Chapter 124
Chapter 124
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: The Bunny Suit Catastrophe
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"Huuuh..."
Having somehow managed to send the Countess off home safely, I caught my breath and slumped into the chair like a puddle of slime.
It had truly been an exhausting ordeal.
Even brawling with the Devonshire ducal household would have felt less stressful.
For some reason I couldn't fathom, the overwhelming presence of a predator was something a mere mortal like me simply couldn't withstand easily.
"You must be exhausted. Shall I at least pour you some tea?"
As I lay plastered to the chair, staring blankly at the ceiling, Emily approached with her own face pale and ashen. She timidly held out the teapot.
My throat felt parched and raw, but I shook my head and laboriously raised my hand, which was trembling violently like a rattlesnake's tail.
"No... my hands are shaking too much to hold it right now."
"Then I'll just fill a cup and leave it for you."
"Yeah..."
I mumbled a vague reply and averted my gaze from Emily, turning back to the ceiling.
There had been so many unexpected twists that I'd nearly botched everything, but somehow I'd patched it all together.
Especially since my mind had gone completely blank—I might not have been able to say what needed saying—but luckily, it had come out reasonably well.
If I'd missed even one detail back there, it would have been a total disaster...
"Huh...?"
Suddenly, a sense of threat washed over me.
I didn't have any superhuman sixth sense, but my genetically ingrained survival instincts blared a fierce warning that I'd forgotten something crucial.
"Hey, Emily."
"Yes?"
"Did I explain to Countess Tigris how to put on the outfit?"
"......"
Emily flinched, her hand pausing as she poured the tea.
Her already pallid face drained of even more color, and she replied in a quavering voice.
"N-no? You didn't..."
"Ughhh..."
I grimaced and clutched my head.
She could figure out the rest intuitively, but the silk leotard and headband required knowing exactly how to thread the tail and ears through the holes—otherwise, it was impossible to wear.
Especially since it was tailored to fit perfectly; without the right technique, it would either get stuck halfway or not go in at all.
"Gulp..."
My teeth chattered like trees thrashing in a typhoon.
What if she couldn't put it on properly and everything went awry?
What if she became a laughingstock, or looked ridiculous, or disappointed the count...
If it failed like this, she'd lash out twice or threefold, piling on assumptions I'd made up out of nowhere.
"We're doomed..."
I closed my eyes and dry-washed my face, rubbing it frantically with my hands.
Ah, should I at least write a will in advance...
-
Evening came, and as I began trying on the outfit I'd received from Sir William, Count Hume's second son, I encountered a monumental crisis.
The design was simple enough, but figuring out how to deal with my tail and ears was giving me a headache.
This silk garment, which barely covered the essentials, had a small hole connected to an internal space in the tail section—perfect for slipping the tail in, if only it would cooperate.
But it refused to go in easily.
Sometimes it would slide halfway and get stuck; other times, it wouldn't even pass the hole.
I had no idea why or how this was happening, so I just suppressed my frustration and kept jamming my tail into the hole desperately.
"Haa~ How the hell did that man design this to be wearable...!"
Already my fourth failure.
I let out a deep sigh and grumbled about Sir William.
Up until putting on the pantyhose, the tail hole had been perfectly positioned, and the skin-tight feel had been quite pleasant—but this silk nightmare had my temper boiling over in an instant.
"Nngh...!"
But if I gave up now, I'd never try again, so I swallowed my anger and gave it one more determined push to stuff my tail into the bunny tail pocket.
"Please... just go in...!"
But it snagged at the tip again, not budging an inch, and my frustration surged once more.
My rising blood pressure strengthened my grip.
-Crack-!
The ominous sound echoed just as my hand clenched harder, followed by a chill seeping into my backside.
"Ah... Ahh!"
A shiver ran through me as my trembling fingers groped around the tail. The bunny tail on the silk outfit had torn halfway off, dangling loosely, and my own tail had slipped right out through the resulting hole, swinging freely.
"Eeeeek...!"
At this horrific catastrophe, the rage I'd been holding back surged to the top of my head.
I'd rip it to shreds right now and march over to Sir William tomorrow to give him a piece of my mind.
How dare he pass off garbage like this as clothing?
"Grrrr!"
I ground my teeth and shifted my gaze downward.
"......"
I reached out to tear the outfit apart, but the moment my fingertips brushed the soft silk, my head cooled like ice water had been dumped over it.
Why had Sir William brought this outfit so boldly?
Because I couldn't express it honestly to my husband with words.
This troublesome mouth of mine only spat arrogance, so he'd brought this to convey it without needing to say a thing.
And I was giving up over a single tail?
"Hoo..."
I slid my hand up slightly to rest on my chest and repeated deep breaths, reciting calming phrases in my mind to quell the anger.
The torn part couldn't be fixed.
But if I pulled my tail out, the rest would fit perfectly.
So if I managed the remainder properly, I could still salvage this.
"I can't back down anymore..."
It wasn't just our wedding anniversary.
The real priority was the heat cycle approaching soon.
Five futile cycles wasted due to my haughty, rigid attitude.
And now the sixth.
If I let this winter pass without solid results too, I'd lose the courage to face my husband or anyone around me.
It would mean I hadn't fulfilled my wifely duties properly for over five years, despite having such an exceptional man.
"Hoo..."
A bit calmer now.
I calmly pulled the silk outfit the rest of the way up and fastened the back.
The perfectly tailored fabric pressed lightly against my skin.
This dress had no shoulder straps, so it looked like it would slip off easily, yet surprisingly, it clung well to my chest.
Strenuous movements might be impossible, but light walking should hold.
It was only achievable with precise cutting and sewing—Sir William lived up to his reputation; lecherous he might be, but his skill was undeniable.
With the silk outfit on perfectly, it was time for accessories.
I started with cuffs on both wrists, then wrapped a collar and bowtie choker around my neck, and placed the bunny-ear headband on my head.
Unlike the tail, the headband let the ears slip in with minimal force, but the fabric wrapping around them felt uncomfortable, so I repositioned it behind my ears, overlapping with my own.
Only the fur stole remained. I turned to glance in the mirror.
"Ah..."
The first thought upon seeing my reflection: Lewd.
It covered everything it needed to, yet it was lewd.
The steeply plunging fabric barely concealing my mound.
The outfit clinging precariously to my skin's elasticity.
The lines accentuating my slender waist and the silk's unique sheen.
The faint glimpse of skin beneath the stockings.
The black fabric highlighting my pale complexion.
The headband creating an elongated bunny silhouette over my foxkin ears.
"Eek...!"
Anyone seeing this would instantly know it was the attire of a harlot begging for that kind of deed. The shame overwhelmed me, making me feel utterly vulgar and depraved.
Such a prostitute's garb could never be permitted for a proud foxkin lady.
If Father knew, he'd scold me harshly and cast me out.
But.
What about my husband?
Would he like this lascivious version of me?
Or send a gaze of contempt and disappointment?
"Haa..."
I exhaled hot breath and pressed down hard on my ticklish belly.
My husband glaring with sharp eyes and ragged breaths, or frowning with cold disdain.
Either way, it thrilled me to my core, and this wretched body drooled with excitement, unable to hide its arousal.
"Th-this won't do."
I was curious about his reaction, but I doubted I could endure it.
Whether positive or negative.
So this was sealed away.
A dangerous item that must never see the light of day again.
"I'm coming in, my lady."
"!"
As I shook my head and raised my hands to remove the headband, my husband's voice came from beyond the door.
Why?
It was too early for him to come to my room. Why was he here?
-Click!
While I panicked, the doorknob turned.
I hadn't finished dressing or undressing properly yet.
And more importantly, I wasn't mentally prepared.
"W-wait! H-husband! Hold on! You can't come in yet!"
"Is something wrong?"
"Th-there is, so don't come in!"
"...Understood."
I shouted frantically toward the door and scrambled for a blanket to cover myself.
"Ugh... why is this outfit so cumbersome...!"
-Crash!
"Ahk! Nngh!"
But the slippery stockings and precariously slipping outfit hindered my movements.
Already flustered and flailing, the added interference made my stiff body bump into furniture everywhere, producing loud noises and pain.
William, you bastard!
You tricked me! You gave me this malicious outfit to torment me!
"Nngh...!"
I endured the throbbing pain in my stubbed toe by channeling it into fury at William and limped to the bed, finally grabbing a blanket.
Now I just needed to cover up, make some excuse, and undress.
"My lady!"
But my husband's love for me was neither light nor fleeting—unfortunately and fortunately. Unable to bear my groans and the commotion from beyond the door, he burst into the room.
His face drained of color, he flung the door open as if to break it, scanning the room with fierce, sharp eyes.
"What in the world happened...?"
Then his eyes met mine—huddled sloppily under the blanket by the bed—and he froze, mouth agape, words failing him.
Wh-what do I do?
Knock him out right here?
No, impossible from the front—break the window and flee?
No, you idiot! Everyone would see!
"Ah... Ahh..."
My mind went blank in an instant, thoughts grinding to a halt.
My face burned, vision darkened, cold sweat poured down my body.
"Haa... H-haa..."
"M-my... lady?"
As I panted frantically, grasping for any solution, my husband snapped out of it, his face bewildered, and slowly approached.
"D-don't come closer! It's n-not your fault, h-husband... it's me, I look like th-this... uuuh... hngh..."
Tears blurred my vision.
How could I ever face him now?
If he saw his wife as a vulgar woman, I couldn't go on living...
"Ah..."
Just die.
Bite my tongue and end it.
For honor's sake, for his sake.
"My lady, calm down first."
Once again, his actions outpaced mine.
The moment I positioned my tongue against my canine, he was already there, pulling me into a tight embrace and patting my back.
"Nngh...!"
His rough hand trailed down my spine.
His warmth seeped through my exposed back, and miraculously, my anxious heart settled in a flash.
My darkened vision cleared, filling with his broad chest.
"Husband..."
I called to him in a voice still thick with sobs and tilted my head up slightly.
He met my eyes and gave a gentle smile.
"You looked so stunning in your finery that I lost myself for a moment. If it came across as unpleasant, I'm truly sorry."
His warm words filled me with joy and misery.
It had to be a lie.
No one could call this vulgar, ugly sight beautiful.
"Lies..."
As I prepared a snappish retort, resentment bubbling up against him unjustly, things I'd overlooked caught my eye one by one.
His earlobes flushed deep red.
His faintly trembling breaths.
The rapid heartbeat drumming in my ears and his hotter-than-usual body heat.
"Ah..."
When my mind fully grasped it wasn't a lie.
My body reacted faster than my thoughts.
"Haup...!"
"Mmph!"
I lunged forward, pressing my lips savagely against his.
The moment our lips met was the last thing I remembered.
And the next morning.
From the hazy, fog-shrouded remnants of memory, one thing was crystal clear: in that lost interval, I was the happiest woman in the world.