I Had an Arranged Marriage With My Unrequited Love — Chapter 2

WHEN A MAN AND WOMAN ENTER A HOTEL TOGETHER,

JUST WHAT ON EARTH DO THEY DO FOR THREE HOURS?

...REPORTER.

WHEN A PARTY IS HELD, CONVERSING FOR OVER EIGHT HOURS AND STAYING UP ALL NIGHT,

THEN HANGING OUT TOGETHER UNTIL THE NEXT DAY IS JUST HIGH SOCIETY LIFE.

AT THREE HOURS, THEY WOULD HAVE BARELY EXCHANGED A SHORT CONVERSATION BY "ARISTOCRATIC STANDARDS."

AND THIS LADY IS THE MARCHIONESS OF GRANTEA.

DO YOU INTEND TO DRAG EVEN A MARQUESS'S DAUGHTER INTO AN ADULTEROUS SCANDAL WITHOUT SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE?

THAT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU'VE DECIDED TO MAKE ENEMIES OF BOTH THE DUCAL HOUSE AND THE MARQUESSATE.

JUDGING BY YOUR REACTION, YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW SHE WAS THE DAUGHTER OF A MARQUESS'S FAMILY.

BESIDES, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MYSELF AND... FELIX IS EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD.

WE ARE NEWLYWEDS, AFTER ALL.

THEREFORE, REPORTER, YOUR WORDS ARE UTTERLY HARD TO BELIEVE.

...I MUSTN'T SHOW FEAR.

THERE ARE BOUND TO BE PLENTY OF EYES WATCHING THE [DUCHESS OF DELOISTER], WHO HAS STEPPED OUT AFTER A LONG WHILE...

...ACTUALLY, WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT,

I WAS SIMPLY THE ONE WHO LOVED HIM UNILATERALLY,

AND THERE IS NO REASON FOR HIM TO LOVE ME BACK.

THERE WERE ALWAYS GLAMOROUS AND BEAUTIFUL WOMEN BY THE DUKE'S SIDE,

AND I WAS JUST SOMEONE WEARING A SHABBY DRESS, WATCHING FROM AFAR.

WHY ON EARTH DID THE EMPEROR SUDDENLY GIVE THE TWO OF US SUCH AN ORDER?

COULD IT BE FOR POLITICAL REASONS?

BY MAKING A DUKE MARRY THE DAUGHTER OF A HUMBLE FAMILY LIKE MINE...

TO KEEP THE DUCAL HOUSE'S GROWING POWER IN CHECK?

IF THAT'S THE CASE, EVEN IF THE DUKE DOESN'T SHOW IT...

THERE'S A HIGH PROBABILITY HE'S DISSATISFIED WITH THIS MARRIAGE.

...AS EXPECTED, I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO WAS HAPPY.

EVEN HIS PROPOSING TO ME AFTER THREE CEREMONIAL DATES WASN'T HIS OWN WILL.

STILL...

WOULD YOU MARRY ME, LADY MUBER?

THINKING BACK TO THAT TIME, I WAS HAPPY...

...LET'S CALM DOWN, I MUSTN'T ACT LIKE THIS HERE.

IF I'M GOING TO CRY, I'LL CRY AFTER I GET BACK...

...UM, EXCUSE ME.

...JOSHUA?

AH, RIGHT. IT REALLY IS YOU, IRENE.

NO, NO. NOW I SHOULD CALL YOU... DUCHESS, SHOULDN'T I?

IT'S BEEN A WHILE! HOW'S SCHOOL GOING... SIT DOWN QUICKLY.

DID YOU GRADUATE AND COME BACK?

AH, WELL, I HAVEN'T HAD THE GRADUATION CEREMONY YET, BUT I'M JUST ABOUT... TO GRADUATE.

JOSHUA HASSLERSON OF THE VISCOUNT HASSLER FAMILY & IRENE'S CHILDHOOD FRIEND

SINCE IT'S CHRISTMAS, I CAME BACK EARLY... TO VISIT HOME AS WELL.

...IS SPEAKING FORMALLY AWKWARD FOR YOU?

DO NOT LAUGH AT ME.

I WANT TO SAY "SPEAK COMFORTABLY,"

BUT THERE ARE TOO MANY EYES WATCHING IN THE CAFE, SO IT CAN'T BE HELPED.

WHEN I WAS AT SCHOOL, I WAS OUT OF MY MIND WRITING MY THESIS...

I ONLY FOUND OUT THAT YOU GOT MARRIED WHEN I ARRIVED IN THE CAPITAL.

I ACTUALLY SENT A WEDDING INVITATION TO YOUR HOUSE, BUT THEY SAID YOU COULDN’T RECEIVE IT BECAUSE YOU WERE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF BEING BUSY.

...WELL, THERE’S PROBABLY ANOTHER REASON BESIDES THAT.

HUH? WHAT DID YOU SAY?

IT’S NOTHING.

SO HOW HAVE YOU BEEN LATELY?

YOU MUST BE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF BEING NEWLYWEDS, YES?

...AH, YEAH. THAT'S WHY I'M HAPPY.

THE DUKE TREATS ME WELL, TOO... HE IS A GOOD PERSON.

...WELL, I SUPPOSE IT'S STILL BETTER THAN THAT OLD BASTARD.

HUH?

ANYWAY.

SINCE RUNNING INTO EACH OTHER LIKE THIS IS FATE, COULD YOU SPARE SOME TIME FOR ME TODAY?

I NEED TO PICK OUT A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR MY FAMILY,

AND I NEED YOUR HELP LIKE OLD TIMES.

OF COURSE.

WOW~ THANK YOU.

AS EXPECTED, I JUST DON'T HAVE AN EYE FOR PICKING OUT WOMEN'S GIFTS,

SO I'M REALLY GLAD I ASKED YOU FOR HELP.

RIGHT, THE MARCHIONESS WILL REALLY LOVE THAT SHAWL.

AH, COME TO THINK OF IT...

HAVE YOU PREPARED A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR HIS GRACE THE DUKE YET?

...NO, NOT YET...

WILL HE EVEN BE HAPPY IF I GIVE HIM A GIFT?

STILL, WE'RE NEWLYWEDS, SO I CAN'T JUST LET IT PASS BY WITHOUT DOING ANYTHING...

JOSHUA, BY ANY CHANCE LATER...

COULD YOU HELP ME PICK OUT A GIFT THAT A YOUNG ARISTOCRATIC MAN MIGHT LIKE?

OF COURSE.

DELOISTER DUCAL RESIDENCE

WHEN I SAID I NEEDED MONEY FOR A GIFT TO GIVE MY HUSBAND,

THE BUTLER AND THE HEAD MAIDTOLD ME TO NAME WHATEVER AMOUNT I WANTED.

FOR A SPLIT SECOND, I THOUGHT ABOUT SKIMMING SOME MONEY TO BUY THE PAPARAZZI'S PHOTOS, BUT...

...NO.

IF I GET SHAKEN BY PHOTOS OF THIS CALIBER,

THEY'LL JUST KEEP COMING BACK TO BLACKMAIL ME WITH ALL SORTS OF PICTURES IN THE FUTURE.

SINCE I'VE ENTERED THE DUCAL HOUSE,

I HAVE TO MAINTAIN AT LEAST THAT MUCH PRIDE...

MADAM, DOES THIS NOT SUIT YOUR PALATE?

SHALL I HAVE ANOTHER DISH PREPARED IMMEDIATELY?

...NO, IT'S FINE.

I'M GOING TO HEAD TO THE BEDROOM EARLY TODAY.

AH, I DOZED OFF...

IRENE.

YOU HAVEN'T GONE TO SLEEP YET.

YOU'RE HERE...

I'LL GO WASH UP QUICKLY.

DID HE COME STRAIGHT BACK HERE?

HE'S STILL IN HIS OUTDOOR CLOTHES.

...DID HE REALLY COME BACK AFTER WORKING UNTIL THIS LATE?

IF HE COMES BACK AFTER SPENDING THIS WHOLE TIME WITH THE MARCHIONESS OF GRANTEA...

...IF SO, WHAT OF IT?

JUST BEING MARRIED TO HIM IS ALREADY GOOD FORTUNE,

SO WANTING HIM TO LOVE ME BACK IS ASKING FOR WAY TOO MUCH GREED.

WHAT COULD A WOMAN LIKE ME POSSIBLY EXPECT...

I SHOULD STOP THINKING AND JUST PRETEND TO BE ASLEEP FIRST...

...AH.

I'M SORRY.

I WAS RUSHING, SO...

...AH, I'M SUCH AN IDIOT.