Episode 29

It felt like watching a huge play.

‘It was all planned by Duchess Vetra!’

How could someone who had recently married the Duke of Vetra have accomplished such a feat? The guests tried to hide their surprise as they watched the Duchess, who smiled affectionately at the Duke.

The two of them blended together like a painting. It was understandable why there were early suspicions that the Duchess might be an actress.

“……Was it also the Duchess’s advice that Duke Vetra’s clothes changed?”

Always wearing black from head to toe, he was nicknamed Coal in high society, the Winter Wanderer in the Summer City, and the Dark Magician Ezekiel’s impression became much… … more toxic.

“My complexion brightened up when I wore a light-colored suit.”

“Because Duke Betra’s skin is already quite pale, it’s finally starting to feel like summer.”

“The handkerchief of the suit jacket worn by the Duke is also made of lavender glittering fabric.”

The heavy and gentlemanly aura of the Duke of Vetra doubles the alluring charm of the fabric that is slightly revealed.

“I can’t believe that kind of shiny fabric looks good on a man.”

Duke Vetra, holding hands with the Duchess, who was wearing a dress of the same fabric, exuded a subtle romantic aura.

The men sighed inwardly, their cheeks twisted in amazement at the leisureliness.

‘Perhaps because the setting is a temple, it feels like I’m seeing Undine and the powerful man who loved her.’

After all, the main deity that Betra serves is Undine, the spirit of water.

‘I wove the city’s folklore into the dress. This seems to be… . . ‘

All invitees tacitly agreed that this year’s winner would go to Betra without question.

And this dress, perhaps, could be positioned as an item reminiscent of Vetra.

***

Oh, I thought I was going to die!

I was so nervous my stomach was churning. No matter how much I masked myself, it wasn’t easy to summon all my extroverted energy and stand in front of people.

Pretending to be a secretive woman and managing my facial expressions took up a lot of mental energy.

‘Still… …doesn’t it seem like a success?’

I’m glad the atmosphere wasn’t bad. It was worthwhile weaving together the Undine tale so well.

My mind was finally relaxed from the tension and my head started to feel dizzy.

There’s still the final chapter left, so I can’t let my guard down. I held onto my last bit of sanity and waited for the highlight fireworks.

Today’s fireworks were scheduled to light up the sky above the temple. Ezekiel came to stand beside me, sighing deeply.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

After hesitating for a moment about what to say, I finally managed to utter a single word.

“You too.”

You dressed up and joined the performance just as I asked.

You may not be a good husband, but you are a good business partner.

“Thank you for clearly distinguishing between public and private matters.”

My dress shone brighter and brighter as it rippled in the wind. Colorful fireworks burst into the night sky.

“I have something to say to Ezekiel.”

Before I knew it, he and I were watching the fireworks from a distance away.

“I said earlier that there should be no secrets between a married couple, so I’ll say it now that I think of it.”

Ezekiel, whose clothes had changed and whose expression had become brighter, stared at me.

“I had a reason for wanting to do well in this event. My mother is from the Kingdom of Ionel. And the fact that the fabric was also imported from Ionel made me even more ambitious.”

“…….”

Actually, I didn’t like this story very much, perhaps because the Starace author brought up his mother’s background so often.

“The people of the empire are so arrogant that they don’t even treat people whose mothers are of lower-class noble blood from weak kingdoms well.”

It’s so funny. He brought me here saying he loved me, but when my mother died, I, his daughter, pretended not to know him.

Ezekiel thought about something at my words and then said something unexpected.

“How strange. My older brother also went missing after saying he was going to the Kingdom of Ionel.”

“Are you Mr. Gabriel Betra? I’m sorry! I’m so sorry.”

Oh, I didn’t know.

I wonder if I touched his pain. I have a family complex, too, so I don’t want to unnecessarily touch on it.

So I deliberately smiled faintly and touched his arm.

“And I have to work hard like this so you’ll acknowledge me. That’s why.”

“Wait a minute. Are you saying that I, not the Emperor, acknowledge you?”

But Ezekiel’s expression wavered slightly.

“Why do you try so hard to get my approval?”

“You are the ruler of this place.”

“You too are the Duchess of this city.”

“I entered into a contractual marriage. I am an unstable being.”

The smile disappeared from Ezekiel’s face.

“That’s what you said from the beginning. You don’t have to get involved in anything in this city, so just stay put.”

Ezekiel’s expression became serious, as if he was reconsidering what he had said. He stroked his chin.

“I definitely said that.”

“Yes. That was frustrating for me. After all, this was a contract, but I was afraid that if I just sat still, I’d be seen as incompetent.”

“viola.”

He spoke to me against the backdrop of a sky bursting with fireworks.

“Your very existence is a help to me. No one in this city will think ill of you.”

“Thank you for your words.”

“But…… I…….”

For some reason, he was silent for a long time.

Meanwhile, the fireworks ended, and the fabric catalog that Ezekiel and I had worked together to prepare was delivered to the guests.

This catalog was drawn by the same designer friends who were in charge of the last window display.

We continued our conversation, with the sound of people chatting happily in the background.

“Viola. I don’t want you to end our marriage like this….”

“i know.”

“What, what are you talking about?”

Yes, now is the time to face it.

“You’re asking me to end our marriage like this, just like you promised.”

“That was… a promise.”

He repeated what I said. Ready to accept everything, I smiled and made the first offer.

“Yes. So, I’m ending my marriage with you in exactly eight months and three days. Honestly, I was a little greedy, but now I know it’s pointless.”

Perhaps from the cold, I could see Ezekiel’s hands were trembling. His hands, having removed their gloves at my request today, felt as bare as if they were bare.

“Have you been counting down the days?”

I was sad to see the days slip by, planning this man to be my lifelong husband. That’s why I diligently counted the days.

“Now, both you and I don’t have much time left to go our separate ways.”

I spoke brightly on purpose.

“And Ezekiel. I knew you’d been visiting the slums lately, and that you’d often stop by the temple. Who were you going to see?”

Thank you, Butler Alfredo.

“How do you do that…!”

“It’s obvious that the servants are busy taking care of your clothes at night. You’re going out.”

therefore.

“We’re ending soon. It’s definitely over. Let’s each live the life we want!”

You meet the saintly mistress, and I leave Vetra.

My voice echoed across the vast sky.

Our conversation ended on a refreshing note with my bright words.

***

Ollie was the aide of this mansion.

He knew every little thing and habit of his servant, Duke Ezekiel Betra.

In Olga’s view, today’s Ezekiel is,

“Your Majesty, I ask you with all due respect, but have you lost your mind?”

It looked crazy.

“Ollie. Be honest. Have I been pushing my wife too hard?”

“We’re used to that tone of speech, so that’s understandable, but when I think about it later, there are things I regret.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that!”

“I thought you had a plan for everything.”

Ezekiel tousled his well-brushed hair.

“You know I’ve been going out every night lately. It’s because I was so shocked last time I couldn’t grasp Philip Justis’s true intentions, right?”

“I know. It was that day, after realizing that I hadn’t properly grasped the commoner’s way of thinking and that I’d only seen the world through the narrow-minded perspective of the aristocracy, that I began to inspect the slums.”

“You know that’s all because I felt something after seeing Viola, right?”

“Since Your Majesty said so, we all know.”

“My wife doesn’t know. I don’t know what it is, but there’s clearly a huge misunderstanding.”

Ollie’s anxiety grew.

How on earth did he act and speak in front of you all this time to make you act like that?