CH 7

What?

Leonis became flustered for a moment as he remembered the armor he was wearing. His armor was likewise covered in a monster’s bodily fluid because he was covered in it. A sane man wouldn’t dare kiss like this.

Leonis’s heart sank as he realized that his metal armor had pressed against Celia. The impression he got was that she was a delicate bride who fainted at the wedding hall. 

He staggered and straightened up after immediately releasing her. She could take a deep breath for the first time in a long time. 

When Leonis glanced at Celia’s body, he discovered that her dress had been messed up. Not only her dress, but also her pure white skin were stained with a monster’s body fluids. 

Body fluids were occasionally poisonous, depending on the monster. A magician had deliberately developed the body fluid of a monster to drive him insane.

Although he was a strong person, his heart dropped at the prospect of not knowing how it would react to Celia’s body.

Leonis took a quick look around. Celia had been sick for a while, so she was surrounded by damp towels and a basin when she passed out. 

Leonis immediately removed his ‘soaked in body fluids’ armor, and began wiping Celia with a wet towel.

“Oh, Your Excellency….”

“This is not enough. You will have to wash again.”

All the visible body fluids on her were wiped away. Leonis left the barracks without giving Celia a chance to respond. She wondered where the bath water would come from in the midst of this, but she was not in the mood to stop it.

The servant who received Leonis’s orders seemed to move quickly. 

“The bath will be ready soon.”

Back in the barracks, Leonis’s words troubled Celia. Leonis looked at her, puzzled. 

“What’s wrong? Do you want to take a shower, too?”

“Ha, but…”

It’s difficult for her to walk, and she can’t wash herself in hot water. Celia considered approaching the maid she had seen earlier, but she was uncomfortable as well.

“I can’t even stand up now….”

Leonis stared at Celia blankly as she recounted the situation in embarrassment. A strange smile soon appeared on his face.

‘Why, why are you laughing?’

Leonis’s suspicious smile reflected Celia’s displeasure, but he remained, unwavering. 

“I was the one who brought my wife here, so I have to come.”

Celia’s mouth dropped at Leonis’s words.

✦ ✦ ✦

Another tent was built next to the barracks and it only took a moment for the bathtub to be filled with water. Celia was shocked to find out that the bath preparations had been completed while she was struggling.

Leonis had already changed his clothes. He, too, had to take a bath after being soaked in the monster’s body fluids.

There was no need to be with Celia.

The servant slowly noticed that the Duke was thinking whether he should ask another maid. It was difficult to have a noble knight do such a thing, but if the Duke ordered them, they had no choice except to obey.

“…What about Celia’s clothes?”

“They’re ready, Your Grace.”

Also, there had to be at least one maid. It was an urgent trip, so the Duke should not have brought her on his horse.

There’s no carriage for the Duchess to ride. All they had were wagons carrying military supplies. When she returns, the Duchess might have to ride the Duke’s horse.

The servant studied the Duke’s expression to decide when he should speak. The Duke did not say a word about those who served the Duchess. Surprisingly, he appeared to be in a good mood.

“You may leave, I’ll call you if I need you…. Don’t let anyone come near my barracks.”

What are you going to do?

Suddenly, the scene of the Duke passionately kissing the Duchess flashed through the servant’s mind. That’s what the first night would be like, so they’ll have to go to work.

But don’t tell me… Are you going to do that in this situation?

It was widely known that the Duchess fainted at the wedding. Most thought it was because the bride was overly stressed by her marriage to the cursed Duke.

Only the people of Montague knew that she took poison and tried to commit suicide. Rumors did not spread widely because Marquis Montague kept his mouth shut.

“All right, Duke.”

The quick-witted servant bowed his head without asking about the Duchess’s servant.

Now he had only one task. When the Duke takes the Duchess into the bathhouse, the servant arranges the Duke’s barracks. He can take a rest after finishing the work.

The Duke was the first to leave the barracks, followed by the servant. The servant, on the other hand, did not follow the Duke into the next barracks, but instead stood near it.

Leonis entered his barracks by himself and smiled at Celia, who sat on the bed. He didn’t even know he was smiling.

“Your Excellency.”

Celia had a perplexed expression on her face. Despite being a bride who had her wedding today and knowing she would have to spend her first night with him, she looked at him with bitterness.

Leonis was the one who didn’t bring a maid to serve. On top of that, it was him who prevented her from calling a maid.

‘You can’t have a knight do that.’

Even if the intention was insidious. Leonis assumed a laid-back demeanor and approached Celia’s side.

“The bath is ready.”

“…….”

Leonis held back his laughter, thinking that Celia shut her mouth due to her sulky expressio.

“Even if I’m not being as careful as I should be, I don’t touch a sick person.”

“The kiss… Didn’t you touch me?”

Leonis bowed his head and teasingly glanced at Celia’s face when she questioned with scolding eyes. 

“Aren’t we supposed to do the kiss of oath? The sanctity of the wedding must be preserved.”

“What about the second kiss?”

Her tone was a little stern. Leonis recalled the sweetness of that time and glanced at Celia’s lips.

“Let’s say it was a relief kiss after confirming my wife is safe. It’s time for a bath, ma’am. You’re not going to throw a tantrum because you don’t want to wash up like a child, are you?”

“That’s…”

Celia was still hesitating. If she insisted on having the maid serve, Leonis seemed likely to do so in the end. But… 

‘Leonis has been waiting for my bath and has stated he’ll wash with me, so he’ll be naked too, right?’

It’s not that I don’t want to see it, on the contrary, I do. Even though she woke up recently in the barracks, Leonis’s body was stunning when she first had a glimpse of it.  

He said he could call the maid, but she thought that was sexist and she didn’t want to expose his body to a woman he’d just met.

But it’s not like she wants to show off her body to Leonis.

‘I wish I could wash myself.’

Celia herself knew it. It’s too much for her physical strength to handle.

The knights of Cardian had now killed the queen of monsters and were on their way to a nearby village to get a wagon and start off again. So, Leonis explained that the journey would be relatively easy once they arrive in the village.

‘By then, I’ll have a maid.’

Today, though, she would have to accept Leonis’s assistance. He was sympathetic to Celia and determined not to treat her poorly because of her power that softened the curse.

‘Leonis’s body…… I’d like to see it.’

Sleeping in bed is another matter, so she thought she didn’t want to miss this opportunity. 

‘However… Isn’t the pace a little too fast? Today was the first time I saw it.’

While Celia hesitated, Leonis approached. He was surprised that Celia didn’t object when he sat down on the bed and fed her the soup, kissed her, and hugged her to the tent.

He didn’t think that she had accepted him that much, but Leonis was satisfied that Celia thought of him as her husband.

“Don’t make a fuss. I don’t want to be the cold-blooded groom who abandons his new bride.”

Leonis muttered something similar while holding Celia in his arms. She is having a hard time. Leonis couldn’t have missed her, but showing her to others was a different matter.

Despite Leonis’s concerns, Celia simply looked at Leonis with a puzzled expression. This isn’t the first time she’s been hugged, but it seems she’s still having a hard time.

‘I’ll get used to it gradually.’

Leonis felt her body was too light, regardless of the fact that she was weak from the poison. He had heard that the poison had caused her to lose her memories, but it appeared that her body had been severely injured as well. And there’s the fact that she fainted at the wedding…

‘I’m glad you don’t look upset or depressed.’

Despite being held by the groom after the wedding she had so strongly opposed, she appeared to be in no discomfort other than being conscious of him. Although her prior behavior had also been odd, he wondered whether she had given up.

Leonis knew that contact with her can soften the curse, but what made Celia stand before him?

Even when the knights were afraid to approach him, she came up to him and touched his cheek.

Leonis strode out of the barracks and went back into the tent installed next to it. There were two large bathtubs.

One was a container of moderately hot water, and the other was a wooden bathtub. Leonis seated Celia on a chair on one side and undressed her first.

Celia scurried about with her exposed upper body, turning her head quickly. Leonis had already taken off his pants when he glanced at her with a soft laugh.

Ahh! Where have you left your shame? However, Leonis, who had already taken off his clothes, was approaching Celia.

Celia bit her lip with a flushed face. Should I just close my eyes and take a bath together? Or do I just ask him to stop and quit?

Meanwhile, Leonis, who had come all the way to Celia, was removing her shoes. She was startled by his hands that touched her ankles, but her gaze fell on his forearm and broad shoulders.

“……”

I don’t know if I’ll go live with him later or not… But I must see this body! I have to watch!

It was what I was thinking while he was holding me in his arms earlier, but it was his body that really caught my eye and seemed to raise my heart rate by three times.

“Do you want to have a look?”

Celia flinched when her and Leonis’s eyes met.

“You could touch it too if you want.”