< — Love, Understanding and Family — > (7)
Later that night, Lucia said to the man who came into her bedroom after she had finished bathing.
“Go to your bedroom and sleep.”
“Today again? Why!” (Hugo)
Lucia stared at her complaining husband.
“I have no energy so I won’t be able to handle you today. Hence, I don’t think it’ll be quite enjoyable.”
I have no energy. It won’t be enjoyable. Two times, she mercilessly and consecutively struck him down.
“…Alright. Fine. Today again, I’ll sleep next to you, won’t do anything.”
He muttered gloomily. Those damned noblewives. They definitely won’t be getting off easy. He ground his teeth in anger.
“Really?”
“I kept my promise yesterday, didn’t I?.”
All the more reason not to believe. Her gaze was telling him that she didn’t believe him at all. Hugo abruptly took her into his arms and fell onto the bed with her in tow.
“Hugh!”
He hugged her tighter, the more she flounced around.
“I’m sleeping like this. Enough, stay still. You’ll get me excited if you keep moving.” (Hugo)
“Where are you touching!” (Lucia)
After tossing around for a while with no result, Lucia finally went silent. She couldn’t even fidget because he was hugging her very tightly from the back. His hands gallantly slid into her nightwear and squeezed her breasts. Even if she asked him to remove his hand, he would act like he didn’t hear anything so she just gave up.
“Vivian.”
It felt especially nice to hear him calling her name right next to her ear. Lucia’s lips curled slightly.
“Yes.”
“Vivian.”
“Yes.”
Again, he said,
“Vivian.”
And this time, Lucia said,
“Yes?”
And turned to look at him, her gaze asking why he was doing that.
“When I first called you by that name, you felt awkward, right?”
“Mm…Yes. I did.”
“When I call you now, you’re unaffected.”
“Well, yes, I’ve been hearing it for a while so I’ve gotten used to it.”
Now, Lucia did not hate the name ‘Vivian’ as before. The name of the Duke of Taran’s wife was Vivian, not Lucia. She had found new happiness in her life as Vivian. The life of Vivian that was full of pain ended within her dream.
When he called her ‘Vivian’, it made her feel like she was his one and only ‘Vivian’ and her heart would throb. He was the only one that could call her Vivian. Whether that was now or in the future.
“…Is that so?” (Hugo)
Why didn’t you tell me your childhood name? Hugo wanted to ask. However, he was afraid to hear the answer to that question. If she said something like ‘I didn’t want to.’ Or ‘Don’t call me by that name.’ his heart would sink.
‘You don’t hate me, do you?’
‘Or it is that we’re married so you simply tolerate being with me in bed?’
‘Is there absolutely no leeway in your decision to never love me?’
All the things he wanted to ask suddenly rose up in his throat, hovering at the tip of his tongue. It was a very strange and unfamiliar experience to be holding back the words he wanted to say in his heart. He was afraid to hear the answers that could come out from her mouth.
[I will never fall in love with you]
He felt like if he heard those words one more time, he would lose his mind. He dreaded the thought of not knowing what he would do to her if he lost his mind. If he were to hurt her in any way, then he would really go crazy.
“Vivian.”
He held her even tighter and buried his nose in her back. He loved her scent that always intoxicated him and drew himself closer to her skin.
“Yes…”
It was strange. Even though he was holding her, it felt like he had lost her forever. His chest was overwhelmed with pain causing him to knit his brows. It felt as if something unknown had dug into his heart and trampled on it.
Had he ever felt this sick before? He couldn’t remember. When he was young and dragged away as a mercenary slave, there were many times he had come close to death but rather than feeling sick, he felt relief at being alive.
He held onto her as she fell asleep, breathing peacefully but he was unable to fall asleep for a long time.
* * *
The next day, Hugo gathered his vassals and informed them that Damian was now formally entered as his legal son.
“I have already announced that Damian will be my successor. Even if all of you show that you don’t accept my decision, it would be better to throw that attitude away since you won’t be changing my decision anyways.”
It was the first time for the Duke to officially mention the young Lord ever since he announced that he would make Damian his successor, so his vassals looked very tense.
“The formally registered Young Lord is now my legal son. If you have a complaint, come and find me. I’m always ready to talk.”
The word ‘talking’ from the Duke’s mouth was more frightening than being threatened to be killed. Hugo threw a document in front of his vassals.
Lucia had repeatedly asked him to not interfere but he didn’t want to just sit back and watch so he order Jerome to bring him a list of the garden party attendees.
Jerome had brought up the madam with a very awkward expression but once Hugo clicked his tongue, Jerome promptly brought the list. Hugo had only picked out the names of people among his vassals.
“It will be beneficial to those whose names are on this list to put more effort into supervising their household.”
From Hugo’s standpoint, this much couldn’t even count as light reprimanding. He felt satisfied with himself for fairly complying with his wife’s request to not interfere.
When the Duke left the scene, the ghastly pale vassals ran towards the list. To the vassals, ‘Anyone whose name is on this list can think of themselves as dead’ was what they heard.
They would definitely go home and interrogate their wives to get to the bottom of this. Through word of mouth, it would soon spread among the nobles that the noble wives who attended the garden party at the time were taught a severe lesson by their husbands.
It was only a matter of time before rumors spread that if one touches the Duchess, the fire-breathing dragon behind her, the Taran Duke would come forward.
* * *
A week had passed since the garden party and Roam was calm as usual. Lucia did not go out riding and was in the castle all week but this wasn’t the first time she had stayed in the castle for a long time.
From the day after the garden party, Lucia acted as though nothing had happened and soon enough, the people around her forgot about the incident.
Damian sat reading a book in his room then turned his head to the feeling of something on his feet. Damian smiled as he watched Asha who had probably bumped into his leg as she was playing with her tail. These days, the baby fox was fastidiously following Damian around and was with him almost all day.
As the week passed, Damian thought about a lot of things. Rather than hurting him, the incident at the garden party had shocked the boy.
He had never felt so weak before. In that moment, his first thought was, ‘If only my father was here.’ In conclusion, compared to his father, his existence was comparable to dust.
Of all times, on that day, his father had gone out. Damian did not know yet that even if the Duke was in Roam at that time, it would have been hard for him to interfere in a women-only social event. However the boy realized that the absence of his father could occur at any time, and it would be up to him to protect his mother.
Damian knew very well that he was young. In the Academy, Damian was the youngest of his peers. Everywhere he looked, it was filled with people older than him.
Regardless of the will of the boy, nothing could be done about the flow of time but it was possible to increase his strength by having the will to do so.
Using the reason that Damian was young and his identity was unclear, there were many petty-minded and insignificant people that treated him as a joke and tried to provoke him. Such sloppy and foolish people were not even worth his time so Damian ignored them but ignoring made them fussier.
It was Damian’s outstanding performance that made them not want to mess with him anyhow.
Ability is power.
This was the most useful realization Damian came to at the Academy.
Damian took Asha in his arms and stood up. He handed the fox over to the servant and asked for the fox to be taken back to its house then he asked for Jerome to be informed that he wanted to meet his father.
Translator’s Corner:
*Young Lord/Little lord is a title and my only alternative was prince which is a no go. I am using the literal translation but does anyone have better ideas?
*Also we are done with this arc and book 3! From next chapter onwards, we are on BOOK 4!!!!
*.*.*
- Emilone’s Temptation Labyrinth – Chapter 67 - December 21, 2024
- Forget My Husband, I’ll Go Make Money – Side Story 21 - December 14, 2024
- Emilone’s Temptation Labyrinth – Chapter 66 - December 14, 2024
Congrats on completing the book!!!
I need more dru..😅😅 But thanks for the chapter ❤❤❤
UWAAAAA CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! /Cryinin happiness/
This is amazing :’)))
Thank you so much! (Had to remove the second comment cuz it was a repeat.)
I have to study for a test and when I found out a chapter came out I decided to give myself a treat by reading this chapter
Thanks for the update
The Duke used a velvet covered hammer to soften those rude women from the garden party. So unlike him. But so respectful to Lucia. Even though he did intervene…a little
Thank you so much
The men in Lucia’s life are taking action and i love it.
Beast-ssi very angsty he cant do it with wifey😂
Also, i think little lord or young lord is fine interchangeably.. Prince is a little….
Or maybe young master?(but cant help imagining ciel phantomhive with this one lol)
Young master and young lord are different words in korean
Hi Ms. Ruby! What’s the difference of Young Master and Young Lord?
i think young master is used by people with lower social class, and addressing someone respectfully. while young lord is universal and still respectful. even the king must address damian as the young lord, not young master.
I feel sorry for Hugh regarding the misunderstanding with the name. C’mon wifey, quickly explain your innermost thoughts to your pitiful darling 😂😂😂
Lol on the fire breathing dragon.
Now we know who really is the boss in this relationship 😂😂😂😂
It was strange. Even though he was holding her, it felt like he had lost her forever.
This line strangely reminds me of Demi Lovato’s sober song. Feeling lonely even though you’re surrounded by many people. Not alone, but lonely.
!!! So, arc and book are different o.O I always thought we’re in book 2 cause we’re in arc Damian. Even though not long, it feels like Damian my boi grew up 😀 He has a determination in life now!! Protect mummy!! Thank you <3
Lol, Damien has already cemented the idea of Lucia being his Mom in his head XD
Damien is so cuuute x3
Lucia is just so loved ~~~husband and son, ah~~~
I’m satisfied with his way of dealing with those women uwu It wasn’t a direct blow, but a blow was thrown nevertheless. I’m a little bit saddened by his insecurities. I get where they come from, but damn. I really hope the can be happy regardless. Also, Damian wanting to become stronger in order to protect Lucia is life~
Congratulations! But a completed book. 👏🏼👏🏼
“I have no energy so I won’t be able to handle you today. Hence, I don’t think it’ll be quite enjoyable.”
He muttered gloomily. Those damned noblewives. They definitely won’t be getting off easy.
🤣 Beware, noblewomen ! You unknowingly deprived Hugo of sex and now, he’s out for you ! 😂
re-read 2023❤..!!