Chapter 57
The Male Lead Is Obsessed with Proposing
Peace?
A crow.
This bird was usually sent by Clifd when Senelia was with Venerucia, if he had something to convey.
“Annoying.”
Senelia gritted her teeth.
Clifd rarely allowed her to become complacent.
Senelia had married under Venerucia’s orders.
Therefore, she wasn’t allowed to be easily happy.
Even though all Senelia wished for wasn’t grand happiness, just a peaceful daily life.
Clifd had sent the crow to remind her of that.
Senelia’s gaze sank.
This was her last chance.
And, just as before, Venerucia could turn against her anytime because of Lucalina.
In those moments, what could stop him wasn’t her happiness.
Look: when Senelia was in pain, when her father died—Venerucia had come running because she was unhappy.
So Senelia forced down her excitement.
The last time, too, at the moment she was most elated, Venerucia had turned away from her.
Even if she had received a proposal, she couldn’t trust it fully until the wedding was completely done.
“…Thank you, Your Highness.”
Thinking like that, Senelia could calm herself instantly.
Perhaps Venerucia sensed this, for he gestured to the head maid.
Then, Mejia quickly withdrew with the servants.
Once the door was closed, he asked:
“Celi, have I upset you by acting as I pleased?”
Senelia had deliberately remained silent, but ever since he had forced the proposal using the Emperor’s decree and brought her to the Afron Mansion, she had been dragged along by Venerucia entirely.
From an outside perspective, it wouldn’t have been strange at all for Senelia to be upset.
“No.”
Senelia shook her head obediently.
“Or… is marrying me so dreadful?”
“…No.”
This time, her response was slightly delayed.
It really wasn’t dreadful.
If it weren’t for Venerucia, she would have spent her life like a dog tethered beside Clifd, slowly wasting away.
“…Celi.”
Venerucia swallowed a rising sigh.
He was not a man accustomed to watching others’ moods.
Yet Senelia, who had looked fine just moments ago while holding the cat, suddenly seemed down, and no matter what he asked, she only said no—Venerucia was frustrated.
“If you’re angry at me, then get angry. You can.”
All Venerucia could guess was that Senelia was probably angry at his coercive behavior.
At his words, she blinked in bewilderment.
Angry all of a sudden?
Senelia couldn’t understand.
Then Venerucia pressed her a little further.
“I bound you with the decree, didn’t I? Honestly, I expected you to be angrier.”
Venerucia knew he was at fault.
Even knowing that, he had done something he shouldn’t have, simply because it was the only way he could keep Senelia by his side.
He had also braced himself for her resentment.
Yet Senelia’s reaction was far too indifferent.
As if she were used to such situations.
“…Ah.”
Only then did Senelia realize her own mistake.
She should have been angrier.
However, for this matter alone, Senelia remained unusually indifferent, despite having been moved to tears or deliberately upset by Venerucia’s actions before.
It was partly because she had been waiting for these very actions, but mostly because of the life she had lived until now.
Senelia’s life for eight years had been a straight line.
Lowering herself, killing her own desires, never rising above—a straight line.
She was more accustomed to receiving orders than suggestions.
So a proposal, which was practically an order from Venerucia, didn’t feel unpleasant.
After all, that had been the nature of Senelia’s life.
“…I…”
Senelia felt flustered.
Would it be strange if she got angry now?
But more than anything, she wasn’t angry, so how could she express anger?
“…You’ve always been like this with me. You’ve never once gotten angry.”
Venerucia ran his fingers through his hair roughly, frustrated.
Senelia was bewildered.
Hadn’t she gotten angry at him a few times after they parted?
So why did he say that?
She couldn’t understand.
“Even if before I made your position unstable, now you’re going to be the Duchess. You don’t have to endure everything, Celi.”
Venerucia held her shoulders to make her look at him.
She thought, I have no idea what you’re saying.
She was simply confused.
“Your Highness, will this situation change if I get angry?”
So Senelia said the only thing she could.
Perhaps an answer she wouldn’t normally give.
It meant just how flustered she was.
“Then, if you do nothing—does what’s built up inside you improve?”
Venerucia said, frustrated.
Senelia faltered.
She was human; after enduring all sorts of humiliation, there were feelings accumulated inside her.
But—so what?
Why should it matter?
That wasn’t necessary.
She was finally going to marry Venerucia.
Once her brief excitement subsided, Senelia could actually remain more rational.
Honestly—wasn’t this exactly why Venerucia had come to love her?
Unlike others, she didn’t annoy him, anger him, act jealous, or expect anything. She adapted to him completely.
Had she not been so devoted, would Venerucia have loved a minor character like her?
Senelia thought not.
His love had been thoroughly planned.
And the completion of that plan was now just one step away.
So she had no intention of changing her attitude now.
In the future, if she had to quarrel with him, it would probably be—yes, for necessity.
To provoke Venerucia’s desire and bind him to her.
“Celi, I want you to be honest with me.”
When Senelia remained silent, Venerucia continued.
She suddenly felt the request was absurd.
Senelia had never been honest before him.
And she never would be.
To her, marrying Venerucia meant exactly that.
Since it was a marriage by the Emperor’s decree, divorce was nearly impossible, but she didn’t want even a slight chance of ending up back in Clifd’s grasp.
So Senelia decided on her answer.
“I will.”
The soulless words were easy.
Senelia nodded willingly.
After all, she was already a bundle of lies in front of Venerucia; adding one more was nothing unusual.
“Thank you, Celi.”
Venerucia lightly kissed the back of her hand.
He seemed relieved just to have received a positive answer from her.
He believed that they could now change together.
He still did.
The confidence unique to someone who had never truly failed.
Venerucia had it.
Senelia had no reason to shatter it.
If he wanted to see it, her role was to be seen that way.
The wedding preparations went smoothly.
Venerucia was royalty, and even without that, he had fought wars for six years, won victories, and gained much wealth.
Moreover, like a male lead, every business he touched succeeded. Eventually, to avoid Clifd’s interference, he even handed some businesses over to the royal family.
With such wealth, there was no way preparing for the wedding would be difficult.
Thus, Senelia was currently having her wedding dress made.
“Your Highness, the Duchess, you are far too thin.”
Madame Lampadur measured Senelia and said.
As Venerucia wished, he had successfully commissioned Madame Lampadur to make her dress.
Although he had left the royal family to become a Duke, he still held a claim to the throne, so he could arrange this.
“…Still, it seems you’ve gained a little weight recently.”
Senelia said defensively.
And it was partly true.
Since Venerucia had used the Emperor’s decree to tie her into marriage, Clifd hadn’t troubled her for a while.
Thanks to that, she had finally slept properly and regained some appetite.
However, since Senelia had always been very thin, the slight gain wasn’t noticeable.
“You still need to gain more weight, Celi.”
Venerucia agreed with Madame’s words.
Since confirming their marriage, he rarely left her side for the knights and had been constantly with her.
Even today, he was the most enthusiastic about choosing her dress.
It was peaceful.
Even so, Senelia felt uneasy.
Knock, knock, knock.
With a knock, Venerucia’s aide brought urgent news from outside.
“Your Highness…! The Emperor has ordered your immediate appearance at court.”
Perhaps her unease had been based on past experiences.
Senelia instinctively realized.
Her sense of unease had finally revealed its cause.
