Chapter 4
“Uh-huh….”
Go-un Ami frowned deeply.
It seems like the heavy wedding dress and ceremonial attire are uncomfortable.
“Oh no.”
Doyul, who couldn’t stand it anymore, reached out his hand.
After taking off each piece of jewelry, he held the wedding dress and put it away.
“…Phew.”
Finally, the girl’s expression became more relaxed.
Doyul, who had been watching her with satisfaction, suddenly froze in place.
His gaze was fixed on Yerin’s forehead.
“Oh, earlier… she said her head hurts.”
Because she was hit by a comb.
It seems like that was true.
There was a small bump on top of Yerin’s head.
Doyul, who was biting his lip, reached out his hand and took off Yerin’s silk coat.
And then…
“Ha, really….”
A chilling voice came out of Doyul’s lips.
Under the fallen sleeve, a skinny and twisted arm, like a dry branch, was revealed.
The once pale arm, without a speck of dust, was now covered in bruises like a snake.
“….”
Doyul’s gaze sank coldly.
* * *
Chirp chirp chirp.
The sound of birds chirping loudly echoed.
The sun shining through my closed eyes tells me it’s probably morning.
Yerin furrowed her brows.
“Oh, I’m dying….”
Her head throbbed like someone was hammering on it.
To avoid the persistent sunlight that clung to her, Yerin pulled the blanket up to cover her head and curled up into a ball.
“It would be nice to sleep a little longer like this.”
The problem was the severe hangover and thirst.
Not only was her head pounding, but her parched throat was screaming for water.
“No, I can’t. I have to get up and have a drink of water.”
Yerin opened her bleary eyes.
Her blurry vision slowly regained focus.
She thought that if she fainted and woke up, she would be back in the cozy bedroom of the North Ice Palace.
But what she saw was still the old and dirty ceiling…
“….”
…This isn’t it?
In the room of a noble lady being punished, they wouldn’t have luxurious wallpaper with a golden pattern, right?
Then where is this?
At that moment, doubt filled Yerin’s mind.
The color drained from her face.
“Wait, what happened yesterday?”
Yerin frantically searched her mind.
Clearly, she had a wedding ceremony yesterday.
And at the end of the ceremony, they shared a cup of harmony wine.
“It’s just a little alcohol, it won’t affect me!”
She remembered confidently downing the harmony wine…
“Oh no, this is crazy!”
Yerin barely managed to swallow the curse words that were about to burst out.
She had gone on a long rant in front of Doyul, starting with “Back in my day~”.
She had burst into tears, feeling sorry for herself after being scolded, and had even thrown a tantrum, saying, “Did you think I wanted to marry you?!”
All of it vividly came rushing back to her mind!
“Oh no, I was a complete mess!”
The person who had managed to calm her down, amidst all the crying and chaos, was none other than Doyul.
The last thing she remembered was Doyul laying her down on the bed, looking at her with a complicated expression.
“Should I apologize first?”
As she pondered on what to do, feeling uncertain.
Suddenly, she felt a sense of unease and rolled her eyes.
“…Come to think of it, the room seems too quiet.”
Even if she wanted to apologize, the other person should be in the room, right?
While she was thinking about it.
“Maybe, just maybe, because of my embarrassing behavior yesterday, they got so angry that they left the room alone?!”
At the ominous speculation crossing her mind, Yerin felt her heart sink.
As if it wasn’t enough that she was destined to die in the hands of the male lead, did she have to set up this dead flag?!
No, that can’t happen!
Yerin, with a face that looked like she was about to faint, slowly peeked her head out from under the blanket.
And then.
“Are you awake?”
Yerin’s startled face met Doyul’s surprised expression.
“Ah!”
Yerin instinctively stepped back in shock.
Doyul stared at Yerin with a puzzled look.
“You don’t have to scream like that. I’m not going to eat you.”
Glancing at Doyul from the corner of her eye, Yerin tightly closed her eyes.
“…I feel like I’ve completely messed up.”
Considering how much she struggled last night, there were dark circles under Doyul’s eyes.
“Your Highness!”
I’ve committed a grave sin, so please spare my life!
With that sentiment, Yerin immediately bowed her head.
“I’m really sorry!”
What’s more important than my ancestors’ honor?
If things go as planned, this dislike will accumulate and my reputation will be ruined!
“Yerin Sojo.”
“No, I didn’t mean to do it on purpose! I had too much to drink last night and said some nonsense…”
As Yerin rambled on with her excuses, she couldn’t help but become teary-eyed.
Oh no, what should I do?!
“I won’t touch a drop of alcohol from now on. So please calm down…”
“I’m not angry.”
“Really? Of course, anyone would be furious… right?”
As Yerin poured out her apologies, she cautiously raised her head.
“I, I’m really not angry?”
“Why would I lie to you, Sojo?”
Oh, is that so?
Yerin cautiously observed Doyul’s reaction.
Well, it’s a relief if he’s not angry…
Luckily for her, Doyul had a nonchalant expression.
However, there was one uncomfortable thing.
“Why does he keep staring at me?”
Since he answered that he wasn’t angry, Doyul hadn’t taken his eyes off Yerin.
As if he had something to say.
“Um…”
In the end, Yerin, who had committed a crime and had her feet caught, cautiously spoke up.
“Do you have something to say, by any chance?”
Instead of answering, Doyul raised an eyebrow subtly.
Feeling uneasy about his half-hearted gesture, Yerin’s heart started to race.
“…How should I interpret that expression?”
Did I say something wrong?
Should I have just ignored it when the male lead looked at me?
“Well, um, since you’ve been staring at me since earlier…”
“Is there anywhere uncomfortable or painful?”
“Uncomfortable or painful… huh?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Yerin blinked her eyes blankly.
Doyul spoke again, smoothly.
“I was asking if there’s anywhere uncomfortable or painful.”
“Well, uh…”
As she absentmindedly opened her lips, Yerin noticed that Doyul’s gaze was slightly diverted.
Huh?
Yerin, too, looked at where Doyul was looking.
His gaze was fixed on…
“Oh.”
As she moved, her thin sleeve slid back, revealing her wrist.
Well, it’s fine if he sees my wrist…
“But there’s a… wound!”
The problem was the vivid bruise on her arm.
Yerin urgently pulled down her sleeve to cover her arm and discreetly checked Doyul’s reaction.
“What if his pride is hurt?”
In fact, it was enough to make Doyul feel bad.
If it was a normal family, even if they abused the bride, they would have been careful not to leave any marks on her body.
Because the groom would witness the bride’s wounds during the wedding ceremony.
But Sachen Dangmun was not like that.
Instead, they left Yerin’s body covered in wounds.
“…It’s ignoring the North Sea Ice Palace and Doyul itself.”
You have to marry a lowly woman who is treated like garbage in Sachen Dangmun as your wife.
That was the gist of it.
Yerin quickly apologized.
“I’m sorry.”
However, Doyul, who had been expressionless, seemed to feel a little worse after hearing her apology.
“What do you mean?”
He asked her, tilting his head slightly.
Yerin was tongue-tied.
“Well, um…”
Why is he feeling worse?
Yerin was a little confused.
No wonder, his black pupils were fixed on her.
But since he asked a question, she had to answer.
“A lady who is ignored even in her own family, becoming the mistress of the North Sea Ice Palace, which is a noble position…”
“That has nothing to do with it.”
Doyul firmly shook his head.
“Yerin Sojo is more than qualified to be the mistress of the North Sea Ice Palace.”
Huh?
Yerin’s eyes widened a bit.
Doyul spoke with conviction.
“It’s the one who treats people recklessly who’s wrong.”
“Are you serious?”
“I’m asking an obvious question.”
Doyul shrugged lightly.
“Sojo is a victim. So please don’t belittle yourself like that.”
It was Doyul, who had suffered a humiliating death by Sachen Dangmun.
Even so, she had never thought he would say something like that.
“I’m glad.”
Her heart fluttered like feathers.
But somehow, a corner of her heart felt cold, as if she had swallowed a large piece of ice.
“Yerin Sojo.”
Doyul still called her ‘Sojo’.
Regardless, they were a married couple, so he should call her ‘wife’.
“Well, it’s okay.”
Yerin tried to soothe her heart.
Her thoughts with what she actually says is confusing because it also has a quotation marks so I thought she actually said those words. But all in all, this is a good translation.
Thank you for the efforts!