Trapped in a Secret Room With the Magnificent Duke - Chapter 31
Reyna carefully straightened the bed sheets and then gently pressed her lips to Diego’s round forehead.
“Sleep well and have sweet dreams.”
After watching Diego’s face, which was tightly closed in sleep, for a while, Reyna left the bedroom. She sighed lightly, feeling the sting of Kadrion’s absence even until she had changed into her pajamas. She finished getting ready and dismissed the maids.
“Even if it’s not today, an opportunity to talk will come…”
Reyna lay down on the bed with a subdued heart. Just a short while later, the door creaked open, and Diego, clutching a large pillow, entered the room.
“What’s the matter? Can’t you sleep?”
Diego nodded and quickly ran to Reyna, throwing himself into her arms. Holding the warm little body made Reyna’s mood lift slightly, easing the sadness caused by Kadrion.
“Shall I sing you a lullaby?”
“Not right now.”
“Then?”
“Tell me a bedtime story, like last time.”
“…Alright.”
As Reyna began telling an old story, Diego’s eyelids slowly began to droop, a sign that it was well past his bedtime.
“Diego, let’s go to bed now.”
Diego slowly nodded, gave Reyna a kiss on the cheek, and then got up.
“Can you make it to your room alone?”
“Yeah.”
Watching Diego’s small, adorable figure disappear from view made Reyna smile. With her spirits lifted by her son, she lay back on the bed.
However, as she closed her eyes, thoughts of the day resurfaced, particularly the sight of Kadrion’s profile, mesmerized by the beautiful red-haired dancer.
“…”
Reyna shook her head, trying to dispel the troubling thoughts. The love Kadrion had shown her was not a lie, so there must be another reason for his behavior today…
At that moment, the sound of rain tapping against the window caught her attention. Reyna approached the window and looked up at the sky.
“It looks like it’s going to rain quite a bit…”
She was worried about Kadrion, who had not yet returned.
As Reyna continued to gaze out the window, the massive iron gates of the estate opened, and a carriage entered. Fortunately, it seemed Kadrion had returned before the rain intensified.
Reyna’s steps toward greeting Kadrion were halted at the second-floor railing.
“…”
She would truly be hurt if he saw her and then went straight to his office. So, Reyna observed Kadrion entering the residence from the second-floor railing and then returned to her bedroom.
“…?”
At that moment, urgent footsteps echoed down the hallway. As Reyna looked puzzled at the bedroom door, it suddenly burst open. There stood Kadrion, his brow furrowed in apparent anger.
Reyna’s lips twitched, but Kadrion, after entering the room, immediately scanned it as if searching for someone.
“…?”
Confirming that Reyna was alone, Kadrion roughly grabbed her wrist.
“Come with me.”
Kadrion pushed Reyna into the dressing room, his voice a low growl.
“What are you up to?”
It was the first time she had seen him like this. He had always been a gentle husband, but at that moment, he seemed as intimidating as the rumors about him from the past, which she had thought exaggerated.
Reyna managed to call his name with trembling lips.
“…Kadrion?”
Kadrion’s expression changed instantly, reverting to the familiar, loving face she had always known. It was as if by magic.
“Reyna…?”
Kadrion gently grasped her shoulders, looking at her with confusion.
“Is it really you, Reyna?”
Did he just ask if she was really her? Reyna blinked slowly, trying to speak.
“What are you talking about…”
Kadrion, seemingly deep in thought, then turned her around to face the mirror.
“Huh…?”
Reyna’s eyes widened as she saw her reflection. She looked just like the red-haired dancer she had seen on Saint Street.
“Why am I…”
Reyna, momentarily stunned, realized only then that Kadrion’s reaction had been different from usual.
“It looks like there was an illusion spell cast.”
“An illusion spell?”
Kadrion asked back, clearly puzzled himself.
“I’m not exactly sure how the illusion spell was cast. But I have a guess.”
Reyna explained calmly. She mentioned that during Kadrion’s time away at the palace, she discovered Diego’s talent for magic, and he had managed to use a spell that temporarily changed someone’s appearance.
Kadrion then seemed to realize something and covered his mouth with his hand.
“Ah…”
“You must have been quite surprised. I was going to tell you as soon as you returned to the estate…”
Before Reyna could finish her sentence, Kadrion abruptly pulled her into a tight hug.
“Ah, I’m so relieved. I didn’t know that…”
His warm breath soon settled on the nape of her neck.
“Relieved?”
