Chapter 35
Everyone around them froze in shock.
In the heavy silence, Lucy broke into a cold sweat.
“…Did I overdo it?”
She hadn’t planned to do something this dramatic.
At first, she had only wanted to interrupt the priest and remind Edward that he had promised to take responsibility for her.
She clearly remembered him saying that when he brought her here.
Even though the contract still wasn’t signed, she didn’t think Edward was the kind of person who would break his word.
But everything had happened so quickly that she lost the chance to explain calmly.
As she desperately looked around, she met Clara’s eyes.
Then she remembered what Clara had said.
“You two even bathed together. Everyone’s saying the Duke will take responsibility for you soon.”
“He did say he’d take responsibility, but we’re not that kind of relationship!”
Well… yes and no.
“If they think we’re together, maybe the priest will give up.”
Of course, Edward would probably question and tease her afterward.
But if it meant escaping the Temple, maybe he would forgive her.
Besides…
They hadn’t exactly done nothing.
“And honestly… he started it.”
Just a moment ago, Edward had called her “another man’s woman.”
So she had blurted it out.
“…”
“…”
The hallway became completely silent.
Even Edward, whom she was clinging to, didn’t move or say a word.
She began wondering if she had gone too far.
But it was too late to take it back.
Pretending nothing had happened would only make things more awkward.
Lucy held onto Edward’s arm even tighter and rubbed her forehead against it.
She didn’t have the courage to look him in the eyes.
“That man has been saying strange things to me… honey.”
“…”
“You already promised to take responsibility for me… didn’t you, honey?”
At the same time, she reminded Edward of his promise.
“A verbal agreement is still an agreement!”
The atmosphere only became colder.
She could feel sweat running down her back.
She buried her face even deeper into his arm.
Meanwhile…
Edward silently stared down at the small round head pressed against him.
Her tiny parting in her hair looked strangely adorable.
But that wasn’t what occupied his thoughts.
The word she had called him kept echoing in his mind.
“Honey.”
Where had this little mouse learned something like that?
It wasn’t enough that she had seduced him in his dream.
Now she was stealing his senses in front of everyone.
He didn’t even have time to feel annoyed.
Her frightened forehead rubbed softly against him.
Her small nose pressed into his arm.
And…
The familiar softness of her body against his arm.
Edward almost pushed her away.
But he forced himself to stop.
He was afraid that if he moved carelessly, he might hurt her.
Even then…
The soft warmth of her chest remained pressed against his arm.
She was so small.
Yet so warm.
So unbelievably soft.
Thanks to all the meals he had made her eat lately, she had even put on a little weight.
Then Lucy urged him again.
“Hurry and take responsibility, honey…”
Her voice almost sounded as though she were about to cry.
In truth…
She really did want to cry.
“…Ha.”
Edward let out a long breath.
The words from the imperial decree suddenly returned to his mind.
“Marry a young woman from the Temple who can purify you.”
He had already realized that Lucy also fit those conditions.
It was strange.
Whenever he thought about marrying Sepina, he only felt annoyed.
But the moment he imagined Lucy beside the word “marriage”…
His resistance disappeared.
In fact…
“Even a marriage certificate is still a contract.”
The thought actually sounded appealing.
Originally, when he had suggested changing the contract, he had been thinking about a slave contract to keep Lucy by his side forever.
“This is much better.”
Whether it was for purification…
Or simply spoiling her the way she wanted…
Physical contact would always be necessary.
If they were husband and wife…
No one would think that physical contact was strange.
It would also satisfy Lucy’s wish to sign a contract.
And…
It would probably make her happy.
“Yes.”
“It can be her reward.”
Lucy chased after him everywhere because she liked him.
Yet she had never asked him for anything except the contract.
Whenever things became serious…
She simply fainted and escaped.
Thinking about it…
“For someone who likes me this much…”
“She has surprisingly few desires.”
To Edward, that was a problem.
People were driven by desire.
The greedier they were, the easier they were to control.
Lucy failed that test completely.
“That won’t do.”
For some reason, he suddenly felt impatient.
He wanted to tie this little mouse to his side immediately.
“W-What is happening?”
The priest looked at Edward in confusion.
Edward looked back at him.
The priest sensed something bad was about to happen.
Then…
“Of course, honey.”
Edward smiled smoothly and pulled Lucy fully into his arms.
“Huh?”
Lucy had been the one to call him that first.
But hearing Edward call her “honey” in return made her stare at him in shock.
Edward looked down at her with a sweet smile.
It wasn’t difficult.
He only had to smile a little.
People always acted as though they had seen the sweetest thing in the world.
“I’ve done far too many things that I need to take responsibility for with my honey.”
The suggestive tone made the priest jump.
“D-Duke Tesseron!”
“Of course I should take responsibility.”
Lucy’s heart suddenly began pounding.
“What is this?”
She was happy that he was playing along.
Happy that he was taking responsibility.
But…
“Why do I feel like I’ve fallen into a trap?”
Every time Edward smiled, her heart beat even faster.
She swallowed nervously.
“What exactly is going on, Duke Tesseron?!”
The priest finally exploded.
“What about Lady Sepina? She’s the Saintess! What is all this?!”
He sounded like someone scolding a cheating husband.
Edward wasn’t bothered at all.
Instead, he frowned as though the priest were disgusting.
“I never said I liked what happened with Lady Sepina.”
“…!”
“It was only purification.”
Those words hit Lucy hard.
Her racing heart suddenly sank.
“So…”
“What happened with Sepina was only purification.”
“Then…”
“What happened with me…”
“Was probably only purification too.”
She had told herself the same thing before.
It was only purification.
That was all.
She knew it should be obvious.
Yet…
She couldn’t understand why it made her feel so miserable.
As she struggled to calm herself…
Edward whispered,
“Anyway…”
“I’ve done so many things that I need to take responsibility for with my honey.”
He casually placed his large hand over Lucy’s lower stomach.
“Our baby might already be in here.”
“…!”
“So how could I hand you over to them?”
An even heavier silence filled the hallway.
“…”
“…”
“…”
Even Edward’s three closest aides stared at them in complete shock.
“I didn’t ask him to go this far.”
Lucy looked up at Edward in disbelief.
Holding her even closer…
Edward proudly raised his chin and dropped one final bombshell.
“You should report this to the Temple.”
“We’re getting married soon.”
“So stop talking about returning the future Duchess of Tesseron.”
