A Lion Stands Before a Rabbit (3)

Rosetta Whirsen. She was now the Duchess of Arden, but the mere thought of her made him uncomfortable. He still resented her.

‘Do I have to apologize after all?’

If he followed Iris or Logan to the Duchy of Arden… he was bound to run into her. She’s not married to just a local lord, she’s a duchess, so if he doesn’t apologize, she’s going to cause trouble for him.

The circle of high nobles was surprisingly small.

“Damn it….”

Patrick clicked his tongue as he remembered Michael. The thought of Rosetta in his arms made him feel bad for some reason.

***

Looking at Michael’s very satisfied face, Rosetta felt a twinge of resentment. He was obviously enjoying himself, and she feels good too….

‘Why should I be the only one embarrassed!’

Even though she felt very satisfied physically, she felt mentally depleted. And then there was Michael’s punishment this afternoon.

‘It’s embarrassing, but it feels good.’

She knows, but she doesn’t know why she feels like she’s losing. It’s not really a punishment, because if it were, she wouldn’t be looking forward to doing it.

With a satisfied look on his face, Michael pulled Rosetta into a hug and brushed his lips against her cheek, knowing that this would cause her to blush slightly and glance over.

‘This feels nice….’

How long had it been since she’d felt this happy? She couldn’t even remember. No, she didn’t even know if she’d ever tasted happiness like this.

Michael lifted Rosetta’s hand and pressed his lips to the back of it.

They’d had satisfying sex and filled their bellies with delicious food, so the lovely lady should be in a good mood, but somehow she looked grumpy.

Her face was cute and a little scary, but he still wanted to please her.

“Why are you sulking?”

“I am not sulking.”

He laughed at how cute it was that she was biting her lip to answer. Michael chuckled, thinking it must be a big deal to look so pretty.

“So what can I do to make my lady feel better?”

“…By pretending the afternoon’s punishment didn’t even exist?”

Rosetta said, her lovely brown eyes twinkling, and Michael chuckled.

“No.”

“You’re too much.”

“You’re the one who’s too much, Rosetta, because you’re trying to pretend something you’ve already given me permission to do to never exist.”

Michael pulled a pouting Rosetta back into his arms and planted light kisses on her cheeks and lips. There were maids and servants around, but they kept their distance, pretending not to notice.

No servant was unaware of the Duke of Arden’s great love for his wife, and so they tried to be very careful, preferring to speak to Rosetta rather than Michael about any difficulties.

This was because the Duchess of Arden was gentler than the heavenly prince.

She wasn’t someone to be trifled with, but if you asked her for a favor within the bounds of common sense, she wouldn’t be hard to please.

“Isn’t it time you got back to work?”

They’d only been married for two months, but his duties as a duke didn’t wait. He’d been away on his honeymoon, so he couldn’t put it off any longer.

“I’m not going to work if you don’t kiss me.”

Rosetta pressed her lips to his as he pressed his lips to mine. Michael quickly reached up to suck on her lips, but she pulled back.

“That won’t do. Now I have to be separated from my wife until lunch, yet you’re running away from me so callously.”

She hadn’t run away, and they weren’t separated. They’re in the same mansion, so what’s with him? Of course, the mansion is too big…

“You keep….”

Rosetta lowered her voice, glancing at the position of the maids and servants in the distance.

“It’s because you keep sticking your tongue in.”

It wasn’t just his tongue. He knew how sensitive Rosetta was to kissing, so he pressed his lips to hers until Rosetta was mesmerized.

“That’s right…. I can’t put it all the way down there.”

Rosetta’s eyes widened as Michael lowered his voice to match hers. Reflexively, she pinched Michael’s arm, but he just said, “Ouch,” and smiled.

“Will you kiss me, Rosetta? I’ll just put a little in.”

Lies.

Even knowing it was an absolute lie, Rosetta was surprised she didn’t hate him, or even despise him.

When she hesitated, Michael quickly looked at the servant with a look that says ‘Get out’. If they were outside the room, it would make it easier for Rosetta to make her decision.

The astute maids moved without a sound. When the last one left, closing the door quietly behind her, Rosetta made the first move. As her soft lips closed over his hot ones, Michael quickly grabbed her around the waist.

At this rate, she’d never get away.

He sucked on Rosetta’s soft lips as long as he could. They would only been separated for a few hours, but it felt like days.

‘Shall I take her to the office….’

Rosetta also has duties as a duchess. Despite being a newly married duchess, he just decided for her to take a break and not learn the ropes yet.

She has Isabelle’s case and other things to deal with. Michael himself was conscious that he was bothering Rosetta every night.

‘Michael. I know you love your wife, but won’t you be hated if you bother her too much?’

Like me.

Alexis’s advice slipped out of his ear, a reference to a dark time in his past, but he didn’t think it was entirely unreasonable. Everyone needs time to themselves at some point.

‘So I guess I’ll just have to suck it up.’

He thought with a little tongue in cheek…. It didn’t work. He tasted Rosetta’s mouth and leaned in and kissed her hard. Tasting her lips and watching her eyes flutter open was a moment he’ll never forget.

“Hah……. Rosetta….”

Michael barely broke the kiss, his desire boiling over. At this rate, he might end up holding her here. Rosetta sighed deeply, her lips still wet with Michael’s saliva.

“…I will diligently finish my work and return.”

Michael finishes the Duke’s enormous workload almost around mid-morning. Judging by the reactions of his deputies, he seemed to be properly processing it rather than just approving it hastily, which was quite surprising.

“Don’t overdo it.”

She meant that he didn’t have to come early, but it was clear that Michael took it differently.

“Okay, Rosetta.”

Whispering happily, he kissed her cheek and stood up, his gaze never leaving hers.

Tak.

Michael left the room, and Rosetta leaned back against the back of the couch. His rich, sweet taste lingered on the corners of her mouth.

???

‘Haa…. We finally made it this far.’

They were able to mobilize all of their connections, including their cousin’s uncle, to go to the Duke of Arden’s vassal family. The marquis and his daughter, who arrived unexpectedly with a letter of introduction written by her cousin, were not exactly welcomed. They merely stared at them uncomfortably.

“You don’t seem surprised.”

“The Marquis of Mirse is not the first. A friend of mine, who is also a friend of my cousin’s uncle, has brought his daughter and is staying as a guest.”

“…….”

The Count did not feel bad about his situation. He only welcomed the cousin into his home because he recognized the face of the man who wrote the letter of introduction. He wouldn’t be able to get a decent room here in Lugin with their family crest anyway.

‘There will be a trial date for that young lady, so they won’t be able to stay for long.’

“Make yourself at home, at least for the duration of your stay.”

After all, he was a marquis and he was a count. Unlike Carulias, the Marquis of Mirse would not be stripped of his title or anything like that. Though his honor would be greatly tarnished.

“The… what is the mood of the Duke of Arden?”

“I understand he is at peace.”

From the rumors, the Duchess was being bitten and sucked by Prince Michael, but he had no intention of letting them know that.

The Marquis looked surprised to hear that.

“You mean, even after what happened with Isabelle Carulias?”

“The wretch has been punished, and will be put in exile in a few days. Life imprisonment means thye’ll never see her again, and if her family is any indication, she’ll never set foot in social circles again.”

Carulias was not merely exiled from the royal family. Although thye had managed to retain their marquisate title, they would never enjoy the same prestige. That is, unless their imperial status was reinstated in the name of the Emperor.

“Isn’t that what newlyweds are entitled to?”

Although many nobles in the capital had witnessed Michael looking at Rosetta with eyes of love, there were still many who were skeptical. It was Prince Michael and no one else.

There had to be a reason, a cover story, he thought, because Rosetta Whirsen was too ordinary for that.

“You mean… they get along well?”

“Yes.”

The Marquis Mirse’s face contorted as the count affirmed with a smirk.

As far as he could tell, Michael’s marriage had been an impulsive act of pity, and he was sure he would have regretted it now. Rosetta would have noticed it in his eyes.

When people were judged and hated, they were quick to notice. Rosetta, having spent a year like that, would have recognized the signs quickly.

So the Marquis of Mirse decided to put pressure on Rosetta to play the good, compassionate duchess, or she would lose her position and Michael’s heart.

If the Marquis knew Rosetta Whirsen, he thought she would succumb to that kind of cajoling and sign their papers.

In truth, the Marquis of Mirse had never spoken to Rosetta, but he had judged her by the rumors he had heard.

As a foolish, impetuous, frightened young lady.

‘I shall write to her to say that I wish to visit!’

He was a marquis, though his status was less than Rosetta’s now. Rosetta was a duchess, but formerly a Count’s young lady.