Chapter 43
Reina didn’t even greet him — she just covered her nose when she saw him. Calhail spoke with an annoyed tone.
“You haven’t changed at all, even though your wedding is just a few days away.”
“Am I supposed to change?”
“Well… your future husband is here. You could at least look a little excited… or shy.”
“We’re only getting married because of a contract. Husband? Really?”
Even while answering, Reina kept her hand over her nose.
“What are you doing?”
“You didn’t just come from investigating some sewer again, right?”
“…Did I eat something bad?”
Calhail raised one eyebrow at her words. So he hadn’t been in any sewer.
Then why does he smell like this? Reina thought.
Calhail calmly walked over and sat on the sofa near her. From where she stood, she could see his neck — and something black stuck to it.
“AAAHHH!” she screamed.
Something hairy, like a big hairy caterpillar, was wriggling on the back of his neck. Reina instantly smacked it with her palm.
Whack!
“Ow!!”
Calhail shot up from the sofa, holding his neck.
“What on earth was that for, Lady Reina?!”
His neck was already turning red and swelling from the hit.
“No, wait— I saw—”
“You’ve gone so far as to start hitting me now? I am the Empire’s only Duke, and soon to be your husband! I don’t ask to be spoiled, but I shouldn’t be a husband who gets beaten!”
Reina looked flustered.
“There was definitely—”
But when she looked again, the black hairy thing was gone.
“You can’t just hit people like that! Do you realize you’re going to be the Duchess? Are you going to treat your servants like that too?”
He scolded her sternly. Reina protested.
“I swear, there was a big hairy bug on your neck! It was about the size of a fist and really disgusting!”
She described it with serious eyes and hand gestures. Calhail hesitated for a moment, wondering if she might be telling the truth, and checked his neck in the mirror. But all he saw was a red mark from her slap — no bug, no trace at all.
“…If you want to attack me, please just do it with words next time. I can teach you how to do that without using your hands.”
His tone was icy, and it was clear he was genuinely upset.
“I’m telling you, it was there!”
“…Let’s just wait for Madam Grace.”
He moved far away from her and crossed his arms. Reina sat down at the farthest seat from him, pouting.
Grace and Nikolai came in and asked why the atmosphere was so cold.
“It’s nothing,” Calhail said.
Nikolai guessed his daughter must have done something wrong.
They changed the topic to wedding preparations. Nikolai gave Calhail the guest list, schedule, and seating chart. Grace brought out a box. Inside was a sapphire wedding ring and matching cufflinks — the Lautzen family’s symbol.
“We kept it simple, as you asked,” Grace said politely.
The gems were large and beautiful, clearly expensive despite her words.
Calhail nodded.
“This is enough. I was the one who asked to hurry the wedding.”
Grace then asked about the bride’s ring.
“Reina’s ring is coming from the North. It’ll arrive before the wedding,” Calhail said.
Grace and Nikolai were disappointed but hid it well. Reina didn’t care — the marriage was only in name.
After a while, Vayen entered.
“Your Grace, the Emperor requests your presence.”
As he bowed, Reina saw another black hairy caterpillar crawling on the back of his neck.
“Eek!” she yelped.
Everyone stared at her.
“Is something on my face, my lady?” Vayen asked.
Reina forced a smile.
“No… nothing.”
Nikolai scolded her about behaving properly before marriage. Calhail said,
“She’s the perfect match for me.”
(Perfect antidote, Reina thought.)
They left together — Calhail with Nikolai beside him, Vayen behind. From her angle, Reina could see Vayen’s neck clearly, and the bug was still there, wriggling. She also checked Grace and Nikolai — nothing.
So… only people from the Imperial Palace have them?
The caterpillar on Vayen’s neck squirmed again, making her shiver. She made strange noises and walked awkwardly to keep her distance, making Grace sigh deeply.
“And we’re sending this girl to be a Duchess… Oh dear.”
But Reina only wondered why she kept seeing these things.
Two days later, at the wedding, her worst fears came true.
Standing before her was a group of people — all with black hairy caterpillars on their necks. They were the Emperor, the Empress, and many attendants from the Imperial Palace.
Reina’s eyes filled with terror.
