The Search for the Duchess’s Husband Chapter 61

“Arsen! What are you doing?”

 

A hysterical voice rang out, and the Empress appeared.

 

Pale faced, the Empress slapped Arsen across the face.

 

“You shouldn’t be out here in the cold. I don’t want you to catch a cold.”

 

Before Arsen could answer, the Empress turned her head and shouted.

 

“Are you out of your mind to take Arsen out on a day like this?”

 

“He said he wanted to get some fresh air first.”

 

“You should have stopped him, even if you wish him a quick death!”

 

The Empress’s eyes were not those of a mother looking at her son.

 

They were the eyes of a murderer about to harm her precious child.

 

Before Killian could speak, the Empress dragged Arsen’s wheelchair away.

 

Arsen turned to look back, but when he saw the Empress’s furious face, he bowed his head deeply.

 

Killian stood where he was and watched them go.

 

It was the usual.

 

It didn’t hurt as much as it had when he was younger.

 

But the feeling of emptiness in his heart was something he had never gotten used to.

 

Killian grimaced and clutched his left chest.

 

 

* * *

 

 

A few hours later, a black cat appeared at Edenberg Manor.

 

There was no rationalization for why it had come this far. It was only instinct.

 

He thought that seeing her would take away some of the pain.

 

It was the first time he’d ever come this late.

 

‘Is she sleeping? Then let’s just go back… No, it’s okay to just see her face for a while, isn’t it?’

 

The black cat’s eyes widened as he pondered in front of the unusually tightly closed window.

 

The window opened, revealing Artia.

 

“Welcome, Butterfly!”

 

Artia greeted the cat with her usual bright smile, but Killian couldn’t afford to be as laid back as usual.

 

Artia was wearing a sheer negligee.

 

The lines of her body were on full display.

 

“……!”

 

At that moment, all the serious emotions that had been creeping into his head flew away.

 

His mind went white.

 

It took a moment for him to regain his composure, and then he pushed himself up onto his front paws.

 

‘Let’s go back.’

 

He was selfish enough to be called a mad king, but not so brazen as to see the woman defenseless.

 

The moment the black cat turned, Artia called out.

 

“You just got here, Butterfly, why are you leaving already? Come on, come inside. It’s raining.”

 

It was his first. He’d never listened to someone before.

 

Not even the emperor who commanded the empire, not even the empress who bore him, could bend Killian to their will. But…

 

‘I can’t go against Artia von Edenberg.’

 

It was a good thing he was in cat form.

 

He could hide his maddened expression.

 

 

 * * *

 

 

Artia was thrilled to see the black cat enter her private chamber.

 

Even if she knew the Emperor, she wouldn’t be this excited.

 

Artia blushed and stared at the black cat, sensing something was wrong.

 

“You always stare at me, but today you’re looking at the floor.”

 

She looked to see if there was something delicious on the floor, but she couldn’t see anything.

 

‘What’s wrong with him? Is he embarrassed to see me after a few days, does he think I’m ugly again, or has he lost interest in me? …That’s kind of sad.’

 

Artia thought to herself and grabbed a fluffy towel.

 

“Come here, Butterfly, let me wipe you off.”

 

“……?!”

 

“Your fur is all wet from the rain.”

 

“…….”

 

Artia spoke as if she were trying to convince an unmoving black cat that it hadn’t heard her.

 

“Can’t you at least let me do that?”

 

“…….”

 

 

Damn, it’s those eyes again.

 

It was impossible to resist those pink eyes that looked like cherry blossoms, like they were under the spell of a manipulative witch.

 

The black cat kept his gaze down as he walked toward Artia.

 

‘I’ll give her my body, but I’ll never look at her.’

 

For the honor of Artia von Edenberg and Killian von Orpheus.

 

But before he could make up his mind, Artia’s ample bosom jerked into view.

 

“……!”

 

The black cat stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes widening involuntarily, then closing a beat too late.

 

‘Don’t look!’

 

Artia, who had no idea what the black cat was thinking, chuckled and diligently wiped the water from its black fur with a towel.

 

“You’re all fluffy again, my pretty Butterfly.”

 

‘Yeah, I’m back to normal, so stop it. Don’t do anything, Artia von Edenberg.’

 

But against Kilian’s wishes, Artia left the room and soon returned with a steaming tray. Inside was a hot soup of meat and vegetables.

 

“We don’t want you to catch a cold, so let’s eat this.”

 

*Sparkle* The pink eyes shone.

 

Eventually, the black cat bowed his head to the plate and slurped the soup.

 

The prince’s lofty pride was set aside.

 

His fur was fluffy, his belly full of warm soup.

 

Artia’s voice sounded like she was singing.

 

It was too comfortable, too warm.

 

The black cat’s eyes fluttered shut, defying his resolve to stay for her face alone.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Killian was eight years old. The Duke of Edenberg, a frequent visitor to the palace, brought a small girl with him.

 

“This is my darling, only daughter, Artia.”

 

Bowing her head, Artia lifted the hem of her skirt with trembling hands.

 

“I-I greet the blood of the almighty Orpheus. I-I, Artia von Edenberg, greet you.”

 

Benedict’s face stiffened at the pitifully stuttering voice.

 

Fortunately or unfortunately, the Emperor and Empress weren’t interested in a lowly girl who couldn’t even greet them properly.

 

They returned the greeting formally and turned their attention to Artia.

 

But not Killian, who was sitting next to them.

 

The young prince’s gaze, normally uninterested in people, fell on Artia.

 

‘Artia? You have the same name as my brother. And your hair is the same color.’

 

Her hair was as white as Arsen’s.

 

‘Does she also have the same color of eyes?’

 

Kilian didn’t realize it, but it was the first time he’d ever paid attention to someone other than Arsen.

 

But Artia’s face, which had been looking at the floor from the beginning, never looked up, and her eyes, hidden by her bangs, were impossible to see.

 

If he had seen her eyes from the beginning, he would have quickly lost interest.

 

But the unresolved curiosity grew stronger and stronger, and Killian felt the urge to run over and look the little girl in the face.

 

‘Look at me, Artia von Ehrenberg,’ Killian thought, staring at Artia, who sat far away.

 

‘Look at me, Artia von Edenberg.’

 

But Artia never looked up.

 

The same happened the second and third time they met.

 

What had started as a curiosity to simply look into the girl’s eyes had turned into an obsession.

 

‘I must see her today.’

 

Killian, who had always sat still in his chair like a doll, stood up for the first time.

 

At that moment, all eyes in the banquet hall turned to the young prince.

 

Killian’s eyes widened as he approached Artia with an aristocratic gait that was far from childlike.

 

Artia’s clasped hands were shaking violently, as if in convulsions.

 

Killian recognized it at once.

 

‘She’s scared of me.’

 

It was a familiar reaction.

 

Most people found the prince, with his extraordinary abilities and aura beyond his years, difficult.

 

He’d never cared about their reactions before.

 

But today, he was a little… annoyed.