I Thought It Was the Monster Duke's Fake Sedative - Chapter 81

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 81
“Hah…!”
Luciana’s shoulders trembled despite herself.
She felt the air just before her sensitized skin grow warm and heavy.
“Surely not, Edward—hah!”
But again, the hand she tried to raise did not respond properly.
Edward gently caught her reaching hand and pressed his lips to her palm.
Then he drew deeper into her embrace.
“Ah……”
Luciana swallowed hard, bewildered.
She wanted to grasp at something, anything, but she could not cling to her dress.
Noticing this, Edward placed her hand atop his hair, but…
‘How am I supposed to grip this?’
Edward’s hair, like everything else, had been carefully groomed for the evening reception.
In the end, Luciana bit down on her own fingers instead.
Rustle.
Edward reached out as if to tell her not to do that, clasping her hand firmly in his own large one.
Then he began to caress it with much the same tenderness he showed her chest.
“Hah……”
Luciana clung to his hand in return, gripping and scratching at it with desperate force.
Edward accepted even this eagerly, his head buried between her breasts as his gaze lifted to meet hers.
Like a dog whimpering at its master’s feet.
‘…Oh.’
She was the one who used to call him master, and it was Edward who gazed at her with satisfaction in return.
At this sudden reversal, Luciana found herself swallowing again.
That such a magnificent man should plead and yearn, clinging to her chest, pressing his face against her skin.
Even as she felt a sting of resentment that he only showed weakness at moments like these…
“…Luciana.”
Soft kiss.
Edward called her name in a low voice, pressing his lips between her breasts, and whispered with eyes full of fervor.
“…Just a little more.”
“……”
“A little longer……”
Edward bowed his head again with an almost reverent tenderness.
Soft kiss.
Then he pressed his lips to the bare skin revealed before him.
“Just while the Purification finishes. Grant me that.”
“……”
The moment Edward looked up at her with glistening eyes, so plaintive and beseeching.
All her resolve to have a serious conversation evaporated helplessly.
Luciana squeezed her eyes shut.
* * *
“Ahem, Your Grace, madam.”
Knock, knock, knock.
Some time had passed.
Rozendale arrived to prepare for the reception and gave the waiting room door a light knock.
“The receiving of guests will begin shortly……”
“……”
She rolled her eyes at the silence that answered her.
“…Shall I postpone it?”
The moment she asked carefully, the door swung open.
“Ahem, ahem!”
What appeared was a ducal couple who looked more or less presentable.
Though in fact there were small signs of disarray scattered throughout.
For instance, the left side of Luciana’s dress was ever so slightly askew, and Edward’s hands, which were just now drawing on fresh Gloves, bore an abundance of small fresh scratches.
It was not difficult to guess what had transpired within.
Even as Rozendale told herself such things were commonplace during Purification, she felt an odd pang of emotion.
‘…She never heard of such things when he was with Sepina.’
Edward had always been entirely composed during his time with Sepina, or so she had been told.
Rozendale turned to regard Luciana with eyes that had grown somewhat clouded.
Instead of pointing out Edward’s disheveled clothes or his hand, she bowed politely.
Luciana felt that gaze fully, yet kept her expression as composed as possible.
Still, she couldn’t help but let a bitter taste settle at the corners of her mouth.
‘Should I tell Rozendale that nothing of that sort happened?’
He’d sworn he wouldn’t ruin things.
Edward had kept that promise to the letter.
With eyes full of longing, he used only one hand and his mouth, and even then, confined himself to her chest.
He’d even clung to it as if he meant to stay there forever, but the moment Rozendale’s arrival time approached, reluctance fell away from his eyes and he withdrew.
Afterward, he’d even escorted her to the adjoining bathroom so she could clean up alone.
His face made it plain—he wanted to do it himself, but feared the consequences.
And yet.
‘And yet we never had a proper conversation at all.’
This pervert. Pretty face, depraved fool. Lustful creature obsessed with obscenity….
Even as she cursed him silently, bitterness washed over her.
She’d done it to purify the accumulated corruption within him, but she couldn’t push Edward away coldly—she’d been swept up in it herself.
And she’d told herself she didn’t want to gloss over it like this.
Luciana shook her head, clearing her thoughts, and turned to look at Rozendale.
“Come in. We have a reception to attend to.”
Edward, who’d been watching Luciana as her composure settled back into place, approached silently and positioned himself behind her.
Then he straightened the wrinkles in her dress.
……
As a gloved hand smoothed gently along her spine and softly tightened the ribbons woven across her back, Luciana gasped—then quickly composed her expression again.
Rozendale spoke as if she’d seen nothing of this.
“I’ve brought the list of tonight’s guests.”
“…Yes, thank you.”
“I’ll brief you then.”
Though she’d been disciplined and removed from important duties because of her previous situation with Luciana….
Rozendale was one of the foremost experts in managing such receptions.
Moreover, without Rozendale, the Dowager Duchess would have to assign her own specialists to assist Luciana.
As a result, Edward had made an exception for this reception alone, allowing Rozendale to help Luciana.
Luciana herself raised no objection.
Accepting help from Rozendale was infinitely preferable to accepting it from the Dowager Duchess’s people.
“In about an hour, tonight’s distinguished guests will arrive. The prince of the northern Essen Duchy and his fiancée, the second prince of Erenta Kingdom and his fiancée, and the…”
“Quite a few.”
“Half of them were invited by the Dowager Duchess.”
……
“Unfortunately… they’re also those with whom Teseron has maintained crucial alliances for generations.”
At those words, Luciana’s composure sharpened.
The obscene acts of moments ago vanished from her mind, and she suddenly understood the true nature of this gathering.
“Then they might try to find fault with me.”
Edward, who’d been silent all this while, quietly shifted his gaze to look at Rozendale.
Rozendale, reading her master’s intention skillfully, met Luciana’s eyes.
“Rest assured. I’ll guide you from a few steps back on how to respond to that.”
“Then I’m reassured.”
Luciana answered with genuine sincerity.
After all, if it was Rozendale, she could advise her better than anyone on how to conduct herself with each guest.
“Ah, and….”
As Rozendale finished explaining various details, her expression became slightly strained.
“Why?”
“…Well, normally….”
She then glanced at both of them.
“During the reception of guests, it’s customary for spouses to remain linked at the arm throughout.”
……
At those words, both Luciana and Edward stiffened simultaneously.
From that reaction alone, one could infer the truth.
‘So they haven’t reconciled.’
She’d had to purify the corruption, so they’d done those things, but it appeared they hadn’t truly made peace.
Rozendale quietly took in the sight of them both.
If a couple were cold to each other, it would naturally show they’d quarreled and give others an opening to attack….
‘But this is their first fight.’
They had fought quite badly, it seemed, for even after Purification, the distance between them remained awkward and strained.
Forcing them to be comfortable with each other in such a state would only backfire.
“If you find it uncomfortable…”
She was about to say there was no need to follow convention when—
“I understand.”
Swift.
Luciana reached out first and linked her arm through Edward’s.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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