“Episode 7”
“The fragrance is nice…”
Though her heart felt lighter, her mind was once again engulfed in swirling thoughts of worry.
After a long silence, Yuliana murmured, “All my worries are things you’ve caused.”
“Well, then, should I be somewhat relieved? Before, I couldn’t influence you in any way.”
Yuliana pursed her lips at his words. Then, she pulled her face out of the rustling bouquet in his arms.
“I could be happy if you’d just divorce me! Why would I go through all this trouble just to act out like this? As you know, I’m someone who doesn’t bother with troublesome matters!”
“I know you’re pleading like someone on the verge of entering a monastery. Since you suddenly feel like praying to a god, you wouldn’t be seen near a temple. Acting like someone with newfound faith, regardless of your actual beliefs, is different from sorting out your little puppies, which you enjoy doing.”
“My puppies?”
“The little dogs that usually play around you. I wondered what would happen if one of them actually captured your heart. Of course, there’s no chance of that happening.”
“What if it did? How would it have been? What if I had fallen in love with one of those mutts?”
“Never. That would never happen.”
“Do you think I’m incapable of love?”
Yuliana realized that she and Evan had never had such a conversation.
In truth, Yuliana never intended to engage in conversation with Evan Hilsen. She had never fully accepted her husband, who always confronted her with sincerity.
At this moment, as they exchanged glances and smiled, they seemed far from being a married couple. They circled each other warily, like adversaries.
Without yielding to her gaze, Evan replied, “You don’t know how to love.”
“…How can you define it with such confidence?”
At his words, her bronze eyes, which had shown signs of unease until now, flickered.
She had never yielded to his side before. And he knew that better than anyone, which made him aware that his love would always end in failure.
Yet, he chose to love her, none other than himself.
“I’ve always looked at you, Yuliana. Love is a bother to you. But still, I have no regrets in loving you. And if you love me back, you won’t regret it either.”
Confidently confessing, he remained as composed as someone who had never feared failure. Yuliana mumbled, avoiding his answer.
“If I were to like you, I’d only end up with a headache.”
Part threat, part self-deprecation, Yuliana mumbled and retreated to her room, knowing his gaze followed her.
Was it because of that?
Normally, she would have taken the bouquet to her room only to discard it immediately. But this time, she didn’t throw it away.
Returning to her room, she placed the bouquet on the table and stared at the bright golden flower, her face grim.
“I don’t want to become a worse person. Damn protagonist.”
Although she knew she would be drawn to him like fate once the true female lead appeared, she couldn’t accept his courtship.
She wished he would become more repulsed by her. And before the conversation progressed further, she wanted to cleanly break up and distance herself from all the events that would unfold.
Rejecting him coldly.
It used to be so easy before, but now, she found it increasingly difficult.
Perhaps it was the first time she had faced someone’s feelings so honestly and directly.
Yuliana, who had always faced people with the thought of leaving, felt her heart confused for the first time.
“…But still, there’s no other way.”
Yuliana rustled through her coat and pulled out a piece of paper hidden within. Although it was mostly filled with self-praise and deemed useless for pinpointing anyone specific, she carried it around now to ease her mind.
“Among this vague majority.”
Damn bastards.
Yuliana’s eyes glinted with anger.
Despite openly discarding the evidence that could implicate her in the poisoning case involving the Hylcen family, she couldn’t imagine who among these bastards would dare to betray her.
Even though she openly discarded the gifts she received, it was important to handle these unpredictable individuals who could mix words at any moment.
Yuliana clenched her fist tightly. Then, she reluctantly shifted her gaze from the bouquet and lightly tapped the paper with her finger.
“How to publicly cut ties with these bastards…”
At that moment, she noticed a stack of invitations on the table. She checked them, as if something had occurred to her.
They were invitations sent to the noble couple, an invitation sent out of courtesy. Since she didn’t expect the couple to attend together anyway, Yuliana regarded it with indifference.
It was a clever way to handle the tangled web of past connections all at once.
Showing publicly that she had come to her senses with her husband. Although if they divorced afterward, it would still cause a stir, but well, what could be done in the face of a life-threatening crisis?
“Hmm…”
She contemplated, holding the invitation against her chin. Her contemplation seemed serene, like a twisted smile.
However, if she did that, Evan would be deeply disappointed. He was sharp enough to realize that Yuliana had used him if she did that.
“Ugh…”
Yuliana closed her eyes tightly.
The turbulent confusion within her mind seemed to cease as she recalled a scene from a novel she had read in a past life. The vivid image of herself standing in the courtroom, prepared to testify against Yuliana Ovun, haunted her relentlessly.
Why?
Even though she knew he hadn’t betrayed her yet, the image of Evan’s cold demeanor kept coming back to her, causing her heartache.
“…Let’s not be impatient. I haven’t even been hurt yet.”
She hesitated as she was about to discard the golden flowers Yuliana had given her. The subtle fragrance that filled the room seemed to alleviate her insomnia and tension, but it couldn’t alleviate her inherent worries. She needed to stop.
She felt sorry for him, even though there was no need. She didn’t want to be associated with him because the imminent betrayal was clearer to her than the love he offered.
It was at the moment when she was about to throw the bouquet into the trash—
Knock, knock—
The sound of someone knocking on the door made her relax her grip on the bouquet.
“…Come in.”
Soon, the servants cautiously opened the door. Through the crack, the familiar scent of flowers she had grown accustomed to flowed in.
Yuliana smiled bitterly.
“…He’s just like this.”
Perhaps it was to help with her insomnia, or maybe it was Evan’s order, but the servants were holding bouquets full of flowers in their arms. Feeling ignorant of even the names of the flowers, Yuliana asked softly.
“What’s the name of this one?”
Gathered around her, the servants who were decorating flowers with the permission of the duchess replied in unison.
“It’s called ‘Gift from the Gods.’ It’s a precious flower nurtured with the grace of the sun god Ereonora at the temple. Recently, even Viscount Heinrich tried to get them, but he was denied, so it was quite a blow to his dignity.”
The servants subtly boasted of the prestige of the Hylcen family as they spoke.
With her eyes closed, Yuliana sat on the sofa, feeling the slow spread of the floral fragrance, and spoke slowly.
“Could you please convey my message to the Duke?”
“Yes, Duchess. Please go ahead.”
The hands of the servants, who had been busily decorating flowers near the window, stopped abruptly. Suppressing her slightly rising conscience, Yuliana forced a smile.
“Countess Elcelli is hosting a ball, I hear. I’d like to request to attend with her.”
The servants were taken aback by her request, unable to hide their surprise.
Ignoring their reaction, Yuliana embraced the bouquet she had intended to discard, adding the affection she had previously been unable to express.
—
“Oh my, is that Duchess here?”
“Countess Elcelli must have been upset.”
“Yeah, she doesn’t usually attend such quiet gatherings.”
“What could be the matter?”
“I heard she’s been frequenting the temple lately.”
“Could it be she’s bringing her lovers along?”
Someone chuckled, hiding their mouth behind a fan. The words spread through the crowd, sparking various discussions.
“They say she has so many lovers, she can’t even remember them all. Last time, I saw a Viscount pretending not to know the Duchess.”
“That’s truly disgraceful for the Empire.”
“Yes, indeed. I’m worried she might tarnish the reputation of the Hylcen Duke.”
“Does the Duke still care about his wife’s actions? It’s strange how someone so brave on the battlefield would tolerate his wife’s infidelity.”
“It might be because of Lord Obun.”
“There are quite a few nobles who ruin their children’s education, but Lord Obun is known to be someone who only knows how to run mines. It seems he has mishandled the way he cherishes his daughter. If it were me–“
Among the noblewomen, among the young debutantes in society, among the young noble gentlemen who extended their assistance to the noble ladies, murmurs spread through the crowd.
And naturally, Yuliana accepted both the criticisms and the minority of admiration and curiosity directed towards her. However, the standards set against her at such a quiet gathering felt unfamiliar.
Yuliana unfolded her fan, hiding her face.
“You all. I can hear everything you’re saying.”
Near the Duke, who was surrounded by people like the hero of the Empire, a group had gathered.
Not knowing how to express affection among them, Yuliana first left Evan’s side.
It would certainly take some time for the Duke to leave the crowd surrounding him. Yuliana tried to cool her head by being alone.
“Oh my, my head…”
“Yuliana.”
At that moment, a stranger bowed before her.
He was a clean-cut young man. His soft brown hair and eyes resembled autumn leaves.
Yuliana furrowed her brows.
Who was this guy?
“Ah.”
She momentarily closed her fan and reopened it.
He was the second son of Countess Elcelli, whom she had met during a boating trip. She had avoided him before because he seemed too naive and likely to become troublesome later on. But had he somehow thought they had become close enough for him to address her by name?
“Now even this guy is getting involved.”
Yuliana sighed deeply and spoke coldly.
“Youngsik and I have no intimacy, so please refrain from using my name. Besides, my husband is nearby.”
“Isn’t that husband of yours the one who makes you unhappy?”
Youngsik approached first, his eyes twinkling.
“Ah. He used to curse his husband fiercely even by the riverbank…”
Yuliana thought about her past self, wanting to grab her head in frustration. She awkwardly spoke up.
“Um, please forget the foolish things I’ve done in the past. Youngsik, if you happen to want to request a dance with me, please refrain. My first dance partner will be my husband.”
“Why don’t you know that I’m on the Countess’s side?”
The fleeting sadness on young Youngsik’s face seemed unfamiliar, and it didn’t match Yuliana’s tastes, so she hesitated and stepped back.
“No, please stay away.”
“Why are you avoiding people who try to reach out to the Countess? Weren’t you like this before?”
In the conservative noble society, there were undoubtedly people who admired and loved Yuliana, who openly enjoyed fleeting romances.
They were sort of like a fan club, and Youngsik seemed to be one of them. Of course, it wasn’t helpful in the current situation.
“This guy?”
Yuliana tightly gripped her fan, wanting to hit the approaching young man who was oblivious to the situation.
“If he takes one more step, it’s game over. You little rascal. Do you want to make a scene at your mother’s reception?”
“Yuliana.”
That was when Yuliana turned around.
It had just happened that she was surrounded by a crowd. Even though she didn’t know how she had managed to disperse them, Evan was already staring at Yuliana and the child with a cold gaze, holding a cocktail glass in each hand.
To be precise, it was towards the child that his gaze was directed.
Young Youngsik hesitated for a moment under his gaze.
It seemed that Youngsik didn’t want to retreat at all, as he straightened his posture even more firmly in front of Yuliana.
Seeing the young lad’s refusal to back down, Yuliana inwardly clicked her tongue.
Although she didn’t know how much she had slandered her husband, her in-laws, and her family in the past while playing the role of a pitiful heroine, this “fan club” of hers was firmly united in their impure thoughts toward Yuliana.
Their bizarre connection wouldn’t easily disappear just because Yuliana had discarded gifts and avoided temples. That’s why she needed such a public occasion. Instead of seeing the little brat who wouldn’t leave her alone, Yuliana locked eyes with Evan, who was looking at her with piercing gaze.
As always, he was gauging Yuliana’s mood. Or perhaps seeking permission. Was it okay to handle the brat in front of him?
“Haha.”
Yuliana awkwardly chuckled.
The image of her husband immediately grabbing his gloves and challenging the boy to a duel came naturally to her mind.
“But there’s no need to make a big scene.”
She approached her husband, leaving Youngsik behind, and smoothly took the cocktail that was undoubtedly her share. Then, with a hint of mockery, she spoke.
“Why don’t you ask Youngsik to dance with other beautiful ladies as well? There seem to be many ladies feeling awkward without partners. I’ll dance with my husband. Before the alcohol kicks in, right? Darling.”
‘Darling.’
The word, spoken aloud for the first time, felt awkward and embarrassing.
Yet, her expression remained unfazed, perhaps due to her well-trained composure. Evan silently watched Yuliana’s face, where a seductive smile appeared. Then, he chuckled softly.
His expression seemed to convey that he didn’t find the situation uncomfortable, but rather enjoyable. Strangely, Yuliana even felt like she was being devoured by him, despite being the one who had initiated the proposal. She swallowed hard.
Even his calm gaze, watching her bronze-colored eyes tremble, shifted to the cocktail. And just like Yuliana, he took a sip from his drink.
The droplets of alcohol clung to his lips, shimmering. After licking it with his red tongue, he grinned and said, “Of course, I want to dance with you. I’ve always felt that way.”
With his words concluded, he released Yuliana’s arm from his embrace and wrapped it around her waist himself.
Somehow, the way he held her made Yuliana blush.
He snatched the cocktail glass from her hand and finished the remaining drink, including Yuliana’s share, before downing his own cocktail held in his left hand.
Then, with a firm grip, he held her waist tightly. His warm hand, felt through the dress, firmly enveloped Yuliana’s waist.
Yuliana couldn’t tear her face away from his chest and breathed heavily. As if aware of her trembling, Evan casually spoke.
“I didn’t expect you to ask me to dance before I did. I’m not sure what you’re thinking, but…”
He whispered into Yuliana’s ear.
“I’m feeling good. Really.”
Then, he glanced at the boy who had been watching the affectionate couple.
As soon as his sharp gaze met the eyes of Elkelly Viscountess’s son, Youngsik, already known more as ‘the boy’ than by his name, froze in his place.
The gaze directed at him was that of a ruthless knight, ready to decapitate him if this were a battlefield.
Seeing Youngsik lower his head with distorted features, Evan shifted his gaze away from him.
Then, he smiled brightly at Yuliana.
It was time to leave.
After all, his wife had finally requested a dance.
—
“It seems like we managed to avoid the situation well, but…”
Slipping through the crowd of dancers, Yuliana secretly sweated coldly. Nestling her face against his chest and swaying together like an unmatched couple felt awkward.
‘It feels like I’ve jumped into the tiger’s den.’
Yuliana couldn’t help but feel anxious, as if Evan’s affection for her had grown even stronger.
