I Had an Arranged Marriage With My Unrequited Love — Chapter 11

A REPORTER'S VISIT.

YOUR EXPRESSION, GROWING GRADUALLY DARKER.

AND... THE DISTANCE THAT GREW BETWEEN US BECAUSE OF MY MISTAKE.

PRESENT, THE DUKE'S OFFICE.

EVERYTHING HAPPENED IN AN INSTANT.

I HAD ASKED ALEXA TO CLEAR MY SCHEDULE BY FORCE SO I COULD SPEND TIME WITH YOU...

BUT EVEN THAT WAS IN VAIN.

BEFORE OUR MARRIAGE, YOU DIDN'T SHOW EVEN A HINT OF AVERSION.

IF YOU HAD, I WOULD HAVE KNELT AND BEGGED TO HAVE THIS IMPERIAL DECREE OVERTURNED.

YOU LOOKED HAPPY, AND I WAS REASSURED BY THAT SIGHT, BUT...

IT WAS ALL MY ARROGANT DELUSION.

IF MY ACTIONS IN ANY WAY WOUNDED YOU,

THEN I...

...RIGHT, EVERYTHING IS THE RESULT OF ME PUSHING THROUGH WITH THE IMPERIAL DECREE.

BUT NO MATTER HOW MUCH I THINK ABOUT IT,

I CANNOT LET YOU GO.

NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS,

BY ANY MEANS, I WILL STAY BY YOUR SIDE...

PREPARE YOURSELVES. WE ARE HEADING STRAIGHT TO THE IMPERIAL PALACE.

YES, YOUR GRACE.

AH, YOUR GRACE! AND...

AN ANONYMOUS LETTER HAS JUST ARRIVED.

I BELIEVE YOU SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

THE DUKE'S ESTATE.

...EVEN SO, MY MIND FEELS MUCH LIGHTER.

TRUE, I HEARD THAT COLD REMARK ABOUT BEING HIS "COOLING WIFE," BUT...

AFTER ALL, HE PASSIONATELY DESIRED ME LAST NIGHT.

I'VE HEARD THAT HE AND THE MARQUIS'S DAUGHTER HAVE BEEN CLOSE FOR A LONG TIME, SO

IT'S ONLY NATURAL THAT I FEEL LIKE AN OUTSIDER AS A SUDDEN INTERLOPER.

STILL, FOR NOW, THE POSITION OF "WIFE" IS MINE,

AND HE WON'T BE ABLE TO DEFY THE IMPERIAL DECREE, EITHER....

MADAM.

MIGHT YOU PERHAPS NEED A MASSAGE?

AH...

YES, PLEASE.

IF THINGS JUST STAY LIKE THIS,

EVERYTHING WILL... SLOWLY START TO GET BETTER.

I HAVE PREPARED THE SOUP YOU ENJOYED LAST TIME ONCE MORE, MADAM.

IT SEEMS THE DUKE TOOK NOTE OF HOW DELICIOUSLY YOU WERE EATING IT.

THANK YOU...

SOMEHOW...

BETWEEN THE MAIDS LOOKING SO PLEASED DURING THE MASSAGE AND ALL,

EVERYONE LOOKS SATISFIED WITH HOW AFFECTIONATE THE DUKE AND DUCHESS ARE.

THEN, PLEASE ENJOY YOUR MEAL.

AH, EXCUSE ME...

IS THE DUKE RUNNING LATE TODAY?

AH...

WORD CAME FROM THE DUKE THAT HE WILL NOT BE RETURNING HOME TODAY,

AND THAT YOU SHOULD RETIRE TO YOUR BEDCHAMBER EARLY TONIGHT.

HE'S NOT COMING BACK TONIGHT...?

YES, THEY SAY HER MAJESTY HAS GIVEN HIM A GREAT DEAL OF WORK.

IT SEEMS HE WILL BE STAYING AT THE IMPERIAL PALACE FOR A WHILE.

IT SEEMS HER MAJESTY WAS DISPLEASED BECAUSE THE DUKE LEFT WORK EARLY LAST TIME.

PLEASE DO NOT WORRY ABOUT IT UNDULY...

...IS HE REALLY NOT COMING BECAUSE OF WORK?

COME TO THINK OF IT, HIS EXPRESSION WAS STIFF AND HARDENED THIS MORNING.

BUT LAST NIGHT, HE CLEARLY WANTED ME.

THE GAZE HE LOOKED AT ME WITH WAS SO DESPERATE.

YET NOW HE WON'T BE RETURNING TO THE ESTATE?

SURELY... WAS LAST NIGHT A MISTAKE?

...WHAT ON EARTH AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?

YOUR FEELINGS, AND THIS CURRENT SITUATION AS WELL.

I SIMPLY DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYMORE...

THE SLUMS ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CAPITAL.

SO, THE DUKE BOUGHT UP ALL THE PHOTOGRAPHS?

YES, YES! AS EXPECTED, HE TRULY CHERISHES HIS WIFE.

THANKS TO THAT, I MADE A TIDY PROFIT, MY LORD.

WH-WHEN IS THE NEXT JOB, THEN...

THIS TIME AS WELL, LET'S USE "JOSHUA" AND "THEODORA" SIMULTANEOUSLY.

IT SEEMS THE EFFECT IS QUITE GOOD.

THIS IS...

IS THIS NOT THE PERSONAL HANDWRITTEN LETTER OF THE DUCHESS?

HOW ON EARTH DID YOU EVEN GET SOMETHING LIKE THIS...

THE DEBTS HAVE ALL BEEN PAID OFF, BUT THE VISCOUNT MUBER FAMILY IS STILL STARVED FOR MONEY.

TO THINK THEY'RE STILL LIKE THIS EVEN AFTER FORMING TIES WITH THE DUCHY, THEY MUST HAVE ABSOLUTE ZERO LUCK WITH WEALTH.

THEY WENT SO FAR AS TO TRY TO SELL THEIR DAUGHTER, SO LETTERS ARE THE LEAST OF IT.

THEN, WHAT SHOULD WE DO WITH THIS NOW...

RIGHT. LEAVE IT AT THE HOTEL, AND CARRY OUT EVERYTHING IN ORDER.

THE LETTERS SHOULD HAVE ALREADY ARRIVED FOR JOSHUA AND THE DUKE.

EXCUSE ME... MY LORD. HOW ON EARTH DO YOU FIND OUT INFORMATION LIKE THIS?

HONESTLY, ISN'T THIS A BIT DANGEROUS?

IF THE DUKE FINDS OUT WE'RE DOING THIS, NOT ONLY MY LIFE,

BUT YOU WON'T BE SAFE EITHER, MY LORD...

WHY ON EARTH ARE YOU GOING THIS FAR...

YOU,

FIVE YEARS AGO-THAT PLAGUE THAT SWEPT ACROSS THE EMPIRE.

HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT IT?

HUH? WH-WHY ARE YOU SUDDENLY ASKING THAT...?

TELL ME.

UH, UM... BACK THEN, THERE WEREN'T EVEN ANY MEDICINES, SO PEOPLE WERE DYING OFF EVERY DAY.

EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT NOW SENDS A CHILL DOWN MY SPINE.

THE DELOISTER DUCHY, WHICH MY LORD IS TARGETING, WAS ALSO QUITE UNSETTLED BY RUMORS THAT THEY HAD NO HEIR.

B-BUT WHY ARE YOU ASKING THAT?

THEN, WHAT IF...

THE REASON THE PREVIOUS IMPERIAL FAMILY COLLAPSED LIKE THAT—

WOULD YOU BELIEVE ME IF I SAID IT WAS BECAUSE OF "ME"?

...PARDON?

IT'S A JOKE. NO NEED TO LOOK SO TERRIFIED.

JUST MAKE SURE YOU PREPARE THE NEXT "DELIVERY" WITHOUT BEING LATE.

AND...

H-HEY, MY LORD...!

...BITE DOWN PROPERLY AND TEAR INTO THEM.

LET'S SEE JUST HOW FAR

THAT PRETTY FACADE OF THE IMPERIAL FAMILY CAN ENDURE.