CH 42.1

In the early morning of the next day, the neighing of a galloping horse awoke the Grand Duke’s castle. The Grand Duke had left the castle, leaving only one division of the Cromound Knights to guard the castle.

Anne saw him off in bed. After their passionate activity in the outdoor hot spring, the Grand Duke picked up Anne, who had almost fainted, and took her to the bedroom. And without letting her go, he mingled his body with her again.

In order not to strain the struggling Anne, he hugged her from behind as she lay on her side and embraced her very slowly and gently. His arms, which had only been cool, gave off a fairly warm body temperature as time passed.

It was the first time he had held Anne so tenderly as he had last night. She didn’t feel insulted, nor did she feel like a prostitute. He made love to her in a caring way, as though holding the woman he loved. It gave Anne a feeling of unfamiliarity as her heart pounded.

Anne, watching the Grand Duke’s horse move away from the window, blankly leaned against the window sill. She thought he looked back for a moment as his back was getting more blurry, but she didn’t think he was looking at her. After all, the Grand Duke wasn’t the kind who would be worried about his wife who would be left alone.

7. Grand Duchess’ Obligations

Ever since the Grand Duke left the castle, Anne had been procrastinating.

She had previously acted like a diligent lady, even though no one was there to glare. The reason she got up early and put on neat clothes and proper make-up was not because she had an appointment, but because she had learned to be dignified even within the mansion. However, when the master of the castle disappeared, she became more and more indolent.

“I am tired.”

So today she thought she’d be lazy. She had sent her husband to a dangerous place, which a wife is not intended to do, but did not think that he would be in danger. It was a certainty that she did not know where it came from.

She was about to close her eyes, her face buried in the soft pillowcase.

“Miss Anne!”

Anne, startled by the sudden voice of a young man, raised her upper body. A familiar face stood right next to the bed.

“Luciel?”

The man who was the Grand Duke’s distant cousin, whom she had met shortly after coming to this castle. Silver hair, which flowed like a curtain of silk, caught the light and shimmered whenever it moved.

“It’s been a while, Anne. How are you doing?”

“When did you come into my room?”

Anne glanced at the back of his shoulder. There would usually be the sound of bolts shifting every time the Grand Duke entered the tightly closed door.

But she didn’t hear the door open, nor any footsteps. Moreover, she felt no wind, as though everything was still.

Luciel, smiling brightly, came closer and stretched his hand toward Anne. Even though she knew she was going to say hello, Anne hid her hand, startled. Luciel’s silver eyes widened, but soon narrowed sadly.

“This is sad. It’s been a long time since I’ve last seen you, but your face always keeps me in check.”

“I was surprised. I couldn’t hear you coming in.”

“I didn’t know you were sleeping . . . I’m sorry. I knocked several times but there was no answer. At first I thought I should go back, but I came to comfort Anne who was sad.”

“Am I sad?”

“Your eyes are swollen. You must be worried because Lord Daymond is on the battlefield.”

Anne touched her eyes with her index finger. Her face looked swollen from actually being in the hot spring for a while.

“It’s not like that.”

Anne lifted herself up and left the bed. He seemed unwilling to leave, and it was not polite to speak to another while half-lying down.

As she offered a seat to Luciel, who hovered nearby, he smiled brightly and sat down on the sofa. He had a bright expression like last time, but somehow that smile felt foreign.

“I haven’t seen you in a few weeks. Where have you been?”

“Well . . . Lord Daymond kicked me out so I went down to the village.”

Luciel muttered with a gloomy face. The drooping down to the corners of his mouth seemed very pitiful. The relationship between the two was worse than expected.

“Then, did you come knowing that His Grace is gone now?”

Like a puppy caught in the rain, the face that looked like it was about to burst into tears suddenly burst into laughter.

“Haha . . . Anne, you also had a naive side. I didn’t expect you would take my word for it.”

He suddenly grabbed his stomach and laughed amusedly. Only Anne, who seemed to have missed the point of his laughter, ordered the handmaid to bring tea with an expressionless face.