Chapter 111: Just a Peek [Part 2]

Chapter 111. Just a Peek [Part 2]

Liora blinked.

Nia’s cheeks had developed the faintest hint of pink. Apparently, even the shameless fox princess had her limits.

Nia recovered quickly, though, flashing a wicked grin. "Honestly, he was already lethal from the beginning. Tall, handsome, powerful, mysterious... He had everything he needed to make women lose their minds." She sighed theatrically. "The problem was that he didn’t know how to use any of it."

Liora nearly laughed. "That’s rather harsh."

"It’s true! But now?" Nia’s ears perked up. "Now he’s learning." Her grin turned positively dangerous. "And he’s getting very good at making things worse."

Liora pressed her lips together. She refused to smile. Absolutely refused. Unfortunately, the corners of her mouth betrayed her.

Because Nia wasn’t wrong.

Rey had become considerably more troublesome.

And the worst part? Liora was beginning to enjoy that trouble.

They eventually reached the corridor leading to his bedroom.

Two servants stood near the entrance, while another waited farther down the hall. All three straightened immediately when they noticed the approaching princesses.

"Lady Liora. Lady Nia."

Liora acknowledged them with a small nod. "How is Lord Rey? Has he come out?"

"No, my lady," one servant answered. "We haven’t seen him leave his room."

"Any unusual noises?"

"None, my lady."

"Good."

Liora felt some of the tension leave her shoulders. Perhaps Nia had been right. Rey had finally listened, drunk Lily’s tonic, and gone to sleep without trying to squeeze another few hours of work out of his already exhausted body.

A rare miracle.

One she would happily accept.

Then Nia stepped toward the door.

Liora frowned. "Nia, what are you doing?"

"Checking on him."

Before Liora could respond, Nia carefully turned the handle and opened the door a fraction.

"Nia!" Liora hissed.

The fox princess glanced over her shoulder. "What?"

"Let him sleep."

"I’m not going to wake him up."

"Then why are you opening the door?"

"Because I want to make sure he’s actually sleeping."

Liora stared at her. Technically, that was reasonable. Unfortunately, the mischievous sparkle in Nia’s eyes suggested that reasonable intentions were not the only things occupying her mind.

Liora opened her mouth to object.

Nia leaned closer and whispered. "Don’t you want to see his sleeping face?"

Liora froze. Her heart gave an embarrassingly noticeable little thump.

Nia’s smile widened. "Maybe sit beside him for a while? Brush his hair away from his forehead? Touch here and there a little?" Her tail swayed excitedly behind her.

"Nia!"

"What? He’s our husband."

"That’s not—"

"Besides, imagine how cute he’d look sleeping peacefully."

Liora hesitated. Unfortunately, her imagination was being extremely unhelpful.

Rey, lying beneath the blankets with his dark hair slightly messy, his usually sharp expression softened by sleep. Perhaps she could sit beside him for a moment. Make sure he was comfortable. Adjust his blanket if necessary. Maybe brush a few strands of hair away from his face.

That wasn’t seduction. That was simply being a considerate wife. Perfectly normal.

Nia leaned closer. "Think about it, Liora~"

Liora remained silent. Because, damn it, she was thinking about it. And the longer she thought about it, the more appealing the idea became.

Nia watched her with the delighted expression of someone who had successfully persuaded a very dignified woman to participate in a minor crime.

Liora finally sighed. She glanced toward the servants, then at the narrow opening in the bedroom door. Her cheeks were still warm.

"Fine," she murmured, carefully restoring her composed expression. "But only for a little while."

Nia’s grin widened immediately. Naturally. That fox looked far too pleased with herself. She carefully pushed the door open, slipping inside with the practiced silence of someone who had spent years sneaking into places she wasn’t supposed to enter. Liora followed, closing the door behind them as gently as possible.

The bedroom was quiet.

The magical lamps had been dimmed, leaving the chamber bathed in a soft golden glow. Everything looked orderly, from the neatly arranged furniture to the curtains hanging beside the tall windows.

Except for one rather important detail.

The bed was empty.

Liora stopped.

Nia stopped beside her.

For several seconds, both women stared at the perfectly undisturbed blankets. Then their attention shifted toward the bedside table.

A cup of tonic sat there. Untouched.

Liora slowly closed her eyes. Of course he hadn’t drunk it. Why would their husband do something as reasonable as taking his medicine and going to sleep when he could find another opportunity to work himself into an early grave?

Honestly, that man.

"He must have teleported to his study," Liora murmured.

Nia tilted her head. "Wait."

Before Liora could ask what she meant, the fox princess slipped toward the bathroom.

The door opened.

Nia peeked inside. A moment later, she returned, looking mildly disappointed. "Yup. No naked Rey in there. Must be in the study."

Liora stared at her.

Nia smiled.

Liora continued staring.

There was absolutely no reason for Nia to check the bathroom. None. There hadn’t been a single sound of running water coming from the bathroom, and even if Rey had been bathing, a normal wife would have knocked first. But apparently, the possibility of accidentally discovering her husband bathing was an opportunity Nia simply couldn’t allow to pass unexplored.

The shameless fox.

"You could have knocked."

"And ruined the surprise?"

Liora inhaled slowly. She had negotiated financial agreements with stubborn merchants, handled unreasonable nobles, and managed expenses that would have given ordinary accountants nightmares. Yet somehow, dealing with one mischievous fox princess remained among the most exhausting responsibilities in the mansion.

"Let’s go."

Nia giggled and followed her out.

The servants straightened as the two women emerged from the bedroom, but Liora merely informed them that Lord Rey had apparently gone to his study.

The realization produced several concerned expressions.

Liora dismissed their concerns with a reassuring nod before continuing down the corridor.

She wasn’t particularly angry.

Worried, certainly.

Annoyed, perhaps.

But beneath those feelings was something considerably softer.

Rey had always been hardworking. Even before his recent changes, he had possessed an almost frightening dedication to magical research.

Unfortunately, that dedication had become considerably more dangerous after his curse worsened. Every spell could hurt him. Every prolonged experiment carried risks. And even though his condition had improved, Liora knew better than to assume that improvement meant he was suddenly invincible. Especially when her husband seemed determined to test that assumption whenever nobody was watching.

By the time they reached his study, she had already prepared several things to say.

Nothing unreasonable.

Just a calm reminder that he had promised to rest. Perhaps a gentle lecture about the importance of maintaining his health.

And if he argued?

Well... She was perfectly capable of making him regret it.

Nia glanced at her expression and wisely said nothing.

Liora placed her hand on the study door. She didn’t knock. Instead, she carefully turned the handle and pushed it open. The door swung inward without a sound. Warm lamplight spilled across the floor.

Liora stepped inside, fully expecting to find Rey hunched over another magical experiment, his hair disheveled, his clothes loosened, and that irritatingly satisfied smile on his face. She could practically imagine him looking up and declaring that he was almost finished. A word that apparently meant anything between five minutes and another eight hours.

But the sight that greeted them was entirely different.

Rey was asleep.

At his desk.