"Lady?"
“Madam! Your behavior is...!”
“Oh my, Master!”
“Count!”
I locked the bedroom door. After meeting Count Acacia, I hurried to the coachman and ran to the mansion. I cried continuously all the way back from the palace to the mansion in the carriage.
“Madam! What’s wrong, Ma’am?”
“Where does it hurt?”
A knock on the door and a worried voice flowed in. I covered my ears with my pillow and covered my ears tightly. I didn't want to hear anyone's words, and I didn't want to tell anyone how I felt. I hated Noevian so much. I hated him as much as I loved and relied on him.
'Do you know how hard it is to see someone you love suffer?'
Those words tore my heart apart. Noevian never once said anything bad to me in front of me. All he said was that it was okay for me to be struggling, that I was pretty, and that I didn't have to worry about anything.
'Tell me.'
It must have been hard for you to see me like that. It must have been tiring for you too. If he had been honest with me, even if it hurt me a little, I would have tried to force myself to smile prettily at him.
'You can be as angry as you want, Adrienne.'
'You are my wife. Your pain is my pain. So don't hide it.'
You said it so sweetly, even on those precious days when we only saw each other once every few months.
'Was that true, Noah?'
So you were tired, and met this woman instead of me? You whispered that you loved Adrienne and wanted to be with this woman? So much so that you wanted to kiss her before I died and held the 100-day funeral?
'Let me ask you again. Do you need help?'
A strange and beautiful man who spoke as if he knew everything about me. A man who seemed to know the real me.
'I was betrayed by Noevian, whom I trusted for years, so how can I trust a man I just met?'
As I became quiet in the bedroom, I heard Jonah quietly open the door and come in. I pretended to be asleep and closed my eyes, feeling Jonah's hands wiping my feet. Naturally, I remembered the man who had found my shoes and brought them back.
'How can you help me?'
'What do you want?'
What do you want? Even thinking about it again, it's still ridiculous.
“Madam! Are you okay?”
She held me back as I tried to get up with slightly tearful eyes. It was an extremely rude thing to do to a noble lady, but I didn't have the strength to point it out.
“You don’t even drink well, how much did you drink?”
Outside the door, several maids, including Marge, stood there, looking at me worriedly, not even allowing me in. I leaned against the head of the bed. Judging from the commotion and Jonah’s words, they must have thought I had been drunk the night before.
“Hey, I didn’t see anything!”
“...?”
As I picked it up from the floor, Jonah covered her eyes with her hand and screamed. At the same time, Marge opened her mouth wide and started jumping around.
“I was wondering where you hid your diary, Madam. You hid it in a place like that!”
“Diary?”
“You told me that I wouldn’t understand since it was written in a foreign language anyway... and yet you hid it in your office, where you’ve never even heard of it before. My, you’re really unusual.”
At the sound of Marge's grumbling, I felt as if my headache, which had been pouring down my chest, had suddenly stopped.
'Diary!'
Blie Acacia's Diary! The damned government's diary is in my hands!
Then, my lord, are you serious now?
Rhodnes immediately opened a new bottle of liquor and poured it down his throat. It was a signal for him to get out. Neil, who had been blankly staring at him, turned around and started walking away, then looked back once more. Rhodnes was looking at the paper he had handed him, smiling with a distorted face, and then pouring liquor into his mouth, repeatedly.
'This is crazy.'
At the same time, every time he lifted his chin to drink, something that he had seen several times and still couldn't believe flowed out.
'Why on earth do you cry like that every day?'
The tears of Rhodes. Hot ice. Cold lava. Something that could never exist in this world. Neil had been witnessing it continuously these days.
“Madam! Your behavior is...!”
“Oh my, Master!”
“Count!”
I locked the bedroom door. After meeting Count Acacia, I hurried to the coachman and ran to the mansion. I cried continuously all the way back from the palace to the mansion in the carriage.
“Madam! What’s wrong, Ma’am?”
“Where does it hurt?”
A knock on the door and a worried voice flowed in. I covered my ears with my pillow and covered my ears tightly. I didn't want to hear anyone's words, and I didn't want to tell anyone how I felt. I hated Noevian so much. I hated him as much as I loved and relied on him.
'Do you know how hard it is to see someone you love suffer?'
Those words tore my heart apart. Noevian never once said anything bad to me in front of me. All he said was that it was okay for me to be struggling, that I was pretty, and that I didn't have to worry about anything.
'Tell me.'
It must have been hard for you to see me like that. It must have been tiring for you too. If he had been honest with me, even if it hurt me a little, I would have tried to force myself to smile prettily at him.
'You can be as angry as you want, Adrienne.'
'You are my wife. Your pain is my pain. So don't hide it.'
You said it so sweetly, even on those precious days when we only saw each other once every few months.
'Was that true, Noah?'
So you were tired, and met this woman instead of me? You whispered that you loved Adrienne and wanted to be with this woman? So much so that you wanted to kiss her before I died and held the 100-day funeral?
After crying so much that my pillow was soaked, at some point, even my tears stopped falling. What did he mean by his 'perfect' government? Was he asking me to come live in the Grand Duke's residence?
'Should I become a Blie Acacia and enter the Grand Duke's residence to live like a shadow?'
Given Noevian's nature, he would never establish a government, let alone a Blier, who was not of noble birth, as the next Grand Duchess.
'How can it be this miserable?'
What if Blie became his government as she promised and lived quietly in the Grand Duke's residence or nearby?
'Then me?'
Adrienne, not Blie? Could I, Adrienne, live like that?
'Should I become a Blie Acacia and enter the Grand Duke's residence to live like a shadow?'
Given Noevian's nature, he would never establish a government, let alone a Blier, who was not of noble birth, as the next Grand Duchess.
'How can it be this miserable?'
What if Blie became his government as she promised and lived quietly in the Grand Duke's residence or nearby?
'Then me?'
Adrienne, not Blie? Could I, Adrienne, live like that?
In an instant, I was neither Piretta's daughter nor Noevian's wife. I had to live in hiding, unable to properly reveal my identity to anyone. When I imagined that kind of life, my heart ached and tears poured out, even though I had such a healthy body. I would probably live an unhappy life. Even if I received my husband's love as a government official, it wouldn't be me. Even if he said he loved the dead Adrienne, not Blie, I couldn't help but be hurt.
'If you love me, why are you hugging this woman, Noah?'
He would suffer in such agony all his life and then end his life. He would envy and resent the new Grand Duchess who would be helpful to the Crown Prince Bardenaldo, whom he would establish as the next Emperor.
'If you love me, why are you hugging this woman, Noah?'
He would suffer in such agony all his life and then end his life. He would envy and resent the new Grand Duchess who would be helpful to the Crown Prince Bardenaldo, whom he would establish as the next Emperor.
Just imagining it made me breathless. Oh my God. Why are you playing such a trick on me?
I couldn’t stop thinking about it. You give everyone else a healthy body and a companion, but why don’t you give me either of them? Why?
No matter how much I think about it, there’s no solution. Count Acacia, who is now my husband, seems to want me to become Noevian’s ‘official’ mistress as soon as possible and leave this mansion. The maids were also secretly waiting for Noevian’s call, hoping that they too could move to the Grand Duchess’ residence without a mistress.
When the crying subsided and despair filled my head... I thought of the face of Rhodnes, who had just been with me.
'Let me ask you again. Do you need help?'
A strange and beautiful man who spoke as if he knew everything about me. A man who seemed to know the real me.
'I was betrayed by Noevian, whom I trusted for years, so how can I trust a man I just met?'
As I became quiet in the bedroom, I heard Jonah quietly open the door and come in. I pretended to be asleep and closed my eyes, feeling Jonah's hands wiping my feet. Naturally, I remembered the man who had found my shoes and brought them back.
'How can you help me?'
'What do you want?'
What do you want? Even thinking about it again, it's still ridiculous.
I clenched my teeth to keep the empty laughter from leaking out. Begging for a cure, my body was dead, and I was inside the body of the government that I wanted to kill. Noevian...
'Do you mean to tell me not to cry like that? I have no interest in getting involved in lovers' quarrels.'
I clearly remembered the cold face of the man who had not hidden his expression of contempt after seeing Noevian's secret love affair. The man who came to me asking if I needed help, and whose eyes shone strangely, whether it was contempt or surprise. I held my head as I looked at that face and became dizzy from the rising alcohol.
'If the words 'I need help' come out of my mouth one more time... '
'At that point, I'll have to tell you exactly how I can help you.'
What you believe in. What you are. And...
'If you help me like that, what do I have to give you?'
When I had the words I couldn’t bring myself to ask in my mouth, I heard a commotion. Count Acacia, who was more thoughtful than when he collapsed, called me, and Rodness’s strange gaze scanned my whole body. From a distance, Neil handed me my shawl that he had picked up in the hall, and I faced Count Acacia, and...
'Do you mean to tell me not to cry like that? I have no interest in getting involved in lovers' quarrels.'
I clearly remembered the cold face of the man who had not hidden his expression of contempt after seeing Noevian's secret love affair. The man who came to me asking if I needed help, and whose eyes shone strangely, whether it was contempt or surprise. I held my head as I looked at that face and became dizzy from the rising alcohol.
'If the words 'I need help' come out of my mouth one more time... '
'At that point, I'll have to tell you exactly how I can help you.'
What you believe in. What you are. And...
'If you help me like that, what do I have to give you?'
When I had the words I couldn’t bring myself to ask in my mouth, I heard a commotion. Count Acacia, who was more thoughtful than when he collapsed, called me, and Rodness’s strange gaze scanned my whole body. From a distance, Neil handed me my shawl that he had picked up in the hall, and I faced Count Acacia, and...
The images in my head that had been reminiscing suddenly stopped there.
***
When I opened my eyes, I was laid down neatly on the bed and changed into my pajamas. I had only had a glass of champagne at the party yesterday, but my head hurt terribly. It felt like it was going to split. As I was shaking the rope madly, Jonah came running in with water for washing.
“Madam! Are you okay?”
She held me back as I tried to get up with slightly tearful eyes. It was an extremely rude thing to do to a noble lady, but I didn't have the strength to point it out.
“You don’t even drink well, how much did you drink?”
Outside the door, several maids, including Marge, stood there, looking at me worriedly, not even allowing me in. I leaned against the head of the bed. Judging from the commotion and Jonah’s words, they must have thought I had been drunk the night before.
Jonah wiped my face with a wet towel with her hands. Looking at the mirror in the distance, my hair was a little messy, but my makeup was cleanly removed. It seemed like Jonah had removed it while I was sleeping.
“What’s in the paper today?”
As if she had been waiting, Marge came into the bedroom and handed me today's newspapers and gossip papers. Jonah began to comb my hair diligently. I left my hair to her and frantically flipped through the gossip papers. Not a single word entered my head. Leaving yesterday's situation behind, which seemed like a dream, I realized that it was time to think about how I should live.
'I have to get away from Noevian.'
Divorce. I must leave this mansion as a vassal of Noevian. Even if I do not enter his mansion, at least I must not live here as Countess Acacia.
'Let's start with a divorce.'
If it was a marriage that Noevian personally arranged, the dowry must have been large. If they divorced by agreement, the Count would be able to receive formal alimony.
“What’s in the paper today?”
As if she had been waiting, Marge came into the bedroom and handed me today's newspapers and gossip papers. Jonah began to comb my hair diligently. I left my hair to her and frantically flipped through the gossip papers. Not a single word entered my head. Leaving yesterday's situation behind, which seemed like a dream, I realized that it was time to think about how I should live.
'I have to get away from Noevian.'
Divorce. I must leave this mansion as a vassal of Noevian. Even if I do not enter his mansion, at least I must not live here as Countess Acacia.
'Let's start with a divorce.'
If it was a marriage that Noevian personally arranged, the dowry must have been large. If they divorced by agreement, the Count would be able to receive formal alimony.
I grabbed my head felt like it was going to burst and headed to Blie’s office connected to the reception room. It felt like a warehouse with too much clutter to be a place to work, but I started leafing through the thick bookshelves neatly arranged.
[A Guide for Divorced Ladies]
I took out a book that was just sitting there as if telling me to look...
Bam.
Inside the thick guidebook, another book painted a horrible pink, fell out.
“Hey, I didn’t see anything!”
“...?”
As I picked it up from the floor, Jonah covered her eyes with her hand and screamed. At the same time, Marge opened her mouth wide and started jumping around.
“I was wondering where you hid your diary, Madam. You hid it in a place like that!”
“Diary?”
“You told me that I wouldn’t understand since it was written in a foreign language anyway... and yet you hid it in your office, where you’ve never even heard of it before. My, you’re really unusual.”
At the sound of Marge's grumbling, I felt as if my headache, which had been pouring down my chest, had suddenly stopped.
'Diary!'
Blie Acacia's Diary! The damned government's diary is in my hands!
It was good news to me, who couldn't relieve my frustration even after learning the truth. With hands trembling with excitement, I carefully opened the horrible pink diary. But, this...
“...Why is this here?”
My head, which had been dizzy since the headache had disappeared, started spinning again like in the morning. Damn, Blie Acacia wrote everything in Elaconic in case someone secretly read her diary.
“What the heck, why...”
During my time at the academy, I failed every time... in the foreign language that I hated the most in the world!
“...Why is this here?”
My head, which had been dizzy since the headache had disappeared, started spinning again like in the morning. Damn, Blie Acacia wrote everything in Elaconic in case someone secretly read her diary.
“What the heck, why...”
During my time at the academy, I failed every time... in the foreign language that I hated the most in the world!
***
All the monsters in the dungeon that were meant to be used as research materials were cut down by someone's sword and their heads were torn off. Covered in that horrible blood, Rhodnes was at the entrance to the prison, pouring alcohol down his throat from a bottle.
“I wondered where you went.”
“...”
"Your Highness."
“Get out.”
Neil took a deep breath and held out a wet towel. It was meant to wipe away the blood. Rhodnes refused to accept it and just drank the alcohol, just like when he first met her. It wasn’t his usual slightly crazy look, but his completely crazy face from two years ago, where every bit of his reason had been cut off.
“Dogs...”
“I never thought I’d get cursed at like that just to wipe away some blood...”
“Where’s the body?”
“...”
Neil began to realize that the words that this beautiful and dangerous beast responded to were strangely related to the news of the Grand Duchess of Trovica. When he first met him two years ago, thinking back, it was when the entire empire was excited about the Grand Duchess of Trovica and her husband being a couple of the century. While everyone was celebrating the meeting of the handsome man and beautiful woman and gossiping about it at the drinking parties, this mad dog was the only one who drank like crazy and drew blood.
“Poke your ear hole and come back.”
“They say the body is still in the Grand Palace. No one has seen it.”
“...”
“And at Count Acacia’s residence...”
Crunch!
“I wondered where you went.”
“...”
"Your Highness."
“Get out.”
Neil took a deep breath and held out a wet towel. It was meant to wipe away the blood. Rhodnes refused to accept it and just drank the alcohol, just like when he first met her. It wasn’t his usual slightly crazy look, but his completely crazy face from two years ago, where every bit of his reason had been cut off.
“Dogs...”
“I never thought I’d get cursed at like that just to wipe away some blood...”
“Where’s the body?”
“...”
Neil began to realize that the words that this beautiful and dangerous beast responded to were strangely related to the news of the Grand Duchess of Trovica. When he first met him two years ago, thinking back, it was when the entire empire was excited about the Grand Duchess of Trovica and her husband being a couple of the century. While everyone was celebrating the meeting of the handsome man and beautiful woman and gossiping about it at the drinking parties, this mad dog was the only one who drank like crazy and drew blood.
“Poke your ear hole and come back.”
“They say the body is still in the Grand Palace. No one has seen it.”
“...”
“And at Count Acacia’s residence...”
Crunch!
In an instant, the bottle of liquor broke and rolled across the floor. Neil gulped as he watched the liquor pooling on the floor like someone’s blood. The prodigal son of that evening, who had been leisurely as if he was teasing or helping the woman, was nowhere to be found. There was only Rhodnes, a Prince who was secretly nicknamed by his subordinates. The red eyes that flashed in the dark night made Neil's spine tense more than the giant monster.
The opponent, who is likely to be able to kill one, is defeated by Noevian Trovica, who is not his own, and the red eyes that have been brought with the sighs of relief. The amazing change was creepy.
The opponent, who is likely to be able to kill one, is defeated by Noevian Trovica, who is not his own, and the red eyes that have been brought with the sighs of relief. The amazing change was creepy.
“Submit your resume.”
“Huh? I don’t even know the El of Elacon...”
“Are you kidding me?”
“Huh? I don’t even know the El of Elacon...”
“Are you kidding me?”
Then, my lord, are you serious now?
The sentences that flowed like a series of subversions crackled like flames in his mouth. Neil swallowed them and carefully opened his mouth.
“...Your Highness?”
“...Your Highness?”
Rhodnes immediately opened a new bottle of liquor and poured it down his throat. It was a signal for him to get out. Neil, who had been blankly staring at him, turned around and started walking away, then looked back once more. Rhodnes was looking at the paper he had handed him, smiling with a distorted face, and then pouring liquor into his mouth, repeatedly.
'This is crazy.'
At the same time, every time he lifted his chin to drink, something that he had seen several times and still couldn't believe flowed out.
'Why on earth do you cry like that every day?'
The tears of Rhodes. Hot ice. Cold lava. Something that could never exist in this world. Neil had been witnessing it continuously these days.
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