The Murderous Duke's Domestic Affairs - Chapter 19

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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 19
“You’re late.”
The moment I opened the Dining Room door, two figures came face to face with Aster Veil Lilywood, who had been waiting for us. Unlike his usual casual shirt, he wore a vest and jacket today. His long golden hair was tied back neatly, and he looked quite striking—but I couldn’t bring myself to speak. I kept catching my lips twitching upward, so I forced them into a smile for him. Aster regarded me with his muted green eyes before shifting his gaze to the ‘guest’ behind me.
“Hello, Your Grace? I’m delighted to dine with you.”
Delania Siaz greeted him with a bright voice and a cheerful smile. She acted as though she hadn’t even heard his remark about being late. Yet Aster Veil Lilywood merely stared at her with an expressionless face, neither rising from his seat nor returning her greeting.
After watching her for a long moment, Aster Veil Lilywood raised his hand and signaled to Calvin Stewart. At his gesture, the servants began bringing out plates. I glanced up slightly to observe the servant’s face. It was bright, carrying a faint smile. I wondered if we really needed to work the small staff so hard, but Calvin Stewart had laughed and told me they showed enthusiasm for it themselves. He said they’d even drawn lots to decide who would work today, and it seemed to be going well. Somehow, my heart felt lighter.
A dinner with a guest. To match the dignity of House of Lilywood, I should have prepared several formal courses, but I had no desire to lavish such care on Delania Siaz. I was honestly a bit relieved when Aster Veil Lilywood, raising one corner of his mouth, told me I could ignore formality somewhat. But today, I heard the phrase “the dignity of House of Lilywood” countless times. Perhaps I should have prepared the formal feast after all. Looking at the dishes arranged just enough to avoid criticism, I thought to myself.
Without realizing it, I found myself observing Aster Veil Lilywood. Dining together with him was extraordinarily rare, so even stealing glances wasn’t enough to discern what he was thinking. I forced my hands to keep moving, though they kept wanting to stop. I’d only had warmed milk instead of breakfast and just a little bread and soup for lunch, so I should have been hungry—yet I couldn’t taste the food I’d worked so hard to prepare. This would surely cause problems.
The dinner ended with merely the fourth course. I no longer heard Delania Siaz’s voice, which had chattered away so enthusiastically when we first sat down. Had she grown tired of talking to herself, or was she thinking that I was ignoring her? Either way, it didn’t matter. I wanted to send her away as soon as possible.
“I’d like to talk with Lauren after so long. Could you arrange a place for us?”
But Delania Siaz showed no intention of leaving quietly. Unable to say anything to her as she tilted her head coquettishly with a charming smile, I lowered my head and squeezed my eyes shut. I’d hoped Aster Veil Lilywood would refuse on my behalf, but he remained silent. He’d said he would stand against her. That must be why he wasn’t intervening. I bit my lip firmly and straightened my posture. My eyes met Calvin Stewart’s, and I nodded to him.
“Then I shall have dessert prepared in the Separate Room.”
The faithful Butler said so and left his post. Once Calvin Stewart withdrew with the servants from the Dining Room, only Aster Veil Lilywood, myself, and Delania Siaz remained. Perhaps it was only natural that silence accompanied us in that space. I actually found silence more comforting, so I took a quiet deep breath.
“Come to think of it…”
Delania Siaz was someone who couldn’t bear to see me at ease. Startled by her voice, I clenched the hand resting on my lap.
“When we met last time, you said you’d introduce me to a potential husband.”
My head snapped up. Her brown eyes met my violet ones, curved with laughter. Delania Siaz laughed out loud, her finger pressed to her cheek. Ah, she had told me to “take responsibility for running away.” So this was what Delania Siaz wanted. I wanted to shout that she was talking nonsense, but our eyes had already met. My lips only trembled. The words I wanted to say found no voice.
I felt a gaze and turned my head. Aster Veil Lilywood’s muted green eyes were watching me quietly. But I couldn’t even shake my head at him. I was, after all, far too inadequate to be a duchess. Unable to even refute such words.
“I told you not to strain yourself. Thinking of your sister so much—you’re such a good girl, Lauren. Since His Grace is here, let me be clear: I’m merely a marquis’s daughter, so someone too elevated would be burdensome.”
Her fabricated voice pierced my chest. When she spoke in that tone, everyone around her always took her side. The servants of the Marquis Estate where I spent my childhood, even her parents. Would Aster Veil Lilywood be the same? Unable to face him, I lowered my gaze to the empty plate. Perhaps this was learned behavior. I was a liar created by Delania Siaz’s few words. I couldn’t breathe properly. I clenched my hands tightly.
“I shall guide you to the Separate Room where dessert has been prepared.”
Calvin Stewart’s voice came after a brief knock, and quite some time had passed since my fingernails had dug into my palm. Whatever Calvin Stewart’s true feelings were, in this moment I had no choice but to rely on him. I drew a slow breath and rose from my seat. The scraping sound of the chair grated against my ears as much as it scraped my heart. At the very least, I didn’t want to fall apart in front of Aster Veil Lilywood. Right now, I wanted to show an attitude befitting the dignity of House of Lilywood. That’s what he would want. Like a proper duchess, with confidence. I straightened my back and lifted my chin.
With Delania Siaz as the guest leading the way, I followed Calvin Stewart out of the Dining Room. As the door closed, my eyes met Aster Veil Lilywood’s muted green gaze watching me. I thought I’d come to know him somewhat, yet I couldn’t fathom what he was thinking at all. Before the door shut completely, I turned away first.
* * *
I dismissed all the servants. After Calvin Stewart filled both our teacups and left the room, casting a glance at me, I kept my eyes on my cup. He bowed to me, my skirt clutched tightly in my hands, and slipped out. The sound of the door closing filled the room heavily.
“Hmm.”
Delania Siaz made a scoffing sound and looked me up and down. At that sound, unchanged from long ago, goosebumps rose on my arms beneath the short sleeves of my summer dress. I had to admit it. I was still afraid of Delania Siaz. The fear ingrained in my body since childhood had not improved one bit with age.
“The newspaper articles made it seem like you two were madly in love, but that’s not the case, is it?”
I flinched. My grip on my skirt tightened. Delania Siaz’s sharp intuition had picked up on it from just the short meal we’d shared. Love was merely an excuse; the truth was that Aster Veil Lilywood and I had no real feelings for each other. I mustn’t let it show. But it was already too late. Delania Siaz had figured it all out.
“This is going to ruin my plan to marry a respectable nobleman.”
The sound of Delania Siaz biting her nails reached my ears as I sat across from her. The irregular clicking, clicking sound made my breath feel constricted. What would come next? The last time I saw Delania Siaz in childhood, I fell into a pond. That too was accompanied by this sound.
It felt like being buried in mud. I couldn’t remember the reason why it happened. Something must have displeased her. After that clicking, clicking sound, nothing good ever followed. I got scratch marks on my cheeks and my beloved teddy bear was taken from me. My dress being torn was routine, and I even lost a precious gift from my mother. What would it be this time? Delania Siaz’s voice about running away and responsibility echoed in my ears before fading.
“Hey, are you listening?!”
At Delania Siaz’s sharp, demanding voice, I barely lifted my head. I couldn’t meet her gleaming brown eyes directly. This won’t do. It was just something from childhood. It’s time to move past it. Delania Siaz was a marquis’s daughter, but I was a duchess. I had to uphold the dignity of House of Lilywood. Everyone had worked hard for that. I closed my eyes tightly, then opened them. My wavering violet eyes became deceptively calm. And at that same moment, Delania Siaz’s eyebrows furrowed sharply.
“You…”
“Delania Siaz, you know what you’re saying makes no sense, don’t you?”
“What?”
“It’s unfortunate that you ended up marrying an older man, but that’s your problem to solve. Not mine.”
“If you hadn’t run away, would I have even had marriage talks with someone like that?!”
I smiled gently at Delania Siaz. It was nothing. There was nothing to worry about. But contrary to that thought, my clenched hands trembled violently. I forced my breath to continue, though it came with difficulty. I couldn’t keep suffering like this forever. I forced myself to straighten my posture.
“Why is this my fault? Your father brought this matter to us, so you should take responsibility. Not me.”
“What are you saying right now? Hey!”
Delania’s sharp voice rang through the room like a bell. My head throbbed, but I opened my mouth again. Some things needed to be said. I wouldn’t let her dismiss House of Lilywood and come crawling back another time.
“Miss Siaz. This is House of Lilywood. I am the Duchess you’re facing, so it would behoove you to show some courtesy….”
Before I could finish, my cheek burned with a searing heat. I slowly turned my head back into place. Delania stood from her seat, breathing heavily. Her palm was swollen and flushed red. Ah, so she had struck me. Even as my cheek throbbed, I regarded it as though it were someone else’s affair. A sharp ringing pierced my ears. The force had been considerable—my vision swam.
“Who do you think you are to speak to me like that? Lauren Siaz, do you really think you’ve become a true Duchess? How dare you….”
“If Lauren isn’t a true Duchess, then what is she?”
A man’s low voice carved itself into my dazed mind. It was a familiar voice, yet lowered to such a degree that it sounded like someone else entirely. I blinked slowly. His fine clothes were nowhere to be seen—he wore the same shirt as always. His golden hair, left unbound, gleamed like a lion’s mane beneath the room’s soft light.

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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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