IBOMLEW Ch 5 Part 2 — A Love Song For My Husband

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

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Fervin, who I thought would escort me and then leave me alone to walk away to his own circle of friends, unexpectedly introduced me to a number of people.

With his help, I was able to greet the noblewomen as well as extend a warm welcome to the Marquis and Marchioness Celestine. 

Marquis Celestine, who was a close friend of Fervin’s, whispered something to Fervin, as if he was excited, after looking at me.

At that time, when I extended my apologies and thanked Marchioness Celestine for hosting the cultural festival every time it was my turn to do it, the good-natured woman smiled generously and held my hand tightly.

Rather, it was her who told me that she felt apologetic for only following orders and never having any interest in how I was doing.

“If I had known that you were such a lovely person, I would have wanted to get to know you sooner.”

After a pleasant chat, we went over to greet the imperial family.

Actually, although we were in fact supposed to greet the imperial family first, Fervin had, for some reason, kept delaying our greeting, but now was about time he had to.

“I greet His Majesty the Emperor, Her Majesty the Empress, and His Highness Duke Sibelom.”

“It’s our first time since the wedding, it’s really been a long time.”

The Empress with dark blonde hair said in a kind voice whilst looking at me curiously.

I nodded my head calmly. 

The Emperor next to her spoke in a rather taciturn voice.

“I was worried that your health might have been damaged since you hadn’t shown your face in the Imperial Palace, nor in high society for four years, but I’m relieved to see that you still seem to be healthy, judging from your complexion. Although I did hear that you fainted not too long ago, there’s nothing too odd about your health, no?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Then make sure to host and attend meetings like this more often in the future, especially the balls with Fervin. I felt so sorry for him when I saw him attending all alone so pitifully…”

“Your Majesty!”

Fervin tried to stop the Emperor from saying anymore, as if he was embarrassed.

Duke Sibelom, who was next to him, then made a lame attempt at cutting into the conversation.

“After exerting so much time and effort just to take the Princess of Verma as his wife, he wasn’t even able to attend the ball, nor any social gatherings together with her. As if you had only taken her title, I’ll bet it felt like that, Sir Carlisle. Now, if I had been the one to take her in as my wife in the first place…”

A man named Duke Sibelom spoke while glancing at my body.

I felt Fervin pulling me closer towards him, as if he was trying to shield me from him.

I was wary of him since he was someone who didn’t appear in the original novel.

However, one thing was for sure; it was that although he was handsome, he was also sleazy and rude, and somehow felt as if he was a person whom you should not get too close to.

I spoke courteously while looking into the Emperor’s eyes.

“First of all, I sincerely apologise for neglecting and failing to fulfil my responsibilities and duties as the Duchess for the past four years. However, now, as the Duchess of Carlisle, I am going to do my duties to the best of my ability. As my first example, I will use my performance today to show you my sincerity, so please look forward to it.”

“Madam, we’re ready!”

The pianist waved to me from in front of the grand piano. 

I moved away from Fervin’s side and headed for the piano. 

The eyes of the guests turned toward us. 

I cleared my throat and addressed the audience.

“Thank you so much to everyone who decided to attend today. The song I’m going to sing today is called, ‘I’m bound to be clingy to you who left’. To my husband…”

My eyes met with Fervin’s, who was standing next to the Emperor.

“…Fervin, this is a song dedicated to him. Then, let’s begin.”

The noblewomen especially, all clammered around with anticipation in their eyes.

“Did the Duchess always have a talent for singing?”

“Although I’ve never properly heard her voice before, when else would we be able to hear her sing a song?”

“I sneakily asked some of the servants a while ago, and they said that she had a really powerful and amazing voice. They even called it a heavenly voice.”

The pianist’s prelude was played lightly.

I looked at Fervin and started singing.

“He finally left me. I know why he left, since it’s all my fault, I never showed him my true feelings.”

The people who were listening to the lyrics of the song muttered amongst themselves with a surprised expression on their face.

“Using a song to express your true feelings? What a novel idea.”

“More than that, rather, she’s really good at singing? It’s like we’ve come to a performance that requires you to pay money to hear it.”

There were more positive reactions from the audience than I expected, so I felt encouraged and continued to sing.

I sneaked a glance at Fervin to see how he reacted, but his face just seemed to be getting redder and redder as time passed.

Fervin shook his head hastily at Marquis Celestine next to him, who had appeared to say something amusing to him.

If you’re perhaps feeling embarrassed, then I would’ve liked to have told you to put that embarrassment aside first from the beginning.

Since the highlight of the song hadn’t even come yet.

“But that’s just the me of the past, different to the current me of today. You must have been hurt and pained by the mistakes of my past self. The me, who has completely changed, will be the one to heal your wounds, so I’ll cling to you. Once you leave me, I’ll hold onto you. Give the completely different me just one more chance, oh, oh, oh!”

I knelt down on one knee in front of Fervin, and with all my strength, let out a triple octave belt.
tl/n: i am in so much pain rn.

He blushed in embarrassment, but I continued to sing. 

You’re not the only one who’s embarrassed, I’m also embarrassed right now.

However, rather than feeling ashamed in front of a crowd of people, it’s more important for me to get Fervin to hear my song and have a change of heart.

I looked at Fervin while kneeling down on both knees, my hands clasped together as if I was singing in the midst of an earnest prayer.

He tried to help me up, but I shook my head and continued to sing while kneeling. 

The passionate song was almost finished, and the last part was an act of repeatedly sobbing.

“Just give me one more chance, please forgive me.”

Some covered their faces with their fans out of embarrassment, and others, mostly men, held back their laughter that had come out involuntarily.

However, most of them glanced between Fervin and I alternately.

“Heavens… You should definitely forgive someone if they had even gone to such lengths.”

“By the way, was the Duchess always so good at singing? I can’t believe she pulled off that high note in such a cool and effortless manner. Even the best singers in the Empire wouldn’t be able to do that.”

“The delivery of the lyrics is also excellent. It’s like a song dedicated and solely made for Duke Carlisle, every single line of the lyrics is earnest and passionate.”

“She sings really well. How on earth did she hide such a talent?”

“Anyway, I think your wife must have really changed.”

The reactions surrounding me are fine, but what was Fervin’s reaction?

At first, he had an expression of embarrassment on his face, as if he didn’t know what to do, but now, his expression was so complex I didn’t know how to interpret it.

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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:

Duchess Carlisle, who had asang such a desperate song.

And Fervin, who stared intensely at her, who drew everyone’s eyes toward her.

The Emperor looked at such a Fervin intriguingly and slid his body toward him.

“How disconcerting, to be able to hear such a highly skilled song in a place like this for free, Fervin. Besides, I think it was a very good choice for your wife to choose to convey her heart through a song. Well, at least all of our hearts rang desperately for it. But what are your thoughts?”

“I’m just worried that Irwen’s performance today would be inappropriate at an event with His Majesty in attendance.”

“How unyielding of you. Shouldn’t you at least admit that your wife’s performance this time was objectively, very good? Apparently she’s been preparing for this performance for a few weeks already. Not everyone would make such an effort.”

“Yes, I guess so…”

“You’re falling for your wife and you don’t even listen to anything I say. Fine, just enjoy it yourself then.”

It had been a long time since Fervin’s attention had been so intensely directed at Irwen, to the extent that the Emperor’s words flowed through one ear and out the other. 

As the performance continued, various emotions swept over him. 

At first, he was worried and distrustful of the fact that Irwen was dedicating this song to him, then in the middle, he was moved and worried about Irwen, who was singing with all her strength, then at the end, when he saw Irwen on her knees and singing weeply at him…

‘Even now, I want to gather her into my embrace and comfort her right now.’

The passionate appearance of a wife begging for forgiveness, and a desperate husband who is anxious to comfort his wife.

That was the exact state Fervin and Irwen were in right now.

He wanted to lift Irwen off the floor and hug her, but she refused his own favour and continued to kneel on the floor and sing.

Fervin couldn’t stop his wife’s passion. 

Although he repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists, his pale green eyes could still be seen gradually darkening in order to suppress his instinct.

At that moment, out of Duke Sibelom, who was listening to Irwen’s song next to Fervin, came a murmur.

“The fact that a song can also be used to add another fragrance to the beautiful flower… As expected, I want it as well.”

Although he had mumbled it so quietly no one could hear, the sharp-eared Fervin had still overheard it.

Fervin’s eyes reacted against his better judgement.

A spark was lit within his dark green eyes. 

The moment Irwen got up from the floor to rearrange her dress at the end of the song.

When he saw Duke Sibelom leaning forward and handing a rose from his breast pocket to Irwen, 

Fervin jumped up and approached Irwen. 

He took out a bouquet of lilies of the valley from his arms that he had picked at dawn.

The moment everyone’s attention was focused on them.

Fervin placed the lilies of the valley into Irwen’s hand. 

Giving flowers to a woman signified courtship. 

And… 

“I enjoyed your song, Irwen.”

“Thank you.”

As Irwen panicked and was taken aback, as if she had not expected this reaction, he took it a step further. 

He kissed the back of Irwen’s hand, whom he had just given a bouquet of lilies of the valley to.

Without caring about the increasing redness of Duke Sibelom’s face, he added sweetly, staring only into Irwen’s trembling blue eyes.

“However, I would like for you to sing a song like this for me one more time, when it’s just the two of us alone with each other.”

When Irwen looked at him with an absurd gaze, as if asking why he was doing this, he added one more sentence shamelessly.

“To be honest, I want to monopolize this appearance of yours.”

His mouth had long been controlled by his feelings, not his rationality. 

His scorching feelings for Irwen, which he thought had been sealed and frozen a long time ago.

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ugh that whole song made me want to cringe, if i were fervin i think i’d walk out just out of second hand embarrassment hGSDLKFJDFSJ like the lyrics literally seem like the ones cheating husband scumbags would sing to get their wife to come back to them hASLDFKJFDJSDF

ugh, the three octaves too, i just know yawl wanted to drag miss iu’s good day into this and i will NOT be allowing that hALSDFKJDFS gn

also maybe bc i read too much historical chinese novels but i keep thinking that singing is so disgraceful to nobility bc in historical cnovels, if u sing publically at a banquet or whatever, it was like you were selling urself as an entertainer or courtesan at the brothels but i gotta keep reminding myself that at least for this novel, these bitches literally train to perform at this cultural fetisval, or at least hire ppl to sing hSDLKJDSFJD

anyways, rant over, don’t expect shit bc i need to take a break from this series after doing this chapter hNGSDFLKJFDSJF
also donate to my kofi if u can to help me thru this trauma hAHALSDKFJSFDJ