23 - How to Survive as the Wife of a Monster Duke
How to Survive as the Monster Duke's Wife
Episode 23 Illyin didn't bother to lower her gaze.
It didn't matter if she couldn't see where he was.
"Are you feeling a little better?"
As always, his voice was low and gentle.
Illyin nodded slightly.
"I'm fine, everyone has been very considerate."
She raised her hand.
Aden, who she always expected to take her hand, remained still.
Illyin thought he hesitated.
"...Your hands are still cold."
Ah, he must have been outside.
Illyin glanced out the window.
"Even so."
After a moment of silence, Aden placed his hand over hers.
Even knowing it, it was surprisingly cold.
Illyin rubbed the back of his hand, as he often did.
The Winter Duke says he doesn't feel the cold, but it seems his body does get cold.
Every time she touched between his fingers, she could clearly feel him flinch.
Illyin massaged his hand until she thought it had warmed up a bit, then reached up to his wrist.
The soft skin on the inside of his arm touched her hand.
Aden stopped her with his other hand.
"Aden?"
The hand stopping her was hot.
"...It tickles."
After catching his breath a little, that's what he said.
Illyin laughed.
Aden, sitting on the bed, was still in his outdoor clothes.
The snow probably melted in the already warm mansion hallway.
Illyin took off his cloak and placed it beside him.
The heat she felt at that moment was intense.
Aden, who let out a short breath, said.
"...Just a moment,"
Is he still out of breath? Illyin tilted her head.
"I want to hear the story first."
I've been curious all day.
As he spoke, he seemed to be catching his breath.
"About what?"
A brief silence fell.
"What secret is Illyin curious about?"
Asking if there's a secret she shouldn't know means he's curious.
That was the conclusion he had reached after thinking about it all day.
Being in a position with a secret, it was a very nerve-wracking thing.
Illyin stared at him intently.
It was the first time since coming to the mansion that she looked at him without avoiding his gaze.
"If I may ask,"
"Yes."
The answer was quick, as if he had been waiting for it.
Illyin placed the hand she was holding on his thigh.
She unraveled the question she had since before the succession ceremony, in a gentle voice.
"Is it true that your body freezes when you make eye contact?"
Following his hand that touched her thigh, Illyin felt him flinch.
Was it something she shouldn't have asked?
"......"
This time it was a long silence.
It might have felt short but long.
Aden's voice, answering after a long time, was heard from close by.
His hot hands cupped both sides of her face.
"...Would this be an answer?"
Their noses touched.
Since she had her eyes open, they were probably facing each other.
Aden remained still, breathing together like that.
A distance so close that it felt like they were facing each other.
Illyin thought his breath was hot.
"Then... can you show me your face?"
If there was just a little light, she thought she could see his face.
Illyin felt strength entering his hands.
Aden didn't bother to point out that it was already two questions in one night.
"Of course."
An answer lighter than expected fell.
But his words weren't over.
Illyin felt his hot breath touching her ear.
"But you must promise me."
"What?"
His voice was sweet.
A sweet and low voice, like a devil bringing the key to forbidden fruit.
"If you see my face, you can never leave this castle again, Illyin."
He whispered, embracing Illyin.
As if he wouldn't let her go no matter what answer she gave.
Illyin felt his body temperature deeply entering her.
The touching hands were hot with a strange heat.
If she was thinking of running away, she wouldn't have asked to see his face.
Illyin closed her eyes slightly.
She had been vaguely aware of it before, but now she was certain.
I like this Winter Territory.
Of course, it was true that it was full of cold, unfamiliar, and scary things.
But she liked the Delos people who willingly took care of her.
And you, who would never let me go.
Illyin raised her hand and stroked his shoulder.
It was still cold with the chill from outside.
But when she raised her hand a little and groped his Exposed neckline, what she felt was a hot Exposed neckline, like his hand touching her body.
As she moved her hand a little more boldly, his lips were touched.
It was always Aden who fiddled with her lips with his hands or something else.
But today was different.
Illyin stroked his soft lips.
Lips slightly parted as if wanting to say something.
"......"
As she reached out a little further, she could almost feel his face being drawn.
She felt like she was solving a little of what she had always been curious about, what kind of face he had.
Long eyelashes were felt above her closed eyes.
"Are you curious about my face?"
It would be a lie to say no.
Illyin's hand paused.
In the Arlen mansion, she was always hanging on by a thread.
It felt like hanging on the edge of a cliff with one hand, enduring the things pouring down from above.
She couldn't see the front, and if she looked down, she only saw the abyss.
Illyin felt like she was in a dream now.
That even if she woke up, there was someone waiting for her, that there was someone to spend the night with.
"You only have one chance, Illyin."
Aden whispered in a deep, clear voice.
"If you want to run away, run away now."
"I'm not running away."
Illyin replied.
Now his body was full of heat without any cold spots.
His hand, which had been holding Illyin's hand, went over her hand and towards her shoulder.
The widely spread sleeve was lifted without resistance along his touch.
The hem caught on her thumb was rolled up until her thin shoulder was exposed.
Illyin accepted the weight of him tilting her.
Something soft touched her back and the back of her head.
What touched the back of her head was a pillow.
"Ah,"
As the bed tilted slightly to the left, the heat drew closer.
Illyin knew that he had stopped right in front of her.
He's on top of me.
A faint breath, with the sound suppressed, touched her Exposed neckline.
He rubbed his nose against Illyin's nose bridge, then lightly kissed her upper lip.
At that moment, a very faint light illuminated the surroundings.
Illyin had her eyes slightly closed, but even a small light was very bright in that darkness.
Her long eyelashes fluttered up.
Aden's kiss was long.
The time he devoted to exploring her was long, as if he wanted to keep it a secret until the end.
Passing through her slender arms, he tightly grasped the hands she was gathering near her chest.
And he fell away from her slightly.
"......"
Black hair sparkled in the very faint light of the lamp.
Illyin caressed his nose bridge, which had been touching her until just now.
Lips exhaling hot breath received the light of the lamp.
The deep blue eyes facing her were still.
Illyin wondered what kind of expression he always had every night.
"Den."
Illyin whispered softly.
Aden let out a short breath.
"I see you already knew."
It was reasonable to assume so since she wasn't as surprised as he thought.
Because Illyin hadn't avoided his gaze since he came in.
"But there are still many things I want to ask."
Illyin whispered softly.
"Tonight's questions end here."
Aden kissed her eyes.
He quickly noticed the subtle change in Illyin's expression, which was slightly different from before the kiss.
"—If I say this, am I running away?"
"Yes."
The answer was quite firm.
Aden eventually let out a small laugh.
He eventually surrendered.
He lifted his bride up and sat her on his lap.
"I understand."
It was on his lap where she had sat once before.
It wasn't as much as when the lights on the ceiling were on, but it was a new feeling to be embraced by him while receiving bright light.
When his appearance was fully visible, the complete difference in physique was noticeable.
It was hard to notice when he came as the commander of the knights because he was fully dressed in thick clothing, but it was different now.
His arms, trained with swords and battles, were embracing her.
Illyin looked down at his hands, which had always made her feel hot, with a fresh face.
"What are you curious about?"
He whispered in her ear.
For someone who willingly accepted the interrogation, his attitude was poor.
Illyin, blushing, turned to look at him.
Now that it didn't matter if they faced each other, she wanted to ask while looking at his face.
"It's cheating not showing your expression."
Illyin protested before starting the interrogation.
"Ah,"
Aden hugged her tightly as if he had just realized it.
Then Illyin flinched at what was touching her body.
Aden willingly tilted his face towards her.
He was the one who should be questioned, but it was Illyin who was blushing.
"Tell me."
It didn't feel like she was questioning him like this.
Illyin still asked with a seemingly angry face.
"Why did you lie?"
It was a question that was bound to come out.
Aden smiled.
Illyin thought of his laughter, which had always fiddled with her ears and everywhere else.
He was a person who smiled with a clearer expression than she thought.
The rumors that he was crazy, carried blood, or was more accustomed to wielding a sword than talking were all overshadowed.
"Would you believe me if I said I wanted to face you too?"
Illyin tilted her head slightly.
Aden said while making eye contact with her.
"Do you remember the day we first met?"
There was no way she couldn't remember.
The day she met him as Duke Aden de Biften was impressive, but she couldn't forget the day she first arrived in the Winter Territory.
"That day, Illyin was very surprised by the sound of me being called."
Of course, because she thought she shouldn't make eye contact.
Illyin laughed.
"The knights of Delos know Aden's face, right?"
Otherwise, they wouldn't have called him on the battlefield.
"Of course."
It was the correct answer as expected.
Come to think of it, he was on the battlefield as the commander of the knights at that time.
'Your Highness!' That sound wasn't calling for the Duke of Biften somewhere else, but calling for him.
Illyin remembered running out of the carriage in a daze at that time and hugging him tightly.
Herself, startled by the sound of him being called and lowering her gaze.
"...Don't tell me that's why you've been lying until now?"
Because I might be scared?
Could it be? Really?
As the silence grew longer, Illyin slightly distanced her face from him and looked at him.
Aden kissed her cheek instead of answering.
The arms holding her became shackles that tightly held her in a cozy embrace.
She couldn't escape.
"Aden, the answer is—"
The sound urging for an answer was swallowed by his lips.
Illyin's words were cut off as they were.
Aden turned her around so she could face him.
But that was it.
Illyin swallowed her breath at his presence, which had come closer.
She, blushing at what was touching her body, lowered her head without daring to face Aden's face.
"I am ready to be interrogated, but,"
He moved differently from his obedient tone.
He hugged her tightly and tilted his head following Illyin, who had lowered her head.
As if trying to make eye contact.
Illyin lowered her even more flushed face completely.
Then, what was touching her body caught her eye and she flinched.
