Chapter 104

Chapter 104

“Wait a little. I’ll wash up and come back soon, understand?”

“Ah? U-uh, uhng…”

Iellie gave a stupid answer. Even so, at that moment, her mind was completely blank, and she couldn’t think of anything. Meanwhile, Zachary smiled and passed her side.

‘Oh, my god…’

“…Stupid, you idiot.”

It was only after the bathroom door closed with a click that Iellie regained her senses. She was so pathetic.

By the time she was drying her wet hair, Zachary had slipped out of the bathroom. His firm, solid chest was exposed through the loosely tied gown. As she gazed at the figure as if possessed, she eventually came to her senses.

“Oh no, you didn’t dry your hair at all?”

She wrinkled her forehead, seeing drops of water were dripping down his pure white silver hair.

“Come on.”

“It’s okay, I’ll just brush off the water…”

“It’s still spring. You’ll catch a cold.”

As Zachary, who listened to Iellie’s words, obediently obeyed her call this time as well, Iellie then put a towel over his hair and started rubbing it.

She whispered softly.

“It used to be like this before.”

“Before?”

“Yes. When you returned from inspecting the estate, hit in the snow.”

She smiled softly. It was then that she suddenly remembered the cool smell of snow emanating from him as the sound of the soft towel rubbing against his silver hair. They’d grown a lot since then, and their relationship had changed.

‘Because Zachary is no longer like a little brother to me.’

Iellie thought so with a serious face.

The precarious boy she first met has disappeared, leaving only a beautiful young man who held and shook her heart.

After a while, she removed her towel.

“It’s all dry.”

“Thank you.”

Iellie’s heart thumped at his smiling face, and Zachary stood up and spoke kindly.

“Then, shall we sleep?”

“Yes.”

As the two of them crawled into the blanket side by side, they held hands and smiled at each other.

“Good night.”

“Yes. Good night to you, too.”

A small night greeting rang, and the two turned off the lights before they closed their eyes.

It was an awkward night of silence.

However, it was the first day they shared a bed together, and there was no way they could fall asleep that easily. Iellie, who opened her eyes, rolled her pupils. Zachary seemed to be the same as his voice came through.

“Len.”

“Yes?”

Surprised, she shrugged her shoulders, and a low laugh came. He asked a small question.

“You can’t sleep?”

“Well…”

‘Of course. I’m with you so I can’t sleep because I’m nervous… It’s the first night we spend together after the wedding, isn’t it?’

Still, she can’t say that, so Iellie just threw a short joke.

“I can’t sleep like this.”

“Why?”

“It’s right after the wedding, and it’s unfair that I couldn’t even go on a honeymoon.”

A rustling sound came from her joke.

Zachary, who was lying on his side, stared at Iellie. Even in the darkness, the bright blue gaze gazed only at her. What to do? Her heart was pounding hastily.

“Then, shall we go see the sea?”

“Sea…?”

At those words, Iellie widened her eyes as Zachary bowed his head towards her, and he asked.

“Did you know that there is a private beach owned by the Duchy?”

“Yes, I know that…”

However, since she married him, she had never been to the private beach because the two did not live a comfortable life enough to relax leisurely.

Zachary laughed.

“There is a small island there.”

“Ah, are you talking about Florente Island?”

He widened his eyes. A soft voice tickles her ears.

“You know?”

“Yes. The butler told me.”

After the previous Duke died and Iellie became the mistress of Hessenweitz, the first thing she did was to find out all of the Duke’s property. It was natural for her to take care of the household.

“And, there is a small villa on that island…”

She blurred her words. The small villa at Florente Island was the favorite place of the previous Duchess. So her father-in-law, after his wife’s death, closed Florente Island itself.

“If it’s okay, would you like to go there?”

Iellie rolled her eyes at Zachary’s question. It had been a long time since she had seen the sea, so the offer didn’t seem bad.

“I like it. When should we go?”

“Now.”

“…Now?”

Surprised, she widened her eyes, but Zachary, on the contrary, looked calm.

“It’s night now?”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“No, I mean—”

There was nothing to ask anymore. Iellie, who frowned, asked another question.

“Aren’t you busy?”

“Yes, I’m not busy.”

“Why?”

“Even if it wasn’t so, I was going to take a break with you after we got married.”

As he answered in a strange voice, she faced Zachary, but he only grinned as he added his words, “So I deliberately rushed everything and took care of it.”

“Oh my God, really?”

“Of course.”

That was why she thought he had been so busy lately. In the meantime, he even prepared a tiara for her… Iellie was slightly moved.

He tilted his head slightly and brushed her cheek.

“And to be honest, I wanted to go to Florente Island with you at least once.”

“With me? Why?”

“It’s just…”

Zachary, who had responded without hesitation until now, hesitated a little this time before he answered carefully.

“I wanted to have time alone with no one around.”

“Uh…”

“Anyway, there are some people in the Duke’s Castle.”

Obviously, no one tried to interfere with the private life of the Ducal couple, but the feeling itself was a bit different.

“Actually, I told the butler in advance.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Don’t be surprised if he doesn’t see us for a few days, and if there’s anything urgent, contact the island.”

Having said that, he sighed slightly as Iellie strangely felt the inside of her mouth dry up at the same time.

“So… as long as it’s okay with you.”

“….”

“I want to go somewhere where we can spend time alone, even right now.”

There was a hint of heat in his voice. Zachary’s cheeks were red in the dark. When he said this, there was no way that she could refuse.

In the end, she nodded shyly.

And not too long after, the two of them got out of the castle. Even though she was a little sorry that they didn’t use the room that had been purposely set up for the first night, she couldn’t help it. Iellie, who was holding his hand and moving her steps step by step, suddenly asked.

“By the way, Zachary.”

“Huh?”

“You told the butler in advance, but what if everyone is still worried?”

“Worried?”

Zachary tilted his head and gazed down at Iellie. She opened her mouth, slightly narrowing her brow.

“Still, you’re the Duke, but you can’t go out like this without an escort.”

“So you’re worried that I might get into trouble?”

“It’s not just that…”

Iellie silently looked up at him. She was so adorable in his eyes, and Zachary smiled softly.

“Len.”

“Huh?”

“No one in this empire can put me in danger.”

As he uttered that, his voice was close to certainty. Zachary was a man with the power to say that.

“And you’re the one I’ll protect even at the cost of my life.”

“Huh…”

No, she didn’t ask because she thought it would be dangerous. The next moment, Zachary spoke calmly.

“Because you are the owner of my soul and heart.”

It was against the rules to make people flutter like this! Iellie hurriedly turned her face red and peered away.

“Come here.”

Zachary, who had pulled the horse from the stable, reached out his hand to her, but Iellie shook her head at him.

“I can ride on my own now.”

“Really? My Len has grown up.”

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