In the Doghouse - Chapter 200
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Lost in her memories, Courtney’s chest felt warm and damp.
And it wasn’t just her chest—her panties were also soaked before she even realized it.
Perhaps it was because of the tea she had been drinking, but she also felt a faint need to relieve herself.
Her mouth was dry, and her lower abdomen tightened and released with a pulse-like rhythm, as if breathing.
Courtney licked her lips, trying to moisten them, her mouth tasting dry.
She must have restrained her desires for far too long.
She resolved to make time soon to torment Richard again.
Just as she sank deeper into her sensual musings, lost in the e****c haze of her memories, a voice snapped her back to reality.
“…As I was saying.”
“Sorry?”
Courtney raised her gaze, which had been aimlessly fixed downward.
The handsome face of her husband came into view, along with the warm sunlight and the beautiful spring landscape.
It was such a lovely spring day, and here she was, sullying it by ruminating on sordid memories during a family outing.
She felt an overwhelming wave of self-reproach.
Had her face turned red?
She quickly rubbed her cheek with the back of her hand.
The warmth of the day made it impossible to tell if her skin was flushed.
Grabbing a fan from the table, she fanned herself hastily.
“Sorry, I got distracted for a moment.”
Seeing Courtney’s flushed cheeks and her hurried fanning, Richard smiled faintly.
How many years had they been together?
By now, he could easily guess what she had been thinking, simply by observing her expression.
Still, he knew better than to say anything.
Feigning ignorance, he calmly picked up his teacup and resumed the conversation.
“As I was saying earlier, I received word from Lord Devon.”
The mention of Frederick made Courtney’s expression tighten immediately.
Frederick Devon—her good-for-nothing older brother—still hadn’t returned to the capital.
No, more accurately, it wasn’t that he couldn’t return, but that he chose not to.
In the year following his exile to the western border, Frederick had often sent Courtney tear-streaked letters.
They were filled with earnest pleas, promising never to gamble again if only he could return to the capital.
But by the following year, the letters had become less frequent and markedly different in tone.
Instead of begging for his return, he started asking for practical favors, like additional winter gear for his unit.
Such a request seemed uncharacteristic of him.
It so happened that his lieutenant made a similar request to Richard around the same time, and Courtney, unintentionally, ended up granting Frederick’s wish.
Two more years passed this way.
By then, Edvard had grown enough to be accepted into the academy, following a recommendation from his private tutor.
When Courtney expressed concern about being left alone with Elise, Richard took the opportunity to pardon Frederick.
After all, Frederick had been problem-free during his time in the barracks.
However, Elise seemed content with her life, spending her days enjoying cultural activities with her in-laws.
Her husband, after all, had been someone who frequented gambling dens every night—hardly a presence to miss.
By then, Frederick had taken on the role of a non-commissioned officer in his unit.
He seemed surprisingly well-suited to the communal lifestyle among men, something one could only discover by experience.
The retiring lieutenant even expressed a desire to hand his position directly to Frederick, allowing him to remain at the border as an officer.
Between late spring and early autumn, Frederick would take leave and return to the capital.
During those visits, he seemed preoccupied with his wife, refraining from causing any trouble.
To all appearances, he had turned over a new leaf.
Yet, Courtney still couldn’t bring herself to fully trust him.
The very ease of his transformation only made her more suspicious.
In a cautious tone, she asked,
“He contacted you? About what…?”
“Nothing serious. He’s requesting a commendation.”
“Has he lost his mind?”
Courtney raised her voice indignantly.
She had already heard about Frederick’s accomplishment last winter.
It wasn’t a military conflict at the border, but a patrol led by his unit had discovered an avalanche in a nearby village in time to prevent significant casualties.
Even so, as a citizen of the empire and a vassal of the emperor, how could he brazenly request a reward for it?
Even as empress, Courtney remained as stern as ever toward her family.
Richard smiled wryly and continued,
“Don’t be so harsh. His request is reasonable. To be exact, he’s asking for the commendation to be directed to his unit.”
“Even so… if it comes across as preferential treatment…”
“Achievements should be rewarded appropriately.”
Richard’s response was firm.
At this point, it seemed Frederick wasn’t the one overstepping his bounds—it was Courtney.
With no choice but to relent, she nodded.
“Fine.”
Her face, however, betrayed her lingering disapproval.
Richard smiled faintly, prompting Courtney to glare at him playfully.
Of all times, this was when he chose to look like a proper emperor.
How irritating.
“Mother!”
A bright voice drew Courtney’s attention, her head turning instinctively toward the sound.
Larissa came bounding over, her spring dress now streaked with grass stains and her once-neatly braided hair in complete disarray.
Today, she looked every bit like a girl her age.
The maids who had chased the princess all the way from the lakeshore were gasping for breath.
