The Murderous Duke's Domestic Affairs - Chapter 3

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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 3
“You’ve gone to considerable trouble coming here.”
Aster Veil Lilywood murmured lowly, setting down a wine glass instead of his cutlery. I shook my head. The Duke’s smile tilted slightly in my direction—a change so subtle it should have gone unnoticed, yet somehow it registered with crystalline clarity in my eyes.
“It would be proper for me to send someone on my behalf, but…”
“No, truly, it’s perfectly fine.”
I had departed not from the Marquis Estate, but from a shabby Inn. Had the Duke sent someone there, it would have felt burdensome. Besides, my luggage was minimal, and there was no need to worry about drawing attention—coming alone was actually a relief.
“How is the room? Does it suit your taste?”
“Yes, thank you for your consideration.”
It was a room beyond my station. A dressing room and private bath attached—the Marquis Estate itself had no chamber so fine. Moreover, I had two personal attendants assigned to me. But what pleased me most was that the room wasn’t ostentatiously ornate. Floral wallpaper and gilt fixtures had never been to my taste anyway. The modest cream-colored room, warm in its simplicity, harmonized beautifully with furniture whose wood grain remained vibrant and alive. Though I’d spent only a short time there, it was a place that set my mind at ease.
Aster Veil Lilywood watched me eat in silence. When I set down my cutlery and dabbed my lips with a napkin, he set down his now-empty wine glass and rose from his seat. His hand swept through his hair with an almost restless gesture.
“I apologize for broaching business matters immediately after the meal, but I thought it best to clarify certain things.”
I nodded and followed him from the Dining Room. Glancing back at his place, I noticed his food remained untouched.
‘He seems to have drunk only wine on an empty stomach. I hope he’s all right.’
While my thoughts lingered, he had already moved ahead. I quickened my pace to catch up with him.
“Forgive the disorder.”
He had brought me to his Office. Disordered was an understatement—it was utterly chaotic. Documents were piled haphazardly across his desk and tables, empty wine bottles and glasses scattered everywhere. How did he manage any work in such a state? It was exasperating.
“Just sit over there.”
The Duke stacked papers on the low table and gestured with his chin toward an armchair in front of it. I wanted to scold him, but I hardly had the authority yet. I pressed my lips together and sat obediently. After tossing documents onto his desk, Aster Veil Lilywood glanced into a cabinet, then rang the bell on his desk. The Butler appeared from beyond the door.
“Tea and wine, if you would.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
The Butler returned moments later with refreshments. Before the Duke sat a golden bottle of wine and an exquisitely cut crystal glass; before me, a teacup rimmed with gold and a teapot. The Butler deftly collected the scattered empty glasses and withdrew. Once more, only the two of us remained in the Office.
“I rarely drink tea, so I’m uncertain what’s good. I hope it suits your palate.”
Seated in the long chair, Aster Veil Lilywood poured wine into his glass with his own hand. Holding the glass in one hand, he reclined deeply against the backrest—a stark contrast to my upright posture.
I waited for the Duke’s next words, cradling the teacup in both hands and taking a sip. A delicate floral fragrance tickled my nose. The warmth of the tea seemed to ease my tension, and a small sigh escaped unbidden.
“As you can see, the state of things here is dire. I desperately need the assistance of a capable administrator.”
The Duke twisted his lips and shrugged. The condition of his Office was indeed deplorable—one wouldn’t know where to begin. Surely he didn’t manage all this alone. As if reading my unspoken question, he continued.
“I’ll introduce you to my adjutant tomorrow. But he’ll be just as useless as I am, I’m afraid. He’s a man who, like me, has spent his life rolling around on battlefields.”
One could tell as much just from looking at the Office. I simply nodded. There would be much work ahead. First, organizing these abandoned documents. I hoped the Duke’s adjutant would be someone reasonable to work with. If my colleague and I didn’t get along, it would be a difficult road ahead.
“And regarding the marriage…”
At last, the conversation I’d been waiting for had arrived. Above all, organizing documents with the Duke was urgent. The time for my departure was approaching. Before my Uncle discovered my absence and sent people to find me, everything had to be settled. Otherwise, my entire plan would crumble. I set down my teacup and straightened my posture. I didn’t want to appear anxious and give him leverage, but my heart was racing nonetheless.
“It seems difficult to hold the ceremony immediately. I’ve made inquiries on my end as well, but there are countless preparations required.”
I didn’t need a ceremony at all. I didn’t want work delayed by unnecessary formalities. I bit the inside of my lip. The oblivious Duke simply sipped his wine.
“If it’s acceptable to you, what if we submitted the documents first?”
At his words, I felt genuine relief. That was precisely what I wanted. But I didn’t want him to notice. I nodded slowly, keeping my expression neutral. This marriage was, after all, born of his need for me. That arrangement suited me far better.
“There’s no alternative. That seems like the best course.”
Aster Veil Lilywood, who had been studying me intently, withdrew something from a desk drawer. From a plain white envelope emerged marriage documents. The space for the groom’s name already bore his signature and seal.
The Duke slid the documents toward me. I bit my lip firmly, withdrew my fountain pen from my pocket, and wrote my name in the blank space, then signed. It was merely the act of writing my own name, yet my hands trembled so that I had to hold my breath. Only after the final stroke did I exhale deeply.
Once the ink had dried, I returned the documents to the Duke. He studied them carefully, then folded them again and placed them back in the envelope. Rising from his seat, he rang the bell on his desk to summon the Butler. He then handed the envelope to him.
“Process this immediately.”
A brief command. The Butler bowed respectfully and withdrew.
‘There’s no way documents would be processed this quickly at this hour.’
I tilted my head curiously, studying him. Aster Veil Lilywood twisted his lips and let out a soft chuckle. It seemed he had someone indebted to him at the Government Office.
“The faster, the better. Wouldn’t you agree?”
I nodded, signaling my agreement. Aster Veil Lilywood settled back into the long chair, his arms crossed. His fingers drummed rhythmically against his forearm.
“Word of my marriage will reach the Emperor soon enough. Given how hastily we wed, it’s bound to cause quite a stir.”
His brows furrowed deeply. His striking emerald eyes gleamed like poisonous plants. I pressed my lips together silently. From the moment I decided to marry Aster Veil Lilywood, I had already anticipated this much. He was far too influential for the Emperor not to have wanted to marry off the Imperial Princess to him.
“We should align our story to some degree, I think.”
I would have to play the role of a lovesick fool of a lover. I had already steeled myself for that much. His gaze turned back toward me—an inscrutable look in his eyes.
“Are you alright with this?”
“What could possibly be wrong?”
I pulled my lips into a smile. He possessed excellent looks and a stellar reputation as a hero. As for the rumors of him being a murderer—well, they seemed utterly baseless, whatever the truth might be. I was worried, admittedly, but the Aster Veil Lilywood I faced had wielded neither violence nor drawn his blade.
Aster Veil Lilywood’s lips twisted as he looked at me. He swept his hair back smoothly and crossed his legs.
“I may not know much, but people tend to care about others’ gazes.”
“Would people who fell in love and secretly married really concern themselves with what others think?”
Aster Veil Lilywood exhaled softly and turned his wine glass. The golden liquid swirled within it. Watching it, I quietly brought my teacup to my lips.
* * *
The next morning, I met Aster Veil Lilywood’s adjutant in his office. The Duke had called him ‘that fellow who rolled around on the battlefield,’ but truthfully, it was thanks to his adjutant and Butler—Calvin—that the territory and the Duke’s estate continued to function.
“Letti Torres.”
The adjutant, with his red hair and blue eyes, had a rugged appearance and towering height. He smiled brightly and extended his hand to me. Normally, men didn’t offer handshakes to women, yet both Aster Veil Lilywood and his adjutant extended theirs without hesitation. I grasped his hand. His grip was firm and quite rough—clearly the hand of one accustomed to wielding weapons rather than a pen.
“Aster mentioned you. I look forward to working with you.”
Last night, Aster Veil Lilywood and I had agreed to address each other by our given names. The formalities of “Your Grace” and “you” hardly suited a couple in love. Letti Torres’s eyes widened in surprise at the fact that I had used Aster’s name, then he broke into a grin.
“I’ve heard the Duchess is quite a capable administrator. Please, I beg you—rescue me from this mountain of documents.”
I let out a small laugh at Letti Torres’s jest. He seated me at the Duke’s desk. I glanced up at Aster, but he paid no mind. Still dressed in nothing but a shirt, he sprawled across the long chair with his legs stretched out, picking up a document from the table and beginning to read. True to his word, he wouldn’t interfere with how I worked.
“Normally, I should show you around the estate, have merchants brought in so you could shop befitting your station as Duchess, and so forth….”
“Looking at this mess?”
I narrowed my eyes, surveying the chaotic office. Then, with Letti Torres’s help, I gathered all the scattered documents. As I reviewed them, my brows furrowed. The majority were documents concerning the territory—taxes, subsidies, and the like. Beyond that, even years after the war had ended, post-war settlement documents still lay mixed in.
“It’s just that we’ve been rushing to handle the urgent matters first, so things ended up like this.”
Letti Torres hesitantly spoke, watching my reaction. A bitter smile fell from his face. I tilted my head in confusion. Just a couple of months ago, documents requesting aid from the Flood-Damaged Area remained unprocessed. What could have been more urgent than that?
“I’d like to confirm something—where are the processed documents stored?”
“Ah, I’ll bring them right away.”
Letti Torres left the office and returned some time later carrying an enormous box. As he set it down on the floor with a thud, Aster Veil Lilywood’s expression grew weary. Suppressing the urge to laugh, I began extracting and examining the documents one by one. Both Aster Veil Lilywood and Letti Torres watched in silent amazement at the remarkable speed of my hands.

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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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