Stepmothers Are Not Always Evil Chapter 109
Chapter 109
As Helios said, the carriage entered the Duchy of Anthemion only half a day later.
After a seemingly endless ride through the woods, I marveled at the city.
‘It’s huge.’
The estates were as bustling as the capital themselves, proving Helios’s statement that they could survive for a hundred years after being cut off from the Imperial family.
Behind the bustling city sat a large castle that could not be seen at a glance.
I could see why Helios had brought me here, to a place of safety.
After running for a while through the center of the city, the wide open gates welcomed a carriage.
“Mom!”
Escal, who was waiting for me in front of the front door, waved his hand warmly.
He seems to be in a much better condition than before, so I relax and get out of the carriage.
“Welcome home.”
Helios, who had been waiting for me, opened the carriage door and offered me his hand. I take his hand and graciously lower myself to the ground.
“You had a hard time coming here.”
“You too.”
Helios asked, kissing my forehead softly.
“So, what is your first impression of the estate?”
“Good. It’s a lot nicer than I thought.”
“I’m glad you liked it.”
A feeling of relief appeared on his face, as if he was relieved by my answer.
With me, Helios, I’d be happy in even the shabbiest inn room.
“You must be tired, so let’s go inside.”
As Helios and I entered the castle, the workers who were carrying luggage stopped their hands and ran to us.
“Welcome, madam.”
An impressive old lady was the first to greet me. Helios told me it was Mrs. Lotney, who had worked for this castle for 40 years.
“It is an honor to serve you. Madam.”
“Thank you.”
Contrary to concerns about what would happen if the Duchess, who did not hold a proper wedding ceremony, the attitude of the servants was polite.
“I’ll take you to your room.”
After greeting, Mrs. Rotney personally guided us.
She took me to the second floor through the old-fashioned marble staircase and opened the door in the middle of the hallway.
“This is the bedroom. Please take a look around and tell me if there is anything missing.”
“Thanks.”
Mrs. Rotney politely bowed her head and left the room.
“Ha….”
As soon as the door closed, the tension was relieved. The fatigue accumulated from the long trip came all at once, and I sank down on the sofa.
“You should have told me if you were tired, I could have carried you upstairs.”
“You expect me to look like that on my first day?”
“Whatever, we’re a married couple.”
Helios replied playfully and wrinkled one eye. I rolled my eyes and looked around the room carefully.
The room, much larger than the townhouse in the capital, was quite old-fashioned.
With a large bookshelf and desk, plus a luxurious sofa and conference table, the room looked more like an office or a living room than a bedroom.
“Is there no bed?”
“The bed is this way.”
Helios opened the door hidden behind the bookshelf. Looking at the structure, it looked like the inner room and the front room were separated.
‘Do I have to go over there again?’
The moment when you struggle to get up while barely supporting your shaky legs.
“Stay still.”
My legs fell off the ground without even realizing it.
“Let it go, let it go. I can walk!”
“Don’t move. I will drop you.”
Helios, who held me lightly, headed towards the inner room.
He laid me down on the bed and looked down at me with a serious gaze, with my body between his legs.
“Do you like the bed?”
“Wh-what’s there to like about it-”
“Did you like something more fluffy than this?”
Helios bowed his head and whispered in my ear. My face heated up with the hot breath.
“Now we are alone.”
“…….”
“Do you know how long I have endured?”
“What have you endured….”
Without a word, my lips were devoured by him.
The rough bumps that invaded between the dry lips stirred wildly in the mouth. My whole body trembled at the sensation of stimulation.
Surprised by the sudden touch, I tried to push him away, but Helios did not budge.
“He-Helio… Wait a moment.”
“Shh-, stay still.”
The weak resistance was easily blocked by the strong arm. Helios hurriedly took off my clothes as if to quench all thirst.
Hot body temperature seeped through the torn blouse. Red flowers bloomed everywhere he passed.
As my whole body melted, I bit my tongue and swallowed a moan.
“Good. Keep being patient.”
“Ah, please stop…”
Firecrackers exploded in my head, and at one point I lost control of my mind completely, but Helios didn’t care.
I was trapped in his arms, unable to leave the bed for the rest of the night.
That was how my first night in the castle went.
*****
“Ah…”
Before waking up, a painful moan came out first. My whole body throbbed as if I had been beaten by someone.
I forcibly lifted my eyelids that did not open as if they had been glued on, and struggled to get up.
The clothes that had been taken off all night were neatly folded and laid out on the sofa, and the crumpled sheets were so clean that there was no trace of the night before.
I looked around the room, stroking the messy negligee. Helios was nowhere to be seen.
‘Not even a single hair.’
After rubbing my face to regain my vagueness, I pulled the string, and Mrs. Rotney knocked on the door as if waiting.
“Good morning?”
“Thanks, I slept well. Where’s Helios?”
“He’s training with the knights at the gymnasium.”
“Already?”
Do you still have the energy to train the knights after all night long?
I clicked my tongue at his beast-like physical strength, I asked again.
“Then what about Escal?”
“The young master also had breakfast and went with the Duke.”
“Ah.”
I must have overslept.
As I lowered my gaze in embarrassment, and caught sight of a vivid congestion in the center of my chest.
… Crazy!
Mrs. Rotney raised her eyebrows meaningfully. Embarrassed, I waved my hand as I pulled the negligee up to my neck.
“Uh, hey, this is, a, bitten by a bug…
“It’s okay. As a married couple, what are you ashamed of?”
“It-it’s not like that! On the way home, there were a lot of bugs in the inn room where we stayed….”
When she offered excuses that didn’t seem to work at all, Mrs. Rotney spoke politely.
“Duke has asked me to prepare a meal for madam when you wake up. Shall I bring it now?”
“Ah yes. please.”
“Wait a minute, it will be ready soon.”
Mrs. Rotney, who left saying she was preparing a meal, came back with the trolley in less than 10 minutes.
While wiping her hands and face with a lukewarm towel, Mrs. Rotney set the table.
“Eat it before it gets cold.”
There were several kinds of bread and soup, salad and bacon on the table.
The menu was simple, but the food was exquisite. Despite my lack of appetite, I slowly cleared my plate.
“Does the food fit your taste?”
“It was delicious.”
“If there is anything you would like to eat, please tell me.”
“Yes. Well, I have allergies…”
“You can’t eat seafood, right? I’ve asked them to be extra careful, so don’t worry.”
As if she had heard from Helios, Mrs. Rotney was the first to speak.
Contrary to my concern that I would be uncomfortable because they had served as the former Duchess, Mrs. Rotney was kind to me.
“Me and the people who work in this castle might be clumsy because it has been a long time since we have served the hostess.”
“…….”
“If there is anything that makes you uncomfortable, please tell me, and if we do something wrong, please feel free to point it out.”
“Yes.”
I replied with a short smile. Mrs. Rotney continued her speech as she cleaned up the empty bowl.
“Since the hostess has arrived after 20 years, the atmosphere of the castle will be much better.”
“Twenty years?”
It was a short time, but there was Charlett Melks, so why 20 years?
Seeing Mrs. Rotney curiously, she added cautiously.
“I don’t know if I can tell you this… The Duke’s ex-wife had never been to this castle before.”
“Ah… I see.”
Helios never brought Charlett to the estate.
After all, Escal was born right after they got married, so they probably didn’t even have time to visit the estate.
“It’s been 8 years since the Duke came. Because the funeral of the previous Duke was also held in the capital.”
As I listened to Mrs. Rotney, I asked.
“If you had been in this castle for 40 years, you must have seen Helios from the time he was born.”
“Of course, I’m not just seeing him, I even helped the Duchess give birth to the Duke with my own hands.”
A kind smile appeared on her wrinkled face.
“And how he cried, too. The whole estate was in a festive mood.”
Mrs. Rotney said with tender eyes.
“He has been wandering for a while, but I’m really glad that he seems to have captured his heart thanks to Madam. I hope you’ll stay as long as you can.”
“Yes.”
I answered with a slight eyebrow fold.
“Well, would you mind visiting the castle in the afternoon? Since the former Duchess passed away, no one has been decorating the castle, so why not take a look and change it to your liking?”
“Sure.”
I gladly accepted her offer.
“Before that, can you guide me to a place where I can see the gymnasium?”
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