Chapter 66
I bit my finger that had gone into my mouth because I wanted to continue reading my diary.
“Just a little more.”
“Uh… yes.”
Just as I was about to turn my eyes back to the diary, Francis, seemingly misunderstanding, pushed his finger in deeper.
“Ugh…!”
Startled, I dropped the diary, and he caught it effortlessly, pushing it aside. Surprised by the wriggling, he pulled the flesh out of my mouth. I frowned at it, and Francis opened his slightly parted lips to speak.
“Your Highness.”
“Eh?”
“Please make me obey you.”
When I grabbed his hand, it fell from his mouth. A thread of saliva stretched long, and he straightened up. His face was close to mine again, and my body trembled. With my eyes gently closed, I didn’t feel like pushing him away as he approached.
“If we kiss now—”
“…”
“The diary is mine.”
Pfft…
He let out a small laugh and pressed his lips against mine.
- Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang bang!
“Gracie!”
Unfortunately, we couldn’t kiss. An uninvited guest seemed about to break down the door.
“How did you know I was here?”
“Open the door.”
As I stepped away from Francis, he hurriedly began fixing his clothes. I wasn’t in a hurry, so I watched him dress.
“Did you bring clothes? Did you meet Verdine?”
“…”
“Or was it Ander Bils?”
In that short moment, Francis had perfectly fastened his cravat and strapped on his sword. With a click, he opened the door, and there stood Adrian, drenched from the rain.
“My clothes?”
“…”
“I sent someone to bring clothes, so why did you get soaked in the rain?”
He was soaked to the point that it looked like he had drowned and resurfaced. Water dripped as he held my arm, and I allowed him to hold on obediently.
“You said it was fine to have ten concubines before.”
“…Right before the peak, anything is possible.”
“Is that how it usually is? And didn’t you ask before we started?”
“You have an unnecessarily good memory.”
It seemed to be raining heavily outside, judging by how wet he was.
“Did you do it?”
“Do what?”
“You said you didn’t want to have a child with me, so did you try with someone else?”
“You’re covered in evidence, so what could I do?”
He looked at me suspiciously, so I met his gaze. I hadn’t expected someone who said concubines didn’t matter to run to me with eyes bloodshot like that.
So I asked again, trying to change the subject.
“My clothes?”
“The servant will bring them.”
“And your umbrella?”
“I didn’t bring it; it would get in the way of running.”
Water dripped from him, and I didn’t want to let him in without the host’s permission. I left him at the door and pulled my arm back.
“It’s there. I’ll take the clothes when they arrive and change.”
“…”
“You may enter, Lord Russell.”
Why are you so obedient? I said no!
He trudged in at that, seemingly relieved to see Francis dressed neatly. I lay down on the bed, feeling too lazy to deal with him, hugging a pillow.
“When Verdine comes, help me change and take me to my room.”
“…”
There seemed to be enough quest time left, so I checked.
Quest! Spring Day’s Dog II
Remaining Time: 00:29
“I’ll sleep.”
“All right.”
His voice returned to normal, perhaps finally letting himself relax.
I felt the touch of cool fabric and briefly closed my eyes before truly falling asleep.
I woke up as someone opened the door. I was still being held, and it amazed me I hadn’t woken up even while moving. I must have been that tired—and because of someone.
So I pretended to keep sleeping. Since he had already entered the room, if he noticed I was awake, he wouldn’t stay still.
I opened my eyes slightly and saw him placing me on the bed. Near the bed was a note, and he frowned as he held it.
“Why? What is it?”
I couldn’t resist curiosity since he came to my room.
“You were awake?”
“Just woke up.”
I stretched my hand to receive it, and he looked hesitant.
“If you don’t give it, no bed for a year.”
“What?”
“No bed.”
“Do you think I’ll obey that?”
“If not, you’ll marry at fifty.”
Adrian pursed his lips, sighed, and handed over the note.
“Lilfay is scheduled to commit suicide today.”
“Who sent this?”
“Don’t know. But whoever could come to this room, if not noticed, must be one of the servants.”
“My sister’s?”
“Yes.”
It seems like they want her dead. Are they trying to give her poison or a knife?
“You haven’t killed her yet? I thought you would have done it immediately.”
“Last time you didn’t dislike it, right? If it was fine, I’d have done it already.”
“Oh.”
I hadn’t expected him to bite at the bait so quickly.
I thought he would target Azelia or the Francis trial first.
“Shall we go?”
But the source is unknown. Could it be a trap? I don’t want to leave Lilfay to die… but it feels too wasteful to ignore.
“Okay. Change your clothes first; you’re wet.”
“…”
He glared, dissatisfied. The rain seemed to have stopped since I no longer heard it outside.
“Or you can wash in my room and wait.”
“All right, then.”
Seems like I’ll be sleeping in the office today, not my room.
“Wait quietly.”
“All right.”
I felt a twinge of guilt seeing him smile so happily. But there are more urgent matters.
“Has Father returned to the palace?”
“Yes. He’s busy even after returning. He originally wanted to see Your Highness first, but since you were asleep, he didn’t come.”
“Pity.”
Even if I had nothing to say, missing one day made me want to see him more. I also wanted to show that my face had healed.
“Lilfay.”
“Yes.”
“Why would they want to kill her?”
Francis’s innocent question made me smile a little.
“What happened to the diary, Sir Francis?”
Even after a kiss, he might not give it?
“I didn’t kiss, so should I give it?”
“Oh… right. Just a peck.”
Damn. I shouldn’t have taught him the difference between a peck and a kiss.
“Do you regret it?”
“Yes… very much. Give it. If I give a hundred pecks, will you give it?”
“A hundred… fine.”
“Why a hundred? I can’t even joke.”
“…”
I ignored his sulking and walked on. I felt slightly guilty, as if I were doing something I couldn’t to Ander Bils.
“They’re trying to silence her by killing her, right?”
“Because of the curse?”
“Yes.”
“And something about Clayton too, it seems.”
When we arrived at the underground prison, the guards saluted and stepped aside, making it easy to enter. I thought only serious criminals could enter without a pass.
“Who entered before I came?”
“I’ll show the list.”
A guard handed over the papers, and I skimmed them—no notable names.
“Let’s go in, then.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
For some reason, Francis led the way. He usually followed me.
“The diary said they wanted to kill me?”
“Oh… that was…”
“Seems they really wanted to kill me back then.”
Of course, I knew. It had happened once before. I said it to calm him down, since he seemed tense.
“Now…?”
“Yes.”
“Now, they want to kill the me who thought like that.”
“Wahaha!”
The torchlight flickered in the dim space. His laugh made the shadows sway beautifully.
“Under the firelight, your eyes look red too.”
“Do you prefer red eyes?”
“There you go again? I like Sir Francis himself.”
Ahem. I heard nothing.
I kept forgetting Ander Bils was here.
“Sir Francis.”
“Yes?”
“Have you ever tried to die before?”
He stopped in his tracks at that. So did Ander Bils.
“Ugh!”
I bumped my nose into his back as I kept walking.
“Are you all right?”
“Am I? Huh, seems fine.”
I adjusted my nose a bit, and it felt better. I had him lead again and asked while walking.
“When did you try to die?”
“…”
“As far as I know, it was a few times after your face… changed.”
“Father told you?”
“I remember; the Emperor stopped you several times, and you were hurt.”
Of course, the Emperor values my life over his own.
“Because of your face?”
“Partly… also, the Emperor thinks it was because of Princess Kiira, which led to the breakup with Duke de Revoir.”
“So Clayton hates you because of that?”
“Seems so.”
“Then I also broke up with Clayton and met Adrian directly, right? Is that why Father trusts me so much?”
Calculating roughly, yes. I humiliated Clayton’s proposal, sent him to war, then got engaged to Adrian. Clayton returned victorious and Encerlos was annexed into the empire.
“Trusting Lord Russell isn’t only because of an unbreakable vow.”
“Anything else?”
