LCWD | Chapter 13

~Chapter 13~ 

I didn’t mean to call him “blueberry cake” seriously.

I had just been looking for something unusual to catch his attention—something different from common nicknames like honey, sugar, or chocolate. When I thought of sweet purple-colored food, blueberry was the only thing that came to mind.

“P-Please don’t take off my mask…”

After a long silence, that was all he said. If someone didn’t know better, they’d think he couldn’t talk at all.

I stared at him blankly.

“I didn’t plan to touch your mask.”

“…”

He looked at me with wide eyes, clearly surprised.

I remembered hearing that his first fiancée had taken off his mask without permission and fainted on the spot.

It was extremely rude of her, but everyone who had been present at the time had been dying of curiosity. Nobles claimed to care about dignity and manners, yet none of them thought it was rude to be curious about Apollyon’s face. Many waited for a chance to catch a glimpse of it.

The fact that the first thing he said was a plea not to remove his mask made my heart ache a little.

“I already said I won’t touch it, so don’t worry.”

“Why…?”

“Didn’t you just say not to take it off?”

“…”

“If someone says they don’t like something, isn’t it wrong to force it?”

Apollyon looked up at me with uncertain eyes before quickly turning his head away.

“…Why are you avoiding me?”

“…”

“Hey.”

“…”

“Hey, blueberry cake.”

“Please don’t call me that…”

He mumbled in a tiny voice.

I sighed and sat up. As I moved away, he quickly sat up too.

Even though I gave him some space, I stayed close enough to catch him if he tried to run again. I had no intention of letting him escape so easily.

“Apollyon, look at me.”

“…”

“If you don’t, I’ll keep calling you blueberry cake.”

“That’s…”

“You don’t like it, right?”

He looked at me with a troubled face.

Apparently, being called a cute nickname like that didn’t sit well with someone of his noble status.

“If you don’t want that, stop avoiding me. Or else I’ll follow you around calling you honey, baby, chocolate, kitten—whatever I want.”

“…Alright.”

He nodded reluctantly.

I already knew he had a very closed-off personality, but seeing it in person was a bit frustrating. It felt like we had a long road ahead.

I shook my head, imagining our distant future, then continued.

“Apollyon, what’s our relationship?”

“…We’re married.”

“Right. As of today, we’re husband and wife.”

He nodded again.

“Then why do you keep avoiding me?”

“Th-That’s because…”

So he was avoiding me. That stung a little.

“Do you dislike me?”

“No!”

He jumped up and shouted.

If he didn’t, he could’ve just said no calmly—why yell and scare me?

“Then why are you avoiding me?”

“…”

“If you don’t tell me, I’ll assume it’s because you don’t like me.”

“…”

“How am I supposed to know what you’re thinking if you won’t talk to me? I’m not a mind reader.”

“…”

“Being ignored by your husband on the first night of marriage… That’s heartbreaking. Just how much do you dislike me—”

“I don’t dislike you!”

“…”

“I-I admit I was avoiding you, but… it was never because I disliked you.”

“Then why?”

“…”

Ugh, listening to this is so frustrating.

I get that he’s a shy guy, but couldn’t he answer just a little faster?

So I decided to take a more direct approach.

“Apollyon, you know we’re supposed to complete our marriage tonight, right?”

Straight to the point—no sugarcoating.

“…!”

From the way his mouth dropped open, it was clear he hadn’t even considered that possibility.

I felt a little hurt. So he really had no intention of spending the night with me?

Add that to the forehead kiss betrayal, and now I was feeling both disappointed and offended.

“We’re married. Isn’t it natural for a married couple to fulfill their responsibilities?”

“R-Responsibilities between married couples…”

“Yes, of course.”

“…”

“You’re not just anyone—you’re a Duke. You have a duty to produce an heir.”

To be honest, I had no plans to have kids. Not now, and probably not ever unless something changes drastically.

But I was a grown adult who was honest about her desires.

We were both adults and married. And my husband happened to be young, rich, tall, handsome, and my favorite person ever. There was no reason for me to avoid the wedding night.

Plus, in noble society, it was an unspoken rule that newlyweds must consummate their marriage.

Seeing him panic like this, despite knowing the customs better than me, stung my pride a little.

Two disappointments in a row now—first the forehead kiss, and now this.

Feeling both offended and fired up, I stared him down.

Noticing something was wrong, Apollyon moved away, inch by inch.

But I had already predicted this and chosen the perfect spot. Soon, he found himself with his back pressed to the headboard, with nowhere left to run.

I reached for the string by the bed and pulled it. The canopy (the bed’s head decoration) dropped down, enclosing the bed completely.

Now Apollyon was half-leaning against the headboard, and I was in front of him, radiating serious intensity.

“W-…Wife.”

“Yes?”

“…”

“If you call me, you have to say something.”

I started untying the straps of my nightgown.

It slid open, revealing my silky slip and pale skin underneath.

“W-Wife!”

He called out again as I shrugged off the gown and tossed it far away.

Now, the only thing covering me was the thin, delicate pink slip barely clinging to my body.

“…!”

He let out a sharp breath and shut his eyes tight.

It’s not like he saw anything inappropriate, but he was already closing his eyes. That annoyed me for some reason.

I reached toward his shirt.

The fully buttoned-up collar expressed his modest and uptight personality.

A big, nervous man, dressed neatly, with a terrified expression… there was something strangely attractive about it.

‘…Wait, Do I like this kind of thing?’

Surprised by this late discovery about myself, I slowly undid one button.

His collarbone and the curve of his neck were revealed.

It seemed like he had at least dressed in a way that made undressing easier—probably thanks to Wilson’s nagging.

I reached for the second button, but he suddenly grabbed my hand. His palm was wet with sweat.

“W-Wife!”

“Yes?”

“I-I don’t think I can do this…”

“…What do you mean?”

My brow furrowed without me realizing it.

I knew exactly what he meant, but I asked him anyway, trying to keep my expression neutral.

“What exactly can’t you do?”

“E-Even though we’re married… this is our first time meeting…”

I let his words wash over me and calmly sat on his lap, resting lightly on his thigh.

Now that I was above him, he had to look up at me. I could see him nervously swallow.

“Wife, p-please, just calm down and listen to me.”

“Calm down?”

“…”

“Did I yell? Did I throw myself at you? As you can see, I’m very calm right now.”

Smile.

And I meant it. I smiled.

That cold smile made his face drain of color.

“Apollyon.”

“…”

“Honey?”

“…Yes.”

“Is there any married couple out there who doesn’t consummate their marriage?”

He opened his mouth to say something but closed it again.

I already knew what he wanted to say, even if he didn’t say it.

“…Still, this is our first meeting…”

“Hah.”

I let out a laugh—not a happy one.

When you’re so dumbfounded, sometimes all you can do is laugh.

I felt a wave of frustration rise in my chest.

I straightened up a bit and swept my hair back roughly. I was so worked up, I was breathing hard through my nose.

He started inching away again, desperately trying to get some distance between us.

He looked like he’d seen a ghost, and it made me feel guilty, like I was the one doing something wrong.

The forehead kiss? I wasn’t even thinking about that anymore.

Grinding my teeth, I asked,

“Then why did someone like you send a marriage proposal to a woman you’d never even met?”

“….”

“Apollyon, are we the only ones in a political marriage?”

He shook his head quickly.

Most nobles got married for political reasons.

Even though society had become more open, arranged marriages were still more common than love matches among nobles.

And even those old-fashioned couples never skipped the wedding night.

For noble couples, the wedding night was considered an essential tradition.

So what was he thinking, being this shy and still sending a proposal?

“Answer me. Sure, maybe your retainers pushed you, but you must’ve agreed to it. You must’ve wanted to marry me if you sent the proposal, right?”

Nod.

Nod, nod. That damn nodding again!

Would it kill him to just say something instead of nodding?

I barely held back my rising voice. I couldn’t yell at such a timid and sweet guy.

“That’s right. Most nobles are like us—married for politics. Which means there are tons of people out there sleeping with strangers, and—mmph!”

But I didn’t get to finish my speech.

Apollyon suddenly clamped his big hand over my mouth.

Judging by the look on his face, he didn’t even realize he’d done it.

But even so, he didn’t take his hand away.

Persistent man.

I almost licked his palm on instinct—but I stopped myself.

If I did, he might freak out and jump out the window.

Instead, I bit down on his calloused hand with my front teeth.