All I Wanted Was the Alimony - Chapter 38

Sebastian had originally believed it would be better for Paello to part with Lucienne and form a connection with Princess Verdi.

He thought that would be more fitting for Paello’s status.

However, starting just two days ago, specifically after seeing Paello reveal his expression, his thoughts about Lucienne began to change.

‘His Grace living with human emotions, experiencing joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure… that would be ideal.’

Though he didn’t know the exact reason, it seemed Lucienne had an effect on Paello’s expressions.

That was why he couldn’t just overlook it when something seemed wrong with Lucienne.

Sebastian pointed to the left side of the back of the dress. There was a small hole.

“It looks like something pierced it. Is Her Grace the Grand Duchess alright?”

Paello’s brow furrowed as he examined the dress.

“This is…”

It was a familiar mark to Paello. He had seen many like it on the battlefield.

But he couldn’t be certain.

Lucienne had shown no signs of injury yesterday.

After thinking for a moment, Paello called for Joad.

Joad hurried over and frowned as he looked at the mark on the dress.

“This looks like one of those marks. When you wear armor underneath and a fabric garment over it.”

Joad mimed the action of shooting a bow.

His fingers, mimicking an arrow, flew through the air, tapped near his chest, and bounced off.

“Someone fired at her, and the arrow hit but bounced off. Does it look that way to you too?”

“Yes. As for who it was…”

Then he spoke with a face of realization.

“…I think I know.”

There was no way he wouldn’t. During the hunt, it had been Paello and Joad who deflected the incoming arrows.

“We had no idea because she didn’t show any signs, but is Her Grace alright?”

“I’ll have to check.”

Paello rose from his seat.

“Don’t have the dress washed. Keep it as evidence.”

With that command, Paello headed to Lucienne’s room.

As he was about to knock, he heard a strange moan from inside.

“Hngh! Huff! Ugh!”

It was someone’s ragged breathing. The voice that followed unmistakably belonged to Lucienne.

“A bit harder. No, harder. Right there. Ah! That’s good!”

“Ahem!”

For no reason, heat rose to Paello’s face. He cleared his throat and knocked on the door.

Lucienne’s moaning soon ceased.

The door cracked open, and Hannah, sweat beading on her forehead, appeared.

Startled to see Paello, Hannah stepped outside, shut the door, and politely greeted him.

“What is my wife doing right now?”

“Ah.”

Hannah rubbed her oil-slicked hands on her apron and replied in a hushed voice, “I was giving her a massage with herbal oil to relieve her fatigue.”

Since Hannah was whispering, Paello’s voice naturally lowered as well.

“Is anyone else in the room?”

“No one other than Her Grace.”

“I have something to discuss with her. Would it be difficult to speak now?”

He was asking if the massage would finish soon or if the room could be quickly tidied up.

“!”

Suddenly, Hannah gasped and quickly covered her gaping mouth with both hands. Whatever thought came to her mind, her eyes began to sparkle.

“Oh my, you’re her husband. Of course it wouldn’t be a problem.”

Hannah swiftly opened the door.

“?”

“I was just about to go fetch something from the kitchen anyway. I’ll be in the kitchen, so please take your time. When you’re finished, just call for me.”

After Paello went inside, Hannah quietly closed the door.

The room was filled with the pleasant scent of herbal oil.

Paello could see a massage bed placed in a spacious area of the room.

Lucienne, her upper body bare, was lying face down comfortably with her face resting in the face hole of the massage bed.

Her thick red hair was tied up in a bun like a round loaf of bread, and her lower body was neatly covered with a blanket.

Her arms rested along her sides, revealing her smooth, pale back.

Perhaps it was because of the morning sunlight streaming through the window, but Lucienne’s fair back looked exceptionally beautiful, and the seven dark marks shaped like a sickle appeared like a piece of art.

Gulp.

Paello unconsciously swallowed. He felt a strange sensation and a tension that made it hard to open his mouth.

Then Lucienne spoke, “If you’re in, hurry up and finish it. Press harder and make it feel good.”

Paello understood what Lucienne meant. She must have thought he was Hannah.

Since he had come to check her back anyway, now was as good a time as any.

As he approached Lucienne, he saw a bowl of oil to one side.

Paello dipped his hands into the bowl of oil. Massaging tense muscles was not difficult for him.

Pressing both thumbs gently into the sides of Lucienne’s spine, Paello began to slowly work his way up along her back.

“Hngh.”

Lucienne let out a nasal moan at the same time.

“Ah, what’s going on? You’ve gotten stronger. Yes, a bit higher.”

Following Lucienne’s request, Paello began massaging further up.

“Ah, ah. That’s so good. Hngh, keep going.”

Paello massaged Lucienne’s back evenly.

Her muscles were firm and compact yet soft. Completely different from the hard muscles of a man.

It was oddly fascinating.

Lifting a marble table with one hand wouldn’t be easy even with iron-like muscles.

‘Is it because she’s a demon?’

At the same time, he didn’t forget to check for any injuries.

He had expected signs of an arrow strike, but Lucienne’s skin was smooth.

It even felt quite pleasant to touch.

Soon, Paello found himself unconsciously absorbed in the act of caressing Lucienne’s back, forgetting his original purpose. Then Lucienne’s voice calling a name snapped him out of it.

“Ah, hngh. Haah, you’re suddenly so good. What’s going on? Hannah. I love you.”

Lucienne was truly feeling great.

After finishing the facial pack, Hannah had brought in the massage bed, saying she would relieve Lucienne’s fatigue.

The scent of herbal oil and Hannah’s pressure felt good. But the pressure was slightly lacking, so Lucienne asked her to press harder.

To satisfy her, Hannah had even applied her full body weight.

As she pressed down with force, Lucienne finally felt her muscles relax. The refreshing pressure made her let out moans without realizing.

Then someone knocked. Hannah seemed to have left briefly to get something, but what was this?

Hannah’s massage was unusually strong and unique.

As Lucienne received it, she ended up confessing her love to Hannah, and continued to hum in satisfaction.

“Huuu, haa, ahh. Feels good. Hannah, it’s so good.”

But when a full palm made contact with her back, Lucienne sensed something strange.

‘Huh? Were Hannah’s hands this big?’

Just then, a familiar voice spoke.

“I’m the one giving the massage, but since you’re only praising Hannah and even confessing, I feel a bit left out, madam.”

Startled, Lucienne lifted her face from the face hole and looked up at Paello.

“Y-Y-Your Grace?”

Lucienne’s mind was filled with confusion. It was clearly Hannah, so why was Paello massaging her back?

“When did you get here?”

“When you asked me to finish it. I came because I had something to confirm.”

“W-where did Hannah go then?”

“She said she was going to get something from the kitchen.”

Paello calmly continued the massage as he spoke.

“I intended to ask you something and also check your back.”

“My back? Why?”

“You seem more satisfied with my massage, so I think we can talk while continuing.”

Paello rubbed his palms along Lucienne’s entire back.

“Hhng!”

At the refreshing sensation spreading through her whole body, Lucienne hesitated briefly, then rested her face back into the face hole and closed her eyes.

‘He’s my husband, so it’s fine! That’s why Hannah let him in, and that’s why he came in.’

In truth, she was terribly embarrassed. But Paello’s massage was too good to stop.

Even with her upper body bare, as long as she didn’t get up, there was no risk of exposing her chest.

As she relaxed her body, Paello’s massage felt even better.

“Haaa, what was it you wanted to ask?”

“Did anything happen during the hunt yesterday? Were you attacked?”

“Huuuuh. Attacked?”

Lucienne recalled what had happened while wandering the forest yesterday.

“I don’t really know about being attacked. There was a bit of a scuffle, though.”

“A scuffle? Could you tell me everything that happened?”

Everything that happened.

That phrase made Lucienne’s ears perk up.

‘Wait, if he finds out I went around beating people up…?’

Paello would be horrified and disgusted with her.

“I was about to catch a rabbit when a dagger landed right next to my foot. That’s how the scuffle started.”

“What did you say?”

“He didn’t apologize and said he’d take a slap as punishment, so I gave him one. His teeth flew out, and he collapsed foaming at the mouth.”

She had begun telling the truth unintentionally, but caught herself. She left out the part where the person had mocked her. The more fault the other party had, the more her own wickedness would be diluted.

“Excuse me?”

As expected, Paello looked clearly taken aback.