TVOWW 17

Chapter 17

Only Someone Like You
2022.01.28

The note didn’t have a sender’s name, but I recognized immediately who it was from. There was only one person who would send me a note like this.

[Madam, stay up tonight. We have to sleep together.]

I couldn’t help but read the short sentence over and over, my face flushing red.

‘Why… why… why… what exactly is he planning?’

It wasn’t the first time Johan had come to my room, but for some reason, I felt unusually tense.

‘It’s not me being weird.’

We hadn’t consummated our marriage yet. Neither Johan nor I had ever talked about the first night.

‘Maybe it’s because I’m a fake wife.’

Since we weren’t officially married on paper, there was no real reason to have a first night. Yet, strangely, I felt like it might actually happen.

‘Stop thinking about it.’

I cupped my flushed cheeks, shaking my head. Johan was probably just joking, as he always did. I left the note beside me and plopped onto the bed.

‘Come to think of it, the room looks completely different.’

I hadn’t noticed amidst all the chaos lately.

‘Unlike the previous dull room, this is entirely antique.’

The room itself seemed to radiate a sense of elegance. I should have asked Betty about this room when she showed me out.

‘I can ask tomorrow.’

I set aside my curiosity and focused on the book. Basics of Magic. All the magic books were written in ancient language, which was considered the most difficult in the empire. That was probably why Johan had me read this book.

‘Knowing ancient language doesn’t mean I can use magic.’

I wasn’t bad at reading ancient language, so I could read the book quickly. That’s when my eyes stopped on a certain passage.

‘Black magic.’

[Magic is the power to change the laws of the world through mana.]
[Black magic can break the laws of the world through sacrifices and curses.]
[The cost of a curse differs for each black magician, as every magician’s wish is different.]

‘They pay the cost in the future?’

My heart began pounding the moment I read that sentence. In the original story, Johan had sacrificed himself to become a black magician. But according to the book, the sacrifice in black magic wasn’t so simple.

‘Come to think of it, it never really explained what sacrificing oneself meant.’

[However, black magic may take a price from a future the magician cannot predict.]

As I pondered the ominous meaning of black magic, a shadow fell over my head. A large hand elegantly lifted my book away.

“Basics of Magic.”

Johan, in his robe, stood directly before me.

“This is a book I’ve seen many times before.”

Through his navy robe, his sculpted muscles were elegantly revealed. I had seen him like this before, yet it was still hard to look away from his lean, powerful body.

‘Completely different from his suit.’

I swallowed unconsciously. Unlike the suit, which restrained his figure, the robe revealed his form completely. Every detail of his perfect physique—the broad shoulders, strong chest, and slender waist—was visible.

‘I shouldn’t be staring like this…’

But my eyes openly scanned him anyway. Johan, seemingly unaware of my gaze, casually sat beside me. My heart skipped whenever the loosely tied robe shifted. He tilted his head and asked kindly:

“Was the ancient language difficult? Some words are particularly hard.”

“I skipped parts I didn’t know, so it was fine. I wasn’t reading it to study properly anyway…”

“Hmm.”

After quickly scanning the book, Johan looked back at me.

“Madam, don’t you want to study properly?”

“Study?”

“It’s usually a hard book to borrow. If you have time, I could teach you.”

“Y-You, Duke?”

“Of course, me.”

He shrugged his broad shoulders.

“No one else you’d rather study with, right?”

Even with his light, joking tone, the question made my chest tighten. I nodded eagerly.

“There’s no one I could ask for this.”

“That’s how it should be.”

Johan tilted his head leisurely, smiling.

“If someone else tried, I wouldn’t allow it.”

I realized continuing to focus on magic might lead to trouble. I showed him the note I had placed beside the bed.

“Then why did the note say I had to stay up tonight?”

“Oh, that.”

Johan took the note from my hand and dropped it on the floor.

“That’s because it’s the first night we use the marital bedroom together.”

“…What?”

“Until now, you’ve slept in your room, but now we’re in the marital bedroom. So, as a rule, a couple must sleep together.”

So this luxurious room was the Duke’s marital bedroom all along?! No wonder the room’s antique elegance made sense now.

‘So even while I was fainted, I was treated as a proper Duchess.’

Originally, only a formal Duchess could use this room. In the original story, I couldn’t enter it even if I wanted to.

‘Have I been doing well so far?’

Lost in thought, Johan’s strong body drew closer. He wrapped his muscular arm around my shoulder and whispered softly.

“What are you thinking about?”

His red eyes glimmered.

‘I don’t have room for other thoughts…’

Feeling an ominous tension, I quickly replied:

“I was just wondering if I would continue sleeping together with you, Duke.”

“Of course we will.”

“C-Continue like this…?”

My gaze drifted naturally to his robe again. He smirked.

“I sleep comfortably by nature.”

Not that casually! I rolled my navy eyes, unable to argue, and he pinched my cheek with a playful smile.

“Uncomfortable?”

He gazed at me, lightly stroking my skin as he asked in a low voice:

“Is it me, or is it my attire?”

I swallowed nervously. Johan slowly wrapped his hand around my waist, pulling me onto the bed. Even under the soft blankets, my heart raced.

“Not… exactly uncomfortable.”

“To me, you look quite uneasy.”

Suddenly, Johan’s face moved closer. I instinctively recoiled.

“Oops.”

He toppled me fully onto the bed.

“If you keep running, even when I’m thinking nothing, I’ll want to chase you.”

His gaze, full of interest, swept over me. He slowly trapped me in his arms, gripping my wrist. His grip tightened like a hungry beast, and he smiled.

“What if I get stimulated like this?”

I gulped. The rough movement pushed his robe aside, revealing the threatening muscles beneath.

‘I didn’t mean to provoke him!’

The stark difference in our physiques sent a chill down my spine. If he wanted, Johan could easily kill me. Without preparation. His sly smile met my wary eyes.

“Don’t worry.”

His face drew even closer, shadows playing across his handsome features, giving him a decadent aura.

“I wouldn’t eat an unaware Madam right away.”

He brushed his nose against mine, smiling softly. His hand holding mine enveloped my hand entirely. Johan’s elegant yet firm hands, the hands of someone who had never truly struggled, felt rough and strong.

“Tonight, we’ll just hold hands.”

He pulled me closer, his wild muscles pressing against me. Our body heat seemed to blend, creating a strange sensation.

‘I need to stay alert.’

The night felt like it could stretch endlessly.

Johan slowly opened his eyelids. Morning sunlight streamed through the window. He raised his eyebrow.

‘…Did we really fall asleep here?’

Originally, the plan was to wake up halfway with Estelle. Johan couldn’t sleep if someone else was present, so sleeping together like this was an unexpected variable.

‘How did I…’

Recalling that night, Estelle hadn’t slept quietly. She tossed and turned, teasing him with a flushed face.

‘I can’t sleep because holding you like this makes me nervous!’

“Nervous because of me?”

“You know it already!”

Her pink lips pouted.

‘Since I’m nervous, I should act like this more.’

“Why… why…!”

“I like that you get nervous because of me.”

As Johan wished, Estelle became completely honest when pressed close. Yet he couldn’t learn her secrets, and it was amusing enough for him. She soon fell asleep, letting herself relax into his arms.

‘How did I…’

Johan clenched his jaw.

‘I can sleep peacefully beside this woman.’

He couldn’t believe he felt so rested. Despite holding the woman he wanted revenge on, he had no nightmares.

‘Finally, I’ve gone mad.’

Every night he had nightmares: the Blanchett estate burned, the citizens exploited, his family suffering. He always watched helplessly.

‘Why am I the only one unharmed? Why only me?’

He endured it every time. The more he recalled the worst moments, the more he refused to give up revenge.

‘But why…’

Before him was Estelle, the adopted daughter of Libertan.

Sleeping soundly, her gentle face was lovely, delicate as if crafted by Libertan himself.

‘This is a variable.’

Johan traced her slender neck with his long finger, feeling her gentle breath.

“Only someone like you.”

Her neck was so fragile it could be encompassed in one hand.

“Such a nothing.”

Breaking her thin neck would be easy; a little force would kill her. Johan applied slight pressure, feeling her pulse.

‘Perhaps this is the better path for her.’

According to Johan’s plan, she would face the most miserable death, perhaps worse than the Libertan couple. But dying now, she could pass unaware, peacefully. Her delicate eyelashes trembled instinctively.

“Madam.”

He slowly tightened his grip.

“Now, farewell.”