I Married the Mad Duke Who Killed My Husband - Chapter 70
Knock knock.
‘Come in.’
Though it’s not too late, I was worried he might be asleep, but thankfully he’s not. Just a few months ago, I used to freely come and go from Cassion’s room, but now his voice from inside makes me nervous, and I hold Lili tightly. Stay calm. It’s nothing special.
“Oh. Are you still preparing for the trial?”
“…Asilia?!”
As I quietly opened the door and entered, Cassion, who was sitting at his desk, glanced up before recognizing me and jumping to his feet.
“What’s this, were you expecting someone else?”
“No, I just… thought it was Bert… I asked him to bring some tea. Ah, please come in.”
When I teased him to hide my nervousness, he stammered unlike his behavior from a few days ago, reminding me of when we first met, making me chuckle.
Seeing my laugh, Cassion hurriedly tidied his desk and raised his eyebrows.
“Did you come to tease me?”
“What if I did?”
“…I told you not to provoke me. Besides, it’s night now, and this is my room.”
“Since when is this just your room? Wasn’t this our shared room?”
As I flopped onto the bed while holding Lili, he sighed and organized the documents he must have reviewed countless times. Fortunately, he didn’t notice how tightly I was clutching Lili.
“I like how quickly you give up. You know what comes next.”
“I’ve dealt with you enough times to know.”
I propped my chin up and giggled at his movements, anticipating that he knew I would ask him to stop working and lie down together. It wasn’t bad that we were close enough for him to predict what I would say.
“The trial is tomorrow, so we should sleep early. Our preparation is perfect… except for Lorang.”
“He’s the biggest variable.”
Are you ignoring me?
He moved from the desk to the wardrobe, taking off his stuffy work clothes and changing into a comfortable linen shirt.
While he only changed his top quickly, the problem was that he did it shamelessly right in front of me. He definitely likes me, but…
“Do you normally change clothes so casually in front of someone you like?”
“…!”
Cassion, who was organizing his clothes in a manner unbefitting someone who had received a duke’s title, stumbled at my words. He turned to look at me with an expression of disbelief. I’m the one who should be bewildered, why are you making that face?
“If anything, you’re less shy and more casual than before. Are you sure you like me?”
“…So you did come to tease. Asilia.”
I murmured while gently shaking Lili as if seeking agreement. Cassion, who was clearly about to get into bed, seemed to become conscious of my words and just stood there after changing his clothes.
“What are you doing? Come here. Didn’t you say we should sleep early because of the trial tomorrow?”
“Yes, Asilia. Tomorrow is the trial. We need to maintain good condition but with you here… I can’t.”
“Why so sudden? It’s not like it’s my first time sleeping here.”
“Because I won’t be able to sleep! Damn it.”
When I asked innocently with wide eyes, Cassion came over grumbling, and lay down as far away as possible, turning on his side.
“Why? We often slept together when we were looking for Lorang too.”
“To be honest, even then, I barely slept except for the few times I passed out from exhaustion. So stop provoking me. Not tonight, Asilia.”
“You’re about to draw a line… oh my.”
Cassion suddenly sat up and drew an actual line on the bed with his finger, his eyes blazing. It was somewhat funny how he still gave me plenty of space when drawing the line. My heart fluttered pleasantly.
“Yes. This is the line. Don’t cross it, Asilia.”
“Hmm.”
But what can I do? I slowly reached out my hand toward Cassion, who had turned away again after drawing the line. Being sensitive to movements, he must know my hand is approaching.
Like him drawing the line earlier, I raised my index finger and slowly wrote letters on his broad back while speaking.
“You know, when I can’t sleep, holding Lili helps. It’s comforting and warm.”
“….”
‘Let’s sleep together’
Each time I wrote one of the four syllables on his back, Cassion flinched as if stabbed. In that brief moment, my heart, which had been beating at a moderate pace, started racing.
“So if you can’t sleep either, you can hold me.”
“…Asilia! Why are you really doing this?”
Finally, at my suggestion, Cassion had no choice but to sit up again. But when he turned around, he froze upon seeing my face.
I looked at him with serious eyes, having wiped away both my smile and playfulness.
“Why do you think I’m doing this?”
“….”
“I’ll give you my answer after the trial. I’m not usually the type to push and pull like this, but since the matter is important, this is how it turned out.”
“…Asil.”
“Actually, if it weren’t for such an important issue that brings attacks almost daily, I would have answered as soon as I realized my feelings.”
Honestly, even I think I realized it a bit late.
I like him too. I like Cassion.
The male lead from the original story who’s supposed to be paired with another woman? The story’s male lead who eventually meets his death? Who cares? I can change it all.
What’s important is that our hearts are in sync, and I want to live this life faithfully as I desire.
I got into a contract marriage just to survive and was dragged into royalty to expand the situation like this, but I don’t understand why I have to rack my brains over mere romance.
Especially when we like each other!
“What do you mean? So you’re saying…”
“I said I’d answer after the trial.”
I put on a playful smile again and moved a bit closer to him.
“Are you joking? This is as good as saying it. You’ll answer after the trial? If I’m not misunderstanding…”
“My, what are you thinking? I haven’t confirmed anything.”
“….”
He seems like he’s about to go crazy from not getting a direct answer when it’s practically an okay. Cassion ran his fingers through his loose hair irritably a couple of times, glared at me once, and then slowly extended his arm.
“….”
“….”
As if he needed to get an answer like this, he slowly, very slowly, reached out his arm at a speed I could easily reject… and hugged me.
In my arms was Lili, given to me by Cassion, and he was embracing me who held Lili. It was perfect warmth.
Not only my heart, but his heart that I could feel was also pounding as if about to explode, yet it didn’t feel bad.
“Hehe.”
“….”
Satisfied that he had hugged me, I turned my head, nuzzling against him, and his chest twitched slightly. But he doesn’t back away.
“…Do you really want me to hold you while sleeping?”
“Isn’t it cozy? I like it right now.”
“It feels like I might sleep well, but also like I might not sleep at all.”
“That won’t do.”
I came to his room to satisfy both my peace of mind and my selfish desires, but tomorrow really is important.
When I suddenly lifted my head, his lips and chin came into view.
Red eyes. Red lips. What an unexpectedly fruit-like man.
“What… are you. Asil.”
“I’m casting a spell. Sleep~ Sleep~”
I raised my palm and lightly stroked from his forehead to his high nose bridge. As he reflexively closed his eyes, I stroked his face a few more times as intended, and his red eyes remained closed.
“Don’t open your eyes. Just feel this coziness and sleep. I’ll have to punish you every time you open your eyes.”
“No, what is this…”
Chu-
Before he could finish speaking, I kissed the tip of his chin as he opened his eyes wide in surprise.
Chu. Chu.
As he blinked in surprise, opening his red eyes again, I faced him straight on and kissed his nose bridge, and finally his forehead.
“A kiss attack every time you open your eyes!”
It might be a bit cruel, but I intertwined my legs with his while kissing him. I draped my legs over his long ones, moving even closer, and he opened his eyes in surprise once more before quickly closing them when our gazes met.
“It’s already too late.”
Chu-
This time, my lips touched his tightly closed eyelids. His whole face turned red, not just his ears which usually blush. How cute.
“Sleep well, my baby~”
“Damn it, is there such a big baby?”
Cassion gritted his teeth but didn’t open his eyes again. I lowered my face once more, burying it in his broad chest while giggling.
Having stayed up most nights for days preparing for the trial, he probably won’t be able to stay awake once he closes his eyes.
“Sleep well. Tomorrow is the day of reckoning.”
“…Are we really sleeping like this?”
“Just give up and go to sleep.”
“…Haa.”
I want to smile brightly after the trial tomorrow and give him my answer.
That I like him too.
