Chapter 40 (There’s another handsome person here!)
Asrazan grabbed Lariette’s wrist, which was stroking his face. Perhaps it was because he was sleeping, and his skin was especially warm.
Lariette opened her mouth blankly and looked at the blue eyes staring at her. I was so startled by the unexpected situation that my whole body stiffened.
“What did you say now?”
Asrazan narrowed his eyes and exhaled a hot breath. Then he repeated what he had just said.
“Hiccup!”
Eventually, a hiccup leaked through the gap between her red, plump lips. I was so surprised, but I couldn’t help but come out.
Lariette moved her uncaught hand to tightly cover her mouth and nose. As the exhaust vent was blocked, her body shook even more.
Her purple eyes wobbled here and there as if she were trying to find a solution. Asrazan, who would normally have brought water, was busy staring at her sharply while still lying down.
“Wha-what am I? Hiccup!”
Lariette chose to pretend not to know. She pretended to be as pure as possible with the acting she honed while at Blanche.
However, knowing that Asrazan’s eyesight was quite quick, her heart kept pounding and pounding. It was so loud that she was afraid he would hear it.
“… You said you were leaving, didn’t you?”
Asrazan frowned slightly and asked. The end of his voice trembled slightly as if he had been hurt after he had said it.
However, it seemed that he didn’t hear it clearly because his tone was subtly unsure. It was impossible for a person who slept as deeply as a dead person in the first place could have heard it properly.
Lariette noticed this and cheered in her heart. Then she suddenly changed her attitude and responded blatantly.
“I am? leaving? Where?”
Where am I going? Lariette added in an absurd voice.
At this, Asrazan became a little embarrassed and a little relieved. He spoke slowly in a low voice.
“Just… It’s like I heard you said you’re leaving.”
“Haha, Asrazan, did you dream? Where am I going?”
I still have one more month left on the contract. Lariette muttered in her mind.
In fact, it wasn’t a big deal to tell him what she was going to do and where she was going after the three-month love contract was over. After all, since it’s a relationship with a contract, what happens after that depends solely on Lariette’s freedom.
But the problem was that Lariette had already come to like him.
It was not a feeling of love. If it was love, the regrets would remain so much that it would have been painful.
However, as long as I had a heart for love, I couldn’t help but regret the parting. When I think of the end, one side of my chest hurts.
Therefore, Lariette deliberately did not mention anything about the contract or what happened after the contract ended.
Seeing that Asrazan didn’t even mention the back, he seemed to be thinking the same thing.
Although it was a little disappointing not to offer an extension, she would have had no choice but to refuse anyway, so it was fortunate that she maintained an appropriate line.
“Don’t worry. I will be by your side.”
Lariette said with a soft smile.
“… keeps by my side, you mean?”
As if he’s not awake, Asrazan, who looked a little dazed, asked slowly and blinked his sharply torn eyes.
‘It seems like you want me to stay with you even after the contract ends.’
Lariette struggled to put up with her sad heart and thought.
But it couldn’t be. So it didn’t happen. So, Lariette interprets her words arbitrarily and answers.
“Yeah, keep going.”
Until the contract ends, keep going.
The most important thing was the omitted word. The misunderstanding between the two became more solid, and the sense of betrayal that Asrazan would feel afterwards grew.
Asrazan, who did not know this yet, put on a smile that was very satisfied with her gentle and lovely answer and fell into a deep sleep again.
* * *
The next morning, Asrazan woke up feeling refreshed after a long time.
His throbbing head, his body that was heavy like a stone, and his blurred vision returned to normal. This was an example of the importance of sleep.
Raising his eyelids, he got up from the bed in surprise. I don’t remember sleeping last night, but it was already morning. I couldn’t remember exactly when I lay down.
Even next to him, Lariette curled up and slept with a squeaky noise. She held his left hand tightly with both small hands.
Asrazan looked down at her with astonished eyes. It was cute, her body swaying slightly with every breath she exhaled.
‘Did you get a good night’s sleep?’
It was very embarrassing for him. It may be natural for others to get a good night’s sleep for a person who hasn’t slept for three days, but it wasn’t for a general who had been in the war for a long time.
Even when he slept all night for a few days, he stood up like a ghost and looked around. Since the skilled assassin completely hid not only his body but also his intentions, he quickly grasped the movements that did not feel threatened.
As the violent sleep talk of a few days ago proves, Lariette was not the type to sleep peacefully, and there was no way he could not feel the frequent and large movements no matter how tired he was.
But surprisingly, Asrazan slept without any disturbance and without waking up in the middle.
In fact, he was awake when he said ‘Will you continue to be by my side’, but he couldn’t even remember that fact.
“Ugh, Asrazan. Did you sleep well?”
Lariette tossed around and greeted with a locked voice. Even when she just woke up, she had a beautiful smile on her face.
In reality, she had messy hair, a swollen face, and even press marks on the pillow, but to Asrazan, she looked infinitely beautiful.
“… Yes. I slept well.”
As of today, it was an honest answer, not a lie. He slept so sweetly for the first time in his life.
Lariette burst into laughter as she looked at his strangely bewildered expression. Then, without hesitation, she reached out and touched his chest.
“Ugh…!”
Asrazan trembled and tried to retreat, but there was nowhere to escape. Lariette laughed out loud and made fun of him.
“Haha, what? you’re still surprised?”
Not once or twice! Lariette added in a playful voice.
This is something she has done every morning since we started sleeping together. To ensure that the purification is progressing within his body, and that he is ready to receive the new power of purification.
It may look like a perverted figure who suddenly fiddles with his chest, but it was just a posture that came out because it was the fastest and most efficient way to spread energy when she put her hand on his chest.
However, in the situation of suffering, the hand that touched his chest was only embarrassing.
‘Lariette has no idea…!’
Asrazan bit his lip, trying to calm his beating heart. Lariette has a very pure face as if it had only a purpose of healing, but I was embarrassed to be able to imagine such a terrible thing on my own.
And Lariette, who put a pure expression on the surface, thought with a happy smile.
‘His chest muscles are the best.’
I was very satisfied with the firm feeling I felt under my hand. Since it was for the purpose of healing, there was nothing to be stabbed. Therefore, Lariette enjoyed the healing process with a very shameless and dignified attitude.
Unfortunately, the verification ended too quickly. I just wanted to pretend that it wasn’t over and stay closer, but I think Asrazan would notice if I did.
“Well, I think we are almost done.”
“Is that so.”
“Yes. After a day or two, can I start the next purify?”
Lariette replied with a bright smile.
But as soon as the words were finished, an awkward silence subsided. Both of them were only thinking about the area for the ‘next purification‘
The two quickly turned their heads to avoid each other’s gaze. However, because they turned in the same direction, their eyes overlapped.
Embarrassed, Lariette jumped out of bed and made a loud voice for nothing.
“I! I’m going to Artiz today to see Madame Charbet! Is Asrazan going to the Imperial Palace today?”
“Yes.… I’m sorry I couldn’t spend time with you because of the frequent meetings these days.”
Asrazan bowed his head and apologized to her.
Recently, the imperial palace was in turmoil because of signs of war with the Danube Kingdom. It was a weak kingdom compared to the power of the empire, but a cornered mouse can bite a cat.
Asrazan was the Duke of the three Dukes representing the Empire and had to participate in most of the meetings as the largest force.
I would have accepted it as if it had been before, when there was nothing to regret about the time, but now that the days I spend with her have become so precious, it was a waste of time.
“I have been very busy these days. Then, as an apology, how about doing whatever you want to do together?”
“… Anything?”
Asrazan narrowed his eyes and asked. He had already suffered too much to accept such conditions without any doubt.
Lariette continued speaking confidently without being pushed by his appearance.
“Why, you don’t like it?”
“Rather than dislike….”
“What if you don’t like it – do I have to play with someone else?”
Do I like to play with friends? She shrugged and muttered skillfully. And when Asrazan heard this murmur, he took the bait at once.
“Play with me. Anything is fine.”
It was better to accept whatever the conditions were than to watch the other guy and Lariette play.
There was something he had to say, and since he was busy, he couldn’t stop her from meeting the priest at all, but he didn’t want to encourage it.
“I see! Did Asrazan say he would do anything?”
“… Yes.”
Lariette, who achieved what she wanted so easily, smiled with satisfaction. In her head, the items she had written down on her bucket list springed up.
<Swimming, going to a hot spring, going to the sea, going to a festival, going to a night market, a ball….>
She seemed to be very happy no matter which one she chose.
In particular, if you go on a trip to a hot spring or the sea, wouldn’t it be the perfect situation to go to the end of the bizarre progress?
Lariette laughed at the insidious fantasies of doing bad things while enjoying a hot spring bath with him.
And Asrazan, who felt a strange sense of insecurity, trembled and was busy looking at her.
* * *
Lariette got into the carriage wearing the headdress that Madame Charbet had gifted her after dressing up beautifully. It was on the way to Boutique Artez.
Considering that there was a kidnapping scandal not long ago, there were not many escorts that followed. It was a questionable thing, but Lariette didn’t mind much. It was because she thought there was no reason to deploy so many high-quality workers to herself, who was not even a real lover.
But what she didn’t know was that an escort was always following her like a shadow.
That escort was Asrazan’s right-hand man and Ranoche’s general manager, Gerard, who could be said to be a high-ranking man among the high-ranking knights.
“Lariette!”
When Lariette got off the carriage and walked into the boutique, Madame Charbet, who saw her, shouted with a bright face. A warm welcome followed.
“You are finally here! I was shameless, so I didn’t dare to visit and just waited.”
It seems that Madame Charbet was taken aback by the letter of the Duchess of Blanche by borrowing her name. She held Lariette’s hand and expressed her regret over and over again.
“I’m so sorry. Without knowing the circumstances, I…”
“No, don’t be sorry. It’s not Madame’s fault.”
I’m sure my mother kept asking for it. It was obvious.
“You will never see her here again. I promise.”
Madame Charbet said in a firm voice. Then she added in a low voice.
“I have decided not to accept Duke Blanche as a customer anymore. Of course, Lariette is not from Blanche, right?”
She squinted her eyes. It was more friendly than usual, which was always elegant.
Lariette smiled and nodded her head. Thank you for making that decision for me. In fact, it was a reasonable decision as Blanche was not in the financial situation to order Artez’s dress anymore.
“By the way, is anyone here? Maybe I came at a bad time….”
Lariette asked, looking at the white curtains spread wide on one side. Because it was a curtain that was only used when important guests came.
“Oh, there are other guests, but they are my friends.”
“Then I will see you again next time. Excuse me for not sending you a letter in advance.”
Lariette left her regret behind and answered politely. I couldn’t interrupt her time with her friends, so I thought I’d go back right away.
But then, a clear voice echoed through the curtain, blocking my actions.
“No, I don’t think so.”
Swoosh.
The curtains were removed and the owner of the voice appeared. Lariette opened her eyes and stared at him.
Illustration
Her short blonde hair, thick as honey, fluttered. Sharp torn eyes, a pointed nose, and charming purple eyes came into view.
The black uniform matched the moderately thin body fantastically, and the reclining posture on the chair was indescribably elegant and lofty.
A beautiful person who everyone will run around saying that she is handsome no matter how they see it.
Lariette knew who this person was. It was because I saw her a few times when I was young. Of course, I didn’t know she was this handsome back then…
“I see Your Highness the Princess.”
“It’s been a while, Lady Blanche.”
The Imperial Princess, Raon’s former fiancée, and the ideal type of many noble men, Erzebutt Kharshan, greeted with a smile.
‘There’s another handsome person here!’
Lariette bowed her head and shouted in her heart.
