Chapter 3.55
“What’s the big deal about a few dresses?”
“A few dresses, you say?”
“Yes, a few.”
“Your Grace, have you temporarily lost your arithmetic function? You call that a few?”
Mrs. Jena held the back of her neck. She could finally understand Bill’s feelings.
Meanwhile, Lilith was jumping around saying things like “Oh my, I’m looking forward to seeing Madam try on all those pretty dresses!”
The boy she’d raised like a son was suddenly throwing money around because he got a woman, and her niece was acting like she’d bring flowers to celebrate it all.
Mrs. Jena let out a long sigh, feeling doubt about her life that she’d lived so earnestly.
“Still, there are eyes watching. I’m not saying this for Your Grace’s sake, but for Miss Clauda’s sake.”
“What do you mean?”
“There will be talk in society. That Miss Evangeline Clauda is a woman who indulges in luxury.”
“Gossip from busybodies.”
“The moment that comes from the mouth of the Colica ducal house, you know better than anyone that it’s not just gossip.”
Mrs. Jena’s words were not wrong. Rubellian put down the pen in his hand.
“And above all, there will be talk that the Duke has fallen for a woman. Of course, such talk won’t spread from just this one incident, but crossing the line too much always creates problems easily.”
“That’s not a problem.”
“No, it is a problem. Don’t you know? Throughout history, men’s faults are always blamed on women.”
Mrs. Jena said coldly.
Though she actually found Evangeline disagreeable, since Rubellian had already fallen head over heels for her, protecting Evangeline was important.
“There will be talk among busybodies that the Duke of Florence has fallen for a woman and can’t tell front from back.”
“……”
“From now on, whatever mistakes Your Grace makes, all responsibility will fall on Miss Clauda. That woman bewitched him, that woman did wrong.”
“Such nonsense……”
“Absurdly enough, the nobles are already at it. Before long, everything Your Grace does may be tied to the name ‘Evangeline.'”
Mrs. Jena said coldly.
Actually, that was quite unfair. But when had people ever distinguished between unfair and fair? If it was interesting, they’d just chew it up as gossip.
“Actually, I was going to tell Your Grace this after the marriage, but I think telling you now wouldn’t be bad either.”
“What?”
“From now on, Your Grace won’t be the only one bearing responsibility for everything you do.”
“……”
“Since ancient times, they say a powerful man’s achievements are his own, but his faults belong to his woman.”
So in the end, it was a matter of responsibility. Now that you’re married, take responsibility. For yourself, and for the wife you love.
When Rubellian stared at Mrs. Jena, she smiled elegantly.
Most people remember her as just the ducal house’s head maid, but actually she was his most trustworthy advisor who gave him proper counsel by his side.
“So now is the time to have a sense of responsibility. Due to noble nature, from the moment of marriage, Evangeline Clauda shares her fate with the Florence ducal house. You know what that means, don’t you?”
“I know.”
“Though it’s a humble life, I had this thought.”
“What?”
“Marriage is built on shared sacrifice and mutual growth. If I’m not giving up anything or changing at all, I have to ask myself—am I letting the other person carry my burden alone?”
He knew well what she wanted to say. When he smiled slightly, Mrs. Jena looked pleased.
“I’m glad, Your Grace. You look happy.”
“Yes.”
“And congratulations on your marriage, Your Grace.”
She bowed deeply before her lord.
* * *
Responsibility……
Standing in front of the hall where the wedding ceremony would be held, Rubellian muttered softly. He wasn’t sure. Actually, at first it was just a transaction, and he thought it would end if he just treated her reasonably well.
He had never thought so deeply about anything, nor had he had time to think about anyone.
But Evangeline intervened in his life. To be precise, he intervened in her life. The moment he realized that, a heavy sense of responsibility arose.
Evangeline Clauda was definitely not someone who would submit to anyone. She wouldn’t elegantly smile and sacrifice herself for her husband’s life, nor was that her nature. He was both glad and worried about that.
Marriage always involved mutual sacrifice, and some called it change. Sacrifice and change were always a hair’s breadth apart.
So, did he want to sacrifice her?
Suddenly, footsteps could be heard from far away. The moment he turned his head, he froze at the sight of Evangeline before his eyes.
A snow-white dress trailed on the floor. With her elegant platinum hair pinned up and decorated with flowers and pearls, wearing a snow-white veil, she looked so noble.
Beautiful.
“I’m pretty, right? Dazzling, right?”
At Evangeline’s question, Rubellian chuckled. At least at this moment, he had to admit it.
“Yes.”
Her wide-eyed look was like a rabbit. But he didn’t apologize to rabbits. Evangeline was cuter than rabbits. The moment he thought that, his arm reached out without him realizing it.
“I don’t think you need to wash your face.”
It was somewhat unromantic for a proposal. But because her blinking looked pretty, he continued:
“I don’t think you need to wash your hair either.”
“Is this possibly a compliment right now? No, is this even a compliment?”
“So stay as you are.”
Stay as you are. Just as you want to be, doing everything you want to do. I just hope you won’t regret this marriage.
He had to admit it.
Evangeline had crossed into his life’s path. Now, it was time he knocked on the door to her heart.
* * *
“Your Grace, we should probably send Madam to her room……”
At Lilith’s words, Rubellian turned his head. Seeing Evangeline with flushed cheeks and unfocused eyes over there, he intuited that the wedding ceremony needed to end quickly.
He could see the Clauda guild head couple with pale faces trying to wake Evangeline, but having already downed wine, Evangeline was giggling and clinging to Mrs. Clauda.
Rubellian, who barely managed to detach her, headed to the bridal chamber together, and seeing Evangeline sprawled on the bed squirming, he couldn’t help but look flustered.
“Rubellian…… Take it off for me.”
Though it was obviously just drunken rambling, recognizing once again that tonight was their wedding night, he was startled.
First he should call Lilith to undress her, remove her makeup, change her into comfortable clothes, and put her to sleep—
“Hey.”
With a flushed face, Evangeline called him. Her completely sulky face was too cute to just put to sleep. Eventually, when Rubellian sat back on the bed, she shouted at him:
“Hey, why do you keep swaying? Stop! Stay still……!”
The sight of her pointing fingers while swaying herself only made him laugh.
Eventually, barely calming down and about to call Lilith, this time the post-drinking troublemaker trio—loud voice, repetitive words, lamenting life—caught him.
And.
Thud—
When she placed her hand on his back and swayed, he thought she might be uncomfortable somewhere, but suddenly, her grip on the corset strings made Rubellian go pale.
But before he could stop her, the corset that had already come loose revealed snow-white lace undergarments slightly.
He tried hard to prevent his gaze from going there and stopped Evangeline. Of course, she wouldn’t listen for the life of her.
“Evangeline! What are you doing right now……!”
“Taking off clothes? Aren’t you taking yours off? You have to take them off, or we can’t……”
He wasn’t unaware of what “can’t” referred to. But did he have to consummate their wedding night when she was already this drunk? What did she take him for, a beast?
Whether the rumors about Evangeline were real or fake, whether she had men or not. Regardless of that, he wanted to leave her only good memories.
He didn’t want to have a wedding night drunk and without memory, and moreover, he didn’t want to do the insane act of embracing an unconscious woman.
Though his eyes did go to the pale skin that kept showing glimpses, he still tried to detach Evangeline who was clinging to his waist.
But at that moment, Evangeline opened her mouth.
“Do you hate me that much?”
Not knowing what she meant, he frowned. Was she thinking he hated her for not consummating their wedding night? It was such a random statement that he could only understand it that way.
Afraid she might misunderstand, he hurriedly made excuses that it wasn’t like that, when Evangeline looked at him and said slowly:
“You’re trying to get revenge, aren’t you?”
He never expected the word ‘revenge’ to come from her mouth.
All sorts of thoughts flashed through his mind in a short time. Rubellian was confused about how to respond and chose his words carefully. But Evangeline’s words weren’t over.
“You’re trying to get revenge, aren’t you? But didn’t you think that I could get caught up in it?”
He hadn’t thought about it.
Because revenge was his. Because he would bear it alone and end it alone.
But why hadn’t he realized? That the moment they married, Evangeline would also be entangled with him.
Looking back, I realize I’ve always been self-centered in my thoughts. Only now could he fully understand what Mrs. Jena had said.
He thought it would be enough to just give her pretty, precious, good things. He thought that was affection and fondness in its own way. But it was merely self-satisfaction.
Even if he hadn’t intended it, why hadn’t he thought further ahead?
“If you die, how do I live? If I get involved…… didn’t you think I’d die?”
“……”
“Even if I live alone, would that seem like living?”
She was right. If rebellion, if revenge failed, he would die. And Evangeline would die too.
Previously, he hadn’t feared failure. He had never been afraid. Since he had staked his entire life, he could die without regret.
But truly, could he think that way now?
“Since ancient times, they say a powerful man’s achievements are his own, but his faults belong to his woman.”
At this moment, he began to fear failure.
While Evangeline blinked blankly, he gently stroked her head and hardened his face.
If I die, what happens to this woman?
If the ducal house is annihilated and he is beheaded, what happens to this woman?
Either die together, or live but not really live.
Busybodies’ mouths are always light. Even if the purpose is revenge, once distorted and distorted again, no one will know the original truth.
He knew better than anyone how cruel the world was. Though the Emperor loved him, he was merciless to those who rejected his power.
Hadn’t he conquered his mother the same way?
He had told her to be grateful just for a commoner wench being able to enter the Emperor’s bedroom. No matter how powerful the Florence ducal house was, it couldn’t oppose the imperial family.
Moreover, the opponent wasn’t just the imperial family. There was also the Colica ducal house, which held the second-largest military force in the empire after the imperial family.
It would be such a complex and arduous fight.
Then, what about you?
“Eve.”
Watching Evangeline whose eyelids were gradually drooping as if falling asleep, he quietly called her name.
There were even quite a few nobles eyeing Evangeline. Women who had nothing were always easy prey. Like Gellin Psik, weren’t there many who would treat her preciously like a flower but then resort to violence when she didn’t obey?
So how terrible would that end be?
He suddenly got chills. She could be forcibly violated, abused, and stoned by everyone for being a traitor.
The moment he recalled that fact, he realized what a terrible thing he had been trying to do.
He hated ruining others’ lives for his own greed. But that’s what he had been trying to do.
Evangeline, who had been squirming on the bed, wrapped her arms around his waist again. Looking at her flushed face, he hardened his expression.
“So don’t do it. I know it’s selfish, but still don’t do it.”
Did she know why he was trying to get revenge? What was so selfish about it—how many people would calmly comply when their future might plummet to the bottom?
Moreover, dying because of revenge by a man she didn’t even love.
He suddenly wondered. Had she not wanted to marry him because of this? Because she knew she might die if things went wrong?
How scared she must have been. The fear of death is beyond imagination. Recalling that, he frowned.
Thinking that all the ridiculous situations so far had been her struggles not to die from her perspective, guilt surged up.
Rubellian squeezed his eyes shut. Toward Evangeline lying languidly, he whispered as if making a great resolution.
“Alright.”
He hates the Emperor. That fact won’t change.
However, if all these things that had sustained his life would ruthlessly trample Evangeline’s life, he could willingly set aside his hatred for a while.
Was this because of responsibility, or because of love?
He still didn’t know, but at least this much he could be certain of:
I want her to be happy.
If revenge had been his world until now, now Evangeline was his world.
* * *
“Oh my, what made her drink so much?”
Eventually, when Evangeline got completely drunk and passed out, Lilith chuckled as she removed her corset.
After ordering the maids to change her clothes, Rubellian, who had also washed and changed, came out of the bathroom.
“Is it done?”
“Yes.”
“Unfortunately, you won’t even be able to have your wedding night. Oh dear, her underwear is pretty. You should have undressed her yourself, what a shame.”
“Get out.”
Though Lilith deliberately made a fuss, only Rubellian’s cold words came back, so she pouted and left.
Soon Rubellian approached the bed. She was sleeping peacefully, changed into a thin slip.
“Haah……”
Rubellian let out a long sigh. He hadn’t particularly expected their wedding night. Still, he hadn’t known it would be spent like this. It wasn’t that he was disappointed, but still……
Contemplating this, he hesitated momentarily. Was it okay to be beside her? What if she was surprised when she woke up in the morning? Having slept alone her whole life, suddenly having a man right next to her might be quite shocking. But he didn’t want to go to another room either.
Eventually, after tremendous psychological conflict, Rubellian got into bed. Carefully lifting the blanket and getting inside, he glanced at Evangeline.
“Mm.”
Suddenly, with a languid breath, Evangeline rolled to the side. As she stretched her arm to embrace him and lifted her leg to press him down, Rubellian was so flustered he forgot to breathe.
Pondering how to position his body, he eventually slipped his arm slightly between her neck. Evangeline, who quietly used his arm as a pillow, made soft breathing sounds.
Do people usually undress and hug people when drunk?
Hugging people aside, undressing wasn’t just cute drunken behavior. He’d have to make sure she absolutely stayed away from alcohol for life. Rubellian thought to himself and let out a long sigh.
And after lightly kissing Evangeline’s forehead, he closed his eyes. Sharing a bed with someone was unfamiliar in itself, but ridiculously, sleep came quickly.
* * *
And the next morning.
“Should we just consummate now?”
Toward Evangeline who suggested consummating their marriage as soon as she opened her eyes, Rubellian made a sour expression. In broad daylight? No, of course broad daylight would be better for seeing, but……
‘What am I thinking right now?’
Rubellian clicked his tongue. He was truly corrupted as well. She must feel unwell from drinking yesterday, so what kind of ridiculous lust was this?
Meanwhile, Evangeline’s leg moving freely and carelessly was annoying.
Still, if possible, he wanted to make their wedding night wonderful. Kissing her in order from forehead to nose, lips, cheeks, leaving marks dot by dot on her long white neck while embracing her round shoulders, so prettily—
“Rubellian?”
When Evangeline stared at him with wide round eyes, Rubellian smiled slightly.
Still, it seems fortunate that the person who entered his world that had only revenge was none other than her.
Muttering that inside his head, Rubellian embraced her even more tightly.
