Why Is My Husband the Villainous Schemer! - Chapter 81

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 81
Pion, delighted by the abolition of Overtime Work, was about to answer with a cheerful laugh when Matt urgently clamped his hand over the boy’s mouth.
Pion’s eyes widened as he stared at Matt.
Then Matt leaned in close and whispered urgently.
“If you say yes so thoughtlessly right now, they’ll treat you like a shameless fool who’s eyeing the lady.”
“But… she’s a woman?”
“Do you really think His Grace, who’s head over heels for his first love, will bother distinguishing such details? And if we get dragged back into Overtime Work because of you, what then?”
Pion pressed his lips firmly shut, uttering only a muffled whimper.
Carcel, who hadn’t expected an answer anyway, chuckled softly as his thoughts drifted to Asha once more.
Then he let slip a pleased remark.
“I should head home early today and dine with the family.”
“Quite right, my lord! A most sensible decision!”
Matt beamed and bowed deeply.
That day, Matt—terrified his superior might go back on his word—pointedly hung a Framed Sign reading “Overtime Work Is Illegal” in the Office.
* * *
“Carcel!”
I cried out happily, watching him leave at five o’clock, not even six.
“You’re done already?”
As I stepped toward him, his eyes crinkled in a smile.
“I missed you, Asha.”
“Yet we live in the same house.”
“Yesterday…”
Carcel lowered his gaze as if remembering what had happened the day before.
I could guess what was on his mind, so I found myself chewing my lip nervously.
“When I recall that you kissed me first yesterday…”
My mouth had gone dry, rendering me speechless; I averted his gaze.
“I realize I don’t simply want to share a house with you—I want to stay at your side always. That is my honest heart.”
“Really, now.”
I huffed indignantly, embarrassed.
Carcel then reached out carefully and took my hand in his.
The ticklish sensation of our fingers intertwining made my lips part softly.
“Heh heh.”
Carcel swung our joined hands playfully.
“What did you do today? Without me?”
“I did just fine without you. I took a walk with Linea and Mother, we had a lovely meal, and I helped Linea with her studies. Quite pleasant, actually.”
At my teasing repetition of his words from yesterday, Carcel laughed with a deflating sound.
“But yesterday you said you couldn’t even sleep at night without me. So during the day, you’re content without my presence?”
“…Doesn’t that phrasing sound a bit strange?”
I flushed deeply as I asked.
Carcel squeezed my hand tighter.
“Because I missed you, I’ve decided as of today that…”
At those words, I lifted my head and tilted it questioningly.
“Overtime Work is legally prohibited at the Duke’s residence.”
“What?!”
I forgot all about my flushed cheeks and asked urgently.
“Wait—why? Because I cried yesterday?”
“Hardly.”
Carcel curved his lips tenderly into a smile.
“During those three days without seeing you, I realized how meaningless life had become.”
“What are you saying?”
“From birth, I have lived only for the duties and responsibilities given to me. But now I’ve decided that I may spend time on the precious things I’ve chosen—which is why I want to spend more time with you, Asha.”
Carcel gazed at me steadily.
His voice carried such sincerity that I felt the urge to claw at my own chest.
“Ugh.”
He blocks my escape route and then says something like that.
As I grew flustered and turned away from his gaze, Carcel caught my eye.
“Asha?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t look at me like that. It’s embarrassing.”
The more Carcel gazed at me, the hotter my face burned!
“What have I done wrong?”
My embarrassment only intensified beneath his steady regard.
Carcel continued to look at me, then slowly bowed his head.
“Asha, what I want to do now will likely embarrass you even more.”
“…”
“May I?”
He was already so close, yet he still asked for permission.
As my wavering gaze found him, I found myself captivated—my eyes closing of their own accord.
And Carcel kissed me gently.
The tension in our intertwined fingers eased. I reached up and drew him closer by the nape of his neck.
Carcel tilted his head at an angle, kissing me again and again, his hand naturally coming to cup my cheek.
“Mmm.”
In that moment, as the heat rose between us and my eyes began to flutter…
Click.
The door swung open, and Linea’s voice rang out.
“Mother, Grandmother says we can go watch the fireworks—”
A sharp gasp echoed in the room. I pushed Carcel away in panic.
My face completely flushed, I turned to look at the door. There stood Linea, mouth hanging open in shock, trembling slightly—and behind her, Carcel’s mother wearing a satisfied smile.
“…”
“…”
No one could find the words to speak first.
But then Carcel’s mother let out an amused laugh and finally broke the silence.
“Come now, little one. Shall we go? Don’t you want a baby brother or sister?”
“A… a baby brother or sister…?”
“That’s right. Your mother and father need their time alone if you’re to have a sibling. Come along now.”
“Eek!”
Linea, startled as a hamster seized by human hands, was led away by her grandmother, still in shock.
Click.
As the door closed again, I finally came to my senses.
“What… what do we do?”
“It’s alright, Asha.”
“How is it alright?! Linea and Mother both saw! They saw us doing something… indecent!”
Though all we’d done was kiss! It wasn’t anything serious!
Yet I’d let Linea see me pressed against Carcel like that.
Seeing my distress, Carcel burst into laughter.
“Asha?”
“What?”
“No one thinks what we did is indecent or strange.”
“You… you think so?”
Carcel continued, his expression perfectly calm.
“We are husband and wife, are we not? A kiss between husband and wife is the most natural thing in the world.”
Natural, he says. Yet my heart is racing wildly and I’m trembling all over!
How does everyone do this so casually?
“I can’t do any more tonight. I think I might have a heart attack!”
Carcel seemed to be stifling laughter as he watched me cry out with my eyes squeezed shut.
“I feel the same way.”
Carcel carefully pulled my hand and placed it over his heart.
Thump, thump, thump.
“Can you feel how fast my heart is racing?”
“…It feels like… it might escape.”
He let out a soft laugh.
Then he took my hand and guided it to cup his cheek.
“My cheek is warm too, flushed because of you, Asha.”
“It really is hot.”
“All I can manage is to pretend I’m fine—such is the extent of my composure. I… care for you so very much, Asha.”
I pressed my lips together tightly.
His cheek rested in the palm of my hand, and his eyes gazing down at me were so tender.
“I… I care about you too! Now let’s go hear what Linea was trying to say earlier!”
“It is about time for dinner, in any case.”
Carcel released me easily.
But what still weighed on my mind was the fact that we would have to share the Bedroom again tonight!
I slipped my hand from his and turned away.
The shocked expression on Linea’s face just moments ago was still vivid in my mind.
“I’m worried about Linea. She’ll need time to recover from the shock.”
“Fear not. Mother will surely comfort her sufficiently.”
And thirty minutes later…
“Eek!”
She was not fine at all.
“Linea? Are you… alright?”
“Yes!”
“Really?”
“Yes, Mother!”
The child remained glued to my side.
Her eyes held a wariness toward Carcel that was unmistakable.
In fact, she threw a tantrum about not wanting to sit with Grandmother today!
Faced with this unusual clingyness, I sat beside Linea and began dinner.
Carcel’s mother, unwilling to sit near her son, took the head of the table instead.
“Linea, would you like to try a little more tomato?”
“Tomato…!”
Linea eyed the tomato warily and picked up her fork with obvious disdain.
I suppressed a smile and asked her.
“You don’t like it?”
“The skin is tough, it’s sour, and when you bite it, the slippery seeds squirt out everywhere…”
Linea trailed off awkwardly.
“You really hate it that much?”
Her inability to answer was a clear indication of just how much.
I nodded in understanding.
‘Right—sometimes if you force a child to eat something they hate, they’ll never eat it again for the rest of their life.’
Just as I was about to set the tomato aside for her…
Swoosh.
In that instant, I could have sworn I saw an afterimage.
The tomato vanished from Linea’s plate in a heartbeat.
“Huh?”
Following the trace of the afterimage, I glanced at Carcel, who was casually wiping his mouth with a napkin as though nothing had happened.
Though I could clearly see the faintest hint of red tomato juice on his lips.
“Wow! The tomato disappeared!”
Linea chirped happily at the tomato’s mysterious vanishing act.
And I gave Carcel a pointed look.
“Carcel?”
Just as I was about to call him out, a knock sounded at the door.
“Come in.”
Carcel seized the moment perfectly.
The butler approached from beyond the open door…
“A most distinguished Invitation Letter has arrived for Miss Linea.”
And he presented her with an Invitation Letter bearing the Imperial Seal!

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————