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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Peace and a Sudden Confession
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With Baron Rork's siblings out of the picture, peace finally returned to Delrus Castle.
The only regrettable part was that the Grand Duke had overlooked the baron's misdeeds.
'The bill is still under review, so that's why.'
It seemed like they were deliberately keeping it quiet because an abuse scandal breaking out during the review process would be problematic. For now, the Grand Duke was leaving the baron's family alone.
But he surely wasn't just sitting idle.
He must have at least warned the baron that if he ever came bothering him again, he'd reduce the whole baron's house to dust.
Given Baron Rork's temperament, the fact that things had stayed quiet this long was proof enough.
Word was, Lady Rork hadn't stepped a foot out of her room since.
She must have been deeply shocked at being discarded by the Grand Duke.
Well, considering the Grand Duke's fickle nature, she probably never imagined his three-year lover—his mistress even before I married into the family—would be cast aside so easily because of me.
'Serves her right.'
Anyway, with the Rork siblings gone, Akid's future looked a bit brighter.
Perhaps feeling guilty, the Grand Duke had been subtly looking out for Akid ever since.
What was it he said this morning?
I recalled the conversation from our rare family breakfast with all four of us together.
In the middle of the meal, the Grand Duke said casually,
"If anyone dares to treat you roughly again, don't just take it lying down."
I stared at the Grand Duke, who spoke so freely even in front of the Grand Duchess.
Her expression was just as nonchalant.
'Looks like those two reached some kind of agreement yesterday after all.'
She might not have gotten the mines like in the original story, but surely some sort of deal had been struck.
Akid blinked in surprise at the unexpected words, then replied stiffly,
"Didn't you tell me to stay quiet as a mouse before?"
The Grand Duke's brow twitched at the subtle accusation, and he growled lowly,
"That didn't mean you should let yourself get beaten without fighting back."
Not satisfied, he added,
"Hit them first instead. It's far easier to deal with the aftermath when you're the one doing the hitting, rather than coming back bruised."
"......I'll keep that in mind."
"What kind of nonsense is that? What on earth are you teaching our innocent little Akid?"
I stuck out my tongue again as I remembered the Grand Duke's absurd advice.
Of course, I didn't like the idea of coming back beaten, but striking out just because I didn't like something was pure thug behavior.
Akid resembled the Grand Duke in looks but was the complete opposite in personality.
The Grand Duke was a man with a wandering eye and overflowing self-love.
Akid, on the other hand, having grown up on sidelong glares, had developed a bad habit of interpreting everything negatively.
That very trait led to constant clashes with the heroine, Mabel, and ultimately, she was taken by the male lead, Zeronis.
'It's okay. With me here, Akid's childhood won't be unhappy.'
Thinking of Akid unbidden brought a smile to my lips.
Just then, Hanna entered the bedroom carrying a flower basket.
"What's with the flowers?"
"Oh, with the flower festival coming up soon, I thought they'd brighten your mood."
"Flower festival? In this weather?"
I blinked and pointed outside, where the cold wind was whistling fiercely.
The harsh season had passed, but it was still early spring.
Even if flowers were starting to peek out here and there, it was too soon for a festival.
Vivian chuckled at my bewildered expression.
"You've been in Delrus more than a day or two—why act surprised?"
"Huh?"
"It's called a flower festival, but really, it's just the day everyone sows seeds."
"Sows seeds?"
"Oh dear, is our young madam sleepy today? Why keep pretending not to know?"
As Vivian narrowed her eyes suspiciously, I averted my gaze guiltily. Shuri stepped in to explain.
"Yes. Delrus soil is so barren that flowers barely grow, so they even hold this event to sow seeds voluntarily."
Hanna nodded while arranging the flowers in a vase.
"Maybe you don't remember because you skipped it as a hassle when you first came to Delrus?"
"Oh, right—you did that last year. Hmm, no wonder you wouldn't know."
Vivian stuck out her tongue as if it had just clicked, and Shuri chimed in agreement.
"Makes sense. You were still newlywed back then, so things must've been even more hectic."
"Yeah... probably."
I slipped in a vague agreement as the maids helpfully filled in the blanks, dodging the crisis.
Hanna met my eyes seriously.
"You can't run off like last time. You might get an earful from the Grand Duchess again."
"O-Of course not! I'll listen well and play the good wife this time."
"Oh? Really? You're not planning to whimsically embarrass Young Master Akid again, are you?"
I bristled at Vivian's teasing and shouted,
"No way! How much do I like Akid!"
"My goodness, our lady. Finally admitting you like Young Master, huh?"
Hanna beamed as if she'd heard delightful news midway through listening.
"So all that grumbling before was just pretending not to care while secretly interested? Oh my."
As I fell silent, Vivian shrugged and continued,
"Tsk tsk. So clumsy. If it were anyone but Young Master, you'd have run off ages ago. These days, acting so prickly just makes any budding feelings shrivel up."
"Vivian, youuu......"
I trembled with anger at the suggestion that Akid might have run away because of me.
It especially irked me, recalling how he'd tried to flee last time, offering divorce.
Shuri patted my back gently with a kind smile.
"Hee hee. How cute. Ignore Vivian. She's just jealous of Akid."
"Shuri, what are you saying?"
Vivian jumped up and shot her a glare but didn't deny it.
I ignored them and sank into deep thought.
Roena had left such a mess everywhere—truly a disaster.
Even the maids brought from April Castle were only half-believing, so how could Akid trust my changes?
'Convincing everyone in the Grand Duke's house will take quite some time.'
I shook my head wearily.
A moment later, I steered the conversation back to the flower festival.
"So, what exactly do I have to do that day?"
Akid sat on the terrace, reading a book.
With Baron Rork gone, stability had returned to his life.
No more staying up all night pre-studying only to get beaten, and the new tutor was decent.
On top of that, the Grand Duke had even assigned him a swordsmanship master.
'Maybe that advice to hit first was sincere after all.'
As that thought crossed his mind, a girl's clear laughter rang out from beyond the terrace.
It came from the bedroom next door—Roena's.
Akid recognized it as Roena's laugh instantly.
"Talking with her maids, I suppose."
The unusually bright peals kept drawing his attention.
Akid closed his book and approached the terrace connected to Roena's room.
It was prying, something he wouldn't normally do. Even with the lobby between their bedrooms, the adjoining terraces allowed them to see each other.
Though jumping across would be a stretch.
With the window open, their murmured voices drifted faintly to Akid's terrace.
He couldn't make out exact words.
Just that they were having a pleasant chat.
'The maids who came with her from April Castle.'
Akid roughly guessed the other voices besides Roena's. She'd been especially close to those three since arriving at the castle.
She didn't open up to other servants but relied on them.
Thinking he shouldn't intrude on her privacy, Akid turned to leave.
Right then, Roena's bold voice rang out.
"How much do I like Akid!"
"......!"
Akid held his breath at the sudden confession. She'd shouted it so loudly it came through crystal clear.
He choked and coughed.
"Kuh! Kek!"
Akid stifled the cough, leaning against the wall. His heart pounded from the shock.
He clamped his mouth shut, afraid the sound might carry, and regulated his breathing.
'Did I mishear that?'
Akid was bewildered. It was definitely Roena's voice.
But the content was too unexpected for her.
It was something the wife he knew would never say.
'I hate you so much! Stay away from me!'
Every time she opened her mouth, she'd screamed how much she hated him.
Not just words—she'd shown her disgust through actions too.
And yet.
'Yes, dear.'
Recalling the endearment Roena had let slip brought heat rushing to Akid's face.
It had been so natural that it took time to register, making it all the more shocking.
But when she'd switched back to 'Young Master Akid' afterward, he'd felt a twinge of disappointment.
'Disappointment? Why?'
Akid's thoughts tangled in confusion.
Roena kept showing new sides of herself, leaving him flustered.
And now, suddenly claiming to like him? Was it another lie?
"Haa......"
Akid sighed deeply. He couldn't make sense of her no matter how he tried.
At least she wasn't rampaging like before, so she wasn't embarrassing him in front of his parents.
The problem was how overly friendly she was being toward him now.
'What is my wife thinking?'
His mind filled completely with Roena.
Suddenly, her previous words came to mind.
'It's true I hated you, Akid, but I didn't hate my life here.'
Even then, Roena had seemed evasive.
Especially when saying 'I hated you, Akid'—her voice had trembled.
Like someone forcing out an unwanted lie. Perceptive Akid found her changes baffling.
He stood blankly against the terrace wall for a long while.
Eventually, he trudged back to the table and sat.
But he didn't reopen the book, just fiddled with the cover and chewed his lower lip.
At last, Akid muttered softly to himself.
"She said she hated me......"
Face flushed, he bowed his head.
It had been ages since someone said they liked him.
Embarrassed, he rubbed the back of his neck and kept sighing.
He felt pathetic for his heart melting at just one phrase.
How long did he sit like that? As his chest finally calmed,
Knock knock.
"Young Master Akid. It's me, Roena."
Roena knocked on Akid's bedroom door.
