The Substitute Bride Is Adored by the Clumsy Margrave

Chapter 35

The next morning, Clarisse slowly opened her eyes and found herself unable to move—Jean’s muscular arms were wrapped tightly around her waist from behind.

Despite her initial reservations, she had taken a bath with Jean last night—as he had wished—and he had washed her body thoroughly. He must have cleaned up the bathtub after that, but she was so exhausted that she fell asleep instantly, not even noticing the noise.

She thought back vaguely about last night, the first time they had been physically connected. It had been an amazing experience.

‘It was just…amazing…Jean-sama was so gentle,’ -she thought to herself

Even now, she could still feel the tingling sensation between her legs. It felt as if he was still inside her. Her body felt heavier than usual, so she might not be able to move much today. Yet Clarisse was happy anyway. It was a strange feeling, as if she had become closer to Jean than ever before. Clarisse slowly closed her eyelids once more and drifted off into the depths of sleep.

❁❁❁

“Good morning, Mary!”

Sid arrived while Mary was having breakfast, and Mary couldn’t help but smile.

‘Wah! He really showed up!’

 Furthermore, as one would expect from a man who knows the Margrave’s mansion so well, he is quite the tactician, coming in just as the servants were clearing out.

“What are you planning to do today?”

“That’s.. I haven’t thought of anything….”

Sid, who was dressed in flashy clothes today as well, tilted his head to the side. While the Margrave wore simple and casual clothes—probably for comfort— and Marius mostly wore clothes that were more on the plain side, Sid, however, always seemed to wear flashy outfits. Especially after visiting the town yesterday, she had come to know that Sid’s wardrobe was actually quite trendy.

‘I knew how he was.., but that’s all…’

“How about we go to the park near the mansion? It’s slightly cold, but I think you’ll be fine if you wear the coat you got yesterday.”

“A park?”

“Yeah, there’s a tearoom in the park, too. I’ll treat you to a cup of tea.”

“Treat… me?”

She pouted at him and received a smug nod in return.

“Lord Hansen, you are the third son of a viscount, you know. You don’t need to treat me—a servant—to tea, remember? Besides, I am sure that the tearoom is full of aristocrats, so I would stand out if I went.”

After she firmly declined his invitation, His face contorted in an unusual display of displeasure

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to say that about yourself. There’s no such thing as a lowly profession, is there? I’m the one who wants to have tea with you. Why should we care about what anyone else thinks? And if you keep a calm and dignified manner, no one will know.”

‘…… I always knew I’m somewhat strange, but this man… he’s quite…weird…. How should I put it?’

He’s a free spirit….

“Hehehe…”

She couldn’t help but smile, and Sid’s eyes darted over to her.

‘He really is a strange one….’

Mary was well aware of her own tendency to find such “freedom” amusing.

Sid had been feeling restless from the moment he woke up that morning. The entire way to the margrave’s mansion, he had been arguing with himself worrying over what to say and where to invite Ma.

Yet, as soon as he saw her lovely face, his worries vanished, and he found himself simply asking her what she would like to do today. 

That was the first time in his life he has ever done something like that, and it made him flustered and anxious as he awaited her response.

Then, feeling that she was going to carelessly decline his invitation because he had no plans yet, so he invited her to a park where there was a tearoom, hoping to find some way to spend some time together. However, as he had half-expected, she was hesitant because of her station, and he ended up trying to reassure her too forcefully.

He looked back at Mary’s puzzled expression and thought, ‘Oh, no… I fucked up again.’

“Hehehe.”

Sid couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw her smiling so happily.

“You’ve changed, Sid-sama.”

Perhaps because they were in a mansion, she had addressed him as “Lord Hansen” earlier, but when she called him by his name, he instantly felt as if his heart would burst with joy.

Mary added happily, “Oh, I mean it as a compliment when I say that you’ve changed. I have too. Ah, Now it sounds like I’m tooting my own horn. Hahaha!”

Her words’ sounded music to Sid’s ears.

Mary laughed a bit and told Sid that, although she could not join him in the tearoom, she would be happy to accompany him to the park.