Misfortune 43

Chapter 43

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"Hic, I..................."

The woman's lips quivered, unable to form words.

The tears that had been hanging from the corners of her reddened eyes finally slid down her cheeks.

The whole time, he wanted to make her cry.

But not like this.

He wanted her to be afraid of him, to be hurt by the hurt he'd given her, but to pity him like this..................

Roan’s eyes burned with rage. His heart felt like it would burst at any moment. The urge to tear this woman to shreds, to destroy every last piece of her, surged through him.

And he willingly gave himself over to that destructive desire.

"Ah...................!"

Roan's lips were on Delnia's in a flash. It happened in the blink of an eye, and Delnia had no choice but to allow him to enter her defenselessly.

He devoured her, sucking in every gasping breath like a predator. He probed every inch of her mouth greedily, catching her tiny tongue as it tried to escape and pulling it to his greedy lips.

"....."

The soft, moist flesh he had never tasted before fueled his desire to conquer. It fueled his lust for conquest, and he ravaged her mouth like a vicious pirate without mercy.

And he didn't stop there.

"Umm...............!"

Ravishing her tongue, Roan lifted her skirt and shoved his hand inside.

There was no hesitation in his fingertips as he pulled down her thin undergarment.

The soft, trembling flesh clung to his fingers. His big, hot hands groped her thighs lewdly, moving higher and higher.

He was going to see the end of this goddamned woman.

If he could push her to the very end of her rope, if he could finally take her all and break her, then...................

"Please...."

Then, as if on cue, a faint voice pierced his eardrums.

The hand that had been traveling up her flesh came to an abrupt halt.

"Please, oh................"

The voice was pleading with him, like a flickering candle.

As if mesmerized, or perhaps just awakening from a trance, he pulled his lips away from hers and jerked his upper body upright.

Trapped in his arms, her eyes were closed tightly, and there was still a trace of dampness on her lashes.

Roan slowly lowered his gaze. Her hands were not on him, but on the wall behind her back.

The backs of her white, delicate hands showed bulging blue veins. The fingers that gripped the wall were stiff and rigid from the exertion.

In that moment, the hand that had dug into her flesh was withdrawn like a flash.

His body still burned, but his mind went cold. The impulse that had consumed him had long since faded.

If she was angry, she had pushed him away, if she was struggled, he would have gone to the end.

But she hadn't laid a finger on him. As if she knew he didn't deserve it.

As if she deserved better, as if tolerating him was all she was allowed.

It was enough to put cold water on his unquenchable rage, and a feeling of ashen desolation swept over him.

The realization that he was worse than an animal was nothing new.

However, the woman he had tried so hard to ruin turned out to be fine in the end, and so it seemed like he was the one who had been truly destroyed, which made him feel incredibly miserable.

"Get out."

Roan dismissed her as he stepped back, releasing the woman completely. His low voice cracked at the edges.

But the woman didn't move. He lowered his head to avoid the apricot eyes staring blankly up at him and spoke fiercely again.

"Get out."

His repeated urging finally woke her up, and she brushed past him in a panic.

The footsteps behind him grew faster and faster, then faded away.

He hadn't moved until then, and then brushed a hand over his face roughly. The hot, humid air, not yet cooled, clung to his skin.

***

It was a midsummer afternoon when the geothermal heat of the sun scorched the Barthez mansion when an uninvited visitor arrived.

"Lady Josephine?"

The old butler’s eyes widened at the unexpected visitor.

Josephine, on the other hand, smiled pleasantly and folded the white lace parasol she was carrying.

"It's been a long time, Milan."

"How did you get here................"

"After waiting for the Viscount Nubel, who had left for the capital and never returned, the Viscountess came herself. I joined her as a companion on her tedious journey."

There was nothing strange about Viscountess Nubel coming to the capital with her daughter to see her husband. But why she had come to the Barthez mansion on such short notice remained unexplained.

But she couldn't keep the Lady out in the heat just because she couldn't understand his meaning.

"Please vome in."

The butler bowed as he moved out of the way.

Josephine entered the Barthez mansion with graceful strides, as if she expected nothing less.

Following her, Milan spoke cautiously.

"I apologize, Lady, but I was not informed by the Colonel that you were coming, and I was not prepared for your presence."

"Of course. My father does not yet know that mother and I have come to the capital. Ah, I suppose he knows by now?"

Josephine replied casually, glancing at the chiming clock in the corner of the hall.

The butler could only offer an embarrassed smile at the young lady who had strutted in uninvited.

"Oh, Milan. I didn't mean to put you on the spot, I just wanted to say hello to the Colonel, at least briefly, since I'm in the capital."

Josephine, noticing the butler's confusion, added in a graceful tone.

But her words were no different than her intention to tide him over until Roan returned.

"There is still some time before the Colonel returns home, but if you don't mind, would you like to wait in the parlor?"

But after a moment's hesitation, the butler deftly came up with an alternative.

He had dealt with Josephine's often rambunctious behavior at Blois before, so he knew how to handle it.

First, he would act as if it were no big deal, and then he would get the news to Roan as quickly as possible.

Milan was surprised to find himself facing the same situation in the capital, but like a seasoned butler, he dealt with Josephine like a natural.

"If you'd like to wait, I'll serve you tea, but I apologize in advance for any shortcomings in my preparation."

"Of course."

Josephine replied quickly, as if she had that much conscience, and followed the maid the butler had summoned.

As soon as she was out of sight, Milan turned to the head maid, who had been watching the scene in bewilderment, and gave her instructions.

"Bring her tea as soon as you can. I'm going to break the news to the Colonel."

The head maid opened her mouth in disbelief.

"No, first you must tell me who she is."

Unlike Milan, who had traveled with Roan to and from Blois and had gotten to know Josephine naturally, the maid had always been the guardian of the capital's mansions, so an unexpected visit from a nameless noblewoman could only be perplexing.

Milan added apologetically, a beat later.

"She’s the daughter of the Viscount Nubel, vassal of Admiral Lasser. She’s fond of the Colonel, but she’s fickle, so be careful not to offend her."

The butler left the hall in a hurry, having given little more than unhelpful advice.

Emma sighed heavily as she made her way to the utility room, unable to ask any questions about the Lady’s favorite teas or desserts, and returned to the drawing room with a tray of cookies and sugary confections.

The Young Lady was sitting on a dark green velvet sofa that matched the color of her eyes. Her posture was elegant and somewhat arrogant, as if she was the owner of this mansion.

Yet her expression was that of a giddy, excited adolescent girl.

The maid, who had roughly guessed the relationship between her and Roan, brewed tea with the tea leaves the head maid had picked and served the Lady along with the dessert she had brought.

"It smells good."

Fortunately, the Young Lady didn't question the head maid's choice. She seemed to be a cultured noblewoman who didn't want to offend anyone.

Emma shook her head in disbelief at the butler's assessment.

"When does the Colonel usually return home?"

Josephine asked, leisurely setting down her teacup.

"It depends on the occasion, but he is usually back in time for dinner."

Emma thought about adding that the butler had just gone to send the Colonel a message, so he'd be home early today, but decided against it.

If being a head maid for so many years had taught her anything, it was that running her mouth a lot didn't do any good.

"I guess I'll have to wait a while longer, then."

Josephine muttered, already bored, and then her eyes lit up as if she'd suddenly remembered something.

"Oh, by the way. There was a slave that was given to the Colonel."

***

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