I Became the Obsessive Male Lead’s Ex-Wife

I jumped up. How many minutes have I been alone like this? Of course, Pervin came to me in the middle of the day and had a brief chat with me. He was worried about me being left alone and promised several times that he would hurry up and finish the work…

 

“But still, how can I be alone for 30 minutes!”

 

I was afraid that I would seem arrogant if I was alone, so I wanted to hang out with other people. But no one came to me. Both men and women. Everyone was just whispering around Lady Stella Belle in the distance, and when I made a move to get closer, they seemed to gather together. Marchioness Celestine seemed to be trying to approach me, but the women around her seemed to be holding her tightly and not letting her go. I’m sure I’m not being bullied right now, right? At that time I was looking around. Someone came up to me and held out a hand. It was the emperor with a mischievous smile on his face. The emperor, a good-looking, blonde-haired Hunan-type handsome man, showed liveliness and led the atmosphere here. He was the one who had been laughing out loud with some noble ladies and the empress until just now. Suddenly he came to me and held out his hand. Everyone’s eyes were focused on us.

 

“Would you please give me a chance to hold your hand and dance, Duchess of Carlisle?”

 

“Your Majesty just saved me from the bondage of loneliness. I am truly blessed and grateful.”

 

The Emperor rolled his eyes as if he was amused by the sincerity that came out without me knowing.

 

“It’s really fun, but why don’t people know what this is like?”

 

I took the hand he held out and walked carefully to avoid stepping on the loose dress. The gazes of so many nobles focused on us were amazing. As we make our way to the center of the ballroom. I could hear the men around me whispering.

 

“His Majesty personally requested a dance, but I’m sure Lord Carlisle won’t say anything.”

 

“Duke Sibelom didn’t ask for the dance because he was afraid of Lord Carlisle, but your Majesty is different as expected.”

 

“Your Majesty is also very mischievous. Are you saying you knowingly applied for this on purpose?”

 

“Look at that look in Lord Carlisle’s eyes. I’m sure you’re not planning on doing anything to Your Majesty, are you?”

 

I felt someone’s hot gaze from far away. It was Pervin, who was having a serious conversation with an unknown man. As he took his steps towards us, the emperor mischievously grabbed my hand.

 

“Now that I think about it, I didn’t even kiss the lady on the back of her hand properly. Will you please forgive my rudeness, ma’am?”

 

“No, it’s rude of me for not giving you the back of my hand first, Your Majesty.”

 

When I obediently gave him the back of my hand, the Emperor bowed his head on the back of my hand. 3 seconds before he touches his lips. 3 seconds, 2 seconds, 1 second. I felt a familiar texture in my hands. Pervin’s lips are rough yet hot. Pervin hurriedly removed his lips from the back of my hand and clasped his lips. I blinked my bewildered eyes. Why is this man like this? Why bother a brave person who asked to dance in my boring daily life? I tried to loosen his grip, but he was stubborn. The emperor saw this and burst out laughing.

 

“I thought you had wheels on your feet, Pervin. I definitely saw something on the other side.”

 

Pervin shrugged his shoulders and leaned in closer to me. Then the Emperor spoke as if teasing him.

 

“If you leave a flower alone, isn’t it natural for the bees to get attracted to it, Pervin? Anyway, don’t worry about me, I’m going to dance with the Duchess.”

 

When the Emperor held out his arm to me, Pervin took my arm in his own without changing his expression. Then he cheekily added:

 

“Irwen is new to the social world, so she’s lacking a lot. I will sit next to her and teach her.”

 

“That’s not enough, you’re full of wit. In that sense, madam, how about we dance together, leaving the stone-faced Pervin aside?”

 

Pervin blushed slightly at the emperor’s tone, which seemed to be deliberately teasing Pervin. The moment he saw his red face, he wanted to be with him. Rather than teasing him, I wanted to hug him. I just wanted to do that. The hand holding my arm seemed to be shaking, so I placed my hand on his arm and bowed my head to the emperor.

 

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but I have to dance with my husband.”

 

I rested my head on Pervin’s arm, meeting the Emperor’s lively eyes.

 

“My husband came to me like this, how could I refuse?”

 

* * *

 

The Duchess of Carlisle was leading the Duke in a dance in the center of the banquet hall. The band played some music, and they continued to dance while holding each other’s hands. The two of them laugh while talking about something, sometimes look at each other with serious faces, and share sweet glances at each other. While the Duchess was actively giving mischievous looks, it was Pervin, the Duke of Carlisle, who was looking at her with a mischievous love. He loved Irwen even if she didn’t say anything, and seemed happy to talk to her about anything. Honey dripped from Pervin’s eyes, as if they had been coated with sweet syrup. The Emperor, who was watching him closely, clicked his tongue as if he was dumbfounded.

 

“I don’t know why the Cold War continued for four years with gold thread like that.”

 

At that time, the Emperor’s face turned pale, as if something occurred to him. It reminded him of the message he received from the Principality of Verma yesterday. The letter was written in careful cursive. 

 

-My wife and I had a difficult time conceiving a child, so we would like to share the process with the Duke and Duchess of Carlisle. 

 

The Emperor’s face suddenly distorted as he thought of the scorpion. If Duke Lilias were to visit this place in the near future, it was clear that Pervin would be his target. He had to quickly inform Pervin of this fact and prepare a preparedness plan. 

 

* * *

 

I don’t know how many times I energetically brought Pervin to the center of the banquet hall and danced with him. Although I never learned how to dance, Pervin and I, who had been dancing perfectly since the beginning, were quite good dancing partners, as I could easily follow the steps from my memories of this life. And surprisingly, he led the story quite well. He talked about how he first learned to dance when he was young, how he sparred with the emperor, how he raised a kitten, etc. It was a trivial story, but it was funny. It was different from what I expected, that I would end up dancing once or just dance. And sometimes, when I encountered someone staring at me intently, I would just crawl into his arms and avoid his gaze. My eyes itched as if they were going to melt under his gaze. How many times have we danced like that?

 

“Pervin, come quickly! This is a very urgent story!”

 

Because the Emperor urgently called Pervin with a nervous look on his face, he had no choice but to leave my side. Before leaving, he asked me again and again, like a parent leaving a child alone.

 

“I’ll come as soon as possible, so just stay right here.”

 

“Am I a kid?”

 

“…It’s because I’m anxious.”

 

I didn’t know if he looked anxious or if he was anxious. When Pervin went to the Emperor with vague words, I was alone again. I made eye contact with the others and smiled, but the men were busy shaking their bodies and the women were busy observing me. There was clearly no malice in the way they looked at me, and sometimes they seemed to be full of curiosity, but they didn’t approach me. Now that I had danced enough, I thought it was okay, even though it was lonely. I approached the large table set up on one side of the banquet hall. From main dishes to desserts, it mainly consisted of simple menus that could be eaten with your hands. At first, I just stood and nibbled, but later I sat down and started eating properly. After sitting and eating for a while, my body ached a little. The band was now playing slow ballad-style music, and each couple was dancing the blues with their bodies close together. For no reason, I had an appetite for their sweet scenery.

 

“I have a partner too, why am I doing this here alone?”

 

I am alone, enjoying delicious food in the corner of the banquet hall. Even though I wanted to hang out with noble ladies, they seem to be banding together and plotting among themselves. I wanted to find Pervin and be with him. Although I actively looked around, he was still having a serious conversation with the Emperor. I let out a sigh of regret.

 

“I want to be with you…”

 

I covered my mouth as the words came out without my knowledge. It’s like I miss him, I want him, it’s like this. Out of embarrassment, I decided to hide my true feelings and just think like this. He wasn’t a very friendly person, but he seemed to have developed a fondness for him since he was the only person he knew. Contrary to what I thought, my eyes kept following Pervin and scanning his slender physique. Every now and then, I would see him make eye contact with me and my heart would pound. It won’t work. I got up and went out into the hallway leading to the garden. I need to come in and get some cold air. 

 

* * *

 

On one side, noble ladies gathered around Marchioness Celestine. They turned their eyes to Pervin as soon as he left Irwen’s side.

 

“The Duke of Carlisle has finally left his wife’s side. Now is the perfect opportunity for us to speak to the Duchess.”

 

“If only I could have a conversation with that beautiful person even once. I think the words that come out of that mouth are more beautiful than an oriole!”

 

“I would like to speak to Lady Irwen, but she looks too noble to do so.”

 

They wanted to talk to Irwen, who was new to society. However, they were so amazed by her beauty that they could not bear to say anything to her because she looked so beautiful and even noble, let alone an evil woman. I guess she was overwhelmed by her beauty. Among the gathered women, Countess Honorin, who was busy looking into her hand mirror, asked everyone.

 

“Shall we go now? Is not it…? Is it too hasty…? How do my clothes look? My makeup wouldn’t have smudged, right?”

 

“Perfect, Lady Honorin.”

 

“In front of that person, I would be worse than the dust on a swan’s wings. How can a person be so beautiful…”

 

Countess Honorin glanced at Irwen and looked at her own face in her hand-held mirror. With a personality as lively as her red hair, she looked in the mirror and sighed.

 

“Oh my goodness… There’s a fish head standing there.”

 

“You’re beautiful too, so don’t be too hard on yourself, ma’am.” said Marchioness Celestin, pursing her lips.

 

“It’s not that we’re ugly, but the Duchess of Carlisle is so beautiful that we’re buried in it.”

 

Just then, the Duchess was seen eating her macaron in one bite. The noble women were amazed when they saw that.

 

“Oh, even the sight of you eating a macaron is beautiful.”

 

“Why can’t I make such elegant hand movements?”

 

When the noble ladies looked at Irwen with eyes full of envy and wonder. The Marquis Celestine approached the Marchioness. She held out her hand to the Marchioness, her face pale as if her stomach was bloated.

 

“Diane, I need some digestive medicine. I guess I ate too much.”

 

“Ugh, so you should eat in moderation.”

 

Marchioness Celestine gave her a small pill from her pouch. When the Marquis Celestine’s complexion cleared up to see if her stomach was feeling better after taking the digestive medicine, Countess Honorin asked him curiously.

 

“Where has the Duke of Carlisle gone? Why did you disappear, leaving behind the beautiful Duchess?”

 

“Well. It looked like he was going out to the rose garden.”

 

“A rose garden? Couples mostly go there… Is it possible that she left the Duchess and took a new lover?”

 

Countess Honorin was astonished and covered her mouth. She shook her curly hair as if the Marquis Celestine was dumbfounded.

 

“What kind of lover is that friend? Does the lady, her friend, seem like a great person who would cheat on her?”

 

“That’s right. He’s such a cold person who doesn’t care about his wife. I wonder if he would openly cheat on her in her presence.”

 

“No, that friend is the type of person who has no interest in women in the first place. It’s a bit strange because he seems to take care of her wife so openly.”

 

At Marquis Celestine’s words, noble ladies gathered around as if they had heard interesting news.

 

“Aha, so he didn’t let the gentlemen ask the Duchess to dance? Other men can’t touch his woman, what does that mean?”

 

“There is no way Pervin would have come up with such a strange idea… Maybe it’s because I’m worried. The Duchess asked me not to mess with her because it was her first time in society.”

 

“I heard it was proclaimed not only to nobles but also to all men with titles. She said that anyone who laid a hand on the Duchess would think that the Duke of Carlisle had turned on me.”

 

“Oh, for some reason, Duke Sibelom gave the Duchess his gaze like that, but didn’t approach her.”

 

“Instead, only the Lady of Baron Rassendyll was excited. “She bites and sucks and does everything.”

 

“It’s a substitute, right?”

 

Marquis Celestine, buried in the sound of women chattering, shook his head as if he was embarrassed.

 

“Women.”

 

The noble ladies did not even listen to what Marquis Celestine said. They chat and interpret whatever they want. Of course, their guesses were all correct. Marquis Celestine sighed at the women’s chatter and spoke to his wife.

 

“Anyway, ma’am. Let’s meet at the main gate later at twelve o’clock at night. I will have the carriage ready by then.”

 

“Okay, see you then. Don’t eat too much.”

 

The moment when Marquis Celestine walked towards the emperor with brisk steps. In the corner, Irwen stood up, shaking her hands as if she had finished eating. And in the blink of an eye, she opened the door and went out into the hallway. At that time, Countess Aunorine put her mirror in her pouch and gazed at the spot where the Duchess of Carlisle had been. She opened her mouth to see that she was gone.

 

“Oh, the Duchess of Carlisle has disappeared!”

 

“She disappeared?”

 

“It was a golden opportunity to talk… This is why she shouldn’t drag her feet.”

 

At that time, Lady Stella Belle seemed excited and walked to one side of her banquet hall.

 

“Oh my goodness, I just met the Duchess of Carlisle, and I was amazed at how pretty she was!”

 

Lady Stella Belle spoke to everyone with a blush on her pale face. She was so lively that it was hard to believe that she was someone who had been recuperating not long ago. Marquis Celestine smiled and she told everyone:

 

“As pretty as she is, she also sings well. I was invited to a tea party held on Carlisle Street the other day. Then the Duchess sang it to her piano accompaniment, and it was amazing.”

 

“Oh my, look over there.”

 

Stella interrupted Marchioness Celestine and pointed somewhere behind her. Sibelom was leaving through the door leading to the rose garden, and the Lady of Baron Rassendyll was following behind. Stella clicked her tongue and said.

 

“The Lady of Lassen Dille’s ambition to become the wife of Duke Sibelom has not gone away. It’s been a while since she visited the social scene, but nothing seems to have changed.”

 

“Why not? I think the Duke and Duchess of Carlisle have changed the most.”

 

“Those two are the center of social gossip right now.”

 

The noble ladies tried to cover their excited faces with fans. At that time, there was another man who stole their attention. He was Pervin, who was asking his servant about Irwen’s whereabouts.

 

“Do you know where my wife went?”

 

“It looked like she was heading to the garden earlier.”

 

“By garden, do you mean the rose garden?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Our paths diverged. I understand.”

 

Pervin suddenly turned around, opened the door, and went out. It was the door leading to the rose garden. Stella saw this and muttered as if she was interested.

 

“Hoo. You have the same personality of focusing on one thing, right?”

 

Knowing that Pervin had been busy raising kittens since he was young, Stella watched him with interest. Of course, the result seems a little different this time… That intensity too. 

 

* * *

 

She walked as far as her feet could take her. Anyway, it was easy to find the way back to the banquet hall because of the flashing lights and loud music. Before I knew it, I had reached a garden full of roses. The red roses blooming in the bushes fluttered as if tempting me. The moment when you try to feel the atmosphere alone in a beautiful garden. Strange groaning sounds were heard nearby. When I couldn’t believe my ears and looked around, I witnessed a shocking scene. Young men and women who had not been seen in the banquet hall were here and engaged in lovemaking. This place, with thighs being stroked and lips biting and sucking, was similar to a harem. I grabbed my burning face and quickly turned to leave. I ran out of the garden full of roses and into the corridor next to her. Perhaps because of the lovers’ secret love affair, the corridor was very dark without any lights. There were pots filled with fresh plants here and there, or vines falling down from above. I was just thinking about getting out quickly. As I was walking along the edge of the corridor towards the lights of the banquet hall, someone pulled my clothes from behind. As I tried to take a step back, my back hit the cold wall, and a large shadow loomed over me. The place I looked up with frightened eyes. There, Pervin’s darkened eyes were looking down at me. He looked down at me and gasped in a breathless voice.

 

“You come to a place like this without fear? And that too alone?”

 

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