(T/N: Warning; Around 90% of this side-story is most likely smut. Apologies if you're distressed by this, but we tried our best as always to make it flow smoothly. Thanks!)
* * *
The bundle of letters in the tray that Jerome brought in was thinner than usual. Suspicious, Lucia asked:
"Jerome, is this all?"
"Yes, Milady. These are the ones that arrived this morning."
"What about yesterday's? There was none that came yesterday?"
"The ones from yesterday…"
Jerome dragged out his sentence as he remembered the events from yesterday.
After receiving a sudden summon from his master, Jerome went to his master's office and was given an order from his master.
[The invitations for my wife. Bring them all to me.]
Since none of the mail that came yesterday was a personal letter for the Madam, Jerome didn't see any need to worry and took everything to his master's office. When he entered inside, he found his master standing by the blazing fireplace even though the weather wasn't that cold.
His master held out his hand, as if asking him to bring it over. Somehow, Jerome felt like he could see the fate of the mails and hesitated. Once he handed over the mails, his master poured all of them into the fireplace with no hesitation.
Jerome blankly watched as the letters became triggers for the fire and turned into black ashes. For a while, he stood like his spirit had left his body then he glanced at his master, but his master's expression was so scary that he withdrew without saying anything.
"Master has burned them."
"I'm sorry, what?"
Jerome cleared his throat softly and advised his Madam.
"Milady, it seems Master is a little upset. Lately, Milady has been continuously going to sleep first so…"
Lucia's face flared with heat.
This husband of hers, seriously! She felt too embarrassed to look at the butler's face.
"Milady, it seems you've had a lot of outdoor events for several days now. What do you think about taking a rest today?"
"The appointment I've already made…"
"An appointment can be broken in the event of an inevitability."
As the butler of this house, it was Jerome's duty to keep the peace of the house.
"…All right. I'll leave it to you to your discretion."
"Yes, Milady."
Lucia was speechless because her husband's actions were so childish. She laughed in disbelief a few times to herself, then later, she chuckled because he was cute.
'I suppose a little relaxing will be good?'
As she wondered how to pacify him, she suddenly remembered the gift she had gotten from Katherine. She had taken it but was too embarrassed afterwards, so she didn't take another look at it. She brought out the box that she had shoved deep inside her drawer.
Lucia stared at the box then she opened the cover in a very careful manner. As soon as she saw the white lingerie in the box, she frowned and carefully examined it. Then she brought it out and flipped it back and forth.
Lucia looked around the room to check despite it being empty. She felt anxious and locked the door, even though no one would dare come in without her permission. Then she took off all her clothes and stood in front of the mirror, wearing only the indecent underwear.
'My god.'
Her face flushed bright red. She couldn't bear to open her eyes in front of the mirror. But interestingly enough, humans had great adaptability. Lucia looked at herself in the mirror, mumbling about its indecency but after a while, she was looking at the fit of the underwear.
'I think it's a little big.'
It was an underwear made to fit Katherine's body type, so it wasn't exactly Lucia's size. A slightly smaller size would suit perfectly and look lovely.
She thought it over, then took it off and changed back into her clothes. The underwear was put back into the box and shoved deep inside her dresser drawer again. And she prepared to go out. Her destination: Antoine's boutique.
* * *
As he came out of the bathroom, Hugo found his bedroom door wide open from the receiving room. His bedroom door was always closed because he usually never went there. Usually, when he finished his bath, he went straight from the receiving room to his wife's bedroom.
Feeling puzzled, Hugo went into his bedroom and immediately sensed that there was a person on the bed. Faced with his wife, who was wrapped up in rolls of the blanket with only her head sticking out and a faint smile on her face, he couldn't help but also smile. He immediately went up to the bed, sat down and neatened his wife's hair which was scattered as she lay on the sheet.
"And here I thought you were sleeping."
"Why are you so late?"
Lucia grumbled. He was much later than he said he would be today. She pretended to be asleep and didn't go out to meet him. And while he was washing up, she snuck into his bedroom.
"Something suddenly came up."
His fingers paused for a moment before sweeping away the baby hair that fell on her forehead. The sight of his wife's round forehead was so cute that he unknowingly smiled. Seeing her wrapped up tight in the blanket, he asked:
"Are you cold?"
"…I think it's a little chilly here."
"It's because I don't really use this place."
But it's your bedroom.
But even if it was, he didn't use it. Because he slept in Lucia's bedroom. As she realized that, Lucia's face reddened slightly. He came to her bedroom every time, but it was her first time coming to his bedroom.
Should I just quit now with shame? No, I've already come to this point and it's too late.
While she fought a fierce battle in her heart, he continued to watch her.
He quietly met her gaze and said nothing. Sometimes, he seemed like a stormy downpour and at other times, he seemed like a boundless sea without a single wave. Even just looking at him like this made her feel good. Her heart pounded in her chest.
"I went to Antoine's boutique today."
"You? Personally?"
"Yes, during the day."
"What wind blew in today?"[1]
"I uhh…well, I bought something recommended to me there…and I want to show you."
"You must have liked it."
"They said you would like it."
"Me?"
"Wanna see?"
"Sure. I'll come back early tomorrow so show me then."
"No. I mean now."
"Now?"
"I'm wearing it, you see."
His eyes narrowed and he briefly glanced over Lucia who was wrapped up in the blanket like a caterpillar.
"I'm sure the dress will wrinkle if you stay like that."
"…it's not a dress."
"…"
He looked at Lucia with an expression that made it impossible to tell what he was thinking. The sensitive herbivore, Lucia instinctively sensed a subtle danger. Something didn't seem right. She held the blanket tight and quietly snuck backwards. His hand held her back as she moved, as if blocking her movement.
She hadn't done anything wrong nor was he angry in any way. But somehow, Lucia felt nervous as she looked into his red eyes. When he grabbed the blanket around her, a gasp unwittingly left her mouth.
"You said you'd show me."(Hugo)
"Uhh…Mmm. You…you can see it later." (Lucia)
"Weren't you going to show me now? You said I would like it."
"I'm not sure. She talked big about refunding me if you didn't like it so…"
In addition, Antoine added that no one had ever asked for a refund before.
"Such great confidence, huh. Then we should verify it."
Lucia gripped the blanket tight in resistance as he tugged on it. Even so, if he used enough force, she wouldn't be able to win but it looked like he didn't have such thought as he only used the amount of strength that Lucia could fight against. Lucia gave up on playing cat and mouse with him.
Anyway, she hid in his bedroom in the first place because she intended to show him so hiding her body now seemed kind of ridiculous.
"…Move aside for a bit. I'll show you."
Once he moved his arm aside, Lucia slipped away. She came down from the bed, still wrapped up in the backed and turned away from him. Meanwhile, he stared at her from his seat on the bed.
Lucia recalled what Antoine said earlier.
[The atmosphere. The atmosphere is the key! Like you're trying to seduce. Get it?]
Antoine laughed and said it would be fine to just act like usual, but Lucia couldn't answer and just smiled. She didn't know how to act like she was 'trying to seduce'.
Lucia hesitated for a while, then with her back facing him, she let go of the blanket she was holding. The blanket softly fell to her feet and felt the cold air of the chilly bedroom. She slowly turned her face and body to face him, half-way. He was staring at her, without the slightest movement. Lucia's momentary state of calm fled her, and she felt rather embarrassed.
Suddenly, he approached her in a flash, pushed her onto the bed, climbed over her and pounced on her lips. His flesh parted her lips and greedily invaded her mouth, ravaging inside. His hand supported the back of her neck, deepening their kiss.
Lucia shut her eyes tight and lost herself in his kiss, which was caressing every corner of her mouth. She felt a thrill rising from her back. He took his lips away for a split second before covering her lips again. He repeated this over and over again. As she barely followed to catch her breath, Lucia felt like it was her whole body being eaten up, not her lips. It was only when her head grew dizzy that his lips moved away. As she looked at him through hazy eyes, Lucia mumbled:
"I guess…I don't need a refund."