Chapter 54
“……”
Elaria quietly pressed her lips together. Come to think of it, Lucian had always taken care of everything on his own. Everything she needed, and even things she did not need.
The scheduled visit from the boutique today was the same. She had not even thought of it, yet he had already ordered a dress in advance for the imperial banquet.
She had always been grateful, but perhaps she had taken it too much for granted. Somehow, Lucian looked different to her.
Or perhaps she had simply never noticed that side of him until now.
“…Is there something you want?”
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
At his immediate agreement, her curiosity was piqued. Lucian had never acted like this before, so it felt new. He gazed straight into her honey-colored eyes, which seemed to shine faintly, and answered.
“I want you to treat me differently too.”
“…What do you mean?”
“Your attitude toward Noctis has changed. I want to try something different with you too.”
Elaria did not understand his words right away. She did not realize how her behavior had changed.
“Something different… Is there something specific you want?”
“Hmm…”
This time, Lucian fell into thought at her question. There was no particular action he wanted. Just as Noctis had sensed a change, he simply wanted to see a different side of her as well.
Elaria looked at him as he fell silent, then spoke.
“Should I be a little more affectionate?”
At her words, Lucian’s eyes lit up as he asked again.
“How?”
Even after marrying him and sleeping together, she had kept a certain distance in daily life. It was not intentional. It had become a habit from the days when she tried not to show that they were lovers.
“Um, like this?”
As she spoke, she edged closer to him. Their bodies, which had been separated by enough space to fit two fists between them, pressed together. It was something she had never done except during intimacy, so Elaria’s cheeks flushed pink.
Lucian lowered his gaze slightly and looked at her heated face, then asked quietly.
“…Then what if you were even more affectionate than this?”
“More than this?”
“Yes. If the measure of affection is distance, then what would you do if you were even more affectionate than this?”
“Um… then…”
She glanced at him cautiously and shifted her hips. Climbing onto his thigh, Elaria turned her head slightly away from him and spoke.
“L-Like this?”
“……”
Lucian looked at her intently as she placed herself on him of her own accord. Now even the tips of her ears were red, and he felt his throat go dry.
He reached out and gently toyed with the round ear within his sight, then murmured.
“Hmm, it really feels like we’re lovers.”
“…We’re married.”
“I want to be a married couple who feel like lovers, Ria.”
Before their marriage, he had wanted to date her openly. But at that time he was still undergoing heir training, and there had been very little he could do as he wished.
He had also been worried that she might hear harsh words from his parents, so he had no choice but to hide their relationship. There had been other reasons he needed to keep things hidden as well.
“Okay, Lucian.”
They had not been able to enjoy such things when they were lovers, but if they could live sweetly together now, she welcomed it. With a fluttering heart that outweighed her embarrassment, she turned slightly toward him.
Instead of his usual cold expression, his softened face pleased her. She wanted him to be at ease when he was with her. It still felt strange whenever she looked at the two men, but her feelings for them had not changed.
His hand slid down from her ear to the back of her neck, lingering there. His fingers traced down the curve of her back, and the moment he firmly grasped her slender waist, there was a knock.
Benjamin entered, bowed politely, and reported.
“Master, the staff from Scarlet Boutique have arrived. Where should I guide them?”
“Have them come up here.”
Noticing that Lucian intended to remain with her, Benjamin asked before leaving.
“Master, shall I have tea brought up?”
“…Yes, go ahead. I was planning to watch the fitting as well.”
“Understood.”
At his words, Elaria’s eyes widened slightly. She had not expected him to stay and watch the fitting.
Even after revealing the secret, the two men had remained busy. So when Lucian made time to stay with her, she felt strangely excited.
Noticing her flushed face again, Lucian smiled quietly and pulled her down by the waist. Seating her beside him, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and drew her close so their bodies fit together without any gap.
He hoped that not only their bodies, but their hearts as well would be so close together that they’d cling and never separate. It would be even better if they became one.
Watching the two of them, who looked like lovers deeply in love, Amanda had been fanning her face with her hand for some time now. She was extremely pleased that the lord and lady she served were so close.
The better the relationship between master and mistress, the more relaxed and pleasant her work would be.
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