Chapter 46
46
Viktor was silent, so Scarlett said with concern,
"Are you drunk? It's the first time I've seen you drunk. How much did you drink? Why did you drink so much?"
"......"
"Ah, sorry. I shouldn't have woken you up. You seem really possessed today."
While Viktor was thinking about how many times Scarlett had apologized for knocking on his bedroom door today, Scarlett thought he looked tired and ended the conversation.
"Let's talk tomorrow."
"I'll take you to your room."
"Huh?"
"You said I seem possessed. I'm afraid you'll fall on the way."
At his words, Scarlett nodded, flustered.
A moment later, the two walked down the stairs together. Scarlett was very embarrassed by the current situation as she headed to her room.
The servants didn't know what to do and kept their mouths shut for the time being.
Scarlett tilted her head because the maid didn't open the door for her even though she was standing in front of it first. The maid was hesitating whether she could open the bedroom door for Scarlett, who was no longer a woman of the Dumpelt Family. In the meantime, Viktor, who had approached, reached out from behind and opened the door.
Scarlett flinched and looked back. Then, looking around as if the atmosphere was very strange, she said.
"Everyone is really weird today... You too. Did I wake you up and you can't sleep?"
Then Viktor changed the subject.
"You used to like blue."
"Huh? How did you know that?"
"You always give me blue things when I go out to sea."
"You knew?"
"You said it makes you feel at ease."
Then the corners of Scarlett's lips slowly rose.
"I didn't know you remembered."
She was excited that her husband remembered what she had said, but then she suddenly remembered something and looked at Viktor.
"More than that, what happened today? You drank so much that you got drunk."
"Nothing happened."
"Really?"
Even after saying that, she couldn't relax, so she looked around for a moment, and after confirming that all the servants had left, she took a step closer and whispered.
"Shall we take a bath together?"
"......"
"Viktor?"
When she said that and looked up, Viktor was speechless and stiff, but soon replied.
"...I'm drunk."
"I know that. But I'm worried about you, and you're so sweet when you're drunk... I want to be with you."
Viktor didn't have a particular answer to her words, but it was felt that he didn't agree with what she had just said.
Anyway, Scarlett wanted to be with Viktor a little more on a day like today when they could communicate, and she thought that the only way to do that was to sleep with him. Besides, Viktor, who would not have wandered around drunk under normal circumstances, had followed her to the bedroom, so she was convinced that he must want something too.
Unlike Viktor's complicated mind, Scarlett had made up her mind and was not going to let Viktor go easily.
Scarlett was looking up at Viktor with clear eyes, and Viktor stood with his hands behind his back to avoid being swayed by her, and tightly gripped his left wrist with his right hand.
He thought that if he wasn't a beast, he shouldn't try to take a woman who was so mentally disturbed that she forgot she was divorced. That was the same whether he was drunk or not, and it was obvious.
Nevertheless, due to the alcohol, his reason wavered at Scarlett's voice, which seemed like she would be greatly disappointed if he didn't hug her right away, and her eyes, which were looking at him as if to break him down.
Viktor twisted his wrist as if to crush it, hiding his self-loathing with a nonchalant face.
Of course, he had not ruled out the suspicion that she was lying because she wanted something. He had grown up among unkind people and spent his youth punishing plunderers. Distrust came before trust. He opened his mouth.
"Since not remembering is a big problem, I'll call a doctor first."
Then Scarlett shook her head.
"I'm not sick."
"You said you don't remember what happened today."
"Well, that's..."
"Take a bath first. I'll wait there."
Viktor gestured to the sofa. Scarlett thought her request had been accepted and replied.
"Okay, I'll be right out."
She soon went into the bathroom.
*
After seducing him first, Scarlett was very tired and fell asleep as soon as she took a bath and lay down on the bed.
Soon, the doctor Viktor had called examined her. In the meantime, Viktor was sitting on Scarlett's bed. Her hair, which used to be shiny when it was his, was dry and tangled because it was not taken care of, and her hands, which were always smooth, were peeled from working.
Even as he got out of bed so she wouldn't wake up, Scarlett woke up quickly and reached out. Then she held Viktor's hand tightly and said.
"Are you leaving?"
"Why did you wake up?"
"When you're next to me, I smell the forest and I can sleep well..."
"......"
"When I'm under a tree, I think of you. There are so many trees in the world..."
Scarlett was talking to herself when she opened her eyes wide. Then she raised her upper body and was horrified. Doctors, servants, and even sailors were in the bedroom, which she thought was just the two of them.
As Scarlett's face turned red, Viktor said.
"Everyone except the doctor, leave."
Scarlett covered her cheeks with both hands and said to Viktor.
"What should I do, they must have heard everything. I'm so embarrassed..."
Then Viktor asked.
"Is it wrong for others to know that you love me?"
At his words, Scarlett raised her head. Then she made a clear sound and laughed, saying.
"What's wrong with you today? Is it because you're drunk?"
"Maybe."
"You're so nice when you're drunk."
Viktor realized anew that Scarlett was only looking at him even in this chaotic situation.
She focused on every word he said, and regarded simply answering her words as kindness.
While the doctor was examining her, Viktor left her bedroom for a while. Evan Wright and Palin Redford, who had heard from Blight that Scarlett had forgotten that they were divorced and had come running, were standing in the hallway. Palin opened his mouth.
"Is the Duchess not of sound mind?"
While he was talking, Evan hit him on the back of the head.
Palin realized that he had made a mistake and slapped his mouth with his hand. He had momentarily forgotten how much Viktor hated the words "not of sound mind." If Evan hadn't hit him, he might have been hit by Viktor.
Viktor replied.
"Maybe it's a lie."
At those words, Palin once again spoke his mind.
"She is not the type of person who can lie so calmly. It's not worth it."
"So, you're just saying she's not of sound mind?"
"...That's what I think."
"Then that won't do."
"Pardon?"
When Palin asked back, Viktor continued.
"I sent her to the Monastery because she was lying. It can't be not a lie."
Viktor turned his head and looked inside the bedroom.
Scarlett, who was sitting on the bed, was talking to the doctor, whom he had told in advance to be careful not to startle her.
A moment later, the doctor came out, and Viktor dismissed the sailors. The doctor said awkwardly.
"There is no problem with her health, but she has no memory of the past year. As for me... I can only guess that it is due to psychological causes. Why don't you call another doctor?"
"What's the probability that it's a lie?"
"If it's not a psychological cause, there's a chance it could be a lie, but I can't confirm it. I'm sorry. But it seems clear that she caught a cold last night."
She must have caught a cold from wandering around aimlessly late at night.
After the doctor left, Viktor went back into the bedroom and looked down at Scarlett with one hand on the bed.
She must be an excellent liar and actress.
So she must be lying to him.
He felt bound by complex and dark emotions for Scarlett, and wrapped his hand around her light golden long hair. Because his touch was somewhat rough, Scarlett opened her eyes. In the dark space, the two people's eyes met for a while.
Viktor spoke first.
"What do you want? Tell me what you want."
Perhaps not feeling the violence entangled in his voice, Scarlett, who had not yet shaken off her sleepiness, said pleadingly.
"Will you love me?"
At her words, Viktor was dumbfounded and laughed in vain.
"How. How much more."
"As much as I can feel. As much as I can be happy."
"Viktor. I'm not happy these days."
Viktor recalled the lonely voice Scarlett had used to say to him one day. He muttered.
"I meet two crazy women in one day, so one is forgotten. That's one advantage."
At his words, Scarlett paused and tried to raise her upper body. Then she asked with a worried expression.
"Did you... meet Duchess Marina?"
"Yes."
Viktor wore a self-deprecating smile, as if he himself was out of his mind.
"Mother said that the violence she used to discipline me with when I was young was a way of venting her anger."
"What?"
"It's not even that she expected me to make her royalty again. It was just a way of venting her anger."
Scarlett looked at Viktor for a moment. Then, when he tried to leave, she forced her heavy body up and grabbed him.
"Stay with me."
"I'm not sleeping with you."
At Viktor's cold words, Scarlett nodded with a hurt face.
"Okay. I won't cling to you. Just... don't be alone."
Scarlett carefully pulled his hand and said.
"You're my husband. I'm your wife. We get married to be together at times like this."
And she sat on the bed first and pulled Viktor next to her.
At first, Viktor just watched her trying to pull him, but soon he lay down on the bed.
Scarlett said kindly.
"If something like that happens, tell me. I'll always be by your side..."
Scarlett, whose cheeks were red from a cold, said that and fell asleep, clasping Viktor's hand.
Viktor, who was looking at the ceiling, leaned towards her only after Scarlett fell asleep. And he looked at the snoring Scarlett and said.
"...You said you'd always be by my side. Do you know how many times you've said that while living with me?"
He thought that everything that came out of her mouth was full of lies.
As expected, she was a skilled liar.
