CH 41

“Might be.”

Ian’s eyes widened, irritated.

“Dear brother, you did something useless.”

“Wait. Wait a minute.”

I whispered hastily. If these people are the servants planted by the emperor, the story changes a lot.  I had done everything I could to make it look as if Ian and I were truly in love up until this point.

‘I didn’t hug Ian all day because I didn’t have feet.’

Right. Today, I can confidently say that Ian and I looked like a perfect couple. Is it necessary to impose them at the last minute to create a sense of discomfort?

I got myself into a lot of trouble. Then the conclusion came quickly. I closed my eyes firmly and mumbled a few seconds later.

“Do it. Just do it.”

“….What?”

“We are almost there. I came all the way here and I don’t want to be twisted. Could Ian take the garter off? I’m sure they won’t leave. It’ll take less than ten seconds to take that off. Right?”

I tried to speak in a calm voice. I hugged Ian all day today, even pretending to kiss him in front of the bishop, but there was something I couldn’t do.

“I don’t mind. It’s really nothing, so hurry up and take it off.”

“….Are you serious?”

“Yes. I’m serious about this. I’m completely fine. Will it take less than a minute? That’s nothing.”

“All right.”

Ian let out a low sigh.

“Okay, so relax.”

“…Aren’t you nervous?”

Ian pointed to my toes instead of answering. Only then did I notice my toes curling up with a lot of pressure because I couldn’t bear the tension any longer.

“It-it’s just….just.”

“Do you realize you don’t have any blood on your face right now?”

“You are lying. It’s so dark. How can you see my face?”

“I can see it roughly. Haa… Irene.”

Ian spoke in hushed tones. It’s as if I’m slowly etching it into his mind.

“I wouldn’t do this if you were embarrassed. People will become insatiable if you speak even one word, so don’t be stubborn.”

I bit my lower lip. I couldn’t figure out when Ian began to act as if he were teasing me. Obviously, it was my role to tease Ian and make fun of him in this matter. When I remained silent, Ian spoke up.

“I’ll be greedy of you.”

“Wait.”

I grabbed Ian’s sleeve.

“Please”.

“You don’t even have to be stubborn-.”

“Because we are fake.”

I cut off Ian’s words and whispered close to his ear.

“That’s how we look perfect on the outside.”

“…….”

Ian closed his eyes as if he had given up.

“I’m not going to touch any of your skin.”

“Please.”

We’re probably the only newlyweds in the world who had a terrible conversation in the newlywed couple’s room.

“Wait. Wait a minute.”

I wriggled slowly enough that the wedding garter on my thigh reached my calves. Fortunately, the silhouette seen from the outside didn’t seem to have to wiggle too much to raise suspicion.

“It-It’s done now.”

I shut my eyes tightly. Trying not to be aware of the gazes of those who could be seen through the translucent veil. Most importantly, attempting to ignore the presence of the man in front of me.

“…….”

“…….”

Ian kept his words.

He didn’t even come close to touching me. Only the garter was tugged down with his lips, and it was done with unusual dexterity. But I couldn’t keep my breath under control.

I clenched my fist and peered out of the darkness. I could feel Ian’s gaze looking down at me, coming out of the hem of the dress.

“Irene?”

I squinted slightly. Ian was seen sliding down my thigh and yanking the wedding garter from beneath the veil.

Following that, the servants in front of the wall began to move with bated breath. With a small thud, the door slammed shut.

“Now it’s just the two of us.” Ian said.

The sound was much louder than the one he had been whispering earlier. Ian, the sword master, could not have been oblivious that others were present. To put it another way, he said it had to be just the two of us in this room.

Nonetheless, I couldn’t open my eyes. The sensation of someone’s breath tickling the skin on my ankles seemed to be locked there.

“Irene?”

The sound of a curious voice could be heard. Then I coughed. 

“Heu, Heum. They are finally gone.”

“We’ll be the only ones in the room until the servants arrive in the morning.”

Ian got up immediately after saying that. The bed wobbled as one man’s weight was lifted from it. Ian climbed out of bed, removing his sleeve cuffs, through the veil.

As I sat alone on the big bed, I stared blankly at Ian. Do you want to change your clothes?

I was still wearing the dress. It was time to start looking for an indoor dress.

“….What exactly are you doing there?”

I watched Ian as he sat on the sofa. Please don’t tell me that. I asked, my eyes squinting.

“Isn’t it bad if you’re going to sleep in that position on the sofa?”

“What more can I do?”

Ian asked back as if asking for something obvious. With a worn out look, I beckoned.

“Come here quickly. I’m exhausted today, so I don’t have the energy to scuffle over this. What would happen if a servants finds out that you are sleeping there in the morning?”

“We won’t get caught.”

I stared at Ian, who spoke calmly. Although the sofa was long, it was too small to hold Ian’s full body horizontally.

“Just come. If you stayed there all night, your shirt would be so wrinkled that you couldn’t even straighten it.”

“Don’t worry about me, Why don’t you go to sleep, Madam? You said you were tired.”

“Right. I’m exhausted. I’m even more exhausted because your older brother visited me during the day and kept my nerves on edge. Then please cooperate so that I can sleep comfortably.”

We didn’t back down on anyone because we were tight. But in the end, I was the winner. If he didn’t come up right away, my threat of going down to the floor and sleeping there worked.

“What the heck?”

Ian returned to the bed with a low grunt.

“Why are you being stubborn in a strange place?”

“It’s a line that I’d want to return to Ian.”

To be honest, I expected him to tell me to sleep on the floor if I wanted to, so it was a little surprising when he came up obediently. I swiftly turned around and sat on the opposite side of the bed from him.

I didn’t want to sleep in the same bed with Ian. However, because the bed is so large, using it alone is a waste.

I was struggling to untie my dress in the duvet by myself and then toss it out. I felt much more comfortable once I removed my cumbersome outer skirt. I roughly took off my dress and tried to fall asleep right away because I was so tired that I couldn’t move anymore.

When the servants come in the morning…. I’m hiding under the blanket. My mind was gradually engulfed in drowsiness, but only the heart continued to thump.

It wasn’t just because of the shameful wedding garter incident with Ian a while ago.

‘Don’t forget that your life is in our hands.’

The voice of the nine guild members who came to me on the night before the wedding rang in my head.

“….Pendant.”

As soon as it was called simply with my mouth, a cold and heavy touch was felt on my right hand. Ian, on the other side of the bed, didn’t seem to notice anything. I squeezed the pendant in my right palm of my hand.

‘Put this near Ian Esteban every night for at least 10 minutes.’

If I do as they say, verything will go as planned and according to the original. Ian will be cursed, and although he will not be the puppet they really want, he will go insane.

I stared at the ceiling.

On the black ceiling, the visage of one of the nine guild members, Edward Vichen, who easily caused me pain, appeared.

‘Don’t forget. Your life…’

His voice echoed in my head once more. While fiddling with the pendant, I immediately closed my eyes.

“Disappear.”

The weight of the pendant disappeared all of a sudden. I am not sure. Let’s think about the troublesome thing tomorrow. Because I’m exhausted today.

‘Yeah. Because I’m so tired…’

There was no more energy to curse anyone.

My thoughts had wandered.

Ian seemed to say something in a low voice, but I fell asleep as if I had passed out.  Due to the tiredness that had built up over several days, the sleep that night was as deep as death.

***

I was awakened by Ian’s voice the next morning. I heard Ian giving orders to the servants.

But nothing jolted me awake. I fell asleep once more. The second thing that woke me up was Annette’s voice.

“Miss Irene, Miss Irene….! Can you get up?”

“Hmm… What time is it now?”

I opened my sore eyes and looked for the clock. I was surprised when Annette informed me of the current time.

“It’s 11 AM?”

“Yes. I couldn’t wake you because you seemed to be sleeping soundly, but I was concerned that you might be hungry.”

“How did I sleep for so long….. Where is Sir Ian?”

“The Commander is at the headquarters of the Knights right now.”

Annette’s expression was a little different than usual when she said that. 

“Are you still exhausted? Please lie down.  I’ll make everything you need to eat and deliver it to you.”

“Thank you…”

Annette’s face flushed bright red when she asked if I was exhausted.

What the hell are you thinking? My little friend’s mind had already become tainted. I grumbled and turned my head, and something caught my attention.

Next to the pillow, a note was left.

“This is.”

This was Ian’s handwriting.