The Ruthless Circumstances of the Monstrous Duke - Chapter 21

Because it was harmful not only to himself but to others as well.

“Your Grace, are you awake? You should return before the servants start moving about in earnest.”

When Aaron was about to turn around, Nigel immediately instructed,

“Stay as you are.”

“Ah, yes!”

Aaron fixed his gaze on the wall.

At that moment, Marienne’s hand suddenly emerged from the bed and grabbed Nigel’s pants.

Still covered by the blanket, she showed three fingers and then turned her palm over.

Nigel’s face, which had been puzzled, turned cold.

“Aaron, do you have any money?”

Aaron took out a leather pouch from his inner pocket and shook it.

“Throw it.”

Catching the flying pouch, Nigel placed three silver coins on her palm. Then the hand that had finished its business disappeared back into the pile of blankets.

It felt like his blood was freezing.

As rapidly as the heat that had boiled over last night.

Nigel picked up the tunic that had fallen to the floor. But then flower petals fluttered down.

When he ran his hand through his hair, flowers got caught between his fingers.

He shook it once more, and colorful flower petals showered down.

What kind of nonsense is this again!

Glaring at the bundle of blankets, Nigel threw the pouch to Aaron as he left the room.

“Your Grace?”

Bang, as the door closed, Aaron who had caught the pouch hurriedly followed him.

The lord, who was walking without hesitation while putting on his tunic, seemed extremely angry.

But Aaron couldn’t hold back his laughter.

Because blessing-like flower petals were falling behind the frost-like lord.

Last night, was it the lord’s first experience? His first night?

Whatever it might be called, he had spent an auspicious night.

He had been secretly worried since the lord hadn’t been close to any woman except the former Duchess.

Wondering if there might be some unspeakable circumstances, unlike his brave appearance on the battlefield.

“Pfft! Hehe!”

Finally, unable to hold it in, laughter escaped.

Aaron felt like he wanted to raise a toast.

Nigel, who had been walking quickly, stopped.

Aaron, who had been following closely, almost bumped his nose into the broad back.

“You’re annoying.”

At the low warning, Aaron instinctively cradled his injured arm.

“I apologize.”

“The Count?”

“He returned to the capital as soon as dawn broke. I saw him off on your behalf, Your Grace. He was quite enraged. He left grinding his teeth so hard I was worried if they would remain intact.”

As soon as Aaron finished speaking, Nigel entered the bedroom.

The head maid was just coming out after finishing preparations for the bath. She composed her surprised expression upon seeing the flowers stuck in her lord’s hair.

Nigel took off the shirt he had hastily put on and stood in front of the full-length mirror.

There were no markings visible on his chest, shoulders, arms, or the back of his hands.

Usually, traces would remain for days after a seizure, but there was not a single mark.

It was exactly the same as that night years ago.

Nigel ran his palm over his forearm.

For the seizure to subside so quickly and simply…

What was all that suffering for? Was it just meaningless time played by the tricks of fate?

Aaron gazed fondly at Nigel, who was again running his hands over his arms and shoulders in front of the mirror.

“Did you enjoy it that much? Your body, experiencing ecstasy for the first time, must feel special and admirable to you? I felt the same way. That grand feeling of owning the world, with your heart overflowing!”

Leaving the chattering Aaron behind, Nigel entered the prepared bathtub.

He sat in the soft tub lined with linen.

The warm, steaming water somewhat soothed his mood, which had been irritated by the nonsense.

“Your Grace.”

“Get out, will you?”

Nigel groaned, rubbing his face, utterly fed up.

The thick-skinned Aaron removed the flowers stuck in Nigel’s hair. But when he met the murderous glare, he hurriedly cradled his injured arm and retreated.

“Oh! A message came from Rockshield. The Duchess sent me a letter asking you to definitely attend this year’s Nucria Flower Festival.”

Nigel’s face hardened.

“Your Grace, please understand the Madam’s sincerity. Let bygones be bygones…”

Aaron closed his mouth as Nigel’s expression rapidly darkened.

“I apologize. I overstepped. I’ll take my leave now.”

As Aaron left the room, he pondered how to mend the distant relationship between mother and son.

Although it would be difficult to resolve quickly due to the deep wounds, he decided to think positively.

“Baron Aaron Ballock.”

Aaron discovered his wife standing in the middle of the hall, looking up at the stairs.

His pregnant wife was smiling, holding her swollen belly.

“Chloe! I received word that you’d arrive in two days, but you’re here already!”

“I missed you, so I moved up my schedule. I was also tired.”

“Ah, my love.”

Aaron rushed down the stairs in one breath and embraced his beloved wife.

Happy dimples formed on the cheeks of Chloe Ballock, renowned as a prominent fashion designer in Grencia.

“I’ll greet His Grace first.”

“You need to rest first. We can pay our respects later, let’s go to our room.”

“But…”

“He’s not one to welcome greetings from a pregnant woman who hasn’t even recovered from travel fatigue. I’m glad I had the room prepared in advance. Let’s go in. I want to hear about your adventures.”

As Chloe turned her steps, yielding to his insistence, she noticed her husband’s bandaged arm.

“Darling, you fell off a horse again, didn’t you? I told you not to do physical work. You poor thing.”

Chloe caressed the cheek of her smiling husband.

“By the way, how is the Duke? Is he well?”

“He might need your help. Actually, lately, His Grace…”

Aaron told her about the red-haired healer, Marienne Rose, who had shaken the Duke’s heart, omitting the Duke’s secret.

And also about the Duke’s pure love, taking her as his bella because he couldn’t send her to the temple.

Chloe was deeply moved by his affectionately fabricated lie.

“Then we should soon introduce Miss Rose as His Grace’s bella. Who will be the chaperone to assist with that? There’s so much a commoner needs to prepare – clothing, etiquette, dancing, various common knowledge…”

“Oh my! I hadn’t thought that far ahead.”

Aaron shrugged his shoulders.

Chloe firmly demanded of her laid-back husband.

“Men wouldn’t know about the invisible wars in high society. Contact the head seamstress of Le Blanc and tell her to bring the best of everything, regardless of what it is. After that, I’ll need to meet Miss Rose. Aaron, my love. Do it right now.”

* * *

From the next day, Marienne’s surroundings changed rapidly.

The bed that had turned into a small forest was processed into firewood after three gardeners had hacked at it with axes, and the maid who she worried about spitting in her food was replaced by a new dedicated maid named Bell Mercury.

It was overwhelming to keep up with the events unfolding so quickly.

Marienne went up to the third floor, guided by Bell.

“From now on, Miss will stay in the room next to the Duke’s bedroom. The two rooms are connected, so you won’t be inconvenienced.”

Bell’s kind explanation didn’t register in Marienne’s ears.

To think she would return to the place she had fled from wearing only a robe.

The dark corridor hadn’t particularly changed to welcome her.

It might be better if the curtains were drawn to let in bright sunlight.

“The Duke doesn’t like it. You probably know that better than I do.”

As if reading Marienne’s thoughts, Bell gently reminded her.

“Miss, it’s here.”

In a room much larger and more beautiful than before, a man with a white-powdered face and a lady with an attractive mole near her eye were waiting.

They had set up numerous luxurious boxes.

The three of them had tea while briefly introducing themselves.

After that, Marienne found herself standing in her chemise in front of the head seamstress of Le Blanc’s atelier and the designer who said noble ladies fought over to get custom dresses.

The tea in the cups hadn’t even cooled yet.

By the time the designer, who was measuring her with a tape measure, revealed herself as Baroness Ballock, Marienne had no energy left to be surprised.