In the Doghouse - Chapter 132
A few days later, in the middle of a quiet afternoon, Richard sat in his study, staring blankly at his pen.
While he never considered himself particularly ‘normal’, this time felt worse than usual. He couldn’t focus, his mood was heavy, and everything seemed to drag.
Anton, who sat across from him, sighed repeatedly, casting glances his way. Neither of their desks showed any sign of the mountainous paperwork decreasing.
In the past, Anton might have accepted it as the norm, perhaps even been relieved that Richard was simply sitting in one place, maybe reading at least a single line. But now, after experiencing some order in his life thanks to the Crown Princess, Anton couldn’t hold back anymore.
“Your Highness.”
“Yes?”
Richard barely responded, slouching in his chair with his boots propped up on the desk. Papers that needed urgent attention were crushed beneath his shoes. Grinding his teeth, Anton continued.
“I’ll be stepping out for a moment.”
“Do as you like.”
The response was as indifferent as ever. For a brief moment, Anton imagined submitting his resignation, certain Richard wouldn’t care enough to stop him. Shaking his head, he dismissed the thought—he’d only end up tired and bruised.
Rising from his chair, he motioned for the attendants to leave as well. They had been trying to help by organizing paperwork, but seeing Anton’s signal, they slipped out of the room. Anton led the group, and together, they left the study quietly.
Left alone, Richard remained seated, seemingly lost in thought. Of course, it didn’t matter to him whether the room was full or empty—unless, of course, if Courtney was here. Even now, his mind was cluttered with thoughts of her, work entirely pushed aside.
Richard replayed her words from a few days earlier in his mind:
“I do adore Edvard, but you’re just as important to me, Richard. It’s just a different kind of love—how could you be jealous of something like that?”
She’d gently patted him, reassuring him with her words. Yet despite her comfort, he hadn’t been able to shake the thoughts from his mind, and instead, his ideas grew more elaborate. Fantasies filled his thoughts, some more peculiar than others.
Baby play. In the secret shops he sometimes visited, he had noticed clients who, fully grown, enjoyed wearing diapers and behaving like infants. While a rare preference, he’d encountered enough mentions to know it wasn’t unheard of.
Recalling a vivid dream from the night before, he exhaled deeply.
“Haah…”
Although he knew it existed, he couldn’t imagine ever bringing it up to Courtney. The very idea was uncomfortable, even to him, and yet, his mind kept returning to it. Adults wearing diapers and acting like babies… utterly out of bounds. It was beyond even his tolerance for the unusual.
Then his mind wandered to a slightly less extreme fantasy: a ‘young child’ in need of care, making small messes at the table, needing guidance to use the bathroom, falling asleep next to a nurturing caregiver…
That scenario was, admittedly, exciting, though it unsettled him. It was a thought he couldn’t quite banish, despite knowing how absurd it would be to confess such a desire to Courtney.
As he sat, lost in these musings, the study door creaked open. He assumed it was Anton returning and didn’t bother to look up.
But instead, a familiar voice called out.
“Richard.”
“Y-Yes!”
Startled, he jolted to his feet, hastily dropping his boots from the desk. In his haste, he bumped into the desk, sending papers flying and nearly toppling his chair. Courtney watched the chaotic scene unfold, eyeing him with an air of mild exasperation.
“What are you doing?”
“Just… working. Taking a small break.”
“Hmm.”
Courtney’s response was filled with skepticism as she walked closer, peering over the desk. In her hand, she held something long and metallic.
Richard recognized it.
A slender, silver rod, one of the switch sticks they had bought together some time ago.
