Pregnancy for a Successor - Chapter 31

“You are the Duchess of Hilbert.”

“……”

“There’s no place the mistress of the Hilbert family cannot go. Feel free to look around as much as you like. He said you could explore if you get bored while waiting.”

At the old butler’s words, Celia felt as if she was falling off a cliff again. Though there was a time limit, she was reminded of her position as the Duchess of Hilbert.

“……I understand. Thank you.”

After Willem left, she lifted the veil covering her face. The interior of the office came into clear view all at once.

She stood still, looking at the quiet interior of the office. The huge bookshelves densely packed with books on both sides caught her eye first. By the window, there was a desk and chair made of walnut, and a comfortable sofa was also provided for resting while reviewing documents.

Every object she touched had been passed down for a long time. Probably from Eugen’s father and his maternal grandfather, and even to his great-grandfather.

As she looked around the office, imbued with the breath and touch of generations of Hilbert dukes, Celia found herself bubbling with curiosity.

Celia approached the large desk by the window. She imagined Eugen sitting at the desk engraved with the Hilbert family crest, working all day.

On days when things don’t go well, he might stand here looking down at the garden.

As such thoughts followed one after another, Celia caught herself smiling unconsciously and swallowed hard.

On the desk were piled unopened letters and documents. They were the ones Willem had personally brought earlier.

Celia examined the names written on the envelopes of those letters with curious eyes. Most were invitations to social gatherings sent from noble families. There were various types, including balls, charity parties, and all sorts of commemorative events.

“As soon as the mourning period ends, requests for the Hilbert family to attend balls will flood in.”

Just like she had heard at Andro’s funeral, it was natural for letters requesting his attendance at all sorts of social gatherings to pour in for him, who had just inherited the title of Duke.

Among the letters stamped with the nobles’ splendid crests, Celia discovered one envelope of a somewhat unfamiliar form.

“……”

The sender on the protruding envelope particularly caught her eye.

<Sender: Director of Cherto Mental Hospital>

“Mental hospital?”

She wondered why a place like that would send a letter to Eugen. Just as Celia was tilting her head in confusion, it happened.

“What are you looking at so intently?”

Celia jumped, startled by the sudden voice from behind.

“Careful.”

Eugen, gripping Celia’s shoulder, smiled down at her.

“Is there something interesting?”

“Ah, no.”

Celia quickly shook her head.

“Then what were you looking at?”

He persistently inquired, taking the letter from Celia’s hand.

“I didn’t open it. It’s just… there were so many letters piled up, I was just looking without thinking……”

Celia, her face turning bright red, was busy making excuses. Eugen, staring at her, smirked.

“I’m the one who said to look around the office if you’re bored, why are you so flustered?”

He found Celia, who had turned red up to her ears, quite cute.

“I, I just… I was just looking. I didn’t secretly peek, really.”

At her repeated excuses, Eugen nodded as if it was fine and examined the letter in his hand.

“It’s from one of the hospitals we sponsor.”

“Ah……”

“Since we donate a considerable amount every year, we often receive letters of gratitude.”

He smiled and casually put the letter back on the desk.

“So you donate to mental hospitals as well.”

“That’s where there are likely to be many people with ailing hearts.”

“……”

Though she had never been to one, mental hospitals often had all sorts of bizarre images attached to them in people’s minds. People in straitjackets, doctors and nurses with stern expressions.

As though he had guessed what was going through Celia’s mind, he asked with a smile.

“Are you scared?”

“No.”

Celia answered quickly.

“There are many people there who need special protection.”

“Special protection?”

“People who absolutely must not be left alone. People who shouldn’t go anywhere of their own free will.”

“……Isn’t that a prison?”

Celia found his explanation strange.

“Sometimes it plays a similar role.”

“……”

In other words, it sounded like they could confine even sane people.

“Of course, it’s not common. I’ve only heard about it.”

“Ah, yes.”

Celia tried to shake off all the bizarre delusions that had suddenly popped into her head.

“What else did you look at?”

“Nothing……”

As she shook her head and answered, he suddenly pointed with his chin to a drawer with a key.

“Weren’t you curious about that?”

“……”

Celia felt oddly guilty when he pointed to the place where she thought important documents would be. So she decided to be honest.

“I was curious…… just a little.”

Eugen let out a low laugh at the words she added at the end. The deeply resonating laughter pleasantly drummed against Celia’s ears.

“Did you want to open it?”

“Not that much……”

Celia blushed again, looking troubled, and he asked another question.

“I just looked at the scenery from here.”

“Scenery?”

“I thought you might cool your head looking outside from here.”

Eugen smiled at Celia’s answer.

“It seems lifting the veil allows you to see such things.”

“……”

Celia suddenly realized she had lifted her veil and hurriedly raised her hand. But that hand was soon stopped by Eugen.

“Stay as you are.”

“……”

Celia stopped, her hand held. Eugen wrapped the black veil around his hand and lifted it up. It was a gesture similar to a groom lifting a white veil to kiss his bride.

“Don’t you look just like a bride?”

“……”

Hearing those words, as if he had read her thoughts, made her quietly bite her lip.

“Stay still.”

Eugen ordered her as she tried to step back when he took a step closer. Though his tone was gentle, Celia stopped in her tracks, already conditioned by habit. What followed was inevitably receiving the approaching man’s lips.

“Mmm……”

As his tongue, parting her lips, gently wrapped around and rubbed against Celia’s tongue, a shallow sigh escaped from her mouth. Soon, as he thoroughly explored inside and sucked deeply, her sighs grew even more intense.

Suddenly, she began to feel scared by the increasingly bold act. It was daylight now, and they were even in the office.

“Mm, Lord…… Eugen.”

When Celia tried to restrain him through their slightly parted lips, pushing his shoulder with her hand, he took that hand and made her wrap it around his neck.

“Focus.”

He ordered again, looking down at Celia with narrowed eyes. Before the commanding power of those eyes, Celia had no choice but to meekly submit.

“Yes……”

No sooner had her answer fallen than her lips were licked and sucked again. With that act, which was deeper than before, Celia exhaled a heavy breath.

“Hah.”

As he sucked in her lips, with one hand he grasped Celia’s br*ast over her black dress. Though her body was hidden under mourning clothes, Eugen, knowing full well how lewd that body was and how hotly it burned up, could only become more excited.

The soft, tender body hidden under the mourning clothes that didn’t reveal even a point of skin began to respond immediately at the touch of his hand.

Up to that point, Celia thought he would stop there. But the hand caressing her br*ast over the mourning clothes became increasingly bold.

“Ah, no. The clothes……”

Watching her clutch at the black dress as if it were armor, Eugen smiled as if it were ridiculous. Behind that delicate and elegant face was a person who hid such a raw, beastly nature.

Every time she witnessed this, Celia felt a thrill, as if all the nerves in her body were standing on end.

I wonder how many people know that face. I hope no one knows. So that only I can know…….

“Hold on.”