Trapped in a Secret Room With the Magnificent Duke - Chapter 5
The intense pressure from the inner walls must have been too much for Duke Gerard, as he soon climaxed. Reyna, with her cheek resting against Duke Gerard’s broad chest, gasped for breath. In her hazy state, she recalled the note she had read earlier:
[P.S: You needn’t worry about contraception. Duke Gerard has taken contraceptive tea.]
Feeling relieved, Reyna let herself drift into a daze.
* * *
Reyna slowly blinked her eyes open in the bright sunlight pouring into the large bed. It was her familiar bedroom.
“Thank goodness.”
Reyna sighed, her cheeks flushed red. The dream had been so vivid it felt almost real. As she tried to sit up while wondering how she could have such a dream, a moan escaped her lips.
“Haah…”
A sharp pain throbbed from below. Her body ached as if she had been struck with a heavy club. With a sense of dread, Reyna’s hand moved down to check. Her folds were swollen.
It hadn’t been a dream.
‘Hmm?’
Reyna’s eyes widened in surprise. Not only was the area below still slick with fluids, but her body, which had been damp with sweat, was now dry.
“What… how?”
Muttering in disbelief, Reyna pulled the bell cord to summon a maid. However, even the closest maid seemed unaware of any unusual events. The estate was eerily peaceful without reports of a high-profile kidnapping of a noble lady.
‘Well…’
If someone had the audacity to kidnap Duke Gerard, then taking Reyna from the Count’s residence wouldn’t have been too much trouble.
‘Could it be that the imperial family is involved?’
Reyna’s expression grew serious. Although she couldn’t imagine the specifics, she couldn’t think of a good reason why someone from the imperial palace would be involved.
She had heard that the youngest princess, whom the Emperor cherished, was infatuated with Duke Gerard. It seemed that Duke Gerard’s appearance at the palace ball was due to the princess’s request.
Reyna decided she needed to investigate the situation with utmost caution. If rumors started to spread, it would be Reyna who would face the most damage.
Since that day, Reyna had increased the number of her guards and paid close attention to the rumors circulating. Despite the passing days, no scandalous rumors about Reyna had emerged, and Duke Gerard had not come to see her.
While Reyna was relieved, the anxiety lingered. She had a secret she couldn’t even share with her parents. As a week passed, Reyna began to wonder if the events of that day had been nothing more than a vivid dream.
What possible benefit could there be in locking herself and Duke Gerard to a single room and demanding such acts? If anyone had found out, it would have been a fatal mistake.
Reyna nodded to herself.
Since it was an unknown affair, she decided to treat it as if it never happened. Yet, the memory of the pleasure she experienced continued to disturb her thoughts.
* * *
Early spring was just around the corner.
The materials of the young ladies’ dresses at the palace ball had lightened to match the season. Some displayed their full bosoms to flaunt their allure, while others tightened their corsets to show off their slim waists.
In contrast, Reyna wore an old-fashioned dress that reached up to her neck. This was not only because she was sensitive to the cold. Count Hendrick and his wife preferred that Reyna avoid the social gatherings of young nobles. They seemed anxious that Reyna might attract unwanted attention from the young men who didn’t fit the status of the Count.
Following their wishes, Reyna declined most invitations and only attended the occasional palace ball. She wore a dull dress with no hint of s****l appeal and kept her makeup plain.
While Reyna was exchanging greetings with a few familiar young ladies, the hall suddenly became noisy at the entrance.
“Duke Gerard has arrived!”
The moment Reyna turned her head, she locked eyes with Gerard.
“Oh my, Duke Gerard is looking this way!”
The young ladies near Reyna were in a flutter. Reyna stood a little distance away, feeling anxious.
‘Could it be that he was awake after all…?’
Gerard’s expression was indifferent, and his lips were firmly set.
Despite Reyna’s worries, Duke Gerard seemed to be as usual. It appeared their eyes had simply met by chance.
Reyna felt a sense of relief that Duke Gerard didn’t seem to remember that day’s events, but at the same time, she felt a tinge of disappointment.
‘What on earth was I thinking?’
Reyna shook her head to clear her thoughts and left the hall. Her reason for attending the palace ball today was to reassure the Empire’s nobility that Count Hendrick’s daughter was alive and well.
When someone disappears from sight for too long, rumors inevitably start to spread. Speculations can be inflated and presented as truth. For example, rumors that Count Hendrick’s daughter was ill and avoiding public appearances.
Thus, Reyna made occasional appearances at social gatherings to confirm her well-being. Having achieved her purpose, she saw no need to stay in the crowded hall any longer.
