The Search for the Duchess’s Husband Chapter 106

After eating until her slender stomach bulged, Freesia closed her eyes, feeling fuller than she had in a long time.

 

Alone, Dahlia and Artia drank and talked non-stop.

 

“The scene where the Northern Grand Duke undressed and embraced Maria’s naked body was the best scene ever. It was exciting and erotic, passionate and tender… The writer is a genius!”

 

Dahlia never talks about Redlip with others, but today was different.

 

“And what scene did you like?” she replied, her face red with intoxication.

 

‘I was talking to my favorite author about my favorite work!’

 

Artia, overjoyed by this wonderful turn of events, let out a hot snort and went on and on. And…

 

“I guess I’m a genius, huh?”

 

“No.”

 

Before Dahlia could be disappointed, Artia went on.

 

“Just a genius doesn’t begin to describe you. An undisputed genius of the Empire, the kind of genius that comes along every hundred years or so!”

 

‘Really?’

 

Hilarious. Dahlia smiled a disheveled smile she would never normally show, and collapsed with her head on the table.

 

Just then, the door burst open and Elizabeth, Freesia’s daughter, appeared in the room, holding Vivi’s hand.

 

Dressed in a lace nightgown and clutching a princess doll, Elizabeth grunted and climbed onto the bed, settling into her mother’s arms as she slept soundly.

 

Then she turned to Artia, who was sitting at the table.

 

“Come, my lady, it’s time for a good girl to go to bed.”

 

It was a little early for a grown woman to go to bed.

 

But Artia nodded obediently.

 

“Yes, a good girl should go to bed.”

 

Vivi held out her hand.

 

“You look like you’re getting sleepy, so let me help you up.”

 

“It’s okay. I’m not drunk at all. I can walk by myself.”

 

Vivi didn’t bother to deny it. There are no drunks in this world who admit they’re drunk.

 

Instead, she nodded and figured she’d take Artia wherever she fell.

 

The sight of Artia walking to her room was a sight to behold.

 

This way, that way, it was like she was dancing. Despite her bizarre gait, Artia looked smug as ever.

 

“Look at that. I’m not drunk at all…”

 

“Yes, you are.”

 

After a series of twists and turns, Artia reached her destination.

 

Vivi tucked her into bed and pulled the covers over her.

 

“Make yourself comfortable.”

 

“Yes, good night, Vivi.”

 

Artia smiled shyly and closed her eyes.

 

But long after Vivi had left the room, she couldn’t fall asleep, her head spinning and her pulse beating faster than usual.

 

Good adults should go to bed early…

 

Artia’s brow furrowed.

 

A rustling sound at the window made her eyes widen and she jumped up, throwing off the blankets.

 

“Butterfly!”

 

Her voice was three times louder than usual.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Butterfly tensed as Artia sat up in bed.

 

He wondered if she was wearing her see-through underwear again. Contrary to his fears, Artia was wearing an indoor dress.

 

Butterfly was relieved, but at the same time he had a completely different thought.

 

‘Too bad…’

 

Butterfly regained his senses and shook his head as if he was crazy.

 

Meanwhile, Artia was approaching.

 

Up close, Artia’s condition was strange.

 

Her hair was unusually parted, her cheeks were apple red, her eyes and mouth were wide open, and she was laughing hysterically.

 

Worst of all, she smelled of strong wine.

 

‘She has been drinking.’

 

Artia was a grown woman. Of course she could drink.

 

Still, he felt uncharacteristically worried.

 

‘Can such a weak body handle alcohol?’

 

As if to say, “Yes, it can,” Artia lifted Butterfly into the air.

 

“……!”

 

Artia gasped as she met Butterfly’s bulging eyes.

 

“Butterfly, do you know how much I love you?”

 

“……!”

 

“I’m always so sad when you go away. I wish we could live in this room together instead of going somewhere else, forever and ever.”

 

“…….”

 

The voice had the ease of a drunken man’s. Still, Butterfly felt his heart clench in his chest.

 

The words were shocking enough.

 

Unaware of Butterfly’s speed, Artia continued.

 

“I can’t touch you because I’m afraid you won’t like it, but I want to touch you so badly.”

 

“…….”

 

“I want to shake your chubby front paws, I want to hold you in my arms every time I see you, I want to stroke your round head, and I want to give you many, many… kisses.”

 

Artia’s lips touched the corner of the black cat’s mouth.

 

“……!!!!!!!”

 

Killian was more shocked now than he had been the first time his mother had slapped him, more than he had cried when he feared his brother would die of a bad cold, more than he had been the first time he had seen Artia’s pink eyes.

 

He felt the blood leave his body. His mind was blank, and he couldn’t think.

 

Unable to breathe, he closed his eyes and when he opened them, the black cat had turned back into a man with black hair and golden eyes.

 

“Holy…!”

 

Artia’s crystal clear voice rang in Killian’s ear as he looked more confused than he’d ever looked in his life.

 

“What? Butterfly’s gone and Your Highness has appeared?”

 

She didn’t look surprised. In fact, she didn’t even seem to realize what had happened.

 

But Killian couldn’t relax.

 

Artia still held him. Her arms were wrapped around his waist.

 

His body was larger than it had been when he was a black cat, and Artia found herself involuntarily pressed against him, her soft body and sweet scent mixing with the scent of wine.

 

Biting her lip, Artia spoke to Killian.

 

“I know all about it. The appointment of the High Judge, the favorable public opinion of Freesia, the change to a public trial, me being chosen to observe the trial, it was all your doing, wasn’t it?”

 

‘How on earth?’

 

Artia said, her eyes widening as she looked at Killian in disbelief.

 

“I’m not exactly the lucky type.”

 

Artia’s biological father was abusive, her biological mother was sickly, and her first love and husband was a jerk.

 

Still, Artia managed to get a divorce, cut off the sneaky Shylock, and win Freesia’s trial.

 

Of course, she worked her ass off to get these results, but the world is not a place where hard work alone gets you this far.

 

This is not just luck, not the favor of a goddess, not a miracle. This is…

 

“You’ve been helping me all along, like a guardian angel.”

 

It was half guess and half hunch, but Artia thought her conclusion was the right one.

 

Especially from the look on Killian’s face, which looked like he’d been hit in the back of the head.

 

Artia gave him a smile that was brighter than the moon.

 

“Thank you, thank you very much.”

 

“…….”

 

She hadn’t done this for anything in return, but at that moment, Killian had rewarded her a hundredfold for her actions.

 

Her body heated up with extreme joy. Her heart pounded loudly.

 

Turning to Killian, Artia spoke with a straight face.

 

“I wish to repay you, Your Highness.”

 

“Enough already.”

 

It was almost too much.

 

But Artia shook her head in disbelief.

 

“You can ask for anything. I’ll do anything.”

 

Today, Artia von Edenberg’s pronunciation is clear and her eyes are intelligent.

 

Still, she is in a state of intoxication.

 

So much so that she doesn’t even find it strange that a tiny cat has become a man big enough to dwarf her.

 

‘So don’t let her get to you. Nor should you. But…’

 

But…!

 

Artia was so beautiful, looking up at Killian. He couldn’t stop looking at her rose-petal lips that had touched him in a dream earlier.

 

In the end, Killian chose instinct over reason.

 

“I want you to be as beautiful as a butterfly.”

 

He quickly corrected himself.

 

“No, more like a butterfly.”

 

Artia’s eyes narrowed and then softened.

 

As if it were the least bit difficult.

 

Artia rose on her heels. Soon her lips were on his.