Duke's wife

Chapter 34

Arthur eventually burst into laughter at their appearance. Then, as if he suddenly remembered something, he said to Grace.

"Oh, right."

"Yes?"

"Just a second...."

Then he took something out of his arms and suddenly stepped towards Grace.

Grace was surprised. Her heart almost fell on the floor, when she turned her head slightly and Arthur's lips came closer to her.

'Ah, I'm not ready yet! My fir-, first kiss, like this!'

Grace quickly closed her eyes with a bright red face.

[T/N: (≧∀≦)ゞ]

However, Arthur's warmth passed through Grace's face and moved to her neck. Then she heard a click and felt something being tied on her neck.

After a while, Grace quietly opened her eyes and looked down at her chest, glancing at her new addition.

"...Oh."

Then, what caught Grace's eye was a colorful necklace with pearls and diamonds embedded in it.

The necklace, in which hundreds of small diamonds and pearls appear to be descending in the shape of a splendid net. It looked expensive even to Grace, who was not familiar with the value of jewelry.

Grace touched the necklace as if possessed, and immediately raised her head and asked Arthur, who stood in front of her.

"What is this exactly?"

"It's a necklace that's been handed down to the Duchess of Felix from generation to generation."

"...why...this..."

"Because you're the Duchess of Felix. And......."

"What?"

"I want you to brag to the other young girls and wives who gather there that you're my only 'duchess'........I'm just saying that it would be nice to do it."

"......Ah."

"Do you not like it?"

Grace quickly shook her head and replied to Arthur, who smiled shyly carefully examining her face.

"No? That can't be true. I'm just afraid that I might lose it, but I don't hate it at all."

In answering that, Grace smiled bashfully.

She was more pleased that he wanted her to brag about herself, being his wife, than that she had received such an expensive gift.

'....Ah. I don't want to go.'

Grace approached Arthur, who was looking at her affectionately, and hugged him as if she were buried in his body.

Arthur too, hugged her tenderly and said, as if he was waiting for it.

"Don't forget. Two days. I'll be waiting for two days."

"Yes. I'll be back as soon as possible."

Grace smiled and replied to Arthur's request.

"Me too! Me too! I will hug you too!"

Then Leon, who had been standing by her side all the time, clasped Grace's leg tightly and shouted, perhaps because he was jealous of the two hugging so tightly.

Grace smiled and reached out to mess up Leon's long bangs. Arthur looked at the two of them with warm eyes without a saying word.

"Duchess, you must depart soon."