101st Confession - Chapter 126

<CHAPTER 126

After a four-day honeymoon, Lucia and Herwin ride in a carriage.

Lucia is unable to sit properly in the carriage and lies with her head on Herwin’s lap.

At night, she couldn’t sleep and her back ached as the beast in her husband’s disguise kept attacking her.

On the second day of their honeymoon, they were all unharnessed and spent the entire day in their room.

It was a blissful time, but in retrospect, it was a bit of a beast.

Lucia patted her sore back, and Herwin reached out a long arm and patted her butt.

“Is your back hurting? Do you want me to give you a massage?”

“If you’re going to give me a massage, why are you touching my butt?”

“I’m in the wrong place, let me take a look.”

The touch must have been intentional, but Herwin was smug. He squeezed her waist with a not-so-subtle force. 

Lucia closed her eyes and felt his touch. 

“Mmm, nice there.”

He pressed in just the right spot, and the knot seemed to loosen. How long had she been like that? Gradually, Herwin’s hand moved down her side.

Lucia, who had only wondered at first, opened her eyes like a flounder and pinched Herwin’s thigh, which was being cut.

“Ouch!”

“Are you going to do that every chance you get? I’m hurting right now?”

“But, honey, I wasn’t the only one who liked it.”

Lucia turned over completely, staring into Herwin’s face. Herwin blinked, his red eyes shining.

He seems to be acting cute, but she regretted it several times because she fell for his eyes. If it goes over again, it will be a chapter in his hands.

“I’m really tired today, stop.”

Lucia reaches out and grabs Herwin’s nose, and only after Herwin grunts does she withdraw her hand.

He looked up at Lucia, still loving, and stroked her head.

She felt like one of the cats, but it wasn’t bad. As the warm hand continued to caress her head, her eyes slowly began to loosen…

“Are you sleepy?”

“……Yes.”

“You haven’t gotten much sleep lately.”

“……Because of who?”

Is it because she’s sleepy? Herwin smirked at the complaining tone.

“Well, who could it be? You’re so pretty, I can’t stand still.”

Lucia frowned at the laugh but then buried her face in his arms. She was tired, having not slept much on their honeymoon.

“I shouldn’t be sleeping…….”

If they use teleport, they will arrive in the capital soon. They’re thinking of stopping by the capital for just one day and going straight to the north, so they have spare time to say hello to their parents and meet their friends and give them gifts.

Sadly, however, Lucia’s eyes kept closing.

“Come on. I’ll wake you up when we arrive.”

“But……”

“It’s okay.”

Herwin’s warm hand came up to the corner of her eye. It blinded her completely, and Lucia quickly drifted off to sleep.

Herwin looked at his lovely wife, who made a soft sound as she slept, and quietly ordered the coachman.

“Go slowly.”

The coachman began to drive the horses more slowly, which lessened the jolting of the carriage.

Normally, they would have arrived within an hour, but Herwin made it a generous two hours and kept running his fingers through Lucia’s hair.

During those two hours, as Lucia relaxed, Herwin watched her face, releasing the fatigue that had been building up.

* * *

She felt her limp arms shake. At the same time, a familiar musky scent lingered in her nostrils.

Her body swayed slightly as if she were moving somewhere, but it was so steady that it didn’t make her feel uneasy.

After a moment’s hesitation at the unfamiliar sensations, Lucia opened her eyes wide.

“Oh, you’re awake?”

Through the blur of her vision, Herwin’s face was clear. Still not fully awake, Lucia stared at him in confusion, then looked around.

“This is…….”

“It’s Agnes’ mansion.”

“When did we get here?”

“Just a little while ago. I thought you were asleep and was going to take you to your room. Would you like to say hello to your mother and father?”

“Uh-huh…….”

Lucia rubbed her eyes and carefully slid out of Herwin’s arms. She staggered for a moment, but because she’d gotten some sleep, she was fine.

Herwin was right, she was in her own home, in a very familiar place, in the hallway that led to her room.

“Are both my mom and dad home?”

“Yes. They told me not to wake you up because you must be very tired. They’re on the first floor right now.”

“You should have woken me up. What if I kept sleeping until night like this?”

“I’m sorry, you slept so deeply…….”

Lucia told him to just wake her up next time, and she and Herwin went down to the first floor.

As they entered the largest room on the first floor, they saw her parents huddled in front of the fireplace, chatting affectionately.

“Mother, Father.”

They both jumped up at the sound of Lucia’s voice.

“Oh dear, you’re awake already, you should have slept in.”

“Yeah, you must be tired from the honeymoon.”

They grabbed Lucia’s hand and told her to get some rest, but there was an infectious smile on both of their faces.

“We have to leave for the north tomorrow, and I can’t waste time sleeping. We got you a present, did Herwin give it to you already?”

“Yes, we’re unwrapping it now.”

“It’s a beautiful teacup, we’ll have to use it from now on.”

As a gift for her parents, they bought a teacup and other island specialties that they had spent hours choosing.

When they were overjoyed, Lucia was overwhelmed with emotion and told them everything she had to say.

They had only been away for four days, so there wasn’t much to talk about.

“What time do you think you’ll be leaving tomorrow?”

“Um, I don’t know, Herwin, what time are we leaving?”

When she turned the answer over to Herwin, he seemed to think for a moment.

“Well, it’s starting to snow hard, so it’s better to go early… but I think we can stay for lunch and then go since it’s going to be hard to get down until spring.”

“Aye, well thought out. You said you’ll take over the dukedom as soon as you get up there, didn’t you?”

“Yes, not right away, but I think I’ll take over my father’s work and work my way up so that by the time I come down to the capital, I’ll be able to take over the dukedom fully…….”

Herwin and John talked seriously about the future, and Julian, who had been watching, whispered to Lucia with a frown.

“The two don’t seem awkward anymore, do you?”

“Yeah, I’m glad they’re getting along better.”

“You know, the last time the Duke and Duchess of Phoenaeus stayed at our house, he and the Duke talked about Herwin all day?”

“The day of the wedding?”

“Yes. Herwin’s been popular again lately, slaying monsters in the capital. Now he’s been bragging about him, saying he’s his son-in-law.”

“Oh.”

It was a surprising development, considering he had initially opposed their marriage. John’s face brightened as he talked to Herwin.

“Are you going to eat dinner here?”

“Uh, no. We’re meeting some friends for dinner, and I don’t think we’ll be free tomorrow.”

“I see. It’s great that you guys have been so close since the academy. Cherish your friendships now because you might grow apart after you start your own families. You might not have the same friends later on.”

“Yes, I know, and I’m going to write to them often anyway.”

Lucia chatted comfortably with Julian, and the evening passed quickly.

They decided to go to Ethan’s house tonight, as they had arranged before their honeymoon.

“Well, we’ll be there.”

“Okay, have fun.”

They were waved goodbye by her parents and headed to the front door, feeling extra cold after being in the warmer southern states.

Noticing Lucia’s shivering, Herwin held her clothes open to keep the chillout. As they waited for the carriage to arrive, the door opened and Lucas appeared.

Lucas looked tired, but his face lit up when he saw Lucia and Herwin.

“Guys, today is the day of your return, is it not?”

“Hi, big brother.”

“Are you back home from work?”

“Yes, I am, and from the looks of you… where are you going?”

“We have dinner plans with some friends.”

“Why don’t you come along, if you don’t mind? I’m sure they’d love to meet you.”

Lucas flinched and avoided her eyes. Before she could question him, he held out his hand.

“I’m good, you guys go your separate ways.”

“Yeah, okay.”

Lucas turned and walked away. Lucia and Herwin whispered to each other as they watched his backside slowly recede.

“What’s going on with brother?”

“You said something about something going on with Arista last time. Isn’t that right?”

“Is it……?”

They thought about them for a moment, but quickly put it out of their mind, knowing that thinking about it wouldn’t tell them what happened.

The carriage came, and Herwin and Lucia headed to Ethan’s house.

Seven in the evening. At Ethan’s house, his lover Hella and other friends arrived first. Lucia and Herwin hugged them and gave them each gift from their travels.

It was a little embarrassing because they haven’t only seen each other for four days, but the fact that they were together with friends itself was good, so the embarrassment quickly disappeared and they talk comfortably as usual.

As they were laughing and talking, Lucia’s eyes caught Arista stepping out of the corner of her eye.

Lucia cautiously followed her.

“Arista.”

“Oh, Lucia.”

“Are you going to the bathroom?”

“No, I’ve had a few drinks and I’m heating up, so I’m going to the terrace. Do you want to come with me?”

Lucia nodded and stood beside her. As she followed Arista out onto the terrace, a chill breeze brushed against her cheek.

“Ugh-“

“Here, cover-up.”

Arista offered Lucia the jacket she was wearing. Lucia tried to refuse, but Arista handed it to her and she couldn’t help but take it.

“Even though I saw you get married, it still doesn’t feel real. You’re starting a family.”

“Neither do I. Every time I see Herwin’s face in the morning, I’m surprised.”

“How’s it going now that you’re married? Do you like it?”

“Um… I’m not sure yet, but I do like it when he calls me honey.”

“Ew- I get goosebumps every time he says that.”

Arista swept down her goosebumps arm, saying it was cringe-worthy.

“You know, Arista.”

“What?”

“The other day you asked me to hold my brother.”

Arista paused, but Lucia didn’t stop talking.

“Did you talk to my brother then? Did you two get into a fight?”

“Um…….”

Arista took a moment to choose her words. But then she patted Lucia’s head with a meaningful look.

“No, we didn’t fight, your brother just ran away.”

“Really? Did you manage to talk to him?”

“Somehow, but I don’t know what’s going to happen now…….”

For some reason, Arista’s face looked bitter. Lucia had heard from Herwin that Arista had a crush on Lucas, but she couldn’t pretend to know.

“Lucia, I wanted to ask you something.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Have you ever hated me?”

The question was so out of the blue that Lucia was dumbfounded. 

“Once, when Herwin liked you.”

The next words left Lucia speechless. 

“And even though you knew all that, you didn’t hate me?”

Their gazes locked for a moment.