Chapter 43
“Riv, are you okay?”
Lionel watched her carefully.
“Y-Yes.”
But Riv’s face was still pale.
Lionel clicked his tongue and helped her down from the carriage. As she set foot on the ground, she staggered due to terrible dizziness.
“Ugh.”
Lionel grabbed Riv’s waist and pulled her towards him.
In an instant, Riv’s shaky vision stopped.
She was very conscious of his firm body and wide arms.
When she lifted her eyes, she could see Lionel’s face and his chest fuzzily beyond her veil.
‘Ah.’
Riv’s heart raced. Lionel seemed to have made her dizziness worse.
“Lionel, I, I am fine. So please stand back a little.”
“You don’t look too good.”
It was only after Riv lifted her annoying veil that she could see Lionel’s face properly.
Riv was relieved to see the familiar mansion over the Duke’s shoulder. At the same time, she remembered those she had left behind in the Cathedral.
“Claudel and the guests are still there.”
“They will return on their own. You only have to worry about us.”
Lionel read Riv’s thoughts and then ordered the escort behind him.
“Strengthen the mansion’s security, and keep outsiders from coming in. We will not accept visitors.”
“Understood.”
Lionel tightened his arms around Riv.
Realizing that her body was trembling slightly, he frowned for a moment, then bent over and carried her at once.
“L-Lionel?”
Riv was startled when her feet lifted off the ground.
Even though she was skinny, she wasn’t as light because she was tall.
“I-I’m heavy. Put me down.”
As Riv wiggled her feet in surprise, Lionel staggered as he slyly pretended to lose his balance.
“Ack!”
Riv was startled and stopped moving.
“If you don’t want to fall, stay still.”
“But.”
Lionel didn’t seem to be affected by her weight. His face looked more relaxed than usual.
“Hug my neck. Hurry.”
Riv did her best to hold him by his neck to hug him.
As their bodies touched, she felt the warmth beneath his coat and felt his broad chest swell.
Her heartbeat was louder than before. Lionel’s chin was right in front of her.
“Hold on tight.”
Riv stiffened her body.
Lionel began to walk.
Riv’s feet lightly swayed under her skirt. The moment the large door of the main building opened and Lionel crossed the threshold, they heard the butler, Karl’s voice.
“Duke, you’re here?”
When Riv turned her head, she was bewildered when she saw the Duke’s servants gathered at the entrance.
They seemed quite surprised to see Lionel carrying Riv. After a brief moment of surprise, everyone applauded and cheered.
“Congratulations on your marriage, Duke.”
“Madame, please lead the mansion well.”
“Congratulations.”
Riv’s face blushed for a moment. When people say they were going to die of shame, they were probably referring to a moment like this. She murmured as she buried her head in Lionel’s arms.
“L-Lionel, please put me down.”
“Later.”
Lionel’s blunt words were followed by jeers and cheers.
Karl intervened.
“Your wife seems to be surprised, so how about going straight to your room like this?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
This time, applause followed. Riv was startled by his words.
“Your new bride must be surprised.”
Lionel crossed the hall on the first floor, still holding Riv. Lionel, who had been walking without hesitation, stopped for a moment in front of the central staircase.
He tried to climb the stairs while holding her in his arms.
“P-Please, put me down!”
Riv was startled to see the high stairs.
Lionel wrinkled his brows and put her down. His face was full of discontent.
“I can carry you while climbing the stairs.”
“It’s because I’m anxious. I, I feel like I’m going to fall.”
Riv desperately made excuses.
Glancing behind Lionel, she made eye contact with the employees, and her face reddened involuntarily. If only she could dig a hole in the ground and hide.
“Your face looks like it’s on fire.”
“I, I know.”
Riv turned her head and tried to try to run away, but Lionel stopped her by grabbing her wrist.
“Wait. Today was our wedding, right?”
A confident smile spread across Lionel’s face.
He offered her his right arm.
“Duchess of Sentoren, come with me.”
“L-Lionel?”
“Come on. I’ll escort you.”
Riv lost her words when she was met with Lionel’s subtle smile. His expression looked so nice.
Riv linked arms with him, and they climbed the central staircase together.
If this was a dream, she didn’t want to wake up, she wanted this moment to last forever.
However, the magical moment only lasted for a brief second as they went up the stairs.
The moment she stepped onto the second floor, Lionel released her arm at the top of the stairs.
“Riv, your dress is wrinkled.”
“Ah, yes.”
“I have something to tell you, so come to my office in an hour.”
“Yes. I will prepare and go up.”
Riv tilted her head, thinking Lionel’s expression suddenly turned cold, but she didn’t show it.
She thought she could feel Lionel’s gaze on her back, but she didn’t turn around.
***
Lionel stared at the back of Riv Katana.
No, not Riv Katana, but the Duchess of Sentoren, his wife.
Riv’s wedding dress and veil were wrinkled and dirt-stained, but that did not compromise her dignity.
Lionel fixed his gaze on Riv’s slender back as she disappeared.
“Haa.”
Lionel was well aware of the soft, curved body that awakened his desire.
It was a body that made him want to embrace her again and again.
The body that he wanted to use to satisfy his desires like crazy.
But it was daytime.
There was still a lot of time before night came.
Lionel returned to his office only after she had completely disappeared from his sight.
Michelle and Dr. Rambaud were present in his office.
Michelle accompanied Lionel, but Rambaud did not attend the wedding. However, Rambaud was dressed in a much nicer suit than usual.
Rambaud greeted Lionel with great enthusiasm.
“Congratulations on your marriage, Duke.”
“……”
“How does it feel to be married to a beautiful bride?”
“There were too many people in the royal capital who wanted to see our secret marriage.”
“I wish I had been invited to the wedding.”
Lionel said to Rambaud, stunned.
“There were a lot of onlookers.”
“Unfortunately I did not make the mistake of going sightseeing.”
“If you had gone, you would still be locked up in Celton Cathedral. Claudel and some of my men are still there.”
Rambaud pretended to look out the window.
Even in Rambaud’s eyes, there were a lot of suspicious people wandering around the Duke.
“Can I leave the mansion today? I feel like I’m trapped here.”
Lionel snorted.
He was sure that Rambaud was going to use his marriage as an excuse to rob the Duke’s wine cellar.
Lionel was also greeted by Michelle who managed to return with him to the mansion.
“Congratulations on your marriage, Duke.”
“Michelle, you did a great job too.”
“It was nothing.”
Rambaud laughed and gave his blessing.
“Duke, you have to be happy now.”
From the beginning, it was Lionel’s aides who opposed his marriage to Princess Marianne.
Lionel didn’t answer.
Rambaud and Michelle knew that Lionel had a different attitude towards Riv compared to other women.
***
Riv entered her room.
The maids who were decorating her room with flowers saw Riv and welcomed her.
“You’re back, Madame?”
Riv felt awkward at the maids’ bright smiles and swept up her dress. It seemed like she wouldn’t get used to being called Madame anytime soon.
Riv pointed to her dress instead of answering.
“I want to change my dress.”
“Ah.”
The wedding dress was dirty and crumpled in the eyes of the maids who didn’t know about the commotion in the Cathedral.
They were embarrassed to look at the dress.
“Madame, I will help you.”
The maids felt sorry as they picked out dresses for Riv to change into.
“It would be better for the Duke to take off the wedding dress.”
[T/N: ( ͡≖ ͜ʖ ͡≖) I agree]
When Riv turned her back and awkwardly smiled, the maid realized her blunder and shut her mouth. They untied the delicate laces of Riv’s dress.
The wedding dress was as thick as it was beautiful, so there were many layers that the maids had to take off.
The delicate dress was removed, and the petticoat, corset, and underskirt were piled up at Riv’s feet.
Freed from the remains of her dress, Riv stared at the bouquet and lace veil that her maids had taken off her.
‘Is this real?’
The dress, the veil, and the bouquet were all beautiful, but it seemed like an illusion. She couldn’t tell if this marriage was actually fake.
‘Should I tell Lionel that I went back in time?’
Would he believe such an absurd story?
Riv was astonished at her thoughts of revealing the truth to him.
‘Did I expect this marriage to actually happen?’
The Duke of Sentoren was like a prince riding a white horse to her.
Riv woke up from her thoughts as she heard the voices of her maids. The maids were preparing this and that and chattering.
“Madame, should I prepare water in the bathroom?”
“I’m going to see Lionel so I’ll take a bath later.”
“I understand. Madame, please speak comfortably.”
When Riv nodded her head, her maids looked at her and said,
“Madame, the Duchess’ bedroom is ready and you can move there soon.”
“Yes.”
Riv pretended nothing was wrong and picked a comfortable indoor dress.
“Are you going to see the Duke now?”
The moment Riv nodded her head, the maids exchanged bitter glances. Riv was puzzled.
“We’ll help you.”
“This one suits you better than that one. Please wear this.”
The maids dressed her in their dress instead of the one Riv had picked out, and quickly fixed her hair and makeup.
Riv stared at her transformed form through the mirror.
“Wow.”
Looking back at her, there was a white-skinned beauty with dark hair hanging down.
“You’re so beautiful, Madame.”
Riv felt uncomfortable from being admired by the women and seeing herself in the mirror.
“You look lovely.”
“I think the Duke will attack you right away.”
Riv’s face blushed as red as a tomato.