I Became the Obsessive Male Lead’s Ex-Wife

By the time he had prepared all the gifts for Duke Lilias, the day for him to return to the Duchy of Verma was just around the corner. Gifts for him included handkerchiefs I had embroidered over the past few weeks, baby clothes I had picked out myself a few days ago, and more. The emperor held a ball at the imperial palace to serve as his farewell party. Today again, I arrived at the imperial palace wearing a dress specially made by Madame Bertin. Duke Lilias was standing next to me. Originally, Pervin was supposed to stand next to me, but as we were parting ways, Duke Lilias made a heartbreaking request to escort his sister. I held Duke Lilia’s cold hand and whispered to him as I entered.

 

“I should have been nice to you since it’s been so long since you came, but I’m sorry I couldn’t do that.”

 

“What do you have to be sorry about, Irwen? I got a lot of really useful information here, and I also bought a lot of gifts for Emily.”

 

“Is it so? I also bought some gifts for my step-sister. I’ll give it to you later before I leave.”

 

“As expected, Irwen, you are still kind. Emily will love it too.”

 

Duke Lilias looked at me cutely and stroked his head. It feels good when someone looks at me with loving eyes. For some reason, my whole body felt tickled by his warm eyes. Today, her long, luscious black hair was loose, and it swayed gently under his touch. And then. Duke Lilias, who was looking over there, grinned as if it was amusing. I didn’t know that Pervin was in his field of vision, glaring at him from afar. No, I knew, but I pretended not to know. Because I felt like I was melting under his hot eyes.

 

“When did you so generously allow me to sit next to you, and how can you hold back your anger like that?”

 

“Who?”

 

A low laugh came back at my question, which I shamelessly asked even though I knew who he was talking about.

 

“Why are you asking if you know? The entire empire knows that your husband is the most jealous in the world.”

 

“Hmph.”

 

As I smiled awkwardly, Duke Lilias grabbed my hand.

 

“Now, shall we go to the center and dance? You tend to step on my toes in Verma, I don’t know if you’ll be okay. Even if Count Rune taught me that way, my dancing didn’t improve.”

 

If it was Count Rune, he was the young tutor who taught Irwen during her time as Princess Verma. Putting aside the familiar name, I smiled confidently.

 

“I’m good at dancing, brother.”

 

“Okay? It looks like you’ve put in a lot of effort.”

 

As the orchestra began an elegant waltz, I held Duke Lilias’ hand and walked to the center. After spinning around in circles, my waist was held in his hands. The sounds of people whispering around me passed my ears.

 

“How can those two be such good-looking men and women? Are all members of the Lilias family so full of elegance?”

 

“At first glance, there isn’t much similarity, so it just seems like an ordinary man-woman relationship.”

 

“Hey! Even though you two have the same father, you are still siblings, half-siblings.”

 

“I know, I know… It’s because you two get along so well.”

 

I danced hand in hand with Duke Lilias and looked at Pervin with my eyes. The emperor’s words that he only drank alcohol against the wall during the cold war with Irwen in the past seemed to be true. He was standing against the wall with a glass of wine in his hand. Countless young ladies approached him. The Lady of Baron Lassendyll pressed her breasts against him, wearing a dress that revealed almost all of his chest. The other ladies also approached him either shyly, boldly, or politely. Lady Stella Belle, wearing a cute light green dress, also approached him with a kind smile. But Pervin turned them all down with an expressionless expression. She sipped from her drink in her hand and just stared at one person. All he had in his sights was me. He stared at me with eyes full of intense obsession, as if I was the only woman left in the world. I swallowed nervously… I had no idea that the needle would have entered the trachea.

 

“Cough!”

 

“Why are you doing this, Irwen?”

 

I was dancing well, but then my dry saree got caught. He hastily covered his face with his left hand, which held Duke Lilias’ shoulder. However, the story did not stop. We quickly finished the dance. Duke Lilias patted my back as if he was worried and stepped aside. Because we left the dance and asked for their understanding, everyone’s eyes were on us. Marchioness Celestine, who was dancing excitedly with her husband, suddenly stopped dancing and approached me.

 

“Are you okay, Duchess?”

 

It was too burdensome for her to stop dancing and come to me, so I threw up my hand.

 

“Fine… Wow.”

 

The constant talk eventually made me nauseous. Someone brought me water, but even though I wanted to drink it, I couldn’t because my throat was sore. At that time, I was hiding in a corner, supported by Marquis Celestine and Duke Lilia. Before I knew it, Pervin came next to me and looked at my face. His calm face seemed to collapse for a moment and turned pale, and he turned his back to me.

 

“Pick up, Irwen. I’m going to the office.”

 

“I can walk.”

 

“Don’t be stubborn for no reason.”

 

With Pervin’s face looking like it was about to collapse at any moment, I ended up riding on his back. Pervin quickly conveyed what he had to say to Duke Lilias.

 

“Please tell His Majesty that Irwen is unwell for a moment and that I am taking her to her office.”

 

“I understand. Then come out when it’s okay. Irwen, rest in peace, don’t worry about me.”

 

Pervin hurriedly ran away with me giggling. Eventually, I arrived at his office, which was filled with the scent of lily of the valley, and lay down on his cot. He, who usually has a high fever and doesn’t cover himself with blankets, covered me with a cleanly washed blanket. Even when I lay down, the nausea continued. He laid me down and asked me as if he was worried.

 

“Are you okay, Irwen? What happened?”

 

“I’m fin… Cough!”

 

Every time I try to say fine, I start coughing and gagging.

 

“I’ll bring water first.”

 

I got up and tried to calm down. It seemed like the ongoing stress had calmed down a little. But it still felt uncomfortable, as if something was stuck in my throat. I drank the water Pervin gave me and took a deep breath.

 

“Whoa…”

 

Pervin’s worried green eyes stared at me.

 

“How is it? Are you okay?”

 

“Yes, probably.”

 

As I quickly finished the glass of water, he asked me softly.

 

“Would you like another drink?”

 

“No, it’s okay.”

 

I got up and tried to go outside. However, he placed a soft cushion on my back and prevented me from leaving.

 

“Rest like this for a while. I guess the air is bad over there.”

 

“I see your brother is alone outside.”

 

“Your Majesty will treat you well. So don’t worry about that, just get some rest for now. Even for 10 minutes.”

 

He pulled a chair next to me and looked at me as if watching me. I sighed and nodded. But Pervin’s face, who was staring at me, became increasingly pale, and his eyes became so bloodshot that I thought he was not sick anymore. He sighed and washed his face dry.

 

“Ha…”

 

I immediately woke up to the voice filled with all the worries in the world. He seemed out of breath and his face turned red. I took a deep breath and washed my face several times, but it wasn’t enough. He was obviously healthy when he left the mansion, but now he looked sick. Seeing his pain made my heart speed up as well.

 

“Pervin, aren’t you sick, not me?”

 

“No, you lie down.”

 

“I’m really feeling better, so you come here and lie down.”

 

“I’m not okay.”

 

He suddenly leaned down and buried his face on my thigh.

 

“Please stay like this for a moment, Irwen. for a moment.”

 

I heard his sorrowful voice for the first time. He seemed to be holding back his tears, desperately clinging to me. I had no choice but to remain still. He buried his face in my thigh and made no movement. It was my first time seeing him this weak, so I was embarrassed. So the moment he wrapped his arms around my waist as I leaned against the cushion with his free hands, I had no choice but to let him. Even though I noticed that his voice was full of deep obsession. He hung on to me for a while. I looked at his face to see if he had calmed down.

 

“Pervin? Are you feeling better now?”

 

“…”

 

He didn’t say anything, but judging by the bright red behind his ears, it was clear that he was emotionally upset. Are you embarrassed? I asked him as gently as I could.

 

“Pervin, why are you like this? If something hurts, let me know.”

 

Silence that lasts for a long time. Pervin seemed to hesitate, without raising his face. After waiting for a while, he raised his head and whispered in a low voice.

 

“Do you know that my mother died shortly after giving birth to me?”

 

Why are you talking like this all of a sudden? Pervin stared at me with moist eyes like Puss in Boots, so I just nodded.

 

“I’ve heard of it.”

 

Pervin muttered as if he was sighing.

 

“Once upon a time, my mother said that she passed away suddenly. She seemed to be fine, but she suddenly took a turn for the worse and passed away within a day.”

 

“Ah…”

 

Did he perhaps look at me and think of his mother? Pervin whispered to me, clearing his throat as if he was holding back his emotions.

 

“If you are sick, tell me immediately. Don’t wait and make it worse. You’ve collapsed once before. You don’t know how surprised I was at that time.”

 

“Pervin, I…”

 

He pressed his face into my arms and mumbled. His heart ached at the sight of his weakness for the first time.

 

“You shouldn’t die like my mother, you shouldn’t go on in vain like that…”

 

As I listened to his sorrowful voice, the part about Irwen in the original novel came to mind. – At that time when everyone was afraid of the Duchess and couldn’t say anything. carlisle

Only the duke cooed and said he was glad he didn’t die. For the last four years of her marriage, she had thought only that Pervin Carlisle had grown tired of her awful behavior by Irwen Lillias and had disliked her, but it occurred to her that that may not have been the case. In the original work, there was no hint or nuance that Per Vin liked Irwen, so it was new to hear him say that she had always cared about me. I looked at Pervin’s watery green eyes. His eyes, which were always in a defensive posture or hiding something from me, were showing transparent sincerity. Only then did I remember what Madam Tilly had told me about Pervin’s past.

 

-Our master is also a very pitiful person. From the day the previous Duchess gave birth to my master, her condition rapidly worsened and she passed away. What is that damn puerperal fever? …If he had been alive, he was a gentle person who would have truly cared for his master and his wife. No matter how good the people around me are, I can only do it like my mom.

 

It was unexpected. How could Pervin look so weak? Was it because he was the emperor’s right-hand man and has the strength to do anything for the empire? It was my first time knowing that he could be this weak. His broad back looked somewhat pitiful. Without realizing it, I wanted to comfort him. I mumbled, stroking his head.

 

“Don’t worry, Pervin. I won’t leave you without a word.”

 

“Okay?”

 

Pervin adjusted his posture and came into my arms. The soft platinum feet on his shoulders tickled gently.

 

“Don’t go back on that word, Irwen.”

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, the nobles outside were blooming with stories about the Duchess of Carlisle. In particular, noble ladies who were interested in the Duchess of Carlisle were even more enthusiastic.

 

“Oh my god, I think I’m starting to get morning sickness already!”

 

“Wasn’t the saree caught?”

 

“No, I definitely saw you gagging.”

 

“Countess Onorin has such poor eyesight that I once mistaken her for someone else. Didn’t she mistake yawning for nausea?”

 

“Ha… Still, I can tell the difference between nausea and just yawning. And I have really good eyesight at times like this.”

 

“I said it was morning sickness, and I said it was because I was embarrassed about morning sickness.”

 

Before I knew it, my anxiety had long since degenerated into morning sickness. They started a heated discussion among themselves.

 

“What are you talking about? It hasn’t been long since we merged. It’s been less than two months since the elders of the Carlisle family went to the temple and received good luck.”

 

“Is there a law that says married couples can only sleep together on annexation days? Countess Honorin, don’t you know the truth that you two went on a trip and suddenly had a child?”

 

“Hmm. That’s right. Isn’t that what you normally do when you feel like you’re on the same page?”

 

At that time, an elderly lady intervened as if telling a bomb secret.

 

“Actually, a few days ago, I met the Duchess of Carlisle at a clothing store selling baby clothes.”

 

“No, really?”

 

“I even recommended it. It was really lovely to see how engrossed she was in choosing baby clothes.”

 

“It looks like you’re preparing baby supplies, so that’s correct.”

 

“What did I say, you’re definitely pregnant.”

 

The noble ladies have already reached a conclusion among themselves.

 

“I guess it happened in one shot.”

 

* * *

 

After resting for a while, I came out with Pervin. As I entered the crowded ballroom, I saw the emperor desperately calling for Pervin, as if he had been waiting for him. Pervin seemed to hesitate while looking at me, so I gave him a gentle push on the back.

 

“It’ll be okay. Look at your work. “I will stay with you.”

 

“But…”

 

I put two fingers on Per Vin’s lips.

 

“You don’t trust me?”

 

Although he opened his eyes sharply, he obediently gave in to my will.

 

“Okay. If you feel unwell, call me immediately.”

 

Pervin continued to pay attention to me and left for the emperor far away. As I was looking at the sturdy back for a while, someone tapped me.

 

“My Lady Irwen, what is this? I am finally seeing you.”

 

Sibel Rom was standing next to me, flipping her silver hair. The way he flicks his tongue seems like he’s trying to look deadly, but what should he do? To me, it looks disgusting, like a snake flicking its tongue.

 

“You look bad, but I will cheer you up with an interesting story. How about you, would you come right into my arms? No, I think it would be natural for us to lighten the mood with a drink first.”

 

My physical condition, which had been improving, seemed to have worsened again due to Cybelom, so I quickly backed away.

 

“No, it’s okay.”

 

“No, it’s because I’m not okay. Lady Irwen, if you need help, it’s a virtue to get help from a man like me. Come on, come on.”

 

Just as he was trying to gently take my hand, he slapped his hand weakly and said, It was a way to shake his head in his own way to shake him off.

 

“Then I think it would be a good idea to have a drink and talk. I’m not feeling well right now, so if you bring it…”

 

As I understood, Sibelom had no choice but to leave to look for alcohol when he couldn’t see any attendant carrying alcohol even after looking around. He asked me to stay here, but is that possible? His face became contemplative and I tried to hide somewhere, but someone grabbed my hand from the curtain next to me.

 

“Oh!”

 

“Shh. That damn shoe… Why is Duke Sibelom like that?”

 

Duke Lilias managed to drag me out to the balcony. I quickly thanked him.

 

“Thank you, brother.”

 

He quickly closed the curtains and excused himself awkwardly.

 

“There were so many noble ladies coming in, so I got tired without even realizing it, so I evacuated here. Is it Rassendyll? The Lady of Baron Rassendyll said I was married, and she said it a hundred times, but she wanted me to be her true love. Young Ani, who has a truly unique mental world, you had better be careful in the future.”

 

“Thank you for the advice, brother.”

 

“Anyway, there are all kinds of people, right?”

 

“Ahaha…”

 

We laughed awkwardly and looked at the night sky for a while. It was quiet, but comfortable silence. There was just a quiet sadness in knowing that he would soon be returning to Verma. At that time, something suddenly occurred to me.

 

“Brother, didn’t Pervin and I write a contract before we got married?”

 

“Contract?”

 

“Ours is not an ordinary love marriage, nor is it a marriage between noble families, but rather has a stronger diplomatic purpose between countries. So, I was wondering if they didn’t have a contract or something written down.”

 

Duke Lilias nodded his head as if he understood and then asked as if it was amusing.

 

“Oh, are you curious about how much you get paid when you give birth to an heir? As far as I know, I heard that if you give birth to an heir, you can secure a share. Of course, if you can’t have a child, you get a villa and break up after a year.”

 

No, I’m not curious about how much I’ll get if I give birth to an heir… But I was curious so I decided to ask more.

 

“If I have a child, will I get a villa?”

 

“What’s a villa? It’s probably the most fertile territory in the Theresia Empire, and you’ll be provided with the necessary household items and employees. The Carlisle family must have a lot of wealth. And the most important thing is this.”

 

Duke Lilias looked around him and whispered in my ear:

 

“If you give birth to a son, that child will become the likely successor to the throne. Of course, this is assuming that Duke Sibelom does not have a son. Your position as the mother of the heir to the throne is considerable. The current empress has given birth to only her daughters in succession, and the emperor has no intention of having a new empress.”

 

The unexpected presence of my ‘child’. I was amazed. Even in the original novel, the emperor clearly failed to have a son, and Sibelom succeeded him. In the original, Stella, who was married to Pervin, was unable to conceive a child due to her weak body. The Carlisle family is the lineage of the royal family, so in this situation where the royal family only has daughters, Pervin’s son will eventually become the heir to the throne. wait for a sec… So what about Pervin?

 

“Pervin is also the head of the Carlyle family. The Carlyle family is related by blood to the royal family. Doesn’t he become the heir to the throne?”

 

“Oh my, Irwen. Now that I see it, are you interested in that?”

 

I shrugged wordlessly. Duke Lilias spoke quietly.

 

“The Duke of Carlisle does not covet that position. However, it would be different if his child succeeded to the throne. Also, it doesn’t seem like he will have just one child. Rather, you need to be careful with Sibelom. Duke Sibelom is the first heir to the throne. The fact that he has been coveting you even before marriage is proof that he also covets the right to rule over our Verma.”

 

“I don’t understand, brother. What does my marriage have to do with Verma’s sovereignty?”

 

“Don’t deliberately pretend not to know, Irwen. We all know this, but what?”

 

I faced Duke Lilias’ bitter expression.

 

“I don’t know if my wife, Emily, gives birth to a son this time, but if she gives birth to a daughter this time, that child will be excluded from the heir to the duchy. And, the son you give birth to will be the heir to the Verma Principality. That’s why there were so many men who coveted you. That Cheval… Including Duke Sibelom.”

 

The story seemed to only flow in the direction of succession, so I ended up asking what I was really curious about.

 

“Is there a clause that says Pervin and I must divorce after five years, when the contractual marriage period ends?”

 

“No? There was nothing like that.”

 

Fortunately, there was no such clause. As I let out a sigh of relief, Duke Lilias quietly asked me a question from next to me.

 

“Are you worried that you might not have children by then, or that you might get divorced? I don’t think so, Irwen. I’ve been watching you couple all this time, and you’re both young and Geumseul is nice. “Lord Carlisle, in particular, is very attached to you, so it’s even more strange that it doesn’t happen.”

 

“Yes?”

 

Duke Lilias gave me a somewhat expectant look.

 

“Is there any good news you’re hiding?”

 

* * *

 

Before we knew it, the prom was over. It was a ball that started happily but ended in a strange atmosphere. When Duke Lilias asked me if I had any good news, I found it a bit strange that the ladies were paying special attention to me, telling me not to dance too hard, smiling shyly, etc. Duke Lilias was very happy to receive the gift I prepared. It was heartbreaking to see him so moved by the strange, ugly embroidered handkerchief. He soon came to his senses and spoke to Pervin.

 

“I will invite you to Verma soon, so come with Irwen then. My wife is about to give birth, and if it is her daughter she would like Irwen to be her godmother, and if it is her son she would like to ask you to be her godfather. Is that okay?”

 

Duke Lilias looked at Pervin and me alternately. He looked so desperate that he would cry on the spot if I didn’t accept it, so I quickly nodded. And next to him, Pervin nodded curtly.

 

“It is an honour. “If you invite me, I will gladly go with courtesy.”

 

“It’s better if it comes with new life.”

 

“Yes?”

 

Pervin gave her an incomprehensible look and then looked at me. Duke Lilia asked me, saying he heard about it from noble ladies around him.

 

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