IBOMLEW Ch 5 Part 1 — A Love Song For My Husband

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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As he approached me whilst staring intently at me, I unconsciously took a step back.

Fervin approached me in big strides. 

I suddenly felt the cold wall against my back.

He finally stopped and fixed his eyes on my face.

His scorching gaze felt burdensome, so I avoided his eyes and did a once over on his body in vain.

The dark blue uniform which paired well with his brilliant platinum hair was dazzling on him.

However, I didn’t have long to appreciate his beauty.

Both him and I were in my bedroom, alone.

We weren’t even a couple with a good relationship, so what’s with this situation?

I gulped unconsciously and whispered.

“Hey… Don’t you have to go downstairs…?”

“I think this is more urgent though.”

He bit his lip, as if he was frustrated. 

He glanced down at me lazily. 

The heat that filled those pale green eyes was a strangeness that was entirely beyond my comprehension.

I bit my lip involuntarily. 

He stretched out his hand toward me.

At the same moment I had instinctively raised my arm and hit him. 

Fervin, who was beaten by me for no reason, opened his mouth as if he were dumbfounded.

“Is this what your true feelings are? You wanted to hit me?”

“I only did it because of the way you looked at me.”

“I was trying to brush your hair back since it was falling out of place.”

Fervin silently pushed a long strand of hair from my face behind my ear.

Although I had gotten my hair done with the help of Mrs Tilly, I guess my hair must’ve gotten a little messy due to my passionate singing practice.

Ah, how embarrassing.

Fervin smirked as he looked at my awkward face. 

Laughed… He laughed?

That cold-hearted man laughed in front of me?

“What did you imagine?”

“No, I… What did I do?”

“I was just trying to get you to be less tense. Of course, a woman like you obviously wouldn’t be nervous, but…”

Was our relationship as a couple good enough for us to be able to relieve each others’ tension?

No, then could this be considered as him starting to change now?

Fervin tilted his head slightly as I stared at him.

“Then is it alright for me to take this as you, getting slightly used to my new appearance? Is that alright?”

He cleared his throat with a dry cough at my question.

His ears reddened slightly.

“We should go. Everyone is waiting, just for you.”

His voice sounded rough and muffled.

Seeing as he was busy walking to the door without replying to me, it seems as if he’s still trying to distance himself away from me.

I grabbed the hem of my long dress and slowly followed him out.

*** 

Although I wanted to hurry down the long hallway, the dress that fluttered down to the floor was caught at my ankle.

Even though I had already come to the staircase leading down to the 1st floor, my foot was caught on the hem of my dress and I stumbled.

As soon as my arms waved around in a fluster to grab onto something and regain my balance, he grabbed my hand.

With his firm grip, I hurriedly regained my center of balance.

Fervin looked at me and asked indifferently.

“You seem to be really nervous, huh?”

“I already told you before, I’m very nervous.”

“Just think of it as you just going up to sing one song. They aren’t even people you’re close to, so even if you mess up, there’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

I felt a bit remorseful to have him speak such words so indifferently.

At his gaze which seemed to say, ‘why are you doing this?’, when I had stopped him, I spoke clearly to him.

“The song I’m going to sing today is entirely for you, Fervin. So, of course I’m nervous.”

“A song just for me?”

“That’s right, a song just for you and no one else. So listen carefully, and don’t take it as something insignificant.”

I bit my lip and blinked at him.

Since he didn’t seem to have any reaction at all, I tilted my head slightly to the side and took a step closer. 

He merely flinched and just continued to look down at me. 

To not even hear a single response after confessing your sincerity to the best of your ability, it’s quite disappointing.

As I puffed out my cheeks and pouted with a hng, Fervin’s expression stiffened in an instant.

“Even though you said you didn’t have any expectations, I still prepared a song just for you, so don’t you have anything to say? It’s saddening, seriously.”

Only then did Fervin’s mouth open.

It was quite suspicious of him to take a step away from me and cover half his face with his big hand.

I wasn’t sure why his ears had turned so red either.

“Don’t show this side of yours to anyone else.”

“What side?”

“Anyway, in front of other people, you should only show your fake self, not your honest one. It’s enough for you to only show this to me.”

Fervin groaned and grabbed the hem of my dress.

Now that his ears were red, he didn’t even dare to look at my face.

Did I overdo it? 

Anyway, it really is confusing me more and more, with his mood jumping around everywhere, his feelings going from this to that, good to bad, his tone kind one minute, then curt the next.

I gently clasped Fervin’s hand and carefully descended down the stairs. 

It was only until I had completely relieved myself of the tension, that I realised that his hand, which enveloped mine, was quite tender and affectionate.

*** 

pls do not share this anywhere or the transmigration gods will transport u into boku no pico !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.wordpress.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

On the first floor, the imperial family members and nobles who were invited stood admiring the Carlisle mansion they were visiting after a long time.

It was the residence that Ervin Carlisle, the youngest son of the imperial family at the time, and the 6th ancestor of the current Duke Carlisle, was granted by the imperial family and was still standing until now. 

The antique exterior and grandiose of the interior of the Duke’s residence exuded an atmosphere incomparable to that of any other residence in the capital.

Both those who had visited this place for the first time and those who were visiting after a long time were admiring and appreciating their surroundings.

“This place hasn’t changed at all. It’s exactly the same as when the previous generations of Carlisle Dukes resided here.”

“I guess the current Duchess hasn’t touched much then.”

“She doesn’t seem to have any interest in the household management at all.”

“By the way, when are the Duke and Duchess coming down? I want to see with my own two eyes just how much the Duchess has changed.”

“That’s the same for me too. Besides, I heard that she’s going to sing today. Apparently it’s also a difficult song that goes up three octaves.”

“You mean the Duchess can sing that well? However, I have no idea why they’re finally deciding to hold the cultural festival here. No telling what their intention behind that is either.”

“Maybe she’s earnestly trying to support the Duke of Carlisle? Look, the noble Duchess Carlisle is finally going to show off her performance here, so hasn’t Duke Sibelom even come to attend?”

“He wouldn’t have come just to see Duke Carlisle, so it seems the power the Duchess wields over him is strong.”

The nobles, who had been served the refreshments prepared in advance by the servants, talked for a long time about the rumored Duchess Carlisle. 

While they were talking, their eyes constantly darted toward the staircase, as if it were already a habit.

Since the Duchess of Carlisle was finally going to appear to high society today, it was a historic day.

She hadn’t fulfilled a single of her duties as a duchess, and for the four years she spent in the Carlisle mansion, only the rumours about her ran rampant.

Irwen Lillias, an evil wife who verbally abused her servants, and spat out cruel words towards her husband and even assaulted him.

Of course, this was all just a theory which no one within the Carlisle mansion had ever acknowledged as true before.

The faithful servants of the Carlisle manor never spoke of the condition of the Duchess.

However, the merchants, workers, or messengers who came and left from the Carlisle mansion had spread such rumours.

Although it was said to be a rumour without any substance, Duchess Carlisle being an evil wife became an established fact.

So they were even more curious.

Just from observing the recent opening of the cultural festival this time, it was clear that there was a big change of heart within the Duchess…

Just how did the Duchess change? 

The Emperor looked around him in anticipation. 

He frowned as he looked at his only brother, the Duke of Sibelom, who was already drinking his fifth pre-ceremony drink next to the Empress. 

He, who had come of his own accord without being invited, had once been the one to push for a marriage with Irwen.

Duke Carlisle’s quick marriage to Irwen had shattered his grand ambition of having Verma’s rumoured beauty beside him.

WIth a handsome face and impressively thick silver hair, Sibelom asked a nearby maid when the Duchess would be coming down, and asked whether he’d be allowed to personally escort her, making the emperor frown at his audacious words.

“The banquet hasn’t even officially started yet, yet you’ve already been drinking this much. Sibelom, please remember to be courteous and stick to etiquette.”

“Your Majesty, banquets are meant to be enjoyed, and isn’t today a historic day, especially because the Duchess of Carlisle is making her first appearance in high society? Fervin, that punk, I don’t know when he planned on capturing her, or when he started to like her, but I bet he never knew that she’d be such a bad wife. Today’s performance is also obvious, I’m sure it’s all a conspiracy she planned in order to drag Fervin’s reputation through the mud!”

“Sibelom, be quiet. Fervin and his wife are coming down.”

Everyone’s attention was drawn to Irwen, who cautiously descended down the stairs on the second floor under Fervin’s escort. 

The guests were all surprised at the sight of both of them.

Marchioness Celestine blinked upon seeing Irwen’s first appearance since her wedding and was dazzled.

“Heavens… How can she be so beautiful?!”

The Emperor smiled mysteriously once he subtly noticed Fervin’s affectionate gaze. 

The Empress whispered to him from beside him, as if she was also in agreement.

“Although Duke Carlisle has apparently been tormented by his wife all these years, it certainly doesn’t seem to be that way, judging off his attitude towards her.”

“The relationship between the two of them at the wedding was clearly cold enough for it to be mistaken for a battlefield. However, compared to then, it seems to have improved. How strange…”

The Emperor rubbed his chin and stared at Fervin. 

As Fervin whispered something to Irwen, she clasped her hands together in shock.

Seeing this appearance of hers, Fervin smiled faintly. 

The Emperor tilted his head dubiously. 

The fact that Fervin could have such a warm gaze, was truly a strange occurrence.

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gn, am gonna put off tling the rest of this chapter bc THE FUCKING SONG LYRICS HNGSLDFKJDSF I’M NOT READY FOR THE CRINGE HELPPPPLDSFKJDFSJ

also i just know that there’ll be a smackdown of piece of shit sibelom bc the way he wanted to marry irwen and have her next to him like a lil trophy ??? uhhhh no hSDLFKJFDSJ

also are we not gonna talk abt the way my girlboss irwen deployed aegyo on fervin hASLDKFJDSFJD girlie rlly said buing buing hAALSDFJDFSJ also when he said don’t show anyone else that appearance of yours hNGSDFLKJDF BUTTERFLIES YES POSSESSIVE MLS GET ME GOING LIKE NOTHING ELSE HNALSDFKJDFS