Droit du Seigneur: His Lordship's Right of the First Night - Chapter 70
“Brother… how could you do this?”
“Ugh, shut up! What have you ever done for me to act all high and mighty?”
“Please, stop. It’s not too late….”
The rotund man licked his lips, his eyes filled with lust as he gazed at the pale Louise.
“Hmm, there’s still some time before the wedding. How about we get a taste… I mean, consummate the marriage a bit early? My house is far from here, and it might be too late to do it after the ceremony.”
“What a splendid idea, sir!”
Cherinia clapped her hands with joy at his suggestion. She and Helio left the room, closing the door behind them, leaving Louise alone with the man.
“Have a pleasant time!”
“Ah, ugh, no…”
The toad-like man licked his lips as he approached, and Louise tried desperately to get up, but her arms and legs wouldn’t move. All she could manage was to throw a pillow. He laughed lecherously at her feeble attempt.
“Haha! How cute. Good thing I sent the anesthetic ahead. If you resisted too much, it’d spoil my appetite.”
“No, stop… Stay away from me!”
“No stopping now. You’re mine. Let’s have a taste.”
His greasy, stout hand reached out towards her. Just as a dark shadow loomed over her, she tightly closed her eyes.
“Catch them!”
“Check over there too!”
“What’s going on? Why all this noise?”
The commotion outside suddenly grew louder. The man, halfway through unbuckling his trousers, got up awkwardly and moved to the window.
“Who are these people causing such a ruckus… ugh!”
Thud! Bam!
There was a loud crash as the door was kicked open. Moments later, the sound of something heavy crashing to the ground followed. The toad-like man was flung across the room, his trousers half-down.
Louise watched in a daze as two knights dragged him out. Then, someone lifted her gently from the bed.
“Are you alright?”
A familiar, calm voice echoed in her ears. Still groggy from the drug, Louise blinked up at the warm, comforting figure holding her.
“…My lord?”
“Louise, are you conscious?”
“Oh no… I must be hallucinating now…”
“Hallucinating? No, that’s not it.”
The firm arms that held her tight seemed determined never to let her go again.
“…Is it really you, my lord?”
“Yes, it’s really me.”
Like someone emerging from a long nightmare, Richard buried his face in her disheveled, amber hair and breathed deeply.
“You’re here with me.”
“Ah…”
“I’m sorry I was late. Now and before.”
He couldn’t delay his confession any longer. As if releasing a long-held breath, he poured out his feelings.
“I should have been honest about my feelings and found a way for us to be together. I was afraid that if you knew how I felt, you would be scared and never want to see me again… It’s all my fault.”
And, after a brief inhale, he confessed,
“I love you.”
Louise let out a small gasp. No matter what the consequences, it was time to reveal everything.
“My lord, I’m sorry. I deceived you. It wasn’t intentional, but from our first night together, I’ve been deceiving you…”
“I already know, so you don’t need to say it.”
Supporting her pale, struggling figure, Richard soothed her.
“It doesn’t matter to me anymore if you have a husband or any other man. I’m never letting you go again.”
His determined words were accompanied by a gentle caress of her pale face. Curious about something, Louise mustered the strength to ask.
“But how did you know to come here?”
“Sister!”
Just then, a child’s voice called out from outside. Mildred? Louise’s gaze turned toward the door where Mildred was smiling and waving, safely held by Richard’s aide who resembled a squirrel.
“Ah, yes. I should explain that.”
“What happened?”
Richard smiled faintly at Louise’s astonished face.
“Otherwise, you’ll keep worrying.”
***
Richard received an unexpected audience just as he was finishing his morning meeting. Schren, who had been waiting anxiously, conveyed the news.
“Your Highness, you need to go to the audience chamber immediately.”
“What is it?”
“I’m not entirely sure, but you should hurry.”
When Richard arrived at the audience chamber, he found a little girl with shimmering golden hair and pink eyes, crying. As soon as the child saw him, she ran toward him, stumbling.
“Mister! Waaah.”
The girl’s clothes were torn, and her knees were scraped and bruised. Richard immediately realized something had happened to Louise.
“Waaah! Mister… bad people took Sister Louise, waaah!”
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. We tried to stop her, but she had this…”
As the flustered servants tried to restrain the crying girl, Richard raised his hand to stop them.
“It’s alright. The child is hurt, so call a doctor immediately. Bring warm drinks and snacks as well. Schren, bring my coat.”
