My Dear Grand Duke on a Leash - Chapter 86

Chapter 43.2 — Chalonné’s Man (2)

Her mouth fell open blankly. Already, she had a sense that the atmosphere within the household might be tough. In the meanwhile, Cain seemed indifferent to her stunned reaction as though he had anticipated it.

“It’s a bit complicated to explain in detail. I’ll explain when we leave for Katak.”

“Uh, unh…”

As Riette pushed herself up from where she was leaning against the headboard, she couldn’t help but whimper due to the muscle pain.

“Uh, right. Let’s quickly get permission for the marriage. If we’re going to leave for Katak, we should start with that. Yeah.”

When the blanket naturally slipped down onto the sheet again, Cain pulled the blanket back up to her chest and spoke softly.

“I have already met with Queen Chalonné and His Highness Narkissis.”

“…Huh?”

Riette’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out of her head.

“Didn’t I tell you? From now on, Princess, all you have to do is lie still and rest comfortably. That’s all you have to do.”

̊ · : * ✧* : · ̊

It was morning, about three hours before Riette woke up.

The hand of a woman wearing a ring on her left ring finger rested on the man’s bare shoulder. As she ran her fingers over his statuesque body, a soft voice emerged.

“Your Highness Narkissis, please grant the young lady a pair of shoes and that hat hanging on the coat rack for me? It’s a forsythia-colored hat. Don’t you think it goes well with my hair color?”

Narkissis, shirtless, leaned against the headboard with a sullen expression on his face. On either side of him, a different woman sat naked and at an angle. On his left was a young lady who had brown hair and green eyes, while the lady opposite had wheat-colored hair and coppery eyes.

He glanced briefly at the window.

On the windowsill within his gaze, there were small silk shoes adorned with corsages neatly arranged. With a sneer, he slid his fingers through the lady’s wheat-colored hair. He then whispered, languidly stroking her hair.

“A wise lady doesn’t indulge in presumptuous greed. Surprisingly, in this world, there are standards and positions.”

“Isn’t that standard and position something that can change overnight when given the opportunity? For instance, if Your Highness were to marry the Princess of Persham and appoint me as your first consort… Aah!”

The woman’s neck twisted back with a choked gasp. It was because Narkissis had grasped her by the hair. He not only twisted and pulled at her hair but seemed to be trying to bend her neck backwards.

“My first consort.”

He tilted his head and smiled gracefully at her.

“Marchioness, I’m quite fond of you. You have very beautiful hair, but…”

“Euuk, I… can’t… heukk—”

“Non omne quod nitet aurum est. Not all that glitters is gold.”

As her airway tightened, the Marchioness clung to his hand and let out a labored gasp. Narkissis simply lowered his head and kissed her head.

“Your Highness. Her Majesty Queen Chalonné has arrived.”

As Helios’s servant, who had been attached to the door, announced in a formal tone, Narkissis’s arrogant, red gaze briefly glanced at his servant before releasing his grip. The Marchioness collapsed onto the bed, gasping for breath mingled with sobs.

He ignored the sound as if he didn’t hear it at all and gestured to the servant.

“Open it.”

When he rose from the bed, the young lady, who had been cowering in fear, quickly got down from the bed. She quickly fetched a dressing gown and draped it over his bare shoulders as if she were his maid.

Click.

The bedroom door opened.

Ceres entered, standing tall and proud. She wore an ivory square-necked dress with an ornate dazzling tiara that glittered atop her elegant updo, a diamond-colored necklace cascading like a waterfall from her neck.

As she beckoned, the maids, who had already brought in the gowns, draped them over the two women before leading them out of the room. It was a gesture that seemed very familiar, as if it were a routine occurrence. After all, the two women were night partners that she gave to him.

Narkissis asked, taking the pipe tobacco the maid offered with familiarity.

“Your Majesty, how is Beatrice? I heard her coughing subsided at dawn, though her condition tends to worsen intermittently.”

Standing by the window, he turned to her with a twinkle in his eye and smiled. Ceres took her seat at the tea table and cast her characteristically piercing glance at him.

“Thanks to your concern, it has calmed down quite a bit. I plan to send her on her honeymoon after she has recovered from childbirth. How can that frail child endure such a long journey with a pregnant body? I’m truly grateful every day for the skill of the physician you recommended.”

A mole for Narkissis.

…Her true identity was Ceres.

Who would dare to divulge the secret of the first princess, whom the Queen cherished more than her own life?

Unless it was the Queen herself.

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