Don’T Get Caught By Your Husband! [EN]: Chapter 129

Don’t Get Caught by Your Husband! Extra Story 8. A New Portrait (129/130)

Extra Story 8. A New Portrait

2024.06.09.

“He’s got a tooth?”

Escalion nodded, carefully raising a hand to open Peleus’s mouth.

As the baby opened his mouth with a little ‘eee’ sound, a tiny tooth was indeed visible on the bottom.

“How cute…! He looks like a bunny!”

“Right?”

Escalion said with a proud voice.

*It’s not like you grew a tooth…*

Belladona glanced up at Escalion, who was responding as if he had grown two more teeth himself, and then took Peleus from him.

The baby, who had become quite heavy, moved his short legs and made happy noises.

“Ah, warm!”

Holding the baby felt like embracing a warm, soft heater that smelled wonderful.

Belladona hugged Peleus tightly and rubbed her face against his soft hair.

“I’m glad Peleus doesn’t take after my wife. The little guy is already so warm.”

Escalion said as he hugged both Belladona and Peleus at once. Belladona felt even warmer and leaned back onto the bed.

“Eee…!”

Peleus made a fuss, sounding uncomfortable. Escalion chuckled softly at the sound.

“He got this from you—being clear about what he likes and dislikes.”

“Do I do that?”

“Yes, your expression hardens immediately when you don’t like something.”

*Did I?*

As Belladona blinked, Escalion poked her cheek with his finger and said,

“I like it much better this way because you’re not just a doll who smiles no matter what, like you used to be.”

*I see…*

Belladona recalled her life in Astagna, which had become somewhat vague.

It used to feel suffocating just to think about it, but now it was a faint and faded memory, like a very old dream.

“When it gets a little warmer…”

Belladona slowly opened her mouth.

“I want to go to Astagna with Peleus.”

Escalion stared at her, carefully brushing the hair that had fallen over her forehead.

“You don’t have to go. Don’t push yourself.”

“I’m not pushing myself. I’m also curious to see if the new Pope is leading the Papal States well, and I want to see Timothy and Tina. They must be having a hard time studying…”

“Then you must be curious about that old wizard too.”

“That’s right! Fabion has probably left Astagna by now and is somewhere else, but if we make an appointment in advance, we can meet him somewhere suitable.”

Belladona put strength into the hand holding Peleus and raised herself up.

“I want to show Peleus many things and let him meet many people.”

“I feel the same way.”

Escalion also got up and stroked Peleus’s chubby cheeks. Peleus closed his eyes tightly and shook his head as if ticklish.

Escalion, who had been playfully raising the corners of his lips as he watched the baby, spoke as if something had come to mind.

“Ah, are you free for a bit this afternoon? I invited someone to the castle.”

“Who?”

“Yesterday, I met a young painter while walking around the city. I didn’t recognize him, but he saw me and was so surprised he had a fit.”

A young painter…

“Could it be the person who painted our portrait?”

Belladona asked, her eyes wide, as she thought of the portrait of the two of them hanging in the office. Escalion nodded.

“He probably didn’t know I was the lord when he painted the picture, so I understand his reaction. But he seemed too surprised…”

He scratched between his brows as he replied.

*Wouldn’t anyone be that surprised to see you?* Belladona sympathized with the painter a hundred times over and opened her mouth.

“He must have remembered because he observed our faces for a long time while painting our portrait that day. Did you invite him to the castle today for a new portrait?”

“Yes. Now that Peleus can sit properly, I thought it was necessary.”

Peleus…?

Belladona looked down at Peleus.

The baby’s head, large for his body, was still wobbly at times, as if it was difficult to support.

No matter how much she tried to see it positively, it was far from being able to sit properly.

*What on earth is Escalion thinking about the baby?*

“Anyway, sleep a little more. I’ll see you in the drawing-room later.”

Escalion said, playing with the long hair that had fallen behind her back. Belladona nodded and replied.

“Okay. I’ll get ready.”

* * *

“Lord! Madam! Greetings!”

As soon as she entered the drawing-room, the young painter bowed as deeply as possible and shouted in a loud voice before she could even see his face. Belladona smiled and responded to him.

“It’s nice to see you again. You’re painting our portrait today.”

“Yes, yes, that’s right! I didn’t recognize you last time and committed a great discourtesy. So this time, especially for free…”

“Forget it; just paint properly.”

Escalion frowned as if annoyed and pulled Belladona’s waist.

Holding Peleus, Belladona was led by his hand to a soft chair in front of the easel.

Glancing over, she saw the young painter swallowing hard, unable to answer.

“He means he’ll pay you properly, so don’t think about that and do your best.”

“Ah, I understand. Thank you…!”

At Belladona’s additional explanation, the painter bowed his head once again and went to the easel to take his place.

“F, first, please take a comfortable pose…”

“Want to sit on my lap?”

Escalion, who had already taken a seat on the chair, playfully patted his thigh and opened his mouth. Belladona quickly shook her head.

“No.”

“Why? It would look good and show how much we love each other.”

He raised the corners of his lips again as he asked.

*That, that…! He’s trying to tease me again!*

“It wouldn’t look like that at all. It would look rather unseemly and strange.”

“I wanted to paint it with a similar feel to the last portrait.”

“Then we can put Peleus on top of Escalion!”

Belladona said, placing Peleus on Escalion’s lap.

Peleus, who had his hair neatly combed and even wore a cute bow tie, blinked his eyes and looked up at her.

The baby, who had been blinking his big eyes with an uncomprehending expression for a moment, gradually frowned.

“Eee…!”

Soon, Peleus, uncomfortable with Escalion’s hard thighs, reached out to Belladona and began to fuss.

“Eeeing!”

“I guess that won’t work. Bella, you hold Peleus, and I’ll hold you…”

“You won’t find a portrait with that composition in any castle in the Elinus Empire.”

Belladona said firmly, taking Peleus back from him. She took a seat next to Escalion and turned her body towards the easel.

*He’s someone who paints portraits quickly, so I just need to be patient, right?* She began to gently stroke Peleus’s chubby arms on her lap.

She could only hope that he wouldn’t make a fuss and cry until the painting was finished.

“Well, let’s begin!”

The painter, having confirmed that the couple was settled, raised his brush and spoke. Belladona nodded slightly.

At that moment, Escalion’s rough, hot hand pulled her waist firmly towards him.

*Oops!* Belladona was startled and ended up sticking close to him.

“Lean on me if you get bored sitting.”

“……”

Belladona blinked silently.

The same line as last time, and the situation at that time was vividly drawn.

*Besides…*

Belladona swallowed hard.

He still had a solid body, and his hot breath and unique masculine scent were the same as before.

Feeling a new sensation, Belladona tightened her grip on Peleus, feeling her heart beating fast.

She felt that the shoulder that was touching his body was getting excessively hot.

*Why, why is this happening? I suddenly feel hot…?*”

“Bella, you smell nice.”

At that moment, Escalion, who was sitting next to her, whispered. Belladona, startled by the breath that suddenly landed near her ear, trembled involuntarily.

Escalion chuckled softly.

“I hope it’s over soon. I have something I want to do.”

“……”

“Let’s go to the bedroom as soon as it’s over.”

“……!”

Belladona’s face flushed red. *Pe, Peleus is listening; you can’t say things like that!*

With her mind suddenly complicated, she endured the long, long time, not knowing what to do.

“It’s finished!”

“Wow…!”

About three hours later, the painter shouted brightly and turned the canvas around to show them.

Belladona opened her mouth slightly as she checked the completed painting.

She thought their previous portrait was quite nice, but this one was much more wonderful and beautiful, as if he had put in more effort than before.

Escalion, still with his confident eyes and sturdy physique, herself with a gentle smile next to him, and even the cute Peleus with his eyes wide open on her lap—she liked it very much.

The young painter wiped the sweat from his forehead with his soiled sleeve and smiled contentedly.

“The subjects were excellent, so I enjoyed painting it.”

“Good job. My wife seems to like it very much.”

Escalion raised the corners of his lips as he looked at Belladona, who couldn’t take her eyes off the painting.

At his signal, Volf, who had already entered, handed the painter a thick pouch.

The painter widened his eyes and bowed repeatedly to Escalion and Belladona.

“Bella, shall we go?”

Escalion, who roughly waved his hand at the painter who was giving his fervent thanks, put his hand on her waist and asked.

Belladona, confirming his hot and sticky gaze, swallowed hard and nodded. Perhaps she wanted it too.