Episode 69

Yvonne looked at Yurian for a moment before turning a cold gaze toward Marquess Rohan. Despite the alcohol in his system, Marquess Rohan, who only had eyes for Yvonne, was delighted to see her cold expression.

It was as if it confirmed that she didn’t want to see Yurian.

“My lady.”

“Kes. Inviting a guest without the hostess’s permission?”

“I love you, my lady.”

“Kes…!”

Marquess Rohan planted a deep kiss on her cheek. After kissing her cheek several more times, he looked into her eyes. Yvonne, surprised and with a flushed face, stared back at him with wide eyes.

She thought he was initiating the kiss because they had spent the night together, but it still felt as embarrassing as if it were happening for the first time.

“You two seem to get along well.”

Yvonne turned her sharp gaze toward Yurian, whose voice cut through the moment. Although he was smiling, the atmosphere around him didn’t match his expression.

“Prepare a guest room for him.”

“Yes, madam.”

“We should go now. I’ll see you in the morning, Grand Duke Leonhardt.”

“…Yes.”

“My lady, my dear lady.”

Marquess Rohan allowed himself to be led upstairs by Yvonne. He smiled widely, enchanted by the fact that she had taken his hand and was guiding him.

Yvonne hurried to move away from Yurian, but Marquess Rohan was too heavy to move quickly. He followed her at a slow pace.

“My lady.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s stay in my room again tonight.”

She was about to refuse but sighed instead when she realized Yurian was watching her and Marquess Rohan.

“Alright. But why did you drink so much? You’re not even good with alcohol.”

“I wanted to get drunk quickly because I missed you.”

“What does that mean?”

“I thought you might let me stay if I got drunk.”

Marquess Rohan said this and then suddenly embraced Yvonne in the hallway. The strong scent of roses mixed with the thick smell of alcohol and his erratic, love-filled breaths made it impossible for her to remain indifferent.

“I could have waited longer.”

“I couldn’t wait. I ran to you because I missed you so much, and now it’s already the next day. I want to be by your side every day, every hour.”

“Alright.”

“I wanted to see you before today ended.”

“Well, we met right at the start of today, so that’s enough.”

“Hahaha. Yes. I love you.”

Yvonne couldn’t tell how much he had drunk, but it was the first time he had ever acted this way due to alcohol.

She knew Marquess Rohan well—though not as well as he knew her.

There was no way he would drink more than he could handle.

If he was this intoxicated, it had to be someone’s doing—someone who had created a reason for him to come to the mansion with Yurian.

Yvonne glared at Yurian, who was forcing a smile while watching her from nearby.

“Let’s not overdo it tonight, dear. We have a guest to entertain in the morning.”

“Yes, I love you, my lady.”

He laughed happily and began peppering her cheeks and nose with kisses. Somehow, the heavily intoxicated Marquess Rohan reminded her of a child, and she found herself smiling involuntarily.

“Let’s do this inside the room.”

“Yes.”

Marquess Rohan, even in his drunken state, seemed to remember that he should listen to her, so he opened the door and led her inside.

Yurian, left behind, felt disgusted but couldn’t bring himself to leave.

“The guest room is further down, Grand Duke Leonhardt.”

“Very well.”

Yurian looked at the maid who had stopped to guide him. She seemed fearful, perhaps because of his jet-black hair and bright red eyes, making him appear like a demon from the battlefield. She tried her best not to look at him directly and led the way.

Yurian couldn’t believe that Yvonne truly loved Marquess Rohan. He didn’t know why, but his instincts told him so. It was an assumption born from his erased memories.

* * *

Since Marquess Rohan had passed out drunk, there was no intimacy between the couple. Yvonne was relieved as she carefully rose from his arms.

In the morning, the smell of alcohol was even stronger, but it wasn’t too unpleasant. After all, she had drunk quite a bit herself.

“My dear.”

“Yes….”

“We have a guest, so we can’t sleep in. It’s time to get up.”

Marquess Rohan, though exhausted, rose because Yvonne had asked him to. He wasn’t someone who could handle alcohol well, so the pain he felt now was as if someone were twisting his insides, his stomach churning while the world spun, making him feel as if he were on a ship at sea.

But when he saw Yvonne, with her hair tousled and wearing nothing but a thin, sheer negligee, the pain seemed to dissipate.

He swallowed dryly as he looked at his wife standing before him in her translucent gown.

“My lady, why are you so beautiful?”

“Pardon?”

“Ah… I must still be drunk.”

His words tumbled out unfiltered, likely due to the lingering effects of the alcohol. Normally, he would think things through before speaking, but now, whatever came to mind spilled out of his mouth immediately.

“When you wear such thin clothes, my lady, it makes me want to discuss the matter of an heir first thing in the morning.”

“You really are still drunk.”

“You’re so beautiful, it feels like I’m getting drunk all over again.”

“Haha.”

Yvonne found it amusing that Marquess Rohan, looking so flustered, was blurting out such things. It seemed that in his current state, he couldn’t help but speak honestly, even if it embarrassed him.

Feeling her usual wariness toward him ease for the first time in a while, Yvonne gently stroked his hair and said,

“Kes, you’re beautiful too. Especially in the morning.”

“My lady, you are the most beautiful in the world. When you touch me like that, my body starts to feel warm all over.”

“You’ll have to deal with that on your own.”

“Yes.”

With that, he pulled Yvonne into his embrace.

She had half-risen, but now he clung to her waist, and she stroked his hair as he held her. His soft hair slipped through her fingers, and though she was keenly aware of how intensely he was gazing at her, she didn’t touch him anywhere else.

His gaze was so intense that it almost made her think his green eyes were turning red.

“My lady.”

“Yes.”

“When I take care of things on my own, could you stay by my side?”

“No. Not before breakfast.”

“…I understand.”

He quickly gave up the idea and instead rubbed his cheek against her hand. Then, covering her hand with his, he pressed it gently against his cheek, closing and opening his eyes.

“Kes, be careful with altering my memories.”

“….”

Marquess Rohan knew she was serious. This only made him more anxious, and he bit his lip before speaking.

“I love you, my lady.”

But Yvonne did not respond.

* * *

Since Yurian was staying at the mansion, Yvonne and Marquess Rohan, who usually had breakfast in their rooms, had to dine together in the dining room out of obligation.

Normally, when they ate in their rooms, Marquess Rohan would arrange for the meal to be served in Yvonne’s room.

“Fish for breakfast, I see.”

“It’s salmon season.”

Marquess Rohan pulled out Yvonne’s chair for her, and after she sat, he took his seat as well. He nodded once toward Yurian before turning his gaze back to his wife, unable to look away.

Yvonne, on the other hand, would typically focus on her food or look elsewhere during breakfast.

But with Yurian present, she kept her eyes on Marquess Rohan. Marquess Rohan had erased Yurian’s memories, but if her memories could return, it meant Yurian’s could too, depending on Marquess Rohan’s condition.

She didn’t want Yurian’s memories to return.

It seemed as if he had become Hildebrandt’s man now.

If Yurian regained his memories of Yvonne, he might take her to the Emperor, where she could be killed. Although Yurian had made a magical oath not to kill Yvonne himself, that promise only prevented him from killing her directly.

“Do you dislike salmon?”

“I love it. Very much.”

Yurian deliberately spoke those words while looking at Yvonne. She glanced at him briefly, locking eyes before turning back to Marquess Rohan and smiling.

“My husband loves it too. He dislikes pears but loves fish.”

“My lady…”

“Isn’t that adorable?”

Marquess Rohan blushed at her words, his face turning red. It felt as though he were hearing a compliment for the first time, and his heart started pounding so hard that it was difficult to breathe.

“I find everything about my lady to be lovely.”

“I feel the same.”

Yvonne responded with a bright smile as she looked at Marquess Rohan.

It was rare for her to speak so kindly to him, and his heart raced as if he were falling in love with her all over again. Time seemed to slow, and yet the rapid beating of his heart made it feel as though he was losing track of it.

“Duke Rohan, are you an ability user?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Because it seems like your power might be memory manipulation.”

Yurian, barely paying attention to the food in front of him, glared at Marquess Rohan as he asked.

“Did you manipulate my memories as well?”