Novel Update
Chapter 69
Chapter 69
Chapter 69
6 Feet Below
After the Empress embarrassed herself while trying to insult Laritte and left, the nobles and guests had a good laugh about the scene for a while.
If her operation had been successful, it would have been Laritte to leave the hall, and if so, everyone would have said nothing as if they were dead. But her failure was possible.
However, interest gradually shifted elsewhere.
Seta’s appearance.
Among the fluttering dresses with colorful frills and suits, the man in the robe stood out. In addition, he looked very prominent because of how tall he was.
The nobles—who would normally avoid such a person—were intrigued by Seta.
“He’s known for his skill in fortune-telling, isn’t he?”
“He has recently gained fame in Mirnoa. Should I talk to him?”
They started to whisper about Seta, regardless of whether they wanted to or not. Everyone was anxious about their future. But Seta was alone. It was difficult for them to approach the figure recklessly.
Seta put an entire piece of fruit cake into his mouth.
People….. No, dragons need to fill their stomachs first!
Before approaching that face (Laritte), it was a ritual he should finish. Similar to washing hands before touching the treasure.
“It’s nice to walk around with no one nagging you.”
The old nobleman who brought Seta to the empire was suddenly suffering from a bad cold this morning. Therefore, Seta escorted him back to his room and came back to the party early. Thanks to that, he was free.
Meanwhile, Ian returned from the balcony, his shoulders cold.
He couldn’t find the fortune-teller. Seta was normal because he came back from the balcony a long time ago.
Laritte—who was alone—found Ian.
“Your hands must be cold. Why did you take so long?”
Removing her white frill gloves, she wrapped Ian’s rough hands with her bare hands.
Ian held back his laughter, still unaware of the fact that she had met the Empress. A smile found its way on his lips.
She looked so lovely when she worried about him.
Ian knew better than anyone else that his innocent and cute wife was acting without thinking.
But what if he reversed the idea.
“Ahem. Not only my hands but also my whole body is cold.” Ian said blatantly.
It was rather beneficial that Laritte was naive. She wouldn’t know even if he tried to pull tricks on her.
Unaware of Ian’s thoughts, Laritte spoke sincerely.
“You should have come back early if you couldn’t find the fortune-teller.”
As Ian leaned down, she wrapped his neck with both arms as she hugged him.
Some people standing behind her—looking for a chance to talk to the Duchess—coughed at their interaction.
Ian made them silent with a single glare. At the same time, he embraced Laritte’s warm body.
Today, she was wearing a backless undergarment.
Ian bit his lip as his finger touched her back. This alone was insanely good.
He spoke softly, trying to hide the pounding of his heart.
“But don’t I have to hurry and find a fortune-teller to ask about your accidents?”
His heart skipped beats even though he was speaking based on facts.
Hugging her back with one hand, he caressed her hair.
He felt himself melting under her touch and beautiful silver hair.
Not to mention, the sweet scent she had.
He peeked a glance upward with his head buried on Laritte’s shoulder. He read their lips as the nobles whispered among themselves.
“Such affection, it’s incredible. We were that intimate when we were young, weren’t we?”
“My great-grandfather didn’t know The Duke had this side to him.”
Ian breathed out satisfactorily. He had half of them look at their interaction.
They were thinking he would turn a blind eye to Laritte someday because she was an illegitimate child, weren’t they?
He endured the urge to rip off all their brains for bearing such a terrible idea.
Instead, he decided to make them believe that it would never happen.
So that in the future, they maintained their behavior….. if they were supposed to meet Laritte.
‘Half of them were really dark.’
If he could hug her like this, he could finish the journey through Seolsan Mountain in just 24 hours.
“I need to find that fortune-teller quickly.”
Ian repeated.
He was worried about her. Just as she cared about him.
“…..Because it worries me.”
He also wanted to express how he felt about her.
Of course, Laritte didn’t understand any of them.
“That’s not what I’m saying.”
Laritte released Ian and pointed behind him.
“The fortune-teller is over there. I was going to tell you, but you were shaking from the cold.”
Ian raised his head. He made eye contact with Seta, who was munching on a piece of crepe in his mouth.
“Oh.”
It became awkward in an instant.
She didn’t tell him to come back early because she was worried about me.
He awkwardly let go of Laritte.
Still, he was happy—
He was serious.
*** Alice and Irene walked around the night streets of the capital city wearing outfits rather than their maid uniforms, for the first time in a long while.
Each had a newspaper in her hand. They walked to an antique store looking at the advertising leaflets.
“They sell a lot of fun things here. They also have very, very old books.”
Irene asked, “who told you that?”
“Well, this woman was dragging a donkey around. She had her long hair tied with a red ribbon. She was putting my luggage on the donkey and grabbing the reins when I saw her wearing a sign with the words “Welcome to the Capital City – Antiques” hanging around her neck.”
Anyone could see that she was a solicitor. Perhaps, even the store owner’s wife.
“Fool! Because of you, I’ll have to spend my trip to the Capital city in vain.”
“No! We’ll be able to buy something that even Madam would find interesting!”
The twins held hands and ran around the capital.
They were determined to buy something that would take Laritte—their infinitely calm Madam—by surprise.
Eventually, they made a bet. To see who could buy something more amazing to be chosen by the Madam.
The antique store was full of amazing items.
A suspicious tea kettle with purple smoke rising from inside, copper pottery, etcetera.
“Welcome, ladies.”
The twins searched everywhere with sharp eyes like a lion’s.
Alice pulled a book from a dusty bookshelf.
“This book looks so old. What’s it about?”
Blowing the dust off with her breath, she stuttered through the cursive writing.
“A review… understanding mana… human problems. Author, D. Is it a romance novel?”
She kept it back in its place and moved to a different place.
It didn’t look very unique.
*** With Laritte at his side, Ian approached Seta.
“Excuse me.”
He kindly reached out to the man in a robe.
Ian was eager to meet him, so he smiled softly. But the nobles around him whispered like they were scared.
Seta was a dragon. Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.
And Ian was a Swordmaster. He was known to subjugate weak dragons that lost control and attacked the human world.
If you think about it normally, Seta couldn’t think good of him.
Seta gulped down the piece of dessert he was munching on.
His reaction to finding out that his opponent was a Swordmaster was……
“Huh?”
It was extremely normal.
Ordinary dragons like Seta did not consider weak dragons—likely to explode—as their kind.
Ian was told in advance that Seta only knew informal speech.
“I’m Ian Reinhardt of the Ducal family of Reinhardt, and this is my wife, Laritte.”
He introduced himself and Laritte without any hesitation.
Laritte peered at the man, the rest of her form hidden behind Ian’s large size.
Seta was surprised.
Haa, when did this woman come here?
He almost changed back into his dragon form without realizing it.
Soon, his surprised feeling turned into pure joy.
“Nice to meet you, human. I am Seta!”
Seta grabbed Laritte’s hand with both hands and waved happily.
Her face was amazingly beautiful.
And such long eyelashes?
The regular arrangement of the eyelashes perfectly fit his aesthetic.
‘Unlike the big nose of humble humans, look at that small and adorable nose! It looks more artistic from the side. The curves of her face are flawless compared to any mana. The overall picture of her features brings back memories of the natural scenery 500 years ago. To properly explain this perfect harmony, it reminds me of when we first saw human faces a thousand years ago……’
Though Ian had a good feeling, he was better only with Laritte alone.
He noticed the growing darkness in Seta’s eyes, sensing a beastly feeling within.
What is this man doing?