MPO

CHAPTER XClX-100

⭑. ݁ ˖₊˚✩.𖥔 ݁ ˖๋ ࣭ ⭑.𖥔 ݁ ˖₊˚✩.𖥔 ݁ ˖๋ ࣭

Lucas, engrossed in his work, suddenly felt a wave of dizziness. He dropped the quill he was holding and slowly shook his head, blinking his eyes.

“Ha…”

A sudden surge of heat made his eyelids hot. Having always taken suppressants, he was somewhat surprised by the familiar signs of the impending rut cycle he hadn’t experienced in a long time.

“Your Grace, could it be…”

Philip, noticing his symptoms, asked worriedly. Lucas shook his head in response.

“Not yet. We can’t delay work any further, so I’ll need you to stay a little later today.”

“Understood.”

Since he had been suppressing his rut cycles with medication, he couldn’t predict how long this one would last. The longest he had experienced was a week, which meant he could be incapacitated for up to a week.

Despite the rising heat, Lucas opened the window and cooled himself down with cold water. As he picked up the fallen quill, he noticed the contraceptive ring on his finger.

Having worn it for so long, it had become a part of him. He took off the ring and placed it on the desk, muttering briefly.

“I don’t need this anymore.”

While following sequential procedures was good, he thought it might be better to impregnate Leila first, who still harbored some reluctance. A child would make her more attached to the duchy.

Lucas had no intention of letting her go, so he planned to use various methods to make her cling to life. The first step was a child.

Just imagining a child who looked like both of them made his heat rise.

***

“I’m sorry to ask this of you.”

Leila had no choice but to ask the maid who had delivered the letter for an unreasonable favor. The maid, hesitant and uncomfortable, couldn’t bring herself to refuse Leila’s desperate plea.

Leila handed over the last of her belongings she had found in the inner pocket of her dress. These were jewels she had removed from her dress before leaving the count’s residence. Though they couldn’t compare in value to the jewels given by the duke’s household, they were still a significant amount for the maid.

“No, my lady. Since it has come to this, I will escort you properly.”

“Thank you.”

Leila donned a robe and, following the maid’s guidance, secretly climbed into a cart carrying fruits and vegetables. Hiding among the many piled-up items, she managed to leave the duke’s residence unnoticed.

The maid, taking advantage of a moment when the cart stopped and the driver went somewhere, quickly spoke to Leila.

“You need to get off now.”

She helped Leila down and carefully checked her robe before taking her hand and guiding her. Leila felt a pang of guilt towards Lucas.

But she knew she couldn’t ask him honestly. He had promised to find out about Anna’s whereabouts, but he hadn’t responded yet. While she could assume it was taking time due to the distance to her uncle’s house, knowing his true intentions made her doubt everything.

Though she had become accustomed to and even partially opened her heart to his strange kindness, that was all it was. Their casual conversations flowed smoothly, but their genuine feelings always clashed and diverged.