Chapter 259: Epilogue (3)"Ugh..."
Although she was unexpectedly weak in the mornings, Laura struggled to get up.
Squelch-.
Yet, rather than feeling refreshed, her body was slick with sweat as well as Ferzen’s seed that flowed out of her while she slept.
However, Ferzen, after bedding her, was nowhere to be seen.
But Laura wasn’t particularly disappointed.
Since Euphemia was about to give birth, Ferzen was devoting all his attention to her.
Rather, even though it wasn't a full moon, thanks to Ferzen embracing her, Laura was realizing the reality that she had truly become his woman.
After roughly picking up her scattered clothes and heading to the bathroom, Laura took a bath, had her hair styled by the maids, and changed into a comfortable outfit for activities.
Already, thoughts of not wanting to go out filled her head, but below the annex, she looked down through the window.
Seeing Yuriel waiting for her there while doing warm-up exercises, Laura had no choice but to move her feet.
"Ah, hello... Ha, have a good day..."
"Come. You should be used to it by now, so shall we start?"
"Yes..."
After a brief greeting, Laura followed behind Yuriel, who started running at a slow pace.
Before starting the war, as promised by Ferzen.
To become his concubine, Laura had stepped forward alone in front of Yuriel and Euphemia, but...
Fortunately, Euphemia showed no particular reaction, perhaps because of Lizzy, or perhaps because she had heard that Laura was infertile.
Considering the strangely irritating and unpleasant pitying gaze, the latter was probably more likely.
But Yuriel alone had taken a thorny vigilance as if the bonds built on the battlefield could crumble so quickly.
Well, of course...
There was no other way.
From her perspective, she learned who the man bedding Laura was during their time in the logistics branch of the Army.
The disciple who followed her.
The adjutant she trusted.
It would be natural for her to feel resentful if her husband had been having sex behind her back, and not just once or twice, she presumed.
The only fortunate thing was that her physical strength had naturally increased during the ongoing war, so Laura was able to endure this harassment.
No, to be precise, compared to other things, the physically demanding morning walk was something she grew to enjoy.
"I heard that Duchess Bellacie is holding a salon today, so I'm thinking of going there."
"Yes, yes..."
Salon.
The starting point of the trend was their own Rosenberg family.
A kind of exhibition showing personal art pieces or expensive artworks to acquaintances.
However, as time passed, salons only maintained that appearance, and in essence, became nothing more than much larger social gatherings.
Yes, Yuriel wanted to take Laura to such a social exchange.
The only daughter of the Rosenberg family, the holy land of culture and art.
The concubine of the war hero, Count Louerg.
Her outward qualifications were more than sufficient, but Laura extremely disliked such social gatherings.
Because she had a stutter.
And the reason she disliked social gatherings was probably the very reason Yuriel wanted to take her along.
To cruelly shatter her self-esteem there, and while taking care of her struggling to interact due to her stutter, to implant in her mind the awareness of being superior...
It was a very female-like way of establishing hierarchy.
If it was just once or twice, it would end as a warning, but by completely subjugating Laura to her own lifestyle, Yuriel was thoroughly trying to dominate.
Of course, this was also pressure that had lessened in intensity because Yuriel was pregnant.
Perhaps that's why Laura was secretly envious of Lizzy.
Because she had an independent position outside the hierarchy.
She wasn’t treated well, by any means,
But she wasn’t ignored either.
It would have been nice if she could have been Yuriel's rival.
Eventually, as Yuriel neatly washed away the bubbles that had formed, Laura wiped the moisture covering her eyes with both hands.
"Th-thank you..."
"You don't have to bother with such formalities."
Really, who was the one saying things they didn't even mean?
"Y-yes..."
Still, smiling awkwardly and turning her head, Laura tried to move away from Yuriel.
However, as Yuriel slipped her hands under Laura's armpits, slowly raised her body, and sat on the edge of the bathtub, Laura had no choice but to sit on her lap, almost forcibly.
From a distance, they really looked like close sisters with a good relationship, but Laura felt suffocated.
"Laura."
"Yes..."
"You know, I really hate lies."
"..."
"No, to be honest, I'm bothered by the thought that you might have aroused his sympathy using the excuse of being infertile..."
"I, I really..."
"Yes. You might really be infertile."
But why had she hidden that fact until now?
"If their only daughter was infertile, the Rosenbergs would have had to give birth to more children."
"Th-that's..."
"Yes. I heard about it too. That your mother had conceived."
However.
"The gap feels quite long."
No matter how much pregnancy isn't something that can be controlled at will, at this point, could it be that there were originally no plans for a second child?
"Of course, I will believe you."
Still.
"I hope you didn't lie with the thought that you could gloss over everything as long as you carry his child."
Yuriel's whisper echoed in her ear in a low voice.
Really, even if she had no such intention.
Since the fact about infertility was a clear lie, cold sweat ran down Laura's back.
It was fortunate that it wasn't noticed because they were in the bathroom.
"Now then, we should wash properly."
"Yes...?"
Leaving behind the doubt she showed, Yuriel spread Laura's legs, which were sitting on her lap, to the left and right, lowered her hand, caressed near the groin, and...
Squish!
"Hik!"
Spreading open Laura's shyly closed vulva, she pushed her index and middle fingers deep inside, scraping out the semen thickly stuck to each wrinkle.
"Ah...! Ah... Aah!"
Wondering what on earth this situation was, Laura wiggled her hips and looked up at Yuriel, trying to grab her arm, but upon seeing that icy cold expressionless face, the thought naturally followed that she should submit, and she ended up clasping her hands together.
Once she had submitted like that, the thought occurred that it might be okay if this proved she had no disrespectful intentions.
Of course, even so, the confusion of whether this was really right surfaced from time to time...
Flinch!
Unable to choose the option of defiance, Laura had no choice but to obediently watch as Yuriel's fingers plundered all of Ferzen's semen filled inside her.
As soon as the leash he had put on her was about to come loose.
Yuriel was putting a leash on her again.
Seeing that, it seemed true that she was a woman raised and nurtured solely for him.
In the Kingdom that was this house,
Existed a King, named Ferzen.
And by his side, a Queen named Yuriel.