OVERLORD- CH-78. Sleeping together

The old Duke passed away, and her husband ascended the throne. The fourth daughter of Count Guinevere had not even been qualified to be Duke Fengyue's concubine, yet she became his main wife. Her luck was so extraordinary that she was envied by nearly all the noble ladies.

But the envied woman was not at all happy with this noble status.

Operan had married from another region. Even after several years, her naturally introverted nature prevented her from integrating into the local aristocratic circle. As a duchess, her beauty was praised by countless admirers, yet after giving birth to a child, her husband only showed her symbolic tenderness once a month, eventually ceasing to touch her altogether.

He had other women outside. These women, though perhaps not as beautiful as Operan, were willing to serve and had the ability to please. They were not like the reserved noble ladies, who neither knew how to use their charms effectively nor dared to express themselves openly.

This lonely torment lasted for years. Operan led an extremely idle life, spending her days tending to the garden and caring for her daughter.

But this life did not last long. Her husband's sudden death thrust her into the heart of the power struggle.

"I'm so tired." The woman walked alone through the snowy mountains. With each step, her body felt heavier. The wind and snow cut through her skin like blades, yet there was no one to shield her from the storm.

Operan always had this dream—the dark sky, the fierce blizzard, and herself struggling forward alone.

She no longer have anyone to rely on. She have become accustomed to exhaustion and solitude. She have accepted that she will always spend her nights alone.

Just when she thought she would finally forget what warmth felt like, just when she had accepted that her identity as Duke Fengyue was all she had left—

"You're awake."

As she opened her eyes, she saw the boy lying beside her, his voice gentle.

"Did you have a nightmare?"

"Yeah, I had a bad dream." Nestled in the boy's arms, the warmth was intoxicating.

"I'll make you forget all that." Smiling, the boy leaned over her.

"Levi, don't do this." She spoke the words, but her body did not resist. Instead, she curled up slightly, making her look even more enticing.

'Are you doing this for your husband, for Angelina, for the parents who gave birth to you?'

A voice in her heart scolded her, sharp as blades piercing through her conscience. As a mother, was such an entanglement truly permissible?

"Don't look at me. The wrinkles will make me shy." She covered her face, her voice filled with embarrassment. But the boy caught her chin, lifting her face.

"You are beautiful, Operan."

Before marriage, her husband had called her by her old surname. Afterward, people addressed her as the Duchess. Later, she was called the Lord, the Head of the House, or simply the Duchess.

But Levi cared for none of these titles. When they were alone, he called her 'Operan.'

Not the Duchess, not the Lord of Maple Moon—just Operan.

Perhaps unconsciously, this name touched the deepest part of her heart, long buried under the weight of countless burdens.

'If I do this, I will be betraying my husband, my daughter, morality, and ethics.'

'If I don't do this, I will be betraying myself.'

"I've tried very hard."

"I know. You've tried very hard."

"I don't want to care anymore."

It doesn't matter. Nothing matters anymore.

She wrapped her arms around his strong shoulders, her long legs entwining with his. The guilt twisted into sinful pleasure.

She let out a cry of bliss—so alluring, so uninhibited, a sound her husband had never heard from her before.

"Hmm..." It was already dusk. Lying on the large sofa in the room, Operan felt lightheaded. Yet, there was no headache—only an unfamiliar sense of satisfaction.

"What kind of dream was I having?" Her face flushed red.

Was this what she had secretly wished for?

She needed to change her dress. She thought of moving, but sleep weighed down on her, making her forget time and place.

"This doesn't seem like my home..."

"Oh no, I drank too much and fell asleep while Levi was having dinner."

Panic surged through her as she opened her eyes, but the scene before her was entirely unexpected.

A rich floral aroma, mingled with the deep scent of wine, lingered in the air. The fragrance made her lightheaded, her pulse quicken.

A soft warmth pressed against her, and her breath caught.

"What is this?" Puzzled, she reached out to touch the thing pressing against her cheek. It felt familiar—soft and round—making her reluctant to let go.

"Hmm~" A soft, breathy sound reached her ears.

'Is this... a woman?'

At that moment, the situation was beyond comprehension, plunging Operan into deep confusion.

The last thing she remembered was drinking with Levi.

The red wine had been much better than she had expected, and she had indulged in a few more sips. Before she realized it, her consciousness had begun to blur.

'I thought I could handle alcohol well, yet I got drunk so easily... and I don't remember what happened after.'

Had she done something embarrassing? And in front of Levi, no less? The thought made her face burn.

But now was not the time to dwell on that. There was a more pressing matter at hand.

"Am I half asleep? Or am I still dreaming?"

Logically, that seemed the most likely explanation. Operan reached out and pinched her thigh.

It hurts. It's not a dream.

If this wasn't a dream, then who was this woman? And where was Levi?

Operan propped herself up, still groggy.

She was lying on her stomach, while the woman opposite her was sprawled across the sofa. She hovered just above her, their faces merely inches apart.

"So beautiful..." She murmured without thinking.

A perfect figure, an exquisite face—beyond that, she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, a deep pull toward the woman before her.

Who is she?

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Thank you all for supporting me.