After the intimate conversation in the library, one Lewis had not paid much attention to despite the subtle possessiveness hidden within Draen’s words, several days quietly passed.
Yet now, Lewis found himself nearly out of breath from the endless fitting sessions forced to him since morning.
Different sets of clothing had been brought out one after another without pause.
Formal attire, tailored coats, embroidered vests, silk gloves, jeweled accessories and even shoes crafted from expensive leather all of it laid scattered across the spacious fitting room like the aftermath of some noble’s reckless spending spree.
And somehow, none of it seemed enough for Draen.
Lewis had already changed clothes more times than he could count.
The servants assisting nearby moved carefully around him, carrying folded garments over their arms while others adjusted fabrics or prepared the next set waiting to be tried on.
Meanwhile, Draen remained seated not far away, calmly observing everything with the same composed expression he always wore.
Though the Duke himself barely spoke, his standards were impossibly strict.
“This one.” Draen’s gaze swept over Lewis briefly before he spoke again.
“The stitching near the collar is uneven.”
The servant immediately stiffened.
“And the sleeves are too plain.”
Another outfit was dismissed just as quickly that Lewis could only stare in disbelief.
To him, the clothes already looked outrageously expensive.
Some were decorated with silver embroidery so intricate that he almost felt guilty touching them while others carried the subtle elegance only nobles with absurd amounts of wealth could afford.
yet Draen rejected them one after another without hesitation.
Because of Draen’s status as one of the most powerful Dukes within the empire, the fitting session itself was handled personally by none other than Madam Evelisse Moreau.
Within noble society, her name alone carried immense prestige.
Evelisse Moreau was a woman already within her forties, yet age had done little to diminish the commanding elegance she possessed.
Her dark hair was pinned neatly beneath an elaborate hat adorned with fine lace, while sharp golden eyes calmly assessed every detail around her with practiced precision.
She was not merely a designer.
She was considered a living symbol of aristocratic fashion within the empire itself.
The garments created under the Moreau name were famous among nobles for their timeless elegance, exceptional craftsmanship and impossibly luxurious materials.
Even members of the Imperial Family were known to commission her personally during grand events.
Ordinarily, someone of her standing would never oversee fittings herself yet for Draen Silvaris, exceptions were naturally made.
Still, despite her experience dealing with demanding nobles, even Madam Moreau seemed slightly speechless today.
Another coat had just been rejected.
The servants nervously carried it away while silence briefly settled throughout the room.
Then, finally, Madam Moreau let out a soft sigh before turning toward Draen.
“Your Grace,” she began carefully while still maintaining her graceful smile, “at this point, I fear the issue no longer lies with the clothing.”
Lewis immediately looked toward her, almost grateful someone had finally said it aloud.
Meanwhile, Draen simply rested his chin against his hand lazily.
“Hmm…”
“The young master would look beautiful wearing anything.”
Hearing such a compliment delivered without even the slightest trace of embarrassment or exaggeration, Lewis could only let out a deep sigh as his shoulders slumped in defeat.
Honestly, he no longer even knew how to react whenever people around Draen casually spoke such ridiculous things with perfectly serious expressions.
Even though it was still only morning since they had left the Silvaris estate, Lewis already felt like his feet were about to give out completely.
Yes, he had been the one to ask Draen to take him outside on a whim because he was bored.
But somehow, things had ended with him trapped inside Madam Moreau’s grand boutique for hours, endlessly changing clothes while Draen scrutinized every tiny detail like a noble preparing someone for a royal ceremony.
At this point, Lewis regretted ever saying he was bored.
“Hmm, you’re right,” Draen finally said calmly.
The Duke rose from his seat before walking directly toward Lewis without hesitation.
Lewis barely had time to react before Draen suddenly slipped one arm beneath his knees and the other around his waist, lifting him effortlessly into his arms.
“W-Wait…!” Lewis instinctively grabbed onto Draen’s shoulder in shock.
His eyes widened immediately as the room spun slightly from the abrupt movement and worse, he was being carried like a woman.
Like some delicate noble lady too exhausted to walk on her own.
Just like that, Lewis could only felt heat rush straight to his face almost instantly while the surrounding servants all lowered their heads at once, clearly pretending not to see anything despite the obvious tension in the room.
Madam Moreau, on the other hand merely watched with the composed expression of someone far too experienced to react openly.
Unfortunately, that only made Lewis feel even more self conscious.
“Y-Your Grace, sir, please put me down,” Lewis whispered harshly under his breath yet the man holding him did not evenn look remotely affected.
Instead, Draen merely adjusted Lewis more securely against his chest as though this was the most natural thing in the world.
“Choose whatever clothes you think would suit my bride,” Draen said calmly toward Madam Moreau.
“Then send the bill to my estate. My bride is tired so we’ll be taking our leave.”
Hearing that, Lewis nearly choked.
Bride again and in front of everyone too.
“Who’s your b-bride?!” Lewis hissed quietly, glaring at him despite the redness spreading across his face.
Draen simply glanced down at him with complete indifference.
“You,” he answered immediately.
Lewis looked genuinely pissed off but couldn’t even do anything.
‘Damn, this body is too weak.
I’m so embarrassed I could die but my feet hurts!’ He shouted inside his head and covered his face.
Meanwhile, Madam Moreau calmly hid her smile behind her folded fan, clearly amused despite her elegant composure.
“My, how fortunate,” she said smoothly.
“It seems His Grace treasures the young master greatly.”
Lewis wanted the floor to swallow him whole.
To add to the already overwhelming situation, it was not only Edrik and Leo accompanying them throughout the city.
A large number of knights had also been stationed around every place Draen and Lewis visited.
Lewis could not even begin counting how many there were anymore.
Some guarded the entrances of establishments while others followed several steps behind them in complete silence along with their intimidating presence.
Everywhere Draen went, the atmosphere shifted almost immediately. The source of this chapter is g.com.
Nobles, merchants and even ordinary civilians lowered their voices the moment they noticed the Duke of Silvaris passing by yet what drew the most attention was not Draen himself but the person beside him.
Whispers spread quickly throughout the streets.
Not because Draen appeared in public since people were already used to fearing him but because the notoriously untouchable Duke was openly treating someone with an absurd amount of care and possessiveness.
Earlier, many had witnessed Draen carrying Lewis in his arms without the slightest concern for who might see.
Even now, the way the Duke kept Lewis close while surrounding him with enough protection to rival imperial escorts was impossible to ignore.
Naturally, countless eyes followed them everywhere.
Some stared curiously while others looked completely stunned.
A few nobles who recognized Draen seemed genuinely shaken witnessing someone capable of softening the man known throughout the empire for his cold and merciless nature.
Meanwhile, the knights escorting them remained perfectly composed, acting as though their master publicly calling someone his bride was the most normal thing in the world.
At first, even Alon had questioned Draen’s decision to display Lewis so openly.
However, after some thought, even he came to understand the reason behind it.
The Imperial Family already knew about Lewis’ existence so there was no longer any reason for Draen to keep Lewis hidden away inside the Silvaris estate like a fragile secret that needed to be protected from the world.
More importantly, Draen himself no longer wished to hide him.
After everything Lewis had suffered, after all the pain and fear forced to him, all Draen wanted now was something painfully simple.
He wanted to see Lewis smile freely, experience the world beyond the estate walls without fear lingering behind every step and above all else, he wanted the entire empire to understand one thing clearly.
Lewis belonged beside him.
And no one would ever be allowed to hurt him again.
“Hmm, how are you feeling?” Draen asked quietly while kneeling in front of Lewis.
“Do your feet still hurt?”
After leaving the boutique, their carriage had stopped by a peaceful plaza lined with gardens and a large marble fountain at its center where Draen had brought Lewis to one of the shaded benches there to rest.
Only for Lewis to nearly die from embarrassment moments later because the Duke of Silvaris was currently kneading his bare feet with complete calmness in public.
The touch of Draen’s hands was slow and gentle, carefully pressing against the soreness from hours of walking and endless fittings earlier.
Meanwhile, several knights stood nearby at a respectful distance with perfectly blank expressions, pretending not to notice anything despite the scene in front of them.
Even Leo had quietly looked away.
“I-I’m alright, Your Grace,” Lewis muttered weakly with his face burning red as he tried pulling his foot back.
“C-Could you let go of my feet now?”
Draen simply tightened his hold slightly before looking up at him.
“You were struggling to walk earlier.”
“T-That still doesn’t mean you should do this outside,” Lewis whispered in awkwardness.
Draen only hummed softly before continuing the massage without care for the people secretly staring around them.
“To me, your comfort matters more than their opinions.”
Lewis immediately fell silent.
And somehow, that only made his face hotter.
“Damn this romantic bastard…!”