Chapter 3
Doyul was currently in a very awkward situation.
First of all, what made him uncomfortable was the way he addressed his partner.
Since they had gone through the wedding ceremony, it was technically correct to call Yerin ‘wife’.
But…
‘The term of endearment just doesn’t come out of my mouth.’
Well, that’s because it wasn’t a wedding they willingly went through.
He didn’t have the affection to call his forced wife ‘wife’.
And the second problem that tormented him was…
“Sigh.”
Doyul let out a long sigh and looked at Yerin with narrowed eyes.
“Yerin, soldier.”
“…”
“Yerin, soldier!”
After calling her name several times, Yerin finally turned to Doyul with a seemingly tough face.
“You called, Your Highness.”
“…Are you okay?”
“Of course I’m okay. I’m perfectly fine. You suspect that I’m in a fragile state of mind, Your Highness? Well, do you have to hold your feet up to see ahead? It must be very inconvenient for you.”
…It doesn’t seem okay at all.
‘No, how can someone get so drunk from just one drink?’
His head was throbbing, and without realizing it, Doyul touched his forehead.
But Yerin continued to speak calmly, without even raising an eyebrow, and laid out logical-sounding words.
“I’m saying, I’m not someone who gives in to alcohol. When I was around, it was a rule to empty a bottle of liquor while sitting. Without even realizing how amazing I was. But now I’m falling for something so small…”
Listening to her words that shot out like bullets, Doyul became a little dazed.
What kind of old man-like saying is ‘When I was around~’?
Emptying a bottle of liquor while sitting, what kind of ridiculous show-off is that?
And on top of that.
“What? I’m still falling for something so small?”
Somehow, Doyul narrowed his eyes and looked at Yerin with a choked-up feeling.
“The soldier who speaks like that is only twelve years old, aren’t you?”
I’m three years older than you!
But then, Yerin raised her head and smiled brightly.
“Oh gosh, is that so?”
“…”
“Well, that could be true. This lady totally understands. When you’re at the baby age, even a three-year age difference feels like a huge gap. Oooh, even this great and amazing me, when I was a kid, I couldn’t even move a muscle in front of someone two years older than me.”
…She’s even letting out words like that.
Excuse me, did you say we’re the same age?
You’re only twelve, and you’re three years younger than me?
No matter how much you age, you can never be my peer for life!
And even if you disregard all of that.
“…Don’t treat me like a little child.”
“Huh?”
Yerin tilted her head curiously.
Doyul clenched his fists tightly, his face turning red as he defended himself.
“I, even if you look at me like this, am the prince of the Northern Ice Palace!”
“The prince of the… Northern Ice Palace?”
“I don’t expect you to treat me like a prince, but at least refrain from treating me like a little child!”
In fact, Doyul also knew.
That it was quite childish to get upset over someone who’s drunk.
But what could he do?
No matter what, he couldn’t stand being called a baby!
But then, Yerin stumbled as she stood up.
“Yeah, you!”
And then, she raised her hand and smacked Doyul’s shoulder.
“Because I’m the prince of the Northern Ice Palace, that’s why I’m acting like this!!”
“…Soldier?”
“Yeah? There is the Northern Ice Palace… How much… How much of my life did I dedicate…”
Yerin’s voice slowly faded away as she lowered her head.
Seems like sleep is taking over.
Doyul narrowed his eyes.
“She said something about dedicating her whole life…”
But Yerin had always stayed modest within the boundaries of the Four Heavenly Gates.
What does she have to do with the Northern Ice Palace?
As he pondered for a moment, he tilted his head.
“At most, it’s just drunken rambling. What’s the point of taking it seriously?”
Instead, the priority was to somehow deal with this drunkard.
“…Alright, I understand. I understand, so please just stop and at least lie down.”
“Oh my goodness.”
At that moment, Yerin, who was half-dozing, opened her eyes wide.
She glared at him, her expression serious.
“Did you just tell me to shut up?”
Shut up… what?
Doyul’s eyes widened in surprise.
Of course, Doyul, as the only prince of the Northern Ice Palace, had grown up modestly in his own way.
Honestly, he had never heard such harsh words before.
“How can you say that? You, you little brat, don’t you know how to cherish and love others? Acting so immaturely despite being so young!”
But Yerin’s words weren’t over yet.
Yerin, who stood up unsteadily, placed her hands on her hips and shouted confidently at Doyul.
“I won’t stand for it, I have to scold that foul mouth of yours!”
“Huh, scold me?”
“Yeah! I’m gonna teach you a lesson!”
Yerin faithfully kept her word.
She started waving her hand, only an inch away from Doyul’s lips.
“Wait, hold on! Soldier!!”
Doyul panicked and tried to stop Yerin.
Just by looking at her, it was clear that Yerin was completely drunk.
“What if she falls over or something?”
Unable to overcome those concerns, Doyul reached out and gently grabbed Yerin’s shoulder.
At the same time, his eyes widened slightly.
“What’s this?”
Because of the multiple layers of wedding attire, he hadn’t noticed before, but her body underneath was incredibly thin.
No, saying thin was too limited of an expression.
To be precise…
“She’s nothing but bones.”
It was as if she couldn’t even afford a bowl of rice.
Doyul struggled to compose his surprised expression.
“Why is she suddenly crying?!”
Did she hurt herself when she fell?
But the wedding attire was so thick, she probably didn’t get seriously hurt, right?!
In a panic, Doyul asked Yerin.
“Are you hurt anywhere? Should I call a doctor?”
“It’s heavy.”
Yerin’s voice choked with tears.
“My head feels heavy.”
Doyul examined Yerin’s appearance once again.
A beautiful but heavy headpiece adorned with various jewels and accessories.
And a fragile neck supporting that headpiece.
“If she asked me to wear that headpiece, I wouldn’t even be able to lift my head properly.”
But Yerin, with the headpiece and wedding attire on, didn’t even blink.
At that moment, Yerin whimpered again.
“It hurts.”
“Where does it hurt?”
“My head.”
Yerin looked up at Doyul with teary eyes.
“I was hit by a comb. It hurts.”
“You were hit?”
In an instant, Doyul’s face hardened.
“Who dares to hit Yerin, a soldier?”
“I moved while combing my hair, and it caused a problem…”
From what he guessed, there seemed to be a bump where she was hit by the comb.
The heavy headpiece pressed against the bump, causing it to itch.
Yerin bit her lip until it bled.
“Ugh, it’s frustrating.”
They say when the body feels heavy, so does the heart, and it seemed to be true.
Tears streamed down her face once again.
After pondering her sorrow for a while, Yerin impulsively spoke up.
“Don’t hate me too much.”
“Yerin, soldier.”
“I… I didn’t really want to marry you.”
With that, Yerin staggered once again.
It must be the dizzying effects of the alcohol.
“Soldier!”
Doyul, taken aback, reached out his arms to support her.
At the same time, Yerin, unable to control her body, collapsed into Doyul’s embrace.
“What do I do?”
Doyul froze in place, stiff as a board.
Before he knew it, he found himself holding her tightly.
But…
“Still, I’m sorry for forcing you into this marriage…”
As Yerin tried to suppress her crying, she whispered softly.
He couldn’t ignore even her suppressed voice…
“…”
Doyul hesitated for a moment, then lifted his hand to gently pat Yerin’s back.
Her back was so small and delicate.
Even though he knew there was no need to sympathize with the woman from the Four Gates, a martial arts sect.
…Doyul couldn’t help but feel a pang in his heart.
Suppressing his complicated emotions, Doyul looked down at the girl lying curled up on the bed.
She seemed to be deeply asleep, with only the sound of her faint breathing coming from her lips.
Tears stained her pale face.
Her appearance was strangely bothersome.
“…Dang Yerin.”
Doyul softly called out the girl’s name.
The union of the Four Gates, one of the four major factions, and the leader of the North Sea Ice Palace, the New Outer Martial World.
But no one, not even the bride’s father, attended this wedding ceremony.
Only a document proving the marriage was sent in place of their presence.
Just by looking at that fact…
“I guess it’s true that Yerin is also a lady who receives mistreatment within the bride’s family.”
As the saying goes, there’s no smoke without fire, so it seems that Yerin is indeed being treated as a servant within her family.
But then, Yerin tossed and turned, acting mischievous in her sleep.
How cute. Thanks translator!