CH 39.2

The Grand Duke gestured to the spot next to him with a large hand. As he waved his hand, the misty steam distorted, and with a clearer view, she could see the Grand Duke’s bare, broad chest. Every time the hot water and cold air clashed each other, his strong abs and broad shoulders were revealed. The statue-like hard muscles were drenched in hot water.

It wasn’t Anne’s first time seeing him naked, but her cheeks were hot enough that Anne had to twist her gaze.

“It’s cold, so come in.”

Anne’s feet, which had been moving slowly, stopped abruptly the moment she was about to take on the next step. As she lowered her gaze, everything beneath the flat floor and the connected stairs was submerged in water.

“Where do I take my clothes off?”

Anne hesitated in front of the steps, gripping her arms tighter against the cold. The knife-like winter wind seemed to cut through her skin, so she hesitated to go straight into the warm water. First of all, she was wearing her underwear, and there wasn’t enough space to undress.

There were no people passing by, but this place was still outside. Her head moved anxiously to the side of the outdoor bathtub. Even though she knew that no one would dare set foot in the Grand Duke’s personal space, she hesitated that she might show her bare flesh to someone.

Seeing Anne’s hesitant gaze, the Grand Duke smiled.

“There’s no way anyone would risk their life just to see the Grand Duchess’s naked body.”

“Nevertheless . . . Knights on patrol might see it.”

Feeling reluctant to show herself naked to others, Anne stepped back, and there was a loud splash of water. It was the sound of the Grand Duke stepping up and walking towards her, cutting through the water with long strides. Every time the large muscles of the upper body exposed above the water swayed, water droplets dripped from the wet skin to the surface of the water.

Startled, Anne tried to step backwards, but her wrist was caught and she was thrown forward.

“I forgot that my wife is stubborn and doesn’t listen all at once. I have to grab her and pull her here so that she can listen to my words.”

“Wa . . . Wait, clothes.”

Anne’s feet slipped and her body tilted against the unexpected strength. This time, he accepted and avoided her falling, but what touched her face was his bare, wet skin. Drops of water rolled down his lukewarm skin and landed on her cheeks.

Feeling the warm water on her eyes, Anne opened her tightly closed eyes and saw the Grand Duke’s face as he hugged her and looked down.

Is he not angry?

She examined the Grand Duke’s face, but he seemed rather pleased. He asked, looking down at Anne, who was resting precariously on his chest.

“What are you thinking? You look like you’re thinking I would throw you into the water.”

“That’s . . . thank you.”

Come to think of it, he had actually been stretching out his hand to her every time she thought she was in danger. Of course, she didn’t know if it was for her sake or just another whim on his part.

She was captured in his arms as her body cut through the surface of the water. The temperature of the hot water was warm enough that it felt good. But at the same time, the cold air against her face was indescribably cool, and she shivered violently whenever her clothes got wet. Her lower body was hot, but her upper body was very cold. Even her teeth were clashing with each other.

“You look very cold.”

Seeing Anne trembling, the Grand Duke settled down and sat her on his right thigh. Her clothes floated and her body became light as if they floated too. When the water that tickled her around her waist came up to her neck, the startled Anne lifted her head to keep herself from drinking the water.

“Are you afraid of water? I haven’t seen much, but it seems like you are quite afraid of a few things.”

Seeing her frightened face, the Grand Duke laughed, unbefitting of him.

Her cheeks became hot. It was embarrassing, from the close posture of being hugged by his wet body. Her lips moved first as she didn’t know where to put her eyes.

“I have to take my clothes off and come in.”

There was no dressing while bathing even with common sense. It wasn’t washing, but more like a mouse soaked in water. Not knowing how funny she would be, she looked around restlessly.

“I don’t care. I can take it off.”

The strangely low-pitched sound warmed her ears strangely. As Anne trembled with a ticklish feeling, the Grand Duke met her eyes, and slowly poured hot spring water over her shoulders. Then the cool air against her face became quite tolerable.

“This hot spring water has an excellent effect on softening the skin. That’s why it’s also the most coveted place for women in the Imperial family.”

Anne’s skin was as soft as that of other noble women. It was because she had been nurturing herself with rose oil and fragrant oil that whitened her skin since she was a child. However, the slippery hot spring water was comparable to that and was as soft as oil.

“This is what hot springs are like. I heard that the Empress often visits the hot springs, so I can understand why. If you take a bath with this water every day, your skin will definitely become softer.”

This intangible facet of nature that couldn’t even be touched was soft. Anne fiddled with the water she had scooped with her hands with curious eyes. It slipped between her fingers as he said, and the feeling of it dripping down was very tickly. Like someone’s hand gently caressing her body.