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Chapter : 14
“What?”
“In the marriage vow between Damian and me, the first clause was that he would not take a concubine.”
Briseis said dryly as she walked into the room. Then she looked at her mother-in-law, who was about half a head shorter than her, and spoke.
“Breaking that clause was Damian’s doing.”
“Hah! Do you know how divorced women live? They all have to shave their heads and go live in the widow village!”
“That custom has already been abolished, Mother.”
Although it was recently eliminated, widows or divorced women among commoners were originally required to shave their heads and go live in the mountains. Otherwise, they had to go to a widow village and live a miserable life.
But that no longer happened. The Emperor allowed remarriage freely and permitted concubines.
“Hah! You think you’re different? Our Damian just lowered his standards temporarily to marry someone like you. Normally, he wouldn’t even notice you!”
“That’s what I should be saying. I must not have been in my right mind to marry Damian.”
Briseis’s voice trembled, betraying her misery as she spoke.
Before she married, there was no man as perfect as Damian. He was caring, always considerate and understanding her first.
She had never even dreamed that he could meet another woman.
He was truly perfect.
So when Delaila hadn’t appeared, Briseis understood why he was the male lead. Not Prince Calisten, but the Duke, was chosen by the heroine.
It seemed natural.
‘I like Brigea because she is wise.’
That’s what he had said, always respectful toward her.
But after Damian returned with accomplishments, he had changed. Briseis had been the one who persuaded the family, repaid debts, and even used her dowry to settle the Duke family’s debts because she loved him.
“Have you said everything?”
“Do you think I have? I have a lot to say.”
- Smack!
At that moment, the Duchess struck Briseis’s cheek. Since Briseis was already bruised all over, she felt weaker than usual.
- Smack! Thud!
Briseis barely endured one strike, but the continuous blows made her collapse to the floor.
“How dare you talk back to your mother-in-law!”
- Smack!
“Stop!”
Ella rushed over in shock, wrapping her arms around Briseis. In the process, Ella herself was hit in the face.
“Move! How dare a maid interfere!”
Briseis regained her senses and stood up.
- Smack!
“You crazy woman!”
Briseis slapped the Duchess, glaring fiercely.
“The crazy one is you, Mother. Who are you to hit someone?”
“You little—!”
Her red hair was grabbed roughly by the Duchess, shaking her around.
“Stop! Let go! Don’t treat my lady like this!”
Ella cried, trying to pull the Duchess’s hands off.
“Eeek!”
But the Duchess was so strong and aggressive that she knocked both Briseis and Ella to the floor together.
Ella held Briseis tightly to prevent further strikes, applying all her strength. The Duchess panted angrily, raising her hand again.
“Dare you touch my face?”
“Should I use my foot instead?”
A voice came from the door.
“P-Prince Calisten!”
“What am I seeing right now?”
“Your Highness! My daughter-in-law was being rude to me—!”
“Being rude gives you the right to hit?”
Calisten was smiling, but Briseis knew it wasn’t a real smile.
“Then how should I repay the rudeness of looking at my face directly? Should I gouge your eyes? Cut off your arms? Who dares look at a royal face so boldly?”
“I-I apologize!”
The Duchess quickly bowed her head. Calisten clenched his fist tightly.
“Disappear from my sight immediately. If not, I will twist your neck.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
The Duchess wanted to say more but thought it was better to flee, so she ran from the room.
“Sniff… Your Highness…”
Ella called out with tears, still holding Briseis tightly, afraid she wasn’t safe yet.
“You should have called me sooner. We almost had to go to the palace.”
Calisten had been returning after receiving urgent news from his aide.
“I… I sent the summons as soon as I heard you were coming today!”
Briseis realized that it was thanks to Ella that Calisten had come.
“Step aside. Let me check your condition.”
Ella slowly released Briseis. Briseis felt somewhat embarrassed.
‘I’ll regret marrying, Brigea.’
‘I won’t regret it.’
‘The Duke doesn’t love you. He just wants the Filia family’s money.’
‘Still, I trust Damian.’
Her swollen cheeks hurt, but her chest ached more from shame.
“How should I handle this? I’m so angry.”
Calisten’s hands trembled with anger as he saw Briseis’s bruised cheek.
“It’s not even your fault.”
“You’re so calm in this situation. I can’t be.”
Briseis said, holding tightly onto his sleeve.
“It’s strange. I wouldn’t be this angry if I had been hit instead.”
“Don’t lie. You would be angry no matter who hit you.”
Briseis, still embarrassed, tried to calm herself but couldn’t let go of his hand.
“Sniff… Sniffle…!”
Ella started crying, knowing Briseis wasn’t okay.
“I’m not okay! Our lady got hit!”
She instinctively used the old honorific she had always used for Briseis.
Calisten took a deep breath and helped Briseis stand.
“Shall we go to your room? Can I carry you?”
“I’ll walk.”
“Please let me carry our lady!”
Ella called, holding her breath.
“Yes, that’s better.”
“No! I’m not five years old… Eeek!”
Briseis struggled, but Calisten lifted her anyway.
“Is your room on the third floor?”
“Yes!”
“Put me down! What is this!”
“Patient transfer.”
Calisten held her tighter as she struggled, moving her to her room without difficulty.
Once inside, he quickly examined the room and got a first-aid kit.
“Ella, get some ice in a cloth.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
The room was quiet with just the two of them.
“I’m married. Being alone in a room with a married woman isn’t good for you… Ouch!”
Briseis complained, pressing her hands to her face, but Calisten firmly pressed her cheek.
“Are your ears okay? Can you hear the ringing?”
“…Yes.”
Finally, his expression softened slightly. His eyes were red, and even the corners were pink, a sight Briseis had never seen before.
“Why are you just taking it?”
“I did fight back, but I lost in strength.”
Briseis spoke honestly. The Duchess was indeed strong. Taller than half a head smaller, but far sturdier.
“You sent a letter to Zeronis’ law office, right?”
“How do you know that?”
“I know everything about you.”
Briseis suddenly realized: the man before her, pretending calm but willing to conquer anything he wanted, was not someone she could rely on for comfort.
“You want a divorce, right?”
She looked down without answering.
“If you want a divorce, I’ll help.”
“You didn’t tell Mikhail brother anything unnecessary, right?”
“No.”
Briseis remembered that none of the Filia household servants were on her side. They all liked Calisten.
If Calisten really became Emperor, they could abandon neutrality and fully support the Crown Prince.
“The brothers won’t help if they know. I need to stay in the Duke’s house to help you…”
“I don’t need the Duke’s help. Before I become Emperor, it’s almost impossible not to destroy the Duke family.”
He growled lowly, staring straight at Briseis.
Briseis knew his sadness wasn’t because she was a childhood friend, but because someone had damaged something he wanted. That was Calisten.
‘Why did you break all my toys?’
‘So you’ll play with me.’
Briseis recalled their childhood conversation and tried to think rationally.
“Just treat me.”
She regained composure.
“You’ll have teeth marks in your cheek.”
Briseis felt the taste of blood in her mouth.
“Huh?”
He pressed her chin to open her mouth, inspecting inside.
“Open wider. I need to see how swollen it is inside.”
