The Duke, Who Didn’t Even Call Me by My Name Until Yesterday, Has Suddenly Started Doting on Me? - Chapter 31

When our lips parted, I quietly opened my eyes and the Duke’s dazed face was staring right in front of me.

As I became embarrassed and tried to move back, the Duke’s hand blocked the back of my head, and he pulled me close again and took my lips.

He pecked at me again and again, showering loving kisses on my lips, cheeks, forehead, and even the corners of my eyes, where tears were slightly welling up.

Until just now, I had been prepared to offer myself to him, but already my mind was reaching its limit due to the Duke’s passionate love.

I no longer knew whether to be happy or embarrassed.

“Duke… no more…”

Unable to bear this situation any longer, I finally gave up.

I lowered my face and put my hands on the Duke’s chest, trying to move away from him even a little, but my strength was no match for him.

He didn’t move away from me, but the Duke’s movements stopped dead.

The Duke seemed to come to his senses, and his blank expression tightened.

Looking a little awkward, he lowered his face and spoke as if to reflect on his actions.

“I’m sorry. I think I got carried away in my joy. Did you… not like it?”

“Eh…? No… I didn’t… not like it…”

“…! Mariane…!”

“But, I’ve had enough!”

As the Duke drew closer again, I hurriedly waved my hands to stop him.

The Duke’s face clouded over with a slightly disappointed look, but it quickly changed into a gentle smile.

“Ah, that’s right. I’ll go to bed now. Will you sleep with me?”

Ah… you’re right.

I was the one who said we should sleep together.

Just sleep… just sleep, right…?

There’s no deeper meaning to it… right?

It’s true that at first it had a deeper meaning, but now it seems that resolve has disappeared somewhere.

…Come to think of it, I’m in my underwear.

Moreover, this is what Lydia and the store clerk had enthusiastically recommended to me when I went shopping with her the other day, it’s called “lucky underwear”, so it’s quite revealing… and the undergarments are see-through…

I wonder if he’ll be put off by the idea of ​​a woman like me wearing something like this…?

No. The Duke said earlier that he loves me no matter what.

I’m sure it’ll be fine. But he should have at least kept my nightwear nearby…!

At that moment, the Duke stood up from the bed and went over to the dresser that was attached to the bed, took something out of it, and returned to the bed.

“Mariane, you should wear this.”

He handed me a plain gown. 

“Ah… thank you.”

Taking the gown from the Duke’s hand, he turned his back to me and sat on the edge of the bed.

It was probably the Duke’s consideration so that he wouldn’t see me getting changed.

I unwrapped the covers and put the gown on.

The underwear I’d put on impulsively earlier was indeed a pretty ridiculous item, looking at it again.

I wrapped the gown around my body tightly and carefully tied the string around my waist so that it wouldn’t come undone.

If he told me to wear this, it meant that I’d just be sleeping normally after this.

I wonder if I could sleep next to the Duke…? But if I couldn’t sleep, I’d have an uninterrupted view of the Duke’s sleeping face… that might be nice too.

With such impure motives in mind,

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Duke.”

When I said that, the Duke slowly turned his body towards me.

“Mariane, whatever you wear really suits you.”

Even though I was only wearing a simple gown.

The Duke looked at me with a dreamy gaze.

“Thank you… but your underwear from before was gone, wasn’t it?”

“Not at all.”

It was an immediate reply. It was a very sharp statement.

The Duke… As I thought… he had seen me clearly. And so, I was in the same bed as the Duke, and I rested my head on his outstretched arm as a pillow, and he embraced me tightly as if covering me.

As I was wrapped in that comfortable, happy warmth, sleepiness came over me sooner than I expected.

“Good night, Mariane.”

The Duke’s gentle voice rang in my ears, and my consciousness slowly sank.

‘Duke, thank you for loving me. I am so happy that you love me.’

＊＊＊

Clack, clack, clack…

I suddenly realized that I was walking slowly down a path lined with familiar flowers and plants, pushing my wheelchair with both hands.

Huh…?

What was I doing…?

Am I dreaming again?

Someone was sitting in the wheelchair I was pushing, but I couldn’t see who it was because their head was covered by a long-brimmed hat. But I didn’t stop, just moved forward slowly, following my feet.

Clack, clack, clack…

Under the endless clear sky, the only sound playing in the quiet space was the sound of the wheelchair wheels turning.

A gentle breeze caressed my body, and the plants swayed along with it.

Clack, clack, clack…

Come to think of it… I used to push wheelchairs with old ladies sitting in them like this a lot in the past.

So, is this person the grandmother?

She must be dreaming about something old.

At that moment,

Zzz!

A gust of wind blew, and the hat of the person sitting in the wheelchair flew away.

Fortunately, it got caught on the branch of a nearby tree, so I stopped the wheelchair and went to get the hat.

I reached out and managed to grab the hat, brushing the dust off the hat with my hand and adjusting its shape.

When I returned to the wheelchair with the hat, I was about to put it on the grandmother when I suddenly felt something was wrong.

The person was sitting with their head down, and I couldn’t see their face very well, but their hair, which was blowing smoothly in the wind, was a beautiful silver-white color.

…Huh?

Wasn’t the grandmother’s hair browner?

The wind started to blow violently again, causing the wheelchair to shake, so I frantically held on to the wheelchair to stop it from moving.

The person in the wheelchair doesn’t seem to be perturbed, and doesn’t move a muscle.

Peeking out from the sleeves of her clothes fluttering in the wind are her skinny, but bony hands, like a man’s.

It’s definitely an old lady after all…? But… if that’s the case…

Who on earth is this person?

Thank you very much for reading this far!