The Murderous Duke's Domestic Affairs - Chapter 61

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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 61
“Did you sustain any burns?”
“I’m fine.”
Garnet answered curtly to Lauren’s worried voice. He removed his jacket, which dripped with tea, and instead examined Lauren. Thanks to his quick action, not a single drop had touched her. Just as I was about to thank him, Garnet’s crimson eyes narrowed with concern.
“My apologies. Because I failed to shield you properly, you’ve been wounded.”
The tip of Garnet’s white-gloved hand brushed against Lauren’s cheek. He wiped away the trail of blood, and the end of his glove had turned a deep red. Lauren’s hand moved to touch the wound, but Garnet stopped her.
“You mustn’t. There may be glass fragments embedded in it. Let’s have it properly treated.”
At his quiet but firm voice, Lauren found herself nodding. The knight with emotionless eyes paid no mind to his own soaked clothing. With practiced courtesy, he seated her in a chair and rose to summon a maid. Without thinking, Lauren grasped his sleeve. His crimson eyes looked down at her.
“I’m sorry. And thank you, Garnet.”
Garnet’s lips, which had been studying her, curved faintly upward. In that moment I wondered if he was smiling, the expression vanished. Garnet bowed respectfully.
“It is merely my duty.”
With that, he left the room, saying he would guard the entrance until the maid arrived. Lauren was left alone in the spacious reception room. Only then did she release a long breath. She wanted to hide how it trembled at the end, but there was no way to do so. I was truly grateful to be alone.
Lauren leaned her back against the long sofa. She resolved to conduct herself with the confidence befitting the wife of the Duke of Lilywood. And that resolve did not waver. But it was only half the battle.
I thought I had handled Trace’s persuasion well. Perhaps I had grown a bit arrogant, proud of myself. I believed that if I simply left the room, it would be over—that I would no longer be swayed by anything. Lauren raised her hand to cover her eyes. The faintly trembling hand displeased me.
Lauren was now the mistress of House Lilywood. But it seemed that to Trace, such things held no importance.
To him, Lauren was still the young, powerless Lauren Siaz. Otherwise, he would never have dared to hurl a teacup at the Duchess. And Trace was half right. The moment the teacup shattered with a loud crash, I froze just as I had on some day in childhood.
Had Garnet not been there, I might have regressed to that day long ago. I would have been drenched in tea, cowering as Trace’s words swayed me. My hands, clenched tightly and resting on my lap, trembled uncontrollably. Was it from tension? At this rate, I’d develop a fever and collapse again.
As I was swallowing a bitter laugh alone, someone knocked on the door. It was Maili, the permanent resident physician of the Duke’s Mansion. Following her came Calvin, the butler, carrying a fresh tea set. As always, Calvin’s gray eyes, which held a gentle smile, darkened deeply upon noticing the wound mark on Lauren’s cheek.
“It will sting a bit.”
Maili pressed disinfectant onto Lauren’s cheek with careful hands. Lauren found herself squeezing her eyes shut and let out a small sound. She flinched in surprise and paused, but then, biting her lip, she carefully continued.
“The wound isn’t deep, and no glass fragments are embedded.”
Maili released a small sigh and applied a bandage to her cheek. At least that was a relief. Lauren watched quietly as Maili organized her bag.
“If you disinfect it daily, there won’t be any scarring.”
So there was no need to worry, Maili said with a bright smile. As she gathered her bag to leave the small reception room, Lauren stopped her and asked her to check on Garnet, who might have sustained burns.
Only after confirming that Maili nodded did my heart ease somewhat. If Garnet had been injured while protecting me. Lauren bit her lip firmly. It was unfortunate for Maili, but I had to ask. I took a deep breath and picked up the teacup. The warmth of the hot tea seeped into my cold fingertips.
“My apologies, madam. I should have turned him away properly.”
“No. You did your best, Calvin.”
It must have been incredibly difficult to stop Trace from pushing his way in so forcefully. If I hadn’t gone to the entrance, Trace would never have set foot inside the mansion. So this wasn’t Calvin’s fault. Lauren smiled gently at Calvin, who had straightened from his bow.
“About this matter…”
Lauren trailed off, hesitating. Calvin, who had straightened up, watched her with furrowed brows.
“Never mind. It’s nothing.”
But I could only smile without saying anything. The truth was, I wanted to ask him not to tell Aster, but I quickly changed my mind. How could I hide what happened in this mansion? He is the master of this estate. The thought of Aster asking about today’s events made me too ashamed to lift my head.
“I should rest a bit.”
Lauren set down the teacup she hadn’t even finished. Perhaps because the tension had eased, all strength drained from me. Today was a day off, and I hadn’t even looked at work, yet I felt exhausted. The cause of this fatigue was surely Trace. Lost in thought, I rubbed my face with both hands.
I think I’m developing a fever. My body, forced to move, felt heavy. Lauren left Calvin behind and stepped out of the room. Whether his examination was complete, Garnet in his shirt followed behind, but I didn’t have the energy to speak.
I wasn’t particularly frail, but whenever I experienced great tension, I would develop a fever and take to bed. This had happened frequently for quite some time. When did it start?
During my childhood, when I became a liar because of Delania’s schemes, I was constantly falling ill. Those must have been difficult days for a child to endure. Withdrawn and unable to speak properly, even my parents, whom I believed loved me dearly, wouldn’t listen to me.
For my younger self, the matter with Delania was a great burden. Still, after Trace left the Marquis Estate to establish his own branch family, things naturally improved. My parents were delighted that I became healthier, falling ill less frequently.
The worst I had ever been was on my first day entering society. That time, I was ill for over a week. My mother, busy with territorial affairs, never left my side, and my father, who had to travel to the Imperial City, would shed tears whenever he found a moment to be near me. That memory remained vivid.
When I stopped attending social gatherings and worked alongside my father, such things didn’t happen. Conferring with advisors, hearing and resolving petitions—my body was tired, but I never developed a fever. Those were excessively peaceful days. Days I even came to miss.
I picked my way forward carefully, my mind drifting to the past. Keeping my trembling legs steady required distraction, and Garnet’s silent footsteps behind me offered no interruption to my thoughts. But the moment I reached my room, relief flooded through me—and with it, the tension that had held me together dissolved. My legs nearly buckled. I reached out hastily to grip the doorframe, but Garnet’s hands caught me first.
“I’m sorry.”
My voice wavered as I apologized to him. I forced a smile toward those transparent crimson eyes that regarded me so steadily, my eyes crinkling at the corners. Garnet studied me for a moment, then reached out to open the door. Though youth still clung to him, a knight was a knight—he supported me effortlessly as he moved.
“I think you should rest.”
“I will.”
Garnet settled me onto the chaise. Normally I would have insisted on returning to work, but today I had no such inclination. Perhaps I could sleep before Aster returned. I didn’t want to cause him worry.
“Oh, Garnet.”
Just as the young knight bowed and began to withdraw, I caught his arm. He tilted his head slightly, his gaze turning back to me.
“Did you… have your wounds examined?”
My eyes fell on his still-damp sleeve. It appeared fine on the surface, but one could never be certain. The teacup had shattered so violently that fragments had scattered across my cheek. Garnet was someone Aster cared for. If he heard that Garnet was injured, it would distress him. Of course, it distressed me as well.
“I’m unharmed.”
“I’m relieved. Still, you should change out of those wet clothes quickly, or you’ll catch a chill.”
Garnet watched me with an expressionless face, then nodded slowly.
“I’ll do so. May I show the attendants in now?”
“Please do. Thank you, Garnet.”
Garnet bowed and withdrew. Only after I watched him disappear beyond the door did I release the sigh I’d been holding back. My eyes burned, and even my breath felt hot. The very air seemed to press down upon me. I forced my uncooperative hands up to cover my face. The trembling at my fingertips displeased me.
Still, I’d managed reasonably well, hadn’t I? Though it wasn’t through my own strength—more like I’d crushed him beneath the authority I’d borrowed from Aster. Compared to the timid child I’d been, or the years spent merely enduring, this was considerable progress. I regretted tensing before Trace’s violence. Beneath my hands covering my face, I let out a hollow laugh.
Perhaps I owed all of this to Aster. How many times had he saved me now? The day we first met, when Delania visited the Duke’s Mansion. When I encountered Trace Siaz at the Imperial Ball. And today, I’d even borrowed his authority. It was a pattern that had repeated countless times since I sought him out.
Now that I thought about it, Aster was like salvation itself to me. From childhood until this very moment.
I’d tried to erase my affection for him.
But that wasn’t something I could control.
The war hero infamous as a “murderer” was, in truth, still the gentle boy I’d known in childhood. Those clear emerald eyes that had sparkled like leaves holding the summer sun had grown dim, layered with the darkness and shadows of the battlefield, yet the gentle nature that shone within them remained unchanged.
He’d adorned himself with ferocity and sharpness as armor, but that armor was solid enough to embrace and protect those around him even without such ornamentation.
My lips, which had curved in that hollow laugh, trembled slightly. But because I was thinking of Aster, that trembling soon transformed into a smile. I found myself grateful that I’d sought him out. The guilt of using him hadn’t faded, but without him, I never would have found the courage to stand against Trace.
The commotion outside grew louder. It seemed Garnet was explaining my condition to Anna and Lise. I hadn’t wanted to cause Aster worry, but it seemed that would be unavoidable.

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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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