The Murderous Duke's Domestic Affairs - Chapter 32

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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 32
Aster Veil Lilywood was the kind of person who wore a half-smile with such natural grace that it bordered on arrogance—a expression that suited him perfectly.
But the smile that now graced his face held no trace of that arrogance. His lips were pressed thin, his eyes narrowed, and the forced smile looked somehow sorrowful. Without thinking, I reached out and took his hand.
It was strange—that sad expression seemed far more familiar to him than any arrogant smile ever could.
“You haven’t done anything wrong.”
I placed my hand over his, which trembled in his lap, clenched into a fist. It was a careful touch, but despite my efforts, his hand suddenly tensed with force.
I studied him closely. For a moment, his large green eyes widened and gleamed, then wavered before his eyelids shuttered them away.
What caused that reaction? We had danced together before—this small contact shouldn’t have startled him so. Why did he seem so surprised?
Unaware of my thoughts, Aster drew a deep breath as if to calm himself. Then he carefully placed his empty hand over mine.
After a long moment of silence, he gently withdrew his hand from mine. His lips twisted into a smile.
“Thank you for telling me. The Crown Prince, no less—quite the unexpected player has emerged. I’ll need to devise a strategy. As for you…”
Aster turned his gaze back to me. His eyes were steady and direct, as if he had never looked away. Wanting to see that gleam in his eyes once more, I gazed quietly into his green irises.
But they did not sparkle again.
“Your fever doesn’t seem to have broken yet. You should rest more.”
He murmured the words almost absently. Then he rose from his seat and looked down at me for a long moment. I thought he might say something more, but he simply nodded and turned to leave the room. As if he were fleeing.
Or perhaps he truly was fleeing. I frowned, watching the door through which he had disappeared.
Aster seemed troubled, yet he was still concerned for me. Through the single door separating us, I could hear his low voice giving instructions to Maili and Lise in the living room.
Listening to his muffled murmur from beyond the firmly closed door, I looked down at my own hand—the one that had held his. His hand had been remarkably cold.
Even with a fever, it shouldn’t have felt so cold. I must have worried him. I let out a small sigh.
* * *
“My lord, Garnet has arrived.”
The moment I stepped into the corridor, Calvin whispered into my ear. I frowned and nodded. Despite having waited so long for Garnet, I felt no joy at his arrival. Swallowing a sigh, I made my way toward my office.
Garnet waited quietly in the office as he always did. Upon seeing me enter, he rose and bowed respectfully. I nodded and settled into my chair.
“Sit, Garnet.”
Following my command, Garnet took his seat. His crimson eyes met mine, unwavering and direct. Once seated, he withdrew an envelope from his pocket and extended it to me. I took it and unfolded the contents to read—a report on the task I had previously assigned.
The report was substantial, but I quickly reviewed it. After a moment of silence, I pressed my lips together and spoke softly.
“Too late.”
“…I beg your pardon?”
Garnet seemed quite taken aback and questioned me in return. I looked up at him. His crimson eyes, which had been so steady, wavered. It was rare to see such a beautiful young man—like the boy from the tales of divine love—caught off guard, and I found myself twisting my lips into a smile.
It had been more than ten years since I had saved a child being beaten nearly to death for having white hair and red eyes deemed inauspicious. The child I named Garnet after seeing those beautiful crimson eyes had gripped my hand tightly with a beaming smile and followed me faithfully.
And before long, he had become a remarkable adult. As if determined to be useful to me, he had gradually stopped showing his expressions. I had always regretted that, but seeing such a lively face was truly a rare sight.
I suppressed my smile and crossed my legs. Garnet’s reports were always meticulous as ever. The problem was precisely what I had stated—they had come too late.
After Delania Siaz had cursed and left the Duke’s Mansion, I had instructed Garnet to investigate and monitor the Marquis Siaz Estate.
Garnet was more thorough than anyone in such tasks. He possessed a brilliant mind that was not merely clever but occasionally even astonished me. He had the same cold precision in distinguishing necessary information from the irrelevant.
His striking appearance, even with its distinctive coloring erased, remained beautiful. His skillfully feigned familiarity, his refined speech suited to every occasion, and his soft voice were more than enough to dissolve any wariness in those around him.
This task regarding the Marquis Siaz Estate, too, Garnet had executed well. I reviewed his report once more, carefully.
Testimonies from those who had played and attended school with Lauren as a child. Stories from servants who had worked at the estate long ago. And even a list of items ordered in considerable quantity from the renowned Wardrobe Department and jewelers in Siaz Territory.
Had I obtained this information just days earlier, I might have devised some countermeasure. The purchase of dresses, formal wear, and jewels was evidence they would attend the ball—I might have prevented them from meeting Lauren.
Or at the very least, I could have summoned Marquis Siaz separately and threatened him into compliance. I let out a soft sigh. I felt a twinge of regret.
“…I apologize.”
“It’s not your fault, Garnet.”
Aster let out a soft chuckle at the sight of Garnet’s noticeably slumped shoulders and spoke. Investigation missions were naturally time-consuming affairs. Garnet had actually finished rather quickly. There was absolutely no reason to reprimand him for not completing it sooner.
“If you say so, sir…”
Garnet murmured quietly, his gaze averted. There was no reason for him to be this dejected. Aster studied him carefully, then continued. “Besides that—”
“Garnet, I have another task for you. I apologize for assigning the next mission so immediately after your return.”
“Not at all. Please, assign it to me.”
As though his spirits had never flagged, Garnet straightened his posture and composed himself. Aster nodded and issued his next command.
“Visit the Marquis Siaz Estate once more. After that, I’d like you to serve as escort for the Duchess of Lilywood.”
Aster had reflected countless times that this incident had occurred because he hadn’t been at Lauren’s side. But he was a soldier of the Empire. When the Emperor commanded, he had to obey. He couldn’t simply remain by Lauren’s side at all times.
Thus, his conclusion was to assign an escort. For the same reason he couldn’t stay by Lauren’s side, he couldn’t select an escort from the Knight Order. It was unfortunate to phrase it this way, but Garnet’s return was actually a blessing. He was Aster’s personal retainer, not someone bound to the military.
“I shall obey your command.”
Garnet, who had been lost in thought for a moment, rose from his seat and bowed deeply to Aster. Aster nodded in acknowledgment.
“Rest well before your next assignment. Once Lauren recovers, I’ll introduce you properly.”
“Yes, sir.”
With Aster’s permission to withdraw, Garnet bowed once more. As Garnet turned to leave, Aster watched him quietly and called out his name. Garnet, who had grasped the door handle, turned back to face him.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“It was nothing, sir.”
Garnet offered a bright smile and stepped into the corridor. That smile was hardly different from the one he’d worn in childhood, so Aster lowered his head and smiled as well.
* * *
Lauren’s eyes suddenly opened. The darkness surrounding her suggested it was the middle of the night. Both the alcohol and the sedative had been potent, it seemed—the antidote apparently hadn’t fully taken effect yet. A needle was inserted into her arm once again.
Whether from the medicine flowing through the needle or some other cause, sleep kept overwhelming her. Her conversation with Aster had been brief. When she woke in the morning, she’d drink soup or warm beverages, then sleep again. It was remarkable how much she slept.
She sensed a presence and turned her eyes. Someone was sitting in the chair placed beside her bed.
Lauren squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again, trying to focus through the haze of sleep. Golden hair, long and luminous in the darkness, caught her attention. There was only one person with such golden hair whom she could imagine standing watch over her.
“Aster?”
She barely managed to speak his name, her voice hoarse. The long-haired man seated with his legs folded in the armchair smiled softly. It wasn’t a bitter half-smile—it was a smile so beautiful it was startling.
She had never seen Aster wear such an expression. Lauren gazed up at him in a daze. With his head bowed and eyes crinkled in silent laughter, he straightened his gaze toward her. Perhaps because of the darkness surrounding them, his eyes appeared different from usual. Without thinking, Lauren raised the hand without the needle and rubbed her eyes.
“…What’s wrong, Lauren?”
He, who had been quietly observing her, opened his mouth with a smile on his face. His voice was tender and gentle.
Today, Aster seemed somehow different. She couldn’t quite put her finger on what, but something was off.
“Aster, is that really you?”
“Who else would it be?”
But—
Lauren tried to sit up and lean against the headboard. The fact that Aster seemed different from his usual self bothered her greatly. She wanted to sit upright and face him properly. Yet he wouldn’t allow it, pressing gently on her shoulder.
“You need to rest.”
He leaned in closer to her. The distance was even nearer than when they had stood facing each other to dance. His eyes blinked directly before hers.
A chill ran down her spine. His eyes, which should have been that settled green—the color of poisonous plants growing in shadow—seemed somehow tinged with blue.
“…Aster.”
Lauren called his name in a hoarse voice. But Aster didn’t answer her call. He merely smiled with narrowed eyes. Despite the smile being undeniably beautiful, it felt threatening.
He placed his hand over her eyes. As darkness fell across her vision, Lauren involuntarily held her breath. She didn’t want to sleep. Yet somehow, her eyes began to flutter closed.
“Sleep more, Lauren.”
A soft voice whispered directly into my ear. I surrendered to sleep.

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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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