DDPLG 2

Chapter 2

“Oh my, Lady Luen. You look absolutely stunning.”

“Your skin is so flawless, the makeup settles beautifully, and the dress suits you perfectly. His Grace will fall for you all over again.”

“They say the Duke treasures you so much that even children playing in the streets talk about it. We’re envious.”

The maids laughed together in high spirits, perhaps because they were genuinely pleased, or perhaps because they wanted to lift my mood.
Meanwhile, I could barely manage my expression, my face locked in a troubled grimace.

No matter how much they gushed, I simply couldn’t understand why the Duke treated me as if I were a precious jewel, a fragile glass that might shatter at the slightest touch.

“Even the heavens bless this day—it’s such fine weather,” one of them added.

They smoothed scented oil over my skin, leaving me wrapped in a subtle fragrance of flowers. With the maids’ skillful touch of makeup and the silk dress draped around me, I looked nothing like my usual self. One of them pinned up my hair for the final touch.

“Lady Luen, we’ll take our leave now.”

“You’ll have a busy day ahead. Please rest a little while you can.”

“If you need anything, just call for us at once.”

Chattering away, filling the silence for me, they finally withdrew. The room fell into a stillness that seemed to mirror the heaviness in my chest.

I could have admired my reflection in the mirror, but thoughts of the future smothered any such delight, leaving me subdued.

Knock, knock.

—Forgive the intrusion, but my curiosity got the better of me.

It was as if he had waited until I was alone. My voice was weak when I told him to enter, and the door opened.
A part of me wished he would simply stay far away and watch from a distance; being this close to the man was far from reassuring.

“To the most beautiful bride in the world, I give my blessing.”

Yes—today was my wedding day.
I had tried to run, to save my life, but instead found myself ensnared by Duke Fiar, dragged inexorably into the wedding hall.

My life… what am I supposed to do now?

From here on, I’d have to live while constantly weighing how much time I had left—never knowing when this man would turn into the shadowed villain who rebelled against the Empire.

Thud.

Something dropped softly. I turned from the window to see, at his feet, a bouquet of flowers—at least a hundred blooms. My gaze trailed upward, finally meeting the Duke’s. His appearance was infuriatingly flawless.

“You are beautiful as always, but today you outshine even yourself. The daffodils in the garden bowed their heads—it must have been for you.”

His long, elegant legs in formal dress attire dazzled the eyes. The harsh lines of his face softened into a smile, melting away like sugar on the tongue.
Looking at the impossibly handsome groom, I couldn’t help but recall the moment he had proposed.

Luen, Luen. What on earth were you thinking back then?

“Um… shouldn’t you call for a physician to confirm?”

My voice trembled as I forced the words out. Maybe, just maybe, there was still a chance to escape. Even if it was only a straw to cling to, I wanted to grasp it.

If he summoned his personal physician, surely my false pregnancy would be exposed. The Duke’s strange attitude only made it more urgent that I be driven out of his house as quickly as possible.

“Hm? What are you talking about?”

Just as I thought I’d managed to slip free of his embrace, his honey-sweet voice poured over me again.

“Confirm it? Do you truly think I’m a man who cannot even grant you that much trust?”

“That’s not what I meant—”

“How could I ever doubt the fruit of our love, my dearest Luen?”

Doubt me, you lunatic! Why are you acting so out of character?

The man famed for being cold and calculating was behaving like some lovestruck fool. It was enough to make me despair.

“My Luen would never lie to me.”

Watching the so-called villain smile with such harmless warmth made my stomach twist with guilt. He was destined to become the traitor, yet here I was feeling like the criminal.

I knew his fate. He would one day lose everything and rise in rebellion, storming the Imperial Palace with his private army—only to encounter the heroine.

—Please, stop this. Why are you doing this?
—Because I…

In the end, he wished for the heroine’s happiness, sacrificing everything without ever confessing his own heart. He was captured and met his ruin.

Pitiful, yes—but I want to live.

That meant staying far, far away from him. If I remained at his side, I’d be dragged to the grave along with him.

As I wrestled with my resolve, he suddenly spoke words that froze me in place.

“I’m sorry it came to this. I had hoped to wait until I was more prepared before telling you…”

He released me, stepped back, and dropped to one knee, gazing up at me with a sincerity that unsettled me.

No… it can’t be what I think it is.

“Luen…”

His eyes glistened with unspoken emotion, moisture shining at their corners. That trace of vulnerability only made his dangerously handsome face all the more intoxicating.

No. No, no, no. I don’t care how good-looking you are. This is not happening.

“From the moment I first laid eyes on you, I have dreamed of this day.”

From within his coat he drew a small box, opening it with a soft click. Inside was a ring that glittered with dazzling brilliance.

My heart plummeted. That ring was never meant for me. I knew it. In the original story, this was the ring Duke Fiar was supposed to offer the heroine with a heart-wrenching confession.

Then why… why was he giving it to me?

“Luen.”

As I retreated, he advanced, and when my name slipped past his lips, all thought fled. It was as if invisible chains bound my body—I couldn’t move.

Something about his gaze intoxicated me, sweet and dangerous. I knew I had to resist, yet every word of his tugged at my resolve.

“I wish to spend my life with you. Will you accept my proposal?”

He held the ring out to me, and up close I recognized it beyond doubt: the same ring, a large diamond crafted with delicate artistry.

“…Ha, haha.”

All I could do was laugh awkwardly, caught in a standoff where every second dragged unbearably slow.

To die now, or to live a little longer only to die later—that is the question.

No matter how I spun it, there was no way out. Dragged into this world against my will, I had barely begun adjusting before being shoved into a death flag. My chest ached, eyes stinging with tears.

“Luen.”

He swept me into his arms in an instant. The maids had whispered about his supposed obsession with cleanliness, so why did he keep embracing me like this?

“Is it so moving? Don’t let your tears beguile me.”

“….”

“When you cry, I only want to make you cry more. So smile for me.”

At the same time, the ring gleamed before my eyes. The pressure was suffocating. I felt like prey before a serpent, coiled and ready to strike.

Just… get through this moment first.

With reluctant hands, I reached out and took the ring. His face instantly brightened, his smile soft and radiant as he told me I was lovelier than any flower.

You’re the one lovelier than any bloom, Duke.

No matter what I did, I was ensnared. Game over.

“My bride, shall we go?”

I hadn’t expected Duke Fiar to beam like that. He even blinked slowly, as though savoring my gaze.

“It feels like a dream come true. Please forgive me if I seem overeager.”

I didn’t even have the strength to question his behavior anymore. Quietly, I laid my hand upon his arm. Soon we would walk into the hall. Before the crowd, the vows would bind us irrevocably. But still—there might be some way out.

Just as I sighed, the air shifted—eerily silent, as if even the sound of breath had been stolen away. I lifted my head to find his expression dark and unreadable.

Did he catch on? Did he sense I was plotting to divorce and run away?

He had an uncanny talent for reading thoughts, sharp as a mind reader. My pulse raced as his hand suddenly rose.

“…My bride.”

Heat laced his voice, and that same heat burned through his touch as he tucked my hair behind my ear. His fingers brushed against me, lingering, sending shivers through my skin.

“W-what are you—”

His fingertips traced around my ear, tickling, until I flinched. Above me, I heard a low chuckle, his breath unmistakably different now.

My heartbeat thundered, loud enough I feared he could feel it. I swallowed hard.

“Nervous?”

I nodded without hesitation. He leaned in, pressing my face into his chest, and I felt the tremor of his own heartbeat. His breath hitched when I clung to him in return.

After a long embrace, he pressed a kiss to the crown of my head.

“I’m so grateful you’ve come to me. I want to raise our child with all my heart.”

That’s not it! I’m not—!
But my protest never left my lips.

His gaze flickered toward my stomach, stabbing me with guilt. I blurted the first thing that came to mind.

“Lovely weather today, isn’t it?”

“Yes. The heavens themselves celebrate our union. Shall we go?”

He accepted my nonsense without suspicion, easing my tension. I placed my hand back on his arm.

“Ah!”

Before I realized it, he seized my hand.

“It may not be proper etiquette, but I want to walk in holding hands. Will you allow it?”

I want to feel you close.

His hand enveloped mine completely, hiding it as though shielding a secret from the world. My heart quivered strangely.

“Yes… that’s fine.”

I followed his steady pace, each step heavy with the knowledge that this was the beginning of something irreversible.

“Marriage virtues cannot be stressed enough, and…”

Why did people always drag on once they took the podium? The officiant’s speech stretched endlessly. My ankles ached from the high heels, and the jewel-heavy veil weighed down my head. Still, I endured.

“For this blessed union, I, Christoan Noah, speak in the name of the Empire—”

And there it was. The speaker standing before me was none other than the Emperor himself, the male lead of the original tale. If I drew his displeasure, I’d be executed long before the Duke’s rebellion ever happened.

That’s it!

A lightning bolt of inspiration struck me.
In the original, the heroine had been a maid in the palace—once the princess of the fallen Loren Kingdom, she had infiltrated the imperial court to seek revenge. There, she eventually crossed paths with Duke Fiar.

Her lively, spirited nature made people want to protect her, and soon enough, the Duke fell for her. Though she would later fall in love with the Emperor instead…

She must be here. Somewhere in this palace, sharpening her blade of revenge and working her way close to the Emperor. If he’s officiating today, she would surely have followed him.

Yes. If I could just bring her and the Duke together, the story would fall back on track.

Then they’ll fall in love as they were meant to. That’s the flow of the original.

I could live as the Duke’s show-window wife, quietly supporting their romance, until the day I could finally walk away from this sham of a marriage. The thought cheered me.
And just as the Emperor’s long speech neared its end, my mood brightened.

“Lastly, if there is anyone who objects to this union, speak now.”

I nearly laughed. Even I, the bride, didn’t consent to this marriage—what god had supposedly blessed it?

I object! I muttered inwardly.

“I object to this marriage!”