Chapter 44: Xavier’s Night

Sweat dripped from Xavier’s forehead, clinging to his face and falling to the carpet as he gripped the bedpost tightly.  

“What’s wrong?”  

“I-It’s fine. This happens sometimes… at night.”  

At that moment, I remembered something from the original story.  

「He suffered every night because of the curse.」

“Oh, it’s because of the curse.”  

Despite claiming he was fine, Xavier eventually collapsed onto the bed completely.  

“You said kissing me made it better! You said the pain was bearable now!”  

Panicked, I bombarded him with questions. His expression was so contorted that it looked like he needed immediate medical attention.  

“It… did get better.”  

“What? You’re in this much pain, and you call that better?”  

Xavier nodded weakly and continued speaking.  

“That’s why I waited for you to fall asleep after drinking the wine… Ugh. Damn this curse! It never lets me off easy.”  

Xavier’s body curled up more and more. Covered in sweat, he balled up like a cat, groaning in agony.  

Would kissing not work this time?  

Why was he still in pain, even though I had holy power?  

What should I do?  

Wasn’t I supposed to be breaking the curse?  

Frustrated, I gripped the bedsheet tightly with both hands.  

“I’m supposed to be a saintess, but I can’t do anything. I’m so sorry.”  

What kind of curse could be this cruel?  

Tears that had been pooling in the corners of my eyes finally spilled over, sliding down my cheeks and dripping off my chin.  

Xavier, struggling, reached out and grabbed my hand.  

“I’m… fine. Don’t cry.”  

“Xavier.”  

That’s a lie.  

You’re sweating so much, and you’re clearly in pain.  

I lifted his limp head from where it rested near my knees and kissed him. The golden star engraved on my back began to glow brilliantly. All I could think was that I wanted to lessen his pain, even just a little.  

‘What should I do? Physical contact, physical contact?’

Ah, that’s right. What if I increased the area and duration of contact?  

I quickly embraced him.  

Despite being drenched in sweat, Xavier’s body was ice cold. The chill against my skin sent shivers down my spine, but I didn’t care.  

“I’ll hold you. You’ll feel better.”  

“……”  

Xavier couldn’t respond. He seemed to have already lost consciousness. His slightly parted lips caught my attention. Closing my eyes tightly, I leaned in and kissed him deeply and for a long time.  

Golden holy power slowly enveloped Xavier like a cocoon, seeping into his body.  

“Hah…”  

The man who had been writhing in pain finally began to breathe steadily. The twisted grimace on his face smoothed out, leaving him looking peaceful.  

“Does this have to happen every night?”  

As I continued to channel my holy power, his groans turned into soft, even breaths. Listening to his steady breathing, I began to drift off to sleep myself, holding him tightly in my arms.  

When I groggily opened my eyes, I saw that it was 4 a.m.  

Pale dawn light was creeping in through the window.  

“Xavier!”  

Remembering his suffering, I quickly sat up to check on him.  

Xavier was still sound asleep, thankfully no longer in pain.  

Other than his sweat-soaked nightgown, he seemed fine.  

‘He’ll catch a cold like this.’

Hesitating, I reached for his nightgown to remove it.  

The silk fabric, damp with sweat, clung stubbornly to his skin, but after a few tugs, it finally came off.  

“……”  

Where was I supposed to look?  

The sculpted form of his upper body was laid bare before me.  

He looked… good enough to eat.  

“Ahem. He must be too exhausted to notice anything.”  

Grabbing a soft towel that the maids had left in the bathroom, I dampened it with water and began wiping Xavier’s body.  

His jet-black hair was soaked with sweat, and his handsome face was scrunched up, leaving wrinkles between his brows.  

“Ugh, ridiculously sexy.”  

Without a proper washbasin (since this wasn’t Korea), I used a water bottle to dampen the towel bit by bit, carefully cleaning his hair, chest, and stomach.  

“He’s just an insect. Just an insect.”

And then…  

Oh.  

The Cursed Land.  

Closing my eyes, I hastily wiped the lower part of his body and covered it neatly with a fresh towel. Dragging a new blanket from the wardrobe, I draped it over him.  

“Ugh.”  

Xavier shifted slightly and let out a small groan. Startled, I froze. Even the faintest sound from him now made me tense.  

After glancing around nervously, I climbed back into bed and pressed my body against his.  

The moment my chest touched his bare skin, the golden star on my back flared up again.  

“Is the author a pervert or what?”

The room was empty, yet I felt incredibly embarrassed.  

Still, it was a private moment, so I endured it.  

Looking down at Xavier, who was sleeping like a baby in my arms, I let out a small sigh.  

“Yuria…”  

“Huh?”  

I stiffened, thinking he had woken up, but quickly relaxed when I realized it was just sleep-talking.  

He murmured my name in his sleep.  

“You’re seriously something, Duke.”  

From a distance, I could hear the faint sounds of young maids opening doors.  

The pale, drained dawn retreated, replaced by warm, lively sunlight streaming through the windows.  

＊  

A pleasant scent filled the air. The subtle aroma of soap tickled my nose, and I found it comforting.  

Xavier smiled faintly, pulling the warmth in his arms closer.  

“……”  

The sun was already high in the sky, its rays spilling into the room. Squinting against the brightness, Xavier turned his head to the left.  

‘Yuria?’

Yuria was nestled in his arms, sleeping soundly.  

Her small hands clutched a towel tightly. The sight of her delicate beauty made Xavier’s breath hitch.  

Feeling a sudden discomfort, he turned his flushed face to the right. That’s when he noticed his bare upper body.  

“What the…”  

Looking down, he realized his shirt had been removed.  

‘This woman… she has no fear.’  

Hadn’t she been the one to insist on following the contract to the letter? And now this?  

His heart raced wildly, and he felt a strange heat pooling below. Biting his lip, Xavier turned his gaze back to Yuria.  

Seeing the towel in her hand, he pieced together what had happened during the night. Gently, he brushed his fingers across her cheek.  

“You’re amazing, my wife.”  

“Mmm.”  

Even the little wrinkle that formed between her brows as she stirred was adorable.  

Chuckling softly, he pressed his finger to her furrowed brow to smooth it out.  

“Ugh.”  

“Wake up, Nurse Wife.”  

“Mm.”  

“The Duchess of Auguste is quite the sleepyhead.”  

“…Xavier?”  

Her ocean-blue eyes fluttered open, blinking groggily. Watching her wide, confused gaze was an unexpected delight for Xavier.  

“Did you sleep well?”  

“Oh, yes.”  

Her round, rosy cheeks flushed a deeper pink.  

“Are you feeling better? You really scared me last night.”  

“Were you very worried?”  

“Of course! I didn’t know it would hurt this much at night. I was so…”  

“So?”  

Her big blue eyes filled with concern.  

“…Worried about you.”  

Her sincerity struck a chord in Xavier’s chest.  

She had been worried about him.  

But then, why was she puffing out her cheeks like that? It was endearing, yes, but also puzzling.  

“I’m fine now. Just a bit cold.”  

“Oh.”  

Yuria glanced at his bare chest, then quickly averted her gaze. Still, she couldn’t resist sneaking peeks, which Xavier found amusing.  

“Go ahead and look.”  

“N-No.”  

“Haven’t you already seen everything?”  

Her small hands clutched the towel tightly.  

“Or maybe… you touched me?”  

“N-No!”  

Her stiff posture and flustered denial were both amusing and adorable.  

“I’m hungry. What’s for breakfast at the ducal residence? Steak? Potatoes?”  

“It’s not breakfast; it’s lunch.”  

Having had his fill of admiring his lovely wife, Xavier stood up.  

“Oh my.”  

As he confidently walked toward the wardrobe to dress, Yuria fidgeted with her collar and wiggled her toes nervously. Even her toes looked cute, making Xavier pause as he buttoned his shirt.  

‘I really am hopeless.’

With a soft chuckle, he turned to Yuria and said, 

“For lunch, it’s steak, of course.”  

＊  

The staff of the ducal residence never imagined they would see this day.  

Some were so moved that they even shed tears.  

Their master, who had once declared himself a lifelong bachelor, was now married!  

And his bride, rumored to be a little villainess, turned out to be a saintess. That was all that mattered.  

Watching the new duchess carefully cutting her steak, the staff couldn’t help but find her endearing.  

They were all curious about the woman who had melted their icy master’s heart.  

But one thing was clear:  

‘Our lady is the best!’

The butler, Albert, was the leader of the Duchess Appreciation Club.  

After her first night, he treated her like a savior.  

“This is veal tenderloin. Does it suit your taste, Madam?”  

“Yes, it’s delicious.”  

“This salad is dressed with the finest truffle oil.”  

“Thank you.”  

“No need to thank me, Madam. Please feel free to speak informally.”  

The elderly butler, wearing a monocle, bowed deeply.  

“Oh, thank you.”  

I could feel eyes on me.  

When I picked up my fork, my hand felt hot.  

Looking up, I realized Xavier’s gaze was fixed on me, making my cheeks flush.  

‘What’s with everyone today?’

It was obvious that the staff adored me, openly showing their affection.  

‘In the original story, weren’t they supposed to be cold and unwelcoming?’

The tender veal was exquisite, but the whirlwind of emotions around me left me feeling dazed.  

“Yuria.”  

Startled by the sudden call, I almost choked.  

“Cough, cough.”  

“Here’s some water.”  

Albert swiftly handed me a glass of water. The maids and servants, who had been standing by the walls, rushed over with more glasses.  

Wow.  

I appreciated the concern, but this was a bit much.  

“Are you okay?”  

“Yes. Why?”  

“Sorry, but I’ll have to leave the estate for a while next week.”  

“So suddenly?”  

“There’s a meeting to discuss reparations from the last war. I postponed it once for the wedding, so I can’t avoid it any longer.”  

“Oh, with the Beast Kingdom?”  

Xavier nodded slowly.  

It was a natural progression after the war ended. The original story also mentioned this reparations meeting.  

‘Next week? That’s not far off.’

“In the meantime, feel free to enjoy yourself as much as you’d like.”  

“You promise? Okay, I understand.”  

“Thank you, Yuria.”  

“Yes. But when you return, we’re going on a honeymoon.”  

“No, you’re coming with me next week.”  

“What?”  

Xavier pointed behind me, and my face grew hot.  

“For recharging.”  

“……”  

Flustered, I stuffed the last piece of steak into my mouth.  

‘At least the food is good.’ 

“Your Grace.”  

“Yes, Albert?”  

“General Jude has arrived.”  

“Ah, let her in.”  

“Understood.”  

Albert gracefully stepped back and gestured to a servant, who quickly left the dining room.  

Xavier kindly explained to me, 

“General Jude mentioned bringing a new maid. It seems she’s here now.”  

“Oh, I see.”  

“But Yuria, you should eat some vegetables too.”  

“I’m more of a meat person.”  

“No, no. Here, have some asparagus.”  

Xavier placed four long stalks of asparagus on my plate with a smile.  

“I don’t want to.”  

“Should I feed you?”  

He playfully pointed to his mouth and winked.  

“N-No.”  

Reluctantly, I cut the asparagus into tiny pieces and forced myself to eat them.  

Xavier watched me with a satisfied expression, as if he was monitoring me to ensure I finished every bite.  

Just then, a familiar voice called out from behind.  

“Your Grace.”  

“Ah, Jude.”  

General Jude entered the dining room, escorted by a servant. She stood in the space between Xavier and me.  

As always, her short red hair framed her face, and she wore casual clothes…  

Wait.  

Is that a dress?