IBWMD 97

~Chapter 97~

I thought, “No way.”
What kind of man would want to hear, again, that his future wife likes another man?

Maybe he just didn’t really hear me the first time?

That idea popped into my head, so I answered even more clearly on purpose.
At that moment, my shock won over my reason.

“Listen closely. I said I like another man.”

“That monster hunter?”

“Why are you asking the same thing again?!”

“Wait. Let’s make it clear. You only said ‘monster hunter,’ so that’s not specific enough.”

“What?”

“There are old monster hunters and young ones.”

“What?!”

Even that ridiculous comment made me more stunned.

Wait, after talking like he knows Karl, now he acts like this?
Is he seriously including Clark as a candidate?

‘Even my late grandfather would be younger than Clark!’

“Of course it’s not the old one!”

“Then who?”

“Obviously the youn—”

Ugh, I give up.

“…Karl. The monster hunter, Karl! I said I like him!”

There was silence.

“He has black hair and golden eyes, like honey. He’s really fit and handsome!”

I added those details, just in case he tried to argue about appearances.

I absolutely couldn’t stand anyone asking if I liked an old man.

As soon as I finished, the Grand Duke’s hand around my waist squeezed tighter.

Rip.

I even heard the stitches of the quickly sewn dress tear a little.

Finally, my common sense slowly came back.

‘Wait, could it be…’
Was he going to find out who it was and try to kill him?

When my body tensed up without me realizing, the Grand Duke asked again, almost like a final confirmation.

“…So, you like Karl?”

“…No. I take it back. Actually, I don’t think I like him that much.”

Of course, I actually do like him a lot.

“Maybe not that much…”

I like him so much I want to protect him.

I’ve even done things I never would have done, worried about someone else when I was always carefree.
I’ve even felt a fear I’ve never known before.

That’s how much I like him.

But after lying to hide my feelings, I felt a little hopeless.

‘I promised I wouldn’t run from my feelings anymore.’

But even if it’s to protect Karl, it felt terrible to deny my feelings.

‘Terrible?’

The atmosphere around us actually felt cold.

Why?

Before I could even recover from my panic, a sharp voice cut in.

“You said you liked him. Does love just change?”

“What? No, I wouldn’t say it’s love…”

“You said one thing to me, now you say another. Looks like you’re the one with a double tongue, not me.”

“I’m not a man, so it’s fine for me to say two things.”

“That doesn’t matter. You said you liked him. Even said you’d give your soul…”

“I never said I’d give my soul!”

I didn’t even know where to start correcting him.

Shouldn’t the Grand Duke be happy if I don’t like another man?

‘And saying I’d give my soul!’

He’s the one who proposed first! If anyone gave their soul, it was him.

While I was just thinking about holding hands and kissing, he was already making a family with me…

“Are you just playing with the innocent monster hunter’s heart?”

“What did I do? I’m the one getting teased here…”

“So do you like him or not?”

“Ugh, yes! I like him, okay?!”

There was silence.

“A lot more than I thought! I like him. I really do!”

After yelling, I realized…

‘I messed up.’

I just did something childish and stupid with the Grand Duke, who might become my husband.

…Not just childish, but totally crazy.

I argued with my future husband about Karl and confessed to Karl three times?
‘Is there a soap opera worse than this?’

Even in all this confusion, I thought,
‘I could never say this in front of Karl.’

I’m telling another man things I couldn’t say to Karl himself.

‘I honestly don’t know how Karl would react if I confessed.’

Even though he proposed to me, too.

‘Back then, I thought Karl liked me.’

But since we haven’t talked since then, I feel less sure.

Maybe he did it because of responsibility, not because he likes me…

‘Wait.’

Is that why he hasn’t shown up?
Because if my real husband appears, Karl’s sense of responsibility wouldn’t matter?

Maybe he never liked me that much to begin with?

With no way to ask him directly, my mind kept going in a negative spiral.

If he ever shows up, I’ll pull out all his hair…

That’s when I clenched my jaw without realizing.

“…I see.”

The Grand Duke, who had been silent, answered slowly.

‘I thought this time he’d yell and get mad.’

But instead, he seemed even calmer.

Or maybe not.

His hand holding me grew tighter and warmer.

Maybe he wasn’t calm at all…

“Your Grace.”

“What is it?”

“Your neck is bright red.”

His mask only covered his head, so I could see clearly.

Beneath the patchy spots from monster poison, his pale skin was turning bright red.

‘He really is furious.’

Embarrassed, I muttered,

“See? This is what happens when you keep asking.”

“…”

Sure, most of this is my fault.

But honestly, it’s his fault for prying when he said it didn’t matter.

“If a sick person walks too much and argues and then gets sick from anger, how will he recover…”

“…That’s not it. I’m just hot.”

“It’s winter in the north.”

“Are you worried about me?”

His voice tickled my ears.

For someone angry, he sounded way too gentle.

I felt confused all over again.

‘His future wife just said she likes another man three times.’

Usually, a husband would throw her out, send a complaint to the Emperor, and insist I be executed.

‘…No way.’

He doesn’t have some weird taste for losing his wife to another man, does he?

Was the Grand Duke in the original story like that?

‘Would his attitude have changed if the heroine had met someone else?’

While I stared at him in shock, unable to hide my suspicion, the Grand Duke slowly turned his head toward me.

“Anyway, it doesn’t matter.”

“I’m going to marry you, Elaine.”

His hand tracing the ripped seam of my dress felt strangely intimate.

It was one moment of confusion after another.

“The wedding will be held soon, so don’t worry about that.”

“But shouldn’t you get healthy first…”

My protest was met with an unexpected reply.

“Whatever you did with that monster hunter, you can do with me, step by step.”

“I’ll try to make you like me too.”

It was a weird but oddly romantic answer.

He even sounded really gentle.

Or maybe he just sounded less confident.

‘Did getting hurt make him lose his confidence?’

Even if he’s hurt, he’s still the northern Grand Duke—he has status and money.

My heart even softened a bit.

“…It’s not like I dislike you, Your Grace.”

“That’s an honor.”

“I just think you’re a little strange.”

“That’s an honor, too.”

He laughed as he said it.

Even his neat, soft laugh felt familiar and made my heart flutter.

The more we talked, the weirder I felt.

‘Was the Grand Duke always this kind and generous?’

He really doesn’t have some weird taste for losing his wife, right?

‘Maybe he’s just satisfied because his tastes are being met…’

While I frowned, feeling uneasy,
Something cold poked my forehead.

…It was the mouth of the dragon-head mask.

We both froze.

‘Why is this dragon head touching me?’

Was he trying to kiss my forehead? Or actually, my frown lines…

Just then,

The Grand Duke pulled his head away quickly, like it was an accident.

“They say frowning gives you wrinkles.”

“A bride shouldn’t have wrinkles before her wedding.”

I almost yelled.

‘Saying that doesn’t change the fact you just tried to kiss my forehead!’

Why the sudden kiss? That’s not even his character!

Isn’t he supposed to be cold-hearted?

‘Did someone swap him out for someone else?’

Still confused, I touched my forehead.

The Grand Duke, who was quietly running his hand along the ripped seam of my dress, added,

“Let’s choose a different dress.”

“Why? Everyone worked so hard to get this one ready quickly.”

Even in a place with limited supplies, this dress is impressive.

Beth complained that it was outdated, but I was satisfied.

“It’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride’s dress before the wedding.”

“I want you to be happy with no bad luck.”

Today was just full of surprises.

He even brought up superstitions in the middle of all this sweet talk.

‘I didn’t think he believed in that kind of thing.’

“I want our wedding to be perfect.”

“So perfect that you won’t even think about running away.”

His heavy words sat on my heart.