The Regret Novel Female Lead with Unbreakable Mentality Chapter 33

Count Florette’s voice wavered as he spoke. “D-Die, you say.”

 

“Yes. I will die. Is that a problem?”

 

“Well, this is… quite something.”

 

Count Florette couldn’t bring himself to respond and simply stared, while Duke Kalinos casually pulled out a written vow on ‘how to live as husband and wife’. Most couples write their own vows, but apparently not the Kalinos family…

 

“I’ll just reuse the one Father used over twenty years ago.”

 

“What?”

 

“First, I vow to live in absolute obedience to my wife. Second, I vow to follow my wife’s orders without question and survive on whatever allowance she gives me. Third, I vow to rise from the dead if my wife commands it…”

 

The declarations kept coming, each one more ridiculous than the last. My new in-laws nodded along in a daze, probably wondering what they’d gotten themselves into.

 

Halfway through this bizarre recital, Count Florette muttered under his breath, “This sounds less like marriage vows and more like a slavery contract. What a peculiar family…”

 

When the so-called vows finally ended, we were left with one man radiating unhinged energy and three people questioning their life choices.

 

Count Florette’s expression was a study in complexity. ‘Was this marriage truly legal?’ and ‘Can they just get an annulment?’ His face said it all. He rubbed his face and sighed deeply. “I’ve decided to think of Giselle as my own daughter. Please, no matter what happens, treat her well. And Giselle—if things get rough, you can always come home. Remember that.”

 

Don’t worry, Count. I’ll be divorced before you know it! I flashed him my brightest smile. “Thank you! So I’m officially the Duchess of Kalinos now?”

 

“Indeed, Wife.”

 

Duke Kalinos lifted my hand and pressed a light kiss to the back of it—the final seal on our marriage vows. It was barely more than a brush of lips, yet my heart did this annoying little flutter at the unexpected contact.

 

Even in a loveless contract, a marriage is still a marriage, right? At least judging by my body’s traitorous reaction.

 

* * *

To think our wedding is over just like that. I’m quite pleased.

 

The moment our vows concluded, Yuliana stormed out, muttering something about “a feast fit for animals—no, worse than animals.” She was clearly upset because of me.

 

Watching her retreating figure, Neslan let out a shaky breath and murmured to himself. “My wife’s bold spirit remains unchanged.”

 

Is that really what he’s calling a bold spirit now?

 

This family is truly peculiar. A typical in-law family, but with a strangely off-kilter mother-in-law, a father-in-law who seems kind but oddly enjoys submission, and a husband who looks like a villain but is actually just unhinged! Clearly, I’m the only sane one here. It’s tough being the only normal person among all these crazies.

 

Without a care for what I might be thinking, Neslan—who’d been watching her with that careful, gentle way of his—ushered Duke Kalinos and me into a cozy little room. “A bride should have four things for good luck in marriage: ‘something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.’”

 

“Ah, yes.”

 

“My wife will provide something old, and I want to give you something new.” He placed a small cotton ball in my hands with the kind of reverence you’d reserve for precious treasure. “It’s something I wanted to give if I ever had a daughter. I made this stuffed animal myself and embroidered it.”

 

It was the most adorable teddy bear I’d ever seen—painstakingly crafted with cute, fluffy brown fur that looked impossibly soft. He must have been really bored here by himself. And… Is he treating me like his daughter? For real?

 

I’d declared to Yuliana that I would act like a daughter, but honestly? I’d only planned to be a complete nuisance. Yet here was Neslan, looking at me with such warmth, smiling like I actually mattered.

 

That’s what got me. Seeing those genuinely lonely, bright eyes… I couldn’t bring myself to act like the brat I’d intended to be. This is driving me crazy.

 

The tiny dress on his handmade teddy bear sparkled with various jewels that caught the light beautifully. Neslan watched me fiddle with the gems, trying—and failing—to hide his pride as he spoke. “Those jewels are actually artifacts.”

 

“Gasp, artifacts?”

 

Artifacts are incredibly valuable to mages like me!

 

Neslan handed me a whole bundle of artifacts from his desk, adding, “As expected of Count Sehera’s daughter. You seem quite interested in artifacts.”

 

“Ah, yes.”

 

“I’ve always been fascinated by spiritual and mysterious things. Would you like to take them? They have many intriguing features.”

 

Even though I’m a bit of a troublemaker, I stick to one sacred principle. Rule number one: Always secure anything that’s free.

 

“Yes, thank you!”

 

As I offered my cheerful thanks, Duke Kalinos—who’d been standing a respectful distance away—glanced at his watch with a slightly uncomfortable expression.

 

“Oh, it seems it’s almost evening.”

 

“R-Really? Oh! Are you busy tomorrow? It would be nice if you could come to this annex again. Well, it’s not a big deal if you don’t. I mean, it would be nice if you did. Since the barrier is lifted. No, well… You don’t have to come. But since the barrier is lifted…”

 

…How many times is he going to repeat that the barrier is lifted?

 

It’s quite strange, really. His rambling made him seem so pitiful and forlorn. I keep seeing my old self in his face.

 

Neslan Kalinos is a national hero who defeated the monsters. That means he’s someone whose life path is completely different from mine. But his desperate longing for affection? It reminded me of my past self—so lonely I used to have full conversations with inanimate objects.

 

So, without even realizing it, I found myself nodding. “… I’ll come tomorrow.”

 

At my impulsive response, Duke Kalinos glanced at me before replying. “Well, alright then.”

 

Neslan beamed with a broad smile and nodded. Then, with a slightly flustered expression, he grabbed his son’s arm. “Vientin? I didn’t know you were the type to pay attention to others’ expressions.”

 

Well… that was fine up to that point.

 

“Honestly, when you suddenly announced your marriage, I half-wondered if it was a contract.”

 

“Absolutely not. A contract, you say?”

 

“Yes, it truly is a romance for the ages.”

 

Just because the duke noticed someone’s expression, it’s a romance for the ages? I mean… really? But the shocking part didn’t end there.

 

Duke Kalinos spoke bluntly. “Then, I’ll go ahead and dismantle the barrier around the annex.”

 

“Ah… Right. Yes…” Neslan wore a slightly awkward expression but nodded roughly.

 

It was then that Duke Kalinos—in a tone that seemed learned from a book—spoke bluntly. “Today is the honeymoon, you see.”

At that moment, both Neslan and I froze in place. Trying not to show my surprise, I forced a customer service smile and said, “O-Of course. Giselle is so happy~♡”

 

No… I’m not happy at all. I’ve never even had a chance to date because of work, and now I’m about to share a bed with a stranger before even having my first kiss. Moreover, there was a huge problem looming.

 

They say misfortunes never come singly.

 

Actually, this morning, I called Hennessy.

 

“I’m curious about the progress with the potion. How’s it coming along?”

 

“Huh? Oh! Is it to keep the senate in check? Are you trying to investigate the senate’s potion…?”

 

“…?”

 

“I-I’ll give it to you.”

 

Lately, I’ve had the unsettling feeling that Hennessy looks at me with a strange sense of admiration… Anyway, I ended up drinking the potion he gave me. It was incredibly effective.

 

Mages usually do this: they close their eyes, imagine the mana inside, and visualize a big room. That tells you how much mana you have.

 

Thanks to chugging the potion, my mana has recovered over twenty percent compared to before. I can even hear muttered whispers loud and clear, so my hearing must’ve improved too.

 

And now I have to sleep next to a man with my senses heightened like this? …Yeah. I don’t think this will end well.