The Marquis of Milliner was a man who cared terribly about his own reputation and the honor of his family. That's why when Karina was divorced in the past and returned to the Marquis, he was furious and lashed out at her for tarnishing the family's name and his own reputation.
'It'll be the same this time too.'
Karina had expected that, of course. So, rather than being exploited by the Archduke's family for being infertile and getting divorced, she persuaded him that it would be less damaging to the Marquis of Milliner's reputation to split up now that she had said she would divorce first. This was the most important part to the Marquis, so she thought that if she pushed forward like this, he would eventually have no choice but to give up. However.
"This is ridiculous!! How did I get here!"
The Marquis ran wild with a menacing expression on his face. His eyes were wide open, and he grabbed Karina by both shoulders.
"Ugh...!"
Her shoulder was caught by a strong grip and it hurt so much that it felt like it was going to break. But it wasn't a situation where she could care about that.
"You have to absolutely deny that you're infertile! Just bring home one child from anywhere."
"Yes? What did you say?"
At that moment, Karina's eyes widened, forgetting even the pain.
"Since you have merged with the Grand Duke, if you become pregnant and give birth to a child, that child will be the heir to the Grand Duke's family! Whether it's real or fake, as long as he is recognized as the heir to the Grand Duke's family, I will take care of bringing the child to you, so you should come up with a suitable reason, such as prenatal care or something, and enter the Marquis' family."
"...!"
Karina was dumbfounded by the Marquis's crazy nonsense.
"Are you telling me to pretend to be pregnant right now?"
Karina, her expression hardened, asked in a tone of incredulity.
"Then! I did it because you wanted to get married! If necessary, you should at least act!"
"Are you really crazy?"
The Marquis, who suddenly became calm as he looked at Karina who could not help but be astonished, continued his explanation.
"Karina! Listen to me carefully. This is all for your own good. What kind of crazy person in the world would accept a woman who can't even have children? If you divorce now, you're finished anyway."
"...!"
Hearing the Marquis' words, Karina clenched her fists and trembled in disgust. Perhaps he thought her trembling was a sign of fear, so he continued.
"Are you starting to understand the situation now? I, your Father, will help you, so just keep your mouth shut and do as I say."
Karina was so angry and horrified by the situation that she couldn't bear it. It felt like a red-hot ball of flame was rising inside her.
"No, that can't be done."
She shook off the Marquis's hands that were grasping her shoulders.
"Why should I do that?"
"Why! You have to get a successor to the Grand Duke's family...!"
"Stop it!"
She frowned. Karina took a deep breath. In reality, she knew that there was no need to get so excited right now. The Marquis had been treating her like a tool for more than a day or two. She could have just stubbornly refused to pretend to be pregnant. If she were to pretend to be pregnant, she would have to sacrifice her body for the long term, so the Marquis wouldn't be able to force her if she stubbornly refused. However, she couldn't control her emotions that were running wild. There was another reason why she was so upset and angry.
In the past, Karina wanted a child. So desperately. She dreamed of a happy future, imagining a child who resembled Jeremiah.
'Like an idiot...!'
Whenever she had the chance, she told him that she wanted to have a child. In fact, it wasn't easy for Karina to even express such a desire. However, after hearing the Marquis say that it was part of the effort, she gathered her courage and told him her desire several times. Of course, what she received in return was a firm rejection every time. Jeremiah even openly declared at a banquet attended by the Emperor and all the nobles that there would be no more children. Karina still remembered the sadness and despair she felt at that time.
Karina received no reward for her one-sided love and efforts. She was abandoned with nothing. Instead, she was looked down upon, ridiculed, and treated with much contempt.
'And now you want me to pretend to have his child?'
Karina chewed her lower lip until it bled. She felt disgusted to the point of nausea. She felt more miserable than before. She could never accept it. Never!
"I don't want that man's child."
'Yeah. I hate myself now.'
The hopes and expectations of having a child have long since been abandoned.
"I don't like it!"
"I've been explaining this so far that this idiot can understand!"
Karina refused to budge and glared at the Marquis, snapping coldly.
"I will definitely get a divorce. After the divorce, I will not return to Milliner. I have no intention of following my father's wishes, so please do not even dream of using me to do anything in the future!"
She screamed as if she was pouring out everything that was inside her.
"What the heck? This insolent woman doesn't know the kindness of the father who raised you! How dare you talk back to me!"
The enraged Marquis ground his teeth and raised his hand as if to strike Karina.
"...!"
When she saw that, Karina's body reflexively froze.
"Ah..."
There was nothing she could do. It was a trace of abuse she had received since she was young. Even if others didn't know, she was absolutely branded as weak in front of the Marquis. The scars and painful memories that would not fade with time had now turned her into a helpless child again, even though she was now an adult.
'There's nothing to be afraid of anymore. Why?'
But despite her anger, her body did not move. She had thought she had already escaped, but when she was faced with violence again, the fear and terror that she had thought had disappeared suddenly came back. It felt like she was suffocating. Karina was still entangled in the shadows of the past. She had been in this state since she saw her father's hand go up.
'Why am I still like this?'
She thought to herself in despair. In that fleeting moment, there was one person who came to mind.
'Nanny...'
The only person who had protected and protected her from her father, the Marquis, was her nanny. She was the adult she trusted and followed the most in the world, and the only person who had spent a long time with her, caring for and raising her like a daughter. It was natural for her nanny to come to mind at times like this since she was the only one who had protected Karina. However, the nanny who had taken care of her was no longer in this world. There was no one left to protect Karina.
'There's no one...!'
The fear and loneliness that came back to life in the face of merciless violence tried to engulf her body and mind, dragging her back into helplessness and distant pain. Karina gave up and closed her eyes tightly. And she braced herself for the shock and pain that would follow. But.
Bam!
Instead of a sharp slap, what touched her was an urgent hand. A large, firm hand grabbed her. Karina was dragged away and was thrown into someone's arms.
"...?!"
The moment he held her in his arms, he felt a heavy yet soft and subtle scent.
'This is...'
It was a scent she knew.
"What the... Ugh!!"
Immediately afterward, the Marquis's scream was heard. When Karina opened her eyes in confusion at the sound, she saw a large hand outstretched and tightly grasping the Marquis' wrist, which was raised high. Judging from the angle, it was almost as if it was being bent.
"What are you doing to my wife now?"
"...!"
It was a voice so cold that it froze the surroundings. Karina looked up at the person holding her. Jeremiah was glaring at the Marquis with creepy, murderous eyes.
'What... What is it?'
Karina was startled. Jeremiah was blocking the Marquis, wrapping his arms around her. The one who had protected her from the absolute violence that she could not help...
'Jeremiah...?'
Karina was more confused now than she had ever been. More so than when he had come to the Cursed Forest to rescue her and bring her to the Magic Tower. More so than when he had come into her consciousness to bring her back when she was still not awake.
'Jeremiah is protecting me? Me?'
Her eyes opened as wide as they could have been. Jeremiah was the one who had protected her from the terrible fear and pain that left her unable to move a finger!
Karina could hardly believe it.
'Is it really Jeremiah?"
As if he had heard her question, he lowered his eyes and met Karina's gaze. Unlike when he had looked at the Marquis, his eyes were filled with worry and concern.
"Karina. Are you okay?"
"...!"
It was a soft and gentle voice.
"Ah..."
'That expression again.'
It was the gaze and expression that had been directed at her throughout the entire time on the magic tower. Karina was at a loss for what to say. Jeremiah whispered to her who was at a loss for words.
"There is no need to be afraid."
One of his arms wrapped tightly around Karina's body.
"I'm here, so don't worry."
Shr felt a familiar sense of security and warmth in his arms. At that moment.
'I'm here. Don't worry, Miss.'
The nanny's voice for her came to mind and a small commotion rose in her heart. It was strange to see him saying the same thing as the nanny had said, but strangely enough, it was reassuring. The ripples that started as if a small pebble had been thrown into a deep lake spread endlessly.
Karina felt a corner of her heart filled with an indescribable emotion. She couldn't tell exactly what it was, but it felt like her heart suddenly sank as if some heavy chain had been released.
'If...'
One by one, things that she had been denying until now began to come to mind.
'Was it really to save me that you came to me every time I was in danger?'
For the first time, a crack appeared in her proposition, which she had thoroughly denied and turned away from as if it were absolutely impossible.
'He really came to get me... and risked his life?'
Her eyes trembled.
'Really?'
As if answering her question, Jeremiah glared at the Marquis again and spoke in a frosty voice.
"You must explain the situation to me so that I can fully understand it, Marquis."
"Ugh...! Let go of this right now!"
The Marquis, who had been groaning with his wrist still held by Jeremiah's hand, nervously pulled his hand away. Then, with a look of great excitement, he spoke, grumbling.
"I am your father-in-law! What the hell is this, without any distinction between high and low!"
"Did you just say that there is a distinction between upper and lower levels?"
"...!"
Jeremiah asked back with a cold and threatening air that was visible to the eye. He was the one who led the knights on the battlefield and overwhelmed the enemies with his power alone. His anger was something that even the most skilled knights could not handle and would often be afraid. There was no way that the Marquis, who was always talking next to the Emperor, could withstand Jeremiah's momentum.
The Marquis' face turned pale.
"Then the Marquis should bow down before me."
In terms of rank, the Archduke was above the Marquis. Jeremiah treated the Marquis very naturally.
"I... serve His Majesty the Emperor right next to him..."
The Marquis was furious and tried to use the Emperor's authority as a shield, but it was no use.
"What is that? Do you think things would be different if His Majesty were here?"
"...!"
It didn't end there.
"Karina is my wife and the mistress of the Grand Duke's household. That means she is not someone the Marquis can mess with."
The Marquis was so overwhelmed by his momentum that he couldn't say a word.
"Be polite to my wife too."
"...!"
The Marquis trembled with a flushed face at Jeremiah's command. However, it seems that the words telling Karina to be polite were a real blow to his pride.
"That's not what I meant... I was just... trying to educate my daughter... Even if he is the Grand Duke, it's not right for you to interfere with the relationship between a father and a daughter..."
The Marquis continued to speak, his voice trailing off and his words stammering.
"I just said it. Karina is my wife. Even if my wife did something wrong, everything about her is entirely my responsibility. The Marquis is no longer qualified to do that."
Jeremiah spoke without wavering.
"..."
The Marquis opened his mouth wide but was unable to refute that statement.
"So don't you dare touch my wife even a little bit? If you touch her even a little bit, I won't let you off easy."
The voice he spoke in was as sharp as a sharp blade. The Marquis was sweating profusely and couldn't even utter a sound at Jeremiah's ominous threats.
"Take all the guys you brought here. Right now. Or I won't let you leave on your own."
"...!"
It was a threat that he would not hesitate to use force. The Marquis gritted his teeth, but under pressure from Jeremiah, he quickly left the Archduke's residence.
In this way, Jeremiah neatly chased away the uninvited guest from the Archduke's residence.
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