IELNDMH - Chapter 19 < Last Night, What You Wanted >
I Ended Up Living Up Next Door With My Ex-Husband
"Did I interrupt you two's fun time?"
Adrian and I glanced at each other in confusion at Cedric's sudden appearance. Adrian also seemed very embarrassed.
"Cedric?"
"Your Highness the Grand Duke."
However, Cedric had an extremely relaxed and languid attitude. He leaned against the window frame and looked up at me with his sculpted face.
"Huh? Rebecca."
A face is as beautiful as if it had been drawn. Plus, that angle, that way of speaking...
I gasped as my heart had been hit without warning.
'Wow, our Grand Duke...'
In the original, I thought you only used your body well, but now I see you use your face well too.
I didn't know that if I was captivated by that face, Cedric's likeability rating, which I had barely raised to a 'friend' level, would drop.
'Come to your senses right now, or you'll be sent to the rooftop of Hell!'
I scolded myself and tried to come to my senses. However, at the same time, I felt aggrieved.
'If I were to be so simple for five years from the first night, would I not go crazy and be crazy even if I were Rebecca?'
I never thought I would live to understand the feelings of Rebecca, the crazy dog...
I kept chanting it to myself as if I was chanting a spell.
He's a fox, a fox with nine tails.
'You should never be possessed.'
Only after finally calming down was I able to turn my head towards Cedric again.
"Nice to see you, Cedric. But what is this carriage? I don't think it's the Twins family carriage."
The corner of Cedric's mouth slightly turned up at my question.
"I bought a new carriage this morning and am on my way back."
"Suddenly a new carriage? Why are you in such a hurry to buy a carriage that doesn't even have the family emblem engraved on it...."
Of course, it would be nothing compared to the Twins family's vast fortune, but the price of one carriage was by no means a small amount.
It was a time when I kept looking at the carriage and tilting my head.
"I suddenly remembered what you said about not wanting to be noticed around town."
"... Yes?"
You bought a carriage immediately after hearing just one word from me?
"Anyway, that's true. Buy this expensive thing right away...."
"What's wrong with that?"
Unlike my bewildered expression, Cedric leisurely raised the corner of his lips. It was a time when I somehow thought that his face resembled that of a sly fox,.
"Last night, it was what you wanted."
Even Cedric's eyes, which were always sharp, curved into a gentle curve.
"... It looks like you spent last night together. I'm so glad you two are doing well."
Adrian nodded his head with his gaze slightly lowered.
'Oops, I guess Adrian misunderstood something.'
However, Cedric actually had a carefree attitude even after saying something that could have been misunderstood.
"Of course. Couples are often not what they seem."
Until I added that. It seemed like Cedric was planning to faithfully carry out my request to pretend to be a window display couple. But the problem was that even if he were faithful, he was too faithful.
'It looks even weirder if it suddenly changes like that. Somehow there is no middle ground...?'
I furrowed my eyebrows in embarrassment and quickly turned my head towards Adrian.
"I know what Adrian is imagining, but that's not it."
"Yes? How do I imagine..."
"Anyway, that's not it. I just happened to run into Cedric while taking a walk last night."
At the same time, a fine crack was carved between Cedric's eyebrows.
"Rebecca, there is no need to excuse what happened between you and your husband."
At those words, I gave a silent hint with my eyes.
'No, Your Highness... That's all good, let's do our best, yes?'
However, Cedric simply turned his head towards Adrian, as if avoiding my gaze.
"Adrian, it's been a while."
"Your Highness the Grand Duke. Have you been safe so far?"
"Of course. "I am grateful to you for doing your best to manage the Dark Mansion from the time it was empty until now."
"I'm just doing my duty, Your Highness."
Adrian bowed his head lightly once again.
"I heard that the Marquis de Monterre's condition is getting worse day by day."
At Cedric's words, darkness appeared in Adrian's blue-violet eyes.
"You're right. But fortunately, my older brother and sister-in-law are taking good care of my father."
"That's a good thing, though. I thought you would go back to the demon world because of that, didn't you?"
"Yes, of course, it's not that I haven't thought about going back, but..."
Adrian paused for a moment, then his eyes landed on me. The corners of his lips slowly curved as he stared at me.
"I have another reason to stay here."
Cedric's eyes, which had been following Adrian's gaze, stopped in front of me. Cedric, who was just looking at me, had a somewhat subtle expression.
Only then did I realize that the reason Adrian stayed here was 'me'.
'I didn't even know Adrian had such a situation, so he just thought about pampering me until later.'
Feeling embarrassed, I smoothed my hair for no reason.
"Adrian, I didn't know such a situation existed. I'm really sorry about what happened to your father."
"It's okay, Your Highness."
"While I'm out of the mansion today, why don't you come see your father for a moment."
"No, not really...."
"This is an order."
".... Yes, I will, Your Highness."
"And if the reason you remain in the dark mansion is because of me..."
"..."
"You don't have to force yourself to stay here."
Adrian shook his head politely but firmly.
"It's not like that. It's purely because of my desire to stay here."
"But Adrian...."
It was a time when I felt heavy and wanted to continue speaking.
Knock knock.
Cedric tapped the carriage's window frame to get our attention.
"Rebecca, we better get going."
Adrian nodded his head with a smile as if he agreed with those words.
"It was delayed because of me."
"......."
"Please get on the carriage, Your Highness. I will hold your hand."
Click.
The carriage door suddenly opened with a low sound. Before I knew it, Cedric had come out of the carriage and naturally took my hand away from Adrian.
Cedric's large hand gently grasped my hand. The moment I looked up at Cedric, surprised by the unfamiliar yet warm touch.
"From this moment on, Rebecca's escort is the responsibility of me, her husband."
Chilly blue eyes looked directly at Adrian.
"So I guess you'd better go."
***
Twins Grand Duke Castle, close to the Forest of Demon World. Even if It was the nearest city, the distance was quite far. It took a while for the scenery of a dense forest to pass by outside the carriage window.
Before I knew it, the private houses of commoners began to appear, and soon the sight of a bustling downtown area came into view.
"This is the North Central Market. Is this your first time here?"
Cedric asked me, who was completely focused outside the window.
"Yes, there was no need to come all the way out here."
That was probably the same for Rebecca in the past. This is because the radius of action of noble wives was usually limited to family castles, places where social banquets were held, or shopping streets exclusively for nobles.
[North Central Market 1st Street]
I looked up through the window at the sign hanging on the street.
At the center of the northern central market was the Demon World Materials Futures Exchange, and all five roads leading to the center were market prices.
While the carriage runs on 1st Street, which is said to be the busiest among them. I couldn't take my eyes off the vibrant scenery outside the window.
There were formal shops lined up on both sides of the market street, and in the center of the street, a stall vendor was loudly soliciting customers.
"Buy herring! Fresh herring brought in from the docks of Ruad this morning!"
"Parsnips like water today! What should I give you?"
"1 ruts for a glass of milk! I'll even give you some rum if you want!"
There is even a bag seller who walks the streets carrying all kinds of goods on his back.
It was a time when exclamations of admiration came out at the unfamiliar yet amazing sight.
"Let's stop here for a moment."
Cedric knocked on the window leading to the driver and gave a command, and soon the carriage slowly stopped in place.
"Why stop here? I don't think we've reached the futures exchange yet."
"You looked out the window curiously. Wasn't it something you wanted to see?"
"Ahh... Of course, I would like to, but wouldn't it be too noticeable?"
"I don't think so. You and I came dressed appropriately so as not to be noticed."
As I told him in advance, Cedric came out dressed more plainly than usual.
Moreover, in this place where only commoners gathered, few people would realize that he was the owner of the Twins Grand Duchy.
Of course, it is...
Cedric, your face stands out so much.
It was a time when I could hardly make a decision because it was clear that his appearance would attract attention wherever he went.
"Anyway, the futures exchange is just a short walk away. From here, let's just walk around and look around."
Cedric, who noticed that I was conflicted, immediately opened the carriage door and went out. And he held out his hand towards me in the carriage.
"Huh?"
"Hurry."
I looked at Cedric and thought for a moment.
'It may be a little embarrassing, but it's true that I want to walk around the market.'
In the end, I grabbed Cedric's hand and got out of the carriage. At the same time, I felt all eyes in the market turning towards Cedric and me.
However, Cedric seemed to be used to such gazes and did not care.
"Rebecca, is there a store in particular you'd like to check out?"
I tried to ignore the stares around me and looked around at the nearby shops.
"Hmm.... It's more of a stall selling trinkets than a regular store."
"A street store? I thought you wouldn't like that."
"I told you. You'll soon get used to being surprised by me."
As I got out of the carriage and walked down the market road, I started to feel excited. As we approached the stall we had been eyeing, a middle-aged man greeted us with a warm smile.
"Welcome. Are you looking for something?"
"A hairpin. Something that young children will like."
"Well, things over here are doing well these days."
The merchant said, pointing to the left side of the stall. There were lots of colorful and cute hairpins on display.
'What color will suit Bianca? It must be blue too, right? Oh, I think pink would be cute too.'
It was a time when I was excited and swept up the hairpin.
"But what is the relationship between you two? You're a couple, right?"
The merchant spoke to me in a friendly manner. As expected, he didn't seem to recognize me and Cedric.
"As is your husband, but you are truly beautiful! Your husband can't travel comfortably wherever he goes! Am I right?"
I couldn't help but be shocked by the merchant's grinning and joking words. No matter how much Cedric had made up his mind to pretend to be a window display couple, there was no way he would react to such an unfamiliar comment.
'No matter how much he says we have to act like a show window couple, that's a bit over the line.'
Even if Cedric can't stand it and gets annoyed, I have nothing to say. As expected, Cedric's face slowly hardened.
".... You're asking useless things."
It seemed that his patience had finally run out. It's unfair.
I didn't say anything, so why is all the embarrassment on me?
The moment I close my eyes tightly and curl my lips.
"Do you need an answer?"
The distinctive low tone continued indifferently once again.
"My wife is a rare beauty, so it's natural for me to be concerned about her."
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