I Only Need the Duke's Child — Chapter 29

THEN WE SHALL TAKE OUR LEAVE.

YOUR IMPERIAL MAJESTY.

ARE YOU AFRAID OF ME?

...WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN?

AFRAID?

ME?

OF YOU?

ARE YOU NOT?

YOU HAVE BEEN BRAINWASHING ME, ACTING LIKE SOMEONE TERRIFIED I MIGHT UNCOVER THE TRUTH.

YOU ARE A SINNER'S NEPHEW,

AND I AM THE ONE WHO FORGAVE YOU AND ACCEPTED YOU AS FAMILY.

THAT IS THE TRUTH.

BUT...

IF YOUR INTENTIONS ARE TOO TRANSPARENT, IT ONLY PROVOKES RESENTMENT.

LOOK AT HER TRYING SO HARD TO ASSERT DOMINANCE.

SHE STILL THINKS I AM THAT YOUNG FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD BOY.

WHAT YOU KNOW IS THE TRUTH.

THAT FACT WILL NEVER CHANGE.

I WILL TAKE MY LEAVE.

WHERE IS BLAIR...

WHAT ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT SO SERIOUSLY?

ARE YOU ENJOYING IT THAT MUCH?

YOU JUST CAN'T TAKE YOUR EYES OFF HER, CAN YOU?

JOHANNES FELIX SECOND SON OF THE FELIX MARQUISATE

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

YOUR WIFE.

YOU WERE LIKE THIS AT THE VICTORY BANQUET, TOO.

YOU SAY YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED, YET YOU KEEP STARING.

NONSENSE.

HE CAN'T EVEN TAKE HIS EYES OFF HER RIGHT NOW.

GLARING MURDEROUSLY AT ANY BASTARD WHO DARES TO SNEAK A PEEK AT HER.

WELL, HONESTLY, SHE IS BEAUTIFUL.

WHO WOULDN'T FALL FOR SUCH A KINGDOM-TOPPLING BEAUTY?

EXAGGERATING A BIT,

IF SHE SET HER MIND TO IT, SHE COULD PROBABLY BRING EVERY MAN IN THIS BANQUET HALL TO HIS KNEES...

AH...

NOT ME, OF COURSE!

NO MATTER WHAT, THERE'S A CODE OF HONOR.

I'M NOT THE KIND OF BASTARD WHO WOULD HARBOR SUCH WICKED THOUGHTS ABOUT A FRIEND'S WIFE, OKAY?

H-HEY, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

LEAVING YOUR DEAR FRIEND WHOM YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IN SO LONG!

HEY, YOUR GRACE!

...WHERE DID SHE WANDER OFF TO?

I FEEL DIZZY...

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

IF I GO BACK INTO THE BANQUET HALL LIKE THIS, RUMORS WILL SPREAD THAT I AM A DRUNKARD...

I GUESS I DRANK A LOT WITHOUT REALIZING IT WHILE DEALING WITH PEOPLE.

I NEED TO HEAD BACK QUICKLY, THOUGH.

WELL, LOOK WHO IT IS.

IF IT ISN'T HER HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS?

THEY SAY A WOMAN BECOMES MORE BEAUTIFUL ONCE SHE KNOWS A MAN,

AND YOU HAVE CERTAINLY BECOME MORE BEAUTIFUL SINCE GETTING MARRIED.

WESLEY BALDWIN HEIR TO THE BALDWIN MARQUISATE

...IT HAS BEEN A WHILE, MARQUESS.

I WILL BE ON MY WAY NOW.

COME ON, IT WOULD BE A SHAME FOR YOU TO LEAVE SO COLDLY AFTER WE JUST RAN INTO EACH OTHER.

PLEASE SPARE SOME TIME FOR ME AS WELL.

I APOLOGIZE, BUT I HAVE BEEN AWAY FROM MY SEAT FOR TOO LONG...

MY, YOU'RE CERTAINLY PLAYING HARD TO GET.

LET GO OF ME!

YOU'RE NO LONGER A VIRGIN, SO WHY ACT LIKE SUCH AN INNOCENT LITTLE LADY?

LET'S BE HONEST WITH OUR DESIRES, MADAM.

WHICH BASTARD DARES...!

WHICH BASTARD?

THIS WOMAN'S HUSBAND.

CLENCH YOUR JAW.