CH 4

So, I finally asked again.

“…You can’t?”

The look I saw on his face disappeared in an instant, and the gentle expression unique to the Prince returned.

“How can I not?” He knocked on the carriage wall a couple of times and said to the coachman, “Let’s go to the Duke of Clifford.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

As the carriage began to move, I could hear the horses walking and the knights following from behind. Perhaps it was because of Prince Enoch’s consideration that the surroundings were so quiet.

“You are a very good person.”

“…”

He crossed his arms and closed his eyes, his reaction neither positive nor negative.

In the constant shaking of the carriage, I also closed my eyes. Thankfully, he didn’t talk to me, so I had time for myself to think.

A few days before waking up inside a novel, I went to my long-term boyfriend’s wedding.

One day, less than a month after we broke up after dating for so long, he got married.

I thought I wasn’t sad about it, but oddly enough, I couldn’t sleep for days and days.

I was desperate to get some sleep, so I drank alcohol I usually didn’t drink, and even though I shouldn’t, I swallowed prescription sleeping pills.

Then, was I not just in deep, deep sleep? That’s why I was having a dream like this.

No, this was too vivid to be a dream.

So, there’s only one conclusion. I must have died from the alcohol and drugs.

Others might have thought it was a suicide committed by a woman who couldn’t overcome the grief over her ex-boyfriend’s marriage.

How odd.

However, even though the situation was so unrealistic, I still didn’t panic. Well, this was my personality. Whenever something big happened, I barely felt anything.

I guess that’s why he said he was tired of me.

Still, why did I come into this novel? And not even Chloe’s body, but Erin Spilet’s.

When I looked at the Prince, his eyes were still closed. I couldn’t tell if he was asleep or not.

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Closing my eyes again, I tried to recall the contents of the novel.

Fortunately, it hadn’t been long since I last read the novel so I could still remember some parts. Sadly, I didn’t really focus much on the story, so I could also recall the basics.

And Erin Spilet wasn’t even the heroine, so I didn’t remember much unless it was somehow related to the protagonists.

That part frustrated me.

This was the most memorable part:

Erin Spilet, who had been in love with Rupert, threatened to expose his relationship with Chloe to Rupert’s father, the current Duke of Clifford. At that time, Rupert and Chloe were secretly dating.

Duke Clifford and Baron Verezian weren’t on good terms, so they would never think to match their respective heirs.

Duke Clifford supported the crown prince while Baron Verezian supported the other Prince.

If the Duke found out, Chloe would be in danger.

So, Erin asked Rupert for an arranged marriage and a large sum of money in exchange for her silence.

Erin herself was the Count of Spilet, and the Spilet family was an old noble family like the Cliffords. She would be a good choice for a cover.

Rupert eventually accepted Erin’s deal, but he modified the terms for the marriage to last for a year only.

I thought the hero was a bit of a coward when I reached that part in the novel. In the end, he didn’t want to lose anything, not the love of his lover and not the power and position he currently enjoyed.

Anyway, Erin changed as soon as they got married, and she didn’t leave Chloe alone. She even kidnapped her and threatened her life.

Erin eventually got kicked out of the Clifford family without reaching the one-year mark and was sold to a brothel due to her debt.

I shivered at the thought.

After a while, the carriage finally stopped.

“…Count, Count Spilet.”

“Yes?”

“We’ve arrived at the Duke’s residence in the capital. By the way, are you alright?”

“Pardon?”

“You look pale.”

At his words, I realized my condition and patted my cheeks. “I’m fine. I’m grateful for your concern.”

“If you’re fine, I’m glad, but…” He so moved the curtains and glanced outside the window. I followed his gaze and clicked my tongue.

I felt Enoch staring at me as if he found my reaction curious.

“He made a scene yet still came to meet me.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes. We’ll live in one house anyway.”

“If…” He paused.

I patiently waited for him to continue.

But Rupert, who was unaware of our conversation, didn’t. He came to the side of the carriage and knocked on the door.

A rare look of displeasure appeared on Enoch’s face.

He closed his eyes, breathed deeply, and continued what he was trying to say. “If you can’t stand it here, you can come to the palace anytime. Please give me a message, Count Spilet.

“Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. I will keep that in mind.”

His offer was probably an empty gesture, but his concern was sincere. When I thanked him and smiled, he shook his head a little and opened the door of the carriage.

“Your Highness.” Rupert stepped back and bowed his head toward Prince Enoch.

“You arrived first.”

“I did. Thank you for escorting my wife, Your Highness.”

I scoffed when Rupert emphasized ‘wife.’ Erin was heartless, but the situation would definitely hurt her pride.

At my scoff, Rupert scowled at me and said in annoyance, “How long will you be sitting there? You’ve already caused too much trouble to His Higness. Get off quickly.”

This nobleman didn’t seem to know how to escort a woman properly.

I struggled to gather my heavy dress in one hand, but Enoch, our caring second lead, reached out.

It was funny that Rupert flinched when he saw it. What’s wrong with you?

I gratefully took Enoch’s hand and went off the carriage. It was dark outside, and the day seemed to be over.

As soon as my feet hit the ground, Rupert grabbed my other hand and took me away from Enoch. I stumbled for a moment but soon found my balance.

Enoch saw it and said, “….What you did today was wrong. How about showing your wife some respect, at least in public?”

With that pretty mouth, Enoch said only the right words. Indeed, if Rupert continued to be like this in the future, things would be difficult.

There was no honeymoon to be had; I should have at least been spared the humiliation. Shouldn’t they treat each other amicably, even only in public?

“I’m sorry Your Highness had to see something unpleasant. You don’t need to concern yourself about our family matters[1].”

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Arrogant man. Weren’t they supposed to be close?

It was hard to ignore Rupert drawing a line. I didn’t know if it was because he was the Duke’s heir or because he was simply arrogant, but he tried to act as if he and the Prince were of equal rank[2].

By this time in the novel, the two men grew further apart because of Chloe.

But Enoch spoke in response to Rupert’s words as if he had done nothing wrong. “I can’t say that the matters about the Clifford Duchy are no one’s concern but yours. If you do it well, then I won’t need to worry.”

“…I will keep that in mind.”

With that, Enoch ended his conversation with Rupert and turned to me. His somewhat stiff expression softened as he spoke to me.

“Then, I’ll be off.”

“Thank you so much for today, Your Highness.”

He raised my hand and lightly kissed the back of his hand. I was curious how Rupert would react this time, but he looked unexpectedly distracted.

Soon after, the carriage carrying the Prince departed, and I stood in front of the Duke’s residence.

I attempted to move, but I accidentally stepped on the hem of my wedding dress, and I felt my body tilting downwards.

I tried to find my balance and reflexively reached Rupert’s hand, hovering in the air.

He shrugged it off.

When I saw this wedding dress, I suddenly realized how ridiculous this situation was.

If Enoch wasn’t there, I might have come to this mansion alone by foot, dragging this heavy dress.

Even though Erin was a noble of her right, why didn’t she have a single maid to assist her?

“Come in.”

The mansion’s heavy iron gate opened, and I followed Rupert.

I tried to enter with as much grace befitting a Duchess as I could muster, given the heavy and uncomfortable dress I was wearing.

Rupert glanced behind him. He still showed no signs of knowing how to escort a woman. Or maybe he didn’t want to escort Erin.

This property was probably the Clifford family’s townhouse. There was a large mansion in the middle, and a smaller villa-like building on the left.

There seemed to be an impressive number of people guarding it.

Rupert reacted harshly as I looked toward the other building instead of walking.

“Don’t even think about going there.”

I was more curious when he said that, but I initially didn’t want to pay attention. If only I hadn’t remembered that part.

In the novel, Chloe fainted and was carried by the Prince, but Rupert took her back in the end. He secretly brought Chloe to the outbuilding of the mansion, perhaps because he wanted to keep her by his side and take care of her.

Ah, That was it.

But can you even say you did it secretly? With that much people guarding the building?

I could only laugh.

If the situation continued this way, would it follow the original flow of the novel again?

With a heavy heart, I followed Rupert again.

The carriage carrying the Prince came to a halt again shortly after.

Enoch looked quite different from when he was with Erin. His soft expression disappeared, and he lifted the curtain with a face devoid of any warmth.

Then, somewhere, men dressed in black appeared and bowed their head silently to him.

The escort knights did not stop them, as if familiar with their presence.

When Enoch gave them a single look, they disappeared without a sound, much like when they appeared.

The men in black disappeared to the direction of the Clifford manor, where he had dropped Erin.

At that moment, a small smile appeared on his face.

“…A good person, huh?”

As soon as he knocked on the carriage roof, they drove off. The carriage moved smoothly without a rattling sound.

[1] Rupert used an informal tone that was inexcusable even if they were friends

[2] The author described it as “맞먹으려 들었다”