The Cold-Hearted Grand Duke Obsesses Over Me After My Death - Chapter 20
Episode 20. Brazen Woman
Emilia dreamed again.
It was a lewd dream. Her hands were touching Louid’s body.
She tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt sealed shut.
His chest, broad as the sea, was warm and comforting. His muscular arms and straight neck were like the statues of gods standing in the garden, and she could not help but touch them.
‘It’s truly addictive. Since it’s a dream, it’s fine to touch, isn’t it?’
Struggling to wake, she finally gave up on opening her eyes and surrendered to the pleasant sensation. Soon she no longer felt the cold, sinking deeper into sleep.
Meanwhile, Louid glared at the brazen woman who was boldly running her hands over his body. He could not even wake her, for if he did, he would have to explain why he was in her bed. Since she slept so soundly, he couldn’t bring himself to disturb her.
‘Shameless woman, stop it!’
Once again, he had woken from a few hours of sweet sleep only to find Emilia, who had lain far away, now using his body as a pillow and groping his bare skin.
It wasn’t that her touch was unpleasant or painful, but the problem was his body. Below his navel, blood surged wildly, his steady heart raced, and cold sweat ran down his back. When she pinched at the center of his chest, he nearly stopped breathing.
‘Ugh, not there.’
Unable to endure it any longer, Louid gritted his teeth and shot upright. Emilia’s hand had been moving downward, toward his stomach.
He slipped soundlessly out of the bed and looked down at her. Emilia lay asleep, her golden hair spread across the sheets like sunlight, her angelic face serene. Bathed in the moonlight streaming through the window, her silhouette appeared as mysterious as that of a saint.
“Did Duke Berthe order you to seduce me?” Louid muttered with a bitter smile.
Surely he had pressured her to produce an heir quickly. Emilia’s claim that she would fulfill the duties of the Grand Duchess if he granted her a divorce must have been part of that.
“You won’t succeed, Emilia Richert.”
Repeating the words like a warning to himself, he strode into the bathroom.
***
So passed the same routine for several days. Then one morning, Eddie came to the eastern annex.
“Your Highness, I will explain regarding your allowance for maintaining dignity. You will receive one hundred thousand gold each month. For anything else you require, please speak with the head butler or the head maid. It should have been provided sooner, but we waited until His Highness returned from the monster hunt to receive his signature. I apologize for the delay, Your Highness.” Eddie bowed his head as he apologized.
Allowance for maintaining dignity?
It was the first she had heard of such a thing. Receiving money was good news, hardly something to apologize for.
“No, it’s quite all right.”
“And this, His Highness the Grand Duke has sent for you.”
Eddie opened the luxurious velvet jewel box he had brought.
Oh? A red jewel?
Inside the case were ornaments glittering with a brilliant red light.
“Is this a ruby?”
She recalled the name of a jewel she had once read about in a book. She had even thought Louid’s eyes looked like rubies the first time she saw them.
“Yes, it is. A ruby ring, necklace, bracelet, and tiara.”
Even a tiara?
It was common enough for a husband to gift his wife a ring or necklace, but a tiara was unexpected. With several rubies sparkling brilliantly, it looked so beautiful and noble that even she, who knew little of jewels, was awestruck.
Such a thing couldn’t be worn by just anyone…
“Why is he giving this to me?” Emilia asked Eddie with a bewildered expression.
“He said it was a gift. His Highness remarked that you seemed to like rubies.”
‘That I like rubies?’
She could not fathom what he meant.
“My birthday has already passed.”
Emilia spoke with a puzzled look, wondering if Louid had mistaken the date of her birthday.
“Yes, I believe it has. You were newly come of age when you married, so this is a wedding gift.”
“I see… very well. Please convey my thanks to His Highness.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
She decided to accept the jewels. She had no reason to refuse, and she thought she should keep them for the day she might live alone.
After Eddie left, she happily tucked the jewel box deep into a drawer of her wardrobe.
That afternoon, the designer from the boutique visited the annex. With so many things happening at once, Emilia was dazed.
“An honor to meet you, Your Highness. I am Bella, head designer of Madame Bella’s Boutique.”
When she went out to the sitting room, a tall woman with brown hair greeted her politely. Her expression and gestures were elegant, befitting a designer.
Madame Bella? That’s the place that made the book I read that day!
Emilia recalled the fashion book she had read a few days earlier.
“Pleased to meet you, Bella. Please, sit.”
Emilia welcomed Bella with a bright smile. Since her childhood, drawing dresses had been her only joy, and she felt a sense of closeness to Bella.
“By order of His Highness the Grand Duke, I have brought several dresses for you to try on. If you choose a design you like, we will complete it as quickly as possible.”
After taking Emilia’s measurements, Bella showed her the catalog she had brought. It contained splendid and varied clothes. With Bella’s help, Emilia chose dresses, shoes, and accessories from the catalog.
“Your Highness, you have a fine eye. The pieces you chose are all designs we put our utmost effort into.”
Bella looked at her with a surprised expression.
“Thank you. Would custom orders be possible as well?”
Emilia showed Bella several dress sketches she had drawn.
“This… yes, it’s possible. The use of color is excellent. May I ask who designed these?”
“I drew them.”
“Oh my, Your Highness. Your skill is remarkable. Designing like this is no easy task… Don’t worry. I will make them well.”
“Thank you for your praise.”
She knew it was polite flattery, but it still pleased her. Helen had said days earlier that Bella was among the most skilled in the empire. Hearing such praise from her felt like soaring into the sky.
After Bella left, Emilia asked Helen about the value of money. She had never earned or spent money before, so she didn’t know the prices of things.
“Helen, how much is one hundred thousand gold worth?”
“Hmm… you could buy a fine house in the center of the Grand Duchy.”
“……?”
Emilia’s mouth fell open. A monthly allowance equaled a house?
“Who pays for my dresses?”
“All expenses are paid by the aide when the bill arrives.”
Then the allowance was entirely spending money? If she saved her allowance for six months, that would be six hundred thousand gold.
That meant… six houses?
Oh my! Even without alimony, if she saved her allowance, she would’ve no worries about living expenses for a long time after divorce.
‘Your Highness the Grand Duke, thank you.’
She felt sincere gratitude toward Louid.
***
The next afternoon. While drinking tea and sketching in the greenhouse, Emilia went to sit on the swing installed in the forest behind it. The swing was tied to a tall tree that reached into the sky.
‘Why do I keep having those dreams?’
Her body had become much healthier, yet she couldn’t understand why she still had nightmares. And every morning after such dreams, she would find herself wrapped tightly in her blanket.
‘But… are those dreams really nightmares?’
Her cheeks flushed red.
If she set aside the fact that the man was Louid, it wasn’t unpleasant. On the contrary, having such a man beside her would feel reassuring and dependable.
“When will my prince come? Perhaps that day will never come,” Emilia murmured with a sigh, shaking her head.
Even if Louid never granted her a divorce and she ran away someday, she didn’t believe she would ever meet a good man afterward, marry, and live happily. Nor did she expect it.
‘But is it true that I don’t wish for such a man? Am I not allowed to live happily?’
Lost in thought, she bent and stretched her legs, swinging higher and higher.
“Ah!”
As she soared into the air, one of her shoes slipped off and flew in an arc into the forest.
What should I do? I only have one pair of shoes…
Duke Berthe had thrown away her worn-out shoes and given her only one new pair.
At least he had bought her a few dresses, but still.
Now, having lost her shoe, she was in trouble. The shoes she had ordered from Bella would arrive with the dresses, which would take several days.
What should I do? Should I just walk back to the annex barefoot? Or should I go into the forest to find it?
Stopping the swing, she gazed sadly in the direction her shoe had flown.
The forest had quite a lot of grass growing, and the ground was full of sharp pebbles.
If I walk barefoot like this? If the servants see me, they’ll think the Grand Duchess has gone mad.
By then, the sun had set, the surroundings were dim, and a cold wind blew from the forest. Though it was spring, nights in the northern duchy were still bitterly cold.
Rustle, rustle.
To make matters worse, she heard suspicious footsteps.
‘Who is that? A person?’
It could be a person, or it could be a wild animal. Frightened, she could not tell where the sound was coming from.
“Kyah…!”
A moment later, she screamed at the figure that appeared from the forest.
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Maya Loureiro
Exatamente assim – ‘É realmente viciante. Já que é um sonho, não há problema em tocar, não é?’
Fazendo doce.querido?? – ‘Mulher sem vergonha, pare com isso!’
Eita eita, até usou o sobrenome, aham sei – “Você não vai conseguir, Emilia Richert.”