IDMH - Chapter 35
I Decided My Husband
"It's really you."
No matter how trustworthy he may be, isn't that too carefree?
He's a man too.
Perdes looked down at Adele, who was sleeping so soundly that he couldn't tell who was carrying her, with bewildered eyes.
She was calm, but it felt very unfair that he was the only one to worry about it.
'Don't worry about me either.'
Perdes lay down while thinking this.
He buried his head in the soft pillow and closed his eyes, but he couldn't sleep.
It was strange. His body was as heavy and tired as wet cotton because it was an engagement party and a wedding reception, and he was tired all day, but his mind was clear.
'Is it because of the medicine?'
Or maybe it was the antidote. It could be because of something outrageous that women did earlier.
"..."
Perdes, who was lying with his back to Adele, slowly turned his head and looked at her.
It is often said that sleeping babies are the prettiest thing in the world, and that also applies to Adele.
He didn't want to admit it, but Adele was as pretty as an angel when she slept.
'A red-haired angel.'
Perdes suddenly remembered Adele wearing pure white clothes and angel wings and laughed. It didn't seem like they would fit at all, but he was surprised that they matched well.
What was more interesting was her herself.
Perdes recalled the first time he met Adele. As the daughter of a high-ranking Duke's family, Adele must have been protected and raised like a flower in a greenhouse, but Adele had the eyes of a weed in a field that had gone through all kinds of storms.
It was ironic because even though it seemed that difficult, he didn't feel like he wanted to protect her. That wasn't the only thing that was surprising.
People who saw Perdes often despised him like Chernosor or ignored him like a Crown Prince.
Occasionally, there were people who would look at Chernosor or the 5th Prince and give them sympathetic looks, but that was it.
Until now, there has not been a single person willing to step forward and help. But Adele held out her hand.
"Can you stand up?"
Even after seeing Perdes' shabby behavior and learning that he was the rumored 4th Prince, she continued to use honorifics.
"She really is an amazing woman."
Perdes, who had already completely turned towards Adele, muttered as if he was talking to himself. Adele was the first person to see each other in the same bed like this.
She was the first person to reach out to him to do something together and the first person to tell him that she believed in him.
Is that why?
He had a strange feeling. It felt like someone was tickling the inside of his palm with a feather.
He doesn't know the identity of this feeling, but one thing he knows for sure is that he doesn't hate being like this with her.
That was really strange.
***
As soon as I woke up, I habitually checked the time.
Current time, 6 AM.
I was so tired that I felt like I was going to pass out, but as if my habit had not gone away, I naturally opened my eyes at this time.
Breakfast is usually served around 8 o'clock, so the maids will arrive in about an hour.
On the pretext of serving, I wanted to make sure we had spent our first night together. Everything they saw and heard would be relayed to the Emperor, so proper directing and acting were needed
"..."
To do that, I needed Perdes' help.
I tried to wake him up but stopped when I found him curled up in a nap at the end of the bed. It's like he was cornered and forced to sleep.
The reason I feel guilty for something I didn't do is because Perdes is sleeping so pitifully. He was almost embarrassed to wake up.
I wanted to let him sleep a little longer, but I didn't have time.
"Your Highness."
That's when I had no choice but to grab his shoulder.
"..."
His hand grabbed my wrist tightly like a hawk catching its prey. Golden eyes, a mixture of sleepiness and death, focused on my face.
That gaze was as fierce and murderous as a wild beast, but it was nothing to me, who had experienced worse things than this.
"It's time to wake up, Your Highness."
Without shaking at all, I looked straight into his eyes and spoke.
Then, the hand that was holding my wrist so tightly as if it would break it lost its strength little by little.
Perdes blinked a few times, and the sleepiness and death in his eyes disappeared completely.
"If you come to your senses, will you let go of my hand?"
"..."
I checked the wrist Perdes had released. A bright red handprint remained clearly visible. Perdes, who had raised his upper body, also apologized after looking at my wrist with the handprint.
"Sorry. It wasn't intentional."
"I know."
Because I didn't intentionally look like that kind of person to anyone. It was a behavior close to an instinct that came from constantly being wary of his surroundings.
"I'm fine, so you don't have to be sorry."
"...Huh."
Contrary to his answer, Perdes still looked sullen and lowered his head. It was cute, like looking at a downcast puppy.
I guess you could say I have the urge to pat his head.
"I have work to do from now on."
As I spoke, suppressing the impulse by holding hands, Perdes raised his head.
"A thing to do? What?"
"We have to pretend like we had our first night yesterday."
“....?!”
Perdes understood what I meant a beat later, and his eyes grew as big as a flower lantern.
"Now... Did you say it was the first night?"
"Yes,"
"That's the first night I know, right?"
"If you mean the first night out between a married couple, then yes."
When I told him exactly what I knew from the dictionary, Perdes' face turned red.
"Don't imagine anything strange."
When I pointed this out, Perdes flinched and shouted.
"I didn't have any strange imaginations!"
"You know that when I say things like that, you have no credibility at all, right?"
"What's wrong with my expression?"
"Would you like me to bring you a mirror?"
If you really want to, I put my feet out of the bed and Perdes grabbed my wrist. Perhaps by coincidence, it wasn't the wrist he had grabbed so hard the first time.
"Sorry. It's my fault."
I didn't even plan on receiving an apology.
I shrugged and placed my hand on the back of his hand, which was holding my wrist.
"I understand, so please let me go. As I said before, we have a lot of work to do as we have to pretend it's our first night."
"Why do you have to disguise yourself like that?"
Perdes let go of my wrist and tilted his head.
"We are engaged, not married. Besides, I haven't had a coming-of-age ceremony yet. But isn't it even weirder that I spent my first night with the Young Lady?"
"If the Emperor had thought that way, he wouldn't have pushed you and me into the room. He even gave you strange medicine."
Perdes' face crumpled as if he immediately understood what I meant.
"He was crazier than I thought."
It was a very accurate expression referring to the Emperor.
"Come to think of it, the day before the engagement ceremony, the Emperor called me."
"I know."
After Chernosor went crazy, I did not meet Perdes in person but kept an eye on him through Sir Aldor.
I received reports on what Perdes eats, what kind of education he receives, and who he meets.
"The Emperor said so. "LSomehow, create a child with the blood of Duke Leopold and the blood of the royal family,"
"I see."
"You're not surprised."
Perdes tilted his head slightly and watched me with keen eyes.
"I guess you already knew all of this, right?"
When I nodded, Perdes' eyes became narrower.
"Why didn't you tell me about this in advance?"
"If I had told you, Your Highness would not have been so surprised to hear the Emperor's words."
I could pretend to be surprised, but the emotions of that moment were difficult to express through acting. At that time, it would be a big deal if the Emperor found out about it, so I deliberately did not tell him about it.
Since Perdes is not yet an adult, I thought there was a possibility that I would not be forced to have a child.
As I was talking with him, the clock's hand was already pointing to 6:30.
"We really don't have time now, so please hurry up and get ready,"
"..."
He looked at me silently and got out of bed.
"What and how should I prepare?"
"You should take off your clothes first."
'....!"
His face, which he had barely managed to control, turned red again.
The emotional changes were clearly visible on his face, making me wonder how he was acting like an idiot until now. Even though his acting skills are excellent, he is not good at hiding his emotions at the moment.
I thought it was a good thing I didn't tell him that in advance.
"Your Highness, there is no need for you to be ashamed. I'm the only one who takes it off. And I have no intention of taking it all off."
I planned to stay disheveled, like someone who had just gotten dressed after a big day.
Oh, before that, what should I do with the bed?
I scattered the bed sheets and dropped the pillow on the floor.
Then I took off my coat and dropped it next to him.
Underneath the outer garment, I was wearing a slip-type nightgown, and when Perdes saw it, he blushed up to his ears and turned his head.
It's not like I'm completely naked, and my clothes aren't so thin that they're transparent, so why is he so embarrassed?
After all, a child was a child. I smiled and finished the work.
I tried to direct it in various ways, recalling the scene I knew from the first night, but it wasn't enough.
At this rate, I could never fool the eyes of the skilled maids.
What more should I do here? Kiss mark?
That was the surest way, but no matter how direct it was, it didn't seem like they were asking me to carve a kiss mark on someone who hadn't had a coming-of-age ceremony yet.
Is there any other good way?
As I was thinking about it, I remembered the harsh words Chernosor said in my first life.
"They say that when you have sex for the first time, you bleed... I guess it's the first time since the Young Lady didn't show up."
It was a truly absurd, ridiculous, and rude remark. At that time, I was so ashamed and embarrassed that I couldn't say anything to him, and it was just a division.
Still, it's so helpful. The old saying that even dog poop has a place for it suddenly came to mind, so I smiled bitterly and opened the dresser drawer.
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