Walter pulled the ribbon off the velvet dress Edith was wearing. Her slender shoulders were exposed, and the sweet fragrance wafting through the air shook his senses.
He picked her up gently and set her down on her bed. The sight of her long, lush golden hair spreading widely, like the tail of a peacock, was always sensual.
Seeing her lying defenseless in his territory, the tension he had been forcibly suppressing suddenly revealed itself as if it was about to explode.
Edith, who ended up with only a thin gown, stood still very nervous.
『 … So this is the kind of medical treatment for the baby, no wonder.』
Edith didn’t mind Walter approaching her, taking over the space next to her, like a predator eyeing its prey. As she was rationalizing it in her head, it seemed that he was experiencing more than just hunger.
Edith crawled on the bed with knee steps and lightly stroked the back of Walter’s neck as he got on top of her.
“Why did you undo the dress ribbon, Walter?”
“Well, I thought clothes might get in the way when sharing magic with M’lady.”
Even though Lexion’s magic couldn’t be obstructed by any fabric, Walter shamelessly said without changing his expression.
Edith slipped her fingertips without bothering to point out that fact.
“Then this would be in the way too, right?”
“…”
Walter undid the shirt button that she had lightly touched with her fingertips. He couldn’t tell if it was because of the fireplace or her blue eyes scanning him that he couldn’t feel the cold air even though his upper body was exposed.
He pressed himself against her, from her thighs to her waist, lower abdomen, and the entire upper body. Just the contact of their skin made his head spin. Her body temperature spread like fire through his body.
“Tell me when you’re ready to accept it, Edith.”
Edith, indulging in her private desires by caressing his broad shoulders, locked eyes with him as he gazed down at her and whispered.
“Yes, you can do it.”
“…”
As his Adam’s apple and eyes trembled noticeably, Edith realized the significant meaning of her words.
“…I’m talking about magic. You know that, right?”
“I didn’t think of anything. Is there something else you want to accept, M’lady?”
Edith did not deny his sly words and avoided his gaze. Walter’s whole body ached because she couldn’t even lie to say that she hated sharing body heat with him.
According to the doctor’s instructions, he had to share magic for three hours a day, intertwined, for a week. But his already limited patience was running out.
With his face buried in her neck, he carefully began to pour his magic into her.
“Ah…”
As she accepted the unfamiliar energy, she trembled and let out a faint sound. Just that brief sound made Walter’s entire nerves sensitive to the limit.
Like a bird chewing its food, he kissed her skin, inch by inch. Even if he couldn’t cross the line because of the baby in her womb, it was up to him to torment her as he pleased. If Edith’s desires boil as hot as his, well, then maybe he could find some satisfaction.
However, an unexpected problem arose.
“Walter, more… it feels good.”
Edith whispered, embracing his shoulders more tightly. Only then did Walter notice that her face, illuminated by the moonlight, was flushed as if she were drunk.
Suddenly, he recalled the precautions Lexion’s doctor had given him.
⋙“Since the lady does not have any magical powers, she may have unusual reactions during the process of receiving magical energy.”⋘
⋙“Is it dangerous?”⋘
⋙“She may become intoxicated due to magic or become extremely sensitive, but it will never put a strain on her body. Rather, the baby in the womb will absorb the magical energy, and the lady will feel more comfortable.”⋘
At that time, Walter just thought about whether Edith’s body was in danger or not, but when he saw Edith’s body actually becoming more sensitive because of his magic, a red warning light flashed in his mind.
“Ah… My body feels weird, Walter… It’s strange, but it’s comfortable, and I feel good.”
It was as if the weight of the baby and the resulting discomfort disappeared for a moment.
Walter answered Edith, who spoke in a dazed state.
“They said you might get intoxicated with my magical energy because you don’t have any. It’s not harmful to your body.”
It might be a strain on me, though.
Walter swallowed his words. Edith smiled brightly, not knowing what he was thinking.
“Mmm… Then, do more.”
“…”
When she whispered in a relaxed voice, looking at him as if trusting him completely, Walter felt like he was losing his mind.
『 Edith, you should have trusted a more trustworthy bastard.』
Walter couldn’t sleep every night, he fantasized about the woman who is pregnant with his child, giving free rein to his imagination like a beast in heat. He was finally only able to fall asleep after forcibly expelling the severe delusions from him. He wondered what the hell Edith saw in him and why she trusted him.
『 Is this how I get paid for all the hardships I have endured because of my lineage?』
Edith’s heightened sensitivity to his magic can be used quite effectively and joyfully after giving birth. But for now, it felt more like torture.
He accepted her gentle touch as he recited to himself the recipe for Edith’s latest favorite dish, beef stew, which he had recently learned from the chef.
It seemed like tonight was going to be long and challenging.
──────────✿◦•
『 As expected, that bastard Walter was not homosexual.』
Elizabeth threw the newspaper she had been reading onto the table and gritted her teeth.
When a servant at Fortrion Manor, presumably Hans, mentioned that Walter was homosexual, she believed there would no longer be problems with women. But now, looking back, it seemed that Edith had even bribed Hans.
『 Homosexual? My foot. He must have been busy preparing to overthrow Fortrion Manor.』
The newspaper articles have been buzzing about Walter publicly courting Edith, who saved him. It was a romance that people would definitely adore: The stableman, who had regained his status, proposed to the lady.
『 It seems like they knew each other even before Walter lost his memory, judging by the note in the frame that Nicholas was hiding.』
But what’s crucial is that as their love story spreads widely, her situation becomes increasingly difficult.
“It’s a mess right now, Ellie. Suddenly, with Edith’s presence becoming more prominent, even my Noonim is paying attention.”
Elizabeth looked at Gilbert, who had the most troubled look on his face, asking her for help.
Although she didn’t show it, recently there have been many times when she felt that the accumulated affection for him had completely dissipated whenever she saw him.
『 When I asked him to let me see Elise, he kept making excuses for days and days, involving the Imperial Consort, the Count, and the Countess.』
As soon as Gilbert needed someone to diminish Edith’s social presence, he came running to her. When she was in trouble due to rumors that she had killed her own husband, the late Viscount, he gently assured her that silence was her best remedy rather than actively responding.
Elizabeth no longer knows what he’s thinking, but as he continues to act suspiciously, she can no longer fully trust Gilbert.
“I think Edith helped Countess Coben in the tea room during the swordsmanship tournament. If Lexion continues to get people from the centrist faction, House Gerturk will be in trouble.”
Although he didn’t ask Elizabeth directly, he was insinuatingly asking me to keep Edith in check.
“But aren’t you worried about Aizen, who was captured by the Emperor’s knights?”
“Wha-what?”
“… Nevermind.”
She had no idea what kind of trap Lexion had set, but as soon as the tournament was over, Aizen was taken away by the Emperor’s knights.
A bottle containing the poison used by Gerturk’s assassins was found in his locker room, and the same poison was found in the Little Duke’s food.
『 It seems like a trap for sure.』
Instead of trying to save him, the Gerturks accused him of planning everything and cut ties with him.
『 Even if they trample on Aizen or me, we won’t have the support to stand up.』
Elizabeth empathized a lot with Aizen, who had occasionally visited her and brought news of the capital when she was imprisoned in Fortrion, experiencing the family’s neglect.
『 First, I need to find a weak point so that Lexion can’t do anything to me, and then I’ll personally find out what’s happening with Elise.』
Gilbert whined as he drank wine, oblivious to what she was thinking.
“I think it will be difficult if Edith becomes the Duchess of Lexion, so I think we should first discover something that might be a weakness and exploit it in the newspapers…”
As always, he was hoping that Elizabeth would give him some hint.
But Elizabeth was no longer willing to share with him everything she knew. Now that she realized that the Gerturks were not going to take care of her, it made sense for her to cooperate enough to not lose the Imperial Consort’s favor.
Since her daughter was adopted by the Gerturks, she planned to use Edith’s weakness for her safety, even if she could not completely betray them.
『 Should I publish Edith’s weaknesses in the newspaper? With Lexion standing behind Edith, that won’t work at all.』
In this case, it would be more effective to threaten her directly by revealing her weaknesses.
『 For example… an issue with men.』
To protect her safety, Elizabeth hired a private investigator and discovered that Edith was maintaining a rather close relationship with a journalist from the capital’s newspaper.
Elizabeth looked at the portrait the detective had brought her and saw that it was a face she had seen before. She had encountered him at Fortrion Manor.
『 Is his name Benjamin Homan? He’s the one who wrote a fairly detailed article about Fortrion.』
After paying the detective, it was revealed that the journalist’s uncle operated a clinic where Edith had worked.
Benjamin, the journalist, could easily be implicated in Edith’s extramarital affairs, and the people from Homan Clinic were perfect for blackmailing Edith.
『 Shall I have a chat with the future duchess during the New Year’s celebration?』
Elizabeth hid a wicked smile behind her wine glass.
❀.°• ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ •°.❀
