The Duchess and the Devil - Chapter 105

“Am I supposed to choose from these?”

“Hmm, yes. Probably.”

With the wedding date set, Judith had sent a few design preferences to the tailor. Today’s delivery showcased the final options. The persistent encouragement from Derrick to try on the dresses left her no choice but to approach the displayed gowns.

“We need to check if the size fits. Would you like to try one on?”

With the tailor’s assistance, Judith slipped into one of the dresses. The soft, flowing skirt, coupled with abundant frills, captured the vibrant freshness of a new bride. The pure white dress, emphasizing its pristine hue, looked more noble and immaculate than anything she had ever worn.

She hadn’t even tried on the dress when she married Derrick Vaisil. Back then, she had simply chosen a plausible design, inspected it briefly, and worn it for the first time on the wedding day.

“It really was all just for formality.”

Preparing for her wedding with Derrick now had her reflecting on those past experiences. What once felt tedious now seemed incredibly precious. After all, these exhilarating moments were unique and wouldn’t come again.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of footsteps. Derrick had approached her from behind.

“You look beautiful.”

Derrick’s gaze lingered on Judith in the mirror, his eyes scanning her from head to toe with an intense, almost devouring look. The way he leisurely licked his lips exuded a dangerously alluring air.

“This one too,” he said, his fingers tracing the string running from her shoulder blade down to her waist. If he were to pull it, the dress would slip, revealing Judith’s bare skin. The thought made her nervous, but fortunately, he released the string after a gentle touch.

“It’s easy to undo, which is nice,” he remarked with a smirk.

She had no intention of being exposed in front of others during the wedding, so she couldn’t see how that was a positive aspect.

“Hey.”

Derrick kissed the nape of her neck and called for the tailor, who was nearby organizing the dresses.

“Yes, Your Grace?”

“Let’s buy this dress.”

“The one you’re wearing now? But what about the others…”

“No.”

“Pardon?”

“We’ll purchase all of them.”

The tailor’s eyes widened in surprise, and even through the mirror, Judith could see his astonishment. Not understanding Derrick’s motives, Judith urgently grabbed his sleeve.

The tailor she had called to the mansion was one of the most renowned in the capital, making each dress extremely costly. The one she was wearing alone could likely cost as much as a mansion, even with some exaggeration. To buy several such expensive dresses…

Two dresses—one for the ceremony and one for the reception—would have sufficed; this seemed like an extravagant luxury. Yet Derrick, seemingly unconcerned, handed a blank check to the tailor.

“Write down whatever amount you see fit.”

His voice was calm, showing no hint of worry that the tailor might overcharge him. Just as Judith was about to protest, she remembered Derrick’s ability to create money out of thin air. Realizing that all her concerns were pointless, she understood that even an astronomical figure on the check would be inconsequential to him.

The tailor, eager to finalize the transaction before Derrick changed his mind, quickly took the check and left the room. Judith, now surrounded by racks of wedding dresses, was left feeling utterly bewildered.

“I don’t need this many. I can only wear one at the wedding.”

“I didn’t buy them for you to wear at the wedding.”

With a mysterious smile, Derrick tugged on the string he had been examining earlier. The flawless skin beneath the dress was reflected in the mirror. Judith hurriedly grasped the slipping fabric, trying to cover herself.

The precarious situation was clearly intensifying his desire.

Since he was the only man present, Derrick eagerly took in the sight and wrapped his arms around her waist.

In an instant, Judith found herself lifted and gently placed onto the sofa. As she came to her senses, she looked up at him with narrowed eyes while he adjusted her disheveled dress.

“Did you buy all these dresses for this?”

“That’s right.”

With a sly smile, he pushed aside the voluminous fabric and caressed her smooth calf.

“It’s not like I can ravish you at the wedding.”

He pressed his lips against her skin, which was softer than the white dress itself. His voice, already rough with desire, made it clear that it was too late to stop him.

But they were in the parlor, a place where anyone could walk in at any moment. As Judith anxiously glanced toward the door, Derrick leaned in close and whispered, “I’ll make sure no one can come in.”

“…How?”

“You should be used to magic by now.”

In other words, he had magically sealed the parlor door. Knowing there was no arguing with such mystical power, Judith slowly nodded in acceptance.

Seeing her shy consent, Derrick immediately slipped his hand under her skirt and removed her undergarments. His fingers, slyly burrowing into her skin, curled into a hook as they scratched inside, making Judith tilt her head back and exhale a heated breath.

As she stared absentmindedly at the ceiling, it suddenly struck her just how close the wedding was.

“Ugh, do you realize our wedding is less than a month away?”

Derrick pulled his hand back and let out a soft chuckle.

“How could I not? I’m eagerly awaiting that day.”

Derrick licked the fluid off his fingers, then slowly began to unbutton his pants.

“It feels so different… it almost feels like the first time. I never felt this way while preparing for my wedding with my ex-husband.”

“What are you thinking?”

He asked as he rubbed his swollen member between her legs. Though his mind seemed entirely focused on the act, he was still attentively listening to every word she said.

As his tip slowly began to press inward, Judith reflexively bit down on her lower lip before releasing it with a sigh.

“I just hope it doesn’t fail… Ah, yes…”

Her words were punctuated with heated breaths as he continued to push in. Understanding her fully, he buried his length to the hilt and grabbed her ankle with a gaze burning with desire. Then, without warning, he placed his lips on the top of her foot.

“Did you know? When devils kiss here, it signifies their eternal submission to that person.”

Her skin tingled wherever his sensual lips moved.

“From now on, use me for anything. Whenever you want to escape people you despise, traditions you loathe, or anything else.”

“Ah, hnn…”

“I’ll gladly kneel before you and obey like a dog.”

As he leaned forward, their joined bodies pressed together even more intimately.

“Just having someone like me on your side…”

“Derrick… yes…!”

“Isn’t our marriage already a success?”

He began to thrust with increasing force. The sofa creaked beneath them, mixing with Judith’s moans in a symphony of illicit pleasure.

Derrick looked down at her with dark, lust-filled eyes. Her disheveled hair, flushed face, and the wedding dress half-torn from her body created an image of a bride on her wedding night, captured by a devil. The sinful scene stirred a chaotic desire within him.

He couldn’t help but think of her previous husband, Derrick Vaisil. How fortunate that fool was not here to witness this side of her.

Had he seen her now, he might have forsaken his infidelities, become a mere dog panting at her feet, just as Derrick himself was.

If their ill-fated connection had been doomed from the start, then Derrick Vaisil was destined to perish anyway—he would have tried to claim Judith for himself.

“Become my wife as soon as possible.”

Derrick whispered, pressing a kiss to Judith’s forehead. His voice, unmistakably human, still carried the seductive allure of a devil’s whisper.

***

Time flowed like water, and the wedding day arrived.

A nervous tension unlike anything Judith had ever experienced overtook her as she repeatedly checked her appearance in the mirror.

The wedding preparations had gone smoothly from beginning to end. The most concerning factor, Viscount Wirrel, had been stripped of his title due to charges of noble assault and imperial deception. These charges arose from his attack on Derrick and his repeated challenges to the imperial court’s rulings. His remaining assets were transferred to the Maximilian Duchy as a form of settlement.

Even without this outcome, his reputation had already plummeted due to his actions at the banquet, leaving him regarded by no one as a peer. As Judith had predicted, the vicious rumors that once targeted her were now directed solely at him.

Judith had also integrated all the members of the fallen Vaisil Duchy into the Maximilian household—servants, maids, knights, everyone.

She had intended to compensate them with a portion of the Vaisil family’s estate for their loyalty, but everything had been confiscated due to the rebellion. Nevertheless, the servants were grateful to be taken in by Judith once more, expressing their deep appreciation for her kindness.

Of the many dresses Derrick had purchased, only the one Judith was currently wearing remained intact. The others had been torn or stretched during their intimate moments. It was a disaster. When Judith lamented over the ruined dresses, Derrick merely smirked, saying that was their intended purpose all along.

Helen, the head maid, finished arranging Judith’s lustrous silver hair and gently placed the veil over her face.

“To think such a day would come again for you, my lady…”

Helen gazed at Judith with a mixture of emotions. Her reaction was different from when Judith had married Derrick Vaisil. That time, the atmosphere had felt more like a forced transaction than a celebration. Everyone had kept their thoughts to themselves, and even Helen, who was like a mother to Judith, had been no different.

Judith, looking at Helen through the mirror, slowly smiled.

“Helen, you’ve always wished for my happiness, haven’t you?”

The House of Marquis Lipis had never been particularly warm or especially harsh. The previous marquis and marchioness had also been bound by a political marriage, much like Judith’s first. Their union had been devoid of deep affection or destiny. Relationships built on power could never surpass those founded on genuine love.

Judith, who had grown up under strict orders rather than gentle affection, understood this well. That’s why Helen had spoken to her as she did.

“I’m truly happy now.”

“……”

“I don’t think I’ll ever find someone who cherishes me this much again.”