I Have A Terminally Ill Duke As My Husband (1 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 12
“Wah! The kabocha squash soup, rye bread, and lamb stew are absolutely delicious.”
I thought you said you weren’t picky about food?
Eating even in dreams—my wife must really love food.
Luan watched Mercian with a fond smile for a long while as she murmured contentedly, her tiny mouth chewing softly in his arms.
A few hours later.
“Aaah! Are you insane?! What on earth did you do…?”
Charles entered the Duke’s bedroom and approached Mercian, who sat with a desperate expression.
“Madam, what’s the matter?”
“Ah… Nothing. Sigh… It’s nothing.”
“Did you sleep well last night?”
“No. Not really.”
When on earth did I kick off my nightgown?
And to sleep sprawled out in the middle of the bed, arms wide open like this!
Goodness, through this thin nightdress, every bit of my body is showing… Could Luan possibly have seen me like this before leaving?
Sigh… It’s only been one night since we got married…
Mercian’s face flushed at the thought that she might not be able to look Luan properly in the face again.
Ah, maybe I really should lose some weight now.
What should I do about this pathetic reality—my husband is so slender that I look even plumper beside him…?
“Are you feeling unwell?”
“Yes. My whole body aches as if I’ve been beaten.”
Staring at her nightdress, which revealed her figure all too clearly, Mercian grimaced as Charles’s words reminded her of the aftereffects from yesterday’s massage.
“Hehehe. That’s just how the first night usually is.”
“What? First, the first night?”
Oh right—last night was our wedding night!
Mercian’s face tinged slightly red as she replied to Charles’s question.
“Charles, aren’t you a bit too knowledgeable about these things for an unmarried young lady?”
“Madam, are you feeling shy right now?”
Charles giggled softly as she came over and helped Mercian wash her face and change into a dress.
“Thank you, Charles.”
“Madam, today after breakfast with Master, you’ll receive the servants’ formal greetings and take a tour of the Duke’s manor.”
As Charles helped her get ready, Mercian smiled and asked,
“A tour of the manor? Alright, I understand. But who exactly am I having breakfast with?”
Glancing at the clock, which had already passed nine, Mercian assumed Luan must have already left for work and asked accordingly.
“Since it’s your first meal here at the Duke’s manor after marriage, of course you’ll be dining with Master.”
What? I’m eating with him? So he hasn’t left for work yet?
Sigh… He must’ve seen me in that state this morning when he woke up…
How embarrassing! What do I do?
Mercian felt frustrated with herself, having always believed her sleeping habits were quiet and well-behaved.
Responding awkwardly with a forced smile to Charles’s words, Mercian said,
“Oh? Right…”
As Charles swiftly finished dressing her, Mercian’s expression grew increasingly gloomy at the thought of soon having to face Luan.
Dining room.
“Welcome, my lady.”
Luan, who had arrived earlier and was reading the newspaper, stood up as Mercian entered and greeted her with a light kiss on the cheek.
“Ah—yes. D-did you sleep well too, Luan?”
Startled by Luan’s kiss, Mercian stammered, and Luan pulled out a chair for her.
“Please sit down, my lady.”
“Th-thank you, Luan.”
Edward watched with satisfaction as Luan returned to his seat with a gentle smile, then signaled the servants, who brought the food and set it on the table.
“Madam, we’ve prepared a simple breakfast today: kabocha squash soup, lamb stew, salad, and rye bread.”
“Ah, thank you. But… is that really enough for Luan?”
Looking at the meager portion set before Luan—less than half of what was in front of her—Mercian asked, and Luan nodded.
“My health isn’t great, so I have trouble digesting. This much is plenty; please don’t worry.”
“But even this feels like a lot for me.”
“A lot?”
Convinced her body looked enormous compared to Luan’s, Mercian had already resolved to lose weight and stared at her plate as she spoke.
“I was thinking of losing some weight… so maybe I should eat just a little less.”
“Lose weight? Where on your body do you have fat to lose, my lady?”
N-no fat to lose? I definitely need to shed at least half of what I have now…
Seeing Luan eyeing her with a puzzled look, Mercian’s cheeks flushed as she said,
“Luan, stop joking like that. I have plenty to lose! Right now, I must weigh twice as much as you.”
“That doesn’t seem right. My lady, I held you yesterday—despite my frail health from illness, I could still lift you easily, which clearly means you aren’t overweight at all, so please don’t say such things.”
“Huh? L-Luan… seriously… sigh.”
Held me easily? How mortifying—what’s he saying now…?
Watching Luan speak so earnestly, Mercian’s face grew even redder out of embarrassment for Edward, who stood nearby—so red that Edward quickly left the dining room with an expression suggesting he hadn’t heard a word.
“My lady, I like you just the way you are now. Please don’t think about losing weight. And for breakfast today, I specifically asked the head chef to prepare these dishes because you mentioned wanting to eat them—so please enjoy as much as you’d like.”
“Huh?”
When did I ever say I wanted this?
Mercian tilted her head in confusion at Luan’s words, then took a sip of the kabocha squash soup.
“Wow! This really is delicious. The head chef here must be exceptionally skilled!”
With flavors this good, they could easily run a successful restaurant.
As she savored the savory soup, Mercian decided she absolutely had to learn cooking from the head chef.
While tearing off a piece of rye bread, dipping it into the kabocha soup, and savoring the taste, she accidentally met Luan’s eyes—he was watching her with evident satisfaction.
“Aren’t you eating, Luan?”
“I’m eating right now. How does the food taste?”
“Yes! Charles was praising the head chef’s skills yesterday, and it really is delicious. Luan, try dipping your bread into the soup too—the rich, sweet flavor of the kabocha pairs wonderfully with the bread.”
At Mercian’s suggestion, Luan tore off a piece of bread just like she did, dipped it into the kabocha soup, and took a bite.
For Luan, who had spent years living on battlefields, food had always been nothing more than a way to stave off hunger.
But now…
It was just bread dipped in soup—yet just as Mercian had said, the sweet, savory taste of the kabocha filled his mouth, perfectly complemented by the warm, chewy texture of the bread. It was surprisingly good.
No—actually, it was truly delicious.
Had food always tasted this wonderful?
For the first time ever, Luan was able to truly taste his meal—because he was sharing it with Mercian.
Near the end of the meal, after glancing repeatedly at Luan, Mercian finally took her last bite of rye bread and hesitantly spoke up.
“Luan… when you woke up this morning, did I…?”
“Yes?”
“Um… did I perhaps…?”
The words “Was I sleeping in that mortifying pose in the middle of the bed?” stayed stuck in Mercian’s throat, leaving her flustered.
Seeing Mercian’s expression—clearly wanting to ask something—Luan couldn’t help but let a small smile creep onto his lips.
“When I woke up this morning, you were sleeping quietly at the edge of the bed. Were you worried I’d left and you might have fallen off?”
What? Quietly at the edge? So he didn’t see me sprawled in the middle with my arms wide open?
Relieved by Luan’s words, Mercian finally smiled brightly.
“Oh, no! Fall off the bed? My sleeping habits are so well-behaved! Once I lie down in one spot, I stay exactly there until I wake up. Hehehe.”
“I see, my lady. Well then, shall we get up now that we’ve finished eating?”
Remembering how Mercian had nestled and squirmed in his arms all through the night, Luan smiled as Mercian nodded and rose from her seat.
“Come this way, my lady.”
Luan took Mercian’s hand and led her to the first-floor parlor, where Edward had already gathered all the servants and maids, awaiting their arrival.
“Everyone worked hard preparing for yesterday’s wedding ceremony. From today onward, this is Mercian Canoluph, Duchess of House Canoluph—the new mistress of this manor. Whether I am present or not, you will all obey her words!”
“Yes, Master! Welcome to the manor, Madam.”
“I’m delighted to meet you all. I don’t know much yet, but I’ll do my best to learn the household rules quickly. Until then, I look forward to working with all of you.”
“Please don’t speak so humbly, Madam.”
At Clea’s words, Edward stepped forward, bowed respectfully to Mercian, and said,
“We briefly met yesterday—I’m Edward, the butler of this manor, and this is my wife, Clea, the head maid.”
“Oh! You two are married?”
“Madam, please don’t lower yourself so! We’re absolutely thrilled to serve such a kind and beautiful mistress like you.”
Flustered by Clea’s praise, Mercian’s cheeks turned pink.
“My lady, I apologize, but we’ll have to postpone the tour of the manor until this evening. I believe it’s time we headed to the Imperial Palace now.”
“Luan, I can explore the manor on my own—please don’t worry about me and go ahead.”
At Mercian’s words, Luan kissed her cheek and replied,
“My lady, why say such hurtful things? Of course I must show you around myself. I’ll be back no later than six, so please rest well until then.”
Mercian smiled in response to Luan’s words.
“Alright. I will, Luan.”
“Then, have a wonderful day.”
Luan hugged Mercian tightly, kissed her forehead, and left the manor.
That afternoon.
“You’d like to learn cooking?”
“Yeah! I’ve wanted to learn for a very long time, but never had the chance. But the head chef here seems incredibly talented. Oh—wait, am I not allowed to learn cooking as a Duchess?”
Charles tilted her head slightly at Mercian’s question before replying,
“I don’t think there’s any rule against a Duchess learning to cook, but let me first ask the head maid.”
“Thank you, Charles.”
After hearing Charles’s report, Clea came to Mercian’s room.
“If it’s what you wish, Madam, you may start anytime. I’ll inform Jang, so please feel free to visit the kitchen whenever it’s convenient for you.”
“Thank you, Clea.”
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
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