My Favorite Smut Author Is My Husband! - Chapter 7
She untied her neatly styled hair in frustration, but her sleek silver hair didn’t show any signs of having been tied up and simply slid down her back, which was covered by delicate lace.
“If he’s already talking about separate rooms, then he’s probably going to come in late or not come at all tonight, right?”
The story of a heroine being ignored on her wedding night only for the man to fall for her later was a classic plot. Still, she secretly hoped the Duke would come to her sooner rather than later as she nibbled on the snacks that had been prepared.
“Ah, I’m hungry. I want some meat, not just this.”
Lily dragged another chair over, propped her tired legs—sore from her heavy dress and high heels—on it, and began to eat the snacks and wine in earnest.
*Knock knock.*
“…Huh! W-Who is it?”
She hadn’t expected anyone to come for at least a few more hours, so the sudden knock echoed through the spacious marital bedroom.
Lily hurriedly brushed away the crumbs from her mouth and gulped down the wine to wash down the cookies. The half-glass of rather strong wine made her face flush.
“…It’s Ashulin, my lady.”
“Just a moment!”
The thought that Ashulin might come in soaked with the night dew had crossed her mind, but now he had come to the bedroom!
In her rush to stand up, Lily banged her knee against the chair she had been resting on, but she held back the tears that threatened to spill out and ran to the door.
Without even putting on her shoes, her bare feet made little *thud thud* sounds on the carpet, completely unaware that Ashulin could hear her approaching from outside the room.
“Ashulin! Please come in… uh…”
As the door swung open, the sight that greeted her was of a damp, exposed chest.
The Duke had taken a bath and arrived in nothing but a robe. While Lily froze in place, cheering internally at the visual “attack” of his physique, Ashulin’s mind was occupied with something else entirely.
He had learned that his new wife, Lily Artea, rarely left the house—so much so that her only outings were to the bookstore. This was unusual for a woman of her age in high society.
When he first met her, she seemed fragile, and he had wondered if she was physically weak. The difficulty she had with the wedding ceremony confirmed this suspicion.
Thus, he had been suppressing his own desires and trying to be considerate of her. But when she had said she was fine, he had come running at once.
“…My lady.”
“Y-Yes, Your Grace?”
She looked like a pure being that lived on nothing but the morning dew in the forest. Despite the discomfort, she was still in her wedding attire, her face flushed with tension.
He even noticed the slight moisture in her sky-blue eyes, and wondered if it was from fear of what was to come.
Ashulin hesitated, wondering if it was really appropriate to enter the room.
“Ah… I… I was hungry, so I started eating the snacks.”
“That’s nothing to worry about. You couldn’t eat anything all afternoon, so it’s only natural. But rather than that, let me get you a proper meal—”
“No! I’m fine now. More importantly, Your Grace… Won’t you come in?”
She had given him permission to cross the threshold.
While Lily wondered why he was standing at the door talking instead of coming in, a fire began to ignite in Ashulin’s heart.
She had refused food, invited him inside—wasn’t it obvious what was expected on the wedding night?
“Then, if you’ll excuse me, my lady…”
“…Yes!”
Both of their faces turned red at the awkward titles, but since they were both subtly looking away from each other, neither noticed.
*My goodness!*
Moreover, as the Duke began walking in with just his bathrobe, Lily’s eyes were naturally drawn to his left thigh.
Even though she tried to force her gaze elsewhere, every time he moved, the outline of *that* drew her attention back.
“…My lady.”
“…..”
“My lady.”
“Ah! Yes, Your Grace!”
As her excitement grew, Lily swallowed hard, her shoulders trembling slightly. Seeing her bowed head and trembling body, Ashulin assumed she was scared.
She appeared so innocent and docile, and he imagined she believed they had to consummate the marriage tonight, simply because that was what society expected.
“There’s no need to rush. We are husband and wife now, and we will have many years to get to know each other.”
“Yes?”
“I don’t want to frighten or force you. When the time is right…
ahem… when you are ready. I’m sorry, I’m not very good with words.”
Lily, who had been completely focused on the Duke’s thighs, finally grasped the situation. Wait, was he saying that after coming into the room on their wedding night, he wasn’t going to do anything?
“If you feel uncomfortable, you can stay in this room, and I will move to another. Or if you’re worried about appearances, I won’t leave the room, but I’ll sleep on the sofa—”
“No!”
Lily jerked her head up and shouted in shock. How could he set the table so beautifully and then just take it away before she even had a chance to taste it? Her determined expression and the way she met his eyes made Ashulin take a step back.
Her large, silvery eyelashes fluttered, and her big eyes looked so delicate and pure.
“Don’t go, Your Grace.”
“My lady. But—”
“Didn’t I say when we first met? I will be a faithful wife to you.”
