Chapter 2.1

A few days later, while I was doing a cucumber face mask, I heard that Gellin had left for foreign lands.

“Foreign lands? Where?”

“That small island at the northern edge that was discovered recently. I heard he greatly offended Duke Florence.”

“Huh?”

So they sent him north because he offended the Duke?

I blinked my eyes and then curled up the corners of my mouth crookedly.

Rubellian’s pride must have been quite wounded. Well, if I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t have stayed quiet after being insulted like that either.

I fumbled around with my hands to find the bowl and put a cucumber from it into my mouth. Aida, who had been sitting with me on her lap feeding me cucumbers, made a tearful face.

“Please stop eating them. We’re out of cucumbers now. Do you know you eat three for every one I place on you?”

“Cut some more.”

“Miss…”

Aida, who had already cut cucumbers for the third time, finally let out a deep sigh. She carefully placed my head on a cushion and hurriedly got down from the bed.

Glancing at her reaction, I put the cucumber from the corner of my mouth into my mouth.

But then.

Suddenly, a familiar voice came from the doorway.

“Is there a particular reason you’re eating what’s stuck to your face?”

At Rubellian’s deep voice, I let out a deep sigh. I was too tired to be surprised anymore. I was confident I wouldn’t be surprised even if he emerged from the chamber pot in my bathroom.

I picked up a cucumber and stretched my arm out into the air.

“Would you like some?”

“…”

“Why not? It’s freshly cut. If you don’t like the moist texture, would you like to put it on your face together? The groom’s face is important for the wedding too.”

“I’ll pass.”

Well, I knew it wouldn’t work. I just tried it on the off chance. I pursed my lips and put the cucumbers from my face into the bowl, then got up.

Only then did I realize he hadn’t entered from the doorway yet.

“Aren’t you coming in?”

“One doesn’t just enter an unmarried woman’s room.”

“We’re getting married anyway, so what’s the big deal?”

I slowly approached Rubellian and asked.

“So why did you come?”

“I need to go out briefly for wedding preparations…!”

That’s when it happened. Rubellian’s face, which had been looking at me, greatly contorted. In the blink of an eye, he turned his head away and cleared his throat, then began taking off his coat.

“What are you doing? Did coming to my room suddenly cause hormonal overproduction? Can’t control yourself?”

“No!”

Even while frowning and shaking his head vigorously, Rubellian didn’t look at me. Wondering why he was acting like that, I tilted my head, and he held out his coat to me.

“Even if it’s your home, you should dress properly.”

Only then did I realize I was wearing just a thin slip. Well, it’s not particularly see-through anyway.

But it seemed like Rubellian’s face might explode at this rate, so I reached out to take the coat from his hand.

However, at that moment, I realized one very important fact.

Until just now, I had been lying on the bed doing a face mask, and the most important thing when doing a face mask is to expose your face as much as possible, which is why I had used a headband to push up my bangs completely…

“Kyaaah! What do I do!”

I grabbed my face with both hands and screamed. How could this be, how could this be!

At my strange cry, Rubellian turned his head. He seemed to misunderstand something and spoke reassuringly.

“You don’t need to be too embarrassed. I didn’t see anything…”

“I had my bangs up!”

“…Bangs?”

Screaming, I immediately turned around and hurriedly approached the vanity. Sure enough, my snow-white forehead was showing off its vast expanse with a shine.

“How could this happen!”

“You… put up your bangs?”

“My goodness, how could I expose my bangs? This, this is disqualifying as a human being!”

Here I am, someone who might skip makeup but absolutely must style my bangs, showing my face to someone like this. Even if we’re married, bangs aren’t something you carelessly expose.

I was horrified, but there was no way Rubellian could understand my feelings.

When I hurriedly pulled the headband down, I could see my bangs dancing ethereally near my crown.

How could this be. These idiots here don’t understand the great dignity of see-through bangs, so how hard I worked with scissors!

“What do I do…”

“Since you have to go out anyway, how about just washing it fresh?”

“I washed my hair this morning. If you wash your hair too often, the luster disappears. My silk-like hair.”

“Then if you comb it well…”

“It’s been pressed down too long, it won’t work!”

“Then what do you want me to do…”

I could feel Rubellian sighing, but I was already beyond reason. Now I have to go out too, and even if it’s not goddess-level hair, I need to at least look human…

In the end, I let out a deep sigh. I didn’t want to do this, but do I really have to?

I passed by Rubellian and entered the bathroom. His questioning gaze was thrown at me, but I didn’t care. I turned on the water, wet my hands, then grabbed my bangs.

Now, this is the perfect secret technique of busy modern people! The skill of washing only bangs!

For some reason, I felt like I should add a star to that introduction as I muttered it to myself, picked up a towel, patted my bangs dry, and came out of the bathroom.

Rubellian’s gaze fixed on my bangs.

“What are you staring at?”

He was looking at me with an utterly disgusted expression. It was a face that seemed to say how could such a human being exist in this world.

But at this moment, I had to be confident.

I mean, washing only your bangs is so convenient. You could just wash them every day, right? You just need to wet and dry your bangs, why bother getting everything wet? Plus, Evangeline has a God-given constitution so she doesn’t produce much oil anyway.

But Rubellian opened his mouth slowly with quite a serious face.

“Because you don’t want to wash your hair, you’re now…”

“I washed it this morning and was doing a face mask, you know?”

“…Let’s say that’s true.”

“It’s really true, I washed it this morning!”

I struggled with injustice. However, Rubellian, who had obviously questioned his worldview, life philosophy, and values because of me, just shook his head.

“Anyway, since we have to go out, dress properly. I’ll wait in the reception room.”

“But where are we going?”

When I blinked, Rubellian glanced at me, then moved his steps and said.

“We’re going toward the theater district.”

“Ah, I see.”

I nodded at his words and headed toward the vanity. Then suddenly something came to mind and I looked up.

‘Wait, isn’t the theater district where the female protagonist lives?’

My memory shouldn’t be wrong. Because the novel’s opening is about the stepmother trying to sell the female lead to a theater due to debt. Of course, there’s no guarantee the female lead will be at the theater district we’re going to today.

At this coincidence, I straightened my face. Who knows? I might meet the female protagonist before entering the original story. Then we’d become acquainted, and maybe become friends like others, and later become best friends…!

Having thought that far, I hurriedly rummaged through the vanity. Yes, since it’s come to this, I should go out looking pretty. Since I might become friends with the female lead, I should bring accessories and such.

Thinking that while hurriedly looking for a comb, Rubellian’s voice came from the doorway.

“Ah, and Evangeline.”

“Huh, what else?”

When I poked my head out curiously, Rubellian seemed to hesitate a bit, then quietly added a word.

“Just in case, but…”

“…?”

“It would be good to definitely wash your face before coming out.”

“Of course!”

I shouted at him, who was already treating me like someone from a garbage pile.

No, seriously. What does he take me for!

After telling Aida, who had returned to the room, to prepare a dress, I went to the bathroom and washed my face enthusiastically as if peeling it off.

Once with water mixed with ground flower petals, once with soap, using every tool available for cleanliness—after washing my face three times, I headed to the reception room with cheeks that were slightly reddened beyond what powder could cover.

“I’m here. And I washed my face three times.”

Rubellian, who had been looking at something hanging on the reception room wall, turned his head slightly. He stared intently at my face, then muttered quietly as he watched me approach.

“There was no need to go that far.”

“You acted like you wouldn’t even look at my face if I didn’t wash it.”

I pursed my lips.

“But what are you looking at?”

“A portrait.”

What he was looking at was none other than my portrait. My portrait painted four years ago, called my father’s pride.

Evangeline was physically weak, so despite her beautiful appearance, she never left her bed, and so father seemed to find it quite a waste that his daughter was letting her beauty rot away.

So how pleased and delighted he must have been to see me bouncing around after my possession. Of course, he probably also had the intention of selling off his daughter.

“Were you really like this when you were young?”

“I’m still like this though?”

I made a flower frame with both hands and blinked at Rubellian. If my previous life’s self had done this, it would have been disgusting, but my current life’s self has supreme beauty, so it would feel like watching an idol acting cute on a variety show. Besides, it was a portrait from four years ago, so it couldn’t be that different from now.

Rubellian looked back and forth between me and the portrait, then chuckled. Seeing that, I immediately wiped the smile off my face and asked.

“Why are you laughing? Am I funny?”

“No, I just tried laughing.”

Following Rubellian as he left the wall and headed toward the sofa, I frowned. Seeing his still calm face even after witnessing my supreme cuteness, I felt deflated and started tapping his arm as if picking a fight.

“A proper lady doesn’t just hit people’s arms.”

“…My goodness, after seeing all that, you still call me a proper lady?”

I was stunned. Hadn’t I already been reduced to nothing more than a field mouse in this person’s heart? While I stood there, incredulous, Rubellian’s face remained dead serious.

“I’m just sorry all of a sudden.”

At his sudden apology, I found myself becoming serious too without realizing it.

What reason would a man getting married have for seriously apologizing? As expected, that area…

I asked him with utmost seriousness.

“Perhaps.”

“…”

“That thing, doesn’t it work?”

“…?”

“Perhaps, do I have to remain chaste? Do I have to handle it alone…”

“No!”

He seemed not to understand what I meant at first, then shouted loudly.

If it’s no, then it’s no—why shout? I covered both ears and said to him,

“Why are you shouting? If it’s no, then it’s no. You’re going to burst my eardrums.”

“No, sud-suddenly saying such nonsense…”

eeing my annoyed expression, Rubellian hardly stumbled over his words. I blinked, noticing his face turning a deep shade of red, as if about to burst.

“What are you so surprised about? Haven’t you heard such talk before marriage? Don’t noble families educate about these things before entering marriage?”

“…!”

“Why, don’t you want to? Don’t you like it?”

“Stop, please…”

Ooh, the word “please” came out of this great man’s mouth. I stared at his face, finding it somehow fascinating.

Come to think of it, in the original story, Rubellian appeared as quite a devoted husband. Of course, Evangeline’s appearance frequency wasn’t high, but I remember him often mentioning his wife when he was with the Crown Prince or conversing with the female lead.

Like this tea has a scent that Eve would like, or his wife is sick so he needs to go home early. Thanks to that, I had recognized him as a decent man.

Of course, it all crumbled when he was revealed as the mastermind.

‘It’s such a waste, if only he wasn’t the mastermind, I could train him properly. Except for that, where else would you find such a perfect man.’

I muttered to myself and smacked my lips. Somehow misunderstanding how I looked, Rubellian asked, his face showing slight disgust.

“Why are you smacking your lips?”

“Huh?”

What’s with this man acting like a herbivore on the verge of being eaten? I blinked.

But he once again showed that incredibly polite disgust and asked me.

“What are you thinking about?”

“I wasn’t thinking about anything.”

“…”

“I really wasn’t thinking about anything!”

I wrestled with the unfairness as I looked at Rubellian. I wasn’t thinking anything inappropriate, so why was he treating me like a pervert? I’m not that kind of person!

At my face, which looked like I might die from injustice, Rubellian let out a deep sigh.

“Don’t think useless thoughts.”

“I won’t. How could I when you hate me so much?”

I pursed my lips slightly. Honestly, I didn’t want to do that with a man who had no feelings either. I just felt like it was something I should address.

At my expression, Rubellian seemed to think for a moment, then said carefully.

“I’ve never hated you.”

“After looking at me like a pervert and all. Fine, if I made you uncomfortable, I’m sorry. I just heard that these kinds of issues must be discussed before marriage.”

I got up from the sofa and brushed off my dress. He proposed marriage himself, and yet, even if intimate relations aren’t everything in married life, it was still really sad to be so startled by it.

I have to marry a man I don’t even like and even remain chaste on top of that. At this rate, I’ll receive a chastity memorial plaque.

As I grumbled like that, he came in front of me and spoke.

“About that matter, I’ll speak again.”

“You don’t need to be so serious. I just mentioned it because it suddenly came to mind.”

“That’s not it, I… I’m different from you in that I’ve never been with a woman.”

“I’ve never been with a woman either though?”

“…”

At my words, Rubellian made a complicated expression. Then I soon realized what he was saying.

“Ah, you have no experience?”

Whether I hit the mark or not, Rubellian was silent. His reaction was both funny and somewhat unexpected, so I ended up laughing.

What am I even doing? Sometimes I think he’s very polite and courteous, but then he’s serious in strange places.

I reached out and linked arms with him.

“Forget it, let’s just forget about that part. Don’t struggle alone.”

At my words, Rubellian seemed to hesitate for a moment, then started walking. Walking slowly out of the room beside him, I couldn’t help but smile quietly.

The reason Rubellian suddenly took me out was simple.

There’s a tradition here where men give women gifts like jewelry, dresses, and shoes before marriage, and Rubellian didn’t know what I liked, so he ventured out with me.

He could have just called people to the ducal residence, or like everyone else does, just sent appropriately matched items, but Rubellian deliberately took me to the largest salon in the capital.

Rendering his efforts pointless, when Rubellian told me to pick whatever I liked, I immediately spoke up while scanning the rack from left to right.

“From there to there, give me everything.”

“…!”

At my words, not only the clerk but even Rubellian looked at me in surprise.

Hoarding dresses wouldn’t be a big blow to the ducal family, but normally, unless you have quite a thick skin, you don’t go this far.

But I was confident.

You said you’d buy it for me, so I’m really choosing.

“…When I said choose as you like, you’re really choosing as you like.”

“I’m the type who understands things completely differently when others speak perfectly clearly.”

“I don’t know what you mean, but normally people do things in moderation.”

“What’s this talk about moderation when you said you’d buy it for me? If you don’t like it, cancel the marriage.”

“Is there anything else you need?”

Seeing Rubellian immediately back down at the mention of canceling the marriage, I smiled brightly.

“You know that one dress and one pair of shoes is basic, right?”

“…Bring out the shoes.”

After purchasing dresses and matching shoes for everything, I smiled gracefully.

While waiting for Rubellian who went to pay, I was drinking juice when a clerk approached and said.

“His Grace must really love you, miss.”

Where have I heard this line a lot? Ah, that’s it. When the male lead showers the female lead with gifts, people around blush and say “So-and-so must really love so-and-so!”

To think I’d hear these words here. I smiled brightly, finding it somehow fascinating.

“Did it look that way?”

“Yes.”

“My, you saw so well.”

I nodded while blushing.

She looked at me with envious eyes and smiled along.

“Indeed, women become prettier when they’re loved.”

“That’s not it. I was originally pretty.”

What, trying to diminish my beauty while giving credit to Rubellian? My face is purely the masterpiece of my father and mother, absolutely not Rubellian’s achievement.

Then, Rubellian, who had finished paying, came beside me.

“How much was it?”

“It came to the price of buying a mansion on the outskirts of the capital.”

“My goodness, only one mansion?”

“…”

“I’m joking.”

I smiled at Rubellian, who looked at me as if asking if I was serious. Seeing me like that, Rubellian let out a deep sigh.

“You don’t know modesty.”

“Should I act stingy here then? And people like us spending money freely helps economic development.”

“Is that so?”

“Ah, so petty. Cancel everything, cancel everything. Cancel the dresses and cancel the shoes and cancel our marriage too.”

I grumbled as words spilled from my mouth. But when I met Rubellian’s intense gaze, I had to fall silent. His smile was strange and completely out of place.

When I lifted my chin slightly as if asking why he was doing that, he spoke quietly.

“If we cancel the marriage, what would you do?”

“Would you really cancel it?”

“No.”

“…Are you teasing me?”

“I’m just curious. Do you have someone else to marry?”

“With my beauty, you’re worried I won’t have anyone to marry? And do I have to get married? With this beauty and wisdom, making a living is nothing.”

“Well— the beauty I’ll grant you, but the wisdom is…”

Rubellian’s red eyes looked directly at me. At the feeling like my breath might stop, I unconsciously swallowed.

Ah, really, what to do with this face. Can’t I frame it as a bromide and hang it on the wall? This is a face I’d buy ten copies of if there was a photo book.

That’s when it happened.

Tap—

Rubellian, who had been staring at me, slightly lowered his head and lightly bumped his forehead against mine.

Not knowing what was happening, I blinked, and he got up from his seat and said.

“That’s unlikely to happen.”

“What…”

“In that case, it looks like I’ll be feeding you forever.”

For a brief second, disbelief made me chuckle hollowly. Of course, I hooked my arm with his and said,

“You always get people’s hopes up and then…”

“Give up such expectations from now on.”

“But who knows? Maybe you’ll lose interest after seeing another side of me you don’t know?”

“Is there still more left to show?”

Rubellian’s horrified face was so funny that I burst out laughing.

* * *