Chapter 349
* * *
On the wide bed.
Ash was straddling Ninaâs plump bottom as she lay face down.
âHngh, that feels goodâŚâ
In winter, especially at night, it was dangerous to wash and go to sleep right away, so one had to wait until oneâs hair dried.
For that reason, the two of them, who had decided to sleep late, went straight to bed after bathing.
âAh, Honey, thereâŚâ
Ashâs eyebrows twitched.
The moans of his wife, lying beneath him, were more provocative than anything.
Holding the back of her slender neck in his large hand, he paused for a moment, then put strength into it again.
âUht, a little harderâŚâ
Press, press.
At the pressure applied to the nape of her neck, a languid moan slipped from Ninaâs lips.
âAhng, that feels goooodâŚâ
Ash let out a hollow laugh.
He was giving a massage with pure intentions for the sake of his wife, who had worked hard dealing with people at the Imperial Palace banquet.
He did not know whether she intended it or not, but her languid, loosened moans were extremely suggestive.
Pressss.
When Ashâs fingertips soon pressed into her tightly knotted trapezius muscle, Nina flailed her arms and legs.
âAh, that hurts!â
Ash rounded his fingers over her trapezius muscle as he massaged it and said,
âFor your body to be this stiff, this is a serious lack of exercise.â
Nina whipped her head around.
âMe? A lack of exercise? Surely not!â
Her eyes seemed to ask whether he had any conscience when he made her suffer through full-body exercise almost every night.
ââŚâŚâ
Feeling guilty at that prim gaze, Ash closed his mouth and continued the massage, but thenâ
âHoney, Henryâs painting prices will soar soon, wonât they?â
Nina grinned happily.
Count Conwell had recommended Henry to the Emperor as a court painter at the banquet.
The Imperial Family also knew that Count Conwellâs artistic eye was excellent.
When he even mentioned Emil, who was caught in House Nordâs grasp, as a promising talent, it was only natural that the Emperor showed great interest in the two of them.
âHis Majesty promised to call those two to the Imperial Palace soon, so I think messages saying they want to buy Henryâs paintings will pour in.â
House Bayern was Henryâs only patron family.
Nina laughed and swung her legs as if the thought alone made her happy, but Ashâs gaze sank darkly.
âOnce I give you the divorce settlement, Iâll be penniless, so I have to find a way to live too.â
He knew that she had once bought Henryâs paintings as funds for independence, so how could he not feel anxious?
But Nina, unaware of her husbandâs feelings, went on chattering.
âRight. Honey, but thereâs something Iâm curious about. About Baron SommerdenâŚâ
When Nina mentioned yet another man, Ash soothed the faint jealousy blooming within him and said casually,
âPlease speak.â
To the point that he could understand, even a little, his wifeâs sensitivity when he had spoken with another woman.
âI heard from the Baron that he was from an orphanageâŚâ
Flinch.
The hands massaging her back stopped for a moment.
Hoziâs origins were known only to a few people, including the late previous Baron Sommerden and Ash.
House Sommerden was a family with nothing but a title, with no connections in the center and no land to govern.
Since Baron Sommerden had adopted Hozi when he was eight years old and later passed the title to him, there was no legal problem, but.
Once it became known that he was of commoner birth, there would be many inconveniences, so they had decided to keep silent.
But the fact that she knew this meantâŚ
Suppressing the faintly wavering jealousy, Ash asked in a low voice,
âWhen did you become that close?â
âWhat?â
ââŚI donât think there was enough time for you to become close enough for him to tell you such private circumstances.â
âRather than saying we became close, he told me while asking whether it would be alright to send Lara to the orphanage where he used to live. I said we would do that for now, butâŚâ
ââŚâŚâ
âI suddenly got worried that Baron Sommerdenâs origins might leak out because he was helping with my matter.â
âIf thatâs what youâre worried about, there is no need.â
Hoziâs past records had long since been erased, and he had been a man who volunteered at the orphanage and sponsored it often on his days off since long ago, so there was no reason for him to be greatly suspected.
Since the current His Majesty the Emperor encouraged donations, there were quite a few people who acted like Hozi.
âEven if it does become known, it will not become such a serious problem that you need to concern yourself with it, Wife.â
Erica
I truly love these scenes between them just talking and spending time together like true husband and wife⌠I wish there were more of these! Though I have to wonder⌠WHEN WILL WE HERE THEM ACTUALLY SAY EACH OTHERS NAMES?! Hearing âHoneyâ and âWifeâ is all good, but Iâd really like them to call each other by name once in a whileâŚ