The Creditor Is My Husband? - Chapter 44

He recalled her flushed face, stammering these words when he said he had no intention of becoming just a husband in name.

Also, the image of her touching her reddened ears in embarrassment at being called pretty, and fanning herself like a startled chick flapping its wings.

‘And now she’s acting calmly like that.’

As if she didn’t even notice his gaze on her.

He frowned, feeling a strange sense of defeat towards the old book Giselle was reading.

At that moment, the clouds outside must have cleared, as the faint sunlight suddenly became vivid and poured in.

Simultaneously, the dress Giselle was wearing sparkled in the sunlight.

The dress that the head maid had hurriedly prepared in the morning suited her perfectly.

If the clothes Giselle usually wore to work drained her vitality, the dress she was wearing now made her look her age, exactly like a young lady of her years.

‘…I wonder how she would have looked in a wedding dress.’

Lucas clicked his tongue, feeling an unexpected sense of regret.

Regret.

It was an absurd emotion, which was unlike him. Yet even as he thought this, his gaze unconsciously traced her flushed cheeks, fair skin, and small hands.

Imagining how she would look in a pure white wedding dress that was chosen without him.

Lucas’s eyes slowly moved down from Giselle’s nape. Just as his gaze reached her chest, he startled at his own behavior, hastily averting his eyes and clearing his throat.

“Ahem.”

Fortunately, Giselle was so absorbed in her book that she didn’t hear his cough.

Lucas let out a small sigh of relief, then furrowed his brow as he ran his hand through his hair.

‘…What am I doing by myself right now.’

He felt somewhat pathetic. He let out a hollow laugh, then turned to look at the bookshelf.

He pulled out a random book whose faded title was barely visible, and opened it irritably.

Since he hadn’t chosen the book carefully, the text inside didn’t register properly. He couldn’t even read a few lines before looking up again.

Giselle was still engrossed in her reading.

“Hmm…”

Lucas put the book back on the shelf and stared at her blankly. It was more interesting to just observe her like this than to read a book.

‘Becoming husband and wife, huh…’

His words about not intending to be just a husband in name had slipped out without him realizing.

In fact, although he had proposed marriage to Giselle, he had never specifically planned or imagined their future living together as ‘husband and wife’.

He just didn’t like the idea of his capable and intelligent junior becoming the second wife of an old count, and since he was past the prime age for marriage, he thought it would be better to marry a smart woman if he had to marry someone.

He had also judged that a married life with her, whom he had observed since their days at the academy, wouldn’t be bad.

‘But I never thought beyond that.’

The intimate bedroom matters were beyond Lucas’s realm of consideration. Perhaps he had just thought of her as a lifelong companion.

…At least until yesterday, when Giselle came looking for him.

Lucas’s face reddened under the sunlight as he recalled Giselle’s bare skin he had unintentionally seen because of the cat. He frowned slightly and rubbed his nape.

‘What am I doing in broad daylight…’

Lucas rubbed around his mouth with a bewildered expression at the tightening sensation in his stomach.

Just then, he heard a voice calling him.

“Senior, have you read this book before? It’s really interesting… Oh? Are you hot? Your face is red.”

Oh my, is it this late already? Giselle blinked in surprise after chattering about her impressions of the book, noticing his flushed face.

“I’m sorry. The book was so interesting that I lost track of time… You must have been bored because of me. Why didn’t you sit down comfortably?”

Her eyes drooped with guilt. Lucas took a deep breath and waved his hand dismissively.

“It’s fine. I wasn’t bored either, reading this and that. Um… So, are you done with the book?”

“Yes. I’m going to buy this one and these books here.”

“…Buy them? Those?”

He frowned at Giselle’s words. He wondered if it was really necessary to buy such obviously old and dusty books.

Of course, he wasn’t shameless enough to read the books for free and leave without paying, so he had intended to pay the owner a reasonable amount for it.

“Why don’t we go buy books somewhere else? If it’s hard to find, I can have someone get it for you. The condition of these books is… not great.”

Lucas lowered his voice, worried that the bookstore owner might hear. But his concern was unnecessary as a faint snoring sound came from the corner where the owner was sitting.

Giselle glanced in that direction before shaking her head at Lucas.

“I’m going to buy them here.”

“I’m not trying to leave without paying. I plan to pay the owner for reading the books.”

“That’s not it… Senior, you don’t know the charm of used books yet.”

She sighed exaggeratedly and approached him with the book in hand.

Lucas flinched unconsciously as Giselle came closer. She smelled warm, bathed in sunlight.

But unaware of his state, Giselle chattered on, even opening the book to show him.

“Look here, Senior. There are traces left by other people, see?”

“That’s why it’s dirty. As if being discolored and worn out wasn’t enough.”

Lucas frowned at the underlines and notes left throughout the book. Giselle burst into laughter at his genuinely disgusted expression.

“It is a bit messy, I suppose. But isn’t it interesting?”

“Interesting?”

“It feels like you’re not reading the book alone, but with someone else.”

This sentence must have touched someone’s heart.

Someone had a similar thought to mine?

Oh, this person seems to have a completely different opinion from me.

Giselle spoke in a lively tone, pointing out each underline and note in the book. But instead of reading the parts Giselle pointed to, Lucas quietly took in her slender fingers.

And slowly raised his gaze to stare at her as she chattered on. Her cheeks were as rosy as ripe peaches, excited and happy about something.

Honestly, he wasn’t convinced even as he listened to her explanation. What did the impressions of strangers whose faces and names he didn’t know have to do with him?

…However.

‘If these books were hers…’

Lucas turned his head to look at the bookshelf where he had just put back a book. It seemed different if they weren’t just dirty used books, but books she had read diligently.

It would be a chance to know, even if just a little, what sentences had penetrated Giselle’s heart, what thoughts were in that small head of hers.

“What do you think, Senior? Don’t you feel that used books have their own charm?”

“…Well, yes. It does seem interesting.”

If it were Giselle’s book. If it were a book that her hands had touched.

As he nodded in agreement with that premise, Giselle smiled broadly, seeming pleased.

Growl.

At the same time, a very small but unmistakable sound was heard.

“Hmh! T-This is…”

Giselle stammered, flustered by the sound from her stomach. Lucas chuckled before taking the book from her hands.

“I’ve heard Miss Anticia’s esteemed opinion on used books, so shall we go eat now?”

“Don’t tease me.”

She blushed bright red and tried to gather the rest of the books she had left by the window.

“Leave it. I’ll carry them.”

Lucas chuckled, then strode over and easily picked up all the remaining books with one arm.

It was a moment that made Giselle’s earlier efforts of scurrying back and forth to select books seem futile.

“You’re surprisingly strong, Senior.”

“‘Surprisingly’?”

He turned to her with a hollow laugh. Giselle nodded with a nonchalant expression.

“No… I mean, just looking at you, it’s obvious. You’re far from being burly. And since you have your subordinates do all the physical work, well, um. So…”

She trailed off, realizing his expression had turned cold. Watching her quietly, the corner of Lucas’s mouth twisted upward.

“Ah. So you must have been worried?”

“Pardon?”

“Worried about what if the man who’s to be your husband couldn’t use his strength.”

Lucas leaned towards her and whispered in her ear with a smirk. Giselle’s face, which had been blinking in confusion, not understanding his meaning, gradually turned red until it was as if it would burst into flames.

“W-What are you… You must be crazy!”

She raised her voice without realizing. As a result, the dozing owner woke up startled, causing a small commotion by yelling about thieves.

* * *

“Stop being angry now.”

“…Do you know how embarrassing it was at the bookstore earlier?”

Giselle pouted and glared at Lucas, then cut a small piece of the steak in front of her and put it in her mouth.

“Wow, it’s really delicious…”

Lucas smiled quietly at her inadvertent exclamation, then picked up his wine glass.

“You should eat too, Senior. The duck is savory and light. The fig syrup on top is sweet too. The aroma seems a bit unique though…”