I Had an Arranged Marriage With My Unrequited Love — Chapter 4

SINCE THE WEATHER IS COLD, LET'S HEAD INTO THE GREENHOUSE.

WOW...

THERE ARE SO MANY RANUNCULUSES...

I’VE SPECIFICALLY ASKED THE GARDENER TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF THEM.

DO YOU LIKE THEM?

YES, THEY’RE VERY PRETTY...

I’M GLAD.

IRENE.

FOR YOUR SAKE,

I CAN DO NOT JUST THIS, BUT ANYTHING.

...THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SAYING SO, DUKE.

NORMALLY, HEARING THESE WORDS WOULD HAVE MADE ME DREAMILY HAPPY.

PERHAPS I WAS HOPING FOR ‘I LOVE YOU’ FROM YOU.

BUT...

...IRENE?

AH, SORRY. THE FLORAL SCENT IS SUFFOCATING.

I WASN'T AWARE, I APOLOGIZE.

SHALL WE RETURN TO THE MANSION?

WHENEVER THAT SWEETNESS IS DIRECTED AT ME...

BLACK EMOTIONS WELL UP INSIDE MY HEART.

...FELIX?

FE-FELIX! WHAT IS THIS...

IRENE.

IT'S HARD TO KEEP ACTING ANYMORE, SO I'LL JUST SPEAK HONESTLY.

W-WAIT A MINUTE. FELIX...

PLEASE, DON'T DO THIS...

I LOVE THIS WOMAN, IRENE.

IF THERE WERE A WAY, I'D WANT TO DIVORCE YOU, BUT

SINCE WE MARRIED BY THE EMPEROR'S COMMAND, I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO ENDURE IT.

...FELIX.

YOU KNOW THAT, DON'T YOU?

IF NOT FOR HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR'S COMMAND, WE WOULDN'T HAVE EVEN EXCHANGED WORDS.

...NO.

PLEASE, DON'T DO THIS...

IN THE FIRST PLACE, YOU WERE...

NO, PLEASE...

NOT SUITED FOR THE POSITION OF MY WIFE, IRENE.

PLEASE, DON'T LEAVE ME...

PLEASE...

DON'T LEAVE ME...

...IT WAS A DREAM.

I WONDER IF I SHOULD BE GLAD IT WAS JUST A DREAM.

EVEN THOUGH IT WOULDN'T BE STRANGE FOR IT TO BECOME REALITY AT ANY TIME...

IRENE.

GOOD MORNING.

...HUH?

WH-WHAT?!

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE FACED EACH OTHER IN THE MORNING SINCE OUR WEDDING NIGHT!

MY SALIVA DIDN'T POOL AND DRY AT THE CORNERS OF MY MOUTH, DID IT?

OR SLEEP CRUST STILL LINGERING IN THE CORNERS OF MY EYES...

IRENE.

ARE YOU PERHAPS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH ME?

AH, NO. IT'S JUST THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO SHOW YOU ME LOOKING MESSY IN THE MORNING...

GOOD MORNING, DUKE.

I...

I-I'M GOING TO GO CHANGE MY CLOTHES...

YOUR GRACE. THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.

DELOISTER DUCAL OFFICE

GOOD WORK, SAMUEL.

THEN I WILL TAKE MY LEAVE NOW.

...WAIT.

'JOSHUA HASSLER,' YOU SAID.

FIND OUT HOW LONG HIS VACATION IS, AND WHEN HE PLANS TO RETURN TO THE ACADEMY.

YES, YOUR GRACE.

I CAN'T GET MY MIND ON WORK.

I HAD THOUGHT TO ASK HER TO EAT TOGETHER THIS MORNING,

BUT I FEEL LIKE I ONLY MADE THINGS MORE UNCOMFOR- TABLE.

I SHOULD HAVE JUST LEFT AT DAWN LIKE USUAL...

...NO,

IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAD TO BE FACED EVENTUALLY.

THE DIFFICULTY OF RESOLVING IT ISN'T INHERENTLY HIGH.

EVEN IF IT TAKES TIME, I CAN RESTORE THINGS ONE BY ONE.

IF I WAIT WITH PATIENCE,

EVERYTHING WILL RIGHTFULLY RETURN TO ITS PROPER PLACE...

...WHAT DID YOU SAY?

JOSHUA ISN'T GOING BACK TO THE ACADEMY?

YES. HE HAS ALREADY FINISHED HIS GRADUATION THESIS,

SO ONCE HE ATTENDS THE GRADUATION CEREMONY, HE WON'T HAVE ANY REASON TO GO BACK THERE.

I'VE HEARD HE'S ALSO FOUND A JOB IN THE CAPITAL RECENTLY, YOUR GRACE.

IT SEEMS HE WILL BE STAYING IN THE CAPITAL PERMANENTLY FROM NOW ON.

IF JOSHUA HASSLER STAYS IN THE CAPITAL AND KEEPS HANGING AROUND, MY PLAN WILL GO AWRY.

IS THERE NO CHOICE BUT TO HEAD DOWN TO THE DUCAL TERRITORY?

OR PERHAPS...

SHOULD I MAKE HIM DISAPPEAR WITHOUT A TRACE?

YOUR GRACE.

THERE IS SOMEONE HERE TO SEE YOU... I THINK YOU MUST MEET THEM.

LET HIM IN.

DUKE, HOW DO YOU DO?

I AM THOMAS, THE REPORTER WHO INTRODUCED MYSELF TO YOU LAST TIME.

...RIGHT.

WHAT BRINGS

YOU ALL THE WAY HERE THIS TIME?

YOUR GRACE, THIS...

DUKE.

IT SEEMS THE DUCHESS

IS HAVING A FULL-BLOWN AFFAIR WITH THIS MAN.

YESTERDAY, THE TWO OF THEM WERE STROLLING AROUND THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT ON A COZY DATE,

WERE YOU AWARE OF THIS, DUKE?