A brief silence followed.
Ian looked as if he was seriously considering whether he had just misunderstood what he’d heard.
“Fix… me?” His tone was incredulous, as if he couldn’t believe what he was saying.
I nodded quickly, blinking my eyes. “Yes, you heard correctly. I’m going to fix you.”
“What on earth are you talking about?”
“It seems like you’re a lost cause, Your Grace. You’ve turned the flower of the social world into nothing more than the ghost of the empty duchy in just two years.”
“A lost cause…”
His expression showed that he was at a loss for words. I couldn’t help but be amused. Was this enough to leave him speechless? His own words were far worse.
Then again, being a prince-turned-duke, he was probably used to only hearing flattering and polished words from those around him.
I lightly dismissed his gaze and smiled brightly.
“Oh, don’t worry. I’m not asking for much. I just want you to meet the bare minimum of decency required for me to maintain my dignity as the duchess.”
Don’t worry—I’m not interested in getting closer to you either. I’ll polish you up and set you straight, then gracefully step aside, all for Diana’s sake.
I nodded toward the paper I had placed in front of him, as if daring him to read it again.
“You saw what’s written there. They’re calling me a shell, a ghost. Some even say I’m just furniture sitting in the duchy.”
Even I had to admit that being compared to furniture was a bit much.
“I’ve endured it so far out of respect for His Majesty and my father, but I can’t tolerate it anymore.”
Ian lowered his gaze to the paper filled with all sorts of rumors.
“……”
“And honestly, this isn’t just my problem, is it?”
While I had focused on my reputation, the reputation of the duchess also reflected on the duchy itself. If there were this many rumors about Eloise, it couldn’t be beneficial for the duke either.
Of course, Ian was of royal blood and favored by the emperor, so a scandal about his marriage wouldn’t damage his honor, but…
‘If this continues, the disadvantages will surely outweigh the benefits.’
Whether it was due to my assertiveness or something else, Ian, who had been silently staring at me, finally spoke.
“Since when did you start caring about things like this?”
“The capital has been noisy enough about it. Even if I close my eyes and ears, it’s hard not to notice.”
I threw a barbed comment his way and tilted my head.
“Well… honestly, I don’t plan to drag this out. So let’s set a timeframe of exactly one year.”
I held up a finger.
“If, after a year of effort from you, my reputation hasn’t changed, then it won’t be entirely your fault. In that case, I’ll give up and settle the matter.”
“What do you mean by ‘settle the matter’?”
“I mean I’ll live quietly, like a mouse. Or, if you prefer, I can grant you a divorce. Actually, that might be more convenient for both of us.”
Ian frowned at my sudden declaration.
“A divorce?”
“Yes, after all, what you need is someone who can maintain the position of duchess, right?”
“……”
“You’re the esteemed Duke, so you have plenty of options. If you’re tired of me and don’t want to continue this marriage, I’m more than willing to step aside.”
I elegantly phrased my willingness to gracefully exit his life.
“You’ve already gained the status and prestige from this marriage. After that, it doesn’t matter who fulfills the role of duchess as long as she can handle the duties.”
“……”
“Oh, but not like this. You turned the social butterfly that I was into mere furniture in the duchy. Do you think it would be any different with someone else?”
I pointed out his misdeeds once more, and he hesitated.
“So, let’s give it a try for a year. If my reputation still doesn’t improve, then we’ll end it.”
“……”
“Who knows, after we part ways, you might find a woman more suited to be the duchess than I ever was.”
Everything I said was with Diana in mind. No matter the outcome, Ian and I would proceed with a divorce in a year, and Diana would become the new duchess.
“In short, my troublesome request will only last a year.”
I looked at Ian, winking as if to say, ‘You should accept this.’
Even though I presented it as a challenge, no matter how you looked at it, Ian wouldn’t lose anything from this proposal.
You’ll get free rehabilitation, and I’ll leave quietly when the time comes. Where else could you find such a good deal?
“Before being a duchess, I’m a person with dignity. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life with such shameful labels. So, I hope you’ll cooperate.”
“Cooperate…”
Ian muttered under his breath. After rolling his eyes for a moment, he asked, “So, do you actually have a specific plan for this year?”
His tone suggested he was humoring me, just to hear what I had to say. I responded immediately, as if I’d been waiting for this question.
“I’ll need to finalize the plan, but I have two initial suggestions. First, you need to act like a proper husband in public. And…”
“…”
“Second, you must dedicate a set amount of time each week to… mental training. I mean, to spending time with me.”
He tilted his head. “Spending time with you?”
“Can a person change by doing nothing? Of course not. You need focused training. As I said, you’re a lost cause as you are. Think of it as a kind of class.”
“…”
“This is the bare minimum I’m asking for.”
I had to completely reform his mindset before Diana returned. If I half-heartedly nagged him about changing his behavior, he would surely revert to his old ways after we parted, and Diana would only end up suffering more.
To prevent that, I intended to stick to him like glue and teach him everything from A to Z.
Hadn’t someone once said that the cramming education system of South Korea was the most effective method?
Rather than hoping this man would reform on his own, it might be more effective to forcibly instill the necessary qualities of a male protagonist in him.
I’d teach him exactly how a romance novel hero should behave. After all, I had read over 100 romance novels—I was a heavy reader.
He paused, speechless for a moment, then asked with his mouth slightly open, “Are you serious?”
“Do I seem like I have time to waste on jokes at this hour?”
I replied primly.
Ian, who had been tapping his finger lightly on the desk, closed his mouth.
“…”
He was probably weighing the trouble against the responsibility at this point. And as far as I knew, Ian Cloud, despite being a jerk, wasn’t unreasonable.
The answer I was expecting came soon enough.
“…Just one year, then.”
“Yes, I’m not asking for more.”
“Whether your reputation changes or not, we go back to the way things are in a year.”
No, we’re getting divorced.
Unaware of my true intentions, he picked up the desk calendar and flipped through it.
“Evenings on the weekend should work.”
Setting up a business meeting, are we?
“Evenings are a bit too short. Let’s do the whole weekend. Of course, if you have other plans, I’ll try to reschedule, but please let me know at least three days in advance.”
How did our marriage become so dry and businesslike?
Ian’s brows furrowed slightly at my request.
“That would be a waste of—”
“Shall I start reciting all the rumors I’ve heard about myself?”
“…Fine, one day on the weekend, then.”
Nice try.
In truth, I never intended to monopolize the entire weekend. My original goal had been to secure just one day.
Ask for twice what you want, and let the other party negotiate down to what you actually need.
‘Got it? That’s the art of negotiation.’
I smiled victoriously.
“Great, I’ll see you this weekend.”
As I turned to leave the study, I paused.
“Oh, right.”
I gave him a bright smile.
“I’ll leave that paper as a gift for you, Your Grace. Read it whenever you’re bored.”
“…”
“Goodbye, then.”
I slightly lifted the hem of my skirt in a polite gesture and exited the study. The bewildered look on Ian’s face as I left was priceless.
♧♧♧
If you want to support the translation and the translator, please buy a coffee 🐳
