Viola's Field Trip (2)

pKnocking. The sound of the door hinge turning in the annex was like the jingle-bell charm from the back alleys, and Viola, who had been lying on the bed, caught it with the instincts of someone who had rolled through the back alleys.

pSomeone was entering. Her body rose instinctively, and she wrapped an arm around Kael's neck, tilting her lips toward his in a move that would have fit any hidden lovers caught in the act.

pBut Kael acted a fraction faster.

pHe swiftly dragged the empty map of the slums over his own thighs, then at the same time snatched Viola's waist and pulled her straight onto it, face to face.

pIn an instant, Viola was sitting on Kael's knees, their bodies pressed tightly together. Kael naturally encircled her slender waist and hid the map beneath her.

pViola was momentarily taken aback, but then she broke into a grin and whispered, "Oh my, Your Highness. Bold of you."

p"Don't use casual talk. Guess."

p"Yeah, got it."

pThe short negotiation ended just as quickly. The annex door swung wide open.

pIt was Giselle.

pViola immediately pulled Kael's neck closer, using the long black hair draped over her face to cleverly shield herself. She shrank her shoulders and glanced back with a look of surprise, launching into her act.

p"Oh my! Who are you to interrupt a woman's good time... hick! E-Your Highness?!"

pHer voice was soft and flustered, at a loss.

pKael pressed the back of Viola's head against his chest ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠until her face was completely hidden there.

pViola didn't want Giselle to see her face, after all.

pAnd Kael gave her a familiar cocky expression as he glared at Giselle.

p"Tsk, didn't learn how to knock? When the Grand Duchess comes, she can barge into someone's private time like it's nothing?"

p"......"

pGiselle stood frozen at the doorway.

pKael, embracing the Grand Duchess's waist in his arms while only half-clothed, and Viola's back trembling in his embrace with her collar slipping down.

pGiselle's red eyes cooled to ice as she stared at that bare scene.

pKael, unfazed by that gaze, curled his lips and drawled, "Ah, I see. Maybe you, too, wanted to join this fun game, Your Exalted Grand Duchess?"

pGiselle's eyebrows twitched. Her eyes lingered a moment on the scars still visible on Kael's bare upper body, then she turned away with obvious disgust.

p"......I apologize for intruding during ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠such a busy time."

pGiselle turned on her heel at once.

p"Continue as you were."

pBang!!!

pWith that one sentence, she slammed the door shut and left.

p

pOutside the annex, Giselle breathed in the icy night air.

p"G-Gladys...!"

pThe knights on guard saw her rigid face and grew pale, bowing their heads.

pGiselle only left them with the words "I'm fine, don't worry," then crossed the courtyard at a brisk pace.

pThe sound of her heels on the snow was heavier than usual.

p'As expected.'

pGiselle swallowed the hollow laugh.

p'Where could that trashy nature of his have gone?'

pShe had been foolish to think there was some hidden reason behind the events of the past.

pIt was mortifying to think back to the Giselle who had bent her pride to borrow money or at least try to talk, then opened the annex door.

pThe scene she had seen just now kept flashing in her mind.

pThe empire's playboy dragging women into the castle for a tumble.

p'I really was out of my mind. What kind of expectations did I have for that beast?'

pShe now firmly declared that every strange unease, curiosity, and small hope she had harbored was nothing but her own foolish delusion.

pThat man was irredeemable trash. A worthless, lust-driven rogue who would rot away chasing pleasure all his life.

pWith that conclusion, Giselle returned to her office.

p"Hah."

pGiselle dropped into the chair and pulled a mountain of approval documents from the desk.

pShe needed to find another way to raise funds for the land reconstruction right away.

pThe plan to borrow from Kael was now a waste of time, so she had to chase down other avenues—contact merchants, whatever.

pGiselle dipped her pen in ink and started reading.

pBut.

p"......"

pStrange. The words wouldn't come into focus.

pThe black letters seemed to float like bubbles on the paper.

pShe kept rereading the same line, over and over.

pHer concentration was completely shattered.

p'Why am I like this?'

pGiselle pressed her temples and closed her eyes.

pBut the moment her eyes shut, the scene from behind the annex door flashed back vividly—the ridges of his abs, the scars along his side, the white shoulder of the woman sitting on his knees with his arms around her waist, and Kael's large hand encircling her slender waist.

pGiselle shook her head.

p'......This is disgusting.'

pA nameless, suffocating emotion surged in her chest, twisting her mood.

pShe felt like something was clamped tight inside her, her nerves fraying.

pThe mere fact that Kael had locked himself away with another woman for a hot night was scraping at her nerves.

pWhile she was rolling through bloodstained battlefields protecting the land, was he contentedly snuggling with some girl?

pNo, it wasn't quite the same.

p"We're married, after all."

pA memory from just earlier surfaced—the time she had offered him wine first and he had turned her down coldly.

p"Why would a woman like stone drink alone? Three-star prostitutes from the back alleys are a hundred times better."

pAnd today, Kael had proudly dragged a woman from the back alleys into the annex and seated her on his knees.

pThat contrast was stirring a strange irritation in Giselle's chest.

pThe irritation caused by him was even more irritating.

p"......Hah."

pGiselle finally loosened her grip on the pen, unable to shake the inexplicable discomfort.

pTuk.

pThe pen dropped onto the document, leaving a long black ink streak.

p"......I'm not focused."

pShe leaned back in her chair and gazed at the empty ceiling of the office with a complicated expression.

p

pBang!!!

pThe door closed.

pOnly when Giselle's heels had faded down the corridor did the two people on the bed stop holding their breath.

pAt last.

p"Phew......"

pKael exhaled in relief and relaxed the tension in his shoulders.

pViola, who had been hiding her face against Kael's chest, secretly lifted her head and swept her disheveled black hair aside.

p"Oh my, the thrill was incredible."

pViola chuckled, clearly enjoying the situation. "It was quite a good experience, Your Highness."

p"Good thing."

pKael answered gruffly.

pThey had almost been caught the moment the door opened.

pWithout that seamless timing with Viola, they might not have come up with any excuse at all.

pAfter all, they had fooled Giselle. Mission accomplished.

pWith the tension easing, silence fell for a moment.

p"By the way, Your Highness."

pViola called him in a soft, sultry voice.

p"Why?"

p"Now, stop kneading my ass and let me down."

p"......"

pOnly then did Kael realize the soft sensation of her body was being pressed against his palms.

pThe positioning had been strangely off because he had been hurrying to cover the map and wrap her waist.

p'......So soft I couldn't help but grip her.'

pKael flinched internally and looked away.

pOn the surface, he cleared his throat and pulled his hands back.

p"Ahem, ahem. The situation was pretty rushed."

pViola stayed on his lap a moment longer than necessary, then leaned in with a mischievous smile, pressing her upper body closer.

p"Hmm~? Your Highness. Since things turned out like this, why don't we practice a kiss or two in advance for next time?"

pShe pouted her lips playfully, but Kael recoiled with disgust.

p"Cut the nonsense and get down already. It's heavy."

p"W-What an attitude. Speaking of which, our famous playboy has surprisingly gentle hands?"

pViola giggled and poked Kael's chest with one finger, then slid ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠off his thighs lightly.

pKael awkwardly unfolded the map on his thighs and hurriedly changed the subject.

p"Forget that. Let's get back to what we were doing. Since Giselle just kicked us hard, we absolutely have to take over the demolition rights. It's worth it."

p"I know, I know. Only knows how to work, that prince of yours."

pViola casually retied the straps of her slipped silk dress, then pulled the blanket back over herself and moved closer to Kael to look at the map.

p"So, about the hot-water pipes we discussed earlier. The problem is it's winter. The frozen northern land makes digging and burying pipes impossible with regular laborers. The labor and equipment costs will be massive, won't they?"

p"Hmm......"

pThe two of them returned to their serious business-partner faces as if nothing had happened and began discussing strategy.

p

pTime passed.

p"......Good, it looks like we've outlined the big picture for now. I'll have people send detailed quotes within a few days."

p"Alright, good work."

pViola stretched her arms and stood up.

p"Ugh, I'm tired. Your Highness, I'm changing clothes now, so can you turn around?"

p"Yeah, yeah."

pKael waved his hand lazily and sat on the opposite side of the bed.

pSarak, sasarari.

pThe sound of silk dress brushing filled the quiet room.

p'He said not to sell the body, right? This is why?'

pThe moment she slid off his thighs, she said she would pull the blanket over herself. Those slightly flushed ears... It was surprising that someone who had seen every kind of back-alley deal had such little tolerance for this kind of intimacy.

pHe almost wanted to tease ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her, "Your ears are turning red," but he swallowed the smile.

p'No. If I tease her and she gets annoyed, I'll be the one who loses the job.'

pKael held back his laughter internally and pretended not to notice her adorable gap moe.

pAt last, Viola, now wearing the robe, adjusted her appearance and said, "I'm fully dressed. Your Highness, I'm going now."

p"Don't get caught and go safely."

p"Don't worry. I'll contact you in a few days, so take care of yourself~"

p"Yeah."