Lionel couldn’t easily approach Riv either.
“It’s been a while, my wife.”
Lionel didn’t take his eyes off of her.
Riv was frozen.
It seemed that they had been apart for too long.
She had been waiting for this moment, imagining dozens of ways that they would reunite, but suddenly, she didn’t have the courage to approach him.
“Riv.”
The conflict on the Ezul Plains was over.
Marianne did not leave the country and even got married.
Everything seemed to have ended peacefully.
“Lionel, you’re back.”
Riv couldn’t speak to him easily.
Lionel’s expression hardened at her hesitation.
“Am I scary?”
Lionel frowned, and the people around him were startled.
Everyone was afraid of the aura he exuded.
“We need to find a place for the two of us to talk, alone.”
The housekeeper couple tried to say something about Riv being the Duchess, but they quickly shut their mouths after noticing the Duke’s foul mood.
“Here, this way.”
Riv led him to her bedroom on the second floor, as she thought that the drawing room on the first floor was too open.
In the bedroom, various items and clothing were strewn about, making the room look lived in.
Lionel scanned the space that felt like the size of his palm.
Riv regretted taking him to her bedroom.
Lionel’s presence was so great that her small bedroom felt even more cramped.
Riv leaned against the bed.
“Lionel, you’re back.”
“Yes. I’m here.”
Lionel answered.
It was awkward.
Riv didn’t know what to say.
It had been a long time since she had felt this way. Lionel stared at her.
‘Did I really change this man’s fate?’
It felt like a very distant past.
“While I was away, did you have another man?”
His eyes were fierce. If there was another man, she didn’t doubt that he would kill him right away.
“Aiden was here everyday, and I was also always with the housekeeper and his wife.”
Riv regained her composure and stared at him intently. She spoke impulsively.
“If you can’t trust me, then how about a divorce?”
“What? Divorce?”
Lionel’s face distorted terribly.
Riv did not back down.
“Divorce won’t be easy, but you could easily move the Bishops’ Church.”
Lionel sighed deeply.
He didn’t seem to understand the situation at all.
“I’m here to reunite with you, so why are you talking about divorce?”
“……”
“I came as soon as the Northern border was cleaned up.”
“……”
“Are you upset at me for coming late?”
Riv wasn’t upset at him. She had just forgotten how to talk to him.
“I’m not upset.”
Even with those words, Lionel’s face did not soften.
“It’s just that I didn’t like how awkward you looked when you saw me. I feel bad for looking worse than when you first met me.”
“Is that so?”
Riv was both happy to see and afraid of Lionel, whom she had not seen in a long time.
She hoped that he wouldn’t notice her uneasy state.
“Riv.”
Lionel’s expression, which had grown harsh, didn’t change, but his voice became more gentle than before.
“I’m back. Finally.”
Lionel spoke, his arms wide open.
“Come here. Hug me.”
Riv hesitated, then ran into his arms.
Wide and warm arms.
In the arms of the man Riv had been dreaming of and longing for for half a year, Riv almost burst into tears.
“Riv, are you crying?”
“No.”
“You can cry.”
Lionel hugged her and rubbed her back. Riv began to sob.
It seemed that her longing and sadness had burst out all at once.
After crying for a while, Riv finally calmed down.
Lionel smirked as he looked at her tear-stained face.
“Riv, you’ve become a crybaby.”
Lionel’s face was different than Riv had remembered.
Fatigue had built up on his face as if he had been traveling for several days without sleeping properly.
His eyes were bloodshot, and dark circles had formed under his eyes.
“Lionel looks a few years older.”
“I’m tired, but I’m fine. More than that, I’m happy to be here. I just want to hold you.”
Riv pushed Lionel onto the bed. He looked even more brutal because of his tiredness.
She took off his boots.
“I’m not tired.”
“Quietly close your eyes and sleep.”
“No.”
Riv sighed at his stubbornness and comforted him.
“We can eat together in a little while. It will also take about an hour to heat your bath water. So, for the time being, close your eyes. I don’t want to be attacked by a smelly man.”
“…..”
Lionel seemed to understand.
“……Then wake me up in an hour.”
After Riv nodded her head, Lionel reluctantly closed his eyes.
The bed, which was spacious when Riv laid on it, was so small that his feet protruded off the end.
Lionel, his eyes still closed, muttered.
“Riv, don’t go anywhere.”
“I won’t.”
“Stay by my side. Or hold me and put me to sleep.”
“I’ll just hold your hand.”
“Hmm.”
Riv grabbed Lionel’s hand. He grumbled for a few seconds before falling asleep.
Riv watched him for a long time.
Lionel had rushed to see her. She knew that he would continue to protect her.
Riv looked down at him as he slept soundly.
‘How hard was it to tirelessly march down here? How many hours did it take?’
Lionel’s sleeping face was one that Riv knew.
She felt sorry for Lionel. For some reason, his scar stood out.
Riv gave him a small kiss. Fortunately, he didn’t wake up.
Riv called for Anna.
“Please hurry and prepare a hot bath and some food.”
“Okay. How is the Duke?”
“I’m letting him sleep for a while.”
“Yes.”
Anna left.
Moldova, who had come to assess the situation, hurriedly moved to prepare food and firewood.
***
Lionel took a bath exactly two hours later and came down to the dining room.
After taking a nap, he looked much more personable than when he arrived.
However, the stench from his travels did not go away because he put on his old clothes.
After hearing the news of the Duke’s return, the village women helped Pascuda prepare the food, so their meal was plentiful.
Lionel sat at the head of the table and gestured for Riv to sit next to him.
“Riv, sit here.”
Lionel’s men sat at the table naturally.
Riv reluctantly sat down next to him.
Since there was not a lot of space, their bodies collided.
“……!”
Their shoulders and knees touched, as well as their arms and hands.
Lionel was too close to Riv.
“Lionel.”
When Riv tried to slap Lionel, he responded with mock cluelessness.
“What?”
“Are you doing this on purpose?”
“Hm?”
Riv was embarrassed at Lionel’s denial.
Was it because they were too close? After washing, she became conscious of the smell coming from him.
Heaps of food were served, as well as wine.
Michelle and Aiden had also reunited after a long time, so they loosened up and emptied their glasses. Their associates were also busy eating and drinking.
“To the safe return of the Duke!”
“To the Duchy’s newlyweds!”
“To Madame!”
The men toasted and drank.
They also devoured their food quickly.
After a while, only empty plates remained. Everyone was drinking wine.
Michelle, who was drunk, tried to pour wine into Lionel’s glass.
“Huh? The Duke’s cup is still full.”
Lionel answered.
“We’re leaving tomorrow morning, so eat and drink in moderation.”
“Tomorrow? Isn’t that too quickly? I haven’t packed my stuff yet.”
Aiden, who had lived at the villa with Riv for the last 6 months, grumbled.
“Just bring yourself!”
Moldova intervened.
“However, after hearing that the Duke and Duchess are here, the villagers wanted to hold a welcoming event.”
“We’ll skip it. We will be leaving tomorrow.”
“Then, could you receive the greetings from the Mayor’s family tonight?”
“No. I’m just here to reunite with my wife.”
Lionel expressed his displeasure.
At the same time, the food and wine was running out.
“Then… I will rest now.”
As Lionel got up, he grabbed Riv’s waist and hugged her tightly.
They were hands full of possessiveness.
Seeing this, the villa’s caretaker couple turned white.
Lionel and Riv left the dining room and headed to their upstairs bedroom. The hand wrapped around Riv’s waist didn’t let go.
“Lionel, will you sleep with me?”
“Of course. Are you going to attack me?”
“How about just going to sleep?”
“Annoying.”
Lionel didn’t budge as Riv tried to push him away.
Riv’s face reflected in Lionel’s eyes was more vivid than his memories.
Fair skin, dark hair, and exceptionally dark red lips.
Lionel attacked Riv, pushing her against the bedroom door.
***