I Became the Obsessive Male Lead’s Ex-Wife

“Count Rune?”

Who was it? Count Rune? Was there a name like that in the original? I searched my memory and tried my best to remember who he was. The workers next to me suddenly seemed anxious. So much so that even I feel anxious.

“I’ll go down first.”

“No, ma’am!”

Mrs. Tilly begged, holding my arm as I left.

“Please, ma’am, I don’t think you need to greet that man in person. I feel uneasy about welcoming my wife alone in this yard where there is no owner.”

Marianne also added a word from next to her.

“Even if you have lost your past memories, I cannot rest assured.”

She also seemed somewhat uneasy because she was also breaking out in a cold sweat. Who on earth is this man called Count Rune, and why is everyone preventing me from meeting him?

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Then tell me honestly. Count Rune? Do I have anything to do with that man?”

Everyone rolled their eyes nervously at my question. Of course, I was unaware of the war-like telepathy they were exchanging inside.

‘Can I say this? What if I say this and my wife gets cheated on me?’

‘But you still have to say it! What if I hide it from my wife?’

‘Wouldn’t it be okay since you lost your memory?’

‘Emotions are what bring back memories that never existed, you idiots. You shouldn’t have brought that Count in at all!’

That time when they were having a silent fight.

“Is there anyone here?”

A soft male voice came from below. I gave orders to Madam Tilly and Marianne.

“I need to meet you first. You two follow me.”

As I hurried downstairs, a slender man stood there, taking off his hat. A man with light grey-purple hair that falls softly. It’s a different kind of beauty from Pervin’s breathtaking good looks. It felt as if a watercolor painting had appeared in front of me. A handsome man with a completely unrealistic sculptural appearance pursed his thin lips. He looked at me for a long time. It was impossible to read his emotions because they were a mixture of awe, affection, and affection. He looked at me and got down on his knees.

“How have you been, Your Highness Princess Lilia?”

I heard Mrs. Tilly, who had seen this, whispering to Mary Anne next to her.

“What does a princess mean to someone who is married?”

“So, my lady is the Duke and Duchess of Carlisle.”

I stepped forward with an uneasy feeling.

“Could you say your name again?”

Even though he was introduced as Count Rune, he had to check again. Who is it that calls me Princess Lilia, by my maiden name? A slim man strides in front of me. A face as white as snow falling in the middle of winter, and soft grey-purple hair that fell over the forehead as if a cloud was hanging over it. He knelt in front of me, his clear blue eyes sparkling.

“I couldn’t hide my joy at seeing you after so long, Duchess. Shin Ibelin Rune has returned as ambassador to the Principality of Verma.”

“…Ibelin?”

As soon as he heard the name, his heart started pounding like crazy. Why are you running? I tried my best to calm his heart, but it wasn’t enough. When her eyes met his, her heart pounded even more. It was as if a large stone had been dropped into a quiet pond. My heart, which had been filled with Pervin, changed thanks to Ibelin.

“Do you remember me? As expected, you say so! The Lord was worried that his wife might have lost her memory, but it was unfounded. There is no way you won’t remember me.”

He looked at me earnestly and kissed the back of my hand.

My face felt hot. I remembered who he was. This was an inexplicable longing that my body remembered. Ibelin Rune, the youngest son of the family that contributed to the founding of the Verma Principality. After discovering Irwen, who was her maid, he was the one who trained her to be the perfect princess. He was Irwen’s only tutor and only teacher. I could feel a deep longing in his sweetly smiling eyes. Even in the soft voice that flows from his mouth.

“Finally, I get to meet my one and only lady.”

For a while, Ibelin and I stared at each other. I had a confused look, and he had a desperate look. Because of his desperation to hold my gaze, I couldn’t open my mouth. My heart is pounding, and Ibelin in front of me looks at me with tearful eyes. She had a lot to ask, but she had to be careful. The relationship between Irwen and Ibelin was briefly explained in the original work. It is said that it was Irwen Rune who found Irwen buried in her grave and trained her to be the perfect princess. I couldn’t guess what kind of emotions were going on between them. But one thing is clear.

“Miss.”

Ibelin’s warm voice, as if she was expecting something from me, tickled me. I can feel my body getting warm from those kind eyes looking at me. What fills his eyes is warmth, fondness, and affection. I think it’s similar to the way Pervin looked at me when I just woke up. But now, receiving this look from Ibelin, I was so embarrassed. I already gave everything to Pervin, but my heart has been stolen by Pervin a long time ago. But Ibelin, what are you expecting from me? Ibelin’s expression changed very slightly at my continued silence. As he let go of his hand and pulled away from me, his pale face became even whiter.

“You seem a lot different than before, miss. When I was at Duke Lilia’s residence, he always welcomed me warmly…”

Ibelin looked at me with strange eyes. Yes, I felt only affection from him. What kind of feelings did Irwen share with him in the past? It breaks my heart to see him. I bit my lip. 

* * *

Ibelin was embarrassed to see Irwen not welcoming her. Even if she didn’t greet her with joy, she knew that at least she could see the old warmth in those eyes.

“You don’t have to rush around for me anymore, Ibelin. I will do it somehow on my own.”

Immediately after her wedding, her lady had said to her Ibelin that she would do her best to save her. The young lady must have said that to avoid worrying herself. Irwen’s eyes as she stared at him were full of confusion and worry about being married to an enemy general as a princess of a defeated country. And until just a few months ago, Lady Irwen was always the source of trouble in her four-year marriage to the Duke of Carlisle. That’s why she couldn’t believe it. Recently, there was news from Theresia about the Duke and Duchess of Carlisle’s gold thread, intelligence that a new life was likely to be born, and confident information about how much the Duke of Carlisle was courting his wife. So she had to check for herself. And after her wedding, the girl he met for the first time was quite different from what he expected. Black hair as beautiful as the night sky, a slender body, and transparent walls. It was really lively. It was different from the time when she was in trouble at Verma after her marriage to the Duke of Carlisle was decided. What happened to this vibrant beauty? The young lady clearly didn’t want to come here. She hated that guy, hated him. There is no way you could be this vibrant. Or, are you acting? Are you receiving threats from people around you? Ivelyn looked around her, ignoring the fact that her own head was swaying more with excessive emotion than with her reason. I saw her familiar face. The woman next to her, Mrs. Tilly, who served her, was a middle-aged woman who was also present at her wedding. Seeing the servant who had devoted her life to the Duke of Carlisle for generations clinging to her side, all kinds of thoughts ran through Ibelin’s mind. Yes, the young lady is obviously under surveillance at the Duke of Carlisle’s residence, so that’s probably why she’s acting like she’s okay. But that doesn’t answer why the eyes looking at me have become so dry. Behaviors that he did not understand bothered him. Verma welcomed him more than anyone else and was his one and only flower whom he worshiped. Irwen Lilias. At that time, Irwen’s voice, which seemed perplexing but cracked, reached his ears.

“Count Rune, you keep calling me ‘Miss.’ I wish you would stop doing that. I appreciate your sincerity, but although I was a princess in Verma, I am now a duchess and the wife of the Duke of Carlisle.”

Ibelin lifted her head. Ir Wen was looking at him with concern, her big eyes fixed on him. A gentle but determined expression. The young lady has definitely matured. It’s different from 4 years ago when he was shy while holding her hand at his first prom. The girl who fluttered his skirt and made him blush is no longer there. He only has the Duchess, who looks at him indifferently. She wasn’t the girl he remembered. Ibelin tried to calm her trembling lips. She wanted to ask one last question.

“Miss… Let me ask you one more thing. What the girl said to me in the backyard. Do you remember what we promised?”

From the side, Mrs. Tilly quickly informed Alfred.

‘Hurry and send a message to your master. Tell them he’s here, it’s an emergency.’

‘All right.’

Irwen took a step closer to him. She lowered her head slightly and blushed. He had an expression of embarrassment.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Irwen’s polite words pierced me like a dagger. I don’t know? You really don’t know? Her pale lips trembled. I could feel the hand she was holding tightly trembling. At that time, the words that Duke Lilias had told him in embarrassment lingered in his head.

-Irwen seems to have lost some of her memories. Maybe she doesn’t remember you either.

I didn’t want to admit it, I tried to deny it. Until he saw her, his eternal mistress, with his own eyes. She tried to see clearly with his own eyes. But I really didn’t think she would remember herself. It felt like the world was falling apart. What Duke Lilias said was true. How could you forget me, Irwen? He flopped down and fell to his knees.

“Ah…”

“Count Rune?”

Please don’t call me that. Please call me Ibelin like before. You are my eternal lady, my beloved… dump! He fell to the cold marble floor.

* * *

The more I continued talking with Ibelin, the more I became worried about him. It was clear that he was a man related to Irwen. That too, with deep emotions. The more I dealt with him, the more pale he became. The light disappeared from his face. Her eyes were already moist and ready to shed tears at any moment. Out of concern, he looked into his face and said,

“Count Rune?”

He suddenly fell to the ground. I reflexively held his head. He was in my arms, wheezing and breathing heavily. Mrs. Tilly looked at him and me in confusion.

“Madam, has Count Rune fainted now?”

“You fainted, Mrs. Tilly. So call a doctor right away, quickly!”

Since Alfred had gone away to send a message, Mrs. Tilly hurried to have another servant fetch the doctor. Meanwhile, I had a servant move Ibelin to the guest room. He was lying on a clean bed that the maids cleaned every day. My mind was disturbed for no reason. There was no sign of life coming back to his pale face. The features on his small face seemed lifeless. I sat next to him and looked at him. He was a very different man from the strong Pervin. The fragility, as if it would fly away if you blow on it, seemed to exude decadence. There were dark shadows under my eyes that I don’t know when they appeared.

“Ugh…”

He twisted his body slightly as if he was in pain. I touched his forehead. It was a fireball. I quickly called Marianne.

“Marianne, soak a towel in cold water and bring it!”

“Yes!”

When the wet towel arrived, I placed it on his forehead. My forehead gradually cooled. Ibelin’s expression relaxed, as if the pain had been slightly diluted. But he still had a sad expression. Dark eyelashes fluttered at the slightly lowered corners of the eyes. My eyelids trembled. at that time.

“Ma’am, did you call me? You have a patient?”

The person who came with a white beard was the duke’s exclusive doctor, Vandsh Doppari. I quickly left the place. Dr. Dompari examined Ibelin. He felt here and there, listened to his breathing with a stethoscope, and took his temperature. Then he whispered to me with a serious expression.

“Hey, ma’am, it would be nice to bite some people for a while.”

“Is this a disease name that other people should not hear?”

“Hmm… Maybe so.”

What on earth is a shameful disease that shouldn’t be told to others? Anyway, I decided to follow Mr. Dumpari’s words and send the others out. If I don’t send it out, I don’t think the next progress will go out.

“Let everyone go out and prepare dinner. And Mrs. Tilly, I would like you to prepare some soft porridge that is good for the sick. I think I need to send it off with a strong stomach.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to just let it go, ma’am? If you put it on a carriage and send it away, your people will take good care of it.”

Madame Tilly glared at Ibelin as if she were looking at an invincible enemy. Teacher Dompari saw her and gave her a stern warning.

“Lady Tilly, don’t you know that sending an unconscious person back to the count’s mansion would be an even bigger inconvenience to my wife? What will people think? The Duchess of Carlisle brought people to this point because she did not treat her guests well at all. “You never know what kind of nonsense might be created!”

“I was influenced by selfish thoughts and made a wrong decision. I will prepare a meal quickly.”

Even as she retreated, Mrs. Tilly did not lose her anxious expression. As soon as the door closed, Miss Paris took me away from the bed, and she whispered softly:

“This is a very malignant disease for which there is no cure, madam.”

“No, what on earth is it?”

“It’s lovesickness.”

The moment I heard those words, there was a sound of squirming in the bed. Teacher Paris nodded her head again, as if full of confidence.

“As expected, the onset of the disease was rapid as there was a history of it.”

I was so dumbfounded that I let out a laugh. I didn’t want to believe that I was lovesick. It may be a selfish thought, but these days, while I am living a happy life with Pervin, I feel burdened by the affection of another man.

“Mr. Dompari, you are talking nonsense. There is no way the Count would have felt that way toward me. He came to represent the principality, and he once did his best as my tutor.”

“Then how would you explain this, ma’am?”

Dr. Paris looked more confident than when she came to me to diagnose her pregnancy.

“All the symptoms the Count shows are indicative of lovesickness. Red cheeks, white lips, that significantly emaciated body, and most of all, that hot chest. Ma’am, I’m sorry, but please forgive my rudeness.”

Guided by Teacher Dumpari’s hand, I approached Ibelin. His chest was loose from the pressure on his heart. Dr. Doppari placed my hand on his collarbone, which was exposed white, and on his chest, which was slightly open during the examination. It was hot.

“Oh my, what is this!”

“The stirrings of the mind soon appear in the body. Since you don’t believe me, I’m going to show you myself. You can hide your thoughts, but you cannot hide your heart.”

A pounding sound that I can feel completely in my hands. The only thing beating in his corpse-pale body was his heart. As soon as I touched it, my heart pounded harder and faster, and my heart also fluttered. It was a strange feeling. And Ibelin’s face, which had fainted, also seemed to have changed mysteriously. His face, which was obviously expressionless, had changed into a sad face that looked like he was about to cry at any moment. Even though he closed his eyes, it seemed like tears were welling up in his transparent eyes. Perhaps reading his emotions, Teacher Dompari clicked his tongue and added.

“Ma’am, look at that. If that’s not lovesickness, what is? Even the clueless Alfred would think it was lovesick if he saw this.”

“That can’t be possible. He is my brother’s loyal servant, and I was once his servant, and now I am the Duke of Carlisle’s only wife.”

Am I the only one who wants to believe that I’m not lovesick? I shook Ibelin slightly.

“Count Rune, please stand up and explain yourself. Teacher Dumpari is saying something strange right now, isn’t he? The heart you have. Go ahead and say no!”

No matter how much I shook him, he wouldn’t wake up. His white lips simply opened and closed again and again. A look of unbearable shame overflowed from his rash face.

 

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Translator Note: