I Had an Arranged Marriage With My Unrequited Love — Chapter 6

THERE WAS A SIGNAL FROM THE MAIN GATE THAT THE DUKE ARRIVED A SHORT WHILE AGO.

THE CARRIAGE WILL BE AT THE ENTRANCE SOON.

IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG?

LIKE AN ACCIDENT, OR AN ATTACK...

NO.

DO NOT WORRY, MADAM.

WHAT A RELIEF.

BUT...

WHY IS HE RETURNING SO UNUSUALLY LATE TODAY?

COULD HE HAVE BEEN WITH THAT WOMAN?

IF THAT'S THE CASE,

I'M JUST AN OUTSIDER WHO SUDDENLY ENTERED THIS HOUSEHOLD.

DO NOT ALL THE SERVANTS ALREADY KNOW ABOUT FELIX AND THAT WOMAN'S RELATIONSHIP AND ARE HIDING IT FROM ME?

NO, THINKING LIKE THIS WILL CHANGE NOTHING.

CONTINUING TO HARBOR DOUBTS IS NOT GOOD.

I MUST REMAIN AS CALM AND NATURAL AS POSSIBLE...

YOUR GRACE!

IS HE HURT SOMEWHERE?!

YOUR GRACE!

AH... MY.

IRENE, YOU WERE NOT ASLEEP.

THE REEK OF POTENT ALCOHOL...

HE'S DRUNK!

YES. M-MY LORD, WELCOME BACK.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE SEEN THIS MAN SO DRUNK.

COULD SOMETHING HAVE REALLY HAPPENED?

YOU ARE... RATHER LATE TODAY.

...I TOLD YOU TO CALL ME.

PARDON?

YOUR GRACE, THE WINTER NIGHT IS COLD.

DON'T LINGER IN THE ENTRYWAY, LET'S HEAD TO THE BEDROOM AT ONCE.

...MY WIFE.

YES, YOUR GRACE.

IRENE...

...EVEN IF YOU ARE UNWILLING, YOU'RE BOUND TO BE MY WIFE.

IT CANNOT BE HELPED, CAN IT? HM?

OH DEAR, YOUR GRACE.

YOU HAVE HAD FAR TOO MUCH TO DRINK. LET'S HEAD UPSTAIRS QUICKLY...

MADAM, YOU SHOULD ALSO HEAD UP TO THE BEDROOM RIGHT AWAY, MADAM.

THE BEATING OF MY HEART MAKES MY EARS RING.

...IT HURTS.

THIS IS NOT A DREAM, THIS IS REALITY.

"EVEN IF YOU ARE UNWILLING, YOU'RE BOUND TO BE MY WIFE."

THIS IS HIS TRUE HEART.

HE MUST UTTERLY DESPISE BEING FORCED INTO MARRIAGE WITH ME BY THE EMPEROR'S COMMAND.

AND WHEN HE DREW CLOSE TO ME...

BENEATH THE PUNGENT REEK OF ALCOHOL,

THE SCENT OF AN UNFAMILIAR PERFUME LINGERED.

THAT WAS UNMISTAKABLY...

NO, LET'S NOT CRY.

FELIX HAS TREATED ME WELL AS HIS WIFE UNTIL NOW...

I MERELY NEED TO FULFILL MY DUTIES AS THE "DUCHESS."

MADAM.

SINCE HIS GRACE HAS LAID DOWN TO REST,

I SHALL TAKE MY LEAVE NOW. PLEASE GET PLENTY OF REST YOURSELF, MADAM.

YES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK.

...MAY I LIE DOWN BESIDE HIM?

EVER SINCE I HEARD HIS WORDS, ALL MY CONFIDENCE HAS VANISHED.

BUT... IT IS PROBABLY BEST TO PRETEND I DID NOT HEAR.

EVEN IF IT WAS HIS TRUE FEELING, IT WAS A SLIP OF THE TONGUE SPOKEN IN DRUNKENNESS...

THERE IS NO REASON FOR ME TO ACT DIFFERENTLY.

IT IS WARM.

ABOUT A WEEK AFTER WE MARRIED, I GAZED AT HIM JUST AS I AM DOING NOW...

AND WAS MOVED BY THE FACT THAT THIS MAN WAS MINE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

BACK THEN, EVEN THOUGH HIS BODY WAS HERE, HIS HEART WAS NOT...

NO, DON'T THINK ABOUT IT.

BAD THOUGHTS LEAD TO ONE ANOTHER ENDLESSLY.

IF I SIMPLY LIVE ON AS IF NOTHING IS AMISS...

UM... IRENE.

AH, ARE YOU FEELING A BIT MORE CLEAR-HEADED, YOUR GRACE?

...IRENE?

YES, YOUR GRACE.

I AM HE-

IRENE.

...OH?

A SUFFOCATING REEK OF ALCOHOL WASHES OVER ME.

A DIZZYING, POTENT SCENT

THAT MAKES ME FEEL AS THOUGH I AM GETTING DRUNK MYSELF.

Hngh, mhm...

Ah..

Haah..!

IS THIS AN INSTINCTIVE ACTION BROUGHT ON BY DRUNKENNESS?

Ngh, mhm... ah...

Haah...

AS EXPECTED, HE MUST HAVE BEEN HOLDING BACK UNTIL NOW.

HIS TOUCH IS MORE RUSHED THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN.

Mhm... M-My Lord...

Ah!

W-WAIT. SOMETHING IS STRANGE.

WHY IS HE PERSISTENTLY TARGETING JUST THERE...!

Haah!

Ah, aah...

Hnnh...

...I CANNOT BELIEVE IT.

JUST FROM MY CHEST ALONE, I CAME?

Ah...!

W-WAIT...

M-MY LORD...

...IRENE.

...I TOLD YOU TO CALL ME FELIX.

FOR A FLEETING MOMENT, IS IT JUST MY IMAGINATION?

THE EMOTION HELD WITHIN HIS GAZE SEEMED FAR DEEPER THAN I HAD EVER IMAGINED.

Ah...

AND SO—I SIMPLY COULD NOT PUSH HIM AWAY.

TH-THERE IS...

No...!

H-Haah...

Ah...!

THIS IS ABSURD...!

THE DUKE'S TONGUE IS INSIDE ME...!