My Favorite Smut Author Is My Husband! - Chapter 17
“That’s not right. I need to get down first.”
Rather than getting greedy, she took only two books at a time and carefully carried them down. She repeated the process a few times, going up and down the ladder, until all the brilliantly covered first editions were safely moved.
“They’re so radiant. I wonder if the covers of these first editions hold any meaning? Like hints about the content!”
She began to thoroughly examine the covers, ones she had never seen in her own books. So focused was she that she didn’t even notice someone approaching and quietly calling her name.
“Lily, are you in there…? Li—Lily!”
To the Duke’s eyes, Lily appeared completely innocent, admiring the ornate book covers as if she were in awe of their beauty. Ashulin felt cold sweat running down his back, grateful that she hadn’t opened the books yet. He quickly rushed toward her.
“Ouch…!”
“You shouldn’t be looking at these, Lily!”
It wasn’t until she looked up at him, her already large eyes widening further in surprise, that Ashulin realized he had spoken too harshly and acted too abruptly. On top of that, it seemed she had hurt her hand when he snatched the book away.
Now Ashulin was sweating for an entirely different reason.
Unlike the now-sweating Ashulin, Lily felt nothing but compassion. It must take great courage for him to admit that he was the author of such scandalous novels. Besides, he hadn’t even had a moment to mentally prepare, so his panic was understandable.
“Ashulin? Are you alright?”
Seeing him break out in a sweat only confirmed Lily’s suspicions, and she couldn’t have been happier. She hadn’t even noticed that the back of her hand was swelling red as she brushed back Ashulin’s hair, which had fallen out of place, likely from rushing over so quickly.
“Lily. You’re the one who’s hurt.”
As Ashulin debated whether to hide the book first, his pupils trembled, but when he saw the red, swollen hand brushing against his face, he changed his priorities.
However, the problem was that in his haste to apologize, he had thrown the book aside.
“Eek!”
“Lily?!”
A first edition! The first edition was flying through the air! Instantly losing her composure, Lily screamed and somehow managed to catch the falling book. For someone with no talent for physical activities, it felt like divine intervention.
“Lil…”
“Ashulin! How could you throw a book like that?”
“Your hand…”
“I really hate people who throw things. Especially something as beautiful as this.”
Ashulin, stunned by the icy tone in Lily’s voice, found himself instinctively trying to make excuses. But when he looked into her normally soft, sky-blue eyes, now cold as ice, he hunched over in shame.
‘She really hates it.’ He had to make up for this somehow.
“I’m truly sorry, Lily. I was entirely thoughtless.”
“…….”
“Rushing in, snatching the book and hurting your hand, throwing the book and creating such a tense atmosphere—everything was my fault.”
“…Ashulin!”
Lily’s heart had pounded in fear when she saw the first edition falling, causing her to react more strongly than she had intended. She now felt embarrassed seeing Ashulin kneeling before her, apologizing so desperately.
“Please accept my apology, my wife. If not, at least let me treat your hand…”
“Stop it, Ashulin. I’m not that angry. Please stand up.”
Startled by Ashulin’s apology, which sounded as though he might be ready to offer his head, Lily was about to help him up when she noticed the book in her hand.
She carefully placed the precious first edition aside before taking his hand to help him stand. It was only then that she noticed the swelling on the back of her own hand.
“It’s not a bad injury. By evening, it’ll be fine even if I leave it as it is.”
“No, we should apply a cold compress and treat it, my wife. I’m sorry.”
“Ashulin, we just saw each other half a day ago. How long do you plan to keep apologizing?”
It hadn’t been long ago that she was impatiently looking at the sun, complaining that it was taking too long for him to arrive, but now, the sunset was visible through the library window. Time seemed to fly whenever they were together.
“Come sit with me and tell me about your day. I was so bored this afternoon that I ended up coming to the library.”
It wasn’t quite evening yet. With a bright smile that melted away the icy look from earlier, Lily led her frozen husband… or rather, the writer, to sit with her.
“We’re still newlyweds, aren’t we?”
To Lily, this was a gentle way of saying, “Let’s enjoy some fun together instead of arguing.” But to Ashulin, seeing Lily accept his apology so kindly, her soft eyes gazing up at him with a hint of embarrassment, it was more than enough to stir something deep within him.
