17 - How to Survive as the Wife of a Monster Duke
How to Survive as the Monster Duke's Wife
Episode 17 Illyin had never done anything to be suspected.
Although she was from the Sunlands, she was a quiet bride with no suspicious aspects.
Perhaps if the avalanche hadn't struck the Delos knights, and if she hadn't been involved in that Delos expedition, it might have been buried as it was.
Illyin realized it only after thinking that far.
She was scared.
She was afraid of being treated like a strange person.
If one person thought strangely, rumors would spread strangely in an instant.
Even within the small Arlen Fief, there were many who antagonized her and treated her like a cursed person.
Then what about this place?
This was the middle of the Winter Territory, where there was nowhere to escape.
"Can't you tell me?"
The Duke's voice was low.
Illyin felt a stinging pain in her heart.
Was he angry?
"...I thought Your Grace would know."
She slowly began to speak.
She couldn't bring herself to mention the Precognitive dream so easily.
"What are you talking about?"
The voice that asked again was still low.
Illyin raised her hand and rubbed her arm.
Warm hands wrapped around her shoulders.
Warm energy flowed where she had been constantly rubbing.
There was no sign of roughness in his hands.
As he had done last night, and as he had done on their first night, his touch was still delicate, as if handling a precious, fragile artifact.
His hand, which had risen to her cheek as if coaxing and soothing her, cupped her face.
From his deep breath, she could smell the cool scent that was unique to him.
Knocking on her closed lips, he seemed to be trying to persuade her.
Tell me.
"...I thought Your Grace would know."
The name Aden, which she had been allowed to use, became heavy again.
At her small voice, Aden asked in a subdued voice.
"So you thought I was the kind of guy who investigates his bride's background."
The sudden words seemed like an accidental reaction.
But Illyin heard those words as a white lie.
No matter how strange the marriage was, he wouldn't have just accepted anyone as his bride, would he?
"I thought you would have."
Because it was natural.
"I'm sure Your Grace was just as curious about his bride."
She hesitated slightly before continuing.
"Just like I was."
There was no reason to be upset.
Hadn't she also listened to rumors about the Duke?
In fact, this side was worse.
The rumors about Duke Biften that she heard even though she didn't go to social gatherings were like ghost stories.
So there were times when she deliberately listened to rumors about him.
That was even before she had a Precognitive dream of their first night.
At her words, Aden laughed.
"Were you curious about me?"
The sound of "yes" was swallowed by his approaching lips.
It was so intense that she lost her strength.
"Then how about this?"
To Illyin, who was collapsing onto the bed, he whispered in a ticklish voice.
"Let's ask each other one question every day, a secret."
His deep breath tickled her cheeks and Exposed neckline.
Aden pushed Illyin as if he would not accept any refusal.
The soft bed touched her back.
It seemed that the only warm person in this land was this man.
Illyin suddenly thought so.
Even in the mansion, it was cold enough that she couldn't walk around without wearing thick clothes, but only next to this man was it particularly warm.
The bed prepared for their first night didn't even make a creaking sound.
Aden's hand cupped Illyin's face.
His large hands were enough to reach her Exposed neckline and transfer his warmth to her.
But Illyin felt a different heat spreading through her body, separate from that.
It was a feeling she had never experienced before.
Aden's fingers stroked the back of her neck.
It was a gesture that contained a deeper meaning than words.
Illyin's face flushed.
"Will you tell me?"
He was asking how she knew about the avalanche.
Illyin slightly turned her gaze to the side, away from where he was likely to be.
What caught her downward gaze was, as expected, nothing.
Aden never left her alone until she felt the cold.
Every place he touched spread a burning sensation.
"..."
Illyin couldn't open her mouth easily.
I think I'm probably being loved.
No, I am being loved.
Illyin thought so.
There was no one around.
Yet Aden didn't try to force her.
In a place where there was no one to be mindful of, how could someone coax and soothe a person with such patience?
Moreover, Duke Biften was usually known for his terrifying nature.
But now he was acting as gently as if he were a different person.
This was probably kindness that was only directed at me.
It wasn't because of the Precognitive dream either.
This man had been treating me like this even before I Precognitive dreamed of the avalanche.
She was being treated with enough consideration.
"...I don't know if you'll believe me,"
Illyin opened her mouth in a very small voice.
Was it because sounds were easier to hear in the dark? Even amidst the rustling of the blanket and clothes, her voice clearly echoed in the room.
"Yes."
Even though she spoke slowly, Aden listened to her attentively and patiently.
"I had a dream."
Illyin felt his hand pause.
Her sense of touch was so heightened that she felt it more clearly.
But that was only for a moment.
Soon, his touch became a little more intense.
His hand, which had been cupping her face and tickling the back of her neck, moved down a little further and spread even hotter heat.
"You saw it in a dream?"
"Yes."
The Duke's voice was calmer than she had expected.
But Illyin felt particularly cold.
Was it because she didn't hear any words?
Illyin clenched her hands tightly.
She didn't think he would believe her.
I don't know what kind of expression he's making.
Illyin unknowingly stopped her gaze, which was trying to go towards the direction where his voice was coming from.
She tried to look the other way.
It was still just a hypothesis that it might be okay to make eye contact with him.
But the Duke, who could see her even in the dark, seemed to have interpreted it differently.
"Ah, I guess I had too many questions."
The Duke supported her below her shoulders, as she was still turning her gaze away.
"Ah?"
Her body suddenly lifted.
Illyin, surprised, shrank back, but it was only for a moment.
He turned her body and sat her on his lap, who was sitting on the bed.
Illyin's face turned red.
It was because his presence was felt much more directly, even though she wasn't facing him.
"If I hold you like this, you won't be able to see my eyes. Right?"
Ah…….
Illyin opened her mouth without a sound.
That's right, if I do this, my expression won't be seen well either.
Illyin listened to his breath, which was quietly spreading like a sleeping person, near her ear.
"Are you a little more comfortable?"
Illyin nodded briefly.
A ticklish laugh filled her ears.
His hands, which wrapped around her, were large enough to cover much of her.
Sitting on his lap, she realized the difference in their physiques.
When he hugged Illyin's shoulders, their bodies became closer.
Illyin thought it was like sitting on a wide and fluffy chair.
"...Did you believe what I said?"
Illyin blurted out like that.
This time, the Duke's movements didn't stop.
Instead, he seemed to be choosing his answer a little.
Illyin felt that time was very long.
She unknowingly even held her breath and waited for his answer.
His faint breathing and the heat he was spreading touched her Exposed neckline, but her body only became colder, as if she was sweating.
It was around the time she raised her hand to rub her arm.
Aden's hand stroked her shoulder.
After a few even breaths.
As if trying to warm her, he hugged her even tighter and answered in a low voice.
"Because there's no reason for Illyin to lie."
That was true.
Illyin slightly lowered her gaze.
If you investigated me, you would know that I have no intention of returning to the Arlen Fief anymore.
If so, you would know well enough that I care about my life here more than I thought.
That's right.
I have no reason to lie.
Rather, I was worried that it would sound like a lie.
"I'm still curious. But I guess all the opportunities for tonight are over."
Illyin's eyes widened.
I haven't asked a question yet?
Perhaps seeing her expression, the Duke burst into a small laugh.
"You asked if I believed Illyin's words."
No, is that a question! Illyin was momentarily dumbfounded and opened her mouth.
I feel tricked!
The Duke laughed again.
"I understand. Let me ask again. What did you see in your dream?"
He said one per night, but seeing him bring up the story so quickly, it seemed he was curious after all.
As Illyin was about to answer, he buried his face in her shoulder.
Her small shoulders trembled.
His intense touch was much more direct and daring than when they were facing each other.
His hand, which completely wrapped around her with one arm, stroked below her arm.
He barely brushed between sensitive and non-sensitive areas.
It felt as if he was trying to take her mind off things.
Illyin's face flushed.
"...The avalanche, the Red Deloz knights,"
It wasn't that she wanted to cut her words short.
Every time Illyin trembled, the Duke breathed even deeper into her.
"...Overwhelming them..."
Illyin tried to think of something else.
The knights in the dream seemed very flustered.
It was natural.
Because the snowdrift was trying to overwhelm them as if it were alive.
And at the forefront was the knight commander, Den.
"...Ah, is he safe?"
Illyin asked as an idea flashed through her mind.
This time, the Duke's movements stopped.
His low and deep voice filled the surroundings.
"Who are you talking about?"
"That... person."
Illyin hesitated for a moment.
She had to bring it up because she was worried, but she remembered the dream she had before.
'I will bring summer back to this Biften.'
Den's face, as he said that, kept coming to her mind.
"Are you thinking about something else?"
Are you thinking about someone else?
The Duke's voice dug into her ear.
Illyin realized that she was being held even deeper by him than before.
As if she had been drawn into him.
"No."
Illyin tried to fan her face with her hand, which was getting hotter.
The Duke grabbed that hand and pulled it down.
Illyin's relatively small hand rested on his thigh.
"Whose well-being are you, curious about?"
Illyin thought that voice sounded like a growl.
The small hand, trapped between Aden's hand and thigh, trembled.
Was his knight injured?
Illyin tried to hide her trembling hand and answered.
"Sir Den... the knight commander."
The Duke was silent for a while.
"Are you curious about his well-being?"
The Duke's voice, asking again after a long time, was difficult to understand.
Illyin nodded slightly.
"Yes."
The Duke's hand, which had been hovering near Illyin's shoulder, brushed away her Exposed neckline.
Soft silver hair flowed down in front of her.
Before her exposed neck could get cold, his lips touched it.
"He's safe."
He pulled Illyin in deeply.
While completely turning Illyin's senses to another place, he whispered in a low and deep voice.
"Delightfully so."
