Chapter 3
Damian was staring in silence, while Delilah smiled with ease instead.
The desk was rectangular, with two seats facing each other.
“Shouldn’t we report this?”
“I was planning to.”
I answered Saturn’s concerned question. Then Delilah looked at me and smiled brightly.
“You fell down the stairs last week too. Are you okay?”
“I’m not okay.”
When I looked Delilah straight in the eyes, Damian wrapped his hand firmly around her shoulder and said,
“Let’s just continue the lesson.”
Saying that, Damian looked at the inverted cards placed in front of him for the lesson. Then he picked one up and said,
“What would be good for implementing welfare in a place that was used as a battlefield?”
Damian spoke indifferently, and Delilah’s eyes sparkled as she replied,
“Now that Merbenia has become a vassal state, couldn’t we just pass everything on to them?”
“Ha ha ha.”
I wondered if those words really came from the genius Delilah of the original story, but she only smiled, seemingly satisfied with the way Damian looked at her affectionately.
“That’s not a bad idea. But since it’s now a vassal state, nothing can be done without the consent of the Kroppers Empire.”
Saturn said this without any ill intent.
“I don’t think it’s right to leave that responsibility to Merbenia just because it’s a vassal state. However, after demanding war reparations, I think the ruined castle should be rebuilt. During war, both walls and houses are burned down anyway.”
“Oh.”
“Rather, while granting them autonomy, I think approvals for necessary matters should be handled by someone from the Kroppers Empire. However, corruption can easily occur among those sent as overall administrators of a vassal state, so a separate inspector should be assigned.”
I said that based on something I had read in a book before. Saturn then wrote down my words beneath the card.
“They said we have to submit it.”
“Oh, I see. Thank you, Saturn.”
I expressed my gratitude when Saturn offered to write it down for me. Then Damian’s expression hardened as he said,
“Brie still likes to show off, I see.”
“…Damian.”
“You still insist on teaching others all the time. For someone so smart, what are you going to do marrying someone like me?”
At his words, I was at a loss for words and closed my mouth tightly.
“But Brie has a wide understanding, doesn’t she? She understands us too.”
Delilah said that as she leaned against Damian’s arm, almost hugging it. Damian’s arm was wrapped around the center of her body.
The two were so close it looked as if she were hanging onto his arm.
“By the way, now that Damian has a lover, Brie, you can have one too, right?”
“…Huh?”
When Saturn said that, I unconsciously turned to look at him.
“Sh-should I introduce you to someone suitable?”
“Brie is not allowed to yet.”
“Why is Damian the one deciding that?”
“You haven’t even had a child yet, so why are you thinking about a lover first? You should have about three children before thinking about that.”
“I’d be jealous of having children too. I’d like to have a child as well, Demi.”
Delilah said that to Damian as if making a request. Then Damian smiled brightly and replied,
“I’ll make that happen soon. If Brie gets pregnant first.”
“Yes.”
“You can understand that much, right, Deli?”
“Yes, of course. Just being by your side is already more than I deserve. If you grant me a child as well, that would be even more than I deserve.”
Nausea rose up, and I unconsciously bit my lip. My fists were clenched tightly, but I realized my arms were hurting. My arms and legs were covered in bruises from falling down the stairs.
“Then, if you have three children, will you take a concubine?”
Saturn truly seemed to lack awareness. He hadn’t picked up on the tense atmosphere.
Perhaps that’s why words slipped out of my mouth without thinking.
“You could take one now.”
At that, Damian’s expression hardened as he looked in my direction.
“Mind your words. There are many ears listening.”
“And you should be careful too, Damian. There are many ears listening, yet you keep speaking in disappointing ways.”
After that, perhaps because his mood had soured, he only glared and did not participate in other questions.
Saturn tried to change the atmosphere.
Delilah continued to say foolish things, as if trying to appear cute to Damian.
And I spoke my answers slowly, waiting so Saturn could write them down.
What was strange was that after hearing my answers, Saturn never looked at Damian at all, and diligently wrote down only what I said.
The thought crossed my mind that perhaps he truly intended to introduce me to someone suitable, which made me feel a bit exhausted.
People themselves were tiring.
I briefly thought that if I had known we wouldn’t have proper lessons today, I would have stayed longer in the infirmary. I forced myself to focus on the class so I wouldn’t feel that I had come all this way for nothing.
However, the excited atmosphere surrounding those who had returned from the battlefield made it difficult to concentrate.
❖ ❖ ❖
That night, there was a celebratory banquet at the Imperial Palace.
This was because the triumphal procession was scheduled for the day after I had fallen down the stairs and couldn’t get up. During the week of the triumphal procession, a ball was held.
The imperial family hosted a victory ball as a way of expressing gratitude.
The main figures of this ball were the nobles and knights who had gone to war.
Damian, who had served as the commander-in-chief, naturally had to attend, and I was obligated to be there as his wife.
Thus, after returning from the academy, we had to move busily.
My entire body hurt, but I didn’t even have time to be in pain. Rest was a luxury.
“Ella, please choose low heels.”
This was the dressing room, located next to my room.
“Would loafers be better instead? If you cover them with a skirt, no one will notice.”
“That would be too informal.”
Thinking of Damian made me want to go barefoot, but since we were going to meet the Emperor and Empress, I couldn’t do that.
On top of that, there were princes and princesses as well—people not to be taken lightly.
I had to be careful not to give them any grounds to criticize me.
“Thank you for your words, Ella. I only have you.”
“No, my lady.”
Seeing Ella’s teary expression gave me a strange sense of relief.
“I’m really glad you’re here, Ella.”
“I’m the one who’s grateful to be your maid, my lady. But at times like this… I wish I could take your pain instead. I’m strong and healthy… It makes me so upset that my lady got hurt.”
“If you got hurt, I’d be upset too. So let’s call it even.”
“Oh, my lady! You always know what to say!”
Even as Ella said that, she looked at the bruises on my body with tearful eyes.
Although my heart wasn’t at ease, I managed to regain my composure.
Creak.
While I was choosing clothes and shoes in the dressing room with Ella and the other maids, someone suddenly entered without knocking. This was the usual routine before heading to get makeup done.
“Damian?”
“Brie, I’ll borrow some clothes.”
“…Why do you need my clothes?”
“Delilah doesn’t have anything to wear.”
Saying that, he quickly snatched the clothes Ella was holding.
“I’ll borrow this.”
“That won’t fit Miss Delilah.”
“If you don’t want to lend them, just say so. Don’t be petty about clothes.”
Then he took the shoes Ella was holding in her other hand as well.
“Where is the jewelry box?”
“You might as well lend her the ducal family’s jewels.”
“That’s a good idea. If we use heirloom jewels, people will be able to recognize Delilah’s true worth.”
At his words, I was so dumbfounded that I couldn’t even respond. The ducal family’s jewels were traditionally worn by the duchess. And yet he was suggesting lending them to his mistress.
“Are you really the Damian I know?”
Just then, as he turned to leave, he looked back at me.
“Yes. But circumstances have changed. So someone like you, who is used up, holds less interest for me.”
“…Damian. How can you say something so harsh…?”
“If you’re used up, then act like it. Don’t be stiff. It’s unattractive. My lady.”
After saying that, he walked out.
It felt as though I had just been insulted with every possible harsh word in existence, leaving me stunned and trembling with anger.
“Really… that’s too much. How could he say such filthy things…”
Ella sniffled, then began crying. As she turned away to avoid sobbing, reality returned to me.
“Let’s choose another dress, Ella.”
“…S-sob… yes.”
I would divorce Damian.
I couldn’t live with someone who would take a concubine. And seeing him like this, he no longer seemed like the Damian I had loved.
Yet perhaps because of the memories of loving him for so long…
“I will surely make you happy, Brie.”
The promise he had made long ago echoed in my ears.
Foolishly.
❖ ❖ ❖
In the end, Damian and I had to travel together to the imperial ball.
Since we were husband and wife, we rode in the same carriage, while Delilah was to attend as the partner of Sir Baron, Damian’s aide.
Inside the carriage, Damian and I didn’t exchange a single word.
Damian kept glaring at me, breathing heavily as if dissatisfied.
Upon arriving at the grand ballroom, we had to walk arm in arm.
“Grand Duke Maze!”
“Duchess!”
“Welcome!”
Since Damian, who had defeated Merbenia, was the hero of the party, everyone rushed forward, eager to get his attention.
The commotion subsided for a moment.
When the Emperor appeared on the second-floor balcony, everyone looked up and fell silent.
“Today, I thank all the guests who have come. This gathering is made possible largely thanks to Grand Duke Maze.”
The Emperor smiled proudly as he acknowledged Damian.
“And the protagonists of this occasion are those who led the war…”
Creak.
From behind the door that opened on its own, the Emperor’s aide shouted urgently,
“Your Majesty! His Highness the Crown Prince has annihilated the Viate Empire and is returning after a great victory!”
The Crown Prince’s name was Calisten Ethan Kroppers. He was my childhood friend—and the sub male lead of Delilah’s story.
