“Episode 3”
“After Diana’s wedding, there was no happiness in her life.
Rixio inherited the title of duke due to the marriage. After the sudden death of the previous Duke, people were in an uproar about the succession of the ducal title. Being the brother of the current emperor, Rixio’s death. After that, the nobles insisted on reclaiming the title of the ducal house with immense wealth, but the emperor secretly declared that he would hand over the ducal title to anyone ready to marry his nieces within three months.
Thanks to this secret agreement, Rixio safely became the duke, and from that day on, Diana lived like a doll. He got what he wanted, and he tried his best in external activities. Instead, she received support for everything she wanted, desired, or hoped for from her family.
After marriage, perhaps he would eventually love her. She didn’t hesitate to spend nights with him, thinking that physical affection comes first and emotional affection comes later. But it never happened. Even after countless days, Rixio never loved Diana. He didn’t even whisper words of love.
“How long do I have to live as your doll, Rixio?”
“Why, are you regretting it now? But you have to wait until I perfectly grasp the ducal estate.”
He answered evasively, as if he had no interest at all.
“Sigh…”
“Why are you suddenly unhappy? Didn’t we marry for love?”
“That… But are you okay? Even if I am, are you okay projecting that person onto me? Are you okay?”
“Who are you talking about?”
“You cherished even the portrait so dearly, and now you pretend not to know?”
Even though she vented all her grievances, her anger was not appeased.
“Stop talking nonsense.”
“…Is it nonsense? What do I even know about you? Or do we really know each other?”
“Even if there’s no emotional affection, there’s physical affection, isn’t there?”
Rixio stroked her hair as she lay beside him.
“I thought there was that much affection built up.”
“…I… didn’t know…”
“What?”
“I thought that if I stayed by your side like this, someday you would love me. That we would become an ordinary couple who love each other like others. But you keep pushing me away like someone you resent. So… I’m too tired.”
Looking at his back every day. Now, it was burdensome. Even the family that openly demanded so much because she became the duchess. They contacted her once every three days, asking for trivial things, and now they openly asked for land or mines.
For the first time, everything exhausted her.
Diana, who had lost even her desire, didn’t want anything. One year. That one year made her exhausted. Enough to let go of everything.
“You’ve been acting strange lately. Why?”
“…Just. Let’s divorce. Let’s divorce. I’ll stop.”
Just as she was about to stand up with those words, it happened.
Diana’s vision darkened for a moment.
“Ah….”
Was it because she hadn’t had a proper meal recently, or was it for some other reason? Diana’s body suddenly collapsed to the side without any warning.
“Diana!”
She heard his voice, but Diana remained unconscious.
And it was half a day later when she opened her eyes again. With a heavy feeling all over her body and a sense of weightiness in her lower abdomen, Diana lay on the bed, blinking her eyes. What she found strange was the problem that followed. Diana belatedly realized that she was lying in his room.
“Ah….”
Because of the heavy feeling as if she had been beaten by someone, Diana struggled to raise her hand and grasp the blanket. The door opened, and the maids quickly entered.
“Madam.”
“What happened?”
“You fainted. It was chaotic. But more importantly… madam.”
The maid who pretended to be particularly friendly didn’t leave a strong impression on Diana. Or rather, she didn’t think it was important. Even now, she only thought about briefly explaining the situation and wished that the woman would leave. Just as she was about to tell her to hurry up and leave, the maid smiled brightly.
“Why are you like this?”
“Congratulations.”
“…What?”
Was she joking? Congratulations to herself who had fainted. Diana’s face naturally stiffened without any response.
“What is this all about?”
At that moment, the closed door opened, and Rixio quickly entered.
“Diana!”
But her reaction was different from before. As if she had become someone else, Rixio hugged her tightly. Feeling unnaturally alienated, Diana pushed him away.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Why what. Diana. You’ve been through a lot all this time.”
“What…?”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant? So you were upset.”
“……”
Diana’s face couldn’t help but stiffen.
To think that she would have a child after trying to conceive for a whole year? Now, when she was about to give up everything? Countless humiliations she had experienced throughout the year flashed through her mind.
A husband who didn’t even think about loving her, a mother-in-law who openly harassed her, saying she never liked her. Because of them, she was able to have everything she wanted, but she was also constantly ignored by the servants of the ducal estate.
“Why… Why only now….”
“Diana. Well done.”
Diana stiffened her face as she looked at him affectionately smiling. Could such an unbelievable thing as finding the love she had longed for happen after having a child? Diana couldn’t believe him as much as she had been hurt.
Contrary to Diana’s thoughts, Rixio began to make sincere efforts. He had never truly looked at Diana before, always doubting her. Countless documents that came to him pointed out Diana’s faults.
Stories circulated about her attending numerous parties and seducing men left and right before meeting him. Stories of embezzling money from her own family. Even rumors of hitting the servants of the ducal estate and using violence. Her reputation was the worst, both before and after their marriage.
But it wasn’t until after she became pregnant that he truly saw her.
On the day Diana collapsed and he found out she was pregnant, he remembered the promise he had long forgotten with his father. His father, who seemed like a mountain, his respected father.
“Rixio. When you have your own family someday, you must trust them. Even if you find out your wife is lying, trust her.”
“Father. Are you saying… Is it possible… that Mother lied?”
With no answer from his silent father, Rixio asked about the rumors circulating among the servants.
“I heard strange stories. There were talks that my brother is not your blood, Father. That he was born from… Mother.”
“Rixio. I trust my family. Your mother, your brother, I trust them all. Even if it ends in sadness, if I, their family, don’t trust them, who will? You should trust too. Your current family, and the family you will have someday.”
He was only ten years old.
At such an age where he couldn’t understand his father’s intentions.
“I still don’t understand anything.”
“Father. I’ll find out. Your words have always been right.”
“Even though you’re still a child, you speak like an old man.”
His father’s hand landed heavily on his head.
“I respect you, Father.”
“Heh. So you do.”
“Yes. Father is wonderful.”
“Thank you. You’ll understand when you grow up and marry, and have children. You’ll feel incredibly happy as if you have the whole world at your child’s simple words.”
Rixio smiled brightly at his father, who was smiling at him.
“I look forward to it. Seeing you grow up to meet a good woman and build a family.”
“I want to be just like Father.”
“You will be. Rixio. You are my beloved and proud son more than anyone else.”
But that was the last smiling face of his father. The only one who had cherished Rixio, who had sincerely listened to Rixio’s stories, his deceased father, and the former Duke, passed away in an accident a few days later.
