Chapter 128: The Guild’s Loan

Isolde’s breathing grew ragged. She grind against him faster, chasing her pleasure.

"The gods bless Tatia." He said amidst thrusts.

She laughed and pressed harder against him.

Emeric’s hands settled on her hips, guiding her, helping her take him deeper. Her inner walls fluttered around him, clenching tight. She came with a broken cry, body shaking, thighs trembling against his sides. The sight of her lost in ecstasy pushed him over the edge. He thrust up hard, burying himself to the hilt as he spilled inside her again, pulse after pulse of hot cum filling her.

Isolde collapsed forward, panting against his neck in the tub. Emeric wrapped his arms around her, holding her close and he picked her out of the tub and straight to the bed. The plan had been to wash off the sweat and sex from their bodies but that had ended spectacularly bad.

He dropped her on the bed and their hearts hammered together, skin slick with sweat. He stroked her back in long, soothing lines until their breathing slowed. She nuzzled against his throat, pressing soft kisses there. He turned his head to capture her mouth in a lazy, tender kiss.

They stayed like that for a long time, bodies still joined, the afternoon light fading to softer gold. Outside, the estate continued its quiet work, but inside these walls there was only breath, touch, and the lingering heat of two bodies that had finally found their way back to each other.

Later that evening,

The room was warm when Emeric finally opened his eyes.

He lay on his back, the sheets were tangled around his waist. His body was relaxed, feeling sated and content.

Isolde was beside him. Her head on his chest. Her hand over his heart. Her breathing slow and even. Her hair was a dark tangle across the pillow and her skin was flushed.

She was sleeping.

He watched her for a long moment.

Then he reached for the bell on the nightstand. Rang it once.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door.

"Enter." He said in a gruff tone.

The door opened a crack and a maid peered in. She was one of the young ones that had recently been hired from the capital. Her eyes widened when she saw them, covered in bed. Her eyes travelled over the tangled sheets and discarded clothes on the floor.

"My lord?"

"Have Marta prepare dinner. For two. In our private quarters."

"Y-yes, my lord."

She closed the door quickly and he could hear her footsteps hurrying down the hall, then followed by voices that soon turned to whispers and giggles.

Isolde stirred. "What was that?"

"I ordered dinner."

She lifted her head, looked at him. Her eyes were soft and she was still sleepy.

"You did?"

"You need to eat."

"So do you."

He smiled. "I will."

She laid her head back down and closed her eyes.

The food arrived an hour later.

He knew by the knock, then the door opened. Two maids entered. The young one from before. And another. Older. More composed. But her cheeks were pink.

They carried trays that housed plates covered in food. From bread to wine, cheese, fruits and meat.

They set everything on the small table near the window, avoiding eye contact. They carefully avoided every part that could make them see what they couldn’t look away from. They avoided the bed, his eyes and Isolde’s/

But their cheeks were red and their hands were trembling. They kept stealing glances at each other, small smiles and giggles as they worked around each other.

"Will there be anything else, my lord?"

"No. That’s all."

They curtsied. Hurried out. The door closed behind them. He could hear them laughing in the hall.

Isolde was up now. She watched them leave, letting out a small laugh.

"They know what we were doing."

"Shouldn’t they? The Lord and Lady do what married couples do."

"They’re going to gossip."

"Does that bother you?"

She sat up and said the sheets fell away. She didn’t bother to cover herself.

"Let them."

---

The system pulsed.

---

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

[DEVOTION LOGGED: REUNITING AFTER TIME APART — INTIMACY AND CONNECTION]

[DP AWARDED: +10]

[ADDITIONAL REWARD: SHADOW STEP — RANK C → B]

[EFFECT: INCREASED STEALTH IN SHADOWS. FOOTSTEPS MUFFLED. PRESENCE HARDER TO DETECT.]

---

Emeric read the notification. Laughed.

"Something funny?" Isolde asked.

"No, I just..." he trailed off, wondering what lie to make up.

He always found it funny that the system would reward him for having coitus with his wife.

She raised an eyebrow. "Cat got your tongue Baron?"

"After what you did to me?" He said, covering her with his body as he analyzed her nakedness.

---

The system pulsed again.

[SYSTEM NOTE: THE SYSTEM DOES NOT REWARD INTIMACY. THE SYSTEM REWARDS DEVOTION. THESE ARE NOT THE SAME—]

It sounded like it had an attitude towards him. Was it mad at his assumption?

The system had been acting more emotional since the upgrade.

Maybe he was overthinking it.

"Alright, let’s eat."

The food was good. It was warm and filling.

They talked. He had missed telling her about the ongoings.

When the meal was done, Emeric rang the bell again. The same two maids returned. Cleared the dishes. Curtsied and left.

Isolde wheeled herself to the window, looking out at the darkening sky.

"Thank you," she said.

"For what?"

"For this. For everything. For... coming back to me."

He crossed to her. Knelt beside her chair. Took her hand.

"I’ll always come back."

She looked at him. Her eyes were soft.

"That’s what I’m most thankful for."

He held her hand and kissed her forehead.

The next day.

---

The morning was quiet.

Emeric sat in the study. He was filling out something on his table.

He had been working since dawn. Reviewing the accounts. Planning the next phase of repairs. The estate needed an accountant, he noted. Calculating how long the reserve would last. It wasn’t enough. It never was. But it was a start.