Revenge Costs Interest [EN]: Chapter 30

30. I Want to Sleep with You

2023.08.30.

Terrun was dumbfounded. A duel? It seemed Grace was getting impatient because things weren’t going her way. He was curious about what kind of duel she was proposing.

“A duel? With guns or swords?”

“Not such violent duels.”

“I’m good at everything. Besides, I excel in every aspect compared to others.”

‘Yes, you’re amazing, Duke.’

She couldn’t argue; there was nothing to criticize, which only made her feel more wronged. But Leah was confident about this one thing.

“Tell me what you want to duel with.”

“Swimming.”

Leah answered confidently. The Hamilton Merchant Guild’s mansion had a bathhouse that was 100 meters long. It was quite deep as well.

Because of that, she had naturally learned to swim while bathing since she was young.

“As far as I know, Grace is afraid of water.”

‘Oops! I didn’t think of that.’

“I… learned. Humans are beings who strive, aren’t they? After being sick, I realized there’s nothing to fear in the world.”

Lies flowed out of her mouth so smoothly. Even as she spoke, she felt a chill because she was being so deceitful.

“Well, I wonder if the Duke’s mansion has a bathhouse that’s 100 meters long and 2 meters deep? I don’t remember. I used to be afraid of water, so I never had a reason to go to the bathhouse.”

Since she was already lying, she decided to be confident about it. She couldn’t afford to be picky right now.

“What do you take the number one noble family of Lubeck for? Of course, we have a bathhouse of that size.”

“Then it’s settled. Let’s have a match. The winner gets to have their wish granted, how about it?”

“Good.”

Terrun readily agreed, which made Leah lose confidence.

‘What! Don’t tell me, he’s good at swimming too?’

There was no way someone could be good at everything. Perhaps Terrun just wanted to take the lead.

But Terrun’s face lit up. Whatever the reason, she was glad he didn’t dislike it.

She actually felt good that he seemed to be looking forward to the swimming match with her.

“See you tonight.”

“I will.”

Leah quickly went up to her room. Then, a sudden doubt filled her.

‘Grace was afraid of water?’

But the body is bound to be controlled by the mind. So even if Grace couldn’t swim, Leah would be good at it.

But there was another problem.

‘What clothes should I wear for swimming?’

She hadn’t thought about such details.

When she bathed at the Merchant Guild, it was just her and Sarah, so they used to do it naked. But if she was competing with Terrun, she had to wear something.

* * *

It was Pauline who gave Leah a clear answer to her worries.

“Just wear your underwear? You’re engaged anyway, and it seems like that would be advantageous for the plan?”

“Advantageous for the plan?”

“It’ll distract the Duke. With your alluring figure…”

Pauline said with a cheesy expression.

‘That only applies to normal men. Not Terrun.’

Even if she stood naked in front of him, he wouldn’t budge.

‘No, if I think about it the other way, that means I don’t have to worry about it, right?’

Since he was a man who wasn’t moved by a woman’s naked body, it didn’t matter what she wore.

Still, going naked was too much. Leah took out all the clothes she could wear for swimming.

“The chemise’s [a loose-fitting, lightweight garment] skirt will get wet and wrap around your legs.”

“That’s true.”

“Miss, you should make clothes that women can wear when swimming at the beach or in the river later.”

“Oh? That’s a good idea. But Pauline, tonight is the urgent matter.”

The two pondered for a while. Then, Leah’s eyes sparkled as if she had found the answer. She chose panties, knee-length shorts, a chest wrap, and a corset.

“If the fabric is thin, it’ll stick to your skin when it gets wet, which will be even more embarrassing.”

“If you wear a chest wrap and a corset, it won’t show even if it gets wet, right?”

“There’s no such thing as clothes that don’t get wet at all, but this seems like the best option.”

Either way, it would be embarrassing to go into the bathhouse with Terrun. But once the match starts, she wouldn’t have time to care about the other person.

‘I have to win no matter what.’

Leah raised her fighting spirit and began to prepare.

* * *

Late at night, Leah headed to the bathhouse with Pauline, wearing a bathrobe. Her heart was pounding with every step she took.

Was this the feeling men had when they dueled? Just then, she heard the humid smell and trickling water sounds unique to the bathhouse.

It was time to see how grand the number one family of Lubeck’s bathhouse was.

‘Well, it’s similar to our bathhouse.’

The antique marble pillars surrounding the huge bathhouse resembled a temple.

In the corner, a goddess statue stood holding a large vase. Water was constantly flowing from the vase.

Also, the four sides of the bathhouse had narrow ledges where people could sit.

Terrun was waiting for her there, soaking in the water.

“Did you come?”

“Yes.”

Terrun came out of the water when he saw Grace.

His broad shoulders, firm chest, arms, and legs were covered in muscles.

In addition, his smooth abdomen and waist were so free of any fat that it was hard to take your eyes off him.

Why was this man’s body so perfect? Especially Terrun with his hair wet, looked different from usual.

What should I say, he looked somehow sensual.

‘Wait, there’s a height difference.’

Leah was tall for a woman, but Grace was short and petite.

Leah momentarily thought it was unfair, but it would be over if she overwhelmed him with her swimming speed anyway.

“I’ll be the referee.”

Pauline headed to the opposite side of the bathhouse with a large towel for the two of them.

Soon, Leah took off her bathrobe. Corset, shorts, and her hair rolled up like horse dung [a crude or unflattering hairstyle]. All preparations were perfect.

But Terrun’s gaze, scrutinizing her appearance, was so intense that she was even more flustered.

Terrun saw Grace’s body for the first time. But the first thing he felt when he saw her was that she was like a porcelain doll made of white clay.

Her slender neck, round shoulders, moderately plump breasts, abnormally thin waist, and smoothly extended arms and legs. It was a beautiful body with graceful curves.

If it was a plan to distract his nerves, it was somewhat successful. Even if he tried to take his eyes off her, he was instinctively looking for Grace.

“You have to relax your muscles. Watch me and follow along.”

“Yes…? Okay.”

Terrun and Leah faced each other and did simple exercises.

He said that it was an exercise they did every morning in the military to relax the stiff muscles so that the body wouldn’t be surprised even if they suddenly went into the water or did strenuous exercise.

Leah followed him well.

‘Cute.’

Grace, with her small body following his movements, was extremely adorable. On the other hand, there was even a sense of determination on her face.

“I’m curious that Grace learned to swim. I wonder how good she is.”

“I’ll do my best.”

‘I was a seal. I won’t lose to anyone in the water.’

Leah answered humbly, but she was more confident than ever.

“Let’s talk about each other’s conditions before the match.”

“Okay.”

Leah was waiting for Terrun to say those words. That way, the purpose of today’s match would become clear.

“Ladies first!”

Terrun looked at Grace with his arms crossed. He already knew what conditions she would say, but he had to confirm.

“Please make sure my advertisement is published in the newspaper.”

He would know better without having to say the reasons in detail. Because there weren’t many things a woman could do alone in society.

“I will.”

“Terrun, tell me what you want. What do you want from me?”

“Well, I want to sleep with Grace.”

“Pardon?”

“I want to sleep alone with you in my bed.”

Leah wasn’t very surprised by Terrun’s request. What was the big deal?

She had already slept with Terrun in the cabin and in the same bed at Aiden’s villa.

She could sleep in the same bed with a man who couldn’t do anything as much as she wanted.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yes. Okay. But you have to accept defeat cleanly. You have to fulfill the desired conditions without any complaints.”

“I swear on the honor of Courtois [a family name]. What about Grace?”

“I swear as the fiancée of Duke Courtois.”

Terrun was thrilled by Grace’s answer. How could she be so lovely even when giving the same answer? He almost stole Grace’s lips before the match even started.

He was also surprised by Grace’s boldness. She must know what it means to sleep together, but she accepted without hesitation…

Is she that confident in swimming? He had been confident that he knew everything about Grace, but these days he didn’t know her at all.

Just when he thought he knew her, a new aspect of her was revealed one by one. That’s why he liked her. She gave people curiosity and brought vitality along with it.

“You two, get ready!”

At Pauline’s words, Terrun and Leah stood side by side in the center. When Pauline shouted ‘Start,’ they had to jump into the water without hesitation.

“Get ready!”

As Pauline raised her arm and shouted, the smiles disappeared from the two’s faces.

“Start!”

The two jumped into the water without either of them going first.

They had to swim frantically, with the person who arrived at the place where Pauline was standing first being the winner. As expected, Terrun started to take the lead.

But as soon as Leah jumped into the water, she sensed that something was wrong.

‘Why isn’t my body moving as I want it to?’

Wasn’t the head supposed to control the body? That’s what it said in the science books before. That a person is finished when their brain dies.

‘I’m good at swimming. Remember it quickly!’

It was strange. She was waving her arms and kicking her feet, but her body wasn’t floating. No, it was sinking into the water.

‘Why are my arms and legs acting separately?’

The brain remembers, but it was as if the body was rejecting the water.

Leah kept sinking into the water.

She tried desperately to get out of the water, but it didn’t work.

‘Ugh! I can’t breathe.’

Leah sank like a water-soaked cotton.