Honey, I Believe That’s Your Misunderstanding

Pitter, patter.

Drops fell between Lucas and Grace, who were facing each other silently.

The two of them turned to look up at the purple, twilight sky.

Thereafter, drops also fell on their eyelids and foreheads. It was none other than rain.

“It’s raini—”

Before Grace could even finish her sentence, the rain picked up in an instant. One, two drops turned to a drizzle.

Shwaaa.

As though a dam had burst in the sky, the plethora of drops promptly soaked Grace’s hair.

“Goodness… Let’s run, Grace.”

Lucas jumped into action, taking Grace’s hand and running forward.

In the meantime, their steps dug into the rain-soaked garden’s soil as they ran through the drizzle.

“H-Hold on a second. Please wait!”

“You can’t stop running. If you do, I’ll carry you and run while you’re in my arms.”

Hiiek.

Not liking the idea of that, the blushing Grace ran as hard as she could with her hand in his.

Thanks to this, they crossed the distance that would have taken them ten minutes in just half the time.

Grace ran forward, almost leaping between her steps. She would have never run at this speed if not for the hand that was leading her.

“Huuk, huuk! I, I can’t breathe!”

It felt like her lungs were about to explode.

She ran for only five minutes. How could she be this tired?

It reached the point that she was embarrassed by how much she was gasping for air, but when she looked to the side, she noticed that Lucas’ breathing was still so even.

Rather than looking even the slightest bit tired, there was an even more refreshed look in Lucas’ face because he ran a little.

He swept up his wet hair and smiled at her.

“Doesn’t running just clear your mind?”

“Huuk, huuk— I, I don’t know about that, but rather huuk, my mind is just completely blank right now.”

“You’ve never tried to run until it feels like your heart explodes, or to collapse right there once you stop running? You don’t know how good it feels yet, then. Especially if you have so many thoughts going rampant in your mind.”

Huu. Haa—!

While breathing heavily, Grace looked up at Lucas.

She was confused. She didn’t know whether it was because she was so out of breath, or whether it was because of this man.

It felt as if her heart was about to burst.

Gazing upon her red cheeks, Lucas reached out and caressed the side that was swollen, carefully with his fingertips.

His calloused fingertips were rough and not at all soft, but it didn’t hurt a bit.

Yes, it didn’t hurt, but…

Instead, his hand left a trail that felt exceptionally hot.

As if his hands were carrying flames.

The sensation of the man’s fingertips was, to her, so exceedingly clear.

Especially when the tip of his thumb brushed the corner of Grace’s wet lips.

“Hah—”

Unknowingly, Grace let out a surprised exhale as she flinched.

“……”

“……”

Their surroundings became still, and all that could be heard was the pitter patter of rain down the soaked ground.

As he was looking at Grace, Lucas’ gaze shifted.

So endlessly deep, and so endlessly dark.

‘Why, suddenly, it’s so hot.’

Grace unconsciously bit her lower lip, and she turned her face away.

Even without looking at him, she could feel his gaze still on her.

After a while, Lucas spoke once more. His voice was slightly hoarse.

“…It’s raining heavily like this now, so please sleep here tonight.”

Shocked, Grace shook her head as her eyes went wide.

“I can’t do t-that. This much rain is fine. I need to go back.”

Lucas glanced up at the sky.

His eyes were drawn into arcs as he saw the clouds covering the heavens.

“It will get worse and worse. Even more than you think.”

“It can’t be!”

“Please trust me. I’ve got quite the sixth sense when it comes to these things.”

“However…”

She looked up at the sky as well, chewing on her lower lip.

It’s true that the movements of the clouds seemed unusual.

But that didn’t mean she should stay the night all of a sudden.

Actually, it’s common for even people to stay the night in even just an acquaintance’s residence, especially if the travel time between houses was far, even on a carriage.

But therein lies not the problem.

“Father… If Father finds out about it, he won’t stand still. He’s particularly sensitive to such matters.”

“Is that so?”

He spoke with a gentle smile.

“But even if Marquis O’Ellin doesn’t stand still, what could he do against me?”

“…Your Excellency.”

The look in his eyes turned slightly darker again.

“He cannot do anything against me. But what I’m worried about is another thing—that he might do something to you.”

“……”

“So, please stay here. Within my domain.”

His voice exuded power.

It was a voice that expressed such a strong will that it felt as if he was strengthening his resolve for the future as well.

To the point that Grace was now under the impression that everything he’s saying would come true.

No, perhaps it wasn’t just her imagination.

“…I’m afraid that I’ll only cause Your Excellency trouble.”

“But if you go away like this, I most likely won’t be able to sleep all night, troubled as I’m worrying about you.”

Grace asked back with a quivering voice.

“For what reason would my matters ever trouble you so, Your Excellency?”

“Because.”

Rumble…

Thunder resounded through the area, sounding like the roar of a beast.

Startled, Grace looked up at the worsening sky.

Lucas stared at Grace’s swollen cheek for a moment, before following suit and looking up at the sky as well.

Soon, he spoke up once more in a casual tone.

“See, Grace. With thunder roaring so loud like this, don’t you think that you won’t be able to go anywhere amidst this torrent? Even if you go by a carriage, there’s a high possibility that the wheels would get stuck in pits on the road, and you wouldn’t be able to continue from there. You might even get into an accident.”

He’s right.

On her way here, she realized that most of the roads leading up to Sunny Hill were made entirely of soil.

This torrent would have already made the ground soft at this point.

“And I can only blame myself for letting you leave in this torrent. I will worry about you all night.”

Shwaaaaa—!

The rain poured down harder and harder, as if to support his words.

‘Oh, I’m in so much trouble.’

As if a headache had come to her, Grace pressed a hand against her brow.

She had two options in this situation, but either choice would cause her nothing but grief.

Staring at the torrential rain, Grace thought gravely about what to do.

Hoping that everything would be alright in the end.

“Grace.”

Lucas called her name again with that deep voice of his, and Grace looked back.

Had he always been this close to her?

Immediately, she averted her gaze, not knowing where to look.

Then, his hand reached towards her, and gently turned her cheek.

To match her gaze back to his.

With barely any resistance, he raised her chin.

When their eyes met, Grace felt that the situation had turned dangerous… in a different sense.

‘…Like I’m about to be devoured.’

As if they didn’t know the dark glint in them, his blue eyes shone brightly.

He stared at her for a moment, then opened his lips to speak.

“Don’t worry, Grace. The person I hold dear to me has no reason to fear the possibility that I might hurt them.”

The one he holds dear.

Like a monster that would create shadows, his voice clung sweetly to her ears.

“And besides that, I would never be able to bring myself to hurt my beloved.”

He murmured, leaned close… and gently left a kiss upon her swollen cheek.

The unfamiliar sensation, which felt soft but oh so sharp, made Grace inhale abruptly.

It was just a kiss on a cheek—like a simple greeting—but her face strangely turned bright red at once.

Lucas looked at Grace with such deep eyes.

“So, please…”

The same time he said this—

“Stay the night, Grace.”

—BOOM!

Lightning flashed belatedly over their heads.

* * *

“Crazy.”

Upon returning to his chambers and as soon as the door was closed behind him, Lucas gritted down his teeth.

Jaime and the butler, who both ran after him, quickly handed him a dry towel and tried to calm him down.

“…It’s been so long since I ever got this furious.”

Lucas smiled faintly.

Freaking out, Jaime clutched Lucas’ arm right away.

“Calm down! Please calm down! The Elder Madam isn’t here right now, but she’ll certainly be crying right now if she is here!”

“Jaime.”

“Yes?”

“Grace O’Ellin was hit.”

“Yees.”

…Wasn’t Jaime the one who said that to him in the first place?

“Grace O’Ellin was hit, I said.”

Yes, Jaime heard him loud and clear, but why was he being like this. Hell…

“God damn it! Was there nothing else for him to hit that they touched her instead? How dare he hit the person who’s to be my wife? No one else but her own older brother? No. Even if it had been the Emperor himself, no one is allowed to hit another man’s woman, isn’t that right?”

…Y’all aren’t even married yet.

Not even your engagement ceremony yet…

You’re… kinda… overreacting here… 

Jaime managed to swallow back the various words that were threatening to burst through his lips.

Just in case the words might pop out, he made sure to press them all down as he quickly poured a glass of water for Lucas.

“Please calm down, Your Excellency. Calm down! Think good thoughts. Pretty thoughts. Peaceful thoughts.”

“Huu! Ha! Huu…!”

It felt as if visible steam was going through his clenched teeth.

Clouding his eyes, that’s exactly how intense Lucas’ murderous intent was right now.

The closest incident that had set him off just like this was a few years back, when the youngest child of the royal family, Princess Arelle, had been poisoned.

No. Compared to that time, he was even more furious now.

In any case, as Lucas’ aide and loyal right-hand man, Jaime Demigras had a duty to uphold. To be precise, this duty entailed that he must alleviate Lucas’ wrath.

All in the name of loyally keeping the secret of this family—House Blacke.

“Hah! How can I, Jaime, I just— I’m so angry that I…”

The space between Lucas’ brows became contorted.

His pale fingers trembled.

The very same fingers that had caressed Grace’s swollen cheek.

Her makeup had been washed away by the rain, and so the bruise on her skin could be seen in plain sight.

How could he not have noticed it sooner?

When he held her cheek in his hand, he felt a surge of fury boiling within him.

Just thinking about her cheek, just thinking about the man who dared to touch her fragile skin made him feel like he’s about to explode.

“…Jaime. My heart feels hot.”

“Oh— my god. No! You can’t! Please calm down!”

“My heart feels like it’s burning.”

With a distorted expression, Lucas grabbed his chest, trying to catch his breath.

Around that time, Gabriel came in with a change of clothes.

Just like Jaime, he was also from a family that’s loyal to House Blacke, sharing the same fate as them.

Jaime shouted towards Gabriel, begging almost.

“Sir Butler! Please help! His Excellency’s heart is burning! Can’t you help him calm down, please?!”

“His Excellency is furious that Lady Grace was hit, I see.”

No, why are you even bothering to state the obvious when I’m begging for your help like this!

Jaime looked at the butler with a bit of resentment, but the old raccoon butler didn’t give this any attention.

With elegant gestures, he placed the fresh clothes next to Lucas and spoke.

“I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t heard about it with my own ears. The maid attending to Lady Grace’s bath told me secretly, and I wouldn’t have noticed at all had she not told me. Who would even imagine it? That there’s a black and blue bruise on Her Ladyship’s abdomen.”

“……!”

At that moment, the barely breathing Lucas raised his head sharply.

Jaime was equally shocked, and his gaze also shot back to the butler.

The faces of these two men were distinctly different, but nonetheless, they had almost the same, equally distorted expression right now.

“What did you just say…”

“Ah… Your Excellency didn’t know? There’s a very dark bruise on Lady Grace’s abdomen right now. But it’s impossible for her to fall accidentally and get a bruise on that spot, right?”

The butler delivered these words calmly.”

With a face that’s as white as a sheet, Jaime turned from the butler and to Lucas.

Seeing Lucas’ increasingly crumpled expression, Jaime unknowingly took a step back.

Grrrrr.

Thunder rumbled in.

As he crushed his molars together, Lucas’ visage was entirely filled with fury.

“…Ugh… I did not know.”

Amidst the torrent, lightning struck.

Blinding light suddenly flashed—and, its strong cry not long after.

…CRACKLE!

Bhrrrr…

Then followed a breath that was incomparably rough.

‘Urk, it’s too late.’

Jaime tightly closed his eyes shut.

t/n: this novel is seriously testing the limits of my poor repertoire of SFXs lol forgive me if it sounds awkward in some places

but apart from that, ohhh~ revelation soon~! :0