In the following days, I sent news to Marchioness Celestine, who was going to hold the cultural festival on my behalf, that I would be holding the festival this time.
Marianne, who had delivered my letter to her herself, had said that she had asked her if what she had delivered was really true, almost ten times.
Marianne’s face, which conveyed her response, was flushed to the core.
“Everyone is very interested in madam’s sudden transformation. It’s not a bad feeling, rather, is this the feeling of having everyone’s innocent curiosity?”
“But they don’t have to be curious to that extent, it’s burdensome.”
“All of high society already has their eyes on you, madam.”
As expected, my sudden change had become a point of interest within high society.
Everyone must have become curious after hearing that the Duchess, who only hid within the mansion and had never made an appearance, was finally involving herself in social affairs.
And whether or not it was because the servants in our mansion were aware of my sudden change and had spread rumours, numerous party invitations from aristocrats I wasn’t familiar with came flying in.
It seemed that my reputation outside was gradually rising, not to mention the good response of the servants in the mansion.
I was suddenly curious about what Fervin thought about my sudden change.
Has my change elicited a positive response from him? Does he see me in a more positive light now?
However, in order to see his response, we had to meet each other first.
I was completely unable to see Fervin at home.
As the Emperor’s right-hand man, he was always called to the palace when something important came up, and after the last dinner I had with him, he did not even have his dinner at home.
Even though I took a lot of afternoon naps, I would always open my eyes to find myself in my bed, even if I dozed off in front of the porch, trying to wait for him.
Last night, although I squatted down on the stairs in front of the front door and waited for him until late into the night, I eventually fell asleep without even seeing him.
In the cozy bed, as soon as I opened my eyes in the late morning, only a sigh of ‘I failed again’ came out of my mouth.
“Madam, please stop waiting at the front door all night. It isn’t good for your body.”
Mrs Tilly, who comes to wake me up as soon as its morning, says this every time.
Under her care, I started to busily prepare to get up and asked her.
“How is his mood these days? Does it seem as if he still hates me?”
Mrs. Tilly’s lip curled with a strange expression on her face.
As if her head was filled with words she wanted to say, all kinds of expressions flashed across her face.
Thus, she carefully spoke up.
“I think…he said to stop trying since it would all be in vain…”
I bit my lip when I heard what Mrs Tilly reported, acting as if it was a shame.
“Looks like I’ll have to try harder.”
“Madam, in my opinion, it’ll still work out, even if we don’t use this sort of method. I’m sure the master has already… “
As soon as her eyes met mine, Mrs Tilly gasped and closed her mouth.
Although she had an expression that looked as if she was trying to swallow the words she wanted to say, as if she had just received an order from someone, she did not seem to have any intention of revealing it.
But I guess I can still ask a few leading questions. 1
“I understand. Well, then please let him know that I won’t linger around in front of him anymore. He won’t see me around him like before.”
“I don’t think that’s what he meant, madam.”
“He told me to stop trying since it would all be in vain.”
Mrs Tilly’s face seemed to get paler and paler the more she heard my words.
In the end, she brought up another subject, as if she couldn’t win.
“Since he’ll be coming back late all week this week, it’ll be no use, no matter how long you wait for him.”
“Then, it seems like all my hard work thus far was of no use.”
“Madam, do you really not know the reason why you’re able to fall asleep outside, then wake up in your bed the next morning?”
Mrs. Tilly interrupted me like she was frustrated, when I replied, “The butler, Alfred, must have moved me.”
“It was the master who held madam in his arms and put you in bed every time. He said that madam couldn’t be left on the cold floor for too long, and couldn’t leave madam in the hands of other people, even if he always got off work late at night.”
The unexpected report that I never could have thought to be true made me suspicious and wonder whether Mrs Tilly was lying or not.
But it didn’t seem as if Mrs Tilly, who was looking at me with such a clear conscience, was lying.
Even if it was true, it was truly strange.
In the first place, didn’t Fervin hate me?
You didn’t want to get involved with me, did you?
Then why are you treating me like this behind my back?
[ / / / ]
The luxurious Imperial Palace.
Fervin and the Emperor, who were busy handling various documents on the marble table, sat face to face.
The Emperor, who was supporting his chin with his hand and staring at him, made a snapping sound with his fingers.
Pervin didn’t pay him any attention and kept playing with his quill pen.
In the end, the Emperor was the first to open his mouth and speak.
“I heard that there’s been an interesting rumour going around recently. It’s the first time that the Duchess of Carlisle’s name has been heard so much within high society. Did you know about it?”
“Since they’ve already made such an uproar about it, is it possible for me not to know?”
Fervin recalled the countless times people had been talking behind their backs over the past few days.
Rumours of ‘Irwen’ that came from various social gatherings had long been spread throughout the Imperial Palace.
“Have you heard the news about the Duchess of Carlisle? Up until now, the cultural festival had been handed over to the Marquis of Celestine to host, but this time, the Duchess said that she’d be the one hosting the cultural festival herself this time!”
“That’s not the only thing. According to the servants working in the Duke’s residence, the Duchess’ terrible swearing has stopped, and most important of all, the harsh attitude that was akin to a stab has changed to an elegant and graceful one.”
“Although I did hear that she woke up after falling, what’s gone wrong with her head since then?”
“Rumour has it that there’s been a change in appearance as well. They say that her face itself has changed, but what sort of nonsense, what does that even mean…?”
“If it’s this sort of change, I’d gladly welcome it. I can’t wait to hurry up and attend the cultural festival the Duke of Carlisle is hosting this time. Since then, I’ll be able to see the Duchess in person with my own two eyes.”
“Above all, I’m curious about what her husband, His Highness the Duke of Carlisle, thinks of all this. When I saw him at the palace last time, although I asked him, he didn’t even say anything.”
The rumours about Irwen’s transformation always ended with the question of what her husband, the Duke of Carlisle, thought of all this.
Every time that happened, Fervin would think like this.
Why were they curious about how he felt? He himself didn’t even know what his true feelings were.
No, to be precise, he didn’t want to reveal his own true feelings that were shaking.
“Fervin. The situation regarding the Esteemed Young Lady of Verma has changed quite a bit, right? Should I call her a loving wife instead of a wicked one now? I heard that the swearing has stopped too now? And I also heard that she waits at the front door every night just for you?”
The Emperor tilted his head, full of laughter.
Fervin unconsciously fiddled with his wedding ring that was on his left ring finger.
What a strange woman.
His wife, Irwen, seems to have completely changed ever since she woke up.
Although those cherry-like lips had only uttered vicious curses in the past, now flowery words started to spill forth from them.
She, who always exuded an ugly aura and wore heavy makeup whilst shouting a ferocious “I’ll kill you if you touch me!”, was now dozing off at the front door every night.
It was always her, sitting on the stairs in front of the mansion entrance, dozing off with her mouth slightly open.
So every time, he would personally pick Irwen up and move her to her bedroom.
Somehow, unbeknownst to him, when did it become not alright for a servant to move her with their own hands?
When it got busy at work, why did he bother to ride a horse back to the mansion just to repeat the tiring act of carrying her to bed and then going back to the palace again?
Perhaps it’s because he doesn’t want others to see the way she looks when she’s dead asleep in his embrace, pouting as she chews her lips.
Or maybe it’s because he doesn’t want to show anyone her disheveled appearance and her seductive lips that open slightly whenever she lies on the bed.
Fervin’s face gradually becomes redder once he recalls Irwen’s past actions.
He didn’t know why he was acting like this.
Is this a new type of method you thought of to torment me? Or is it really… the person itself that has changed?
The Emperor who was watching him from the side, stuck out his tongue, as if he was in disbelief.
“Your expressions are changing very drastically. Seriously, it’s not like you’re a boy in love.”
Although they had been together for many years already, it was still surprising to see Fervin, who was like his own sibling, display such rarely seen behaviour.
However, it was neither a strange nor new face that he was seeing for the first time.
A few years ago, the Emperor had seen this sort of face on Fervin.
Even on the day he first met the Esteemed Young Lady of Verma, Fervin also looked as if he was at a loss like this.
Embarrassed by his own disconcertingly skinny build, the Emperor spoke lightly to him.
“I heard that the cultural festival that was going to be hosted at the residence of Marquess Celestine was going to be held at your house this time.”
“So you’ve heard.”
“That’s why…”
The Emperor spoke, acting as if what he had said was nothing important, but his eyes were fixed on him with a particularly fervent look.
“I’ve also decided to attend. Of course, the Empress will also be accompanying me.”
“Your Majesty!”
An unscheduled visit by the Emperor.
In particular, it is a great honor and courtesy for the Emperor to visit somewhere other than the Imperial Palace.
Of course, to the Emperor, who regarded Fervin as a friend who was closer to that of a brother, this situation was not beyond him.
The Emperor, who often visited the Duke of Carlisle’s residence when he was still a bachelor prince, had never frequented the residence after Fervin’s marriage.
He was worried that he might interfere with Fervin’s marriage, and upset his wife, Irwen’s, unusual temper, which he had heard so much about.
Fervin’s sharp green eyes met the Emperor’s ones which were filled with mischief.
The Emperor merely shrugged his shoulders and replied back.
“What discourtesy, I’m just curious about how that Esteemed Young Lady of Verma has changed. More specifically, isn’t this cultural festival going to be her first time organising an event herself?”
“Irwen could be discourteous. She was born and raised in a foreign country, didn’t participate in any high society events after marriage and only stayed within our mansion, so she might not have appropriate palace etiquette and may show discourtesy.”
“Well, I think I’ll be able to look forward to it. It’s standard practice to hire the best pianist, but apparently she’s also prepared the best song as well.”
“….”
Fervin had a strange expression on his face that seemed to say it was impossible.
And before long, he started to resent the fact that he knew less of this information than the Emperor.
Why didn’t Mrs Tilly tell him these things? No way, did she perhaps already swear her allegiance to Irwen?
The light in the Emperor’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Fervin, as if he were a strange being.
“Wait, don’t tell me the husband who lives in the same house as her knows less than the general public?”
“…Sorry.”
“What sorry, you should apologise to your wife instead!”
“It doesn’t seem like that. Although I’m not sure why Irwen is doing this now, she is definitely fickle.”
“Hey, Fervin! Surely that’s not it.”
The Emperor, who is a self-proclaimed expert on a woman’s feelings, proudly gives out bold advice.
“This is your wife trying to treat you better from now on and trying to reconcile with you. How fortunate is it that she’s finally settled down and not swearing and spitting venomous words out all the time? God has heard your prayers.”
“…”
The Emperor shows him a smile full of anticipation.
“Then, good luck, Fervin. Did you perhaps know? If a child with blood from both the House of Verma and House of Carlisle. It’ll be a blessing, both nationally and diplomatically. Of course our ties will be further cemented and strengthened…”
Fervin, who was quietly listening to the Emperor’s excited words, blinked silently.
He was fiddling with the wedding ring on his left hand.
Although he felt anxious, he felt complicated on the inside at the same time.
He was still contemplating over how to accept his wife’s attempt at opening his tightly locked heart wide open.
[1] 유도신문: a ‘leading question’ or ‘suggestive interrogation‘ is a question that is asked to elicit or hint to a particular answer that contains the information the interrogator is looking to have confirmed. this term is most commonly used in law systems that rely on witness testimonies.
this emperor is jokes GABSJSBS plus flustered fervin is so cute LMAOOO
