Episode 7. Your Husband is My Lover
“It was sold for 360 million!”
While Rose was frozen, gazing at the Duke of Arteum, the "Tears of Luna" were sold to an unknown nobleman for a whopping 360 million.
“Seren.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I... I think I made a mistake, Grand Duke?”
In the end, Rose couldn't buy anything. She spoke to Seren blankly, her mind seemingly lost. It would have been better to just lie and say "no," but Seren was still a rookie, unfamiliar with society.
“Yes... Don’t worry, ma’am. No matter what happens, I will protect you.”
Seren must have known. His words of comfort were even more poignant to Rose. Rose looked even more melancholic than before and sighed deeply.
“I hope you don’t have to protect anything.”
Seren tilted his head toward Rose, wondering if he hadn't heard her muttering.
"But why did you say it was fake? The auction house's organizer is so trusted that they're even doing business with the nobility. They've been running the auction house for years without any problems."
“It’s not that the organizer intentionally sold fakes, but someone switched them with fakes.”
“Huh?! Really? How do you know that?”
At Seren's voice, Rose suddenly gasped and covered her mouth. She hadn't meant to speak, but in her dazed state, she blurted out useless words. She didn't know when, where, or by whom the fake had been swapped. She hadn't read the book carefully.
'If only I had known this, I could have spoken confidently.'
Rose, who decided that there was no point in talking when she didn't know anything, smiled awkwardly to try to make up for it later.
“In a dream.”
“...”
Seren, who was looking at Rose with bright eyes, awkwardly looked away when Rose said, “dream.”
“By the way, madam. You couldn’t buy the Count a present. Is that okay?”
Seren forced a smile, changing the subject. Apparently, he didn't quite believe Rose's words. Rose shrugged and continued speaking calmly.
“Do I really have to give him a gift?”
“Huh?!”
At Rose's words, Seren's eyes widened to the point of popping out.
'Every time the Count's birthday came, Madam made such a fuss that people were amazed.'
In fact, there was even a rumor going around that Rose wasn't just stupid, but that she'd married him with the intention of ruining the Count's finances. But to hear such words coming from such a woman? Seren couldn't hide his astonishment, unable to believe it.
“Even the Count doesn’t celebrate my birthday.”
Rose spoke calmly, seemingly oblivious to Serne's reaction. Count Wence was a man who couldn't even remember Rose's birthday, let alone celebrate it. Every year, Rose eagerly awaited Count Wence on her birthday, but instead of coming to see her, the Count would spend the night with other women and come home the next day.
“That, that’s true.”
Seren nodded in agreement with Rose's words.
“So, from this year onwards, I’m not going to celebrate his birthday either.”
Rose climbed onto the carriage, her innocent smile bright and childlike. Seren watched Rose's leisurely walk away, muttering softly.
“Has Rose... changed?”
Rose, who used to run towards the Count's business with fire in her eyes, had become somewhat lax.
“Are you planning to pretend not to care and get the Count’s attention...?”
But Seren suspected that this might also be Rose's strategy. He didn't think Rose would turn her back on the Count in an instant.
“Poor Rose, you’re so beautiful and young...”
Seren's heart started to pound.
“If this continues, Rose’s feelings will change, and the Count will definitely regret it later.”
Seren shook his head and climbed onto the horse. The carriage raced toward the Count's residence. Even from inside the moving carriage, Rose felt uneasy, constantly recalling the glare of the Grand Duke of Artaeum.
“Don’t worry. We’ll never meet again anyway.”
Since 'Luna's Tears' was definitely fake, he wouldn't vent his anger on her. Even knowing this, Rose's heart kept pounding.
“And since he’s going to die soon...”
Rose trailed off. Even though she'd only met him once, the thought of him dying made her feel a bit uneasy. But soon, she shook her head and muttered.
“Don’t worry about it.”
Rather than worrying about someone who would soon die, she thought it would be better to worry about how she should live in this world from now on.
“It was sold for 360 million!”
While Rose was frozen, gazing at the Duke of Arteum, the "Tears of Luna" were sold to an unknown nobleman for a whopping 360 million.
"Why aren't you answering? Surely you weren't planning on running away without taking any responsibility?"
The Grand Duke of Artaeum glared at Rose fiercely, like a ferocious beast baring its teeth. Rose felt a chill in the Grand Duke's gaze, as if he were about to devour her at any moment. Rose's palms began to wet with the Grand Duke's aura. Rose froze stiffly, staring at the Grand Duke with wavering eyes. If she couldn't say anything here...
The Grand Duke of Artaeum glared at Rose fiercely, like a ferocious beast baring its teeth. Rose felt a chill in the Grand Duke's gaze, as if he were about to devour her at any moment. Rose's palms began to wet with the Grand Duke's aura. Rose froze stiffly, staring at the Grand Duke with wavering eyes. If she couldn't say anything here...
'I might die.'
He wasn't given the nickname "The Mad Killer of the North" for nothing. He must have been running around like a madman. He needed to answer, but for some reason, his mouth wouldn't open. Perhaps it was fear. The fear of what the Grand Duke might do to him was squeezing Rose. Rose's voice, trembling slightly, finally flowed out.
“I can take responsibility for it, even if it means risking my body.”
"Body?"
Rose, who was answering with her eyes tightly shut, suddenly realized something was wrong. She'd been so nervous that she'd mistakenly said "body" instead of "neck." The Grand Duke, as if to confirm the verdict, asked her a question.
"Ah..."
At the same time, Rose's face turned red as if it was going to burst.
'I think I'm crazy!'
She was so nervous that she ended up blurting out my words. Like an idiot.
“Oh, that’s not it.”
Rose tried to correct herself later, but the Grand Duke of Artaeum seemed unwilling to listen to her.
“I’m not interested in a woman who has a partner.”
He unconsciously twitched his lips at the sight of Rose's flustered appearance. However, Rose was so embarrassed that she had her head bowed low, and so he couldn't see the Grand Duke's expression.
'I have to explain. Otherwise, people might mistake me for a strange woman.'
Rose felt the Grand Duke had clearly misunderstood her intentions. Then she reached out to him in a panic.
“I, Grand Duke Artaeum.”
But before Rose's hand could even reach him, the Grand Duke of Arteum rose from his seat. Rose silently screamed at the sight of the Grand Duke, who had turned away without even clearing up the misunderstanding. It wasn't easy to catch a man who had turned his back on you and stood up. Especially not when it was the Grand Duke of Arteum. Rose had no choice but to let the Grand Duke of Arteum go without even being able to explain herself. Unaware that the Grand Duke of Arteum was conscious of his slip of the tongue, Rose clutched her hair and screamed. The Grand Duke of Arteum left the auction house without a second thought and headed for his carriage.
'It's really uncomfortable to live with the thought that it's fake.'
She came here to bid on 'Luna's Tears', but since the auction for it was over, she had no more business here.
'No, I should have just ignored it and lived.'
In fact, Rose's words weren't entirely trustworthy. They had always thought of her as a "dull woman." A woman so in love, so blinded by her own actions, she drove a nail into her parents' hearts. She didn't even bother to contact them first. Grand Duke Artaeum, having left the auction house, shook his head and climbed into the carriage. The auction was already over. Thinking about it now wouldn't change anything. Grand Duke Artaeum muttered softly, recalling the nobleman who had won the "Tears of Luna."
“You can buy it for that guy with a little extra money.”
The Grand Duke spoke casually and stared out the window. The cold night air seeped into the rapidly moving carriage.
“I’ve been caught with the Serviat lady.”
Grand Duke Artaeum muttered, recalling Rose, who had been staring at him with wide eyes. Sixteen years ago, when he first saw Rose, he thought the same thing. Rose, who bore a striking resemblance to Lady Serviat. She resembled her mother so closely that no trace of Count Serviat's genes could be detected. Sixteen years had been the last time he saw her, but he recognized her instantly. Rose, however, seemed unable to do so.
“Well, that kid probably doesn’t remember me.”
The Grand Duke recalled the day he visited the mansion at the invitation of Count Serviat, Rose's father. When he first met Rose, Rose had peeked out from behind the Countess and said:
‘Not the prince...’
"Oh my, Rose. You've been singing, Prince, Prince, for a week now. Come out and say hello."
'No... not the Prince.... Prince ... doesn't look like that. Hwaaaaang!'
Rose groaned as she looked at the Grand Duke's face, and finally burst into tears. She said the Prince she had imagined wasn't this scary.
A smile crept into the Grand Duke of Artaeum's face as he recalled Rose, her chubby cheeks puffed out and sobbing. Remembering Rose brought back happy memories of his childhood, like a flood. But that was fleeting. The Grand Duke's face lost all trace of a smile, replaced by a murderous expression. Only a chilling, rage-filled glint in his eyes, a glint of incomprehensible anger.
He wasn't given the nickname "The Mad Killer of the North" for nothing. He must have been running around like a madman. He needed to answer, but for some reason, his mouth wouldn't open. Perhaps it was fear. The fear of what the Grand Duke might do to him was squeezing Rose. Rose's voice, trembling slightly, finally flowed out.
“I can take responsibility for it, even if it means risking my body.”
"Body?"
Rose, who was answering with her eyes tightly shut, suddenly realized something was wrong. She'd been so nervous that she'd mistakenly said "body" instead of "neck." The Grand Duke, as if to confirm the verdict, asked her a question.
"Ah..."
At the same time, Rose's face turned red as if it was going to burst.
'I think I'm crazy!'
She was so nervous that she ended up blurting out my words. Like an idiot.
“Oh, that’s not it.”
Rose tried to correct herself later, but the Grand Duke of Artaeum seemed unwilling to listen to her.
“I’m not interested in a woman who has a partner.”
He unconsciously twitched his lips at the sight of Rose's flustered appearance. However, Rose was so embarrassed that she had her head bowed low, and so he couldn't see the Grand Duke's expression.
'I have to explain. Otherwise, people might mistake me for a strange woman.'
Rose felt the Grand Duke had clearly misunderstood her intentions. Then she reached out to him in a panic.
“I, Grand Duke Artaeum.”
But before Rose's hand could even reach him, the Grand Duke of Arteum rose from his seat. Rose silently screamed at the sight of the Grand Duke, who had turned away without even clearing up the misunderstanding. It wasn't easy to catch a man who had turned his back on you and stood up. Especially not when it was the Grand Duke of Arteum. Rose had no choice but to let the Grand Duke of Arteum go without even being able to explain herself. Unaware that the Grand Duke of Arteum was conscious of his slip of the tongue, Rose clutched her hair and screamed. The Grand Duke of Arteum left the auction house without a second thought and headed for his carriage.
'It's really uncomfortable to live with the thought that it's fake.'
She came here to bid on 'Luna's Tears', but since the auction for it was over, she had no more business here.
'No, I should have just ignored it and lived.'
In fact, Rose's words weren't entirely trustworthy. They had always thought of her as a "dull woman." A woman so in love, so blinded by her own actions, she drove a nail into her parents' hearts. She didn't even bother to contact them first. Grand Duke Artaeum, having left the auction house, shook his head and climbed into the carriage. The auction was already over. Thinking about it now wouldn't change anything. Grand Duke Artaeum muttered softly, recalling the nobleman who had won the "Tears of Luna."
“You can buy it for that guy with a little extra money.”
The Grand Duke spoke casually and stared out the window. The cold night air seeped into the rapidly moving carriage.
“I’ve been caught with the Serviat lady.”
Grand Duke Artaeum muttered, recalling Rose, who had been staring at him with wide eyes. Sixteen years ago, when he first saw Rose, he thought the same thing. Rose, who bore a striking resemblance to Lady Serviat. She resembled her mother so closely that no trace of Count Serviat's genes could be detected. Sixteen years had been the last time he saw her, but he recognized her instantly. Rose, however, seemed unable to do so.
“Well, that kid probably doesn’t remember me.”
The Grand Duke recalled the day he visited the mansion at the invitation of Count Serviat, Rose's father. When he first met Rose, Rose had peeked out from behind the Countess and said:
‘Not the prince...’
"Oh my, Rose. You've been singing, Prince, Prince, for a week now. Come out and say hello."
'No... not the Prince.... Prince ... doesn't look like that. Hwaaaaang!'
Rose groaned as she looked at the Grand Duke's face, and finally burst into tears. She said the Prince she had imagined wasn't this scary.
A smile crept into the Grand Duke of Artaeum's face as he recalled Rose, her chubby cheeks puffed out and sobbing. Remembering Rose brought back happy memories of his childhood, like a flood. But that was fleeting. The Grand Duke's face lost all trace of a smile, replaced by a murderous expression. Only a chilling, rage-filled glint in his eyes, a glint of incomprehensible anger.
***
“Seren.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I... I think I made a mistake, Grand Duke?”
In the end, Rose couldn't buy anything. She spoke to Seren blankly, her mind seemingly lost. It would have been better to just lie and say "no," but Seren was still a rookie, unfamiliar with society.
“Yes... Don’t worry, ma’am. No matter what happens, I will protect you.”
Seren must have known. His words of comfort were even more poignant to Rose. Rose looked even more melancholic than before and sighed deeply.
“I hope you don’t have to protect anything.”
Seren tilted his head toward Rose, wondering if he hadn't heard her muttering.
"But why did you say it was fake? The auction house's organizer is so trusted that they're even doing business with the nobility. They've been running the auction house for years without any problems."
“It’s not that the organizer intentionally sold fakes, but someone switched them with fakes.”
“Huh?! Really? How do you know that?”
At Seren's voice, Rose suddenly gasped and covered her mouth. She hadn't meant to speak, but in her dazed state, she blurted out useless words. She didn't know when, where, or by whom the fake had been swapped. She hadn't read the book carefully.
'If only I had known this, I could have spoken confidently.'
Rose, who decided that there was no point in talking when she didn't know anything, smiled awkwardly to try to make up for it later.
“In a dream.”
“...”
Seren, who was looking at Rose with bright eyes, awkwardly looked away when Rose said, “dream.”
“By the way, madam. You couldn’t buy the Count a present. Is that okay?”
Seren forced a smile, changing the subject. Apparently, he didn't quite believe Rose's words. Rose shrugged and continued speaking calmly.
“Do I really have to give him a gift?”
“Huh?!”
At Rose's words, Seren's eyes widened to the point of popping out.
'Every time the Count's birthday came, Madam made such a fuss that people were amazed.'
In fact, there was even a rumor going around that Rose wasn't just stupid, but that she'd married him with the intention of ruining the Count's finances. But to hear such words coming from such a woman? Seren couldn't hide his astonishment, unable to believe it.
“Even the Count doesn’t celebrate my birthday.”
Rose spoke calmly, seemingly oblivious to Serne's reaction. Count Wence was a man who couldn't even remember Rose's birthday, let alone celebrate it. Every year, Rose eagerly awaited Count Wence on her birthday, but instead of coming to see her, the Count would spend the night with other women and come home the next day.
“That, that’s true.”
Seren nodded in agreement with Rose's words.
“So, from this year onwards, I’m not going to celebrate his birthday either.”
Rose climbed onto the carriage, her innocent smile bright and childlike. Seren watched Rose's leisurely walk away, muttering softly.
“Has Rose... changed?”
Rose, who used to run towards the Count's business with fire in her eyes, had become somewhat lax.
“Are you planning to pretend not to care and get the Count’s attention...?”
But Seren suspected that this might also be Rose's strategy. He didn't think Rose would turn her back on the Count in an instant.
“Poor Rose, you’re so beautiful and young...”
Seren's heart started to pound.
“If this continues, Rose’s feelings will change, and the Count will definitely regret it later.”
Seren shook his head and climbed onto the horse. The carriage raced toward the Count's residence. Even from inside the moving carriage, Rose felt uneasy, constantly recalling the glare of the Grand Duke of Artaeum.
“Don’t worry. We’ll never meet again anyway.”
Since 'Luna's Tears' was definitely fake, he wouldn't vent his anger on her. Even knowing this, Rose's heart kept pounding.
“And since he’s going to die soon...”
Rose trailed off. Even though she'd only met him once, the thought of him dying made her feel a bit uneasy. But soon, she shook her head and muttered.
“Don’t worry about it.”
Rather than worrying about someone who would soon die, she thought it would be better to worry about how she should live in this world from now on.
***
After returning to the Count's residence, Rose forgot about her meeting with the Grand Duke and spent her days peacefully without any trouble. She studied and learned about this world every day. She heard that Eric and Doana shared a bedroom every day, as if they were so compatible. Everyone seemed to be keeping quiet in front of Rose, but there was no way that it would go unheard. Doana shamelessly visited Rose often. She was supposed to work as Eric's maid, but in reality, Doana didn't do any work. She just wore a uniform and stayed by Eric's side.
“What are you looking at all the time?”
“I just got bored with just sitting still.”
Doana's voice came from inside. Rose saw Doana enter her room without even knocking, and quietly began to organize her papers. At Rose's comment, "I'm bored," Doana chuckled and smiled.
'Well, there's no one here to deal with you. It must be boring.'
Doana tucked her long hair behind her ear and snickered at Rose. But that was only for a moment, and then Doana approached Rose with a bright smile and spoke.
"Aren't you glad I'm here? You have no one to talk to. It would be nice if the Count were a little kinder to you."
Rose didn't find Doana funny, pretending to be concerned and trying to irritate her with words she didn't really mean. Doana tossed her hair from side to side, playing with the earrings she'd received as a gift, as if showing them off.
'I guess Eric gave it to her.'
It was obvious even without looking. A maid's salary wouldn't buy those expensive sapphire earrings. Rose smirked at Doana's desperate attempts to show off in front of her, then feigned ignorance and asked her.
"What are those earrings?"
"Isn't it pretty? I got it as a gift."
Doana shamelessly showed off the earrings she received as a gift from Rose's husband, showing off her superiority.
"I have a boyfriend."
Doana couldn't hide her quivering lips. She wanted to tell Rose the truth right away. That her husband was her lover.
“What are you looking at all the time?”
“I just got bored with just sitting still.”
Doana's voice came from inside. Rose saw Doana enter her room without even knocking, and quietly began to organize her papers. At Rose's comment, "I'm bored," Doana chuckled and smiled.
'Well, there's no one here to deal with you. It must be boring.'
Doana tucked her long hair behind her ear and snickered at Rose. But that was only for a moment, and then Doana approached Rose with a bright smile and spoke.
"Aren't you glad I'm here? You have no one to talk to. It would be nice if the Count were a little kinder to you."
Rose didn't find Doana funny, pretending to be concerned and trying to irritate her with words she didn't really mean. Doana tossed her hair from side to side, playing with the earrings she'd received as a gift, as if showing them off.
'I guess Eric gave it to her.'
It was obvious even without looking. A maid's salary wouldn't buy those expensive sapphire earrings. Rose smirked at Doana's desperate attempts to show off in front of her, then feigned ignorance and asked her.
"What are those earrings?"
"Isn't it pretty? I got it as a gift."
Doana shamelessly showed off the earrings she received as a gift from Rose's husband, showing off her superiority.
"I have a boyfriend."
Doana couldn't hide her quivering lips. She wanted to tell Rose the truth right away. That her husband was her lover.
Comments
Post a Comment