MHPUW 03

Chapter : 03

Damian was watching silently, while Delilah was smiling with ease instead.

The desks were arranged in pairs, facing each other in a rectangular formation.

“Shouldn’t you report it?”

“I was going to.”

I answered Saturn’s worried question like that. Then Delilah looked at me, smiled brightly, and spoke.

“You fell on the stairs last week too, didn’t you? Are you okay?”

“I’m not okay.”

When I looked straight at Delilah, Damian wrapped his arm tightly around her shoulders and said,

“Let’s just continue the lesson.”

After saying that, Damian looked at the upside-down cards placed in front for the class. He picked one up and spoke.

“What would be a good way to implement welfare in a place that was used as a battlefield?”

As Damian spoke indifferently, Delilah’s eyes sparkled as she answered,

“Since Mervenia has now become a vassal state, why don’t we just push everything onto them?”

“Ha ha ha.”

I wondered if those words really came from the genius Delilah of the original story, but she just smiled, seemingly satisfied that Damian was looking at her fondly.

“That’s not a bad idea. But since it’s a vassal state now, they can’t do anything without the Crophers Empire’s approval.”

Saturn said that without any ill intent.

“I don’t think it’s right to pass that responsibility onto Mervenia just because it became a vassal state. However, we should demand war reparations and rebuild the destroyed castles. During war, the walls are burned down and houses collapse.”

“Oh.”

“I think it would be better to grant them autonomy, but have someone from the Crophers Empire approve necessary matters. However, since corruption would be easy for those sent as overall administrators, there should also be inspectors assigned separately.”

I said that because I had read something similar in a book before. Then Saturn wrote down what I said under the card.

“They said we have to submit it.”

“Ah, I see. Thank you, Saturn.”

Since Saturn volunteered to write it down, I thanked him. Then Damian’s expression hardened as he spoke.

“Bri still likes to show off how smart she is.”

“…Damian.”

“You still try to teach people all the time. Since you’re so smart, what are you going to do marrying someone like me?”

At his words, I couldn’t say anything and tightly shut my mouth.

“But Bri is understanding. She understands us too.”

Delilah said that as she leaned her body against Damian, almost hugging his arm. His arm was right in the middle of her body.

They were so close that it looked like she was clinging to him.

“By the way, if Damian has a lover now, Bri, you can get one too, right?”

“…What?”

At Saturn’s words, I turned toward him without realizing it.

“Sh-should I introduce you to someone good?”

“Bri is not allowed to do that yet.”

“Why does Damian get to decide that?”

“You haven’t even had a child yet, and you’re already thinking about meeting a lover? Have about three children first, then think about it.”

“Children… I’m jealous. I want to have a child too, Demi.”

Delilah said that as if pleading to Damian. Then Damian smiled brightly and said,

“I’ll make that happen soon. After Bri gets pregnant first.”

“Yes.”

“You can understand that much, right, Dilly?”

“Yes, of course. I’m already more than grateful just to stay by your side. If you even give me a child, that would be too much for me.”

Nausea rose up, and I bit my lips without realizing it. I was clenching my fists tightly, and only realized it because my arms hurt so much. My arms and legs were covered in bruises from falling down the stairs.

“Then if she has three children, will you take a concubine?”

Saturn really had no sense of the situation. He couldn’t read the tense atmosphere.

Maybe because of that, the words slipped out of my mouth without thinking.

“You could take one even now.”

At that, Damian’s expression hardened as he looked at me.

“Watch your words. There are many ears listening.”

“You should be careful too, Damian. There are many ears listening, yet you keep saying disappointing things.”

After that, maybe because he was offended, he only glared at me and didn’t participate in answering any more questions.

Saturn tried to change the mood.

Delilah kept saying foolish things, seemingly trying to look cute to Damian.

And I slowly gave my answers so Saturn could write them down.

What was strange was that after hearing my answers, Saturn didn’t look at Damian at all and diligently wrote down only what I said.

Maybe he really intended to introduce me to someone decent.

That thought alone made me feel tired.

People themselves were exhausting.

If I had known the class would be this pointless today, I would have stayed longer in the infirmary. I tried hard to focus on the lesson, not wanting to feel that I had forced myself to come for nothing.

But the excited atmosphere about those returning from the battlefield wouldn’t let anyone study properly.

❖ ❖ ❖

That night, there was a celebration banquet at the imperial palace.

The day after I fell down the stairs and couldn’t get up, there had been a victory ceremony. And during the week of the ceremony, a ball was always held.

It was a victory ball hosted by the imperial family to express their gratitude.

The main figures of this ball were the nobles and knights who had gone to war.

Damian, who had commanded as the supreme commander, naturally had to attend, and I, as his wife, had to attend as well.

So as soon as I returned from the academy, I had to move busily.

My whole body hurt, but I had no time to be in pain, and rest was a luxury.

“Ella, please prepare low heels.”

We were in the dressing room next to my bedroom.

“How about loafers instead? They’ll be hidden under the skirt.”

“That would be too informal.”

If it were up to me, I would go barefoot thinking about Damian, but I couldn’t do that since I was going to meet the Emperor and Empress.

There were also princes and princesses—none of them were easy people.

I had to be careful not to be criticized.

“Thank you, Ella. You’re the only one I have.”

“It’s nothing, my lady.”

Seeing Ella’s teary face strangely comforted me.

“I’m really glad I have you, Ella.”

“I’m the one who’s lucky to be your maid, my lady. But at times like this… I wish I could be the one who’s hurt instead. I’m strong and sturdy… It makes me sad that you’re injured.”

“If you get hurt, I’ll be sad. So let’s call it even.”

“Oh, my lady, you really can say anything!”

Even as she said that, Ella’s eyes reddened as she looked at my bruises.

Even though my heart wasn’t at ease, I managed to stay calm.

—Bang.

We were choosing clothes and shoes in the dressing room when the door suddenly burst open.

“Damian?”

“Bri, lend me some clothes.”

“…Why do you need my clothes?”

“Dilly doesn’t have anything to wear.”

As he said that, he snatched the clothes Ella was holding.

“I’ll borrow this.”

“That won’t fit Miss Delilah.”

“If you don’t want to lend it, just say so. Don’t act petty over clothes.”

He then grabbed the shoes from Ella’s other hand and said,

“Where is the jewelry box?”

“Why don’t you just lend her the Grand Duke family’s jewelry instead?”

“That’s a good idea. If she wears the heirloom jewelry, people will recognize Dilly’s true worth.”

I was speechless at his words. Those jewels were worn by the Grand Duchess for generations—yet he was talking about giving them to his mistress.

“Are you really the Damian I know?”

He turned to leave but looked back at me.

“Yes. But since the situation has changed, I’ve just lost interest in something used like you.”

“…Damian, how can you say something so cruel…?”

“If you’re used, act like it and make things easy. Acting stiff isn’t attractive. Wife.”

After saying that, he left.

It felt like I had heard every insult of my life from him. I was so stunned that my whole body trembled.

“That’s… too much. How can he say such filthy things…”

Ella started crying, trying to hold it in as she turned away. Only then did I come back to my senses.

“Let’s pick another dress, Ella.”

“…Yes.”

I will divorce Damian.

I can’t live with a man who keeps a mistress. And seeing him now, he no longer seemed like the Damian I once loved.

And yet, because I had loved him for so long—

“I will definitely make you happy, Bri.”

His past promise echoed in my ears.

Like a fool.

❖ ❖ ❖

In the end, Damian and I had to go together to the imperial ball.

Since we were husband and wife, we rode in the same carriage, while Delilah was going as the partner of Baron, one of Damian’s close aides.

Inside the carriage, I didn’t say a single word to Damian.

Damian kept glaring at me, as if dissatisfied.

When we arrived at the grand ballroom, we had to walk arm in arm.

“His Grace, Grand Duke Mays!”

“Her Grace, the Grand Duchess!”

“Welcome!”

Since Damian had defeated Mervenia, he was the main figure of the party.

Everyone rushed to greet him.

The noise didn’t last long.

When the Emperor appeared on the second-floor balcony, everyone looked up and fell silent.

“Thank you to all the guests who have come today. This occasion was made possible largely thanks to the Grand Duke of Mays.”

The Emperor smiled proudly as he looked at Damian.

“And the true heroes of today, who led the war—”

—Creak.

The door suddenly burst open, and the Emperor’s aide rushed in, shouting urgent news.

“Your Majesty! His Highness the Crown Prince has destroyed the Biaten Empire and is returning with a great victory!”

The Crown Prince’s name was Calisten Ethan Crophers.

My childhood friend.

And Delilah’s second male lead.