I Became The Wife Of The Cursed Grand Duke Chapter 136

“I hear there’s a lot of turmoil in the… empire,” Evelyn muttered after a long pause, her voice casual but tinged with concern.

 

Kalian sighed; his exhaustion evident as he tossed his coat aside haphazardly. “It’s a headache. It always is.”

 

“I know you must be worried, and I’m sorry to have bothered you at such a critical time,” Evelyn said, her tone wistful.

 

Kalian kissed her eyelids gently, his voice softening. “That’s not what I meant.”

 

Evelyn was right—the Cardassian Empire was in a precarious state, like a sandcastle before a giant wave. But Kalian had more pressing matters than stabilizing the empire.

 

“It doesn’t matter,” he said, “when I can’t wait to see you.”

 

First and foremost, he needed to tell her something before the truth became public. Even if she already knew, it wouldn’t lessen the shock. 

 

Kalian swallowed his words and let out a suppressed sigh.

 

“So, how do you feel? Are you relieved that your personal vendetta is over?” he asked, referring to Erze.

 

Evelyn smiled bitterly, her voice trembling slightly. “Well… I’m a little sad. I thought it would be sweet, like you said.”

 

Kalian tugged at the string of his sleeve, unbuttoning it methodically. “Did you feel grief at her death?”

 

“Yes, because the child… did nothing wrong,” Evelyn replied softly.

 

As he finished removing his shirt, he met her gaze, his eyes cold for a moment. 

 

Evelyn’s shoulders slumped under his stare, but his expression soon softened. 

 

He stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

 

“It’ll all be sorted out soon—the Fairfields, and our problems,” he assured her.

 

Evelyn’s eyes widened in surprise. 

 

‘Our problems? Does that mean he cares about my personal affairs?’ she wondered, lost in thought.

 

Just then, the bell rang, and Kalian ordered the maid to bring bathwater. When the maid left, he turned to face Evelyn.

 

“What is the meaning of that strange look in your eyes?” he asked, his tone curious.

 

“It was just so unexpected…” Evelyn replied, her voice trailing off.

 

He raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled. Evelyn added with a faint smile, “I didn’t expect you to read my mind and reach out to me first.”

 

“Well, I must have seemed pretty insensitive in your eyes,” Kalian admitted, slipping on his robe.

 

Evelyn’s gaze lingered on the loose knot of his robe as she replied, “No, but my feelings for Erze are private.”

 

After all, Viscount Fairfield had murdered four wives and still walked free, protected by his ties to the Emperor. Erze’s death was no excuse to punish him.

 

“Anyway, thank you for this,” Evelyn mumbled weakly.

 

Kalian pulled her into a wordless hug, his embrace warm and reassuring. 

 

Evelyn looked up, wondering why the normally blunt man had become so attentive. 

 

Their gazes met effortlessly, and he kissed her gently, his lips soft and warm against hers. She gripped his broad shoulders, leaning into him, but he pulled away abruptly.

 

“If you ever want to ask me a favor, or if you ever have a question—whatever it is—don’t hesitate to tell me,” he said, his voice low and earnest.

 

At the same time, Evelyn could feel his desire pressing against her, his hardness evident even through the fabric of her gown. 

 

His gaze told her she was the one with the request. 

 

The taut flex of his body against hers sent a shiver through her.

 

“Anything…?” Evelyn asked, her throat tight with nervousness.

 

There were so many questions she wanted to ask. 

 

‘Why is the saint staying in the capital’s mansion? Why didn’t you tell me about the Black Forest in the north? And most of all, how would you feel if I had a child?’

 

Her lips curled as she mulled over the questions on the tip of her tongue. Then, a hand as hot as fire cupped her chin.

 

“But not now,” Kalian said, his voice firm.

 

She didn’t bother to ask why. 

 

He chuckled lowly at her reaction, then pulled her waist closer, whispering, “I have more important things to do than satisfy your curiosity right now.”

 

 

* * *

 

Evelyn opened her eyes to see a snowy field shining like diamonds. 

 

The soft lights and faint scent of the spacious bedroom surrounded her, along with the hard, muscular body pressed against her back and the damp cloth against her skin. 

 

She lowered her head, feeling the soft fabric sweep across her body, and realized she had dozed off in his arms.

 

“If you touch a man, you’ll be held accountable. Isn’t that right, ma’am?” Kalian teased.

 

After a quick wash in the tub the maid had brought, he pounced on her like a starving man. 

 

The heat on the bed intensified, but Evelyn was fast asleep before he could do anything. 

 

It was inevitable—she’d been pushed to her limits by exhaustion.

 

“Are you awake?” Kalian asked, his hand brushing her hair aside.

 

The hand moved slowly upward, as if it knew she was awake. 

 

When Evelyn saw where it was headed, she pretended to roll over, pushing his hand away. The movement stopped, and she heard a rueful voice in her ear.

 

“You’ll have to cut me some slack. Do you have any idea how lonely I’ve been all alone since you fell asleep?”

 

He hadn’t wanted to wake her, so he’d endured his loneliness. 

 

‘I thought being with the saint would have removed any pent-up lust…’ 

 

Evelyn hated herself for feeling relieved that he still wanted her.

 

“I’m sorry, I really don’t feel well,” she said softly.

 

Kalian didn’t answer, sensing something was wrong. Evelyn sighed inwardly and closed her eyes again, trying to hide her complicated emotions. She could hear him muttering under his breath behind her but pretended not to notice. She didn’t want to share her body with him as usual.

 

“I guess we should go hunting,” Kalian said suddenly.

 

Evelyn, her back pressed against his chest, half-opened her eyes at his voice.

 

When she didn’t answer, Kalian buried his lips in her hair and whispered, “I’m going to need you to take care of yourself. I’m going to use the antlers of a baby reindeer to make a medicine…”

 

“Oh, no!” Evelyn exclaimed, her voice rising at the word “baby.”

 

Kalian raised an eyebrow, puzzled by her sudden reaction. “I don’t think the idea of using a few horns would be too offensive.”

 

“But… it’s still a baby,” Evelyn said, her voice trembling.

 

Noticing her distress, Kalian stopped wiping her body and turned her to face him. 

 

Evelyn looked at him, catching her breath. 

 

‘I know how strange my behavior must seem right now,’ she thought.

 

“Even if I only get the horns, I’m sure It’ll feel the pain. I can only imagine how a mother’s heart breaks… watching her cub suffer,” she explained.

 

“Ah,” Kalian nodded in understanding, though his expression suggested it didn’t matter much to him. 

 

Evelyn’s mind raced. 

 

‘I’m not sure how to acknowledge his intentions.’

 

Kalian had said it many times before—he didn’t like children. 

 

They meant nothing to him; they were merely tools for succession. 

 

No matter how many times Evelyn asked, his answer was always the same. 

 

And now, she was carrying his child. 

 

‘In a body not chosen by God.’ 

 

Just imagining his reaction made her heart freeze.

 

But she couldn’t hide it forever. It was time to decide.

 

“Kalian,” Evelyn began, trying to sound nonchalant to hide her nervousness. “What do you… think about a child?”

 

“A child?” His voice was cool, striking Evelyn like a blow to the heart. “Why a child all of a sudden? If this was about a child, wasn’t it already over?”

 

His question was understandable. 

 

‘It’s not like he doesn’t know about me, so why would he ask?’ Evelyn’s face visibly reddened. 

 

Seeing her embarrassment, Kalian’s expression grew serious.

 

‘She must have heard rumors about Deborah staying at the capital’s mansion. Perhaps she sensed the Oracle’s coming. Evelyn doesn’t know she’s the real Purifier, and it’s no wonder she’s bothered by Deborah’s presence. Maybe that’s why she’s crying over a child—to distract herself.’

 

The corners of her eyes narrowed, as if she was holding back tears or anger. 

 

‘What can I say to make her feel better?’ Kalian wondered.

 

“Evelyn, I don’t need a child. As I’ve told you before, a child is for succession—nothing more, nothing less,” he said slowly, lifting her chin with his index finger. “You don’t even need one, if that’s what you want. Perhaps it would be wiser to end the line here, rather than pass on a tiresome curse.”