"Duke, could you please leave?" I intervened before a confrontation could escalate.
"Madam, I—"
"We can talk in the morning. But for now, please leave. I have sothing to discuss with Erios. I hope you’ll respect my privacy," I requested.
I could sense his growing anger, but I believed it was rely his pride that had been wounded. Or perhaps it was a good thing that he wasn’t like the man who, just hours ago, had callously taken the lives of those maids right in front of .
I was relieved when he didn’t say anything else and simply walked away, closing the door with a loud slam. Finally, I could turn my attention to Erios, who had been patiently waiting for my response.
"Erios!"
"Yes, Master," he replied.
"Why did you do it?" I inquired.
"What are you talking about?"
"Erios, you know what I’m talking about. You don’t have to act clueless when it’s just us here," I said.
"Master, he is dangerous," he reiterated.
"What are you talking about?" I pressed.
"Master, I sense bad vibes from him. Whenever you are with him, I can feel your heart beating rapidly, even though I’m aware of your feelings toward him. But it shouldn’t be like this. You sound as if you’re in distress, as if he’s crushing you under his feet like a piece of paper," he explained.
Insecurity? Hatred? Pain? Anger?
"Erios, you’re overthinking it," I said.
"You can go back to your room," I added.
"Can’t I stay here?" he asked.
"No," I firmly replied.
He didn’t press the matter further and left my room. Soon after, Vix entered and inford that she would be staying in my room for the night.
"Did the Duke send you?" I inquired.
She didn’t answer verbally but her silence spoke volus. I didn’t ask her anything else and settled down on my bed, my thoughts racing. So much had changed since that first night in this new life.
Arrogant maids were dead.
The Duke had visited .
Erios was here.
And now Vix was here, making it less lonely compared to before.
Why had there been so many changes? How had they occurred?
I couldn’t fathom the answers. Lost in contemplation, I eventually drifted off to sleep. The room’s soft, cold breeze kissed my face, causing to snore softly—a sound I hadn’t heard for the last six months. But in this place, it felt strangely comforting.
"Bernice."
"Bernice."
"Can you hear ?"
"Wife."
Wife? Who was calling "wife"?
I felt gentle fingers running through my hair, brushing it away from my face, leaving a tingling sensation in their wake.
"Alex?" I spoke.
"Yes, wife? Did I wake you up?" His voice was incredibly gentle, and his touch lingered on my face.
"Duke? Why are you behaving this way?" I asked.
"Wife, what happened to you? Can’t I love my wife?" he inquired, his fingers still caressing my face.
"Tell , what happened? Did you have a bad dream?" he asked, pulling onto his lap and causing my cheeks to flush.
"D-duke, what... are you doing?" I stamred.
"Wife, why are you calling Duke? You’ve never called by my title after our marriage, so why now? Have I done sothing wrong? If so, scold . You can even hit if it makes you feel better, but please, stop calling Duke," he said with a puppy-like expression that I had never seen before.
"Wifey? Are you listening to ?" he asked, bringing my face closer to his.
"A-Alex?" I stuttered.
"Yes, wife, just like that," he said, gently kissing my forehead, causing my heart to race.
"Duchess."
"Duchess."
"Can you hear ?"
I opened my eyes, returning to reality. The contrast was stark, and I found Vix opening the curtains as sunlight stread into the room. But my heart ached in a way that was difficult to describe.
"Duchess?" She called for again.
I groaned.
"I apologize, but I wasn’t sure what to do since you weren’t responding," she explained. I wasn’t upset, but the dream still lingered in my mind. I rembered his expressions, ones I had never seen before, and I was drawn to them.
"Let’s go for breakfast," I said.
"Yes, the Duke is already waiting for you," she replied.
In the dining hall, I found him reading the newspaper, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He looked handso.
"Morning," I greeted.
Upon seeing , he set the newspaper aside.
"Morning, Madam," he replied in a soft tone.
"How was your sleep? Did you have any trouble?" he asked while looking at Vix.
"No, thanks for the arrangents. I really enjoyed myself last night," I said, taking a sip of tea. The liquid was scalding, and I yelped in pain.
"Bernice!" he called by na once more.
"Are you okay? Is it hurting badly?" he inquired with a concerned frown.
"D-duke, you don’t have to," I tried to protest.
"No, let check. Allow to inspect for any injuries," he insisted.
"Show your tongue!"
Then he checked on , and I couldn’t stop him.
"Let see," he urged, concerned.
As he examined , I couldn’t help but recall a ti when he hadn’t cared for my well-being.
"Is it okay?" he asked, looking relieved.
"Yes, it’s fine," I replied.
"You had worried there," he admitted with a soft smile.
"I apologize for causing you concern," I said.
As I gazed at his face, it radiated a complex array of emotions and vibes that left baffled. Why was he displaying concern over such a minor incident? I was well aware of the nurous wounds that had pierced my skin and nearly taken my life, yet here he was, worried because I had burned my tongue with hot tea. It seed almost impossible. Could a man truly possess such contrasting personalities simultaneously? I had never encountered such a situation before, and everything felt different, yet suspicious and challenging to comprehend.
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