The Murderous Duke's Domestic Affairs - Chapter 29

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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 29
My mind raced frantically. First, I needed to escape this place. If he wanted to see a woman frightened by his presence, I could certainly play that role. I slowly lowered my gaze.
“Will you truly let me go?”
Truth be told, I was afraid. But I forced that emotion down. I needed to keep my head clear. The alcohol wouldn’t help much, but if I stayed sharp, I could manage. Aster Veil Lilywood had promised to come for me anyway.
“I keep my promises. Especially to beautiful women.”
Abarid Bestes answered in a low voice, then let out a satisfied laugh that rumbled from his throat. He had dismissed me as “the Lilywood Dukedom’s wife,” yet he seemed quite pleased with my appearance.
Irritation surged through me. My skin crawled, and I squeezed my eyes shut. I had only drunk alcohol a couple of times with Aster Veil Lilywood. And he had been considerate, offering me only the smallest amount.
My violet gaze fixed on the glass. Even someone as ignorant of alcohol as I was could tell this was a strong spirit. Normally, one wouldn’t fill a glass so full that it sloshed. And one certainly wouldn’t drink it all at once. Was he planning to spend time together sipping slowly? Or…
“I don’t think it would be a bad proposal for you either.”
What was he saying? While I was processing his words, the Crown Prince Abarid Bestes moved leisurely closer, standing directly before me. I turned my head slightly to avoid his gaze.
“It would be a waste of such beauty to live as the wife of Aster Veil Lilywood.”
Abarid Bestes’s fingertips touched my chin. His hand gripped and examined my face this way and that, as if appraising merchandise. His touch and gaze were revolting. I wanted to strike his hand away, but I couldn’t. What did rank and position mean? I swallowed down the nausea rising in my throat.
“How about becoming my mistress instead? I would treat you especially well.”
If the man before me weren’t the Crown Prince, I would have spat in his face. But I couldn’t. I mustn’t. In every word Abarid spoke, I sensed a deep contempt for Aster Veil Lilywood. I had to endure this. If I acted on impulse, the damage would fall on Aster.
“Your words… are too much.”
If I were to become intoxicated, let it be gracefully. If I could have been satisfied with becoming someone’s mistress, I would never have fled the Marquis Estate to find Aster Veil Lilywood and propose marriage. I would have wept at my fate and accepted it.
But I was not that sort of person. I wanted nothing more than to slap him across the face.
Abarid Bestes laughed—a soft, mocking sound—as he watched me squeeze my eyes shut and forcibly turn away. Then he walked leisurely toward the long sofa across from me and dropped into it heavily. The smile in his eyes as he looked up at me seemed unmistakably like mockery.
“I’m serious. A duchess would be no embarrassment to take as my mistress.”
I bit the inside of my lip hard. What? No embarrassment to take as his mistress? He seemed determined to insult both me and Aster Veil Lilywood. The thought of Aster losing his wife made the Crown Prince’s snickering laugh grate painfully against my ears. He clearly didn’t expect me to refuse.
Even if I did refuse, he probably thought I wouldn’t be able to reject the drink he had personally offered. What was his intention with this strong spirit? Without realizing it, I gripped the necklace tightly. Aster Veil Lilywood had said this—this necklace was an artifact that protected its owner. I didn’t know what it could do, but what if I tried relying on it? It was reckless, but I couldn’t let things proceed according to Abarid Bestes’s plan.
“You promised it would be just one glass.”
“Should I stake the honor of the Crown Prince on it?”
If he said that much, I had no choice but to believe him. The Crown Prince seemed to take great pride in his position, so now that he had invoked it, he couldn’t bind me further. I picked up the glass.
“Why don’t you sit?”
Abarid Bestes raised his own glass toward me with a grinning face. I didn’t want to do what he wanted. I gripped the glass with both hands and brought it to my lips.
It was so potent that merely smelling it made me feel like I would faint. The alcohol Aster Veil Lilywood had given me carried the scent of flowers and fruit. This was incomparably inferior to what he had offered.
Beyond the rim of the glass, I could see the Crown Prince’s golden eyes shining with amusement. Thinking how much I wanted to wipe that smile from his face, I took a deep breath. Then, closing my eyes tightly, I began to drink.
I had thought that since it was just a glass, I could drink it easily. But swallowing the strong liquid down my throat proved unexpectedly difficult. I forced down the urge to vomit. I felt the high-proof liquid travel down my throat. It felt like my stomach was burning.
After forcing myself to empty the glass, I set it down on the table. The harsh sound of the glass hitting the surface rang in my head. His laughter—a low, pleased sound—flowed into my dulling mind.
“You will keep your promise, won’t you?”
“The Duchess of Lilywood is quite an amusing person.”
I lifted my gaze to look at Abarid Bestes. I tried to focus, but my vision remained blurry. I wanted to leave quickly, yet because this man was royalty, I couldn’t leave without his permission. It infuriated me. If this continued, I would punch the Crown Prince. Then I’d probably be charged with treason.
“Fine. Since I’ve staked my honor on it, I must keep my word.”
Thank goodness. Now I could escape. I bowed respectfully to Abarid Bestes. My body swayed, and I nearly fell. I couldn’t lose consciousness here. I had to find Aster Veil Lilywood.
“Until next time, madam.”
I didn’t respond to Abarid Bestes’s words and headed toward the Terrace. Heat was rising, and my head felt dizzy. I shouldn’t let this happen, yet I kept wanting to laugh hysterically. The idea of later with someone who wanted to make me his mistress was absurd.
I had intended not to set foot in the Ballroom alone. Actually, this worked out better. With my mind dulled by alcohol, I had no energy to worry about the gazes directed at me. I decided it would be better to tell Aster Veil Lilywood and leave the Ballroom quickly. I needed to keep my wits about me and find him, but my feet kept tangling as if I might collapse at any moment.
“Oh, Lauren! What a pleasant surprise to meet you here!”
They say misfortunes never come alone. I lifted my eyes at the sound of my name. With dark hair brushed back, for a moment I thought my late Father had come back to life.
‘That can’t be right.’
I squeezed my eyes shut and reopened them, forcing my focus to return. The hair that had appeared black was actually a deep burgundy. Trace Siaz. My uncle and the current Marquis of House Siaz stood before me.
And behind him stood Delania. Her fierce amber eyes were fixed on me. Ah, yes. I hadn’t expected her to let this pass quietly. She would have certainly told Trace about it. I’d always known we would eventually meet, but I hadn’t hoped it would be now.
I felt as though I might collapse at any moment, and alarm bells blared in my mind. Right now, Aster Veil Lilywood wasn’t at my side—I had no one to protect me.
Under normal circumstances, I could manage alone, but not now. If I lost consciousness here, I could be kidnapped. Whether by Trace Siaz or Abarid Bestes, I couldn’t say. I forced my heavy eyelids open.
“Right now….”
My breath came hot. My mind felt as though it were burning. Through my increasingly blurred vision, I could see Trace raise one eyebrow sharply. Would he use my intoxication at the Imperial Ball as another weakness to exploit? I hadn’t wanted to get drunk. What was I supposed to do? The alcohol seemed to inflame my emotions, and I wanted to scream.
“I’ll arrange another time to speak. This isn’t the right moment for a conversation.”
I forced strength into my weakening legs. My face burned, and I tried to cool my cheeks with my hands, but whether from the alcohol coursing through my body or some other reason, my hands weren’t cool at all.
“How amusing. Your uncle wishes to speak with his niece, yet you think a separate arrangement is necessary?”
I stared at my uncle standing before me. His lips curved in what appeared to be a gentle smile, but his eyes—identical to Delania’s—were fierce. Trace grasped my hand quite gently. I should have pulled away, but my body wouldn’t obey.
“How fortunate that the Crown Prince has offered us a room. Won’t you come with me?”
Ah. I felt my lips curl into a hollow laugh. So that’s how it would be? Since they couldn’t sell me, now a Duchess, to some old man as a second wife, they intended to make me the Crown Prince’s mistress instead.
Young unmarried ladies were easily swayed by power, so they were protected. But married women selected from among the nobility often became the mistresses of powerful men. Some might genuinely fall in love, of course, but typically families forced them into such arrangements regardless of the woman’s own wishes.
Among the nobility, there were no shortage of examples of those who had seized power through such methods. It seemed this time I was to be that target. Even with Aster Veil Lilywood at my side.
Trace Siaz stepped closer to me. With what appeared to be a gentle manner, he grasped my arm. But his grip was strong—as though binding me so I couldn’t escape.
Ah, this had happened before. That day, Delania had wept, claiming I’d struck her cheek. Young as I was then, I’d been practically thrown at Trace.
It won’t happen this time. I clenched my teeth. My violet eyes flashed. I wrenched my arm free from Trace’s grasp and shoved him away. With a thunderous crash, he fell. The alcohol must have given me strength I didn’t know I possessed.
“Lauren Siaz! What is the meaning of this! Now that you’ve become a Duchess, you think yourself above reproach!”
As though pleased by the opportunity, he raised his voice loudly. The bustling ballroom fell silent in an instant. Every eye seemed to turn toward me. I instinctively lowered my head and hunched my shoulders. I hated the weight of people’s gazes. They all seemed to be pointing at me. A tremor began in my fingertips.
“I am the head of House Siaz! How dare you marry without the family head’s permission!”
Trace, who had by now risen to his feet, bellowed at me. Then he seized my wrist. He meant to drag me to a room by force. I braced my legs against the pull. It was such a small resistance, yet it seemed to inflame his anger further. He raised his hand high.
It seemed I would be struck. With my arm caught, there was no way to avoid it. I squeezed my eyes shut.

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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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