As My Husband Said, I Brought in a Lover Chapter 132

“…It’s nothing.”

 

He smiled as if nothing was wrong, but the sudden migraine wouldn’t subside easily. Edward gritted his teeth against the sharp pain piercing his head.

 

Ren, who was buried in the snow, suddenly poked his head out and stared at Edward.

 

“Ppii.” [It seems your memories are coming back.]

 

Maxion glanced between Ren and the group and then spoke. “Ren, what’s wrong? Do you want to play with Lord Edward and Luize?”

 

Ren blinked its round black eyes a few times and shook its head.

 

“Ppik. Mii, ppi!” [Well, it doesn’t matter. Maxion, let’s play in the snow!]

 

Whoosh! Ren kicked snow at Maxion.

 

* * *

“Have a good night.”

 

“You too.”

 

After finishing their dinner, Maxion and Luize exchanged goodbyes and entered their respective rooms.

 

In about twenty days, the year would change. They had decided to open the box they had taken from the backyard of the cabin on New Year’s Day. Since Lensia had said the age requirement was 25 years old, it made sense to open it that year. Although Luize’s birthday was in the spring, New Year’s was a good excuse.

 

When she arrived at her room, Edward, who had come up earlier, was lying on the bed and greeted her. He was wearing a nightgown, having just washed, and lying on his side, his chest muscles visible through the open gown.

 

“Looks like we’re sharing the same bed again tonight, Miss Luize.”

 

“Let me emphasize once more, let’s not cross the line tonight.”

 

Luize pretended to draw an invisible line down the middle of the bed. The previous night, they had made the same promise, and both slept at opposite ends of the bed. Though they woke up in the middle, meeting at the bed’s center with Luize resting on Edward’s arm and Edward holding her.

 

Of course, the option of using separate rooms was there, but it was naturally dismissed. Both claimed they wanted to prevent any accidents, but in truth, they didn’t want to be apart. The previous night had been similar.

 

Edward, after visiting Maxion and Robin’s room, had a troubled expression. To lighten the mood, Luize jokingly spoke.

 

“Robin doesn’t understand. There’s someone more dangerous than a ghost here.”

 

Contrary to her expectation that Edward would laugh it off, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and whispered in her ear in a low voice. “…But I believe you’ll still keep me close. I’ll protect you, Miss Luize.”

 

“Alright. But no physical contact. We’re on thin ice lately.”

 

“Yes… But Miss Luize.” His intense red eyes turned to her. “Can I hold your hand, then?”

 

Even in seriousness, he managed to get what he wanted. During their stay at the mansion, holding hands was the only physical contact Edward was allowed.

 

“Of course, I intend to keep my promise. Therefore, I won’t cross the line, but how about you cross it? This promise is only limited to me.” Lying on the bed, Edward smiled and patted the spot next to him.

 

“Unfortunately, I’m not so lacking in self-control that I’d break a promise I made just the night before.”

 

“That’s a pity.”

 

Edward watched as Luize prepared to head to the bathroom.

 

“I need to regain my memories as soon as possible.”

 

“Don’t stress yourself too much,” Luize spoke to Edward as she looked at him. “By the way, I’m glad the hot water comes out immediately. As expected from a dragon’s mansion. If it weren’t for our mission, I’d want to stay here longer.”

 

“If you like it, why don’t we make this mansion our hideout? It’s an abandoned place, and no one but us knows the way here. Unless the snow bugs appear, it’ll be hard for even our members to find it again.”

 

“Edward’s mansion in the capital is nice too, so there’s no real need for a hideout…” She trailed off, considering the thought.

 

A secret place in a deep forest where no one would bother them. They could express their affection freely without worrying about prying eyes.

 

“…Are you sure no one can come here?”

 

“I plan to set up a barrier to ensure that.”

 

“This forest must be part of someone’s territory. Is it really okay?”

 

“A forest with high mana density doesn’t belong to any territory. It naturally falls under imperial management, but the current emperor doesn’t manage such remote forests. If it weren’t for Ren, we wouldn’t have come this way either.”

 

“So, in other words, it can be a perfect secret place?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Sounds good.” Luize smiled contentedly. “Then I’ll take a bath. Ah, could you extinguish the lights except for the small candle by the bed?”

 

“As you wish.”

 

Snap. With a snap of Edward’s fingers, all the lights in the room went out except for the candle near the bed.

 

Since discovering Edward was a capable wizard, Luize often asked him to do small tasks when they were alone.

 

The faint scent of roses mixed with the extinguished candle smoke created a peculiar atmosphere. His red eyes glowed faintly beneath his black hair as he followed her movements. His straight nose, warm lips, and sharply defined jawline—everything about him was beautiful.

 

“…If you keep looking at me like that, I won’t be able to keep my promise.”

 

“Ah, sorry.” With her face flushed, Luize covered her face and hurried to the bathroom.

 

* * *

As soon as she entered the bathroom, Edward collapsed onto the bed, burying his face in it. After a moment of silence, he lifted his head, gasping with a pained expression.

 

“Gasp, haa, ha…”

 

He pressed his temples hard with one hand. Despite pressing so hard that veins bulged on his hand, the pain showed no sign of abating. To make matters worse, he started feeling feverish. His body turned red with rising heat. He had barely touched his dinner due to the headache, but as time passed, the pain only grew worse.

 

“Is my memory returning?”

 

As the headache began, an unpleasant sense of déjà vu grew stronger. It was the moment Edward had been waiting for, but what was this feeling? It felt like being forced to accept an unwanted truth.

 

“…Damn it.”

 

The heat surged through his body, making him delirious. His blurred vision then darkened completely.

 

* * *

When Luize came out of the bathroom, she found Edward already asleep. She chuckled softly and approached the bed. Luize lightly crossed the line in the middle of the bed and whispered.

 

“…You were the one tempting me to cross first.” She reached out to adjust his uncomfortable sleeping position.

 

In the dim candlelight, his face showed signs of a fever. His flushed face, the cold sweat on his forehead, and the hot breath he exhaled.

 

“Elliot! Elliot, are you alright? Wake up.”

 

He didn’t respond even as she shook him.

 

“Ugh…” He only let out a painful groan intermittently.

 

“Get a grip. Ed—no, Elliot!”

 

Luize was also a healer, but most of the supplies were with Robin. Just as she was about to leave to call Robin, a hot arm skillfully wrapped around her waist.

 

“…Miss Luize.”

 

“Elliot, are you awake? Do you recognize me?”

 

“You crossed the line.”

 

He looked at her, breathing heavily. His red eyes seemed unnaturally dark, appearing almost blood-red. Luize felt like prey before a predator and froze.

 

“Ah…”

 

Staring at her, he tightened his arm around her waist, pulling her close. Luize’s body collapsed onto his. Their upper bodies pressed together, separated only by thin nightclothes and his gown. Edward’s body heat was abnormally high.

 

“Elliot, I need to call Robin immediately…!”

 

“Calling another man while you’re in the bed with me?”

 

Their bodies were so entangled that they were practically one, with their legs intertwined and their upper bodies touching. They were so close that they could feel each other’s breath, making his expression even clearer.

 

Luize swallowed hard. There was no hint of a joke in his voice. His gaze fixed on her lips.

 

“I’ll make sure you never mention another man’s name in bed again.”