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Chapter 31
You Really Are My Wife
Even when I looked at Liandro, I couldn’t move immediately.
‘Why did this man suddenly come to save me?’
Too many thoughts flooded my mind. Liandro Felcis, the male lead of the original story, and…
‘My ex-fiancé.’
Technically, Liandro’s fiancée was Estella, the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Libertan. Blonde hair that sparkled brighter than mine, clear blue eyes like a lake. A girl so radiant and lovely that if you presented her with a flower in a garden, she’d burst into laughter like the sun. People considered Estella an angel whom no one could surpass. If that angel hadn’t died from an incurable disease, the engagement would have remained.
‘Especially since Estella was Liandro’s first love.’
Liandro had first fallen in love as a child, seeing a lovely girl wearing a floral wreath in the garden. He embraced her as his first love and trained in swordsmanship abroad for ten years to become a knight who could protect her. Upon returning from the foreign land, he discovered a girl at the Duke of Libertan’s estate. A beautiful young girl with sparkling pale pink-platinum hair, somewhat resembling Estella. Seeing her, Liandro mistakenly believed she was Estella, feeling the weight of love and the constancy of his emotions.
‘But that was me.’
When Liandro realized the truth, he felt immense betrayal. Shocked by the death of his first love and angry at the imposter who had taken her place, he broke off the engagement.
‘Perhaps it was the natural outcome.’
The Duke of Libertan had indeed deceived him. Yet, I still didn’t see Liandro in a favorable light. Because he broke off the engagement, I couldn’t be protected as in the original story and had to endure abuse. If only Liandro hadn’t abandoned me, I might have survived. The neutral-leaning Felcis family had that kind of influence.
‘Even the attempt to escape with me in the end was like that.’
Unlike the sun-like Estella, it was an impulsive act out of pity. He couldn’t bear to let a girl resembling his first love suffer.
[“Do not worry. Even if I do not love you, Lady, I will not let you remain in that hell. I swear by the honor of a knight.”
“Do you love me, Sir?”
“I am sorry. My heart belongs entirely to her. Saving a wicked lady like you is also, in a way, for the angelic her.”]
Thinking back on the original escape, my feelings were complicated. Even if I followed Liandro, I would fail to flee. Moreover, another concern weighed on me.
‘I’ll never escape Estella’s shadow.’
Even if I were a fake destined to be abandoned someday, in the Blanchet estate, I wasn’t Estella’s substitute. I could never return to being her stand-in.
“Lady.”
Liandro spoke bluntly.
“I will catch you safely from below. So, please be brave.”
A strange heat surged in Liandro’s blue eyes. Unconsciously, I gripped the terrace railing tightly and asked,
“But… who are you, Sir?”
Liandro’s eyes hardened.
“Do you… not remember me?”
“Have we met before?”
Ironically, that was the correct answer.
‘I only became aware of Liandro’s existence after regaining my memories of the original story.’
Before that, I only knew I had suffered because of my ex-fiancé. I had never met Liandro.
‘Johann is here now…’
It was better to block things at the source.
“I’m sorry, but you’re not someone I remember.”
“I am…”
Liandro’s blue eyes were tinged with memory. With trembling lips, he spoke solemnly, like a confession.
“I am someone who must atone to you, Lady.”
“Is that so?”
I tilted my head slightly, refusing politely but naturally.
“I don’t know you well, so I don’t think you need to say this. Goodbye.”
Johann wouldn’t misunderstand.
‘Liandro might have his reasons too.’
Liandro had already longed for Estella and abandoned me without seeing me. Unlike angelic Estella, I wasn’t kind enough to shield someone who had contributed to my suffering. Liandro would live on regardless.
“Lady, even if you do not recognize me…”
A desperate expression appeared on Liandro’s face.
“I am Liandro Felcis, your former fiancé. Therefore, I cannot watch you suffer.”
“……”
“I intend to reclaim you, Lady.”
His strong features and perfectly fitted armor accentuated his disciplined aura. The cold, wolf-like face hid a deep sadness and longing.
“What fiancé? Reclaim me?”
I widened my eyes at him.
“I know we were engaged, but I thought it was already broken off. And now you say you want to reclaim me?”
“I know we broke off long ago. But I deeply regret it. Will you not give me the chance to save you now?”
“Why? I have a husband.”
“Husband.”
His blue eyes grew cold, as if aflame. Grinding his teeth, he demanded,
“Do you call that man your husband?”
Ah. I had almost let it slide but provoked him.
‘Legally, Johann and I have no real connection.’
Although Johann called me his wife and treated me as the Duchess of Blanchet, I was only a fake. In the original story, the Duke of Libertan had given a marriage contract with my name, but Johann never submitted it or even wrote his name.
“Lady! You are being deceived by that devil!”
He tore at the contract as if to destroy it.
‘But if Liandro knew I already knew, it would be a disaster!’
That was why I had blocked the Crown Prince. I had tried to act unaware that I was a fake wife.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t have time to listen to you now. Even if my husband is a devil, it has nothing to do with you.”
“If you knew what society was saying about the Lady, you wouldn’t utter such words. Everyone…”
“Do I need to know that?”
I glared at Liandro’s devastated face and said,
“I don’t think it’s something I need to know.”
“Why do you push me away?”
“What?”
“From the moment we met, you’ve…”
Liandro’s expression grew increasingly frustrated. He was undeniably a handsome male lead: rain-wet silver hair, deep blue eyes, a strange melancholic charm. Like a large dog drenched in rain, tail drooping pathetically.
‘But he unsettles me.’
Though I treated him differently than Johann, I had no desire to change that.
“The conversation is over. I appreciate your effort, but it’s your misunderstanding, so there’s nothing to be done. Your way home won’t be difficult.”
Just as I was wrapping things up naturally.
“No.”
Liandro suddenly grabbed the scabbard at his waist. His gaze, soaked in sorrow, carried a strange obsession.
“I cannot let it be. I cannot watch the Lady suffer at the hands of that devil. Even if I’m not worthy.”
The steel-blue blade glimmered in the sunlight.
‘I guess I’ll have to call Johann.’
A battle between the male lead and the villain. I could already see the chaos and my headache began.
“I’ve lost the Lady all this time, but now I will atone.”
“From what I hear…”
A languid voice murmured as someone suddenly grabbed me from behind.
“You’ve been enduring, so I let you, but now he’s spouting nonsense endlessly.”
The deep scent of musk calmed my nerves. Johann rubbed his cheek against the top of my head.
“Why waste time dealing with that fool? You should’ve called me sooner.”
“I was worried you’d be tired, Duke.”
“Ah, you care for me. But when that fool is around, you should’ve called me immediately.”
Johann’s lips curved slightly. Though his voice threatened the other, his posture teetered on the brink of collapse.
“Were you in love with him, Lady? I worried if I tore him apart, it might hurt you.”
Somehow, his dark magic seemed stronger than before.
‘Could it be that after side effects, the power increases?’
Liandro’s expression hardened.
“You….”
“I’m relieved you have no feelings for him, Lady.”
White magic symbols lit up the space, then turned red like blood. Johann’s red eyes glimmered ominously.
“Johann Blanchet, Duke!”
Liandro shouted, gripping his sword tightly.
“Do not dare disrespect the Lady further!”
By all appearances, Liandro was justice, Johann evil. In the original, that was accurate.
‘Righteous Liandro, villainous Johann.’
Yet in that moment, I instinctively clutched Johann’s arm around my shoulder.
“Shall I kill him?”
Then Johann smiled sweetly.
“No. I’ll start by cutting out his tongue first.”
“That man is a devil, Lady. Please stay away! He is your home!”
Shards of red magic knives shot at Liandro with deadly speed.
“Shall I tear that arrogant mouth apart?”
Then I realized.
‘He’s trying to cover my ears.’
His movements were desperate. Johann’s pulse raced, constantly checking on me. His grip was desperate like a beast starved for affection, yet he seemed cornered.
“Missed. Damn it.”
Blood-red eyes glimmered.
“I should just tear him apart with his head too.”
The incoming blades now focused sharply on Liandro’s head and mouth, likely to prevent me from learning the truth. Johann adjusted the situation to keep Estelle unaware in the original story, but now he genuinely wanted me to know nothing.
‘Why?’
Amidst the flashing blades, I looked up at Johann.
‘Johann. What are you afraid of?’
As if he didn’t want to be hated.
“Lady Estelle!”
“Don’t listen, Lady.”
His large hands covered my ears completely. Liandro, the strongest knight in the world, tried to aim at me, but hit Johann’s hands instead. Johann had no choice; he had to move his hands to unleash stronger magic. Liandro’s voice echoed sharply.
“That man is neither the Lady’s husband nor anything else! Do you really think he is her husband?”
The noble knight Liandro rose from his kneeling posture, blood at his mouth from deflecting magic.
“He has not registered marriage with the Lady! He likely hasn’t even sought the temple’s approval.”
Temple approval was crucial.
‘While imperial-sanctioned marriages can be divorced, temple-sanctioned ones are difficult to annul.’
Johann despised the temple close to Libertan; he would not have obtained approval.
‘This is bad. What should I do?’
I considered a new strategy. Should I pretend to innocently believe Johann’s excuse?
‘Why does Johann’s expression…’
But Johann froze. He did nothing, unable to cover his guilt. What was he afraid of?
“Come with me.”
The knight extended his hand.
“Estelle.”
For the first time, he addressed me as “Estelle,” the ‘fake’ name he had avoided. Unconsciously, I clutched Johann’s sleeve tightly.
“Who says so?”
Johann’s lips curved in reply, calm but teetering like a collapsing tower.
“I have nothing to say about the family purge, but Estelle Blanchet is my wife.”
Johann produced a document: a marriage contract with my name. In the original, Johann had torn it immediately with a smile. Below the contract was a golden seal, stamped by both the Emperor and the temple.
“Estelle, you are my true wife.”
Johann kissed me, whispering sweetly into my ear.
“You want to take my wife? How audacious.”
Johann glared at Liandro with deadly intent.
“You should have known the consequences if you dared say that! I almost wanted to cripple you.”
In the chaos, I stared blankly at the marriage contract.
‘My real wife.’
I was a fake. My life had been full of fakes. But… could something really be different now?
