TNLY 7

Chapter 7

“Is this the method the Duke spoke of?”

“I merely kept my word that you could leave once you married.”

“Everyone will think we’re insane!”

I, who had been entangled in an unsavory scandal with his younger sister.

“Do you… think this will be beneficial right now?”

“Do you know what people are saying? That Carlyle can never surpass his father.”

Carlyle, who had answered serenely, languidly examined my face before speaking quietly.

“So I intend to show them.”

Carlyle had now. Abandoned his cherished younger sister and even his honor to choose me. Along with the words that I would become his justification.

***

Carlyle was the one who would resolve all these incidents. On top of that, he stepped forward mentioning even businesses that Duke Cassion wouldn’t have given a second glance. Every condition was marriage to me. Amid the money changing hands, my opinion was nowhere to be found. Carlyle sorted out the situation without any particular words. SiriHan forgave me, and Iliana understood her brother.

The story of a Duke who loved the mad young lady, Rayna Wales. As people chattered about such stories all day long, I was made to enter the Duke’s estate within a short time under the pretext of consideration.

That night, enduring the maids’ uncomfortable gazes, I, dressed to the nines, held out a love letter to Carlyle.

‘This madness must end here.’

It was one of the few carefully selected contents I could write, unable to bring myself to speak of the secret ledger.

“A love letter….”

Carlyle, rolling his eyes briefly as if grasping the situation, murmured softly. At the end of it, there seemed to be a hint of mockery. Whether it was because of his magic or the paper burning up, the room grew hot.

“I’ll ask again.”

“I clearly answered that it’s a love letter.”

Each time he let out a hollow laugh, his black hair swayed minutely.

“Presenting a love letter dressed like that is nothing but provoking me.”

He seemed to be speaking gently, but it was clearly a mocking tone. My attire was the appearance of a new bride meticulously prepared by the Duke’s maids.

– You must wear this.

Meticulously, I know what that means. They didn’t believe Carlyle loved me. In the end, it was an outfit meant to seduce Carlyle. A thin single-layer nightgown revealing skin, a delicately adorned face.

“Kiss me now and I’ll consider divorce. Though I’m not sure you’d have the nerve.”

That intense gaze swept over me. Where did it all go wrong?

“I know this is sudden. But I judged that no one could be as great a weakness for me as you, my lady.”

Carlyle, who had approached my trembling self, slowly stroked my hair.

“Quite literally. This is a justification. Marrying despite knowing all the circumstances… is simply wishing that my only flaw would be you, my lady.”

Carlyle soon pressed his lips to my hair and slowly pulled away. He does not love me.

“The truth doesn’t matter. People ultimately only care about what’s visible. I will compensate you sufficiently. Let’s call it a kind of contract.”

Carlyle slowly distanced himself from me.

“Ah, you’d best get used to being called ‘Madam.'”

However, the last words he spoke certainly sounded like a warning not to cross the line.

– Even so, with Lady Iliana present….

– This is an impossibility! A more intelligent person….

‘So this is how it is.’

I, the visible weakness. While they were hell-bent on targeting and bringing me down, Carlyle began solidifying his position from behind. During that time, I too had to fulfill my role as a weakness.

“Even if you are my weakness, if you cannot even manage the basics, I cannot know what will happen afterward.”

It was a threat to do my part to match the amount of love he feigned. And yet, when I crumbled, he stayed by my side until the end, striving tirelessly to save me.

***

Three years had passed since marrying Carlyle. There had been several near-death crises, but compared to life at the Count’s estate, it was a peaceful time.

It seemed I had dozed off while reading a book.

“…Where is the Duke?”

My voice cracked from having just woken up. Leda, who had hurriedly brought water, helped me up and spoke.

“His Grace is waiting for the banquet. Shall I prepare your clothes?”

He had been called to the Imperial Palace early in the morning and seemed to have returned on time for once. Everyone clicked their tongues at the workload that poured down increasingly. I know the reason Carlyle was placed here is to monitor me. SiriHan seemed to be keeping in mind that I possessed the ledger.

‘It’s not time yet.’

I wanted SiriHan to fall when he was at the highest point.

“Never mind. I cannot keep the Duke waiting.”

I acted skillfully. During the meal, neither of us said a word. Occasionally his gaze touched me and fell away, but I paid it no mind. It was Carlyle who spoke after a long while.

“Madam.”

I set down the knife I was holding heavily. It was a kind of protest—that I wouldn’t answer when he called me that when we were alone.

“…Madam.”

“Are you enjoying this situation?”

“Certainly not.”

Carlyle also watched me with his chin resting on his hand. Then, letting out a light laugh, he spoke.

“Haha, it would be a problem if you were still shy after three years.”

“Am I not acting sufficiently in front of others?”

“Yes. You’ve become more natural than before.”

And then he abruptly held out an envelope from within his coat. It was probably the reason he had been called to the Imperial Palace today.

“This is…?”

“I thought it best you see it yourself.”

I took the envelope Carlyle held out. What first appeared to me was a clean surface, but the moment I turned it over, I had no choice but to shut my eyes tight. The pattern bearing the Imperial seal. With trembling hands, I broke the seal and slowly opened the envelope. Inside was a single invitation bordered in gold.

“It’s something you expected, isn’t it?”

“…It was something I knew would happen.”

It was an invitation to attend Crown Prince SiriHan’s wedding. Carlyle answered again.

“Don’t go trying to die clumsily now.”

“…I won’t die from something like this. You know, don’t you? That I’m someone who survived even after drinking poison.”

Carlyle, finally wearing a satisfied smile, spoke.

“At this rate, I think it’ll be fine even if you hear the news that Iliana is pregnant.”

Marriage and pregnancy. Watching Carlyle’s retreating figure after dropping the bombshell, I thought. The most perfect time for revenge was approaching.

***

I took out a book. The contents in the ledger that would deal the greatest blow—portions of the love letters SiriHan and I exchanged, the Count’s estate’s misdeeds that I had written down whenever I thought of them. It was far too much to fit into one book, but revealing just this would shake SiriHan’s position. It was, in fact, a matter that would overturn the Empire.

“It was after I gave this that SiriHan began receiving the Emperor’s attention.”

It was also after the ledger came into existence that those who opposed him on grounds of legitimacy disappeared.

“If I speak of this… the Duke’s estate will be overturned as well.”

That didn’t mean I intended to give up on revenge.

“This is all the consideration I can offer.”

At the least, not writing the Duke’s name in this book. Even if cornered SiriHan could attack the Duke’s estate, I didn’t want to do so with my own hands. For someone who used me as a weakness, Carlyle was more affectionate than I expected and strove tirelessly to save me.

***

The day of the wedding dawned.

“You called it nervousness?”

“Let’s call it trembling.”

Instead of the corset-less dress that had become fashionable after Iliana wore it, I put on a heavily ornamented dress. It was for the purpose of hiding the ledger.

“If we can just smile through today, no one will suspect us.”

“…Dance with me. As if we’re happy.”

Everyone here knew of my relationship with SiriHan. I took Carlyle’s hand and entered the ballroom. Envious young ladies’ gazes still followed me.

‘Would I be enviable.’ Or is it jealousy of what they cannot have? Through the dance, Carlyle’s eyes, drawn considerably closer to the rhythm, were visible. It had been quite a while since I faced him so closely.

‘He is handsome.’

Perhaps sensing my gaze, Carlyle asked.

“This is the first time you’ve asked to dance first.”

“I’m thinking of it as a play.”

The melody that had been building to a climax slowly began to fade. It was soon time for SiriHan to appear.

“I’m sorry in advance.”

“Today, absolutely do not be alone….”

Carlyle whispered softly into my ear as I was about to end the dance. Our words overlapped.

“The apology….”

“Hurry and go. It’s your sister’s wedding, you should be by her side.”

The moment Carlyle said something, the second-floor central door opened. It was the Emperor, SiriHan, and Iliana in a snow-white dress.

‘What was that last thing he said?’

As I turned to look, Carlyle was already far from me. He seemed to have been trying to say something. Instead of the vanished Carlyle, the person I needed to face was right before me. Staring at them, I erased Carlyle from my thoughts.

“Grace and glory to the Alat Empire.”

Emperor Kaiten Fried Elcarths. And behind him, SiriHan’s figure was visible.

‘I suffered as if I would die, and yet you….’

Your face looked so happy that my hands trembled. As SiriHan descended the stairs holding Iliana’s hand, I called a servant carrying drinks. And I downed a glass of rum from the tray. Alcohol couldn’t be missing from the finale of revenge. Perhaps because of the time I had waited all this while, a wave of excessive excitement rushed over me.

My heart began to race madly. Before my eyes, SiriHan and Iliana began exchanging wedding rings.