"Wife."
While Grand Duke Noevian was watching Countess Acacia from a distance, Crown Prince Bardenaldo, who had been observing her, called out to Doris, who had become quiet. Doris, who exchanged meaningful glances with her father, the Duke of Castana, slowly looked up at him. Bardenaldo's gentle blue eyes were filled with worry.
“It seems like the Grand Duke is not very fond of it, so is there a need to take the wife of the Grand Duke’s vassal as a maid? If you need, there will be a line of young ladies from the West.”
“I don’t necessarily want to keep someone from the Grand Duke’s family by my side.”
Her green eyes, looking down while speaking coldly, were shining softly.
“If you don’t want me to step forward, Your Highness, you should take action. I told you, don’t disappoint my father.”
“...”
“Look over there, Your Highness.”
As Bardenaldo turned his gaze to where Doris was nodding, the plump Duke of Castagna lifted his champagne glass and smiled.
“Even if he's smiling like that, his heart must be burning. His only daughter has not been able to conceive for several years since she got married, and his son-in-law, the Crown Prince who is the foundation of this country, can’t even show his father-in-law a proper appearance in a place like this.”
“Wife, didn’t you give enough praise for the Duke during the toast earlier?”
“You praised the Western Castanya estate for bringing in the most taxes this year? I didn’t hear that as much of a compliment. I thought it sounded like they were the most generous family at a time when public sentiment was growing increasingly unstable.”
“Don’t you know that’s not what I meant, Wife?”
“Then, so that I could understand that as a compliment, you should have placed my father behind Your Highness instead of Grand Duke Trovika.”
Doris whispered softly and turned her gaze to Noevian, who was watching Blie Acacia.
“He keeps trying to hide Your Highness’s will from me. What can I do? I cannot keep the Grand Duke by my side to hear Your Highness’s will, so I have no choice but to keep someone from the Grand Duke by my side.”
Doris's eyes sparkled like a cat that had discovered an interesting toy.
He looked down at me with bloodshot eyes.
“Are you asking because you don’t know? Didn’t you plan on resting at the mansion today?”
“I told you that I wanted to attend with you, and I even asked if it was okay if I went with someone else.”
“I told you to wait. And if you show up like this all of a sudden, and...”
Noevian spoke breathlessly as if reliving a terrible nightmare.
“Since when have you been in contact with the Second Prince? No, how on earth did you get the Second Prince to the party...”
“...Your face looks like you’re jealous.”
I looked at Noevian's face with a strange and curious look as he began to ask questions about the relationship between the Second Prince and me.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen your face like that.”
It was true. My husband, who was always calm and rational in front of me, was not here. It was so strange and strange that I couldn't stop looking at him. Could this be the real Noevian?
“Don’t change the subject. Are you doing this on purpose? Are you trying to make me angry? I even told a useless lie to His Highness the Crown Prince while trying to deal with your sudden behavior.”
“Think what you want. And I didn’t mind if you didn’t help me that much.”
"...What?"
As Noevian’s face turned pale with mild shock, I felt a slight relief from the lingering discomfort. His dark blue eyes shook without mercy and then glanced at me with a face that seemed to say that he was the unfamiliar one.
“At Adrienne’s reminiscence party... I’m sure the 2nd Prince and you rode back in a carriage together.”
And then, suddenly, a sense of betrayal and anger began to fill his blue eyes. I stood there, staring blankly at them.
“Blie, you really have feelings for the Second Prince...”
“No way. You are the one I love.”
I calmed my heart which was starting to pound and smiled affectionately. It was so nice to hear those words come out of my mouth.
“...By the way. Speaking of the Crown Princess’ maid... Why did you do this on your own without consulting me?”
He spoke with a slightly more subdued expression than before. However, he could not completely hide his anger and clenched his teeth.
“Why would I discuss such a matter with you?”
"...What?"
“My husband is Count Acacia.”
At my slightly rebellious reaction, his face now looked genuinely angry. He glared at me as if he couldn’t believe what I said, but he couldn’t even raise his voice in front of the people watching him, and his chin was shaking. I told him the truth, but it was still so new.
While Grand Duke Noevian was watching Countess Acacia from a distance, Crown Prince Bardenaldo, who had been observing her, called out to Doris, who had become quiet. Doris, who exchanged meaningful glances with her father, the Duke of Castana, slowly looked up at him. Bardenaldo's gentle blue eyes were filled with worry.
“It seems like the Grand Duke is not very fond of it, so is there a need to take the wife of the Grand Duke’s vassal as a maid? If you need, there will be a line of young ladies from the West.”
“I don’t necessarily want to keep someone from the Grand Duke’s family by my side.”
Her green eyes, looking down while speaking coldly, were shining softly.
“If you don’t want me to step forward, Your Highness, you should take action. I told you, don’t disappoint my father.”
“...”
“Look over there, Your Highness.”
As Bardenaldo turned his gaze to where Doris was nodding, the plump Duke of Castagna lifted his champagne glass and smiled.
“Even if he's smiling like that, his heart must be burning. His only daughter has not been able to conceive for several years since she got married, and his son-in-law, the Crown Prince who is the foundation of this country, can’t even show his father-in-law a proper appearance in a place like this.”
“Wife, didn’t you give enough praise for the Duke during the toast earlier?”
“You praised the Western Castanya estate for bringing in the most taxes this year? I didn’t hear that as much of a compliment. I thought it sounded like they were the most generous family at a time when public sentiment was growing increasingly unstable.”
“Don’t you know that’s not what I meant, Wife?”
“Then, so that I could understand that as a compliment, you should have placed my father behind Your Highness instead of Grand Duke Trovika.”
Doris whispered softly and turned her gaze to Noevian, who was watching Blie Acacia.
“He keeps trying to hide Your Highness’s will from me. What can I do? I cannot keep the Grand Duke by my side to hear Your Highness’s will, so I have no choice but to keep someone from the Grand Duke by my side.”
Doris's eyes sparkled like a cat that had discovered an interesting toy.
***
Crown Princess Doris promised to write to me separately, and I left. I went back down to the first floor and found myself blending in well with the ladies who had been giving me even more strange looks since I had been called by the Crown Princess. The crimson-haired lady who had told me about Rhodnes earlier stared at me with a face that seemed to be dying of curiosity about what I had been talking about with the Crown Princess, but I avoided her gaze.
“Let me talk for a moment.”
Noevian, who had been watching from afar, finally pulled me out from among the ladies with a stiff face. It seemed as if he had something to say to me, even though he had to endure their strange stares. Noevian led me to the third floor, where there were relatively few people, without even touching me. It was a relatively quiet and open place in the noisy party venue, except for a few people looking down and sipping champagne or a few old ladies playing cards at a small table.
“...You really did something crazy.”
“What is it?”
“Let me talk for a moment.”
Noevian, who had been watching from afar, finally pulled me out from among the ladies with a stiff face. It seemed as if he had something to say to me, even though he had to endure their strange stares. Noevian led me to the third floor, where there were relatively few people, without even touching me. It was a relatively quiet and open place in the noisy party venue, except for a few people looking down and sipping champagne or a few old ladies playing cards at a small table.
“...You really did something crazy.”
“What is it?”
He looked down at me with bloodshot eyes.
“Are you asking because you don’t know? Didn’t you plan on resting at the mansion today?”
“I told you that I wanted to attend with you, and I even asked if it was okay if I went with someone else.”
“I told you to wait. And if you show up like this all of a sudden, and...”
Noevian spoke breathlessly as if reliving a terrible nightmare.
“Since when have you been in contact with the Second Prince? No, how on earth did you get the Second Prince to the party...”
“...Your face looks like you’re jealous.”
I looked at Noevian's face with a strange and curious look as he began to ask questions about the relationship between the Second Prince and me.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen your face like that.”
It was true. My husband, who was always calm and rational in front of me, was not here. It was so strange and strange that I couldn't stop looking at him. Could this be the real Noevian?
“Don’t change the subject. Are you doing this on purpose? Are you trying to make me angry? I even told a useless lie to His Highness the Crown Prince while trying to deal with your sudden behavior.”
“Think what you want. And I didn’t mind if you didn’t help me that much.”
"...What?"
As Noevian’s face turned pale with mild shock, I felt a slight relief from the lingering discomfort. His dark blue eyes shook without mercy and then glanced at me with a face that seemed to say that he was the unfamiliar one.
“At Adrienne’s reminiscence party... I’m sure the 2nd Prince and you rode back in a carriage together.”
And then, suddenly, a sense of betrayal and anger began to fill his blue eyes. I stood there, staring blankly at them.
“Blie, you really have feelings for the Second Prince...”
“No way. You are the one I love.”
I calmed my heart which was starting to pound and smiled affectionately. It was so nice to hear those words come out of my mouth.
“...By the way. Speaking of the Crown Princess’ maid... Why did you do this on your own without consulting me?”
He spoke with a slightly more subdued expression than before. However, he could not completely hide his anger and clenched his teeth.
“Why would I discuss such a matter with you?”
"...What?"
“My husband is Count Acacia.”
At my slightly rebellious reaction, his face now looked genuinely angry. He glared at me as if he couldn’t believe what I said, but he couldn’t even raise his voice in front of the people watching him, and his chin was shaking. I told him the truth, but it was still so new.
After looking around for a moment, Noevian eventually grabbed my wrist and dragged me to a very remote place. Noevian strode forward with a gait that showed no consideration for me, cornered me, and stood there with his eyes shining like sharp knives in the darkness.
“...Say it again.”
“You are not my husband.”
“What on earth are you trying to say?”
“I did so because I thought Count Acacia would have told me to do whatever I wanted. I need friends other than Your Highness.”
“Huh, friend? I guess you don’t understand the situation. The Crown Princess is not your friend.”
Noevian still had his eyes shining and spoke in disbelief. But I looked straight at him, who was holding my wrist tightly enough to cut off the blood flow, and spoke.
“What’s the difference? If people found out about us, we wouldn’t be treated with much respect. Would it be much different for people in the royal family?”
“Blie!”
“Everyone despises me. In Your Highness’s mansion, in the Count’s mansion, they pretend not to, but they all think I am mean and debauched just because I am your mistress!”
The content of the low voice, shaking my wrist, was a blatant lie. Some of the maids of the Count's house sincerely followed me, and some of them really wanted me to be Noevian's mistress and go to the Grand Duke's house together. I was confident that the Grand Duke's evil things would never be taken lightly as long as I was healthy. Noevian seemed not to have thought that far ahead and looked down at me speechless. The shadows under his eyes were still there. I was very displeased with that.
'If I had died as you wished, you would have quickly taken this Blie and taken her to the Grand Duke's mansion and let her live a life of luxury in my stead. Why are you dragging it out? You pretend to be in pain, you pretend to be sad, and you gain sympathy from all kinds of people. You cause nothing but confusion to both Blie and Adrienne.'
Now I was the one getting angry. Noevian listened to my complaints silently for a while before opening his mouth.
“No matter what, don’t get involved with the Crown Princess.”
His voice seemed to soften a little as he looked at my hurt face, he held my numb wrist and spoke.
“Everyone says you’re the leader of the Crown Prince’s faction?”
“...”
“There’s no harm in being friendly with the Crown Princess. She said she would help me.”
“...You’d rather not get involved with her.”
He frowned as he slowly washed his face with one hand. He seemed quite troubled by the government's rash actions. I laughed at him instead.
“I don’t really want to get involved either. But how could I refuse the offer of Her Highness the Crown Princess?”
“..."
Noevian's deep sigh was heard. And then...
'Again, those eyes.'
With a troubled expression, his dark blue eyes stared at me endlessly. Every time he looked at my eyes, I felt a sharp pain pounding in my heart.
'...Who do you see in my eyes?'
What do you think of Adrienne? Are you okay now, enough to embrace this woman with the same eyes, having forgotten everything?
“...Say it again.”
“You are not my husband.”
“What on earth are you trying to say?”
“I did so because I thought Count Acacia would have told me to do whatever I wanted. I need friends other than Your Highness.”
“Huh, friend? I guess you don’t understand the situation. The Crown Princess is not your friend.”
Noevian still had his eyes shining and spoke in disbelief. But I looked straight at him, who was holding my wrist tightly enough to cut off the blood flow, and spoke.
“What’s the difference? If people found out about us, we wouldn’t be treated with much respect. Would it be much different for people in the royal family?”
“Blie!”
“Everyone despises me. In Your Highness’s mansion, in the Count’s mansion, they pretend not to, but they all think I am mean and debauched just because I am your mistress!”
The content of the low voice, shaking my wrist, was a blatant lie. Some of the maids of the Count's house sincerely followed me, and some of them really wanted me to be Noevian's mistress and go to the Grand Duke's house together. I was confident that the Grand Duke's evil things would never be taken lightly as long as I was healthy. Noevian seemed not to have thought that far ahead and looked down at me speechless. The shadows under his eyes were still there. I was very displeased with that.
'If I had died as you wished, you would have quickly taken this Blie and taken her to the Grand Duke's mansion and let her live a life of luxury in my stead. Why are you dragging it out? You pretend to be in pain, you pretend to be sad, and you gain sympathy from all kinds of people. You cause nothing but confusion to both Blie and Adrienne.'
Now I was the one getting angry. Noevian listened to my complaints silently for a while before opening his mouth.
“No matter what, don’t get involved with the Crown Princess.”
His voice seemed to soften a little as he looked at my hurt face, he held my numb wrist and spoke.
“Everyone says you’re the leader of the Crown Prince’s faction?”
“...”
“There’s no harm in being friendly with the Crown Princess. She said she would help me.”
“...You’d rather not get involved with her.”
He frowned as he slowly washed his face with one hand. He seemed quite troubled by the government's rash actions. I laughed at him instead.
“I don’t really want to get involved either. But how could I refuse the offer of Her Highness the Crown Princess?”
“..."
Noevian's deep sigh was heard. And then...
'Again, those eyes.'
With a troubled expression, his dark blue eyes stared at me endlessly. Every time he looked at my eyes, I felt a sharp pain pounding in my heart.
'...Who do you see in my eyes?'
What do you think of Adrienne? Are you okay now, enough to embrace this woman with the same eyes, having forgotten everything?
I bit the tender flesh inside my lips to hold back the urge to scream and ask if you really conspired with this woman to kill me. As the bitter taste of blood lingered on the tip of my tongue, I came to my senses. Noevian didn’t care about Adrienne anyway. He was just anxious because he couldn’t do what he wanted with Blie before his eyes. The betrayed expression on his face when I entered with Rhodnes remained vivid in my mind. I stood there, barely holding back my heart from becoming miserable again.
“...!”
Noevian's face, as if holding back his anger, came closer to me. I instinctively turned my head at his lips, which approached me impulsively.
Noevian, who had frozen with one hand against the dark wall, did not turn his head but only stared at me with wide-open eyes. I could feel the gaze looking at me as I turned my head away from my cheek. In this situation, trying to kiss me...!
“...!”
Noevian's face, as if holding back his anger, came closer to me. I instinctively turned my head at his lips, which approached me impulsively.
Noevian, who had frozen with one hand against the dark wall, did not turn his head but only stared at me with wide-open eyes. I could feel the gaze looking at me as I turned my head away from my cheek. In this situation, trying to kiss me...!
The miserable feeling I had barely held onto suddenly slipped out of my hand and burst into my chest like a firecracker. Was Noevian Trovica such a rude man?
"I..."
I barely opened my mouth, suppressing the rising sadness like a pottery pot.
“Just because I love you... doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want to me.”
I held back my trembling voice. I avoided Noevian’s frozen eyes until the very end, not even making a sound of breathing. I simply did not have the confidence to face Noevian, who was trying to kiss Blie.
“I no longer wish to hide just because I am your government. Even His Majesty the Emperor’s government proudly showed its face in society, so why should I, whose existence is still obscure, hide like a criminal?”
“...”
“And if you didn’t want me to get involved with the Crown Princess or the Second Prince, why didn’t you just stand by and watch and step forward yourself? Or at least figure out how to avoid getting involved.”
Could you do that much?
"I..."
I barely opened my mouth, suppressing the rising sadness like a pottery pot.
“Just because I love you... doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want to me.”
I held back my trembling voice. I avoided Noevian’s frozen eyes until the very end, not even making a sound of breathing. I simply did not have the confidence to face Noevian, who was trying to kiss Blie.
“I no longer wish to hide just because I am your government. Even His Majesty the Emperor’s government proudly showed its face in society, so why should I, whose existence is still obscure, hide like a criminal?”
“...”
“And if you didn’t want me to get involved with the Crown Princess or the Second Prince, why didn’t you just stand by and watch and step forward yourself? Or at least figure out how to avoid getting involved.”
Could you do that much?
I brushed past him and went out into the light without showing my body shaking more than my voice. My heart was clearly burning black as it was swept away by misery and confusion... The fact that I had done something that would make him so restless and angry strangely excited me.
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