Chapter 3

“About that. I’m thinking of going to the banquet with you.”

She dropped the knife and looked at him, not realizing it. Her reaction surprised the Duke as well. It was the first time he’d seen Psyche, who had always been polite, so uncomfortable.

The Duke called her in a friendly tone as if he didn’t have any complaints.

“Wife.”

“I’m sorry.”

Psyche quickly apologized and held her breath. She disliked the tense atmosphere. When she reached for the knife she had dropped, the Duke raised his hand to dissuade her, and he bent down himself.

“Let me bring you a new one.”

“Yes… Thank you.”

She shifted her gaze. The Duke looked very worried. It was as if she was doing her best to resist the fake smile that was about to come out.

“Are you feeling unwell anywhere?”

She chose to act as a sick woman today because she didn’t know what else to do with the awkward atmosphere. The month of giving birth was approaching anyway, and it was the most plausible excuse.

“I just feel like I’m in bad condition these days.”

“I’ve been negligent. I’m sorry. Wife.”

The man who cuts down people with a single sword was always like a gentle sheep in front of her. However, it was all due to the child. Knowing the reason, his kindness seemed all pretense and surveillance to her.

There were times when she thought his kindness was quite nice. Come to think of it, it was the same when he first proposed a contract marriage.

But now that she thinks about it, she wonders if he didn’t make room for her in the first place. However, he never made mistakes in marital relationships and was a gentleman even in his formal relationship with the intention of having children.

It was like having everything planned in advance. He was an inhumane person.

All the kindness he has now must have been fabricated.

Psyche responded with a smile to his apology.

“No. Your Highness has always given me the best.”

All because of the child. She swallowed the last words and smiled bitterly.

Come to think of it, when she married him, there was a riot in the Capital.

The Duke was the most desired groom for all the noble family’s girls, and the young Viscount’s daughter, whom they didn’t know, appeared out of nowhere and took the place of the Duchess. The story of ‘Psyche Alistair’ stirred up the social world.

Some were envious of her and spread rumors about her. But one day, those rumors disappeared, and according to a circulating story, it was retaliation by the Duke for misusing their mouth. Psyche didn’t believe it.

No one would do something like that for her. Now she knew he was just a man who was only concerned about his heir.

Psyche unintentionally grabbed the hem of her dress. It would be not good if he followed her there. The plan could be ruined.

Psyche said calmly as she wiped her lips with a napkin.

“But, Your Highness. Men are not allowed in there.”

She waited for an answer. That fleeting moment seemed so long.

“I know. I’ll just accompany you there and back home.”

Psyche’s eyes widened as she looked at him. Even until returning home. It was too much. She wasn’t even a child.

“I can go alone.”

“No. The months you’ll be giving birth are also approaching, and I can’t let you go alone because I’m worried.”

Oh. As expected. It was once again due to the child. She should’ve realized his attention was solely on the child.

However, there was no need to be misunderstood by refusing for nothing. ‘Because I’m leaving soon.’ After a while, Psyche, who was still smiling, changed her posture quietly.

“I said it because I was afraid it would bother you. Thank you for accompanying me.”

“My wife and child’s matters are not a bother for me. Your words make me sad.”

There was nothing strange about the way his cool face changed expressions every day. Psyche looked at her husband’s face piece by piece. In terms of appearance, he was unquestionably the best man in the country.

He was a man with black hair that was blacker than the darkness, and he matched the ice-cold wall perfectly. He gave the impression of being a cold person, but he often smiled in front of Psyche.

As she stared, Duke Clint, spoke again.

“Now that the time has come for the child to be born, I think I need to put more effort into protecting my wife.”

“Yes?”

The Duke is acting strangely today. She knew Clint cared about the child. Psyche couldn’t get rid of the feeling that he was strangely clinging to her. She’s got to be mistaken… He moved his knife and added some words.

“I would like to attach an escort knight to your side.”

Psyche unknowingly clutched the knife tighter at those words. Escort knight. How much more was there to surveillance her. She didn’t like that. This had to be stopped somehow. Even if Duke Clint was not present, if the escort remained by her side, she would not be free, let alone escape.

He wasn’t asking if he could attach an escort knight, but he was saying it in the tone that he had already decided.

That’s right, this man has always been like this. As if his wife’s wishes didn’t matter at all.

After that, he pretended to be nice and smiled as if he was doing a favor to her, so she couldn’t say anything. Because declining the favor would make her look like a bad person. Come to think of it, she didn’t think she ever said she didn’t like anything to him.

Psyche bit her hard-to-open lip and then let it go. She has always been an obedient and docile wife. He seemed to believe he could swing whatever he wanted to her. She met his gaze again. And gradually opened her mouth.

“The escort knight… I do not like it. Your Highness.”

At those words, she saw Duke Clint’s face wrinkled very slowly and subtly. It was a strange feeling to see the Duke’s expression like that.

There was silence.

Psyche couldn’t be more comfortable with the look of the Duke, who looked subtly displeased. She added hastily to get out of the situation.

“Without Your Highness… People call me a woman who can’t do anything.”

Her face saddened. The Duke was also taken aback by her facial expression.

She was a woman who had never properly expressed her opinion once. She was a woman who said with a smile that she could do whatever the Duke wanted, whatever he wanted.

Even when selecting a wedding gown. Psyche didn’t see the point in going against his wishes because he was in charge of paying all the expenses, taking care of the house, and living in general.

Moreover, the Duke is a person who doesn’t really do things roughly, so he prepared only the best and most expensive things, so it was true that she had nothing to do other than accept his opinions. Of course, that was when she didn’t know he was trying to kill her.

“Who said that?”

Also, he looked like someone wanted to kill someone. He appears to have spoken in a much lower voice than usual. Psyche asked in surprise.

“Yes?”

The Duke’s face gradually changed color. Psyche did not make up words on the spur of the moment. Malicious rumors were circulating in the shadows, claiming that she was only using the Duke.

She said this because he seemed to have no idea. On the contrary, it was always Psyche’s side that was forced to do what the Duke said.

However, it was natural for her to be unable to respond when she was asked who said such a thing.

“No. I’m not saying anyone specifically says that…”

“Then it doesn’t matter.”

“…”

The Duke had a tough mind.

“It is for your own safety, so please consider it a good thing. I’ve assigned someone from the headquarters as you’re uncomfortable if it was a man.”

“Already…?”

“Yes.”

Psyche sighed heavily at those words. The Duke noticed the big sigh, so he opened his eyes wide and looked at her. It was because Psyche wasn’t herself today.

“Your Highness.”

“Yes.”

The Duke seemed to have lost his appetite, so he pushed the food away and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

“I don’t mind if I don’t have an escort knight.”

“…”

Psyche’s eyes were anxious, as she knew she had to stop the escort knight from protecting her no matter what.

“Can’t you do what I want this time?”

He put down his napkin at the remark. Not a single facial expression had changed, but Psyche could also tell that the atmosphere around Clint had changed. He was very displeased now. Psyche doesn’t move the way he wants her to.

“No. I’m not sure why my wife despises the idea of an escort and is so stubborn about it.”

“I’m being stubborn?”

Psyche was dumbfounded. The tone of treating her like a child got on her nerves. But he didn’t give her a chance to respond.

“It’s all for my wife.”

The Duke dismissed it with a wave of his hand as if he didn’t want to argue any further. He then lowered his gaze and closed his lips. Psyche first stopped looking at him because he had a solemn expression on his face as if it was truly for her sake. How could he act so pretentiously?

It had always been this way. He’s never done anything she asked of him. Just fit it into his frame.

“Oh, it’s already time. I’m leaving first. Eat slowly.”

Finally, he reached the conclusion he wanted and left. He didn’t forget to give Psyche, who was sitting still, a friendly kiss on the cheeks.

She sat, rubbing her cheek after the kiss.