CATBP~58

 Chapter 58

Even though I expected it, hearing it directly was still dizzying.

Heat rushed through my entire body.

Had the medicine worn off completely?

I moved my trembling lips with difficulty.

“It’s just an old wives’ tale. I don’t even know if it’s true.”

“Hmm. Is that so?”

Lucas braced his hands on the bed.

His face suddenly came close. Close enough to count his eyelashes.

The flower caught between us was crushed and smeared.

I lowered my gaze to avoid his scorching stare.

It didn’t take long to realize that was a bad choice.

My eyes wouldn’t leave Lucas’s lips. His red lips, tinged with a healthy color. I swallowed dryly, my throat parched.

Then Lucas opened his mouth.

His lips seemed to move in slow motion.

“Shall we test it?”

His fingers touched my lips.

“I’d be happy to help.”

Oh. Please…
Someone, please shut that tempting mouth of his.

The sound of my pounding heart was deafening, echoing in my ears. It was my own heart, no one else’s.

*No.* I should say no, that I decline such help.

But my body, consumed by the heat, wouldn’t listen. Just as alternative choices flickered in my mind…

A presence was felt.

“Ma’am, I’ve brought your meal. May I come in?”

“Mm-hm! Come in!”

I pushed against Lucas’s shoulders.

The Duke compliantly moved away.

“Excuse me.”

Sally entered, her face pale.

It was too awkward for me to look at Lucas, so I kept my eyes fixed on her and deliberately made conversation.

“What’s for dinner tonight?”

“Soup with cauliflower and bread.”

“I see. Sally, could you get me some water? My throat is dry.”

“Yes!”

Just then, Lucas, who had been sitting by the bed, stood up.

“I’ll take my leave.”

I waved my hand in lieu of a goodbye. I was even grateful that my voice worked at a time like this.

As Lucas left, all the tension that had built up in my body released at once.

I hung my head low, still holding the water cup. I could see my shimmering red pupils in the transparent water. The area around my eyes—no, my entire face—was flushed.

I tightened my grip on the cup.

‘…Why is my face turning red here!’

The bouquet of evening primroses rustled with every fidgeting movement I made.

* * *

In front of the house decorated with purple flowers by the door, a shadowy figure wearing a cloak pulled low knocked on the door.

“You’ve kept your promise well.”

The man who had moved in after Bell moved away—X—widened his eyes.

That voice was identical to the man who had given him an advance payment and made a request about a week ago.

He had said he would pay the remaining agreed amount if X did as asked. Thanks to that, X had been eagerly awaiting this very moment.

“Haha! Please, come in! You must have had a long journey! Ah, are you thirsty? Can I get you some water?”

As X rubbed his hands together like a fly and asked, the man threw him a money pouch.

His attitude suggested he didn’t need water, just take this.

“Haha, I must say I prefer this over small talk too.”

Without showing any sign of displeasure, X smiled brightly and picked up the money pouch.

After counting the amount inside, he smacked his lips and looked at the man with a greedy glint in his eyes.

Watching the man’s back as he seemed about to leave, X spoke.

“But that man, whoever he is, his ears seem unusually sharp, doesn’t he?”
“You were already warned to be careful.”
“Yes, yes. I was careful with my words. But it seems that grumpy old man ran his mouth without knowing better.”

X quietly recalled that time.

“He spoke about me in a very familiar tone, you see. What a meddlesome old man. You have no idea how much I sweated trying to get through that moment.”

The man turned to look at X. Though his expression was hidden by the cloak, a sharp glare seemed to be felt.

“Now, I managed to talk my way out of it this time, but if he gets suspicious again and comes back, whether I can smooth things over again…”

X lightly shook the money pouch and lowered his eyebrows.

“There’s no way he would come looking for you, so you needn’t worry about that.”

The man left X’s house and crossed the stone bridge.

*All that long talk, and it was nothing I needed to hear anyway.*

If Lucas was suspicious of X, he himself would have known about it.

With this, he probably won’t try to find Bell anymore.

All that’s left now is that child, Fey.

The wind tugged at his cloak as if trying to tear it off. He held it down with his hand.

Only his eyes, filled with a peculiar hatred, were visible for a moment before disappearing.

* * *

While walking down the corridor, I reflexively stopped at the sight of familiar shoes beyond the corner.

*Whoosh!*

I quickly hid my body behind a statue, but my efforts were in vain.

Since I had noticed him, there was no way someone with senses as sharp as his wouldn’t have noticed me.

“What are you doing there?”
“Meditating.”
“Suddenly, in a place like that?”
“Yes. The space behind a statue is great for meditating. You wouldn’t know.”

I spoke nonchalantly and shrugged my shoulders. *Good, that was natural.*

“My class with Fey is about to end, so I’ll be going now. Lucas, you should go tend to your work too.”

As I turned to leave, my wrist was caught.
“Wait a moment.”

Lucas’s hand touched my shoulder and then fell away.
“There’s a loose thread.”

Feeling the heat rising untimely, I desperately searched my mind for the national anthem and visualized my favorite character’s illustration like a talisman.

Of all people, Lucas resembled my favorite, and trying to imagine my favorite only made me think of Lucas.

*’This won’t do.’*

A red alert blared *beep-beep* in my head.

I should say that I can remove a loose thread myself, and that touching me so suddenly startles me, so he shouldn’t do it.

“Lucas.”

Mustering all the courage I had, I raised my head.

The moment his lips came into view, my courage snapped feebly.

“Thanks for removing the thread. I really have to go now.”

I swiftly moved away from his side.

*Damn it. When will I ever forget those lips?*

*’Get a grip.’*

I shouldn’t be so fixated on the lips of a man who doesn’t even like me.

As I was about to climb the stairs, pointlessly tugging at my innocent hair, I ran into Peridot.

“My greetings to the Duchess. May grace be with you.”

After I started thinking it was okay to trust her, I stopped observing the classes.

Now, I only went to see Fey when the class was over.

“You worked hard again today.”
“Not at all.”

Peridot smiled elegantly. Her butterfly-wing-like eyelashes curved as she smiled.

“You weren’t coming, so I was about to go find you first. I’m glad we ran into each other. I heard you were sick, are you still unwell? Your face is red.”

At the sound of her concerned voice, I shook my head slightly.

“My body is fine. It’s been a while since I recovered.”
“Then, did something happen with the Duke?”
“…Why would you think that?”
“You’re making a face that reminds me of young ladies who’ve just started dating. I suppose it’s because you’re still newlyweds, in that passionate phase.”

*Not a single part of that statement is correct, so why does it feel like my heart is being pricked so precisely?*

“You said you were going to come see me?”
“Yes, that’s right. Ma’am, might I take a look at your dressing room?”
“Why the dressing room?”

Peridot raised the corners of her mouth meaningfully.

It wasn’t a difficult request, so I gladly took her to the dressing room.

Peridot carefully looked over my clothes and then made a disapproving expression.

“All the fancy dresses are for banquets. The rest are quite plain.”

As the Duchess, I had to dress formally for banquets.

Otherwise, since I didn’t host social gatherings, most of my clothes were simple, reflecting my personal taste.

“The banquet dresses are too flashy, and the others are too plain to wear on a date…”

Muttering to herself, she turned to look at me.
“This won’t do. Let’s go out with me for a bit.”

* * *

Papers were piled up on Lucas’s desk.

This was because Gregory had gotten busy with separately assigned tasks, increasing the workload Lucas had to handle instead.

His hand moved swiftly and then stopped. A faint, breathy laugh escaped his lips.

*<‘I’m so happy right now. It feels like my birthday. Such a surprise gift.’>*

The image of her, chattering away with flushed cheeks while holding the evening primroses, came to mind.

*<‘I need to get better quickly.’>*

She seemed to be thinking of something, and the look in her eyes when she made that resolution, shining with all her might like the sun, seemed precious.

Lucas decided he would gladly cooperate with her wish.

It didn’t matter whether the old wives’ tale about kissing transferring a cold was true or false. A desire unrelated to that was inherent in the act.

After that, Lucas brushed his lips as he recalled her reaction.

*She definitely seems conscious of me. It seemed she felt what I was feeling, clearly.*

It seems I needn’t worry about the memorandum.

An undeniable satisfaction appeared on his lips.

Just then, Fey visited the study.

Fey half-leaned on the desk and asked.
“Uncle, is there a special day comin’?”

His eyebrows furrowed, unable to grasp the meaning.
“The summer festival is startin’ soon, you know. I heard there’s lots to see and it’s fun, have you ever been, Uncle?”
“Of course I have.”

Having lived in the capital, he had experience passing through streets where festivals were held a few times. But if asked whether he had ever participated directly and enjoyed it, the answer was no.

“Do you want to go?”

Fey refused firmly.
“The festival is at night, you know. A little kid like me needs to be sleepin’, zzz.”

He had been talking about the festival with such excitement that Lucas thought he wanted to go. As Lucas wondered, Fey drummed on the desk like playing a piano.

“But, they say that festival is *sooooo* popular with couples! They say there’s a legend that if you see the fireworks from the highest place at night, you’ll love each other forever.”

Like a mischievous little kitten, the corners of Fey’s eyes crinkled slightly.
“Hehe. Just sayin’!”