Chapter 253

Chapter 253Previous

Side story 3 Liloas Chapter 1: The Fruit

Realising her mistake, Charlotte immediately lowered her head, but Liloa generously pretended not to hear her subordinates unsolicited remark. Charlotte, a tutor in charge of Liloas education, was an open-minded woman from the empire and was brought to Obernyu as Henriettas maid when the latter got married.

Liloa understood her tutors point.

She never thought that her mother, Henrietta, was bad. The people of Obernyu used to suspect Henrietta of being mentally ill because of her lively personality, but now that her energy had waned, she began displaying symptoms bordering on depression. That was why Liloa was particularly fond of Charlotte, for her tutor reminded her of her once free-spirited mother, whom she admired.

But What Im getting from Charlottes words right now is that just like father has Madame Drieux, mother has a lover too?

Normally, people consciously refrain from speaking about it in front of her. Thus Liloa didnt know much about her parents private lives, but there were times when she heard someone spill something like this.

She wondered if Henrietta would be happy if that was the case. After all, Joseph looked happy whenever he smiled at Madame Drieux. But Liloa couldnt imagine Henrietta smiling like that.

Breaking the silence, Ann muttered.

If true love is only for lovers, then why do children born between them become illegitimate children? Everyone criticises illegitimate children. Theyre even considered dirty. But shouldnt the proof of love be thought of as a blessing? Why are they thought of as children of the devil though?..

Having children and carrying on the family line is a duty. Children are not proof of love, but rather proof that their duties and responsibilities have been met. Being distracted by this great love and giving birth to a child outside the family who is supposed to carry on the family line means succumbing to the devils temptation. So, if a child is born from that, is it not the devils?

Ann burst into tears at Charlottes harsh words.

Then, I will love my husband. I will meet a loving husband and we will be blessed with children.

I dont blame you for your naivety.

Charlotte merely laughed at Ann. Because of the obvious disdain in her voice, Ann became even more discouraged.

Even though Liloa was a smart child, she was still too immature to keep up with the conversations of women whose breasts were already grown and fleshy. At the very least, she understood that marriage was a process of fulfilling responsibilities and duties as an adult. Liloa, who was willing to perform her part by marrying, asked Charlotte for a book detailing the traditions of marriage. However, the book she received only contained romantic descriptions of marriage and praise about the wonder of how two human beings meet and become one. This just made Liloa even more confused.

Dont trust books too blindly. How can someone capture the entire world in such a thin piece of paper?

Lacroix, however, rarely spoke and simply looked down at Liloa with unwavering eyes.

Actually, among all his physical features, Liloa hated his eyes the most. This was because of how he gazed at her. Even though he seemed to be looking at her, it wasnt her face he was looking at. Instead, Lacroix was staring at her parts. As his infinitely large shadow cast over the top of her head, his gaze crawled down from her neck to her unswollen chest.

Liloas vague feelings of disappointment towards him gradually transformed into discomfort. She stiffened, not knowing what to do. With his eyes not looking like that of a human, it reminded her of the story she read about the God of Death when she was younger.

Is this the gaze of the undertaker?

As her vision darkened, Liloa kept blinking while a chill ran down her spine.

Lacroix was holding Liloas damp hand tightly when he suddenly let go of her fingers and gradually wrapped the back of her hand instead of pressing their palms together. For the first time in her life, Liloa felt uneasy as a result of someones unwanted touch.

No one has ever touched me like this before.

Liloa glanced to her side every time their position and movements changed and saw how the rest of the guests simply watched her and the duke while they drank, laughed, and clapped.

Is this what others call a blessing? Is this what marriage is like? It feels so strange is this the sense of duty and responsibility I should feel towards the person who will be my husband? But this serious matter shouldnt be something that makes me uncomfortable right?

But even if Liloa tried to think about it that way, she couldnt convince herself. Her throat was drying up until there was no moisture left in her mouth. Her head felt dizzy, and her fingertips turned cold. She became thirsty as if she hadnt had water in a long time. Liloa hoped that the music would end quickly, but the more she hoped, the longer the melody went on. In the meantime, the background became more and more a blur, till she was only left with those two eyes attached to a large man, towering over her. From some moment on she could even hear him breathing and a foul smell seemed to come from his breath.

Liloa felt sick.

Ah, becoming an adult is really difficult. Do I have to endure feeling like this every day? I guess thats what maturity means, doesnt it?

Liloa tried hard to keep her body from touching Lacroix, such that whenever their movements changed, she would twist her body awkwardly. But without hesitation, he pulled Liloa into his arms. Because Liloa didnt respond anymore, a force wrapped around her and lifted her up, causing her body to move involuntarily. It wasnt her first time dancing, so it surprised her at how it felt so different from the other times. At the same time, Liloa wondered if she had hardened her expression too much towards him that it triggered her partner to treat her so rudely.

But to confirm it meant that she would have to look up to see Lacroixs complexion. Yet Liloa didnt want to see that face again. She couldnt bear to look up at him. She thought that if the face she saw before still wore the same triggering expression, she expected herself to burst out in tears.

What on earth is that face? Why on earth is the Duke looking at me with such a strange expression?