Thank You For The Confinement, Grand Duke! - Chapter 54.1

Hmm.

One trait of homebodies was that they hated going out, but once they did, they surprisingly enjoyed it. However, once they are back inside, they still consider home the best place. I was feeling that way right now. It was nice talking about various things with Enfrise, and the cooler-than-expected breeze has improved my mood.

“….”

Without asking how I felt, he just kept glancing at me. Sitting on the spot he spread out for us, I quietly looked at the lake before speaking.

“Do you think I can swim?”

“What?”

I honestly haven’t swum since elementary school because I was afraid of water. I’ve swallowed water a few times after sinking. But maybe Chaperil’s body was different.

That thought suddenly struck me, perhaps because of the hot weather.

“The water looks inviting.”

I thought a secluded lake like this might feel more… desolate. However, contrary to my expectations, the surrounding grass wasn’t too overgrown, and the lake water was clear. In fact, it seemed even clearer than the pool water I remember…

It would be refreshing to go in.

“This place is too deep… Next time, let’s go somewhere suitable for swimming.”

“That makes sense.”

If there was a small pond or a stream nearby next time, I might try swimming there.

“Are you good at swimming, Grand Duke?”

“I’m not particularly good either. I don’t really like the water.”

“Really?”

That was unexpected. He seemed like he’d be good at everything. Typical male leads seemed to be good at everything, right? Well, I guessed there were male leads like him, too. It’d be less charming if they were perfect at everything.

“What does the Grand Duke enjoy?”

“What do you mean?”

“Anything. Food, books…”

“I see…”

Enfrise paused, looking out over the lake, lost in thought.

He always stands so straight. Was it because of his martial arts training?

The gently blowing breeze brushed through his short black hair. I felt like I could gaze at the water, watching it flow softly.

Ah, I hadn’t noticed before because I was so captivated by his eyes, though his eyelashes were really long as well. Amid the intertwining leaf shadows and sunlight, his jet-black eyelashes seemed to dance darkly and brightly.

One leg stretched out, the other slightly bent with his arm resting on it, which also looked cool. Plus, the way the pants stretched taut over the bent knee that made his butt…

Ahem.

…Uhhh, why did my eyes keep wandering there? Still, once you start seeing it, there was no unseeing it. Why was a man’s butt so attractive? That seemed like cheating.

“Excuse me…”

“Hmm?”

When I answer while looking at his butt felt like I was talking to the butt. Feeling a bit guilty, I looked up to find Enfrise’s face flushed as he watched me.

…Oh no, did he realize where I was looking?

“….”

Enfrise subtly lowers his legs and the tautness around his butt…

‘…Ah, he noticed.’

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it… The Grand Duke’s butt is just really well-shaped.”

“….”

“I won’t look at it anymore.”

Swoosh.

Enfrise raised his hand and used the back of it to cover his face. Was he trying to cool down his face?

“I’m not sure if you’re being too honest or if you’re teasing me.”

“Oh, I’m being honest, of course. Wouldn’t I get arrested if I were teasing you like that?”

This sounded like sexual harassment.

“Even if you’re sincere… such comments are better left unsaid…”

“Umm. I’ll be more careful.”

Even though I certainly never thought about touching or anything of that sort, I must admit, even if sincere, my comment was rather close to sexual harassment.

I did go too far this time.

“I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I wasn’t thinking.”

“It’s not that I’m uncomfortable… It’s just, um. I’m not sure how to respond to that kind of comment since it’s the first time I heard it.”

Did he really need to answer? Something like, ‘Pervert!’?

Well, but that wouldn’t be like Enfrise—him pondering how to respond was very much like him.

“Shall we get out the lunch then?”

As I turned to Enfrise, who was still at a loss, he moved the basket that had been on the edge of the thin picnic mat to the center. But did he really need such a huge basket for a picnic? What did he pack that it was this size?

“Ugh!”

‘It’s, it’s so heavy!’

I tried to lift the basket slightly to straighten the crumpled mat, but it wasn’t easy. Didn’t Enfrise carry this with one hand? It felt like it weighed as much as a twenty-kilogram sack of rice!

“Ah, it’s heavy.”

‘You don’t say?! It’s incredibly heavy!’

Were his arms made of iron? I thought they were just robust, but maybe they were actually made of metal, painted ivory on the outside.

To blend in with humans…

Let’s stop it. We weren’t drifting into a sci-fi novel.

“I saw the Grand Duke carrying it with one hand and thought it wouldn’t be so heavy.”

I could lift it if I really tried, but I guess I was caught off guard because I thought it would be lighter. My joints were aching a bit. I frowned slightly, and Enfrise had caught this, looking concerned.