Droit du Seigneur: His Lordship's Right of the First Night - Chapter 28
Before his knights began their morning training, he had already spent hours wielding his sword. He then went to his office. So, it was no wonder he wasn’t pleased with his aide’s interruptions.
“Looks like you had a good time last night.”
Schren, who had lingered after delivering his report, glanced at his superior’s face, dark circles visible under his eyes, and spoke.
Richard raised an eyebrow at him.
“What are you talking about?”
“I thought maybe you overdid it last night. I told you to meet women more often and, if possible, take a mistress. If you keep bottling things up, you’ll eventually explode.”
“Hah, you speak boldly for a bachelor.”
“Who said I’m a bachelor?”
“Did you get married without me knowing?”
“I was quite popular when I was in the capital. If I had a lover, those terrible rumors about you and me being in a relationship would finally die down.”
Schren added that since coming to the estate, His Highness hadn’t given him any time off, making him feel like he was on the verge of becoming a priest. He glanced at Richard to gauge his reaction.
“Go do your work. What happened with the monopoly trade contract?”
“Ah, that… I’ll have it sorted out soon.”
“And the detailed report on the tax integration amendment? Have it on my desk before you leave today.”
Realizing he had pushed his luck, Schren clamped his mouth shut and left quickly when Richard glowered.
***
The fief lord’s castle was divided into the east wing for official duties and the west wing for the lord’s private life. Following the Emperor’s orders, the two spent their nights together in the secluded bedroom on the top floor of the west wing from dusk till dawn.
In the two weeks that had passed, Louise had somewhat adapted to this routine.
She had grown accustomed to eating meals side by side with Richard when he returned in the evenings, and sleeping in the narrow bed, often ending up in his arms. Though she found it somewhat stifling not to be able to roam freely, living in the lord’s castle was like a vacation compared to her usual toil.
The only thing that worried her was the well-being of Mildred in the hospital. Despite the capable doctor and caregiver, she felt uneasy being apart from her sister for so long. Eventually, she carefully asked Richard for a favor.
“A letter?”
“Yes, I’m worried about my family left alone.”
Surprisingly, he agreed without further questioning. The next day, a servant took Louise’s letter outside the castle, and she received a reply shortly after. Though Mildred’s letter, simply stating she was well, was brief due to her limited literacy, it reassured Louise greatly.
Even if they didn’t spend all day together, sharing a bed and daily life with someone was not easy. In this regard, Richard was quite a good housemate.
Although he was taciturn and blunt, he was different from the frightening rumors. Despite his noble status, his time on the battlefield made him more down-to-earth than other nobles.
Even with Louise, a commoner, his considerate actions showed through naturally, unlike Helio’s exaggerated and calculated behavior when seducing women.
As a result, Louise sometimes felt like she was a treasured lady, but she constantly reminded herself of the purpose of her stay.
Despite sharing a bed every night, their relationship remained platonic. Louise was assured that nothing would happen due to his personal circumstances, allowing her to gradually feel more at ease.
The warmth she felt close by at night gradually eased her fear of him and broke down her defenses. However, she never got used to the ‘weapon’ that poked her back every night.
As the lord of Evron, Richard was very busy, often bringing documents to finish in the bedroom at night. Since the specially prepared bedroom lacked other furniture, Richard would drag the long table over and sit at the edge of the bed to work.
With nowhere else to go in the small room, Louise often sat nearby, watching him work.
“Go to sleep first. You must be tired.”
“I didn’t do anything all day, my lord. I’m not tired.”
Richard often turned to her, telling her to go to sleep first, but Louise always shook her head.
“Aren’t you bored?”
“No, it’s interesting.”
“What’s interesting?”
Richard looked puzzled, furrowing his brows slightly. His strong jawline and prominent adam’s apple stood out under his firm, sculpted face.
But watching his dark hair fall over his forehead and his chiseled side profile was never boring. His large, masculine hand, with prominent veins, gracefully holding a pen, was mesmerizing. The sound of the pen scratching on paper was oddly soothing, filling her with a warm, fulfilling feeling, like basking in the sun.
Those moments felt overwhelmingly full and slightly painful, as if something was pricking her heart.
No matter how much time passed, she knew she would never forget this feeling.
