7 - My Husband is My Favorite, But I Think I'm Going to Get Divorced
7
“Yeah, that’s all I need. So why do I feel so unsettled… Hngh, hngh!”
I blew my nose hard enough to keep the soul inside this body from leaving, then flopped onto the bed.
‘Could it be… that I’m nervous about facing Duke Basilian?’
Yesterday, I was ready to settle things right away, but now that I’m about to meet him, I guess I’m worried.
“I have to meet him anyway. I have things to say…”
And things to confirm.
I slapped both cheeks with my hands, trying to pull myself together.
“Oh, Miss!”
I heard a shrill voice from somewhere, and Ann rushed over and grabbed my hands.
“Ann, when did you get h—"
“Are you doing it again?”
“Huh?”
“Hic, even though you’re not feeling well! What did you ever do wrong, Miss, that you keep punishing yourself like this?”
Punishing myself? I blinked in bewilderment, and Ann, realizing she was too agitated, stepped back and sniffled. She already looked like she was ready to be scolded.
I had no intention of scolding a maid who was so scared of me but still cared so much.
“More importantly, why are you here already? I told you to tell my fath— Duke that I wanted to see him.”
I naturally changed the subject.
Of course, I didn’t expect him to call me right away, since she must be tired from just arriving and had a lot of work to catch up on…
Then Ann, surprised that she wasn’t being scolded, widened her eyes for a moment and said with a happy face.
“The Duke has summoned you, Miss. He wants to see you right away.”
…Huh?
\ \ \
Even if I wasn’t feeling well, I couldn’t possibly go to meet the Duke in the clothes I had been lazing around in bed with.
Ann carefully draped a shawl over the newly changed dress, chattering away.
“How could someone like the Duke remember a mere maid like me? He must be paying attention to you, Miss, that’s why.”
According to Ann, the Duke, upon entering the main building, recognized Ann and asked about my well-being and condition first. Thanks to that, she was able to immediately convey that I wanted to see him.
“As expected, the Duke must have been very worried about you, Miss.”
Somehow, I kept sensing a subtle nuance of defending the Duke from Ann.
Last time, I had said something that sounded like I was blaming the Duke in order to gloss over my slip of the tongue, and she must have taken it to heart.
For some reason, I felt uncomfortable and blurted out in a disgruntled tone.
“If someone saw a person banging their head against the wall and collapsing, they’d be concerned even if it was their mortal enemy, let alone their daughter.”
“Pardon?”
“No, nothing.”
I tried to quickly take back my words as I looked at Ann, who had widened her eyes, but the loyal maid, who didn’t want to miss a single syllable coming from my mouth, had already heard everything.
“But the Duke…” Ann, who was about to make excuses with a troubled expression, closed her mouth, as if she had read my intention not to talk about it anymore.
And after a moment, she carefully asked, looking at my complexion.
“By the way, Miss. Your fever hasn’t gone down much yet. Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
Actually, I wasn’t fine.
Perhaps because I had taken cold medicine not long ago, my head was a little hazy.
“Miss, everything is ready.”
“…Yeah.”
I blinked blankly and nodded.
I was flustered that the Duke had called me sooner than expected, but I thought it would be better to get it over with while I was still out of it. My haggard complexion might help too.
“Then let’s go.”
When I opened the door, the knight who had been forcibly made my accomplice flinched and looked at me.
The knight, who seemed to be afraid of Evgenia in the first place, now looked like he would have a seizure just from making eye contact with me.
‘It doesn’t seem like he’s going to betray me… but it’ll be more comfortable to be sure, right?’
“What’s your name?”
“A-Are you asking me?”
The knight asked in a flustered voice, as if he didn’t expect me to speak to him.
His terrified appearance made me feel a little sorry, so I tilted my head slightly and asked gently.
“Well, is there anyone else here I would ask for their name besides you?”
But was that even scarier?
“G-G-Gressel Phuion, ma’am!”
“Gressel Phuion?”
“Y-Yes, hic…!”
No, I just asked for your name, why are you crying like the world is ending?
I stared at the knight with an absurd look and tilted my head slightly.
‘Gressel Phuion? I feel like I’ve heard that somewhere.’
It was on the tip of my tongue.
My head wasn’t working properly because of the fever, so I decided to let it go for now.
“If my father asks, I’ll say that you performed your duties very diligently.”
Of course, that wouldn’t happen.
There was no way Duke Basilian would ask about such trivial matters, and there was no way Evgenia would praise the knight who guarded her door.
The current statement was merely intended to remind him of our deal and solidify our cooperative relationship.
The knight, as if understanding my meaning, nodded with a deathly pale face.
I passed him, haughtily raised my chin, and started down the stairs.
Then Ann, who was following behind me, slyly asked.
“Miss, do you like that knight?”
Huh? Before I could make a bewildered expression at the absurd question, Ann continued.
“Well, of course, since you asked for his name! And it just so happens that you needed someone suitable. I’m such an idiot. Miss, shall I take care of it?”
…Huh? Take care of what?
I blinked blankly as I looked at Ann, who was whispering softly.
‘It seems like she had something arranged with Evgenia beforehand.’
Although Ann knew about my condition, I didn’t think it was necessary to keep showing that I couldn’t remember.
I nodded indifferently, as if telling her to take care of it.
In the meantime, we arrived on the second floor.
As befitting the mansion of the wealthy Basilian Family, the wide and long corridor had many rooms, but I could immediately tell where the Duke’s office was.
“Alexis?”
Because Alexis was standing in front of the unusually large and ornate door at the end of the right corridor with a sulky expression.
\ \ \
Alexis stiffened his already tense shoulders even more at Evgenia’s voice.
He had spent the whole night tossing and turning, barely concluding that his encounter with Evgenia yesterday was just a dream.
Evgenia narrowed her eyes as if wondering and asked.
“Why are you here?”
‘…She’s a little different than usual after all.’
To other people, it was such a cold expression that they would ask what was different, but Alexis could tell.
The eyes of the Basilian Ducal House direct line were so fierce that they looked that way, but Evgenia wasn’t angry at all right now.
Alexis himself was often misunderstood for having a fierce face.
And Evgenia, who had a particularly venomous look among the family, seemed to despise people just by opening her eyes.
‘Of course, she really hates our family.’
Yes, Evgenia hates her family.
But why is she less like that today and yesterday?
That was so strange that Alexis, taking into account that he would be scolded, carefully examined Evgenia’s complexion.
‘Did she not sleep well? Why is her complexion so pale? Her eyes are reddish… Oh? Could it be that she cried all night yesterday?’
Only then did Alexis’s eyes become filled with bewilderment as he realized that what he had seen yesterday was neither a dream nor a delusion.
“What’s with that look? Are you glaring at me right now?”
She seems to be asking sharply as usual, but her voice doesn’t seem to have any strength either…?
“Are you ignoring me? I’m asking why you’re here.”
Only then did Alexis come to his senses and shouted reflexively.
“Is there any reason why I shouldn’t be here?”
“No, why are you yelling? I was just asking because you’re loitering around instead of going to work. Why, are you feeling guilty for slacking off?”
“What? Slacking off? Seriously, to someone who just spent a week in training and is finally on their first day of vacation!”
Alexis was huffing and puffing with a look like he was about to die from injustice.
Then, it was Evgenia who was rather flustered.
‘Training?’
A week ago was before I possessed this body.
And the real Evgenia wouldn’t have cared at all whether Alexis went to training or went on vacation.
Alexis would definitely know this fact, so it was clear that he would latch onto what she had said yesterday.
He would definitely start sneering, asking if she had looked in on him or not, not even knowing that he had left for training, and I was already feeling tired at the thought of dealing with Alexis, who would start sneering.
“Th-That is, I only found out after coming back last night! …That you collapsed.”
