8. Newlywed Life (3)

The next day—

Saena woke up very late.

As expected, the Duke wasn’t there.

Perhaps he went to work…

“Ugh…”

Her body’s condition wasn’t very good.

Saena lay there groaning, holding her throbbing waist.

“Madam? Are you awake?”

As if knowing she had just woken up, Darielle knocked and asked.

“…Yes. Come in.”

Saena made an effort to sit up, trying to appear composed.

Though her whole body was aching, it was more embarrassing to announce ‘my body hurts because of what happened last night.’

When she got off the bed, her trembling legs caused a moment of crisis, but fortunately, she managed to stand without falling.

“Would you like to eat first? Or would you prefer to soak in hot water, receive a full body massage, and then have your meal?”

…Full body massage?

“We recently hired a maid who’s quite skilled in massaging noble ladies. They say if you soak in hot water first, then get rubbed with smooth oils and receive a thorough full-body pressure massage, all the stiffness just melts away and feels incredibly refreshing.”

Darielle explained enthusiastically, making large gestures with her hands. Though Darielle wasn’t the one giving the massage, she described it so well that it really seemed like it would be refreshing.

The problem was that it was extremely embarrassing since it seemed like she knew why she was asking.

‘…Is it that obvious that I’m in need of a massage?’

She felt her face growing hot. Though she felt embarrassed, given her body’s condition, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse Darielle’s sales pitch(?).

“…That sounds like a good idea.”

“Ah, then would you like to receive the massage first and then have your meal? I’ll prepare everything right away. Please wait just a moment!”

Just when she had thought Darielle’s overflowing enthusiasm was somewhat burdensome, she had already seamlessly integrated into Saena’s daily life at an incredible speed.

‘I really don’t understand why Nadia was worried…’

She was so capable, after all.

Saena tilted her head for a moment before nodding.

As soon as she received approval, Darielle quickly turned around.

When she opened the door to leave the Duchess’s room, Constantine was standing right there.

“Your Grace?”

It seemed he was about to enter.

“…Darielle? Why are you here?”

“I volunteered as a lady’s maid.”

“Lady’s maid? You? What about the logistics management?”

Logistics management? Was he referring to the warehouse keeper duties?

If she was managing logistics for a family as large as the Kramers, she must be from one of the more respected vassal families with plenty of work, so why become a lady’s maid…?

Having led the Hollander family herself, Saena knew that logistics management wasn’t entrusted to just anyone.

Moreover, the fact that Constantine, the head of the family, knew Darielle by name and acknowledged her directly showed that she must hold an important position.

“I can do both.”

“Why bother?”

Exactly. Why bother? The workload for logistics management must not be light either. Did she really volunteer? Or was she forced to take on dual duties by someone?

Something felt odd and confusing.

“It’s to serve the Madam, so of course I should.”

“Hmm?”

Constantine’s expression still showed he found it strange.

“I volunteered because I wanted to.”

“Is that so? If you need more people, request them from Nadia.”

“Yes!”

With that spirited response, Darielle left the room.

‘Should I change to a different maid?’

Saena wondered. Though it was regrettable since she had already gotten quite used to Darielle’s capable assistance.

While Saena was lost in unnecessary worry, Constantine approached quietly. He looked quite sheepish.

“Are you… alright?”

It seemed he did have some conscience after all. Saena shot him a slightly disgruntled glance.

“Ahem. Yesterday I… seem to have lost control a bit.”

“…When will you be able to control yourself?”

The Duke had been excessive. And he was excessive every time. And it was far too excessive.

“Hmm. I didn’t know I would be like this either… Could it be because you’re too attractive?”

“……”

Was that supposed to be an excuse?

That didn’t seem like a real reason, if nothing else.

“You don’t need to say that… You just seem naturally vigorous… and with your exceptional stamina…”

“……”

“And you’re so good at it too…”

Her determination to just close her eyes and endure seemed meaningless now, remembering how intense their first night had been. Suddenly, all the passionate acts from that night came flooding back, making her face flush.

Thanks to that, or perhaps because of it, Saena learned that she wasn’t frigid after all. That George Hollander had been the problem.

Now she even enjoyed the feeling of being held in Constantine’s thick arms and broad chest. If only his desires weren’t so strong that trying to satisfy them all might kill her.

“……”

Constantine, who seemed momentarily speechless, gave a short laugh before continuing.

“Saya, was I… good?”

“…What?”

“Satisfying enough?”

“……”

Constantine approached with a grin. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, and suddenly she found herself sitting on his thigh while he sat on the bed.

“No answer. Does that mean you weren’t satisfied? Hmm… Then I’ll try again until you are satisfied.”

Constantine said while subtly pushing her body back toward the bed.

“What?! No, wait! I was plenty satisfied!”

Saena cried out in panic, trying to stop him.

“Hmm. I’m glad you were satisfied, but…”

“Yes, yes.”

“I’d like you to tell me honestly if there’s anything more you want.”

“……”

If she wanted more, would she even be able to leave the bed?

“Things like how often we do it, positions… Anything you prefer, just tell me.”

“……”

“Is something lacking, my wife?”

Besides, this didn’t seem like an appropriate conversation to have in broad daylight.

“No. It’s enough… no, actually it seems a bit excessive.”

“Excessive? Which part is excessive?”

Saena wanted to end this embarrassing conversation somehow, but Constantine kept demanding answers with a very serious expression.

“Well… the frequency…”

At that moment, for some unknown reason, Saena suddenly recalled a memory. In the middle of her response, she became momentarily lost in that memory.

It was from her past life, during a party in her seventh year of marriage.

The day she learned that her already barely tolerable married life had been absolutely nothing.

It was a party she had attended reluctantly.

‘With that kind of poor support, no wonder your husband’s social life isn’t going well!’

Despite her poor health, she had forced herself to attend due to her husband’s criticism. She had been feeling under the weather since the previous day, and standing there in a tight, thin dress made her body shiver and her mind hazy.

Still, she made an effort to exchange greetings and engage in appropriate conversation. After barely enduring for about two hours, she looked around.

Her husband, who had emphasized the importance of social activities to her, was nowhere to be seen, apparently having no intention of socializing himself.

She definitely wasn’t in any condition to stay long that day. To inform him that she needed to leave, she went searching for her husband. She had asked a servant to check the men’s lounge, but he wasn’t there.

Where on earth did he go…

Her fever was rising, causing her breath to become heated. As it was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain her composure, she needed a temporary solution.

Thinking some fresh outside air might help, she stepped out of the banquet hall.

Through years of experience on the fringes of social circles, Saena had found the optimal spot to rest without encountering others.

It was beneath the terrace.

The ballroom typically had a terrace facing the garden, with shade underneath. This was because in imperial architecture, ballrooms were usually built at about 1.5 stories high.

That day too, Saena found a seemingly quiet spot under the terrace. She planned to stay there for about 10 minutes, avoiding people’s eyes, since sitting would stain her dress.

‘Aahn.’

‘Here? Hehehe.’

If only she hadn’t heard those body-stiffening sounds from above… those 10 minutes were quickly interrupted.

Hah… who is it this time…

While resting under the terrace, such experiences weren’t uncommon.

Despite not being particularly good at noticing relationships between men and women, Saena was surprisingly well-versed in the adultery of social circles, and this was exactly why.

It wasn’t that she deliberately sought out such places to investigate these affairs, but whenever she rested there, couples would invariably create such scenes nearby.

Usually, she would just listen to the voices, try to guess who they were, and be privately shocked. But the problem was that the voice from above sounded familiar.

‘Mmm. Just keep quiet and move.’

‘You’re so hot, I love it. Whew.’

‘Why, uh, is your wife not good in bed?’

‘That b*tch is like a wooden block. Can’t even have children, the barren thing, and she’s so stiff too.’

‘Hehe, she is rather inflexible, isn’t she?’

‘That’s not even half of it. Really, if it weren’t for her dowry, I would have thrown her out already.’

Saena froze.

Would it have been less shocking if only one voice had been familiar?

Not just the man’s voice, but the woman’s voice seemed familiar too.

No, it was certain.

Saena covered her mouth to suppress a sob that threatened to escape like a scream. She steadied her stumbling body against the wall with her other hand.

‘What about you, why can’t the Duke satisfy you? Hmm?’

‘Ah!’

‘Does he perhaps have a disappointingly small thing despite his robust build? Hmm? Tell me?’

‘Ahh, be quiet and just keep doing what you were doing.’

As though he’s deciding to focus on what they were doing at the woman’s request, the man fell silent, and afterward, only m*ans and wet sounds filled the air.