesn’t mean it was easy to make. The soil this color came from wasn’t found in the Empire, so it wasn’t really low quality.

I use a painting knife to carve out the center of the pigment, creating a crater-like shape. Then, I drizzle oil into it. Watching the orange pigment absorb the oil is more mesmerizing than I expected.

After admiring it for a moment, I begin mixing the oil and pigment, listening to the sound of the knife scraping against the slab. I knead the slightly sticky, clay-like mixture for a while before grabbing the glass muller. At first glance, it looked like a large stamp, which I used to press and grind over the paint.

The sticky mass spreads thinly across the slab.

I moved the muller over it, breaking down the larger pigment particles.

The sound was different now. If I mismanaged my strength even slightly, it would make a clinking or dull thud, which happened when the muller and slab collided. But most of the time, it created a sound that was hard to describe… somewhat like a crunch.

Listening to that sound, I absentmindedly move my hands…

Move…

“…Oh no!”

I thought I was empty-headed, but as I stared intently at the black slab, the image of Enfrise’s hair came to mind before his eyes followed.

Those hot, piercing eyes that seemed like they would swallow me whole.