The Northern Duke’s Daughter Will Never Fall

Chapter 74: Those Who Dwell Near Ink Become Blackened (5)

Though Astrid had managed to regain control of her body, she knew the real trouble was just beginning.

Her first time, she believed firmly, should take place on a honeymoon trip. 

Any other setting was utterly unacceptable. This conviction remains unshaken, no matter the circumstances.

“Get a grip! What are you even doing right now?!”

Her inner voice screamed, but the Astrid in control—her body aflame with overwhelming heat—paid no heed. Her vision swayed, as though warped by the rising heatwaves.

The feverish sensation didn’t touch her true self, who existed in her conscious mind. 

However, it completely consumed her body, leaving the real Astrid desperately trying to halt the reckless actions of the one in control.

This was madness. It couldn’t happen—not like this. Astrid may have lacked proper etiquette training, but to have her first experience in such a place, under such circumstances, was beyond intolerable.

For a brief moment, the thought crossed her mind that, given Leopold was the partner, perhaps… just maybe… But no, this was unacceptable. She had to be in control.

Fueled by this resolve, the real Astrid shouted herself hoarse. Yet the one in control, already half-lost in frenzy, didn’t even flinch.

She didn’t know what to do. Ideally, she would have swapped places with the other Astrid. But in her current state of arousal, that Astrid wouldn’t hear a word of it.

Her determination flared.

This is my body, after all…!

Though forced into this peculiar cohabitation, the real Astrid had never surrendered her body entirely. 

She had allowed this arrangement under the condition that the other Astrid would help her become a more refined and feminine woman for her future with Leopold. 

But never—not once—had she agreed to let her body be used in such a way!

“I can’t even use my own body without consent? This is outrageous!”

Gritting her teeth, the real Astrid strained against the mental barriers. 

She clawed her way into the other Astrid’s loosened consciousness, demanding her body back.

Slowly, she began to feel the return of sensation in her limbs. Bit by bit, she wrested control and finally managed to stop the frenzied actions. 

Barely able to form words, she muttered a request to Leopold, only to feel the sharp impact of his knee and the sensation of her body being flung away.

That strike marked the turning point.

The real Astrid fully regained control of her body. And then she understood.

***

Damn it…

As soon as she reclaimed her body, the first thing she felt was the unbearable heat emanating from deep within. 

It was all-consuming, and its origin was unmistakably between her legs. The itching, desperate craving for someone’s touch overwhelmed her.

This wasn’t just natural arousal. Astrid had been hit with an arousal spell—of that, there was no doubt.

She knew her own body well. Despite being blessed with two divine graces, her affinity for magic was practically nonexistent. 

She had no compatibility with mana, the foundation of all magic.

Unable to wield mana, she couldn’t use magic, nor could she resist it. 

Though one of the empire’s top warriors in physical combat, this glaring weakness left her vulnerable—and now she was paying the price.

Even after regaining control, her body trembled with the urge to leap at Leopold. But she knew she couldn’t give in. 

Summoning superhuman willpower, Astrid resolved to put distance between herself and Leopold, who was approaching cautiously.

Backed against the wall, with no further retreat, Astrid made her choice: escape.

Leopold had claimed the door wouldn’t open, but that didn’t matter. If it wouldn’t open, she would make it open. 

Without hesitation, she charged at the door, her momentum carrying through as she delivered a powerful kick.

Crash!

The door shattered into pieces with a deafening roar, fragments scattering everywhere.

Someone said something, but she didn’t care.

The door to her dorm room slammed shut with such force it was a wonder it hadn’t broken too. Astrid leaned against it, panting as the fever in her body slowly began to cool.

“Haa… haah…”

Finally, the other Astrid’s voice returned.

“You… you’re insane…”

“I’m sorry! I must’ve lost my mind for a moment!”

The real Astrid couldn’t bring herself to continue scolding her counterpart. 

It wasn’t entirely her fault. Clearly, someone had used magic on them.

“I don’t know what happened…”

In her rush to leave, she had forgotten her cloak and everything else. 

Dressed only in a sweat-soaked shirt, she couldn’t bear the thought of returning to the training hall. She removed her shirt and trousers, tossing them into the laundry basket.

Unfastening her bra, she threw it in as well, followed by her panties.

The panties were the worst of all. When she wrung them out, liquid dripped freely from the fabric. 

They were soaked through, with shimmering silver threads clinging and stretching as she pulled them.

Damn it…

“Ugh… gross…”

Holding up the soaked garment made her sigh in exasperation. She quickly stuffed it into the laundry basket along with her bra, hiding them both under other clothes.

Opening her drawer, she grabbed a fresh bra, panties, and a towel before heading to the shower. She couldn’t stand the clammy feeling any longer.

***

Meanwhile, back at the training hall, Eranya’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“So… what were you two doing in there?”

Pushing aside Veracien, who was muttering something absurd about “human mating rituals,” Leopold grabbed Astrid’s cloak before leaving the training hall.

Fresh air helped clear his mind.

It was obvious this situation had been orchestrated. The spell used had been a powerful arousal magic—strong enough to affect even Leopold, who had high magic resistance.

And if it had affected him, it must have overwhelmed Astrid, who had no resistance at all. 

He couldn’t shake the memory of her flushed face, her dazed expression, and the way her sweat-soaked shirt clung to her…

Her…

Leopold stopped mid-stride, his hand brushing against the nape of his neck—the very spot where Astrid’s warm tongue had repeatedly lingered.The sensation was still vivid, like the soft, deliberate licks of a cat.

A strange feeling.

Standing there any longer felt dangerous, as if it might lead to something irreversible. Leopold quickly resumed walking, his mind in turmoil.

“Someone bold enough to cast an arousal spell on the Crown Prince and his future Princess… what kind of lunatic…?”

This was not something to overlook. While no additional reports had come in from the instructors, it was clear that strange things were happening at the academy.

“Perhaps this is a good thing in disguise.”

Leopold’s thoughts turned serious. Until now, the peculiar incidents plaguing the academy had shown no discernible pattern.

Ever since the Hellveig incident, the disruptions had been minor: old ritual textbooks disappearing from the supply storage, several seal orbs vanishing, and occasional evidence of unauthorized entry into restricted areas. The scattered nature of these events made it difficult to determine a clear motive.

“Maybe the target has finally been revealed.”

If the true goal was narrowing to Leopold, the Crown Prince, and Astrid, his future Princess, then the situation might become easier to manage.

He had never entertained the idea that Astrid might fall victim to something or someone. But now…

If someone were to isolate her from him and use an arousal spell…

If she were to look at someone else with those heated, longing eyes…

If she were to show someone else that flushed, crimson face…

If she were to…

Leopold’s hand unconsciously moved to his neck again, as if the memory of her searing tongue had branded him. 

The sensation of being pressed against the wall, unable to move, came flooding back—the soft, yielding yet undeniably heavy pressure that had pinned him so mercilessly.

His face burned as he quickened his pace, his posture slightly hunched, desperate to outrun the thoughts chasing him.