《Duke, Please Stop Because it Hurts》


 Chapter 1

    <h1 ss="title">Chapter1</h1>


    <section ss="entry">There was one problem in Count Clemence¡¯s house: his eldest daughter, Molitia Clemence. The count evenmented the huge amount of money he¡¯d spent because she was always sick in bed.


    If there was a way for her to get better, his attitude towards her might have improved, but unfortunately, Molitia had a weak body, and her frequent illnesses had gradually exhausted her parents¡¯ love.


    She had spent more time in her bed than out of it, and stayed in bed sick while other noble children made their debuts in society. The longer she was sick, the fewer people visited, and the more time she spent alone. As an almost-unknown figure, many rumors spread about her.


    Whenever he saw her pale face, the count couldn¡¯t say a good word to Molitia, and he branded her with insults, such as ¡®cursed child¡¯. This led to the count suffering from more gossip, and increased his dislike of her even more. The count, who didn¡¯t want to see Molitia¡¯s nk, white face, confined her to her room.


    For Molitia, family warmth was beyond reach, and she waspletely isted; if she heard the noise of her family outside, she made sure that she even ate her meals in her room. Her parents¡¯ neglect led to her cold treatment by other family members; although she was the daughter of the count, she was no better than dust.


    Everyone was reluctant to interact with Molitia. Everyone was thinking, ¡®Who knows when she¡¯s going to die?¡¯ Molitia agreed with those sentiments because her sickness felt like death to her. But now, breaking countless expectations of her early death, she was old enough for marriage.


    Yet the surrounding response was still cold; although she was the daughter of an esteemed count, no one had asked to marry her. There was no need to guess the reason. Count Clemence, looking angry, called Molitia to him.


    ¡°You worthless thing!¡± his voice rang through the house.


    A child who had been useless since birth still couldn¡¯t help him now. His first child had to make a good marriage for the rest of his children to marry well, but Molitia had no chance of achieving it.


    ¡°How could I have a child like you!¡± the count shouted. His sharp gaze pierced Molitia, and her unusually white face turned even whiter.


    ¡°Why should our family suffer years of this kind of humiliation?¡±


    Molitia¡¯s head sank further because of the relentless scolding of her father, ¡®the prestigious Count Clemence¡¯ ¨C that was what they called the count in social circles.


    He sought to consolidate his position in politics. Although his position was still unstable, there was a way to fill the gap: with a political marriage. A marriage bond between two families was like establishing a contract; it provided an opportunity to strengthen their rtionship and build up their interests.


    Philius Clemence, the current count, had done the same. He had married his wife for his family¡¯s benefit. His rtionship with his wife was not neglected, but it was also a business rtionship. Philius¡¯s views did not differ from those of his parents. Marry, have children and then marry them into excellent families. For the count, a child was just an extension of the contract.


    He roughly banged his fist on the desk.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my family? How could no one ask for your hand in marriage!¡±


    Molitia was also upset; she didn¡¯t even ask him not to marry her off.


    The count looked helplessly at his useless child: a bloodless figure with thick lips. He couldn¡¯t see any charm in her.


    ¡°I¡¯m d one proposal came,¡± he said.


    At the count¡¯s words, Molitia lifted her head. A proposal. She closed her eyes, thinking that it could be her only way out of this house.


    ¡°A letter hase from the Duke of Linerio proposing marriage,¡± said the count.


    ¡°The Duke of Linerio. . .¡± murmured Molitia.


    The moment she heard the name, Molitia¡¯s face fell. The light that she thought she¡¯d found died out in a single moment. She looked at the count, shaking her head in denial.


    ¡°I must have heard it wrong ¨C you don¡¯t mean the Duke of Linerio, do you?¡± asked Molitia.


    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± said Count Clemence.<hr ss="wp-block-separator is-style-dots">


    T/N: For those who are concerned, there¡¯s no rape in the novel. The release schedule should be around 2-3 chapters a week and the chapters are split upon publication. Happy reading!</section>

 Chapter 2

    <h1 ss="title">Chapter 2</h1><section ss="entry">The count¡¯s unhesitating response made Molitia feel trapped. The Linerio family. A family that was the subject of numerous rumors. The gossip about Molitia herself was nothing whenpared to that about the Linerio family.


    There were many nasty rumors about the Linerio family, and it was said that although the Duke of Linerio was indeed a duke now, his blood was low-ss. Moreover, for someone with a duke¡¯s title, his public appearances were extremely limited. Gossip-mongers couldn¡¯t leave such a duke alone. Some said that the duke had the blood of the devil; others said that he enjoyed killing every day and that he couldn¡¯t get rid of the smell of blood.


    In particr, the current Duke of Linerio had already fought several times on the battlefield where his appearance, a killer drenched with blood, was enough to horrify even his own side; it was a measure of how scary it would be to face him as an enemy.


    Marrying into such a family was asking the fragile Molitia to die.


    ¡°I can¡¯t marry him!¡± said Molitia.


    ¡°You can¡¯t? Do you think you have a choice?¡± asked Count Clemence, his veins popped out. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s anything for you if you spurn this marriage? You don¡¯t want to be sold where you can¡¯t afford expensive medicine, do you?¡±


    ¡°No. No, it¡¯s just . . .¡± Molitia trailed off.


    Molitia wanted to say that there was still time left, so another proposal mighte, but facing the angry count, she could only bite her lips.


    ¡°Then what? Are you going to ruin the House of Clemence?¡± demanded the count.


    ¡°No . . . I¡¯ll get married,¡± said Molitia.


    She had only one choice as there was only one marriage proposal before her. In the end, marriage was a means to an end for her. The harsh reality of the options made her sad: to be trapped in her bedroom or to be killed, screaming, at the end of a sword.


    The count cleared his throat when he saw her depressed look after she had failed to resist the proposal. ¡°Very well. If you seed in marrying the duke, the prestige of our family will be revived.¡±


    The count had no regard for her well-being. Looking at her father, who was thinking only of the family, Molitia sighed.


    The half-forced marriage proceedings went by very quickly, and the hastily arranged wedding day approached. A week before the wedding, Molitia attended thest banquet she would enjoy as a single woman.


    Normally she would have refused the invitation on the grounds of her health, but this time it was different. She was deliberately sent to the party as the fianc¨¦e of the duke to raise the prestige of the family.


    As foreseen, no one approached Molitia; even the ones who were curious about the news of her marriage to the terrible duke preferred to join their acquaintances, and as the banquet went on, people were busyughing and talking.


    ¡°Huh,¡± sighed Molitia, alone among the sociable people. Everything was progressing without her being able to assert her own wishes, from birth to marriage. At this rate, it was clear that the same pattern would be repeated. She didn¡¯t even have the right to decide on her life-changing event, her marriage.


    Molitia sighed again. The glittering banqueting hall was choking her, so rather than stay there, Molitia turned and found a rtively secluded terrace. The open space was a little chilly, but it let her catch her breath. When she leaned against the railing, the frigid air rose from the marble floor.


    Molitia¡¯s body trembled lightly. After tonight, she would be busy preparing for the wedding again. She was sick and tired of thinking about the wedding gifts piled up in her room.


    ¡®I wish I had one thing I could decide,¡¯ Molitia thought.


    It was then that a heavy overcoat covered her shoulders, keeping the wind out. When Molitia looked up, startled by the sudden warmth, she saw a man standing there.


    ¡°You¡¯re shivering alone here,¡± the man said, after seeing Molitia¡¯s surprised look. Molitia blushed at his strange behavior; normally, people would just pretend that they hadn¡¯t noticed anything wrong.


    ¡°Other people are busy dancing, and you¡¯re hanging around a ce like this. You¡¯re unique,¡± said Molitia.</section>

 Chapter 3

    <h1 ss="title">Chapter 3</h1><section ss="entry">¡°I¡¯m not particrly interested in banquets,¡± he replied.


    At his words, Molitia burst into inadvertentughter. She had thought that she was the only one who preferred being alone on a dark terrace to being in a gorgeous banqueting hall. However, someone with the same feelings appeared suddenly. With that alone, Molitia could briefly forget how boring it was here.


    Maybe that¡¯s why. She didn¡¯t know what happened in her brain. Maybe the music behind them excited her, or perhaps the rebellion that she had never shown to her father finally came out. Molitia turned to the man in front of her and asked something she never thought she would say.


    ¡°Would you like to sleep with me?¡±


    ¡°What . . .?¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened with surprise at her sudden question. ¡°Did you drink too much?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even take a sip of alcohol,¡± said Molitia, shaking her head. As someone who often got sick even when she ate only the best things, drinking was forbidden. Her face was slightly flushed from the cold, but she was fine.


    ¡°Do you know what your words mean?¡± asked the man.


    ¡°I know,¡± Molitia replied.


    If you excluded her frozen fingertips from being outside in the cold, her body was in better condition than usual. Her innocent eyes gazed at him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like my offer?¡± Molitia asked.


    ¡°Ha!¡± said the man, and clicked his tongue. The casual tone of her voice puzzled him, and his confused nce swept over Molitia.


    ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re at this banquet, so your status is obvious,¡± said Molitia.


    ¡°Did you just say it thoughtlessly because you don¡¯t know anyone?¡± the man asked. It was clear to him that she didn¡¯t know what she was saying. Heughed and held her waist. His eyes were clearly mocking Molitia. ¡°You don¡¯t regret what you said, do you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± replied Molitia.


    The moment she spoke, her dry lips felt his warm breath. He sealed her soft lips with his, then skilfully teased her with his tongue. His tongue moved actively in her mouth, taking her breath away. Every time his tongue roughly swept her mouth, she made a small, painful sound.


    His lips, that had briefly matched hers, moved away. When he saw her smudged lipstick, mixed with saliva, heughed.


    ¡°How do you feel about it now?¡± the man asked.


    His heart moved as he looked at her small, heaving shoulders. The good feelings from when they kissed lingered in his mind, but he wasn¡¯t the type to get emotional. He wouldn¡¯t be fooled by such tricks. He waited for her panting to calm down.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s still okay,¡± said Molitia.


    ¡°What?¡±


    The unexpected answer embarrassed him. Obviously, he¡¯d only thought that she was an ignorantdy who had grown up in a greenhouse. Her innocent eyes were enough to make her look like a virgin, so he¡¯d thought that the kiss would be enough to scare her. He frowned. He didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but it¡¯s better not to give yourself away,¡± said the man.


    There was nothing more to consider. The man turned around without hiding the displeasure in his face. As he moved away, he felt a weak tug on the hem of his clothes. When he turned, he saw a determined-looking woman. He didn¡¯t understand what she was thinking, but she seemed a little more desperate than she had before.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I am thinking straight,¡± said Molitia, and sighed lightly. Her delicate fingers trembled, ¡°I¡¯m getting married next week.¡±


    The words made him raise his eyebrows, as if asking what she meant.


    ¡°It¡¯s a marriage that my parents decided unterally. I¡¯ve never even seen the face of my husband,¡± said Molitia. Most nobles have arranged marriages, but very few marry without seeing their marriage partner first. Her sorrowful expression moved him to pity. He had cut off his desire after a short kiss, but in fact, after a brief taste, his passion for her was on the rise.


    ¡®I¡¯ve never done this before,¡¯ she said.


    He turned and looked at her. He hadn¡¯t meant to continue, but her words had changed his mind. She wasn¡¯t bad for a short fling. He leaned against the railing with a face full of interest.</section>

 Chapter 4

    <h1 ss="title">Chapter 4</h1><section ss="entry">¡°So?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s my life, and I¡¯ve never decided anything. Maybe if I marry like this, I won¡¯t be able to die in peace, so I want to give my first time to the person I choose,¡± said Molitia.


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t know who he is?¡±


    ¡°If I have to give it to someone I don¡¯t know anyway, at least this way it¡¯ll be someone I picked,¡± she replied.


    He burst outughing at Molitia¡¯s remark. He gave the woman a tantalizing smile and squeezed her shoulder, at which her body trembled slightly because his hand was as hard as it had been when he had held her waist.


    ¡°If that¡¯s how you feel, then there¡¯s no reason for me to refuse anymore,¡± he said. His shadow covered Molitia. The hand that stroked her shoulder drifted across her soft cheek, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s a tempting proposition for me.¡±


    ¡°What ¨C¡± said Molitia.


    Before she could finish her words, his lips covered hers. Just like before, his tongue moved in her mouth, so vigorously that he could hear the sound of their saliva. Molitia¡¯s hands strengthened their grip on him, and her usually pale lips glowed red with her fiery breath.


    He locked her in his arms with more force, then obediently stopped and let her go.


    ¡°Hah . . .¡± murmured Molitia, her chest rising and falling quickly.


    To Molitia, who had been trapped in the house and had only learned about sex from a book, the deep kiss was a shock. She didn¡¯t know what to do, so she pulled back, but his hands stopped her.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Well, this ce is a little . . .¡± Molitia trailed off.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who asked me to do it here?¡± said the man.


    ¡°What?¡± asked Molitia. ¡°I said it was my first time.¡±


    He never thought her innocent eyes would make him smile. He looked over her extravagant dress, which was decorated with dense embroidery and revealed her figure.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be bad to stay outdoors for your first time. You¡¯d find it unforgettable.¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± an embarrassed Molitia screamed softly. She couldn¡¯t believe she¡¯d do it in a ce like this. No matter how thick the curtains that covered the banqueting hall were, it was still public. Thinking about someone seeing her from the garden below oring out onto the terrace, herplexion turned whiter.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that. But if we go to a room ¨C¡± said Molitia.


    ¡°I can¡¯t, because you¡¯ve made me hot,¡± interrupted the man. He held her hand and made her touch his body. When she felt a huge, foreign object, her body stiffened.


    ¡®What¡¯s that?¡¯ she eximed. The size of it was so different to her imagination; it seemed like he had a stick in his pocket. Even though she had nothing topare it with in the first ce, the book hadn¡¯t said it was this big!


    ¡°Look how you¡¯ve got me fired up.¡±


    ¡°Now wait a minute!¡± The embarrassed Molitia tried to pull back, but she was blocked against the railing and couldn¡¯t move.


    ¡°If you are concerned about other people¡¯s eyes, then don¡¯t worry. Everyone saw that I came out here, so they won¡¯t dare to follow,¡± he said.


    She didn¡¯t know what he was talking about, but it differedpletely from what she was thinking about. The manughed when he looked at the embarrassed Molitia. He felt she was cute.


    ¡°Are you scared to do it outdoors?¡± he asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s . . .¡± Molitia trailed off. She couldn¡¯t say what she was thinking. While touching it, she had wondered if such a big thing could even enter her. It wasn¡¯t like she could ask him to reduce the size of it. Her unspeakable frustration lingered.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it,¡± said the man.


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡± He hugged her helplessly, and the frightened Molitia recklessly grabbed him by the neck. When his flesh, a little hotpared to her cold skin, touched hers, Molitia¡¯s body stiffened.


    Meanwhile, his face showed shock at Molitia¡¯s weight. Was she this light? She should have been heavier, especially with such a fancy dress on. However, when he lifted her in his arms, her body was so light that he felt like she would blow away in the wind. Molitia strengthened her grip and hugged him.</section>

 Chapter 5.1

    <span>Chapter 5


    However, Molitia¡¯s body raised in his arm was so light. She felt like she would blow up in the wind, so she gave strength to her hands and hugged him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do what you want inside, so be gentle.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°¡­ Oh, I see.¡± (The man)


    He remained silent in his words, and only then took steps. It was not umon for a room to be arranged at a banquet.


    There were always rooms where people who drank too much could rest for a while. And it wasn¡¯t that hard to rent a room at a grand mansion that was holding a banquet.


    It was easier to rent a ce for Molitia, who was known for her illness. When Molitia¡¯s face was recognized, she was quickly ushered into a room.


    As soon as the door of a dark yet well-prepared guest room closed, the man¡¯s lips were rapidly searched for hers, and Molitia¡¯s firmly closed lips felt a slippery tonguee in her mouth.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± (Molitia)


    She held onto him with her small hand and pushed him on the shoulder; however, he pulled her hand back. And Molitia, who was still in one arm, had no choice but to be constrained. The more she pushed him out, the more he pressed her against the wall.


    As soon as the button on her back was pulled down, the loose clothes came down and gently exposed her body.


    The white skin, reflected in the moonlight, entered his eyes. As the moonlight poured over his swollen chest, his lips slid down towards her peaks as if drunk.


    ¡°Wait, a minute¡­!¡± (Molitia)


    Her back stiffened with the chilly sensation on her chest. It was a shock to her, who had felt only the hands of the indifferent servants. Molitia¡¯s lower stomach felt numb as the man¡¯s tongue teased her chest.


    This different sensation made her body shudder.


    When a man¡¯s hand touches a woman¡¯s body, they say it is delicate and soft, as if touching a petal which differedpletely from his touch on her body. Far from being delicate, his touch tried to eat Molitia.


    Every time he bit her nipple with his mouth slightly, she squeaked and gave strength to her fingers on his shoulder. Her face glowed with shame when she heard a voracious sucking noise in the quiet room.


    ¡°It¡¯s your first time, but you¡¯re feeling it.¡± (The man)


    ¡°It¡¯s weird¡­ ?¡± (Molitia)


    It¡¯s weird. Heughed cynically at the pure question she asked from ignorance.


    His face turned red, but his eyes were not avoiding hers. When he saw that her purple eyes burning with passion, he felt as if his body was heating up further.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not weird. It¡¯s good to feel it.¡± (The man)


    Hold me. A quick reaction came from her body as he whispered in her ear. He grabbed her shy and stiff wrist and put it on his chest.


    As he raised her hand to his chest, he saw her hand move with curiosity, and the corner of his mouth rose.


    Molitia¡¯s cold fingers dug into his shirt, and he let out a slight groan.


    It was a colossal problem for him. As it was his first time, it was difficult for him to control his rationality.


    However, he didn¡¯t want to lose his rationality. Instead, he wanted to make her curious eyes get more excited by the heat between them. But It was difficult to handle his heat when he encountered her innocent eyes asking for s*xual intercourse.


    His hand that stroked her chest slipped down. Her face glowed with shame as he rolled up the dress that was wrapped around her legs.


    ¡°There¡¯s no ce where it¡¯s not white.¡± (The man)


    It was notparable to his skin, which was moderately tanned because of sword training. Her white porcin skin was like a wax figure.


    He fell under the illusion that she would meltdown in his heat if he held her.


    He squeezed inside of her cold thigh, and it left a handprint on her white skin. As he raised her skirt and put his hand over her thin underwear, she looked for his shoulder in a hurry.


    ¡°That, that¡¯s where¡­¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Until when do you want me to wait?¡± (The man)

 Chapter 6.1

    <span>Chapter 6


    He spoke cynically, and rubbed his index finger over her undergarments. She screamed and squeezed her legs together, but her legs were reopened by his powerful hand.


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m in for a long night,¡± muttered the man.


    A few rubs made sticky liquid leak through the thin cloth. The sensitive response of her body was irresistible to him. Even if he didn¡¯t wet her with his tongue, it was clear in his mind how her body would react if he put in even a minor effort.


    ¡°The way you react is erotic,¡± he said. His hand slipped into her soaked underwear; her sobs grew a little louder as his unrestrained finger rubbed her clit.


    ¡°Looks like you are going to make the floor wet with just one finger,¡± heughed.


    ¡°Stop,¡± said Molitia, her face red with embarrassment.


    Seeing her burning flesh, red like a ripe fruit, made him thirsty.


    ¡°Stop? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s enough yet,¡± he said.


    His lips nipped at her small, swollen lips several times, and simultaneously, he inserted his finger inside her. Her voice broke out, but he blocked her mouth with a kiss, and moved his finger.


    Her wetness had made it easy for his finger to enter, but her tightness interfered with his movements, as if not allowing any intrusion. It was crazy; he doubted he¡¯d be able to prate her when he could barely move his finger.


    As he stopped sucking on her reddened lips, he whispered, ¡°Rx.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hot . . . I don¡¯t know how to do anything like that . . . what should I do?¡± asked Molitia.


    ¡°Rx your legs and lean on me,¡± said the man.


    Molitia¡¯s thin body leaned against him and touched his tight chest. Although it was still a little hard to move, his finger, lubricated by her wetness, was slowly inserted deeper inside her.


    ¡°Ah!¡± A small cry came from Molitia¡¯s mouth as pleasure mingled with pain pierced her entire body.


    Her body was tingling as he moved his finger around in her innermost part. She held on to him and squirmed, not knowing if the fluid that soaked his long, thick finger would drop to the floor. As her legs weakened, one hand caught her by the waist while his other hand continued to dig deeper into her. They both moaned softly at the same time.


    Whenever the breath from her small lips touched his body, he had the urge to bring her face to his bulge.


    ¡°Hot . . . there¡¯s a little . . .¡± Molitia mumbled.


    ¡°A little? Why?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°That . . .¡± Molitia trailed off.


    He looked at the flustered Molitia, and pushed his finger around.


    ¡°Is it that good?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No!¡± Molitia quickly shook her head at his words, but the power in his finger, unlike her rebuttal, was no joke. Tightly swallowing his finger, she moaned unconsciously as her heightened senses made her overly responsive. The feeling that swept over her entire body waspletely concentrated in one ce. And despite Molitia¡¯s rejection, his finger persistently rubbed inside her.


    ¡°Haaa, aah, aah!¡± cried Molitia.


    Her toes curled as his neat nail pressed hard against her inner wall, and her breath stopped for a moment as her mind seemed to burn white. As Molitia came to a climax in his arms, the man stroked her hair. He remained still until her trembling had subsided, then lifted her up as her breathing calmed down.


    Before she had figured out the situation, the man had undone his belt, bringing his length out. Molitia¡¯s eyes widened when she saw his erection for the first time. It was bigger than she had thought, and it was enough to scare her. His length was not clearly visible in the dark, but a clear liquid gleamed at the tip of it.


    ¡°I never thought you¡¯d stare at it. I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d want to eat it this much,¡± he said.


    ¡°Oh no,¡± said Molitia, turning her head quickly to the side.

 Chapter 7

    <span>Chapter 7


    He noticed that Molitia had turned her face to the side in embarrassment.


    He had a small smile on his face when he noticed that the tips of her ears were flushed red as he grabbed her thighs.


    ¡°I told you; you should try to rx.¡± (The man)


    He had a tensed expression on his face when he looked at her. Molitia was startled when he put his length near her entrance.


    ¡°I¡¯m amazed. Where did the confident woman who asked me for sex earlier go?¡± (The man)


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you to¡­mhm.¡± (Molitia)


    Her words trailed off with a moan. Her core was hot, and her body was excited once again.


    When he felt that she was wet enough for him, he grabbed her thighs and spread it apart. Molitia tried to struggle against his sudden action, but he pushed his length into her all at once.


    ¡°Hah!¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Keugh.¡± (The man)


    He thought it would be better to feel the pain all at once than to push slowly, but her narrow insides were beyond imagination. He was almost in two pieces because of her tightness.


    <em>Damn it</em>! He bit into his lips, swallowing the curse that was about to escape from his mouth. <em>I almost showed my ugly side to her</em>. He couldn¡¯t believe he almost ejacted as soon he put it in; her body was so delicious that he almost couldn¡¯t control himself.


    He reached his hand to the ce they united and touched the swollen flesh.


    ¡°Hu¡­ Slowly rx. Breathe little by little.¡± (The man)


    Tears pricked Molitia eyes as she slowly breathed in and out at the man¡¯s instructions.


    His words were like magic, Molitia could feel herself slowly rxing under his coaxing. The foreign object that prated her was still connected to her in her lower abdomen, but she was slowly getting used to it.


    He opened her thighs wider to move deeper into her tight walls.


    ¡°Is it still painful? ¡° (The man)


    Her head shook slightly, indicating that she was fine. However, it was still questionable whether they would be able to do this properly.


    From the first time he hadid his eyes on her, he already knew that her body was too fragile to ept himpletely.


    Even so, he couldn¡¯t control himself and his desire for her. Her inner walls tightened itself around his member, threatening to make him lose all his reasoning. He just wanted to move in and out of her roughly with everything he had.


    Just as he was about to lose all reasons, Molitia wrapped her thin arms around his neck. She whispered into his ear before he acted on his desire. He was astonished by what she had just said that he caressed her gently with his hand.


    ¡°It¡­It¡¯s okay to move. ¡° (Molitia)


    ¡°What? But it¡¯ll hurt for you. ¡° (The man)


    ¡°I can endure it. It¡¯s not very painful¡­ ¡° (Molitia)


    Her voice gradually faded off because she was ashamed. The dukeughed at how shyly she was acting and pushed aside the hair that had stuck to her cheek tenderly.


    ¡°Tell me when you want me to stop.¡± (The man)


    Molitia¡¯s eyes widened in shock. This was the first time he had told her that she could tell him to stop when it became painful. She held more tightly onto him; this was the first time someone had said such kind words to her.


    ¡°Okay.¡± (Molitia)


    He moved his waist carefully, moving in and out of her slowly. As his scorching hot shaft moved in and out of her, Molitia struggled to swallow her moans.


    It was apletely different sensation as he moved in and out of her. An iparable tingle of pleasure ran through her entire body like electricity. She suddenly forgot all about the pain and clung onto him.


    When he noticed that Molitia was slowly enjoying it, he began to move faster. Although he told her he would stop when it was painful for her, he was not confident that he could stop when needed.


    His body took control over his mind as he moved. Even though there was no technique to his movement, he could easily taste blessed pleasure just by simply moving in and out of her tight walls.


    His hands that were on Molitia¡¯s thigh suddenly moved upward as he held firmly onto her waist. The man had lost all reasonings as her small body tightened each time he thrust into her.

 Chapter 8

    <span>Chapter 8


    He lowered his head to her chest and bit her rosebuds. Her waist curved upwards in pleasure and her walls tightened around him. His shaft continued to rub against her inner wall.


    ¡°Ha¡­ah¡­mhm¡­hah!¡± (Molitia )


    When she reached her climax, her walls tightened around his shaft. The Duke quickly resisted the urge toe and pulled out from her walls. He rubbed his shaft several times and released his liquid on her milky-white stomach.


    The white liquid on her stomach was scorching hot. She was breathing hard from their rough <em>exercise</em> when she closed her eyes. She was already quite weak and fragile, but after the intense lovemaking, she had reached her limit.


    ¡°Molitia?¡± (The man)


    Molitia couldn¡¯t hear the Duke calling her name because she had already sunk into darkness.


    Molitia¡¯s body was too weak to handlest night.


    She couldn¡¯t walk on her own feet, so the Duke carried her back to the Count¡¯s house. Her body was extremely sore fromst night¡¯s session. Molitia sighed softly at how delicate her body was.


    Yesterday, she had disappeared in the middle of the banquet without informing the Count. She didn¡¯t send word that she was staying the night at the Duke¡¯s house. It was needless to say that the Count was probably furious at her by now.


    She frowned when she suddenly recalled a bad memory. Molitia remembered that thest time she had fallen ill, the Count had nagged about her nonstop while sheid in bed with a high fever.


    This time, Molitia had fallen sick because the man had just lightly touched and prated her body. Even though he wasn¡¯t rough with his actions, it still felt like he was crushing her when he prated her with hisrge manhood.


    It was fortunate that her body was naturally weak, so the Count wasn¡¯t suspicious when she had fallen ill. Otherwise, she would be in trouble if he started questioning her about her whereabouts that day.


    Molitia was not shameless, so she was certain that she would¡¯ve revealed everything if she was questioned by the Count.


    The man was long gone by the time Molitia woke up. It wasn¡¯t strange for him to disappear without a word since she was the one who had seduced him first. Even so, she was feeling a strange sense of bitterness in her heart.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s all wrong.¡± (Molitia)


    The knowledge she learned from the book was aplete sham. The book didn¡¯t warn her that having intercourse was both painful and embarrassing.


    ¡®It¡¯s all a sham!¡¯ (Molitia)


    <em>Forget it</em>. She couldn¡¯t even rx right now because she was still suffering from the aftermath of their intercourse.


    It wasn¡¯t strange for her to be bedridden with a fever after such a <em>big thing</em> had gone in and out of her.


    Molitia¡¯s face flushed red when she recalled the moment. It had already been a week, but she could still feel a tingling sensation in the ce when he plundered her.


    She had finallye to her senses three days ago after suffering from a high fever. Yesterday, she was able to eat again. And it was only this morning that she recovered enough to move her body.


    ***


    ¡°Huh?¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Molitia, sighing is not a proper response.¡± (The Count)


    Molitia rolled her eyes after hearing the disdain and contempt in his voice. How could she not sigh? The Count did not hesitate to go ahead with the marriage when he found out that she had recovered enough to move.


    Count Clemence wanted to send Molitia to the Duke as soon as possible. This way he can reduce the procedures he had to go through and save him a sum of money. He will also be able to get rid of the burden soon. He even nned on having the wedding ceremony held as soon as possible without any consideration for her physical wellbeing.


    It was a relief that she could move her body again by this morning. Otherwise, it would¡¯ve been impossible for her to attend the wedding ceremony that was held tomorrow.


    Although she could move, her face was still ghastly pale, and her limbs wouldn¡¯t move the way she wanted them to move. Every time she tried moving her hand, she felt like she had a 100kg sandbag tied to her arm. Every step she took with her legs felt like tiny thorns were piercing her entire body.


    Even though she was still unwell, Count Clemence was relentless. He didn¡¯t care whether he was sick or not because his main concern was with the wedding. He was engrossed in nning the wedding. As soon as Count Clemence heard that his daughter could move, he pushed his sick daughter in front of the dressing table.


    The servants applied thick powders to her cheeks. The Count ordered the servants to do that to prevent her from looking like she was still sick.


    When the servants were done applying makeup, Molitia¡¯s face was covered in thick power. They applied a bright red lipstick on her lips to make her look ¡®healthier¡¯.


    ¡®<em>My face looks a little strange.</em>¡¯ (Molitia)


    Once they were done with her makeup, Molitia barely walked herself over to the drawing-room. She almost copsed several times on her way here, but the maid standing next to her pretended like she didn¡¯t notice.

 Chapter 9

    <span>Chapter 9


    ¡°Come in.¡± (The Count)


    She knocked on the door and heard an icy voice from inside. Molitia felt her shoulders shrink unwittingly. No matter how hard I tried, my father was an overbearing man.


    Once he tried somehow to get attention from him. But after realizing that the look on the Count¡¯s face changes when he sees her facepared to when the Count sees her brother¡¯s face was distinctly different, Molitia stopped trying.


    When she opened the door, the noble Count¡¯s expression was slightly distorted.


    ¡°For someone that is getting married tomorrow, you don¡¯t look so good.¡± (The Count)


    The relentless click of the tongue made her ears ufortable. Although he was worried about the termination of the wedding ceremony, Molitia¡¯s remained silent


    ¡°Fortunately, the Duke is very tolerant, so you should know that there will be no problem with the schedule.¡± (The Count)


    ¡°Are you aware that I¡¯m sick?¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°By the time the banquet ended, rumors already spread around like wildfire that you were carried away from the banquet by a man. Did you know how worried I was when I heard that rumor? I thought the Duke would cancel the wedding once he heard those rumors! Keep in mind that the Duke is meeting like this because he wants to proceed with this wedding without a hitch.¡± (The Count)


    The Duke had never taken a step toward the Count¡¯s house, even though she was ill, so she had a vague idea of the Duke¡¯s character.


    The Duke was probably someone who valued their schedule more than his fianc¨¦. He was just like Count Clemence. Molitia saw a glimpse of her future looming.


    Molitia had thoughts of running away, but she was as weak as ss. Even if she managed to escape, there was nowhere for her to escape. Had it not been for the Count¡¯s talent in the first ce, she might have died a violent death at an early age.


    ¡®She¡¯s the perfect child to abandon.¡¯ (The Count)


    She felt very ufortable when she remembered the sentence that the Count used to say like a habit. Tragically, Molitia never thought of a way to refuse his remark.


    She sat down in the parlor. There were always light refreshments prepared in advance for simple asions. Molitia picked up the warm tea and brought it to her mouth. Her pale cheeks turned slightly rosy from the warmth of the tea.


    Suddenly, there was a knock at the door of the drawing-room. Molitia stiffened when she suddenly heard a knock at the door.


    ¡°Countess, Duke Linerio has arrived.¡± (Servant)


    ¡°Lead him here.¡± (The Count)


    ¡°Yes.¡± (Servant)


    Her arm trembled as the footsteps outside the door disappeared. Seeing the shaking teacup made the Count¡¯s tongue click.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make any mistakes. If you miss out on this marriage, then it¡¯ll be hard to find someone else willing to marry you.¡± (The Count)


    ¡°¡­Yes, sir.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Since you are unable to have children, I highly doubt there will be anyone else willing to take you in as their wife.¡± (The Count)


    At the count¡¯s words, Molitia¡¯s head dropped bitterly. She was too weak, so having children was very dangerous for her.


    Molitia¡¯s presence began to fade when she heard his words. She was a child who couldn¡¯t do anything right nor could she do anything to help her family. The feeling of uselessness dragged her mood into a bottomless pit.


    ¡°Count.¡± (Duke Linerio)


    Molitia heard a voice different from earlier.


    ¡°I¡¯m the Duke of Linerio.¡± (Duke Linerio)


    ¡°Come in.¡± (The Count)


    The Count¡¯s annoyed expression quickly changed into a kind and benevolent one as he sprang from his seat to personally greet the Duke.


    It was finally time for her to meet the rumored killer and her future husband. Molitia curled up her lips as she hurriedly drank the tea to moisten her dry throat.


    ¡°Oh¡­?¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d be so hospitable. It¡¯s an honor.¡± (Duke Linerio)


    ¡°What do you mean by that? We¡¯ll be much closer once you marry my daughter. After all, you¡¯ll soon be my son-inw¡± (The Count)


    Molitia opened her mouth nkly at the sight of the man who appeared before her. If she hadn¡¯t gone crazy, the person who greeted the Count was the man she spent the night with.


    ¡®<em>Why?</em>¡¯ (Molitia)

 Chapter 10

    <span>Chapter 10


    The day of the banquet passed quickly in Molitia¡¯s mind. Her face turned to contemtive as she tried to recall everything she had said to this person that she had a passionate love affair with.


    ¡°Hey, Molitia!¡± (The Count)


    ¡°Yes, Yes?¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± (The Count)


    ¡°What is that¡­¡± (Molitia)


    Molitia then noticed that her grip on the cup had loosened and the tea was spilling out of the teacup. Her face flushed red with embarrassment at her mistake as she quickly wiped her hands with a handkerchief.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I guess Lady Molitia was a little surprised.¡± (Duke Linerio)


    The Duke of Linerio¡¯s eyes casually nced at Molitia.


    ¡°Well, I heard that you got sick after attending the banquet.¡± (Duke Linerio)


    ¡°Ah, yes.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should¡¯ve visited you as soon as I heard the news, but something urgent came up.¡± (Duke Linerio)


    It was an obvious lie. Even though he was smiling, there was no warmth from his smile. He didn¡¯t care for her at all.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I heard that a Duke had a lot of work to attend to, so it¡¯s only right that you get your job done first.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Lady Molitia¡¯s consideration is very generous.¡± (Duke Linerio)


    With that said, he sat down across from her. It wasn¡¯t a narrow table, but he stretched out his feet and put his shoe tip on the tip of her shoe.


    ¡°I think we will be a couple that fit well.¡± (Duke Linerio)


    ¡°<em>Cough</em>!¡± (Molitia)


    A cough spilled out from her mouth when she heard his words. She choked on a piece of refreshment that she had just put inside her mouth. She continued to cough even after her face turned bright red.


    ¡°Molitia!¡± (The Count)


    The Count¡¯s sharp voice pierced through her ear as he condemned her behavior. The Count did not appreciate the way her daughter was acting, so he quickly responded in his daughter¡¯s stead.


    ¡°Yes, I couldn¡¯t agree more. The more I look at the two of you, the more I believe that you¡¯ll make a wonderful couple.¡± (The Count)


    ¡°Is that what Count Clemence sees?¡± (Duke Linerio)


    The Duke¡¯s lips were thin. Even though he took a sip from his mug, instead of looking at his tea or at Count Clemence, he was staring at Molitia.


    The index finger slowly skimmed the handle of the smooth teacup. Her face flushed red when she noticed that he was tantly staring at her. His stare was so intense that it seemed as if he could see through her clothes.


    She had a lot of questions for him, but those questions were best asked when they were alone.


    She wondered why he was here, why he didn¡¯t reveal his identity at the banquet, and why he had just listened to her remarks, which might be rude.


    Molitia was still weak from falling ill; as soon as she recovered a little, she was forced to get out of bed and meet with the Duke. Her body could not handle the sudden rise of blood pressure and stress.


    The room started to spin, and her head fell backward. The useless chair that she was sitting on was more of a stool than a regr chair. There was nothing preventing Molitia from falling back, so her body copsed backward powerlessly.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    ¡°Molitia!¡± (The Count)


    ¡°Lady Molitia!¡± (Duke Linerio)


    Listening to the Count¡¯s angry voice and how surprised the Duke sounded, she knew she had to apologize again in front of the Count.


    When she woke up, the back of her head felt numb.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    She must have hit her head when she fell. When Molitia put her fingertips at the back of her head, she felt a slight bump.


    Even a slight touch made it painful. It would probably take over a week to recover. She looked around slowly with a pale face.


    Molitia gazed out the window. It was day time when she passed out, but now it was dark outside.


    The unchanged clothes bothered her, but she didn¡¯t have time to care about them. She had to catch up with the Duke, who might have already left. There was a lot she wanted to say. At this rate, it was clear that her wedding would be held with a lot of misunderstandings.

 Chapter 11

    Molitia got up quickly but had to lie down again as the dizziness in her head overcame her senses. She closed her eyes tightly as it did not go away for a long time.


    ¡°Haa¡­¡±


    She was overwhelmed with frustration and sighed. It was frustrating to miss a chance like this because of her weak body.


    Even now, if it weren¡¯t for her weak body, Molitia would have had the opportunity to speak candidly with the Duke.


    But the opportunity had already passed, there¡¯s no medicine for regret. Whether she liked it or not, it was unclear if she would have a wedding when the sun arises.


    Molitia had a gut feeling.


    If her marriage were stopped by her fainting, what she would have faced as soon as she woke up would have been the Count, not bed and curtains.


    The Count must have calmed down the Duke somehow. What could he have said to the Duke of Linerio, who was to be a terrible murderer? It was not inconceivable when she recalled the benevolent look on the Count¡¯s face after hearing of the Duke¡¯s arrival.


    Aplicated emotion passed over Molitia¡¯s face.


    ¡®The Duke of Linerio.¡¯


    The one-night partner I chose turned out to be the person she is supposed to marry. There could have been no coincidence like this ever before.


    ¡®Is he going to be my husband?¡¯


    When she thought of his words that were explicitly said in her ears, her ears became hot. A man who made her willing to touch his excited penis, and who said without reserve that she was soaking wet, that she was lewd.


    But if someone asked her if she didn¡¯t like it, that wasn¡¯t the case. Molitia wrapped her cheeks in both hands.


    She felt like she had an abnormal desire. She felt ashamed of the sensation she felt for the first time in her life, so when she put out her hand there, the feeling of being grabbed by his wrist and being licked lingered. He had touched and licked all over the ce; she wondered where if there was any ce left untouched?


    Molitia¡¯s eyes widened when she thought of his appearance, which differed entirely from the rumors. She thought he might be the victim of rumors just like her and wanted to face him properly.


    The day of the wedding arrived after a sleepless night filled with all kinds of thoughts.


    The Count was looking around at the wedding hall that was crowded with many people. All the guests expressed an interest. How interesting is that two people, who are the center of all bad rumors, were soon to get married.


    Count Clemence¡¯ first daughter, Lady Molitia Clemence, had been struggling for her entire life because she was too weak.


    As a founding power, the Duke Reuben Linerio, who had chief authority over the House, swept many scary rumors under his name.


    It was a perfect marriage when looking at the family, but they were more curious about these two who were less social or political than others in their family.


    In an atmosphere full of jeers, interests, and gossip, Molitia¡¯s face was very calm as she sat in her makeup room.


    The Bride, who should be brighter and more beautiful than anyone else, had a paleplexion.


    It was because a few minutes ago, the Count nagged so much that her ears hurt. Her exhaustion increased even more from his still ringing voice in her head, ¡°It¡¯s a ce full of guests. Don¡¯t create trouble; you hear that?¡±


    She didn¡¯t feel very well and arrived with difficulty. Finally, the attendants mobilized to cover her face with ayer of makeup.


    Only after the attendants finished did Molitia look carefully at the mirror.


    A white dress and white jewelry that seemed to match. If not for her pale face, she would have looked like a perfect bride.


    For Molitia, who had nothing fancy for herself, the wedding dress was too good and amazing.


    For her, who was always in bed, this new dress was a luxury. Compared to her sickly self, it wasmon for her energetic brother to get new things.


    All she had was a small doll and books.


    The wedding dress that fit on her body felt quitefortable because it was not too long ago when she was worried about how long she had left to live.

 Chapter 12

    The time in the makeup room passed quickly. When she heard her name called, the servants who were helping her held the end of the dress.


    ¡®You can¡¯t fail.¡¯


    The Count¡¯s words echoed her ears. The jewelry felt heavier than usual and seemed to crush her body under the people¡¯s gaze.


    She didn¡¯t know how her feet were moving. She could hear the Priest¡¯s voice as the colorful decorations filled her eyes.


    She walked with a veil on her face and soon was standing at the end of the aisle. (T/N: It¡¯s written as ¡®virgin road¡¯ in the novel.)


    ¡°Your hand.¡±


    When a low voice rang her ears, she raised her head at the deep low voice, there he was, the man who would soon be her husband, Duke Linerio.


    She put her hand on his hand as if she were possessed, soon the congrattory words were spoken. In the dazzling wedding hall, there was only one ce where Molitia¡¯s gaze was directed. The Duke who felt the gaze gave a small chuckle, ¡°You seem to have a lot of questions¡­¡±


    The Priest had not finished yet, but the Duke spoke without any care. Even though she was the only one to hear his voice, she didn¡¯t get clumsy.


    ¡°¡­but I can¡¯t tell you here.¡±


    ¡°Then how would you tell me?¡±


    He fiddled with her hand that wore cotton gloves. Vaguely touching the ring finger, from a distance, his actions looked full of affection.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when this wedding is over.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    The ceremony took good enough time to finish as they faced each other and put rings in each other¡¯s fingers.


    ¡°The bride and groom now may kiss¡±


    At the Priest¡¯s words, the Duke reached out and pulled up the veil on Molitia. The face under the white veil looked cleaner and purer than the cloth.


    Far from kissing, she had already gone all the way. But Molitia¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red. She was nervous in front of many people, and her shoulders shook slightly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous.¡±


    He whispered before his lips fell on Molitia¡¯s lips.


    ¡°As you said, I¡¯m the only someone who¡¯s chosen by the family.¡±


    Uh? Molitia¡¯s eyes, bewildered by his words, turned to his lips. It was not a deep and dense kiss since they were at the banquet hall, but it continued for quite a long time with his lips sped above her lips.


    Their tongues didn¡¯t mingle, but he licked her teeth through the gaps in her lips, and then his mouth fell.


    Read this at Sleepy Trantions.


    ¡°¡­what are you saying now¡­¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°Congrattions!¡±


    Her delicate voice was buried as thunderous apuse that followed the kiss. The Duke held her hand and smiled as if she had said nothing.


    Did I hear wrong? Molitia was thrown into chaos. Unlike the Duke, who skillfully waved his hand at people, Molitia¡¯s hand didn¡¯t move so quickly.


    The Bride, who should be happier than ever, was confused. Unaware of the Count¡¯s burning gaze, the Duke whispered in her ear, pretending to straighten her hair.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to break up this marriage, let¡¯s do things right.¡±


    It didn¡¯t seem like she had heard it wrong.


    Later, Molitia repeatedly failed to talk to the Duke.


    The reception was so busy that the schedule kept them busy as soon as the wedding was over. In between, regardless of Molitia¡¯s denial, her clothes were forcefully taken off and put on a new wedding dress.


    It seemed that the Count was eager about the wedding; the reception turned out to be spectacr.


    It¡¯s a perfect sight for others to see.


    Molitia felt like she was dying. It showed her physical strength that had been little. The jewelry pressing was on her head, and the clothes that made her breathless were ufortable.


    In the meantime, she had to talk to the people around her. She felt like she would faint any second.


    ¡®Do well!¡¯


    Each time, the words of the Count, which reverberated in Molitia¡¯s head, forced her to focus.


    If she fell, she would surely have bought the Count¡¯s anger on herself. And it wasn¡¯t just the Count.


    Even those who surrounded her would look at her with ridicule. Her fingers shook as she held the cup.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    At that moment, the hand that suddenly held her shoulder startled her, and she dropped the ss in her hand.

 Chapter 13

    ¡®Ah.¡¯


    The shrill sound of ss echoing in the peaceful banquet hall made Molitia close her eyes. In a short time, people¡¯s booing and the Count¡¯s angry voice quickly ran through her head.


    ¡°You must be exhausted.¡±


    Instead of the sound of ss shattering in Molitia¡¯s ears, the Duke¡¯s voice was heard. When her closed eyelids were lifted, he ced the now spilled and empty ss on a nearby table.


    ¡°Otherwise, you would not have made such a silly mistake.¡±


    He wiped his wet hands with a napkin. He frowned after he had rubbed his hands several times to remove the sensation left due to the sweet champagne.


    ¡°You¡¯re tired, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah yes.¡±


    She answered faster than she. It was right to say that she didn¡¯t know herself because her own words overwhelmed her. She looked at him without even thinking whether he felt the overwhelming energy of the surrounding people.


    ¡°As expected.¡±


    He rxed his expression as if he liked Molitia¡¯s answer.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid we¡¯d better take a break for now.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    She was sure that Count Clemence would scold her for disappearing before the reception was over, but it was important for Molitia to know how to survive from the Duke in front of her.


    ¡°My wife seems to be exhausted. May I take her?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Duke.¡±


    The wives who were talking to Molitia excused her. Molitia, who had quickly stepped out of the reception hall because of Duke Linerio¡¯s neat escort, looked around. The cold air touched her face.


    ¡°There is a room here.¡±


    Her eyes questioned the Duke¡¯s words, and the Duke¡¯s brows slightly frowned, not knowing what he wanted.


    ¡°We could take a breath there, let¡¯s get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±


    Molitia, trying to move at his words, frowned. The pain she had forgotten was felt strongly in her feet now. She took several steps while pretending to be calm, but in the end, she stood still.


    The Duke ahead turned his head when the footsteps behind him stopped.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    Molitia Mumbled. Only a few hours ago, he threatened her to behave well. It was hard to tell him to move slowly as her feet hurt.


    As Molitia¡¯s reluctance continued, the Duke sighed and approached her.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve remembered I have something to do. Go ahead, and I¡¯ll follow you.¡±


    ¡°Do you know where the room is?¡±


    Molitia was speechless again. He sighed when it became clear that she didn¡¯t know the way.


    ¡°What do you need to do?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    She hesitated but eventually stretched out her feet, which had been covered in a bountiful skirt. His pupils dted when her swollen feet were revealed under the smoothly stretched calf.


    ¡°Why are you like this? Who stepped on you?¡±


    ¡°No. I was wearing new shoes.¡±


    Can this be done by wearing new shoes? One of the Duke¡¯s eyebrows lifted. He has tried new shoes several times, but his feet have never been swollen. He had neither seen nor heard of such a thing.


    He sat down as he stared at her feet with a frowning expression. Moving the frightened Molitia a few steps back and carefully lifted her foot to observe.


    Perhaps because of the white skin, the reddish wound looked more prominent. In particr, the wound on the heel had blisters and peeled skin.


    ¡°You were walking with these legs.?¡±


    A small crack was carved into the Duke¡¯s forehead. It was questionable how the foot that was a little bigger than his palm could hold her up properly.


    If left like this, they may walk in the hallway all day long. The Duke thought so and stood up.


    ¡°Ah, wait!¡±


    As he stood up, he hugged Molitia and lifted her. Surprised, she made a small protest, but the Duke stopped it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Just hold on.¡±


    His words shut her up. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak in front of the angry Duke.


    He made it to the lounge where it would have taken a long time for Molitia to reach on her own. The Duke, who opened the door, looked around and found a soft-looking sofa before putting her down there.


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±


    ¡°There must be some emergency medicine.¡±


    He turned away, not answering her, and as he looked around, he took out a medicine box on the side of the lounge.

 Chapter 14

    Sitting on the edge of the sofa with her, he said.


    ¡°Foot.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you leave this¡ª¡±


    ¡°Foot.¡±


    At his resolute words, Molitia raised her feet, swallowing her cry. His eyebrows twitched when he took off her shoes, which revealed her bare feet covered in wounds.


    As he gently nced at her feet, he slowly opened his mouth.


    ¡°¡­ was there really no one that bothered you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Who dares to bother the Bride at her wedding? However, the Duke¡¯s doubts did not subside.


    ¡°Really? You are not covering that person, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true. It¡¯s just a wound because I didn¡¯t try the new shoes in advance.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that usually done by the attendant in advance?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­..¡±


    Her mouth shut tight. She didn¡¯t even have a servant to ask for that simple thing. Even changing clothes every night was done by herself.


    Fortunately, the Duke, who had not noticed it, turned his hand instead of listening to the answer. After crushing the medicinal herbs, the medicine turned into a thick liquid and was applied with a cotton ball and ced on the affected area, causing her feet to flinch.


    ¡°If it hurts, tell me right away, because I¡¯ve never treated a person¡¯s wounds.¡±


    He added words as he moved carefully in every action. Molitia nodded slightly at his words. But this level of pain was familiar to her. She flinched a few times but said nothing until the bandage as white as her skin went up.


    The foot slipped out of his hand as soon as the foot was bandaged. His eyes were on her toes as she wriggled shamefully.


    ¡°¡­Thank you for the treatment.¡±


    As Molitia said so, his eyes did not escape from her feet. The bare legs that were revealed during the treatmentpletely caught his eyes.


    He felt it when he first met her, but her skin was exceptionally white, and it brought him a sense of joy when that white skin became red due to embarrassment.


    She was like that. Since the first meeting, he has been unable to take his eyes off her. She gave an illusion that if you take your eyes off for a while, she will disappear.


    And the feeling of burrowing into her body¡­


    He thought it over and moved reflexively, and he snatched her toes in his hands and began to caress her legs.


    ¡°Duke?¡±


    ¡°How long will my wife call me duke?¡±


    Though they were as dark as night, there was something in his eyes. As Molitia¡¯s eyes met his, he gave a smile.


    ¡°Would you like to make a bet?¡±


    ¡°Bet?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a bet.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s eyes widened at the sudden offer.


    ¡°What are we betting on?¡±


    ¡°A bet that stops when you call my name first. What do you say, easy?¡±


    Her lips pursed at his words. Molitia had never called someone¡¯s name without hesitation, even if it was her younger brother.


    For her, who never had a proper friend, the ¡°name¡± was just too awkward¡ªeven the man who showed her<em>everything</em>.


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t do it¡­?¡±


    ¡°I will do things on my own until you call my name.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to do?¡±


    Her mouth stopped when his hand entered her skirt. The prating fingers heated her skin.


    ¡°Like this.¡±


    ¡°¡­this is the lounge.¡±


    Molitia pointed out the surrounding situation. He chuckled at her words.


    ¡°It¡¯s a tranquil lounge. At least none of those who are attending the fancy reception would want toe here.¡±


    By now, everyone would have been busy making a rumor about the main couple that vanished from the banquet. Plus, the Count was not the object of his interest in the first ce.


    ¡°But still¡­¡±


    Her mouth searched for an excuse. Every time his fingers up her thighs, her eyes were desperately searched for the excuse.


    ¡°Do other people bother you?¡±


    His hand touched the inside of his thigh. Her muscles tightened with tension as she pressed hard.


    ¡°Even though I don¡¯t care?¡±


    How can she not care? The ink that signed the marriage certificate was not even dry yet. Besides, it was enough to rent a room at the banquet hall.


    ¡°Are we not a couple now? It¡¯s a secret thing about the newly married couple. Sometimes they can be out of ce.¡±

 Chapter 15

    She had never heard of such a thing or seen it in a book. Molitia¡¯s head, which is ignorant of the world, quickly shook and lowered her eyes.


    When his words were rejected, his eyes nced at Molitia¡¯s face.


    In this way, she was no different from otherdies. It was the same behavior as those who were moderately nervous, ashamed, and distanced themselves. Nevertheless, it was iprehensible for him that he did not hate her behavior.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    His hands touched the underpants inside her dress.


    ¡°If you¡¯re so ashamed, hold on.¡±


    At his mischievous mutter, he lifted the other leg. As her gaze rose, drawn by his hand, her face blushed.


    ¡°Or you can call my name.¡±


    His lips touched her calves when he said so. The path of hands wandering over the underpants created a calm wave of excitement.


    His fingers, which had been going back and forth her underpants, unconcerned by the inconvenience of the surrounding tightening, he dug into her underwear.


    She flinched, and he felt her behavior through his fingers, and felt a crack that was not wet yet, and heard her breathe in his ears.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡­.¡±


    Unlike earlier, her voice was getting smaller and smaller. If she called out his name, he would have to drop his hand. She could not do the simple thing, but her white face became red.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, call my name.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know the name of the husband, do you?¡±


    No way. His name has been ringing in Molitia¡¯s ears since they decided on the marriage date. She had never seen the Duke, but she had heard the name so many times, and that she should not be kicked out by the Duke and sully the name of the Count.


    Her head turned.


    ¡°Tell me if you know.¡±


    His eyes fell on her. His longing eyes were deeper than before. The fingers now dug in a little more covertly.


    ¡°Tell me, Molitia.¡±


    He wanted her to say it, but he also didn¡¯t want her to. He didn¡¯t want to stop in the middle. He asked her because he liked the way she reacted in this trouble.


    ¡°Yes, I¡ª¡±


    Her face, covered by the back of her hand, became redder. Compared to the white hands, the red face seemed to be the skin of a different person.


    His lips fell on her calf, sliding along the raised leg.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten my touch yet, have you? Seeing how you got wet so quickly.¡±


    He twirled his fingers sarcastically. The fingers moving on her flesh stimted her. The angle of his finger stroking the inside of her underpants made her feel a sense of uplift.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how difficult it was because your wet look keeps wandering in my head.¡±


    Still kissing her thigh, his eyes stayed steady on her face, as his hand pulled down her underwear.


    The underwear pulled down to the hem of the white wedding dress, and to the edge of her ankles. He pressed open her thigh and made things more visible.


    ¡°Duke¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­ you¡¯re never going to say my name, are you?¡±


    He said so and bit the flesh on the inside of her tender thigh.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter though.¡±


    His warm hand touched her thigh. The sliding sensation lightened Molitia¡¯s senses.


    He leaned over her. Her legs became stiff as his fiery breath was felt in her secret ce.


    ¡°Wait, what are you¡­?¡±


    His lips were in the wrong ce if there was nothing wrong with her senses.


    When she thought his fingers were also in that ce, her face fired up with shame.


    Molitia¡¯s legs struggled weakly. The thin p that stopped the contact of his lips was overpowered by his hand.


    ¡°Hyaa!¡±


    The moment his tongue sank in her flesh, her waist stood stiff. The shock from the touch of his tongue made her lose her rationality and blurred her vision.


    As if licking ice cream, his tongue licked her inside out. He dug up the swollen flesh by his hand and ravenously sucked it in as if squeezing the wet and soft flesh.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s good to see that you still haven¡¯t called my name.¡±


    ¡®No.¡¯ Molitia was out of breath. A feeling of bliss traveled through her body.

 Chapter 16

    She didn¡¯t know if she was happy or scared. All she knew was that she was like prey to him. Her body shuddered whenever his tongue licked her flesh.


    ¡°You are so wet that I can keep doing this, you know?¡±


    ¡°Stop¡­¡±


    ¡°If you call my name, it stops.¡±


    Was heughing? The small movements from contact made her tremble, and as he put his tongue up a little further, her waist lifted a little more. He seemed to have rubbed her toes a few times, but she remained in ce because of his strong hand.


    The moment he touched her clit, Molitia¡¯s waist bent to its fullest. The bride¡¯s appearance, apanied by a crumbling wedding dress, was more vibrant than ever.


    Each time she gasped vigorously, the flowers and jewels embroidered on the fancy dress breathed. The bride¡¯s face, which was initially as white as her wedding dress, was now red.


    Her fluid dripped on the wedding dress. He said he would drink it, but he could do nothing about the flow that ran down his chin.


    ¡°Molitia!¡±


    It was then. The Duke¡¯s head jerked away at the shrill voice that called for Molitia. It wasn¡¯t a loud rumbling sound, but the stomping footsteps were the sound of someone wandering about looking for her.


    It¡¯s only a matter of time before the two of them were found. The Duke¡¯s forehead frowned. He was so excited. He swallowed his saliva and moved away from Molitia with regret.


    ¡°I think I have to stop for now.¡±


    He put her underwear back on. He deliberately pressed his fingers over her underwear. Her fair forehead frowned as her underwear got wet from her juices.


    ¡°You¡¯d better think carefully about whether or not to call my name till your wet underwear dries.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°That means the bet isn¡¯t over yet.¡±


    He smiled and held out his hand at her. Molitia looked at him curiously, and he looked down at her feet.


    ¡°Are you going to walk with that foot again?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s bandaged now, so I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    He spoke emphatically. She will walk with that scarred foot. He wondered if she will quit only when the wound reurred. He looked at her with eyes that didn¡¯t like the idea.


    He lifted her once again before Molitia could say anything.


    ¡°It¡¯s not my taste to make love with a sick person.¡±


    It went without saying that Molitia¡¯s face turned red again at his words.


    ¡°Molitia!¡±


    As the Duke stepped outside, holding Molitia, he encountered the Count. Unlike the surprised Count, the Duke¡¯s expression remained the same.


    The Duke knew who was calling Molitia in the first ce, and calling the Duchess by her name instead of the title.


    ¡°Huh, Hmm.¡± (The Count)


    The Count raised his eyes fiercely at Molitia and found the peacock and coughed in vain.


    ¡°So you were here. Today¡¯s main Couple suddenly disappeared, and now everyone¡¯s looking. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°My wife hurt her foot.¡±


    He rxed and showed Molitia¡¯s feet. Her bare feet were caught in the Count¡¯s eyes because the Duke held her shoes. The Count¡¯s eyebrows wriggled when he saw Molitia¡¯s feet wrapped in a bandage with swollen feet.


    She bowed quickly as the Count¡¯s gaze turned her head away. The Count¡¯s reproachful gaze because of the injury could be understood without having to look at it again.


    ¡°Oh, no, my daughter is supposed to take care of herself, but thank you for taking care of her.¡±


    ¡°No, as a husband, I should.¡±


    The Duke smiled amiably. The Count stopped his gaze and smiled as if to match the Duke.


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you go to the ballroom now? The main Couple of the day¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we will go home now.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s words interrupted the Count¡¯s.


    Suddenly, the Count¡¯s face hardened as if he had never thought the Duke would cut off his words. Wordless, the Count¡¯s face was filled with bewilderment.


    ¡°Why suddenly? You don¡¯t like the ce I¡¯ve set up¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°No way. Father-inw¡¯s ce is perfect.¡±


    Unlike the Count, whose smiling face broke, the Duke¡¯s face remained calm. However, the Duke¡¯s eyes that stared at the Count were not smiling.


    The Count felt the conversation changing. The Duke was not picky when they talked to each other several times. He would give the Count agreeable expressions, and then would match the Count¡¯s thought.

 Chapter 17

    Such a sudden whim of the Duke made him confused.


    ¡°Then why did you decide to go home? If you tell me, I¡¯ll try to change things as per your liking.¡±


    ¡°Her feet look so sore. I just can¡¯t think of letting her stand on these feet.¡±


    The Count stared at Molitia, and it was natural that she was tired with that look of Count¡¯s, which was not the eyes of a father looking at her injured daughter.


    The Count¡¯s gaze once again turned to Molitia¡¯s toes. The neat bandages of her feet were only that. It was clear that his daughter was fussing at the small wound.


    ¡°But you have already treated it. That should be enough. If it seems ufortable, let me offer a chair for my daughter.¡±


    ¡°No. I will go home.¡±


    Despite the concessions so far, the Duke, who made his im hard, did not understand.


    ¡®What is this position?¡¯


    It was also an excellent opportunity to put down rumors about their Clemence family. The same goes for the Duke¡¯s family; there was no one who didn¡¯t know that the Duke¡¯s family was involved in the public rumors.


    It was the heart of Count Clemence that he wanted to spread his influence to the Duke of Linerio as a family that joined through marriage.


    But if the Duke was so uncooperative, the Count could not achieve what he wanted. The Count frowned slightly.


    ¡°Then what will the guests do? Since we¡¯re all here to celebrate for you, stay here for some more time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already shown myself.¡±


    ¡°But you have yet to meet many important people.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean they didn¡¯t see my face?¡±


    The Duke suddenly changed his smile. Although it was to go back to being expressionless, its sense of deterrence was inexpressible. Molitia, who was ignored, might have shrunk her shoulders.


    It was natural that the Count¡¯s face, which received the gaze directly, was suddenly white.


    ¡°¡­ no, it¡¯s not like that.¡±


    ¡°You can personally visit the Duke¡¯s mansion in the future if it dissatisfies you that I am leaving. I¡¯ll give you a grand reception.¡±


    Who knew the word ¡®Grand¡¯ can be such a flesh-shivering word?


    The Count struggled to put up with the chill in his body. It is said that the Duke had risen to a considerable level of strength, and it could be seen that it was not a lie.


    But the Count didn¡¯t back down here. Just as the Duke was trying to leave, he added a word.


    ¡°Who will shine when the main couple leaves?¡± (The Count)


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there the Count?¡±


    The nk Count¡¯s gaze touched the Duke.


    ¡°I appreciate your ability, and I¡¯m leaving this ce believing in the Count, so please live up to the expectations.¡±


    As he said, the Duke hugged Molitia. Secretly, he put a hand under her butt and massaged her thighs.


    Molitia, who felt his touch, blushed, but the Duke was shamelessly smiling again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see my wife hurt anymore, so I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±


    The Duke hurried out of his seat over the Count, who had not yet escaped from the shock. Molitia¡¯s heart, which was peeping at the Count, was pounding hard.


    ¡°Why are you staying still? Does your foot hurt a lot?¡±


    He made the wagon stand by through the servant, and he looked down at Molitia, who was strangely too calm. His gaze startled her.


    ¡°No, not like that.¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s my first time to disobey my father¡­¡±


    Her heart was still beating so hard that it felt like it would bounce off. Molitia had never gone against Count¡¯s words in her life. There have been a few rebellions, but the ending had always been the Count¡¯s wish.


    The Count¡¯s words were absolute to her. She would be mercilessly punished for going against him. It wasmon to be starved or be deprived of warmth.


    As she went back and forth between pain and hunger, it bound her to be dull and obey his wishes. The Count¡¯s Desire was ahead of hers, and thus she followed the Count.


    It was significant for her to refuse the Count¡¯s words. A tearful heart rose from within her, which Molitia herself did not know. She just endured the redness of her eyes.

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    ¡°You are a Duke¡¯s wife now, I don¡¯t know why you are so scared. You are the Duchess from today¡±.


    ¡°¡­The Duchess.¡±


    ¡°Yes, so you don¡¯t have to lower yourself to others.¡±


    Who knew that her husband, who is still unfamiliar to her, wouldfort her like this? Molitia looked at her husband and nodded slightly.


    Unlike the residence of Count of Clemence that was far, the Duke¡¯s pce in the capital was close. As soon as she saw arge mansion on an open road, Molitia unknowingly recounted the Duke¡¯s merits again.


    ¡°My Lord, You¡¯ve returned.¡±


    When the Duke got off with Molitia, the butler greeted him as if he had waited. And he escorted his master inside as if nothing was strange.


    ¡°We came sooner than we expected.¡±


    ¡°Madame¡­¡±


    The butler¡¯s words were blurred, and he didn¡¯t know whether to call a doctor or introduce himself.


    ¡°I want to rest right now. Is the bedroom ready?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    The butler bowed quickly to the Duke¡¯s words. He led the two into one room. Until then, the Duke kept Molitia in his arms. They had been in that state the whole time, as it was as if nothing for him.


    The pastel-tone atmosphere greeted the two as they entered the room. Compared to the pce¡¯s general atmosphere that showed off splendor, she felt this was somewhat cozy.


    ¡°Where is this ce?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s our bedroom.¡±


    ¡°Our bedroom¡­¡±


    When she heard that she had a ce of her own, Molitia felt her chest swell slightly.


    The first home away from the County.


    Whether it would be an extension of a ghostly life like in the Count¡¯s house or the beginning of a new life, the room was not bad.


    He carefullyid Molitia on the bed, who was busy looking around. A fluffy bed made her put her feet on it.


    Besides Molitia, the bed was spacious enough for three more people. She had to thank the Duke for bringing her here.


    It was time for Molitia to look at him and say hello with sincerity.


    ¡°¡­So, have you thought about it a lot?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    At her puzzled appearance, he prated his hand into the wedding dress. The hand that quickly dug between her legs pressed down on the underwear.


    ¡°I told you to think until your underwear dries.¡±


    His eyes glowed.


    ¡°Whether or not to call my name.¡±


    Molitia swallowed.


    It was not a dy. She was close to no one, but it was not the first time she had to call a person¡¯s name, and it was nothing. She didn¡¯t know why she kept putting off calling him Reuben.


    It felt that by calling his name, Molitia would no longer be Molitia Clemence.


    She felt as if she had to ept the name Molitia Linerio as the Duchess. She was more agitated than the time she was signing her name on her marriage certificate.


    However, it could not be dyed. She opened her lips slightly and murmured.


    ¡°Reu¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Reu?¡±


    His persistent gaze followed her, and his hands, which had been on his underpants, dug in.


    ¡°H¡­.¡±


    ¡°Tell me the rest,e on.¡±


    How pretty her tiny pink lips are. She seemed not to understand. Even the sweetness of her lips almost shook him. Every time her small mouth moved, he had to endure the feeling of wanting to put his lips on them.


    ¡°My name can¡¯t be a single syble of Reu.¡±


    His finger stroked the swollen part of the vagina. The once-shocked flesh flinched nervously at his touch.


    ¡°Or you don¡¯t want to say it on purpose?¡±


    The fingers boldly dug in. Her hands quickly swamped through the half-open flesh and wandered around the hole.


    The dress made way. She reached out and pushed his shoulders weakly, but his hardened body did not move at all.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    Unlike her, his voice whispered low. sticity flowed out of his mouth as his most extended finger glided into her hole.


    His thumb rubbed the little flesh of her clit, while fingers dug into the tight spot. The more his fingers moved, the more red flesh seemed to ept.


    It was clear that he wanted to continue the same thing as he did in the lounge. He could not wait any longer.

 Chapter 19

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to say it?¡±


    ¡°No, Reu¡­¡­.¡±


    Her words were swallowed up in his lips. She needed to say one more syble. He dug his tongue between her open lips, sweeping through his even teeth.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear you.¡±


    ¡°Reu¡­¡­.¡±


    Again, his mouth closed her. At this point, She knew that he¡¯s doing it on purpose. Molitia struck his chest as if protesting.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Hey, you should let me talk.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I ever said I¡¯d make it easy.¡±


    She could feel his breath from a little distance. His other hand caressed her cheek.


    ¡°My wife is na?ve.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s cheeks flushed at his words. She didn¡¯t know how determined he was. He smiled a little and sucked her lower lip.


    ¡°If you still want to talk, say something. I won¡¯t stop you.¡±


    At the same time, as he said, one more finger stretched to dig in. An even tighter inner wall wrapped his fingers without hesitation because of excitement. It was so narrow that he couldn¡¯t believe that his penis was inside her a week ago.


    It¡¯s this tight. It was clear that if he doesn¡¯t release the tension properly and loosen her, he¡¯ll get hurt. His fingers crawled in a little more, as he was continually moving.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Her shoulders trembled every time his fingers prated her. The tingling sensation came back after a long time, apanied by pleasure and pain at the same time. She groaned low on his fingers, rubbing her inside.


    His other hand slipped down her neckline. Unable to take off her fancy essories, he began to untie the ribbons of clothes.


    However, the wedding dress, which is much moreplicated than the usual clothes, could not be undone easily. Her smooth skin seemed to tease him.


    ¡°If I had known this, I would¡¯ve had the servant take off your clothes first and then be with you.¡±


    He grumbled low. After releasing a few more ribbons, he couldn¡¯t stand it and forced her clothes off.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    It revealed her white skin with red marks. He stripped off her underwear all at once, so the stic breasts fluttered and showed themselves. They were quite developedpared to her thin body.


    He managed to grasp the skin that had been exposed as her chest stood out in his sight.


    A soft breast lost shape under his grasp. The nipple, already standing firm, irritated his palms weakly. As he rolled the nipples with his fingers, while stimting with the whole palm, her core fluttered.


    ¡°I feel good when I see you like this and getting greedy.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­.¡±


    A sore sound came out of her mouth in shame. No, every time he stimted her chest. Her belly seemed to ring. Another sensation, different from his fingers below, gave her a thrill.


    He heard a crackling sound from his fingers that were inside her. Clear fluid from the inside made it easier for his hands to move.


    But it was not enough. While the movement became morefortable, her insides were still tightly closed. As his fingers pressed on the inner wall, her waist bent.


    ¡°Ah. Ru¡­¡­.¡±


    Her little attempt to call out the name was sucked into his mouth. He said he would give her a chance, but he took it away from her every time. His tongue ran around her mouth and ate her. Her tongue was pinched and crushed around.


    When another of his fingers went in, her hips flinched.


    ¡°There¡¯s a little¡­¡±


    ¡°Here?¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­¡­.¡±


    Her words, which were about to say no, clouded the field with her breath. Her eyes felt glistening. And her blurry pupils were moistened.


    ¡°You must like it here.¡±


    His fingers persistently encircled the ce. Even after a short tap, her legs trembled in the air when he pressed hard with his fingertips.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that¡­..¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just leave it to your body.¡±


    A small whisper in her ear led her. The moment her feelings of increased pleasure burst, her waist twisted. The chest under his grasp quickly rose and fell.


    ¡°Yes, good job.¡±


    He patted her on the head. Taking his fingers out of her, he lowered his pants and underwear at the same time. Caught her intermittent thighs, he opened them wide. Her vagina twitching from the ecstasy was visible to his eyes.


    ¡°No¡­ don¡¯t look at me like that.¡±


    ¡°Who else should see your body?¡±


    He asked shamelessly.


    ¡°You¡¯re so cute.¡±


    Her body thrilled as he gently swiped his fingers soaked in her liquid. He smiled low and unwrapped his clothes one by one. His clothes came off quickly when he released the cramped buttons.

 Chapter 20

    Molitia, who stared at his tight chest, quickly looked down at the sound of pulling the belt of his pants.


    ¡®Ugh¡¯


    She breathed in surprise at his size, which had been forgotten for a while. How sick she was after that night. Unlike the exhration that made her body warm, Molitia¡¯s face was terrified when she recalled the past of how she couldn¡¯t even walk because of pain in her lower body.


    Unlikest time, she knew what to do. She knew about the pain this time. Her anxiety, wondering if it would hurt again, appeared on her face.


    ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you.¡±


    Seeing her face, he kissed her gently on the cheek. She wished he could reduce the size and then say those words. Her resentful eyes nced at him.


    He grabbed his own and slowly hit the bottom. Her waist became stiff with tension as his hot length touched her entrance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous.¡±


    His hand swept her forehead. He slowlyforted her to the point where the hand that went down her face¡¯s contour felt friendly.


    He wandered around the entrance for quite a while without entering. He deliberately pressed the clitoris firmly and stimted it.


    An exhrated breath flowed from her teeth. After confirming the disappearance of fear from her face, he proceeded slowly.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    A painful sound came out of her mouth. Fear of theing pain frowned her eyebrows.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It won¡¯t hurt.¡±


    He kissed between her frowns. The feeling of being sucked inside made him want to push in quickly, but he endured it with minimal reason. Slightly over the mouth, he lowered his finger to stimte the clitoris.


    Her breath came out of her mouth as her brief fear ended, and her spirits rose. He did not miss the moment and proceeded slowly inside.


    ¡°You¡¯re swallowing me so well.¡±


    He whispered deliberately in her ear. His hot, low voice rang her body. As she proceeded through the hot red flesh, her hand touched his shoulder.


    When she finally swallowed most of him, he breathed low. Sweat was hanging from his forehead because he used up all his self-control.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    Molitia gave him a small nod. The pain was less thanst time.


    ¡°On the contrary ¡­¡±


    She blushed slightly.


    ¡°Can I move?¡±


    ¡°¡­yes.¡±


    When her permission was given, he slowly pulled his hips back. He slowed down a little more when he heard a moaning sound in her mouth.


    ¡®Ha, damn it.¡¯


    He felt he should train more. It was more difficult to keep himself sane as he moved slowly in her narrow space. Her walls were gripping his penis as he moved.


    ¡®Is this on purpose?¡¯


    The moment he thought, he shook his head. Afraid of being hurt, she couldn¡¯t have tightened or loosened him with her strength.


    He didn¡¯t know if he should call her natural or if she was shaking with fear, but in many ways, she drove him crazy.


    A steady movement shook her head without a hitch. The heavy jewelry decorated on the head swayed and loosen as they moved.


    The silvery hair gleamed in the soft moonlight. The neat hair loosened to create a waterfall.


    ¡°Ah¡­ duke¡­¡±


    As soon as her sweet lips opened, he dug in them a little stronger. Her body flinched but epted him without repulsion.


    The moist wet inside made her rx naturally. Her whole body was shivering with pleasure, panting with pain.


    She could recall the joy she had forgotten in fear. And her thoughts soon connected to her body.


    Her little body swayed up and down to fit his movements. He moved faster and faster, leaving a mark on her fluttering chest.


    He checked her reaction from time to time. If she were unwell, he would quit. Molitia closed her eyes.


    He pushed her thighs wide open so she could feel less sick, and the sound of his sack, which was rubbing against her flesh, echoed over the bed.


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    The moment the moan sounded high, she reached the highest bliss. Her thighs trembled and tightened him. Before long, he also sprinkled his turbid liquid inside her.


    A steep breath came and went.

 Chapter 21

    Unlike her, whose fair shoulders rose and fell roughly at the end of the fall, his member was still stiff. His unfulfilled desire craved her body badly, but he closed his lips and pulled out his shaft.


    The semen trickled out of the walls. A small whine came out of her mouth. Although it was a light movement, her sensitive body reacted to even the slightest stimulus.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    Her eyes were glued to his careful words.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right¡ªI think.¡±


    What a seductive little mutter. He cleared the hair on her forehead, ignoring the fever that quickly drove through his lower body.


    At his very affectionate touch, Molitia closed her eyes. Maybe it¡¯s because she tried it once. This time it did not involve much pain as she had thought.


    Her face turned red when she thought she had been holding his shoulder tightly and moaning at the end.


    A keen sense filled her lower body, but not to the point where she couldn¡¯t endure. At this rate, she could avoid being stuck in bed.


    Molitia, who thought vaguely, and sighed.


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief, then. I was worried about what to do if you became sick likest time.¡±


    ¡°Were you worried about me?¡±


    Her surprised question only made him look suspicious.


    This time, he was somewhat cautious. He didn¡¯t want to make her scared or sick as she had been after her first time.


    That was the idea when he touched her body and sucked her breasts in his mouth. But as soon as he embraced her, his mind went nk.


    He wondered if this is how fast-track harmony works? Her walls sucked on his penis. As her narrow opening tightened, his reason quickly disappeared. Eventually, somewhere in the middle of the act, he became greedy, causing her body to suffer.


    He didn¡¯t think he was going to be so helpless whenever he held her. Rueben kept his lips tight as if defending themselves.


    ¡°It¡¯s your freedom to believe.¡±


    His hand took her by the waist. When a small sound came from her surprised mouth, he raised his hand and stripped the ragged wedding dresspletely.


    Her face re-colored with redness as his hands snapped off her dress. Until a while ago, she was shy for a woman who enjoyed a tough affair.


    When her body, barely naked, trembled, he pulled up her nket. With a gentle touch, Molitia¡¯s eyes turned to him.


    ¡°¡­why did you go first that day?¡±


    He¡¯s affectionate. She gave a glimpse at her unspeakable innermost thoughts.


    ¡°I stayed with you until you woke up.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    But why? Her mouth rolled round.


    ¡°We were sneaking together if you¡¯re mistaken. It was right to leave.¡±


    It was something that she had never thought of before. Her eyes wide open, he grinned low as she closed her mouth.


    ¡°I cleaned up all the traces, so I guess you didn¡¯t see them.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ you were the one who I was going to be married to. We didn¡¯t have to hide what everyone knew anyway, did we? It¡¯s the same for our meeting in the same ce.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that exciting?¡±


    His ck eyes were on Molitia. There was a blush on her pale cheeks, which seemed a little worth seeing. The thick make-up on her face made her look like a doll all the way through the ceremony.


    He swept her reddish-colored nipples. Her body trembled a little.


    ¡°It was a disgrace that you didn¡¯t know me at all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying anything, so don¡¯t worry. I saw your sleepy face and left.¡±


    Only then could she understand his behavior at the banquet hall. Not all, but at least that she was not abandoned. The fact gave Molitia relief.


    ¡°So.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°When are you going to call me by my name?¡±


    The touch on her chest was persistent. Although Molitia turned her body as if to avoid his hand, which held her breast, remained firm.


    The small groan turned her head to the side. The essories scattered on the bed bumped together and made a little tter.


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to stop me from saying it again?¡±


    ¡°Not now.¡±


    If that¡¯s the case, she¡¯d like to get rid of it. When Molitia looked at him with an incredible look, he smiled low.

 Chapter 22

    ¡°I swear.¡±


    ¡°¡­Reu¡­ben.¡±


    The red lips were small and sweet. His mouth was drawn in a cordial line when a sound he would not have heard had it not been for a quiet night fell into his ear.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what you call it in the future. Don¡¯t call me the Duke anymore.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Her behavior, grumbling on the pillow, slowed down. The half-wet eyes soon began to closepletely.


    ¡°Are you sleepy?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡­.¡±


    No way. His body was still shouting that it wasn¡¯t enough. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t let go of her body.


    He¡¯s been thinking of her ever since that day. Her body had a faint fragrance. He had been suffering from frustration because of that thrilling feeling of digging into her narrow opening.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I want to do more.¡±


    He squeezed into her lips with an honest desire. As she opened her closed mouth and took a breath, her eyelids trembled, revealing purple eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sleepy¡­¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just that, but it hurt as well. It was clear that doing it one more time will make her sick. He sighed softly at her resolutely blocked action.


    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t do it. Don¡¯t stop my touch instead.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sleepy¡­¡­.¡±


    A tender hand touched his arm. She whined about trying to get rid of his hand, but her strength couldn¡¯t help but disappear because of sleepiness, and she could not push his strong arm away.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    His hand, which was touching her chest, went down to the belly button, but no sound was heard from her mouth. Instead, when he saw her sleep with a sweet face, his hand stopped.


    ¡°Ha.¡±


    He wondered if he could properly sleep this long night.


    Molitia slowly lifted her eyelids as the intense sun poked her eyes. Her eyes blinked several times to adapt to the light, looking around her in a disheveled manner.


    ¡®Ah.¡¯


    She groaned as she tried to move. It was because the pain from the lower half of the body had grown fromst night.


    Her hand on the bed shook as she lifted her upper body. It hurt, but not to the point of death.


    She was dressed in a nightgown as if she had worn it again. Seeing that the wedding dress was lying on the floor like rags, it was clear that the servants had dressed her.


    Her cheeks flushed red with shame. They saw red spots all over her body.


    She swallowed the shame and looked around, seeing no one around. Her side was empty.


    ¡®You said you couldn¡¯t help it that day.¡¯


    She puffed her cheeks unevenly. It wasn¡¯t their first time, but it was their first night as a married couple. It¡¯s said to be polite to stay by each other¡¯s side until they wake up the first morning. The knowledge she had read in the book was often useless in front of him.


    Clothes were ced on a narrow table near the bed as if he had not wholly forgotten manners.


    As soon as she moved her legs to stand up on the bed, the sound of pain came out.


    Every time she moved her legs, her muscles screamed. The numbness of the pain poked her lower body like a needle.


    Eventually, she gave up getting out of bed and fastened her gown tighter.<em>Knock-knock</em>


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°My name is Gilbert, I will be your butler.¡±


    He came at the right time. Molitia reconfirmed her appearance before speaking.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    The owner of the voice came in after opening the door. He bowed politely and was the one who came out to wee them yesterday.


    ¡°Good morning. Did you sleep well, your grace?¡±


    ¡°Yes, thanks. I didn¡¯t expect my room to be ready.¡±


    ¡°It was the master¡¯s request.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    She thought he wouldn¡¯t be interested in this kind of thing at all. Most of the time, it was left to the butler to take care of the house.


    ¡°I came to say hello, albeit btedly because I didn¡¯t think I could say hello yesterday.¡±


    He said so, lifting from his bow.


    ¡°I¡¯m Gilbert, the deacon in charge of this mansion. Please take good care of me from now on, Duchess.¡±

 Chapter 23

    He said with a small smile; he looked a little young to be called a butler.


    ¡°Please take good care of me, too.¡±


    She smiled at him, and for a moment, Gilbert stared at her and the frown at his brow seemed to be out of ce.


    ¡°Do you want me to call a doctor?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    While the sudden question puzzled Molitia, he spoke carefully.


    ¡°You look a little¡­ you look pale.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Molitia tried tough. She couldn¡¯t properly control her body in the morning because of weak blood pressure. But it wasn¡¯t something that would require calling a doctor.


    ¡°Not to that extent. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Shall I carry breakfast?¡±


    ¡°No breakfast. Where is the Duke?¡±


    ¡°Master went out early in the morning for business.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    The butler nced at Molitia. He was anxious because of his master¡¯s behavior, who left the bride on their first night. Of course, he did not make his anxiety obvious.


    But she didn¡¯t say much. Her eyes were only serene as if she were no longer curious about her husband¡¯s whereabouts.


    ¡°Something has arrived from the Count¡¯s, calling it a Madame¡¯s item. Where should I put it?¡±


    ¡°Would you put it in my bedroom? I have something to check, so please don¡¯t organize it and leave it as it is.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    He gave her a gentle nod. It was only the owner who could handle her things at will. He thought he should move the tightly sealed luggage.


    ¡°Gilbert, you are in charge of this house, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then you must be familiar with this house.¡±


    ¡°You can say that.¡±


    ¡°Then can you tell me about the house today?¡±


    ¡°Of course, if you stay in this house, it would be better to know these things.¡±


    She didn¡¯t want to be caught in a sick body, so she pulled out the effortless energy.


    ¡°Okay. Oh, I¡¯d like to wash first. Is there a bath?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll have the maids wait on you.¡±


    Do I need to call the maid to wash up? While she was pondering, the butler quickly went out of the door without giving a moment of thought.


    Molitia, who tried to call him back and say he didn¡¯t have to call the maids, stopped her hand. She thought it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to be served. Plus, she wanted to move her body as little as possible because of muscle pain.


    Molitia slid her legs; the movement was still painful, but moving them was morefortable than before.


    She stepped slowly on the floor, carefully, like a deer with a fresh foot.


    ¡®Ugh.¡¯


    She swallowed a silent scream into her mouth. She felt like rubbing her cheeks on the pillow again. The fluffy bed behind her was tempting, but step by step, she moved forward.


    Molitia grabbed the doorknob of the bathroom and took a small breath. It¡¯s a mess up to this point. Even if she walked, she shouldn¡¯t mess anymore. To not let people detect her fragile body, she had to behave as normal as possible.


    She straightened her back and pulled her upper body. She thought she could hear a thuding from her ear, but she tried to ignore it.


    ¡°Whoo.¡±


    As she took a small breath and opened the door carefully, hot air sprang up. The maids, who she did not know when they had arrived, found her and bowed.


    ¡°My name is Pillen, and I¡¯m going to wait on you from today.¡±


    ¡°My name is Lili, who came to serve on you.¡±


    She was ashamed to see them in the bathroom, but she couldn¡¯t ignore them, so she gave them a nod.


    Molitia, who had taken her gown off, carefully dipped her toes in the tranquil bathtub. A smile spread over Molitia¡¯s face as the warm touch spread up from the tip of her toes.


    The heated water at the right temperature was just right for her to enjoy. Properly warm water loosened her stiff muscles.


    Leaning in the bathtub, she slowly closed her eyes. It felt good to be tired.


    After some enjoyment, she got up in the bathtub. The pain that dulled eased her forehead.


    When she stood up, the maids next to her naturally held towels and wiped her body. She felt awkward as she never received much attention from the servants in the Count¡¯s household.

 Chapter 24

    ¡°Madame, your skin is fine.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s soft and white.¡±


    Shameful of the rustling sound of maids wiping her body, she looked down. Her face turned red when she found a tingling mark on her chest.


    The marks that seemed to be traces ofst night spread throughout the body. When she imagined that the maids would have seen this, she felt ashamed.


    ¡°Madam, are you hot?¡±


    As the heat from his face spread down, Pillen¡¯s question reached her.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ve been in the bathroom too long. It¡¯s a little hot.¡±


    She fanned himself with an excuse.


    ¡°Madame, clothes are ready. I¡¯ll dress you, so you don¡¯t get cold.¡±


    ¡°Oh, before that.¡±


    The maid¡¯s hand stopped as she tried to bring clothes to Molitia. She looked at Molitia curiously.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a bottle in my luggage, and why don¡¯t you bring it?¡±


    ¡°What kind of bottle?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bottle of opaque white liquid.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    She left the bathroom and soon reappeared with a bottle in her hand.


    ¡°Is this the one you asked for?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Molitia received the lotion from the maid. As the thick liquid shook in the bottle, Lili couldn¡¯t stand it and groaned with curiosity.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s applied to the body.¡±


    ¡°If you are applying it on your body, are you referring to perfume? If that¡¯s the case, we have prepared them in advance with the highest quality.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not perfume.¡±


    Molitia, who¡¯s always in a bed, could not wear perfume. There was a disadvantage of not lying on the bed immediately after applying the liquid perfumed oil. When the nket got dirty, it was easy just to wash it, but the Count, who didn¡¯t give her any attention, didn¡¯t notice her unclean nket.


    But moisturizing was essential for her, who was only lying in bed. The delicate skin was prone to roughness. She couldn¡¯t leave her skin that way, and only after reading countless books did she find a way.


    Fortunately, the ingredients were easy to find, and while people gave her a stinging re, she could get it through a maid. At times like this, even though she was getting a re at home, she knew how lucky she was to be a noble.


    It was the liquid in the hand that made it so. The exact name is lotion. The memory of reading the words that they use the lotion in a country where the sun is much more intense than here came to mind.


    ¡°If you apply it on the body, it absorbs quickly.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    Molitia took out a certain amount of liquid spilled into her hand, leaving Lili surprised. When she applied it to Lili¡¯s hands as a demonstration, the greasy gloss glistened for a while, but it didn¡¯t feel like it would flow down as oil did.


    ¡°Oh my!¡±


    Lili raised her hand in small admiration. Her hands, which had be smoother as if her skin tone had cleared up, smelled a little like a rose.


    ¡°Is it scented?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I mixed the water from the rose.¡±


    The scent might notst longer than oil perfume, but the moisturizing power was iparable.


    ¡°What a good thing. I should ask the maid to order this instead of perfume. Ma¡¯am, do you know where they sell this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not for sale.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Lilly grumbled sadly. Her eyes were glued to the lotion as she liked it. At the passionate attention, Molitia hesitated a little and slowly opened her mouth.


    ¡°¡­because I made it.¡±


    ¡°Madame?¡± (Maids)


    At the eyes of the maids, who opened their eyes wide in surprise, Molitia¡¯s cheeks slightly reddened. The Nobel spirit


    needed to make it herself. This minor worry grew in Molitia¡¯s mind that the


    maids might fuss about it.


    ¡°You¡¯re a genius! How did youe up with all the ideas to make this?¡±


    However, her worries melted away when Lili said that with a purely amazed re in her eyes.


    Lili looked at her moist hands for a long time, even though the lotion had seeped in.


    ¡°If you liked it so much, would you like one?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    But Lili bit her tongue quickly.


    ¡°Oh, no. How can I covet your things¡­¡­¡±

 Chapter 25

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s not that hard to make, and I can make as much as I want with the ingredients.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s softly spoken words touched Lilly¡¯s admirable eyes.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    A present for a maid. The new Duchess¡¯s highly dignified performance dumbfounded Lili.


    She had heard that some nobles are deliberately strict to discipline the maids. It¡¯s challenging to leave your home and settle down in a new ce. She had heard that sensitive people deliberately whip the maids so that they are not seen as careless.


    But Molitia didn¡¯t. Rather, she showed the kindness of giving out the things she used. Lili met a gentledy, and although it hasn¡¯t even been a day since she met her, Lili¡¯s loyalty had snowballed.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll apply this all over your body.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The maids¡¯ hands became busy, filling a certain amount of lotion in them. The fragrance of roses filled the bathroom


    and their hands.


    When Molitia returned to her bedroom, leaving the maids behind, the box weed her alone.


    This is what came from the Count. When Molitia opened the box, it was full of familiar objects.


    Originally, it was impossible for a noble¡¯s luggage to be just a box. Even a carriage is usually not enough. It takes several trips to bear the entire amount.


    But Molitia was different. She had very little in the Count¡¯s house. Her clothes, which are mostly her sleeping clothes, and a few props. It was too simple to say that it was an item of a Count¡¯s daughter.


    But even that was precious to Molitia. It was also one of the few things she could have in her life.


    She pulled out a thick envelope, looking at it as if she were reminiscing about the memories.


    ¡°My medicine¡­¡±


    It must have been the medicine sent so they would never find her to be ill. Since she was young, she¡¯d been taking one or two pills at a time, and it¡¯s hard to take a bite out of them.


    In the Count¡¯s house, the maids used to make a frown when the smell got bad. They gave Molitia a look of resentment.


    ¡®Why do you have to do this to yourself?¡¯


    Molitia was always a sinner there.


    Recalling the people here looking at her with sparkling eyes, Molitia hid the medicine deep in the drawer. She must hide the illness. The words kept lingering.


    ¡°Did you have afortable bath?¡±


    As she left the bedroom, the butler was waiting.


    ¡°Yes, the maids treated me well.¡±


    ¡°They haven¡¯t been hired for long, and they did well. If you tell them, they¡¯ll definitely like it.¡±


    ¡°How long have they been here?¡±


    ¡°I hired them when I heard you wereing.¡±


    She nodded at the butler¡¯s words. Gilbert took a step ahead and guided Molitia. Thanks to the bath, lotion, and the massage, she felt much better unless it was a pain that cannot be wholly excluded.


    ¡°History of our mansion is not so deep, but it is a ce that the previous duchess carefully decorated.¡±


    Gilbert¡¯s fingertips were directed toward the corridor, which was uniquely cylindrical, and the high ceiling made the corridor feel cool.


    Even though it was monotonous, it did not spare beauty in ces that showed splendor. The windows were delicately decorated with traces to express light, while dark-toned wallpaperid the light to rest.


    ¡°Sometimes novelty ovees great beauty.¡±


    The butler seemed proud of the mansion. Molitia nodded slowly as she nced at his young face.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s sturdy and beautiful.¡±


    It was dazzling to think of the Duchess who lived there. It was obvious how much affection the architects who thought


    of themselves as schrs had put into the mansion.


    When Molitiaplimented it, the butler¡¯s lips went up a little. He was worried because she was just a youngdy, but


    she seemed to have a good eye.


    ¡°This is the dining room, this is the main hall, and this is the parlor. The Duke has set up a separate parlor for you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Separate bedroom to the parlor. The private bathroom and bedroom were more than enough. The thought that he was more considerate than she thought went through her head for a moment.

 Chapter 26

    ¡°Oh, the locked room is an unused room, so it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t try to force it to open. Even if you managed to open it, you will only be weed by theyers andyers of dust.¡±


    Why would they lock it? It was rare to lock the room, no matter howrge the mansion was. The Countess always kept the rooms clean.


    He couldn¡¯t just say he was a Duke. Was there any other reason?


    Molitia¡¯s curiosity with the room did notst long. She looked around the mansion to some extent. Now there was something else she needed to find out.


    ¡°Who is in charge of organizing the finances for this mansion?¡±


    The butler¡¯s feet halted at Molitia¡¯s words.


    ¡°The Duchess of the mansion should be the one handling the finances, but as you know, the position has been vacant for so long, so they left me in charge of it. I mainly give a brief report of the monthly finance report to the Duke.¡±


    ¡°¡­may I look at the finance report then?¡±


    In her childhood memories, she was still able to faintly recall the image of her mother constantly reviewing the finance documents.


    Her mother started staying by her side when her illness started to worsen.


    Since she was bored from being bedridden, she had once nced at the papers her mother was going through. Therge numbers and hard-to-recognize letters strained her eyes.


    But if she pretended to know, her mother praised her. However, the memories of her mother faded with time.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve already prepared it.¡±


    The butler led Molitia into the study.


    ¡°Madam, these are the materials I prepared.¡±


    Looking at the neatly organized documents, Molitia sat down.


    The contents of the document were written in detail, starting with recent events to past events. After a rough look, she realized that the documents were more organized than she thought.


    ¡°Thank you for organizing it so neatly.¡±


    ¡°No, its nothing¡±


    The butler¡¯s eyes widened in shock at Molitia¡¯s sudden but sincere praise. His master had never thanked him or praised him before. His eyes glowed with pride.


    The butler took up his seat next to her as she started going through the documents. He would swiftly and carefully hand her the next piece of the document so she could read them easier.


    Every time her slender finger flipped over a page, the butler¡¯s gloved hand would briskly hand her the next piece of document.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    The butler¡¯s head turned when he heard a voice apparently expressing doubt.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the number of servants?¡±


    Her fingers were pointing to the part of the papers indicating the servants¡¯ hourly wages. The number was ridiculously smallpared to therge mansion.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    The butler hesitated before he finally exined everything.


    ¡°To tell you the truth, there are many people who would often run away because they are afraid of their master. As a result, I would have to constantly hire new servants. Even so, the new servants never stayed long. I even tried increasing the hourly wage, but it didn¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°What did the Duke do to his servants?¡±


    ¡°He did nothing.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t believe they¡¯re scared when he didn¡¯t do anything. That was an overstatement.


    ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just there. He often brings in a bunch of sweaty knights from the training center.¡±


    ¡°Then, have you ever asked the servants who ran away why they ran away?¡±


    The butler fell silent again. Gilbert hesitated to talk after meeting his mistress¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can tell me anything. It will help me understand what I should do as the new mistress of the house.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, the knights that the master brought into the mansion would still be carrying their sword after training. Some of the servants found it to be quite scary.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°¡­some of the servants told me that the master¡¯s gaze was scary.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Molitia fell silent at the butler¡¯s exnation. She had stared into the Duke¡¯s pitch-ck eyes before. Every time she did, it seemed as if her soul was about to be sucked into the endless abyss of his eyes. His eyes seemed to be made of two ck pearls as his gaze never betrayed his true thoughts or emotions.

 Chapter 27

    It wasn¡¯t like she<em>couldn¡¯t</em>emphasize with those servants. She understood why they were afraid and why they fled. It was true that his gaze was somewhat scary.


    ¡°Recently, I gave up on trying to hire more servants or trying to keep the servants from running away. I¡¯ve decided to keep the people who¡¯ve been working here for a long time. However, I hired two new maids in a hurry when I received word that you will be living here. If you ever feel like there¡¯s not enough servants, please feel free to tell me.¡±


    ¡°No, the number of maids with me is fine.¡±


    Molitia shook her head. She was someone that didn¡¯t have an exclusive maid in the first ce, plus, she didn¡¯t like to have too much attention ced on herself. She found it to be quite burdensome. Molitia returned to looking through the papers again. The number was still too small, considering howrge the manion was.


    ¡°It must have been quite difficult for the current servants to maintain the mansion considering the small number of servants.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, the rooms that were not in use were locked up thanks to master¡¯s permission. As a result, the current number of servants we have are enough to maintain the mansion.


    This was the moment when her curiosity was satisfied. She wanted to apud the Duke for his cleverness. He was able to reducebor by shutting away the parts of the mansion that were not being used.


    Her fingertips tapped the mahogany desk. Even though they might have enough staff for now, it still won¡¯t be a long-term solution. Men would not be as hard as iron forever. It would be best for the Duke to have a few more servants, just in case of an emergency.


    ¡°Do we have any left over money from our current budget?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s hire a few more servants. I¡¯m not asking for you to hire arge number of servants, just a few that can understand the special aspects of this house.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°And¡­¡±


    *****


    Molitia touched on all the questions she had been meaning to ask since earlier. The butler tilted his head slightly and his soft voice echoed in the study.


    ¡°Madame.¡±


    Her head was buried in the pile of paper, but the sound of his voice made her lift her head. She paused from working and looked at the butler.


    ¡°It¡¯s already past noon. Why don¡¯t you eat something?¡±


    <em>Has it been that long already?</em>Molitia had been staying in one position for a long time, and when he heard his question, her body finally rxed. Her habit of reading books since she was young had surprisingly improved her concentration.


    She wasn¡¯t hungry, but if she didn¡¯t eat, it would be hard for her to take care of herself.


    ¡°Shall we?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell the chef to make a big lunch.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t memorized the entire structure of the house yet, so let¡¯s go together.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    When Molitia rose from her seat at the butler¡¯s words. However, as soon as she rose, a loud ringing sound echoed in her ears, causing her vision to turn ck and her body to wobble backwards.


    ¡°Madame!¡±


    Molitia clenched her teeth at the sudden ringing sound; she had been sitting for too long. She forced herself to smile as brightly as she could, trying to mask her pain in front of the butler.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I just missed a step for a moment¡­¡±


    ¡°Ma-ma¡¯am, nosebleed!¡±


    ¡®¡­aah.¡¯


    She felt something running from her nose. Molitia lightly touched her nose lightly and discovered blood on her fingertips. It turned out she had a nosebleed. She quickly covered her nose with the back of her hand, but the blood flowed through her hand and dripped on the desk.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. If I cover it with tissue¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call the Duke¡¯s doctor.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll also call the maid. Please hang in there a little longer!¡±


    Molitia¡¯s head was still in a haze from the sudden nosebleed. She couldn¡¯tprehend what the butler was talking about as she blinked her eyes nkly. She watched as the butler burst out of the study in the blink of an eye. Why was he in such a hurry? It was merely a nosebleed. Even when she was in the best of health, she would still have a few nosebleeds.


    ¡°Madame!¡±


    The maids were called into the room.


    The maids were breathless and shocked by the scene when they burst into the study. ¡°Oh, my God! Madam, there¡¯s blood in your face; you were fine earlier.¡±


    With tears in their eyes, they quickly put a cloth on Molitia¡¯s nose. The blood that had leaked through her fingers had long since dried up.


    ¡°Madame! Have a seat for now.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s better toy on the bed¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah! Don¡¯t raise your head!¡±


    The maids chartered incessantly in her ear in grief. She couldn¡¯t even speak because they covered under her nose with too much cloth.


    <em>*Bang*</em>


    ¡°This way!¡±


    The doctor brought by the butler rushed into the room. It was obvious that he hade here in a hurry since his coats weren¡¯t even buttoned up correctly.


    The maids carefully moved Molitia to sit down on the bed as they continued to cover Molitia¡¯s nose.

 Chapter 28

    ¡®I think we can take it off now.¡¯


    A cloth was ced over her mouth, so she could not say a word. She rolled her eyes at how overly concerned they were over a mere nosebleed; she remained still until the doctor finished his examination.


    ¡°You have severe anemia. Your body is also quite weak.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a big deal?¡±


    The butler, who was standing next to him, asked carefully.


    He worked as a butler for this house for many years, but he had never seen blooding from anywhere else besides an injured wound. Although most of the servants working in the mansion were very skilled, they also had a sturdy build and a strong personality, much like their master. In his brief life, he never knew that someone could have a nosebleed.


    Because of that, Gilbert couldn¡¯t take his eyes off his mistress. He was already worried since he noticed how small and delicate she was at first, but after this incident, he waspletely frightened.


    His hands trembled slightly and he couldn¡¯t even utter a single word from his mouth. Even though he knew that he would be reprimanded by his master for failing to serve his master¡¯s wife.


    ¡°Your Grace¡­¡±


    Everyone was nervous at the doctor¡¯s words. The maids and butlers were solely focused on the doctor¡¯s mouth as they held their breath in anticipation.


    ¡°¡­there¡¯s nothing wrong with your body. I think you¡¯ll feel better if you get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Madame¡­¡±


    At the doctor¡¯s words, everyone breathed out a sigh of relief. The atmosphere was tensed and strained, but Molitia remained distant.


    ¡°Thank goodness, ma¡¯am.¡±


    She gave a slight nod at the butler¡¯s remark. She wondered if she should tell them about her condition, but seeing how relieved he appeared to be, she didn¡¯t mention anything else.


    Fortunately, they didn¡¯t seem to be very interested in Molitia¡¯s naturally ill body. They were just desperate to stop her current nosebleed.


    ¡°You may take the cloth off now. Don¡¯t touch or irritate your nose for the time being.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t skip any meals. The Duchess has a weak body, so she needs to eat regrly. She needs all the nutrients she can get.¡±


    Molitia nced sideways at the butler. The butler listened enthusiastically to the doctor¡¯s words. He appeared to be more interested in the butler¡¯s words than her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll brew the medicine and send it to you as soon as possible.¡±


    Bloodstained patches were scattered on the floor as the doctor left the room.


    Because the fabric was pure white, the ckened blood appeared to look darker.


    ¡°Madame, let¡¯s go to the dining room. You need to have a full stomach to take your medicine.¡±


    It was the best he could do now. Molitia rose from her seat, ready to ept his request.


    ¡°Madame, please be careful when you stand up.¡±


    The maid next to her was startled and held her arm.


    ¡°You may feel dizzy because you bled a lot, so please watch your step.¡±


    When the maid held her arm, Molitia felt as if she was walking on air.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the doctor say that I¡¯m fine? You don¡¯t have to do this¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it won¡¯t take long to get to the dining room. I¡¯ll show you the way.¡±


    Seeing how faithful and concerned the maids were, Molitia remained silent. Having someone look after her wasn¡¯t so bad.


    ¡®Even so, being supported from both sides was a little¡­¡¯


    Molitia turned her head to deter the other maid from holding onto her, but the maid¡¯s grip on her was firm.


    ¡°¡­then shall we go now?¡±


    ¡°I will guide you.¡±


    Because everyone treated her as someone who was extremely sick, Molitia headed to the dining room surrounded by people who were worried about her.


    Their concern and worry remained even after arriving at the dining room. Everyone was cautious around her after the news of her nosebleed had already traveled around the mansion.


    Compared to the treatment she received at the Count¡¯s house, she was being treated like the star of a country here.


    It wasn¡¯t a bad feeling, instead, the feeling of being cared for was quite refreshing. It wasn¡¯t bad.


    But she knew this treatment would notst long. If she kept falling sick as she did at the Count¡¯s, then they would definitely be annoyed with her. Molitia straightened her back as soon as the food was served.


    * * *


    ¡°You¡¯re here. You¡¯re back earlier than I thought.¡±


    It was Gilbert, the butler, who weed the news of Raven¡¯s return first. He received his coat with a bow.


    (T/N ¨C So I¡¯ve changed the name from Reuben to Raven. I had a mistrantion. Thank you all for understanding)


    ¡°It¡¯s not really a big deal.¡±

 Chapter 29

    Count Clemence came in the morning to protest against leaving the banquet hall like thatst night. It was a great discourtesy barge in since the Duke and his wife got married yesterday.


    But the Count didn¡¯t care about such courtesy. He only had the idea of finding fault with the Duke somehow and taking advantage of him.


    Raven didn¡¯t want to wake her up. She was sleeping soundly beside him and he didn¡¯t want to deal with such an unpleasant thing in their bedroom. He dressed carefully and took the Count somewhere else to talk.


    ¡°What did Count Clemence say?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much. As usual, he demanded money.¡±


    On the surface, the Count seemed to want to promote the business together, but in reality, that was far from the truth. The Duke pressed his temple in annoyance. Money wasn¡¯t a big concern for him. But there was nothing as good as money to keep a title.


    The Duke of Linerio had so many things that could be called money.


    ¡°Did you tell her?¡±


    ¡°No, I just told madam that you were out on business.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    That was all she needed to know. He didn¡¯t want to tell any of this to her since he could deal with it on his own.


    Raven was on his way upstairs to his study when he suddenly stopped midstep. His eyes were fixed on the bloody rags that the maid was holding as she exited the study.


    ¡°¡­what are those bloody rags?¡±


    ¡°Oh, hello master.¡±


    Pillen bowed quickly when she heard Raven¡¯s voice,


    ¡°Madam got a nosebleed in the study.¡±


    ¡°A nosebleed?¡±


    Raven¡¯s eyes frowned. She was sleeping pretty well before he came out this morning.


    ¡°Did you call a doctor?¡±


    ¡°I called the Duke¡¯s family doctor.¡±


    ¡°¡­we have a family doctor?¡±


    A trained warrior would rarely get sick. It was no exaggeration to say that Raven was the strongest among them. Thanks to this, the Duke¡¯s doctor lived an idle life, ying and eating until Molitia arrived.


    ¡°There is. The doctor said there¡¯s nothing wrong, so he just prescribed some medication for anemia.¡±


    ¡°¡­She bled, and there¡¯s nothing wrong with it?¡±


    The words were not right. In Raven¡¯s memory, the only people that bled were people that were critically ill.


    ¡°Is it true that she¡¯s really okay? The doctor isn¡¯t a quack right?¡±


    ¡°Not everyone is as healthy as you are. Madame has a weak body.¡±


    ¡°Where is she now?¡±


    ¡°Madame just finished eating and is in her study.¡±


    ¡°In the study? Didn¡¯t you say she had a nosebleed?¡±


    ¡°I was worried about that too, but she insisted on going all the way to the end and finishing her work.¡±


    Before the butler had finished, Raven had stepped up the stairs to the study. He thought he should see her and check her out.


    ¡°Molitia,¡± she stopped writing as a strange voice called out her name.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Sit down.¡± (Raven)


    He strode over to Molitia, who was about to get up, and he picked up a cloth with blood. It saddened him to see when he saw that her cheeks were paler than it was earlier this morning.


    ¡°It¡¯s bloody.¡± (Raven)


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. It was just a minor nosebleed.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Isn¡¯t bleeding a big deal?¡± (Raven)


    His hand caressed the Molitia¡¯s cheek gently. A line formed on his forehead as his hand came in contact with her cold cheeks.


    He was sure he touched her with his hand. He was afraid that if a breeze came, she would disappear like a mirage.


    ¡°It¡¯s really okay¡­¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day.¡± (Raven)


    Raven took the pen from her hand.


    ¡°Not yet.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°If you push today¡¯s work to tomorrow, the Duchy won¡¯t fall.¡± (Raven)


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± (Molitia)


    Molitia, who was cut off by Raven¡¯s words of confidence, smiled.


    ¡°Did you take medicine?¡± (Raven)


    ¡°No, not yet.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Not yet?¡± (Raven)


    He knew it¡¯s been a while since she¡¯d eaten. Raven looked at her. She was particrly insensitive to her own body, and it displeased him.


    He was nervous just watching her hold that pen since the pen almost looked muchrger than her slender wrist. Raven sighed softly. If she doesn¡¯t take care of herself, he has no choice but to take care of her himself.

 Chapter 30

    ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll get you the medicine.¡± (Raven)


    ¡°Oh, no!¡± (Molitia)


    Molitia quickly tried to catch on to Raven who was trying to leave. Other than the medicine that had been provided by the Duke¡¯s doctor, she had her own medicine, so she left it be.


    She didn¡¯t want the trouble to keep on ingesting the medicine. Molitia waved her hand in protest.


    She didn¡¯t want to bear the pain of ingesting medicines several times.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it. You had just stopped working, so you should rest.¡± (Raven)


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, this is my job.¡± (Molitia)


    Raven stroked her head gently as she tried to stand. Along with a tender force, he stopped her, so that Molitia could not move from her chair.


    ¡°Go back to the bedroom, I¡¯ll bring you the pills.¡± (Raven)


    ¡°¡­okay.¡± (Molitia)


    Eventually, Raven disappeared to get the medicine and Molitia sighed.


    Her face heated up a little as he went to get her medicine himself, without making the maids do it.


    It shouldn¡¯t be like that. Considering his mien of threatening her at the wedding, she could have never assumed.


    ¡®Is he nicer than I thought¡­?¡¯


    Molitia¡¯s head tilted slightly. Everything was definitely strange to her, who was still on her first day. Even her husband was unusual to her.


    Molitia rose from her seat abruptly. She couldn¡¯t stay still like this. She was going to swallow the medicine quickly before he came back.


    Liquid drugs that have been transformed from medicinal herbs have a taste beyond imagination. Other than the typical bitter taste, she was forced to get used to ingesting the taste that could sometimes paralyze her tongue.


    However, no matter how much she swallowed it, she couldn¡¯t get used to the taste of the medicine at all. That was the reason why she refused to take the medicine twice. Molitia quickly entered the bedroom rather than looking around.


    Fortunately, there was no one in the bedroom. Molitia hurriedly took the hidden medicine out of the drawer.


    The heavy brown bottle only contained a little liquid that had already been liquified beforehand. As it was easy for it to dpose during its liquid state, it therefore became utterly impossible to make a generous amount all at once.


    Out of habit, she swiftly opened the cork of the bottle and poured a certain amount of it into the spoon. She first revolted at the thick medicine and then, she quickly put it into her mouth.


    It was bitter enough to leave an impression of iron with a severe taste ¡ªthat could never be described in words¡ª which made Molitia frowned.


    Her hands fumbled urgently at the table.<em>Water</em>. She needed water to neutralize this abhorrent taste.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± (Raven)


    ¡°Oh, cough, cough!¡± (Molitia)


    Surprised by the voice from behind her, Molitia began to cough. It was because the water that she was drinking hastily had partially passed into her airway. At the same time, she also wondered if the cup had hit her nose.


    ¡°Molitia?¡± (Raven)


    ¡°Oh, nothing¡­ Cough! No.¡± (Molitia)


    She was still choking in pain when she stopped him. She didn¡¯t want to be caught with a hidden drug envelope. She put away the medicine¡¯s envelope and bottle in the opened drawer and turned back¡ªwithin mere seconds.


    At that moment, Raven¡¯s face turned into a forcible frown.


    ¡°You¡­¡­.¡± (Raven)


    Startled, Molitia stepped back as he approached her with a dreadful face. He then pulled his sleeve and instantly pressed it onto her nose.


    ¡°You are having a nosebleed and you dare say it¡¯s nothing?¡± (Raven)


    <em>Nosebleed?</em>She immediately tasted a tinge of sweetness in her mouth as the taste of blood permeated through the bitter medicine.


    ¡°Gilbert!¡± (Raven)


    The butler hurried at the sound of Raven¡¯s voice. He opened his mouth in astonishment at the sight of his mistress bleeding again.


    ¡°Madame!¡± (Gilbert)


    ¡°Call back the doctor.¡± (Raven)


    ¡°Okay.¡± (Gilbert)


    The butler disappeared even faster than when he came in. Molitia¡¯s head was leaning as her nosebleed was being pressed¡ªhard.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal¡­ ¡­and it¡¯ll stop soon enough.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°I¡¯ll let the doctor say whether or not it¡¯s a big deal.¡± (Raven)


    Molitia sighed at Raven¡¯s words. The people of this house were always surprised at the smallest things. A nosebleed was an insignificant and trivial thing for her, who was sick every single day.

 Chapter 31

    ¡°Why are you hiding your nosebleed?¡± (Raven)


    Actually, she just hid her medicine. Molitia hesitated and responded cautiously.


    ¡°Well¡­ nosebleeds are nothing.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Nosebleed is nothing?¡± (Raven)


    Raven¡¯s eyes were fixated on her as his sleeves were covered in blood from her continuous nosebleeds.


    Her face was as white as a sheet. What did he know?


    He tried to say something to her, who was indifferent towards her own body, but he just kept quiet.


    <em>Count Clemence</em>. This morning, he was stuck with a man who had only cared about his fame rather than worrying about his daughter.


    ¡°Did he always treat you like that at home?¡± (Raven)


    Molitia¡¯s lips twitched. She avoided his gaze as if she didn¡¯t want to speak.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a bother when you¡¯re sick. If it hurts, you should tell me honestly that it hurts.¡± (Raven)


    ¡°Okay.¡± (Molitia)


    He didn¡¯t like her answer but left it be at this point in time. He didn¡¯t want to me someone who was sick.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± (Doctor)


    Raven¡¯s anger red wildly as the flustered doctor appeared at the opened door. Surprised by the intensity of his eyes, the doctor quickly took a bow.


    ¡°You said she was okay, so why is her nose bleeding again?¡± (Raven)


    ¡°Well, if the nose is stimted, the bleeding will recur.¡± (Doctor)


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we make it impossible for that to happen?¡± (Raven)


    ¡°I am terribly sorry! I¡¯ll add a little more medicine as Madame seems to be very weak.¡± (Doctor)


    ¡°Adding more is a little¡­¡± (Molitia)


    She has to take more medicine here. There were also considerable amounts of drugs that have not even reached the doctors. She just can¡¯t believe that she has to ingest even more here. It was a proposal that Molitia wanted to absolutely reject.


    ¡°Do that.¡± (Raven)


    But the outspoken Raven stepped up ahead of her.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give Madame an extra dosage of medicine tomorrow onwards.¡± (Doctor)


    When the medicine was added in front of her without the use of her own hands, bitterness can be seen in Molitia¡¯s eyes.


    After the doctor had left the room, Raven took the still standing Molitia to bed.


    He carefully sat her down on hisp with her nose still stuffed. Surprised, Molitia wriggled to hesitate. Yet guided by his gentle touch, her body consented and naturally took ce on his taut thigh.


    ¡°How is the bleeding?¡± (Raven)


    ¡°I think it has stopped.¡± (Molitia)


    He carefully took his hand off her nose. It was a wound that had reopened.


    ¡°How can the sleeves be so dirty?¡± (Molitia)


    Molitia¡¯s dejected voice stunned Raven speechless. Are these sleeves more important than her own body right now?


    He couldn¡¯t tell. None of the people he had met before took light of their sick bodies. A person with a higher status would have been even more so.


    He had seen many people who only took care of their own safety. Was that the reason why his wife¡¯s words were even more iprehensible in his eyes?


    ¡°Just throw it away.¡± (Raven)


    ¡°Get rid of it?¡± (Molitia)


    Her startled gaze met Raven¡¯s.


    ¡°But if you wash it thoroughly, it¡¯lle off¡­¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Then, let it be. It¡¯s the least of importance aspared to your own body.¡± (Raven)


    Molitia¡¯s cheeks blushed slightly at his voice, embarrassed. He was not used to this casual tone and kind words.


    ¡°Your nosebleed has stopped, so why don¡¯t you take the medicine?¡± (Raven)


    ¡°Well¡­¡­.¡± (Molitia)


    She immediately turned depressed when the forgotten medicine was mentioned.


    ¡°Do you hate taking pills?¡± (Raven)


    ¡°It¡¯s more than hate.¡± (Molitia)


    She loathed it. Who can enjoy such a horrible taste?


    Just imagining the taste proved to be difficult.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a reward if you eat it.¡± (Raven)


    ¡°A reward?¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Yes, I think taking bitter medicine would be a grand adventure for you.¡± (Raven)


    ¡°Not to that extent¡­¡± (Molitia)


    He didn¡¯t hate it when she grumbled with shame. The dark-colored medicine was not appetizing at all for her to ingest¡ªlike always. So, it wasn¡¯t unreasonable to agree with Raven.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re going to reward me?¡± (Molitia)


    At her words, Raven clearly smiled.


    ¡°I would never lie to you.¡± (Raven)


    His hands naturally wrapped around her waist as he leaned over to get the medicine. Her hand halted in his embrace.

 Chapter 32

    ¡°Are you not going to eat?¡± (Raven)


    ¡°Oh, no.¡± (Molitia)


    The indistinct sound from the back of her neck made her feel giddy. His hands that were moving slightly around her waist felt strange.


    Molitia tried to ignore it and drink the medicine. Drinking medicine was the worst. She held her breath as she gulped down the medicine in one go.


    ¡®Uh.¡¯


    Bam! She mmed the cup on the table like she was sick of it. Her face frowned in repulse. It was as horrible as the medicine that she used to ingest.


    ¡°Does it have such a terrible taste?¡± (Raven)


    ¡°Yes, terrifyingly.¡± (Molitia)


    Even if one took the medicine up until the moment they died, they won¡¯t ever get used to the horrible taste. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be stricken with a restored terror at every time she had to take them.


    Molitia¡¯s chin was lifted. For a moment, her eyes were wide-opened as his lips swallowed hers.


    A soft tongue swept through her mouth. As he devoured her lips, he tasted her saliva and frowned slightly.


    ¡°¡­I think I know why you¡¯re reluctant to take it now.¡± (Raven)


    ¡°Have you never taken medicine before?¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Yes.¡± (Raven)


    ¡°Really?¡± (Molitia)


    Just in case, he tried to remember as he saw her surprised face for a moment.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been very sick since I was young. I¡¯ve been injured and treated them previously but it seems like I¡¯ve never taken medicine before.¡± (Raven)


    The taste in his mouth was still bitter. It didn¡¯t disappear even after swallowing his saliva a few times which proved the intensity of its taste.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be reluctant to take this as well.¡± (Raven)


    Molitia giggled softly. Wrinkles that were formed on his forehead¡ªwhich do not spread easily¡ªseemed to evaluate perfectly on the said medicine.


    ¡°You said you¡¯d reward me if I take the medicine. Is this the reward?¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°No, do you think it¡¯ll be good to end it with just this?¡± (Raven)


    ¡°What?¡± (Molitia)


    His gaze fell on Molitia¡¯s body and tightened his embrace. Her face blushed furiously as he subtly touched her butt.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s good enough.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°My wife adores the simplest of things.¡± (Raven)


    He grabbed hold of Molitia¡¯s helpless hand and brought it to his mouth. His head sank as he kissed her slender fingers.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be disappointed if this really ends.¡± (Raven)


    His other hand brushed down her neck. A small cry escaped from her mouth as he gently grabbed the chest that rose over her clothes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going to finish with this.¡± (Raven)


    ¡°Wait, ha¡­¡­.¡± (Molitia)


    The hand that was wandering over her clothes felt the exposed curves. While clutching on her waist even firmer, his hand went inside her skirts. As he brushed over her smooth thighs, she felt a heavy sensation in her lower abdomen.


    ¡°Ah, no.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Why?¡± (Raven)


    He put his lips to the base of her nape and asked her in his low voice as his hand grabbed hold of her inner thigh.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it still hurts¡­¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Is it very painful?¡± (Raven)


    ¡°¡­yeah, yeah.¡± (Molitia)


    As his hand was pressing against her underwear, she was made to remember his touchst night. His touch that had made her experience a scorching sensation.


    ¡°Really? To the point where you can¡¯t bear it?¡± (Raven)


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± (Molitia)


    It is said that baths and massages can ease the pain, but the pain has yet to fade away. Didn¡¯t she walk around just a few hours ago?


    But she didn¡¯t hate the heat that had warmed her lower belly. Even though it hurt when she epted his member in her, his movement was pleasing to her as well. Pleasure and pain, Molitia was torn between the two.


    ¡°That?¡± (Raven)


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t we make sure of it?¡± (Raven)


    His hands dug in even further, thanks to the hint of her willingness. He pushed her underwear aside and thrusted his finger in.


    ¡°Oh¡­ ¡­¡± (Molitia)


    Her thigh hardened as her waist trembled slightly. He then grabbed her hips tighter across her flesh.


    ¡°It¡¯s already wet.¡° (Raven)


    His confirmation heated her up instantly. It was the first time that he had rubbed her swollen flesh with his thumb without having to worry about her reactions.


    ¡°Molitia.¡± (Raven)

 Chapter 33

    His low voice reverberated. His fingers swiftly snapped the buttons around her chest off.


    ¡°Really, no?¡± (Raven)


    Her lips mmed up, just like shells. It was clear that her face, which was covered with silver hair, would be zing red even without looking at it.


    He searched everywhere to meet her eyes. The thought of them made his body aflutter. He drew back her chin and kissed her.


    A thin bustier was revealed as he pulled down her clothes. His lips traced her down from neck to shoulder while enjoying the roundness of her curves.


    ¡°It¡¯s yourst chance.¡± (Raven)


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Shall we really not do it, my wife?¡± (Raven)


    She couldn¡¯t believe that she allowed him to heat her up. There is no crueler mercy than this. His hands were still stirring, apparently not letting the heat to cool off.


    ¡®¡­This is so painful.¡¯


    Molitia¡¯s lips parted when she felt that she had reached the point, where it might just hurt slightly if only they were to be more careful.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t do it too hard, then¡­¡­¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°That¡¯s going to be hard to keep.¡± (Raven)


    It had already been a long time since he had entuated his presence near her bottom. His lower body, simply speaking, was hardly so.


    Her sweet scent had always seemed to stimte his patience. Both, her tight body, which was enveloped in his hands and the excessively soft skin had aroused his desire.


    He lifted Molitia up. He carefully ced her on the bed before she could il around in surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try instead.¡± (Raven)


    He stripped the clothes off her waist. Her body shrank when her bare skin was exposed in an instant, except for her underwear. As opposed to the darkness of the night, the sun was still up in the sky, which revealed her very figure.


    He spread her legs, holding onto them so strong that he left a red mark on her soft thigh. Molitia trembled as he removed her wet underwear.


    Her underwear slipped down to her thigh. It was the only thing that remained on his finger and as if he wouldn¡¯t want to leave it alone, he peeled off thest remaining clothing from the bustier.


    ¡®It¡¯s just me again¡­¡­¡¯


    Unlike Molitia who was not wearing a stitch, he was fully dressedplete with a jacket. If only his sleeves had not been stained in red, he would have been able to go out.


    He must have felt her gaze and looked down.<em>Pft</em>, heughed.


    ¡°Do you want me to take it off?¡± (Raven)


    ¡°Yeah?¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Because I¡¯m always watching you.¡± (Raven)


    ¡°Well, that can¡¯t be¡­¡± (Molitia)


    She hesitated as she tried to say something of a great deal in a hurry. Her eyes, which locked into Raven¡¯s, were very lovely that he had to suppress his desire for a moment.


    It took a lot of courage in her to open her mouth and only after her lips flushed furiously, did she seed.


    ¡°¡­can I?¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a wife in this world who can¡¯t take her husband¡¯s clothes off.¡± (Raven)


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take it off.¡± (Molitia)


    It was quite a surprising remark. He then sat beside her while holding back his gleefulughter.


    ¡°As you please.¡± (Raven)


    Her hand brushed against the cor carefully. The hands that were undoing the buttons one by one, trembled slightly. It was quite cute to see her concentrating so much.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long way from being unbuttoned.¡± (Raven)


    ¡°Hey, wait. I¡¯m trying to loosen it. This is because of you¡­¡± (Molitia)


    Raven swallowed her soft lips whole. They were so alluring that it couldn¡¯t be helped. After he had a short taste of her mouth, he looked over her lips and saw Molitia¡¯s nk face.


    ¡°You?¡± (Raven)


    ¡°¡­because you¡¯re wearing clothes with too many buttons.¡± (Molitia)


    In the end, Raven gave a shortugh. At the sound of his hearty chuckle, Molitia¡¯s ears flushed furiously.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll prepare clothes with less buttons next time.¡± (Raven)


    <em>What did he mean?</em>With a boiling face, Molitia hastened her hands to work even further. When she had finished unbuttoning, her eyes fell on his well-built chest. She took his coat and shirt off before turning her eyes to his ripped abs.

 Chapter 34

    He eagerly responded to her hand. She stripped off his upper body and gazed at him.


    ¡°What about down there?¡± (Raven)


    ¡°What?¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to take it off?¡± (Raven)


    ¡°Pants, too?¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were going to take my clothes off?¡± (Raven)


    His direct tone made Molitia¡¯s violet eyes quiver.


    Her intrigued eyes had instantly switched to that of embarrassment. It wasn¡¯t bad to watch the fleeting change.


    He guided her shoulders down with a low voice. When Molitia¡¯s body wasid on the bed, he caressed the underside of her snug stomach.


    ¡°But, next time. I can¡¯t take it anymore.¡± (Raven)


    In contrast to her trembling hands, Raven steadily unbuckled all at once. The sight of his phallus standing ferociously entered Molitia¡¯s eyes.


    Molitia twitched as he parted her thighs and fondled her bottom. It looked different from the time she unbuttoned him out of curiosity. Raven took a glimpse at her anxious face and slid his hand.


    ¡°Ah, Raven¡­.¡± (Molitia)


    A nervous voice had called out his name in a soft tone. Her purple eyes twinkled with innocence.


    He rubbed his member at the entrance several times and only then, he slowly pushed inside when the tip had gotten wet.


    The peculiar sense of her wet folds parting on the inside had drained the color off her fingertips.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous¡­¡± (Raven)


    He carefully stroked her head and kissed her. With her legs wide-opened, he pushed in a little more.


    ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you. Rx.¡± (Raven)


    The burning sensation of having her insides filled made Molitia shudder. She instantly felt overwhelmed by the pain that had remained of yesterday.


    Nevertheless, she still felt better than that of yesterday. His earnest behavior brought delight from deep within her heart.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡± (Molitia)


    He pushed it in all the way and let out a small grunt. The insides of hers that were tightly filled with his penis had made Raven light-headed.


    His promise of keeping her from getting sick had blurred. Even if she was not moving assertively, Raven was as excited as she was. Due to this, his self-control was being tested every time.


    ¡°Ah!¡± (Molitia)


    With a sudden increase of speed, her waist was lifted up and her soft body rocked along the movement of his waist.


    Molitia hugged his neck. As their skin came in contact with one another, their scent had mixed to be more intense. Raven sucked on her lips as if he was taking a breath out of her.


    His movements persisted even after her thighs had spread to their utmost limits. For each time that he prated hard inside her inner walls, Molitia¡¯s hand wriggled over his shoulder.


    He gave her a kiss right on the cheek and licked her lips. If he were to take a bite out of her, she would definitely taste sweet. Whether it was her body or her scent, he thought that as long as it was her, these feelings would definitely remain.


    ¡°Huh¡­ Raven¡­!¡± (Molitia)


    The more she cried and called out for him, the more Raven thrust her insides. He had this sadistic tendency, which was to adore gazing upon her tear-filled eyes.


    Looking back, he had never really stopped.


    The moment Molitia¡¯s fingers dug into his shoulder, he climaxed inside of her very innermost part. Their hot pants lingered in the air.


    ¡ª¨C


    The next day, Molitia was suffering from pain.


    He said he wouldn¡¯t hurt her. In the end, she had to put a stop to it. She grumbled while clutching onto her waist but it was no use at all.


    Pillen worriedly gave a nce upon Molitia¡¯s waist.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± (Pillen)


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± (Molitia)


    Molitia wasn¡¯t really sure about that as she even needed some support during her trip to the bathroom.


    ¡°Shall I call a doctor?¡± (Pillen)


    ¡°No, thanks. It¡¯s not that bad.¡± (Molitia)


    She was blushing uncontrobly when she talked to the maids and now she had to meet the doctor? It would be considered fortunate enough for her face not to explode.


    ¡°Where would you like to have your breakfast?¡± (Lili)


    ¡°Will you please bring it to bed? The dining room is too far away.¡± (Molitia)


    Lili¡¯s heart ached at the sight of her madame smiling weakly. On top of their passionate moans of love, having to look upon the traces left on her madame¡¯s body by her master yesterday had made Lili feel a genuine sense of pity towards her madame.

 Chapter 35

    Her madame was as delicate as a piece of a well-crafted ss. It can be gorgeous but it can also seem to break at any moment in time.


    ncing upon her madame¡¯s pale-looking face, Lili had decided to inform the kitchen staff to prepare for a nutritious meal.


    ¡°I will inform the chef.¡± (Lili)


    Silence fell as soon as Lili walked out the door. It was such a peaceful day apart from Molitia¡¯s sudden shrill that can be deduced as the consequence from suffering under Pillen¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Is it too hot?¡± (Pillen)


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a little hot, but¡­ Uh-huh, no. I think this is good enough.¡± (Molitia)


    When Pillen had set a hot towel under her waist, Molitia burrowed her head deeply into the pillow. She felt as if her muscles had loosened due to that small weight being ced over her thin slip.


    ¡°Thank you, Pillen. If it wasn¡¯t for every one of you, I would have been stuck in bed for today.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that. It is my job to help you feel better.¡± (Pillen)


    She smiled towards Pillen whose eyes were burning with a fighting spirit. It might just be a polite deed as an employee, but it was such a pleasure for Molitia.


    Molitia wouldn¡¯t just ignore the deed and let it go. As she was thanked because of her amiability, her gaze gently softened.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hold it in my mouth. So, whenever I feel like it, I will say it out loud.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Madame¡­¡± (Pillen)


    Pillen¡¯s mouth got wide-opened upon hearing the words poured out from the gentle madame but she closed it quickly. She had worked in many ces before, however this was definitely the first time she had ever encountered someone who expressed her gratitude in this manner.


    Molitia was even grateful towards trifles. A person with a high or noble status would usually act with a valid reason. That was why she had been really nervous when applying for the position up till she saw Molitia.


    ¡®I¡¯m lucky to be able to serve such an incredible person.¡¯


    As Pillen¡¯s fingertips kept on massaging Molitia¡¯s legs, she gradually sharpened their movements.


    ¡°I have brought you a meal.¡± (Gilbert)


    When the door had opened, Molitia¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°Gilbert?¡± (Molitia)


    As she had naturally thought that it would be Lili, she sprung up hastily at the sudden appearance of the butler. Luckily, her back pain was less severe than before. This might be perhaps, thanks to Pillen¡¯s desperate efforts.


    ¡°Are you feeling well?¡± (Gilbert)


    ¡°I feel much better thanks to the maids.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°That is very good.¡± (Gilbert)


    He ced the dishes on the table one after another. One, two¡­. Her eyes dted once again as there were too many dishes set up for breakfast.


    ¡°Are all of these my breakfast?¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Yes, they said that it¡¯s a special morning for you.¡± (Gilbert)


    A serving of a well-cookedmb drizzled with sauce, a tter of fresh sd and a bowl of soup with generous slices of vegetables. By all means, these dishes were more suitable for dinner rather than breakfast.


    As someone who rarely had breakfast back in the Count¡¯s residence due to anemia, Molitia casted a troubling nce.


    ¡°The maids who have had additional interviews will be here this afternoon.¡± (Gilbert)


    ¡°Already?¡± (Molitia)


    Her hand stopped scooping out the soup.


    ¡°It is as you asked for.¡± (Gilbert)


    He was definitely the duke¡¯s butler. Molitia smiled contently at the swift handling of the matter.


    ¡°Please make some arrangements so that the current maids are not ufortable. But you shouldn¡¯t leave them alone either.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Understood.¡± (Gilbert)


    Having felt relieved after hearing the good news, Molitia¡¯s spoon started moving again. Her emptied ss was refilled continuously by Gilbert, who was really concerned about her health.


    Her pair of hands soon had stopped their cluttering. She had already eaten a lot as she thought of his sincerity however, there was just too much food. While she was rolling her eyes silently, she discreetly changed her attitude as well.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to continue looking at yesterday¡¯s documents.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, the master had already taken it with him.¡± (Gilbert)


    ¡°He took it?¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°He said that he would take care of it himself, so that you will have a good rest.¡± (Gilbert)

 Chapter 36

    It wasn¡¯t just like that. As soon as he arrived, Raven had even subtly disyed his anger towards the butler, questioning whether or not he had made Molitia bleed due to him allowing his madame to work.


    Raven was a person who had never considered the other party¡¯s condition at all. However, when the butler had seen Molitia, his fighting spirit burned immensely. For sure that today, he would provide her a good rest ordingly.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the Duke busy with his work, too?¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°That is why he left early today, to attend a meeting.¡± (Gilbert)


    The position of being a duke was never easy. Molitia, who was just rubbing her eyes as she got up from bed this morning, only realized that Raven had already prepared to head for work.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not doing my job right.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°No, you¡¯re doing great.¡± (Gilbert)


    ¡°I¡¯m d it seems that way.¡± (Molitia)


    Her sunken cheek revealed a hollow which the butler raised his eyebrows to. As expected, she was too thin. Even when she was dressed up in clothes, her slender arms looked emaciated in the butler¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°The first thing your grace needs to do now is to cheer up.¡± (Gilbert)


    ¡°¡­¡­¡± (Molitia)


    As soon as she saw the medicine set in front of her eyes, Molitia¡¯s lips mmed up. It was prepared in a sculpted cup, but that was just it. The contents remained unchanged. To worsen it off, there was this dreadful odor that seemed as if something was attached to it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything sweet?¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Something sweet?¡± (Gilbert)


    ¡°The medicine is very bitter, so ¡­ I need something to neutralize the taste.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°I¡¯ll have the chef to prepare a cake.¡± (Gilbert)


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to go that far.¡± (Molitia)


    It would then be too much of a full course meal. Plus, she was already filled to the brim.


    ¡°Well¡­ can I borrow the kitchen for a while?¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°The kitchen?¡± (Gilbert)


    ¡°Yes, I think I¡¯m able to move more now.¡± (Molitia)


    When she started to rise, Pillen swiftly had her covered with a dress and a shawl.


    ¡°Ma, Madame.¡± (Chef)


    As they charged into the kitchen, the employees were startled from their rest and hurriedly gave a bow. Feeling quite embarrassed, the head chef anxiously rolled his eyes around.


    ¡®Why is she here? Did she not like the breakfast?¡¯


    Molitia was recognized as a Count¡¯s daughter who entered the household and became a Duchess. Therefore, she had already be a hot topic for the kitchen staff. As they were still unaware of her tastes, it was very tricky for them to prepare. On top of that, they were also understaffed.


    However, the Duke¡¯s kitchen staff were very honorable. When they were asked to arrange for a nourishing meal for the body, the chef¡¯s eyes lit up in excitement during the preparation. He was quite confident that he had made it even better than yesterday.


    ¡°Can I use the kitchen?¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°Yes?¡± (Chef)


    The chef, who was still in a daze with all sorts of ideas running across his head, asked back. At that point in time, he became even more startled than when he was answering her.


    ¡°Oh, of course.¡± (Chef)


    ¡°I need some eggs and sugar¡­¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°They¡¯re over here.¡± (Chef)


    He flustered as he was guiding her to where the ingredients had been ced. She beamed as she got her hands on fresh eggs produced from the chicken coop this early morning.


    ¡°Madame, what are you trying to make?¡± (Chef)


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to bake cookies, which are easy on the tongue.¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°In that case, let us¡­¡± (Chef)


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I would like to make it myself after a long time.¡± (Molitia)


    It had been a while since she had it in her grasp. The smoothness of the familiar egg in her hand was very weing.


    Molitia used to bake her cravings all by herself. The ones who grumbled over her overpriced medicine gave nothing for her to quench her thirst back then, let alone sweets.


    Consuming the medicine was excruciating for her, simr to the time when she was sick. The intense taste would strongly impale her nose and throat that even blocking could not help to stop the stinging sensation.

 Chapter 37

    This was a recipe that she had found after searching continuously through a book when she thought that she wasn¡¯t able to eat it. Molitia then procured this technique inside of her mind.


    ¡°¡­and I¡¯d like to give some to the Duketer if they are well-baked.¡± (Molitia)


    The butler went abashed as he looked upon her. There was just a hint of bashfulness on her face, but the vigor that he saw for the first time today added more color to her cheeks.


    For that reason, the butler couldn¡¯t tell her that ¡®the master rarely snacks on sweets.¡¯


    She first separated the egg from the yolk and its white. Then, she poured a simr amount of sugar into the egg whites and began to whisk the mixture briskly.


    Her hand movements were so swift that the restless chef had ultimately turned pale. With her thin and frail-looking wrists, it might lead to an ident and he would definitely be held responsible.


    ¡°Madame, please allow me to help you.¡± (Chef)


    ¡°Thank you.¡± (Molitia)


    Molitia smiled at the chef who approached her. It was quite difficult for her as she still couldn¡¯t coordinate the movements of her hand and neck ordingly. That was why she took advantage of the given opportunity.


    ¡°Can you keep whisking it like this? Until it foams up.¡± (Molitia)


    It was quite a demanding task. This was because every time she poured sugar in the center, he had to whisk it back continuously. It would take a considerable amount of time for the mixture to set as a proper meringue.


    By the time the chef felt as if his arm had fallen off, she stopped the whisking process. She then put the meringue in a pastry paper and began to pipe it little by little on the tray.


    It was easy to shape the mixture thanks to the small cut at the tip of the paper. Petite flowers would bloom on the tray at every movement of her slender hands.


    Molitia requested to the chef that the tray should be taken out an hour after being ced in the preheated oven. After she was confident with the chef¡¯s determined answer, Molitia returned to her bedroom.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that you enjoy cooking.¡± (Gilbert)


    ¡°It has be some sort of a habit. I don¡¯t really know many dishes.¡±


    Molitia hid her hands coyly. It wasn¡¯t that good of a memory. In fact, it was actually rare for her to enter the kitchen. She then took a seat in her chair while leaving behind her past.


    ¡°Can I have a card ready?¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°What kind of card would you like?¡± (Gilbert)


    ¡°Anything will be fine. I thought that I might surprise him along with the cookies.¡± (Molitia)


    The butler was really happy for his master.


    ¡°I will prepare the best for you.¡± (Gilbert)


    She got a call from the kitchen as soon as she had finished with her card and prepared a basket for the cookies. Even before she realized it, thepleted array of baked meringue was already ced within her sight.


    Molitia selected a cookie and popped it into her mouth. It melted with a rustle as the familiar taste of sweetness spread inside her mouth, which caused her to smile sweetly as well.


    ¡°Would you like to try one?¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°May I?¡± (Gilbert)


    ¡°Of course.¡± (Molitia)


    Gilbert did not hesitate to put it into his mouth at Molitia¡¯s words. Even though the sweetness was rather strong at the tip of his tongue, the crisp texture topped it off with a lingering taste.


    ¡°How does it taste?¡± (Molitia)


    ¡°It¡¯s very delicious. The cookie melts well in your mouth.¡± (Gilbert)


    ¡°Will the Duke like it too?¡± (Molitia)


    Gilbert just couldn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Excuse me, Duke. It¡¯s Terrance.¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Terrance, who was known as the Duke¡¯s aide, stepped inside and greeted Raven past the documents that he had been buried under ever since before. It was just unbelievable how the Duke had trained his own body.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°A man came from the Duchy.¡±


    ¡°From the Duchy? Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°No, they merely delivered something.¡±


    The Duke appeared to be quite curious as Terrance walked towards him while holding a basket in his hand. He put the basket on the Duke¡¯s desk. The basket was exuding a very sweet and delicious fragrance.


    (T/N: Hi guys, from here on I will refrain from using names in brackets unless I feel like it¡¯s absolutely necessary. Let us know on discord if there are some parts that still confuse you.)

 Chapter 38

    ¡°What is this?¡°


    ¡°It was sent from the Duchess, Your Grace.¡±


    Raven lifted the cloth that was covering the basket to see that it was filled with many white petals. No, it was rather coarse to be called petals. Eventually, the whole office was permeated with that very fragrant scent.


    ¡°¡­so, what is this?¡±


    ¡°Apparently, they are called cookies. They are from the Duchess.¡±


    Terrance responded calmly.


    ¡°Oh, and one more thing. The Duchess had baked them herself. It is said that these are good in helping to relieve fatigue.¡±


    ¡°Pu ha ha!¡±


    A sudden burst ofughter can be heard from a person who was standing right beside Raven. He was holding a stack of papers before holding onto his stomach whileughing out loud.


    ¡°Lyndon, you¡¯re noisy.¡±


    ¡°But cookies, to My Lord!¡±


    Lyndon felt regrettable that he wasn¡¯t at home. Otherwise, he would definitely be either rolling on the bed or even on the floor whileughing out loud.


    Terrance nced over Lyndon since he was already all too familiar with his attitude. As he predicted on what events would unfoldter, Terrance had stopped smiling and turned his gaze away from Lyndon while admiring his pointless avidity.


    ¡°What will you do?¡±


    ¡°What I should do.¡±


    As Raven was staring at the cookies, he slowly moved his hand into the basket. They were in bite-sized pieces that could be munched easily. He finally chose one from the many, which resembled a flower the most before popping it into his mouth.


    ¡°My, My Lord?¡±


    Raven¡¯s sudden conduct had put a stop to Lyndon¡¯s unreservedughter. He rolled the piece of cookie in his mouth a few times before swallowing it down.


    <em>Gulp</em>. The office was enveloped in silence at the precise moment when the cookie had traveled down his throat.


    Terrance and Lyndon couldn¡¯t take their eyes off their Lord. They had been by Raven¡¯s side for so long while assisting him but they had never seen him eat anything sweet at all. Therefore, Lyndon prepared him a handkerchief just in case.


    ¡°¡­what is this called?¡±


    ¡°They are called cookies. Merng¡ªmeringue cookies.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Terrance had gawked from afar towards Raven.<em>It¡¯s delicious? Is this person truly that same Duke right now?</em>


    Lyndon and Terrance were always on the same page if they were asked to describe what kind of person Raven was. The answer would forever be: the Scrooge ofpliments.


    He assessed his subordinates via a thorough evaluation of their skills and never did he ever shower them with any praises.


    ¡°Are they really that good? May I taste one?¡±


    ¡°Why should you?¡±


    When Lyndon expressed his keen interest in the basket, Raven hastily embraced it in his arms.


    Simr to a predator that would never let go of its prey, Raven immediately red daggers at Lyndon.


    ¡°It was addressed to me. So, it¡¯s obvious that these are only mine to own and keep.¡±


    ¡°Can you please allow me to have a taste the next time I train? It was so delicious for you, My Lord. You too¡­¡±


    ¡°Lyndon.¡±


    His cold voice suddenly reverberated. Lyndon responded promptly with a clear voice as he stood up straight.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It seems that you still have much energy to spare.¡±


    Terrance slowly shook his head. The thing that he had been worried about Lyndon had unveiled itself, just like he had predicted before.


    ¡°Twenty rounds should be easy enough for you.¡±


    ¡°I understand!¡±


    Lyndon swiftly ran towards the door right after giving Raven a respectful salutation. He would have to force himself to be on thergepound for those twenty rounds with continuous tears rolling down his cheeks.


    The office was once again enveloped in silence right after the main culprit of themotion had departed to his misery. Then, the idle pen was once again dancing on the documents, led by Raven.


    None of Raven¡¯s aides were invited to his wedding as most of them had been by his side even before he was bestowed the title of a Duke. Some of them were evenmoners who had started from low positions. Due to these facts, the Count would have never truly weed these guests.


    A sudden marriage held between his master and an unknown duchess. Terrance stared at the Duke for a while before opening his mouth.

 Chapter 39

    ¡°How was your wedding ceremony?¡±


    ¡°It was okay.¡±


    ¡°The Duchess¡­¡±


    ¡°Terrance, do you also miss the smell of dirt from the field?¡±


    ¡°No, sir.¡±


    Fortunately, Terrance was much more discreet than Lyndon, as he quickly closed his mouth. Then, the only sound that could be heard in the office was the scratching of Raven¡¯s pen fluttering on paper.


    After he had sampled the new-found sweetness, his hand naturally went inside the basket once again. He then popped a cookie into his mouth and murmured.


    ¡°¡­I told her to rest.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Raven tossed yet another cookie straight passed his lips. The rich vour of sweetness permeated his whole mouth.


    * * *


    The faint sound of galloping horses resonated throughout the tranquil and pleasant garden as the butler waited to wee the Duke. As soon as he arrived, the butler greeted him without further ado.


    Raven took a look around his servants before opening his mouth and asked.


    ¡°Where is my wife?¡±


    ¡°She is currently resting in her bedroom.¡±


    Lili couldn¡¯t bear to wake Molitia up as she was sleeping so soundly. When she felt a sharp gaze was directed towards her, she quickly lowered her head in fear.


    ¡°I-I couldn¡¯t wake Madame up as she had just fallen asleep.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to wake her up. I¡¯ll go to her myself.¡±


    Raven swiftly took off his gloves and handed them to the butler.


    ¡°Dinner will be served immediately when it is requested.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    He was standing right in front of Molitia¡¯s room when he hesitantly tried to knock on the door. After much consideration, he carefully turned the doorknob as he remembered that Molitia was still sleeping inside.


    An absolute stillness greeted him as he slowly entered the bedroom. Other than the asional rustling of the nket, it was very peculiar that he couldn¡¯t hear any sounds at all.


    Raven trod as cautiously as possible along the room. His footsteps that were nted on the soft carpet were barely audible.


    ¡°Hnn¡­¡±


    Even when he got near the bed, Molitia showed no signs of waking up. Her peacefully closed eyes did not budge at all, except for a moment when she mumbled softly.


    She was still in the same position even after he had boldly sat on the edge of the bed. Raven got quite nervous when he saw that she was frowning slightly but that was just all. She then curled herself a little beforepletely immersing herself back to thends of dreams.


    Raven was a little disappointed as she wanted her purple eyes to wee him tenderly.


    He really wanted to gaze upon her figure of weing him back just like she did yesterday.


    He felt somewhat guilty if he were to wake her up from herfortable sleep. Maybe this was why he couldn¡¯t rouse her. Raven sighed faintly as he recalled the slightly abashed maid just then.


    He finally put his hands in his pocket, disappointed by the thought that he had to dine alone.


    ¡°¡­no, uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Molitia?¡±


    Raven quickly turned his gaze towards the faint murmur. Her eyes were still tightly closed, yet, there was something off by then.


    ¡°No¡­ no, sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    She was grunting as though she had been tortured by a nightmare. Her hands curled even tighter as she nestled even further.


    He couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. Raven immediately ced his hands on her shoulders.


    ¡°Molitia, wake up.¡±


    He was shaking her gently when she finally lifted her firmly closed eyelids. Her eyes were in a daze like she was still wandering in a dream.


    ¡°¡­um, Duke¡­?¡±


    ¡°Are you awake?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡±


    Raven¡¯s gentle voice pervaded her ears. Her eyes were fluttering rapidly as her mind returned to reality.


    ¡°D¡­ Duke?¡±


    ¡°You must have been in such a deep sleep that you didn¡¯t even notice I entered the room.¡±


    He remarked, without touching on the topic of her dream. He didn¡¯t want to rush into such sensitive issues. Nevertheless, her cheeks were instantly tinged with pink when she heard Raven¡¯s words.


    ¡°It¡¯s because I was tired¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s bad.¡±


    ¡°Well, did you receive my gift?¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Raven licked his lips in reflex as he could still taste the sweetness that lingered in his mouth.


    ¡°They were quite delicious. Thank you for them.¡±

 Chapter 40

    ¡°Really? I¡¯ll bake them again next time.¡±


    Her smile looked just as sweet as the meringue cookie.


    ¡°Why did you make it though?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I thought I told you to rest well through the butler.¡±


    ¡°Well, I needed a mouthful of something sweet after taking my medicine.¡±


    Looking at Molitia, who seemed to ept the situation rather indifferently had caught Raven¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you make the chef do it? I¡¯ve asked them to listen to everything you say.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they would have different types of cakes.¡±


    She softly sighed. The grandeur of breakfast had astonished her. Fortunately, lunch wasn¡¯t prepared as a feast but she thought that it was still too much.


    Nevertheless, she ate very well. Words were flowing out of the mouth of the delighted Molitia continuously.


    ¡°I wanted to eat chocte too¡­ It¡¯s quite simple to make and it only needs a few ingredients.¡±


    ¡®Chocte¡¯. He engraved that word deep inside his mind.


    ¡°What about dinner?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten as I wanted to dine with you. I couldn¡¯t even share a meal with you for breakfast, so I thought that I could at least join you for ourst meal of the day.¡±


    ¡°I can be veryte.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine since you¡¯re busy with work.¡±


    Molitia shook her head lightly.


    ¡°The table is a little too big for me to eat alone.¡±


    Back at the Count¡¯s residence, she always ate alone. She had to dine in bed when she was sick and she was left to eat alone at the enormous dining table when she wasn¡¯t. All of that was due to her weak constitution that apparently shouldn¡¯t be transmitted to her younger siblings.


    ¡°Let¡¯s dine together, then.¡±


    Molitia was stopped suddenly from trying to respond to Raven¡¯s words. It was due to her lips that werepletely ensnared by the touch of Raven¡¯s after he gently took hold of her chin.


    His lips tenderly swept through her own soft lips. Molitia¡¯s mouth tasted as sweet as it can be, perhaps due to the fact that she had eaten cookies just before taking a rest in bed.


    ¡°Um¡­ Duke.¡±


    ¡°Call me by my name. Don¡¯t just use it in bed.¡±


    Her unexpected stupor had tantalized him greatly, which made his kiss extended a little longer.


    He thrusted his tongue even deeper into her mouth. As he found her very own organ of taste, he pressed his own onto it to further entangle them together.


    His hand gradually went down as he stroked her hair. Her eyelids trembled softly when his hands were all over her thin clothing.


    ¡°Wait, dinner¡­¡±


    ¡°A littleter.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Her moans escaped naturally as he slid his hands tenderly along her inner thigh. His hands that continually caressed her spine woke her senses up, therefore making her lean back much more alluring than usual.


    As he rubbed his fingers over her underwear, sensuous groans started flowing out of her mouth. At this rate, they might go all the way. A bright red light suddenly shed across her mind.


    ¡°¡­can we have dinner now? I¡¯m famished.¡±


    He paused himself hearing her words.


    ¡°Can¡¯t I just take a moment?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really hungry right now¡­¡±


    He frowned his brows slightly. The hand that was fluttering within her thin skirt gradually disappeared. His hands were then withdrawnpletely only after he had stopped stroking Molitia¡¯s hair in regret.


    ¡°Butler!¡±


    The butler immediately rushed to the door at the call of his voice.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to have our dinner here.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    In the bedroom, again¡­ With the exception of today¡¯s lunch, all of her meals for today were prepared in bed. Her face flushed instantly as she recalled being caught in the act by the maids.


    ¡°Is it alright now?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking if I can have you first before dinner arrives.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Raven¡­ah.¡±


    His hand quickly grabbed hold of her soft chest while wrinkling her clothes as well. It was such a pity that he couldn¡¯t taste her bare skin even though it was just snuggled right in his palm. All this because he couldn¡¯t be sure when his servants would arrive with their meal.


    His big hands sensually traced along her thighs making them stiffened with anticipation. He then soothed her tightly closed legs before gently spreading them open. After that, he buried his face deeply at Molitia¡¯s nape while stroking his hands inwards.

 Chapter 41

    His hands that were swiftly burrowed into her skirt had familiarly pierced into her centre. He then slowly nudged on her underwear, making Molitia sped on his broad shoulders.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure when the servants will arrive but to do it till the end is¡­¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    He whispered softly in Molitia¡¯s ear. As he nibbled on it, her body trembled in pleasure.


    ¡°But still, I can listen to your moans.¡±


    Raven steadily pushed her underwear sideways before stroking on her very core as his lipspletely ravished Molitia¡¯s. Even though the two of them were alone in their bedroom, she was still embarrassed despite knowing that the servants would never approach the door on purpose.


    He spread her thighs once again before seizing and circling his fingers around her thick flesh. A tingling sensation ran straight down her back. Furthermore, she was bing more sensitive as the thought of a person might enter their room pervaded her mind.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you getting wet already?¡±


    Raven smirked satisfyingly. Despite her demureness, her body was extremely honest.


    He kept stroking her clit as he pushed her underwear further aside. When Molitia responded eagerly to his caresses, he could feel his own arousal bulging hard.


    He thrusted his tongue into her wide-opened mouth before invading it even further into the walls of her mouth. Her moans were then swallowed by him until it disappeared right at the tip of her tongue. Molitia closed her eyes tightly as his caresses on her clit were getting faster.


    Knock, knock.


    As soon as she heard the knock on the door, she abruptly raised her head in surprise.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Molitia groggily came to her senses at Raven¡¯s monotonous response. That was only after the flesh that was wrapped obscenely around her tongue had taken its leave.


    ¡°Dinner is prepared.¡±


    ¡°Come on in.¡±


    Raven was speaking in a very casual tone unlike the nervous Molitia, who was pping her already reddened face lightly with both of her hands.


    Perhaps due to the excitement that had permeated through her body, the surreal sensation still lingered behind.


    By Raven¡¯smand, the bedroom door was opened cautiously by the servants before they entered the room.


    There was no end to all the dishes that were beingid out. Starting from appetizers to the main courses, and even the desserts. This was because of the attentive butler who brought everything all at once in order to not disturb their precious time together any longer.


    The endless procession had astonished the wide-eyed Molitia. She thought that her breakfast was already special but it turned out that it was nothingpared to thisyout.


    ¡®Did they prepare this much for the Duke?¡¯


    While Molitia was still in a bewildered state, they swiftly filled up the table with vigorous twists and turns. Knives and forks were settledfortably between each of the many dishes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you when we¡¯re done. Until then, do not interrupt.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Just after Gilbert closed the door as he left the room, Raven amicably reached out to Molitia.


    ¡°You said you were hungry, so let us eat up quickly.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s hands were dancing on the te with her knife and fork. A tter of cooked duck meat, an ashet of pork with garlic and a salver of beef with mashed potatoes. It was definitely a diet that was full of meat with theck of vegetables.


    With a piece of bread still dunked in the bowl of soup, her hands soon stopped its movements. She usually ate quite a little, therefore she couldn¡¯t really taste that much of food.


    Molitia slowly took a nce at Raven. He was already on his third serving.


    ¡®Where does all the food go?¡¯


    It was such an enormous feast. When she thought about the amount of dishes that they were still enjoying, she suddenly recalled his well-toned muscles, which ultimately made her shake her head while blushing furiously.


    ¡°You¡¯re not eating?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±


    Surprised by his sudden remark, she quickly ced her fork on the te.


    ¡°This is already enough for me.¡±


    ¡°¡­enough?¡±


    Raven was astounded as he watched her closely. She only had a bowl of soupplemented by half a piece of meat. That was far, far lesser than what Raven and his aides would usually consume.

 Chapter 42

    ¡°How can you just eat that much and still move?¡±


    ¡°Really. I already ate a lot because they are very delicious.¡±


    Molitia stroked her stomach deliberately. Raven immediately frowned when he saw her t tummy that was under that petite hand of hers.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Eat more.¡±


    ¡°I just said that I¡¯m already full¡­¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re going to exercise as much as you eat.¡±


    Molitia kept her nk stare towards Raven as he uttered frankly. Not long after that, her face began to tint as red as a beautiful rose.


    ¡°W-what are you saying during our meal?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so surprised, when all I said was the truth anyway? In the first ce, wasn¡¯t it my wife¡¯s suggestion to eat first before continuing just then?¡±


    ¡°That was you¡­¡­!¡±


    Molitia¡¯s red lips pursed in embarrassment. Her purple eyes were avoiding Raven¡¯s as they rolled awkwardly.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t remember, I can personally repeat it for you. Or is it that you want me to stop waiting?¡±


    He shot a nce at her, who was still fully clothed. When he remembered Molitia¡¯s bare body, his body immediately stiffened with uncontainable passion.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll eat more.¡±


    ¡°If you want to.¡±


    Raven slightly smiled before popping another piece of meat into his mouth. He still kept his gaze locked onto her, which therefore made her hands move quite slowly.


    They say that it¡¯s never good to force-feed someone, but Molitia had eaten far too little. His face instantly turned to a frown when he recalled her delicate, sore wrists.


    ¡®I need toe up with a different type of supplement.¡¯


    He straight away made another mental note to himself, which was to create a supplement that would taste much better than the one before.


    ¡°So, I¡¯ve heard that you were the one who took the documents from the house.¡±


    Raven was wiping his mouth by the time the cuisines were almostpletely cleaned off from the tes.


    She thought that she was never going to finish her own meal. Molitia then shot an astonished nce to his stomach, which was fathomless in terms of its depth.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Is it because you don¡¯t trust me?¡±


    Raven looked puzzled at Molitia¡¯s innocent query.


    ¡°Not really. I¡¯ve checked the documents and saw that you did a very good job. I can see what the problem is all about.¡±


    ¡°Then, why did you take it?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear from the butler?¡±


    ¡°¡­to make me rest more?¡±


    Molitia¡¯s jaw quickly dropped at his surprising words. She had thought that it was spoken by the gentle butler just to soothe her heartbreak. That was the only reason why she tried smiling honestly.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very good to work hard, but at the same time, you should also know how to properly rest your own body.¡±


    ¡°But I have nothing to do, then¡­¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    Raven leapt to his feet before quickly strode towards her. Unlike the huge table in the dining hall, this small gap in the bedroom allowed him to reach her instantly.


    Raven bent over and said nothing. However, his hands werepletely on her back, supporting her petite body before leaning deeply towards her while pushing his hands under her thighs and steadily lifted her up.


    ¡°Ra, Raven?¡±


    ¡°First, you waited to join me for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s a given.¡±


    ¡°And then, you made me delicious cookies.¡±


    His lips softly grazed upon her forehead.


    ¡°You also ept me every single day.¡±


    His lips touched her ear before she could hear an alluring whisper.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    His fingers slipped seductively into her skirt while rolling them over to her thighs.


    ¡°I want to put it in right now.¡±


    His direct words caused her face to heat up at once. It seemed like she had always flushed furiously when they were together.


    ¡°But¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°You, being hungry won¡¯t work as an excuse anymore.¡±


    ¡°Then, clean up¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to do it with me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s just that they¡¯ll reek if they are just left like this. Also, I thought that we would be surprised if the servants just walked in unannounced and started cleaning up when we¡¯re in the middle of¡­¡±


    Raven was anticipating her excuse when he started to move around. Then, he promptly sat on the bed with Molitia snuggled in his arms before he tightened his hold even further.


    ¡°Butler!¡±

 Chapter 43

    Gilbert walked in as soon as the roar had echoed from the room. Startled by his unexpected appearance, Molitia struggled to escape from Raven¡¯s clutches but he had no such intention of releasing her at all.


    ¡°We¡¯re already done, so put them away. Also, we don¡¯t need any desserts.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Gilbert straight away called in the other servants to quickly take away the dishes. They were cleared out as swiftly as they were arrayed earlier, the emptied tes were ced on trays before vanishing outside the room.


    ¡°Is this all right?¡±


    Molitia nodded meekly while she was still within his arms.


    ¡°Gilbert, I¡¯m going to bed. Therefore, stop all the servants from approaching the room.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯te to me unless it¡¯s something urgent.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Feeling a tad restless, she wriggled in his arms, making a fluttering sound that resulted in her furiously flushed face. The attentive butler quickly stepped out of the room for the sake of his bashful mistress.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say it like that.¡±


    ¡°Why? Is it better to have an audience?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant!¡±


    A tiny fist eventuallynded on his chest. He immediately frowned when he was hit by that soft fist.


    ¡°You should now exercise as you had just eaten.¡±


    ¡°Shameless¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you just call your husband ¡®shameless¡¯?¡±


    He retorted mischievously as he nibbled on her nape.


    ¡°That¡¯s just wrong. You should say that this is actually very good for a married couple.¡±


    Raven¡¯s fingers prodded lightly into her nape while he stripped off her clothes. His hands were getting impatient as he grasped her breasts.


    <em>Is that so?</em>There was no mentioning of the details of what a good couple should be doing in the particr book, which she had read. In fact, sex was never even written as a part of the ideal rtionship.


    His fingers ran tenderly across her chest when he started to prod his index finger over her soft breast. He then gently twisted her soft nipples that quickly perked up as a result.


    Her heated body gradually cooled off a little before quickly getting excited again. She panted quite heavily when his hands wandered around her navel as he was stripping her.


    ¡°You heat up so easily despite the fact that I have yet to remove your clothes thoroughly?¡±


    His caresses traced down after stroking her narrow waist. Then, his touch eventually brushed over her thin underwear before he rubbed against her soft flesh.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡­.¡±


    Molitia breathed out passionately against Raven¡¯s nape. His finger then found its way to her swollen clitoris before kneading it slightly at the tip of her underwear.


    ¡°Molitia, spread your legs.¡±


    He whispered sweetly. Obscene words were stirring up in Molitia¡¯s ears. His long fingers swept along her thighs that were locked down just like a m would. At the same time, a thrilling sensation struck her as her clothes rustled under his touch.


    He could feel her euphoria even without looking into her underwear. His hand was soaked as he grasped her moistened core. It was clear as day that she was longing for his bulge as she twitched upon his tititing touch.


    Molitia¡¯s clothes were slowly stripped down to her waist before falling down onto the floor, exposing her naked white bodypletely in full view. The only garments left were her thin bustier and her drenched underwear, which caught his eyes that werepletely filled with passion.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    His tenacious gaze was locked onto her. With his hand dripping in desire, he tenderly pressed it against her thigh.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to open them?¡±


    ¡°¡­don¡¯t look.¡±


    She said meekly. Her hands were clutching on the hem of his shirt while blushing furiously down till her neck.


    Despite her hesitation, she still began to spread her thighs slowly. Her outspread milky white legs that were on hisp made her centre be much more visible.


    ¡°Well done.¡±


    His low voice reverberated on top of Molitia¡¯s head. Then, his hands that were wandering around her thighs, creeped in. He steadily flicked her thin underwear before thrusting his long fingers inside.


    ¡°Ah, yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, I ponder. How many fingers can fit in here? I wonder if one day, this tight ce of yours will swallow all of my fingers.¡±

 Chapter 44

    Molitia¡¯s shoulders trembled at his chilling remark. His fingers werepletely different from his member. Instead of his thick length that could pierce straight into her moist inner walls, she was thrusted with a lean finger that could move freely inside. Thus, making her stifle her moans at his every movement.


    Her wet entrance was already prepared. As he heard her passionate pants, he stretched out another finger to prod it even deeper inside.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    He undid his trousers while still twisting his fingers inside of her. The cold metal rattled several times before Molitia felt something warm had touched her bottom.


    A very ted sigh could be heard from her. Even the sound of his wife¡¯s embarrassment was lovely to him despite not being used to it yet.


    ¡°Lift your butt. Yeah, that¡¯s right¡­..¡±


    He grasped her waist while helping her to easily lift her own hips. Her strands of hair stood up as the cold breeze wafted through the centre. He initially nudged his member at her wet entrance several times. Then, while rubbing his shaft against her clitoris, he eventually thrusted his tip inside.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    The sudden intrusion had convulsed Molitia. As his member had entered all at once, his weight was also simultaneously buried even deeper.


    ¡°Move slowly.¡±


    She grabbed him and softly whispered. As her body swayed from the movement of his hands, his shaft waspletely rubbing the walls of her insides.


    The stimulus was so intense even when she wasn¡¯t moving that hard at such an odd posture. As he pulled out, he quickly pierced right back inside.


    The tip had thrusted into a different spot every time he adjusted his waist ording to his little movements. Hence, her insides tightened up to his inconsistent infiltrations that had different sensations to what she had gotten used to.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ it¡¯s hard to endure when you tightened up suddenly.¡±


    He murmured in Molitia¡¯s ear. At the same time, he exerted a little more strength to the hand that was holding her waist captive.


    ¡°Yes, ah!¡±


    Suddenly, Molitia stopped moving her waist as she got startled by the sensation of being lifted off the bed. As she always thought that she had beenpletely filled up previously, she hurriedly paused that idea before contemting herself to turn away.


    ¡°Ra, Raven? Wait¡­¡±


    Her words had entirely disappeared from the tip of her tongue due to his intense pration. If she was pinned on her back, he would have definitely stabbed into her without any mercy.


    He grabbed hold of her waist so tight that she wasn¡¯t able to wriggle away. Then, he used the sticity of their bed to hoist her up even further before piercing his erect penis straight into her very core.


    Her waist gradually lifted up to meet his. Raven briskly buried his shoulders against hers that were already in a quite awkward position.


    His hand that was holding her waist slowly slipped down. Molitia¡¯s mind went utterly nk as he fondled her clitoris over their tight union.


    ¡°Ah, ah¡­..!¡±


    He pulled out his member regardless of her tightness inside before thrusting himself right back in. He always felt that her tender flesh was trying to escape him at every time he filled up her insides and even when he was pulling himself out.


    The deeper he went into, the harder he fondled her clitoris. His touches grew significantly stronger as he put it between his fingers before twisting it, causing a rough moan to escape from her mouth.


    ¡°Do you like this ce¡­? You¡¯re not letting me go at all.¡±


    Her insides tightened around him every time he yed with her clitoris. Molitia¡¯s soft body quivered regrly, but her tears were shed whenever he fiercely thrusted into her. The intense pleasure invaded her mind, which ultimately brought her to climax.


    ¡°Ah, ah, Raven¡­¡±


    The sight of Molitia pulling him into an embrace while shaking her waist against his member, struck his eyes. Ragged breath left her soft lips.


    Raven then put a stop to all movements until Molitia had calmed down. Meanwhile, he kissed her lovingly by her cheek, ear, neck and shoulder.


    When she had regained herposure to an extent, he ced Molitia on the bed. He skimmed the spot that was in between her thighs, where the opaque mucus had flowed before piercing himself into it once again.


    ¡°Nn, ah, ah¡­!¡±

 Chapter 45

    It was definitely easier than her first time, but that wasn¡¯t the case for her insides. Her insides were loose yet they clung firmly to him. He shoved in even harder as he trembled through her contracted inner walls. It was easier than the first time, but it wasn¡¯t all inside. The loose inside was stuck hard. Shaking through the shrinking inner wall, he pushed in more strongly.


    ¡°Ah, ang, ah¡­¡­!¡±


    Molitia epted himpletely even if she seemed to be almost crying. Her body, which had be so sensitive to his shaft quivered uncontrobly even at the smallest friction.


    Her piteous protest didn¡¯t work at all as he went on relentlessly. Every time he pulled out, the mixture of his semen and her juices could be seen flowing down right at the part where they were joined together.


    Molitia hugged his neck and attached herself onto him. He then bent his head down and quickly nipped her pointed breast that was captured in his mouth.


    Both of them had climaxed yet again. Regardless of who came first, the amount that had leaked out of her made him conscious of the fact that she had been receiving him endlessly.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    Raven¡¯s hand gently swept her reddened eyes. Molitia shook her head helplessly. She wasn¡¯t able to speak anymore as she had been moaning too much.


    He carefully hugged her soft body that was already wrapped in his strong arms.


    ¡°Duke¡­¡±


    ¡°Duke?¡±


    ¡°No, Raven¡­ how are you so fit, anyway?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°You are always working. And you¡¯ve been busy since the early morning. Me, on the other hand, did nothing but this¡­¡±


    Her voice gradually became smaller. She didn¡¯t end it properly, but he could still make out the meaning. He got lost in his thoughts just for a moment.


    ¡°You¡¯re too weak.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me that.¡±


    He slightlyughed at the grumbling Molitia. Would she be better if he was the one who trained her? When the thought of her being in between the knights, he hung his head down. It was doubtful to say whether or not she would be able to endure standing in the middle of dust while being heavily attired.


    ¡®I¡¯ll have them make some necessary supplements¡¯


    He noted a type of herb on top of another herb inside his mind. If possible, it was better to get his hands on the precious medicines that were distributed by the Linerio Troupe itself.


    Suddenly, Molitia¡¯s shoulders trembled a little.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite cold.¡±


    ¡°Oh, dear.¡±


    He pulled the nket that had been lying underneath her feet to cover up her body. She seemed a bit warmer with the thin nket, but it was not enough at all.


    ¡°Hug me, please.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°Well, you know I didn¡¯t mean that!¡±


    He gave her a very powerful hug apanied by his burst ofughter.


    ¡°I¡¯m suffocating, though¡­¡±


    ¡°What a fussy wife you are.¡±


    He loosened his grip slightly. His chest tickled as that petite body let out a quite heavy breath.


    ¡°Are you going to leave early tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. Since I¡¯ve got work to do.¡±


    ¡°Can you please wake me up?¡±


    She wanted to see him off. Raven promised that he would after hearing Molitia¡¯s words. By that time, her voice steadily became softer before fading outpletely at the end.


    ¡°Stop talking and sleep.¡±


    ¡°But if it¡¯s not at this time¡­¡±


    ¡°We can talk again when you see me off tomorrow.¡±


    He wondered if there were many stories that she wanted to share with him. Raven¡¯s lips were barely closed after he nted them over her lips.


    As he saw that Molitia was steadily breathing, Raven secured her even more with the nket that was already covering her.


    He slowly closed his eyes only after he gently brushed aside some stray hairs on her cheeks.


    ***


    The next morning.


    Raven had woken up early as per usual. He stood up from the bed quietly before moving his feet as carefully as possible in order to not wake Molitia up.


    He straight away went into the bathroom and soaked himself in warm water. After he had dressed himself with the butler¡¯s help, he returned to the bedroom.


    Even after he had finished preparing for work, Molitia was still sleeping soundly. Raven was just about to leave when he recalled her request yesterday.

 Chapter 46

    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    He gently touched her shoulder. He couldn¡¯t just leave as he thought that she would feel saddened by it.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to see me off?¡±


    Tap tap. He shook her a little harder. Nevertheless, Molitia was just as still. She wasn¡¯t even showing a slight reaction to having a pleasant dream either.


    ¡°Molitia?¡±


    It was definitely strange. Hence, making him grab her hastily by the shoulder.


    Her limp body wasn¡¯t moving at all under his firm grip. Even yesterday, it terrified him when he noticed that her mouth was sealed tight.


    Her already pallidplexion seemed to get paler by the days. Raven immediately shook her even stronger.


    ¡°Molitia, open your eyes.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡±


    Did that wake her up? Her firmly closed eyelids started trembling to reveal her hazy purple eyes. He gently embraced Molitia, who seemed to be rolling her eyesnguidly while in a distrait.


    ¡°Do you have any energy? Do you feel any pain?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°No matter what I did, you weren¡¯t waking at all. It¡¯s just like¡­¡±


    <em>She was dead</em>. Raven quickly stopped himself when he was just about to utter those words. Such frightening words were neither spoken nor did he want to enounce them out loud.


    He might have been too agitated. She was just a very heavy sleeper, so he might have made too much of a fuss. He tried to calm himself despite his severe anxiety.


    ¡°You were sleeping so soundly that made me wonder if you were somehow sick.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s okay. It doesn¡¯t hurt. I must have fallen asleep deeply. I didn¡¯t even notice that you were waking me up.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    He ced his hand on her forehead with an obviously worried face that he couldn¡¯t hide.


    ¡°¡­you seem to have a slight fever.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I just woke up so my body must be quite warm.¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to call for a doctor?¡±


    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s really okay, Raven. I was just too sleepy.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Despite his persistent questions, Molitia still cracked a quiet smile.


    ¡°Of course. But I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m able to see you off¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡±


    He sighed softly before carefullyying her back on bed. When her head had been ced assuredly on the soft pillow, Raven raised himself up.


    ¡°You should take a good rest. I¡¯ll be backter.¡±


    Raven immediately told Molitia to lie down just as she was about to get up. He pulled the quilt and covered her properly until he was satisfied.


    ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    Raven gave her a smile while she could only greet him back with a peek from under her arms. It was only after Raven had nted a peck on Molitia¡¯s forehead did he leave the bedroom.


    Thud.


    Molitia mechanically waved her tired arms until the door had been closed shut and no footsteps could be heard any longer.


    Straight after the absence of his footsteps, she let her hand go. Then, she instantly ced her hand across her heart while catching her breath.


    She truly hoped that it at least went fairly well.


    She was very confident that it wasn¡¯t obvious at all.<em>Right?</em>


    Her trembling breath was simmering hot. It was due to the umtion of her fatigue by the days, which had exceeded its limit. It was never easy for her to endure this far with her physical strength that was already weak enough.


    Dizziness shot through her head all of a sudden. Shey straight on her back as she was unable to move steadily. Molitia then clenched her teeth to hold back her nausea.


    ¡°My Lady, I have already prepared the bath.¡±


    Pillen greeted her as the door was carefully opened, which made Molitia pull her nket hurriedly. She wasn¡¯t confident in her act at the moment aspared to when she was with Raven.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, can I do it a littleter? I don¡¯t really have the energy¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you alright, Madame?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Pillen. I think it¡¯d be nice if you could give me a massage after my bath, just like yesterday. Do you mind if I ask for it?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. Just ask for me anytime.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Molitia sighed softly. Thanks to the maids¡¯ much consideration, they stationed themselves at a veryfortable distance away. They would be very surprised if they were toe closer and had a look on her pale face. It was good to see that it didn¡¯t happen at all.

 Chapter 47

    ¡°I¡¯d like to have breakfast at ease, a little more in the morning. Can youe back when I call youter?¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Silence crept into her bedroom as soon as Pillen had stepped out. Molitia immediately closed her eyes tightly.


    She felt that she was engulfed in a soft, fluffy bed as she curled herself with her nket. She looked like she had already herself given up.


    ¡®Just do this, you will get better soon.¡¯


    When she had gotten sick during her time at the Count¡¯s residence, she would be fine after she left it be for a while. Therefore, she was always reprimanded for faking her illness. However, due to the fact that she had to endure it for such a long time was more than enough to make her lose herself to the ailing sensation.


    She closed her eyes like the dead, as no one had ever been worried or even cared for her.


    ¡°¡­Tia.¡±


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    The voice that was calling her name sounded sweet to her. She forced herself to open her eyes, which then revealed a very familiar face.


    ¡°Raven? What brings you¡­¡±


    His nk stare was infused with his dreadful worries over her. She was quickly made toe back to her senses.


    ¡°Oh, is it already time for dinner?¡±


    ¡°No, I just came back for a short while.¡±


    Instead of being honest, Raven gave a little white lie. Either way, he was absolutely right to visit his mansion at that moment.


    He pulled her into a hug to assist in lifting her upper body. His hands then naturally reached towards Molitia.


    ¡°¡­it looks like you still have a slight fever.¡±


    At the cool touch of his hand, Molitia was so close to tears. It was a touch that she hadn¡¯t received in such a long time.


    She knew how exhausted a gentleman could be when he had to encounter such dismay. Molitia wriggled herself while pouting yfully.


    ¡°You must have been busy with your work. It¡¯s too sweet of you to return just to have a look at your wife.¡±


    ¡°I was just worried that I might have pushed you too hardst night.¡±


    ¡°¡­why don¡¯t you do less then, if you¡¯re aware of it?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s quite a thing to consider.¡±


    His big hand gently swept through her flushed cheeks.<em>Was his hand too cold for her?</em>Her cheeks were still quite warm.


    ¡°What about food?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ I haven¡¯t eaten yet.¡±


    ¡°Then, you wouldn¡¯t have taken any medicine either.¡±


    Molitia avoided Raven¡¯s gaze as she listened to his words.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried that you might starve yourself in this manner. I will join you for a meal.¡±


    ¡°Well, wait a minute. I have yet taken a bath and my clothes¡­kyaa.¡±


    He lifted her petite body and immediately strode to the bathroom.


    ¡°Would you like me to dress you up¡ªpiece by piece, my wife?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that.¡±


    ¡°Then, you¡¯d better get dressed before my patience runs out.¡±


    He lowered his gaze to the naked body of Molitia¡¯s. As his eyes feasted upon his traces left fromst night, his body was inmed with desire.


    ¡°Or I could really dress you up myself.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be back with my appropriate clothes soon. So please, step out for a moment.¡±


    Raven set her down with a big grin on his face. The soles of her feet were suddenly assaulted by a sharp but dull pain. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t reveal it on her face.


    ¡°Pillen, Lili!¡±


    As soon as Raven had stepped out, Molitia called the two of them at once. They immediately showed up as if they were already waiting for her call.


    ¡°Could you prepare some hot water for me? I¡¯d like to wear something light as well.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Please hurry.¡±


    The bathtub was swiftly filled with hot water at Molitia¡¯s order. After checking the water with a stir of her hand, she slowly immersed herself in the bathtub.


    ¡°Haa¡­¡±


    Unlike previously, her muscles seemed to scream in pain as she soaked in the hot water. Molitia tried moving her body gradually as if she were to have a broken bone.


    Every single of her joints was numb. Following the amount of days spent in bed had appeared to be taking a toll on her entire body, which had made them stiff constantly.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to be caught¡­¡¯


    She didn¡¯t want to witness how his once affectionate look would transmute to exude a burdensome gaze. She no longer wanted to experience another warmth of one¡¯s hand leaving her side.

 Chapter 48

    ¡°Let¡¯s just keep calm for now.¡±


    Molitia rinsed her face with warm water before calling upon Pillen and Lili to dress her up.


    She was dressed in some light clothings, as per her own order. The warm steam that rose from the bath had tinged some color to her previously pallid cheeks.


    Molitia then asked the two of them to put on some heavy makeup on her. They were puzzled as it would look too excessive but still, they obeyed her readily.


    ¡°Let us hurry.¡±


    ¡°I have a promise to keep.¡±


    Holding the railings as she descended the stairs, she immediately saw Raven¡¯s figure. Molitia quickly nced upon the men who were standing beside Raven with their resolute pairs of eyes.


    ¡°Let me introduce you to them. This is Terrance while this one here is Lyndon. They are my¡ªthe Duke¡¯s knights.¡±


    ¡°I humbly greet the Duchess.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very nice to meet you. I look forward to working with you from here on out.¡±


    ¡°Did you perhaps send cookies to the Duke before?¡±


    ¡°Lyndon, show some courtesy in front of the Duchess!¡±


    Terrance, the other knight who was right next to him had rebuked him firmly. However, Lyndon was still beaming happily. Upon seeing his yful face, Molitia gave a slight smile.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. How was the taste?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t get the chance to try it. That¡¯s what the Lord¡­¡±


    ¡°Lyndon.¡±


    Raven¡¯s chilling voice had frozen the air. That was the cue that sealed Lyndon¡¯s mouth. Terrance clicked his tongue under his breath. This time, it might not be enough with just another 20 rounds.


    ¡°They don¡¯t take up much time to make. If you don¡¯t mind, would you like me to make some for you now?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°¡­Lyndon.¡±


    This time, words weren¡¯t the only ones that flew across. They were apanied with his icy-cold gaze as well, which had made Lyndon feel extremely threatened.


    ¡°But of course, only if you¡¯ll give the best ones exclusively to the Duke first.¡±


    Raven¡¯s eyes were wide-opened at Molitia¡¯s words. His icy-cold gaze melted away immediately in response to her unexpected reply.


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°Then, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯ll go and prepare the dessert.¡±


    ¡°¡­please.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sure.¡±


    Molitia shed a radiant smile that resembled the fresh spring.


    The kitchen was in a state of mor as the Duchess had made another appearance.


    The chef then bravely stepped out, which left his attendants in amaze. Molitia gently told him that she wanted to bake the particr dessert once more thus, making the chef to quickly prepare for it.


    Once again, the chef appeared so proud inpleting the meringue.


    Just as if it was his ultimate aim, he did them in a very swift manner in order to let Molitia use her dainty wrists as little as possible.


    Molitia straight away headed to the dining hall after she was handed the tray of dessert. Unlike Raven who was sittingfortably, his two knights were standing in front of their seats. They seemed to be waiting for her arrival.


    ¡°Have you been waiting long?¡±


    ¡°No, Madame. I was talking about work to the Lord, so time went by fairly quick.¡±


    Once Molitia took her seat, only then the both of them sat down simultaneously. Nevertheless, it didn¡¯t seem to be their first time here.


    ¡°Do you often eat here?¡±


    ¡°The Lord used to bring the knights who had missed their meals over here. We were also given the chance to receive his grace several times.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve also been blessed to eat delicious food over here several times already!¡±


    Molitia chuckled at the individual disy of their personalities.


    ¡°So have I. He is such a sweet person.¡±


    <em>A sweet person?</em>


    At that precise moment, a question mark can be seen to be appearing right above both of their heads. He is sweet.<em>Who is?</em>


    They knew that he would absolutely treat her genuinely. Nevertheless, as more people got close to him, the more ruthless he could seem to be. Even the knights on the training ground had nicknamed him, ¡®The Incarnation of Devil¡¯.


    Both of their gazes fell right on the Duke. The Duke, however, was calmly sipping his pre-dinner wine while ignoring their peering eyes.


    ¡®Your wife must bepletely misguided.¡¯


    A look of anxiety that was tinged with pity had touched them deeply. The Lady whom they were to serve was full of na?vet¨¦. This had made them concerned whether or not she would be able to curb the Lord who was in fact, acrimonious and harsh.

 Chapter 49

    ¡°Terrance, you are the Duke¡¯s assistant.¡±


    Her voice that called out his name brought Terrance to his senses.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I may have not been adequate, yet I try my best to aid the Duke in every manner possible.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an incredibly important position.¡±


    ¡°I am always grateful to the Lord who entrusted me with this prominent position.¡±


    ¡°But why didn¡¯t you attend our wedding?¡±


    A momentary sense of surprise had stunned Terrance speechless.


    ¡°It might have just been my misunderstanding, but I didn¡¯t see Terrance at all. I wish I had, though. Were you busy, then?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°I told him not toe.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Molitia¡¯s mouth gaped in silence. As she directed her gaze towards Raven, Terrance bit his lips tightly in response.


    ¡®That¡¯s too brief, My Lord!¡¯


    He did not want to cause a rift in his master¡¯s rtionship. Therefore, Terrance quickly opened his mouth and spoke as loud as he could.


    ¡°Indeed, we did not receive the honor of attending My Lady¡¯s one and only wedding from the Duke.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°¡­because we aremoners. Even though we are now his knights, the fact that we aremoners remains unchanged.¡±


    Terrance replied with a grim look on his face. He felt guilty towards the new Duchess who seemed to be in distress.


    As a matter of fact, it was already a special honor for him to directly sit face to face like the present moment. With his Lord¡¯s special consideration, he was able to stand alongside nobility. It was definitely something that no ordinary aristocrats would ever permit.


    Terrance then immediately prepared himself to pull his chair back in order for him to stand easily. If the Duchess, who was a natural-born aristocrat, were to show any signs of difort, he would straight away leave his seat.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter at all. I do hope you will participate in the next big event of the Duke¡¯s.¡±


    Startled by Molitia¡¯s surprising words, Terrance lifted his head. It was the same for Lyndon, who had been calmly observing the situation from the sideline.


    ¡°But, Madame!¡±


    ¡°Terrance and Lyndon, you are our precious knights. Wouldn¡¯t your oath to the Duke fade away the moment it was divided into statuses?¡±


    Molitia gave a little smile. It was easily noticeable that their bond was far more than just a superficial rtionship between a lord and his knights, when they were together with Raven.


    The knights were the Duke¡¯s another force to be reckoned with. That was why Molitia wouldn¡¯t want the power to crumble down just because of her.


    ¡°I do hope that you don¡¯t feel too pressured in visiting again. And of course, you don¡¯t have to push yourself too hard.¡±


    ¡°¡­thank you very much for your heartfelt consideration.¡±


    A slight quiver could be heard in Terrance¡¯s response. It was actually a rare sight for him as he had always maintained his rational attitude in order to not be a nuisance to his Lord.


    ¡°I am also now a member of the Duke of Linerio. Please, continue your hard work, if not, harder in order to serve the Duke.¡±


    Terrance immediately rectified his assessment of the Lady in his head. That was absolutely fine with him. In fact, he believed that he could survive his entric and horrifying master.


    Raven kept his stare towards her. He was slightly surprised by this newly found aspect of Molitia. He didn¡¯t have them apany him with this in mind nevertheless, it was a great opportunity for him to know his wife better.


    He had only thought of her as a person who was constantly blushing. A stealthily smile could be found at the corner of Raven¡¯s lips.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want My Lady to be too considerate of us. Please let me know if there¡¯s anything ufortable for you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will.¡±


    The dining hall¡¯s door opened just after Molitia had ended her words. The array of food on the tray was more than enough to attract everyone¡¯s attention in an instant.


    The number of food was more than the number of people that were present. However, the amount of food on the tes had quickly disappeared.


    Raven was a glutton as expected, but his two aides were formidable as well. Raven was eating in a polite manner nheless, both of his hands and mouth were working without rest.


    As the dishes were emptied in an instant, the servants got busy rather quickly. Even though some of the neers were puzzled by it, the experienced veterans filled in the gap easily.


    They ced another tter on the recently tidied table. Sweet and sour juice, apanied by the meringue cookies, which she baked earlier.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡­.¡±

 Chapter 50

    Unlike before, grounded dried sweet pumpkin was used for color. Thanks to this, the meringue cookies this time were much more simr to flowers. The pretty shapes and attractive colors had caught everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°What¡¯s the name of this cookie?¡±


    ¡°They are called meringue cookies.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you could make such a wonderful dessert by yourself. I will never forget this honour.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too much. It¡¯s just a simple snack that was whipped from sugar and eggs.¡±


    Molitia then lifted a separate te and ced it right in front of Raven. The small cookies, which had been arranged on that precise te sparkled exceptionally.


    ¡°These belong to the Duke, especially the prettiest ones.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll eat them well.¡±


    Gazing upon her bashful appearance, he tried to conceal his apparent feelings. If it wasn¡¯t for those two knights, he might have swept her up and straight away carried her to the bedroom.


    Molitia¡¯s lovely smile lingered endlessly in his head. When he thought of how his two knights had seen the exact same smile, his lips straightened to a vertical line. Even though he had a smile around his mouth during lunch, he thought that it was much more pleasant then, rather than now.


    ¡®I want to monopolize this taste all by myself.¡¯


    He popped some of the cookies into his mouth while thinking of the dirty thoughts that he could only perform in his mind. The sweetness had melted in his mouth, which soothed him slightly.


    ¡°This is great. The sweet taste meltspletely in my mouth.¡±


    ¡°Delicious!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you like them.¡±


    It was at that precise moment, when Molitia had shed her bright smile towards the two. Raven immediately stood from his seat after tossing thest piece of cookie into his mouth.


    ¡°Raven?¡±


    For a moment, Molitia had forgotten that the knights were still watching them as her eyes went wide-opened.


    ¡°If you¡¯re finished, why don¡¯t you just leave?¡±


    ¡°What? But, My Lord.¡±


    ¡°Time to get off work.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been working since the morning. So, by now, it should be the right time to get off work.¡±


    ¡°But, the meeting¡­¡±


    ¡°Is there any agenda that can¡¯t wait until tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°No, sir.¡±


    Terrance tilted his head slightly. He couldn¡¯t discern the problem, but it seemed like his Lord was in a foul mood. At times like this, it was better to actualize each and every one of his Lord¡¯smands.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you guys alone, then.¡±


    ¡°Raven? Wait¡­¡±


    When he carefully hugged her, Molitia¡¯s face flushed in an instant. It was right in front of other people, not just in the presence of those two knights. Shame had engulfed herpletely.


    ¡°Other people are watching¡­!¡±


    ¡° ¡®Other people¡¯. They are the members of the Duchy whom my wife had acknowledged.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you learn that it¡¯s good for the household when their couple is doing very well?¡±


    <em>Is that really it?</em>He kissed Molitia¡¯s mumbling cheek in a very smooth manner as he quickly left the dining hall with Molitia still in his grasp.


    Lyndon and Terrance were the ones left behind for a long time¡ªshocked by the events that had transpired in the dining hall.


    The sudden appearance of the couple had startled Pillen and Lili, who were still organizing the bedroom in ce. Without further ado, they avoided them by hurriedly ran out of the bedroom.


    How long has it just been? The Duchess¡¯s face waspletely red. Pillen trembled at the sight of the firmly closed bedroom door as she peered with her anxious eyes.


    It was great for them to have a healthy rtionship. The distant rtionship between a married couple could easily create a strain for their servants. All things considered, this was definitely not a bad situation.


    Well, that is obvious¡­


    ¡°Whoo.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Feeling curious, Lili took a peek at Pillen.


    ¡°No, nothing.¡±


    ¡°Oh, we just cleaned it up and the two of them went in together, right? If they went in with each other, I¡¯m pretty sure that they won¡¯te out until the sun is up again.¡±


    Lili flushed slightly while speaking as she seemed to be quite envious of their rtionship. Pillen then gave her a feeble smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that the two of them are getting along well.¡±


    She knew that but still, Pillen¡¯s gaze had barely left the bedroom.

 Chapter 51 full

    Raven carefullyid Molitia down on the bed. Nevertheless, her small mouth was still in his captive, gulping her down until he finally let her go.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to make you that nervous.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I usually bring the knights inside, so I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d mind them so much.¡±


    It was done at a purely subconscious level. He didn¡¯t think she would care as he just thought that he was missing her deeply. Plus, he was being blunt because he hadn¡¯t thought much about others¡¯ sensitivity in the first ce.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I didn¡¯t mind at all.¡±


    ¡°Still, I don¡¯t want you to push yourself too hard.¡±


    He caressed her cheek gently.


    ¡°The fever had almost subsided.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because it has been a long time since I woke up.¡±


    ¡°Do you really not need a doctor?¡±


    ¡°Really, I don¡¯t.¡±


    Molitia firmly emphasized the fact.


    ¡°And also, I don¡¯t mind at all. It was just a natural deed as the Duchess.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that, either.¡±


    Molitia gave a slight frown to Raven¡¯s words. Yet again. It seemed that he was subtly driving Molitia away from being involved with the concerns of the Duchy.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want me to?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that.¡±


    He responded with a deep sigh. He was never used to pleasing people around him. It was actually quite amon trend to conceal sarcasm or even one¡¯s inner thoughts when speaking.


    However, he was surrounded only by servants and knights, whom he had been together since his childhood days. He was morefortable in giving out orders rather than engaging in a typical conversation. For him, who had never tried to win over a woman, often found his conversations with Molitia to be even more difficult than the case of politics.


    ¡°¡­what I meant is that you don¡¯t have to push yourself too far.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not too much, really¡­ You are just being too overprotective.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    That¡¯s because he couldn¡¯t hold onto her all night. Raven swallowed his words that were running up his throat. He had embraced her every night, yet that was never enough.


    Actually, just after he had thrusted her insides as her waist shuddered uncontrobly, he would start to get hungry yet again. She couldn¡¯t have known how much he had to endure every time his desires had propelled him to envelop her slender body before embracing her until Molitia¡¯s face had turned into a hot mess.


    As he was unable to tell her this whole truth, Raven grumbled for no particr reason.


    ¡°I saw that you didn¡¯t eat properly before. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t help but worry.¡±


    ¡°What? I ate enough though.¡±


    ¡°That was never enough.¡±


    He was being very adamant. Inparison to the amount of food Raven ate, she had eaten far less.


    Perhaps her sheerck of physical strength stemmed out from that very small amount of food that she consumed. The deeper his line of thought pervaded, the more Raven had eagerly expressed.


    ¡°What¡¯s your favourite food? I¡¯ll ask the chef to cook for you.¡±


    ¡°Duke, I really am fine¡­¡±


    ¡°By the way, a man of the duchy will being tomorrow. If you have any interest in foreign cuisine, ask him for some spices or ingredients¡­¡±


    ¡°Raven!¡±


    Raven had to reined in his thoughts and words that were running free like a horse.


    ¡°I¡¯m really fine. I enjoy it here.¡±


    Molitia had no such desire to increase the workload of those in the kitchen any more. Still, watching him enjoying his meal with the knights made her seriously wonder if he should increase the number of people in the kitchen.


    ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you eat more?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because I don¡¯t eat much. That¡¯s just how I usually ate back at the Count¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Count Clemence¡­¡­..¡±


    Unaware that Raven¡¯s voice was getting an octave lower, Molitia tried really hard to exin her situation.


    ¡°The food here is so delicious that I tend to overeat them unintentionally. So please, don¡¯t worry too much. It¡¯s more than enough for me to watch how much the Duke enjoys his meal. Just like with the cookies I had baked.¡±


    ¡°So, how exactly did you make those cookies?¡±


    Molitia fumbled into her memory before she started exining. Raven held his gaze upon her behavior when she kept on folding her fingers one by one as she talked.


    Raven only responded when she was finished talking.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have the cook make it for you whenever you take the medicine.¡±


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 Chapter 52

    It was a quite simple cookie, despite needing a rtively long time to prepare. And then, he sneaked a very tiny hint of his dark, inner self in his next sentence.


    ¡°I want you to give me everything that you¡¯ve made yourself.¡±


    ¡°Oh, did you like those cookies?¡±


    Raven had aplicated look on his face as heid his eyes upon her innocent smile. Seeing that pure expression of hers, he couldn¡¯t convey his real intentions.


    She would definitely be disappointed if she knew the truth.


    ¡°¡­yes, I did.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Raven hung his head at her beaming face. As she was seated on the bed, her petite figure was further enhanced, making him lower his head quite a lot.


    Then, he swept her lips passionately as the kiss was gradually getting deepened. Molitia immediately clutched onto his sleeves as his tongue teased her through the soft flesh.


    ¡°Ah, Raven¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it difficult?¡±


    After a slight moment of hesitation, she shook her head lightly.


    ¡°¡­uh yeah, no.¡±


    She didn¡¯t want to worry him. So, she straight away told a little lie to him, who had already put his trust on her. She tried to conquer her physical condition by passing it to the back of her mind.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±


    He quickly took off his jacket at Molitia¡¯s words. At the same time, he forcefully unbuttoned his shirt beforeying her on the bed.


    It was so cute to see how her small tongue responded awkwardly after intermingling them for a few times.


    He wanted all of her everything to belong solely to him. Even if it was her smile to the others that wasplemented by the red blush that had tinted her cheeks.


    Her clothes slipped off easily as he lowered the sleeves on Molitia¡¯s bare shoulders. When her delicate clothes flowed down in this manner, a shameful moan had escaped her small mouth.


    Despite the sun still being up in the sky, the rising lust was permeating in full measure. Even though he could normally restrain himself, he would often lose his control in front of her.


    His hands slid down over her smooth body. Her soft breasts perked up as if they were waiting for his touch.


    Molitia¡¯s face was dyed with excitement as soon as his hands had grasped her chest. The only face that was registered in his mind was her face that looked like it had been enveloped with such delicacy.


    ¡°The sun is still too bright¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just once or twice all of a sudden, though.¡±


    Raven¡¯s words had made her face aglow. Their previously forgotten love affair seemed to invade her mind at once.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°You seem more excited than usual when we¡¯re talking about that.¡±


    A sharp ting filled the air as he rubbed against her centre. Her hand clutched even stronger at the hem of his clothes.


    ¡°Did you just imagine doing it with me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­¡­..¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    A faint chuckle swept over her whole body. With Raven¡¯s swift hand movements, there was no longer any single thread left upon Molitia¡¯s body.


    His hands rested upon her thighs. Nevertheless, his gestures had easily revealed the flush on her flesh.


    ¡°Your opening is already drenched.¡±


    ¡°Ra, Raven! Really!¡±


    ¡°Said my wife, because she¡¯s too cute.¡±


    His lips eventually touched her thighs. Molitia¡¯s legs quickly flinched with tension. Henguidly moved his lips as they slowly crawled inwards.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    The moment his lips had caressed the plump flesh, her body trembled in surprise. He sucked her flesh with his wet lips even before she could realize that he had already touched an unexpected part of hers.


    ¡°Haah¡­¡±


    The tingle of being slurped by a damp, hot breath had knocked Molitia senseless. She had never heard or even thought of sex in this manner.


    Tears were formed in her big eyes as she gently clenched her teeth. She then felt a sudden thrill which had shed inside of her head.


    ¡°Oh, Raven!¡±


    Her hands fluttered in the air with a shrill. The tip of her foot which floated in the air was stretched stiffly. His tongue scraped against her core as he opened his mouth which caused Molitia to shut her eyes tightly.


    Molitia was smeared with shame and pleasure as she exhaled vividly.


    The excitement that was ringing intensely in her head had kept her puzzled. She still couldn¡¯t believe that Raven¡¯s head was buried between her own knees.


    ¡®His mouth and tongue¡­.¡¯

 Chapter 53

    The image of Raven burrowing his face in between her thighs was burned in her mind. Her belly chimed excessively when she recalled the touch of his tongue that kept licking her overflowing juices.


    ¡°Molitia, you¡¯re clenching your hole.¡±


    ¡°Ah, ha¡­¡±


    His fingers were caressing the area around her slit slowly. Whenever his smooth fingers had brushed against her, she would flutter her waist sensitively.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not forget that I prefer my tongue over my fingers.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡­.¡±


    She almost bit her tongue all of a sudden as he extended his fingers, reaching into her dripping fluid. Her inner walls clenched themselves around his fingers as she had just reached her peak.


    ¡°What should I do with you, who are both loose yet narrow?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s still not letting me go at all.¡±


    His fingers weren¡¯t that deep inside, but they were mped hard as if to stimte her entrance even further. Molitia¡¯s legs were asionally lifted in the air as though she was responding to his fingers.


    He invaded her for a few times before pulling them out instantly. His fingers were downright soaked with those little movements.


    Hisher area was stiff and it was now sorely erged. He quickly undid his buckles and straight away touched her entrance.


    That petite body trembled as something that was even hotter than a tongue had touched its entrance. Raven swiftly raised his head and nted a kiss on her lips. His adept tongue had burrowed itself as he took a deep breath before continuing to scan even towards the root of her tongue.


    ¡°Haa ha¡­¡±


    As soon as he had bitten Molitia¡¯s lips, his shaft was shoved in as well. Molitia was still shaking intermittently when she felt overwhelmed by the pleasure and immediately closed her eyes tight. The feeling of being pierced into had definitely hurt, but a greater pleasure was flowing through her whole body.


    ¡°Huu¡­ Molitia.¡±


    Raven was perusing her when he slowly moved his waist. As his waist was in full motion, an aching sound had escaped from Molitia¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Look at me.¡±


    His habit of removing his penis before vigorously thrusting it back in had numbed Molitia¡¯s mind. On top of that wide bed, those two people were the only ones that could be heard.


    He lifted Molitia¡¯s leg over his shoulder. Then, he raised her hips before cing her on hisp as her other leg was held down to make her thighs stay open.


    ¡°Look how hard you¡¯re biting me right now.¡±


    Raven announced as he swayed his waist yet again. His penis which was drenched in her love juices was sliding easily inside of her.


    Everything was very visible to Molitia, who was beingid bare on the bed. She shook her head with a shameful voice as his bulging penis was slowly gliding from her insides.


    ¡®It¡¯s too erotic.¡¯


    The sight of him thrusting in and out of her was too provocative for her, who was ignorant of this act called sexual intercourse. The warm fluid of love squelched at every moment they united with each other. When he plunged in his bulging penis, all wasid bare in front of her eyes.


    Raven gradually lifted her head. As he lowered his upper body onto hers, her legs were immediately spread across his shoulders.


    ¡°What do you think? Isn¡¯t it very sexy when you see it for yourself?¡±


    He shoved in further as the gap opened a little wider. He then swallowed her breathless lips whole. Pressing down his ripped torso once more, he began moving his waist intently.


    Molitia¡¯s waist squirmed in response as he pounded through the creases of her insides. When he twisted his body as if he was pulling out, his hand quickly grabbed onto her waist yet again before shoving himself right back in.


    ¡°Oh, oh, ah, ah¡­!¡±


    Her arms iled around before wrapping them around his neck as her insides were wriggling and squeezing him tightly on all sides. He had also shook his waist several times while grinding against her very core, which hadn¡¯t let go of his flesh at all.


    A groan escaped from her mouth as the fluids filled her up like it was soothing her tingling insides. Raven nted a kiss on her cheek along with a very tight hug.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    Her head swayed helplessly at his words. Tears were trailing around the corner of her eyes that revealed their recent act of intimacy together.


    ¡°Shall we do it once more?¡±

 Chapter 54

    Her purple eyes glinted at his unswervingment. She was baffled as her eyes wandered around while he burst intoughter.


    ¡°I won¡¯t do it. So, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°¡­really?¡±


    Molitia¡¯s innocent query had rendered Raven speechless for a moment. It was due to her soft voice that hisher region was about to regain its strength once again. Nevertheless, as soon as he saw her eyes were trembling uneasily, Raven gave a faint sigh.


    ¡°Really.¡±


    Would he ever be able to covet his own personal greed? After caressing her bare flesh, he slid his hand across her and stopped suddenly.


    ¡°Molitia, you¡¯re a little hot.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­?¡±


    She reacted rather slowly to his prompt words. Come to think of it, she was actually feeling a little hot.


    ¡°Maybe the excitement hasn¡¯t gone away yet¡­¡±


    In consideration to the unusually hot situation at hand, it might have been the case. Raven suddenly reached out to her as she was still unaware of her own suggestive words.


    ¡°Is that what you¡¯re supposed to say in front of someone who¡¯s barely holding it in?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not actually begging you to do it, though.¡±


    His hands grabbed hold of her hips. Then, his eyes were suddenly narrowed to a racy cry that had escaped from her startled lips.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    Molitia quivered at the gentle ring of his voice. He proceeded to invade the walls between her thighs with his fingers. As his lean fingers squeezed her insides, her love juices quickly trickled down to her bottom.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡±


    Her legs were trying to close themselves in reflex but it was just a meagre defense in blocking his advances. His fingers prodded through her soft flesh under the overflowing semen.


    ¡°Haa! Ra.. ven¡­¡­.¡±


    He casually scraped her inner walls. Whenever his fingers budged, the mixture of his semen and her fluids instantly oozed down to the sheets.


    Excitement was engulfing her whole body in no time. Gradually, her hot body started moving its waist so naturally in order to fit his fingers even without her own intention of doing so. Her thighs would then open slightly to the squelching sound that could be heard without any exception.


    Just when she was moving a little bit more, he slid out his fingers that were filling up her insides.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can stand it any longer.¡±


    A heavy whisper had pierced her ears. Her face immediately flushed at his words. Only then did she realize that she had been unconsciously opening her legs despite herself saying no.


    Her hot yet fumbling body was demanding for more stimtion. She felt that her back was in a little unseemly situation yet, she had already been impelled by the heat that was within her very core.


    ¡°¡­do it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°One more time. Just once.¡±


    Molitia could say nothing further when her lips werepletely blocked by Raven¡¯s. Then, he simply thrusted her insides yet again. Regardless of the one who came first, her hot breath was continuously heaving in delight.


    Their second round proceeded in a sh. He plunged his shaft into her insides straight away as she needed no further lubrication. This made Molitia embrace Raven tightly as she cried.


    Both of them were in a state where they couldn¡¯t distinguish if it was semen or her love juices which were seeping on the bed. There was only their burning passion that had collided and intertwined with one another.


    Her insides hadpletely melted into a puddle of mush. Raven had been releasing his boundless lust inside of her after all and still, he wasn¡¯t letting her go just yet.


    ¡°Haa!¡±


    With an immense amount of resilience, Molitia had faced the unknown numerous times. Her eyes were tightly closed as the warm, white fluid trickled down her frail legs.


    She could no longer lift her arms, legs or even anything else. Heck, she could barely even breathe. There was no space between them at all, which made Raven lean aside to ensure that she wouldn¡¯t get ttened.


    ¡°Are you having a hard time?¡±


    She slowly opened her eyes at his words. He gave a small smile to the bitterness that clung in her eyes but he didn¡¯t speak any of it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that your husband is such a beast.¡±


    Molitia didn¡¯t respond as she had already known that trait of his.


    A sigh was emitted through the stifling and breathless air. Still, her hot body hadn¡¯t cooled off yet. She immediately started whining as he covered her with the nket.

 Chapter 55

    ¡°You¡¯ll catch a cold when your body cools downter.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s still too hot now.¡±


    Raven nced down to her after hearing her words. Just like she said, her still reddish cheeks didn¡¯t seem to be cooling off any time soon.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll cover you with a nket in just a bit.¡±


    She gave a nod at his words.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking a break. So, I¡¯ll be in the study for a while.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    It seemed to be quite difficult for her to raise her hand even if it was just to quickly see him off.


    Raven gently kissed her forehead before putting on his robe. He tied it down a little loosely and gradually left the room, which allowed her to sleepfortably.


    Raven lifted the document that had already been ced on the desk that was in the study.


    This was his other reason for returning to the duchy. Towards the end of the document was abel that had been stamped as ¡®Count Clemence¡¯.


    The Duke pressed down his temples as he was evaluating. It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t discern the Count¡¯s ambition. Rather, it was profitable for him to gain such people that would rtively scream while rolling around in the palm of his hand.


    Those who were busy stuffing their bellies would be too upied with their desires that came tumbling into their hands unless there was a somewhat grave excuse that could be used.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡­.¡±


    Count Clemence was actually quite good at it. He might be someone who was too concerned with others¡¯ eyes on him, but still, he at least had a basic business mind on top of his head.


    Plus, Count Clemence was the one who didn¡¯t miss to grab the chance that hade upon himself. The Count was overly stressing on his newly acquired status of ¡®inw¡¯ to the Duke even after the wedding.


    Raven studied through the papers yet again. The documents were written in all kinds of rhetoric, which ultimately led to a brief text, right at the end.


    It was never hard to think back on the amount of wealth that had been procured by the Duke. Therefore, it was expected that he would express his approval despite the rumors that were still going around.


    ¡°Butler.¡±


    Gilbert was already waiting outside for Raven before he entered the study.


    ¡°When did this document arrive?¡±


    ¡°It had arrived just this morning.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure that it was addressed here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    Raven¡¯s expression turned stiff. It was not long ago that he had taken the Count of Clemence out of Molitia¡¯s sight right after that one morning.


    He was not that tactless of a man. Nevertheless, it seemed that the only purpose of this was to send the documents over to the Duke of Linerio.


    Raven fiddled the tip of the paper in his hand. Usually, he would make the people who had offended him to pay the price immensely.


    However, he couldn¡¯t have done that when he thought of Molitia. It was still her family. That fact was the only reason why the Count could act rashly.


    ¡°Find out what you can about Count Clemence. You don¡¯t have to go too deep but make sure to get a hold of the rumours that were going around on the streets.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    As soon as Gilbert had closed the door, Raven¡¯s eyes quickly fell towards the paper. There was no harm in preparing under usible circumstances.


    In addition, if one were to take a look at Molitia¡¯s prior behaviors, it¡¯d be true to say that many questions would definitely be raised.


    ¡®Oh, no.¡¯


    Raven had only realized then, that he was spending too much time in his study. He hurriedly kept the papers in the drawer before leaving the study.


    The bedroom was just the same as he had left. He could see that Molitia was still sleeping and not even a blink was made to the door that had creaked opened.


    Raven quietly sat on the bed. Perhaps it was due to him being unable to hold back that he had hugged her with all his heart. Then, his hands carefully pulled the quilt up.


    It was not until he had her covered up to the neck when a ring gasp suddenly pierced his ears. She had already said that the heat would never go easily and yet her cheeks were still unexpectedly red, which dyed her pallidplexion.


    It might also be due to her look that was always too pale inparison. Raven unwittingly brushed his hand against her cheek.


    ¡°Molitia¡­?¡±

 Chapter 56

    Her cheek was too warm. He immediately touched his hand that was unintentionally removed from her cheek and wondered if his hand was the one that had been too cold.


    An unusual heat warmed up his palm to a different extent than before. Realizing that he was just fine, Raven hurriedly ced his hand on top of her forehead.


    ¡°Molitia, wake up.¡±


    Her slender shoulders shook slightly but Molitia was showing no signs of waking up at all. Her hot breath was short as it lingered in the air before it quickly disappeared.


    ¡°Molitia, Molitia.¡±


    Her whole body seemed to be caught in fire when he had embraced her torso. Raven instantly eximed at the heat that was evident through her thin and soft gown.


    ¡°Someone out there!¡±


    ¡°What can I do for you, sir?¡±


    ¡°Call for the doctor. Now!¡±


    The maid was startled as she saw the sight of her Madame in the arms of Raven and immediately ran out in a sh. Listening to the urgent footsteps, Raven enveloped her even tighter in his embrace.


    At that moment, Raven could notprehend the changes that were altering her body rapidly. She had just been in a casual conversation with him beforehand.


    It was only a few hours ago that her big, round eyes were full of him. Raven pulled down the quilt that was covering her. It was drenched in heat but her body on the other hand, was as light as a feather.


    He was holding her firmly yet she didn¡¯t even seem to have a grip on him. If it wasn¡¯t for her blistering warmth, it would have felt like she was never in his arms at all.


    Was she always this small?


    Raven stroked Molitia¡¯s cheeks gently. Before he knew it, the beading sweat on her forehead had soaked her hair making her look quite miserable.


    A minute or even, one second was passing rather slowly. Her small lips twitched whenever she breathed out. It was about time for them to rush back with the doctor who had been called earlier.


    The doctor who was apanied by the maid rushed into the bedroom without any courtesy of knocking on the door. As soon as the hasty doctor had met Raven¡¯s eyes, he bowed straight away.


    ¡°Well, sir, you were looking¡­¡±


    ¡°Why are you sote?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I apologize.¡±


    It was actually quite unjust to say that towards the doctor who had done his best to sprint straight over. However, he could only lower his head due to the fierce gaze of the Duke that he couldn¡¯t handle at all.


    ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you if you¡¯rete next time. You should be on standby at all times.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your kindness.¡±


    ¡°The Duchess is having a fever out of nowhere. Hurry and examine her.¡±


    At Raven¡¯s stern words, the doctor then carefully approached her. As soon as he touched Molitia¡¯s arm, he could feel as if he was pulling food out from the ws of a beast.


    The doctor bowed down while trying to hide his trembling hands as he did some basic check up.


    ¡°I believe that the Duchess is down with a bad cold.¡±


    ¡°Cold? The person whom I was just talking to a little while ago was suddenly hit by a fever and you dare say it¡¯s only a cold?¡±


    The doctor¡¯s shoulders trembled at Raven¡¯s persistent questions.


    ¡°But the symptoms¡­¡±


    ¡°How can that be?¡±


    ¡°Has the Duchess been doing something strenuous recently?¡±


    Raven paused at the doctor¡¯s words while recalling the past without even lifting a single eyebrow. They had lunch together before she spent a passionate time with him during the broad daylight. The maid who was listening to the doctor had turned red from embarrassment.


    ¡°¡­maybe she had caught this cold because she couldn¡¯t really ovee the sudden changes that had happened within her body. She seemed to have a weak constitution on top of having sweated a lot.¡±


    ¡°But it was only for a while.¡±


    ¡°Usually, people will have changes in their bodies during those moments.¡±


    Raven immediately frowned. With his overly healthy standards, he was the only one who couldn¡¯t really apprehend the doctor¡¯s exnation.


    ¡°Is it really just a cold? Or are you lying through your teeth because you can¡¯t honestly find something else that is harming her right now?¡±


    ¡°No way! I assure you, I won¡¯t ever lie to you especially when ites to examining. Please believe in me.¡±

 Chapter 57

    It was actually quite difficult for the doctor as well. Her symptoms were really that of a cold. Nevertheless, her temperature was too high for a cold yet that might just be possible if he recalled her frail physical condition from what he had seen in her past medical treatments before.


    But Raven still hadn¡¯t erased his suspicions towards him, which made him suffer quite a bit in resentment.


    ¡°I¡¯ll provide a quick prescription for the Madame. I¡¯ll definitely inform you when there¡¯s any improvements.¡±


    The doctor rushed as quickly as he could before disappearing away. At the same time, the maids hurriedly entered straight into the bedroom.


    The thick nkets which were out of season were still ced on top of her bed. The windows were shut tightly and thick curtains were draped enough to block the sunlight from outside.


    The whole floor was carpeted with fur. Molitia, who was breathing rather shallow, was covered withyers of nkets that were both light yet still extremely warm.


    The bedroom was then retained at the right temperature as it was filled with heat at once. Molitia¡¯s breath herself had also added a little bit to the permeating heat.


    Despite all of these, she still didn¡¯t open her eyes. Raven couldn¡¯t bear to leave her side. Just after he had hugged her petite body, he was engulfed by the feeling that she might have flown away if he were to take his eyes off her even just for a moment.


    The maid then slowly entered the bedroom while holding the required medicine. Nevertheless, there was a grave problem. Molitia had to wake up in order to take the medicine but she still hadn¡¯t regained her consciousness yet.


    The maid was moving her hands around awkwardly when Raven took the cup of medicine into his hand. He then put the bitter medicine into his mouth before kissing her soft lips.


    He opened his mouth slightly to let the medicine run down her throat. After confirming that she had swallowed down to thest sip, only then he removed his lips.


    He did not only wait for her eyes to open but also to hear of herints on the medicine that never tasted good. He looked forward to going to the kitchen in order to request some sweets that would make soft wrinkles form under her beautiful eyes.


    Nevertheless, Molitia¡¯s eyes were still tightly closed. Unconscious of Raven¡¯s sense of urgency to gaze upon her eyes, she was only breathing softly while being next to him for the night.


    Contrary to the case of amon ¡®cold¡¯, Molitia¡¯s condition persisted longer than expected.


    Raven wasn¡¯t the only one who got anxious at her prolonged period of ailment. Even the entire Duchy had felt the pang of the chilling atmosphere.


    It had been a while since they could feel any warmth and the servants were now feeling the awkwardness surrounding the Duke who wouldn¡¯t even hear a single word at all.


    Madame was someone who didn¡¯t utter much but she was full of tolerance. It was always quiet yet it was filled with so much warmth as she would view people without any sorts of prejudices at all.


    There was another person who was still trembling on the edge of the thin ice. It was the doctor who was made responsible in regards to the Madame¡¯s illness as well as making her required medicine. It was actually quite difficult for him to procure the medicinal herbs quickly as he had been lounging about¡ªying around and stuffing himself¡ªuntil recently.


    He had scoured many books in his study but as a person who was never really enthusiastic in his education, he could never find what he needed the most right away.


    ¡°The fever hasn¡¯t gone down yet.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s¡­ Her Grace is quite delicate¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I thought you said that she¡¯d get better once she took the medicine. Wasn¡¯t that so?¡±


    ¡°Only the best and the finest ingredients have been carefully selected and used.¡±


    That was only natural. The duchy was full with the only carefully selected medicinal herbs. Raven¡¯s eyes shot fiercely. He had never even nced a single look away from Molitia ever since she got sick.


    ¡°If Madame were to take in a little bit more of the medicine¡­¡±


    Bang!


    The doctor was startled when Raven had hit the table with his fuming anger.


    ¡°It has already been three days since she was unconscious. Do you think that¡¯s normal?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my apologies, Duke. I¡¯ll quickly find a way¡­¡±

 Chapter 58

    Raven gnawed his teeth at those repeated words of his. He thought of cutting that neck off at an instant. There was even a time when he wanted to actualize that thought. However, he had no choice but to only endure it as his butler had stopped him in earnest, saying that they could not arrange for another doctor right away.


    ¡°If she still doesn¡¯t wake up tomorrow, don¡¯t even think that you can live any second longer.¡±


    The doctor¡¯s body quickly stiffened. As he realized that his lifeline had be shorter, huge beads of cold sweat trickled down his back.


    ¡°Just a day is too soon. We¡¯ll need at least a few more days to observe the improvement¡­¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re asking me to thrash your neck right now, I can do so.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, I see! I¡¯ll definitely concoct the medicine and observe the progress tomorrow.¡±


    He gave a faint sigh as the doctor rushed out with his bag. Everyone who was in the room had been sweating for a while as the room was heated up in order to let Molitia stay warm.


    Raven gazed upon Molitia for some time. He had always thought that Molitia spent a lot of time sleeping since the first moment he had met her. It wasn¡¯t his taste to watch her closed eyes. Nevertheless, that was also the reason which made him suspend all work, just to stand right by her side.


    ¡°¡­uh.¡±


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    ¡°¡­no, uh.¡±


    Still unconscious, her rasping voice lingered in the air as he held her hand.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be alone¡­ no.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not alone.¡±


    Drops of little tears could be seen forming over her reddish face. As tears clung to her tightly shut eyes, he soon went mad as he felt frustrated.


    ¡°What should I do, Molitia?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be alone¡­¡±


    Just like in the midst of purgatory, she uttered words that were incredibly unknown. At first, it seemed as though she was searching for her family. However, her mind was spitting out fragmented words that differed entirely from reality.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to be alone.¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t leave me alone.¡¯


    ¡®Stay with me. I don¡¯t want to die.¡¯


    Those words should never be uttered by a Count¡¯s daughter who had grown up without any sorts of shortages. As much as the emptiness within her state of oblivion could not be soothed no matter how calming he tried to be, she still burst into tears in a flurry of rambling about.


    Molitia often spoke as if she had forgotten the fact that she was already married. When she grumbled about the cold room, Raven then kept the temperature of the bedroom to be as warm as possible.


    But her words weren¡¯t stopping at all. Even though she was sweating profusely, sheined about how the room was still cold.


    ¡®How the hell did you live back at the Count¡¯s?¡¯


    Raven pulled a distorted look. He had already known that Count Clemence was operating on the basis of profit and loss. But it was never disclosed that his calctions were also directed towards his own flesh and blood.


    Raven was notpletely unaware in regards to Molitia¡¯s fragile body. Count Clemence had often used this as an advantage in appealing to the others, so Raven couldn¡¯t help but to take note of this fact.


    When Count Clemence had quietly taken out his fortune, he shed some tears as he was supported by his other daughter, Arjan Clemence. This just showed how much effort he poured in for Molitia¡¯s life.


    Thanks to this then, Molitia was able to stay alive despite being chained to her deathbed since childhood. Everyone who had participated in society even if it was just with only two women, at least once would know about this.


    All thanks to the Count¡¯s sincere care. Raven had also known that the praises for Arjan Clemence were sung for it not to be a disappointment.


    However, listening to Molitia¡¯s current situation, he could ascertain that everything wasn¡¯t all of that at all. Neither the utmost care nor even the cordial nursing was ever done for her.


    A wave of unbearable anger was bubbling inside. Raven unintentionally squeezed her small hand. As Molitia¡¯s hand had quickly reddened, he straight away loosened his grip.


    ¡®It¡¯s my life, but I¡¯ve never made a decision.¡¯


    He suddenly recalled her words when he first had met her. Would she have chosen someone else if he wasn¡¯t the one by her side? Wouldn¡¯t she have opened her body to someone other than himself?


    He couldn¡¯t stand still at that thought of his. Only by ughtering and shredding the empty image could he feel it released from his head.


    His mind was in a muddle. At the end of their marriage ceremony, she had be a bride who could not bear the pressure surrounding him.

 Chapter 59

    A family that could whirl in peace under its own hands. After all, simr to her family, he too had only considered the profits and losses.


    So now, as he was the one who caused this, he was no better than her family as well.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    He stroked her cheek. The soft cheeks were quite hollow as she couldn¡¯t really eat much. He didn¡¯t hate the small bumps on her body. In fact, it was very pleasing to see her pupils reflecting himself as they talked face to face. He had a separate bedroom to himself, but he would always seek out her bedroom every day.


    Their time was still short, but she already had an influence on him.


    Raven didn¡¯t want to show anyone how she was in a state of unconsciousness where she was muttering nonsense. He tried to do everything by himself, albeit with the least amount of tending.


    He did not care how far he was behind for work. It had been a long time since he had forgotten his aide, Terrance who might be crying his heart out back at the Temrs. (T/N: A ce for the knights)


    Raven¡¯s eyes were fixated on her. Having never known how fragile human beings could be had made him engraved the recent events in his very bones at every second and minute.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t die.¡±


    He murmured softly. Whenever he lifted her body and gazed upon her purple eyes, it seemed as though he could endure anything, no matter what it was.


    He ced her slender hand against his cheek. His cheeks were reddish due to the hot temperature of the room, but they were nothingpared to her own temperature.


    ¡°Stay alive.¡±


    Yes. At the moment, it was more important for her to open her eyes rather than pursuing this feeling. He continued nursing after her until the dark, which then swallowed those strange feelings whole.


    * * *


    How sick she must have been. At some point, Molitia beganing back to her senses and struggled as she tried to move her body that felt much too heavy. Since she hadn¡¯t moved for quite a long time, even lifting a finger had made her sweat plenty.


    As soon as she managed to move her hands, Molitia slowly tried to open her eyes.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s heavy¡­¡±


    The nket that was weighing on her was too heavy. Even at a nce, there were more than just oneyer. Not long after she had woken up, she straight away turned her head when she felt like dying from the crushing sensation. There was this desperate need for someone to rescue her from the sweltering heat.


    ¡°Somebody, get me¡­¡±


    Her eyes rolled urgently around the room, but there was no one to be seen. Had it not been for the heat that was aze, she might have thought that she was still in a dream.


    At that precise moment, Molitia could hear the creaking open of a door before a cautious tread had stepped inside. As Molitia was unable to see properly because of those heavy nkets, she immediately gave a shout.


    ¡°Is anyone there?¡±


    Since she hadn¡¯t spoken in such a long time, her voice sounded quite hoarse. Molitia straight away bowed her head in order to hide her embarrassment.


    ¡°Ma, Madame?¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that you, Lili?¡±


    When she had realized that it was Lili through the sound of her voice, Molitia¡¯s face quickly brightened up.


    ¡°Lili, I¡¯m sorry, but the nkets¡­¡±


    ¡°Madame, Madame!¡±


    Lili straight away burst into tears as she instantly approached Molitia, dropping everything that was held in her hands.


    ¡°Madame, are you okay? Are you alright? The sun isn¡¯t too harsh for you to open your eyes?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s, Lili¡­¡±


    ¡°Huk, this isn¡¯t the time. I¡¯ll get the doctor right away!¡±


    Madame¡¯s awake! She screamed while rushing out of the bedroom. Watching in the direction where she ran off quickly had left Molitia with a nk look that was painted all over her face.


    ¡°Get the nkets off me¡­¡±


    The quilts had finally disappeared from Molitia¡¯s body only after tenyers had beenid aside.


    The doctor who had arrived turned up to be quite different from the one in Molitia¡¯s memory. She wondered if she had remembered wrong, but this new doctor was female.


    Well, it was not that big of a deal. Molitia had thought lightly. The female doctor then continued to examine her before smiling with much relief.

 Chapter 60

    ¡°You¡¯ve improved a lot. Unless something else happened suddenly, I¡¯m quite sure you will definitely recover soon.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Lili was more excited than Molitia as she looked at the doctor who was right next to her.


    ¡°Alternatively, you should also take my prescription regrly on time. You should never skip it, even if it¡¯s just once.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    As soon as the doctor had left the room, Molitia took a quick nce around. There were a series of thick curtains, bundles of nkets and fluffy carpets which had covered the marble floor. The strange heat that permeated didn¡¯t seem to be the result of her being sick after all, she thought.


    ¡°Lili.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°How long have I been asleep?¡±


    ¡°My poordy. You were unconscious for about seven days because of that terrible cold.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s face turned pale instantly as she heard that from Lili. Seven days? Seven days? She had promised herself that she would never fall ill, but when she recalled the pain that she had suffered, blood seemed to drain from her face.


    ¡°The Duke¡­¡±


    ¡°The Master had already left as he was called by the Imperial Pce before.¡±


    Lili grumbled how he had left at an hour like this, of all the time. Nevertheless, it was actually good for Molitia herself. Molitia knew how bad her current condition was for her, personally.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been lying down for a long time, so I¡¯d like to wash up soon.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been so long since you¡¯ve moved around that it¡¯ll definitely be hard for you to even take a step. Therefore, I¡¯ll bring a tub of hot water and some towels over.¡±


    Molitia nodded. The nkets which covered her body had long been removed, but it was still quite hard for her to move around. It was at that moment where her inability to move had been strongly revealed.


    Lili and Pillen returned with a bucket full of water. They wet the towels with the warm water and straight away started to undress Molitia. A thickyer of pyjamas fell off her body.


    ¡°I will need to prepare some healthy food for you. You¡¯ve been so sick that you¡¯ve be much thinner.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Molitia tilted her head. She was actually in a much better condition than she was back then where she had been left unattended by the Count¡¯s servants even though she was unwell. Except for the fact that she couldn¡¯t muster any strength in her body, she wasn¡¯t feeling all too bad after all.


    ¡°Of course. Your face is already half of what it¡­¡±


    Lili closed her lips tightly all of a sudden. Her dismay was stuck at her throat, making it impossible to end her sentence.


    ¡®My poordy.¡¯


    It was such a pity that Molitia¡¯s small figure, which was brimming with strength had already disappeared. Lili gently wiped down her body with a wet towel while not forgetting to apply the prepared lotion.


    Molitia was quickly dressed with her new pyjamas before she was prepared to get her hair washed up. As she leaned against the bed, Lili then lifted Molitia¡¯s neck while Pillen started to wash her hair.


    Her eyes were half-opened as the efforts of those two people had made her body feel refreshed. Along with her already tired body, even her physical strength was drained which finally had brought her sleep.


    ¡°Madame, you have to take your medicine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡±


    Molitia answered as she was dozing off. While resting on the bed, she buried her head even further into the pillow.


    ¡°Wake me up when it¡¯s time to eat.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Molitia looked around with her still half-opened eyes. She had to show them that she wasn¡¯t sick anymore, but she was too sleepy to stay awake. Warm water with the addition of warm temperature and also a mild fever would definitely make one¡¯s head feel a bit faint. Contrary to Molitia¡¯s will, her body gradually sank in bed.


    ¡°Just a little bit¡­¡±


    If she hade to her senses before he arrived, she would still have an opportunity to redeem herself. A chance which was not to be hated. Molitia slowly closed her eyes as she murmured softly.


    The meal was already prepared on the table that had been set, but Molitia still didn¡¯t show any signs of waking up. Pillen was worried as she wouldn¡¯t know how to rouse her Madame who was deeply asleep. Then, to her sudden surprise, she noticed a person who appeared unexpectedly from the side before she hastily gave a bow.


    ¡°Ma, Master¡­!¡±


    He quickly interrupted her greeting. He gave a sidelong nce to Molitia, which made Pillen nod as she closed her lips.

 Chapter 61 full

    Raven entered the room carefully. As he stepped into the room, he was greeted with a soft carpetying under his feet. He then took a seat next to the bed while brushing against Molitia¡¯s hair. She had them washed just now, so her soft hair quickly clung to his finger just like a piece of thread.


    Needless to say, he breathed a long sigh of relief as he touched her forehead. Her fever had gone down for today.


    Raven¡¯s hand brushed against her cheek before moving down to her neck. He nudged into the cor of her pajamas before reaching out to measure the temperature at her neck. When he realized that there wasn¡¯t much difference aspared to her forehead, only then he began to rise.


    ¡°Take care of my wife.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Raven took some of his clothes again before leaving the room. Just after Pillen had heard a soft thud as the door closed, the room was once again filled with the faint rhythm of Molitia¡¯s breathing.


    It was only after three days that she was finally fully energized. Actually, she still couldn¡¯t move after that as her fever went up and down in an uncertain manner. In other words, she was sick for a total of ten whole days. It was not until the doctor¡¯s diagnosis had dered herpletely cured that she could finally move out of bed.


    In contrast to her carefree attitude, her maids were standing by as they looked at her with such uneasiness.


    ¡°Madame! It¡¯s too dangerous to run!¡±


    ¡°Madame! You¡¯ll catch a cold again if you move around with such thin clothes!¡±


    ¡°Madame, Madame!¡±


    Molitia looked perplexed at those two¡¯s predicament, which seemed as though they were dealing with a newborn.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m all better now.¡±


    ¡°No way! We¡¯ll be in big trouble if you get sick again.¡±


    Lili didn¡¯t want to recall how life within the Duchy was like recently. The terribly cold atmosphere was simr to the one she had experienced when she first met the Duke of Linerio as she was employed in the household.


    ¡°Lili is absolutely right. Even if you¡¯re now fully recovered, you still have gotten a lot weaker. Which is why you have to be careful.¡±


    ¡°Then, how about wearing fewer clothes¡­¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°The dining hall is much colder than it is over here.¡±


    Molitia was forced to dress in thicker clothes at the words of her two determined maids. They finally looked satisfied at those chunky clothing that clung onto Molitia¡¯s body, which didn¡¯t match the current weather at all.


    It was just indoors, though. Molitia was speechless at the behavior of her two maids.


    They had confessed that this was their first time working for a high-ranked figure. Therefore, Molitia thought of this reason as to why the two were being quite extreme.


    Nheless, this same attitude had remained unchanged throughout her time she had stepped out towards the dining hall.


    The table waspletely filled with various sorts of food despite it being toorge for just two people to dine in. For someone like her, who hadn¡¯t been eating properly, brothy soup with meat should be a good start to make up for the lost protein. Still, a diverse set up of food was already lined up on the table.


    ¡°What about the Duke?¡±


    ¡°The Duke really wanted to have lunch with us, but he had sent a message that mentioned how he couldn¡¯t attend as he was busy with the amount of workload he had to do.¡±


    He was too busy nursing Molitia recently that he wasn¡¯t able to work on them. She could have never known about this fact. Molitia straight away stared nkly at the table as if she was already exhausted.


    ¡°You¡¯re not saying that this much food was made just for me¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Molitia fell silent briefly. Somehow, she was already seated in a chair while facing the line of food. While taking in the view, she couldn¡¯t shake her thought of being buried in them soon.


    She first had soup, which that was quite easy for her to eat. However, as she was still on an empty stomach, it was entirely impossible for her to eat a lot in one go.


    It was all too much, even if she were to consider the sincerity of everyone around. Regardless of the food that had been eaten slightly, the number of dishes on the table was still too much.


    ¡°Madame, don¡¯t you like the food that has been served?¡±


    The butler who was anxiously observing her from the side, briskly approached her figure.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that.¡±


    ¡°Then, is there anything else you wish to eat?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m full.¡±


    ¡°That was enough¡­?¡±


    The butler looked absolutely incredulous. He had only been living with the huge appetites of his Master and the knights that he couldn¡¯t reallyprehend the fact of which Molitia had eaten too much.


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 Chapter 62

    Furthermore, it was only a few days ago that she had been seriously ill. He was still anxious to see her go back and forth between life and death, which was why he wanted her to eat more.


    ¡°Shall I get you something sweet?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m so full already¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t think this scuffle would actually end soon. So instead of continuing the talk, Molitia straight away called in Lili and Pillen.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m losing my appetite because there¡¯s no one around me. So, I really wish for someone to eat here with me.¡±


    Those three people werepletely surprised as their eyes went round at the words uttered by Molitia.


    ¡°But, Madame. We are merely servants¡­¡±


    ¡°It should be fine if you are permitted by your superiors, no? I don¡¯t think that the three of you had your lunch yet as you were busy tending to me just now. I¡¯m currently lonely while the four of us are hungry, that¡¯s why I think it¡¯s better for all of you to join me.¡±


    The three were speechless at the tone of her gentle voice.


    ¡°But of course, I have no intention of forcing you if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no.¡±


    Startled by Molitia¡¯s words, all three of them took a seat in their chairs, albeit awkwardly. They just couldn¡¯t believe how they were now eating with their Madame. The three of them then carefully took a mouthful of the dishes before engraving that glorious scene right into their very hearts.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thanks to those three, the table that seemed to contain a never-ending line of dishes were soon emptied.


    After ingesting the provided medicine, Molitia was finally freed from the dining hall. Her body felt quite ufortable as she had just eaten for the first time in a while.


    She wanted to take a walk, but Pillen and Lili had forced Molitia to be confined in her bedroom yet again. Her body was also already covered with a thick nket all over.


    ¡°I¡¯m quite sure that a lot of work has built up while I was sick in bed.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry much about Master, Madame. The butler and Master had already told me not to let you do a single thing or even anything that could cause you any worries.¡±


    ¡°That is right. The doctor had also told me to be careful for a while.¡±


    ¡°The cold might recur if you¡¯re too careless.¡±


    The people of Duke of Linerio seemed to have forgotten about the fact that Molitia was alreadypletely recovered. Molitia was bewildered by their protection that she was receiving for the first time, yet it wasn¡¯t bad at all.


    But of course, except for the fact that they kept her inside, not even allowing her to step a foot outside her fluffy bed.


    In the end, she finally agreed to have a read on her own bed.


    ¡°The Master has returned.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s shoulders straight away stiffened when she heard how Raven had already returned to the mansion. It wasn¡¯t apparent on her face, but her fingertips had be as white as snow.


    It¡¯s all right.


    Molitia ced the book in order before straightening her posture. As she was pressed on the bed earlier, she quickly arranged her disheveled hair while neatening her skirt.


    Just after Raven had opened the bedroom door, Molitia quickly jumped to her feet. Her white feet softly trodden on the smooth carpet.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re already here.¡±


    Raven first said nothing at Molitia¡¯s presence. As he fixed his gaze on her walking figure along with her eyes parted slightly bigger for quite some time, she quickly lowered her head. A tint of blush could be seen in her eyes with just a nce.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go and wash up first.¡±


    Abashed by her greeting, he immediately left the room in a hurry. Nevertheless, he returned as swift as he had left with his still-damp hair, wet from his wash.


    The clothes he donned weren¡¯t meant for an outing. She also got changed into a different set of clothing and eventually met up with Raven with the rtivelyfy indoor clothes. Strange enough, he approached the bed in which Molitia was seated with a beam on his face.


    Just after a moment of hesitation, he proceeded to sit cautiously on the bed.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m back.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re back already.¡±


    Fortunately, it seemed like he didn¡¯t quite hear her greeting. Molitia smiled softly with a sigh of relief.

 Chapter 63

    Raven suddenly frowned once her cheeks sunken with her quietughter.


    ¡°Have you eaten?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Is this really the belly of a person who had already eaten?¡±


    Raven stroked her t lower abdomen as he grimaced. His voice abruptly rose as he held her wrist carefully in case it might get fractured all of a sudden.


    ¡°Why are your wrists so thin? Are you sure you¡¯ve eaten properly?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Butler!¡±


    ¡°Master!¡±


    The butler straight away rushed towards Raven¡¯s irate voice, only to find how Raven was busy fiddling with Molitia¡¯s fumbling wrist.


    ¡°Prepare some food for my wife. Anything healthy would be better.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s jaw dropped at her husband¡¯smand. But didn¡¯t she just eat?


    ¡°Raven.¡±


    Raven turned to the sound of Molitia¡¯s voice. The butler had been standing by his order for quite some time.


    ¡°I really had eaten. It doesn¡¯t show much, but I had enough to eat. So, it¡¯s truly okay.¡±


    She had taken her medicine as well. Still, Raven couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her as she mumbled. His wife seemed to have shrunk as she was confined in bed for a long time.


    ¡°No way. Eat a little more.¡±


    ¡°But¡±


    ¡°Just eat a little.¡±


    Molitia quickly nodded as she wouldn¡¯t know what could happen with the way he looked at her at that moment. He realized his act a little toote as regret started to seep into him.


    Raven¡¯s coercion, as well as his helplessness, was quite unfamiliar. Something seemed to enter her mind, but she couldn¡¯t really put a finger on it.


    As soon as the butler appeared at the parted door, Molitia¡¯s mouth went wide-open. Apparently, those who had just dined with Molitia were the ones carrying a load of food for her.


    A bowl of tarator soup, a dish of casserole, and even an unfamiliar type of meat along with some other sort of soup. It was not until the small table was filled with dishes that the butler only withdrew himself from the bedroom.


    ¡®What the hell.¡¯


    Molitia immediately wondered if she would be putting on weight, just like a plump pig.


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    At Raven¡¯s words, Molitia picked up the fork before slowly inching towards the food. The mouth-watering smell was permeating through her nose, but that was just it. Her stomach had already dered how full it was until it could no longer contain anything more at all.


    ¡°Raven, I can¡¯t eat anymore.¡±


    ¡°Just try one more bite.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already quite sick of eating.¡±


    ¡°Just one piece of grape.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    Raven¡¯s words left her hesitated for a moment. It seemed like she¡¯d be able to eat one, but the moment she allowed that to happen would then continue as an endless cycle that could never stop with just one.


    Raven rose from his chair as he saw her hesitation. Gazing upon the frightened figure of Molitia, he straight away kissed her with a piece of grape in his mouth.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    As he licked her small lips that let out a moan, he quickly plunged his tongue inside. His tongue slithered in along with the grape as he pressed down her tongue, allowing it to flow with his saliva.


    ¡°It¡¯s going in well.¡±


    His lips parted from hers before he brushed his glistening lips with his thumb. His saliva and the sour taste seemed to linger in her mouth.


    Molitia was terribly nervous, but Raven hadn¡¯t been forcing her to eat after that. Only after he had confirmed how she had absolutely lost her will to move the fork in her hand, that he finally took back the food.


    She leaned down quietly. She could no longer eat anymore. Plus, it seemed that if she were to open her mouth at the moment, food would definitely spill right out.


    It was not until Raven saw how her petite hand had rested on her belly, that he finally eased up his tensed brows.


    ¡°If you get hungryter, feel free to tell me. It¡¯s not like I can¡¯t take any responsibility for your meals.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Perhaps in the near future, Molitia would never bring up the topic about food first.


    ¡°What did the doctor say?¡±


    ¡°She said that you don¡¯t have to worry anymore. I¡¯mpletely cured already.¡±


    Molitia said so, with a brief moment of hesitation as she continued.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have troubled you.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about? Don¡¯t you worry about me and worry more about your own self. I¡­.¡±

 Chapter 64

    Just after he had raised his voice, he suddenly stopped talking as his shoulders winced slightly. His impatient fingers kept tapping on the table, akin to the act of breathing.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m in perfect health.¡±


    It was an entirely different story, but Molitia still gave a quick nod. Raven peered into her wide open eyes for the first time in a while, feeling peculiar.


    ¡°I heard you have a lot of work to do, but you¡¯re back early.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just an exaggerated rumour. There¡¯s not much work to do, actually.¡±


    If Terrance had heard this, he would definitely be upset and heartbroken. He had already been scheduled to burn the midnight oil tonight on behalf of the Duke.


    ¡°You were very surprised when I suddenly copsed before. I¡¯ll definitely be healthy from now on. You don¡¯t have to worry anymore.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t actually have to be healthy.¡±


    There was a sudden moment of silence. As soon as Molitia fixed her gaze upon Raven, he was straight away engulfed with emotions that he was feeling for the first time in his life.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t want you to feel too pressured by your own health. I do care but that doesn¡¯t really make you any better.¡±


    Damn it.


    He cursed at himself, who had been making a series of silly mistakes.


    Was talking to her always this hard? He had no idea how it was like before.


    ¡°If one day you couldn¡¯t avoid being sick, I will definitely bring you to the doctor who is assumed to be the best in the empire. So, don¡¯t worry too much as we will definitely find the best herbs there are to be. You will absolutely be better again.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too much.¡±


    The absurdity of the continuation of those words had made her loosened her mouth.


    It was her first time hearing how she didn¡¯t have to worry too much as she had always listened to people who kept on forcing her to get better.


    Molitia thought that it was a ridiculous yet heartbreaking remark. She had always expected how she wouldugh if she were to listen to this but tears welled up around her eyes, instead.


    Oh dear. Molitia quickly gave a smile in order for him not to notice.


    ¡°Thank you, though. I¡¯ve never heard that kind of thought before.¡±


    Just after a smile was painted on her face, he could no longer hold back as he put his lips against hers once again.


    Her tongue got warped over her lips. The oozing saliva clung persistently to her tongue before it trickled down tenaciously from her mouth.


    As their kiss grew deeper and intense, her hand quickly clutched onto Raven¡¯s hem. At the same time, he slid his hand against her cheek. It then went down to her thin neckline before he caressed her round corbone with his hand. After quite some time, Molitia began to feel a slight sensation in her chest.


    But that was it. He pulled apart from her lips after he had neatly nted a light kiss.


    Molitia breathed lightly with a flushed face. She seemed to see an illusion how his face was quite red as well.


    ¡°Just take a break. I¡¯ll be out for a while.¡±


    ¡°But you just got home?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because there¡¯s some separate work to be done at home.¡±


    ¡°May I help you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Raven gave a shout as he was surprised but soon, he began to regain hisposure.


    ¡°No, no. You don¡¯t have to. I can do it myself.¡±


    He said and pulled her into a hug. Startled, she paused her words that were sticking to her throat as she was dropped on the bed.


    ¡°You should be sleeping soundly, my wife. It was only today that you just got up from your bed.¡±


    Raven pulled a nket over her. However, it didn¡¯t end with just one. As the thin nkets were ovepping one another, Molitia looked at them embarrassedly.


    ¡°These nkets are too thick¡­ Just one nket is enough, really.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    He gave a strict answer.


    ¡°Have you forgotten how you caught yourself a cold just because you didn¡¯t cover yourself enough with the nket?¡±


    ¡°That is true.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll only switch to just oneyer after you have be absolutely healthy.¡±


    Molitia then had no choice but to keep those nkets on top of her.


    [End of Volume 1]

 Chapter 65

    <strong>[Volume 2 ¨C The Weak Duchess]</strong>


    Molitia gradually noticed that her husband had been acting rather strangetely.


    Molitia couldn¡¯t shake off that idea of hers. It all started when she had just woken up from her fever.


    In retrospect, his behaviour had always been somewhat peculiar. Raven could seem to be ufortable in some areas and tried to hide it. Sometimes, she almost saw it as him being embarrassed himself.


    Also, he had never let Molitia out of his embrace when the two of them were together. When it was only her feet that tried to touch the floor, he still hugged her in a hurry. It was almost as if she would be in for a deep trouble if her feet had touched the floor.


    Molitia had heard from Lili afterwards that Raven was the one who told the butler toy down the fluffy carpet all over the mansion, just for her sake. Molitia was at loss whether to cry or tough from the embarrassment.


    ¡®I wasn¡¯t even hurt, I simply caught a cold.¡¯


    However, he was just being benevolent, so she was somewhat convinced by it. Having lost quite an amount of weight as she suffered gravely for 10 days, it would definitely seem severe for the patient from outsiders¡¯ perspective.


    Nevertheless, there was also another reason why Molitia was rather convinced of the idea.


    After today¡¯s usual dinner, he immediately carried Molitia off to her bedroom. She first felt that it was rather dangerous to befortable within his embrace, but still, she couldn¡¯t even move in the slightest within his grasp.


    However, it was definitely impossible for her to stay like this all the way. Molitia eventually clutched onto Raven¡¯s sleeve as she set herself down carefully.


    ¡°Raven.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m actually all better now.¡±


    Raven stared at her as she uttered.


    ¡°Now, the doctor no longer provides me with any medications. She said that it¡¯s never good to only rely on the drugs.¡±


    ¡°Is the doctor making a fool out of you?¡±


    Molitia immediately shook in surprise as reflected in his fierce eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s certainly not it. I¡¯m just saying that I¡¯m all better now. We don¡¯t need any medicine at the moment.¡±


    Even so, she was still taking her medicine which she brought from home, but of course that was a secret. Molitia gulped nervously.


    As his gaze was locked into her somewhat confident demeanor, he lowered his eyes rather indifferently.


    Her still thin wrists, on top of her thin body. She was even thinner than before she had gotten sick as her previous weight had been lost and she hadn¡¯t regained them yet. Her body was just like a broken ss. Even when it was filled with all sorts of delicacies today, it would be stark empty by the next day.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll just have you take some necessary supplements in that case.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    A dose of supplements right after the medicine intakes. This was surely not what she had wanted, so her hand clenched on his sleeve even tighter.


    ¡°As the Duchy¡¯s doctor, it is obvious that she should take responsibility in regards to the health of all the people in the Duchy itself.¡±


    ¡°Raven, I¡¯mpletely healthy now.¡±


    <em>¡®How in the hell are you healthy¡¯,</em>was the question that got stuck in his throat, which Raven had barely managed to swallow.


    ¡°Honestly, you can change the nket to only oneyer now. It¡¯s not even winter yet and I don¡¯t really need this much warmth.¡±


    Her room was this warm even in the middle of summer. It was in the name of protecting her body from the cold, nevertheless the room showed no signs of changes at all even after she had gotten much better.


    At least, she had managed to get permission to open up the window recently.


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    He eventually seeded to choose one out of all his worries that were scattering inside his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s still not enough.¡±


    Somehow, he seemingly needed to provide her with more medicines. Molitia gave a deep sigh towards his stubbornness, which appeared unwilling to yield.


    ¡°Let me take a walk then, at least. It¡¯s quite stuffy in the room.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯lle with you.¡±


    It was obvious that she would be carried around as they walked through the garden from those words of his. Molitia actually wanted to walk around on her own two feet, she didn¡¯t wish to go sightseeing within his snug embrace.

 Chapter 66

    ¡°Raven, I would like to walk around the garden in the day. I wish to see fresh flowers blooming under the sun.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s make a greenhouse, then.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°If you light the greenhouse from the inside, you won¡¯t be envious of the bright daylight.¡±


    ¡°Can I go to the greenhouse alone, then?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll make sure to take Lili and Pillen with me.¡±


    ¡°No, you still can¡¯t.¡±


    Raven was as stubborn as a mule. He was not an inflexible man, just that he was rather too strict when it came to the question of Molitia.


    ¡°Also please, not more than just ayer of nket. These were the conditions that are supposed to change when I¡¯m no longer ill.¡±


    ¡°I really am healthy¡ªalready.¡±


    Raven¡¯s eyes straight away narrowed at Molitia¡¯s remark. He peered upon her body that was all bundled up with a bunch of clothings.


    ¡°You¡¯re too thin to be called healthy. Look at this wrist, and this waist of yours.¡±


    Along with his words, his hands started to run across her body. His hands then kneaded her wrist while touching her waist. Her waist was slender as ever while being bound by a soft waistband.


    ¡°Your cheeks have gotten even slimmer.¡±


    His hand travelled up to Molitia¡¯s cheek. Then, he pulled her wrist slowly to reach upon his very own lips.


    ¡°I think that the only thing that my fingertips could feel is the bone.¡±


    His hand traced down and prodded into the skirt that was covering up to her knees.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Molitia trembled as Raven¡¯s hand had stroked her bare thigh. He pierced through her tightly closed thighs before gently nudging against her inner thighs. Molitia wasying naturally on the bed as Raven¡¯s hand proceeded a little further.


    ¡°Only this ce¡ªright here¡ªmakes me feel that finally, the flesh is firmly attached.¡±


    His fingers that were touching her thighs, brushed against her underwear. Molitia straight away twisted her waist at the giddy sensation that was buzzing at her lower abdomen.


    Her underwear that was one of the only coverings that hadn¡¯t been thick enough was too thin to stop his intrusion. Her face got heated up easily as his hand poked around further.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    The warmth of his hand seeped through where he had rubbed against her underwear. He didn¡¯t plunge in, but just prodded with his finger instead.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    Raven¡¯s ck eyes were locked onto her. His lowered eyes were gazing straight upon her flushed red face. Her eyes intensified as they fully embraced him while she quickly huffed.


    ¡°Huh, oh, Raven.¡±


    In the midst of the scorching heat, Molitia held his hand as she begged. When his hands stirred even faster, she unwittingly opened both of her legs while clinging onto his fingers.


    As soon as his thumb was pressed down intensely onto her swollen flesh, Molitia¡¯s upper body had immediately raised itself to the fullest making her fluids trickled down from her folds to soak the thin cloth¡ªwithout a hitch at all.


    Immediately after Molitia had breathed out, he pulled his fingers from her rear before fixing her skirt back in order. Only after he saw how the long skirt had covered her up till her calf, then he gave her a kiss on the forehead.


    ¡°It¡¯s already time to sleep.¡±


    Once again.


    It was due to this austere behavior of his, which had confirmed Molitia that her husband was somehow ill. He hadn¡¯t been making love to her ever since she got sick.


    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t touch her at all. But rather, he didn¡¯t go all the way¡ªjust like tonight.


    Why in the hell, though?


    Molitia recalled their state of affairs before the time she had gotten sick. Raven acted ravenously by embracing her day after day. Even then, he still seemed unsatisfied as he craved for more.


    When that kind of person ceased to behave like that all of a sudden, Molitia couldn¡¯t help but to feel quite anxious.


    Plus, it didn¡¯t end with just that. At some point, he began to make use of his own bedroom as he would disappear from hers after she had fallen asleep.


    The fact that he had been sleeping in his own bedroom was also informed by her servants.


    She heard that there would be no such reason for a person to unexpectedly have a change.


    ¡®No way¡­ is he tired of me already?¡¯

 Chapter 67

    He could no longer stand the piercing gaze of her innocent eyes anymore.


    ¡°¡­it¡¯s just that, I¡¯m the one who is not confident enough.¡±


    He eventually confessed one of his constant worries. It was extremely rare for him to remain as silent as a grave. Surprised by Raven¡¯s unexpected words, Molitia¡¯s eyes widened ever so slightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡®ve tasted you, so I¡¯m not sure how hard it will beter on. I¡¯m holding myself back for my dear wife¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Molitia¡¯s face straight away blushed at his honesty. These frank words that were filled with much enthusiasm was the first she had heard in a long time, which had caused all of her anxieties to melt away.


    ¡®It¡¯s not that he hates me.¡¯


    That was the first time that anyone had ever tended to her when she was ill¡ªwithout leaving at all. Previously, when her family had abandoned her to herself, the servants had also taken her for granted. A tiny freezing room that was situated right in the corner of the Count¡¯s residence. That particr room, which was among the numerous other rooms, was often neglected by the busy attendants.


    They couldn¡¯t help it as they were much busier than her, who was justying down on her bed. Even though she had already known about this, the loneliness that was creeping inside of her couldn¡¯t be avoided whenever she was sick. She had missed them albeit the fact that she could have never held onto those who wanted to leave her side.


    <em>Such a kind person. How gentle he is.</em>Tears flowed from Molitia¡¯s eyes at the thought that he was not sick of her.


    ¡°Molitia?¡±


    Astounded, Raven quickly touched her forehead.


    ¡°Are you having a fever again? Is there anywhere else that hurts?¡±


    Molitia reached out her hand as she hugged Raven, who was hastily inspecting her. His back had straight away stiffened by her sudden gesture.


    ¡°I really am fine.¡±


    The soft whisper that could be heard in Raven¡¯s ears tasted insanely sweet. It was even sweeter than the meringue, which she had baked for him.


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t have to endure it.¡±


    ¡°¡­what do you mean?¡±


    Raven held his gaze towards her from within her grasp. He seemed to be slightly exasperated as he was pressing his lips together. It felt like there was an irresistible desire that was filling the gaze that was directed at her.


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t heard what I just said earlier¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I heard it clearly.¡±


    Raven felt that his speech was fading away from his own mouth. He didn¡¯t know if she even had the slightest idea. She still tried to reach him despite those many warnings that were given. He ced his hand against her cheek as he strived to grasp his ever so darkening reasons.


    ¡°You got overwhelmed at every single time.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind¡­Well okay, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s stuttering lips were eventually swallowed by Raven. A tenacious tongue had suddenly prated her lips as it tried to bind her tongue together. His soft yet hot tongue hadpletely taken her breath away.


    His tongue that was wandering through her mouth had no longer shown any mercy. Whenever his ravenous tongue was crushing on her small tongue, Molitia felt rekindled by the burning stimulus yet again.


    ¡°If you utter anything more provoking, it¡¯s going to be really hard to withstand any longer.¡±


    Raven¡¯s hand then quickly probed into her skirt. Her waist flinched at his touch that was moving straight again to her drenched underwear.


    ¡°You can¡¯t imagine just how long I¡¯ve been trying to hold it in.¡±


    Raven¡¯s lips slid across her cheeks. He then captured her ear before sticking his tongue into it.


    ¡°Uhh!¡±


    ¡°How much I¡¯ve been terribly missing your hole.¡±


    A gush of saliva was apanying the breeze that had intruded upon her ear. The soggy squelch had made Molitia¡¯s shoulders wince in response. Then, another pleasure seemed to linger in her mind when she felt him poking around with his fingers underneath of her.


    His hand was pinching on her underwear. When her dry spring had gotten wet at once, he thrusted his finger inside.


    Her insides immediately clenched at the sudden intrusion. The tightening sensation that was mping on his fingers had granted him much vigor. The nipping tingle against her clit had made Molitia¡¯s waist jiggled.


    ¡°Ah, haa¡­!¡±


    ¡°Molitia, Molitia.¡±


    He was persistently chanting out her name in her ear. The touch of his fingers were still not enough. ¡°Molitia¡±, he whispered as he was gazing upon her.


    ¡°Look at how hard you are biting me, since it has been quite a while. My fingers are about to break now.¡±


    Nevertheless, Raven¡¯s fingers were prated even further. His insertion was unceasingly intense. After a quick thrust, he then immediately stroked her slit with his fingertips.

 Chapter 68

    He could no longer stand the piercing gaze of her innocent eyes anymore.


    ¡°¡­it¡¯s just that, I¡¯m the one who is not confident enough.¡±


    He eventually confessed one of his constant worries. It was extremely rare for him to remain as silent as a grave. Surprised by Raven¡¯s unexpected words, Molitia¡¯s eyes widened ever so slightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡®ve tasted you, so I¡¯m not sure how hard it will beter on. I¡¯m holding myself back for my dear wife¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Molitia¡¯s face straight away blushed at his honesty. These frank words that were filled with much enthusiasm was the first she had heard in a long time, which had caused all of her anxieties to melt away.


    ¡®It¡¯s not that he hates me.¡¯


    That was the first time that anyone had ever tended to her when she was ill¡ªwithout leaving at all. Previously, when her family had abandoned her to herself, the servants had also taken her for granted. A tiny freezing room that was situated right in the corner of the Count¡¯s residence. That particr room, which was among the numerous other rooms, was often neglected by the busy attendants.


    They couldn¡¯t help it as they were much busier than her, who was justying down on her bed. Even though she had already known about this, the loneliness that was creeping inside of her couldn¡¯t be avoided whenever she was sick. She had missed them albeit the fact that she could have never held onto those who wanted to leave her side.


    <em>Such a kind person. How gentle he is.</em>Tears flowed from Molitia¡¯s eyes at the thought that he was not sick of her.


    ¡°Molitia?¡±


    Astounded, Raven quickly touched her forehead.


    ¡°Are you having a fever again? Is there anywhere else that hurts?¡±


    Molitia reached out her hand as she hugged Raven, who was hastily inspecting her. His back had straight away stiffened by her sudden gesture.


    ¡°I really am fine.¡±


    The soft whisper that could be heard in Raven¡¯s ears tasted insanely sweet. It was even sweeter than the meringue, which she had baked for him.


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t have to endure it.¡±


    ¡°¡­what do you mean?¡±


    Raven held his gaze towards her from within her grasp. He seemed to be slightly exasperated as he was pressing his lips together. It felt like there was an irresistible desire that was filling the gaze that was directed at her.


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t heard what I just said earlier¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I heard it clearly.¡±


    Raven felt that his speech was fading away from his own mouth. He didn¡¯t know if she even had the slightest idea. She still tried to reach him despite those many warnings that were given. He ced his hand against her cheek as he strived to grasp his ever so darkening reasons.


    ¡°You got overwhelmed at every single time.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind¡­Well okay, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s stuttering lips were eventually swallowed by Raven. A tenacious tongue had suddenly prated her lips as it tried to bind her tongue together. His soft yet hot tongue hadpletely taken her breath away.


    His tongue that was wandering through her mouth had no longer shown any mercy. Whenever his ravenous tongue was crushing on her small tongue, Molitia felt rekindled by the burning stimulus yet again.


    ¡°If you utter anything more provoking, it¡¯s going to be really hard to withstand any longer.¡±


    Raven¡¯s hand then quickly probed into her skirt. Her waist flinched at his touch that was moving straight again to her drenched underwear.


    ¡°You can¡¯t imagine just how long I¡¯ve been trying to hold it in.¡±


    Raven¡¯s lips slid across her cheeks. He then captured her ear before sticking his tongue into it.


    ¡°Uhh!¡±


    ¡°How much I¡¯ve been terribly missing your hole.¡±


    A gush of saliva was apanying the breeze that had intruded upon her ear. The soggy squelch had made Molitia¡¯s shoulders wince in response. Then, another pleasure seemed to linger in her mind when she felt him poking around with his fingers underneath of her.


    His hand was pinching on her underwear. When her dry spring had gotten wet at once, he thrusted his finger inside.


    Her insides immediately clenched at the sudden intrusion. The tightening sensation that was mping on his fingers had granted him much vigor. The nipping tingle against her clit had made Molitia¡¯s waist jiggled.


    ¡°Ah, haa¡­!¡±


    ¡°Molitia, Molitia.¡±


    He was persistently chanting out her name in her ear. The touch of his fingers were still not enough. ¡°Molitia¡±, he whispered as he was gazing upon her.


    ¡°Look at how hard you are biting me, since it has been quite a while. My fingers are about to break now.¡±


    Nevertheless, Raven¡¯s fingers were prated even further. His insertion was unceasingly intense. After a quick thrust, he then immediately stroked her slit with his fingertips.

 Chapter 69

    He simply ripped her underwear as it interrupted his fingers from moving freely. Then, he straight away lifted her skirt up till her waist before stretching out another finger and thrusted it inside of her.


    ¡°Ha, ah, Raven¡­!¡±


    ¡°Molitia, part your legs aside.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    He lightly sank his teeth into her neck. Only after his bite had left a bright red mark did he gaze at it satisfyingly.


    ¡°My hands are pretty busy pleasing my wife. So, yeah?¡±


    Molitia was still hesitating at Raven¡¯s words, even so her hands eventually lowered before she slowly opened both of her thighs. Just after her thighs were opened, her secret area that was still being held by his hands had been finally revealed.


    ¡°Haah¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Molitia immediately turned her head as she was unable to bear the fact that her face had been dyed red with shame. Her hands, which were still pressing on both of her thighs, had trembled ever so slightly.


    ¡°Good job.¡±


    Raven kissed her forehead softly. Nevertheless, he started to move his fingers at the same time, yet again. He plunged even harder into her vagina. Molitia¡¯s moans started to intensify when he rubbed it all the way inside of her.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    Before long, Molitia had finally reached her peak. Her breath hastened as the clear fluid trickled down on the white sheet.


    Molitia¡¯s upper body jolted at the precise moment he pulled out his finger, just like he was scraping out her woe. Raven then raised her upper body by giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze.


    He also took out a small bottle of medicine from the table that was right beside his bed. He grabbed the vial, which was filled with water that was in the shade of pale pink before pouring it into his mouth without a single moment¡¯s wait at all.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a medical drug that prevents you from getting pregnant. Your body is still very fragile, so I don¡¯t want to overdo it yet.¡±


    He quickly undressed just after putting the empty medicine vial on the table. In contrast to her clumsy skills, his buttons were unfastened immediately under the guide of his touch. When he stripped down to hisst underwear, Molitia was confronted with his huge phallus¡ªbrimming with excitement.


    His genitals had bulged even more than ever. Molitia immediately flushed when she had a nce towards his tip that was already leaking with some transparent fluid.


    ¡°If you feel unwell, don¡¯t just endure it.¡±


    Raven suggested while assisting her to get into position. She didn¡¯t actually know if she could bear with it. Plus, despite the fact that she might not like it, she would still continue to tolerate it even if she had to keep on clenching her teeth.


    ¡°¡­..it¡¯s all right.¡±


    Then, Molitia hugged his neck. At the same time, Raven had gradually thrusted inside of her.


    <em>Ah.</em>


    As soon as they werepletely joined together, both of them exhaled simultaneously. His body was filled with a sense of satisfaction and urgency that could finally be felt after quite some time.


    Raven cuddled her head while he was slowly inching back. Then, he vigorously thrusted it back inside, yet again. Whenever her reactions had shaken her own body, he immediately hugged her even closer.


    As soon as he slipped out, he quickly stuffed it right back in. He didn¡¯t seem to allow even a second of being outside of her. He was barely even thrusting when a terrible thirst had aroused deep within him.


    ¡°Ah, ah, ah¡­!¡±


    It was still not enough even if her walls were already stretched out. When he felt her clinging to his bulge at every single time, pleasure seemed to have ruled over his mind.


    How much he had missed this sensation. He continuously moved his waist as if he was ramming his very own. Even though it was tight, he still went in further and deeper.


    She said that it was fine, but Molitia still felt her vision was flickering brightly at every moment she was being filled up. Her body was finally imbued with feelings after such a long time that ultimately made her move her own waist.


    He caressed her head while she appeared to still be in his arms. Before she knew it, her thigh was already caught in his hand before pressing it down beside her waist.

 Chapter 70

    No matter how wide she was, it still could never bepared to his own ergement. No matter when he rubbed himself inside of her, Molitia would moan over his shoulder.


    ¡°Ah, oh, Raven, please¡­!¡±


    Unaware of what they had truly wanted at the moment, Molitia begged. As her flesh was squeezing him inside, Raven immediately picked up his pace before thrusting himself inside even faster.


    Whenever Raven had hit deep inside of her, a fragrant scent seemed to tickle the tip of his nose. The sweet scent that emanated from her body wafted in the air when Raven had located her lips and straight away sucked them in.


    She was the first and thest person who caused him to feel so aroused. No matter how much he had coveted, she was already enough for him.


    He captured the hands that were covering her face before raising them up. His tenacious gaze then turned to Molitia¡¯s face.


    Desire was oozing at his every single thrust. It was vicious enough to froth at the very core. Whenever he gave a hefty shove, Molitia felt like even her emotions were gushing out as well.


    ¡°Ha, I just want to stay like this forever. I wish for you to keep on looking at me and nothing else.¡±


    Raven didn¡¯t stop moving even while he was professing his feelings. Her bottom immediately flinched at his words that were glistened with desire.


    ¡°Look only at me, Molitia.¡±


    ¡°Ah, ah, ah, ha¡­!¡±


    Just when Molitia nipped onto his shoulder, Raven immediately spurted his everything into her insides. Her petite body had trembled underneath him due to his searing eruption.


    Molitia closed her eyes as she felt the tingle in herher region. It seemed like she had just gone through a raging tempest.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    Molitia slowly turned her eyes to Raven¡¯s gentle question. As he peered at her anxiously, he had already descended from her body.


    He carefully embraced her back as he locked her within his arms. When the heat gradually suffused between the two of them, he then covered himself with a nket to preserve their warmth.


    That was a gesture which evinced his fear of her getting caught up in yet another cold.


    ¡®A kind man with a loving touch.¡¯


    Molitia gathered her strength before raising the corners of her mouth as she faced him, who was staring at her while adjusting her hair.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s all right.¡±


    ¡°¡­well, I¡¯m not. Wait a minute.¡±


    He pulled the nket up to Molitia¡¯s neck before standing up. She immediately blushed a little when Raven¡¯s naked body was in full view.


    It was the body that she saw whenever they had sex with each other, but still it always felt peculiar. His body, which seemed to be chiseled like a picture of the perfect muscles that she had never obtained before, had always made her blush.


    ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯


    Molitia suddenly stiffened as she held her gaze upon Raven¡¯s back. There was a fairlyrge scar on his back, which she had never seen before. Amidst the old and the recents scars, there were also long and short wounds that had marred all over his body.


    <em>¡°The Devil of War. The Devil of Blood.¡±</em>


    The rumors which kept people in a buzz shed through her mind. Come to think of it, she had also heard how he yed quite an active role in the recent war. He had sessfully vanquished dozens and hundreds of them all by himself.


    Still, he was never a devil. Those numerous injuries on his back were proof that exhibited the horrors of the time back then.


    In less than no time, he already brought her clothes that had fallen onto the floor.


    ¡°You¡¯d better put on your clothes. If you catch another cold again, I¡¯ll be the one in trouble.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I got it.¡±


    Molitia opened her eyes at Raven¡¯s words. She couldn¡¯t bear to ask why his back was awfully shed. How painful it must have been.


    In the same way that she couldn¡¯t bear telling him as well.


    With a thoughtful consideration, he gently raised her back as she wore her own clothes.


    ¡°You should get dressed as well. You might catch a cold like me before.¡±


    In a split second, an absurd look was painted on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m not as fragile as you are.¡±


    ¡°But, still.¡±


    Raven finally nodded at her urging words. He never had a history of catching a cold just because he wasn¡¯t dressed, but he also thought how it wouldn¡¯t be all bad listening to Molitia at the moment.

 Chapter 71

    When he went to pick up each one of his clothings, Molitia quickly erupted inughter. The clothes were not only wrinkled, they were also all over the ce. Nevertheless, his messy appearance was more than enough to make her feelfortable.


    ¡°All right, now?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    As she had already deemed it satisfactory, Raven quickly cuddled with her yet again. He held her in his arms before covering her with a thick nket once more. The warmth eventually permeated within the nket.


    ¡°Raven.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Please tell me if you happen to get sick. I¡¯m pretty good at nursing as well.¡±


    All of a sudden, Raven gazed down towards Molitia, with his eyebrows slightly raised.


    ¡°I want to take care of you as you had done for me.¡±


    But that didn¡¯t mean he should be sick. He simply nodded at the minor additions of hers. It couldn¡¯t have been said out aloud, but he also thought that it wouldn¡¯t be bad for her to stay close to him as well.


    ¡°I will.¡±


    Molitia then carefully stretched out her hand. Could she stay by his side under these taut arms of his? She hesitated as her cautious personality made it hard for her to reach him.


    Wouldn¡¯t he feel quite pressured? She carefully reflected on some of her own words¡ªworryingly.


    ¡°Are you going back today as well?¡±


    ¡°How did you know that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know how. It¡¯s just that when I woke up, your space beside me was already cold.¡±


    Raven felt bad at the words she just said.


    ¡°¡­Your sleeping face was too enticing, so I had to leave. I didn¡¯t want to be branded as a husband who dared to attack his own wife.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    <em>So, all he had done so far was¡­</em>As soon as Molitia¡¯s cheeks were tinged red, he embraced her even stronger while a soft breeze was tickling her head.


    ¡°¡­I won¡¯t go though. I have to get over my wife¡¯s sleeping face.¡±


    ¡°Now, you¡¯re just being absurd.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s going to say that?¡±


    A small grumble had escaped his lips.


    ¡°Go to bed, My Lady. Before your sly husband makes his move yet again.¡±


    As she was surprised by Raven¡¯s words, Molitia straight away closed her eyes tightly. Raven then stroked her hair before closing his eyes as well.


    After that evening, Raven could have never been found in his bedroom ever again.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Molitia had eventually made all of the servants understand her current condition.


    As she had already recoveredpletely, they also had learned steadily that she would no longer forfeit her life from moving that much. Hence, she was able to expand her range of movements gradually.


    ¡°Madame, Madame! We havepany!¡±


    Molitia¡¯s head turned at once when Lili had rushed into the bedroom. Her hands were still spreading out, amidst her moment of embroidery.


    ¡°Is it the Knights Temr?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s actually the Clemence¡­¡±


    Right at that moment, all of Molitia¡¯s senses seemed to cease their functions. Pillen was still watching her from the side when she quickly grabbed hold of her hand in surprise.


    ¡°Madame!¡±


    The sharp needle had punctured her hand mercilessly before blood started oozing out. As the blood trickled down from the body of that fine needle, Pillen immediately retrieved the needle from her hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous. So, it¡¯d be better for you to put off embroidery for now.¡±


    ¡°Who is here, Lili?¡±


    Blood was no longer significant in Molitia¡¯s mind. On the other hand, Lili¡¯s voice trailed off when she noticed that Molitia was being slightly unusual.


    ¡°Well, Count Clemence is here to see you.¡±


    Once her father¡¯s name was mentioned, Molitia straight away felt that her heart had already sunk and wrecked. She managed to close her trembling lips tightly, but she still couldn¡¯t prevent her fingertips from turning white.


    She was barely in her right state of mind when the butler, who had been waiting for her, bowed his head.


    ¡°Butler.¡±


    ¡°You have arrived. The Count is already in the parlour.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Molitia couldn¡¯t open the door to the parlour that easily. In fact, she could already feel the man¡¯s presence even beyond the door.


    The butler inspected his Madame¡¯s ashen white face and immediately felt pity towards her.


    ¡°Would you like me to announce that you are not feeling so well?¡±


    ¡°No, he already said that he wanted to see me. So, it¡¯s better for me to see him personally, myself.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±

 Chapter 72

    It was not until her hand had bitten onto the handle forcefully enough to make her bleed that the door had finally opened. The sunlit reception room was filled with enough warmth that eventually revealed a person, who straight away rised to his feet at her presence.


    ¡°Oh, Molitia! How are you?¡±


    ¡°Have you been well, Father?¡±


    Molitia dropped a curtsy while clutching on the hem of her dress slightly. She felt drained already. She immediately took a seat in a chair before loosening the tension crept in her legs.


    ¡°No way. I couldn¡¯t even sleep a wink ever since you left. You are my only first child, no matter what others say. I couldn¡¯t rest my eyes at the thought whether or not I have done well as a parent.¡±


    ¡°You cared about me¡­¡±


    <em>More than anyone else</em>; was what Count Clemence would have never thought of and Molitia knew of that fact. She managed to draw a smile without openly disying her disgust at those sickening words. Moreover, the room felt unusually cold at that moment.


    ¡°I see. And that being the case, I¡¯m doing fairly well. So, please do not worry.¡±


    ¡°I heard that recently, you have been gravely ill.¡±


    ¡°¡­How did you know that?¡±


    ¡°The story of how the Duke had been nursing his wife with great care had disseminated throughout the Empire. He had taken his duties off for a few days especially for his sick wife, which means that work has been piling up.¡±


    ¡°Ra¡­ no, the Duke?¡±


    This was the first time she had heard any of this. She was quite sure Raven had already said that he didn¡¯t have any work to be done.


    ¡°Yes and I got worried when I heard that.¡±


    The Count smiled and eventually grasped Molitia¡¯s hand that was on the table. Her hands clearly flinched at the utter surprise.


    ¡°Have you been good to the Duke?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, kindly so.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    The Count¡¯s eyes swept all over her. It seemed like she was not being rude, at least. If that was the case, then it would be fine for him to bring up what he actually had wanted to say.


    ¡°Molitia, my daughter.¡±


    He gave a sideway nce to the butler with a sheer hint of luck.


    ¡°There¡¯s something that I¡¯d like to talk to you about¡ªalone.¡±


    Molitia reluctantly sent the butler to leave the room, who appeared hesitant at the Count¡¯s words. The butler had been observing her with concern as he contemted on what he should do for a while before quickening his steps out of the room.


    When the door was finally closed, there was a moment of silence before Molitia slowly opened her mouth.


    ¡°We are truly alone now. Do tell me if there¡¯s anything that you¡¯d like to say.¡±


    ¡°Can you do me a favor?¡±


    ¡°What kind of favor, exactly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already asked the Duke to help me with somemercial work of mine¡ªCount Clemence. Still, he hasn¡¯t replied yet and no reasons have been given as of now.¡±


    ¡°But why should the Duke be helping out with the Count?¡±


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    His soft tone altered at once. The Count immediately revealed his anger without concealing it at all.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? It has always been beneficial for two families to join forces together. But, are you really rebelling against me right now?¡±


    The Count had not changed in any way. He was just oppressing herpletely like the time she was still regarded as Molitia Clemence.


    ¡°Molitia, don¡¯t you ever forget my¡ªthe Count¡¯s¡ªgrace, just because you have gotten married to this household. You haven¡¯t forgotten to take the medicine like you¡¯re supposed to, have you?¡±


    Molitia¡¯s eyes trembled violently. It was already time for her to run out of that said medicine.


    She couldn¡¯t afford to run away. It was that moment when her eyes quivered out of control at the reality that was thwarting her back and forth, from all sides.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    Raven bursted into the parlour while still heaving breathlessly.


    ¡°Duke?¡±


    Count Clemence immediately leaped up from his seat at the voice that came right behind Molitia, which had startled her as well.


    ¡°Oh, how lucky I am. I¡¯m here to see my daughter, but I get to meet the Duke at the same time. It¡¯s been a long time, Duke.¡±


    The chilling atmosphere from earlier had already disappeared without a trace and the Count was already prepared with a great smile, painted thoroughly on his face. Raven then strode across the room before epting his handshake.


    ¡°Have you been well?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. Thanks to the Duke¡¯s eminence, the empire has been gradually stabilized. Therefore, I can already unwind myself with some good night¡¯s sleep.¡±


    The Count then smiled broadly. On the other hand, Raven was already turning away to take a look at Molitia.

 Chapter 73

    Raven smiled when he saw her face, which couldn¡¯t really capture her utter weariness that seemed to be quite at a loss.


    ¡°You¡¯vee to see my wife. If you don¡¯t mind me, may I join you as well?¡±


    ¡°Haha, it wasn¡¯t that big of a deal at all. I was just enjoying the conversation I had with my daughter as it had been a while ever since.¡±


    The Count then quickly shifted his head to Molitia.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Molitia?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Molitia could never defy the Count¡¯s words. Her chin quivered unnaturally while she still couldn¡¯t hold her eye contact with the Count.


    Raven then carefully took a seat next to her. Her body was still shivering and it seemed like she had no intentions of meeting his gaze at all.


    <em>What the hell did he say until she got this terrified?</em>Raven desperately tried to hold in his soaring anger.


    All things considered, he was actually d that he had informed the butler beforehand of his early return. He thought of having dinner, together with Molitia and he straight away proceeded to depart on his way home from work.


    Upon hearing the news along the way, he hastilypelled his horse to pick up the pace as they galloped to the mansion.


    If only he arrived a littleter, she would have been through much severe humiliation. Raven gently ced his hand on top of hers that wereid precisely on her puffy skirt while still avoiding the eyes of Count Clemence, who was right in front of them.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, everything¡¯s fine.¡±


    He felt sorry towards her, who was forcing herself to smile with an exceptionally ashen white face today.


    Should he just carry her to the bedroom like this? The Count who was right in front of him was utterly ignored. For Raven, the most minimal courtesy was enough for him as she was by far, Molitia¡¯s father.


    Didn¡¯t some say that women were unable to omit their own family? Yet recently, Raven felt increasingly skeptical about the fact that whether or not he should be showing any kind of courtesy towards Count Clemence at all.


    ¡°And now, I even got to meet the Duke of Linerio. Despite having stumbled across each other like this, don¡¯t we actually have something to talk about? So, why don¡¯t we take on this opportunity to wrap up our chat?¡±


    ¡°Talk to me, then.¡±


    Raven¡¯s lips immediately thinned into a straight line.


    ¡®I was wondering what really brought you here.¡¯


    <em>It was because of that after all.</em>As his unbearable fury was soaring through the roof of his head, his straightened lips curved before parting themselves.


    ¡°I believe there isn¡¯t really much to converse about.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The Count was baffled as he responded unintentionally with a burst ofughter.


    ¡°Haha, you¡¯re going quite too far. I believe that you have already received a letter from me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that.¡±


    Molitia was trembling evidently at the Count¡¯s words. Seeing that, Raven exerted more strength against his sp on her hand. Her eyes then turned somewhat slightly as she was brought to face him.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already put together a lot of things which are apparently quite hard to obtain. Especially the Trimeric medicinal herbs that are not locally produced in the Empire.¡±


    ¡°That goes without saying. I¡¯ve put in much effort for this business. So, Duke, let us profit from this opportunity that had risen¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you know that the said drug is able to be a deadly poison, which could easily kill a person?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Count Clemence¡¯s voice echoed in the parlour. He didn¡¯t seem to understand what Raven was saying at all.


    ¡°Usually, the ones that are used are only fruits and leaves. But, when you mix them along with the roots, they would develop into a dreadful poison that is lethal even with only a few drops of it.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­ Trimeric is certainly a panacea of some sort¡­¡±


    ¡°Where could such a wonderful thing happen to be? I supposed the Count has just been deceived.¡±


    Raven suddenly stopped smiling.


    ¡°Or did you deliberately bring it into the Empire with a different set of mind?¡±


    ¡°What are you saying, Duke?¡±


    The Count raised his voice due to anger. His feelings were obviously projected on his face, distorting it dreadfully.


    <em>Bringing in poison?</em>It could also be used as a means to assassinate someone. It was beyond a doubt that this would directly hurt the status of the Count in question.


    <em>Poison? Without the Empire ever knowing?</em>He had absolutely no idea about this. The Count immediately shuddered at the unexpected controversy that was going on.

 Chapter 74

    ¡°That is the reason why I¡¯m asking. I know better that Count Clemence wouldn¡¯t be doing that sort of thing.¡±


    Raven drew a rxed smile around the corners of his mouth yet again. But Count Clemence on the other hand, was staring with his icy-cold eyes.


    ¡°Please do not forget that my work also includes the security of the Empire as well, Count Clemence.¡±


    ¡°No, of course not. I was definitely beguiled into bringing in something that hazardous. I¡¯m actually always reminded of this daughter of mine when ites to the topic of medicine as she is my utmost priority.¡±


    ¡°If so, I¡¯m sure you¡¯d understand what had happened in this ce before? I¡¯m just so worried because my wife had simply gotten up from bed.¡±


    The Count seemed to be embarrassed by the idea of the particr medicine as his face flushed brightly. As though he had understood Raven¡¯s words like a ray of light that had shone through, the Count immediately raised from his seat.


    ¡°Oh, it seems like I¡¯ve got another matter to attend to. So, I will be leaving now.¡±


    ¡°See youter, then.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Count Clemence straight away concluded his awkward greetings before quickly stepping outside. He had adamantly said that he came specifically for his daughter, yet he didn¡¯t even spare a single nce to Molitia when he left.


    Molitia was barely breathing when she heard the whir of the carriage leaving. Finally, the chilly frozen air seemed to be released, albeit by a hair¡¯s breadth.


    ¡°Your hands are quite cold.¡±


    Raven immediately wrapped her hand in both of his.


    ¡°Did the Count tell you beforehand, what he had told me just now?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    He instantly felt a twinge of sorrow. As he looked at the downcasted Molitia, Raven felt a prick that distended his heart. It shouldn¡¯t have ended with just simple words uttered.


    Raven was already in much trouble once he had gotten the information through Terrance. Whether to make use of the security forces in raiding the top traders or to give them one chance. He eventually chose thetter for Molitia¡¯s sake, but it was uncertain if he were able to execute the same choice on the condition that such a thing were to be discovered again after this.


    There was also the matter of turning things over. Raven had moved stealthily as he decided to penalize the Count. He didn¡¯t even have to step forward. It was quite evident, if a situation were to arise when the Count gave the clues to the other ministers before he could even handle them, the n would ultimately go downhill.


    Molitia looked terribly restless whereas all this while, he was just thinking of other measures to take care of the Count.


    Heeding to Raven¡¯s words, she gradually realized that this had never been his first ¡®request¡¯. She had always tried her very best not to be a burden. Still, she felt distressed over the fact that she had be a problem because of the Count.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t expect you to hear this kind of nonsense from my own father¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault at all. The Count would have still approached me, even if it wasn¡¯t for you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about Count Clemence on my ount. My father has always been that kind of character even if it hadn¡¯t been for my sake.¡±


    Molitia uttered, simply because it wasn¡¯t wrong in the first ce. Despite the possibility that many facts were already ryed to the others, there were no differences at all.


    She just felt apologetic towards all of these that had happened. Perhaps, it would have never happened without any sort of credence after all. It was only due to the fact that it was caused by her own father, who only viewed herself as another chess piece on the board.


    The vermilion hue of the sunset painted in the sky shrouded over her chalky white face. Her rosy, young cheeksplemented her very much, yet it was quite awkward somehow.


    There seemed to be a trail of shadow lurking around her heart. Raven eventually parted his mouth in a careful manner as he focused on her.


    ¡°¡­My father was a brusque man. My mother, on the other hand, was an unduly delicate person. Hence, I understood that even with the most minimalmunication, everything could still work in the end.¡±


    ¡°The previous Duke of Linerio?¡±


    ¡°He probably didn¡¯t care much about the household since he, himself, was struggling with all the rumors circting around the family. In the end, he was still undoubtedly the Duke, regardless of everything.¡±


    Raven then reached out, before touching her cheek gently. His every touch seemed to be very prudent after she had suffered from the bad case of cold. As he was worried that she would break at any moment, Raven couldn¡¯t use much of his strength and thus, limiting his own actions at every single moment.

 Chapter 75

    Feeling the tender touch of Raven¡¯s, Molitia straight away nced upwards at him.


    ¡°As I grew up looking at him for all these while, I might have be quite simr in that aspect, Molitia.¡±


    Actually, Raven could already feel that way as he calmly added. Onlyter he had learned, when he finally heard a word from Lyndon himself. Terrance had rebuked him for being rude, but it was still true after all.


    ¡°If you happen to feel frustrated by my way ofmunication, don¡¯t just suffer the trouble over yourself and tell me. I will try my best not to conceal them as much as I can.¡±


    Molitia choked on Raven¡¯s thoughtful words. He didn¡¯t even pry anything in regards to her past.


    On the contrary, she was actually grateful towards the fact that he was referring to Count Clemence, who wasn¡¯t just unashamed of his own behavior that had the audacity to ask for a favor.


    ¡®He¡¯s a trustworthy person. A person who cares a whole lot for me.¡¯


    The feeling of someone supporting her was extremely overwhelming. Molitia of the past wouldn¡¯t have even the slightest idea.


    A peculiar sensation was filling up her heart. Regardless of how much she tried to hold back her tears, the corner of her eyes had instantly moistened.


    ¡°Raven, you¡¯re doing absolutely fine. It¡¯s even too much for someone like me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an honour that you think of it that way.¡±


    The two then had a lengthy conversation about a medley of things until the sun wentpletely down. It was the first time since their marriage that they had a genuine t¨ºte-¨¤-t¨ºte without their bodies ovepping with each other.


    ¡°The meal has been prepared.¡±


    Raven barely turned his head at the sound of his butler¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Has it been that long already?¡±


    As the butler led them on while opening the door, Raven immediately stood up and reached out towards Molitia.


    ¡°Let us go then, my wife.¡±


    ¡°Certainly.¡±


    She gentlyid her hand on top of his with a soft smile. Now, she had also obtained a ce for her to lean on.


    Molitia was determined to stop running away any longer.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    ¡°Please take good care of me again from today onwards, Gilbert.¡±


    Molitia took a seat in her study.


    During the conversation she had with Raven a few days ago, she made a bet with him. She was permitted to work with assurance, under the condition that she were to have a consistent intake on her medicine and also food. And finally, it was only today Molitia was given the authority to those promises that were made.


    The butler drew a discreet smile as she saw her brimming with pride and delight.


    ¡°I look forward to your kind cooperation.¡±


    Meanwhile, Molitia did her very best to keep her body fit and healthy with enough intake of rice as well as her medicine. Her sunken cheeks had regained their vigor as it appeared peachy again.


    As their Madame had gradually recovered, the Duchy started to naturally rejuvenate as well. Nothing was barely noticeable, yet the rxed atmosphere had improved the employees¡¯ working aptitude all at once.]


    ¡°Oh yes, Gilbert. Would you happen to know the rumors surrounding me, which are circting within the Empire?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    Molitia hadn¡¯t forgotten the encounter with her father at all. It was obvious to her that thetest rumors, which revolved around her, were spreading like wildfire.


    The butler hesitated for a moment as he heard of Molitia¡¯s words. Nevertheless, he eventually decided to tell her the truth.


    ¡°Yes, I do. There are even those that had been recognized by the Duke himself.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Then, do you mind telling me the rumors regarding myself?¡±


    She wasn¡¯t really surprised by the fact that Raven had recognized her at some point.


    He was not actually a stranger towards the rumors even if he had tackled the issue with Count Clemence rather quietly. It was just that he didn¡¯t feel any reason to deal with it.


    The butler briefly listed the rumors that were lingering in his head. He also recalled some of the rather most provocative ones among the others.


    A unforseen rise in status.


    A union between two families. Molitia gave a light-hearted grimace at such unpleasant rumors, including the fact that the Count had been causing much inconvenience for the Duke himself.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ve been in bed for far too long.¡±


    Despite having Molitia as his daughter, Count Clemence would have definitely been left alone. But then, the situation was currently different at the present time. He could not be overtly demeaning the Duke¡¯s prestige all by himself. Molitia¡¯s fingertips smoothed over the table as she gave a thought.

 Chapter 76

    A rumor would usually lose its potency and eventually perish when it were to be left alone. Rumors can be seen as a double-edged sword. Depending on how those rumors were handled, the hotbed of the hearsay could either benefit them or even cause harm on them.


    The situation was presently different whenpared to the time she was still regarded as the Count¡¯s daughter. Molitia was currently a proud member of the Duke of Linerio. The Duke¡¯s reputation was now dependent on her own behavior.


    ¡°Gilbert, could you please give me a list of the uing salon parties? I¡¯m quite shy myself and pretty muchcking in terms of savoir faire, so I¡¯d like you to rmend some of them for me. If there is already an invitation prescribed for me, that would be even better.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any specific requirements?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ Honestly, I¡¯d rather have a stable party instead of a young, turbulent one. Well, it is my first time as a Duchess.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Then, can you please instruct me on work again today?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    The butler smiled and began informing her on what he had been doing previously. Molitia appeared to be a little on the clumsy side, yet she was a quick learner. The knowledge she gained from reading all those books in the Count¡¯s study fairly often had helped her plenty.


    The butler seemed content with Molitia, whose mind was just like a sponge that could absorb knowledge easily while she pursued the topic of management.


    Only when the night had darkened the blue sky, did Raven return home. In the end, he was caught up by Terrance, who had been enduring too much until he barely let Raven leave.


    He was a sentry who was not only astute towards the state, but also towards his own subjects. Nevertheless, he was scarier than any other of his aides once he exploded. Whenever anger had enveloped him, Raven had no other choice but to take a step back.


    When he arrived at his study, he straight away loosened his tightened tie around his neck¡ªlooking exhausted.


    ¡°Molitia?¡±


    ¡°She had already finished her meal and went straight to bed.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Raven briefly nced over the door. His wish to simply dine with her dissipated instantly.


    With a drooping shoulder, he reluctantly handed over his coat to the butler.


    ¡°Master.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Then, the butler straight away enumerated the things that had happened today briefly. He listened to Molitia¡¯s n in handling the operation of the Duchy. He was slightly aware of the n, but the moment he heard how she intended to partake in the salon party, Raven¡¯s hand immediately came to a stop.


    ¡°Did Molitia ask for it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she did.¡±


    In fact, it wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t receive any invitation. The position of the Duchess of Linerio, which had long been vacant was now filled again. This had definitely roused the curiosity of those nobledies, which was naturally directed towards her.


    However, Raven had made all of those invitations vanished into thin air even before they could reach her hand. At first, it was due to her clumsy nature, which he had seen in her but now, it was entirely for a different reason. He no longer wished to let her out as it seemed like she would likely be easily broken.


    Raven went silent for a while. Till now, he had only done them behind her back, but he could no longer hide it nowadays provided that she was the one who desired for it. He wasn¡¯t keen on it but s, he didn¡¯t want to restrict her either.


    ¡°Let her do what she wants, then.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°So, for now, don¡¯t reject the invitation and hand it over to her.¡±


    The butler immediately gave a bow at Raven¡¯s words. Raven was overwhelmed with a sudden urge that was yearning for Molitia. Nheless, once his butler informed that his study was already buried in his piles of work, he had absolutely no choice but to deal with them.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    ¡°Madame, this is the list that you requested before.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Molitia then epted those several invitations. Each invitation that was sent had an almost simr ambiance, albeit with different aspects to suit their own individual salon party.


    Molitia¡¯s hands stopped all of a sudden while she was still reading those, one after the other with much curiosity.


    ¡°The Salon Party of Marchioness of Nibeia¡­¡±

 Chapter 77

    It was such a familiar name. There were only a few party invitations that had been addressed to Molitia, who was previously unwell. Apart from a few parties, it would be better for more participants to attend.


    She was rarely invited to the small-scale salon parties or even tea parties. But then, there was this invitation that had been consistently addressed to her despite everything, which was known as ¡°The Marchioness of Nibeia¡¯s Salon Party¡±.


    ¡°The Marchioness of Nibeia is a regr salon host. She¡¯s the one who has been hosting and managing the salon herself, which is also the reason why she is so affectionate towards it. Therefore, it doesn¡¯t appear to be a bad ce to adjust yourself back into the social world.¡±


    ¡°I think so as well. Then, I¡¯ll be going here.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I will try to get in touch with them.¡±


    As he was the one who sent the letters dering that she wouldn¡¯t be able to attend because of her being sick, his efforts then would never be forgotten by her. After she had decided where to attend, Molitia straight away felt much lighter than before.


    Raven finally arrived home towards the end of her session regarding matching dresses and essories.


    For today, his desire to dine with Molitia was barely even met.


    As soon as Raven arrived, he immediately headed to her study, only to be weed home by Molitia, who was brightly beaming.


    ¡°You¡¯re here already.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m back.¡±


    When he saw that smile, he instantly wondered why his shoulders had loosened. Raven didn¡¯t have the slightest idea, but he did realize that it didn¡¯t feel bad after all.


    Molitia then gently removed Raven¡¯s coat by herself.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to attend the salon party of Marchioness of Nibeia soon.¡±


    Raven wasn¡¯t surprised by Molitia¡¯s sudden words.


    ¡°I see. Do you need anything?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve already prepared them. Of course, only if it¡¯s okay with you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, you can do what you want to do.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She smiled broadly at him as it was fortunate that he had granted his permission towards her, without even saying anything else. Still, his brow eventually furrowed at Molitia who was all smiles.


    ¡°¡­who are the onesing to the salon?¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really know for sure because I¡¯m not the one hosting it. However, I did hear that Baroness Nisser, Countess Leonid and Baroness Parvana will be attending.¡±


    ¡°Are there no men who will be attending as well?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a salon party of the Marchioness of Nibeia. It¡¯s not that men can¡¯t attend, it¡¯s just that they don¡¯t have husbands who can actually make it.¡±


    Raven breathed a covert sigh at her words.


    ¡°Then, that¡¯ll be all right. When are you going?¡±


    Molitia told him the date of the invitation. Suddenly, some wrinkles were deepened at Raven¡¯s brows.


    ¡°Will you be veryte?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a tea party for lunch. So, I¡¯m sure that I¡¯ll be back before dinner.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to see you until then.¡±


    He quietly murmured.


    No matter how much he dwelled on it, he couldn¡¯t shake the thought of her smile towards others would definitely upset him. He had already heard how it was rare for her to attend a gathering of the society even when she was a Count¡¯s daughter. He wouldn¡¯t have guessed why she really wanted to partake all of a sudden.


    ¡°Should I attend the party as well?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Molitia was startled as her mouth went round.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of husbands attending the gathering ofdies. Especially to a salon of which will be hosted by a woman.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t really mind being the host myself.¡±


    His absurd remarks had made Molitia think that he was only joking around. She shook her head while drawing a slight smile.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to fulfill my first event as the Duchess of Linerio without a hitch at all.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Then, I¡¯ll fully concentrate towards my work on that day.¡±


    His hand softly stroked her shoulder as heplied with her. Her head then naturally turned when her small back had leaned against his taut chest.


    ¡°But, just let me take over until then.¡±


    ¡°D¡­ Duke?¡±


    ¡°Are you really calling me that when we¡¯re alone right now?¡±


    ¡°Not that, Raven¡­ umm.¡±


    He downright swallowed her small yet twitching lips then and there. His tongue swept her lips open before tasting the sweetness that transmitted over in his own mouth.


    Regardless of how he presumed it to be, he couldn¡¯t shake the thought that his wife shouldn¡¯t be outside on her own.

 Chapter 78

    <strong>Act</strong>


    On the exact day of the long-awaited salon party, Molitia¡¯s bedroom had been very hectic. With aplete thorough bath in the morning, Pillen and Lili had quickly forgotten to take their rest just to dress her up.


    Molitia had already donned the dress that she prepared for the big day. It was a dress that entuated her slim figure bycing up her slender waist. Lili¡¯s eyes sparkled as she ced some jewelry on Molitia.


    ¡°Madame, you¡¯re extremely beautiful.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so pretty!¡±


    ¡°Your face is so white, which made me ponder on how to boost up your color tone. But then, I don¡¯t think I have to be worried about it anymore. You¡¯ll probably be the prettiest among others!¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t exaggerate me too much.¡±


    Despite saying so, Molitia was still smiling softly at the reflection of her face. It wasn¡¯t even half bad to see herself projected in the mirror.


    The two maids were still fixated on their masterpiece that had born under the touch of their very own hands. They were bursting with pride to see how their Lady was such a pretty woman.


    However, their appreciation couldn¡¯t be held much longer. Pillen immediately remembered of her duty, thus bringing in a thick coat for her.


    ¡°It¡¯s too bad that you have to cover yourself up, still we can¡¯t have you catching another cold.¡±


    Pillen then draped the coat over Molitia¡¯s shoulder. In an instant, a thick cape could be seen to cover up most of her clothes. The outerwear would¡¯ve been definitely taken off once she entered the salon but at the same time, they just couldn¡¯t ignore the outdoor¡¯s cold air.


    <em>Madame is such a delicate person.</em>Pillen¡¯s eyes stiffened at that thought as she fastened the cape.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. It has gotten especially cold these days. Have you taken the medicine with you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve gotten the meds with me, just in case. You don¡¯t have to worry too much¡­¡±


    Disinclined to see how those two were still busily moving around her, Molitia eventually stepped in to mediate the issue at hand.


    ¡°Please stop. Pillen, Lili, I¡¯m not even staying overnight. I¡¯ll return in just a few hours.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    The two maids were still looking anxiously at Molitia with their hands full of cloaks. They didn¡¯t intend to ignore their Madame. However, fear seeped in at the thought of their Madame catching a cold yet again.


    They heard that it had been blusterous these days. What if Molitia were to flutter away? If it was someone as light and petite as their Madame, the wind would definitely blow her away. The salon had already dered that servants could not attend, hence their worries were piling up even more.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be of any help to you during that time.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Molitia painted a soft smile that was akin to a blooming flower amidst the spring breeze. It was evident that those spring flowers could never withstand the cold wind. The hesitating hands of those two maids started to regain back their energy.


    ¡°I just can¡¯t. Madame, please wear one more.¡±


    ¡°Madame! The gloves¡­!¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we pack for you another set of extra clothings? It¡¯s for when the weather gets cold unexpectedly¡­¡±


    Molitia was suddenly outnumbered again as she was pushed back towards the initial discussion on what dresses should Molitia have worn.


    Molitia immediately shook her head to refuse those urges of theirs, but somehow, they had managed to slip on the gloves on her hand as well as another coat on top of her already donned cloak.


    However, it was right at the moment when Pillen was still feeling unsatisfied with Molitia¡¯s current clothes that she decided to bring another pair of shoes, adorned with thick fur.


    ¡°Madame, your carriage awaits.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ming!¡±


    Molitia replied as quickly as she could at the voice of the butler, who sounded just like a ray of light. Unaware that it was already time for her to depart, Pillen kept on ncing a concerned look towards her.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much. I¡¯ll be back safe and sound.¡±


    ¡°Madame¡­..¡±


    Pillen¡¯s eyes unexpectedly glistened. That particr look on someone that had taken care of her a lot more than usual had softly tickled Molitia¡¯s mind.


    Molitia had always thought that she was much better at separating between public and personal affairs aspared to Lili. Nheless, Molitia smiled softly before giving a gentle stroke to their hair.


    Pillen¡¯s face went immediately azed at Molitia¡¯s soft touch.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon, Pillen, Lili.¡±

 Chapter 79

    Molitia eventually left the two behind and stepped outside. The butler was already waiting in front of the door while holding out a hand for her.


    On her way to the carriage, Molitia suddenly widened her eyes at the sight of a person standing right before the designated carriage.


    ¡°You must be¡­¡±


    Just when he had recognized Molitia, the man quickly smiled before giving her a respectful bow.


    ¡°I am Lyndon, a knight who has always been indebted to you. Please, do call me Lyndon at your convenience.¡±


    Molitia had easily recalled him from her memory. The free-spirited appearance of him had long remained ever since they had their meal together.


    ¡°Sir Lyndon, what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°The Lord was the one who sent me here as he had been really worried about you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    <em>No way.</em>


    She could hazily recall how Raven had picked on her previously by saying that it was dangerous for her to go alone. Her memories started bouncing off at all of those times he said while craving her body.


    ¡®And I¡¯m sure he said something in regards to what he asked for¡­¡¯


    At those moments, Molitia was busy writhing underneath him. Her face crimsoned naturally at the memories of that day, which popped up all of a sudden.


    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely do my very best today.¡±


    Somehow, it had already be a thing of the past. Molitia smiled bashfully as she was unable to send Lyndon back, at the very least.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°If you are really thankful, then please make another batch of meringue cookies. I¡¯ve been bragging about them to the other knights ever since.¡±


    ¡°I surely will.¡±


    Lyndon¡¯s cheeks could be seen to be blushing at Molitia¡¯s soft smile. As he saw how Lyndon had eximed excitingly, Gilbert discreetly bore in mind that this was another thing that should be reported to Raventer.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll have a safe trip.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Gilbert.¡±


    The butler kept his stare on her. Unlike the maids, the veteran man did not express himself entirely. However, he still couldn¡¯t conceal all of his worriespletely.


    It was Molitia, herself who wanted to embark further in other things. She was definitely a person, who was very pleasant to look after. Gilbert felt absolutely fortunate to have such a lovely person next to his Master¡¯s side.


    ¡°If anything happens, please consult Sir Lyndon at any time.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    The carriage which Molitia was seated in soon closed its door. Lyndon immediately sat on the perch as he escorted the said carriage. The carriage eventually left with the sound of a galloping horse, but the butler still couldn¡¯t take his eyes off that scene for quite some time.


    The moving carriage continuously captured thendscape of the passing city along the way. Eventually, the carriage paused for a while as it arrived in front of an borate mansion. Lyndon immediately descended the coach before giving a light knock on the window.


    ¡°We have arrived, Madame.¡±


    Lyndon slowly opened the door and reached out for her. Without further dy, Molitia ced her gloved hand on top of his.


    ¡°Please be careful when you are getting off.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting right here. Feel free to call me at any time.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it quite cold over here?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This kind of cold can never bepared to the valley in the Knights Temr.¡±


    At the sight of Lyndon¡¯s smile, Molitia waved her hand softly. The mansion that was erected before her eyes was small but brilliantly colored. It was the precise ce that the Marchioness of Nibeia had arranged for her salon party. Molitia had finally conceded how they were no longer with her.


    ¡®From now on, I¡¯m all on my own.¡¯


    Molitia¡¯s petite shoulders felt awkwardly constrained. This was her first social party that she had attended with a brand new surname. She immediately took a small yet deep breath before stepping inside.


    Simr to its appearance, even the interior was adorned with such charming impressions. The salon was embellished with thebination of dark red and bold white, which disyed the preference of the Marchioness of Nibeia as well as her own sincerity.


    Molitia was fortunately able to find Marchioness Nibeia among the crowd of people without much difficulty. Molitia gracefully gave a nod as she approached her, who was standing as she greeted the people.


    ¡°Thank you for inviting me to this joyful asion, Marchioness Nibeia.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Lady Clemence. I could finally see your face now.¡±


    She gently replied as she smiled merrily.

 Chapter 80

    ¡°Oh, you have already be the Duchess of Linerio now.¡±


    The Marchioness of Nibeia had never thought that Molitia would be contacting her first. She had already known how Molitia was married to the Duke of Linerio, but never did she expect that she would get to meet Molitia in this manner.


    As a result of this, her salon was able to invite as many guests as it did back in its heyday that was quite a long time ago. Every single one immediately pounced at the chance of participating in the salon where the rumored Duchess were to attend.


    It wasn¡¯t the least concerning for her, no matter what Molitia had in mind in regards to participating. Most importantly, Marchioness of Nibeia looked satisfied herself.


    ¡°Thank you for still remembering me, despite having been declined the invitation many times before.¡±


    Her cheeks which had been very nervous had naturally rxed at the warm wee.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that. Now, have a seat. We have prepared some warm things in regards to this chilly weather we¡¯re having.¡±


    The cordial reception had made Molitia proceeded to her seat with good grace.


    Silence immediately fell in the hall at the precise moment she walked towards those designated seats. She pretended to be unaware of those rumors while perking up her ears.


    ¡®Which table should I take a seat?¡¯


    ¡®There¡¯s a rumor going around saying that I¡¯m a temptress.¡¯


    However, her innocent and gentle appearance was no match to the rumors at all. The hearsay was at odds with her current image, which had loosened the wariness of thedies.


    ¡°Oh my, sister.¡±


    Molitia immediately stunned at the voice that called her from behind. A very familiar voice. A title of herself that she could have never forgotten made her look back in response.


    ¡°Arjan¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, sister. I haven¡¯t seen you ever since you¡¯ve gotten married.¡±


    Arjan Clemence, who bore a striking resemnce to Count Clemence with that brilliant blonde hair of hers, was smiling broadly at Molitia.


    The moment she was faced with herughter, Molitia immediately felt suffocated. Suddenly, she seemed as though she had returned to Molitia Clemence¡ªno longer the esteemed Duchess.


    She always felt apologetic for having responded in rejections for every single time, that she had forgotten the fact that Arjan was the one who had gone on Molitia¡¯s behalf. As always, Arjan did not miss the opportunity to approach Molitia. She used tough innocently while saying something like she couldn¡¯t help it, as she was the one who made it her own.


    ¡®Why did I even forget about this?¡¯


    Marchioness Nibeia had always been fond of bright, young people, which was why she invited them often.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Arjan¡¯sughter deepened as she faced her sister with a rather rigid smile.


    ¡°I kept pestering our father because I have missed you, but I was always rejected. I heard that you¡¯re not going for your honeymoon, though.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be too formal. You¡¯re in fact, my sister. You may visit us anytime.¡±


    ¡°Wow! Thank you. I really missed you so much.¡±


    Arjan reached out and immediately hugged her neck. Her voice, which seemed to be chirping happily as though she was truly happy being able to meet with her sister in such a dramatic manner.


    ¡°I definitely feel empty without my sister at home. My sister was always there whenever I got home.¡±


    Arjan sneakily hinted that Molitia had always been inside of the residence. Her words then yed quite a buzz for the gathering wives who were there.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯d like to have another chat with my sister. Though, I¡¯ve already told you many things when you were still lying down in bed.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what did you usually talk about?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Baroness Parvana.¡±


    Arjan said quickly, as if she was waiting for some help from the sidelines.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s because my sister often lies in bed due to her illness. Therefore, whatever I did, I would always tell her my experiences as well as those stories that could be heard from the outside world.¡±


    ¡°Pleasefort her as well.¡±


    ¡°The love of Count Clemence is just absolutely magnanimous.¡±


    Arjan looked extremely shy at all thosepliments that were sung around her.


    ¡°No way. I just did it for the sake of my sister who was definitely bored in bed.¡±


    Molitia immediately realized this very simr experience of hers from before. Arjan would always stick closely to her whenever she had managed to recover and went back into the social circle.


    It was actually nominal for her sister, who seemed to be somewhat awkward in getting along in the society, but then the reality was really different altogether. She was just using Molitia as a means of getting transformed into someone with a pitiful and pathetic love.

 Chapter 81

    The more Arjan obtained sympathy from the others, the further neglected Molitia would be from the conversation.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, may I join you at this table? It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen her, so I wouldn¡¯t want to be away from her.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Lady Clemence. There are several empty seats right here, so please, do sitfortably.¡±


    Arjan deliberately settled next to Molitia. Arjan was sprightly gazing at Molitia, who was quietly lifting up her teacup gracefully.


    When the bnce of the sitting arrangement, which was thought up by Marchioness Nibeia had tipped over, the prepared refreshments happened to be naturally inadequate as well.


    During that amiable atmosphere, someone had suddenly reached out for sugar. However, it was quite hard to make it even if she were to extend her hand due to the seats having changed. She looked around, looking puzzled, just to see that everyone else was busy talking about their own fairly interesting stories.


    ¡°Lady Nisser, it must be inconvenient for you. Do allow me to get it for you.¡±


    Surprised by the voice that had called out to her, Baroness Nisser immediately raised her head. Molitia gave a warm smile before pushing a bowl of sugar right towards in front of her.


    ¡°Oh¡­ do you recognize me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I do. You came to my wedding before.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would go so far as to remember me because we didn¡¯t get to have a conversation back then.¡±


    More than anything, she was just another baroness in the outskirts. The wedding was attended by a lot of people that it would have never been rude to not actually remember the faces of the many attendees.


    The wife of the Duke of Linerio¡ªthe heart of the current heated conversation¡ªhad remembered her well. That alone had made Baroness Nisser take note of her kind temperament.


    ¡°No way. You are one of our precious guests who have taken the time to attend our important asion. I felt rather apologetic towards everyone as I didn¡¯t stay for such a long time due to my weak constitution.¡±


    All of a sudden, the tables had turned when Baroness Nisser was seen to be talking to the Duchess of Linerio. Everyone at the table was suddenly paying close attention to Molitia herself.


    ¡°I heard that it was the Duke who carried you back then?¡±


    ¡°Oh my God, really? The Duke?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he carried her as though she was the most precious thing in the world.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m quite ashamed of myself¡­ ¡­just because I slightly hurt my foot which made it ufortable for me to walk, he had to carry me as he took me back to the mansion.¡±


    Molitia, who was coyly blushing had emphasized on the fact that she was a newly married bride herself. Needless to say, all of thedies who had witnessed the scene gleamed with interest.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re blushing even more than you were back on the day. They always say that a woman would shine her brightest during the wedding, but it seems like the Duchess is much more attractive now,pared during the wedding.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your gracious words.¡±


    ¡°Is the Duke¡ªyour husband¡ªkind to you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve also heard that Countess Lyrit is a rather devoted wife as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªby the way, is that rumor still going around these days?¡±


    Thedies were of course, bound to have their own little stories. Moreover, if there was a newly fresh topic at hand, it was natural for one¡¯s eye to light up curiously.


    Arjan¡¯s own sympathetic yet simple story had abruptly lost their previously keen interest. The tedious pattern was simply difficult to appeal to thosedies. Therefore, everyone had instantly switched to Molitia, rather than Arjan as they joined in the conversation.


    ¡®Just, what is this?¡¯


    Arjan took a look at the scene¡ªbaffled. Molitia, who could have never shined more than herself was definitely glowing, even more than anyone else at the table.


    Much more than Arjan Clemence, herself.


    ¡°Everyone.¡±


    A single word from Marchioness of Nibeia immediately silenced the tumultuous hall. She looked around, feeling satisfied as the clinking teacups had already fallen still.


    ¡°I thank everyone who has taken the precious time to brighten up this event of mine.¡±


    Then, Marchioness of Nibeia gazed straight at Molitia.


    ¡°Especially the Duchess of Linerio, who is here today.¡±


    Molitia sensibly stood up before addressing her surroundings with a gentle greeting. There was a light round of apuse dedicated to her.

 Chapter 82

    ¡°I¡¯m very d to inform you that my group has be much more stable. I did encounter many things while opening up the salon, but I believe that there was nothing more rewarding than meeting all of you.¡±


    As Molitia recalled the past, especially in regards to Marchioness of Nibeia, a brief pause had overwhelmed her momentarily.


    Molitia had once seen her mother wearing a ck dress when she was still young. It was at the obituary of Marquis of Nibeia, which was such a big incident that had shaken the empire back then.


    The Marquis¡¯ wife had to endure the sorrow for the sake of herself and her child, despite the fact that her husband had just passed early on. It was the hard work of Marchioness of Nibeia, who had raised the family all by herself after it had fallen into ruin once due to the death of Marquis of Nibeia.


    Maybe that was the reason why she had always been fond of women with exceptional abilities.


    ¡°Please, enjoy yourselves in Nibeia Salon.¡±


    The atmosphere of the salon became casual once again after the Marchioness had finished greeting them. Within that friendly ambience, Marchioness of Nibeia began approaching her.


    ¡°Duchess Linerio, how¡¯s your seat?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to the Marchioness¡¯ consideration, it feels like I¡¯ve always been here even though it¡¯s my very first time.¡±


    Molitia smiled as she politely made eye contact with her.


    ¡°It seems like the cozy atmosphere of this salon particrly resembles that of the Marchioness herself.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely an honor for me that you¡¯ve taken a liking to my salon.¡±


    The Marchioness of Nibeia responded with eyes that sparkled brightly. Those sincere eyes of hers, which could make others feel very warm. The Marchioness then patted her hand ever so lightly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already known that you¡¯re quite frail. It¡¯s not shameful at all so, do let me know if you¡¯re not feeling well.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much for your kind consideration.¡±


    ¡°No problem. I¡¯ve prepared this salon for the longest time, so please, don¡¯t you worry.¡±


    Straight after talking to Molitia, she immediately rose from her seat. That was only because she had to go around each table, as the organizer. She then proceeded to another table, after expressing her regret at the truncated conversation with Molitia.


    ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯


    She initially thought that it would be an opportunity when Marchioness of Nibeia had approached. However, Arjan couldn¡¯t utter a single word even until she left the table.


    It was all because of her sister, Molitia, who had monopolized the Marchionesspletely. That made it impossible for the Marchioness of Nibeia to even spare her a single nce.


    Plus, normally, she wouldn¡¯t even make eye contact with other people. Arjan wondered if it was all because of her sister.


    ¡°Sister.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Arjan beamed, just like an angel when she met with Molitia¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°How are you? I¡¯ve heard from my father that you¡¯re running out of medicine already.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s hand immediately stopped when she had just touched the teacup. Count Clemence was the one who especially loved Arjan. Still, it was just imusible to bring up such a trivial story right now.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been worried about it. I even wanted to go and see if you¡¯re doing alright over there.¡±


    ¡°It was absolutely fine. Rather, it has been milderpared to when I was back in the County.¡±


    ¡°Really? The Duke must have been very nice to you, then. That is such a relief. I do hope that it won¡¯t hurt all the time like before.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yeah.¡±


    Molitia responded with a wry smile. In fact, she was definitely eager not to be sick as well.


    Having said that, her wish had never been fulfilled just yet. Her head was in a daze at the bitterness she was feeling. Molitia was suddenly struck with a dizzy spell as soon as she located a teacup. Still, emptying those teacups did not satisfy her thirst at all. Molitia tried to hold back her dizziness as she reached for the teapot.


    ¡°Ouch.¡±


    Of all things that could transpire, Arjan¡¯s hand happened to touch the teapot while she was reaching out for sugar. Arjan immediately cowered in fear.


    ¡°Are you all right, Arjan?¡±


    ¡°Are you okay, Lady Clemence?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m perfectly fine. This scar of mine is still a little bit sensitive¡­¡±


    Arjan smiled with all her might as she said that.


    ¡°It looks like I¡¯ve worried my sister.¡±


    ¡°Oh, a scar. What happened?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s¡­ it was when I was nursing you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my God.¡±


    Arjan¡¯s words had shattered the gentle atmosphere of the table in an instant. Then, quiet murmurs started hurling towards Molitia.


    ¡°The Count¡¯s rumour¡­¡±


    ¡°I guess everything was true, after all.¡±

 Chapter 83

    Even though she had said it in a hushed tone, her words were still quite unexpected. Moreover, this was Molitia¡¯s first time as a guest at this party. It wasn¡¯t just because she wasn¡¯t frequent here, it was also due to her contrast with Arjan, who had attended the party several times already.


    Arjan then deliberately added her dismay as the buzzing kept on permeating, starting with the people she had met.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. It was my choice to take care of her. Plus, it¡¯s usually fine except for the asional pain. Please, don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    Molitia let out a soft sigh. She felt as if she had already located the hotbed of those rumors.


    ¡®You actually did that during my absence.¡¯


    Molitia could then slightly grasp the idea why those hated eyes of theirs were like that, and the reason people who had been away from her werevished. She had guessed it before, but she still failed to understand her feelings when it urred right in front of her eyes. Molitia gathered the little strength she had to her small hands, which were trembling uncontrobly.


    If she were to run away from here, she would not only lose to Arjan, but she would also drag down the reputation of the Duke of Linerio.


    Those maids who had taken care of many things for her.


    The butler who had seen her off when she departed before.


    Even the knight who was in charge of escorting her.


    She didn¡¯t want them, whom she really appreciated, to be criticized for being a part of the family by those who didn¡¯t even know the truth at all. Her small set of eyshes shot up suddenly, albeit trembling¡ªstill.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Arjan. Did it hurt a lot?¡±


    Arjan immediately went round-eyed at Molitia¡¯s unexpected words. She thought that Molitia would shudder like always. Then, Arjan unintentionally stammered in response to her sister¡¯s behavior, which she had never seen before.


    ¡°Oh, huh? No, it was truly my decision. So, you don¡¯t really have to take responsibility for what you did before.¡±


    ¡°I really am sorry, though. I didn¡¯t think too much of your wounds because I was too distracted avoiding the pottery, which you threw at me.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You were so mad during that day. Due to the Countess of Barlow¡¯s love, those silverware¡­¡±


    ¡°Sister!¡±


    A moment of silence filled the air¡ªnot only at the table where she was at, but at other ces as well. Arjan took a look around a little secondter to see that everyone¡¯s eyes were already locked onto her.


    <em>This is not it</em>. Arjan quickly blinked her eyes beforeughing out loud.


    ¡°I surely don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I believe you must be clearly mistaken.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a possibility as well. It¡¯s true that my fever was really high back then.¡±


    Molitia quietly recalled.


    It was definitely true that she was preupied with her high fever. But still, it wasn¡¯t Molitia who hurt Arjan on that day. Rather, it was Arjan¡¯s own fault as she was the one who flung those tableware that were in her room.


    ¡°But of course, it was definitely my fault when I couldn¡¯t stop you then. I apologize, Arjan. I really should have stopped you back then.¡±


    Molitia didn¡¯t expect her to cover up that day in this manner at all. Still, she tried to blur her words by adding some bitterness of her heart.


    ¡°No, sister¡­ ¡­it¡¯s my fault, so it can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll watch over so that my precious sister will no longer get hurt.¡±


    When Molitia drew a smile, the wives who were present began to chat once again.


    It was already an open secret how Arjan and Barlow were never on good terms. It was none other than the reason being how Barlow¡¯s own fianc¨¦ had fallen in love with Arjan and was constantly chasing after her.


    Since there were already rumors how he had fought while being drunk before, Molitia¡¯s story then seemed much more credible in some way.


    As themotion grew louder than before, Marchioness of Nibeia eventually had to step up.


    ¡°Since I heard something about pottery, I just recalled how Baroness Nisser has recently started collecting teacups?¡±


    When the topic had changed ever so slightly, the wives¡¯ chatter began to die down as well.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. She gets to bargain with the best dealers and now, she has saved up a lot of teacups from many other countries.¡±


    ¡°What kinds of teacups are sought-after these days?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then¡­¡±

 Chapter 84

    The story had quickly switched to gather around Baroness Nisser and Marchioness Nibeia. Although the Salon Party seemed to appear like a yground for thedies to enjoy their boring afternoon, the reality of it was much more different in essence.


    There was actually a small domain that had been the center of the story, which was being discussed by the group of wives. Fashion, trade and even scandals. There was always the topic of power which entailed within them. Plus, it was the Marchioness of Nibeia who had been using it actively to move forward.


    The Marchioness eventually allowed the atmosphere to gradually subside, as it was no longer exhrating the floor.


    When the party had soone towards an end, Molitia immediately thanked the Marchioness gently.


    ¡°I really enjoyed my time here.¡±


    The Marchioness of Nibeia smiled gracefully at Molitia¡¯s polite felicitations. During their little conversation in regards to the teacup from before, she was able to talk a lot with the Duchess of Linerio. What seemed to surprise her the most was definitely Molitia¡¯s unexpected intelligence.


    She had already known some of the little stories, which wouldn¡¯t interest most of the ordinary young people. Furthermore, she was also well versed with the matters of other countries, which werepletely not within the Empire. This then, had deemed her to be interesting in the eyes of the Marchioness herself.


    ¡°I was very happy to share my views with you just now. If you don¡¯t mind, may I invite you again next time?¡±


    ¡°As much as you like, Marchioness Nibeia.¡±


    The result turned out as it had been anticipated. This had also meant that she would be inviting Molitia frequently to her uing salon parties. Molitia immediately nodded happily in response.


    As soon as she got out of the salon, she was overwhelmed with fatigue all of a sudden. Undoubtedly, her long outing was quite detrimental to her own health.


    Molitia had barely managed to walk away by thinking of that soft bed in the bedroom back home.


    For a moment, she even thought that she was seeing things due to vertigo. Nevertheless, she was startled to see that particr someone who was still there despite blinking for several times already.


    ¡°¡­Raven?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to celebrate your debut as the Duchess.¡±


    He was waiting right in front of the carriage when he started approaching Molitia. Then, he presented her a small bouquet of flowers and a box of chocte.


    The sudden gift had immediately sealed Molitia¡¯s mouth. It may have been just a coincidence, but the chocte that was already in her arms was that rare kind, the one which had made her overlook the bitter taste of the Count¡¯s medicine.


    ¡°You can just do this at home, though¡­¡±


    Molitia was blushing up to her cheeks while she was saying so. The fog that was confusing her mind seemed like it had already been lifted up.


    ¡°Lyndon had some business to attend to.¡±


    ¡°What happened to him?¡±


    Raven¡¯s expression suddenly turned displeased as Molitia¡¯s eyes were looking for someone else. He clearly disliked his wife¡¯s behavior of looking for another man over himself that was already there with her.


    ¡°Why are you even looking for him?¡±


    ¡°I came with him before, but now, I can¡¯t even catch a glimpse of him. I¡¯m just worried that he might still be waiting outside for me in this kind of cold.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much. There was an urgent business, which was why I had sent him off first.¡±


    Raven stated while thinking of Lyndon, who might still be circling around the moor. He had already heard everything from the butler before. When his mind had thought of Lyndon, his eyes immediately froze up, but the moment his eyesid upon Molitia herself, his gaze quickly melted down¡ªjust like those tender snow.


    ¡°Your hands are actually much colder than that. That¡¯s why I have to get you home soon.¡±


    ¡°Ra¡ªno, Duke. Please wait¡­.¡±


    Molitia was almost forced into the carriage. There was a sudden waft of steam that permeated in the carriage itself.


    The carriage was entirely different from what she thought would be infused with cold air as it had been left outside for quite a long time. How could this possibly be? Nevertheless, Molitia then took a seat in the carriage while still hugging those flowers and choctes tightly.

 Chapter 85

    It had be a little bit warmer than those clothes she was wearing at that moment.


    ¡°Give those to me first.¡±


    ncing at his outstretched hand, her gaze then quickly turned to Raven.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be hard for you to hold them alone, so let me keep them next to you, over here.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll hold them myself.¡±


    ¡°It¡®ll take quite a while for us to get there.¡±


    ¡°Still.¡±


    Raven raised his eyebrows at how stubborn she was in wanting to keep on holding those gifts.


    ¡°Why are you so adamant on holding them so much, anyway?¡±


    ¡°That¡­ it¡¯s because they¡¯re gifts from you to me.¡±


    Molitia stared at the gifts lovingly. It was the first gift, which she had received despite the fact that it wasn¡¯t her birthday. A gift bestowed on a day that wasn¡¯t special at all.


    ¡°When I was young, I always yielded to my sister. There weren¡¯t many items that could be considered as mine. I had to relinquish all my presents to my sister.¡±


    Raven then suddenly recalled her luggage that was definitely too little for her. The luggage of a nobledy that was extremely small, which had even perplexed the butlerpletely.


    Maybe it was also because of how she didn¡¯t have anything in the first ce. Raven bit his lips in lieu of his burning feelings before he managed to wipe them off.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give more to you, every single day from now onwards.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that. This is already enough.¡±


    She smiled innocently before she bent down while smelling the fragrant flowers. As her perfectly white teeth were revealed, a blush had also colored her cheeks brightly.


    Raven sighed quietly.


    He definitely appreciated her behaviour of cherishing his gifts. But then, it was inevitable that her actions were in fact, a bit too much.


    <em>How long can that little wrist of hersst?</em>Raven immediately regretted the fact that he had given it to her right after arriving at that mansion before.


    The clop of the horse¡¯s hooves could be heard softly inside the carriage. Raven thought for a while before he slowly parted his mouth.


    ¡°¡­the chocte will melt soon if you hold it like that for too long.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°They said that if human warmth were toe too close in contact, even flowers would wither quickly.¡±


    Her eyes glinted with hesitation at those firm words of his. Raven straight away didn¡¯t miss the chance to take a hold of those flowers and choctes in his arms instead.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll leave them here for a while. Just because you put them aside, it doesn¡¯t mean that they¡¯re going to run away.¡±


    ¡°¡­okay.¡±


    It was tantly childish, but he didn¡¯t regret anything from what he had just said. Both of those unupied wrists of hers looked precarious even if they were just idling away. He quickly set aside the bouquet of flowers and the choctes at the corner of the seat.


    Eventually, he brought up the topic, which he was really curious about.


    ¡°How does it feel to be called the Duchess?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t bad at all. I¡¯ve never been called Lady Clemence before, after all.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Her eyes hesitated for a moment. Should she tell him the truth or hide them all? It was precisely because she didn¡¯t want to be hated that she recalled the days when she tried hiding them away.


    Raven, the one who still had faith in her¡ªwho had been concealing herself from others¡ªwas right in front of her. Therefore, she shouldn¡¯t be hiding anything any longer.


    ¡°You know, I don¡¯t really show up in society very often. Thanks to that, I¡¯m usually being called just by name, since I¡¯m merely meeting up with the people whom I know of.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any close friends?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡­ it¡¯s actually uncertain.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t really im that she was close to her family, but she did have a childhood friend¡ªonce. However, they became naturally estranged with one another as the days sheid upon her bed lengthened in time.


    ¡°What about now?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Do you have anyone who is much closer to you than me?¡±


    Raven suddenly felt a p of utter jealousy as he sounded slightly brusque even without him realizing it. He had looked into her household before, but still, he didn¡¯t wish to vite her privacy. Which was why he didn¡¯t pry into it any further.

 Chapter 86

    <em>Having said that, it¡¯s different if they were much more special than me, myself.</em>It was unconditionally necessary for him to make sure that he was the absolute right person¡ªespecially by gender. Raven then listened attentively to Molitia.


    ¡°You¡¯re a family of mine. How can I argue about our unreserved friendship?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Raven immediately hid his smile that was creeping around his mouth. In other words, she just dered that she had no other special rtionship apart from what she had with himself. Raven then immediately shrugged his shoulders before leaning on his back.


    As the warm air flowed continuously, the scent of flowers began to tickle the tip of Molitia¡¯s nose.


    ¡°Achoo!¡±


    A small sneeze rang in an instant within that narrow carriage. Molitia lightly grazed the tip of her nose. The pollen, which wafted in the air, seemed to have tickled her nose.


    ¡°Did you just catch a cold?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­¡±


    Molitia couldn¡¯t even finish talking when a coat was draped over her body. His thick coat¡ªunbeknown to her when did he take it off¡ªwas already covering her shoulders.


    ¡°I never thought you¡¯d catch a cold. Is it really a cold?


    <em>Badump</em>. Rather, it was actually warm enough for her to even be a little hot. Despite Molitia¡¯s earnest expression, Raven still couldn¡¯t let go of his worries that easily.


    ¡°No. Quickly, head back to the mansion as soon as we can¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Raven, I¡¯m fine¡ªreally. It was just a mere sneeze. I don¡¯t have a fever and I don¡¯t feel chilly at all.¡±


    Molitia immediately stopped him, who was genuinely trying to exit through the door of the running carriage. His hands that were holding onto the door had fallen due to her words, yet his anxious gaze still hadn¡¯t disappeared at all.


    ¡°But, your face is too red for you to say that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s quite warm in here.¡±


    ¡°The tip of your nose is red as well.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just the same.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­¡±


    If she had just left it like this, many more reasons would be thrown in endlessly. Molitia soon reached out and held onto Raven¡¯s hand. The soft touch of her hand had his fingertips twitched unknowingly.


    ¡°It really is okay. To be honest, I might be a little tired, but it¡¯s definitely not a cold.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be worried if you catch another cold.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t get sick anymore.¡±


    ¡°You did say you were a little tired before?¡±


    He was still worried and panicked when Molitia astutely pointed out, which had made her avoid his eyes in a hurry. As soon as he saw that Molitia was shying her face from him, his expression slightly stiffened in response.


    As expected, this weather was too dangerous for her. A tender woman like her, who was vulnerable towards the chilly wind had made him want to keep her in his arms, at least until there was a gust of the warm spring breeze.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    Her shoulders immediately flinched at his call. Her hand that was covering the back of his hand was already under his tight grasp.


    ¡°I told you¡ªtime and again¡ªnot to overdo it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not too much, though.¡±


    It had only been a few hours. It might have been a big leap for her, but it was just another scheduled routine for the otherdies.


    His hand that was ced on top of hers then probed into the coat that he had her covered with. Then, his fingers gently swept through her neck.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    His fingers then scraped against her corbone. Her attractive chest had caught his attention, which made his fingers edge along past her breastbone.


    ¡°Because then, you won¡¯t be able to make some time for me.¡±


    ¡°Some time with you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, our couple time.¡±


    He mischievously raised the corners of his mouth while lowering his hand over her clothes. His fingertips then slowly touched her chest that waspletely armed with her underwear.


    Molitia¡¯s breath immediately ceased, albeit briefly. He secretly teased her breast with his hand that could feel nothing but the smooth texture of silk. His fingers then wandered slowly over her clothes while nipping and twirling around her are.


    ¡°But we¡¯re in a carriage.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no such reason where a couple wasn¡¯t permitted to take their own time in a carriage.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Molitia blushed at those embarrassing words of his.

 Chapter 87

    She wasn¡¯t aware of the fact that Raven was already in heat for her since the moment they got onto the coach itself. To put it another way, her fragrant scent that pervaded the carriage had fueled him with such impulse to pounce on her.


    ¡°Molitia,e here.¡±


    When Raven pointed to his thigh, Molitia¡¯s eyes grew widened. Now, she couldn¡¯t even imagine what that had just meant either.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°When have I ever yed with you?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Or should I be going to you, My Lady?¡±


    As soon as she tried to move, she could already envision her own fate that would be soon lying on that narrow seat. Her legs would be spread open with his vigorous hands and her insides would be stuffed to her utmost limit. That strange imagination of Molitia¡¯s had unknowingly heated her lower abdominal.


    When she thought about her dress that would crumple mercilessly, it was definitely better for her to be the one who¡¯d move. There weren¡¯t many options for her, anyway.


    ¡®Should she make a move?¡¯


    ¡®Would that be alright?¡¯


    ¡®Should she just turn it down?¡¯


    Molitia mped her lips down as she asked herself. Her heated face could not meet his eyes that easily. On top of that, the scent of flowers was still lingering sweetly at the tip of her nose.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll go over there.¡±


    Raven immediately felt his thigh throbbed at her words.


    Even after he had made her decision, Molitia still couldn¡¯t move that easily.


    ¡°The carriage won¡¯t rattled forcefully as soon as I stand, will it?¡±


    ¡°Do you think that the Duke¡¯s carriage would be built so poorly?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, but¡­¡±


    Molitia was still hesitating in standing up. Although it was an obviously finely built carriage, the conditions of the road shouldn¡¯t be ignoredpletely.


    When her body was slightly wobbling, Raven immediately extended his hand to which Molitia had epted.


    ¡°If you¡¯re worried about the coachman, I¡¯ll tell you now that you don¡¯t have to fret over that. He¡¯s already beyond the carriage and he¡¯s too focused on driving the horses.¡±


    He then pulled her towards the seat that was opposite of him. Molitia¡¯s body was greatly shaken by the force given at that moment. Soon after, Raven immediately reached out before grabbing her waist and had her seated on his thighs.


    The views, which could be seen from the front and above, had a vast differencepared to one another. The cor¡ªwhich he thought was far too deep for the cut¡ªwas revealing her such unblemished breasts when viewed from above.


    The cor, which had stretched straight downwards without any incisions, was naturally enough to attract his gaze towards her cleavage. Right at that moment, Raven¡¯s shameful pang of jealousy was already squirming within him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this before.¡±


    ¡°Oh, have you noticed? Actually, this is tailored especially for today.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s cheeks were flushing furiously. Along with her smile, he felt a sudden thrill of excitement.


    ¡°You did say that no men were invited, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a gathering ofdies. All of them were of course, women.¡±


    ¡°¡­that¡¯s right.¡±


    Raven eventually managed to swallow his ugly feelings that were seemingly trying to escape his lips.


    ¡°It¡¯s rather cold outside, so you¡¯d better wear impermeable clothes when you go out.¡±


    ¡°The maids were actually the ones who took care of my outerwear.¡±


    Raven tried to recall the maids, but he couldn¡¯t really remember their faces. The only thing he remembered was how clueless he was when he was right next to her.


    His thoughts quickly changed when he saw how that thick coat, which she was wearing, didn¡¯t leave even the finest gaps at all.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to give them a special bonuster.¡¯


    Raven¡¯s lips then sank on her hair. Her shoulders had stiffened with all the tension while Raven¡¯s hand was wandering around her neck.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Her body immediately flinched. The energy in her bottom could be felt clearly on his thighs.


    Her amassed chest was pulled out from the insides of her clothes, which were nestled at the nape of her neck, as it was deeply unburied under his own hand.


    Molitia let out a fleeting moan when her bare chest was exposed in the chilly air. It was just a tiny sound, but still, she immediately closed her mouth. The rattling carriage was constantly reminding her that they were in fact, outside.

 Chapter 88

    ¡°Oh, I haven¡¯t even touched it, so I never thought it¡¯d be this erect.¡±


    Her breathing turned a little hoarse as her breast had bounced off her stiff nipple.


    ¡°If only I had known how much you were looking forward to it, I¡¯d definitely touch it earlier.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­¡­¡±


    Molitia¡¯s voice sounded faint. It was all because of her folds that were already soaked through her underwearpletely.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Raven¡¯s hand then started to invade her skirt. His hands soon touched the thighs which were right between those colorfulces.


    He didn¡¯t know why her bare skin had felt so good when it touched his own lips. Even her little cry sounded very cute whenever Raven had taken bites out of her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I was wrong.¡±


    His hand finally swept over her long-waited underwear. Her waist immediately straightened in response as her hot breath lingered in the air.


    ¡°But, I don¡¯t think this ce agrees at all.¡±


    As though he was jesting around, he raised his finger before poking it over her underwear.


    ¡°Can you see the top of your underwear that¡¯s trying to eat my finger?¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    Molitia quivered. She couldn¡¯t deny it at all even until he took his hand off her underwear.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even need to touch it any more.¡±


    His low voice had pierced straight into Molitia¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Can you see how wet my pants have gotten at the area where you¡¯re sitting on, Molitia?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s enough¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you feeling shy right now?¡±


    Raven smiled and kissed her on the cheek.


    ¡°It¡¯s such a pleasure to see the excitement of my wife under her husband¡¯s touch. So, why do you have to feel shy?¡±


    His fingers prodded a little deeper. The carriage kept on rattling intermittently, which made his fingers slide in many of her different ces.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay for you to feel excited while enjoying it, my dear wife.¡±


    ¡°Huuu!¡±


    When he kneaded her swollen flesh at once, Molitia immediately leaked out a sudden cry. She felt that her senses were lost as soon as his finger invaded and rubbed her clit.


    Raven could no longer hold himself back when he saw her sitting with her upright waist while rubbing her bottom against his thighs. He then immediately unbuckled his belt and pulled out his member.


    ¡°Lift your waist slightly.¡±


    Molitia lifted her hips at Raven¡¯s words. Her naturally white hips were ultimately revealed as she stood up along with the hem of her skirt.


    ¡°Slowly, go down¡­¡±


    Under Raven¡¯s own guidance, Molitia tried moving her waist carefully. She sighed briefly when something that was extremely warmer than the hot air had touched her entrance.


    Right at that moment, the carriage jolted all of a sudden, perhaps due to a stone along the road. Those abrupt movements had caused her body to lose its bnce as she plunged in straight downwards.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Suddenly, Molitia¡¯s body trembled when she had taken hold of him right to the brim. Arge foreign object seemed to have prated her body entirely. Raven was also gritting his teeth due to the unexpected pleasure.


    The two of them were desperately trying to respire.


    ¡°Are the both of you all right? I didn¡¯t realize there was a stone up ahead.¡±


    The coachman¡¯s sudden voice had rendered Molitia frozen for a while. In contrast to Raven¡¯s own voice, the coachman¡¯s voice sounded loud and clear.


    Raven then opened the small window of the carriage ever so slightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just drive slowly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    Raven immediately closed the window while the carriage started to slow down a little.


    ¡°I never thought you¡¯d swallow me down so hastily like that.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not the problem!¡±


    Molitia appeared to be talking gibberish with a face that appeared to be smeared in red paint, which seemed to pop at any second.


    ¡°Obviously, you can hear the sound from the carriage¡­!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I think I¡¯ve left some room for a misunderstanding.¡±


    He slowly pulled out his waist while grinning yfully. When a moan had suddenly escaped along with the prickling sensation, Molitia quickly cupped her mouth with her hand. The tingle, which she hadn¡¯t yet adapted to, seemed to have pervaded in her throat.

 Chapter 89

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t hear any noise at all.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be able to tolerate it, since you¡¯re my wife, right?¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­!¡±


    His waist stopped, before starting to move yet again. He seemed to be moving rather slowly, but it was different this time around. As soon as the carriage moved, his length would nudge deep into those unexpected ces.


    Her covered hand had gotten even tighter than before. Nevertheless, whenever he had prated deep inside of her, a groan broke out in between her fingers.


    ¡°Ha¡­ why do you have to be so sweet?¡±


    Raven¡¯s hand soon grasped her entirely exposed bosom. Her soft bust began to contort under his tight grip.


    ¡°You always make my self-control useless at every single time.¡±


    Hey Molitia¡¯s back on the seat that was opposite of him. When her skirt had flipped over to her upper body, which revealed her elevated milky white bottom at the same time, he immediately wrenched his waist out.


    ¡°Yeah, h¡­!¡±


    Her stifled moans soon rang in the carriage. She had acted so hard not to make any noises, which was both quite delightful but rather vexing.


    ¡°Molitia, are you that happy?¡±


    He spread her bottom, which was as white as the moon, before ramming in her even deeper. Her warm and narrow insides had filled his desires at once before making it scarce yet again.


    It was just like a spring of water that wasn¡¯t enough for drinking. Once he got tamed by the sweetness of it, all he could ever have left to do was to take her constantly.


    ¡°What will happen if the coachman, or even those who just passed by were to hear your heated moans?¡±


    Of course, it was in fact Raven who wouldn¡¯t leave those who had listened in alone anyway, but he left some of that truth out.


    ¡°Look at this. You¡¯re clenching up again.¡±


    He thought that he was going absolutely crazy. Raven murmured in her ears with his low voice. Her pale yet silvery hair shimmered and teetered at every movement of his waist.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never forget your taste. It¡¯s my¡ªthe husband¡¯s¡ªduty, after all.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no¡­¡­¡±


    Molitia leaked out a feeble response before she had to bite her lips tightly, when her core was soonpletely filled up by him.


    Her senses were at their peak as she was concerned about everything she was doing. Despite being aware that they shouldn¡¯t be doing this kind of act at present, the taste of immorality was unbearably sweet.


    ¡°Ugh, Molitia¡­¡±


    Due to the narrow space, his movements were substantially restricted¡ªmuch more than usual. Even his own breath and body fragrance had been transferred to her.


    Her shoulders werepletely smothered with his hot breath. While he was hugging her waist tightly, his member was rubbing vigorously against her inner walls.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    Right at her peak, Molitia unwittingly released her hand from everything. His semen, which had filled her insides, trickled down to the bottom of the carriage.


    Raven eventually realized it a secondter that he hadn¡¯t taken the medicine at all.


    But then, what¡¯s done is done. He immediately took a handkerchief out from his pocket while reflecting a little on his tenacity from before.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡±


    Molitia slightly trembled at the touch of the soft cloth, which he slid along her folds.


    ¡±You shouldn¡¯t react like that. It¡¯ll make me want to shove it right back in you.¡±


    Raven whispered softly in her ear as he neatened her skirt. A slightly crumpled skirt like before, had already covered her thigh, which was stamped with red handprints.


    He dressed her half-removed top before meticulously covered it up with an overcoat. It was an instinctive response of his as he had already learned how susceptible his¡ªnow sweaty¡ªwife was to the cold.


    It didn¡¯t take much time for her, who was almost nude, to return to her original state. She was breathingnguidly while being wrapped up in that thick clothings¡ªall warmed up.


    Molitia seemed to be drooping as she leaned against his shoulder. Her whole body was so drowsy that she couldn¡¯t muster any strength at all. She just felt like lying down with ease, but those ufortable clothes were stopping her from doing so.


    ¡°Are you having a hard time?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine¡­¡­¡±

 Chapter 90

    Molitia shook her head slowly. Raven then smoothed over her dishevelled hair, which made her close her eyes at that gentle touch of his.


    At that moment, the running carriage had finallye to a stop. As soon as the clopping of the hooves had ceased, the coachman¡¯s words followed after.


    ¡°We have already arrived at the Duchy.¡±


    ¡°Such a good timing.¡±


    He gazed upon her half-closed eyes before exiting the carriage first. Immediately after that, he reached out his hand for her.


    Molitia tried moving her upper body while looking at him with such baffling eyes.


    ¡°Raven¡­¡±


    Raven raised his eyebrows, as though he was questioning if anything was wrong. Her face red up immediately when she saw the butler and the maid who were already standing right behind him.


    Raven gave a faint sigh as he saw how Molitia was barely leaning against the seat.


    He recalled the incident when they were at the wedding hall, where she couldn¡¯t even speak that properly.<em>If it hurts, just say that it hurts.</em>But then, she was so desperate not to be a burden just for standing upright that she had then rooted herself in ce.


    The same issue was true even now. All she had to do was to ask for some help, but still, she couldn¡¯t do that at all. Raven entered the carriage again for her¡ªjust like back then.


    ¡°Raven?¡±


    When her sound of surprise had reached his ears, he quickly leaned back before embracing her. Startled by his sudden behaviour, she instantly gave a struggle, but s, his grasp on her was much stronger.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be alright in just a little while.¡±


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s just great. If I carry you all the way, you¡¯ll definitely be fine once we reach the bedroom.¡±


    She mped her lips at Raven¡¯s nonchnt words. How could he be so calm? He seemed rather different from his usual cold demeanor.


    However, she wasn¡¯t the only one who was surprised at the moment Molitia came out, snuggled in his arms. The maids and butler who were standing by had also looked at the couple in astonishment.


    ¡°What can I do for you? Did Her Grace hurt herself?¡±


    With a voice that exuded sheer concern, Molitia couldn¡¯t bear to lift her face up. If she were to peek into those eyes of his, her flushed face would definitely be dripping with shame¡ªjust like a stream of red water.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that. I¡¯ll carry her to the bedroom, so make sure to pack up her things in the carriage.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Raven quickly moved inside, leaving behind the butler who responded as he bowed his head. It was all because he didn¡¯t want Molitia to feel even the slightest breeze of the cold wind.


    ***


    <strong>A True Ally</strong>


    Ever since Molitia had first entered society as the Duchess, minor changes had started to transpire within the duchy itself.


    All of the Duke¡¯s servants were suddenly given a ¡®bonus¡¯ to each and every one, for the first time in their lives. Although they were tasked with stable jobs with quite a high pay, the workce didn¡¯t offer them anything beyond that.


    The amount that had been granted wasn¡¯t small either. Of course, no one had disyed such dislike towards the sudden stroke of fortune. The benefits were bestowed towards all of the Duke¡¯s servants, which included Lili and Pillen as well.


    This was decided solely by Raven in order to not condescend over the maids who looked after Molitia, but only a few who actually knew of this truth.


    Raven had also given out an order to the duchy, which specifically stated the ban of a specific person, ¡®Lyn¡¯ from entering. Lyndon had bawled over the injustice of it, but Raven still proceeded with his decision.


    He had always been apanied by Terrance and Lyndon to the duchy, but now, Terrance was his sole aide. This therefore, exined everything.


    He kept his promise to present her with gifts every single day. The duchy was immediately thrown into a whirlpool of confusion when he first returned home with a bouquet of flowers in hand.


    It was because the person who didn¡¯t quiteplement those flowers, had brought it with an attitude that was all too calm. In the beginning, Molitia was ecstatic as the first-ever bouquet she received from him waspletely crushed due to his own actions when they were in the carriage before.

 Chapter 91

    A day had passed, which subsequently became two. And in the following days that went by, the bouquet which he brought, however had eventually be a rather difficult task for the servants to manage. Raven had acted as if he would be buying all of the flowers of the empire itself.


    In the end, he would have absolutely dried up all of those flower seeds of the empire, if Molitia hadn¡¯t stepped up and said, ¡®gifts are only meant to be asional¡¯. Other than that, some fairly small changes had also urred for Molitia.


    <em>Was it that impressive in regards to what had happened at the previous salon party of Marchioness Nibeia?</em>There were already several invitations that had been addressed to her.


    ording to the original n, Molitia should quickly take the second step, which was to sort out a good list of invitations. Nevertheless, she couldn¡¯t move freely due to the Duke¡¯s decision that had ced her in the bedroom.


    ¡°Sigh.¡±


    Molitia murmured under her breath. She felt like anguorous scream would burst whenever she were to move ever so slightly.


    Recently, Raven acted like they would have to sleep together for every single day.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t like that previously, but he had tried so hard to refrain himself after she had been gravely ill. Yet ofte, he had already reverted back to when he was like before she had gotten sick.


    However, that wasn¡¯t the only thing that he had pushed for. He was meticulously watching over the order that had stated; ¡®Madame¡¯s stamina needs to rest once every three days¡¯, which she, herself wasn¡¯t even aware of when he had asked her.


    But the main problem was, immediately following the day after the break, he was more likely to make passionate love to her.


    When Molitia looked back onst night, she could still feel a sharp pain in her lower stomach.


    How immensely he had been sliding in and out of her was still tingling in her mind.


    Molitia¡¯s face soon heated up when she recalled the time he had made her face downwards before driving her wild¡ªlike a dog in heat.


    When she was struggling with his sessive pleasures, Raven¡¯s firm arms had given her a tight hug. As he filled up her insides, she began to clench upon his member, which made him lick her neck until she felt the pleasure once again.


    Her fingertips gradually turned white as she clutched upon the bed sheet before his hand took a hold of hers. Then, he traced her flesh with his hand while still entwining their fingers together.


    He finally released her only when her vision had eventually grown dimmer by the second. Meanwhile, he started to dress her up with a rather glowing face. For the first time ever, Molitia was actually fortunate to be quite fragile at such times.


    ¡°Echoo.¡±


    Her cough echoed in the silence of the room. Pillen and Lili got startled and immediately rushed to her side just like a bullet.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Madame? Are you feeling sick or something?¡±


    ¡°Shall I call a doctor for you?¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to do that.¡±


    Raven was quite anxious as he was unable to monitor her condition continuously, which made him arrange for her doctor to reside within the Duke¡¯s household itself. It was rather an absurd advantage if onepared with the other doctors who usually needed to sacrifice their own set of money.


    Thanks to this kind of disposition, her maids had begun to be more active in calling for the doctor.


    It was in clear that this issue of calling in the doctor would eventually reach Raven¡¯s ears. Therefore, Molitia immediately shook her head.


    ¡°Rather¡­ I¡¯d just like a bath to warm myself up.¡±


    ¡°It will be ready in just a minute.¡±


    The bathroom was promptly prepared under hermand. Then, the heated water that was drawn had gradually warmed the bathtub.


    After Molitia had thoroughly enjoyed the bath, the maids then rushed to help her finish.


    They groomed her long hair neatly and applied the lotion rather briskly before it cooled down sometime. The hands of her maids were busily moving back and forth from her body.

 Chapter 92

    ¡°Come to think of it, Lili. Your previously rough hands have be much better now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you. I¡¯ve been applying that precious lotion, which Madame had given me.¡±


    ¡°Really? I¡¯m really d that my gift was somehow helpful.¡±


    Lili¡¯s expression then took a strange turn when Molitia had drawn a smile.


    ¡°And so¡­¡­¡±


    Molitia turned her eyes at Lili¡¯s words. After stuttering a little, she eventually opened her mouth¡ªas careful as possible.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been bragging about it a little. It is a gift from Madame¡­¡±


    ¡°Lili.¡±


    Even before Lili had finished her sentence, Pillen¡¯s voice bellowed¡ªlike a calm typhoon.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to talk about that?¡±


    ¡°Ha, but I merely told my best friends. Still, I never imagined that it¡¯d spread this far.¡±


    As soon as she heard Lili¡¯s defense, Molitia vaguely understood what she was actually trying to say. As their gazes entwined with each other, Lili immediately bowed her head as low as the bathroom floor.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Ma¡ªMadame, that¡¯s¡­ that¡­¡±


    Molitia grinned when she saw how embarrassed Lili was. Nevertheless, Lili was the one who had especially praised her lotion. She must have dered how proud she was to be favored by her own Madame.


    ¡°If I happen to have any extras left after making it, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°However, you should never ask for the sake of others next time and do behave yourself. It could always cause trouble to some others.¡±


    Yet, a line was still necessary. If a rtionship between the master and the servant were to turn slightly blurry, the master¡¯s position then could be shaken at any time.


    ¡°Okay! Thank you very much, Madame!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to greet them too, but sadly, it can¡¯t happen anytime soon.¡±


    Furthermore, she had wanted to thank the Marchioness of Nibeia individually as well. Then, Molitia slowly moved her body, which was already feeling so much better after the bath.


    Molitia, who always kept her hair long, proceeded to tie it up with the help of her maids.


    Her white neck was instantly revealed once her hair had been neatly rolled up. Her hair, which was dangling on her cheek, was tucked back that eventually unveiled her fine lines.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make it a little lighter this time. There might be some cases where I need to reapply before working again, so this way, it can seep into my skin rather quickly.¡±


    ¡°It can seep even faster than this?¡±


    Molitia gave a slight smile towards Lili¡¯s astonishment.


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s definitely possible only if you adjust the ratio well.¡±


    Molitia then put on the shawl which was handed to her by Pillen.


    ¡°There¡¯s something else that I need to prepare, but at the same time, I also need you to prepare¡­¡±


    ¡°Madame, Madame!¡±


    She immediately stopped talking when a maid was quickly approaching. In contrast to Pillen and Lili, she was a maid who had been in charge of the hall¡ªnot an attendant that was supposed to be beside her.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°We have a visitor.¡±


    ¡°A visitor. Who?¡±


    No one was supposed to visit ording to today¡¯s schedule. Therefore, a sudden visit.<em>Is it that urgent?</em>When Molitia tilted her head, the maid immediately opened her mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Lady of Clemence.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Her round mouth instantly ceased to function.


    <em>You¡¯re here already</em>. It was merely a passing remark from before, but of course Arjan, who bore a very close resemnce to her father, did not miss taking the opportunity at all.


    ¡°Okay. Tell her I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Madame.¡±


    When the maid who delivered the unpleasant news had finally disappeared, Molitia tried her best to wear a smile.


    ¡°There¡¯s no other choice, but to postpone it for a while.¡±


    ¡°Madame, are you all right?¡±


    Lili¡¯s concerned voice had rendered Molitia speechless.


    Truth be told, she was quite a little nervous. Not to the extent of her father, but certainly enough, her sister was also able to disturb her plenty.


    ¡°It should be all right.¡±


    Molitia eventually muttered under her breath.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    ¡°Sister!¡±


    Molitia¡¯s mouth became somewhat stiff, seeing how Arjan was smiling broadly upon noticing her. At this rate, Molitia could already imagine, albeit vaguely, how she wouldn¡¯t think so well of this drawing-room.


    Nevertheless, Molitia quickly erased her thoughts as she pursed her lips slightly. Perhaps she was just overthinking such things. Molitia then looked towards Arjan, who appeared to be smiling in a rather good way before pushing all of her anxious thoughts to the back of her mind.


    ¡°Arjan,e on in.¡±

 Chapter 93

    ¡°Thanks to you, I got the official permission this time.¡±


    Arjan looked just like her age when she smiled like that. Furthermore, her eyes seemed to gleam with curiosity as she took a look around.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories about the Duke of Linerio¡¯s household, but thanks to you, it¡¯s great that I could finally see it on my own.¡±


    ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be living here anyway, so what more can I do even if I like it? But still¡­¡±


    Arjan¡¯s expression had somehow turned strange as she looked around the drawing room. In contrast to the rumors about his¡ªthe Duke¡¯s¡ªdirty blood, the beautifully adorned parlor was definitely of Arjan¡¯s ideal style. And that was, the properbination between the ssics and the trendy.


    And it was absolutely ridiculous how she saw that her sister, who was just sitting there, fit right in as the owner in itself.


    ¡°It¡¯s just gorgeous.¡±


    Arjan tried to conceal her twisted thoughts. She had always wondered how her sister had been living after being married into a good family. No, actually, her mouth was just itchy in vexation.


    The Duchess had be an enigma, which was enough for people to talk about. Plus, her newly acquired status of being the Duchess¡¯s sister was even better, but then, it wasn¡¯t truly like what she had thought of before.


    ¡®I was just going tough at you if you appear to be looking down.¡¯


    Arjan then nced at the teacup that was right in front of her. It was much more delicate than the one she had used back at home and that irritated her eyes¡ªterribly.


    ¡°Oh, and this.¡±


    Arjan then straight away decided to discourage her rather than beating around the bush. She took out the brown bottle from the bag that she had brought with her.


    ¡°Father informed me that my sister would be in need of this.¡±


    ¡°¡­thank you for bringing it here.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me.¡±


    Arjan smiled when she saw how Molitia¡¯s face stiffened as soon as she had shown her the bottle.


    <em>Of course</em>. Even if she had left the Count, Molitia Linerio was still Molitia Clemence. It was a fact that could never be changed.


    ¡°Sister, I have a question.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Do you still lie around in bed these days?¡±


    The question that was sung in her innocent voice wasn¡¯t in fact, innocent at all. Arjan was just sheathing her stinging question with a very fine line of innocence.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that seems to be the case, though. So¡ªdo you think the medicinal herbs from the duchy are much better than those of the county itself?¡±


    Arjan chirped even more excitedly, seeing how Molitia couldn¡¯t give an immediate answer.


    ¡°Or¡ªsister, haven¡¯t you told the Duke in regards to your symptoms?¡±


    ¡°¡­Arjan.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about you¡ªreally. As soon as I heard that you will be married to the Duke, I was worried thinking about the time when you will be kicked out. It must be hard for a wife, who spends most of her time in bed, to be truly loved by her husband.¡±


    The vain woman was smiling¡ªbroadly. If one were to take a look upon that blond hair of hers,plemented with her bright smile, it would only be fair to describe her as an angel who had fallen from the heaven above.


    However, the words that she spewed were definitely those from an exceptional slithering snake; that bit and spit poison. Arjan was trying to pin her down slowly.


    Molitia immediately ced down the teacup that she was drinking from.


    ¡°Arjan.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You talk too much.¡±


    ¡°Oh, did I really? I apologize, sister. I was too worried about you that I stopped¡­¡±


    ¡°If you truly are worried, then don¡¯t say it with a smile on your face.¡±


    Arjan, who was still smiling at Molitia¡¯s words, immediately ceased to smile.<em>What the hell did she just say?</em>


    ¡°Oh, no¡ªit was just great for me to see you¡­¡±


    ¡°Arjan, it¡¯s true that I have a weak body, just like what you¡¯ve said. But then, this fact can¡¯t be used as a weakness for you to hold and shake. Plus, I¡¯m not even a Lady of the County anymore.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, sister? I was really worried about you.¡±


    Arjan eximed as if she was being unfairly treated, which had made Molitia looked like someone who was vile and heartless.

 Chapter 94

    ¡°Worried?¡±


    Molitia reiterated slowly.


    The past was too horrifying to hark back to. Those sheer nightmares, which crept into her mind, had made her feel sick to her stomach.


    ¡°Yes! Worry! Did you know that I couldn¡¯t even attend a party¡ªall because of the sake for my older sister¡¯s medicine? Or how I was being very patient in regards to buying me some new sets of clothings?¡±


    <em>You shouldn¡¯t have done that.</em>Arjan whispered under her breath.


    ¡°It was absolutely impossible to amodate those new clothes in your closet any longer when in reality, you had only worn them once. Also, when I had a new outfit that was made for me, I didn¡¯t even mind when you took it away from me. Do you really think that I wasn¡¯t aware how you chose to use me as a stepping stool for boosting your own status during those parties?¡±


    ¡°What¡ªwhat¡­ how can you even say such a thing about someone¡¯s kindness?¡±


    ¡°Arjan, that will never even change the things you had done to me back in the county.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Arjan¡¯s mouth became ridiculously contorted all of a sudden.


    ¡°Still, I allowed you toe here for this onest time only because you are my flesh and blood. And yet, here you are¡ªconsistently ignoring me.¡±


    ¡°Ignore you! Isn¡¯t that a tad too harsh?¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    Her voice reverberated across the parlor.


    ¡°You know perfectly well that our sisterly rtions aren¡¯t that close enough with one another to bring up such private stories, so let¡¯s just stop there. Isn¡¯t there another reason why you havee to see me¡ªplus the Duke and the others as well?¡±


    ¡°¡­ha.¡±


    The once certainly remarkable Arjan immediately clicked her tongue.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. My father had said this: ¡®A huge fine had suddenly flown right into the county¡¯ and he kept on saying that it was the work of the Duke of Linerio himself.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Molitia instantly skimmed through her past memories. There was definitely a time when such a report was addressed here, but then, Raven had already said that he would keep everything in the dark.


    ¡°Father must have been quite mistaken. The Duke had dered that he would keep his silence about that day.¡±


    ¡°Sister, are you trying to say that father was wrong?¡±


    <em>Sister?</em>She had always shook her head or nodded in response when father had said something. Arjan just couldn¡¯t believe it when Molitia insisted that he was wrong. She even had a thought that the person who was right in front of her wasn¡¯t in fact, Molitia at all.


    ¡°If you¡¯re actually here to negotiate then, you should have really learnt from scratch, Arjan Clemence.¡±


    ¡°What the¡­¡±


    It was now Arjan¡¯s turn to stumble against Molitia¡¯s unfamiliar words. Molitia then slowly lowered her eyes before rising to her feet. Her gentle eyes had be sharp like razors.


    ¡°Since it is undoubtedly a public affair¡ªand not a private one¡ªshouldn¡¯t you be courteous to the Duchess? Lady Clemence.¡±


    ¡°But still, it¡¯s just a family affair¡­¡±


    ¡°No matter how many people im myself to be someone who was just from a Count¡¯s household, I have now been granted the title of a Duchess. Nevertheless, are you just going to vite the nobilityw that was set by the empire itself?¡±


    Molitia¡¯s voice that sounded an octave lower, which she never heard before, had made Arjan¡¯s heart weep anxiously. It was only Molitia. Still, Arjan bit her lips¡ªhard.


    ¡°Or¡ªis it that you¡¯ve forgotten even the simplest courtesy one should do when conversing about the public affairs between two families?¡±


    ¡°Are you treating me like someone ignorant right now?¡±


    Arjan could no longer resist herself as she straight away jumped to her feet. Her unruly behavior had caused the table to sway violently.


    ¡°Butler.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Madame.¡±


    The butler, who was waiting right outside the parlor all this time, straight away entered at Molitia¡¯s call. Arjan paused herself at the appearance of that said stranger.


    ¡°Lady Clemence says that she¡¯ll be returning home. Do escort her outside.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Sister!¡±


    ¡°Arjan, it¡¯s already over.¡±


    She was still unable to curb her anger thoroughly as she looked at Arjan who was already incapable of hitting her any longer.


    ¡°At the very least, we won¡¯t have to run into each other until you fix this behavior of yours.¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯m not done yet and you know that! If I were to return like this, how will father be¡­¡±


    ¡°Come on now, take her outside.¡±


    At longst, Arjan was dragged away by the maid that was called upon the butler. When Arjan had ultimately disappeared from the parlor, only then Molitia could rx her waist that had been in an upright position until now.

 Chapter 95

    It seemed as though she could finally release the breath that she had been desperately holding. She had pretended to be calm, but s, the fear that was firmly instilled within herself for more than a decade was never forgotten. Whenever she stood right in front of her family, an innocent sense of guilt immediately immobilized her whole body.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Madame, are you feeling alright?¡±


    The butler who was right next to her, carefully parted his mouth. Just until a while ago, the Madame appeared to be infinitely small.


    ¡°Probably.¡±


    Molitia tried to smile but she quickly turned her head to the side as her eyes were already welling up with tears.<em>It¡¯s finally over.</em>That ultimately shattered thest string of emotion that she had been holding back since before.


    ¡°¡­no, I think I feel terribly tired. I should get some rest for today.¡±


    Molitia had just stood up, albeit barely when she had to sink back in her seat after her legs had finally felt the exhaustion from before.


    ¡°Madame!¡±


    The frightened butler immediately came to her aid.


    ¡°Are you alright? Maybe I should just call the doctor¡­¡±


    ¡°Do keep this as a secret from the Duke. I don¡¯t want him to be aware of this shameful behavior of mine.¡±


    ¡°Madame¡­¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±


    The butler could only sigh inwardly towards Molitia, who was smiling ever so softly. He immediately felt sorry for her¡ªwhom was putting up a strong act.


    ¡°I see, but please, don¡¯t ever say the word: ¡®please¡¯. I will heed each and every of Madame¡¯s words.¡±


    ¡°¡­thank you.¡±


    The butler then summoned Lili and Pillen to assist her. As he nced upon the back view of his Madame¡¯s figure, the butler soon fell into deep thought.


    Afterwards, Molitia tried so hard in sorting out her feelings in that bedroom of hers.


    However, once the feelings had been distorted within, they would never revert back to normal easily. No matter how hard she pped herself on the cheek, she just couldn¡¯t get any better.


    Molitia fell into a nk stare right in front of the brown bottle of medicine¡ªup until sundown. She, herself was unable toprehend the origin of that mood that was rumbling away.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Raven immediately felt something was strange as soon as he returned home from work.


    It was the ambiance of his house that had gradually be vibrant ever since Molitia began to reside in the duchy. But today, he felt like it had somehow rpsed to when she wasn¡¯t around.


    That feeling of his hadn¡¯t changed even after he entered the mansion.


    ¡°You¡¯re back already.¡±


    Raven¡¯s face stiffened when he had encountered Molitia, who looked quite gaunt somehow.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You look worried.¡±


    ¡ªconsiderably. Molitia¡¯s expression turned nk at Raven¡¯s additional remark. She quickly shook her head after she had awkwardly touched her cheek and immediately, she drew a line.


    ¡°No¡ªnot about work. I¡¯ve been at home all day for today.¡±


    Raven felt a pang of guilt at the choice of her words.


    ¡®Did I make her stay home too much?¡¯


    As he valued Molitia¡¯s health over everything, he immediately changed his mind before rushing towards her. As a matter of fact, there was actually an ulterior motive to why he wouldn¡¯t permit her to go out.


    Not only his needs would bepletely satiated, he could also keep her within his arms at all times. He thought that it was an absolute perfect n. Nevertheless, Raven began to detach that n from his mind due to the unexpected air of mncholy that was exuding from his wife.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t the both of us go out tomorrow? Still, whenever you¡¯ll be going out, you need to walk on a tight schedule¡ªjust to get ready.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    ¡°Of course. It happens to be my day off as well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really nice.¡±


    Her soft smile¡ªwas never aware of anything about him¡ªhad caused him to smile as well. Raven immediately turned to the butler after leaving Molitia to ascend the stairs.


    ¡°Butler.¡±


    Gilbert quickly picked up on his master¡¯s sudden whisper.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Did anything ur today?¡±


    ¡°Nothing had happened to the duchy.¡±


    After much hesitation, Gilbert ended up saying something that was quite odd, but neither true nor false.


    In fact, no events had even transpired within the duchy itself. As per usual, she had greeted the guests before sending them off in due time. Nevertheless, he was just worried that the guest who had visited might give a huge blow to Madame.

 Chapter 96

    ¡°¡­..Really?¡±


    At that moment, Raven¡¯s eyes began to scan through the butler for that strange answer.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t change your clothes soon, you¡¯ll bete for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be going shortly.¡±


    Raven turned to look at the direction of his wife¡¯s voice.


    Raven tried to shake off his suspicions towards her behavior, which seemed to be nothing except for her own unusual expressions. Nevertheless, Molitia still remained to be quite peculiar even after that.


    She acted like she was at a loss even while she was eating. This was the Molitia, who always used to look at him during their meal.


    Raven stopped his fork before fixating at her. Unaware of the gaze that had been locked onto herself, Molitia was still mechanically moving her fork with her eyes pointed directly on the te.


    As soon as Molitia arose from her seat, straight after the time for her favorite dessert, Raven felt that he could no longer let her be¡ªjust like that.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    As she was seated on bed in the bedroom, he began to confront her face to face while boring a hole into her face.


    ¡°Be honest with me. Is there something going on¡ªtruly?¡±


    ¡°No, there isn¡¯t.¡±


    Molitia shook her head reflexively. Her eyes were fixed on him, but somehow, they appeared vacant.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just a little tired. Thus, this rather odd face of mine.¡±


    ¡°Are you tired?¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll be fine once I get a good night¡¯s sleep.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Then, his hand gently wrapped around hers.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Raven immediately released her hand¡ªMolitia did as well¡ªin surprise at the piercing scream. She suddenly felt an agonizing pain in her already injured hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s¡­ The back of my hand hurts all of a sudden¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°The back of your hand?¡±


    Raven quickly examined the back of her hand at her response. His eyes widened with astonishment when he saw the red mark imprinted right at the back of her hand.


    ¡°When did this happen?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s¡­ I¡ªtoo.¡±


    Her lips fell vaguely into a straight line as she hadn¡¯t even felt any pain until she saw the mark herself. When did it¡ª?


    <em>When did this¡­</em>


    ¡°Maybe I spilled some tea¡ªduring tea time this afternoon.¡±


    She remembered when Arjan had made the table rattled viciously. The ce was left marred by the leftover tea that got spilled from the cup. Now that it had be like that, she immediately thought that her hand wouldn¡¯t be fine at all.


    Raven¡¯s eyes instantly narrowed at those words of hers. It had be quite a spection as she wasn¡¯t even aware of it herself.


    She said that nothing had happened in the first ce. Therefore, he was absolutely furious¡ªbut not towards herself. He wanted to inquire about the details right away, but there was something much more important to do now.


    ¡°Is anyone out there?¡±


    One of the servants who was outside, immediately entered once his reverberating voice was heard.


    ¡°My wife is wounded. Get the doctor here at once.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    It was alreadyte in the evening, but still, it had been possible due to having a doctor standing by at home. The servant quickly left the room at that instant.


    Soon after that, the doctor hurriedly bowed her head after rushing to the dining hall under the guidance of that particr servant.


    The doctor then immediately took a look at Molitia¡¯s hands before bowing her head¡ªyet again.


    ¡°This is actually a light scald. But I think that it¡¯s already swollen as I couldn¡¯t remove it quickly. Applying it with ice packs will make you feel better soon.¡±


    There was a thinyer of bandage stered at the back of Molitia¡¯s hand. Then, a bag of ice was ced on top of that biting sensation.


    ¡°Still, I will also prescribe some medicine¡ªjust in case.¡±


    Silence immediately fell in the bedroom as soon as the doctor had left after the examination. Molitia was looking downwards¡ªunable to meet Raven¡¯s clear gaze.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    A low voice had eventually broken the silence.


    ¡°Do you really have nothing to say to me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Raven, it¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you already that I would never hide anything. So, why are you hiding it from me? You still can¡¯t put your trust in me?¡±


    Molitia immediately raised her head¡ªastounded by Raven¡¯s surprising words.


    ¡°No! I¡¯m just¡­¡±

 Chapter 97

    <em>Plink plink.</em>


    Droplets of water began to fall onto the hem of her dress. Her fine cheeks were already stained with streaks of water while her purple eyes were infused with a fountain that one knew nothing of its own ends.


    ¡°Mo, Molitia?¡±


    When Raven had suddenly felt embarrassed as he stuttered for the first time, Molitia straight away began to touch her cheek albeit nkly.


    ¡°Huh? Why¡­¡±


    Raven wasn¡¯t the only one who got surprised by her tears. Molitia¡ªfeeling puzzled by herself as well¡ªimmediately wiped them off with the back of her hand.


    ¡°Strangely¡ªmy tears¡­¡±


    It flowed right out yet again, even when she wiped them off¡ªover and over again.


    ¡°¡­it must have hurt more than I thought it¡¯d be.¡±


    Molitia tried her best to smile at Raven. Nevertheless, Molitia¡¯s smile ended up distorted as her endless tears had smeared all over her cheeks and hands.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    Raven¡¯s extended hand eventually embraced her. While she was being enveloped within his broad chest and warmth, Molitia¡¯s breath straight away stopped at that moment in time.


    ¡°You can cry.¡±


    Raven whispered softly in her ear. His hand, which was impulsively embracing her grief, hesitated for a while before starting to pat her on the back.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to put up with it if it gets hard. You can just let yourself go in front of me. Don¡¯t endure the pain by yourself.¡±


    Her eyes, which were holding back her tears in desperation to Raven¡¯s words, began to loosen themselves. Then, tears appeared to pour out continuously from her eyes as soon as her closed mouth parted slowly.


    She never wanted to get sick. She never even wanted to be a burden towards her family and most importantly, she just wanted to be loved by her own family.


    She had always hoped to see a sh of an amiable smile on her father, who was her flesh and blood¡ªfor once, at the very least. She had also hoped to talk honestly with her younger sister without the need to worry about it for once. Whenever she had toy on bed while heaving such hot breaths suffered from the high fever, she still wanted to go to her family after she had gotten better the next day.


    There was never even a single day when she didn¡¯t me herself for everything. Molitia had always incriminated herself as she felt indebted to her own family.


    She condemned her fragile body, which had never been able to enjoy the warm sunshine during the day. And at night, she cursed that weak body of hers that would always catch a cold when it was exposed to just a little bit of the chilly air.


    Her small shoulders shuddered ceaselessly. Strings of tears that had flowed once, kept on pouring like they were trying to capture all of her past days when she wasn¡¯t able to cry.


    ¡°I, I¡­¡±


    Molitia¡¯s voice soon had pierced into Raven¡¯s heart¡ªpainfully. What was so upsetting that forced this small body of hers to cry more than enough up to the point of dehydration.


    Watching or even listening was just as excruciating like those agonizing cries. That small, husky yet ted voice of hers had already be as soft as possible. And the tears that welled up were of greater amounts that nothing could even ovee them at all.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can cry some more.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Raven¡­¡±


    Molitia clutched on his back.


    Perhaps one day, if she hadn¡¯t gotten sick anymore, she thought that she might be eventually acknowledged by her own family. There was even a time when she actually had that kind of thought in mind.


    She wasn¡¯t even aware how much she had tried for that particr far future of hers. She had been in and out of her study room just to read books in order to find a way to improve her dire condition. Furthermore, Molitia had never let go of that book even when she was ill.


    But nothing had changed. She never knew when she¡¯d get better and to top it all, the price of the medicine was getting even higher. That perpetual vicious cycle was unbearably tragic.


    For the first time ever, Molitia had leaned on a person and cried her eyes out.

 Chapter 98

    How much did she even cry while being within Raven¡¯s arms?


    Her head was ringing as soon as she thought how she had no more tears left to shed. A dizzy spell had suddenly struck due to the fact that she was bawling her eyes out for quite a long time, but she eventually regained her senses once again.


    When she barely opened her eyelids, the first thing that she could see was his thoroughly wet shoulder. Only then Molitia was able to think back upon herself¡ªobjectively.


    ¡®What the hell is this?¡¯


    No matter how reliable he was¡ªbut to cry like a child in his arms as such? She must have been quite unsightly. That single thought had immediately turned herplexion blue.


    ¡°Have you calmed down?¡±


    His hands then carefully brushed against her red eyes. Raven didn¡¯t utter a single thing when she was crying for such a long time. In fact, he only patted her back gently with that big hand of his.


    Molitia paused before she tried to open her mouth. Her throat had be so dry that she couldn¡¯t really speak with ease.


    ¡°¡­Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Her voice was barely uttered and it seemed to sound almost like an animal¡¯s raspy growl. Even her cracked voice had fallen quite low.


    She was soon attacked by a series of hups after saying just another small spoonful of words. Raven eventually let out a faint sigh.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you some water.¡±


    Then, he intentionally rose to his feet while not making any fuss at all. Molitia immediately hung her head down in shame as she muttered under her breath.


    It wasn¡¯t until she drank the water, which Raven had brought, that she finally felt calmer. Maybe it was due to the fact that she had been crying so much previously? Her tumultuous state of mind was gradually getting much lighter than before.


    She believed that she could finally say it right now. Her lips then slowly parted as if she was already bewitched with a mind that seemed to readily divulge everything.


    ¡°Actually, Lady Arjan Clemence hade for a visit just this afternoon.¡±


    Raven¡¯s forehead instinctively frowned at the single utter of the word, Clemence. He immediately remembered Count Clemence, who had treated her terribly.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°She was just wondering how I was doing here. How well I live and even, how much was I abused.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡ªwhat are you even talking about?¡±


    Raven¡¯s eyes glinted ferociously.


    ¡°Is there anyone in the duchy who¡¯d dare give you a hard time?¡±


    ¡°Raven, calm down. The people in the duchy are as absolutely good as they can be.¡±


    Molitia immediately grasped onto Raven¡¯s arms, which seemed to fling a punch anytime soon. Then, she gradually brought up a story, which she had never told him before¡ªever so carefully.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not feeling rather well, actually.¡±


    Raven¡¯s actions immediately paused at that soft voice of hers.


    ¡°It hurts when I¡¯m feeling down and I¡¯ve always been stuck in bed along with a serious illness¡ªthus, making up most of my childhood memories. The symptoms have eased up recently, but my still sick body probably couldn¡¯t make it anywhere else.¡±


    Her words, which had begun that way, briefly portrayed her bleak childhood. The moment went on to her long perpetuation in bed, her family¡¯s state of awareness and even towards the time when she tried to marry him all the while hiding her own ailing body.


    In contrast to Molitia¡¯s continuous calm speech, blood vessels seemed to have popped up on Raven¡¯s tight fist.


    ¡°The Count of Clemence¡­¡±


    Raven could no longer contain his wrath. His face had already changed from that of anger, which gradually became much more atrocious.


    He felt like someone had already trampled on his face while smiling¡ªas sly as a fox¡ªright at that instant. It was even questionable to say that if he had twisted his face to the point that it was indistinguishable as it had been contorted relentlessly.


    This petite body of hers, that tender heart¡ªall had suffered terribly and that made him hurt just as bad. That was when his hand, which was already balled into a fist, had turned so white due to theck of flowing blood.

 Chapter 99

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    He was still focusing on where he should relieve his dreadful fury. Suddenly, he had gotten surprised by her unanticipated voice, which made Raven regain his senses before turning his gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been hiding this all the while. Even when I am a bride who could happen to be a fatal w, I still married you in the end.¡±


    Her cautiously spoken words were getting fainter by the second. Although she had already resolved herself to lighten up her heart, it was still terrifying to express the truth.


    She was just afraid of an increased number of people who would be hating her in the end.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve started to hate me now, I will then speak to the Count as much as I can¡­¡±


    ¡°What the hell is that supposed to mean?¡±


    He immediately stopped her from speaking as he couldn¡¯t really hear her. Then, Raven tried to hold onto Molitia¡¯s hand, but at the same time, he sensibly avoided the bandaged area before sping fully onto her hand.


    ¡°You are my wife in name and in actuality. That is a fact that won¡¯t ever change. I have absolutely no intention of running to anyone else.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Being sick is not a sin at all. It¡¯s neither a drawback, nor it is something that should stay hidden.¡±


    He then peered into her eyes. Her purple eyes, which were fluttering ceaselessly, were still moist.


    How terribly hard it must have been. How tragic it must have been as well. And the amount of pain was absolutely something that even Raven had dared not imagine.


    ¡°Molitia, my lovely wife. Even if you¡¯re sick, you are still¡ªundoubtedly¡ªthe Duchess.¡±


    ¡°Raven¡­¡±


    Raven¡¯s words had started to make her eyes welled up again. She honestly thought that she had no more tears to shed, but streams of tears began trickling down her burning cheeks.


    ¡®It¡¯s an absolute relief that I was able to marry him.¡¯


    An uncontroble feeling started to pervade her mind. As she could no longer stay still, Molitia began reaching out to him before hugging his neck tightly.


    ¡°Thank you¡­ thank you very much. I thank you for saying that.¡±


    Raven carefully held her in his embrace. Her body temperature was much higher than his.<em>Thank you.</em>And her little whispers were constantly piercing his ears.


    Raven hugged her even more tightly and began to make an oath. He would never allow this petite body of hers to be hurt anymore.


    After that single hug, Raven straight awayid Molitia on the bed. Immediately after he saw her face, he decided that she shouldn¡¯t be on her feet any longer.


    Raven alsoy down next to her when she confessed that she didn¡¯t want to be left alone. It was still a little early, but the lights in the Duke¡¯s bedroom eventually dimmed out.


    Darkness gradually seeped into the previously bright room, leaving only the soft breathing of the couple¡ªenveloping in silence¡ªto be left heard.


    ¡°Raven.¡±


    Moltia turned and looked at him. His hand, which was gently sweeping her hair, eventually paused itself.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I found out something strange from Arjan today. I heard that the county is currently in a huge fine and he has been working hard on it¡ªall because of you.¡±


    ¡°Really? I guess the paperwork must have passed already.¡±


    ¡°Really, you were the one who did that?¡±


    He gave a devious smile at Molitia¡¯s words.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t actually do it¡ªto be exact. I just slipped some rumors out and the public officials, who have been wanting to see results begin to demand for their own turn.¡±


    ¡°Raven, really¡­¡±


    She immediately sent a ridiculous look at his words. To be honest, it wasn¡¯t because she disliked it. Nevertheless, no one would actually stop abruptly just like that. Especially this father of hers, Count Clemence.


    ¡°I¡¯m quite embarrassed to say this, but my father is a wicked man. Therefore, he¡¯ll try his level best to get even with you.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    Raven responded as if he was asking what seemed to be the problem at that moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s such a shame that I ended this with a mere fine after listening to what I¡¯ve just heard. On the other hand, I would have led the guards myself before crushing thempletely.¡±

 Chapter 100

    ¡°What?¡±


    Molitia raised her voice in utter surprise.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that. This is my own personal matter. If you were to bring public affairs into it, your reputation will definitely plummet.¡±


    ¡°My wife¡¯s business is my own as well. How can I just let it go like that?¡±


    Whenever he encountered Count Clemence in the Imperial City, he always looked at him with such unpleasant eyes.


    Raven had been holding it in since he was one of the family members of his wife. There was absolutely nothing more to be reluctant about than just that fact alone.


    ¡®How should I step on it, then?¡¯


    Raven knew those particr kinds fairly well. Rather than tumbling down all at once, it would be much more painful to copse mentally and gradually¡ªover a long period of time.


    Nevertheless, if by chance, he encountered the Count with these current set of surging emotions, he wasn¡¯t confident that he would not unsheathe his sword from its waistband at once.


    ¡°No way. I don¡¯t want you to feel annoyed or face any distress because of me.¡± want to see you annoyed or face any hardship because of me.¡±


    ¡°Come on, you must have a hard time going through a lot for today.¡±


    Raven discreetly turned away. Then, he hugged Molitia and locked her within his arms before patting her back regrly.


    Molitia felt as if she were lying to sleep. Knowing that there was an answer to listen, Molitia couldn¡¯t ovee her gradually closing eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until she tried to speak softly enough, did she fallpletely asleep. When her thin shoulders had finally moved constantly as she breathed out, only then Raven stopped patting her back.


    Raven then carefully moved his own body so that Molitia wouldn¡¯t wake up at all. As he stood up from the bed, he began to wrap himself in his robe before heading straight to his study.


    Afterwards, he immediately called the butler to his study.


    The butler quickly rushed to the study at his call with a face that waspletely filled with anxiety.


    He was absolutely perturbed that he couldn¡¯t really sleep at night. The butler parted his mouth all of a suddenpletely forgetting the fact to greet his master when he saw Raven¡¯s figure at that instant.


    ¡°Madame¡ªis she feeling alright?¡±


    Raven, who was still rummaging through the documents, slowly raised his head.


    ¡°Butler.¡±


    A cold and hoarse voice had suddenly pierced his ear, just like a dagger. Only then the butler had finally realized that the Duke¡¯s condition was rather unusual, which he quickly lowered his head in response.


    ¡°Provide me every single piece of information that you can find about Count Clemence. Even the trifles are fine as well.¡±


    Raven¡¯s eyes glinted¡ªever so dimly.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    Right after waking up, Molitia couldn¡¯t move that easily due to the heavy sensation in her head. A single drop of water had trickled from the top of her bedsheet. She tried struggling to get up, but s, to the shame of her own efforts, she could only sink back again after slightly raising her upper body


    The first thing that had taken herpletely by surprise was a man¡¯s face¡ªemitting such yellow light. It was in fact, Raven¡¯s. He had already overthrown the state of the duchy just this early morning. And that wasn¡¯t until the doctor, who was still asleep, had been awakened due to the reason being that Raven couldn¡¯t sit still at all.


    Only after rousing the fully asleep doctor, did the duchy begin to regain its calm, albeit barely.


    ¡°This is mild dehydration.¡±


    The doctor immediately gave a simple yet clear diagnosis.


    ¡°Are there any other symptoms? Dizziness doesn¡¯t really ur frequently.¡±


    Even when she was confronted by the words of the Duke in all seriousness, the doctor still responded politely.


    ¡°She¡¯s just a little dizzy due to the fact that she had been cryingst night. The Madame has no indications of any particr symptoms, so please, worry not.¡±


    After several face-to-face encounters, she had perfectly grasped that the reason for the Duke¡¯s urgency was always limited to his own wife. It was undeniably terrifying, but the doctor could gradually speak much morefortably when she finally realized that all she had to do was to serve the Duchess conscientiously.

 Chapter 101

    She eventually left the bedroom after changing the bandage on Molitia¡¯s hand. Molitia then heaved a sigh while still being covered by a thick nket all over her body.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have cried that much yesterday¡­¡±


    She regretted it¡ªalbeit a little bted¡ªbut still, her light-headedness hadn¡¯t returned normal just yet. The bitter medicine was just soothing her dizziness at most.


    ¡°Just take a nap.¡±


    Raven touched her hair, ever so gently.


    ¡°The doctor had advised you to sleep tight. So, close your eyes and sleep well.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Raven¡¯s hand eventually blocked her view. As he was saying that, a clear voice had suddenly popped out while she was closing her eyes gently.


    ¡°¡­we were supposed to go out.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Once you¡¯re no longer sick, I¡¯ll take you out anytime.¡±


    Despite Raven¡¯s soothing words, Molitia still couldn¡¯t easily hide her dismay. Her brow kept on frowning by itself to show how upset she was with herself¡ªnot towards others.


    ¡°It was going to be my first time to go out with you, so I really wanted to be together with you. Plus, I could no longer see the streets¡­¡±


    Molitia¡¯s words had left him pondering, albeit briefly.


    ¡°Then, can you wait for a little while?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Molitia¡¯s lips immediately drew into a circle as he lifted his hands sideways.


    ¡°It¡¯s currently too early in the morning, but I¡¯ll definitely make an arrangement to go out with you this afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    The corners of Raven¡¯s mouth were slightly raised at the surprise look on her face.


    ¡°Therefore, sleep tight for right now instead.¡±


    He blocked her view yet again as if he was pressing on Molitia¡¯s head softly. Then, she tried to close her eyes gently within that presently darkened sight.


    Nevertheless, she couldn¡¯t fall asleep anytime soon after listening to such news. As she was still unable topose her own excitement, her lips began to flutter once more.


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I have some business to attend for now.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to work?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you can say that.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t overwork yourself.¡±


    ¡°You always say that.¡±


    Raven¡¯s words had immediately put a stop to those delightful lips. Her lips that were parted just now, were still wide open as if they were thinking of uttering something, but soon they straightened into a small line.


    ¡°Is that so? I guess it¡¯s just a habit of mine.¡±


    <em>A habit</em>. Raven¡¯s eyebrows immediately twitched. It was crystal clear that the habit of hers hadn¡¯t really stemmed from a fairly good situation.


    Raven reached out his other hand before stroking her head. His soft hands then carefully run through her locks of hair.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. I¡¯m definitely alright.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ I see.¡±


    Molitia gradually began to doze off at the stroke of his delicate touch. It seemed that the medications that were provided by the doctor had brought together some soporific effect as well, which caused her to drowse rather quickly.


    Soon after that, Molitia was alreadypletely asleep by the time Raven had risen from the bed. There were some things that were left for him to do on her very behalf.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    ¡°Molitia, wake up.¡±


    ¡°Raven¡­?¡±


    Molitia was finally awakened after she was slightly shaken. Her vision, which was still half-asleep, was already filled with Raven.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°I feel much better now. The medicine must have been working pretty well.¡±


    ¡°Can you move?¡±


    She tried raising her upper body at the start of Raven¡¯s words. Contrary to when it was in the morning, a clear mind had impeded her from lying down back again.


    ¡°Look at this, okay?¡±


    But of course, Raven¡¯s suspicions weren¡¯t receding that easily. Ultimately, Molitia was able to clear his doubtspletely only after she had gotten out of bed before walking around¡ªat least once.


    ¡°Okay. So, we can shop now.¡±


    ¡°Then, please wait a little longer. I¡¯ll get ready as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to. I¡¯m going to do it here.¡±


    ¡°What? What do you mean?¡±


    Raven smiled mysteriously at Molitia¡¯s puzzling voice.


    ¡°Just get ready for now, my dear wife.¡±


    At the strike of Raven¡¯s words, Molitia immediately tilted her head before she was quickly taken away by Lili and Pillen. She returned to the bedroom after being dressed up¡ªas simple as possible¡ªfor him, who was already waiting outside.

 Chapter 102

    ¡°Are you ready to go?¡±


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out when you get there.¡±


    Molitia had no choice but to apany Raven with his vague words. Then, from the bedroom itself, Raven straight away headed to the parlor that was not too far away.


    ¡°This is the parlor.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    <em>Didn¡¯t he say that we¡¯re going shopping?</em>Molitia tilted her head yet again. Having said that, Raven was just casually opening the door for her.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Molitia¡¯s small lips were wide open at that instant. The parlor was a little bit different from what she had known so far. In fact, there were colorful clothes disyed on wooden hangers that were never seen in the drawing room before.


    The woman who was waiting in such glittering clothes eventually discovered the couple before bowing her head down.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Duchess Linerio. My name is Margareta and I¡¯m the one who is running the Valleen parlor. It is such an honor for us to have you called upon our store.¡±


    ¡°Raven, what is this?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still not feeling that well and on top of that, I just can¡¯t let the breeze out there to even graze you. So, I brought her here.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God.¡±


    Molitia immediately covered up her mouth¡ªastounded.


    ¡°Are you okay with that? Valleen¡¯s dressing room is quite famous in the capital¡­¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t worry, Madame. I came here today with a very reasonable price attached.¡±


    Margareta nced at the Duke before smiling softly.


    ¡°It seems to be your first time using our parlor. So, I believe that it¡¯s better for you to take a look at the clothes at once.¡±


    <em>Sparkle.</em>


    ¡°Now, let us show the Duchess your clothes.¡±


    Her helpers straight away unfolded their clothes in unison. Splendid colors andces began to spread throughout the parlor, which were akin to blooming flowers.


    ¡°Madame, what do you think of this outfit? It¡¯s a design that is quite popr in the capital city.¡±


    ¡°Madame, what about this outfit? It¡¯s not that trendy, but the design is constantly loved¡­¡±


    Molitia, who was already settling down at the warmest ce in the drawing room, appeared to be blinded by all the dresses that were instantly unfurled right in front of her.


    Eventually, only after she had a discussion with Margareta did she choose a pair of clothes and put them on. Molitia had changed her clothes in the parlor itself, while being covered behind a screen.


    ¡°Oh! You look stunning.¡±


    A light pink cloth that resembled a spring flower fluttered across her body. It was a dress that wasplementing harmoniously with her soft atmosphere.


    Molitia looked awkwardly at the mirror before turning her head towards Raven.


    ¡°What do you think¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh, pretty.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s face immediately heated up at Raven¡¯s words. His honestpliment had dyed her face red. A fluffy aura seemed to exude fluidly from the surroundings of that said couple. Molitia quickly turned her head again in order not to be caught with such an aze face.


    ¡°Still, we¡¯ll have to wait and see because other outfits might suit me better.¡±


    After a few more times of changing, she eventually chose some of her favorite outfits. She soon thought that her shopping with Margareta was over as thetter was finally retreating herself with such a satisfied expression on her face.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Duchess of Linerio. My name is Ondo¡ªwho runs the Merce jewellery store.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Duchess of Linerio. I am¡­¡­¡±


    With the consecutive visits from everyone, Molitia was able to enjoy shopping to the fullest just by rxing in her seat. Only after the rush of people had left her did peace finally return to the parlor.


    ¡°My wife, I¡¯m still here with you.¡±


    A set of tea was neatly arranged on the table where the two of them were vis-¨¤-vis with each other. The emanating smell of fragrant tea eventually soothed their minds.


    She definitely said that she wanted to go shopping, but never did she imagine that it would be done in this manner. She had heard that sometimes, those elderly wives would call for them at home. However, it was absolutely unprecedented to call upon that many people in this way at once.


    ¡°Thank you very much for today, Raven. I literally felt like I was outside even when we never did go out.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll go out in person next time. But of course, unless it hurts too much.¡±


    <em>I absolutely will</em>. Molitia smiled broadly.

 Chapter 103

    She touched her neck softly. The adorned jewel from the jewelry store before was gleaming with confidence.


    ¡°What should I do since I¡¯ve been receiving so much? I have yet to give you anything at all.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel that way in the least. The money that is attached to the duchy is all yours.¡±


    She knew that, but Molitia still felt a little heavy when she received the present all of a sudden.


    ¡°But I still want to do something for you, as much as you¡¯ve given me. Well, maybe next time I could embroider your handkerchief. Or maybe, I should study to make some new cookies.¡±


    Raven was just staring at her, who was rambling away, before starting to reach out his hand. When Raven¡¯s hand had brushed against her fingertips, Molitia¡¯s lips immediately ceased moving.


    ¡°Not that.¡±


    ¡°Do you have anything in mind?¡±


    ¡°Put on the jewels you bought earlier.¡±


    ¡°Now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I want you to take off all your clothes and only cover yourself with what you¡¯ve just bought.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Her breath immediately stopped for that one moment. Raven¡¯s low-burning eyes were aiming straight towards her.


    However, as soon as Raven had caught her eyes, he merely smiled before turning away¡ªas if it was nothing.


    ¡°I was just kidding, My Lady. You haven¡¯t gottenpletely over the cold, so I¡¯ll put it off until next time.¡±


    That was the thought that kept infusing him whenever she changed her clothes while bejeweling herself. There was a strong surge of desire to see her dressed in that solely pretty clothes of exquisite things.


    Nevertheless, he never meant to bother a still sick person just because his desire was ring uncontrobly. It was the time for Raven to swallow his greed¡ªas an assurance.


    ¡°¡­okay.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Raven straight away looked at her¡ªnkly¡ªat that sudden remark.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m pretty sure that I feel much better now. Besides, it¡¯s quite warm in here¡­¡­ so, I¡¯ll take it off.¡±


    Molitia, who dropped the bomb, had uttered them in a very cautious voice before rising to her feet.


    Her tiny hands began to start moving.


    Pop, pop. Eventually, she didn¡¯t even require the help from her maids before the front buttons of her clothes werepletely taken off. The clothes that were used to cover her milky white body had soon fluttered to the ground where only a thinyer of inner skirt, which was donned as a substitute for her undergarment was then revealed to be clinging on her body.


    The rustling of the dress that could only be heard through the screen had finally unveiled in front of his eyes. When the clothes that were covering her milky white figure had flowed down on the floor, only a thinyer of underwear remained as a substitute to cover her body.


    <em>What should I do with this lovely woman?</em>Raven exhaled under his breath before reaching out to her.


    ¡°Molitia,e here.¡±


    She was just dressed in a thinyer of undergarment when she took his hand. Her crystalline skin was glistening beautifully in the sun.


    She had a pair of cute-sized earrings on her ears. It was an earring that she had just bought from the jewelry store before. On top of that, the amethyst was sparkling as it resembled the color of her pretty eyes.


    ¡°I never would¡¯ve expected you to move so aggressively. I didn¡¯t know it before.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that you¡­¡±


    Molitia closed her lips, which tried to say that if she were to attempt this kind of thing¡ªlike him¡ªeveryday, she would definitely learn more of the things that she wasn¡¯t aware of before. The ignorant littledy, who knew of sex only from books, was now no more.


    Now, she knew what sex was really like, not only with her hands but also with the gestures as well. Albeit being rather clumsy, she had already known how to sway her own back and on top of that, she even knew how to entwine her tongue with his. Every single part of this knowledge was awakened by Raven himself.


    ¡°What about me?¡±


    He lowered the strap on her shoulder while smirking away. Her smooth skin had made the clothes slip off without a hitch.

 Chapter 104

    ¡°¡­If I try to do it everyday, of course I would change.¡±


    ¡°You have to say these things correctly. Don¡¯t you have a rest once every three days?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s, uh¡­¡±


    He lifted his head and went straight to lick Molitia¡¯s neck. She trembled slightly before sping on his shoulder. His hand, which was scraping along her neckline, eventually lowered the rest of the string. The thin clothes ultimately flowed down¡ªmaking a puddle around the base of her figure.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t correct yourself then, can I say that you¡¯re the one who insists that we can do it every day?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll correct it.¡±


    As soon as her red lips were pursed, Raven immediatelyughed out aloud. He then ced her nude self snugged on his thigh.


    She was remarkably beautiful¡ªthatid bare body, which was adorned with jewelry. Plus, it was just erotic.


    The ne that was a blend between diamonds and embroidery had glittered distinctively whenever she respired.


    Raven then kissed the ne softly. Molitia immediately ceased breathing when his breath had brushed against her body.


    No matter how colorful the ne was, it just seemed pale inparison to Molitia¡¯s milky white skin. Nevertheless, his satisfaction was in a ss of its own.


    She was more beautiful than he had ever imagined while only being dressed in what he had bought for her. That incredibly white jewel that was just at the tip of her slightly flushed skin had stimted his lust¡ªdyed in that very same color.


    His hand proceeded to trace along her spine. Her body immediately quivered, fluttering the jewels in response.


    ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll buy you something even more fancy. It¡¯d be sovish that it¡¯ll flow through the curves of your figure.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t even be able to wear it properly, in fear of losing it.¡±


    ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you just wear it in front of me?¡±


    His hand then brushed against the petite hand that was holding on to his shoulder. The soft sensation that he felt under her hand was enough to make him dizzy.


    ¡°You¡¯d better show off your jewels in front of me. Each and everyday¡ªwith different sets of gems.¡±


    ¡°Wasting isn¡¯t a hobby of mine. The jewelry that I¡¯ve received today is quite enough.¡±


    ¡°I just want you to make your husband pay for it, My Lady.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­ ah¡±


    Raven moved downwards before he took a hold of her chest with his lips. Her breasts, which were tinted even lovelier than the jewels, eventually disappeared into his mouth. Whenever he had nipped her with his teeth, Molitia instantly felt a thrill flowing along her spine.


    ¡°I want you to know that I¡¯m always worried because you¡¯re not greedy at all.¡±


    His hand then ran down to her waist before touching her hips. The corner of Raven¡¯s lips turned up when he felt that her fluids were already trickling down her thighs.


    ¡°You¡¯re all wet today.¡±


    ¡°Huh, ahh¡­¡­¡±


    Molitia could no longer deny it. As she had already known the pleasure before, she immediately trembled with excitement in anticipation whenever she was facing him.


    Her body quivered in expectation as his hand rubbed against her soft flesh. The earring fluttered abruptly, making a faint p in her ears.


    Raven straight away swallowed her still open lips. With those lips that were even shinier than a scarlet ruby, he prodded her flesh even more so than before.


    Then, his fingers hade across the sharp protrusion of her flesh. Molitia¡¯s waist immediately pulled back from rubbing against his thigh as he fondled with her swollen clitoris.


    The sticky fluids that exuded from her vagina were soaking his hand amply. He eventually let go of his tongue that was still entangling with hers as soon as he had decided that he didn¡¯t need to prepare her any longer.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    A string of saliva was still trickling between the two of them, albeit briefly as they parted their lips. Molitia panted a little after that.


    ¡°Molitia, turn around.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t sit yet and turn your back to me. There you go.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s back soon stuck to his chest, with her hips raised upwards. As her hips began to touch his lower abdomen, she could immediately feel his hard member even more precisely.


    Then, he took a small bottle of medicine out of his pocket while unbuckling his belt that ultimately revealed his great length. At the same time, he carefully embraced her waist before plunging inside of her at once.


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡±

 Chapter 105

    Her waist instantly bolted upright, which made her shriek a little. As soon as he had pierced her insides, a momentary climax had tightened against him mercilessly.


    ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful, Molitia.¡±


    Raven breathed hushedly on her shoulder. Whenever he had spanked her bottom, he could feel that Molitia briefly clenched herself.


    Her tight inner walls were enough to make the couple forget where they were at that moment. An open space, which was always known as the parlor, had soon be a ce for just the two of them.


    Only the sound of flesh squelching against one another had resonated within the drawing room. Every time when he hit deep inside of her, Molitia¡¯s body would immediately bounce upwards. And whenever that happened, Raven would snuggle against her even more.


    At every instance, where Molitia¡¯s touch that was filled with possessiveness had squeezed against him, a gratifying groan would burst out of his very own mouth.


    As he had already propped Molitia¡¯s upper body against the table, he then delivered hispletely thorough plunge all the way to the hilt. Whenever her toes were lifted in the air, her insides were absolutely filled with him.


    Raven reached out and grazed upon the point of their union. Molitia immediately arched her back in surprise, but she went on to close her eyes tightly as soon as his hand had rubbed against her vehement clit. Her mind seemed to be melting in pleasure.


    Every time he had caressed her swollen clitoris, love fluids appeared to be spurting down from where they were joined with each other. Molitia leaned against the table as it seemed that she could fall at any given time while her silver locks were fluttering all over.


    ¡°Oh, oh, Raven, please¡­¡±


    By the time he had heard of Molitia¡¯s plea, Raven instantly shoved deep inside of her. At that exact same time, Molitia¡¯s shoulders trembled as he released inside of her.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Molitia was still nude while being in his arms as she let out her breath. After the deed, she couldn¡¯t even put on her clothes as her whole body seemed to feel like it was still burning sensitively.


    The jewelry, which she had adorned on her body, had already been ced on the table for quite some time now.


    Molitia leaned against his shoulder while feeling his touch that was fiddling with her body.


    Even the servants who had always visited the parlor didn¡¯t linger around. She was absolutely sure that they knew what had transpired within that room.


    Immediately after she had that thought, shame soon dyed her face, albeit btedly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is it too hot?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯m sure that they¡¯ve been listening all along out there.¡±


    ¡°Who cares, we¡¯re a couple.¡±


    Raven thought it was just insignificant, but Molitia was different. In such a ce, where it was other than the bedroom while the sun was still up in broad daylight. It was ringly obvious, when she hadn¡¯t even heard of the rumors that would eventually float around.


    ¡°You should just do it in the bedroom.¡±


    ¡°Which one? I won¡¯t really know unless you tell me.¡±


    ¡°Raven!¡±


    Ravenughed at those little grumbling words of hers. He gradually nodded before kissing her hair.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±


    ¡°I know that kind of effort. And you failed every single time, no?¡±


    ¡°Did I?¡±


    Molitia stuck out her tongue in response to his brazen manner of retorting. She felt like she could never be able to overpower him in that conversation. Therefore, she brought out a different topic, instead.


    ¡°You said earlier that I¡¯m not greedy.¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°In that case, can I be greedy just once?¡±


    ¡°Which one, then?¡±


    His wife¡¯s greed. Raven immediately felt like his curiosity was piqued. It was due to the fact that her eyes had sparkled only a few times before.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to participate in anyone else¡¯s banquet, but I¡¯d like to throw a tea party¡ªright here, at the Duchy.¡±


    Raven adjusted his face a little when he heard what Molitia had said. Even if he didn¡¯t want to be worried that much, his mind just naturally reminded him of her own physical condition.


    ¡°Are you going to be okay? I heard that you shouldn¡¯t overdo it at all.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine if I just organize a brief luncheon. Plus, there¡¯s someone whom I really want to invite.¡±


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Molitia took a deep breath for a while before dering with a firm look on her face.


    ¡°Arjan Clemence, my sister.¡±


    ¡°Not her.¡±


    He immediately drew the line¡ªfaster than ever. The soft eyes of his lovely wife were nowhere to be seen, only a pair of fierce eyes were left glistening.

 Chapter 106

    ¡°You think that it has already been a few days since she hurt you, but that was just yesterday. She scratched you¡ªyesterday.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°You know that, yet you are still going to invite her?¡±


    Raven heaved a deep sigh before shaking his head.


    ¡°No way, Molitia. She can¡¯t attend. If you are still going to invite her, I¡¯ll be there as well.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Now that we don¡¯t have to face each other in private ces anymore.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Molitia reached out and held his hand. His hand was covered with calluses everywhere, but to her, it was absolutely soft.


    She didn¡¯t have to back away if this hand was around. She even attained enough strength to face the feelings that reminded her of that terrifying day.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be referred to as ¡®the Duchess¡¯ while Arjan Clemence will merely be presented as Lady Clemence. I¡¯d like to establish a formal rtionship between the two of us in the society. Not as sisters, but within the nobility itself.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we put it off a little while longer?¡±


    ¡°If I were to do that, my feeble mind will emerge yet again. I finally realized how I really felt yesterday, thanks to you. Plus, the surge of emotions that were bubbling wildly yesterday.¡±


    Yesterday, Molitia had cried a lot and a great deal of thoughts had crossed her mind. Her smothering and crushing emotions were finally liberated out from her.


    By revealing her story to Raven, she could then ultimately face her own emotions. A dark and gloomy feeling that even she wasn¡¯t aware of. The festering feeling of being stifled in a cold room was not something that could be referred to as a mere memory.


    Her debts, her sorrow and her anguish were aption of frail emotions that were gradually eating her. They had her locked down¡ªcold in bed¡ªright in the utter end.


    It was caused by the terrible Count. There was once when she tried to findfort in itself¡ªall alone. But even the act of dismissing it as a mere past had prevented her from doing so.


    It was her very own family.


    They had been taking advantage of her as a subject that was still regarded as a progressive material.


    As long as they had mentioned of Molitia Clemence, who was always deemed as vulnerable and useless since forever, she would have definitely maintained that kind of reputation until the day she¡¯d die.


    Raven looked at her determined eyes before holding her hands together. Even now, her crying face was the only one that had vividlye to his mind whenever he closed his eyes.


    She cried so hard that her eyes had turned red and swollen that she even had to swallow her own cries. He couldn¡¯t get it out of his head with the way she had cried at his soothing touch.


    ¡°It¡¯s just like a double-edged sword for you to face the wound right away. There¡¯s still a way to get around it step by step, Molitia.¡±


    It was fortunate that her bank of emotions, which she had always swallowed without knowing the proper way to express, had finally opened. However, if the proper amount wasn¡¯t exactly controlled, the bank would definitely be destroyed. Raven was worried that she might be unaware of the fact that he was such a mess under her little feet.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one thing that I¡¯m worried about. You¡ªhurting yourself. I¡¯ve never cared about my reputation in all my life. So, marrying you won¡¯t make me feel any different. If you¡¯re worried about your job as the Duchess, you can just start out slowly.¡±


    ¡°Well then, Raven. Why don¡¯t we do it like this? I¡¯ll just send an invitation to Arjan Clemence. I¡¯ll give her the right to decide herself, whether or not she¡¯ll attend.¡±


    Raven hesitated for a moment when he heard what Molitia said. From what he had discovered from the butler, Arjan was kicked out after being scolded by Molitia.


    It was clear that after what had transpired, one would definitely be reluctant toe invited. Even a child would be ufortable, despite not being able to feel any reluctance.


    ¡°What if she sends you a message of rejection?¡±


    ¡°If she doesn¡¯t attend¡­ Then, I¡¯ll take the other way around. I will try to tend and soothe this wound so that it will diminish into a small, insignificant grain.¡±


    Raven could no longer say anything about her determined resolve.

 Chapter 107

    ¡°I just hope that Arjan Clemence is just as wise.¡±


    At least someone would be able to recognize it right away while still manoeuvring behind the scenes. Raven nodded, embracing her even more.


    ¡°If you say so¡­ then okay, I¡¯ll do it. But don¡¯t forget your own task at all times.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s your way of talking then¡­ Don¡¯t push myself too hard?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Molitia smiled softly at his warm words.


    ¡°I got it.¡±


    ¡°Then, My Lady. Can you please put off from getting dressed for now? No matter how warm this room is, it¡¯s still not enough to calm these desires of mine.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    There was nothing like this to break the current mood. Molitia looked at him with that such a rxed look.


    ¡°Why? You admitted it yourself. Your husband¡¯s physical strength is just enormous.¡±


    ¡°Why would it emerge now?¡±


    ¡°Why? It¡¯s the same situation even now, Molitia.¡±


    Raven kissed her lightly on the cheek. His hand then proceeded to touch that cold body.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Molitia turned her head, embarrassed by the pleasure she felt on her bottom. The subtle simtion was enough to heat up her cheeks.


    ¡°You, really¡­¡±


    Molitia red at him before softening her eyes.<em>Don¡¯t you think that it¡¯ll be okay to indulge just for today?</em>Her mumbling mouth had parted ever so slightly.


    ¡°¡­not here.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean that we should go to the bedroom instead of being here?¡±


    <em>Nodded</em>. Her eyes were blinking cutely.


    ¡°But I have to be back in shape by tomorrow, so you have to try to control yourself as much as you can at night¡­ Raven, wait¡ªkyaa!¡±


    Raven, who could no longer stand his lust, immediately leapt to his feet. Startled, Molitia instinctively hugged his neck. Raven then quickly wrapped her in clothes before heading straight to the bedroom.


    Molitia clenched her petite fist before hitting him on the back. But, he just quickly turned towards the bedroom as he closed the door.


    ***


    <strong>Return</strong>


    Shortly afterwards, Molitia began to fix her stare at the letter that was in her hand. The invitation, which had been stamped with the seal of Count Clemence, had ultimately indicated the meaning of an eptance.


    ¡°Finally, it¡¯s today.¡±


    She had already expected it. Arjan, who was forced to leave the duchy as if she was just being kicked out by Molitia, couldn¡¯t have stayed still at all.


    Even so, the proposal that was delivered by her father had never been brought up by Raven himself.


    She would just be gritting her teeth desperately. Arjan had this morbid personality where she would want to pay it back once she was defeated by others. That was the reason Molitia had brought up such a n of action to Raven.


    ¡°I have to be more careful and prepare thoroughly.¡±


    Molitia slowly ced the letter in the drawer that was right at the corner. Pillen and Lili, who were dressing her up, had be much busier now.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we go out in advance?¡±


    Molitia gave a heartyugh at Lili¡¯s concerned words.


    ¡°There¡¯s absolutely no reason for the host to arrive early, is there?¡±


    ¡°But usually, it¡¯s like that.¡±


    An average tea party would consider it to be a virtue. So, she couldn¡¯t believe that Molitia was adamant to arrive behind time. Lili just couldn¡¯t conceal her anxiety right at that moment.


    ¡°As soon as they arrive, they should have some time to at least clear their astir minds. Plus, there are many things that could only be voiced out when the organizer isn¡¯t present yet.¡±


    ¡°What are they?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Molitia blurted out the end of her speech.


    There was a beautifully decorated garden that could be seen from casting a gaze through the window. A magnificently constructed garden. However, this beauty couldn¡¯t sustain properly without the great efforts from the gardeners.


    ¡°At the very least, we¡¯d be able to determine what to do next.¡±


    Molitia finally murmured under her breath.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    As time went by, the participants who had been invited to the party began to arrive¡ªone after another. On behalf of Molitia, who hadn¡¯t taken her seat just yet, the servants were serving them fiercely instead.


    She deliberately ced some attendants at each table in order to quickly prepare what was needed for the said table, so that there wouldn¡¯t be any inconvenience at all.


    People began to wonder, why didn¡¯t the host of the party arrive yet¡ªbut at the same time, they just couldn¡¯t stop their own curiosity.

 Chapter 108

    And among all of them, there was Arjan Clemence who had just arrived.


    ¡®What the hell are you even up to?¡¯


    As she was already at an unfamiliar tea party, she began chewing her lips¡ªas if she was even biting on them.


    ¡®At least, I get it for now. You¡¯re no longer the Molitia Clemence whom I used to know.¡¯


    Her sister, who once said that she had nothing to do, gave her a call all of a sudden¡ªperhaps because she herself had a n in mind. However, Arjan Clemece was never a woman who could be easily beaten. Especially when the opponent is her own sister, Molitia.


    She wouldn¡¯t be letting go of her hand for today.


    ¡°Oh, aren¡¯t you¡ªArjan Clemence?¡±


    Hearing the familiar voice, Arjan immediately changed her expression. She then turned her head while smiling broadly¡ªas if she had never frowned earlier.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Countess Herbert.¡±


    ¡°I felt rather upset because I haven¡¯t seen you since the wedding of Duke Lineriost time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry. I haven¡¯t been able to visit you because many things have been going ontely.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s about a lot of work, then¡­¡­¡±


    Arjan was overwhelmed with jealousy while she was avoiding eye contact. Then, the Countess¡¯s eyes shifted as she lowered her gaze rather shamefully.


    ¡°Oh, is the rumor really true?¡±


    ¡°What rumor are you talking about right now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Baroness Ariane has arrived as well.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been having quite a rtionship with Duchess Linerio since long before she had gotten married.¡±


    They had only met face to face a few times before, but Ariane was obviously showing off her close rtionship before turning to Herbert.


    ¡°More than that, what is this rumor¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve recently heard rumors that Lady Clemence is getting married soon.¡±


    ¡°Have you already decided on a good marriage prospect?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the story of the Marquis of Werner¡ªand the rumors kept on going back and forth all the time.¡±


    ¡°The Marquis of Werner? If it¡¯s that¡­¡±


    The Baroness¡¯s words slurred eventually. Evidently, the Marquis was from a prestigious family that couldn¡¯t be easily ignored, but the problemy within the heir¡ªwho was a total mess.


    It was attractive to be manly, but she heard that he had a bad habit. In particr, it seemed that there had been several cases where the Marquis had been secretlypensating for gambling in these recent years.


    What about his fianc¨¦e¡ªBarlow, then?


    It was rumored that he fought with the Young Lady of Barlow in order to im the honor and that statement was still being propagated till now. Moreover, it was even mentioned during Nibeia¡¯s tea party back then.


    ¡°I¡¯m ashamed to hear that the rumor has already been spread out. My father told me that we should be as quiet as possible¡­¡±


    When Ariane¡¯s expression had turned rather strange, Arjan quickly changed the current atmosphere. Her newly wedded appeal, which would soon be greeted by many, was definitely enough to soften the delicate hearts of women.


    ¡°Then, is the rumor true?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not really sure yet¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, this will definitely be a celebration of the Empire¡ªright after the Duke of Linerio.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, it¡¯s a marriage with a Marquis¡¯s descent, who has also been chosen as the next heir to the Marquis of Werner.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Arjan smiled¡ªas if everything had been fixed in ce. Rumor which was broadcasted that Arjan Clemence might be the Marquis¡¯s wife had begun to gather all around her.


    It didn¡¯t really matter how absurd the bad habits of Marquis Werner were. It was never bad to be seen with someone who possessed a higher status.


    It was around the time when the tea party was getting heated around Arjan that the creaking of an opening door could be heard. As it had been tightly closed before, the sound immediately drew all of the people¡¯s attention for that one moment.


    The door parted and finally, Molitia made her appearance. She had emerged in a yellow dress, which matched the concept of the tea party itself. Her silver hair thatplemented the warm color of her clothes, was fluttering around her waist.


    She was wearing a bright red shawl, draped on her shoulder as a focal point. Raven had bought that shawl a few days ago, especially for Molitia who often felt cold. The shawl, which stood out even more than her own yellow dress, had straight away earned everyone¡¯s undivided attention.

 Chapter 109

    ¡°Oh, that shawl¡­ Isn¡¯t it too early to be wearing it in this kind of weather?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine since it looks quite light. That dress goes much better with that shawl than I¡¯ve thought before. It even seems like a good cover for a dress.¡±


    ¡°That unique pattern¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure I know of it. Isn¡¯t it the one from that recently most popr¡ªValleen Parlor? But then, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen a shawl especially like that.¡±


    Molitia eventually stopped her tracks, amidst all those buzzing people. She drew a soft smile around her mouth after looking through the list of people who had already arrived.


    ¡°Thank you all for being here today. I¡¯d also like to especially thank the Marchioness of Nibeia for lending me a hand today.¡±


    As soon as Molitia had winked at Nibeia, she gave Molitia a gentle bow.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already prepared as much as I could in order for everyone to enjoy my very first tea party. I sincerely hope that all of you will have a good time before taking your leaveter.¡±


    The quiet atmosphere appeared to soften yet again soon after the host had ended her greetings. Molitia then settled down on her own prearranged seat.


    Some of them had been waiting all this while for Molitia to arrive. And thus, they immediately fought for her attention right after.


    ¡°Congrattions, Duchess Linerio.¡±


    ¡°On what asion might you be talking about?¡±


    Molitia instantly wondered at the sudden news of a celebration.


    ¡°I heard that Arjan Clemence¡¯s wedding has already been arranged. It has also reached my ears that her partner will be the heir of Marquis Werner.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    When Molitia¡¯s eyes were widened, albeit a little, Arjan quickly continued.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, sister. I just couldn¡¯t inform you since it was decided all of a sudden. In fact, it had been going rather quickly to see if he truly fancied me.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean Ferdinand Werner, when ites to Marquis Werner?¡±


    ¡°He is the only son¡ªso, who else?¡±


    Amidst the bustling crowd, Arjan peeked at Molitia with such gleaming eyes. She was said to have disguised herself with an innocent smile, but she just couldn¡¯t get rid of the arrogance that was embedded deep inside of her. Still, Molitia drew her eyes away.


    ¡°I see. Congrattions.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that she had no knowledge of it. When Arjan had sent a letter of consent, Raven eventually decided to give a little bit of help. This information was actually one of the things that she, herself, had asked him to do.


    In the first ce, the information of Marquis Werner, which she was frequently exposed to, had never been that secretive at all. As Count Clemence had often done, his unting personality made it possible to deduce with just a little bit more of digging.


    It was then Arjan¡¯s turn to be embarrassed by Molitia¡¯s calm expression.


    It was just a medley of facts that were obtained by her father. Although rumor had it that her husband was quite deplorable, she believed that it was just a bad joke during the time he was being immature. That was why she still pushed ahead with the marriage herself.


    At one point, she had thought that she wouldy a hold on Young Lady Barlow¡¯s fianc¨¦ and live as a Marchioness. However, when her sister had be the Duchess, things changed immensely. She simply didn¡¯t want to bow down to Molitia with such curtsy. In fact, she couldn¡¯t find herself to admit that Molitia¡¯s position was even higher than her own.


    ¡°The distance will get a little further, but we¡¯ll surely be fine in the future, sister.¡±


    Molitia smiled softly at Arjan¡¯s words.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really think it¡¯s going to be that easy, though.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s firm words had silenced the whole table. Then, it was only natural that Arjan¡¯s clear smile had eventually hardened.


    ¡°Thends of both the Duke of Linerio and Marquis Werner, are quite distant to one another. Therefore, if they were to interact frequently, all of thend¡¯s work would eventually be neglected.¡±


    Molitia then calmly continued her own words. In fact, the residence of Marquis Werner was located far within the continental border from the capital, close to the sea itself.


    ¡°We must carry out our duty as a hostess for the development of those two territories. So, please, do understand if I were to be a little bit negligent.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªyes, of course.¡±

 Chapter 110

    People around them started to blink at those blunt remarks that urged her to perform her own duty. They always heard how things had never been incessantly up to Molitia, but it was now different when they saw it with their own eyes. Contrary to the rumors, Molitia appeared not to be shaken up neither was she swallowing her own words.


    ¡°Plus, Marquis Werner, himself does the exact opposite of Duke Linerio. Therefore, thebined forces of those two powers may eventually lead to an imbnce within the Empire itself. Which is why, it¡¯d be better for us to have only a little exchange between one another.¡±


    The aristocracy in the capital and the aristocracy within the periphery are evidently distinct. Although they might have a simr ss to each other, the central forces could never be ignored.


    Even if the rate of the bloodline was low, times had always continued to change. They just couldn¡¯t dwell on the past¡ªforever. The Duke of Linerio, who was once considered to be just humble, had shown much growth as the days passed by.


    Molitia smiled just as kindly. If other people were to see it, her smile would resemble that of a gentle sister¡¯s. Still, she didn¡¯t really know how Arjan would truly feel.


    ¡°So, if I were to get married and visit you, I would then set a good example¡ªas Marchioness Werner.¡±


    Arjan then immediately bit down her mouth¡ªhard. She really thought that her real face would be revealed in the end. The fishy taste of blood could barely hold Arjan¡¯s own expression.


    ¡°Madame, the final guest has already arrived.¡±


    The butler, who was just behind Molitia, whispered softly in her ear.


    ¡°Oh, finally. Do lead her over here.¡±


    As soon as the butler nodded and eventually disappeared, Molitia then drew the people¡¯s attention to her.


    ¡°Everyone, the guest from afar, who was a tad bitte, has just arrived.¡±


    Ate guest. That would be an unpleasant situation for an organizer, but Molitia on the other hand, still had a smile on her face.


    ¡°Pleasee this way.¡±


    ¡°¡­the Young Lady of Barlow?¡±


    Ironically, the first one who recognized that person was Arjan herself. As she had spoken unknowingly, she then quickly shut her lips since she felt regretful somehow.


    Nevertheless, everyone¡¯s eyes had long been fixated on her. It was just a small cry, but there was absolutely no one who didn¡¯t listen to it. The Young Lady of Barlow eventually bowed her head and gave her greetings.


    ¡°My apologies for beingte. I am Noah Barlow. I¡¯m very pleased to be here by the invitation of the Duchess herself.¡±


    ¡°Since I was the one who mentioned it during Marchioness Nibeia¡¯s tea party previously, I felt really bad. I wasn¡¯t able to care for my sister due to the reason being I was unwell in the past.¡±


    ¡°Why would the Duchess have to worry about that? Everything was just a rather childish behavior.¡±


    Noah looked at Arjan with such a bright smile painted on her face.


    ¡°Furthermore, I¡¯m not really ashamed of my ex-fianc¨¦, who always had been ying around.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ex-fianc¨¦?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I just had my engagement broken with the Young Marquis. A better marriage prospect than that had been set.¡±


    Her ex-fianc¨¦ whom Arjan had coveted so much. Even when Arjan couldn¡¯t have him until the end, Noah on the other hand, had him entirely before throwing him away¡ªjust like that. Arjan was never able to do such things at such official events.


    Who could actually talk rather confidently about themselves without the need to y with fire?


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about the good news and therefore, invited you here. It will be a double celebration along with Young Lady Clemence.¡±


    ¡°Young Lady Clemence, you are going to congratte me, no?¡±


    Arjan¡¯s expression immediately distorted in response to Noah¡¯s words.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡­ of course.¡±


    People eventually apuded for Arjan, who was still quite nervous, and Noah, whose face was all smiles. Arjan could hardlyugh at the cheers dedicated to those two people who were celebrating for their own future.


    ¡°Thank you so much foring, Young Lady Barlow.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that? I¡¯m the one who should be thanking you.¡±


    ¡°Does the new marriage prospecte from a good family?¡±


    The other thing which Molitia requested for Raven was Young Lady Barlow¡¯s new marriage. Although she had been from Barlow County, their finances were declining as ofte.

 Chapter 111

    That was the reason Noah couldn¡¯t break off her engagement even though the rumors about her fianc¨¦ had already spread too much. It will take a hefty sum of money in order for the two families to be strangers again. Molitia then asked Raven about that sum of money.


    ¡°Of course. Anyone is definitely much better than my ex-fianc¨¦.¡±


    ¡°If anything were to happen, do call me at any time.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Duchess.¡±


    Noah bowed to her with her utmost sincere gratitude. Noah¡¯s situation, which must have been difficult due to her own sister, was unlike everyone else¡¯s. Molitia held Noah warmly by the hand.


    ¡°Sister, why don¡¯t you talk to me for a while?¡±


    Arjan immediately separated the two after finding them. Her face still seemed to be smiling, but her voice was no longer that of her usual fresh sounding voice.


    ¡°Now, Arjan¡ªyou have to learn to stand on your own feet. You can¡¯t be calling your sister forever. Why don¡¯t you slowly reduce the amount of going out with me?¡±


    She was Arjan, who had always been putting her own sister in the topic of conversation¡ªmingled in pity andpassion. Everyone here had already known the fact that there would never be an absence of Molitia within Arjan¡¯s own conversation.


    However, the more people had watched Molitia, the more they began to feel the gap in between the rumors which had permeated.


    ¡°Did she really behave that badly?¡±


    Once a question had bloomed, it would soon spread through people¡¯s own mouths. It was then enough for Molitia to create such an opportunity. Even if you, yourself, were not moving that much, rumors would still run ceaselessly.


    Arjan looked at Molitia before clenching her teeth tightly. Her fury was no longer in control as it was revealed rather clearly. The atmosphere of the tea party soon became quite lush.


    A soft and gentle atmosphere¡ªit was the ideal ambience of a tea party that Molitia had wished for. Thanks to Arjan, who stepped down while swallowing her anger whole, friction was no longer created.


    It was perhaps then, she decided that it would be better for her not to run into Molitia for today.


    If you were to reveal your cards first, you could definitely be read much more easily. Molitia dug into that fact which Arjan had never thought of before. It was also one of the reasons why Molitia had arrivedte on purpose.


    ¡°Whoa.¡±


    Molitia then skimmed her hand over her chest softly. She pretended to be calm, but herplexion had turned a little white. If her lips weren¡¯t painted like such red petals, her pale face might be revealed as it was.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Marchioness Nibeia. I¡¯m fine. That was just a sigh of relief as everything is going better than I¡¯ve ever imagined.¡±


    Molitia drew a smile to the person who had approached her. Marchioness Nibeia soon took a seat next to her¡ªalong with a pleasant smile on her face.


    ¡°Without Marchioness Nibeia¡¯s amazing advice, it would absolutely be hard to maintain such a peaceful atmosphere like this, today.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by my own merit? Everything is thanks to the Duchess¡¯s wisdom¡ªreally. I can truly feel that you had even paid very close attention to what I¡¯ve yet advised you before.¡±


    ¡°Marchioness Nibeia is praising me¡ªwhat more of a betterpliment can there be.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s cheeks were immediately painted red by the sincere praise for opening the salon as well as operating the merchant group. Her seemingly innocent behavior had deepened the pleasant lines drawn on Marchioness Nibeia¡¯s own face.


    ¡°Whoa, don¡¯t think about any of that.¡±


    She had been a little bit passive, but she was very thoughtful. Marchioness Nibeia¡¯s eyes, which paid keen attention towards Molitia since she was just a youngdy, had proven not to be wrong at all. Hence, Marchioness Nibeia wished to strengthen her rtionship with Molitia even more.


    When Marchioness Nibeia didn¡¯t move away from Molitia¡¯s side, a group began to form naturally around the two of them. The desire to be amongst the most influential people during the current tea party had brought all of them together.


    Arjan was said to be the Marquis¡¯s wife someday, but still, she was never the real power at all. Arjan squeezed her hands tightly as the people around her had gradually fallen apart.

 Chapter 112

    Marchioness Nibeia¡¯s lively conversation had made her forget all about the disturbance from earlier. The wives wereughing and talking about much information that only they knew.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m in a predicament since I¡¯ve been having problems with the negotiations with that merchant group recently.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Countess Nisser¡¯s sigh had drawn everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°There are a lot of transactions going on in the Kingdom of Portan with our family¡¯s merchant group. But then, the recent answer has been ratherte and most of them don¡¯t really make it through.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡±


    ¡°Is Marchioness Nibeia¡¯s merchant group doing all right?¡±


    Nibeia¡¯s expression could be seen to change quite vaguely when she was asked. The Kingdom of Portan¡ªit was one of the ces in which she had worked fairly hard as ofte.


    Thanks to the geographical conditions that situated them not too far from the Empire, it was then a ce where quite a number of merchant groups hade and gone to.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of a dispute just yet, but¡­ it is definitely better to find out.¡±


    ¡°Has Marchioness Nibeia been going to and from the Kingdom of Portan, then?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the local specialty products have been selling rather well recently.¡±


    ¡°Oh! I know.¡±


    The story of Baroness Nisser had soon lost its interest as attention was quickly gathered to something else. People were very attentive towards the more stimting narratives as they aplished many social stories.


    Right after the tea party session, which also took Molitia quite some time to prepare, people who had attended began to take their leave sessively.


    In their hands, there was a box that contained a small gift that Molitia had prepared beforehand. Participating in the enshrouded Duchess¡¯s tea party was enough to be a famous socialite even if it was just for a while. When everyone was presented with a gift to boot, they eventually went out the door along their own sets of proud faces.


    Molitia also prepared some for Arjan. Nevertheless, Arjan didn¡¯t take along the gifts which had already been arranged.


    No¡ªshe just couldn¡¯t take it with her. She had to appear like a good sister all because of her own anger that had risen to the top of her head. It would take such a long time for her to forget about that.


    That was her first time to experience such a disgrace. She had always been the talk of town and the hotbed of many rumors. Therefore, for her, today¡¯s tea party was definitely the worst¡ªof the worst. Molitia had treated Arjan even worse than the air itself.


    ¡®You¡¯re just Molitia!¡¯


    Arjan had gritted her teeth furiously on the carriage returning home. Her distorted mouth had even made the servants around her tremble nervously.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    As soon as she arrived at the county, Arjan quickly headed to the study. She just couldn¡¯t stand such humiliation.


    ¡°Father, Father! Listen¡ªMolitia¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, damn it!¡±


    Some papers were scattered on the floor right after she had opened the door. Arjan instantly became frozen on the spot¡ªsurprised.


    ¡°Father¡­?¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    Count Clemence immediately strode along after he discovered Arjan.


    p!


    Arjan just couldn¡¯t make heads nor tails about the burning sensation of her cheeks at that given moment. What the hell was going on?


    It was her father, Count Clemence¡ªwho had never hurt her before. When Arjan stuttered as she ced a hand on her cheek, the Count¡¯s angry voice rumbled like a bolt of lightning.


    ¡°What the hell did you even say when you were in that house? I told you to lure him to our side. Who asked you to provoke him?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Father, what do¡­¡±


    ¡°The Duke of Linerio is angry!¡±


    The Count could no longer ovee his anger and hurled the object that was next to him. The flung item had instantly made the floor crack.


    It was actually the same as his own usual.


    He went to work at the pce without fail and he was just doing his job. In fact, he was also in a pretty good mood until he saw Duke Linerio in the hallway.


    Count Clemence¡¯s face immediately became twisted when he had seen Duke Linerio wasing from afar. In the end, he recalled the time he had to pay arge sum of fine.

 Chapter 113

    However, without any physical evidence, he couldn¡¯t bepletely definitive about that. The Count then wore a shameless mask beforeughing out rather loudly.


    ¡°Oh, Duke of Linerio! It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen you at the pce.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s mouth immediately hardened when he became aware of the Count.


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    ¡°Haha, how are you? I¡¯ve been wondering about my safety since I haven¡¯t heard from you at all.¡±


    <em>How have you been?</em>


    As soon as Raven had seen the Count, his murderous intentions were gradually increasing, which made it hard for him to maintain his own expressions. It had be even more unbearable when Molitia¡¯s crying face was ovepping with the Count¡¯s shameless, smiling face.


    He managed to hold his hand against the sword at his waist. This is the Imperial Pce. To wield a sword inappropriately could definitely be charged with treason.


    ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯ve been rather curious as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh, the Duke is?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like to ask Count Clemence in regard to some of your information.¡±


    There was no need to show his true feelings to those dirty and ugly people. Raven pulled a smile around his lips as he gave off a rather generous atmosphere.


    ¡°Haha, as much as you want, of course. If I can be of any help to the Duke of Linerio, I will answer them with all my heart.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Raven then drew an even thicker line around the corners of his mouth.


    A few days ago, some pieces of information in regard to Count Clemence had arrived in front of him. Raven extended one of them through his mouth.


    ¡°¡­then, the amount of gold that had been paid to the Empire by Clemence¡¯s merchant group was too small. What are your thoughts on this?¡±


    ¡°¡­what?¡±


    Suddenly, Count Clemence had forgotten tough heartily.


    ¡®How could he do that?¡¯


    Count Clemence¡¯s eyes trembled stridently in response. That had been something which he did in all secrecy. It hadn¡¯t been just for a few years. The separation of the merchant group that he had been devoting his life to was benefitting him tremendously.


    It was also true that he had been seizing the initiative as well. But then, the Duke was already aware of that. The Count¡¯s face eventually turned blue.


    ¡°Well¡ªwhat do you mean, Duke? That¡¯s rather misleading. If anyone were to hear that, they might assume that the Clemence merchant group doesn¡¯t charge properly.¡±


    ¡°That is what I¡¯m saying.¡±


    Unlike the Count who was whispering quite hushedly, Raven still continued in his calm tone.


    ¡°Do you know that we¡¯ve been imposing strong sanctions on illegal merchant groups recently? A guy who was investigating the case had told me a rather interesting story.¡±


    Raven took a nce over the old man who was right in front of him. His heavy appearance was shaking furiously against his own dignity.


    The more he remembered how his wife had been treated back then, the more he wanted to break apart those fingers that belonged to the Count¡ªone by one.


    ¡°It appears that Count Clemence has put forward a nk merchant group, whereas the merchant group which he runs for himself is separate on its own.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­ I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯ve misread something there.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Well, that¡¯s a relief.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°As the person who¡¯s in charge of the security, I will still have to look into the case¡ªwhether I like it or not.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ do you mean that you¡¯re going to investigate me¡ªCount Clemence?¡±


    Raven snorted.


    If you were innocent, you could humbly ept anything that was given. The behavior of those who couldn¡¯t have actually done that was immensely hideous that even their eyes were truly frowned upon.


    ¡°Of course not. It¡¯s just that if¡ªby chance¡ªthe investigation were to find any connections to the Count, we just can¡¯t help it.¡±


    Raven lowered his head before whispering softly in the ear of Count Clemence, who had his mouth open¡ªappearing dishevelled.


    ¡°Count Clemence, please behave well so that I won¡¯t have to disturb you¡ªCount.¡±


    ¡°Duke! Duke of Linerio!¡±


    The Count, who had regained his senses, albeit btedly, immediately called out to him. But Raven, on the other hand, had quickly disappeared.

 Chapter 114

    The Count, who had finally finished recollecting, could not ovee his anger before overturning his study once again.


    ¡°You dirty¡ªvulgar little thing!¡±


    As he was unable to beat her, he grated angrily before pointing towards Arjan.


    ¡°From now on, you should refrain from participating in society!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Father? If I don¡¯t make a move now, my position to my sister will¡­¡±


    ¡°How important it is for women to just gossip away!¡±


    The Count¡¯s words were hurled at Arjan without any hesitation. Even when you said that you had gone and talked well! Things hadn¡¯t been working out smoothly ever since Arjan went over to the Duke¡¯s. The Count had regrettably passed all of the me on his own daughter.


    ¡°Be careful not to act as you wish. Don¡¯t even think of buying a new dress for a while! If you show some self-reflection, won¡¯t the displeased Duke look away eventually?¡±


    Arjan bit her lips in response to the Count¡¯s words. Her lips, which had been afflicted by herself all day long, could no longer sustain themselves as blood began trickling down.


    Arjan just stood still until the Count had calmed down. By that time, her cheek had already begun to bulge to some extent as a result of being hit earlier and the Count eventually stopped tossing around¡ªheaving a deep sigh.


    ¡°¡­then, why don¡¯t you go ahead and talk to Marquis Werner instead?¡±


    ¡°You really have no idea what¡¯s truly going on right now¡­¡±


    Arjan instantly stopped shouting at the Count.


    ¡°If you can no longer use the Duke as a shield, you can exploit the Marquis, Father. Even though he is not as good as the Duke, isn¡¯t the Marquis also a part of a precious bloodline¡ªone of the contributors to the establishment of the First Emperor and the empire itself. If you could just tie up those people together and keep them strong enough, things could actually be done differently.¡±


    ¡°¡­well, that¡¯d be great actually. It¡¯s quite good to say that the Duke is no longer supporting us.¡±


    The Count was agonizing over Arjan¡¯s words before he began to pack up in his clothes in a hurry. Before the Duke had proceeded in earnest, he should be the one to first take action with the Marquis¡ªeven if it was just a little.


    ¡°Molitia¡ªshe¡¯s not even aware of the grace that she had been raised with¡­ and now that it has be like this, do you think you can just sit by the sidelines?¡±


    Arjan smiled softly when the Count had uttered Molitia¡¯s name like he was chewing it viciously.


    ¡°Yes, Father. Please, continue that story.¡±


    * * *


    The wind eventually got colder.


    The leaves had fallen off their branches, leaving the thin, stark branches to stand out all over the garden. As the cold breeze wafted through fervently, the servants of the Duchy began to move rather busily.


    It had always been busy during this time of the season, but this year was going to be even more special. All due to the fact that the Duchess of Linerio was right here¡ªstaying. The servants had especially prepared her own bedroom.


    Even when she was ill previously, her room had already been arranged, but it didn¡¯t just stop there. In preparation for her delicate and fragile body, they made the room for the Duchess to be even more warmer than before.


    Molitia, who stepped in while being barefooted, was immediately surprised by the thickness of the carpet that had beenid out.


    The curtains were ovepped in severalyers to the point that even sunlight could barely peek through and her petite body was enveloped with a nket that remained for such a long time.


    In addition, the hearth was constantly being lit. As a result, the cozy and warm air had always remained in her room.


    ¡°Molitia, it¡¯s already morning.¡±


    Early in the morning, Raven, himself, was the first to rise even in her bedroom. He raised his naked torso before patting Molitia, who was still in his arms.


    He had recently developed a new habit. Right before falling asleep, he would need to wrap his wife tightly in his arms and only then, he could go to bed¡ªsatisfactorily. He was the one who¡¯d feel relieved when her cold body were to eventually rise with heat.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Molitia tossed her body around a little at his whisper. Her fluttering eyes were still full of somnolence.

 Chapter 115

    Her eyes, which were still unfocused, wandered around a few times before finally locked onto Raven. Just like a baby bird that had been awakened by its own mother, Molitia gave him a soft smile.


    ¡°Did you sleep well?¡±


    ¡°I slept really well.¡±


    The corners of Raven¡¯s mouth were also drawn in response to her smile. Molitia then yawned quietly, even though she was still smiling.


    ¡°I must have yed chess a little toote yesterday. I can¡¯t seem to rouse myself from sleep.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yesterday.¡±


    Raven immediately recalledst night. In contrast to his own belief that she might have known it well, Molitia actually did not know how to y chess at all. It was only then natural to think that as there was not even a single piece of chessboard present in her room to begin with.


    Raven thought that she would wait steadily since it was her first time. At the very least, he knew how to be considerate of beginners as well.


    Raven had patiently taught her as well as said beforehand that he would only let her go once Molitia had won skillfully. Unlike Raven, who thought that she¡¯d be happy with that, she appeared rather unhappy instead.


    Raven remembered how his wife¡¯s face had burned with such determination to winst night and smiled quietly.


    ¡°I made you win over me once though.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but it was too unfair. I didn¡¯t know anything then, but when I see it now, it¡¯s very different.¡±


    ¡°So, how did you feel about losing then?¡±


    ¡°It actually feels good to win.¡±


    Molitia smiled as much as she could. She had said so, but still, losing to him didn¡¯t feel as bad.


    ¡°Try your best next time.¡±


    Molitia beamed at the friendly touch that was stroking her head.


    ¡°Achoo.¡±


    ¡°Molitia?¡±


    The sweet atmosphere was instantly broken to the sound of sneezing. As Raven had gotten surprised, he straight away moved his hand down from petting her and ced it on her forehead.


    ¡°Did you just catch a cold?¡±


    ¡°No, I just sneezed because the air was rather cold. Cough.¡±


    ¡°Is there anyone out there?¡±


    Molitia quickly tried to block his mouth, but Raven was a step faster. He had already called for the servant outside, regardless of Molitia¡¯s swift touch.


    ¡°Doctor! Bring the doctor over!¡±


    The servants were taken by surprise when the Duke was looking for the doctor. Maybe the Madame had gotten sick again. Due to the ones who had gotten worried profusely, the attending physician showed up immediately¡ªwithout waking up properly.


    ¡°Madame is just a little tired, but she is in good health.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    The doctor was already familiar with this kind of monthly event. Despite the Duke¡¯s daunting words, the doctor could still bow her head rather calmly.


    ¡°You are taking your meds, are you not?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Then, you¡¯ll be alright. Please don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    Soon after the doctor had left, Molitia took a look at Raven.


    ¡°Did you just hear that?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I am certainly fine. Raven, you tend to overthink sometimes.¡±


    ¡°That is much better than you being sick.¡±


    Molitia frowned at his worried words. He knew that she could no longer counter anything if he were to say that¡ªno? Raven then hugged her while saying things like; are you aware of it now?


    ¡°You should be going to work now.¡±


    ¡°I should.¡±


    ¡°Raven.¡±


    Her husband, who was only good at answering, suddenly fell silent. She appeared to have expected the things he would say next.


    ¡°¡­Raven, it¡¯ll be hard to go to work if you¡¯re just holding me on like this.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know.¡±


    Raven answered smoothly, but there was not even a single sign of him loosening his arms just yet.


    ¡°If you knew it then, why don¡¯t you let me go? If you keep on dying, you¡¯ll definitely bete.¡±


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Should I not go to work today?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Molitia was the one who immediately widened her mouth to those words that seemed absurd. But then, Raven still continued in a rather serious manner.


    ¡°What if you happen to get sick while I¡¯m out and I just can¡¯t seem to leave because of all those worries and concerns.¡±


    ¡°As my doctor had said earlier, I¡¯m perfectly healthy. Plus, it doesn¡¯t even hurt anywhere.¡±


    ¡°But you never know when your current condition will suddenly change.¡±


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t deny that, but¡­¡±

 Chapter 116

    Molitia was groaning at her husband, who was only increasing much of her worries, when she called for a suggestion.


    ¡°But I¡¯ll take a rest today. Therefore, I won¡¯t be sick.¡±


    ¡°Is that something you can promise?¡±


    ¡°Really, I won¡¯t be sick. Promise.¡±


    Molitia stuck her little finger out, looking as lovely as ever¡ªespecially to Raven. He then held his eyes sharp, trying to hold back on his desires to listen to almost anything.


    ¡°What are you going to do if you get sick?¡±


    ¡°Are you really going to keep on saying that to me?¡±


    Even though he grumbled, Molitia, herself, was quite serious in regard to the assumption that had followed. It was all because of her past behavior that Raven didn¡¯t listen to her with the utmost sincerity.


    ¡°¡­how about this, then? When Ravenes home from work today and if it hurts more than it is now, I will grant you a wish.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to grant me any kind of wishes?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°Really? Any wish?¡±


    Molitia¡¯s eyes immediately narrowed when she realized that Raven¡¯s words had a sudden unusual energy to them.


    ¡°¡­what wish are you trying to make?¡±


    ¡°To make my wife look incredibly sexy.¡±


    ¡°You, really!¡±


    When she straight awayined to him with a surprised look painted on her face, Raven just pretended not to know about it.


    ¡°As I asked before, so shouldn¡¯t you be answering that sincerely? Besides, if it¡¯s a suggestion that I¡¯m attracted to, I¡¯ll be more motivated to participate in the bet itself.¡±


    ¡°¡­I know. If it hurts much more then, I¡¯ll listen to you. So, please stop that now and go to work¡ªDuke.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do that, then.¡±


    While being barely away from her, he still lifted himself up. Unlike Molitia, who was all decked up in thick clothes, his body was without a single thread on and he was in an absolutely perfect shape.


    After getting ready for work, he then went out alone. Molitia had already prepared herself lightly as she waited before seeing him out.


    Then, Raven ced a brief kiss on her forehead.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve said so earlier, but still, you should prioritize not to get sick at all. You know that, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t you worry and go now.¡±


    Raven began to move after leaving behind his wife, who was waving her hand. For some reason, his feet were trudging heavily towards the Imperial Pce for today.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A strange sensation seemed to linger even when he had arrived in the Imperial City. After he had finished working in the Capital, he simply didn¡¯t feel any sense of relief and even after he had eventually reached the knights¡¯ training camp as well.


    ¡°My Lord, you seem to be in a terrible condition today.¡±


    ¡°Lyndon!¡±


    Terrance quickly tried to drive his Lord¡¯s eyes away. However, the unchanging behavior of his Master had even made Terrance heave a deep sigh.


    ¡°You need to get rid of your worries.¡±


    ¡°What the hell is even going on?¡±


    ¡°The Duchess says that she¡¯s quite sick.¡±


    ¡°I heard she had the flu.¡±


    Raven¡¯s pensive expression had altered due to Molitia¡¯s condition that was quite a bit from the truth.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a big deal, then? She was seriously sickst time, too.¡±


    ¡°I mean¡ªI understand that the Duke is worried. I do too¡­¡±


    But, aren¡¯t you being too worried? Terrance could only gulp down those words into his own mouth. He was still working quite well, but he never knew when an unexpected situation might happen at any time.


    The office waspletely filled with much pressure. Anyone who was working there would definitely have some kind of intuition.


    We¡¯d just have to keep on going in this manner for another day, then!


    ¡°Well, My Lord.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like you to sign the papers, sir.¡±


    ¡°Oh, just leave them in front of me. I¡¯ll take care of them soon.¡±


    Raven shook his hand before lowering his head mechanically towards the document. His hands were moving swiftly, but he still felt uneasy as he nced over the door for every 10 minutes. He didn¡¯t really know when he would be leaving the office early.


    Eventually, the people who were in the office had chosen one person to move furtively without Raven¡¯s knowledge. One gesture that had secretly mixed amidst other people¡¯s joy and sorrow.

 Chapter 117

    ¡®Even though I¡¯m neither the newly elected aide nor the youngest one in the Oval Office.¡¯


    Lyndon finally stood in front of Raven with a rueful look on his face. As soon as a big shadow had loomed over, Raven¡¯s sharp eyes instantly shot up.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Well¡ªwell, My Lord¡­¡±


    No matter how rude Lyndon could be, he was strangely nervous right at that moment. Lyndon stuttered a little before closing his eyes and spouting out the words which needed to be said.


    ¡°My Lord, could you please proceed with the work.¡±


    All of the people in the office immediately looked at Lyndon, who uttered those remarks, with such dreadful stares.


    You said too much!


    Someone had assumed that the Duke was not working properly at all. Raven¡¯s forehead instantly turned to a frown, perhaps without even knowing the meaning in itself.


    ¡°Lyndon, are you sick?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­¡­¡­ really.¡±


    Lyndon scratched his head as he hesitated before he started to continue.


    ¡°No matter how much you love the Duchess, you are still overreacting.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Lyndon, what am I actually doing?¡±


    Those harsh words that spewed had left Lyndon hupping internally.


    ¡°Oh, well¡ªthat¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just Lyndon who feels that way. I am also quite worried to hear that the Duchess is unwell, but it¡¯s still better to finish today¡¯s portion of work.¡±


    In the end, Terrance helped a little as he could no longer stand it anymore. The two of them were already determined to be punished by Raven, but he, on the other hand, was confused about something else on the inside.


    ¡®What am I doing? Love?¡¯


    His confused eyes trembled after quite a long time.


    Raven Linerio wasn¡¯t that ignorant in regard to women.


    There were people who considered his family to be of a low profile, but still, they had approached him persistently. In any case, there were only two families that had earned the title of the Duke within the empire and the Linerio was one of the two.


    Therefore, the intentions of those who had approached were as in as day. They might have looked friendly in front of him, but they wereughing at him behind his back. Or worse, they even steered clear while they were in front of him.


    <em>¡°You must be strong¡ªwherever you are.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Because the very same blood is flowing through those veins as well.¡±</em>


    There was a time when the vassals of the family were not properly informed beforehand. The Young Master, who was led by his own father, had been enough to be preyed upon by those people.


    As the Duke became more actively engaging in politics, his mother had increasingly be more isted. And thus, at the same time, the Duchess was often beingughed at in the social world.


    The Duchess, who was already tired of such social circles, exhausted herself from day to day. It was to the extent that she could no longer care about her own young son as she tormented herself in what she wascking from. There it was then, a Duke who cared nothing about the house, a Duchess who was never in a position to take care of others and a young child¡ªthat got caught in between the two¡ªwho was never properly loved.


    He had learned to be wary of strangers even before he learned the feeling of love. He also realized that there would always be criticism behind all of those smiling faces.


    It was rather impossible for him to be aware of the right feelings while having to live such an unenviable life ever since he was young. As he became devoted to the duality of the nobles, Raven eventually hid his own self. He learned how to conceal his feelings even before he got to learn to express his own affection.


    When he was asked to behave in a polite manner and be considerate as he had learned before, he held back his nausea while imitating it. He learned how to suppress his own emotions at first, and then, he became a Duke.


    The child, who always hated dealing with people, pursued martial arts before plunging into the battlefield. Several contributions and notable performances had made the Duke of Linerio shine even much more.


    The more it shone, the more it stuck even closer. In order to avoid the same kind of marriage which he had been seeing steadily in full due to his parents¡¯ own marriage, he had chosen a political marriage in the end.

 Chapter 118

    At longst, he settled for a moderately simr kind of family. The bride was never important. In fact, it was only not to listen to his mother¡¯s words once again, where she eventually copsed after she longed so much for affection.


    ¡®That¡¯s my way of love?¡¯


    Raven had a lot of things going on in his head. There had never been a difficult problem which tangled inside of his head. He had never felt more fulfilled in his life with that unfamiliar word of emotions.


    ¡°Terrance, is that what you see as well?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Do you see me the same way as Lyndon?¡±


    Terrance gulped down at the terrifying tone of his voice.


    ¡®If you¡¯re talking about the same way, then it must be about that thing, right?¡¯


    Terrance nced at Lyndon, who appeared to be looking as if his life was already over. It therefore would be a waste of his sacrifice just to say, no. Ultimately, Terrance had given up on his life as well before choosing to dere his own testimony.


    ¡°¡­yes, it is.¡±


    Even the uptight Terrance had uttered the same thing which made Raven¡¯s expression turn more serious. Raven would then have to look back on his previous behavior if the people around him had definitely said so.


    Raven had never been able to objectify his feelings in his life.


    ¡°Since when¡­¡±


    Come to think of it, his behavior towards his wife was certainly a little different from when he was with others.


    It was just a political marriage, but it still had quite a strange sense to have someone else at home. The person who had greeted him with such a warm look on her face was his wife, who took much greater care.


    It wasn¡¯t bad at all when they had ovepped their bodies together. No¡ªin fact, it had been to the point that they could be considered to be the best match against each other. The way she mewled while epting him all with her petite figure was so lovely that he always looked at her once more.


    He was so proud when she tried to do something for him with that soft body of hers. He was only aware through herself that the way she smiled could ever be so pretty.


    The conversation he had with her wasn¡¯t so bad either. Rather, it was actually quite fun and during the days when they weren¡¯t all over each other¡¯s bodies, they often had a t¨ºte-¨¤-t¨ºte.


    He didn¡¯t feel any kind of difference between home and the Knights Temr. Recently, however, he had this urge of going home somehow.


    The emotions that had been rising ever since morning impelled Raven to be all nervous and anxious. That stuffy feeling had made it difficult for him to act casual.


    Bang.


    The moment Raven had hit the desk violently, the office was immediately leaden with silence¡ªheavier than death itself.


    ¡°There seem to be times when I can listen to all the stars. I think that the peaceful atmosphere has affected the knights as well, these days.¡±


    Raven looked up before staring down the whole office. In order to not be killed by that fierce gaze of his, people in the office immediately bowed their heads down.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to keep on thinking about useless things, I rmend you have a go around the field.¡±


    Amidst that heavy atmosphere, Raven had lowered his head. But then, he could no longer discern the letters written on the papers¡ªeven more so than before.


    These were the things that should be finished by today. Raven held a pennguidly against his will. Only then, the knights could barely breathe out as the hand began to move mechanically over the paperwork.


    They felt as if they had barely recovered from the brink of death. After voicing out their opinions twice, they ultimately felt like their necks were going to be chopped off to the floor¡ªin a swift.


    Still and all, everyone looked hopeful once again towards their Master, who started working once more.


    At least, you¡¯re not leaving early right now!


    Maybe, they could even avoid working all night. The thought of getting off work right on time had naturally raised the morale of those knights. They gradually breathed a sigh of relief before going back to what was stopped before.

 Chapter 119

    But still, peace didn¡¯t linger that much. All of a sudden, Raven jumped out of his seat as soon as he had closed thest document that was posted.


    ¡°Oh, where are you going?¡±


    Startled¡ªLyndon immediately threw a question. Raven, on the other hand, quickly put on his coat before saying,


    ¡°I¡¯m getting off work today.¡±


    His words had frozen the softened atmosphere of the office.


    ¡°What? But there are other things¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already finished today¡¯s work.¡±


    That was it, but then¡ªTerrance began to desperately stare at him. It was rather irrelevant whenpared to what Raven, who was branded as a workaholic, usually did.


    He could definitely leave work for today, but not his remaining men. What hadn¡¯t been done by the boss would ultimately be left for the subordinates to finish.


    It was at that moment when Raven stood briefly by the door before leaving the office¡ªlooking like a piece of portrait. His hasty step to leave for home had paused momentarily.


    Raven then turned his head and looked around his office. Those who were inside were looking very grim as they made fun of their slow working hands with a dreadful expression painted on their faces.


    ¡°The others may leave work early as well.¡±


    ¡°¡­what?¡±


    ¡°If you happen to like your work, then you can stay.¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you all tomorrow.¡±


    Right at the moment when he had quickly disappeared, the office was instantaneously filled with wonder. Leave early? They could actually leave early?


    Although many nights had been spent away before, leaving work early was an entirely different thing altogether. When they had first joined the order, they never thought that the word could truly exist in their lives.


    None of the knights could move at first as they were utterly dumbfounded. Their ears must have seemed to mishear something. If not, they would actually have to deal with the wrath of their Lordter.


    Eventually, after a long time had passed, they realized that Lyndon was already getting ready to head home. Leaving work early was no longer just a dream.


    A littleter then, the knights began referring to it as a small rebellion of the office.


    ***


    <strong>Realized Emotions</strong>


    As soon as he had arrived home, Raven dismounted his horse.


    After a tad bit of a rough drive in order to reach quickly, he finally could catch his breath.


    The butler immediately weed Raven as he entered the residence. Raven¡¯s early arrival was no longer a surprise to all the servants. The butler eventually took on his coat with such a calm manner.


    ¡°What of my wife?¡±


    ¡°The Madame is still in her study.¡±


    ¡°What is she doing there?¡±


    ¡°Madame is looking through the documents of this year¡¯s budget.¡±


    He should¡¯ve told her to really take care of her body¡ªfirst and foremost. Raven frowned slightly in response, but it onlysted briefly. Instead, he started stepping towards the study, rather than heading back to his bedroom.


    As he stood in front of the study, he immediately recalled the things he heard back in the office. His hesitating hands began to cause him worry to even make a knock on the door.


    ¡®She needs to listen to me¡ªat least a little.¡¯


    He frowned, but his hands were still faltering.


    Eventually, after a few considerations, he straight away opened the door without knocking at all. Nevertheless, his cautious hand had made the creaking sound of the door disappearpletely.


    ¡°Molitia?¡±


    In contrast to his low reverberating voice, the study was very quiet inside. As soon as the door had partedpletely, Raven discovered a desk that was just right in the middle of the study.


    As it seemed to be overshadowing his own agony, she had her eyes closed while exhaling a series of tingling breaths. Along with her propped up chin, her head was nodding off as she was enjoying her little nap.


    Perhaps she had been working quite hard since her pen was still stuck on her hand. Raven then moved his feet carefully in order to not wake her up.


    The streak of sunlight on the window had reflected on Molitia herself. With the gleaming sun that shone in daytime, she glowed even brighter than those pretty jewels.


    ¡®Has she always been this pretty?¡¯

 Chapter 120

    Raven softly brushed her hair that was spread on her cheek. She had fallen asleep quite deeply and it seemed like she didn¡¯t even mind his touch as she was just breathing peacefully.


    ¡®Were you always so lovely?¡¯


    She was just as lovely usually, but the light had made it rather different today. It was so bright that he couldn¡¯t even take a proper look at her.


    Just until a while ago, he had been denying his feelings to the point where she had already been overshadowed. However, once he had realized his feelings, he was already falling hard for her¡ªwithout a hitch at all.


    That stuffy feeling had immediately disappeared the moment he saw her. Rather than feeling anxious, he seemed quite stiff instead.


    ¡°¡­Molitia.¡±


    As he whispered softly in her ear, her red lips appeared to be murmuring sweetly. She could hear it quite inly, but it seemed like she guessed it was just her dream. Raven drew a smile along his mouth as she fell asleep yet again only after she had loosened the frown on her forehead.


    How could he not fall in love with this person?


    Raven had to admit it¡ªeventually.


    The emotion that he had been feeling for his wife all this time was love itself.


    Her head was then raised by his hand as it swayed softly.


    It was clear as day that if it were to continue in this manner, she would eventually have her face down on the desk. Raven immediately reached out in order to prevent the mishap that might make her round forehead touch the hard table.


    As soon as his hand tried to remove the pen that was still held in her hand, her thin eyshes quivered before revealing her pretty irises.


    Her eyes wandered around briefly after a slight groan. Once she found that Raven was already in front of her, her half-closed eyes had widenedpletely.


    ¡°Ra¡­ven?¡±


    ¡°Did you sleep well?¡±


    ¡°When did you even get here?¡±


    ¡°Just now.¡±


    She yawned a little as he lowered his hand. She was still trying to look around with her sleepy eyes to see if her somnolence had notpletely disappeared yet.


    ¡°If you¡¯re this sleepy, why don¡¯t you sleep in your room?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not really that sleepy. The sun is just so bright¡­¡±


    On top of the warm sunshine that had heated the room gently, she couldn¡¯t help but to fall asleep. Molitia became embarrassed and started to avoid eye contact with him.


    ¡°It¡¯s not even time for dinner yet. You¡¯re here quite early.¡±


    ¡°Work had finished rather early.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you didn¡¯t leave work too early again, did you?¡±


    Molitia¡¯s eyes grew dim. And this was not the first time.


    He repeatedly said that work had been quicklypleted before he started talking to her in a rather odd manner. Molitia still remembered how he hesitated while being slightly embarrassed at that moment.


    It didn¡¯t really matter to have finished the work fast. Having said that, most of the reasons for him toplete them early were all ¡®due to the fact that he was worried about himself¡¯.


    ¡°Of course not. I got off work together with my men as well.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Raven immediately nodded at the unsuspicious voice of hers. He was the first one to leave the office at that particr moment. Molitia, who had not the slightest idea in regard to the situation at the office that had been constantly frozen up and melted down, eventually looked up before leaning over.


    ¡°I told you to take a good rest. I never would¡¯ve expected to find you in the study.¡±


    ¡°I no longer have a cold and I don¡¯t have any symptoms at all¡ªso, I have to do what needs to be done.¡±


    ¡°You coughed before¡ªin the morning.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s small forehead was tapped lightly against his. His cool temperature was passed onto her as he had juste from outside.


    ¡°No fever at all.¡±


    ¡°Look¡ªit doesn¡¯t hurt anymore, okay? I¡¯ll definitely keep my word not to get sick as long as I have promised about it.¡±


    With confidence oozing from her face, she smiled broadly. It was so charming to see her smile that had unveiled her white teeth. Her flushed cheeks were blushing even more than any of those spring flowers.


    ¡°Good job.¡±

 Chapter 121

    Raven just couldn¡¯t resist his wife¡¯s charm as he bowed his head down. His dry lips started to touch as they fell upon her, which had slightly flicked her bangs aside.


    The warmth was quickly added to color her lovely reddened face. Molitia still seemed to be at the edge of her own dreams. And her husband, who was smiling softly today, appeared to be rather suspicious.


    ¡°Is this the budget that was allocated to the mansion for this month?¡±


    As Raven¡¯s eyes nced towards the document that she had been looking at, Molitia immediately tried to conceal her thoughts.


    ¡°Yes, and these are the funds for the second half of the year itself. If you were tobine this month¡¯s budget along with the remaining amount fromst month, it might produce a muchrger amount than what we have set before. Oh, but there¡¯s something which I¡¯ve missed due to the tea party, even so¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t spend much of the money that was allocated to the Knights for this month, so I can just take it out. And this amount right here is actually reserved¡ªjust in case you weren¡¯t aware of it¡ªso, if you ever find yourself in a hurry, you can just take some out from here.¡±


    ¡°I see, then¡­¡±


    Raven nced up at her all the while she was conversing ceaselessly in earnest. Her eyes were extremely focused on the documents and her small lips were dancing away.


    Did she always have a habit of talking whenever she was concentrating? The thick lips of hers were protruding slightly more than usual. When he saw her quirk for the first time ever, Raven began to draw a smile around his mouth.


    ¡®I want to kiss you.¡¯


    Impulsive thoughts had immediately dominated his mind, albeit briefly. He had to stay calm, but he just couldn¡¯t do it. As soon as he had acknowledged his feelings, he began to grow much more impatient. He just wanted to reach her out and embrace her within his arms.


    ¡°¡­so, Raven¡ªRaven? Are you listening?¡±


    Molitia¡¯s eyes eventually met with his. He could finally manage to stop his delusions only when her round eyes had been tilted innocently.


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of having another tea party soon.¡±


    ¡°Is the incident with Lady Clemence still not over yet?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s rather different this time. I¡¯d like to take upon this opportunity to make friends with those people whom I¡¯ve already met before. I feel quite greedy as well since it seems like people like me more than I thought they¡¯d be.¡±


    Raven frowned. Raven wanted to praise her enthusiasm, but he was still quite worried about her body.


    As a result of his observation while Molitia was making everything ready, the tea party suddenly had more work to do than expected. He had topile a list of people to invite, in addition to decorating the Duchy in such a way that she would be able to hold a tea party under any circumstances.


    It was also necessary to be informed to the guests in advance in order to recall the certain individual characteristics before sharing that information among the servants as well.


    It was said to be rather slow, but in most cases, it wasn¡¯t that heavy of abor. In fact, she evenined of vertigo right after the event.


    Raven¡¯s resolve became much firmer when he had thought about her petite that had once stumbled before.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you think about your body first and only organize it after a while?¡±


    ¡°But¡ªis that okay?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know much about those social circles, but they¡¯re mostly open for quite some time. There¡¯ll be a pretty strong galeing up, so it won¡¯t hurt to hold it in a cozier drawing room.¡±


    Molitia nodded her head at his grand yet reasonable words. And all of these were due to the forewarning that came from the butler himself.


    ¡°Then, I should do just that.¡±


    The thought of protecting her whole body had filled Raven with much pride.


    ¡°Oh, the tea party made me think of Baroness Nisser. Negotiations with the Kingdom of Portan seem to be quite troubling. I¡¯m quite worried since I¡¯ve been rather choosy in regard to any of the requeststely.¡±


    ¡°The Kingdom of Portan?¡±


    ¡°Looking at Marchioness Nibeia¡¯s poor expression, it appears that she might have something in mind¡ªbut she still professes that she¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Marchioness Nibeia had already known of her. She, who had been running the merchant group in the empire, was also a coveted figure by many of the rising forces.


    Furthermore, the merchant group of Nibeia was fairly prominent in the empire as well. On top of that, she was proud of herself for not missing a single thing at all as she cared very much regarding the ce that she had just mentioned. The Kingdom of Portan was a ce where work had been frequent due to the recent civil war. Raven immediately felt that something was slightly unusual.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find out, then.¡±

 Chapter 122

    Even though she nodded at Raven¡¯s words, Molitia still had a worried look at that particr moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing this for no reason¡­¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s much better than knowing it after a problem has emerged.¡±


    In contrast to the fact that she had pointed out the problem properly, she looked quite uneasy. She wasn¡¯t sure what her husband had really heard. Nevertheless, it didn¡¯t feel bad that he listened to all her worries.


    Now then, what should he do with this person in front of him? Should they y another round of chess, which they didn¡¯t get to finish yesterday? Or would it be fine for him to take her to the bedroom and keep her there all day long?


    ¡°Oh, and I¡¯m expecting a visitor this afternoon.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s words had shattered Raven¡¯s ns all at once.


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°She is the wife whom I got close to during the tea partyst time. I gave her a present back then and she said that she¡¯d like to thank me by gifting me something in return.¡±


    ¡°Does it have to be today?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already made an appointment¡­ and I really didn¡¯t expect that you¡¯d finish this early.¡±


    While peering over her carefully, Raven just couldn¡¯t bear to tell her no.


    ¡°How long will it take?¡±


    ¡°Would you like me to send her away right after I receive her?¡±


    Yeah. He murmured and Molitia immediately smiled quietly.


    ¡°I won¡¯t chat for too long.¡±


    ¡°Madame, Baroness Ariane has arrived.¡±


    As soon as the news of the guest arrival hade just in time, Molitia rose from her chair.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll be right there. Please show her to the drawing room.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Then, just do what you have to do first. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Her hand patted him gently on the shoulder. He sped onto it for a moment before dismissing the idea of wanting to retain it.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll do just that.¡±


    Right after Molitia had left the study, Raven could feel a stuffy state of silence. He thought that he had to finish some work, but he just didn¡¯t do it. His wife appeared to be much busier than he expected.


    Raven then looked out the window. The garden, which was even more colorful than before, had also been her handiwork and Molitia had been doing well even during his absence. Despite having a fragile body, she never dyed her duty at all.


    Eventually, Raven flopped down to where she had just sat. He had his own separate study, but he didn¡¯t want to go over there.


    He brought over his own business and began examining it. He just couldn¡¯t believe that he had already finished his work somehow, but still had to start working all over again. It was rather inevitable that all of this had to transpire.


    How long had it been then? Molitia peeped open the door of the study before popping her head inside.


    ¡°Did you wait long?¡±


    His gloomy face was instantly cleared at the moment he saw her. His behavior was definitely akin to a small squirrel.


    Wasn¡¯t that just cute¡ªor not. Even if he knew that he could have gotten something done by waiting as well, he still didn¡¯t do it. Instead, he held her close and enveloped her tightly in his arms.


    ¡°You¡¯re already done with your business now, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Her hesitating voice had stopped his smilepletely.


    ¡°It¡¯s not over yet?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just this onest thing and there¡¯ll be no more work after this.¡±


    Molitia then continued in a small manner as she really never would¡¯ve expected him toe home this early.


    ¡°Is there anything that I can help you with? If we were to do it together, things could go down pretty quickly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s not too much that requires any help. Besides, I like to do what I¡¯m supposed to in advance.¡±


    The warmth in his arms dissipated slowly. Even at that moment, Raven had already reached out and held her hand. That small and soft hand appeared to be a little cold.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. Let¡¯s y chess together when you¡¯re done, then.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Would this time be fair and square?¡±


    ¡±If you¡¯d like to lose again, then it¡¯s absolutely fine.¡±


    ¡°Exceptions could always happen during unexpected moments.¡±


    Molitia shed a smile broadly. Did she even know that her smile has be brighter as ofte? Raven then smiled faintly towards her in response.

 Chapter 123

    It was rather good to be unaware of it. It wouldn¡¯t be bad at all to keep that smile on her face. As Molitia disappeared from the study, Raven began to stand up from his seat. A bunch of papers that fluttered in his hands had long been finished.


    ¡°Gilbert, let me know if you feel like my wife is overworking herself while watching over her. And prepare some warm water in the bathtub¡ªto relieve some fatigue.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    The butler, who had been following him all this while, immediately turned away. As he was left alone, Raven then headed to her bedroom.


    Now, it had be quite awkward since he was the only one in her bedroom. The bedroom, which had nowbined the lives of those two, contained various sorts of elements.


    Along with Molitia¡¯s items that seemed to be incorporated of cute things, Raven¡¯s feelings that were sincerely fond of neat things had be rather mixed. At a first nce, it appeared to be unnatural, but then again, it seemed pretty good altogether.


    The hearth, which was still wet, had already been patched up. She would definitely be reading on that neatly arranged bedside table as the two books and her favourite shawl had beenid out on the chair.


    Raven put his papers on the table and looked around the bedroom. He had been using it every day, but this was his first time to look at it ever so closely.


    Her touches were all over the bedroom as he looked at it attentively. Among those things, she had also disyed some items which he had brought from the County itself.


    Most of the things that she brought along were books or some other old things. The burnt items were still prim, but the span of years couldn¡¯t bepletely concealed. Some of her elegant and neatly written notes were also apparent to the eyes.


    Moreover, most of the new items were all either bought by him or received as gifts. If anyone were to see this, they would say that she was being frugal, but Raven on the other hand, had known the situation enough to think differently.


    Recently, the Count of Clemence had remained rather quiet. He didn¡¯t know if his threat had worked, but considering the Count¡¯s own nature, it was clear that this sort of situation wouldn¡¯tst that long.


    Raven was aware of the facts that he really couldn¡¯t bear to tell Molitia. His reputation came from the subdued things that he had been doing behind her back¡ªwith a smile stered on his face.


    It was not just a couple of times that he had swindled people right out of their minds. As those kinds of events continued, he had even boldly thought of robbing the treasury itself.


    Raven nced at the documents in his hand. That case was also one of those. It was just a story on the side, but the one who was at the end of the string, was ultimately in contact with Count Clemence himself.


    The Count of Clemence would definitely face an astronomical number of fines within the next year if he had gotten his hands on solid evidence.


    ¡®He¡¯s been going back and forth with Marquis Wernertely.¡¯


    Raven had known of Marquis Werner rather well. A man with an honest disposition. He was also a man who hadn¡¯t lost even a shred of aristocratic dignity¡ªdown to his very bone.


    However, Raven had heard that his only son was quite a trouble. There were events that had been publicly exposed since they were literally impossible to conceal. There were also more incidents that had led the Marquis to cover them up all because he was absolutely embarrassed about them.


    For that reason, the Marquis had umted quite a number of debts in secret. So far, it had been hidden under the name of the Marquis, but as the amount increased, the limit would soon be divulged.


    And they were going to tie the knot with someone from a family like that. The trick which he had seen through was too obvious. Again, it was clear as day to see that regardless of the child¡¯s well-being, they were more engrossed in trying to gain benefits.


    ¡®But it¡¯s none of my business.¡±


    What the Count was trying to do would not happen and Molitia would still continue to be by his side. He felt sorry for Young Lady Clemence for her marriage, but a slight ever feeling of sympathy was all there was.


    There was absolutely no mercy for those who had bullied Molitia.

 Chapter 124

    Raven looked through the bookshelf before discovering a gap in between the slightly opened drawer. His hand reflexively moved towards it due to the unusual scent that was oozing from the inside.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    A vast array of medicinal bottles were filling up the drawer. Raven¡¯s face immediately stiffened as a number ofrge and small bottles had appeared in her drawer.


    ¡®Is she taking all these sorts of medicines?¡¯


    He recalled, albeit vaguely, the medicine that he had put inside his mouth from before. Even after the repulsively bitter taste had gone down his throat, he could still feel for a long time.


    His expression immediately hardened to the scene of things that had naturally agitated him.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve told you not to overdo it.¡±


    He took out one bottle of medicine among the many. The liquid was rippling away within that opaque bottle.


    He had thought that her ailing body was already improving, but it didn¡¯t seem to be the case at all. She had been doing her very best. In order to aid him, she was adapting to her role within the house while working very hard to fulfill her own duties.


    Raven felt an uncontroble surge of emotions.


    Suddenly, a rattling sound of the doorknob that had been turned immediately made Raven put the bottle of medicine back into the drawer in a hurry. Only after the recently opened drawer had been closedpletely did Molitia appear.


    ¡°Raven, I¡¯m done already. I heard from the butler that you¡¯re here¡­ have you been waiting for a long time?¡±


    ¡°Not really,e here.¡±


    Finally, it was really over! Raven immediately approached his confident wife before hugging her in his arms. Molitia then patted his back when a rather strong force had tightened against her delicate waist.


    ¡°You¡¯re not actuallyining because I was just a tad toote, are you?¡±


    ¡°No way. I¡¯m just hugging my wife since I¡¯ve missed her so much.¡±


    Raven then habitually held her hand. He lowered his waist before cing his forehead on top of hers. It had be a norm for him to check her temperature back.


    ¡°You have a fever.¡±


    ¡°What? No way. I don¡¯t even feel any hazy at all just yet¡­¡±


    ¡°Really. Your hands are cold, but only your forehead has gotten warmer.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s lips eventually touched Raven¡¯s.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t even fit into the warm perimeter yet.¡±


    ¡°I know, but the bet that I¡¯ve made with my wife this morning is still vivid in my own ears.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s face immediately went aze at Raven¡¯s words. She remembered how confident she was when she said that her condition wouldn¡¯t get any worse than before.


    ¡°Maybe, if I were to take a little break, my fever would go down soon¡­ aah!¡±


    As soon as the licking sensation had be clearly evident on her neck, Molitia started shrieking without ever realizing it. Her neck felt like it was on fire.


    ¡°You do remember the promise, right?¡±


    Molitia¡¯s reddened face nodded slightly. His words, which made him look incredibly sexy, seemed to be searing in her ears.


    He then ced his hand behind Molitia¡¯s legs before lifting her right up. When his hand had brushed against her thigh, Molitia unconsciously became nervous at that instant. It hadn¡¯t even started yet, but it seemed as though she had already begun to get wet underneath.


    In contrast to her expectation, Raven then headed straight to the bathroom¡ªinstead of the bed. When he opened the door and entered, a stream of warm air had immediately intruded before he dropped her off in the middle of the bathroom itself.


    ¡°Raven? What the hell is this¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a bath together.¡±


    He straight away unbuttoned her dress. Her chest that had been kept hidden was immediately unveiled then.


    ¡°Okay, wait a minute. Let me take care of it.¡±


    Raven took a step back at Molitia¡¯s own words. While she was feeling his keen gaze, Molitia slowly unfastened the buttons that were on her clothes.


    Raven began to undress, in line with her own actions, before entering the bathtub first. The water level that had filled the bathtub eventually rose.


    When Molitia had finally doffed her clothes, she then slowly raised her head.


    ¡°Come here, Molitia.¡±


    Molitia, who was facing his extended hand, started heading towards the other side of the bathtub. As soon as she tried to lift her leg, Raven had caught her hand while holding it back tightly.


    ¡°Raven?¡±


    ¡°Where are you actually going?¡±


    Raven then quickly pointed down to himself.


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    ¡°To you?¡±


    ¡°The bathtub is not that wide, so why don¡¯t we do this?¡±


    Molitia threw an absurd look on her face. It was just preposterous. The Duke¡¯s bathtub wasn¡¯t justrge enough to fit two, but also, to an extent of three people as well.


    ¡°Hurry up. If you stay naked outside for too long, you¡¯ll definitely catch a coldter.¡±


    Eventually, Molitia¡¯s body went ahead into the bathtub as if she had been dragged by him. A pair of cold feet had brushed against his thighs before her soft thighs had finally settled in between¡ªwhile touching¡ªhis thighs as well.

 Chapter 125

    When her nervous back was pressed lightly against Raven¡¯s chest, a burst ofughter could be heard from the top of her head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t touch them.¡±


    Molitia heaved a deep sigh. The situation had been the most unbelievable thing that happened in the world.


    Her body, which was already stiff due to the tension, hadn¡¯t been able to rx that easily.


    She waited for that big hand of his, which she wasn¡¯t really sure when it would suddenly invade her. Unlike what she had imagined that they would soon grab hold of her body, his hands weren¡¯t really moving for a long time at all. Rather, Raven had ced his hands on the bathtub instead of touching her shoulder.


    ¡°If you¡¯re that nervous, then is it really worth being in the bathtub?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Molitia¡¯s mysterious yet blurred words were apanied with a slight smile towards Raven.


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe in me?¡±


    ¡°Rather than not believing you¡­¡­ it¡¯s just due to the fact that I don¡¯t really believe in my own efforts.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been a pretty bad husband, then.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡±


    As soon as Molitia turned her head, Raven had already ced his hand on her shoulder. Startled¡ªher nonchnt face from before immediately red up. Raven then gently pressed her stiff shoulders down in response.


    ¡°I just can¡¯t me you for all of this.¡±


    He slowly made her lean more against his own chest.


    ¡°Really, Molitia.¡±


    A resonant voice began reverberating into her ear.


    ¡°I won¡¯t touch you.¡±


    That low-toned voice sounded much different in this bathroom than it was back in the bedroom. Whenever she was feeling exhausted, his voice seemed to have spread even more sheepishly.


    Nevertheless, Raven didn¡¯t lie at all. He never stopped ying on her shoulders per se, but he hadn¡¯t gone further down at all.


    He immersed her even deeper while not doing anything else, except for saying that it was getting rather cold. They were just soaking themselves together in the water.


    Her shoulder, which was still stiff due to the tension, had gradually loosened itself. The warmth had softened her look. Eventually, her behavior became rather bold when her soporific mind was finally relieved.


    She cut through her restlessly upright waist before pressing down her thighs right onto his¡ªdaringly. Her locks of hair were then unwinded in that wide bathtub of his.


    Raven hugged her outstretched shoulders while Molitia¡¯s head had naturally nudged against his shoulder.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    ¡°Well, yes?¡±


    ¡°Would you like me to wash you, too?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Her eyes, which were dim due tonguor, immediately shed open.


    ¡°The maid can just wash it all off.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want me to do it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±


    ¡°Then I can do it as well, right?¡±


    Molitia was rendered speechless when Raven was smiling gently even with his eyes. It seemed as though someone who never had the chance to hear it before had suddenly found a new subject.


    If people who had known of him were to see this kind of scene, they would definitely be surprised and faint away.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that you won¡¯t be touching me?¡±


    ¡°Is washing and touching the same thing?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same. It¡¯s still the same¡ªto touch.¡±


    Raven only shrugged at her firm words.


    ¡°Then, you don¡¯t even want me to wash your hair?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    She thought that her hair would at least be okay. As soon as she nodded her head, Raven, who had alreadyid her upper bodynguidly, began to rise himself.


    ¡°Just keep on lying down.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to wash it for me¡ªright now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better to do it now before the water cools down.¡±


    Raven disentangled Molitia¡¯s hair that was leaning against the bathtub, not against her own body. A handful of loose hair had instantly gone into his hand along with the water.


    Raven¡¯s big hand eventually touched her scalp. The touch had caused anguorous moan to escape from her mouth as his firm hand had finallynded at the tip of her head. His stroke of touch that began parting her hair one by one, had brought her to a rather strange sensation.


    After he had carefully foamed her hair that hung out of the bathtub, he started to apply the perfumes even more meticulously. Molitia opened her eyes wide at his sincerity that was parallel to that of the maids.


    ¡°By what means do you know how to even do this?¡±


    ¡°Tell me if I hurt you somehow.¡±


    ¡°Well¡ªit¡¯s all right.¡±


    As soon as Raven¡¯s touch had disappeared after removing the foampletely, Molitia turned around. With her arms still dangling in the bathtub, she raised her upper body and straight away nted a kiss on his cheek.

 Chapter 126

    ¡°I¡¯m sure that I¡¯ve lost the bet. So, is it okay for me to just receive it like this?¡±


    ¡°It was supposed to be what the winner had wanted to do, so it¡¯s absolutely fine.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s eyes traced downwards. A trickle of water had trailed down her neckline before dribbling across her wide chest, under her own shoulders.


    Her face immediately turned crimson red as it flowed along her creek. His desires that hadn¡¯t been there before were swelling viciously down below.


    ¡°¡­is there something else that you¡¯d like to do?¡±


    ¡°You just said you won¡¯t be touching me.¡±


    He then proceeded with a rather calm voice.


    ¡°I don¡¯t touch an unwell person.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that sick¡­¡±


    Thud. Her true feelings were seeping out.


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t really hate it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the main reason why I ask you to take a bath together with me.¡±


    He calmly returned to the bathtub and embraced her in the same exact posture from before. Molitia¡¯s face immediately flushed when his erection had nudged against her hips.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    A sonorous breath had wafted along Molitia¡¯s petite shoulder. Raven was leaning his chin against Molitia¡¯s shoulder while his hand was tickling her waist.


    ¡°But, behind is¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t really do anything to satisfy my passion even by just looking at you.¡±


    A scent of sweet vor could be felt just at the tip of Raven¡¯s nose. The usual scent of her body had caused hisher regions to be even more rigid.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you just leave it as it is.¡±


    If he wasn¡¯t even erect while saying so, maybe she could have believed in him. Molitia¡¯s eyes lit up all of a sudden for that moment. It seemed like the surge of feelings in her stomach that she had just felt earlier was soaring all over again.


    ¡°¡­what if I wanted to?¡±


    His weary breathing on her shoulders ceased immediately. There was only the trickling sound of water seeping from her hair that had permeated throughout the bathroom.


    ¡°If I¡¯d like to do it with Raven then, will you?¡±


    Whoosh¡ªa faint sigh of wind had tickled her cheek softly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to provoke me too much, Molitia.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re so dear to me even when you¡¯re holding me close. I feel as if I¡¯ve be some sort of a precious jewel¡­oh!¡±


    Raven¡¯s hand suddenly grabbed hold of her chest. Startled by the unexpected touch, Molitia¡¯s shoulders flinched before his lips had grazed upon her neck.


    ¡°You.¡±


    It was a desire that had to be endured. He really wanted to do something for her, who had tried her very best. Therefore, he eventually thought that would be the best thing he could do for her since not only she wasn¡¯t fond of jewelry that much, she had also restricted him from gifting her flowers everyday.


    But he just couldn¡¯t handle it when she asserted such lovely things. Did she even realize how beautiful the things she had said just then? No, she wouldn¡¯t have uttered them if she had known of it.


    His hand fluttered downwards. Her back trembled as his hand had already prated her slit through her current flow.


    ¡°Just how lovely could you possibly be?¡±


    He had thought before that there would at least be an end to her cuteness. However, his present enthrallment towards her was definitely unknown.


    He took a bite off her ample shoulder. It was truly sweet. He straight away wondered if her whole body was made up of sugar when it had this kind of taste.


    ¡°Oh, yes¡­¡±


    Whenever he nudged on that soft clit with his hand, a faint moan leaked out from her mouth. Her excited body was reacting sensitively to his every touch.


    Raven stood up in the bathtub while holding Molitia up. He ced several towels on the bathroom floor beforeying her down.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t your back hurt?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°Tell me whenever you feel sick.¡±


    While feeling all titited, their eyes met with one another. Raven then slowly spread her legs open. She widened her eyes as she moaned with much anticipation.


    ¡°It¡¯s already flowing in between your legs. I almost feel like I don¡¯t even need to work on it by now.¡±


    Raven¡¯s hand proceeded to swirl around her entrance. Her back writhed in response with such frustrated discontent.


    ¡°Yes, Raven¡­¡±

 Chapter 127

    Molitia then reached out to him. As soon as her hand had brushed against his shoulder, Raven grabbed her in an instant before pushing it in slowly.


    ¡°Huh!¡±


    Molitia immediately hugged his neck¡ªtightly. The scorching air was smothering her.


    Raven moved his waist around steadily. While hugging her as much as he could, he then pushed himself back¡ªdeep inside of her.


    The sound of thumping flesh could be heard more clearly than when they were in the bedroom. Whenever a squelch had leaked from their skin bumping against one another, Molitia¡¯s heart quivered to its utmost.


    Raven¡¯s taut arms stroked the top of her head. It was to prevent the towel from being swept away off the bathroom floor whenever he had plunged into her.


    His brimming erection was scraping her insides without any ounce of hesitation. He pinned her soft flesh like he was trampling it down as he rammed into it mercilessly.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s too deep¡­¡±


    Molitia clung to his neck as she softly pleaded. Whenever she was enveloped in his arms, she never felt afraid of any sorts of storms at all. His wide back seemed like it could block every single thing.


    A ce where she could put her trust and a ce to lean on. She had finally managed to find a ce to rx. Even if she had exposed her weakness, he still wouldn¡¯t leave her side as much.


    Not only were they precious, they also treated her preciously. Even that great of a sense had made it so priceless.


    Molitia tightened her embrace even more. Her immacte fingertips clenched onto his shoulders and her mind seemed to be shing all in white. Molitia soon concentrated all her senses towards the pleasure that was being given.


    When Raven had thrusted his waist to his utmost, both of them eximed at the same time. Her toes were stretching out stiffly. On top of the already disorganized towel, a stream of turbid liquid had spilled out from their ce of union.


    Even while she was panting such rugged breaths as much as she could, Molitia raised her eyes. Molitia then slowly parted her mouth when she encountered those ck eyes of his, whose fervour hadn¡¯t subsided at all.


    ¡°¡­I love you, Raven.¡±


    For that one single moment, Raven suddenly couldn¡¯t breathe out. The warm moisture that had permeated through the bathroom appeared to havepletely taken his breathing away. Only the sound of water droplets trickling from the ceiling resonated diversely.


    Her face was upied with a trembling sight. Nevertheless, she smiled at him with those red eyes of hers.


    ¡°What¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°I love you. I love you, Raven.¡±


    The breaths that were exuded from their mouths entangled against each other. Whenever she uttered a word, a gust of torrid air had prevented it from leaking out. Even the breath he was expiring after a bit of a rest had felt so great.


    He felt as though his heart was being all stuffed up. It had already been a long time since thatnguid feeling that was reached after the peak had disappeared.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even have to¡ª¡±


    He couldn¡¯t finish his words at all. His throat was absolutely tense. He could only stare into her eyes as if he was utterly possessed.


    People could actually get this lovely. No matter how good he tried to be, he could never beat her at all. She was always one step ahead of him and she would gift him something unexpected without fail.


    There was no other meaning at all. She didn¡¯t even try to disguise it with some pretty little words. Her small voice was calm yet very sincere.


    And she always did¡ªeven from the moment they had first met with each other. She only faced him with her feelings of sheer honesty. From the time when he had encountered her on that cold terrace, it had already been an irrevocable moment.


    Especially for Raven, who had not only melted into her own while being in front of her, he had also fallen into the depths of familiarity of her body odor. Thus making him no longer able to recall his life from before.


    ¡°Me, too.¡±


    A trembling voice, albeit slightly, resonated throughout the bathroom.


    ¡°I love you too, Molitia. I love you¡ªonly you¡ªthe most in this whole wide world.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s eyes grew bigger at his words. How could those words that had winded up at the tip of his tongue be this sweet? She felt like she was waking up to the senses which she had never known of before.


    ¡°When I¡¯m with you, I can actually look forward to the next day. I can at least dwell on my past and I truly understand what it feels like to recall those memories back in the day.¡±


    Raven¡¯s tone of voice was both calm yet passionate. The water in the bathroom had already started to get slightly mixed. Raven incessantly kept his eyes on Molitiams face as he spoke. His fierce eyes were grabbing a hold of hers.


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, Molitia.¡±


    His words had softly caressed her cheek. He cut through that sweaty, damp hair before embracing her well covered back.


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    His forehead touched hers. The flowing locks of ck hair fluttered right in front of her.


    ¡°I love you, Molitia.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡±


    A heave of sigh immediately broke out.


    ¡°I, that¡¯s¡ªRaven, me too¡­¡­¡±


    I love you too¡ªwas what she should have said, but her mouth wasn¡¯t even working that easily. Expectations and listening to oneself in reality were different. There was such a clear contrast to them.

 Chapter 128

    At first, she only wanted him not to detest her. While she had gotten to stay with him, it gradually changed to a sort of hope that he might note to hate her. Eventually, the more they had stayed together, the further she thought that he might even like her.


    The first person who had treated her preciously as well as cared a whole lot for her. A person who had never even left her side even when she was in trouble.


    Raven had already be a man who could support her every single thing.


    Her heart waspletely full. Even though she knew that she wouldn¡¯t have done so, she still couldn¡¯t conceal her anxiety at all. Perhaps it was due to her instinctive defence that had been developed from not being loved for far too long before.


    She had sworn to create a lifelong rtionship when they had gotten married to each other, but she knew that it was just another lie instead. Even those of her blood ties were just monsters that had trampled on her delicate heart, so of course, she wondered if the others wouldn¡¯t do the same. However, it was nothing like that. Raven did nothing of that sort. The kindness which he had shown was such a deed that she had never been able to see before.


    It was different. It was neither sympathy nor was it just another shallow feeling.


    She no longer had to worry about it anymore.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    Tears immediately welled up around Molitia¡¯s big eyes. They were no longer droplets of sadness. Instead, they were tears of joy and relief that trickled down her cheeks.


    ¡°Thanks for marrying me, Molitia.¡±


    Raven held Molitia close. His callous hand proceeded to pat her back ever so gently.


    ¡°Thank you for being with me.¡±


    Molitia dug into his arms. Their skin was still clinging tightly against one another. It seemed like they were connected much more deeply than when they were just having an intercourse.


    He patted her constantly on the back until her whimpers died down. Then, he nted a kiss on the top of her head before starting to kiss every single strand of her hair.


    ¡°I love you¡­¡±


    A thoroughly drenched voice whispered in his ear.


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you so much.¡±


    Her cry eventually died down but she was still whispering constantly in his ear. A waft of gentle breath had brushed against his neck. And the soft body of a woman was enveloped under his grasp.


    Raven discovered her face in his arms. When his eyes fell onto that reddish gaze of hers, he immediately went to look for her lips.


    Their breaths had gotten hotter than the bathroom itself as they entangled with one another. A rush of tongue instantly prated into the mouth. His hand slipped down from her spine to grab her hips.


    Then, Raven slowly raised himself up. Her lips, which seemed disappointed by the sudden separation, soon followed suit. He twisted his tongue vigorously while swallowing everything without being aware whose saliva it now was.


    As he held her upright, he also made her legs wrap around his own waist. She then leaned her arms against his shoulders before lowering herself slowly.


    ¡°Haah¡­¡­!¡±


    Her body squeezed his member tightly as she epted him whole. Her legs that were still wrapped around his waist trembled slightly in response.


    He had prated even deeper than usual due to her current body weight. Molitia, on the other hand, was faintly breathing on his shoulder.


    The tips of her fingers that clutched on his shoulder soon tightened themselves.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be moving now.¡±


    Raven clenched her hips before lifting her up slowly. She immediately felt him ascending even while being inside of her as she followed his lead.


    His body, which moved rather slowly at first, soon took on a faster tempo. In addition to plunging downwards, Molitia¡¯s soft pair of breasts jiggled whenever he entered her forcefully.


    ¡°Hah, oh, Ra¡­ven!¡±


    As she anxiously searched for him, Raven looked up before shoving into her lips. The gasping breath eventually cleared away as he roughly prated towards the root of her tongue.


    Her back was pushed against the wall with those strong, continuous movements. Every time he had shoved her insides, her shoulder would pressed against the bathroom wall¡ªcreating quite a thump.


    Molitia felt her waist that was moving vigorously wasn¡¯t her own. Whenever his big hand had lowered her body, his length immediately sank deep inside. It felt like he was piercing towards the utter end through her very womb.


    The embodiment of suppression was spreading gently throughout the bathroom. As his thrusts had gotten deeper and deeper, the touch that was hanging over his shoulders had also be much more prominent. They just wished that they could reach each other even deeper than they had been.


    He leaned his lips against her ear. His body had already been dominated by a dizzying sense of pleasure, which was making him gasp. Raven was breathing heavily into her ear while returning what he had just received from her earlier.


    ¡°I love you, Molitia.¡±

 Chapter 129

    Her insides instantly tightened as if they were reacting to his words. Startled¡ªher fingernails began to dig into his shoulders, but he didn¡¯t really care about it.


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    His red handprints were squeezed all over her white moon-like hips. The legs that were still wrapped around his waist iled in the air¡ªquivering.


    ¡°I¡¯ll love you forever.¡±


    As she swallowed him right down to his roots, she immediately gasped out a sharp groan. She was biting into his shoulder at the peak of her climax while he was still swollen inside.


    Her rugged breaths persisted continuously. Her blurring eyshes were soon lifted to capture a sight of Raven. She then smiled softly, tinting her face with such peachy pink.


    Only then did Raven realize that they had done it all the way without him taking the medicine at all. But s, it was only a fleeting thought. He was incredibly happy that the thought was soon forgotten as he searched for her lips yet again.


    ¡ï¡ï¡ï


    Molitia ascended the carriage in order to attend Marchioness Nibeia¡¯s salon party. It was all due to the fact that she had suddenly received an invitation when she was thinking about the tea party just yesterday.


    She threw her gaze out of the window. There was a string of branches scattered on the road that had be dreary before she even knew it. Her hands then stroked her thick clothes under the cold temperature that followed.


    As soon as she said that she was going to attend the salon party, Raven¡¯s concerns ensued conspicuously. He immediately became worried for her weak body under the harsh gust of cold winter gale.


    It had turned into such a huge nag that eventually made her wonder if this person was always this talkative before. And of course, many of them were worrying too much.


    ¡°Why would you actually wish to go when I¡¯m rather busy now?¡±


    Raven¡¯s grumblings didn¡¯t even stop until she had finally gotten into the carriage.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite busy nowadays, so I shouldn¡¯t get in the way.¡±


    ¡°Just being around you grants me enough strength.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not actually looking at those documents, though.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to look over them at night.¡±


    ¡°You should sleep at night.¡±


    There were some fierce words that could never be conceded even an inch. Eventually, she got into the carriage before closing the door and Raven slowly took a step back.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t take you there.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even have to go in the first ce. There are chauffeurs for that.¡±


    He nced at the driver who was already in the horseman¡¯s seat. A driver who was other than Lyndon had taken the seat anxiously.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    ¡°Be careful when you go.¡±


    His face was full of regret as he furrowed to the fullest. Nevertheless, she just shed a smile since he looked just like arge dog¡ªsitting still.


    When his expression hade to her mind yet again after the carriage began moving, Molitia covered her mouth before smiling once more.


    ¡°Madame, we¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    Right at the announcement of her arrival, Molitia was eventually relieved of her thoughts. Then, the driver immediately opened the carriage door before holding out his hand. Molitia softly took his hand and got off the carriage.


    However, there was another carriage besides the Duke¡¯s that was parked in front of the salon. The carriage had a stamp of another family¡¯s crest.


    ¡®Where¡¯s that person, though?¡¯


    Seeing that it had already parked in front of the Nibeia Salon, she might also be attending the tea party today as well. Molitia¡¯s thoughts were rolling inside her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s you. The sister whom Young Lady Arjan had mentioned before.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s steps halted at the sudden words. It was also due to the fact that she couldn¡¯t actually walk anymore. She naturally raised her head in response since the person was blocking her waypletely.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to see you so much, but it¡¯s nice to see you like this as well.¡±


    That was rather rude. Furthermore, the moment he had mentioned Arjan¡¯s name, Molitia¡¯s smile immediately disappeared from her face.


    ¡°It is certainly rude of you to talk to someone without even introducing yourself first.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me. My name is Ferdinand Werner.¡±


    There was a hint of sarcasm in his greeting while he pretended to be polite. It was almost evident to see that he wanted to provoke her somehow.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve already heard the story from Arjan, then I have no need to introduce myself.¡±


    ¡°Of course. You¡¯re famous¡ªin many ways.¡±


    His gaze was ncing over head, right from head to toe.


    ¡°As they say¡­¡±


    She instantly felt bad when she saw that reluctant look of his. Molitia then threw back her gaze at Ferdinand.


    ¡°Are there rumors going around about me?¡±


    ¡°Haha, no. It¡¯s just my own curiosity. Is Your Grace here to attend as well?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well then, I hope that you will have such a great time.¡±


    Molitia, who didn¡¯t spare even a single nce at the man who cleared the way, soon entered the salon. Ferdinand, on the other hand, fixated her stare on Molitia with his ring eyes following her.


    The sensation of that snake-like eyes of his couldn¡¯t be washed away easily even after she had walked away.


    Utterly disgusting. The terrible sensation shuddered her from her very toes. Molitia slowly stepped inside while rubbing her hand against such dirty gaze from before.

 Chapter 130

    ¡°Wee, Molitia.¡±


    ¡°Marchioness Nibeia.¡±


    Molitia, who discovered that Nibeia was already smiling broadly towards herself, struggled to smile properly. Whatever she had gone through outside, it was clear that she had to forget all about it right now.


    ¡°Thank you for inviting me again.¡±


    ¡°It was just supposed to be a tea party which I regrly organize, but that doesn¡¯t sound much like a greeting. I¡¯d like you to call me a bit more intimately.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m honored to.¡±


    As Molitia¡¯s cheeks bloomed red like a radiant flower, Nibeia let out a pleasantughter.


    During thest tea party, they had exchanged various stories among each other under the pretext of sour.


    This should be enough to boast to others that they had be rather close, but Molitia didn¡¯t do that at all. She was aware to a certain degree and she knew how to keep good rtions with people.


    She was a person who wasn¡¯t only pure, but also well-mannered. Nibeia held her hand in hers all the while feeling that her heart had gradually leaned more towards her.


    ¡°A delicious set of tea had juste in this time. Do make yourself at home.¡±


    Nibeia, who had guided Molitia to the particr spot, eventually stepped towards the other participants. Not too far from Molitia¡¯s seat, Arjan could be seen. Her eyes were giving some sort of look as if to say she was conscious of her appearance there.


    ¡®What else are you even trying to say?¡¯


    The suspicious look of hers soon broke away. And that was due to the fact that Arjan¡¯s gaze had turned elsewhere. She had even turned around as if to show that she wasn¡¯t conscious of Molitia at all.


    A perfect disregard. Molitia actually felt relieved through thatplete neglect.


    ¡®Phew.¡¯


    Molitia then swept her hand down to her chest. She was, indeed, worried about making another fuss again this time, but fortunate enough, everything which she had said during her party from before seemed to work quite well.


    She didn¡¯t want to cause a strife during a party that was prepared by others. As she was thoroughly satisfied with the tranquility that might be somewhat temporary, Molitia lifted the cup slowly.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Arjan gritted hard on her teeth as she watched Molitia was sipping her tea quietly. She could have never known how much effort she had to put in to get here.


    She had topletely convince her father, who initially told her not to take a step into society for a while. In the end, she managed to make her way here only by attracting others who were willing to be her own underdogs.


    ¡®I¡¯ll definitely drown you in a swamp¡ªslowly but surely.¡¯


    Arjan then clenched onto her skirt with a bit of a loud noise. A small patch of blood seeped into her hand, which she didn¡¯t even have before.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to share some good news with all of you.¡±


    Arjan¡¯s words immediately stopped the movement of those hands, which were sipping their tea.


    ¡°What¡¯s the news?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡±


    The novel news had brought out an enticing expression for everyone there. Arjan, who appeared to be ashamed, started to cross her arms before touching her lips.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ ¡­yes, the marriage between the heir of Marquis Werner and I has been confirmed. They say that they¡¯re going to go down the road and set a date eventually.¡±


    ¡°Congrattions!¡±


    ¡°Congrattions, Young Lady Clemence. Will you invite me to your wedding?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Arjan shed a smile and nced at Molitia. Molitia¡¯s eyes were already on her. As she felt a bit more excited, Arjan continued to part her lips.


    ¡°Especially to those who have attended this tea party¡ªyou are just as precious to me.¡±


    A gesture of respect soon followed with another sigh. There was no need to be disliked by a future Marquis.


    When she saw that Arjan was smiling brightly while being surrounded by people, Molitia felt a bitplicated. The Werner family heir was the man whom she had met at the door just earlier.


    He was a man who had been worse than what she had heard before. He rudely looked down at her as if she was merely in the same position as himself while smiling ever so unpleasantly. It was just a rather short encounter, but it didn¡¯t even need to be long. For such a man was too hard to be forgotten just from his adverse first impression.

 Chapter 131

    Molitia just couldn¡¯t believe that she would be marrying a man like that. She wondered what Arjan was thinking about. She could at least try toprehend when she thought of her father, who only cared about the family¡¯s own interest, but she just couldn¡¯t understand Arjan¡¯s own expression when she saw how Arjan was looking at her.


    Arjan might not know of it yet. She couldn¡¯t have seen that person just yet since she was getting married due to their father¡¯s backwater attitude.


    He was also being pushed by his own father to marry her, so she might have not seen his real personality just yet.


    Didn¡¯t they do that herself as well? Even on the day before the wedding itself, she still wasn¡¯t aware of her own husband-to-be.


    Molitia immediately felt nauseous. She had only wanted to see that deste look on that bright face, but she felt twisted with anxiety.


    Blood rtionship? After having suffered so much, she vowed not to be involved ever again. Then again, she felt soft when she was in the face of such misfortune.


    Her heart initially wanted it to be as distressed as the grief and pain that Argan had given her. But still, her wish that the smile would eventually reach her at least once couldn¡¯t easily disappear by itself.


    Her lips had gotten chapped by her half-hearted feelings and soon, she stopped herself. If she appeared to have nothing to do with the days she, herself, was drowning in tears and pain back in the County, so was Arjan now.


    It was also her job as well to be swallowed up by those hardships. It wasn¡¯t for Molitia to be concerned about. Therefore, let us not get involved anymore. Thus was her decision after much consideration.


    Molitia said nothing at all. Arjan¡¯s story, which had been the talk for several times amidst all those congrattions and cheers, soon lost the people¡¯s interest.


    As she finally approached the carriage, the awaiting driver soon recognized her before bowing in respect.


    ¡°Shall we head home right away?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    She just wanted to go home quickly. Her shivering body would soon feelfortable when she basked herself amongst the warm, little hearth.


    Molitia hugged herself with both arms and closed her eyes slowly. She missed Raven¡ªterribly.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    She thought that her tremor would be better as soon as she saw him while locking herself in his arms.


    The next day, however, Molitia had caught a cold¡ªwithout a single hitch. It seemed like the sensation which made her body quivered wasn¡¯t in vain at all. In fact, the fever that was felt all over her body had even led to a terrible headache. The bedroom where the doctor had paid a visit reeked of that medicinal fumes.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    Raven¡¯s arm had touched the nket. He tugged the thick nket up to her neck before hugging her tightly.


    ¡°I told you to be careful.¡±


    He was clicking his tongue. Nevertheless, his touch was very gentle.


    Molitia had nothing to say even if she were to have ten mouths right now. It was also due to the harsh, cold weather. Thanks to that, not only did she catch a cold, she even got herself sick.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s absolutely nothing to be sorry about.¡±


    Raven¡¯s hand brushed her forehead softly. Perhaps due to her body, which usually remained at a low temperature, her fever seemed especially high at that moment.


    ¡°The fever is quite high.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ve taken my meds already, so it¡¯ll cool down soon enough.¡±


    ¡°Haah, I¡¯d love to be with you if I could right now.¡±


    Everyone knew that he had gotten busy working recently. He had be a person who came homete, evenst night.


    ¡°I only have a slight cold. So, don¡¯t worry and just go.¡±


    Raven reluctantly lifted himself up to those words of consideration towards himself. After kissing her forehead lightly with concern, he dragged his steps that hadn¡¯t fallen off yet.


    Right after she had sent Raven off, she immediately fell into a state of chaos. It was already a long afternoon when Molitia had barely opened her eyes.


    ¡®About¡­¡­¡¯


    Molitia eventually managed to lift up her dizzy head. But, neither Pillen nor Lili was there. She thought of calling upon those two, but Molitia shook her head in the end.


    She didn¡¯t want to call anyone in order for her to just take the medicine. There was always some water and sweet chocte for her prepared at the table.


    As she barely lifted her wobbly body, she still opened the drawer. There were so many other bottles of medicine inside amongst the medicine, which the doctor had just prescribed her earlier today.

 Chapter 132

    She took out a bottle of medicine while barely redressing her shaky vision, before swallowing its contents. As the bitter taste had crawled up through her throat, Molitia quickly gulped down some water. Even though it had already been diluted, it was still bitter. So, when the water had surfaced, she quickly popped the chocte in.


    As her tongue wriggled, the sweetness was thoroughly spread, making her wrinkled forehead gradually unfolded¡ªalbeit barely. As she had only just quenched that bitter water of sweetness, she staggered back to the bed before lying down softly.


    Her body, which was alreadynguid and all worn out, eventually brought her to sleep. Her legs were still dangling out of bed. She couldn¡¯t even cover herself properly, but she just couldn¡¯t resist the temptation to fall into slumber.


    ¡°¡­Madame, Madame!¡±


    Molitia lifted her eyelids at the sound of someone waking her up. Pillen was the one who had been shaking her lightly.


    ¡°If you fall asleep just like this, your cold will definitely get worse.¡±


    With a sensation of lifting her legs up, only then did Molitia realize that she was sleeping the way she was.


    ¡°Thanks, Pil¡­¡±


    Molitia could no longer continue her words. For that moment, her murmurs immediately went silent.


    ¡°Madame?¡±


    She felt like crying and that bitter tasting water was resurfacing yet again. It felt like a sharp de was piercing her insides while scraping them because she could no longer take it. When Molitia arched her upper body all of a sudden, Pillen immediately became startled before going to her aid.


    ¡°Madame, are you alright? Shall I call a doctor for you?¡±


    Molitia was about to shake her head, but she could only close her eyes tightly due to the white vertigo. The burning sensation from above had started to fill her throatpletely.


    Eventually, crimson blood soon poured out from her mouth as soon as she had taken her hand off.


    ¡°Madame!¡±


    Pillen shouted in surprise, but Molitia couldn¡¯t move at all. A sense of pressure seemed to weigh upon her.


    Pillen¡¯s voice, which was already calling for a doctor urgently, sounded far in the distance.


    ¡®Raven¡¯s going to be so worried.¡¯


    She tried hard not to close her eyes, but it was not enough at all. As if she had just gotten hit in the back of her head, she gradually closed her eyes while being engulfed in a total ck darkness.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    The news that she had just copsed was immediately ryed to Raven, who was currently in Imperial City.


    ¡°¡­¡­what?¡±


    ¡°Oh, well¡ªwell, she suddenly threw up blood and copsed!¡±


    Raven¡¯s hand that was filling out the document, immediately stopped at the words of the messenger who had just arrived¡ªpanting heavily. The ink was then smudged from the pause of his pen.


    ¡°Now¡­¡±


    Raven suddenly stopped while he was still talking. Copsed? Who did?


    There were very few people in the Duke¡¯s family who could actually copse. They had epted the rugged knights before and that had a lot of resentment. Furthermore, very few news were truly directed straight to him.


    He naturally thought of a character in his mind, but he immediately shook his head. She might have been sick, but it wasn¡¯t enough to copse at all. Plus, didn¡¯t she just wish for him to work ande back home?


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ ¡­¡±


    ¡°Who copsed?¡±


    ¡°Well, Madame¡ªthe Duchess¡­¡±


    Crunch. The pen had broken in his grasp without an ounce of mercy. A ssh of debris had scratched his skin, creating a pool of red blood.


    ¡°My Lord!¡±


    Terrance was surprised and stood up immediately, but Raven still didn¡¯t spare a nce at all. His unblinking and now inorganic eyes were staring at the messenger.


    ¡°Speak straight. You¡¯re telling me who has copsed? Who was vomiting blood?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you sure the Duchess you¡¯re talking about right now is the Duchess of Linerio herself?¡±


    The messenger, who could no longer stand Raven¡¯s pressure, eventually sank to the floor. When the messenger had trembled like a leaf while still repeating the same thing, Lyndon, who could endure it no longer, stepped out immediately.


    ¡°My Lord! This is not the time! You have to head back to the Duchy now!¡±


    Lyndon¡¯s words had barely twirled in his ck eyes. As his grim life had eventually subsided, the messenger¡¯s heart slid right back down into his own chest.


    As soon as he arose, he quickly stepped outside. Even though there were those who had encountered him in the hallway and tried to acknowledge him while giving their salutations, they just couldn¡¯t utter a single sound at all amidst that brutal atmosphere. In fact, they all tried to hide themselves.


    His feet began to gradually elerate, starting with a couple of quick steps. As he entered the currently deserted hallway, it was evident to say that his steps were already akin to running.

 Chapter 133

    She was so sure that it had just been a mild cold. She was smiling softly while talking¡ªit had been that fine. She was worried about him instead, even while her face had been running red with fever.


    Raven grabbed a hold of the horse and galloped quickly. The people were frightened by his violent speed as they screamed through the streets and fled all over the ce.


    It didn¡¯t really take that much time for him to finally arrive at the Duchy. He then got his bodypletely off from the anxiety which stemmed from running all the way from the Imperial Pce back to the Duchy.


    Raven immediately left his confused servants to sleep from his raging words before hurrying back to his mansion. The butler, who was running a bitte, followed him soon after.


    ¡°Molitia!¡±


    He dashed ahead and opened the bedroom door. Surprised by his sudden appearance, those who were already inside quickly bowed their heads down.


    A pallid woman was lying on top of the bed. The fever that struck her in the morning had made her look like a red apple, but now, she was just as pale as a corpse.


    When he looked at her, he saw that her lips, which had always been budding, were now cracked away. Raven bit his lips in response even when the blood he hadn¡¯t wiped off waspletely dried around his mouth.


    ¡°Why did she copse?¡±


    His burst of anger that had nowhere to go immediately headed towards the doctor. In such panic, the doctor quickly lowered her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. She was fine until this morning, but¡­¡±


    ¡°A woman in good health suddenly bleeds?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. We¡¯ll try to find out the cause as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°That means you still don¡¯t even know why she was vomiting blood and the reason she copsed?¡±


    Raven was heartbroken when the doctor didn¡¯t give any answer. It was just like back then. When she copsed suddenly and had to suffer for the whole ten days. Even in that situation, the male doctor back then said that he didn¡¯t know as well. (TN: there was a male doctor back then)


    She had to deal with the pain by herself all the while they kept on saying with those pping tongues of theirs that they didn¡¯t know. He had to keep on watching as she endured all the pain with that petite body of hers.


    ¡°Say, don¡¯t you really know already?¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡ªI¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    She thought that she had somehow gotten used to her life in the Duchy. But then, the doctor was currently unable to even breathe properly due to the seething fury that seemed to have swallowed her whole.


    Up until this morning, the Duchess merely had amon case of cold. It appeared to be attacking her until she was quite weak, but that was just all. If you had gotten a cold, the medicine that she prescribed to Molitia couldn¡¯t have made her body unfit like now.


    Even though her body seemed to have closed up until she had gotten to be this weak, that was just it. If she, herself, had gotten a cold, the usually prescribed medicine should have alleviated her body by now.


    ¡®No way.¡¯


    She recalled the medicine that she had just manufactured for body aches. If there was anything different from usual, it might only be the medicine for colds and the medicine for body aches.


    However, the poison wasmonly used even by the general public. In fact, she hadn¡¯t heard of any side effects as well.


    The Duchess of Linerio could have consumed something else. The doctor bowed herself more and more while trying to calm her trembling hands.


    ¡°For now, it¡¯s a matter of Madame¡¯s stability and her awakening. So, I will figure it out quickly once it has been resolved.¡±


    ¡°Okay, good.¡±


    Raven responded with a cold voice.


    ¡°Keep in mind that I can¡¯t wait that long since I¡¯m not patient at all.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    When the doctor had stepped out, the servants who had only been looking around soon left the room sessively. There was nothing more that they could do afterpletely cleaning up the blood. All they had left was to pray earnestly for their Madame to ovee everything and regain her conscious back.


    Raven quickly reached for her cheek. But he stopped, just as soon as his hand was about to reach her cheek.


    There was this fear that his cold hands might worsen her condition. His fingertips could be seen to be trembling slightly.


    ¡°¡­Molitia.¡±


    He whispered under his breath while sitting at the edge of the bed.


    ¡°Molitia, open your eyes.¡±


    Despite his resounding low voice, her long eyelids were not even budging. It appeared as though her leanplexion was constantly taking her warmth away.


    ¡°If I just hadn¡¯t gone to work, you wouldn¡¯t have copsed like this.¡±


    The back of Raven¡¯s hand swept her hair ever so carefully. A sense of regret was leaking inside his mind¡ªdesperately.


    ¡°All because of work.¡±


    His mouth contorted in response. Why did he even leave her alone? He could actually finish up the work tomorrow. No matter how different she was, she always said that she would stay strong.


    The hand that was patting her cheek slid carefully across her mouth. The dried blood fell into pieces after being smeared on the tips of his fingers.


    Where in the world could someone spit out so much blood from such a little body? How painful it must have been when it was pouring out.


    Raven turned towards the carpet. There were some traces of blood that hadn¡¯t been cleaned up. Just like the blood of the dead, a dark sense of red was embroidering the carpet.


    Raven was heartbroken. If he could, he wanted to be the one who was sick instead of her. He wanted to endure everything for her, whether it was about vomiting blood or even copsing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie down for too long this time.¡±


    It was the first time he felt that he missed someone so much even though she was just right in front of his eyes. He finally realized that he would only feelfortable once she looked at him with her eyes wide open.


    ¡°You have to get up soon.¡±


    He decided to do something together, but there was absolutely nothing he could do. The fact that there was nothing else to do but only to watch her like this made him nervous even more.


    Raven reached out carefully before embracing her. He felt that her body, which was already small, had be much smaller. Raven breathed onto her cheeks carefully enough as it seemed like they would easily break away and copse.


    He just wanted to see his wife smiling with her eyes open wide¡ªas soon as possible.


    <em>(Duke, Please Be Gentle Because It Hurts¡ªcontinues in Volume 3.)</em>

 Chapter 134

    <strong>Volume 3 Part 1: Emerging Past</strong>


    Her bewildered eyelids fluttered gently.


    The first thing that she could feel from her slow return was the burning sensation in her throat. Molitia immediately pulled a face at the feeling of the need to scratch her own neck with her nails at that moment.


    ¡°¡­litia?¡±


    A faint voice that could be heard from the side was calling after herself. She wanted to open her eyes right away, but she couldn¡¯t even think of lifting her heavy eyelids that easily.


    ¡°Molitia, are you awake?¡±


    It was a familiar voice. The warm tone of voice that rang in her ears had lifted her up just like a sweet lie. Upon her unveiled eyes, a pair of bright purple pupils were seen to be clearly positioned.


    ¡°Ra¡­¡­¡±


    Molitia immediately frowned, albeit slightly, at the coarse sound that wasing out of her own mouth.


    How long had she been lying down? She had tried so hard not to get sick at all. But judging from her current physical condition, it seemed like she couldn¡¯t really endure it all this while.


    She instantly felt sorry for those who must have been worried sick because of her. The Duchy must have been overturned yet again. Molitia then looked at Raven apologetically.


    ¡°I¡¯m d.¡±


    Raven grabbed her hand and ced it on his cheek. Molitia¡¯s hand that touched his cheek had be a little slimmer without her noticing it at all.


    ¡°I¡¯m so d that you¡¯ve finally opened your eyes.¡±


    He seemed to be very firm during any kind of asion, but right now, his face appeared feeble. Heslowly squeezed her hand while whispering her name endlessly.


    ¡°¡­Raven.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Molitia.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being sorry yet again¡­¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°And thank you for being with me.¡±


    Raven¡¯s lips immediately sealed tightly. He actually had a lot to say as soon as she opened her eyes. Nevertheless, when she peered into his eyes, he could no longer think of any single thing.


    There was only one phrase that had popped into his mind as of now. Raven then whispered softly, while cing his forehead right against hers.


    ¡°I love you, Molitia.¡±


    When Molitia had soon regained her senses, the doctor quickly paid a visit to her.


    She had already recovered her senses, but her face was still fully painted with mdy.


    ¡°Madame, your wrist, please¡ªfor consultation.¡±


    Her arm was soon revealed from under the nket before being wrapped around at the doctor¡¯s cue. Her wrist seemed to be much thinner as it appeared to be made only of skin and bone.


    Raven, who was watching keenly from the side, was overwhelmed with pity. Unlike herself, who was calmly epting all of this, hisplexion had turned blue even further. As soon as the doctor¡¯s hand had fallen off grasp, Raven quickly pressed on the situation.


    ¡°How¡¯s her condition?¡±


    ¡°She has gotten a lot better. All she has to do now is to recover a little more.¡±


    Despite his relief, Raven still couldn¡¯t ease up his expression at all. Rather, it was Molitia whoforted him with that natural expression of hers.


    What was the problem anyway? She was actually quick to recover from the ailment of her physical condition, considering the fact that she had thrown up blood just before.


    ¡°Madame, is this the first time that you¡¯ve experienced a blood clot?¡±


    ¡°No, I often had that when I was still a virgin.¡±


    ¡°Then, does it run in the history of your family?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s right. No one had been sick, except for me.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s words were soon followed by the thoughtful doctor¡¯s query.


    ¡°Madame, did you consume anything before you copsed?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t really eat anything since I wasn¡¯t feeling good at all. So, I just popped a piece of chocte and the medicine into my mouth.¡±


    ¡°What kind of chocte was it?¡±


    ¡°I ate the one that was just next to the table.¡±


    The usual chocte that was next to the table had been bought by Raven himself. When she recalled herself saying that she needed some sweet things once she ingested the medicine, he immediately bought them from the bakery.


    ¡°Did you take the medicine, which I prescribed to you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    She had answered quite clearly, but soon corrected her words to a memory that suddenly shed across her mind.


    ¡°No, um¡­ maybe. I think I had eaten what had looked like it since I was rather disoriented at that time.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that you could have eaten something which wasn¡¯t concocted by me?¡±


    ¡°Most of those vials were prepared by you, so it can¡¯t be like that. Nevertheless, some of them were from the Count as well, so I¡¯m not really sure.¡±


    ¡°Then, may I take those vials? I was wondering if one of them was the one that caused these kinds of side effects. I will prepare some medicine for your symptoms soon.¡±


    Molitia gently nodded at the doctor¡¯s words. She thought that it would definitely be better for her to take this opportunity and tell her about the medicines which she had taken before.

 Chapter 135

    ¡°Please don¡¯t eat anything aside from what I¡¯ve provided to you for a while. I hope that you will have your meals as light as possible or rather, have something that is easy to digest.¡±


    ¡°Any other precautions that should be taken?¡±


    Raven¡¯s lips appeared to be so sweet as he was listening in silence. If there had been something that wasn¡¯t any good for her, he thought that she should know them as well.


    ¡°You are rather weak, you should always be very careful. It has been quite windytely, so don¡¯t forget to keep warm.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡±


    The doctor finally left the room after listing out a number of many other precautions. Her arms were already full with those bottles of medicines that were from the drawer itself.


    ¡°Did you hear that?¡±


    Molitia¡¯s head immediately tilted in response as soon as the door was closed shut.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about going out even for a while from now onwards.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not thinking of going anywhere. Plus, where am I even going with this look of mine?¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be better that soon. At least, until the icy breeze fades away.¡±


    Only for some time¡ªthat was the n, but he could no longer put it off now. The weather would only get colder from now onwards. It was crystal clear that his vulnerable wife could never survive through this harsh cold torrent.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be going out for a while either¡ªuntil you get much better. I¡¯ll only be alright once you can withstand the cold wind.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s jaw immediately fell into a drop at Raven¡¯s oundish remark.


    ¡°What about work, then?¡±


    ¡°I can just use up my vacation.¡±


    ¡°You were still busy up to yesterday.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve never even taken a vacation before, so I can just take this opportunity to fix that habit.¡±


    Raven gently swept her hair away. Inparison to her already lostplexion, she had also taken on quite a considerable fever.


    As he thought about how she should be taking the medicine quickly, he straight away ordered a maid to prepare for a meal. The confused eyes were circling around before they slowly closed themselves.


    ¡°Are you really sure that you can take some time off¡­?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°If you happen to be busy, but you¡¯re doing this purposely because of me, then you don¡¯t really have to¡­¡±


    Even while saying so, her words could be heard to hold a very subtle sign of joy. If she were to get sick, she would definitely get weaker as well. It would therefore provide a rather quiet mental stability for her to have someone to trust and rely upon.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±


    Raven slowly let her off the bed before he kissed her on the forehead.


    But that was just another point of Raven¡¯s own interest. After a few days of having sent the one-sided notice, Terrance urgently came to visit as a spy.


    Molitia, who had already regained her consciousness, was recovering rather quickly. She could already leave her bed after a long time and was now reading a book in her study.


    By then, Raven was always by her side, so Terrance had naturally gone into her study as well. Terrance immediately bowed down as soon as the door was opened.


    ¡°My Lord! Please return back. The office is now in a state of chaos.¡±


    ¡°Look at where you are raising your voice right now, Terrance.¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡ªmy apologies.¡±


    He finally realized the moment that he had be too excited by that violent tone of voice. Terrance instantly cleared his throat as he lowered his voice.


    ¡°Every ministry has nowe to find you¡ªthe Duke. And of course, the man who was supposed to be in charge of the main work had already vanished into thin air.¡±


    ¡°Originally in politics, shouldn¡¯t it have never stopped just because a person has suddenly gone missing?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That is very true.¡±


    Terrance responded swiftly. However, his unhidden resentment had made his voice raise surprisingly high.


    ¡°Nevertheless, don¡¯t you also know that this task is proven to be difficult without the permission of the very person in charge?¡±


    ¡°That is the reason why I delegated it to you, Terrance.¡±


    ¡°My Lord¡­¡±


    Terrance really wanted to hit his forehead with his own palm. His well-known organized appearance was now all over the ce. That figure of his was fraught with many circumstances.


    ¡°There¡¯s still a limit to what I can actually do as a substitute. Whenever the head of another group of knights arrives, I feel very ufortable.¡±


    ¡°It is quite big of a deal for people who don¡¯t usuallye for a visit.¡±


    ¡°That is how much of a progress that we have actually made.¡±

 Chapter 136

    Terrance took a quick nce around. It was full with reliable people, but still, the outside was the outside. He would have never known when his words could leak out, so he reduced the information that he ryed to the fullest extent as possible.


    ¡°Anyway, pleasee back¡ªplease. One of the staff in the office will die at this rate.¡±


    ¡°Then, it should be fine to take this opportunity and die.¡±


    ¡°My Lord!¡±


    Molitia, who had been watching all this while, soon closed the book at the voice of the currently crying Terrance. As he realized her small movement, he immediately turned his head.


    ¡°It must have been so noisy. Don¡¯t worry about it. Get that guy out soon¡­¡±


    ¡°Raven, I¡¯m perfectly fine. Feel free to go.¡±


    He closed his lips for a while. She seemed to be asking if he hadn¡¯t been listening to Terrance¡¯s speech before.


    ¡°I am all warmed up for now. You¡¯ve also seen the reduced meds as well.¡±


    ¡°It was just like this back then. You let me go easily and then, you fell sick.¡±


    He growled in a low voice. Raven acted as if he was traumatized after what happened that day. Wherever she went, he was always with her. He even used to feel relieved, albeit barely, only when Molitia came into his line of sight.


    But if she were to fall down while he was away again this time¡ª Raven immediately felt his heart pounding only with the hypothesis which he had just thought inside his mind.


    ¡°I¡¯ll always have Pillen and Lili next to me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! It won¡¯t take that long, My Lord. You can just go and look through some of the documents and process the payment itself.¡±


    Terrance swiftly responded to Molitia¡¯s words.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case then, you could have brought them here.¡±


    ¡°My Lord, please save my face¡ªat least.¡±


    Terrance was a knight, but he was also amoner who never had a decent title. It was already a great honor to be able to walk around the Imperial Pce thatfortably.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just stay home¡ªcalmly.¡±


    ¡°Sigh.¡±


    Raven gave a soft sigh.


    Work and Molitia. If he had to choose between those two, of course it would definitely be thetter. However, if thetter herself was the one who asked him to choose the former, then he absolutely had no other way of oveing it.


    ¡°When I¡¯m done with these, I¡¯m going to ask you to acquire a private audience with His Majesty. The work in the Imperial Pce is far too dependent on this one, sole Duke.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only because you are thatpetent.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, My Lord.¡±


    Terrance quickly added to the apprehension that his Lord might change his words even if it was just slightly. Raven¡¯s forehead wrinkled exceedingly.


    He sighed again before cing his hand on her cheek. The cheek that was being caressed by that big hand of his appeared to be much chubbier than before.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going anywhere, tell me and take Gilbert with you. I¡¯ll post another knight with you as well.¡±


    ¡°I got it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you forget to value your own body¡ªthe most.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t overdo it.¡±


    Raven bent slightly down. Molitia immediately knew what he wanted. The pair of lips that had passed along his chin and nose, softly settled to brush against his forehead.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, Raven.¡±


    Raven had to tread with one heavy step away.


    What had already been waiting for him was a mountainous pile of documents that were absolutely more than he had imagined before.


    His feet, which were just about to leave after the urgent work, were still tied to the office. It was all because of those people, who had taken proper care of his anger, but still, they didn¡¯t let him go at all.


    The work wasing along well, and just like Terrance had said, his own initiative had progressed a whole lot. On top of that, when reports arrived that ryed the detection of a subtle atmosphere between the continents, he finally realized that it could no longer be ignored.


    As the schedule to return home to Molitia was dyed instantly, only a sigh was let out in the office. In the end, Raven had no other choice but to postpone his own vacation.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C

 Chapter 137

    As her condition was finally improved to some extent, Marchioness Nibeia turned up at the Duchy to visit her ailing self.


    ¡°Wee, Marchioness Nibeia. Wasn¡¯t it rather cold toe here?¡±


    As she was still outside, Molitia immediately wrapped her cold hands with both of her own. Marchioness Nibeia smiled when those soft fingertips of hers had touched upon herself.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I was in a carriage anyway. I heard that you had gotten very sick. Are you okay now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already recovered a lot. I heard that I¡¯m even allowed to move a little by now.¡±


    ¡°But please be careful, just in case. It¡¯s all because of the strong wind these days. My little son had also caught a cold and suffered once before.¡±


    ¡°Well, is the Young Master feeling alright now?¡±


    Marchioness Nibeiaughed loudly at the worried tone of her voice.


    ¡°Of course. Just within a few days, he was already off like a spoiled brat.¡±


    She was the one who had raised her own family as well as the children themselves. Every so often, she even knew how tough as loud as a man. Nibeia¡¯s cheerfulness was rather refreshing as it made the crowd attain this light-hearted feeling.


    Molitia smiled after Nibeia. She was a woman who had gone through a whole lot of ups and downs in her life, but she appeared pristine¡ªwithout a shadow cast on her face. Her confident demeanor in everything eventually made Molitia wish to follow her footsteps.


    ¡°More than that, I have heard something.¡±


    ¡°What kind of story would that be?¡±


    ¡°I heard that Duke Linerio wanted to take a leave of absence all because he was worried about his own wife? That man¡ªwho had never even rested before.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s cheeks inadvertently crimsoned at that moment. What was presumed to be just a little thing that happened merely between the two of them, was spread into a rumor throughout the whole Empire.


    Her usual face began to copse at once. Or rather, her face was burning up with embarrassment.


    ¡°He just wanted to use it because he hadn¡¯t been using any of his vacation days before.¡±


    ¡°No way. Even when they told him to return right away, he still endured for days all because he was worried sick about his wife. There¡¯s a whole lot of gossip about that.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just that at all. The rumor that was disclosed from her mouth waspletely beyond belief.


    When people had witnessed that brusque Duke Linerio was visiting a women¡¯s boutique, their sentiments immediately rippled and eventually turned out to be a sort of image to the people.


    Simr sightings were also seen when he had visited a flower shop with the look of a cold gust of wind drifting along.


    The more she listened to Nibeia¡¯s story, the more luscious she had be. Eventually, Nibeia gave a heartyugh when she began fanning herself with her own hand.


    ¡°Oh, how you have be such a red-faceddy. We shouldn¡¯t be making fun of someone who¡¯s still sick, so let me just stop here.¡±


    She wanted to say that it was a rather vain story, but Molitia just couldn¡¯t do it. It was all due to the fact that whenever she heard of it, it would bring her to the time when he had presented it to her as a gift.


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to stop joking around, so let us cease to talk about this and say again what was exactly supposed to be said. Young Lady Clemence is already back in action.¡±


    ¡°Arjan?¡±


    ¡°I seriously thought that she had be quiet for a while, but as soon as she heard how Duchess Linerio had gotten sick, she started socializing again right after. Of course, it can be said that the timing might have coincided by ident, but¡­ when I look back at the previous number of encounters with your sister, I can see that she always kept thinking of such clever ways.¡±


    Marchioness Nibeia¡¯s face creased into a frown gently. It was quite surprising to see this from her, who always concealed her own facial expressions.


    ¡°Moreover, for this time, since she acted like she was really looking forward to it, that immediately made me, myself¡ªwho wasn¡¯t even the organizer¡ªfrown upon it.¡±


    Nibeia was usually gentle with children and women as a whole. Her hostile evaluation right now meant that Arjan¡¯s recent behavior was simply appalling.


    ¡°I think it might be because she likes going from ce to ce. She¡¯s much more outgoing of a person,pared to me.¡±


    ¡°I thought so as well until I got to know you¡ªespecially not now.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s face immediately loosened to that yful wink of hers.


    ¡°Plus recently, she has already been increasing her position as the fianc¨¦e of the Marquis and no longer just as a Young Lady of the County. Nevertheless, no matter how confirmed it has been, it is still a tad too early to take any action.¡±


    ¡°Is that still the case now?¡±


    ¡°Every time she attends, she would definitely bring along a portrait of Marquis Werner. There¡¯s also a rumor going around that said how he¡¯s really into Young Lady Clemence.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s lips briefly straightened themselves. It wasn¡¯t worse than what she had thought.


    ¡°But still, I¡¯m very d to see you¡¯re doing well.¡±

 Chapter 138

    Molitia didn¡¯t continue her words. On that day, just like that, she decided that she would not care at all. Molitia merely acted as if she was just listening to a story regarding a third party.


    ¡°I appreciate that you let me know, Madame. Thanks to you, I can see how society is going about these days.¡±


    Nibeia didn¡¯tment any further on Molitia¡¯s soft-spoken words. She was still worried about the delicate person who was in front of her, but she wouldn¡¯t wish to force herself to continue along the undesirable conversation.


    ¡°But then, when are you going to have your next tea party? I always look forward to your tea parties.¡±


    Nibeia smiled pleasantly when Molitia had changed the course to a lighter topic.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to have our next tea party somewhere other than the Salon.¡±


    ¡°Where do you n on having it?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a greenhouse within the Marquis¡¯, where springtime is still blooming. You¡¯ll absolutely be able to have a pretty good time even if you were just to warm your body while enjoying the natural beauty.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a great idea, Marchioness Nibeia. I¡¯m sure the others will like it as well. As winter gradually approaches, you¡¯d be attracted to the warmth of nature itself.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    Eventually, the two of them slowly rose to their feet after exchanging a number of casual stories.


    ¡°I should be on my way, then.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much foring today.¡±


    ¡°What do you even mean by that? See you at the tea party next time. Please take care of your health until then.¡±


    ¡°You should take care of yourself as well.¡±


    She saw Nibeia off in a friendly atmosphere. Then, Molitia stood by the door while staring away at the moving carriage.


    But the promise they had was soon broken. By the time Molitia¡¯s illness had beenpletely cured, she heard that Marchioness Nibeia, on the other hand, had gotten herself a cold.


    Therefore, Molitia straight away persuaded Raven to allow her to visit Marchioness Nibeia. He had already prepared a lot of people to tail her, but his troubles seemed like they would nevere to an end.


    He was still busy at that moment and he waspletely bound to the Imperial Pce. After much consideration, Raven finally withdrew the restraining order that was issued towards Lyndon before in order for him to assist her.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    Molitia was looking around outside towards the street from the running carriage when she gestured as she saw a sign with a familiar brand attached on it.


    ¡°Oh, can you stop for a while in front of that store over there? I¡¯d like to buy a gift for this visit.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    The running carriage slowly pulled to a stop and set right in front of the store. However, they began to wander about for quite some time. When they couldn¡¯t really find a suitable spot, Lyndon opened the carriage¡¯s window slightly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s quite possible to leave the carriage here. This is such aplicated road that it has be necessary to park a carriage far away from here.¡±


    ¡°Madam, if you¡¯d like to have anything, allow me to acquire it.¡±


    She immediately shook her head at those words of Gilbert, who was sitting right across from her.


    ¡°No, I will choose. It is said that you have to show some sincerity by choosing it yourself.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be right back with the carriage.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll wait for you right at this store.¡±


    The carriage, which had already dropped Molitia and her knight off at the side of the road, slowly began to move again. When the carriage that had embedded with the Duke¡¯s symbol disappeared, Molitia swiftly pulled up her cor.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite windy. You¡¯d better get inside the store quickly.¡±


    As she followed Lyndon¡¯s guidance, Molitia straight away hastened her steps. She shouldn¡¯t be catching a cold this time¡ªreally. All the while, she held onto her cor tightly.


    ¡°Oh, my.¡±


    It was during the time when she was tidying up her clothes that the knight suddenly swept her up. She had almost run into someone who was rushing out of the store.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    The pair of surprised eyes had calmed down rather easily, but the person right in front of her was currently the problem. Despite his own obvious fault, he still ran wild as he pointed towards her.


    ¡°Hey, where do you even put your eyes?¡±


    ¡°Keep your voice down.¡±


    Lyndon immediately stopped the man who was running towards her. As soon as the man¡¯s eyes were about to catch his ze, he suddenly seemed to recognize the man that was behind Molitia.


    ¡°Oh my God, you¡¯re the Duchess. I haven¡¯t been seeing you in a long time.¡±


    Her head lifted slowly from the cold. At that moment, Molitia¡¯s eyes were filled with a man who was unting his vile expression.

 Chapter 139

    Ferdinand Werner.


    He was Arjan¡¯s fianc¨¦.


    ¡°Yes, I haven¡¯t seen you in a long time as well.¡±


    Molitia then gestured to Lyndon to step down. Ferdinand¡¯s expression instantly became much more ted when he saw that Lyndon had stepped back¡ªdissatisfied.


    ¡°Are you just about to stop by at this store?¡±


    ¡°No, actually, I was just passing by.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s words were rather cynical. But it wasn¡¯t a lie as when she saw him, the thought of stopping by disappeared in an instant.


    ¡°Do you know that there¡¯s a delicious kind of chocte over here? The Duke of Linerio is even rumored to have shopped right here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±


    Unlike Ferdinand, who appeared wanting to draw a response from her somehow, Molitia was filled with desire to avoid this position at all cost. She didn¡¯t want to get involved with Arjan any longer.


    ¡°I¡¯m rather busy right now. So, I¡¯ll be on my way. I hope that you¡¯ll have a great time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry to hear that you¡¯re thinking about leaving even when we just met here by ident. Now that we¡¯re already here, why don¡¯t we move to another ce and have a talk instead?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m really busy. It¡¯s better for me to put off shopping until next time.¡±


    Molitia immediately turned around. When she shifted without even exchanging any greetings properly, he felt utterly insulted.


    ¡°Okay then, bye.¡±


    ¡°You, really¡­!¡±


    It was at the moment when Ferdinand, who could no longer contain his anger, began to reach out before grabbing her arm.


    ¡°Stop it.¡±


    Lyndon responded coldly, while seizing his hand.


    Lyndon¡¯s eyes, which had always been rather rxed, were already ck and blue.


    Molitia, who was protected by the air that was surrounding him, flinched as well, but Ferdinand was already facing her with such an ugly expression on his face. His blueplexion was staring at Lyndon with trembling eyes, which were not recovering easily.


    ¡°You keep on trying to put that little hand of yours on someone precious, so let¡¯s just stop here. It¡¯s filthy.¡±


    ¡°What¡ªthis bastard!¡±


    Ferdinand, who finally managed to regain his senses, began seething. There was a strong bacsh against himself to hide those fingers of his that began shaking slightly, but Lyndon didn¡¯t even lift a single hand at all.


    ¡°That¡¯s not him, it¡¯s that knight who follows the Duke of Linerio.¡±


    It was at that moment that Ferdinand¡¯s eyes, which had been trembling, started returning as usual. At the same time when the word ¡®knight¡¯ was uttered, the corners of his mouth began to draw themselves callously.


    ¡°Oh, the knights.¡±


    His loud voice instantly made all the listeners feel bad. Unlike Lyndon, who was as silent as the grave, Molitia¡¯s face began to frown instantly.


    ¡°Can a mere knight who hasn¡¯t even been bestowed a title stand in my way?¡±


    ¡°Gloriously. I wasmanded to guard by nobles¡ªlike you.¡±


    ¡°How dare you.¡±


    Molitia could tolerate no longer when his hand began heading towards the sword at his waist. Molitia immediately took a stand in front of Lyndon.


    ¡°If you dare touch my Knight, I won¡¯t let you off.¡±


    Ferdinand¡¯s eyes dropped as her soft hands were trembling firmly. He was morefortable with her as he closed in on her, who was much smallerpared to that of Lyndon with a rtive edge.


    ¡°Ha ha, Lady Molitia. There must be some sort of a misunderstanding, but I won¡¯t be honored to draw my sword to that shallow bastard.¡±


    Ferdinand was calling her by her name, not by her title. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t only Molitia, but Lyndon, too, had made a relentless expression.


    ¡®You couldn¡¯t interrupt the path of a nobledy, so you simply call her by name?¡¯


    Lyndon¡¯s fingertips were turning white with seething anger.


    ¡±It¡¯s just too much to be called just by name only after a mere couple of encounters.¡±


    ¡°I apologize if it was rather unpleasant.¡±


    Despite Ferdinand¡¯s seemingly gentle retreat, Molitia just couldn¡¯t rx her expression that easily. She couldn¡¯t consider him well within that detestable chattering of his.


    ¡°Why on earth are you trying to approach me?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see each other more often anyway. I think that it¡¯d prove good for us to meet each other in the future if we were to get used to each other¡¯s own faces.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t intend to do so.¡±


    ¡°Molitia,e on.¡±


    Ferdinand was persistently looming over Molitia, who had already drawn a line without ever giving him any chances at all. Despite the fact that he had been stopped several times, he still tried to stick to her as if he was clinging onto something.


    It was at that moment when Lyndon was just about to step up to the point of futility. Molitia then reached back before trying to calm Lyndon down.


    Once Lyndon drew his sword, it was utterly clear to say that this ce would fall into ruin. She had to end this with only words from her own mouth.


    Furthermore, the current opponent was the heir of a Marquis. It was a definite fact that the Marquis would be behind him, even if hadn¡¯t been given any kind of title yet.

 Chapter 140

    ¡°I¡¯ve been telling you so many times before. Please do not approach me. If you keep on being rude like this, I won¡¯t stand still anymore.¡±


    ¡°Ha.¡±


    As her words of refusal continued as they did not carry on once more, Ferdinand¡¯s face, which had been all smiles, began to crack slowly. When his arrogant face had finally copsed, he swept his hair up rather roughly.


    ¡°What, this is the opposite of what I heard from Arjan. I never expected you to be like this.¡±


    ¡°¡­I beg your pardon?¡±


    Just for that one moment, she felt that her head had turned white¡ªerased. He had heard something from someone else.


    ¡°What did Arjan say?¡±


    ¡°She said that you won¡¯t ever stop anyone who approaches?¡±


    ¡°What does that¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already heard of everything. That¡¯s just how the Duke was seduced anyway. You spread your legs even before you¡¯ve gotten married¡­¡±


    ¡°You just flutter that mouth of yours one more time. And it¡¯ll be torn apart.¡±


    Lyndon eventually drew his sword, as opposed to Molitia, who was still in utter shock. Let¡¯s listen to it, let¡¯s just hear them all¡ªhe couldn¡¯t possibly say something like that to the Madame, who was in front of him, with a gaping mouth like it had been pierced through. It seemed like this anger of his would not be relieved even after washing away the dreadful tongue of his by granting him death.


    When he saw how pale Molitia¡¯s face had gotten, Lyndon exerted more strength to his hands. First, he even thought that he¡¯d feel much better if he could just cut off Ferdinand¡¯s tongue so that it could not make fun of her any longer.


    ¡°Cra¡ªare you crazy? You dare to unsheathe your sword in front of someone?¡±


    ¡°My ears hurt just like I was only listening to a mere dog.¡±


    ¡°Do you think that I¡¯m just going to stay still for this sort of disgrace?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t stay still, then.¡±


    Both Lyndon and Ferdinand flinched at the tone of Molitia¡¯s icy voice. A powerful resonance that couldn¡¯t have been believed to be the voice from a slender body, which was caught through the eyes of the two of them.


    ¡°At the precise moment when you act, the Duke will never stand still. You¡¯ll be charged for besmirching my name.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªwhat.¡±


    He had already drawn his sword, though. She could then see the people around them had begun to buzz around in surprise.


    She shouldn¡¯t be making things any bigger now. Even though she knew of that, she just didn¡¯t wish to say anything to calm Ferdinand down.


    She was cursing at herself and she cursed him as well. That fact had aggrieved her greatly.


    ¡°I heard that the wedding is just around the corner. As you have said before, why don¡¯t you try not to make each other angry¡ªas much as possible?¡±


    Ferdinand instantly faltered at Molitia¡¯s words. The de of the sword that was aimed at his neck was extremely close.


    The murmurs around them grew even louder. Only then did Ferdinand finally realize where he was truly at.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡­ Arjan¡¯s sister, you would think that I¡¯ll be falling for it.¡±


    His body, which had staggered backwards, immediately turned around before heading in the opposite direction. He looked just like a walking little bird, but he was walking quite fast¡ªunlike before.


    Despite his disappearance over at the corner, Lyndon¡¯s breathing still hadn¡¯t recovered to normal for a while.


    ¡°Are you just letting him go?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it. It will only attract people¡¯s attention if one were to fight on the streets.¡±


    ¡°He can¡¯t even hold a candle against the Lord.¡±


    Molitia patted Lyndon softly for him to put his sword back into its sheath. However, Molitia¡¯s own pace of encouraging him wasn¡¯t really that good.


    ¡®That¡¯s what I meant.¡¯


    She heard that Arjan had already appeared in society. She eventually reflected on the fact that she now knew why Marchioness Nibeia was upset.


    Why was he so impatient that he couldn¡¯t touch her? No matter how hard she had struggled to escape, she only seemed to be tying herself with prickly thorns instead. She didn¡¯t understand any of Arjan¡¯s behavior, which was so full of such evil that Molitia couldn¡¯t even believe that she was actually her sister.


    Why did they want to put herself down so much? Just as if they had to always have an upper hand all over Molitia. Lyndon then murmured while still staring at the direction of Ferdinand¡¯s path.


    ¡°I can actually tell, by the way, that even when that gaze were staring at me, it¡¯s pretty clear that once My Lord receives the report of who that guy had been ogling at, he¡¯s going to get beaten up instantly.¡±


    ¡°Pft.¡±


    Molitia immediately kept her mouth shut without even realizing it. And it was all because of Lyndon¡¯s deep-thinking conversation that had pierced into her ears.


    ¡°Really! You may have not experienced it yet, but you must see the look on his face while he¡¯s working. It¡¯s so brutal.¡±


    ¡°He looks vicious?¡±


    ¡°Oh my God. Madame, please let all of those people in our office hear that. Everyone will be absolutely surprised.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll stop by the office next time. I¡¯d like to say hi to you as well.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±

 Chapter 141

    Chapter 141


    Lyndon, who had been smiling all this while, began to make a serious face all of a sudden.


    ¡°¡­but do you truly have to keep this as a secret from the Lord? I¡¯ve heard it already, so I can¡¯t really keep up with that.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Then, don¡¯t tell him, Lord Lyndon.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°About everything that had transpired just a little while ago.¡±


    Lyndon, who had been responding rather quickly before, made a strange pause.


    ¡°I can¡¯t answer that.¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re still going to tell him?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, then. So, let me tell you instead.¡±


    ¡°Madame.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want to bother him with this little thing, when he¡¯s already that busy. If we don¡¯t run into each other from now onwards, we¡¯re just going to be ordinary citizens.¡±


    ¡°The Lord is truly a monster. So, he is good at anything he does¡ªno matter what.¡±


    Although he referred to his Lord as a monster without feeling to have wronged, his voice still carried a sense of respect.


    Molitia just grinned at his outspoken manner.


    ¡°But you do understand my feelings when I wish that the Duke were to feel a little morefortable, no?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡±


    ¡°So, please cooperate with me.¡±


    Lyndon could only heave a deep sigh as he looked straight towards her.


    ¡°¡­okay.¡±


    ¡°Then, it has already be a mutual agreement. Neither myself nor Lyndon was aware of whatever that had happened before.¡±


    Lyndon unknowingly took a step back at that smile of his Madame. She had spoken in an unfamiliar manner to Lyndon, who had found Ferdinand¡¯s set of eyes to be ludicrous, which made her seem to be even more unnerving.


    Lyndon quickly gave a nod while trying to grab hold of his still pounding heart.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    She eventually bought a gift from another ce before she was able to arrive safely at the Marquis. After having greeted Nibeia¡¯s butler, who had weed her, she then entered Marchioness Nibeia¡¯s bedroom.


    Marchioness Nibeia already had a doctor next to her, perhaps it was just in time for her treatment. Molitia was waiting just a step behind.


    Nevertheless, the more she looked at it, the more familiar the doctor¡¯s back had be. Molitia immediately straightened her head. When she finally recognized that confirmed figure, she shouted without even realizing it.


    ¡°Mr. Arendt?¡±


    The doctor looked back in surprise at Molitia¡¯s voice, albeit only for a short while. The doctor returned to examine the Marchioness with his experienced hands once again, but he didn¡¯t really say much to herself.


    Did he not really recognize her? It seemed that Marchioness Nibeia¡¯s illness was worse than what she had thought before. Marchioness Nibeia sighed while saying that she must have been infected by her younger son.


    With her naturally fragile body, she couldn¡¯t really remain standing by Marchioness Nibeia¡¯s side for too long. It was all due to the main concern of her body that had just gotten better not too long ago, which could certainly catch a cold once more.


    Molitia then left the bedroom alongside the doctor, who had alreadypleted the examination before turning her head naturally to the side.


    She recalled him to be a little bit more of a giant. Was it perhaps he couldn¡¯t really pass the time well? The man whom she was facing right now appeared to dwarf a little.


    ¡°Mr. Arendt.¡±


    Molitia called out his name once again.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t really seen you in a long time. It¡¯s me, Lady Clemence.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s voice had barely turned the doctor¡¯s head. In fact, he was blinking his eyes a couple of times like he was trying to find something out before he finally bowed his head.


    ¡°Oh, ah. Long time no see, Young Lady. How have you been? How are you these days?¡±


    ¡°Still weak.¡±


    A bitter smile was softly drawn. Since she was young, he had known her better than anyone else. Therefore, she didn¡¯t have to hide anything at all. Then, Molitia raised the corners of her mouth with quite an effort before shing a bright expression on her face.


    ¡°But I¡¯m doing rather well these days.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Is that¡­?¡±


    The doctor¡¯s voice, which was surprisingly dragging out, ceased its sound all of a sudden. Ahem¡ªhe eventually parted his mouth once again after clearing his throat repeatedly.


    ¡°But still, you have to take good care of yourself. You should be careful during your outing since a cold has been going around these days. Plus, the Young Lady¡¯s body is rather frail.¡±

 Chapter 142

    Chapter 142


    ¡°I¡¯ve been through this before, though.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you alright then?¡±


    The surprised voice of the doctor¡¯s immediately continued. It was quite understandable. Since she was young, she used to suffer from a cold for a month.


    ¡°As Mr. Arendt knows, I¡¯ve always been on the risky side. Thanks to the proper prescription from the attending physician, I was able to pass it safely.¡±


    ¡°Do you¡­¡±


    The doctor¡¯s eyes peeked a nce at her face. His persistent nce only ceased itself after Molitia had paid him some attention.


    ¡°I¡¯m just d you are no longer sick. Now that you¡¯re already an adult, you should be immune to most diseases.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also d if that¡¯s to be the case.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Oh, I have to get going since I¡¯m quite busy right now. I¡¯m already pretty behind on my treatment schedule.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since west met each other, so it¡¯s quite a pity.¡±


    The doctor creased his wrinkly eyes with a voice filled with regret.


    ¡°Thank you for thinking of this old man. I hope that you will take good care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Have a safe trip back home.¡±


    Molitia saw him off from behind, where he had already hurried his own steps. Lyndon, who had been waiting outside the door, eventually approached her.


    ¡°Who was that?¡±


    ¡°He was a doctor who had been watching over me ever since I was a child.¡±


    Molitia then looked right behind her once again. She had seen him even more than the times she saw her own father and mother.


    ¡°¡­was the only one who had looked at me like I was a real human being.¡±


    It must have been because he felt sorry for her, but the fact that he could just touch her without shuddering at all made Molitia feel a lot stable durin that time.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Oh, why didn¡¯t I think of that before?¡±


    Molitia btedly recalled the usual medicine that had always been procured from the Count. It was definitely clear that he would have known about the same medicine as well.


    ¡°Maybe I could just invite him over to the Duchy next time. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll give me some advice on my physical condition in the future since he already knows my initial condition well.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll let the Duke know about this.¡±


    ¡°Okay. If you please, Lyndon.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Molitia grinned at Lyndon¡¯s cool answer.


    Then, Molitia suddenly fluttered open her round eyes instead of getting off the carriage.


    Did the sun set already? Her gaze immediately turned towards the sky. The sun was still hanging up in the sky since she hade out of Marchioness Nibeia¡¯s ce even earlier than she had expected.


    As she realized that the time hadn¡¯t been wrong at all, her eyes widened a little.


    ¡°Raven? Did you finish early today?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I just felt sorry for myself who left the office a few days after it had been dead into the night.¡±


    Raven then reached out his hand in ce of the knight. Those ck leather gloves were presenting Molitia with the palm of his hand. With a light smile, her hand had been ced on top of his.


    ¡°I should have gone and met up with you first.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to. You shouldn¡¯t be going out to meet me all the time. Just do it when you really can.¡±


    As if he was recalling that time, Raven shed a ratherplicated smile. A wife who dozed off while she was waiting for him. He felt sad with the way she had looked, but on the other hand, he didn¡¯t wish to stop her since it was such a lovely sight.


    It was pretty even when her soft neck was wobbling dangerously. As soon as he saw that, all the fatigue from when he worked all day long felt like it had been relieved.


    He shouldn¡¯t be doing this at all. Even though he was aware of it, he just couldn¡¯t mutter that phrase easily; ¡®go to bed first¡¯¡ªwithout the need to wait. It was also because of the fact that he might be quite heartbroken if he couldn¡¯t meet her as well.


    The hand that was still in contact held his hand tightly. Molitia, who was already out of the carriage, was smiling brightly in front of him.


    ¡°Wee back, Molitia.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m back.¡±


    ¡°Have you been well?¡±


    Molitia nodded her head.


    ¡°Did anything happen at the Marquis of Nibeia?¡±


    ¡°No. Oh, Marchioness Nibeia was suffering from a cold much worse than I thought. Considering the fact that it hadn¡¯t been long since I¡¯ve actually gotten better, I was sent back so quickly that I couldn¡¯t really see the doctor.¡±

 Chapter 143

    Chapter 143


    ¡°Other than that?¡±


    Molitia¡¯s words, which were staggering with her memory, eventually dragged out.


    ¡°Well, I met this doctor who had been treating me since I was a child. He just got in time to treat the Marchioness.¡±


    ¡°Treated you? Wasn¡¯t it the Count¡¯s doctor who had been treating you?¡±


    Raven¡¯s eyebrows immediately raised to his first time hearing that. It had already been spread even though it wasn¡¯t really known that since she was young, the Count had been paying off arge sum of money to his doctor for the ailing Molitia.


    But it was just a doctor. Maybe he had used his daughter as a mere propaganda, on top of not treating her properly.


    Raven¡¯s hand that was holding onto Molitia¡¯s hand secretly was smeared in white from the tip of his hand. The more he knew about it, the more unpleasant and disgusted he had be.


    ¡°Not only it didn¡¯t heal at all, even my illness had be so convoluted that I had a specific person in charge of it from the outside. Thanks to his treatment then, I often managed to get through in times of crisis¡ªor death.¡±


    ¡°I guess he wasn¡¯t any good.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. It couldn¡¯t be helped since my body was already weak. But I was really d to see him after such a long time. So, we just greeted each other before separating.¡±


    His eyes fell onto Molitia¡¯s already stopped mouth. His pair of ck eyes was gazing through her pinkish-purple eyes.


    ¡°And¡ªMolitia?¡±


    Jis eyes knitted together as if he was hoping for something. Having said that, the fingers that had intertwined with each other and their breaths that passed along to one another were getting even closer. Her neat lips were still looking at his own in just a straight line.


    Even though she began to get fascinated by his eyes, Molitia regained her senses, albeit barely, before shaking her head.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing else.¡±


    She shouldn¡¯t have him worried. She just wouldn¡¯t want him, who was already busy, to care about such trifles.


    ¡°I was in a normal carriage before and now I¡¯m right in front of you. Are you that curious concerning my story that was just about visiting the sick?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been wondering all about it since I couldn¡¯t see it at all. Where you were and what you did without me¡ªwhat kind of behavior did you unveil? I always wonder what my wife was doing.¡±


    A string of soft words flowed out of his mouth. Then, a stretched out hand sped slowly towards the back of her ear.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to hear your story instead.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that my story is just t. All I can think about is just work¡ªall day long.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been to the Imperial Pce yet, so anything you tell me will definitely be interesting.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Then,e over here, my dear wife.¡±


    It was at that moment when Molitia, who became curious at Raven¡¯s words, began to approach a little closer. Her cheeks crimsoned slightly as her legs that should be touching the floor, suddenly dangled in the air.


    ¡°Sometimes you forget that I have a pair of feet as well.¡±


    ¡°No way. There¡¯s absolutely no ce to spare in every nook and cranny of your body. If I were to kiss you right now, I would¡¯ve nted a kiss right onto your most lovely ce.¡±


    ¡°Raven, you¡¯re just so¡ª¡±


    ¡°Would you like me to do it?¡±


    Molitia¡¯s face turned even redder at that gentle urge of his. Molitia then whispered softly in his ear as the servants began clearing out the room with the help of their own wits.


    ¡°¡­do it in the room.¡±


    Deep in the dark night when everyone else was already asleep.


    Raven carefully rose from his seat. After kissing his lovely wife on the cheek, he gently covered her up with a nket before leaving slowly.


    When the lights in the study were switched on, Lyndon, who had already been waiting, immediately bowed his head. A pair of eyes that was even darker than pitch ck, turned towards him.


    ¡°Report to me every single detail of what had happened today.¡±


    Lyndon began to recite Molitia¡¯s activities¡ªword by word. Raven then recalled every detail, including during the time she got on and off the carriage and buying some gifts, all of which had been reported by Lyndon to him.


    All except for the fact that they had met Ferdinand Werner.


    When the report was finally over, a tap on the table reverberated.


    ¡°Did anything else ever happen?¡±


    ¡°There wasn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°There must have been, though.¡±


    Lyndon had already shut his mouth tightly. At the same time, Raven¡¯s face immediately cracked.


    ¡°Are you implying that you won¡¯t answer me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°If someone who was there while being assigned as an escort hid the report himself, he should be the one to rece it with his life then, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

 Chapter 144

    Chapter 144


    Lyndon, who was still mping down on his lips, bowed himself. No matter what he said, he was right in front of the Lord, but he just couldn¡¯t break his promise with the Madame. Both the Madame and the Lord were equally precious to him.


    Raven eventually heaved a deep sigh when he saw him being consistent in such a straight manner.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. I already know everything.¡±


    The fact that Molitia cared about him was deeply realized by the past incident. She already said that she¡¯d tell him everything. Even though he felt sad, it immediately disappeared without any reservation when he thought back to what she was feeling for him.


    It wasn¡¯t that bad of a thing for her to hide it. Bad bugs that buzzed around her were simply ugly. Raven¡¯s lips then murmured under his breath; ¡°Ferdinand¡±.


    ¡°The next time you see that shameless guy, just cut him off somewhere. You may slice his nose off so that his mouth could no longer move at all.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°You may go.¡±


    Lyndon, who breathed a sigh of relief, eventually left towards the door.


    ¡°Clemence, Werner.¡±


    The mysteriousbination of those two families bothered him greatly. There were two problems that had been keeping him busy. And those stemmed from the turmoil of the neighboring kingdoms and the hidden merchant group of Count Clemence, which had been all too quiet.


    ¡®Who hid them for you?¡¯


    He thought that he¡¯d at least catch a tail, but he hadn¡¯t at all. There was a moment when he had put Marquis Werner within the line of suspicion. However, the Marquis, who wasn¡¯t keen on backstabbing, was eventually found not guilty.


    Nevertheless, there was a strange sense of foresight towards the son¡¯s behavior. He seemed to havee to his senses recently and he even had fallen in love with Arjan as well.


    ¡°Gilbert.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Look back into the Werner family. You may spend as much as you want until you¡¯d finally find something new¡ªbesides what you¡¯ve researched before.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Raven turned his gaze at the map.


    Marquis Werner¡¯s territory, which had always been attached to the border, was covered with white snow all year round. It was also recognized as a poor ce with actually morend to y with inparison to otherrge territories.


    ¡®What is actually the purpose of Count Clemence¡¯s end goal?¡¯


    Raven¡¯s eyes were fixated on the Marquis¡¯s territory for a long time.


    A few dayster, two letters had arrived to the Duchy.


    One was already in front of Molitia. She had written to Doctor Arendt that she sincerely wanted to invite him over, but the response she received was¡ªno.


    As soon as she read the letter, a sigh naturally leaked out from her mouth. Why not? There had only been a few lines on the letter which were polite, but theypletely cut her off and refused.


    ¡®Why do I feel like I¡¯m being rejected now?¡¯


    Molitia, who had suddenly thought that far, immediately shook her head. Perhaps it was due to the recent events that made her very sensitive at that moment.


    Molitia eventually folded the letter and put it back in the envelope.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the letter?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this.¡±


    Molitia looked away. There was a letter wrapped in a soft cloth in his hand.


    ¡°This is an invitation from Marquis Werner. They¡¯re going to have a banquet soon, so we are being invited.¡±


    ¡°¡­Werner.¡±


    Her shoulders immediately stiffened when that particr family¡¯s name, which she never wanted to hear at all, was quietly recited.


    ¡°You don¡¯t really have to go if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    Raven, who was thoroughly looking through herplexion, carefully said that.


    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t want you to go that far. It¡¯ll be too harsh for you to bear over there.¡±


    ¡°We will absolutely have to see each other one day anyway. He¡¯ll undoubtedly be Arjan¡¯s husband. So, I¡¯m going to take this opportunity to visit thetter¡ªand it¡¯s not that bad.¡±


    ¡°The wind is actually getting worse nowadays.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s bring the doctor with us, then. If something were to happen, she can heal me right away.¡±


    ¡°What if you get sick in the middle of the procession?¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be bad to have two carriages prepared for rest. It¡¯s quite a long way to go, so even a few more carriages won¡¯t be attracting much attention.¡±


    Raven hardened his smile at her unimpeded thoughts of many alternatives. To be honest, the invitation was a pretty tempting offer for Raven himself. To think that he had just begun exploring the Werner family, such a banquet was an excellent opportunity to scour some information from him.


    However, the problem was that his wife¡¯s name was the one that had been written on the invitation.


    Would his wife, who always seemed to fly away whenever the wind sted over the cold ce, be able to endure itpletely?


    ¡°The distance itself is quite far, so it won¡¯t be over in just a day or two. It might be dyed even more because of the snow and it might take a toll on your health since the road is quite rough.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say before that it¡¯s afortable carriage that won¡¯t even budge when I was lifted up?¡±


    For a moment, Raven¡¯s expression was just nk. The only time where they had ridden the carriage together was when they had intercourse with each other. Raven¡¯s sudden embarrassment due to the fact that he hadn¡¯t foreseen her to speak directly like that,sted longer than expected.


    ¡°And Raven, this will be the first public ce that I¡¯m going to be with you. If you say that you¡¯re not excited, then you¡¯re just lying.¡±


    ¡°Do you really want to go?¡±


    Raven sighed softly when he saw her head had nodded. He wondered if she actually knew what he was truly up to.


    However, it was just a thought that he could never say out loud. Moreover, didn¡¯t she just open that letter which had just arrived?


    Raven nced into her eyes and soon gave a very heavy nod.


    ¡°¡­if you insist.¡±


    Raven then quickly added when his anxiety had struck immediately upon granting permission.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get in the carriage together instead. It¡¯s easy for me to be next to you while checking your physical condition.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you can¡¯t really ride a horse in this freezing weather. You¡¯ll catch yourself a cold.¡±


    ¡°Molitia, I don¡¯t catch colds.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. You don¡¯t truly know when or where a cold mighte from.¡±


    He ultimately gave up trying to say that he had never caught a cold at all in his whole life. And it was all because his wife, who was very worried about him while pouting her lips, had been absolutely cute.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

 Chapter 145

    Chapter 145


    Marquis of Werner (1)


    The preparations done to head for Marquis Werner had gone steadily.


    In the matter of the Duke, packing up was rather easy for the servants due to his frequent participation in the war. For the Duchess, however, it was a tad bit different.


    The news that the Duchess would be leaving home for several days to a cold country had thrown the whole Duchy into a state of emergency.


    It was clear that long-term travels would be difficult for their weak Madame. And there was a severe storm as well. The concern of the servants had been rather extreme.


    ¡°What shall I prepare first?¡±


    ¡°What if you feel cold when you are leaving then?¡±


    ¡°If you ever feel tired during your journey in a rattling carriage.¡±


    ¡°Fur! I¡¯ll put an order for the warmest coat to ce in the carriage!¡±


    ¡°What about food then? What else? We need to prepare many healthy dishes so that they won¡¯t harm your health. It¡¯s already hard to travel long distances.¡±


    Once they were worried, they couldn¡¯t calm down that easily. The Duke could have survived even if he was flung on a remote ind, but his wife waspletely different.


    She had a frail body. She was someone that could cough at the slightest cold wind that leaked through.


    If there were to be a single chill smeared across her smiling face¡ªthat thought alone felt like their fingertips were gradually freezing, blue.


    She was fixed with more and more luggage under the care of the servants. The number of carriages eventually increased sessively and in the end, in addition to the carriage that would be transporting the couple, there were a total of five carriages which had already been prepared.


    One of those carriages was full with items that were personally prepared by the Duke himself. It was truly needless to say that most of them were specifically arranged for the Duchess.


    At longst, the much awaited day of departure. And Molitia had to feel exceedingly embarrassed.


    ¡°Do I really have to wear more over there?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Madame. Marquis Werner¡¯s territory is widely known for its frostiness. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll definitely shiver.¡±


    ¡°No matter how¡­¡±


    Molitia eximed right at the end of her words. Nevertheless, this was just too much. Her body was already being wrapped around tightly. Plus, her indoor clothes had long been invisible under those manyyers of other coats.


    Frankly speaking, her appearance was that of a child swaddled in a sack. Plus, she just couldn¡¯t believe that she was going to wear even more over there. It was crystal clear that if she were to put even more on, her already stiff arms would never move at all.


    ¡°Madame, can I please add one more of these? I¡¯m just so worried.¡±


    It was simply hard for Molitia to just ignore their worried eyes. Eventually, they were only able to go outside after she heaved a series of sighs, in addition to donning another one more piece of clothing.


    The carriage that was carrying those two began moving smoothly. It was a ratherrge procession that had been apanied by many attendants, so the people naturally drew their attention to it.


    ¡°Molitia, feel free to tell me if you¡¯re cold¡ªeven if you¡¯re not feeling alright as well.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Molitia slowly nced at him. Thanks to the unidentifiableyers of clothings, she couldn¡¯t even feel if it was cold or rather, if the carriage was even moving.


    And it wasn¡¯t just her clothes. The carriage waspletely different from before. There was a thickyer of animal fur wrapping the chair, the backrest and even the foot rest itself.


    The wheels of the carriage seemed to have gotten extra thick to boot. The interior turned out to be so heavy that the carriage¡¯s wheels naturally needed to be hard as well.


    ¡°That might not happen, though.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s words shortly became true. She had to shed some of her topyer clothes that she had already worn. It was all due to the fact that she couldn¡¯t bear the heat within the carriage at all.


    On top of that, bearing in mind her body¡¯s condition, the carriage made some regr stops on the way. The couple were only allowed to enter the properly built tents on frozen ground after they had been thoroughly heated up.


    All of those actions were being considerate of her, who was rather vulnerable at times. Once Molitia had stabilized herself on the solid ground, she started moving busily towards her next destination.


    By the time darkness began imbuing the sky, the carriage had already arrived at the scheduled county¡¯s estate. After renting an inn for some of them to catch their own breaths slowly, the couple then headed straight to the Lord¡¯s mansion.

 Chapter 146

    Chapter 146


    ¡°I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making some time to visit our territory. This is my wife, Christine.¡±


    ¡°Baron Felix, I¡¯m pleased to see that you¡¯re very weing. You even let us stay for the night.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d be such a great honor for us if we could have the Duke of Linerio join us for dinner.¡±


    ¡°And it just so happens that dinner is already prepared. You must have been hungry as you havee a long way, so please,e this way.¡±


    The two of them then proceeded to a restaurant, escorted by Christine, before enjoying the meal together. Baron Felix had weed them with a rather rxed atmosphere, mostly because he had a simple personality himself.


    When the meal was over, the Baron guided them to their own room promptly in consideration of the couple¡¯s fatigue. It was fairly simpler than the Duke¡¯s room, yet Molitia instantly sat on the bed as soon as she entered the neat room.


    Seeing how people¡¯s attention had barely disappeared knocked down Molitia¡¯s incredibly stiff shoulders from before.


    ¡°Are you tired?¡±


    Raven¡¯s hand then naturally proceeded to touch around her neck.


    ¡°Oh¡ªno, no. But I think my back feels a little tight.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Here¡­¡±


    Raven¡¯s hand continued moving downwards when she showed her back and pointed to a spot from it.


    As soon as Raven¡¯s hand brushed against the exact ce where she had touched it before, Molitia swept across her forehead. No matter howfortable she said that she was, a trip was still a trip. And it had been a long carriage ride.


    Her exhausted body screamed just at the touch of his hand.


    ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡±


    ¡°Rather than it hurts, yeah¡­ I think it¡¯s a little hard since it feels knotted together.¡±


    Raven¡¯s hand then carefully moved to her whole back. His hands rubbed across her smooth back that was without any trace of excess fat at all.


    As Raven¡¯s sincere touch continued, Molitia¡¯s back slowly unwound.


    ¡°How do you feel now?¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m feeling much better now.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    While nodding her head, Molitia closed her eyes as well. Her face loosened whenever his trained hands had moved delicately. Where did he even learn to massage like that? It was the moment when Molitia had made such a pleasant expression on her face.


    Raven squinted his eyes before lowering his hand. Then, the hand that ran down her spine slowly brushed against her hips.


    His hand, which caressed the upper part that was rising rather flexibly, immediately fell further downwards. When he pressed onto the soft cloth to nudge against his true aim, her eyes widened in a fit of pique.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s quite fine, Raven. It¡¯s not really that exhausting¡ªoops.¡±


    The atmosphere was quickly broken by his tant touch on her hips. Molitia wriggled her waist as much as she could, but her hands were still stuck together.


    ¡°Wha-what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What? I¡¯m just giving you a massage.¡±


    His lips then traced her along with a yful smile. His mouth, which was brushed against her a few times, soon became intertwined in a mess.


    The porous kiss was permeating the ears, together with a whimper. Once the body was ignited, it would continue to be inmed until it would overflow¡ªwithout being aware of its true extent.


    If he wasn¡¯t stopped now, he would definitely go all the way. Molitia quickly managed to pull herself together before pushing him away.


    ¡°What are you going to do if anyone were to hear¡­! You know that this isn¡¯t even at the Duchy.¡±


    ¡°What am I doing?¡±


    With a faint smile painted over his mouth, he moved his lips and began whispering in her ear.


    ¡°They would¡¯ve expected it before, that¡¯s why they gave us this ce¡ªfar from others.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s face reddened at that instant.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s being too far-fetched. How could the Baron be so considerate of that matter?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re a couple, so it¡¯s obviously apparent.¡±


    Raven¡¯s mouth fluttered with yfulness.


    ¡°And particrly, if you¡¯re a couple who is known to have such a close rtionship to one another, they will keep that in mind even more.¡±


    ¡°Do you really have to say that to yourself?¡±


    ¡°Why? It¡¯s true anyway.¡±


    His hand then began to stroke Molitia¡¯s hair. His wife¡¯s flushed face was radiating all over the ce. Especially under the dim light, where she appeared like a heavenly beauty who looked up at him with such sparkling eyes.


    ¡°Or did you wish for him to hear of my wife during having sex? I, myself, would like to engrave your cries through those thin walls in this mansion.¡±


    ¡°Raven!¡±


    Raven burst intoughter at Molitia¡¯s angry voice. On the other hand, Molitia¡¯s heart was racing fast at the sight of his smile.


    ¡°Just kidding. I¡¯m the only one who should know of that pretty voice of yours, so I definitely can¡¯t let anyone else even be aware of it.¡±


    His eyes, which were coated entirely with fixation, fell upon her face, neck and ultimately, her body. Her body was already enveloped with thick winter clothings, but her curves still couldn¡¯t be hiddenpletely.


    He was growing even hotter since he knew that once he took them off, her sweet body would eventually be revealed. He wanted to indulge in her secret ces that others had never known of and breathe in herself.

 Chapter 147

    Chapter 147


    ¡°There is no such thing as a brusque ess in the evening at a couple¡¯s bedroom. So, Molitia¡ª¡±


    Raven slowly set Molitia down. Shimmering locks of silver hair fluttered on the bed. When she faced the look that seemed to plunge into her own desire as well, Molitia could intuitively perceive something.


    ¡°Let me inside of you.¡±


    That felt like she could never refuse him. Molitia then reached out her hand before touching his shoulder.


    Her touch began wandering around his neck, as her faint flush spread slowly across her face. When the man who always seemed to have everything, was clinging onto her, her heart immediately weakened.


    Especially when that feeling was directed straight towards her. Her heart instantly stiffened by the sentiment that felt like she had already be of a special existence.


    Her hands then proceeded to unbutton him from the neck¡ªpop, pop. Raven¡¯s smile deepened when she had conveyed to him with her actions, instead of just simply answering him.


    ¡°Is that the permission?¡±


    Even though he knew it already, his face was rather mischievous.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me if you know it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, what is it?¡±


    His outstretched hand began probing through thece before grabbing hold of her thigh. His hands then felt the soft texture over the thin stockings.


    ¡°My lovely wife seems to think that I know everything, but there are actually more things that I don¡¯t even knowpared to what I thought.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t know¡­ ooh.¡±


    ¡°For example, wherever you really like.¡±


    His fingers began pressing hard to find her underwear that was affixed to its band. When the soft underwear was entangled at his touch, Molitia immediately held onto his cor tightly instead of continuing to undo his buttons.


    ¡°I know where you feel the most, but what I really like is in another area itself.¡±


    His hand then caught onto her skirtpletely. When her underwear that had been concealed underneath her skirt was fully exposed to the cold air, her thighs naturally hardened themselves.


    ¡°Won¡¯t you teach me personally today?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    His hand proceeded to rip apart her underwear lightly. The chilly air prated through the cracks of her torn underwear, making her feel of a crisp sensation. As he probed into her moist flesh, her senses grew even of a greater degree.


    ¡°It¡¯s already making such a dirty sound.¡±


    Raven¡¯s smile immediately intensified as his fingertips grew wet despite the fact that he didn¡¯t even move for a few times. The slippery slit was soaking his fingers away. The more he rubbed his fingers against that puffy flesh, the further her juices started flowing out.


    ¡°Do you like it here?¡±¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Raven.¡±


    She trembled as a finger was gradually probing into her narrow crevice. The more he squeezed her flesh with his fingers, the fierier Molitia had breathed.


    ¡°Or above here?¡±


    The rest of his fingers were simultaneously flicking with her clit. Her lips instantly got startled to which she moaned before pulling them in by leaning herself downwards. All of her moans and breaths were eventually taken away by him as her soft clit was being pinned by him¡ªup and down without any mercy.


    Every time his fingers had poked her insides, her toes curled in response.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know where, Molitia.¡±


    Contrary to his words that exuded ignorance, he was actually rubbing the spot where she felt best. The ce which Molitia always had gotten excited about and where she would feel the most anxious. Molitia¡¯s waist would squirm whenever the tip of his fingers had brushed against that ce.


    Her trained body was reacting steadily ording to his very taste. Before she knew it, she was already familiar with his touch and even when he stroked it for a few mere times, her love had surged in abundance.


    In the end, the spot where he touched it was exactly the same to where she had felt.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    As he firmly squeezed on her opening, he then took it off slowly.


    ¡°I want to put it in.¡±


    Both of their eyes were entangled together amidst the gasps of their own breaths. The hand that had ceased moving was leaving her with a rather strange feeling. How could she even stop at that moment? Molitia then slowly gave a nod.


    His hands quickly proceeded to undo the clothes. Layers of thick indoor clothings were peeled off, which eventually revealed the hidden flesh. Little by little, he started to put his bulge inside of her while her leg was wrapped around his shoulders in the stockings that she was still wearing.


    Molitia¡¯s lips immediately parted when a thick tip had prated through the narrow hole. A tight sensation was immediately filling up her insides.


    The hole was as wide as the legs that were tightening themselves around him. Her milky white body immediately quivered as he pushed himself slowly from her entry right towards her very end.

 Chapter 148

    Chapter 148


    Knock, knock.


    The moment someone had knocked on the door, the fervent atmosphere suddenly turned frozen solid.


    ¡°Duke, are you there? Actually, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to discuss with you.¡±


    The voice that was just outside the door made her feel like her blood was cooling off rather quickly.


    ¡®They didn¡¯t hear my voice just now, did they?¡¯


    Molitia felt her body ultimately stiffened. Her pounding heart was hardly showing any signs of calming down at all.


    ¡°Shhhhh.¡±


    Raven gently sealed her mouth as he ced his lips on hers. Unlike her rigid face, Raven appeared absolutely fine. On the contrary, she had an illusion of him putting on such a mischievous smile instead.


    It was right at that moment. Molitia looked at him¡ªfrightened¡ªwhen she felt him moving inside of her. Nevertheless, Raven still kept a calm expression even though he was also surprised himself.


    After he slightly moved the back of his waist, he then drove himself back inside. With the squelching sounds of flesh bumping against each other, she immediately felt a numbing sense thumping her neck.


    He was slow, but his big thing was still moving rather steadily. Whenever his phallus that bolted to the very end had unfolded her entrance yet again, Molitia instantly had to shed some tears to the intense pleasure.


    Even though she knew that there was someone else right outside, she just couldn¡¯t get rid of her excitement. On the other hand, Raven was slightly frowning at the tense sense of betrayal.


    ¡°Duke, are you there?¡±


    Once again, a series of knocks resonated over the Baron¡¯s own voice. Raven¡¯s waist paused for a while, but he soon began ramming through her insides again.


    Her eyes moistened as if she was already begging. And those eyes of hers¡ªwhen she wasn¡¯t able to say anything due to the silence¡ªseemed to be making him even more excited.


    Then, he heard a trail of footsteps beyond the door. The person appeared to have given up after knocking several times to which no answer was granted from the inside. Raven eventually unblocked her mouth as soon as he could no longer hear those vague footsteps.


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    Her sudden cry had also burst instantly at that same time. It was all because her own voice that had been pushed so hard until it couldn¡¯t bepared to before, was actually uplifting her inner walls as well.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to take back my words, then.¡±


    Raven¡¯s hand proceeded to grab onto her chest. As if that soft fruit waspletely squashed, her now lost chest was eventually crushed around under his tight grasp. Tears began trickling down on Molitia¡¯s cheeks apanying that strong grip of his.


    ¡°A man appeared to havee and visited a couple¡¯s room at this particr time.¡±


    ¡°Aanh¡ªah, Raven, please¡­¡±


    His shaft that had prated to the very end was poking through the insides of her walls. And by then, her love juices was already flowing down amidst the flurry before soaking him entirely.


    Whenever he nudged her insides, her overflowing juices would drench her bottom as well. The wet sheets had already been ingrained as they were when he had begged before.


    When his lovely wife tried wriggling her waist, he grabbed her with his hand. Instinctively, he had caught her trying to escape before thrusting in even harder.


    Even a face that had been ruined by tears could look so pretty. Raven then nted a kiss on her cheek with a look that exuded how lovely she was.


    ¡°If you¡¯re crying too loud, the Baron might hear you¡ªif he¡¯s not too far yet.¡±


    Her lips immediately mmed up. He, on the other hand, had seized her derri¨¨re and prated her even more forcefully.


    ¡°Hoo¡­!¡±


    Molitia, whose lips were already cut, moaned albeit briefly. Her effort of trying to endure her moans had somehow stirred up his sadistic tendency.


    He grabbed her thigh and pushed himself all the way¡ªright down to the root. The slippery surface eventually scratched her thin walls.


    ¡°Oh my God.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll only get hurt if you clench your teeth like that, Molitia.¡±


    He reached out and started caressing her lips. His hand then prodded into her mouth, which had been biting and sucking her own swollen lips.


    The finger that entered her mouth set itself freely inside. Even when it seemed like he was pressing her tongue with his fingertips, she still spread her teeth apart so that she wouldn¡¯t bite him down.


    Her tongue licked away his fingers that had intruded ever so carefully. Raven then smiled as her clumsy tongue was sucking on his fingers eagerly.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing just great.¡±


    Next, Raven spurred up his waist, which had been moving quite moderately for a while. When the slow pleasure began intensifying once again, Molitia exuded some force to it. A tooth mark was eventually etched on his finger, but he didn¡¯t blink at all.


    He thrusted himself even deeper than when he had slipped out before entering back inside. Whenever her waist had bobbed up and down, his member simultaneously shoved in.


    At one point, as the force began tightening on him even more stronger, Raven then quickly rammed inside. He pushed himself to her deepest spot while hitting on it so fast that he could see the flesh turning red every time he vented out.


    At the very same time Molitia had forcefully pressed down on his finger, something hot was spreading out of her stomach. The sensation that was flowing through her hips finally made her close her eyes tightly.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 149

    Chapter 149


    The seemingly short night had eventually passed.


    And fortunately, no one had even suspected aboutst night. The Baron mentioned that he had gone to look for him, but he soon fell for Raven¡¯s slick remark that he had gone to bed early since he was exhausted.


    Unlike the bitter gale of winter, the procession moved along smoothly. There was no such encounter with the bandits and not a single avnche had interfered their way.


    ¡°There we go!¡±


    Molitia opened the window of the carriage slightly at the voice of the leading driver. Raven quickly hugged her as the fierce wind shoved her back into the carriage.


    ¡°We¡¯re finally here.¡±


    Raven moved his eyes towards the window. Right in front of him, he could already see the frozennd¡ªMarquis Werner¡¯s estate.


    The carriage had to run along quite a distance even after entering the estate.


    The view of the estate over the window was rather different from what she had drawn before. A barrennd that waspletely covered in white had been depicted on the map. However, currently to her, it seemed like a new world of sugary treats.


    From the structure of the house right up to the road¡ªwhen she turned her eyes everywhere, the capital and the other parts were absolutely standing out. The snow-covered rooftops were built in a different structure in order to bear the weight.


    Also, it wasn¡¯t just the rooftops. There were roads to prevent slipping and those walls that kept the warmth from leaking out.


    It was a vige that had thoroughly disyed their efforts to live on such a barrennd.


    After passing through the vige, she began to see arge mansion in a short distance. The mansion that had been built on that low hill was just something like a fairy tale known from when she was young.


    ¡°Wee to the Marquisate of Werner.¡±


    The butler of the Marquis had weed them as they passed by the main gate. He skillfully ordered the servants behind him to move the luggage from the following carriage.


    ¡°It must have been hard for you to reach here, so allow me to guide you inside.¡±


    The couple immediately moved following the butler who had taken the lead. As she entered the residence of the Marquis, a cozy-filled hall was eventually unraveled.


    It was a different view than when she had seen it from outside. If the white mansion was like a house that was built upon snow crystals, the inside, on the other hand, felt as if it had been moved to an antiquated castle.


    There were little windows embedded in the arched house. They were quite small to enjoy the scenery, but it was suitable to keep the warmth from seeping out.


    Furthermore, thendscape from that small window came with a unique feeling as well since it was all white.


    Molitia, who was still following the butler, suddenly shivered a little.


    ¡°Is it very cold?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite alright.¡±


    Raven, who noticed her small movement, immediately hugged her shoulder. Molitia smiled slightly as his warm hands wrapped over her shoulders.


    ¡°But I feel a little sleepy.¡±


    ¡°You kept sleeping inside the carriage as well.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ve overworked myself just a little bit.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better get in the room and have a rest, then.¡±


    At the same time as Raven¡¯s voice sounded a little rushed, the butler¡¯s footsteps came to a halt.


    ¡°Here you are. Please use it asfortably as your own room and if anything were to happen, please feel free to pull the strings that are provided.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡±


    It was only after confirming that the couple had entered the room did the butler turn himself around. As soon as she entered, Molitia¡¯s cheeks were heated up by the sudden gust of air.


    She doffed her jacket and ced it on a chair before sitting on the bed. She had said that it was okay, but as soon as she saw the bed, her decision waspletely shaken. Her eyes naturally closed themselves as her fingertips began melting amidst the warmth.


    ¡°Are you sleepy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a little.¡±


    ¡°Then, sleep for a little while.¡±


    ¡°But now that we¡¯ve arrived, I need to greet the Marquis¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just go by myself. The Marquis would definitely understand since it was quite strenuous to get here.¡±


    Raven graduallyid her on the bed. As she was already feeling sleepy, Molitia did not refuse his touch at all. In fact, her long eyelids began to close when her head touched against the pillow.


    ¡°So, don¡¯t worry and just sleep tight.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll sleep a little. Please wake me up when you¡¯re back.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    He pulled up the nket at her feet beforeying it thickly over her body. A smile was drawn to Raven¡¯s mouth as Molitia snuggled herself into her nket amidst the warmth.


    ¡°Good night, Molitia.¡±


    Raven kissed her forehead before he finally stood up from his seat.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C

 Chapter 150

    Chapter 150


    At some point, after her eyes suddenly opened, she looked around to see if she was still wandering in her dream. Her lips, which had been closed tightly, drew apart when an acquainted figure was slowly forming in her still blurry vision.


    ¡°Raven¡­¡­?¡±


    His eyes turned away from the book he was reading and straight to that small voice.


    ¡°You¡¯ve woken up. It¡¯ll be time for dinner soon enough.¡±


    ¡°Did I really sleep for that long?¡±


    Raven gave a nod. Molitia quickly gazed away from the window. The sunlight reflected in her eyes was shining until a while ago. But now, it was the setting sun that had been reflecting on that window instead.


    ¡°No matter howfortable I was in the carriage, it now seemed to be still inside the carriage as well.¡±


    After closing the book he was reading, he then settled down right at the bedside.


    ¡°I think that you have gotten a slight fever.¡±


    Molitia immediately shook her head at his touch that was assessing her forehead.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s only because I just woke up and therefore feel a little warm.¡±


    ¡°Would it be okay if you¡¯re not even taking the medicine? If you¡¯d like to have our doctor, we can call for her any time, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I really am fine. I also feel quite refreshed, thanks to the sleep just now.¡±


    The symptoms were too weak to be considered a cold. It was evident that the warmth lingered as she had just raised herself from the cosy nket.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll call for the maids. You should have something to eat soon.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Shortly after Raven had left, Pillen and Lili eventually entered. The two of them kept her in order while they talked non-stop about the prospect of the first Marquis.


    The new scenery would always make people¡¯s hearts aflutter. As she gazed upon the two excited people, Molitia also smiled as if she was impressed by it as well.


    Knock, knock.


    Lili¡¯s hand, which had been setting up her hair, immediately stopped at the knock on the door.


    ¡°Is it the Master?¡±


    ¡°I thought that you¡¯d wait¡ª¡±


    Molitia drew a smile around her mouth as though she couldn¡¯t stop herself from it. While wearing a shawl, Molitia then eventually opened the door herself.


    However, it wasn¡¯t Raven who was standing right in front of the door. Molitia automatically raised her head and started frowning.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since that day.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    When she saw Ferdinand was grinning away, her smile naturally disappeared from her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to invite you to dinner. I¡¯m just here to pick you up since you couldn¡¯t have known the Marquis¡¯yout.¡±


    ¡°I could have a servant to do that for me.¡±


    ¡°How can I entrust such a valued guest to a mere servant?¡±


    Despite his friendly words, Molitia¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t easily unraveled at all. Just looking at his face reminded her of that terrible incident on the street.


    There were two main reasons why she didn¡¯t wish to go to the Marquisate of Werner. One of them being the fact that she just didn¡¯t want to see Ferdinand Werner at all costs.


    Molitia smiled before shaking her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll be going with my dear husband.¡±


    ¡°Come on, sister.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s head was immediately deflected by that cheerful voice.


    ¡°¡­Arjan.¡±


    Molitia heaved a sigh as the second reason¡ªArjan¡ªhad appeared at that moment. She didn¡¯t want to run into her as well. As soon as she had entered the Marquis¡¯, her head already seemed to be pounding from this awful misfortune.


    ¡°Come with me. We haven¡¯t seen each other in such a long time, so we have a lot to actually talk about.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re here¡ªat the Marquis¡¯ as well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here with father. There¡¯s not much time left until the wedding anyway.¡±


    They were going to have a party when the wedding was just around the corner itself? There were a number of questions that began spiraling in Molitia¡¯s head. A party would definitely cost a lot of money. Therefore, it was justmon sense to not hold another party when there was already one party scheduled.


    It would absolutely cost a fortune just for the sake of the wedding. Why would they even host the party?


    Molitia looked at Arjan who was still smiling away. For now, she just wished to be in a ce where those two weren¡¯t present at all.


    ¡°I see. Then, I hope that you¡¯ll have a marvelous time.¡±


    Arjan made an absurd face when she had firmly ended her words, casting the doubt aside for a while.

 Chapter 151

    Chapter 151


    ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel obligated to go with you. I think it would be better to work out the problem next time.¡±


    ¡°No, wait a minute.¡±


    Arjan quickly snatched back at Molitia¡¯s wrist. At that moment, Molitia could feel her vision spinning at the pressure of that forceful pull.


    A powerful sense of vertigo had immediately relieved the strength in her legs. When she had lost her footing, her body naturally tilted to the side.


    ¡°What business do you have with my wife?¡±


    Her body, which was just about to reach the floor, had been barely stopped by Raven himself. He gently brought her up and led her into his arms.


    ¡°¡­Raven.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Arjan, who was forced to suffer Raven¡¯s ferocious eyes, stepped back and released Molitia¡¯s hand. Ferdinand shrugged before stepping up on behalf of Arjan, who was clearly afraid.


    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, Duke. Arjan was only joining hands in joy and the Duchess started staggering.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not a big deal, then there should be no reason to touch her.¡±


    ¡°Duke, you¡¯re actually asking for Arjan¡¯s favor¡­¡±


    ¡°Raven.¡±


    A firm voice had suddenly cut Ferdinand off. Molitia then looked up at the two without even sparing them a nce at all.


    ¡°Do you know where the dining hall is?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s a dining hall, I know where it is since I have seen theyout of the Marquis¡¯ residence earlier.¡±


    ¡°Then, maybe we can just go on our own. Young Master is only here to show us there anyway.¡±


    Molitia smiled with her eyes before tilting her head ever so slightly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you there instead. We should get going now.¡±


    She left with Raven before they could even greet him. Raven had been following her gently in response to her hand before eventually stopping at her seat.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    His voice sounded so sweet that it was unbelievable that he was actually the same person as before. Molitia turned her head and gazed at him softly. It had been a long time since he had almost lost his dear life.


    ¡°Does Young Lady Clemence hurt you, still?¡±


    ¡°No, I was just asked to go to the dining hall together. I didn¡¯t like that idea either, so I just said that I wouldn¡¯t go with them.¡±


    She shook her head as she forced herself a smile.


    ¡°I just¡­ I don¡¯t even want to receive a simple favor from her at all.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll follow your opinion, so don¡¯t worry too much about her.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Raven hugged her in his arms as she was still filled with much confusion. Raven then slowly stroked her as the faint warmth seeped through her chest.


    When the two had finally arrived at the dining hall, the Marquis weed them amiably. Other participants were also present, but in addition to the Marquis, some people were already seated.


    ¡°I thank you foring. I didn¡¯t prepare much, but I hope it will suit your taste.¡±


    Food was gradually served after the simple words by the Marquis. As warm dishes had appeared to match the cold region, the dining hall naturally grew agitated. Delicious and warm food had automatically made the atmosphere affable as well.


    ¡°Duchess Linerio, is the room warm enough?¡±


    The eyes of those people who were naturally chatting with the Marquis eventually fell upon her.


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you. I rested as if it was my own room because of the cosy warmth.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been paying attention to Young Lady Arjan in regard to your debility, and I¡¯m just d that you liked it.¡±


    Arjan.


    ¡°Thank you very much for your concern.¡±


    Molitia managed to keep her smile. She was worried that she might have to use such unpleasant words like she did with Ferdinand, but fortunately, the Marquis didn¡¯t disy any need for such a thing.


    ¡°You must have had a hard timeing all the way here, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Marchioness Werner, who dabbed her mouth with a napkin, showed such a warm smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s a ce where the wind gusts a lot, but the snow is just beautiful. I hope you¡¯ll enjoy a good rest while joining the party as well.¡±


    ¡°It was enough to capture my heart just by looking at the beautiful vige that was just like sswork. I could only be thankful towards your consideration of me. I wonder how the party will be held in such a stunning ce.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever participated in the Marquis¡¯ party?¡±


    ¡°As you know, I¡¯m not very well, so the opportunity to participate¡­¡±


    Molitia stopped talking when her skirt was pulled all of a sudden. As her gaze went down, a boy was already leaning against her waist while staring nkly.


    ¡°Who¡¯re you, sister?¡±


    ¡°Sister?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Robert!¡±


    The Marchioness, who called out the child as Robert, instantly blushed.


    ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry. He is a child of our rtive family. I have been raising him because he was separated from his parents due to some circumstances and he hasn¡¯t been learning manners properly yet.¡±


    The wife who said so eventually gave Robert a signal.


    ¡°Robert, say hello.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite alright.¡±


    Molitia smiled and stopped her softly. Then, she bent down to meet the child¡¯s eye level.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°¡­Robert Werner. What about you?¡±


    ¡°What are you saying to the Duchess!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m called Molitia Linerio.¡±


    ¡°Sister Molitia?¡±


    Molitia smiled when the child¡¯s sweet mouth was calling out to her like an older sister. The child¡¯s lips, which moved every time they parted, were just as soft as honey.


    ¡°And my wife.¡±

 Chapter 152

    Chapter 152


    Molitia turned her head, surprised by the sudden touch at her waist.


    ¡°Wife? Sister, are you married?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes, I am.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ No, that can¡¯t be true. My sister looks exactly like the fairy that I saw in the book. The fairy had said that she wasn¡¯t getting married at all.¡±


    ¡°Young Master Robert, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good thing to deny what has been written down in the pledge.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Raven then spoke in such a serious tone to that innocent, tilted head of a child.


    ¡°It means that she¡¯spletely mine.¡±


    ¡°Raven!¡±


    Her face flushed¡ªthanks to him¡ªand couldn¡¯t say anything back to the child. Raven¡¯s words made up the child¡¯s impression as much as it had been possible then.


    It had been a great shock to Robert, who had only met with those that gave him the upper hand. The child soon hugged Molitia with his small hands that exuded much greed.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to. Sister is mine.¡±


    No matter what it looked like, Raven tantly took another shot right at the child¡¯s face.


    ¡°Young Master is far too young to have my wife.¡±


    The child¡¯s face, horrified by the word that stated he was too young, began to tear up. While squeezing Molitia¡¯s skirt because of that spective simtion, those big eyes of his were filled with tears. And Molitia, who was unable to see that any longer, finally voiced herself out.


    ¡°What in the world are you talking about? Don¡¯t take the child¡¯s words too seriously.¡±


    Molitia reached out and lifted the child. The child¡¯s crying began subsided when she had hugged him while patting him on the back.


    The child¡¯s fern-like hand then wrapped around Molitia¡¯s neck. As he leaned against her shoulder as if to crush his soft cheeks, Molitia continued to pacify the child.


    ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The child nodded as he wiped away his tears with his small hand. The child¡¯s body dug into her a little more as Molitia stroked his head in such amendable manner.


    The child didn¡¯t forget to turn his head slightly to see Raven. Even though there were still some tears left in his eyes as they couldn¡¯t be wiped yet, his smile was unneededly there.


    As he had been in Molitia¡¯s arms once, the child hadn¡¯t known that he would have to go down after the meal was over. Perhaps she liked it herself, but the child was still stuck sitting on herp while chatting away.


    Would the weak Molitia actually be burdened¡ªRaven secretly reached out his hand, but the child was as stubborn as a mule. There was also an urrence where both the Marquis and his wife looked embarrassed as they turned their heads and rejected Raven.


    However, the adult story was ultimately boring to a child. The child who was sitting on herp while fiddling with his fingers suddenly raised his head.


    ¡°Sister, let¡¯s go out and y.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    This time, Raven was one step ahead of Molitia once again. The child¡¯s cheeks pouted like a frog when Raven tried to interrupt himself in almost everything.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say it to you, uncle. I¡¯m only asking my sister.¡±


    ¡°The wind is too strong , so you¡¯ll catch a cold if you go out in this weather.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t catch colds!¡±


    ¡°My wife is different. You should be careful since your temperature went up a little earlier.¡±


    The child¡¯s body immediately shrank at Raven¡¯s fierce words.


    ¡°Sister, are you sick¡­?¡±


    The child¡¯s eyes fluttered as he looked with much worry. Molitia just couldn¡¯t avoid the child¡¯s desire that gazed at her with such moist eyes.


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t really hurt anymore. And wouldn¡¯t it be okay to y in front of you, then?¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°¡­Whoa, then¡ªwe go together.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have toe.¡±


    ¡°Robert, as sweet as you are to your sister, you should be sweet to her husband as well.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    The child dithered a little before stepping down from Molitia¡¯s knee. He then stood in front of Raven with hesitant steps.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, uncle.¡±


    It turned out to be an honorific title, but the title of an uncle still remained the same. The silent scolding of Marquis Werner flew right in, but Robert exuded confidence.


    ¡°Is that enough, sister?¡±


    He turned his head with a straight face and led Molitia¡¯s hand. Molitia then moved after sharing what had truly happened with the others first.


    And of course, Raven followed behind her naturally. A child running around with joy and a Ducal couple trailing behind. A heart-warming smile appeared on the faces of those people who had always been holding on to the notion of an ideal family.


    For a while, people¡¯s conversation was heated with the appearance of their beautiful and sharp yet still attractive looks.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C

 Chapter 153

    Chapter 153


    It was snowing outside while being led by the child¡¯s hand. It was such a perfect evening sky, but it wasn¡¯t that dark because of the white snow all around.


    While standing on the terrace, her hand reached out. A snowke that fluttered on top of Molitia¡¯s hand was as white as her own skin. When her eyes melted in such warmth, she stared at it nkly.


    ¡°Are your eyes interested in that?¡±


    Raven put his coat over her shoulder. The warmth felt on her back drew a smile on Molitia¡¯s face.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like my eyes weren¡¯t seeing something amazing, but¡­¡±


    Molitia¡¯s eyes scanned the sky. A sensation of freezing fingertips could be felt. Regardless of the seasons, the cold that she always experienced in the County was still young at her fingertips.


    At that time, she thought that her heart would freeze over as well if her fingertips were frozen. But, it was different now. No matter how frozen her fingertips had gotten now, her heart was still warm. The warmth that caressed her from her back was keeping her heart from being frozen solid.


    Molitia squeezed her fingertips and soon she let out a wideughter.


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing that I now see snow like this with my eyes.¡±


    ¡°And it will always continue to be that way.¡±


    ¡°I guess so, right?¡±


    The two of them faced each other and smiled yfully.


    She really liked his ck eyes. His eyes looked much more transparent than the ss beads, which she had thought were murky. Then, her mind brimmed with the sensation he had on her eyes as well.


    Naturally, their breaths began intertwining between the two. Their lips were just about to bump gently into each other.


    ¡°Sister!¡±


    Robert, who came in between the two,pletely made a drop with his lips. Unlike Raven, who had a grim look on his face, Molitia faced the eyes of the child with a curved back.


    ¡°y with me, too.¡±


    ¡°So, what would you like to do?¡±


    ¡°Do you know how to make a snow fairy?¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°The Snow Fairy is a small guardian that looks like this. It¡¯s said that he gives gifts to good children with plump bodies.¡±


    ¡°Then, will you teach me? Let¡¯s make it together.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The child rubbed his eyes with his small hands. When Molitia gave her help, the snowball quickly took shape.


    ¡°I¡¯m done!¡±


    It was sloppy when the hand had been breathed and puffed at, but it still took the form of what the child had said.


    First of all, they made the eyes, nose and mouth, so it must have looked just right. Molitia, who was looking at the proud child, slowly took out a handkerchief.


    ¡°Oh my God, you¡¯ve been out here too long. You have a runny nose now.¡±


    Molitia who was busy wiping the child¡¯s face well, suddenly gotten her nose all scrunched up.


    ¡°Achoo!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what you should be saying.¡±


    Raven gently held Molitia in his arms. Unlike before, the small body was shivering cold. Raven hugged her with his utmost all the while having such a worried look.


    ¡°Let¡¯s all go in now.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After having returned Robert safely, they headed back to their own room. Dealing with a child was physically more draining than she had thought. Molitia, who thought of just lying down for a while after washing up, soon fell asleep.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Childcare, which she thought would end on that very day, showed apletely different aspect altogether.


    Robert came to the couple¡¯s room day after day. How did he even find out about the room¡ªthe child, who appeared suddenly, was just like a little mischievous fairy.


    Whenever the child visited, Molitia had no choice but to open her eyes repeatedly after sleeping.


    The nanny bowed her head and took Robert away, but it was just for a little while. The child came to Molitia¡¯s side once again and urged her yfully.


    ¡°Sister, let¡¯s y at my secret base this time.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    When Raven didn¡¯t show up at the right time, the child¡¯s urging became much stronger. The child¡¯s behavior turned to be urgent at the thought of ying with Molitia before meeting with the scary Raven.


    ¡°I had a hard time sneaking outside.¡±


    There were more people in the hallway than before. It was all because the nobles from all over the country had arrived one after another since the party would be held tomorrow itself.


    The child¡¯s cheek pouted when Molitia¡¯s steps were dyed due to the one who greeted her whenever they saw her.


    ¡°Right, let us go a little slower, okay?¡±


    ¡°But I have to go faster so that I can y a little more.¡±


    The child then eventually led her to a deserted path. Compared to the size of the magnificent mansion, the child walked along the path that seemed a little shabby¡ªwithout being afraid at all.

 Chapter 154

    Chapter 154


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°If you go this way, you can go to the tower! That¡¯s my secret base.¡±


    The child was quite proud of his own secret base.


    ¡°You know, when you go to this secret base¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done a very good job on the Kingdom of Pornd, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Molitia stopped walking at a moment when she had heard a voice around the corner.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve also made contact with the merchant and I¡¯m all ready now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I would have let it go normally, but this time I¡¯m going to have it run a little earlier. So that they won¡¯t bother us.¡±


    Molitia quickly embraced the child, who was walking forward without knowing anything. She instinctively covered the child¡¯s mouth gently. The little child was surprised and struggled a bit, but Molitia whispered softly with her index finger on her mouth.


    Fortunately, Robert had understood Molitia¡¯s words before silencing his behavior soon.


    ¡°Now that we¡¯re ready, it¡¯s only a matter of time before the people of that kingdom make a move. There¡¯s only one part of it that¡¯s calm.¡±


    ¡°Be careful not to leave a single trace, it doesn¡¯t matter if you just take care of the people after you use them.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Keep in mind that you have to deal with it without anyone knowing at all. Especially when the Marquis knows about it.¡±


    The voice soon subsided.


    Did they leave? She stood there and waited a while, but she could no longer hear them talking.


    Molitia carefully stuck her head out with the child still hidden behind her back. The people who were talking around the corner had already disappeared.


    Who was that? From the conversation straight up to the scene where they were talking carefully. Everything was utterly suspicious¡ªevery single one.


    Molitia slowly turned towards Robert.


    ¡°Did you see the person they were talking to earlier?¡±


    The innocent child shook his head.


    ¡°Does that voice sound familiar?¡±


    He shook his head once more. When she had gotten the same answer, Molitia sighed deeply.


    ¡°Then, Robert, you have no idea what they were doing earlier?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I heard that it¡¯s cold here and no one uses it. So, I found it for the first time and made it into my secret base.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t peoplee?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they don¡¯t. I often came here when I hid because I didn¡¯t want to study!¡±


    Molitia¡¯s face stiffened at Robert¡¯s words.


    It was a ce where even the servants had rarely visited.


    If Robert hadn¡¯t stumbled upon this path, it would have been a thoroughly neglected ce. Even those who knew theyout of the Marquis¡¯ wouldn¡¯t even know.


    ¡°Sister?¡±


    At the tug of her skirt¡¯s hem, Molitia quickly escaped from her mind. The eyes of that child, who was all still innocent, simply rolled around.


    ¡°Oh, nothing. Shall we head back to the room?¡±


    ¡°What? Why? We¡¯ll get to the secret base in just a little while!¡±


    Oozing with regret, the tug on her skirt¡¯s hem became a little stronger. Molitia patted his head as if to soothe his disappointment, before bending herself towards the child.


    ¡°Right by now, people might be anxiously looking for Robert, who had disappeared all of a sudden.¡±


    ¡°Hmm! Otherwise, I can¡¯te out at all. I want to y outside, but they keep telling me to just y in my room.¡±


    The child heaved proudly with his arms crossed. He looked up straight¡ªjust like a Young Master.


    ¡°But you should¡¯ve informed them. I¡¯m sure the maid is worried and looking around like yesterday. Robert, do you like it when she¡¯s having a hard time?¡±


    The child¡¯s head sank when he said quietly. Even yesterday, the child wiggled his hand as if he remembered that his maid was looking for him with beads of sweat all over her.


    ¡°¡­¡­no.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go and get the right permission. I¡¯lle with you and tell them as well.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    The sullen eyes of that child quickly regained their vitality once again.


    ¡°If you let me know, I might give you permission with me too!¡±


    ¡°I promise. So, let¡¯s go back to the room.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    She held the small hand of the child who was smiling brightly. She wanted to get out of there as soon as possible.


    She swiftly nced behind her back and soon stepped forward.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Molitia¡¯s mouth had widened naturally.


    Her eyes, which were already sleepy, moved quite stiffly. It always felt like this after ying with Robert. A condition in which one¡¯s energy was already too depleted to do anything.


    As her mind tried pulling herself desperately in order to get to the bed, she tugged at the doorknob.

 Chapter 155

    Chapter 155


    ¡°Where have you been?¡±


    She soon saw her husband who was sitting, through her slow-moving eyes. The talk with the Marquis seemed to be over. Moliti pushed her eyes out of the sleepiness.


    ¡°Young Master Robert came and yed for a while.¡±


    ¡°Again?¡±


    Raven¡¯s forehead creased a little. Molitia immediately made a quick excuse.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have anyone around the same age. It¡¯s hard to y games.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s no reason for you, yourself, to y with him.¡±


    ¡°When the party¡¯s over, I¡¯m going back to the Duchy anyway. So, it¡¯s okay to y until then. How bored he must have been all alone by himself.¡±


    Maybe because she remembered spending her own childhood alone? Molitia was used to strangely care about people who were alone. Raven sighed deeply before lifting his hand.


    ¡°Come here, Molitia.¡±


    He reached for his approaching wife before making her sit on hisp. She had worn severalyers of thick clothes, but still had a lightweight sensation pressed against his thigh.


    ¡°When will you y with your husband if you¡¯re only ying with him?¡±


    ¡°After dinner, youpletely monopolize me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not enough at all. You know yourself, your husband is very greedy.¡±


    ¡°Please stop that greed from leaving the Duchy entirely.¡±


    Molitia grumbled, drawing a smile naturally at the corners of Raven¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I can¡¯t even make that as an agreement.¡±


    He yfully stuck his lips in her hair. When his touch that was pressing against her neck started sweeping across her back, her smile burst out¡ªtickled.


    As he slid down her round forehead, his lips then rested on her eyelids. The lips, which were kissing her trembling eyelids, flowed downwards as if they were drawing a particr trajectory.


    Her lips were already chapped a little. The saliva then gently melted the wet pair of lips. He was trying to make up for what he hadn¡¯t seen for that short time with a loving kiss.


    Molitia¡¯s eyes then looked at him as the gap between lips widened, albeit with a slightly urging sound.


    ¡°Raven.¡±


    Raven¡¯s eyes met hers. His ck hair swished across his forehead with a soft rustle.


    ¡°¡­I met a strange man.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, he let go from touching her face. The eyes that had been gently loosened turned bitter all of a sudden.


    ¡°What do you mean, a strange man?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see him really, but I heard the conversation and he mentioned the Kingdom of Portan.¡±


    He paused at the name of that particr kingdom. He had also been called to the Marquis just in time to talk about the Kingdom of Portan. Was it just a coincidence? The timing was too amazing to be called a coincidence, though.


    ¡°Where did you hear that?¡±


    ¡°From the west tower. Young Master Robert said it was a long time since no one had used it.¡±


    ¡°How many people do you think were there?¡±


    ¡°Back then, I only heard around two people talking.¡±


    Molitia recalled the scene and told the story the way she heard. She didn¡¯t hear much, but it still contained a lot of information. Raven looked even more serious as he heard her talking.


    ¡°¡­would he be one of the guests of the Marquis?¡±


    He shook his head at Molitia¡¯s careful words.


    ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee it. It could just be a precaution against anyone who was listening, or the Marquis himself could be secretly working on it.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s a possibility that the Marquisate has been divided into several factions.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t really confirm who it is yet, but it¡¯s the same thing that we have to put everyone on the suspect list.¡±


    Raven¡¯s eyes slowly turned downward. His wife¡¯s lips were pouted a little¡ªperhaps because she was already lost in thought. That small forehead of hers was surely to be in thought for him.


    Raven swept her hair and patted her forehead gently. Raven then grabbed her by the shoulder as she locked him in her eyes.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    Perhaps this would serve as a clue to everything that had been lost in the air. But what was more important had been the safety of his own wife.


    ¡°You should not leave the room until the party. Even if you have to go out, you should always be attended to by a maid.¡±


    ¡°Would it be better to walk together even in the hall, then?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Raven couldn¡¯t easily let go of his worries despite his wife¡¯s gentle nod.


    ¡°This is not the Duchy. Furthermore, new people keeping in because of the party that will be held soon. No one knows who¡¯sing in all this mess.¡±


    If this ce was a battlefield, we might be able to ovee the crisis just by cutting down everyone in the way. It was morefortable for those who showed their intention clearly rather than for those who concealed themselves in this way.


    You never know when, where, or what would actually happen. That fact had pressed on Raven¡¯s chest heavily.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be in any danger.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to think about the Marquis as well. I need to know for sure if he¡¯s truly involved in this or not.¡±


    ¡°Take care of yourself, too.¡±


    ¡­who? Who? Ravenughed before pinching her nose lightly.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got too many trifling worries.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you.¡±


    His forehead loosened since she was cute in responding by rubbing the back of his nose instead.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s both be careful with others.¡±


    Sadly, her words began fizzling out. This was due to Molitia, who was already exhausted, startedying on the bed and had no time to go out then.


    Raven, on the other hand, had stepped up the security surrounding her. Since he was still at the Marquis¡¯, there was practically nothing he could have done, but no one could say anything about cing the troops whom he had brought along right before their own door.


    Raven then took advantage of this point to inspect every single person who passed by. Even Robert, who hade to y with Molitia, was stopped right at the door.


    With less work to do under Raven¡¯s strict protection, she spent more time lying in bed and sleeping. Other than that, she read, sewed and sewed some more while her head kept tilting to every side.


    ¡®Ah.¡¯


    Molitia opened her eyes to the sharp touch of a needle that was stabbing her fingertip. A sigh leaked from her mouth when she realized that was dozing off without even noticing it at all.


    She didn¡¯t know why but she had been so sleepy these days. She thought that she already had enough sleep at night, but she still found herself falling asleep.


    Despite being with Raven this morning, she just couldn¡¯t resist the rush of sleepiness and slept away.


    Molitia¡¯s eyes, which had been pondering, became much thinner. Her hand then naturally went to wrap around her lower abdomen.


    ¡°Am I¡­?¡±


    Recently, she remembered that she hadn¡¯t been getting her period. Due to her weak body, she was used to having her period skipped from time to time.


    No way.


    ¡®¡­¡­is our child alive in here?¡¯


    A child that would be born looking like them. The joy of imagining it was so overwhelming that her stomach felt bubbling away.


    ¡°You can¡¯t even have any children.¡±


    At that moment, her shoulders immediately shrank at the loud voice ringing inside her head. Due to her thin body, her father used to brainwash her while shouting at her mercilessly.


    She would never be able to bore children. Molitia was feeling slightly vague as well.


    Her body could not have any children. Born to be too weak, it was hard to conceive anything.


    Molitia lowered her hand, which was still wrapped around her belly. It might just be a useless idea. She didn¡¯t know when it would start again and as if it was nothing, it wasn¡¯t just once or twice that she had gotten irregr periods. In addition, the symptoms were just too poor.


    She didn¡¯t want to have any unnecessary excitement. Molitia quickly shook her head and lifted her sewing once again. As soon as the party was held tomorrow, this stay at the Marquis¡¯ would alsoe to an end.


    If the symptoms still persisted in the Duchy, it wouldn¡¯t be toote to call for the doctor in order to be diagnosed.

 Chapter 156

    Chapter 156


    Marquis of Werner (2)


    In contrast to Raven¡¯s concerns, time had gone by smoothly right up to the day of the party itself.


    ¡°We were the ones who had been decorating it, but it¡¯s so pretty, Madame!¡±


    Lili, who was wrapping up on the skirt, expressed her admiration one after another. She had no idea that twinkling sparkles would be oozing from Molitia herself.


    On the other side, Pillen¡¯s hand, which was finishing up on her hair, suddenly fell off right after cing the jewelry for thest time. The Madame¡¯s figure that was reflected in the mirror was akin to a fairy itself.


    Starting from her neck, a thin cloth had wrapped around her shoulders as it fluttered. The shape of the cloth that wound up along her fine line had resembled that of a fairy¡¯s wings.


    The dress was incredibly simr to her silver hair as it unveiled her curvy figure. Someces had also been added to her chest, which were suitably pinned onto her body using a soft frame, in order to prevent much of her skin from bing too revealing.


    It was a dress designed to appear tight, but Pillen showed her utmost support at that moment in time. She immediately changed that sentiment by adorning some essories which fluttered down from her neck.


    The gems had decorated her chest just like corsages blossoming right in the middle of her breastbone.


    A simple and neat design. Those silver locks of hers that wreathed out on top of her was enough to generously unveil her allure.


    Pillen had always beenining about Lili¡¯s excessive admiration, however she just couldn¡¯t help but to share her own thoughts with others for today.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that no one else is as beautiful as Madame for today.¡±


    At that glimmer of praise, Molitia ced her hand on her cheek. The maid had ground the dried roses and powdered them finely before dusted them softly across her cheeks.


    ¡°If I¡¯m to be praised then, I¡¯m certain that everything is all thanks to you.¡±


    ¡°What do you even mean? It¡¯s definitely thanks to My Lady who has incredible taste in fashion. The more I¡¯ve prepared, the more rewarding I could feel.¡±


    Finally, Lili slipped the butterfly ornaments into her hair. It was a rare scene where she soon appeared to have settled down, fascinated by the silver flowers that had bloomed beautifully.


    ¡®She¡¯s my Madame yet she is extremely ravishing!¡¯


    Lili just couldn¡¯t contain her satisfaction. She wanted to hold Her Lady¡¯s hand while spreading rumors all around the neighborhood.


    ¡°Madame, please be careful of the cold at all times.¡±


    As a finishing touch, Pillen then draped a shawl around her. Molitia smiled at the presence of the soft cloth that had enveloped her arms warmly¡ªright from her shoulders.


    ¡°I will.¡±


    When she opened the door of the dressing room after finishing up first, Raven, who was patiently waiting, turned his eyes. His eyes immediately widened for a moment¡ªstiffly.


    ¡°Raven?¡±


    ¡°Shall I call off my words and inform them that I¡¯m no longer attending the party?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    He slowly approached her puzzled self before embracing Molitia closely. The subtle scent of roses had tickled the tip of his nose.


    ¡°It is such a waste for me to show you to the others.¡±


    The sheer skirt that fluttered from her waist had furtively revealed her silhouette whenever she moved her legs. It was a design with an image of a long stretch pair of legs.


    There was no absolute way that a more beautiful person could gravitate to his eyes. Raven whispered softly all the while suppressing his jealousy that was just about to burst open.


    ¡°I just want to carry you to my room and have you all to myself.¡±


    A hot waft of breath brushed against her exposed neck. Molitia, who was aware that his yful words were spoken rather half-heartedly, immediately blushed before pushing away his chest.


    ¡°I¡¯ve alreadye all the way here. What are you even talking about? If we don¡¯t go, the Marquis will be disappointed.¡±


    ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll leave you be¡ªfor now.¡±


    Raven gracefully withdrew himself. He raised his hand, which was still fiddling along her waist, before touching under her ear.


    ¡°Instead, I will return back quickly after today, so that I can go and enjoy my vacation thoroughly. I want to spend the whole day with you alone¡ªwithout leaving the room at all.¡±


    A smile spread across Raven¡¯s mouth as Molitia grumbled at the end of his unabashed appeal.


    ¡°Let us go, My Lady.¡±


    Her hand then rested on top of his. The party was held at a separate annex of the mansion. Starting from those who had arrived beforehand, the carriages were already crowding at the door amidst those who had just reached on that day.


    The party was truly utilizing the harsh weather. While the surroundings were carved in snow and ice, the chandelier had been embroidered in half using the special minerals that could only be found in this area.


    The party was supposed to unravel the financial status of the said aristocrat. However, today¡¯s party was so spectacr that it would absolutely offset the rumors of those financial difficulties.

 Chapter 157

    Chapter 157


    A subtle yet cheerful song was resonating in the hall. On the dance floor itself, people were already dancing gently while blooming such colorful flowers whenever they drew their steps.


    ¡°The Duke and Duchess of Linerio will now enter!¡±


    The voice of the person who eventually confirmed the identity of the couple began to ring out loudly. Molitia, who joined her hands with Raven, then entered the hall.


    At that particr moment, the eyes of everyone at the party started turning towards them. Even those who were far away had been able to see their faces from such a distance.


    This was the first time that the two of them had been together in a public event. The rtionship of the couple, which had been extensively rumored out, was definitely enough to attract everyone¡¯s attention.


    What was actually true within such a dense rumor? Even though it had already been a while since the two of them entered the hall, the concentrated attention to them was not abating easily.


    ¡°Duchess!¡±


    The first one who approached the couple was Countess Burbelin. It was one of the people whom she had be acquainted with while staying at the Marquis¡¯ and she was approaching her with a wide smile.


    ¡°You must know how to perform magic in order to be even much prettier than yesterday. You¡¯re absolutely stunning.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ttered to hear that.¡±


    ¡°No way. I¡¯m sure that most of the people here would be looking at you while thinking about it. The Duchess appeared just like the white snow.¡±


    Anyone who had seen the snow over here could not help but to think of it at least once. She seemed to have walked straight out of the snow, owing as much as the bright moonlight.


    Molitia didn¡¯t really dislike the Countess who was still rambling away as she smiled softly.


    ¡°And so is the Countess today. Especially that glittering ne on your neck seems to enhance the Countess¡¯s beauty even further.¡±


    ¡°Do I really look like that?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I was blinded by your dazzling beauty for a moment there.¡±


    A returnpliment would always please people, even if it was just a mere reply. A sense of joy immediately sailed across Countess Burbelin¡¯s face.


    ¡°I can now see why the Duke wishes to go home every single day.¡±


    Raven shed an indifferent smile towards Countess Burbelin¡¯s yfulness. He responded to the Countess¡¯s words by enveloping Molitia¡¯s waist instead.


    ¡°The Marquis Werner and his wife will now enter!¡±


    It was then when the two pairs of couples had been in a full bloom. The final appearance of the Marquis Werner couple had resulted in a brief pause in the music.


    The congrattory speech for the people to enjoy the party was not that long. The couple, who didn¡¯t wish to ruin the pleasant atmosphere of the party, quickly asked the music to be resumed.


    Bright and cheerful music began permeating the hall. The focused attention was eventually interrupted and the sounds of their own stories hade into y.


    Molitia turned herself to the Marquis¡¯s heir as there were already a lot of people crowding around the Marquis couple.


    And Arjan was there while holding onto her own ce next to them as if it was all natural. Along with Ferdinand, she was smiling as wide as she was already the Marquis¡¯s wife.


    As the wedding was just around the corner, it was clear that the Marchioness had nned on introducing Arjan to the others. Whenever people burst intoughter, Arjan¡¯s fine eyes would fold about.


    Despite the amiable atmosphere, Molitia didn¡¯t even have the will to walk over. However, it would then be rude to leave the party without showing their faces to the party organizers themselves.


    ¡®Let¡¯s just say hello and get it over with soon.¡¯


    Molitia then led along Raven¡¯s hand. She was not alone and Raven had already been next to her. Realizing where she was heading to, Raven sped onto her hand even harder.


    ¡°Marchioness Werner.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Duke of Linerio¡ªand the Duchess as well.¡±


    Marchioness Werner, who had recognized Molitia, appeared utterly pleased.


    ¡°You¡¯ve turned out to be so pretty that I couldn¡¯t recognize you for a second there¡ªalthough you¡¯ve always been gorgeous. Are you enjoying the party?¡±


    ¡°What a beautiful party. It¡¯s such a pity that I¡¯ve never been able to attend back in the past.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m truly d to hear that the party seems to be in the Duchess¡¯s favor. I paid some special attention this year, so let¡¯s all enjoy it.¡±


    Arjan then came into Molitia¡¯s eyes, where she greeted her lightly. Arjan was still behind the Marchioness while looking at her as she remained still.


    Molitia then lowered her eyes when a light touch of a hand had tugged her skirt. There it was; Robert, whose hand was over his hair, as she looked back on his face.


    ¡°Sister, I think you¡¯re very pretty today.¡±


    ¡°Robert looks really cool today as well.¡±


    The child seemed to be aware of the current location since he was acting rather stiff as he appeared much more mature than usual. The child¡¯s face, which had been tensing up all this while, instantly turned rxed at Molitia¡¯s words.

 Chapter 158

    Chapter 158


    ¡°Really? More than the Duke himself?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Molitia¡¯s eyes sneaked a nce at Raven. As she looked at him, who was currently talking to the Marquis, she bent herself down.


    The longer the whispers had gotten into Robert¡¯s ears, the brighter the child¡¯s face had be. By the time Molitia had straightened her back, the child was already beaming.


    ¡°What were you saying?¡±


    Right at Raven¡¯s sudden voice, she turned her head. Raven, who first thought that she might be talking to the Marchioness, was already stroking Robert¡¯s head¡ªbefore he knew it.


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t really tell you since it¡¯s a secret between the two of us.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a secret¡ªfrom my sister.¡±


    Robert, who dismissed Raven¡¯s hand, was saying it proudly. He slightly flinched at Raven¡¯s expression at first, but the child soon overcame his fear by holding onto Molitia¡¯s hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Young Master, who had never followed Young Lady Clemence¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Duchess Linerio has just arrived here? It¡¯s amazing to see that they¡¯ve already be so close.¡±


    The people around her were busy buzzing about the special rtionship between the two of them. Even Arjan, who had already been here for such a long time, still couldn¡¯t win Robert¡¯s favor and was merely hanging around. Meanwhile, the exceptional rtionship between Molitia and Robert had unveiled a much more stark contrast.


    Arjan clenched her fist tightly until her fingertips that were still holding onto the fan had grown all white. Then, Molitia slowly began to rub her throbbing temple. It was surprisingly tiring to deal with such arge crowd.


    She had to be aware of the keen meaning behind those words that intruded monotonously, so she couldn¡¯t help but to get tired from all that tension.


    ¡°Are you all right, Molitia?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ve just had a slight headache for a while now.¡±


    ¡°Shall we return to the room?¡±


    Molitia shook her head helplessly. Today was already the final day. It was a party that woulde to an end if she were just to hang in there for a little while longer. She didn¡¯t want to leave a party that had been organized carefully by the Marquis only because she was merely a little tired.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine once I take some rest at the lounge for a bit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯lle with you.¡±


    Raven slowly made her head lean against his shoulder. His eyes that were requesting people¡¯s understanding while moving forward ever so carefully then turned towards Molitia¡ªsolely.


    The lounge was located a little further away from the party. Was it due to the fact that it was rather far away? Since there was no one else at the lounge. With the help of a maid who guarded the door, air began flowing all through the lounge.


    ¡°Whoa.¡±


    A slight puff leaked from her mouth, where she was seated at the corner. Thanks to the fact that she had been nibbling the cold breeze as soon as she arrived, a bit of a clear set of mind had spread through her head.


    Even the narrow windows and the terrace itself that was connected to the lounge were not even visible due to the thick windows.


    ¡°This reminds me of the first time we met each other.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Raven¡¯s eyes squinted at Molitia¡¯s mysteriously indistinct words.


    ¡°Do you remember that it was the first time you ever saw me and how you asked me to make love to you? It was absolutely shocking¡ªin many ways.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Can we not talk about it then?¡±


    Ultimately, Molitia could no longer contain her shame as she covered her cheeks with both of her hands.


    ¡°Why? It was amusing.¡±


    Raven nudged her around andughed.


    ¡°When you recklessly asked me to bed you, I really thought you knew¡ªwho I was, why I was there.¡±


    ¡°If I had known about it, I would have already run away as soon as I saw you.¡±


    ¡°And look for someone else?¡±


    ¡°No way. I¡¯m sure that I would¡¯ve gone home then. Raven, you were the only one who approached even when I was the only one shivering out there. Everyone else was busy enjoying the banquet.¡±


    No one had ever cared about herself. She was Count Clemence¡¯s daughter, but none of them approached her, who had been infamous merely for her ailing body.


    And that was what she had expected. Without Arjan, she was nothing but just a Young Lady of a mere County.


    At that exact moment, he came along.


    His eyes were fierce but not that cold as he had approached her with a typical remark, which stated that she looked cold. Couldn¡¯t he see that it was already enough?


    ¡°Home¡ªha. Did you really think that I¡¯d let you go?¡±


    Raven then took a seat next to Molitia. Speaking of which, he remembered her again for the first time.


    It was a delicate quality to stay hidden behind such a bold and provocative remark. She, who could only stand at that moment, immediately made eye contact. In fact, she confronted him as well as not avoiding him along with those cold, pure eyes. Perhaps it was from that day onwards, he had already been interested in her.

 Chapter 159

    Chapter 159


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that a fleeing prey is much more tempting, Molitia. It wasn¡¯t just a coincidence that you had entered into my eyes that day¡ªbut a necessity.¡±


    ¡°Then, it was truly inevitable when I asked you to sleep with me.¡±


    He caressed her gentle smile with his thumb. Her lips were then smeared softly against the tip of his finger.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Raven¡¯s head turned slightly soon after. Naturally, it was the precise moment when his mouth eventually met with hers.


    ¡°Duke Linerio, someone is looking for you.¡±


    It was the voice of a maid who was guarding the door of the said lounge. Raven withdrew his lips from Molitia¡¯s with such regretful eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°The Marquis is looking for you. They will be having a discussion in regards to the Kingdom of Portan.¡±


    Raven¡¯s expression tensed up for a moment. Molitia¡¯s eyes turned towards him as even his fingertips, which were still holding onto her cheeks, had ultimately be stiff as well.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s quite important. So, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be alone.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a maid guarding the door of the lounge. If anything were to happen, I¡¯ll definitely call for your help right away.¡±


    Molitia straightened her lips softly.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be over in just a moment.¡±


    Even though she was absolutely right, Raven still wasn¡¯t giving in. An unexpected sense of anxiety was engulfing him entirely.


    If they knew this would actually happen, they wouldn¡¯t have agreed to wait outside the banquet hall itself. He had btedly regretted it, but it was already toote.


    ¡°Duke, it¡¯s urgent and I am to bring you back as soon as possible¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop. I¡¯ll be right there. So, be quiet.¡±


    That cold voice, which seemed to have been frosted over, eventually stopped talking. The frightened servant was instantly chased right out the door.


    A sigh was emitted right through the temples. Her slightly cold hands went on top of his fist. Raven¡¯s fierce eyes turned rxed, albeit barely, by the soothing touch at the back of his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. So, don¡¯t go anywhere and just rest here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will.¡±


    Raven halted after a few steps before looking back at her. She appeared exceptionally small over there while sitting quietly in the lounge.


    Only after Molitia had waved did Raven finally leave the lounge. When the door eventually closed and aplete silence permeated the air, Molitia covered her mouth with her own hands.


    ¡°Haah.¡±


    The somnolence that she had been enduring returned instantly. Molitia then leaned her head against the wall.


    ¡®Wait a minute¡­¡¯


    Her cold body had shrunk from all that sleepiness. Molitia then crumpled up her legs before settling her feet on the chair. Her body waspletely hidden behind thatrge pir as soon as her dangling feet had climbed onto the chair.


    It wasn¡¯t quite an aristocratic demeanor, but she wondered what it would feel like if no one was there. The corner that she had found during the time she was scared when she was still young had already been ingrained in her body, which ultimately gave herfort.


    Molitia¡¯s heavy eyelids soon closed themselves and her head began leaning against the pir helplessly.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Betty¡ªthe maid who was guarding the door¡ªstarted yawning as if she was currently struggling with boredom. Meanwhile, as soon as she sensed a slight movement, she quickly arranged herself back again.


    However, the person who came into the lounge was unexpectedly a maid whom she was working with.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    A person was looking around rather carefully in front of Betty who tilted her in response, before she whispered to her quietly.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it tiring? Take a break. I¡¯ll watch over here.¡±


    ¡°What? But the maid said that we shouldn¡¯t leave our designated ces at all for today. She also said that she¡¯d punish me severely if I¡¯m caught neglecting my duties.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of people who¡¯re using the break room anyway. No one would really notice if you go there for a while.¡±


    ¡°Should we?¡±


    Luna nodded towards Betty, who truly looked tempted.


    ¡°Of course. Just take a break. You must¡¯ve eaten nothing yet, so make sure to eat some food.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    As soon as Betty had disappeared, Luna surveyed around a little before opening the door of the lounge. There was no sign of any activity in that quiet lounge even though she had already looked through it.


    Luna then walked towards another hallway where Betty had disappeared.


    ¡°¡­there¡¯s no one here.¡±


    ¡°Have you checked thoroughly?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Luna¡¯s words eventually revealed the ones who were hiding their presence within the dark. Subsequently, Luna bent her head even more right after seeing Ferdinand.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C

 Chapter 160

    Chapter 160


    Molitia¡¯s eyes grew wide open at the rather violent sound of the door creaking open apanied by a boorish step. It was at that moment when her impression turned to a frown upon the sharp click of a heel.


    ¡°Did anyone notice anything on the way in?¡±


    Molitia held her breath at the unfamiliar tone of voice.


    Who was that?


    It was too discreet to be the voice that belonged to one of the attendees.


    ¡°No way. Thanks to you, I was able to hide at the party without anyone doubting me at all.¡±


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect this to go so smoothly. You don¡¯t know how reliable it was to be able to obtain cooperation. If it wasn¡¯t for you, I might be seeing blood already for today¡ªat the very least.¡±


    ¡°We have to do well since all of us have something to do with one another.¡±


    Unlike his loudughter, Molitia was busy contemting. These stories that she heard were all contents that she couldn¡¯t evenugh at all.


    ¡°How far are you prepared?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all over. It¡¯s now time to start a sensation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to devour them slowly. The Kingdom, the Empire.¡±


    When a simr story had been told in the hallway, Molitia immediately covered her mouth with her hands.


    She just couldn¡¯t believe that they¡¯re nning on devouring the Empire or even a kingdom. Every story that she heard was too bewildering for her to handle.


    Who could actually do this without fear at all? The more she had heard, the closer they seemed to have gotten to treachery.


    The words from those who told the story just like it was a joke were utterly ridiculous.


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha, you¡¯re very wee. It would have been hard if it wasn¡¯t for you though.¡±


    ¡°This kind of sacrifice is always necessary for a cause. Isn¡¯t that right, Ferdinand?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    She breathed in at a familiar name. Molitia¡¯s body instantly trembled¡ªregardless of her own will.


    She thought that it was a rather familiar voice. It was so familiar to her that she couldn¡¯t even think of anyone anymore.


    ¡®¡­Arjan.¡¯


    The voice that was calling out for Ferdinand must have been Arjan¡¯s.


    The hand that had been covering her mouth was gradually losing its strength. Her shuddering body wasn¡¯t something that she was able to control. As if she tried hiding her whole body, she leaned towards the wall as close as possible.


    However, why didn¡¯t she think of minding the essories that were pinned on her head?


    Click.


    An adornment set of butterflies that had been decorating her hair hit a pir before falling onto the floor.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    It had just been a faint sound, but the waves it carried were strong. At the same time it went astir, a sharp voice had shaken the lounge.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hide there like a rat and get out here!¡±


    No, Molitia¡ªyou had to think properly. As he stepped even closer to the side, Molitia immediately shut her eyes before standing from her seat.


    ¡°Oh, Arjan? And the Young Master as well¡ªwhat are you doing here?¡±


    Astounded by Molitia¡¯s sudden appearance, Ferdinand straight away paused at her calm words.


    ¡°¡­is something wrong with you, Duchess Linerio?¡±


    A peculiar voice. Molitia tilted her head in response to the act of looking at her.


    ¡°I was just taking a break since I was a bit tired, but I fell asleep unintentionally due to the warmth. If I had known there¡¯d be a lot of people, I wouldn¡¯t have shown my dozing off like that.¡±


    ¡°¡­You just woke up?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±


    Ferdinand clearly showed signs of agitation at her words.


    ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t hear anything then?¡±


    ¡°Which one might you be talking about?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not really a big deal, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°May I leave you alone, then? I¡¯m not feeling that well, so I think I should take some rest in my own room.¡±


    ¡°Please do.¡±


    Her face had long turned white starting from her forehead. No one would have doubted that appearance could just fall down if they were to tap her even once.


    Molitia then stepped away from Ferdinand, who had walked to the side. The door of the lounge that was in front of her appeared to be far away. Please, please¡ª


    Molitia was struggling to smile as she nodded to the two of them. It was at that moment when she was trying to lift her head along with her hair fluttering down to her ear.


    And Arjan had snatched her arm away. The golden pair of brilliant eyes were fixated on her.


    ¡°Arjan?¡±


    ¡°Hey, did you hear them all?¡±


    Her heart immediately felt like it was sinking¡ªas though a sinister feeling akin to having one¡¯s heart utterly crushed. Molitia tried to ignore the cold sensation that was spreading from her fingertips before raising the corners of her mouth.


    ¡°What are you talking about, Arjan?¡±


    ¡°I forgot for a moment there that my sister who left home had already be rather brazen now.¡±


    Arjan then raised her taut lips.


    ¡°But I guess, you really can¡¯t hide your habits. You always touch your hair with those hands of yours whenever you lie.¡±


    Molitia stopped moving her finger. She was really touching her hair at that moment.


    That was undeniably her mistake. She still remembered how her body had always slumped in front of Arjan over the years. Fear and anxiety¡ªa trifle habit which she had long forgotten was the one that caught her by the ankle.


    ¡°No way. I was just arranging my hair. I think you¡¯re just being oversensitive to such coincidences.¡±


    ¡°It will only be a coincidence if it was just once or twice.¡±


    ¡°I agree as well. No matter how much she had heard, she would still know it if she noticed the vibe anyway.¡±


    As she felt that thing had gone awry, Molitia forcibly twisted her wrist.


    ¡°Arjan, let go of me. I didn¡¯t hear it at all¡ªtruly.¡±


    ¡°Why is it me? I can¡¯t let you go, sister. My dream is no longer far off. I can¡¯t let myself be distracted with any kind of possibility.¡±


    There was a strange gleam in Arjan¡¯s eyes. Her hand was still clutching strongly onto Molitia¡¯s white wrist that it had left a red line onto it.


    It was a disaster. The atmosphere was getting much worse for Molitia.

 Chapter 161

    Chapter 161


    There were only a few steps left to the door. Even Ferdinand¡¯s eyes had turned fierce before boring a hole into her. He was gazing alternately between the door and Molitia with those anxious eyes.


    ¡°Damn it, damn it! I never expected it to get this sloppy at the end.¡±


    ¡°Ferdinand.¡±


    Ferdinand¡¯s movements immediately stopped at Arjan¡¯s gesture. Her red lips fluttered into Ferdinand¡¯s ear as he hesitated greatly.


    As her red lips stopped moving, Ferdinand continued to straighten his waist. His anxiety was tenacious and his face was rather sullen, yet his waist was all upright.


    It was then the people of the kingdom who started getting nervous at Ferdinand¡¯s suddenly calm demeanor.


    There was not much time left before what they had been hoping for began. However, it still needed to take these two men in front of them¡ªthe people of the Empire¡ªto finish it all off.


    If these two were to change their stance all of a sudden when the goal wasn¡¯t that far off had brought the idea that everything might revert back in vain eventually sparked the fire.


    ¡°What are you going to do about this? I never said that we¡¯d be the ones making all the arrangements here!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very disappointed that you¡¯ve ruined this. Now, we just have to go through it even if something goes wrong again.¡±


    Despite all those loud shouts, Ferdinand was apparently calm. He remained rxed as he drew a mysterious smile.


    ¡°Young Master! Don¡¯t you dare think that you¡¯ve forgotten our agreement¡­¡±


    ¡°Loud¡ªI just came up with a good n.¡±


    ¡°A good n. Is there any different method?¡±


    The faces of those from the kingdom had turned much brighter. The unexpected informal manner of speech bothered them, but if things were going rather well, that was just nothing.


    ¡°Of course, I only need a little help from the both of you.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the n? I will help you in any way if we can truly forge the deal.¡±


    He didn¡¯t mind the seemingly delighted Ferdinand and proceeded towards him. It was at that precise moment when Ferdinand touched his waist before smiling towards the approaching person.


    ¡°Hey, what are you¡­¡±


    He never realized that the man¡¯s mouth would be sealed shut. That man¡¯s eyes turned downwards when he had btedly noticed the changes of his body, but it was already toote. His back was arched backwards and a stiffening sensation started spreading from the tip of his hand while blood was gushing out from his mouth.


    ¡°Ker, uh¡­ ¡­¡±


    The groans of the one who got his chest pierced were cut short. His body began stiffening up at a great rate and it soon fell down helplessly.


    Ferdinand¡¯s ruthless hand didn¡¯t wait at all. His sword had already pierced through the following man before he could try to defy.


    Plus, that was even before he could defend himself. The man who got gored with the sharp sword eventually fell down after spewing out words that were no longer good enough to be called those¡ªsimr to that previous person.


    Drops of blood eventually gathered on the floor from the tip of the sword. Then, a puddle of blood began to form right by the two of them as it grew bigger and bigger, touching the tip of Molitia¡¯s toes.


    Molitia¡¯s body immediately went stiff when she saw droplets of blood started soaking the ends of her shoes. A primal sense of fear straight away ran through her whole body.


    ¡°Aaah! Somebody, anybody¡ªplease help me!¡±


    She couldn¡¯t just die like this. Even those who had agreed with him couldn¡¯t have known when that beast, which killed them already, would eventually kill her as well.


    ¡®Anyone, please!¡¯


    She truly hoped that someone would hear her. Her usual small voice had never been so loud before. Ferdinand was justughing at her as she squeezed out everyst bit of her strength.


    ¡°It¡¯s no use yelling out, Madame. There¡¯s no one out there.¡±


    She had expected it, but still, no matter how hard she bored her eyes through the door, she could not see anyone running over. Even the maid who guarded the door was not on her side.


    As the exit wasn¡¯t budging at all, Molitia bit down her lips in response.


    ¡°The Marquis will definitely be filled with grief when he sees all of this!¡±


    ¡°Haha, Dad? My father will be proud of me once everything is safely executed.¡±


    This madman. Molitia had ruptured herself with her teeth while trying to grab a hold of her mind that was already in a state of blur. The fishy taste of blood permeated in her mouth.


    At least the Marquis, himself, had nothing to do with it. This ultimately meant that Ferdinand had done it all by himself instead.


    What could one truly believe then? Molitia stole a nce at Arjan, who was still keeping a hold of her. Despite the smell of blood having pierced into her nose, Arjan was still staring at her face without a single change at all.

 Chapter 162

    Chapter 162


    ¡°These people will be the ones who have kidnapped you today.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­what?¡±


    ¡°How will the Duke react when you¡¯re dead? I¡¯m really intrigued.¡±


    Arjan smiled softly. With a powerful grip that made her wrists numb, she whispered to Molitia.


    ¡°Preciousness; on the other hand, is a weakness. Don¡¯t you want to know how far will the Duke of filthy blood run?¡±


    ¡°Arjan.¡±


    At that moment, she began to wonder if this child was the same younger sister whom she once had known. A pure smile that appeared pristine no longer. There was only a hideous smile that had been full of malice left.


    Since when did this child be like this? When she had broken that piece of pottery? Or perhaps, it was ever since the time she had started verbally abusing her very own ailing sister.


    Whatever it was, this was definitely far beyond what she could truly afford now. All the while not realizing the fact that the sin which she had already buried her hands in was currently tightening around her own neck.


    ¡°Stop everything before you¡¯ll regret it.¡±


    ¡°Regret? Why do I have to regret it?¡±


    She smiled cynically before she stoppedughing all of a sudden.


    ¡°If you had been dead, none of this would¡¯ve happened.¡±


    ¡°Last advice. Stop¡ªbefore you can no longer turn it back again. You¡¯d always me me whenever you¡¯re in danger.¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    Arjan screamed out at her.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t get it? It¡¯s all because of you that I was driven this far and now that my position has beenpromised¡ªhow can it not matter at all?¡±


    At that moment, Molitia began frowning at the prickly yet dull pain on her wrist. Blood was seeping through the tip of her nail that was sinking sharply into her wrist.


    ¡°Why are you still grabbing a hold of my ankle when you¡¯re uselessly weak? You¡¯re the one that¡¯s bad. You being alive is bad!¡±


    An utterly disillusioned voice. Just earlier, it had been an incredibly furious voice to think it belonged to Arjan, who would always think before moving calmly.


    It was actually much calmer than she had thought, rather than hearing the abusivenguage uttered by her own sister of the same blood.


    After such a long time, she felt like she could finally listen from her true self. Her honest feelings that she hadn¡¯t revealed to others. Unfortunately, Molitia had no more feelings, no more resentments and no more grief.


    But that wasn¡¯t the actual problem for now.


    There was something that she had also forgotten. If you were to get engrossed in your own anger, you would eventually lose your self-control as well.


    It was now herst chance. Molitia, who had been looking for an opening, began to push the scarcely breathing Arjan away as hard as she could.


    ¡°Kah!¡±


    Arjan, who struggled against the unexpected force, got tossed onto the floor as she missed Molitia¡¯s arm. Her dress, which had been thrown into the pool of blood, was being stained with shame as well.


    Then, Molitia started running as hard as she could. Just like the feel of her first step, Molitia continued stretching her legs as far as she could. She concentrated all of her strength right into the senses of both of her legs.


    There was not much time left until that door. As she clutched onto the ends of her dress, she reached out. If she crossed over that door¡ªif she could just cross over that door and find someone.


    ¡®Please¡ªplease, Raven¡­!¡¯


    Molitia unwittingly embraced her stomach. She couldn¡¯t afford to die like this. She wanted to feel, even if it was just a little more of this sweet happiness that she had barely found after such a very, very long time.


    Also, she had barely tasted what it was like to live like a human being. She didn¡¯t want to leave them all like this.


    ¡°You bitch!¡±


    As soon as Molitia¡¯s hand had brushed against the doorknob, Molitia felt a ray of white light was exposed in front of her eyes before a strong force struck upon the moment Molitia had touched the same doorknob.


    ¡®This is the only door that I need to open¡­¡¯


    She still tried to grab the doorknob, but it wasn¡¯t quite enough. She was caught in a grip that led her down into the dim abyss of darkness as she tumbled forward.


    * * *


    The party was still booming¡ªwithout anyone realizing what had transpired in the lounge.


    Enjoyable songs and delicious food were enough to maintain the atmosphere and the overall ambience was heated up withughter as well.


    ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that Young Lady Clemence?¡±


    A woman¡¯s fingertips unexpectedly pointed to a corner of the hallway. The eyes of others, who had gotten intrigued with the trigger, began to follow suit.


    ¡°Where have you been?¡±


    ¡°Wait, doesn¡¯t she look different from before? Something¡¯s all over her clothes¡­¡±


    When Arjan¡¯s brutal appearance hidden under the shade was finally revealed, the people who found out stopped talking at once. Even while her hair was already disheveled, she still shouted urgently.


    ¡°Haa, please save him¡­¡­! Please!¡±

 Chapter 163

    Chapter 163


    ¡°Kaah¡ªahh ahh!¡±


    The youngdy, who was near the hallway, instantly screamed when she spotted Arjan. The smell of blood on the clothes had pierced into her nose disgustingly.


    The song, which had been yed joyfully, was disrupted by the scream at that instant. Each and every single one of them were gushing down towards Arjan at once.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s wrong with her?¡±


    ¡°What the hell is going on with this party?¡±


    Arjan sank into her seat amidst the murmurs and took a quick breath. A clear stream of red blood could be seen dripping from her arms.


    ¡°Please save Ferdinand!¡±


    Arjan was shouting desperately.


    ¡°Young Lady Clemence! What the hell is going on here!¡±


    Marquis Werner, who was already briefed on the situation, quickly ran out of the room while Raven was next to him.


    Arjan began to tear up as soon as she saw Marquis Werner. And as if the tears that she had been holding back were finally pouring out, teardrops hung in her eyes.


    ¡°Huh¡ªhelp me. Please save Ferdinand.¡±


    ¡°Fer¡ªFerdinand¡­ You mean, my son?¡±


    The Marquis, who was shocked by Arjan¡¯s sudden words, murmured nkly.


    ¡°Save him, what do you mean? What the hell¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Young Lady. Please speak up. What the hell happened? What happened that you have blood all over your clothes?¡±


    When the Marquis eventually realized that she wasn¡¯t really in a state where she could respond under the difort, the person next to him quickly took over. When she hadforted Arjan on behalf of the Marquis, her intense crying fit toned down a little.


    She was crying so hard that even after she had stopped, a tense sob escaped from her mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ I was resting when a strange man in ck entered suddenly.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Ugh, in the lounge along this hallway¡­¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    It was at that moment. Raven, who was just looking through the situation, bolted out from the room.


    Raven¡¯s eyes stood sharp at the word¡ªrestroom.


    No way.


    Even though he thought that he wasn¡¯t, he just couldn¡¯t hide his suspicions at all. He was nervous. He was extremely overwrought.


    ¡°Where did you say you were just now, Young Lady?¡±


    ¡°Duke¡­¡±


    Arjan¡¯s body began shaking like a leaf once again after she had seen Raven.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­ I¡¯m so sorry. Somehow, I managed to catch him¡­¡±


    ¡°Young Lady Clemence.¡±


    ¡°My sister, Molitia¡­¡­¡±


    Raven didn¡¯t care to listen to Arjan till the end. Actually, he couldn¡¯t hear it at all.


    He turned away quickly and headed for the hallway. It was an action that took ce even before someone could put a stop to it. Neither the Marquis who had btedly regained his senses, nor Arjan who was just sprawling on the floor, could touch the end of his clothes.


    ¡°Duke Linerio!¡±


    Ignoring all those sounds that came from behind him, his steps continued to elerate themselves. At first, his legs had been walking as fast as they were rming, then they were already sprinting towards the lounge.


    There was only one thing in his head.


    Molitia¡ªhis wife.


    The long hallway had been rendered meaningless to his legs. Raven, who proceeded all the way to the restroom that was located at a distance in order to not ruin the atmosphere, was holding himself tall.


    The lounge looked absolutely miserable from the door.


    The maid was seen leaning against the door with her head lowered, all the while covered in blood. Judging from the amount of blood on the floor, it seemed like it had been a long time already.


    ¡°Molitia!¡±


    Raven stomped his foot inside without giving even a blink on the body. Another corpse was bumped into his foot, but he had no qualms to it at all.


    ¡°Hey, what the hell is this¡­¡±


    Those who btedly followed Raven were unable to speak at the dreadful scene of the lounge. He unhesitantly grabbed his nose in response to the nasty smell piercing his nose.


    Raven circled around the lounge, but Molitia was nowhere to be found. Even at the ce where she had sat with him before, she still couldn¡¯t be seen except for her hair essories.


    ¡°What about Molitia?¡±


    Raven, who finally confirmed that she was no longer there, turned around. He then strode towards Arjan, who was following him, albeit barely, under the favor of the others.


    And so far, Raven had nothing to see there. The fact that his beloved wife, Molitia, wasn¡¯t there had overturned his pair of eyes. Arjan, who had already predicted everything beforehand, was still very surprised that she began trembling.


    The pounding of his heart reminded him of a familiar past. The time before he had met Molitia¡ªthe war era, which always recorded his consecutive victories on the battlefield¡ªwas unfolding right in front of his very eyes.


    ¡°Where did Molitia go?¡±


    Arjan began to quiver as she leaned against the shoulders of others who disyed a rather chilly attitude. She just couldn¡¯t handle his gaze. Even knowing the fact that he was still unaware, Arjan felt like all of her sins were being peeled off by Raven¡¯s eye. When Arjan appeared to be trembling too much, a poor man began to step right up.


    ¡°Duke Linerio, please calm down! I fully understand your concern for her not showing up, but Young Lady Clemence didn¡¯t hurt them either!¡±


    ¡°¡­no, it¡¯s all my fault.¡±


    ¡°Young Lady Clemence.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault at all.¡±


    Those who epted Arjan¡¯s words immediately sympathized with her. Trail of tears couldn¡¯t stop flowing from Arjan¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 164

    Chapter 164


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have let him go somehow¡­ but my sister and Ferdinand were already stabbed¡­¡±


    ¡°Young Lady, calm down. How can it be the Young Lady¡¯s fault that they were caught?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to be the only one left¡­¡±


    Arjan covered her face. Her face had been paler than anyone else, which revealed the horrors that had happened in the lounge.


    ¡°What about Ferdinand? My sister, my sister¡ªshe¡¯s so frail that she cannotst long in such a harsh ce¡­¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Young Lady. You¡¯re already out of breath. Please breathe slowly.¡±


    Arjan began to breathe out slowly ording to that person¡¯s words. Every time she blew out a light breath with her trembling lips, herplexion was regained little by little.


    But all of those actions hadn¡¯t been caught by Raven¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Young Lady Clemence.¡±


    Even Arjan¡¯s pitiful appearance was disagreeable to him. He had to find his wife quickly, but he was so frustrated by her dawdling answer.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me ask me twice¡ªMolitia, where did my wife go?¡±


    ¡°Uh, you¡¯re¡­¡±


    Unlike others, Arjan bit her tongue slightly when he was still holding up a cold attitude.


    ¡°Young Lady Clemence, I want you to tell me right away¡ªwithout dragging those feet of yours.¡±


    Sympathy wasn¡¯t working for the Duke. Therefore, it was rather necessary to give away the information that she needed to hand over. Arjan then pointed her finger outward, albeit a little wobbly.


    ¡°¡­she was taken over there.¡±


    ¡°She was dragged away?¡±


    ¡°The unidentified man who knocked her out had thrown me off before dragging her away.¡±


    Raven proceeded to run again following Arjan¡¯s fingertips. As he arrived at the garden without losing a breath, he quickly took a look around.


    The white-covered garden appeared simr everywhere. The snow-covered world had obscured even the way out.


    His eyes were fixated at one ce as he turned his head and searched around. He made a quick pause in his steps before heading to the ce that was under a wall in the garden.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡±


    His eyes began scowling as he lifted the shawl with his gaze still fixed on it. It was a familiar shawl¡ªan item that he wouldn¡¯t have not recognized in the first ce.


    This shawl was a gift from Raven to Molitia, herself.


    ¡°¡­Molitia.¡±


    Raven¡¯s face was crushed terribly right into the shawl. He finally began to realize that Molitia had already disappeared.


    ¡°¡­where did she go?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t just believe what Arjan was saying. She was one of the family members who had always tormented his wife, adding more to his distrust.


    ¡°At this time of winter¡ªyou¡¯d get cold easily.¡±


    He could never believe it without seeing it with his own pair of eyes. He never imagined that she, who had always been by his side, would disappear in such a vain way like this.


    He just couldn¡¯t. Ever since the moment she appeared by his side, he thought that she would always be there next to him.


    But that belief was utterly broken for the first time. Due to one¡¯s negligence. All because of a moment¡¯s wrong choice.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    He just couldn¡¯t hide his weeping heart. For the first time ever, he realized what it was that had made him cry.


    Even when his mother had passed away in vain, he was stained with guilt and regret, which he had been unable to retain since he couldn¡¯t cry properly due to his burning hostility towards his own father.


    What did the Marquis call it before? She was more important. She was the most precious thing in the whole wide world.


    ¡°Please¡­¡±


    It would¡¯ve been nice if she were to return and whisper his name softly in his ear. Even if the tip of his nose had turned red due to the cold, he thought that he still could have managed these unstable feelings of his, albeit barely, if she appeared by his side and held his hand.


    But she hadn¡¯t returned at all. She didn¡¯t hold his hand nor did she call out his name affectionately.


    ¡®She said that she had been dragged away.¡¯


    He breathed in her faint scent before lifting his head from the shawl. His face, which had crumbled disastrously, was looking much more brutal than ever.


    I will ughter those hands of the man who took off her shawl.


    I will crush the neck of that person who had knocked her out.


    I will torture the man who dragged her off to the point of not dying just yet.


    And I will absolutely get my wife back. Raven then bit down his lips tightly.


    In his eyes, there was no longer a trace of the former Raven.


    ¡°What the hell is this list?¡±


    The voice of the aging Marquis rumbled like a thunderbolt.


    ¡°Huh? But this is the list which was obtained from my master, but¡­¡±


    ¡°My official seal is not stamped here!¡±


    The list that had been in the hands of the angry Marquis was eventually thrown towards the servant. Along with the fluttering paper, the servant¡¯s face had shown to be lost in thought.


    ¡°And who the hell are these people? I never invited anyone like this!¡±


    ¡°Well, that can¡¯t be¡­¡±


    The servant, who had already turned blue, quickly knelt down. The final cry of desperation from the person who realized that everything had gone wrong as he intuitively fell onto the floor.

 Chapter 165

    Chapter 165


    ¡°Master, this is quite unfair! I only delivered what I had received!¡±


    But the Marquis still didn¡¯t let it go. Even when he was being dragged away by the knight that was called, he was still shouting words that said, ¡®this is unfair¡¯¡ªbut the Marquis didn¡¯t blink at all.


    When the door was closed in the end after the servant had been dragged away, the Marquis took a seat with a heavy look on his face. The sudden urrences were painfully pressing on his decrepit shoulders.


    ¡°What should I do about this¡­¡±


    It had been a party that was held excessively to save the dignity of the family. It was his son¡¯s suggestion, but it hadn¡¯t been too bad as he heard of the n.


    Furthermore, there was no reason to refuse since the Count of Clemence, whom they had a marriage proposal with, was helping out as well.


    But he never expected this to happen at all. The Marquis heaved a deep sigh with a face that seemed to have aged another 10 more years. He didn¡¯t know how much resentment he would receive for this. It was really hard to gauge.


    ¡°Marquis Werner.¡±


    ¡°¡­Duke of Linerio.¡±


    After he noticed Raven, the Marquis¡¯s face turned much darker.


    ¡°I¡¯m ashamed to see you. How could I dare permit you to go through something like this at the Marquis¡¯.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem right now. I have to find my wife first and only then, we talk about it.¡±


    It was a rather blunt remark, but he could clearly see what was going on the inside. The Marquis sighed as he recalled the rumors of the Duke¡¯s love for his wife, which had already propagated widely.


    ¡°Okay, sure.¡±


    He grabbed a hold of his throbbing head. After what had transpired unexpectedly, Marquis Werner was facing an unprecedented headache.


    ¡°Marquis Werner, employ the Marquis¡¯ knights to keep anyone from leaving this ce.¡±


    ¡°Are you asking me to block the entrancepletely?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s words had made the Marquis hesitant. He really wanted to do it if he could. It would be great to find the criminal before things escted even more.


    However, the people who had gathered here were all nobles. Even their statuses were diverse. It was clear that if they were to be locked up recklessly, he would definitely have to hear more than what he had been now.


    In addition, they might send a petition to the Marquis. The party was held in order to revive the Werner family, not to feign towards the other families. Marquis Werner¡¯s face then sharply turned dark.


    ¡°But there are still a number of other nobles here. You can¡¯t just doubt them¡­¡±


    ¡°Marquis.¡±


    With a rather chilling voice, Marquis Werner¡¯s shoulder flinched without him realizing it.


    ¡°There has been a murder. And it happened amidst so many people. We will have to catch them before this gets any bigger¡ªbut can the Marquis really handle this?¡±


    ¡°Duke! You have spoken a little too much!¡±


    The person who was just listening next to him couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and protested against Raven. However, in the eyes of the Young Duke, he could no longer speak after that.


    ¡°Or are you going to lock it down only when another victim emerges?¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re right.¡±


    The hesitating Marquis began to give a heavy nod.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just lost my son and I was confused for a moment there. I¡¯m really sorry for the inconvenience, but we will have to lock down the door.¡±


    There might have been a strong opposition from elsewhere, but this was an exception. Due to its far away location from the Imperial Pce, it was more focused towards freedom rather than being pinned under pressure.


    He was definitely afraid to receive resentment from the other nobles, but it was more terrifying if anything more than this were to happen. What had been, already happened. There should be no more of those worst things to happen.


    In addition, it had been true that he was worried about his son. He had always been such a halfwit, but he was still his own child. He had no choice but to hope that he would still be alive in this kind of situation where he couldn¡¯t have possibly known whether he was or not.


    The Marquis pressed down on his heart beforemanding the knights to execute the orders.


    ¡±It will only take a few minutes. Come on now! Let¡¯s get the driver to look around as well.¡±


    ¡°Marquis.¡±


    It was the time to allocate the people while giving out orders. One of the earlier units that was sent to investigate the surroundings was now approaching the Marquis in haste.


    ¡°I¡¯ve found this outside.¡±


    It was a broken sword that had been pushed towards the Marquis. Maybe due to the intense shock from before, but it seemed like the broken de looked rather familiar.


    ¡°Hey, this is¡­¡±


    Arjan¡¯s face immediately turned pale when she discovered the sword that was just next to him.


    ¡°This is the sword!¡±


    ¡°Clemence, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°They attacked Ferdinand and me with this very sword!¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡±


    Arjan nodded at the words of Marquis Werner.


    ¡°This sword is manufactured by the Kingdom of Portan. I could¡¯ve never forgotten it because of the unique shape of the handle that looks like the only one side of the de¡ªand this is true.¡±

 Chapter 166

    Chapter 166


    ¡°Portan¡­¡±


    The Marquis just couldn¡¯t keep up. The things that had caused trouble at the Marquis¡¯ as of recent were passing through his head.


    ¡®Was it for this purpose?¡¯


    The Marquis sank back into his seat with a sigh. His words were quickly spread among the people.


    ¡°This happened from the Kingdom of Portan¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, going to war with the kingdom will be inevitable.¡±


    ¡°Why the hell are they doing this terrible thing?¡±


    People began to get agitated. The fact that the Kingdom of Portan was being morous these days had been a rumor among the nobility.


    In fact, the Kingdom of Portan was a ce where no problems had arisen in terms of size and location. But the problem was that the Empire had been rather unstable as well.


    The sentiment of the imperfect public hadn¡¯t known of its time of outbreak and in thend that had just been swallowed, they had to keep an eye towards the civil war.


    Thanks to this, the Kingdom of Portan was able to escape the clutches of the Empire. The two countries had reached a consensus to strengthen their exchanges with each other by signing some agreements.


    If either of the countries were to break the agreement, it was just a matter of time before war would break out.


    ¡°I¡¯ve provided a lot of convenience to them!¡±


    The furious Marquis thumped the armrest. Those who were convinced by the Marquis¡¯s voice grew even more anxious.


    There were a series of reactions including the need to retaliate right now and wanting to dere war against the said kingdom as soon as it dawned. Arjan¡¯s first aid treatment was btedly tended to after a rough understanding of the current issue at hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡­ please find my sister and Ferdinand instead of tending myself¡ªplease.¡±


    Arjan refused to be treated, saying that it was now not the time for her to take care of her own body, but she looked incredibly pale with a considerable amount of blood stter.


    It was a mere scratch from a knife, but blood was oozing continuously from the wound. In the end, Arjan decided to move to another ce for treatment after being persuaded by those people around her.


    Nevertheless, there was a faint smile hanging over her face as barely trampled over people¡¯s help.


    Molitia slowly opened her eyes to the biting chill running across her cheeks.


    ¡®This is¡­¡­¡¯


    She paused as she tried lifting herself up by forcefully pried open her hazy eyes. However, she couldn¡¯t even uphold her straight posture, let alone getting up since she was all bound¡ªhands and feet.


    ¡°Awake?¡±


    The sound of bugs crawling eventually pierced her ears. As soon as she realized whose voice it was, Molitia quickly tried to open her lips.


    ¡°O, oopf!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better take no offense, Madame. I¡¯ve already kept your mouth shut anyway.¡±


    Ferdinand giggled.


    Where the hell am I? Molitia¡¯s eyes took a nce around. The dead of night made it difficult to tell the exact surroundings. All she could see under the dim light was a bunch of clutter.


    ¡°You¡¯ve always been arrogant. How do you feel now, Duchess? Why don¡¯t you look at me with contempt, still?¡±


    Even with Ferdinand¡¯s words, Molitia¡¯s eyes were kept on him. She couldn¡¯t forget those gaudy eyes that were pricking her side while didn¡¯t bat an eyelid at all.


    However, Molitia still didn¡¯t bow. Rather, she looked up sharply as she red at him.


    ¡°This bitch.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s cheek immediately spun around at the sound of rupture. Her white cheek swelled up with red scratches.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s alright to behave honorably in this situation? You earned your ce by spreading your legs anyway and now you just have to be proud of yourself!¡±


    Ferdinand, who couldn¡¯t really beat her up, began to run wild. Whenever he leaped about, the low ceiling shook slightly.


    ¡®Maybe this isn¡¯t at the Marquis¡¯?¡¯


    The surroundings were too sloppy to be called the Marquis¡¯. Unlike the house that was shaped from marble, the sensation felt on her cheek was too rough.


    ¡°You still don¡¯t understand the situation¡ªbut actually, your life is now in my hands.¡±


    Ferdinand¡¯s eyes swept all through her body as he said so. As he had thought before, her body was iparable to Arjan.


    She always mentioned how Molitia had been sick, which made her lie in bed, but she, herself, didn¡¯t seem to have developed her own body. His dirty desire was instantly fueled as he saw her soaring chest and her narrow waist.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have lost my grip¡­¡­¡±


    He had to hide here quietly until Arjan sent him a signal. In addition, it was uncertain when it would exactly be.


    ¡°Anyway, you won¡¯t have a husband to look after you anymore, so let me have some fun instead.¡±


    Ferdinand¡¯s eyes were already stained with greed when he thought of the ways to spend such a boring and lonely time as of that moment.


    She could feel it momentarily as a ck hand was suddenly reaching towards her.


    That it was dangerous. At the same time when a red light was switched on in her head, Molitia turned around. However, her front side was instantly torn apart as she twisted her body forcibly from his wicked touch.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t step away. You think there¡¯s any ce to run here?¡±


    Ferdinand, who was panting out roughly, had eyes akin to a monster. With a dirty smile drawn across his mouth, he looked at her skin as if she was already bare. That only fact was insanely creepy.


    ¡®No!¡¯


    Molitia twisted her body just like a firm horn. She wriggled her hands away when he tried grabbing her even just a little. However, her hands and feet were already tied, so she still couldn¡¯t protect her hands from getting caught at all.


    ¡°Ugh, uh!¡±


    ¡°Stay still! You¡¯re interrupting me when I¡¯m just about to undress you!¡±


    A sh of light immediately intruded her eyes. It wasn¡¯t until her head had turned once more did she tremble again in shock.


    No matter how hard Molitia tried, she just couldn¡¯t overpower a healthy adult man. Furthermore, with both of her hands and feet subdued, she couldn¡¯t even put a simple stop to it.


    ¡®No¡ªRaven, please!¡¯


    Those thirsty hands of his hadn¡¯t rxed at all. As he felt restless while he was still undressing her, he began rummaging through her curves halfway. The feeling of another person¡¯s touch that was other than Raven himself, was far beyond horrendous.


    Molitia, who eventually regained her senses when he rolled her skirt up, started squirming her body once again. As she hit his thighs, a painful groan escaped from his mouth.


    ¡°This is really¡­¡±


    Ferdinand, who couldn¡¯t withstand the fact that she had attacked him, straight away hit her in the face. When the gag that had been bitten was released from the shock, Molitia forcefully squeezed out her voice that couldn¡¯te out well.


    ¡°¡­please help me! Please, save me¡ªanyone!¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy? What are you screaming for?¡±


    ¡°Save me¡­ Oomph! Ooh!¡±


    Taken by surprise, Ferdinand quickly covered her mouth, but the sounds had already gone briskly. At the smothering touch against her breathing, Molitia propped herself up and bit down his hand.


    ¡°Argh! Can¡¯t you just stay still?¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    That was the moment when Ferdinand forced her down. Molitia¡¯s body stiffened at the sensation of something had flowed from beneath her.

 Chapter 167

    Chapter 167


    ¡°Ha, your dirty tricks won¡¯t be working now that I don¡¯t know anymore. I won¡¯t be nice to you any longer.¡±


    Ferdinand heaved a breath after Molitia seemed to have calmed down, albeit barely. He didn¡¯t know what the reason was, but it was the time to enjoy it now that she had slowly be much calmer. It was then when he grabbed a hold of her skirt with his mind full of insidious thoughts.


    ¡°What, what?¡±


    Ferdinand faltered when he saw a red spot smearing her skirt. Not only that, the color of blood was unwillingly spreading through her white underwear as well.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t even touched it yet¡­¡±


    It was that moment when Ferdinand¡¯s gibberish could no longer reach her. When the door that was seemingly closed shut had suddenly unbolted and a sh of bright light intruded, he straight away frowned at the blinding sensation.


    ¡°Urk!¡±


    And at the same time, Ferdinand was keeled over by a powerful blow on his cheek. The tingling shock was enough for him to roll around while holding his cheek painfully. After he was kept far and long from Molitia, he ultimately looked extremely ill.


    ¡°Molitia!¡±


    Raven, who didn¡¯t spare a single nce at Ferdinand, immediately approached Molitia.


    Perhaps due to the intense shock, Raven¡¯s voice was still wavering. Even after he had quickly unfastened all the ropes binding her body, Molitia wasn¡¯t conscious even to move properly¡ªjust like a broken doll.


    ¡°Molitia, are you okay?¡±


    When he saw that her cheeks were bursting in red, Raven¡¯s face immediately snapped. It hadn¡¯t been just her face. Her torn clothes and her skirt were caught as well. The bloodstains that were smudged all over her clothes drove Raven crazy.


    He was feeling so sorry that he no longer knew what to say first. When he tried to caress her cheek carefully, he felt a pang of guilt for putting her through all these dreadful things.


    She thought her eyes that couldn¡¯t focus properly were slowly regained as she bit on his hand quickly.


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Molitia. It¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Go away! Don¡¯t touch me!¡±


    Even with Raven¡¯s familiar voice, Molitia didn¡¯t stop at all. Her small hand was balled into a fist before striking him on the chest. She was hitting him as hard as she could, but Raven couldn¡¯t even feel any pain.


    He left her small hand alone before embracing her. Ravenforted her even though her little hand was scratching him and trying to tear his head off. It actually hurt his heart even more than the pain she was inflicting on him.


    Then, Molitia began to stop her hand slowly due to the firmness of his big arms. She lifted her head calmly while lowering her hands, which were still twitching out of fear.


    ¡°¡­Ra, ven?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. Can you recognize me? How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°Gasp¡ªheuk, Raven¡­¡±


    The tears that she had forgotten all this while were finally repleting themselves. At the same time she thought that she had survived, relief kept on making her tears flowing.


    Raven appeared flushed at once due to the tears that were gushing constantly.


    ¡°I was scared. I¡¯m sorry, I was extremely wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have left you at all. I should be standing by your side no matter what. I¡¯m sorry¡ªI¡¯m truly sorry.¡±


    It was his fault for not being able to find her earlier. It was all his fault that she had suffered this agony and even had to struggle like this.


    ¡°My Lord!¡±


    ¡°Madame!¡±


    ¡°Oh my God, Madame!¡±


    Those that followed after Raven, who charged in first, had entered a littleter before standing upright at one spot¡ªhorrified. Thedy who was currently crying at the scene had been in a state of chaos.


    In addition, the knights who had finally found their Madame in that dreadful condition had turned considerably cold.


    Raven entrusted Molitia to the people who followed him. He had to take her out of there right away, but he still had something left to do as of now.


    ¡°Haa¡ªDuke, please wait. I think there¡¯s a little misunderstanding¡­¡±


    ¡°Misunderstanding?¡±


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    Raven pulled out a punch on Ferdinand¡¯s face all of a sudden. A few of his teeth flew out from the blow of the fist that had struck as hard as it could.


    ¡°Is there anything else that I should be thinking about in this kind of situation?¡±


    ¡°No, wait. You¡¯re talking about¡­ ack!¡±


    The man who had been crying in grief was now nowhere to be found. The eyes were not even showing an ounce of mercy. Ferdinand¡¯s face was swollen all over due to the persistent strikes of punches on the cheek.


    ¡°A person is referred to as someone who can speak the samenguage. I don¡¯t think I need to talk to someone who speaks the samenguage as a wild animal.¡±


    ¡°This is so¡ª!¡±


    Ferdinand, who was just being intensely thrashed, eventually drew the sword from his waist. However, he still couldn¡¯t hurt Raven, who stopped it ever so lightly.


    He was beaten again mercilessly right after losing the sword¡ªso easily that he couldn¡¯t believe it at all.


    ¡°Urk, gah¡­¡±


    ¡°Ferdinand, what were you trying to do with that sword that you couldn¡¯t even make use of?¡±


    His eyes, which were sprinkled with the essence of the freezing cold air, didn¡¯t even blink at miserable appearance.


    ¡°What if the tip of that sword were to touch my wife at all?¡±


    ¡°Oh my gosh!¡±


    While screaming in agony, Ferdinand sprawled on the floor and trembled.


    ¡®I really am going to die.¡¯


    Fear ultimately ruled his mind. Ferdinand shivered before grabbing onto his pants.


    ¡°Please, stop¡­¡±


    Raven kicked away his filthy hand with the tip of his shoe.


    ¡°Since your head doesn¡¯t know how to think properly, it¡¯ll do less of that stupid behavior once this thing goes away then.¡±


    He lifted the sword that was already rolling on the floor. Ferdinand¡¯splexion turned blue as soon as the de gleamed with light had shone hideously.


    ¡°Come on, wait! What are you going to do now¡­¡­!¡±


    Raven didn¡¯t even shift his lips. A gaze that was filled with repugnance, as if seeing a disgusting insect, was directed towards his crotch.


    When the end of the sword that he was holding had reached there as well, Ferdinand, who finally understood the meaning, quickly pleaded.


    ¡°Du, Duke! Please calm down! I¡¯m sorry, uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry? To whom?¡±


    ¡°Of course, to the Duke¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still out of your mind. Shouldn¡¯t you be saying that to my wife and not me instead?¡±


    At the same time, the Duke¡¯s hand began lifting the sword high up.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    It was the time when Ferdinand could only scream while closing his eyes in horror.


    Bang!


    With a grotesque sound, the sword was struck exactly in front of his legs and right onto the ground. The force was strong enough for it to be half impaled into the stone floor.


    The terrible sense of death had finally brought Ferdinand back to his senses. He even revealed an act of disrespect towards his own pants in such a contemptible manner.


    Tsk¡ªRaven clicked his tongue before turning his head away.


    ¡°Tie him up and drag him away. Killing it now would just make it unpleasant and it¡¯s not that time yet.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    The knights instantly moved in unison at Raven¡¯s words. Although he was the heir of the Marquis, no one even cared about him. Rather, beatings that were done under the guise of tying him out would be shown sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Molitia, are you okay?¡±


    Molitia, who was right next to the aiding knight, gave a light nod. Raven lifted her up while still looking pitifully pale.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home. It¡¯s too cold over here.¡±


    Molitia tried to answer with a yes. However, no words could be uttered out. Even her spirit that was just out of shock was still in a daze.


    ¡®¡­I have a lot to say.¡¯


    She had to calm the restless Raven down, but she couldn¡¯t say anything. She tried forcing herself to keep her eyes open, but she just couldn¡¯t get away from the clutches of the unconscious.


    ¡°Molitia¡­¡­? Molitia!¡±


    Eventually, she fainted while still leaning against his chest.

 Chapter 168

    Chapter 168


    Hope for the Future


    Urgent footsteps rattled throughout the Marquis¡¯. Feeling infuriated by Molitia¡¯s pallidplexion while being in his arms, Raven began to shout urgently.


    ¡°Get a doctor!¡±


    At the sudden bolt of lightning, the doctor sprinted in confusion. Since the Marquis¡¯ couple had initially thought that they would be enjoying themselves at the party, the fully straightened clothes were somehow reced by their own desperate feelings.


    The doctor, who took a deep breath, slowly settled down next to the bed. While lying silently in a room with such little heat, she still looked rather pale.


    There was a slight crack in the doctor¡¯s face when she began the examination in various ces. She promptly touched her medical kit before she soon had to let it go since it was nothing.


    It was Raven who became frustrated by that apparently aesthetic behavior. It wasn¡¯t even enough to rush her for treatment and the doctor who was in the office had just been tilting her head instead. He could no longer help but to raise the wrath that was surging right to his head.


    ¡°Why do you keep on tilting your head? You need to prescribe something or better yet, tell me any of the symptoms!¡±


    ¡°We-well, Duke¡­¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me quickly, I will hold you personally responsible for my wife¡¯s ailment right now.¡±


    The Duke was never a man who would speak recklessly. The contemting doctor immediately bent her head downwards.


    ¡°I¡¯m unsure if it would be fine for me to tell you this, but¡­ congrattions.¡±


    ¡°Congrattions?¡±


    Raven¡¯s face immediately became distorted.


    ¡°Did you just congratte me on my wife¡¯s affliction right now?¡±


    ¡°Well, that is not what I¡¯m trying to say.¡±


    The startled doctor¡¯s head was slowly sinking even deeper.


    ¡°I think the Duchess is expecting.¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    Bewildered¡ªRaven couldn¡¯t fathom what he actually looked like for that moment.


    ¡®What is the doctor talking about?¡¯


    He felt like his head had just overloaded. He even wondered if there was a new medical term that he wasn¡¯t aware of.


    ¡°Who, what?¡±


    ¡°In the beginning, it¡¯s rmingly easy for a baby to miscarry, but even though she had been bleeding, the child¡¯s pulse is still picking up. I have to say that it¡¯s just like a miracle.¡±


    Raven looked devastated when the doctor was repeatedly reporting to him that he even had forgotten to get angry.


    A child.


    She was with their child. Raven immediately became emotional. When the tip of his nose eventually tingled, he turned his head without realizing it. He had never even thought about it. He didn¡¯t think of having a child with that frail body of hers. No, he never even meant to. It was already a great miracle for him just to have her around.


    Nevertheless, she was with a baby. She went through all these hardships with their child. When he realized that even this small body of hers was strong enough, on top of the fact that his child was growing as well, his irrevocable desperation had fluttered his heart even further.


    ¡°What the hell are you¡­¡±


    He then carefully held Molitia¡¯s hand. A tiny hand slowly met with aparingly huge hand of his. Her fingertips that were as chilly as her pallidplexion had caused pain in his heart.


    ¡°What should I do with the treatment, then?¡±


    ¡°I will prescribe a medicine that won¡¯t burden the baby at all. Since she has been bleeding already, she will be extremely sensitive, so you cannot help but to be careful with each and every part of her. But if you¡¯re going to use this medicine¡­¡±


    ¡°If?¡±


    Raven raised his eyebrows at the voice of the doctor who was taking another brief pause again. Oh¡ªthe weak doctor had no choice but to put everything that she had thought aside before informing it honestly.


    ¡°The Duchess is exceptionally frail that it might not be so easy for her.¡±


    Raven¡¯s lips were shut tight. He didn¡¯t say anything for a long time.


    Thump¡ªthe sound of burning firewood and the doctor¡¯s liver shrivelled at once.


    ¡°Trauma. Will there be any problem with the treatment?¡±


    ¡°No. The trauma can be treated rather quickly.¡±


    ¡°For now, I won¡¯t leave you if there were to be any defects in the treatment of the trauma itself.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I will do my absolute best.¡±


    ¡°Other drugs¡­¡±


    Raven¡¯s eyes fell upon Molitia. It appeared like he couldn¡¯t make any decision just on his own.


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to youter.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Molitia felt as if she was floating in the air.


    She couldn¡¯t feel anything¡ªwhere it was, what time it had been. Her body seemed heavy like she was immersed in water but still, light as if she was on a cloud.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡±


    When she lifted her eyelids, she could see him under the bright light. His appearance that seemed to have darkened a little somehow, looked rather unfamiliar to her.


    ¡°Ra¡­ven¡­?¡±


    A hoarse voice flowed out from her small lips. For a moment, she became absent-minded from the cracking sound and a series of terrible incidents began surging into her mind.


    As she jumped out of her seat in surprise, Raven quickly helped her out. He embraced her as her chest rushed up and down.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. There¡¯s no one who¡¯d touch you anymore.¡±


    Her breathing gradually stabilized at his tender touch. Her eyes, which had been moving unsteadily before, slowly died down as well.


    ¡®There isn¡¯t anymore.¡¯


    This wasn¡¯t that nasty ce. It wasn¡¯t the ce where not a single ray of light hade in and above all, no filthy person was next to it.

 Chapter 169

    Chapter 169


    ¡°Molitia!¡±


    Her upper body then staggered with relief. Raven, who was utterly surprised, quickly caught her.


    ¡°¡­no, it¡¯s fine. I was just relieved and started to feel a little dizzy for a moment.¡±


    As she tried not to worry him, Molitia smiled softly. Then, she looked at the unfamiliar room once again and it seemed to be the Marquis¡¯ mansion. Molitia, who turned her head slowly as if scouting the area around, proceeded to touch her own cheeks.


    A cloth that was as big as her own swollen cheek had already been applied there. Judging from the stinging sensation, the cloth appeared to have been saturated with medicine.


    ¡°¡­what about the Marquis¡¯ heir?¡±


    Raven¡¯s face turned ringly fierce at Molitia¡¯s word. For Raven, ¡®Ferdinand¡¯ was already branded as a disgusting name.


    ¡°For now, I¡¯ve delivered that thing to Marquis Werner. I thought that I ought to give him at least that onest moment since it¡¯s his son.¡±


    What¡ªfor now?


    When Molitia tilted her head, he soon replied with a face cold as ice.


    ¡°He¡¯s a traitor. Even though it ended in failure, it is only fair to deal with the crime strictly. Maybe during the crack of dawn, we¡¯ll have him evicted to the Imperial City.¡±


    It was the natural result. Molitia felt no sympathy for him at all. He was a man who tried to humiliate her and even more so, deceived the Empire. It was absolutely clear that the price of the crime would never be that easy.


    Raven gazed at Molitia, who was deep in thought, before he slowly opened his mouth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have something else to let me know?¡±


    ¡°Something else to say?¡±


    ¡°Okay, how¡¯d you even think of hiding it from me?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°¡­don¡¯t you trust me?¡±


    He thought that she could have told him herself. He wasn¡¯t aware if he brought it upon himself. Raven then slowly parted his mouth along with a deep sigh.


    ¡°You¡¯re not alone.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­what?¡±


    ¡°I mean the kid. Why would you even hide it from me?¡±


    Molitia stopped breathing for a moment. A child? Did she really have a child in her stomach?


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know¡­?¡±


    ¡°Well, no¡­ I thought I might just have imagined it, but¡­¡±


    Her trembling hands then slowly wrapped around her stomach. Her t tummy indicated no signs of having a child inside at all.


    Did she really have a child inside here?


    ¡°¡­do I really, really carry a child inside my stomach?¡±


    Raven nodded at Molitia¡¯s repeated questions. Upon hearing the definite answer, only then did Molitia shed a tear along her cheek. It was her own baby. All those worries from before were never lies.


    Molitia, who was still crying with emotional tears, slowly breathed in. Then, a feeling was clearly remembered at the top of her head. When she recalled the cold sensation that flowed from her lower abdomen as it escaped her body, she quickly hugged her stomach.


    ¡°Raven, what should I do? I was bleeding!¡±


    ¡°I know. The doctor has long gone already.¡±


    ¡°What did she say? The child, is it fine?¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, she said that it¡¯s all clear. The amount of bleeding wasn¡¯t that immense that the child could be swept away.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m truly d¡­¡±


    She slowly heaved a sigh of relief. At the same time as she noticed, the worst situation of losing her child had almost unfolded. Her drooping eyes softly turned to her stomach.


    ¡®It wasn¡¯t an illusion at all.¡¯


    A sense of joy began to swarm as the worries had melted away. Her slim belly still felt rather difficult to be real. However, just by being aware of it, she felt that the pain which she suffered before was going away just like a lie.


    Raven hesitated to tell the whole story since his wife appeared much happier than he had thought. Her tears were clearly those of the tears of joy.


    Therefore, he became much more hesitant.


    However, it was absolutely impossible to avoid talking about it forever. He then pressed his lips slightly before cing his hand on Molitia¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I have something to say about the child as well.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    Her bewildered purple eyes slowly turned towards Raven.


    ¡°Let¡¯s give up on the child.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­what do you mean?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t understand those words. Molitia, who wasn¡¯t able toprehend what he meant, stared nkly.


    ¡°Give up on the child¡ªis it suffering a bad condition?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not true. I¡¯m just worried about you. You¡¯re already frail yourself and I don¡¯t even know what kind of variables could happen if you¡¯re going to have a child.¡±


    ¡°But the child¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that, still. I can¡¯t even provide you the slightest medicine because of that child.¡±


    ¡°¡­Raven.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t even guarantee that your fragile body could actually stand it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m having a baby.¡±


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    Raven¡¯s expression immediately hardened from her firm voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s my child. Yours and mine.¡±


    Her hand softly slid across her lower abdomen.


    She was having a child.

 Chapter 170

    Chapter 170


    It was something that she could have never imagined in her whole life. It was an imagination as well as happiness that she had given up over and over again under all kinds of ridicule and insults.


    ¡°I grew up hearing the words that said I¡¯ll never be able to have a child in my life. My body is weak and so are my organs¡ªthey are too weak to function properly.¡±


    Nevertheless, she still thought of a child who would look like him and herself. Even as she watched him take those birth control pills, she still dreamed of holding a child while smiling happily.


    Even though she strictly knew that it was just a dream that would nevere true for her.


    ¡°And then, I¡¯m carrying your child. I can¡¯t just give up on a child who stayed hard by my side in order to live even when it went through such an unbearable time.¡±


    Raven¡¯s bleak sense had filled his throat with those determined eyes. He too, had felt the same way as herself.


    ¡°So, please don¡¯t give up. Raven, please.¡±


    ¡°But you could die.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not dying.¡±


    ¡°Molitia, you¡ª¡±


    Raven slowly took her hand. Her wrist, which could seemingly break even with just a little effort, remained unchanged even as he approached her.


    But it was fine since there had been the warmth that could actually touch it. He wanted to be with this warmth forever. It was crystal clear that this warmth of the two would be absolute affectionate; if not three.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to imagine a world without you, Molitia. I just don¡¯t want to taste that terrible sense of despair that I¡¯ve experienced this time once again. I felt like my blood was slowly being drained without you. It was even better to be on the battlefield and being threatened with my life instead.¡±


    ¡°Raven.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re much more important to me than the child.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t give it up.¡±


    Raven¡¯s eyes were shaken by Molitia¡¯s words. Did she even know? Her face was so small and her body was thin. He always worried that she might break someday.


    ¡°¡­You ought to think about this calmly.¡±


    ¡°Raven!¡±


    ¡°Take a good rest. Don¡¯t get up as much as you can and get some rest too.¡±


    Raven immediately stood up from his seat. His gaze was no longer fixed on Molitia.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get the doctor too.¡±


    He turned his back before leaving without any hesitation. Shortly after Raven left, she heard a knock on the door.


    ¡®No way, is it him?¡¯


    The door eventually opened towards the end of Molitia¡¯s low voice.


    ¡°Madame.¡±


    There stood the Duke¡¯s doctor. Of course, for some reason, Molitia couldn¡¯t hide her disappointment entirely.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t feel any pain?¡±


    Her hand reflexively brushed against her cheek at the doctor¡¯s remark. Her swollen cheeks gave her a tingling sensation one her fingertips had touched them.


    The doctor, who seemed to understand even when she didn¡¯t say it, quickly began the treatment. The small face and her pitifully swollen cheeks were all crinkled whenever the cotton soaked with medicine was applied.


    After finishing the treatment of her cheek, she slowly touched other ces as well. Molitia was only watching as the doctor¡¯s hand moved diligently.


    ¡°You must be feeling much better, but still, you need to rx as well.¡±


    The doctor put her back to bed and continued.


    ¡°You have to refrain from sitting down straight. Except for eating and doing your business, it¡¯s better to keep on lying down. If you happen to bleed again, do call me right away.¡±


    ¡°I took a cold pill the other day; isn¡¯t that harmful to my child?¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, there are no drugs that could harm the child directly. But from now onwards, I will prescribe a much milder medicine instead. The baby consumes what My Lady eats after all.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s hand fidgeted at the doctor¡¯s words that were spoken softly. She then raised her eyes after tapping her fingertips several times.


    ¡°¡­my body¡ªis it too dangerous to give birth?¡±


    Her hand instantly stopped while she was still organizing her bag.


    ¡°Madame, that¡¯s¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Be honest with me¡ªwithout holding back at all.¡±


    She heard that couples usually resembled one another. Molitia¡¯s firm voice reminded her of the Duke. However, the first thing that had been asked by the two of them was different. It was a question to find out whom they had put foremost.


    The doctor, who agonized about it for a while, eventually looked up.


    ¡°As a matter of fact, the probability is half and half. The baby may not be able to withstand Madame¡¯s frail body. Or instead, when you raise the baby, it might be smooth sailing, but when the timees to give birth, there might be a crisis.¡±


    ¡°Then, are you against me giving birth?¡±


    Molitia ced her hand on her stomach. Her thin wrists were moving ever so cautiously.


    ¡°Madame.¡±


    Her anxious eyes slowly entangled with the doctor¡¯s. Her shoulders gradually shrank from anxiety that could be seen clearly upon her body.


    Nevertheless, her face didn¡¯t falter at all. Her hands were still wrapped around the child in her stomach as if she was protecting it. Seeing her determined expression, the doctor eventually stopped talking.

 Chapter 171

    Chapter 171


    ¡°To be honest with you, as a woman, I would like you to take care of your body first. You are still young and so is the Duke, therefore you can always have childrenter.¡±


    Her hand, which was patting her stomach reflexively, suddenly paused.


    ¡°But in my heart, as a mother¡­ I wouldn¡¯t dare to speak up. The pain and sorrow of losing a child is just beyond any description.¡±


    ¡°Whatever choice I make, will you follow me?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I hope that you can make a choice without any regrets.¡±


    The tip of her lips turned white when she bit them¡ªhard.


    In that short span after Raven left, she had all kinds of thoughts. Even though her body had floated in the air with joy, her head was grounded to reality while being struck on the floor dozens of times.


    She also med herself. She resented for being born sick and weak as well.


    Why was it so hard for her to have such normal happiness like others? The feeling of guilt eventually soared high.


    It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t understand Raven¡¯s mind.


    She had also known how sweet happiness tasted when she was with him. She was also overwhelmed by the thought that if she were to reduce the risk, she might have gotten happy once more with him for a long time¡ªif only she gave up her child.


    But whenever that thought transpired, her belly immediately caught her eyes.


    ¡®You¡¯re the reason why I¡¯m always sleepy.¡¯


    Such a dainty stomach, which wasn¡¯t even showing anything, was clearly revealing its own existence.


    ¡®You were just letting me know that you¡¯re already here.¡¯


    If she would be full one day and a child was born, that little warmth would definitely fill her entire arms.


    Just imagining it had made her heart grow stiff. She couldn¡¯t help but to feel the love for that child, who hadn¡¯t been properly shaped yet.


    It would look like her and it would look exactly like him as well. The figure would be much more apparent as it grew and she wanted to watch everything from the side. Her desperate desire that was just like another instinct had filled her heart.


    ¡°Is it too much of a desire for me to want this child to be saved and continue living with me?¡±


    Molitia looked at the doctor with her moist eyes.


    ¡°I want to give birth. Is it greedy that I¡¯m missing my child already?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. You¡¯ll definitely be able to do it. And I¡¯ll absolutely protect you from the side.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s cold hand was wrapped around her doctor¡¯s. Simr to the warmth of a mother, whose warmth was just a dim memory which she couldn¡¯t really recall, silent pearls of tears began trickling onto the nket.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    Meanwhile, Marquis Werner¡¯s office was incredibly rattled with a loud mor.


    ¡°What the hell are we going to do now?¡±


    Marquis Wernermented at the sight of his son, who was fully bound. His surroundings had long been in such a mess.


    ¡°How dare you do such a crazy stunt?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The Marquis beat his heart at the sight of his son, who could no longer speak due to the pain of having been beaten.


    He thought that his son had gone quiet all this while. He thought that he was finally growing up as ofte, but the son turned out to be doing something tremendous without telling his father at all.


    The Marquis felt that his mind had gotten confused. The terrible feeling when his son, Ferdinand, was brought in by the knights of the Duke. When he saw that his son got thrown upon in front of everyone, he bit his tongue and felt like dying


    ¡°Do you even realize what you did? It¡¯s treason, treason! The whole family could be exterminated just like that!¡±


    It was now toote to even hide things. Everyone had already been caught and his family was apprehended by the powerful Duke of Linerio himself. Marquis Werner had nothing left to say even if he were to beughed for being wrong.


    The Marquis¡¯ face, which could no longer stand still, copsed miserably. Everything that he had done all the while was crumbling in an instant.


    His quick-tempered head then turned quickly. The fist with those prominent veins finally regained its calm.


    The Marquis¡¯ chilly eyes then fell upon Ferdinand.


    Ferdinand¡¯s shoulders flinched when those cold eyes had gazed at him without the same kind of zeal from before.


    ¡°I just can¡¯t help it. You ought to take responsibility for all of this.¡±


    ¡°Father!¡±


    Ferdinand¡¯s desperate voice immediately rang out.


    ¡°Please, Father¡ªplease tell His Majesty of my sins¡­¡±


    ¡°There is a limit. You went too far this time. There is only so much that this father can actually cover up.¡±


    It was a rather calm voice that was utterly different from being angry, which sounded like a storm. However, Ferdinand could still feel the chills.


    His eyes were looking indifferently like when he was making a mere decision. This was how his eyes would normally appear when he chose the lesser among the other evil ones.

 Chapter 172

    Chapter 172


    ¡®My father is about to abandon me.¡±


    Ferdinand¡¯s future had always been set already. A solid life of a Marquis. Unlike other families, he had no brothers to fight for the title. What had already unfolded in front of him was a trulyfortable life.


    For the first time ever, however, he felt that his vision had darkened. His life, which wasn¡¯t even like the time he was caught in a big debt at the gambling house, was now proceeding straight towards jeopardy.


    No way.


    It was certainly not what he had in mind in making things this way. In extreme anxiety, he began to shout gibberish.


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the Duke, everything would have been nned for our family to elevate our own power! Everything is for the sake of our family!¡±


    ¡°Elevate? Are you saying that you don¡¯t even know how things are going on right now and you¡¯re just thinking about such idiocy?¡±


    ¡°Father!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even want to hear you utter that word; father!¡±


    Ferdinand¡¯s lips immediately closed at that thunderous sound.


    ¡°The main problem is that I overlooked your foolishness before. I should¡¯ve thrown you out of the family even from back then.¡±


    The Marquis looked down at his son as if he was looking at such a filthy thing.


    It was clear that his son still couldn¡¯tprehend the situation properly. He had raised an only child. Who would have thought that this could happen.


    As he closed his eyes tightly, he turned his head to avoid looking anymore.


    ¡°I feel wronged, Father!¡±


    ¡°How can you say that you felt wronged after all of this?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do this all alone!¡±


    Marquis Werner¡¯s head immediately swung around.


    ¡°If you¡¯re saying it just to live longer, then stop it.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m telling you¡ª¡±


    Ferdinand shouted with a tad look of bitterness.


    ¡°I was just being used!¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    Come to think of it, it was actually quite difficult for his son to carry out such aplicated and delicate task on his own. It had been all the more so considering his son¡¯s sincerity.


    Who the hell¡ªthe Marquis managed to swallow his rage once again before ring at Ferdinand.


    ¡°Who was it that instigated you?¡±


    ¡°Arjan Clemence, she was the one who seduced me.¡±


    The Marquis had to feel the shock of his legs which began to tremble yet again.


    Ferdinand, who now had nothing more to hide, started confessing every single thing.


    It was Young Lady Clemence, who had condemned himself, and Count Clemence was the one who supported the funds and connection of this work.


    As a result, the Count instantly knelt next to Ferdinand¡ªside by side.


    ¡°Marquis! You¡¯re doing this just because I did something!¡±


    The Count¡¯s voice, which sounded extremely ruffled, was rather fierce as well.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that you¡¯re suddenly pinning me down. Do you think the Clemence family will allow this to happen?¡±


    The Marquis turned his eyes to the Count. As long as his son hadmitted high treason, there would be nothing much left for him. The Marquis¡¯ eyes slowly turned frosty.


    ¡°If so, let me ask you just one question. Where are you going at thiste hour?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Is this proud man trying to pack things out in secret?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just an assumption!¡±


    ¡°Do you think it will stay as a spection once your employees are being questioned¡ªone by one?¡±


    The cornered Count Clemence slowly took a look around. He couldn¡¯t sit still at all. Then, he turned his eyes to those who had once been his own acquaintances.


    However, the only thing that had been returned to Count Clemence was just another cold stare.


    That was such a natural course of action. An in-depth rtionship could never exist for those who viewed rtionships with the others as a mere extension of a particr deal. It was just like a kite that was made of numbers. No one could actually offer any help to Count Clemence as they were among those who were only looking for gains and losses.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that you¡¯ve been trying to entice the Young Master in doing such a bizarre thing.¡±


    ¡° I always thought that I was right, but who knew he would have such a dangerous idea instead?¡±


    ¡°The power of Count Clemence will now be just an honor of the past.¡±


    A trail of gossiping voices. The gaze immediately tightened its noose at the Count without a single gap at all.


    It was such a disgrace that he had never received in his life. The County of Clemence had always been one that was looked on with envy, not like a lumber that was looked down with contempt.


    ¡°Marquis, there must be a misunderstanding.¡±


    ¡°Misunderstanding? I heard that your superiors have secretlymunicated with my son to and fro from the Kingdom of Portan. And that was behind my back too.¡±


    ¡°It was to repay the Marquis¡­¡±


    ¡°By the way, Count. From what I heard from the Duke of Linerio, you also decided to stop running your merchant group for a while now while staying vignt, so how did you actually manage the merchant group anyway? Perhaps there was another merchant group, to be exact?¡±


    Count Clemence¡¯s eyes began to drain itself by turning blue. The matter of the merchant group was a secret of his and it was almost unearthed to the world.


    ¡°Marquis, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Also, Count Clemence tried to smuggle some goods that were never supposed to be brought in right into the Empire itself.¡±


    ¡°Duke Linerio!¡±


    ¡°Count, do ept the consequences.¡±


    Raven¡¯s cool gaze was already fixed on him.


    ¡°Before I take your life myself.¡±


    Every word was uttered like he was gnawing on the words itself. The chilling voice was genuinely real. A man who could pulverize and annihte the Count just like a mere egg¡ªthat was what the Duke of Linerio had always been.


    The resigned Count Clemence¡¯s head slowly fell onto the floor.


    The prestigious Clemence family would now end up in the pits of ruin with the denouement of their current Count, Philius.

 Chapter 173

    Chapter 173


    ¡°My Lord, I have a report for you.¡±


    The knight, who had approached the Marquis, gave him a bow.


    ¡°Young Lady Clemence is nowhere to be seen.¡±


    ¡°What? Didn¡¯t she go to get her treatment?¡±


    ¡°No, she has been tended to, but she said that it was such a waste to keep her all tied up since he was busy. So, she went back on her own.¡±


    The Marquis¡¯s deste eyes began falling onto the Count.


    ¡°Count! It¡¯s utterly useless if you¡¯re aware of it and still hiding the Young Lady away. Turn yourself in before we force you to do it instead!¡±


    ¡°Oh, no! I have no idea about Arjan. ording to the original n, it would¡¯ve been normal for her to be at my side by now¡­¡±


    Marquis Werner, who could no longer trust the nonsensical Count¡¯s behavior, turned his head immediately.


    ¡°Find the Young Lady of Clemence! Wherever she is, you must absolutely find her!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    But Arjan still couldn¡¯t be found even until dawn broke. Whether she had fallen to the ground or soared up in the tower¡ªthere was no trace of her anywhere at all.


    The Count and Ferdinand, who had been in custody, felt even more intense as soon as they thought that she wouldn¡¯t give her help in any way. Eventually, the Count and Ferdinand were first taken to the Imperial City.


    The Emperor was genuinely infuriated by the incident. The Empire was just like a young seedling with weak roots, still. The Emperor wanted to pay much more attention towards the inside rather than the outside since it was just simr to a lumber that wouldn¡¯t live for far too long and would then copse, if the ground were to be too thick or too hard.


    Meanwhile, Ferdinand and Philius had touched on the Emperor¡¯sst line of reason. The Emperor¡¯s wrath was then poured down onto those two men.


    The Clemence were eventually deprived the title of the Count. All of its property was confiscated and all private ownership of its residence was transferred fully to the Emperor.


    He also ordered the Count to live in the dungeon for his whole life. The Count wept at the sight of the work at the underground prison that even ves had avoided, but the Emperor did not countermand it at all.


    A moment¡¯s mistake had caused a man to plummet from the sky right onto the ground. And no one was against it at all.


    Everything was just Philius Clemence¡¯s own karma.


    Arjan Clemence, who had yet to be found until now, was also wanted. Her wanted papers were posted all over the Empire and a sum of reward was also ced on her head.


    Clemence County, which seemed to have been shining all its life, crumbled just like that.


    Ferdinand Werner¡¯s punishment was equally severe. There had been a mention that Marquis Werner was imposed as a punishment of Ferdinand, but it was only a charge of fine considering the fact that the family had always been supportive ever since the beginning of the Empire and also, how the Marquis had no idea of his son¡¯s plot as well.


    The fact that the border guards could not be changed immediately had also contributed.


    The Marquis eventually managed to retain his title by abandoning his own son. However, as the Marquis had already run out of money due to the excessive fines as well as his prodigal son¡¯s life, he would be unable to break away from the financial difficulties for some time.


    Ferdinand was then set to work on a remote ind in order for him to be unable to interact with others. Being in a humid prison with molds all over the floor, he spent every day living in hell.


    For him, who had always been enjoying luxurious food all his life, prison food tasted even worse than grass. The bed was utterly hard, so there were insect bites all over his whole body. Not to mention, the prison was deprived of even a small toilet which eventually caused a constant sore nose due to the pungent smell.


    There was never such an insult to Ferdinand, who had always enjoyed the best in the world. However, the most excruciating pain was something else altogether.


    Themon people, whom he always looked down upon, thrashed him badly. It was a great opportunity for those who had been looking rather unsavoury towards the aristocrats.


    Furthermore, even the guard had closed his eyes to his beatings, so there was no luck at all. The entire anger and stress that umted in prison were all directed at Ferdinan alone.


    A life that couldn¡¯t properly die slowly continued. No one had treated him like an aristocrat. His wounds were pounded and pus flowed out, and the body that hadn¡¯t had any proper meal was just like a skeleton.

 Chapter 174

    Chapter 174


    That day, he decided to die. While everyone else was asleep, Ferdinand took out a piece of te. Though it was worse than a sword, the sharp debris might be enough to just break his pulse.


    Just close those eyes and draw it out. It was at that moment when Ferdinand¡¯s trembling hand was facing against his own wrist.


    The iron door, which had been heavily closed, suddenly opened. Ferdinand was surprised as he quickly hid the piece of te, but he couldn¡¯t hear anything from the outside.


    Neither the guards nor any prisoners could be seen. There was absolutely nothing but the door itself, where it clearly appeared that someone had opened it intentionally.


    ¡®Is it Father?¡¯


    Ferdinand¡¯s face immediately brightened up as he thought that his Father, who couldn¡¯t really forget his only son, had provided him with thest way to live.


    He carefully pulled himself out of the prison and there was still no one to suppress him at all.His suspicion was then convinced when he didn¡¯t notice any of his hands sanctioned even when he was running alone along the dark hallway.


    ¡®I¡¯m alive!¡¯


    Who knew that this kind of opportunity would finally arrive after a long struggle? Ferdinand was utterly delighted.


    It was a piece of cake to regain one¡¯s previous life as long as he went outside. The first thing to do was to grab enough money and create a whole person.


    Then, he would curse the Duke of Linerio who made him this way. He would have to cut off the Duke¡¯s head and shove it inside that bitch¡¯s hole right in front of himself.


    There was a lot of work to prepare for that. It was the time for him to make a list one at a time while remembering those who had followed him before.


    ¡°Ferdinand.¡±


    It was a sudden chilling echo. Out of the blue, a voice unexpectedly revealed itself in the dark before grabbing his arm.


    ¡°Who, who is it?¡±


    ¡°You know who I am very well.¡±


    Ferdinand was intimidated by the slow appearance. Frightened, he shook off his arm, but contrary to his own behaviour, the hand had dug even deeper.


    ¡°Did you enjoy your short liberation?¡±


    ¡°What¡ªand? Then, it¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who prepared this. Who would actually try to help you? You¡¯ve lost everything and already be a petty bum anyway.¡±


    ¡°Well, no way! Father! Where is he and why are you the one who¡¯s here!¡±


    Unable to believe the reality that was just ahead, he began to flee. He denied Raven and repudiated the whole reality. Looking at Ferdinand who was struggling like having a seizure, he drew out his sword.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    An exact streak of blood began flowing from the sword that had stabbed him right in the palm of his hand.


    ¡°You touched my wife with these hands.¡±


    ¡°Argh! My hand¡ªmy hand!¡±


    At the same time, his strong fist had hit Ferdinand in the face. Blood flowed from his nose without any defence at all.


    ¡°You tried to put my precious wife within those dirty eyes.¡±


    As he trod on the floor in pain, Raven trampled his heels right on his groin. Ferdinand¡¯s back immediately squirmed in excruciating pain.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even hesitate to do anything crazy by cursing my wife with those disgusting desires.¡±


    Ferdinand¡¯s tremors, which seemed like a fluttering fish at the water¡¯s edge, were incessant. Seeing that Ferdinand had just lost his mind after those sufferings, only then did he lift his foot.


    He then continued to say in a cold tone of voice after shaking off a couple of times as if he had stepped on such a dirty thing.


    ¡°Stop the bleeding and bring him here. He has to live a terrible life that he would rather beg to be killed, but you can¡¯t let him die easily like this.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Those behind him immediately hauled Ferdinand up. Ferdinand, who had vomited blood, shouted at the top of his lungs but no one even listened to him.


    Since then, not a single soul had ever seen Ferdinand.


    * * *


    Molitia stayed a little longer at the Marquis for a better bnce for herself.


    She wanted to leave right away, but what she needed most was stability itself. Raven was then forced to put off leaving the Marquis¡¯ for a while at the words of her doctor, who repeatedly enunciated that the first thing would be stability, second thing was still stability and the third thing would definitely be stability as well.


    However, it was not just about staying behind.


    Raven contacted the Duchy and eventually made most of his knights stay behind with the Marquis.


    At the party, people were prevented from carrying weapons and bringing private knights for everyone¡¯s safety, but the mansion was a tad different. The knights whom he brought had made the atmosphere at the Marquis¡¯ take a worse turn, but Marquis Werner no longer had any right to stop it.


    It was something that could be said when there was no more shame. The Marquis had no other choice but to overlook most of the Duke¡¯s actions and he couldn¡¯t raise his head towards Raven properly anymore.


    Under Raven¡¯s irond protection, Molitia was gradually stabilized. Her condition was stable, but she constantly fell into an endless sleep every so often.


    She repeatedly went to sleep right after eating. Just like a person who slept all the time, Molitia snuggled into the nket even further.


    As he might interfere with her rest, Raven didn¡¯t sleep near Molitia. Nevertheless, he got a room of his own right next to her and slept there separately.


    An unpremeditated life in their own rooms started taking ce for the first time over at the Marquis¡¯. Raven watched when Molitia fell asleep for a while and Molitia said nothing about him at all as well.


    It was a bizarre circumstance, but no one had talked first.


    It was even more so since both of them had known each other so well. If one were to open their mouth, this peace would break at once. Days went by like treading on thin ice, which one could never know when it would shatter.


    A week eventually passed ever since the doctor told her that she would regain stability over time. Raven then proceeded quickly when word had fallen that she still had to be careful, but at the very least, she could move.


    The preparations in order to leave for the Duchy were immediately made. Everyone was busy packing, but Molitia had been the only one who was different.

 Chapter 175

    Chapter 175


    She was still being careful of the sound of her own steps when walking around the room. Even Lili and Pillen, who were attending her, had given much attention.


    Under everyone¡¯s protection, Molitia began to move slowly in bed. Her hands wriggled to create something.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Raven.¡±


    It was a face that he could finally see after a week. However, Molitia was smiling gently just like he had seen yesterday.


    ¡°Look at this.¡±


    There was a small ball of thread at the end of her fingertips.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    It looked too small to be called a finished product. Raven¡¯s eyes fell upon that unknown thread.


    ¡°¡­is it a thimble?¡±


    ¡°Ding, that¡¯s wrong.¡±


    ¡°Then, you¡¯re making gloves?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s actually a finished product.¡±


    As she grumbled at Raven, who didn¡¯t really know much, she looked down. The small shape in her hands was clumsy now that she looked at it.


    ¡°These are socks that the child will wear once he¡¯s born. It¡¯s utterly small, right?¡±


    She looked straight with her own hands and drew a small smile.


    ¡°If you grow up just like this, you¡¯ll be born by summer¡ªwhen all things are fresh on a sunny, lovely day.¡±


    ¡°¡­Molitia.¡±


    Raven¡¯s face instantly hardened at her words. Her words made him realize that there was already a crack on the ice and he could do nothing to turn it back.


    ¡°Raven, I¡¯m¡­ looking back, I didn¡¯t really have such a good life. My parents gave up because of my persistent illness and the people around me simply ignored me. Only because I couldn¡¯t do anything, I was despised by the ones who shared the same flesh and blood.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    She could still recollect about Raven. The first day when Molitia expressed her feelings to him. How could he ever forget such a day?


    ¡°Every time I was out of breath with fever, I missed the warmth very much. The warmth that would hold me close and soothe me, instead of the heat that flows as if it could burst through my veins.¡±


    She ced the socks on the nket. Molitia then slowly lifted her head and gazed at him.


    ¡°Raven.¡±


    The voice that rippled was very soft. Raven¡¯s eyes slightly quivered in response.


    ¡°I wish to raise this child with love. I want to tell them how beautiful this world is and how beautiful everything is. I want to see how beautiful this child will grow up as we let them know that there¡¯s someone who loves them so.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s always another chance.¡±


    His voice trembled slightly. His eyes seemed to look somewhat red as well.


    ¡°No, this may be ourst chance. I don¡¯t think this child came to us by ident.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just getting started. We can always try for a child again as much as you want.¡±


    His voice, which was still speaking calmly, eventually grew impatient.


    ¡°When you¡¯re no longer sick, we can have another baby then.¡±


    Why couldn¡¯t she see those obvious things? No, looking back, there was no way she couldn¡¯t have not known. Wasn¡¯t it her own body and more so, it wasn¡¯t anyone else¡¯s.


    Anxiety was eating him up inside. A noticeable sense of unease took him by the hand.


    ¡°So now, you just have to think only about your own body.¡±


    ¡°Raven¡­¡±


    His hands, which had always been warmer than hers, were unusually cold. Molitia burst into tears when she saw him holding back his agitation.


    She didn¡¯t know why. But it was just pitiful.


    She felt sorry for him. And sorry for herself as well. Moreover, she felt sorry for the child that was in the same boat. She also felt sorry for the situation where she had to even argue with him.


    ¡°I know better than anyone else that I¡¯m weak. So, this might be thest chance.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s hand slowly wrapped around her belly. The stomach, which had been stroked hundreds of times more in the past week, still feltfortable.


    Yet it was lovely. She was already in love with the child as soon as she knew about its existence.


    ¡°Raven, please.¡±


    Tears that filled her eyes slowly trickled down her cheeks.


    ¡°Let me give birth to this child.¡±


    Raven was heartbroken when he saw that his wife had already burst into tears. The pain in his chest rang so bad that he only wanted to get rid of it.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    A small tremor swept around her eyes. As his fingertips got wet, he could no longer control his emotional feelings.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I don¡¯t know what to do when you cry.¡±


    It seemed that the pain of having raw flesh being cut wouldn¡¯t even be this terrible. He would rather have a clear answer to ¡®win¡¯ like during the war.


    ¡°Molitia, I was so happy to know that you were already with a child. My heart beats contentedly when I think of a child who will resemble you.¡±


    Who wouldn¡¯t be curious about their own child? It was absolutely the same with Raven. The person you love and a child of your own. They were breathtakingly lovely and sweet sounding words.


    But there was something much more important to him. His one and only greed.


    ¡°But I haven¡¯t been sleeping properly ever since that day. What if something goes wrong while giving birth? What if things go wrong with the child? If I ever lose you¡ª¡±


    He stood up eerily as he said so. His back was all sweaty.


    ¡°All kinds of delusions and agonies kept bothering me. I don¡¯t want to think about it, but I still keep thinking and I keep on scaring my own mind?¡±


    ¡°Raven¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even dare to imagine how I would face tomorrow in that long anguish.¡±


    An inconceivable future was just beyond imagination. As he thought of his own wife who¡¯d be living in such an uncertain tomorrow, Molitia amazingly appeared bold.


    He could no longer think of a tomorrow without her. No matter how much he thought about it, it was only reminiscent of pitch-ck darkness. He didn¡¯t want to break up. He didn¡¯t want to go back to a life without her.


    He, who always seemed to be strong, was shaken by Molitia. The face of a man, who was still powerful even if he was stabbed, had copsed horribly.


    Molitia slowly embraced Raven, who didn¡¯t shed a single tear. She then held his broad shoulders and cried instead.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t want to give it up. If I let this child go, I will absolutely regret it for the rest of my life.¡±


    Raven closed his eyes tightly as he tried hard to hold onto her.


    ¡°Okay. Then, let¡¯s do as you say.¡±


    ¡°¡­Raven.¡±


    The surprised voice immediately shook with tears.


    ¡°Can I really give birth? You¡¯re not going to give up on this child then, are you¡­?¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s one condition.¡±


    ¡°A condition?¡±


    ¡°Live unconditionally, Molitia.¡±


    Raven¡¯s eyes were straight at her.


    ¡°Live and watch the child grow up¡ªwith me.¡±


    ¡°¡­Raven.¡±


    ¡°If you die giving birth to the child, I will definitely follow you to death as well. So, please give birth to a healthy baby.¡±


    She already had a special ce within him. He just couldn¡¯t imagine a ce without her anymore.


    ¡°Yes, I will. I won¡¯t leave you and the child behind.¡±


    ¡°You promised me.¡±


    ¡°I promise. I will engrave on you a pledge that will never ever break.¡±


    She smiled as she rubbed her thumb all over her teary face. Even though it was such a mess, her smile was as beautiful as a blooming flower.


    ¡°Thank you, Raven.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to hold onto it.¡±


    Her lips eventually fell upon Raven¡¯s.

 Chapter 176

    Chapter 176


    The Responsibility for an Action


    Only after a few dozens of inspections did the Duke¡¯s people were finally able to leave the Marquis¡¯.


    It was a rather light travel when she first headed to the Marquis¡¯, but now, it was far different. Amidst the harsh and brutal environment, Molitia was then carefully transported.


    Despite having doubled the number of knights, Raven still remained alert. He chose to be safe even if the pace would be a littleter.


    As the wind eventually calmed down, the slow-moving carriage finally arrived at the Duchy.


    The atmosphere in the Duchy¡¯s garden was quite tense, which had never been felt before. This was due to the knights who had first left and scouted the area one step ahead before announcing the Duchess¡¯ arrival.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that the Madame, whom we all worried about freezing in that cold ce, has finally returned!¡±


    The door of the carriage eventually opened amidst the joy, celebration, anxiety and also concern.


    It was then Raven who had appeared with misty breath from the carriage. Despite the happy news of the Duchess¡¯ arrival, the whole garden was disappointed by his seemingly cold appearance instead.


    ¡®Madame?¡¯


    ¡®Where is the Madame?¡¯


    Raven looked around, utterly unaware of their burning innermost thoughts that were circting. He then reached into the carriage again as if he had finished checking the Duchy that was already with a tight security.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    A milky white hand softly went on top of the ck glove. Locks of hair as white as snow slowly fluttered in the wind. When she emerged from the carriage with a slightly raised cheek, Raven outstretched the rest of his hands.


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    Molitia hesitated to pay attention to the meaning of his arms that had been spread open proudly. Nevertheless, his firm arms were showing no intentions of making any concessions as well.


    In the midst of a small scuffle, Molitia finally lifted her upper body slightly as she finally yielded. His arms which wrapped around her shoulders were holding her familiarly.


    All bundled up with her thick clothes, she began hugging as if she were drowning within his wide arms. When the only couple emerged from the carriage, the servants immediately bowed in unison.


    It was simr to a greeting that had weed the safe return of both the lords of the Duchy. Molitia¡¯s cheeks flushed even redder when she realized that more people had been paying much attention to the two of them.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sick.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°You know that I can walk as well, right?¡±


    Raven¡¯s response halted for a mere second.


    ¡°What if you fall down?¡±


    ¡°Have you ever seen me fall?¡±


    ¡°You might take this time to actually fall.¡±


    In Raven¡¯s eyes, even the garden had appeared like a dangerous path. How did they clean up the garden when there were rocks in the middle of the road and weeds that hadn¡¯t been pulled out.


    He didn¡¯t know when or where she might step on them before slipping or even tripping all over them. It was just unimaginable to let her walk amidst such a dangerous ce.


    Her head immediately sank to the ground when it seemed like he had no intention of lowering his hands, in fact, his embrace had just grown even tighter.


    ¡°Raven, the others are watching.¡±


    ¡°Not only one or even two, but just look at them.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­ achoo¡ª¡±


    It was just a tiny voice, but Raven wasn¡¯t the only one who had been surprised. Pillen, who was carefully on the lookout behind Raven, freaked out before wrapping her up with the nket in hand.


    ¡°Still?¡±


    ¡°¡­I just had an itchy nose.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    He instantly hugged Molitia, who was still expressing her desire to be put down.


    She rubbed against his cheek with her white hand before itnded eventually on his shoulder.


    ¡°Let me know that you¡¯re all safe in my arms¡ªkeep yourself warm too.¡±


    He looked absolutely obsessed with her safety that had been rather too much, she thought, but Molitia just couldn¡¯t stop him at all. It was all the more so since she precisely understood how he had felt.


    ¡°I got it.¡±


    Although she finally sighed as if she was hurling, Raven was still satisfied just by her resignation. He kissed her cheek briefly before he quickly proceeded into the mansion while wondering if she might have still gotten a cold.


    The servants were all delighted by the scene of reconciliation between the couple, which could be said to be rather lengthy yet still short. Nevertheless, peace didn¡¯tst that very long.


    ¡°Urgh!¡±


    ¡°Molitia? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    It had been the same time for a meal as usual¡ªuntil Molitia, who was already seated at the dining hall while waiting for the food to arrive, suddenly sped onto her face.


    ¡°That¡­ the smell of food feels disgusting all of a sudden. Urgh!¡±


    Raven instantly jumped out from his seat when Molitia, who had already turned blue, covered her entire mouth.


    ¡°Doctor!¡±


    The doctor hastily visited the dining hall at the fierce voice of Raven¡¯s. Fortunately, it turned out to be her morning sickness¡ªone of themon symptoms of pregnancy.

 Chapter 177

    Chapter 177


    He sighed when he was informed that he hadn¡¯t gotten sick, but there was something else that actually made him nervous.


    ¡°Uh¡­ I really can¡¯t eat.¡±


    ¡°This?¡±


    ¡°That as well¡­¡±


    Various kinds of food had passed through in front of her, but nothing was touched at all. Her hands that were still full with a grimacing apprehension hadn¡¯t even been thought to be put down.


    ¡°Molitia, you know that this isn¡¯t good for the baby.¡±


    The child. Even with her preupied mind, she still pulled down her hand that had been holding back her mouth, albeit heavily.


    She grabbed the fork before taking a bit of courage and began pressing onto the meat.


    Nevertheless, that was just it.


    As she took it over to her mouth, she began shaking her head and proceeded to lower her fork down.


    ¡°¡­ I can¡¯t do it. The smell itself is just disgusting.¡±


    ¡°Bite it.¡±


    The cold tone of voice quickly dissipated over all the food on the table. As he embraced her figure that was tired out from her incessant nausea, Molitia slightly hesitated before nudging into his arms.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    Her head turned away weakly. It was such a pity to see her little head moving within his chest, so his hands proceeded to pat her a little stronger.


    ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d like to eat?¡±


    While still shaking her head weakly, she lifted her head up.


    ¡°Raven, I¡­ There¡¯s only one thing that I wish to eat.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Despite so much food, he became nervous since he still couldn¡¯t capture her taste entirely. He was determined to retain any kind of food if he could only feed her.


    ¡°But the food is a little bit¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, it¡¯s okay. Just tell me anything. I¡¯ll save it for you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­pickled.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I want to eat pickled lemons.¡±


    Raven had his mouth gaped open in absurdity. That had been too poor to even be called food. It was clear that she wouldn¡¯t be able to enjoy that properly, let alone to have any sorts of nutrients intake.


    However, he was not in a position where he could cover the whole situation. The pickled lemons, which had been quickly ordered, were soon presented on the table.


    Unlike other kinds of food previously, Molitia lifted the current dish ever so easily.


    With a spoon full of honey and lemon, she immediately put it into her mouth without any sense of hesitation at all.


    The only thing that eventually came out of her mouth was the empty spoon. Molitia ate them so deliciously to the point where the nausea that she had endured so far was overshadowed.


    ¡°¡­is it good?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s absolutely delicious.¡±


    Even with her mouth full, she still smiled bashfully. The te of meat and soup that she used to eat often before had reeked. She didn¡¯t even put them in her mouth, instead, she could definitely eat the sour pickled lemon very well¡ªjust by the looks of it. Raven was staring at her with his eyes both wide, yet still couldn¡¯t believe it.


    Raven, who had tasted it while wiping off her mouth, instantly frowned. His thoughts weren¡¯t wrong at all.


    The lemon pickled was indeed too sour. It didn¡¯t seem to be a good pick for her, who needed to be evenly nourished. Raven eventually snapped out of his urgent concern.


    ¡°I wish that you could actually eat something else beside this.¡±


    As soon as his words were finished, Molitia put down her spoon.


    ¡°Are you putting the me on me for being unable to eat anything else?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to eat something else as well. But then, what can I do about the disgusting smell of food? The baby doesn¡¯t want to ept anything other than this yet¡­¡­¡±


    Molitia, who shot words like rapid fire, wept with sadness at the end. She finally managed to find some food that didn¡¯t make her nauseous, but tears kept on pouring out since she hated him for being unaware about it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I apologize.¡±


    He expressed his regret for what had first gone wrong. He had no intention of making her cry in the first ce.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to see you eat whatever you like. So, don¡¯t cry, Molitia.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then, can I keep on eating this?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡±


    He would like her to eat something else actually, but he just nodded for now. As if she had just been crying, she wiped her tears like a lie and started fiddling with the spoon.


    ¡°People who don¡¯t get angry are, in fact, the most fearsome.¡±


    Raven just couldn¡¯t forget her figure that had been infuriated. He heard from the doctor that carrying a child could make her sensitive, but what he saw with his own two eyes was entirely different.


    His hands were constantly patting her while being as cautious as they could.

 Chapter 178

    Chapter 178


    ¡°Is there anything else you¡¯d like to eat?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this is my favorite one right now.¡±


    Even though he was relieved that she had quickly appeared bright once again, he just couldn¡¯t let go of his regrets about her nutrient intake.


    Raven had secretly ordered the butler to add a dash of pickled lemons to her repertoire of food. The covert operation was done without her knowledge and they were put on disy right on the next day.


    But her reaction was absolutely consistent.


    The pickled lemons were already inside, but they didn¡¯t seep in through. Nevertheless, she was forced to bite into the food due to the nausea that was churning up inside.


    Eventually, it was a dish of pickled lemon that was finally unfurled to her table. It was actually Raven who had already bought a whole bottle of lemon pickled vegetables for her, but she still couldn¡¯t stop feeling anxious.


    Molitia unintentionally clutched onto the table for a while since she was disgusted by the odor of other types of food.


    The pickled lemons, which were on the table for a while, had now barely disappeared as Molitia¡¯s morning sickness eventually came to an end.


    Changes began to get apparent to her stomach, which hadn¡¯t been noticeable before. Her lower abdomen, which had been slightly swollen, was now visible. On the surface, it was already quite obvious that she was pregnant. The child was growing up safely. For several times a day, Molitia would stroke her lower abdomen with a loving look on her face.


    ¡°Baby, are you listening?¡±


    When she had some time alone, Molitia would often talk to the child. It was right after she had heard that it was good to talk to the child regrly for prenatal care.


    Her main stories would be the things that transpired within the Duchy. The story of whom Lili had fallen in love with at first sight and the dining hall servants who always seemed to be worrying about food.


    And the majority of the stories were upied by Raven himself too. Even trivial actions had turned into a story for her child.


    It was so precious to see her talking to her child under the bright sunshine. She was glowing even though she wasn¡¯t wearing any string of jewelry.


    The corner of Raven¡¯s mouth also went up as her smile became more frequent after embracing the figure of her child happily.


    It was around that time when she heard from her doctor that she was finally out from her unstable period.


    Molitia had eventuallypleted her preparation to go outside after a few months.


    A hat that gave protection under the sun, a thick shawl that covered up her belly and a dress that unfurled softly under the chest line. She was all tucked up, but there was still something else to prepare.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    Raven naturally slid next to her and ced his hand on her shoulder. The corners of Molitia¡¯s mouth eventually went up within the snug warmth.


    ¡°Raven.¡±


    Raven was moved by her warm smile that was just like the sun. Even though she was already with a child, she still smiled like a lovely girl.


    ¡°Do you really need to go?¡±


    ¡°Again?¡±


    Molitia sighed as if she was annoyed.


    ¡°You heard it as well. I have to exercise a little bit from now onwards.¡±


    ¡°You can just do that in the garden itself.¡±


    ¡°I want to go out too. I¡¯d like to get some fresh air. Plus, I also need some clothes.¡±


    ¡°You can call for them.¡±


    ¡°What about the exercise then?¡±


    Raven¡¯s mouth slowly closed tight. Even now, he would hug her whenever he had the time. She had refused to do so since she had been gaining weight while her stomach had bulged, but he didn¡¯t budge at all.


    And even now, he still looked at her restlessly. One might even think that there was a jagged mountain range underneath Molitia¡¯s feet.


    ¡°That¡¯s precisely why you¡¯ll being with me. I just can¡¯t leave you alone.¡±


    She touched his hand that was on her shoulder. The hand that was felt at the tip of the finger had been coarse but warm.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Since you¡¯ll always be there for me.¡±


    Raven nodded as if he was already under a spell with that soothing soft voice of hers.


    The scene didn¡¯t stop the servants from whispering for a while, saying that their Madame still had casted her magic on the Master today as well.


    The carriage that was ornamented with the Duke¡¯s eventually stopped in front of the dress shop. Margareta, who had been preparing ever since the carriage had arrived, slowly touched her cor nervously.


    ¡°Wee. Duchess and Duke.¡±


    When the door to the dress shop and the couple entered Margareta¡¯s salutations still continued. The owner of the dress shop had received the attention from people inside.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Duchess Linerio?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I heard that she¡¯s pregnant now. Her stomach is really¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that the Duke¡ªwho¡¯s next to her?¡±


    ¡°I heard that his love for his wife is rather unusual and I really didn¡¯t expect him toe to the dress shop.¡±


    ¡°He must really care about his wife.¡±


    It was ultimately rare for men to turn up at women¡¯s dressing rooms. It was almost impossible for them toe over with their wives.

 Chapter 179

    Chapter 179


    ¡°Have you prepared it as I told you before?¡±


    ¡°Of course. We¡¯ve already gotten everything set up in the special room upstairs. Pleasee this way.¡±


    ¡°Upstairs?¡±


    Raven¡¯s forehead twitched. He told her to prepare them in advance, but it was already organized upstairs¡ªfor someone who had a hard time to even move. Even if there was ack of consideration, it was still toocking.


    Margareta, who wanted to avoid Raven¡¯s already crumpled expression, quickly lowered her head.


    ¡°I apologize. I¡¯m afraid that it¡¯ll be rather noisy downstairs, so I¡¯ve set it up upstairs. If it¡¯s inconvenient for you, I¡¯ll move everything downstairs.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. The doctor did say that I should exercise anyway.¡±


    Molitia stepped up before Raven could utter anything. As her voice slowly softened the sharp atmosphere, Margareta sighed discreetly.


    ¡°Thank you for your heartfelt understanding, Madame. I¡¯ll make sure to prepare everything on the first floor next time.¡±


    The second floor, which was followed by the ducal couple, eventually unfolded a cozy space amidst a quiet atmosphere. There was a clear indication of concern towards the Duchess who was pregnant.


    Some refreshments and delicious cookies were all prepared beforehand. As if she had been waiting already, the designers immediately brought her some dresses of various designs.


    A dress came into her line of sight as she was discussing various things to match her maternity dress.


    ¡°Raven, look at that. It must be children¡¯s clothings.¡±


    A dress entered into Raven¡¯s eyes as well, which he straight away turned his attention to Molitia¡¯s words.


    ¡°¡­too small.¡±


    It was ridiculously smallpared to the adults¡¯. The clothes merely had three buttons and they looked just like those cute doll clothes.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t my child going to wear something like that someday?¡±


    Were those what people would wear? Raven just couldn¡¯t imagine. He even wondered if he had ever worn such clothings when he was still young.


    He didn¡¯t notice whether it was there, but once he was aware of it, he just couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of it. The size had been small yet everything that should be on clothings was already embedded. And that had eventually opened Raven¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Do you like these clothes?¡±


    Margareta, who noticed the couple¡¯s eyes, quickly queried.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure of the baby¡¯s gender yet, but¡­¡±


    It was obvious that she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off.


    ¡°You know what? If your stomach is especially round, it¡¯s a boy.¡±


    Was that it? Molitia nced down at her stomach.


    ¡°These days, newborn babies tend to opt for colors which are gender-independent. There is this myth that goes that if you dress like that, your child will grow even healthier.¡±


    ¡°Do you happen to have clothes for newborns?¡±


    Margareta shook her head embarrassingly at Raven¡¯s words.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid our clothing store isn¡¯t involved in making baby clothes.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you make them for me, then? I don¡¯t care how much it¡¯ll cost.¡°


    No matter how much it would cost! Margareta¡¯s eyes immediately shed.


    A baby¡¯s outfit wouldn¡¯t cost much money, but it was different for the Duchess. The moment her child was to wear it, the publicity effect would have been rather obvious. Margareta nodded her head quickly while thinking about therge sum of money that was just ahead of her.


    ¡°I think it will be most natural for me to create them when the Duchess desires them along with her wishes. And I¡¯ll do my best to make them.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯d like to take a quick look at the designs of those clothes now.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t thought of anything concrete just yet, but how about this?¡±


    The couple, who already had what they wanted, was very enthusiastic about it. Margareta, who had been talking passionately for a while, proceeded to touch the brooch proudly.


    ¡°Then, I will create this design with the final thought in mind.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±


    ¡°I will make them with all my passion!¡±


    Raven, who was looking at the smiling Margareta, slowly got up from his seat. He implicitly called upon Margareta as soon as Molitia was looking elsewhere.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    ¡°Huh, Du-Duke.¡±


    He stared at Margareta¡¯s hands. There were designs in her arms, which she had talked to Molitia before and gave a rough sketch.


    ¡°Can you make different colors to the clothes that she talked about?¡±


    ¡°What kind of clothes are you talking about¡­?¡±


    ¡°The clothes which you had discussed with my wife.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you mean baby clothes?¡±


    She unfurled the paper and ced it in front of Raven. The clothes of a small child were already drawn in various designs.


    ¡°Yes, I hope you can make it with as many colors as you can. And I want to order something else that my wife had also noticed during the design sketching.¡±


    A child would grow up quickly. However, this had been the Duke¡¯s case. Margareta, who couldn¡¯t miss all the money, gave a sincere nod.


    ¡°Okay then, I will absolutely do that.¡±


    ¡°And bring the bill to me¡ªnot to my wife.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

 Chapter 180

    Chapter 180


    Raven, who ordered a lot of clothes for the child without his wife knowing at all, eventually returned to her side with a proud look.


    ¡°Have you finally decided on the clothes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they¡¯ll make it quickly before sending them to the Duchyter.¡±


    The face that spoke softly looked as sweet as a piece of cookie that was just next to her. Raven¡¯s hand then gently swept across her cheek.


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Any other ces?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a look around next time. Plus, I¡¯ve already been out for too long.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. Let¡¯s buy something delicious instead.¡±


    ¡°Delicious food? What would you like to eat?¡±


    ¡°Well, cake!¡±


    Raven tilted his head. It wasn¡¯t any special living on the outside. It was clear that the Duke already had such an outstanding cook, so he would definitely whip up better dishes than most of the bakeries.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll inform the Duchy to prepare first.¡±


    ¡°No, the cook¡¯s food back at the Duchy is extremely delicious, but I¡¯d like to eat another cake for today. One that¡¯s only for me, you and our child.¡±


    Her smile while touching her own belly, was very warm. Raven¡¯s lips had smiled lightly at the light that had melted in her eyes.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Raven¡¯s arrangement to depart had eventually be busy. It was quite packed to go somewhere else just before the sun went down.


    Raven suddenly paused while he was trying to get the driver to prepare the carriage. He thought that it was safer to verify it with his own eyes rather than entrusting it to others.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the carriage ready. Just wait here for a while.¡±


    ¡°I got it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t run around while I¡¯m away and watch your step¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just sit still. That¡¯ll be good, right?¡±


    When Raven finally stopped talking, his perplexed eyes fell upon her.


    ¡°¡­¡­yes.¡±


    Raven, who hesitated nervously, eventually turned away. Molitia instantly giggled after he had left the store.


    ¡°Baby, your father is such a nag. I don¡¯t even know how bad it¡¯ll get when you¡¯re bornter.¡±


    Pft¡ªthe knight who was stationed by Molitia¡¯s side for the sake of her safety, quickly closed his mouth.


    The Lord had been a nag? The cool expression of that man who could seemingly kill a person, nagging at a child was a form that could never suit him.


    Nevertheless, when the actions earlier had coincided, a strange scene began to unfold in his head. The knight held back hisughter that was just about to burst out once again.


    Just outside the quiet attire room, the whirling sound of horses could be heard. As he looked over the window, the knight soon confirmed that the carriage had belonged to the Duke and slowly approached Molitia.


    ¡°It looks like the Lord has already arrived with the carriage right in front of the shop.¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s get going.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Molitia lifted her body by holding the hand of the said knight. Her body, which was heavier than before, had naturally extended her own waist.


    ¡°Please be careful with the stairs.¡±


    The stairs that had beenyered with a soft carpet were absolutely fluffy. Then, it was that time when Molitia, who was holding onto the knight¡¯s hand, began to step towards the stairs.


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    A person who was holding a cup of hot tea suddenly screamed before copsing right towards Molitia. Just before Molitia could be surprised, the knight had already blocked her with one step ahead.


    Clink!


    The tea cup immediately shattered into pieces along with a sharp crash.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sorry! I apologize!¡±


    The person who eventually noticed that the hot tea had been poured all over the knight¡¯s clothes, immediately bowed his head with such a blue face.


    ¡°Madame, are you all right?¡±


    The knight quickly headed for Molitia without even looking at his body first. Thanks to the knight¡¯s fast reaction, Molitia suffered no damage at all.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine¡­¡±


    ¡°Die.¡±


    Suddenly, a familiar voice intruded her ear.


    ¡°Madame!¡±


    The surprised knight straight away reached out, but Molitia¡¯s body was already in the air.


    Her eyes had opened wide at the sense of her toes in jeopardy. She reached out her hands btedly, it seemed that it was impossible to hold onto the knight¡¯s arm at that moment.


    How high were the stairs? How extensive was it really?


    She couldn¡¯t think of any single thing as her mind went nk in an instant. Molitia was just instinctively hugging her stomach instead.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    A sharp scream reverberated through the dressing room. Some people even had their eyes closed at the bewildering sight of Molitia who was falling down.


    And Molitia was one of them as well. As she crouched herself in hopes that her stomach wouldn¡¯t feel the shock as much as possible, she closed her eyes tightly to prepare for the impending blow.


    However, the sensation that was felt against her back had been warmer than she thought. It was rather strange for her, who utterly thought of the hard wooden floor. A pair of strong supporting hands and a familiar body scent.

 Chapter 181

    Chapter 181


    ¡®Ah.¡¯


    Molitia opened her eyes. It was Raven, who had been in a hurry to catch his own breath.


    ¡°Molitia, are you okay?¡±


    She slowly blinked a couple of times. As her mixed feelings eventually disappeared, a frightening and eerie sensation began to creep upon her.


    She had almost died. A cool sensation of blood slowly seeping out of her body. Molitia immediately embraced her belly in reflex.


    ¡°Child¡ªthe child.¡±


    ¡°The child is okay. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    A sigh of relief gradually set in her head. She felt that the pats against her back had hardened. She was still alive. She hadn¡¯t hurt herself.


    Finally, Molitia reached out her hand and began hugging Raven with a sense that reality was slowly kicking in. A pair of uncontroble trembling hands were felt over his whole neck.


    His hand, which was holding onto her thin body, was gradually intensified. He was surprised as Molitia ever was. And since he had been trained, he could take upon it reflexively¡ªunlike ordinary people.


    A baffling sensation immediately filled him up and escaped through the tip of his body.


    ¡°Ethel!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The knight, who was still distracted by Raven¡¯smand, immediately regained his senses. The woman who btedly realized that she had failed, instantly tried to run away, but she was already caught in Ethel¡¯s strong grasp.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    ¡°Where are you going to run away!¡±


    ¡°How dare you grab a hold of someone¡¯s wrist!¡±


    She was still rather familiar with the voice that flowed into her ears.


    ¡ªNo way.


    Ethel snatched off the deep-covered robe. Along with the robe, locks of brilliant blonde hair flowed out. It had been a face that was as familiar as the voice, which eventually made a devil-like impression.


    ¡°¡­Ar¡­jan?¡±


    The tacky outfit was the first to stand out. Clothes that she would have never worn before. However, Arjan must have been struggling to escape entirely from Ethel.


    ¡°Why are you here¡­¡±


    Since when was it? Molitia recalled what was said when she had pushed her as if she was already aiming for her.


    ¡°Die.¡±


    She remembered swallowing on each and every pronunciation just like an intense wish. As the sense of death had begun devouring once again, a stinging pain pricked her stomach.


    ¡°Oh, my stomach¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your stomach?¡±


    She grabbed her stomach at the sudden pain. She tried to straighten her hands, but beads of sweat were still pouring out slowly.


    ¡°Ah, my stomach¡­¡­ it hurts¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh my God. Hang in there, Molitia.¡±


    Raven embraced Molitia before turning his head around.


    ¡°Ethel! Take her back to the Duchy. Never ever let her go¡ªand bring the carriage over to the side.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The memory of being inside the carriage wasn¡¯t remembered fully well. Instead, she had just been holding onto her pregnant stomach because she was afraid something could go astray.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Molitia. Hang in there, please.¡±


    Whenever she groaned in pain, whispers would float over beside her¡ªjust a little bit more. Molitia also kept on murmuring endlessly inside as if she was holding onto thest strand.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡°Fortunately, you had just been surprised. Both the baby and your wife are fine.¡±


    The doctor¡¯s words towards the end of that nervous moment couldn¡¯t have been much sweeter.


    Then, the doctor said with a determined look to the visibly relieved couple.


    ¡°I did say that it was already stable, but if you happen to receive a huge shock, you could have experienced a miscarriage. Therefore, you should always be more careful.¡±


    After finishing the examination, the doctor handed her the prescription. A medicine that allowed tense muscles to rx after taking it and its effectiveness would be shown soon after that.


    She looked at her stomach, which wasn¡¯t hurting any longer. Would her swollen stomach dete once the child had gone? She thought that she had already heard it thousands of times in just a short period of time.


    The idea of losing a child was even more chilling than she had thought before and it was absolutely dreadful. She didn¡¯t want to feel the unpleasant sensation of her scouring spine ever again.


    As he could feel Molitia¡¯s anxious eyes, Raven propped down next to her before patting her shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to worry anymore.¡±


    ¡°Raven¡­¡±


    Her lips were all entangled together and did not part properly.


    ¡°My own mistake has almost caused an issue for my child. And I¡¯ve already made amitment to protect this child as well.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not even your fault. Don¡¯t me yourself.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but to feel the eeriness creeping on her. If he hadn¡¯t been able to catch her¡ªa terrible image drifted automatically into her head even though she didn¡¯t want to at all.


    Her fingertips turned cold and her mind immediately froze. Molitia slowly stopped stroking her stomach.


    ¡°Raven.¡±


    It was bearable for her to be hurt. However, it was never eptable to touch her child at any costs.


    ¡°Where is Arjan?¡±


    ¡°Why would you ask that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that you¡¯ll just have her sent to the Imperial Pce just like that.¡±


    Raven then confessed himself frankly at her sharp remark.


    ¡°¡­yes¡ªYoung Lady Clemence will be interrogated by myself. We¡¯ll thoroughly find out they did it and who is actually behind all of this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ming with you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Raven wrinkled his eyebrows at her very unexpected words.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember what she did to you? She tried to kill you¡ªshe tried to kill the child. How would you know what she¡¯ll try to do once you meet her again?¡±


    ¡°I know, Arjan is showing me such monstrous hostility. That¡¯s why I have to listen even more. She tried to kill my child, as well as myself.¡±


    This rigid rtionship could notst forever. Someday, she still had to see the end and she just realized that now is the end itself.


    Raven looked at her firm eyes with own trembling eyes. Molitia, who was infinitely thin, would sometimes show off her incredible strength.


    And at those moments, he wouldn¡¯t be able to break her demands at all. She used to defeat even the iron-like Raven along with his sheer iron-like stubbornness as well.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be away from my side.¡±

 Chapter 182

    Chapter 182


    His reluctant approval eventually grew longer and longer.


    ¡°You can¡¯t even get close. I¡¯ll try and suppress it, but just don¡¯t let go of the tension since she was the one who tried to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°I got it.¡±


    ¡°¡­do you really need to go and see her?¡±


    She smiled at thest question.


    ¡°Maybe this will be ourst greeting. There¡¯s actually something that I¡¯d like to say anyway.¡±


    ¡°¡­huu, stay behind me.¡±


    In the end, Raven took the lead with both of his hands and feet. As she trailed behind him, Molitia whispered to her stomach.


    ¡°Baby, keep your eyes and ears closed just for a little while.¡±


    She was sorry for her child, whom she only wanted to allow the good things, sight and hearing. But then, she also couldn¡¯t miss this right now. Eventually, Molitia raised her head.


    ¡°Has she been tied up well?¡±


    An unfamiliar ce. Even though she had arrived in the Duchy¡¯s mansion, the basement where she had never entered reeked much more unusual than she even imagined.


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s this way.¡±


    The knight who was guarding the door soon guided the two of them.


    ¡°Is there anything you can tell us about?¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing. No one is behind her¡ªno mastermind, no supporters nor did she even say anything.¡±


    nk¡ªthe rusty iron door parted. As it shone in the dark, it eventually revealed the spirit who had flinched.


    ¡°¡­¡­Arjan.¡±


    Molitia slowly looked over her sister. The shabby clothes were still as awkward as she saw them before back at the shop.


    Did she ever imagine her being dressed like this?


    While feeling a bit faint, Arjan lifted her head. The sharp eyes, which were never seen before, glimmered like the eyes of a beast.


    ¡°Young Lady Clemence.¡±


    Raven¡¯s bleak voice instantaneously rang in that dark cell.


    ¡°Why did you want to kill my wife?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just too much to say, kill. I was merely on the way by chance.¡±


    It was the knights around them who had gotten angry at Arjan¡¯s brazen words. If it wasn¡¯t for their Lord, they would have regretted everything for the Madame, who might not have been able to be fully protected.


    The knights eventually exuded a dreadful energy as if they were just about to draw their swords.


    ¡°The store clerk has already confessed. She fell because you had pushed her in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that you¡¯re actually trying to kill me merely because I stumbled. Are you just exaggerating, Duke?¡±


    ¡°Arjan Clemence.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t try to kill her.¡±


    As she snorted, she then looked up straight at Raven.


    ¡°If I¡¯m truly guilty, I¡¯ll only be guilty of running away and it¡¯s all because I can no longer stand the sins of my father¡¯s excessive greed.¡±


    She proceeded to deny everything that happened to Marquis Werner. She didn¡¯t even blink at all while adding it to the lie, even though the person involved was right in front of her.


    Molitia hadn¡¯t been the only one who was on fire. Raven was impressed by her lies as well. wasn¡¯t the only one who was full of energy. Raven was also impressed by her lies.


    ¡°If you confess everything honestly, I will show you myst bit of patience and send you right to the Imperial Pce.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what kind of nonsense you¡¯ve been hearing from her and that you¡¯re pressuring me now, but I don¡¯t wield a sword like Ferdinand nor am I plotting with Portan¡ªlike what my father did. I was just being manipted.¡±


    ¡°Trimeric.¡±


    Arjan¡¯s lips stopped fluttering at Raven¡¯s word.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who sneaked it in?¡±


    ¡°How can I¡­¡±


    Oops¡ªArjan bit her lips btedly, but her lips were already exuding the sweetness.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, but it was just brought in for my sister¡¯s medicine.¡±


    ¡°That poisonous herb?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was poison.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you trying to work together with Dr. Arendt?¡±


    Raven¡¯s words immediately shattered the minds of Molitia as well as Arjan.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Hisments, which could not have turned up just from this situation, were enough to embarrass Molitia.


    ¡°What did Mr. Arendt even do?¡±


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    Raven, who looked at her blueplexion, softly caressed her cheek.


    ¡°¡­will it be okay to listen? If it¡¯s hard or will affect you severely, I¡¯ll talk about it next time.¡±


    She felt reluctant for a moment. The sensation of a chilly energy surging from the tip of her toes had made her want to run away by instinct.


    However, it had been her who wanted toe here. It was her who wanted to hear it. And she, herself, had said that running away was no longer an option.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I will listen to it.¡±


    Her eyes were firm even though she hugged her stomach anxiously. As he looked over Molitia who was with a determined look on her face, Raven recalled the documents which he received just a few days ago.


    ¡°¡­not too long ago, the doctor had informed me. She finally found the reason why you threw up blood all of a sudden.¡±


    That was a long time ago. She was embarrassed at that time, but she thought of it as her physical condition and eventually passed the medicine over. That was also why she just let it go when her doctor couldn¡¯t really find the right cause.


    ¡°The medicine which you brought from the County itself was the actual problem.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    She suddenly felt a distant momentary feeling.


    ¡°Well, no way. I¡¯ve been taking that medicine all my life.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s precisely why, Molitia. The effect is rather minimal, but it¡¯ll be revealed slowly after years of constant use. It makes your body weak and difficult to control.¡±


    Her lips parted open. Raven¡¯s symptoms were all in sync with her usual manifestations.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t match with any of the medications that the doctor had given you that day. That¡¯s why you had a nosebleed all of a sudden.¡±

 Chapter 183

    Chapter 183


    ¡°They repeatedly told me that I should take that medicine every single day¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, that was what the doctor did on his own!¡±


    The embarrassed Arjan instantly shouted.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask him to do it at all!¡±


    ¡°¡­did you know that? Mr. Arendt was forcing me to take that drug?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you really work together with Mr. Arendt? Everything about me being sick as a child?¡±


    Her calm voice was trembling even further. Her fever had been so high that it was utterly difficult to swallow even her tears and the feeling of her burning throat hurt so much that she grabbed a pillow before tearing it apart.


    But the whole thing was actually done by her own family¡ªher own younger sister. Molitia just wanted to deny every single thing.


    ¡°Are you still going to tell me that you didn¡¯t try to kill my wife at all?¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s a physical ailment¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re still asking for evidence.¡±


    Raven clicked his tongue at the slightest sight of provocation.


    ¡°There¡¯s even a doctor¡¯s note. It will support the statement about your conspiracy with the doctor himself.¡±


    Arjan¡¯s body began shaking like a leaf. Her n to implore them by saying that she knew nothing had gone wrong.


    ¡°Why did you do that, Arjan? Why on earth?¡±


    Arjan couldn¡¯t open her lips easily. Just as her trembling pupils couldn¡¯t focus easily, her lips were shaking periodically as well.


    Jealousy reared its ugly head as it infested. As Molitia began to shine, Arjan had seemingly faded rtively. She just couldn¡¯t stand the gap.


    No matter how much she failed, she felt like she could return once she broke Molitia down. She believed that if she could put Molitia under feet once again, she would shine in society like before. It was supposed to be her ce¡ª!


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t taken my ce¡­¡­ if only you had kept yours, I wouldn¡¯t have to kill you!¡±


    It had to be Arjan, herself, whom people praised in unison. She had to be the only one who would receive all those manypliments. It wasn¡¯t just Molitia who had been prosecuted.


    Getting people¡¯s attention was actually simpler than she thought. It was necessary to only have someone to shine herself with. Arjan seemed like she was able to live her whole life like that¡ªand she did exactly so.


    Until the moment when Molitia had gotten married.


    When she saw Arjan was weeping just like a roar, Molitia felt suffocated.


    ¡°¡­ce? Who¡¯s making that up for you? Was that really your ce when you actually had stepped on someone else¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°What are you even talking about? If the ce I¡¯ve been reigning my whole life isn¡¯t mine, then whose is it? This is my ce. It¡¯s all mine!¡±


    ¡°You just can¡¯t keep the ce where you had already stepped on others forever, Arjan. You can never be happy.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that my efforts were futile?¡±


    ¡°Then, you don¡¯t think as such? It starts breaking down as soon as those sacrifices are put under that position.¡±


    Molitia stood up from her seat. Since when did this happen? If she were to go back, could they turn it all around?


    She shook her head. People were never things. She realized that things could no longer be rewritten and she now needed a tform to give up when she still could.


    Finally, she caught Arjan in sight. Out of this current situation, she wouldn¡¯t be able to find Arjan. She couldn¡¯t even see her anymore. The indescribable feeling of woe had gripped her mind.


    ¡°I hope you realize it sooner orter.¡±


    ¡°Sister! Molitia!¡±


    The struggling Arjan was then turned away.


    ¡°Raven, can I go up first? Moreover, the air has turned awful now.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to be okay?¡±


    As her head nodded helplessly, Raven called for a knight to assist her.


    ¡°Go get some rest. I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    As she leaned with the support of her aide, Molitia slowly closed her eyes. It felt like something immense was finally being released from her mind.


    As the smell disappeared, her heart became lighter as well.


    It was something that she expected to some extent when she faced Arjan. But she didn¡¯t prepare herself to hit this kind of catastrophe. It was such a strange feeling.


    The sense that her past waspletely denied had been in vain than she had thought, but it was still bearable. She endured Arjan¡¯s desperate attempt to erase herpletely.


    ¡®Why is that?¡¯


    Molitia took her shawl off due to the cool breeze that was tickling her cheek. The weather had gradually be fairly warm. By the time this gust of wind eventually turned hot and the sun became strong, she would be meeting her baby.


    She was vaguely aware of herself. Her legs would swell just from a short walk and as if it was restive, her lower abdomen had softened as well.

 Chapter 184

    Chapter 184


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    There he was, urgently breathing as soon as she had raised her head. Perhaps he tried not to lie about what was to happen soon, but he still took his time to breathe quite a few moments.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll have her led to the Imperial City tomorrow.¡±


    Many things were actually swallowed by his own words. However, Molitia didn¡¯t even question it.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Raven¡¯s face hardened as his expressionless wife¡ªor seemingly afraid¡ªnodded slowly.


    ¡°¡­are you all right?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    Unlike her nonchntly spitting words, Raven¡¯s palms were soaked with tension.


    She had already heard of Arjan¡¯s outright denials. Even Raven had touched his sword with such throbbing emotions. So, he was worried that the person involved would be in the same boat as well. The pair of embarrassed eyes were rolling around anxiously.


    Molitia smiled brightly as she saw him uncharacteristically nervous.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡±


    She didn¡¯t say that she wasn¡¯t ill at all. Her pierced heart wouldn¡¯t have been easily dulled and it would sometimes upset her.


    But she was no longer alone. It was different from when she had to swallow back her tears alone in such calming silence. She already had someone to support her right by her side.


    She put her hand over his prominent hand. Raven¡¯s eyes grew bigger as her soft skin was wrapping around his callused hands.


    There was a person who had been hurt more than herself. There were people who supported her actions. She smiled glowingly, capturing his eyes as she was colored with wonder from that embarrassed expression.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Raven¡¯s shoulder stiffened again at her sudden exmation.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Do you have a stomachache?¡±


    With a surprised look on her face, Molitia couldn¡¯t say a word. She stiffened and only her eyes were moving slowly.


    ¡°Tell me. Do you want me to call for a doctor?¡±


    He was going crazy when she didn¡¯t talk at all. Molitia¡¯s eyes quickly blinked once and as his worries were about to blow even bigger than a mountain, it was as if his own boat was suddenly tumbling again like earlier today.


    As she sensed something, her hand quickly led Raven¡¯s.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    Then, she ced his hand on her stomach while still putting her own index finger over her lips. It was the moment when Raven tried parting his mouth since he was frustrated as she wouldn¡¯t even tell him the right reason at all.


    A faint sensation passed through under his palm. At first, he thought that it was just a mistake. That passing feeling through his hands had been weak and it was hard to say that he had really sensed something.


    Then once more, Raven¡¯s eyes had opened wide as the sensation had passed through his hand again. He felt it clearly now. It was merely a slight movement, but it had been clear to him, who was staying alert.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°This is my first time.¡±


    Molitia smiled warmly.


    The baby? Raven focused all his nerves right into his palms. Sadly, the child didn¡¯t move for a while ever since then. Nevertheless, he still waited patiently and steadily for it.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    The baby revealed its presence once again under his palms, albeit weakly. As if to eliminate his anxiety, the child eventually made its first move right in front of him.


    ¡°This is¡­ I¡¯ve never felt this before.¡±


    ¡°Me, too.¡±


    Maybe this is the feeling to be proud about. It seemed as if the sensation under his palm had permeated to his chest as much as in his own palms. The woman who had been said to be difficult to have any children, was carrying one steadily in her stomach.


    Her milky white face like magnolia was spread out ever so elegantly.


    ¡°Your ce is here.¡±


    His voice added to Arjan¡¯s earlier words, which he had said with an already bloodstained neck.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t take someone else¡¯s. This is your rightful ce and the person who should be by my side will be only you¡ªforever. You¡¯re the only one who has the position of Duchess Linerio and as my wife.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­yes, I know.¡±


    It¡¯s not even night, but a trail of darkness came into Molitia¡¯s eyes. She closed her eyes in that dark. The corners of her mouth went up as a sweet kiss was bestowed upon her lips.


    ¡°I love you, Molitia.¡±


    ¡°I love you, Raven.¡±


    Their hands were holding together as theyid upon the stomach that slowly hardened. She wasn¡¯t lonely anymore.


    It would be sweet to meet the end by this person¡¯s side. Her eyes were gradually moistened with happiness.


    * * *


    Molitia¡¯s steps grew wobbly. She tried to walk with her swollen stomach, but her back gave out regardless of her doctor¡¯s warning.


    ¡°Madame!¡±


    Surprised at the sight of Molitia moving, Lili ran quickly.


    ¡°You can just ask me for something like this!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of calling for that?¡±


    Molitia smiled with the thread still in her hand. Her plump cheeks made her face even more beautiful.


    Her weight eventually returned to normal as her stomach swelled in earnest. Raven was the first to feel happy about her appearance that had been healthier than before she was pregnant.


    ¡°But you can¡¯t. I¡¯ll be the one who¡¯ll get scolded by the Master if Madame gets hurt even just a little bit. So, please allow me to do it¡ªat least for me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell Raven not to do that.¡±


    ¡°Madame, you do know that¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying.¡±


    As sheughed at Lili, who looked half worried and half nervous, she then took a light breath. Since it started to show, even small movements would easily make her out of breath.

 Chapter 185

    Chapter 185


    ¡°Whoa.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have much time left. You have to be very careful.¡±


    At Lili¡¯s urging, Molitia began to nod reluctantly. When it started showing, the Duchy started preparing in earnest. The doctor then called for the midwife separately. No matter how much the doctor was a woman, the experience was entirely different from a skilled midwife.


    Everyone in the Duchy was nervous about her giving birth. Those who knew their fragile Madame¡¯s physical condition eventually added to the tension as well.


    It was so tense that even the unconcerned party had be nervous. It was still okay. Then, it was time for Molitia to untangle the thread before looking at Lili¡¯s nervous face.


    Her fine forehead was already wrinkled. The thread fell from her hand just when she was untangling it.


    ¡°Are you in pain again?¡±


    Molitia gave a nod. Obviously, as the date approached, a sense of pain would sometimes intrude her stomach. And that meant it wouldn¡¯t be long before she could meet her child. Molitia tried to rx her forehead because of the pain.


    She grabbed her stomach in that moment of intense pain. Her stomach was already as hard as a rock.


    ¡°Madame, are you all right?¡±


    Molitia couldn¡¯t even express her feeling as the pain in her stomach was striking hard right in her spine. The cycle of pain was repeating far too quickly.


    When she couldn¡¯t breathe properly while exuding such cold beads of sweat profusely, Lili quickly called out for the midwife.


    With her suddenbor pains, Molitia was sent into the living room. It was actually 10 days earlier than the scheduled date. The midwife hastily entered the living room with such a perplexed look stered on her face.


    The news that Molitia began to suffer was soon reported to Raven who was at the Imperial Pce. What Raven had heard when he first entered the mansion hurriedly was the screams of Molitia herself.


    ¡°What the hell is going on¡ªwith my wife screaming like that?¡±


    ¡°That¡ªit came more suddenly than it was actually supposed to¡­¡­¡±


    Raven ran to the living room while pushing away the butler, who was still talking uneasily.


    ¡°Master, you¡¯re not allowed in the birth room! It¡¯ll be dangerous for both the mother and the baby if you were to enter right now!¡±


    Raven¡¯s feet stopped and began standing still when he heard that Molitia would be in risk. Raven shouted nervously as he heard of another scream just from beyond the door.


    ¡°Is Molitia all right?¡±


    ¡°This is just the process of meeting the baby. Please wait a little longer.¡±


    Right outside of that door, he just couldn¡¯t hide his anxiety. Every once in a while when he heard her screaming, he instantly felt that his blood was being drained out of helplessness.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°The boy¡¯s head is not visible just yet.¡±


    ¡°Still?¡±


    ¡°It takes quite a long time if it¡¯s her first time. So please, calm down a little bit, Duke.¡±


    How could he calm down? Whenever he heard her suppressed scream, Raven just couldn¡¯t stand his own nervousness and lifted his foot.


    However, contrary to expectations, her childbirth was only prolonged. The doors parted a little and the servants¡¯ hands were all drenched in the dark red water¡ªsimr to death.


    The child hadn¡¯t evene out yet, but the bloody scent was permeating the room as it overflowed. Molitia¡¯s screams were gradually losing their strength as well.


    ¡°Why is there no news still?¡±


    Eventually, Raven got furious while still holding it in before pressing on the doctor. The doctor bowed her head with a confounded look in response.


    ¡°Madame is so weak that she can¡¯t give birth to a child properly. At this rate¡­¡±


    She was unable to speak hastily. As she was incapable of resisting looking at Duke Raven¡¯s eyes, she bowed herself again.


    ¡°¡­you may have to choose between your wife and your baby.¡±


    Raven was pushed into the dark. It was a scenario that he had thought about dozens and hundreds of times before, but on the other hand, that said image was still being swallowed back.


    ¡°¡­how do we save both of them?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll absolutely do my best, but¡­¡±


    Raven¡¯s fist cracked when he gulped his words in agitation. He recalled her bright smile as she waited for their child.


    ¡°¡­if you have to choose between the two, please save my wife.¡±


    ¡°¡­okay.¡±


    The doctor bowed before entering the room once again.


    Even the room that had been reflected through the gap was bloody.


    The child¡¯s cry still wasn¡¯t heard yet and an asional cry was only spread through Molitia instead.


    ¡®A little more, just a little more!¡¯


    The voices of those who were anxiously shouting had also been rather teary as well.


    ¡°Please, Molitia.¡±


    While he was seated on the chair as he wouldn¡¯t leave the door, he held his hands close.


    Even when he never prayed to anyone, he still held his hands together for the first time in his life. His hands, which were filled with desperation, eventually touched against his forehead.


    ¡°Ngaang!¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes were turned to the birth room at that loud sound, which was ultimately different from the screams they had heard so far. Nevertheless, despite the fact that those cries of a child were already heard many times, the birth room still didn¡¯t open at all.

 Chapter 186

    Chapter 186


    ¡°Master.¡±


    The door finally opened and Pillen appeared. The child was in her arms, but Pillen¡¯s expression hadn¡¯t been well.


    ¡°What about Molitia?¡±


    Without even looking at the child properly, he moved his eyes right into the birth room.


    ¡°Currently, both the midwife and the doctor are executing post-treatment, but¡­¡±


    Raven ran inside before he even finished listening to Pillen. Without anyone else stopping him, he instantly approached Molitia who was lying in bed.


    The smell of blood intruded his nose. All that massive amount of blood was exuding from Molitia that it made his nose wrinkled in response.


    ¡°¡­Molitia.¡±


    He didn¡¯t want to believe it. He wanted to deny what he saw. Herplexion had turned as pale as a corpse. Breathing while in search of a single puff of air became fragile that made it difficult to see the movements of her chest going up and down only with the naked eye.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    As soon as he knelt beside her, he sped their hands together and the chilling sensation dispersed through the fingertips. Her hands had always been cold, but they were never as icy as today.


    ¡°What are you even doing? Save my wife!¡±


    The more desperate they had been, the busier they moved ordingly to the murderous tone of voice. His voice reverberated in the birth room to somehow save her.


    Despite the efforts of those people, her eyes wouldn¡¯t open easily. The passing warmth was only making her close to death.


    ¡®I¡¯ll live for sure.¡¯


    Her lovely words lingered in his ears. His sore nose hadn¡¯t been calming down at all.


    ¡°No, Molitia. You said you¡¯d live. You¡¯re supposed to live alongside him.¡±


    Raven held her hand tightly to keep her warm at all cost. He also tried giving her some warmth by rubbing his own cheek, but he just couldn¡¯t stop feeling the cold sensation instead.


    ¡°You can¡¯t die like this. If you die, I¡¯d die as well.¡±


    ¡®Don¡¯t talk nonsense¡¯¡ªhe expected her to open her eyes while saying those words, but he just couldn¡¯t imagine her opening her eyelids with that blueplexion of hers.


    He was afraid. He had already witnessed countless deaths, but he never felt this awful before. A more chilling sensation had invaded him than a de that was stuck into his body.


    ¡°Please¡ªplease, Molitia. Please.¡±


    Warm drops of liquid were soaking the back of her cold hands. His view had appeared blurry. He was still holding onto her hands desperately as if he was clutching on thest line of rope.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t leave me¡­¡±


    Among those desperate people, the sad wailings of a child rang out¡ªperhaps it was aware of the mother¡¯s condition.


    * * *


    The curtain of the night was drawn and the sun had risen in dew.


    The snug warmth of the sun eventually touched the end of the baby¡¯s bed. The sun shone over the faintly rocking bed and the purple eyes of the child with ck hair slowly opened themselves.


    The child didn¡¯t even cry when the nanny was already dozing off beside him. He blinked his big eyes and wriggled his fingers.


    What had you been so curious about? The world was filling the eyes of a child, who didn¡¯t really sleep a lot.


    A soft breeze tickled his ck hair that fluttered in the wind. The child¡¯s hand then moved along as if to catch the breeze. The child, who moved his hands several times in the air, eventually turned his eyes to his fingers.


    The child was staring at his own hands before he slowly opened his mouth. It was at that moment when the child¡¯s hand was just about to go right into his already opened light pink gums.


    Then, a big ck shadow fell upon the child¡¯s face. Arge hand, seemingly several timesrger than the child¡¯s, held him back softly.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that, Irit.¡±


    The child blinked just as if he understood his own name.


    ¡°Du, Duke!¡±


    The nanny who woke up btedly jumped out from her seat.


    She tried to greet without shifting her sleepy face, but Raven stopped her.


    Raven¡¯s eyes were still on his child, Irit. The hand that was holding the bed rail was as soft as it could ever be.


    The child¡¯s hands, who had recognized his father, immediately opened themselves wide. Raven reached out to the struggling act of seemingly asking for a hug.


    The way he held the child looked ustomed already. The soft cheeks that had been covered with saliva were puffing across his shoulder.


    ¡°Did you sleep well?¡±


    ¡°Ab¡­¡±


    Now, the answer had also been voiced out, not like a child who was barely starting to coo. The drool covered hand was poking around his sleeve, but he didn¡¯t mind it at all.


    ¡°Did you eat well?¡±


    Just like when Molitia was carrying a child in her stomach, Raven had been clumsy, but he still talked to the child every single day. Even if the child had uttered something unknown, he responded to it well.


    ¡°Buu.¡±


    With that lovely voice, Raven picked the baby up. The child smelled faintly of milk as well as the scent of dried nkets.

 Chapter 187

    Chapter 187


    ¡°Irit.¡±


    The child¡¯s eyes gazed at his eyes with that call. Could you even recognize your dad? The child smiled as he saw the sun was too bright.


    He just didn¡¯t know why the baby wasughing. The corners of Raven¡¯s mouth drew up even at the strange flirty sight of his child who was without a morning sleep.


    ¡°Oh, oh~¡±


    His hand, which was holding the child¡¯s head while babbling clumsily, eventually turned cautious.


    ck hair¡ªvivid features that weren¡¯t really childlike. People had said that he looked like the Duke himself, but he didn¡¯t think so.


    Raven instantly found Molitia in his child¡¯s appearance. His soft cheeks, which seemed to be wrapped around his hands and his white skin that was just like the pear flower, were all too simr to her.


    His fingers slowly swept over the child¡¯s cheek. A smoothness as if he was touching silk had passed by his hand.


    The child¡¯s mouth pouted when he tapped against his cheek. Soon enough, just like he was trying to fill his empty hand, the child turned around and put his hand around Raven¡¯s finger.


    ¡®Raven.¡¯


    He felt as if he could hear her voice faintly in his ears. Irit reminded him greatly of Molitia. The loveliness had even resembled the stiffness in the chest as well. Raven then drew upon a soft smile.


    ¡°Goo¡ª¡±


    The child¡¯s hand, which was fiddling with Raven¡¯s, proceeded to touch his sleeve. The child¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t pull away from the button, making him wonder if it was interesting to see that small symbol of the Duke of Linerio¡¯s family.


    ¡°Is this amazing?¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    The child¡¯s eyes had also moved as he waved the button. The figure slowly reminded him of a small animal.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.¡±


    It was a button that had gone far too many ces. If it was within his reach, it wasn¡¯t likely the child would instantly put it in his mouth.


    ¡°Ah, ah!¡±


    He reached out his hand greedily, but Raven managed to avoid it. It had almost touched. The child¡¯s face began to writhe when he seemed to have it but just couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Wahhh!¡±


    The child, who didn¡¯t cry amidst the morning sun, immediately burst into tears. The nanny, who was watching nervously beside him, quickly embraced the child, but he didn¡¯t even think of stopping his cries easily.


    Howfortable it must have been. Eventually, the child stopped crying after holding a toy that was simr to a button in his hand. The child smiled happily even though his eyes were still red with his tears of greed.


    ¡®You¡¯re stubborn.¡¯


    Who did he look like? As he chuckled in vain, Raven hugged Irit again. Whenever the child cried loudly, the child would smile again at his father¡¯s little pats.


    The weight hanging on the shoulder while babbling away with his tiny lips had been too small. Sometimes, it was so soft that he thought he might just crush the baby with his hands.


    Whenever he felt the warmth tinged in his heart, it was simply amazing. To have steadily grown day by day, seemed to be the perfect words for the child.


    ¡°Duke, slowly¡­¡±


    When the butler informed him of the time, he walked with the child in his arms. Whenever the child shook stably, the child¡¯s messy hair would whiff of milk.


    The ce where he opened the door and entered was a room with warm sunlight. Under the strong sunshine, the child slowly dug into Raven¡¯s arms.


    He patted the child¡¯s head and continued taking a step forward. He bowed his head as he carefully rolled up the veil over the bed.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    The eyelids, which had been tightly closed with such sweetness, trembled. A pair of purple eyes that had been as beautiful as a child eventually revealed themselves to the world.


    ¡°Waa!¡±


    Irit, who recognized her mother, instantly burst intoughter. When he struggled and began reaching for his mother, Molitia quickly held him.


    ¡°Did you sleep well, Irit?¡±


    Her white hand slowly brushed against his red cheeks. Her folded eyes gently wrapped into a soft arch.


    Looking at Molitia, who had skilfully held her child, Raven reached out and patted her cheeks instead.


    ¡°Raven.¡±


    Molitia tilted her head as if she was leaning against his hand. Then, her eyes turned naturally towards him.


    Although there were several difficulties after giving birth, Molitia had miraculously survived. With all that desire to live, she endured the pain in its entirety.


    Molitia gave a faint smile as she felt sorry for her cheek had be hollowed for quite a long time. She couldn¡¯t control her body yet, but she would definitely ovee it as she had just done so before.


    It had been a life that was predicted of death for every single day since she was young. She had been closer to death than anyone else, but she was ultimately different now.


    He was always there when she opened her eyes and she was already with his child, Irit. She was absolutely thankful for a life where she couldpletely live for another day.


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    Every morning, when Molitia opened her eyes, he would say that. And Molitia would smile affectionately.


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    (End)


    Note: This is thest chapter of the main story. There is only thee epilogue and extra chapter remaining.

 Chapter 188

    Chapter 188


    Epilogue (1)


    The Young Master, who was celebrating his fourth birthday this year, had one big problem.


    Irit Linerio.


    It was no exaggeration to say that his future had already been solidified as the next sessor to the Duke of Linerio. He could have everything he ever wanted and at the same time, everything he wished for woulde true.


    However, Irit was not arrogant at all. It was thanks to the sweet but strong Duke and that amicable yet well-educated Duchess.


    Some had said that he was a gifted child after having inherited his mother¡¯s brilliant mind. Nevertheless, Irit was full ofints since he couldn¡¯t deal with some problems that had been urring since quite a long time ago.


    ¡°Irit.¡±


    The child¡¯s eyes were closed tightly at that gentle call. His plump cheeks were already being buried in his mother¡¯s chest.


    ¡°I heard you¡¯ve gotten somepliments from your teacher today.¡±


    The touch of those head pats had revealed a sense of pride to him. Compliments were always sweet no matter how much he had heard of them. The end of the child¡¯s mouth opened wide as if it got caught in his ear already.


    ¡°Every single time, you keep on gettingpliments for being brilliant.¡±


    ¡°I got a perfect score this time as well.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s face had be tenderly rxed by the shy child.


    ¡°Good job. I¡¯m very proud of you.¡±


    The child, who was sitting on herp, was being really discreet with himself. He was very mindful of the fact that he might hurt his mother¡¯s body.


    Irit was young, but he already knew that his mother was fragile.


    The elder butlers and servants all seemed to be heedful in front of his mother. Just like a delicate task, the whole family was being really cautious in front of the Duchess.


    As the people around him had always been very careful, Irit then naturally imitated those actions. He trod conscientiously in front of his mother and he also yed with prudence.


    Until his mother, Molitia, began to see it all with a sad look on her face.


    ¡°My lovely child.¡±


    Her pats on the back of his hair that swept past simrly to a fine-like silk thread had been ratherfortable.


    Molitia wanted Irit to behave much like a child. She praised him for eating better than she did for his math skills and she adored his bright smile more than him getting 100 points on the exam paper.


    The brilliant child had already been rewarded in his learning, but it wasn¡¯t bad to show what his mother actually wanted. Furthermore, whenever he was in the arms of his sweet-scented mother, he wanted to be just like a flighty baby.


    He dug into her soft chest and began breathing in the flesh. The child¡¯s chubby finger was touching her chest softly.


    The calm smile on Molitia¡¯s mouth widened as if she didn¡¯t mind Irit¡¯s childishness at all.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    Irit¡¯s serenity was immediately shattered by that familiar voice. Molitia stopped stroking with her hand and started raising her weing face instead.


    ¡°You¡¯re here already?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I finished work pretty early today. More than that¡­¡±


    Raven¡¯s eyes slowly turned to Irit, who was still sitting on herp. The child pretended to be ignorant and dug further into his mother¡¯s arms, but it didn¡¯t work at all.


    ¡°Your mother must be tired now. Come here, Irit.¡±


    Whenever he saw Irit, he would somehow try to separate the two of them. Irit, who was usually in her arms, was now falling off.


    Irit¡¯s cheeks were full of grievances.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s only been a while since I hugged him anyway.¡±


    ¡°But still, you can¡¯t. It¡¯s only been a while since your wrist has gotten better, you can¡¯t have it bandaged again.¡±


    The child¡¯s body flinched noticeably at his father¡¯s words.


    ¡°Irit, you have already grown up to some extent, so it¡¯s now time for you to stop looking for her arms.¡±


    Raven was being strict, though he did think of it as something to say to a four-year-old. And Irit knew of that. Molitia had carried him around far too much. The ligament in her wrist got overstretched when she was carrying him strenuously.


    Even a child couldprehend that his mother was sick due to himself.


    ¡°Mother, you are sick again¡­¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Molitia just waved at her crying son. This time, he didn¡¯t hold onto her, but he kept staying on herp instead. Therefore, the ligament in her wrist wouldn¡¯t be stretched again.


    ¡°Then, can I stay in your arms?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Molitia and Raven had simultaneously said those words. The eyes of the two of them began entwining each other in the air.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold him for you.¡±


    He used to say that his father¡¯s arms felt good, but he was now different. The child had stubbornly sought out for his mother¡¯s arms. The hands that had been clutching tightly onto the hem of her clothes were held on firmly.


    ¡°Irit Linerio.¡±


    The voice that called him by his full name had loosened Irit¡¯s biting hands. The child was aware that his father just wanted to let him have onest chance. And assuming the fact that he were to miss this opportunity, Raven would then harbor a huge disrespect for his own child.


    The child eventually turned around, albeit sullenly. A smile was drawn gently around Raven¡¯s mouth as his drooping shoulders were now reaching for his father.


    Then, while naturally holding his child in one hand, he reached for Molitia softly.


    ¡°Have you eaten?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve been waiting to eat with you once you return home.¡±


    As she stood up without any hesitation while holding Raven¡¯s hand, she softly shed a smile.


    The child, who had made it obvious that he just didn¡¯t want to proceed towards him, was already in his arms¡ªbetter than he actually expected.

 Chapter 189

    Chapter 189


    Epilogue (2)


    A loose smile hung on Raven¡¯s mouth as he looked at Irit wriggling around.


    ¡°Father?¡±


    Raven, who was still holding the child in his arms while preventing him from raising his head, slowly bent down. A brief kiss had transpired and went over Irit¡¯s head amidst the confusion.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s head down together.¡±


    It was clear that Gilbert would have them prepared by now. The family eventually made their way to the dining hall in thepany of the maids, who tried their very best not to disturb them at all.


    Irit really liked to be in between the couple. And the same thing went in the dining hall. The child sat on a chair that was made to fit his own body before quickly calling upon his parents. The child, who was holding onto his father with his left hand and his mother in his right, had looked rather triumphant.


    As expected, the meal was served shortly after. A main dish for one was set up right in front of the child who ate as much as Raven did.


    Molitia tried to cut out the child¡¯s food into small pieces with a knife, but Irit had blocked it. The child nced at his father before stepping forward as he hoped that he would do it by himself.


    ¡°Mother, Mother.¡±


    The piece of meat on the fork looked like it had been cut already. Still, the knife seemed like it couldn¡¯t be lifted properly due to his inexperienced hand movements. Nevertheless, the child was looking all proud as Molitia had praised him generously.


    When he was beingplimented, the cheerful child instantly gave Molitia a little bit more. The honor of giving her the first bite of his cut in his life and she had put that piece of meat into her mouth with a smile lingering around her mouth.


    ¡°How is it? Is it good?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it has be much more delicious since it was given to me by Irit himself.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    The child¡¯s cheeks immediately lifted up. Subsequently, the small hand that had been holding onto the knife started wiggling quite hard as if it was only ying around.


    After eating to a certain extent, Irit¡¯s eyes slowly became cautious. Not much meat was left with the buttery juices. Instead, there were some disparate vegetables on the other side, as if they were decorated on top of it.


    The chicory hadn¡¯t been touched even once, so it didn¡¯t get messy at all.


    ¡®I¡¯m full.¡¯


    The child¡¯s expression then turned sour. He only wanted to put the fork away¡ªjust like this.


    ¡°Irit, you can¡¯t be picky.¡±


    How did he know? Irit¡¯s expression blurred by the voice that impeded at an amazing time.


    ¡°Answer?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    He was a kind father, but Irit also knew that he just couldn¡¯t disobey him at times like this. The child then took upon the fork at the vegetables with such an unwilling expression painted on his face.


    After a little bit of hesitation, he closed his eyes and popped some vegetables into his mouth. The child¡¯s cheeks puffed out with the tinge of bitterness that touched the tip of his tongue.


    It had such a terrible taste, but the child still moved his teeth well. Instead of spitting it out, he chose to hold his breath and yielded to those vegetables.


    Gulp¡ªwhen the food went down with a tiny chug, a sheer loveliness lingered in Raven¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Good job. I¡¯ll help with your horseback riding practice tomorrow as a reward.¡±


    ¡°With Father?¡±


    The child¡¯s eyes immediately sparkled at the unexpected reward.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not going to the Pce tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°How exciting!¡±


    ¡°In exchange, you¡¯ll have to eat everything that has been served today.¡±


    ¡°I got it!¡±


    Where did the crying scene even go¡ªand the lively child¡¯s fork was quickly heading back to the te. He still hesitated to put it into his mouth, but once he had them in, he somehow swallowed everything down.


    Raven looked at Irit pleasantly.


    After the meal, following with a rather small scuffle, Irit took over Molitia¡¯s arms once again. The child on herp was embraced by her, who mentioned that she wouldn¡¯t be overdoing it as she beamed with a full smile.


    While stealing nces at Raven, he thenughed in vain.


    ¡°Who does he look like¡ªwanting to be held in your arms?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still a child.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t like that. At that age, I¡¯ve already done my share of work.¡±


    ¡®Really?¡¯¡ªMolitia¡¯s mouth soon closed when she was just about to ask that. It was due to her notion that thought he might really be like that. Of course, she knew that it was partly a joke.


    She looked down and patted the child gently.


    ¡°Are you sleepy, Irit?¡±


    ¡°Eung¡­¡±


    The child whined in her arms. It was already time for bed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to bed now, then.¡±


    ¡°No, I want to sleep with Mother¡­¡±


    ¡°You have to go to bed.¡±


    Raven then held Irit. The meek whining still continued, but the child soon hugged his neck and began falling into a deep sleep.


    It was not until the child had been carefully handed over to the nanny that the only two of them were finally given some space. The crackling sound of burning fire could be heard faintly throughout.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it seem like he¡¯s been grumblingtely?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because he¡¯s quite bored?¡±


    ¡°He can just make as many ymates as he wants.¡±


    Molitia just smiled embarrassingly. Perhaps Irit¡¯s whining wasn¡¯t simply a need for some ymates.


    At that moment, she recalled the nanny¡¯s words that he was yearning especially for his parents¡¯ affection. Sometimes, it had been said that it might be an offset by a brotherly affection, but the possibility was also rather slim against Molitia¡¯s figure as well.

 Chapter 190

    Chapter 190


    <strong>Epilogue (3)</strong>


    Molitia¡¯s forehead started creasing as she was lost in thought. Raven could easily infer to whom she actually was engrossed about.


    ¡°How many more children will the maids be inviting for tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d be nice as well.¡±


    ¡°I suppose that you¡¯re going to prepare a pony for tomorrow? The weather is still quite chilly, so what should I do with my clothes¡­¡±


    ¡°Molitia, you can think about tomorrow¡¯s work, tomorrow itself.¡±


    His lips slowly brushed against the temples that he had been constantly thinking about. When a heave of breath was finally relieved upon contact, only then did Molitia¡¯s lips close themselves.


    ¡°He has already gone to bed and the maid, along with the nanny will take care of the clothes instead.¡±


    Raven¡¯s hand had gently patted her shoulder. It also became a tacit statement that rendered alright to just leave it be.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°My kid is strong.¡±


    Molitia¡¯s lips were then tightly closed.


    A child which had been born from her own body. There was a concern lingering in her head for every single day that he might be frail since he looked very simr to herself. As she noticed him eating as well as Raven, it was justforting to see that he was already as strong as Raven himself.


    ¡°And you? Have you taken your dinner pills?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know.¡±


    His head dropped as he looked at Molitia. While holding onto her slender shoulders, he plunged himself through the slight gap between her lips. After he scoured softly through her teeth, he retreated as he had minced his appetite.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve eaten them already.¡±


    The bitter taste that lingered in her mouth had trailed in his own mouth. It was then followed by a strong vor of chocte.


    ¡°I¡¯m not evenining anymore.¡±


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s a shame. You were so cute back then¡ªthe way you looked when you were seduced by the reward.¡±


    ¡°Raven!¡±


    It was clear that the Duchess, who had already given birth to a sessor, would beughed at if the rumors were to spread that she had grumbled about it. Raven, who was gazing at Molitia¡¯s flushed cheeks, drew a faint smile.


    ¡°It is still like that actually. I can always give you a reward.¡±


    ¡°Are you the only one who gets a good reward?¡±


    ¡°How can it be just me¡ª¡±


    Raven, who was with all smiles, gently pushed Molitia down. The silver locks slowly curled against the soft sheet.


    ¡°Or will you be rewarding me today instead? This oh-so hardworking husband of yours.¡±


    ¡°What kind of reward would you like?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    What he desired had already been set, but he was peculiarly stretching out his words.


    ¡°What kind of reward would you like to give?¡±


    ¡°Well, if it¡¯s something that I wish to give you then¡­¡±


    With her eyes folded nicely, she began tugging onto Raven¡¯s neck. As he was gently pulled in by her strength, a series of soft sensations had touched him all over.


    Her tongue was moistening his dry lips as it passed by. Then, she parted her eyes gently with her lower lips still thinned.


    ¡°Is this not enough?¡±


    ¡°No, not so much.¡±


    She had gotten so thirsty herself that she couldn¡¯t be quenched even if she drank. Then, his head popped slightly before he began covering her lips whole. It was at that moment when she clung onto his neck and exerted some strength to her hands as the thrilling sensation had taken her breath away while it rang through her lower abdomen as well.


    ¡°Mother.¡±


    A child¡¯s voice, which seemed to be mumbling in Molitia¡¯s ear, could be heard faintly. Was it an auditory hallucination? It had been rather a long time since she left her child with the nanny for bed.


    ¡°I wish to sleep with my mother, too.¡±


    Molitia immediately opened her eyes when she had been touched while quivering under her thin slip. Just a step earlier, Raven had already released his lips from her mouth.


    Molitia then quickly picked her clothes up.


    ¡°Irit, how did you get here?¡±


    ¡°I saw that my nanny was asleep and so, I sneaked out¡­¡±


    Irit¡¯s shoulders shrank at the fierce eyes of Raven¡¯s.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were sleepy just then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s actually to sleep with my mother¡­¡±


    The child¡¯s words eventually grew smaller and smaller. However, she could understand it clearly without even listening properly. He was actually too brilliant to be called a merely four-year-old child. Molitia sighed before hugging the child.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that lying is bad?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to excuse yourself from your own fault. It¡¯s not toote to say something only after your mistakes arepletely forgiven.¡±


    The plump child¡¯s forehead sank. Although she was still gentle, her firm voice had the power to make him admit his mistakes quickly¡ªno matter what.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s all right.¡±


    She patted the child¡¯s head while smiling softly. Sweet praises were necessary for a child who acknowledged their own faults.


    It was during the moment that Irit, who was brightened up by herughter, tried tough along as well.


    ¡°Then, you have to go back to your room, Irit.¡±


    ¡±I don¡®t like to.¡±


    ¡°Irit.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve alreadye all this way to sleep with Mother.¡±


    The child stubbornly grabbed onto the hem of his mother¡¯s clothes and didn¡¯t let it go. Even when Raven had grabbed the child¡¯s waist, he still didn¡¯t think about letting her go at all.


    ¡°Then, shall we sleep together for today?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    ¡°Well, what do you think? It¡¯s not even every day¡ªit¡¯ll only be for once.¡±


    It was at that moment when his face had frowned. Molitia held the child and put him gently on the bed.


    ¡°Instead, you shouldn¡¯t be sneaking into our room like this after today. Okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand!¡±


    Molitia¡¯s eyes softened since the sight of her child nodding vigorously was utterly lovely. However, Raven was entirely different. He barely had enough time for the two of them. The atmosphere had been good just in time, but Irit had shattered it¡ªin pieces.

 Chapter 191

    Chapter 191


    <strong>Epilogue (4)</strong>


    It didn¡¯t mean that Irit wasn¡¯t cute. However, for Raven, Molitia had always been at the top of his list. If Irit, who looked like her, was someone that he would protect at the cost of his life, Molitia was like his entire life itself.


    ¡°Irit, make sure you cover yourself with a nket so that you won¡¯t be catching a coldter.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    Raven eventually chose to close his lips tightly. He was somewhat dissatisfied, but he thought that the situation wasn¡¯t that bad since Irit and Molitia were smiling ever so brightly.


    The child yawned loudly as soon as he plunged into the warm nket. It was way past his bedtime, so he might have reached his limit already.


    The child wanted to enjoy this special opportunity. He snuggled into Molitia¡¯s arms, hugged her waist and proceeded to talk all night long.


    But habits were such a fearsome thing. Terrified in passing his usual sleeping time, the child began to feel somnolenceden on his eyelids.


    When she began patting the back of her child, who was whining faintly since he didn¡¯t wish to sleep, he soon shifted to leaden breaths instead. She waved her hand in front of her child, wondering if he was lying again this time, but there was no sign of getting up at all.


    ¡°Finally, I guess you¡¯re really sleeping now.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to lie.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s already old enough to do it.¡±


    Although the child didn¡¯t realize that it had been a bad thing himself, they would have to teach their child about this problem steadily. If he were to lie, there would be consequences.


    Raven swept Molitia¡¯s hair over her ear while she was looking down lovingly at the sleeping child.


    Due to their act earlier, the flush that hadn¡¯t disappeared yet remained rather bleak now. He then clung onto her hair with his thumb as if he was still trailing after it.


    ¡°It¡¯s too bad. That was one of my few chances to win a reward.¡±


    ¡°I can always give you a reward.¡±


    Anytime at all¡ªRaven¡¯s eyes were all on her.


    ¡°Even now?¡±


    ¡°What¡ªRaven!¡±


    Despite her shouting in embarrassment, Molitia still looked back at the child quickly. She wondered what if the child had awakened to her voice.


    However, he was deeply asleep. The child was already sleeping¡ªwithout even tossing and turning. Raven then covered Molitia¡¯s lips as she tried to heave a sigh of relief when her child didn¡¯t awaken.


    ¡°Huuh¡­¡±


    There was a tiny, suppressed sound transpiring in between their child. His hand, which was caressing her cheek, calmly lowered itself before touching her chest.


    His hands slowly slid down to her supple curves. Her waist became stiff when he lifted her thin slip and went right between her round hips.


    ¡°Raven, what the hell is this¡­¡±


    ¡°Shh, I don¡¯t want to wake him up.¡±


    Raven wore a yful smile and poked a little deeper. Her eyes closed tightly as he nudged between her hips before pushing a finger right into them.


    ¡°A, haah¡­¡±


    Her jaw had trembled sweetly. His finger scraped her insides as it hadn¡¯t gotten wet yet. Nevertheless, just a few familiar touches had quickly moistened her bottom. The reciprocating movements stuttered a little bit, but they never had any hesitation during entering and leaving with her love juices acting as lubricant.


    Molitia squeezed the ce that was just next to Irit¡¯s bedside. Whenever she saw her child had twitched, she instantly felt a sense of betrayal surging.


    She knew that she shouldn¡¯t be doing this, but she didn¡¯t dare to stop him at all. Her back flinched every time his fingers had squeezed through the red flesh.


    Raven¡¯s tant gaze eventually reached her. His arm might have been hurt due to the awkward posture, but he didn¡¯t care and still pushed into her hard.


    The silhouettes of those two were fluttering stridently along with the fire. As she finally reached a light climax, her lips immediately trembled in breaths.


    ¡°That¡¯s just it for today.¡±


    Raven, who was still moistening his lips, appeared rather drowsy.


    ¡°The rest will be tomorrow¡ªwhen Irit isn¡¯t sleeping in our bedroom.¡±


    Molitia nodded her head softly. She couldn¡¯t have done this twice. Apart from the thrill, it seemed like she was doing something that she shouldn¡¯t be towards her own child.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    The weather was utterly sunny the next day.


    It was such a perfect day for Raven and Irit to ride a horse. Molitia was looking at the two of them from a nearby table.


    ¡°Mother!¡±


    With beads of sweat lingering on his forehead from the time he was learning horse riding, Irit then clung onto herp.


    ¡°Have you learned how to ride?¡±


    ¡°Yes! It was very fun.¡±


    The child was all excited and bubbly. But just for a moment, the child nced at his father, who was still checking the saddle of the horse, before he whispered softly into Molitia¡¯s ear.


    ¡°But Mother, did you fight over Irit yesterday¡­?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    The child¡¯s voice crept even further into Molitia¡¯s also puzzling voice.


    ¡°I was sleepingst night and suddenly, Mother was frowning.¡±


    Ah! Molitia¡¯s face instantaneously flushed. Irit¡¯s face also slumped as it zed up without him hiding it at all.


    ¡°Did you fight because of Irit?¡±


    ¡°No, no! No way!¡±


    Molitia straight away shook her hand as hard as she could.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t fight. So, Irit, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    And just in time, Raven popped in and hugged her waist before giving her cheek a kiss.


    It was already a familiar touch.


    ¡°Look, right?¡±


    The child¡¯s face, which seemed to have been lethargic then, had awakened due to the amiable air between the two of them. The child, who had finally regained his vitality afresh, began running towards the hill to ride the pony once more.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Raven¡­¡±


    Her heart was still in a state of suspense when she recalled it again. Molitia gazed at him before heaving a sigh.


    ¡°¡­See you in the bedroom.¡±


    For Raven, who seemingly knew nothing at all, it had been truly questionable.


    ¡´ Duke, Please Stop Because It Hurts ¡µ End


    T/N: We just have a few extras remaining for this novel ~

 Chapter 192

    Chapter 192


    <strong>Extra Chapter (1)</strong>


    A special guest hade to visit the Linerio Duchy.


    ¡°Long time no see, Duchess.¡±


    ¡°Robert!¡±


    At Molitia¡¯s bright smile, the young child instantly blushed.


    ¡°Thank you for inviting me here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve grown quite a lot.¡±


    Molitia gently bent her eyes towards the child. It was just a few years ago when he had been an immature child who tugged on her skirt.


    The child who had all grown up now, appeared mature beyondparison.


    However, he still had his baby fat which was enough to remind her of the fond memories.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    The child¡¯s eyes immediately glistened when Molitia had said so.


    ¡°I did eat my meals diligently in order to grow up fast. I wasn¡¯t picky at all.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s what it really looks like to be.¡±


    The corner of Molitia¡¯s lips were raised along with Robert¡¯s bright smile that was free from any wrinkles.


    After the tragic death of the heir to Marquis Werner, people began to tattle while saying that the rtionship between the two families would turn sour. It was on their side of the judgment that half of it was already revealed and the fact that there was nothing else more to do with the Marquis, who had now lost his money while barely maintaining his remaining title.


    However, the rtionship between both the Marquis of Werner and the Duke of Linerio did not copse at all. At least, the truth that the Duke did not turn his backpletely might have been urate as well.


    There was a lot of spection saying that Duke Linerio hadn¡¯t stopped interacting with the Marquis, but instead, there was another separate contribution altogether.


    Robert Werner. He was eventually adopted by the Marquis as his sessor after giving up on his only child from before.


    After the party, a letter from Robert, which Molitia had been eagerly waiting for, caused massive ripples. Still, Molitia didn¡¯t mind a letter that was filled with utterly pure emotions from a mere child.


    And instead, Robert began to write even more excitedly due to her own sincere response.


    As the number of envelopes which had been sent and received increased, the rtionship between the two of them grew even stronger.


    How could he actually miss this kind of opportunity? The Marquis of Werner was quite embarrassed by the fact that Robert was very well liked by the Duchess herself.


    The Marquis gradually helped Robert both materially and also physically, to keep on sending the letters. As a result, Robert was able toe over to the Linerio Duchy in due time.


    ¡°You won¡¯t call me, sister¡ªanymore?¡±


    Robert¡¯s face turned even redder at Molitia¡¯s yful tone of voice.


    ¡°How could I?¡±


    ¡°You used to call me that before.¡±


    ¡°Well, I was really immature back then. I apologize if I have been rude.¡±


    Robert, who had gotten so inevitably nervous, soon bowed his head. It was extremely cute that Molitia couldn¡¯t help but burst into theughter that she had been enduring since.


    ¡°No way. It¡¯s just because it is kind of amazing that you, who used to be so cute, are so much mature now. I don¡¯t hate it at all, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Robert¡¯s eyes roundly widened and Molitia¡¯s face appeared with a refreshing smile. Consequently, Robert¡¯s face brightened with a gentle smile as well.


    At that moment, a tiny sign of adoration had emerged from the back. A child was poking his head out from behind of Molitia¡¯s wide skirt when he thought that a rustling sound could be heard. small sign of poprity arose from behind. A child poked his head out from behind Molitia¡¯s wide skirt when he thought he could hear a rustling sound.


    ¡°Irit, do say hello. This is Young Master Robert.¡±


    As Molitia gently nudged the back of the child¡¯s head, Irit blinked with his big eyes.


    Robert hardened his eyes at the words that he encountered the moment he had encountered Robert. Irit¡¯s upper lip seemed to have stiffened as well.


    ¡°¡­He, hello.¡±


    ¡°This is my first time meeting you, Prince Irit.¡±


    Robert spoke in a slightte manner, but Irit¡¯s stiffness did not vanish that easily. The child who was just behind his mother¡¯s back was barely showing himself.


    ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen this child being so bashful. He used to smile at strangers, though.¡±


    In order to soothe the child, Molitia stroked Irit¡¯shead, but it didn¡¯t help that much. Those stubborn hands were hardly leaving the hem of her skirt. Robert, who had been staring at his wary eyes, bowed down before he began approaching Irit.


    ¡°Prince Irit. Do you like horse riding?¡±


    ¡°Horse¡­¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to ride a horse with you to relieve some fatigue from my trip before. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I want to!¡±


    Only after deciding arbitrarily did Irit recall his mother¡¯s presence and begin lifting his eyes.


    ¡°¡­¡­is that okay, Mom?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    When his hesitant eyes were filled with joy, Molitia still maintained a calm smile.


    ¡°You have to y carefully instead.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The child escaped so quickly that he didn¡¯t even notice when he actually hid behind the skirt. Recently, his skills had improved considerably as he learned how to ride a horse from Raven himself.


    However, a few of his peers were already better at horse riding than Irit himself. That was why riding together was always limited exclusively to Raven only.


    Robert¡¯s suggestion had be a never-before-seen opportunity for Irit, who was quite dejected about that.


    ¡°Can I call you, brother?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Then, you can talkfortably with me!¡±


    ¡°Can I?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Molitia just couldn¡¯t hide her warm smile as she saw those two children walking away together. She turned around while thinking that she should be preparing some snacks that those children could eat whenever they felt hungry.

 Chapter 193

    Chapter 193


    <strong>Extra Chapter (2)</strong>


    When the initial awkwardness finally dissipated, the two of them showed no signs of breaking apart at all. In fact, even Robert who originally came over to meet Molitia became engrossed in ying with Irit.


    Even without speaking out loud, the pressure on Robert must have been considerably so. The sudden adoption from the Marquis and people¡¯s sudden expectations might have already been weighing down onto the child¡¯s small shoulders.


    Molitia watched over the children ying in their own genuine peer group. When beads of sweat began forming across his face as he gradually grew tired, she called them over to the table without intruding as much as possible, except for a moment of teatime.


    When the perspiration formed on his face and became tired, she called them to the table and did not interfere as much as possible, except for having a small teatime.


    Molitia was happy just to watch over the children running around without having to worry much.


    It seemed like the children were already fulfilling themselves as they had to be satisfied with only lying on their beds while barely looking over the window during these youthful times before.


    Enjoyable times went by really fast. Robert¡¯s time to return home hade even earlier than expected. Irit, who still remained a child, disyed a lot of disappointment, but Robert couldn¡¯t really change the schedule.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back again next time.¡±


    Contrary to his polite words, Robert¡¯s face was utterly filled with regret as well. Not to mention, Irit¡¯s face which was greeted right from the opposite side.


    ¡°Is that right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    In the end, Irit, who couldn¡¯t flee from the saddened look, started approaching before he hugged Robert. Robert paused as those small hands were hugging a body that was muchrger than himself.


    A lovely warmth seeped through an arm before Robert began reaching out slowly and hugged him face to face.


    A warm house. Robert would never forget this ce for a long time.


    Even after Robert ascended the carriage, Irit who had been waving his hand ceaselessly, finally stopped once the carriage started moving. The child¡¯s behavior soon became calm once again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go inside, Irit.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    Molitia pulled along the child¡¯s hand, which seemed to be somewhat powerless. While holding their hands together, Irit¡¯s droopy expression was hardly expected to return back soon.


    ¡®I wonder if he¡¯s quite disappointed.¡¯


    She stroked the child¡¯s small head gently. Surprisingly, the child only nudged quietly into his mother¡¯s arms.


    ¡®It¡¯ll be alright soon enough.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t the first time Irit had done this. Even when he had his first friend before, he was a child who looked back several times all because he couldn¡¯t bear having separated. Molitia quietly wore a calm smile.


    However, in contrast to Molitia¡¯s expectations that everything would get better soon, Irit was still in low spirits thatsted quite a while.


    Even though she gave him his favourite snack, he was a bit nervous and even the time he spent by ying around had be very dull.


    He even heaved a sigh while staring nkly over the window from time to time. It was not until Molitia had heard it from his nanny did she finally realize that her child¡¯s behavior was rather different from usual.


    ¡°Well, Mother¡­¡±


    Just around the time during the evanescing sunshine, Irit visited Molitia¡¯s bedroom. Amidst Molitia¡¯s bedroom that was almost like a couple¡¯s bedroom, she was just closing up her reading book before looking at Irit.


    ¡°Irit?¡±


    The reluctant child was still hesitating even though he had already approached Molitia. The child, who wriggled his finger a few times, soon decided to put forward to Molitia with a firm look.


    ¡°I wish for something.¡±


    ¡°What is it that you¡¯d like?¡±


    Molitia appeared surprised at Irit¡¯s unfamiliar choice of words. It was a child who had never voiced his desires in his life before.


    Of course, he was rich with the material provision from the Duke, but she couldn¡¯t hear it even more so since the mature child had cleverly hid his greed.


    Such an Irit had wished for something. Molitia felt that her heart was swelling up with expectations as a parent.


    ¡°What is it that my son wishes to have? Tell me.¡±


    ¡°Will you listen?¡±


    Molitia gave a calm look at the child¡¯s rather serious behavior.


    ¡°If I heard it and believe that it is what you need then.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    Despite his determination, Irit still kept on hesitating until he actually spoke out. Irit, who had been swallowing those words repeatedly with his round cheeks, slowly opened his mouth in a hesitant voice.


    ¡°¡­I want to have a brother.¡±


    ¡°A brother?¡±


    Molitia¡¯s eyes became wide open¡ªsurprised by the unexpected response.


    ¡°I wish I had someone like Robert!¡±


    When he saw his mother¡¯s round eyes, Irit quickly held onto her skirt with an urgent expression. Desperation had already been engraved on Irit¡¯s face.


    ¡°Well, I think I can study much harder as well as do my homework with him.¡±


    As she peered at the child who was busy exining the benefits of having a brother around, Molitia only looked perplexed.


    She didn¡¯t know if she shouldugh or act serious at that moment?


    She listened to the child while pressing her lips down as she burst intoughter.


    ¡°Irit.¡±


    When she called out to the child, his eyes filled with anticipation as he looked at her. Molitia gently swept away the child¡¯s hair that was just as soft as warm sunlight.


    ¡°That¡¯s not something that I can do all by myself.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m asking too much, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±


    Eventually, Molitia, who could no longer stand her child¡¯s loveliness, embraced Irit softly.


    Even though he said that he was now five years old and wouldn¡¯t really like to be in his mother¡¯s arms anymore, he still had an irresistible charm for a five-year-old.

 Chapter 194

    Chapter 194


    <strong>Extra Chapter (3)</strong>


    The child gently embraced his mother¡¯s neck in response. When his mother hugged him gently so that he wouldn¡¯t get so overwhelmed, then only Molitia made eye contact with Irit.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡ªhaving an older brother for Irit is like having one more family member. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to decide this without acknowledging Father.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    The child¡¯s small mouth gaped open. The child, who had been thinking about something for a while, turned to his mother with sparkling eyes.


    ¡°So if I talk to Father really well, will I have an older brother then?¡±


    In the end, Molitia had no other choice but to burst intoughter. She didn¡¯t really hate the purity that she just saw since he hadn¡¯t known how children were born yet.


    ¡°You might possibly have a hard time, but¡­ you might be able to have a younger brother.¡±


    ¡°Brother!¡±


    Irit¡¯s eyes glistened even more so.


    ¡°I will adore my brother as well! If I have a younger brotherter, I will y just like Robert did!¡±


    She pinched his cheek lightly since Irit started running around as if it had already been confirmed.


    ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ll say it too.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Instead, will you eat dinner well tonight?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    While sping onto the child¡¯s hand cheerfully, Molitia rose from her seat. She handed the nket and the book she was reading to the maid before holding Irit¡¯s hand.


    As they chatted and whispered, the backs of those two who gradually walked into the dining hall seemed very friendly.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Unlike the usual, Raven arrived at the Duchy well after evening. With a rather exhausted look on his face, he loosened his cravat around his neck and began heading towards the bedroom, instead of his own study.


    Amidst the carefully parted bedroom, there was Molitia who had been leaning against the chair. And on herp was a barely covered book.


    He already said that she didn¡¯t have to wait up. Yet, she was sleeping here again. A faint smile was caught around Raven¡¯s mouth when he recalled that his wife must have been waiting for him, even though he was quite heartbroken to find her asleep with difort.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    A mushy voice slowly tickled her ears. While she wasn¡¯t thinking of waking up yet, Raven carefully embraced his wife.


    Her eyelids trembled as she felt Raven¡¯s temperature, even though she still hadn¡¯t budged from his voice. Soon after that, her purple eyes slowly gazed at Raven.


    ¡°¡­Raven?¡±


    Her voice was still full of sleep, even if she was already awake. Raven then ced his lips together on Molitia¡¯s warm forehead.


    ¡°You should have slept first.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to see you.¡±


    Raven¡¯s smile grew a little thicker at Molitia¡¯s words.


    ¡°You can just wake up and see, then.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to say something even more than just that¡­¡±


    She had a yful smile as she recalled the memories that hadn¡¯t yet escaped from her mind at all.


    ¡°What is it that you wish to say?¡±


    ¡°Do you know what Irit said today?¡±


    Raven¡¯s head tilted at the sudden mention of his own son.


    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised.¡±


    Molitia purposefully waited. Only after Raven had given her plenty of time to ponder away did she finally answer confidently.


    ¡°A brother, he said that he wanted one.¡±


    ¡°Brother?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he cute? After Robert left, he had been so lethargic and in the end, he said something like that.¡±


    Molitia had happiness painted on both of her cheeks. She just couldn¡¯t get enough of it even after thinking about it over and over again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how much I have to put up with him being so lovely that made me want to bite him.¡±


    Molitia stopped talking when she realized that Raven had grown too quiet while she was simply unfolding her child¡¯s loveliness. When she lifted her eyes, she immediately ran into his stiff look.


    ¡°Raven?¡±


    ¡°Let me say a word.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Panicked, Molitia slowly opened her mouth. What did that mean?


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell him that his mother is actually in a rather bad condition. And that he shouldn¡¯t be making such a request. I have to say it clearly so that he won¡¯t do it ever again.¡±


    Raven¡¯s expression didn¡¯t seem to ease up as he carefully lowered Molitia on the bed. On the contrary, he nodded his head with a more serious face than ever, regardless he had even settled down firmly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s good to be too nice. You should know that.¡±


    ¡°Raven, wait a minute.¡±


    Molitia held onto Raven, who was already poised to go to Irit¡¯s room at any moment.


    ¡°He had said it unknowingly. What could even be wrong with him?¡±


    ¡°It still wouldn¡¯t hurt to take this opportunity to inform him.¡±


    ¡°You really¡ª¡±


    ¡°Irit should know about this as well. At that time, you¡­¡±


    Raven¡¯s lips stopped. The terrible sensation at that time seemed to be devouring him yet again. The stench of blood had never been as sharp as it was that day.


    Her arms were stretching out weakly, herplexion had turned cold and the footsteps of the maid¡¯s sounded busy all around her. Raven felt that his hair had stood up whenever he recalled the situation.


    ¡°¡­Raven.¡±


    When Molitia realized that something was wrong with his behavior, she called out to him softly. His eyes were facing her, but she knew that he wasn¡¯t looking properly at all.


    His eyes, which was looking through the past for a long time, had barely returned and captured Molitia then. Her slightly fadedplexion had anxiously swept over him.


    ¡®Not that pale.¡¯


    The pink cheeks that rested against his hand gradually stabilized himself. Raven caressed her cheek softly and raised his back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have a talk with him and return.¡±


    ¡°No, wait a minute. Raven!¡±


    Raven instantly strode out before Molitia could even catch him. Soonter, she rose on the bed, but Raven had already left the bedroom.

 Chapter 195

    Chapter 195


    <strong>Extra Chapter (4)</strong>


    The child¡¯s room was not too far from the bedroom itself. It wasmon for children and their parents to keep some distance apart even if it was just for their private lives.


    However, since Molitia didn¡¯t really like being separated from her child, the Duke and Duchess¡¯s couple room had been constructed in an unprecedented structure.


    Raven knocked on the door as soon as he stood in front of the tightly closed child¡¯s door.


    Knock, knock.


    Perhaps due to the dark hallway, the sound of knocking on the door was resonating even more vividly.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    A young voice was heard to make out if it was the nanny.


    ¡°Irit.¡±


    ¡°Father?¡±


    He thought that he really heard the surprised voice for a moment, but it soon disappeared. Instead, the doorknob turned right at the same time.


    Irit wore a bright look through the crack of the door along with a pping sound.


    ¡°How have you been, Father!¡±


    ¡°Are you still awake?¡±


    Raven¡¯s big hand gently stroked along Irit¡¯s head.


    ¡°The book I had been reading was interesting. I was going to read all of it before I went to bed soon.¡±


    The child looked mischievous while clutching on the book that he was just reading.


    ¡±I see.¡±


    A faint giggle burst out of the child¡¯s mouth as he stroked Irit¡¯s head once again with that short response.


    Looking at Irit¡¯s smile, Raven felt that his mouth had gotten unwittingly loosened.


    ¡®Oh my gosh.¡¯


    He almost forgot the reason he came over to his child¡¯s room. Raven wiped the smile off his mouth by turning away his hand from stroking the child¡¯s head.


    ¡°Irit, I heard from your mother.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Irit, who looked up, was smiling brightly to see if he had remembered something.


    ¡°Oh! Will my father allow me to have a younger brother then?¡±


    ¡°Irit.¡±


    Brief, but it was such a heavy tone of voice. That one word had the atmosphere turned upside down in an instant. Suddenly, Irit felt that something was wrong, which made him stiffened up.


    ¡°You already learned that you shouldn¡¯t be making unreasonable demands from your mother. But why did you forget all about it and say that to your mother?¡±


    ¡°What? It¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°You must¡¯ve known best that your mother is not feeling very well. Didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯d protect her when I¡¯m around?¡±


    ¡°But Father, I¡¯m¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do you still intend to continue making such excuses, Irit Linerio?¡±


    Irit¡¯s lips closed naturally at his stern voice. The child¡¯s head then dropped, but Raven still could hardly stop lecturing.


    How much should he exin that pregnancy was just dangerous for Molitia? Raven eventually felt that Irit¡¯s condition had gotten a little different and soon stopped talking.


    ¡°Irit? Are you listening?¡±


    ¡°¡­I feel.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I hate my father!¡±


    Tears were already welling up around the eyes of Irit, who finally raised his head.


    Just before Raven could say anything while being surprised at his words thrown, tears that were just like chicken droppings had burned down Irit¡¯s cheeks.


    ¡°I was just saying that I liked Robert so much that I wanted to have one too¡­¡±


    His voice, woefully heard, made it quite difficult for him to finish his sentence.


    ¡°Why are you scolding me so much? Why? What did I do wrong? I didn¡¯t know. I don¡¯t even know¡­¡±


    He wiped away the tears that were gushing out with his arms, but they burst out even faster than he had rubbed them away. No matter how much he had tried to dry them off, Irit finally gave up and began crying in earnest instead while shaking his own shoulders.


    ¡°Wahh, I hate my father!¡±


    The whole Duchy, which was already asleep then, immediately flipped over at the bawling as downed on his shoulders. Not only the surprised servants, but even the nanny next door had run out and found Raven before they became restless.


    The aftermath of the delirium was instantly added when the normally mature child had been weeping sadly. The continuous flow of tears from his eyes had made the hearts of the onlookers ache badly.


    ¡°Hey, Irit.¡±


    Only then did Raven finally reach out to appease him, who seemed to be crying all too much. However, it had turned out to be an already crying Irit. The child pushed Raven¡¯s arm away with an angry look before he started weeping again.


    ¡°Irit!¡±


    Molitia, who rushed to the child¡¯s wails, immediately stood in front of Irit while panting hard.


    ¡°Wahh, Mother.¡±


    The child instantly ran to Molitia with a relieved look and hugged her close. Molitia quickly returned the child¡¯s hug, surprised by the very first urrence since Irit was still very young.


    ¡°Molitia.¡±


    Five years old was the time when it would weigh upon quite a bit. Raven moved a little to give the still growing child that pack on his wrist, but Molitia quietly stopped him instead.


    ¡°Irit.¡±


    She hugged his neck and patted the crying child on his back. It was quite intense, but as soon as Molitia had soothed him, the child slowly lifted his head up and made eye contact with her.


    His face was already covered with tears and snot while his hups were already set in a row. Molitia sighed quietly before wiping off the child¡¯s face with her eyes.


    ¡°Do you feel very sad?¡±


    The child burrowed into Molitia¡¯s arms while nodding sharply. His cries died down, but still nothing could be done about the fierceful movements due to his own hups.


    Molitia stared at Raven while patting his back until the child¡¯s hups finally subsided.

 Chapter 196

    Chapter 196


    <strong>Extra Chapter (5)</strong>


    ¡°You were very mean this time.¡±


    ¡±But, Molitia¡ª¡±


    ¡°You have to think carefully about teaching our child. Why did you have to scold him right from the start?¡±


    Raven had a troubled look while his lips kept on moving again and again.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Please return first. I¡¯ll talk to Irit for a moment.¡±


    With Molitia¡¯s austere nod, Raven felt a tingling sensation at one side of his chest. Nevertheless, his wife¡¯s words were still absolute. Raven¡¯s shoulders then looked strangely limp as he turned away from the room.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Irit.¡±


    An amiable voice that could never bepared to Raven¡¯s had curbed him.


    ¡°Mom won¡¯t get sick at all. It¡¯s all right.¡±


    Molitia then winked at the servants. Soon, even the worried nanny turned away while she still continued patting Irit on the back.


    The whimpers that permeated the hall gradually began to stop. Along with the regr pats on his back and Molitia¡¯s own heartbeat that could be heard through her body at the same time had eventually provided some stability to the child.


    How long had it been going? She slowlyid the sleeping child on the bed and covered him with a nket. His eyes were still red, but his expression was absolutely much better.


    ¡°Whew.¡±


    Molitia sighed, feeling exhausted from the sudden disturbance at night. She soothed the child, but she still had some other work left. Molitia then nced at Irit for a moment before moving on.


    ¡°Raven?¡±


    Molitia, who finally returned to the bedroom, looked for Raven while turning her head. There was no need to look that detailed. He was already sitting on the chair where Molitia had dozed off before.


    While dressed in a clean, light robe, he leaned backnguidly in the chair. As soon as he saw Molitia¡¯s face, he turned his head and straight headed for the documents.


    She just smiled at his unusual behavior.


    ¡°Are you pouting?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Only then did Raven¡¯s bewildered gaze turn towards Molitia. She merely continued her words shrewdly.


    ¡°That¡¯s what it looks like.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not upset.¡±


    Although he appeared determined, Molitia¡ªwho had already been with him for such a long time¡ªstill could see that he was rather different than usual.


    ¡°At times like this, you look just like Irit.¡±


    She was ultimately confident that Irit looks like Raven himself. Molitia then approached Raven as she giggled.


    ¡°The child was very surprised.¡±


    When Molitia¡¯s hand brushed against Raven¡¯s shoulder, his muscles felt very tense. He sighed faintly and ced the papers down at a nearby table.


    ¡°¡­and now?¡±


    ¡°He was too tired of crying, so he fell asleep quite quickly. It was already time for bed anyway.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Raven massaged between his eyes as if he was tired.


    He had forgotten since Irit was so mature. A child was still a child, but Raven slowly adjusted hisplexion when he recalled Irit¡¯s crying face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to inform Irit¡¯s tutor for tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Sexual education.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Bewildered, she immediately spoke out.


    ¡°Raven. Irit is only five years old.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s already enough. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s too stupid and at the very least, he should know how he affects you too.¡±


    ¡°I do agree with that, but¡­¡±


    Molitia stared at Raven with her muddled words. Irit was the one who brought it up, but it wasn¡¯t like she hadn¡¯t thought about it either.


    Him and his own child. She knew it wasn¡¯t that good to limit the Duke¡¯s session to only one.


    Nevertheless, Raven never made any unreasonable demands due to her physical condition.


    It was also true that she felt happy and sorry for herself. Molitia began to bring up what she had always thought about carefully.


    ¡°Irit growing up alone was actually on my mind too.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t even said anything yet.¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°Raven.¡±


    Despite his determined words, Molitia still did not back down. As she plopped herself on hisp while pressing down on his shoulder, she then caught a hold of his eyes.


    ¡°Do you even look at me?¡±


    Raven looked downwards at Molitia. Her eyes were as smooth as an obsidian shining in the light.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine now. I¡¯m already much healthier.¡±


    ¡°I think you did say the same thing before and then¡­¡±


    Raven mped his lips together. For him, that day had almost be a taboo.


    It looked like a feast of blood that he would never be able to get used to even after reflecting on it several times.


    Eventually, Raven avoided her gaze.


    ¡°One child is already enough for us, Molitia. No one is going to say anything to you.¡±


    ¡°What if I wanted it as well?¡±


    ¡°Wife.¡±


    Molitia smiled yfully at Raven, who had a firm expression.


    ¡°Then, you aren¡¯t sleeping with me tonight?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡±


    Even swifter than ever, Molitia¡¯s eyes instantly rounded in response. Only then did Raven realize that he had answered far too quickly, which made him clear his throat awkwardly then.


    ¡°Anyway. You know that¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying at all, Molitia.¡±


    ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you look at my face?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Raven avoided responding on such rare asions.


    ¡°Raven.¡±


    A gentle whisper was calling out to him, but there was no reply. Right from his eyes until the very end. Molitia eventually heaved a sigh and squeezed his cheek.


    He thought that there was a soft look in Molitia¡¯s eyes, but her lips soon ovepped themselves with Raven¡¯s.


    ¡°Moli¡­¡±


    Even before Raven could be surprised, their sweet lips ovepped once more. The inming sensation of prating those smooth lips had set fire to his chest.


    The moment when the still hand began wrapping around Molitia¡¯s cheek, the situation immediately reversed. He intercepted the small tongue and started probing into her mouth instead.

 Chapter 197: (6)

    <strong>Extra Chapter (6)</strong>


    His tongue, which was freely wandering around in her mouth, dly epted the foreign substances while swallowing her greedily. He drew in all the saliva and the breaths as if they had already be his own, but she then separated her lips with just a faint breath.


    ¡°You really¡­¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t rush you.¡±


    Molitia whispered quietly along with a sweet smile.


    ¡°We have a lot of time. Let¡¯s think about it slowly¡ªtogether.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being too aggressive today.¡±


    Her fluffy hips that were just between the thin hem of her dress had stimted his lower body. Since she was wearing a light gown, it felt as if the warmth had been entirely transmitted.


    It had already been a long time since their kiss had stiffened his member down below. The rustle of her dress was brushing against his ears sensitively.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡±


    How could he actually hate it? Raven sighed faintly before he hugged her. The sound ofughter that tickled the chest resonated across the bedroom.


    Her transparent skin was reflected through the thin hem of the dress. That soft skin of hers was being ustomed to his touch and gradually heated up.


    When he uced the ribbon that was tied to her chest, his ravenous heart began surging out. Ever since she had a child, her much ample bosom had filled up his hands. A faintly heated voice oozed as he wrapped it with his hand.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    He took off his robe at the fairly pressing voice. When a solid body that was already without a single thread had finally been revealed, Molitia reached out to him willingly.


    A hand was touching his chest while the other was holding onto his neck. His body flinched as she kissed him while pulling himself towards her at the same time.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you provoke me time and again.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Raven frowned at her innocent question.


    ¡°All these actions of yours. I told you that it¡¯ll be hard if you keep on hugging me greedily.¡±


    ¡°Well, that was then.¡±


    Molitia, who was fidgeting with her little tricks, blushed slightly as she gazed at Raven.


    ¡°¡­sometimes, it¡¯s different.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    Raven felt that his lower body ultimately hardened with that light nod from her. He wanted to put it in right away along with the alluring gesture and no such forey, but he just couldn¡¯t have done that to his fragile wife.


    ¡°You¡¯ll regret it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll find out only by tomorrow.¡±


    Raven¡¯s eyebrows were raised. Today, she was acting like she was really going to gobble him up with those innocent eyes that didn¡¯t even realize who was going to get devoured soon.


    Raven bit his lower lip. Then, he naturally slid his forceful hand down.


    His genitals were already pulsating hot because of the Molitia, which made him tighten as well as loosening his reason.


    His fingers, which already slipped down to which without a strand at all, slowly probed into the slit. Even though he hadn¡¯t touched them, her folds were soaking his fingers to the hilt.


    ¡°I suppose so. Since you are this wet without being touched¡ªI might not regret it.¡±


    ¡°Huh, yeah¡­¡±


    Raven¡¯s face drew a smile when he realized that his body wasn¡¯t the sole one to have been heated up. When he pushed a finger right into her inside, Molitia¡¯s waist was raised upwards.


    ¡°Ah! Raven¡­!¡±


    She hugged his neck with a finger tight. Her rounded body moved naturally while dly epting his fingers.


    ¡°You just can¡¯t feel like this with only a finger.¡±


    He whispered in her ear as he pushed his finger in a little deeper.


    ¡°I wonder how you will ept itter, my wife.¡±


    Every time he squeezed into the slippery flesh, Molitia¡¯s thighs unwittingly trembled. The fingers that probed her insides were taking her down without mercy. Her core fluttered with a light squeak.


    Raven felt his reasoning quickly dissipated when all of his five senses were being stimted. While pressing on Molitia¡¯s waist, he pulled out his finger and began holding his shaft towards her spot.


    Molitia¡¯s waist was struck with a hot sensation that had brushed against her entrance. Her small hole opened before embracing his whole package and a crazy sensation surged through Raven¡¯s entire body.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    A rather powerful force had pushed her in from the very beginning. He pushed right from the roots at once, which made her spew a deep sigh.


    The flesh that was forcing through her narrow insides moved mercilessly. She was already drenched in her fluids, but she was still extremely tight.


    Raven repeatedly pushed himself in and pulled back, all the while feeling her insides tightening around him.


    ¡°Hooh, aanh!¡±


    Arge foreign object was moving intensely and piercing into her. No matter how many times he had entered her, it didn¡¯t change as they still squeezed him out. The tighter she had gotten, the deeper Raven¡¯s fixation became.


    The desire was already revealed by the eyes that had been popping out while dripping downwards. He didn¡¯t even allow a single moment at all. Even when she had shaken her waist rather forcefully, he still hoped to bepletely inside of her.


    ¡°Ha, Molitia.¡±


    The tightening sensation of each entry took away all from Raven¡¯s mind. The atmosphere at this moment that was just craving only one another, was their everything. Only the squelch of their flesh and the ssh of fluids had reced the two of them.


    When Raven thrusted deeply, her insides twitched and tightened once more. Right at the peak, a different and intensified high pitch had oozed out of Molitia while he released his own seeds right inside of her as well.


    For a while, the breathing of those two went back and forth without a single word. Molitia pulled him in while hoping for the sweetness of the contraceptive, which had remained on his lips.


    Raven didn¡¯t avoid the soft lips that approached. As her soft tongue sweetened his lips, he felt that his lower body began to stiffen again.


    It seemed as if the night was going to get even longer.


    ***


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 Chapter 198: (7)

    <strong>Extra Chapter (7)</strong>


    It had been a while since Irit had a sex education tutor. It was not long after the child was stimted first since it had been clear that everything would be confusing if the child were to be educated all of a sudden.


    Raven also agreed with Molitia¡¯s idea of taking some time to teach him. The unexpectedmotion of him wanting a younger brother seemed to have been long forgotten.


    A peaceful evening with Raven¡¯s attendance in such a long time was more harmonious than ever.


    Irit¡¯s face, while he was eating with his parents after a long time, was also full of his brightest smiles. His previous feelings for his father had long been erased ever since he received the toys as a token of apology.


    Molitia, who was moving her hands rather clumsily in the dining hall, soon began to ce her fork down on the table slowly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Molitia?¡±


    When she was asked by Raven, who didn¡¯t miss any of her unusual behavior, Molitia just tried to smile.


    ¡°Oh, no. I just don¡¯t have much appetite today.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look very well.¡±


    A pair of worried ck eyes swept through Molitia¡¯s face.


    ¡°You¡¯d better not eat too much then.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I really shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    She nodded in agreement with him. Just earlier, even her head had been feeling quite dizzy inside.


    ¡°Mother, are you sick?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s all right, Irit.¡±


    It was time to shake her head with a big smile at the concerned child. Then, Molitia had to cover her mouth at the strong rumbling and nausea surging from her inside.


    ¡°Urgh.¡±


    Unable to bear the foul smell from her nose, she grabbed onto the table and rose from her seat. The chair had been pushed away as well.


    ¡°Mother!¡±


    ¡°Molitia!¡±


    Surprised by her sudden blueplexion, both of the two men instantly jumped up from their seats.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. Don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯ll just have to finish my meal¡­¡­¡±


    While she had her nose and lips covered, Molitia also closed her eyes, which made it hard to withstand the iing door seen through the gap. Raven immediately ran and hugged her as she looked as if she was just about to copse.


    ¡°Doctor!¡±


    The sudden disturbance had left the peaceful dining hall in a mess. When Raven managed to leave the hall while embracing Molitia, a trail of embarrassed servants soon followed.


    The nanny quickly came down to the dining hall to take care of Irit, who was left alone in the hall. The child couldn¡¯t do anything while crying and as soon as he saw someone he could rely on, he straight away ran and hugged her.


    ¡°Are you all right, sir?¡±


    ¡°Mother, she¡¯s not sick again, is she?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be alright, sir.¡±


    Despite his nanny¡¯sforting words, Irit did not respond. It was just more like him being in the arms of his nanny while clutching the hem of her skirt.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be eating anymore?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡®ve lost my appetite.¡±


    In fact, the food could not have gone down his throat in this situation. The nanny nodded before patting Irit on the back.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s call it a day.¡±


    Irit nodded weakly.


    After leaving the dining hall while holding the nanny¡¯s hand, Irit headed to his room. When he heard the resonating sound not too far away, Irit just couldn¡¯t keep his eyes off the ce.


    Thud.


    He entered the cozy room, but he felt awkward as if the silence from the dining hall had remained. The nanny offered to y with the child, but Irit refused.


    He just didn¡¯t feel like it.


    ¡°Would you like me to read you a book?¡±


    ¡°Not in this room.¡±


    ¡°Father, is Mother feeling very sick¡­¡±


    ¡°Irit.¡±


    Raven quietly called out the child¡¯s name. Molitia was taking a little bit more of time. Molitia did say previously that she¡¯d give him some extra time, but he just didn¡¯t know if now was the time. Raven slowly bent his knees and looked at his child.


    ¡°In fact, to have a brother for you, Mother must have other children.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡ªa child. How? Does she hug it?¡±


    ¡°She has to carry the child in her stomach and it¡¯ll stay there for ten months.¡±


    ¡°In her stomach?¡±


    Looking at the puzzled eyes of Irit, Raven began approaching with a more serious look.


    ¡°You¡¯re well aware that your mother¡¯s body is rather fragile, Irit.¡±


    Nod.


    The child¡¯s small head was bobbing up and down.


    ¡°While carrying a child, Mother has to protect the child all by herself. Even if it gets heavy, she can¡¯t really ask others for help¡ªeven to this father. Now, do you understand how hard of a time your mother will have to bear?¡±


    It was only a fraction of the exnation, but it was already shocking enough for the young Irit.


    ¡®Is Mother having a hard time?¡¯


    For Irit, his mother was his everything. Someone he loved as much as it had be only natural for her to be by his side. If his father was like the world, his mother was the ultimate support that sustained him.


    Such a mother might be sick because of his own demands. Irit bit his lips as he recalled his immature grumbles just a few days ago.


    ¡°You¡®re not going to say that to your mother from now on, are you?¡±


    Unlike before, Irit responded weakly. When the child seemed to have understood well, Raven eventually looked satisfied.


    ¡°Duke, we have finished.¡±

 Chapter 199: [END]

    <strong>Extra Chapter (8)</strong>


    Raven was holding onto Irit¡¯s hand at the timely announcement, remarking the end of the treatment.


    The child¡¯s hands were particrly damp, but he still went into the bedroom while taking it rather lightly.


    ¡°What about Molitia?¡±


    ¡°Please lean against the bed. Rather, the doctor would actually like to inform the Duke¡­¡±


    ¡°Mother!¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes fell upon the sudden exmation. Before he knew it, the child was holding onto Raven¡¯s hand tightly while crying silently.


    ¡°Oh, no. Mother, I¡¯m sorry. Please don¡¯t die!¡±


    ¡°This¡ªIrit?¡±


    The child¡¯s remarks had brought embarrassment to the faces of everyone, including Raven and Molitia themselves. Except for the bewildered adults, the child was the only one who cried with a serious expression.


    ¡°Huh!¡±


    ¡°Our Irit, you must have been very surprised to hear that your mom was sick.¡±


    When Molitia reached out, the child instantly left his father¡¯s hand and ran towards her. The sorrowful cries grew even louder when the child flew away into his mother¡®s arms.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Irit. It doesn¡¯t hurt at all.¡±


    Her hands that were soothing the child had been quite upied. She was busy wiping away his tears, patting on his back, all the while appeasing him. Nevertheless, Irit¡¯s tears still grew stronger.


    Maybe due to her small and soft, yet warm arms that Irit could hardly stop crying.


    ¡°Father, waah, mother could die, wuuh.¡±


    What?


    At the moment of Irit¡¯s surprising remark, everyone¡¯s eyes straight away turned towards Raven.


    The sudden words of Irit had embarrassed Raven as well. Raven shook his head as soon as Molitia¡¯s eyes met his.


    Molitia, who was now looking suspiciously at Raven, turned her eyes and looked at Irit. There were a lot of things to ask, but for now, the child was top priority.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not dying.¡±


    ¡°But to have a brother or a sister; my mother, she¡¯s having a hard time, so¡­!¡±


    s, Molitia finally seemed to have been able to guess what had truly transpired when she wasn¡¯t around. She brushed away Irit¡¯s soft hair with a gentle touch.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s just a big misunderstanding.¡±


    He hid his face in her arms, but instead, she pulled up the face of the child who wasn¡¯t calming down at all.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that I was feeling ufortable then.¡±


    ¡°¡­really?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°My brother¡ªyou are really not sick, for sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not.¡±


    Even though he believed in Molitia, it wasn¡¯t after many times did his anxiety about all of that was finally relieved. But still, the child could hardly release his mother¡¯s arms at all.


    Raven tried to take care of Irit on behalf of her, who was still in a rather poor condition, but Molitia had stopped him. Molitiaid the child next to her and stayed with him until he gradually felt rxed.


    The tearful child had fallen asleep as soon as his mind calmed down. It had been just in time to sleep anyway, so Irit¡¯s eyelids grew much heavier. The nanny then eventually walked out of the bedroom with Irit in her arms.


    Silence slowly enveloped the two of them as the door was closed quietly.


    ¡°Raven.¡±


    Raven¡¯s shoulders trembled subtly at the sound of Molitia¡¯s tune. He turned his back to read a book, but Molitia had already realized. The book that he had been holding was still on its first page.


    Amidst this unfamiliar situation, Molitia¡¯s mouth tickled, but she tried to endure it.


    ¡°¡­hmm.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have something to tell me?¡±


    With a tiny groan, Raven turned to Molitia.


    ¡°I¡¯m d that the diagnosis turned out well.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what you¡¯re trying to say.¡±


    Raven¡¯s mouth closed for a moment when she had precisely hit the nail on the head.


    ¡°¡­I was actually worried that you might unexpectedly get pregnant again this time. I might have given anxiety to the child without even realizing it.¡±


    ¡°I knew it.¡±


    Molitia sighed.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to let him know slowly and of course, step by step.¡±


    ¡°It was then¡ª¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°¡­back then, I thought you were already with a baby.¡±


    Eventually, Raven confessed in a small voice. Molitia¡¯s eyes grew round and soon, she started to smile.


    ¡°You already said no to a second child.¡±


    ¡°But we never know where or even how exceptions could happen.¡±


    He grumbled and gazed at Molitia¡ªhis lovely wife.


    The relief when he was told by the doctor that it hadn¡¯t been anything big still made his fingertips tremble unconsciously.


    He reached out and embraced her small and precious body. At the same time, both her fragrant scent and her warm body temperature werepletely wrapped in his arms.


    ¡°I¡¯m just d that you¡¯re not sick.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I made you quite worried.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sorry for that.¡±


    Raven kissed her right by the bedside. As expected, it was really better to not havee to that kind of situation.


    ¡°As expected, it¡¯s just better with only three people.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t it fine to add just one more?¡±


    Raven frowned at Molitia¡¯s words.


    ¡°Molitia!¡±


    It must have been her who really suffered the most. Whenever his wife asked for something too much with that happy smile of hers, Raven just didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡°No way. Never.¡±


    Molitia smiled softly as her hugging hand exerted some more strength.


    ¡°I got it.¡±


    While leaning in his arms, Molitia closed her eyes. She already had a waiting future ahead. Therefore, Molitia had decided to lose just once this time since there was still a lot of future to be unraveled with her whole family.


    ¡´ Duke, Please Stop Because It Hurts ¡µ Completed


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