BELLE PUPPÉES
1. A Holiday Morning
A/N: This after-story is mostly a separate piece from the book version. Think of it as a rough draft.
I wrote this after the main story ended, driven by a live, spontaneous feeling, so the setting and story might feel a little underdeveloped. If you're okay with that, then please, go ahead and read.
The lace curtains flutter gently.
This is the bedroom of Leticia and Gilbert, located within the imperial harem.
On the silk sheets that feel soft against the skin, Gilbert's slightly long black hair was scattered. He had been very busy lately, and the strain had clearly taken its toll. Last night, she had only brushed his cheek before he melted into a deep sleep.
Gilbert lay defenseless, his face exposed while wearing just a thin shirt. He looked incredibly adorable.
Leticia gently pushed his bangs aside and marveled at his sleeping face.
His raven-black hair resembled wet crow feathers. His long eyelashes cast elegant shadows on his porcelain skin. From his slightly parted lips, soft, shallow breaths escaped. Though being beside Leticia, known as Bell Poupée, caused his beauty to slightly pale in comparison, he still had an extraordinarily handsome appearance.
However, love has a way of clouding judgment. To Leticia, her husband was the most adorable and beautiful person in the world.
Because of that, she truly should have been more considerate of his health as his wife, urging him not to push himself too hard. But when he had asked for three whole days alone with her, free from interruptions, it would have been rude to shake her head and refuse.
"Now, what should I do? I wouldn't mind staring at his sleeping face like this forever."
The sun had already risen high, and the town in the distance was bustling with activity. Leticia had hoped Gilbert would get plenty of rest, but at the same time, perhaps she should wake him up for the sake of the time he had tried so hard to secure for just the two of them.
"Heh, I do want you to look at me with those beautiful eyes of yours soon. Don't you, Gilbert?"
She gently stroked his cheek with the back of her hand. His eyelids fluttered, and a soft, sweet groan slipped from his lips.
"Leti...cia...?"
"Good morning, Gilbert. Are you still okay to stay awake?"
"…Hmm. I slept well, so my body… feels light."
Still half asleep, he blinked repeatedly, his responses slow and dazed.
"What time is it now…?"
"Well, it's about noon."
"No... noon!?!"
Gilbert shot up in a panic and looked out the window. The sky was a brilliant blue, not a cloud in sight. The sun shone brightly. At that moment, two white birds flew by, nestled close to each other, creating a peaceful scene.
He threw himself back onto the bed and glanced up at Leticia with a slightly resentful expression.
"Have you been watching my sleeping face this whole time? ...You're naughty, Leti."
After pouting slightly, his eyes narrowed with a teasing glint.
Unlike the Gilbert of his past, who had never known what it felt like to be loved, the current Gilbert, bathed in overwhelming affection, now carried a certain confidence.
No matter what kind of person he was, he was loved. This belief gave him confidence and, in turn, made him radiate a strange sensuality.
Perhaps it was Leticia's view as his wife, but no—recently, when Gilbert affectionately called out to her as "Leti," she could feel the intense gazes of other women around her. It wasn't just in her head.
Of course, Leticia was partly to blame for this.
With her sharp mind, she knew exactly how to stir Gilbert's emotions. Thus, her loving husband carried it out, without considering how it might be perceived by others. His only concern was to be loved by Leticia, and so he acted purely out of that desire.
"Honestly, what a troublesome husband."
"But you like it, don't you? Like this."
Gilbert took Leticia's hand and gently pressed his cheek against it.
Yes, she did like it. Everything about him—whether he teasingly provoked her, shyly blushed, or sweetly leaned on her—was endearing. As long as it was Gilbert, everything about him was precious.
Before you, I can't hide anything... Leticia smiled and placed her hand beside his face, gazing down at him. Her beautiful silver hair cascaded down. When she placed her hand on his chest, she suddenly noticed something.
"Now that I think about it, you've gotten quite a bit thicker."
"Simply indulging in your love wouldn't make me a worthy husband, would it? I want to be worthy of your love, Leti, and to keep being loved by you for years to come, so I've been working on it."
Gilbert smiled as if he were pleased that she had noticed.
"I’ve always been careful with my diet, so there was never any excess fat. But as for whether I’d call myself beautiful, I couldn’t say yes. I didn’t particularly like moving my body. But that wouldn’t be enough to deserve your affection. So, I had to change a little, you know?"
"I had thought you’d been oddly focused on working out lately, but is that what’s behind it?"
"It’s not to fight, but to show off—look, it’s a body sculpted just for you, Leti. Everything. You can do whatever you like with it."
He tugged at his shirt near his chest, as if to show it off.
Wait. Who taught him to do this? Could it have been self-taught? Gilbert, you’re terrifying. Though the desire surged in Leticia’s mind, her ironclad self-control suppressed it, and she barely managed to keep herself together. She could only withstand this because it was Gilbert. If it were anyone else, she might not have been able to handle it.
"…Gilbert, are you testing my restraint?"
"Heh, if I could make your always-earnest eyes waver, that’d be a win."
"Ugh... To be served on a platter and then left hanging like this..."
In this country, marriage is legal starting at fifteen, but the law states that one must be seventeen or older to wed. Gilbert's marriage had elevated her to the rank of royalty. She couldn't simply break the law.
"Still, when I first heard you weren’t even seventeen, I thought it was some mistake. Well, I guess that’s why I had the time to work on my body. By your birthday, I’ll make myself even more to your liking, so just wait for me, Leti."
"...Ah, when that time comes, be prepared. After all the teasing, I plan to melt you down and spoil you thoroughly."
Leticia lifted Gilbert's chin and traced his lips with her thumb.
At once, his eyes softened with a pleading look, and he blushed so deeply his ears turned red as he nodded shyly.
"Y-You... Be gentle, okay? Please..."
"Why do you get embarrassed now? Truly, I love how precious my husband is!"
There were no plans for the day.
Leticia thought to herself as she gently stroked Gilbert's head. She could just spend the rest of the day lazing around with him, indulging him. After all, it was a rare holiday. A day like this wouldn’t be so bad.
But at that very moment, the special barrier Leticia had placed around their bedroom suddenly shook with a loud thud.
*********
Eun here! Did you guys read the A/N and if you've seen the manga there are some parts that are different. This chapter in particular is around c10 of the manga. You can find the official translation of the manga at manga plaza. As for the unofficial translation with paywall included I think ARTLAPSA is doing it.
So after the main story (10 chapters plus 2 parts epilogue, this is the SECOND EPILOGUE composed of 12 chapters)
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