The Military Doctor Excels at Being a Contracted Duchess - Chapter 65

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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【Chapter 65】

Victor, who had been watching Ebel like that, murmured softly and sincerely.

“Well. To me, you seem like a gift. It feels like receiving presents for all the birthdays of my entire life combined.”

At that, Ebel was left speechless.

She had never once in her life expected to become such a meaningful existence to someone.

‘My heart is racing.’

Ebel buried her face in the doll’s fine hair.

Even this kind of behavior felt so awkward.

She probably had never done this even as a child.

‘When I’m with Victor, I feel like I become a child.’

Even though she thought she shouldn’t act spoiled since she was an adult, she ended up doing so. Because it seemed like he would accept it all.

“Until you came, birthdays were just bothersome days. I had to reluctantly throw parties and meet people for pointless social activities.”

“…”

“But now I look forward to them. If it’s a party you throw for me, it seems like it would be enjoyable in itself. Thank you for showing me that life can be like a festival.”

His persistent gaze swept across Ebel’s cheek.

Ebel, who was about to respond, swallowed her words thinking that modesty might be deception.

If his life had changed to be like a festival, she wanted to help it continue that way.

Such feelings gradually warmed her heart.

Ebel decided not to forget that precious emotion.

‘Perhaps the gift of becoming an adult… is being allowed this kind of tenderness.’

Someone once said.

That it’s not the cold or wind and rain that removes a tightly wrapped coat.

Tenderness warm enough to melt. Love given without expecting anything in return.

Only the hot sun naturally makes one remove their coat.

And Victor was someone who knew that truth all too well.

‘Ah, I can never win against this person.’

Once she acknowledged it, her heart felt at ease.

In the end, Ebel decided not to leave, making the choice herself.

Whatever trials there might be, she would overcome them together.

Unless Victor let go first… she too would not let go.

Under the sunlight he created, Ebel melted helplessly again and again.

The shields surrounding her scattered away, layer by layer.

Now Ebel could look at herself purely.

What was there…

Was her small, tender heart that she had desperately turned away from in order to survive.

* * *

Since they were quite tired from shopping, they decided to have dinner at the hotel lounge.

When they actually went there, she was a bit flustered by the overly romantic atmosphere, but Ebel decided to enjoy herself comfortably, even ordering wine additionally.

“Since when have you been good at drinking?”

“I seem to have been good at it from the beginning.”

“I want to say ‘no way’… but you’re right. I don’t think I’ve hardly ever seen you drunk.”

Swirling the wine glass in his hand, he smiled leisurely.

It was only a bottle and a half at most. Ebel, who was already drunk from this much, was honestly cute.

“An invitation to the royal hunting festival will come soon. Since we’ll have to be away from the estate for several months, I plan to tear down the firewall and repair it then.”

“That’s a good… *yawn*, idea.”

The cello melody flowing from one side of the lounge seemed to stick to her ears viscously.

When her drowsy body began to sway, Victor put down his glass.

“We should get up now.”

“The music is so nice… just a little more…”

Ebel looked at him while blinking slowly. His firm jawline and tightly closed lips, and those deep eyes that held only her.

Victor, caught at the end of her intoxicated gaze, was much more than usual…

‘I want to be held by him.’

For a moment, Ebel shuddered.

‘What kind of thought did I just have.’

How improper.

But strangely, a question suddenly arose from deep in her heart.

Then why not?

Without knowing what she was thinking, Victor was simply tender.

“I should hire a cellist.”

“At the manor?”

“Listening to a professional musician’s music would be good for the children too. I’m thinking of having them perform during every meal.”

To casually increase the number of servants who had no practical use.

And just because she liked it.

For that one reason alone.

Ebel, who had been laughing for no reason, suddenly stood up from her seat, then sat right back down.

“Oh my, I can’t… put strength in my legs.”

“Excuse me.”

Victor, who had expected this, lightly lifted Ebel in his arms.

People around them clapped and exchanged glances at the young couple’s affectionate display.

Ebel hung her arms around his neck and lowered her head to hide her face.

‘The only embrace where I’m allowed to hide.’

Even until the moment they got on the elevator and entered the bedroom, he didn’t put her down at all.

He didn’t even look tired.

“How about resting a bit before washing up?”

“That… sounds good.”

Every word she spoke carried the strong scent of wine.

Usually he would go straight to the living room, but today was different.

Instead of sitting on the bed, Victor plopped down on the carpet and tickled the tip of Ebel’s nose as she lay there.

“It finally feels like we’re resting.”

“That’s right.”

Their gazes looking at each other were deep.

Victor quietly looked down at Ebel with his arm propped against the edge of the bed.

The gaslight shone from behind him, casting deep shadows on his face, but his eyes shining brightly within them couldn’t be hidden.

“What do you think of it? This city, I mean.”

“…It’s a nice place. Nice enough that I’m reluctant to leave.”

At Ebel’s answer, Victor’s lips curved gently.

“That’s good. My purpose was to make you not want to leave Bayern. But… if you truly want to, please tell me anytime. I’ll arrange a ship for you here.”

Ah, so that’s why.

The real reason Victor brought her to Tarifa of all places.

‘To show me that he could let me go, that I could turn my back on him and leave from here.’

It felt like waves were filling her chest.

Ebel had always thought love was such a fleeting emotion.

Even after becoming a married couple, one person’s heart would easily change in the end.

The initial vows would disappear, leaving only hatred as they became a relationship that blamed each other.

And Ebel was precisely afraid of that.

Of beautiful things being ruined.

‘But… but. I too end up making such a foolish choice.’

It felt like falling into those blue eyes full of longing. Everyone must have fallen for this sight of him keeping his distance while laying her in a comfortable place.

Victor was love that walked steadily toward her.

He was so honest and upright that she couldn’t avoid him without opening the door.

Whatever happens later, perhaps having the courage to get completely soaked right now wouldn’t be so bad.

“The boat… we don’t need it.”

Ebel didn’t add any other words and simply reached out her hand.

Victor had always been the one to approach first, but this was the first time she had come to him.

Ebel grasped his large hand and carefully intertwined each finger one by one.

After that, her eye level changed in an instant.

A romantic night.

Victor no longer asked for permission.

“Ebel.”

As if rolling something very sweet in his mouth, he pronounced her name sweetly.

‘Ah. I’m going crazy.’

Ebel’s heart pounded as if it would burst from the man’s warmth that filled the space. Victor simply gazed at her steadily while trapping her between his arms.

As if he was engraving her very existence into memory, he looked at her endlessly before slowly lowering his head.

“!”

First, a feather-light kiss landed on her forehead. The lips that followed glided past her eyes and slowly passed over the bridge of her nose…

Finally settling quietly over her lips.

“Haah…”

Rough breaths of unknown origin mingled together. Ebel’s cheeks were already dyed bright red, radiating heat.

As if they could know everything about each other through just their lips, as if they must never let go, their body heat clung together.

He tilted his head after gently pressing her soft lower lip with his thumb.

The sweet scent of grapes filled the empty vessel to overflowing.

Ebel, unable to come to her senses, embraced him with all her strength.

All colors shattered and reassembled. Under the names of him and her.

Eventually, Victor pulled his lips away and muttered quietly with a slight furrow of his brow.

“This is rather difficult.”

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