Chapter 16 (Part 3)

Upon returning to the Marquis’ residence, Grace was immediately summoned by Amelia.  

Standing before her mother, whom she hadn’t seen in a while, Grace found herself hesitating and fidgeting for no reason.  

Even though she knew her mother wasn’t the type to meddle in her grown daughter’s love life.  

Amelia, observing Grace’s demeanor, suddenly recalled Charlotte’s words, which made her head throb.  

[Did Leo and Gracie… made a mistake?]  

She had earnestly warned Leonardo, not Grace, to avoid any such incidents. But it seemed things had happened anyway.  

However, instead of addressing that directly, Amelia carefully observed something else.  

‘…Her condition seems better than before.’  

The aura that had been losing its blue hue was now glowing more vividly.  

Although traces of golden mana still lingered, it no longer felt as though she was being “overpowered” as before.  

Watching this, Amelia cleared her throat softly and asked,  

“Gracie, don’t you have something to tell your mother?”  

Her voice, simultaneously gentle and stern, made Grace tilt her head slightly before answering.  

“Well, there is one thing…”  

“And what might that be?”  

Amelia waited with a pounding heart, ready to hear whatever her daughter had to say, determined not to be surprised no matter what.  

But the response she received was entirely unexpected.  

“I broke through the wall.”  

“The… wall?”  

A wall?  

Amelia couldn’t tell whether Grace meant the figurative wall between people or a breakthrough in her abilities.  

As Amelia’s mind raced with confusion, Grace unsheathed her sword.  

Then, just as she had done in the forest, she delicately controlled and unleashed her aura.  

“My goodness.”  

The mug on the table, the newspaper on the sofa, and the quill in the inkwell—all specific objects were pierced by her aura.  

Seeing this, Amelia unconsciously shot to her feet and strode forward to grab Grace’s hand.  

“You broke through the wall? Truly?”  

“Yes, Mother.”  

“Oh, my goodness. Oh, how did this happen?”  

Amelia knew how long her daughter had been stuck, unable to move past a thin yet impenetrable barrier.  

She also knew how much Grace had suffered because of it.  

“Congratulations on your achievement, Gracie.”  

With those words, Amelia embraced Grace tightly.  

At the same time, she caught a faint scent emanating from her daughter. Her brows furrowed instinctively, and her expression turned stern.  

‘Young Lord Fernandez has certainly made his intentions clear.’  

By leaving his scent all over Grace, anyone who met her would immediately associate her with “Leonardo Fernandez.”  

Releasing her embrace, Amelia said,  

“You must be tired. You should wash up first.”  

“Oh, I already washed up.”  

When Grace replied casually, Amelia smiled warmly but spoke slowly,  

“It would be better if you washed again, my dear.”  

Something in her tone made Grace feel a bit uneasy. She nodded with a slightly sheepish expression.  

Bowing her head, Grace left the room. Watching her leave, Amelia sighed and muttered,  

“At this rate, I’ll end up with a mage for a son-in-law, Honey.”  

Thinking about how her husband, who was currently at the palace, would react to this news, Amelia bit her lip lightly.  

Pulling the bell cord, Amelia addressed the butler who entered.  

“Send a letter to the hostess of the Fernandez Ducal family.”  

The butler, nervous about delivering yet another letter, swallowed hard and bowed.  

“What color should it be this time?”  

“Make it red.”  

Hearing that it would be another red letter, the butler cautiously asked again.  

“Shall I delay its delivery as before?”  

Amelia shook her head and replied firmly.  

“No, this time, it must arrive as soon as possible.”  

At her words, the butler bowed deeply, his face tense, and left the room.

After he left, Amelia let out a sigh and leaned back against the sofa. Somehow, she already felt worried about what was to come.  

Of course, Grace, who had no idea what Amelia was thinking, asked Becky to prepare a bath and went into her room.  

‘…It feels like it’s been such a long time since I’ve been back.’  

She had gotten used to falling asleep and waking up with Leonardo, but now that she was alone, it felt strange.  

There’s a saying on the Eastern Continent: “You may not notice when someone is there, but you’ll notice when they’re gone.” It seemed to describe this situation perfectly.  

‘There’s no scent of Leo.’  

Leonardo always had a scent that reminded her of the refreshing feeling you get when you step into a deep forest on a hot summer day.  

A fresh grassy fragrance, mixed with the cool breeze that lingers under the shade of trees.  

‘Is it even possible for a person to smell like that?’  

Grace unconsciously raised her arm, buried her nose in it, and sniffed.  

Unfortunately, Becky, who came to inform her that the bath was ready, caught her in the act.  

“…Miss, did you not wash properly while you were there?”  

“N-no!”  

“I could assist you with your bath and make sure—”  

Before Becky could finish her sentence, Grace stretched her arms out and waved them vigorously.  

“No, no, no! I’ll do it myself! Alone!”  

Becky thought Grace was unusually insistent on being alone, but since it wasn’t the first time Grace had wanted to bathe by herself, she reluctantly nodded.  

Not wanting Becky to follow her to the bathroom, Grace pushed her out of the room and said,  

“I’m really, really fine. Just prepare some snacks for me to eat after my bath.”  

Grace smiled brightly as she shut the door, unaware of how suspicious she looked.  

Now alone, Grace let out a deep sigh and scratched her cheek.  

“Maybe I overreacted a bit.”  

Considering that Leonardo had cast magic on her before she returned home, she should be fine.  

But the last thing Grace remembered about her body was that it had looked like a blank canvas with random red stamps scattered all over it.  

If anyone else saw that, rumors would spread instantly.  

‘Everyone already knows I went with Leonardo, so I absolutely can’t let anyone see.’  

Determined, Grace locked the bathroom door carefully and began undressing.  

Even in the steamy bathroom, the mirror was spotlessly clean.  

Becky’s thoughtfulness, knowing how much Grace liked looking in the mirror, made her smile faintly as she slowly approached it.  

‘Not a single mark left.’  

She had been worried her whole body would turn red from all the kissing, but there wasn’t a trace left.  

Feeling oddly empty, Grace let out a hollow laugh.  

“Magic is truly amazing.”  

For someone who wasn’t even a priest, to perform such effective healing magic felt almost like cheating.  

Standing in front of the mirror, Grace twisted and turned her body, confirming that no marks remained anywhere.  

“Seriously, so thorough. Couldn’t he have left just one—”  

As she muttered and swept her hair back, Grace noticed something drawn on the inside of her wrist.  

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be the one trace of Leonardo’s presence that hadn’t disappeared.  

It was a small mark on the inside of her right wrist.  

“…Truly impressive.”  

It was so tiny that anyone else might mistake it for a bug bite, but Grace knew exactly what it was.  

It was in a spot she could see every time she moved her hand, as if to remind her constantly of who had left it there.  

Grace pressed a soft kiss to the mark.  

‘I already miss him.’  

During the three or so days they had spent together, it had felt as if the world would end when they left the shelter. They had devoured each other like mad.  

Since their bodies hadn’t changed inside the shelter, it had been even better. Without needing to drink potions, they only had to focus on each other.  

Grace hadn’t expected to enjoy being with Leonardo so much.  

‘But when he holds me… I really feel loved.’  

She could no longer remember what the Leonardo in her dreams had done to her.  

What she remembered vividly were his strong arms holding her tightly, his mischievous smile as his large hands roamed everywhere, his hot and wet tongue, and the way his massive presence pierced her each time.  

She could recall all of it so clearly.  

‘Oh, my goodness. I’m getting excited.’  

As Grace thought about Leonardo holding her, she felt a tightening sensation below and looked troubled.  

She knew that if she ignored it, it would eventually pass.  

But before she realized it, she was already mimicking what Leonardo had done to her, kneading her chest with her hands.  

‘I must be crazy.’  

In the mirror, she saw herself pinching her n*pple with her fingers.  

Strangely, seeing that made her think of Leonardo even more vividly, and the tightening sensation below became more intense.  

‘I must be addicted.’  

Watching her own actions in the mirror made her feel strange, but she couldn’t stop rubbing her n*pple with her thumb.  

She squeezed it hard, twisted it, and pulled it as if stretching it, then pressed it again with her thumb.  

“Ah, ngh.”  

A moan escaped her lips, startling her into stopping.  

Feeling the wetness below, Grace quickly climbed into the bathtub and submerged her face in the water.  

Bubbles rose as she exhaled underwater.  

‘You’re insane, Grace Lowell.’  

How could I get aroused by touching myself? And in front of a mirror, no less.  

But her body, still tingling with arousal, seemed to crave the same stimulation as before.  

Feeling an ache and even pain below, Grace bit her lip lightly.  

Then she suddenly remembered Leonardo’s words.  

[My fingers fit, so why wouldn’t yours?]  

Swallowing hard, Grace slowly reached down with her hand.