In the Doghouse - Chapter 181
News of the Crown Princess’s pregnancy spread swiftly, and soon gifts began pouring into the royal palace from all corners. Nobles from the capital, royal families of allied nations, and even strangers she had never met or heard of sent their offerings.
Since the due date was still far off, most gifts were directed at the expectant Crown Princess herself. Rare furs and leathers, expensive jewels, and magical artifacts filled the grand hall, stacked high like mere trinkets. Even Madam Berricker, who had served in the palace for many years, couldn’t help but marvel at the sight.
“It’s incredible…”
“Uh… I suppose I should send thank-you notes?”
“It would be best, yes.”
With all the maids pitching in, it took an entire half day just to sort and organize the gifts. Then it took Courtney several more days to write and send out thank-you cards for each gift.
Just when she had finally caught her breath, Richard surprised her with an unexpected present of his own. For a moment, she was at a loss for words at his ‘excessively special’ gift.
With evident enthusiasm, he asked.
“Do you like it?”
“Not at all.”
Richard pouted, but Courtney showed no sign of backing down.
Richard’s gift was, in fact, a portrait of himself.
She saw no need for a painted likeness of the face she saw daily, no matter how handsome he might be.
But the most shocking part was the pose and attire—or rather, the lack of it—in the portrait.
In the frame, Richard was depicted stark naked, legs spread wide with a lewd expression on his face, his e******n on full display. The artist’s skill was undeniable. Even the small gleam of clear fluid on the tip was depicted with unsettling realism.
Courtney, thoroughly exasperated, asked,
“When on earth… when did you even commission something this… outrageous?”
Perhaps mistaking her reaction, Richard blushed as he explained.
“I hired the painter in secret when I pretended to go outside the palace. I’d planned it as a surprise. It wasn’t originally meant as a pregnancy gift…”
He had originally intended to present it when she confronted him in anger—he thought it would shock her enough to defuse her anger. But since that plan had backfired, the opportunity to give it to her had slipped by. Still, he had kept it carefully stored away.
Courtney sighed. So, it wasn’t entirely unplanned, though that didn’t make it any less absurd. She decided to bring up another question that had been on her mind.
“And the letter?”
“Of course, I wrote it with you in mind.”
Courtney gave him a skeptical look. The letter’s cryptic language had allowed for various interpretations, yet his plan seemed remarkably sloppy in its execution, despite all his efforts on certain details.
Once again, she glanced at the portrait from top to bottom. While there was no chance she’d actually hang it, on reflection, the biggest victim of this ludicrous gift was probably not her.
Pointing to the rather intimately detailed depiction of his anatomy, she asked.
“So, you really stood naked like this in front of the painter?”
“Well, of course… for accuracy’s sake…”
“Good grief!”
She couldn’t help but wonder how the poor artist must have felt, called to the palace only to create such a… distinctive piece.
As she shook her head, Richard asked tentatively.
“You don’t like it at all?”
Courtney raised a brow.
“Did you even think about the risk? What if someone saw this painting?”
She imagined the portrait hanging in her chamber. Even if she covered it, a maid might accidentally uncover it during cleaning. They’d be the laughingstock of the entire empire, with rumors about the insane Crown Prince and Crown Princess spreading far and wide.
Richard, seeming unconcerned, replied.
“If you’d like, we could hang it in the main hall…”
“Are you insane?”
She firmly warned him not to undress recklessly for anyone, anywhere.
Though he looked a bit disappointed that his gift was being relegated to a cabinet full of other strange mementos in her closet, Courtney reluctantly added.
“Your body is mine, so you’re not allowed to show it to anyone else without my permission.”
“Yes, of course.”
His mood lifted immediately as he broke into a wide grin.
Simple-minded as always.
And with that, the matter of the gift was settled, at least for now.
MIYAAAA
DAWG IM FLABBERGASTED😭