Meanwhile, as soon as Edith confirmed that Walter’s physical condition had miraculously returned to normal, she headed to their marital bedroom, intending to conceal the evidence.
“Vivian, let’s move these letters to my desk drawer.”
She retrieved the letters she had secretly kept for Isaac and the items containing her memories of him from the bedroom.
The fact that Walter discovered she had been holding onto the wildflower ring for almost ten years made her blush. If he were to slyly comment while leisurely browsing through the other items, she would feel too embarrassed to lift her face.
Bang―
However, as soon as Vivian left the bedroom, the door slammed shut as if it had been waiting.
Edith was about to ask if she had left something behind, but quickly became flustered when a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist and the smell of soap tickled her nose.
The body pressed against her back was as hard as a wall, and she didn’t need to ask who it belonged to.
“Walter.”
With a light laugh, Walter pulled her even closer. She felt a sense of relief knowing that he could move freely without any restrictions.
『 It’s completely different watching normal patients suffer from illnesses compared to watching a Lexion get sick due to magic.』
Edith knew from Theos that those who collapsed due to magic would wake up as soon as the problem was resolved, but she was a little surprised because she didn’t expect Walter to be this energetic.
But it wasn’t just his overall healthy body.
“…”
At that moment, Edith flinched from the hot energy radiating from him.
For a man who had been bedridden and unable to move just a few hours earlier, Walter was far too healthy and hot.
No, the heat she can feel from him is definitely more than before…
“Edith, what are you thinking so deeply about?”
“It’s just… your physical condition is better than before.”
He was suspiciously satisfied with Edith’s answer and pressed his lips against her neck.
“M’lady is so outspoken. How did you know that I feel like I can skip a week of sleep after getting a good rest for a few days?”
“Walter, I’m talking about your overall physical condition. And please stop calling me M’lady… ugh.”
Edith couldn’t finish her sentence as he kissed her earlobe.
The soft kiss on her shoulder seemed to awaken every nerve in her body. The blood running through her veins was already boiling.
“Think as if it were just a nickname between us, Edith.”
“Still…”
Edith unconsciously clung to him as his hands touched her. Her body, unlike her mind, affirmed him as if it had no choice.
『 You’re no longer the Little Duke of Lexion, but the future Crown Prince…!』
Journalists in the capital no longer even addressed him with the title of the Little Duke of Lexion. Whenever he, the Emperor’s lost son, the Crown Prince, jokingly addressed her politely, she was startled, afraid that someone would overhear.
It wasn’t that she disliked his endearing nickname, but she believed they needed to clarify the titles before he was officially crowned, as declared by the Emperor.
However, as if Walter had seen through her thoughts, he turned Edith’s body towards himself.
“You love it when I’m being indecent.”
His eyes narrowed slightly at the corners, perhaps because he had fully recovered his memories. Edith felt like her mind would come to a halt at that smile she had been secretly loving for a long time.
Walter, seemingly enchanted, slowly lowered his stance as his eyes took in the mesmerized look on her face.
“I’ve been holding on because the only place to lean is against the glass window, but when you look at me with those eyes, I can’t help but want to prove it, Edith.”
“…”
He got down on both knees and lightly touched her calf. Just at the moment when she is leaning against the window and one of her legs rests on his shoulder, he feels hungry and thirsty at the same time.
The moment their eyes met, Edith was also captivated by the same desire. The image of him running his fingers roughly over her wet nose and lips flashed through her mind.
There was no way she wouldn’t like him pouncing on her. Only in front of her, he would lower his posture and act like a beast with nothing but desire.
“…”
Edith gently stroked his disheveled black hair and glanced towards the bed. Reading the look of approval on her flushed cheeks, Walter quickly embraced her.
Edith closed her eyes as the soft bedding touched her back. Soon he was on top of her and began to kiss her as if he were going to devour her in one gulp. Every time their skin touched, her heart pounded loudly.
Walter immediately threw all the clothes that were in the way on the floor. And a gentle breeze caused a few letters that Edith had placed on the nightstand to fall onto the bed.
His deep green eyes briefly glanced at them before focusing on her again. When he saw the letters filled with affection, he could not hide his feelings.
“Edith, I love you.”
She was drawn to him when he was just a naive boy full of secrets, even when he held the humblest status in Fortrion Manor. The fact that she fell in love with him multiple times, granting him everything, made him feel like he was going crazy.
Walter’s fingers traveled down her clavicle to her chest and ventured even lower. He already knew that the more indecent he was, the hazier her eyes became.
He traced her hand, which was holding onto the white blanket, and entangled his fingers with hers, feeling a rush of satisfaction.
Once again, he wanted to prove to her, who had waited for him for a very long time, that he would make this night unforgettable.
Between us was not just unrequited love. I, too, loved you with all my heart, and even now I can’t hold back my affection.
“Walter, ah…”
And those letters filled with her affection stuck to her sticky, melted body.
──────────✿◦•
His time to prove turned out to be much longer than Walter had initially expected.
“Walter, a bit more…”
As his exhausted wife fell asleep in his arms, he read a letter that was stuck to her thigh.
╭══════
To Isaac, whom I miss.
Isaac, there was a small festival in the village last night. I went there with the people from the clinic, and there were a lot of lovers, you know.
══════╯
Although Edith had crossed out and erased the words she had written afterward several times with a pen, Walter, shining the letter back and forth in the late afternoon sunlight coming through the curtains, managed to decipher the content she tried to hide.
╭══════
If I had gone to that festival with you, would I have kissed you?
══════╯
『 The reason she wrote something like this is because my beautiful lady was imagining herself kissing the boy she was in love with.』
The corners of his mouth twitched as he pictured Edith, alone at bedtime, closing her eyes and fantasizing about kissing him.
He tried to suppress his laughter by covering his mouth with his large hand but failed. After reading several more letters filled with adorable content, he woke her up with a soothing voice.
“‘A bit more’ is over, Edith.”
“Mmm…”
“So, who writes such cute letters, huh?”
Walter embraced and cajoled Edith with a ridiculous excuse.
Edith was at a loss for words as she looked at Walter, his hair disheveled from his own mess, but the rest of his body was still smooth and flawless.
“… Walter, aren’t you tired?”
“They say it’s normal for one’s physical condition and overall stamina to improve when your magic is fully restored.”
“…”
“I’ve been feeling that my body is in good condition, but I didn’t know I wouldn’t get tired.”
Edith was startled and moved towards the edge of the bed. He could only see her back instead of her face.
For Walter, that sight appeared cute and provocative.
“Do you like doing it this way?”
“…!”
Although she gasped as if she were going to faint, he approached her sneakily, and she let out a drowsy voice, letting him know that she liked the way he was using her body.
And so, the next evening arrived.
Knock-knock―
“I’m busy. I’m still not feeling better, so I need to get some rest.”
As soon as Walter sensed the intruder, without even asking who it was, he issued a dismissal order.
He planned to wait for Edith to wake up, take a leisurely bath together, and spend some time with Adrian.
After becoming the Little Duke of Lexion, he had almost as many official matters to attend to as the property he inherited, so it was a hassle. However, he now had a good excuse to avoid it, the attack that happened in front of everyone.
But what came back was a voice he couldn’t ignore.
“It’s Cassius. I’m glad you seem to be in good health.”
“My health was already confirmed with the doctors. Right now, I’m taking a break for political purposes.”
“You’re saying something very cunning.”
Cassius responded with a smirk.
Patricia and her cronies were already captured by the Imperial Knights and were imprisoned alongside Gilbert in the underground of the capital’s temple.
It was true that the longer they stalled, claiming that Walter was sick and dying, the heavier the accusations and criticism against the Gerturks grew, as did the weight of their sins for touching the sole heir of the Imperial Family.
But…
“His Majesty is worried. Now that you’re awake, you must show your face as your duties of a son.”
“His Majesty became a father for the first time in twenty-five years. I can start acting like a son in a few more days.”
Walter leisurely kissed Edith’s closed eyelids, intending to delay a bit more, but the reply he received was cold.
“Still, His Majesty couldn’t wait and came here.”
“…”
“The Duke is welcoming His Majesty right now; you also have to act like a grandson. They both have something important to tell you.”
Walter’s face went sulky in an instant. Edith, who had been listening to the conversation, was surprised to hear that the Emperor had personally arrived and hastily got up.
“Hurry, go, Walter. What if you make the elders worry?”
“That can’t be possible. Mrs. Lowell said she would like to have a polite young man as her son-in-law.”
Walter kissed Edith affectionately and quickly put on his clothes.
“You should get some rest.”
The Emperor came, and he’s telling me to rest. Edith was left speechless, blinking her eyes.
Regardless of whether she was anxious or not, Walter gently stroked Edith’s still-flushed cheek as his low voice reached her ears.
“M’lady… you mustn’t show your face after you’ve done something naughty.”
❀.°• ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ •°.❀
