I Became The Wife Of The Cursed Grand Duke Chapter 61

“Well, since you had a vision about the gate, I suppose that means you had no choice.”

 

Evelyn nodded reluctantly, and he sighed, as if that wasn’t the answer he was looking for and pushed himself up from his uncomfortable bed.

 

“Are you… going to leave?”

 

She thought they were going to stay together until morning.

 

Then Kalian smirked and flicked the tip of her nose lightly.

 

As if he’d read her mind.

 

“Wait while I wipe it off.”

 

“You can call a maid.”

 

Panicked, Evelyn started to pull at the rope, but Kalian stopped her, pulling the gown over her own body odor.

 

“It is customary for a man to clean up after a woman after the first night.”

 

With that, he knocked twice on the door with the doorknob, as if to summon someone.

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

Evelyn’s eyes widened at the sound of his voice, but he didn’t seem to mind in the last.

 

“Have some warm water and a clean cloth ready.”

 

“Ready, sire. I’ll leave them at the door and leave you to it.”

 

It was Benjamin who answered from the door. If only that calm voice could be heard this clearly…

 

“Oh, my God.”

 

Her face burned in hindsight.

 

The screams at the top of her lungs must have echoed through the silent hallway and the entire third floor where they were staying.

 

The fact that they’d even prepared warm water beforehand meant they knew what they were doing.

 

Then, as he carefully wiped her inner thigh with a warm cloth, Kalian raised an eyebrow.

 

“Did it hurt much? It’s swollen more than I thought.”

 

“Ah…”

 

Evelyn shuffled her legs hastily, suddenly embarrassed to be seen naked.

 

“That, that’s enough. Let me finish wiping.”

 

She heard a short, blood-curdling laugh.

 

Then he dampened the bloody cloth again and wordlessly wiped it gently between her legs.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

A knock sounded on the door, followed by someone’s beautiful voice.

 

Evelyn flinched, startled, and Kalian’s eyes narrowed as he held her in his arms.

 

“I thought I told you not to disturb me until morning.”

 

Glaring at the door, his voice trailed off, and an embarrassed voice added.

 

“I beg your pardon, Your Majesty, but the Holy Lady… is in urgent need of you.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

His steps were heavy as he walked down the long hallway.

 

Struggling to keep his feet from falling, he paused at a window overlooking the canyon where the gate had opened.

 

Kalian took a moment to catch his breath and think.

 

The day the disaster at Litchev, which had kept the entire Empire on edge, had been finalized.

 

In a flash of light that fell from the sky, Kalian felt his corrupted heart purified.

 

It wasn’t just a feeling.

 

From then on, even when he closed his eyes, he could no longer see the distorted face of the woman whose skin had completely melted away.

 

But he wasn’t happy.

 

He still missed her terribly.

 

He wanted to see her, even if only in his dreams, to touch her, to comfort her face that looked so painful and suffering.

 

Not being able to see her didn’t completely erase the guilt he felt towards her.

 

On the other hand, it was also reassuring.

 

Kalian could live with the thought that perhaps she, too, had been purified by Evelyn’s light and was finally at rest.

 

Then one day.

 

He dreamt of her.

 

She smiled for the first time, gently stroked his hair as if to say thank you for all he’s done and then disappeared.

 

He felt so sad and sorry for her that he cried for the first time in a long time.

 

And he finally admitted it.

 

Kalian was lonely, and though he vowed to spend eternity atoning for the many people he had killed, he needed someone to lean on more than anyone.

 

He felt a little guilty for holding Evelyn with those feelings, but it was in the past. Even as he held her, his mind melted into white, and he could think of nothing else.

 

His reverie was interrupted by Benjamin, who approached.

 

“I expected you to refuse, of course, but I didn’t expect you to come out so soon.”

 

“Whose summons, of course I’ll come. You’re the emperor’s messenger, after all.”

 

Even knowing that, irritation flared. Kalian gritted his teeth and continued on his way.

 

* * *

 

The next day, Evelyn awoke long after the sun had risen in the mid-air and nearly jumped out of her skin when she caught sight of herself in the mirror.

 

“My God, what is this?”

 

She knew he’d been lusting after her whole body.

 

With her delicate skin, she’d expected some bruising.

 

But she hadn’t expected the mess he’d made.

 

“There’s a farewell dinner tonight, and I’m not sure how I’m going to cover this up.”

 

Her whole body was covered in his marks.

 

From the curve of her neck to her collarbone, to her chest, side, lower belly, and between her thighs.

 

As she ran her fingertips over the bite marks, she was instantly reminded of the man who had filled her until dawn.

 

The way his lips had sucked in every inch of her body, the way his breathing had been so ragged.

 

The thick beads of sweat and the look on his face as he finally succumbed to pleasure assaulted her senses, causing her stomach to clench with tension.

 

She didn’t need to look in the mirror to realize her face was flushed red.

 

Evelyn quickly shook her head.

 

How weak of her to lean on him, to be so swept away by his mark.

 

Evelyn closed her eyes tightly, feeling so bad for herself.

 

Then she slammed her hands together, loudly, across her face.

 

Her mind calmed down, and her thinking returned.

 

“Don’t forget. This marriage has a purpose.”

 

She doesn’t know exactly what he was thinking when he accepted her proposal, but it’s clear that for him, it was just a show.

 

Of course, his relationship with the saint also played a part in her thinking.

 

Kalian has told her that the saint’s arrival hasn’t changed anything between them, but that doesn’t ease her anxiety.

 

Evelyn washed her bodily fluids and saliva off, and with the help of her maid, she dressed herself.

 

She laid out several inexpensive dresses on her bed, replacing the expensive one the duke had given her.

 

“Choose something suitable.”

 

The older maid carefully selected a dress and held it in front of her chest.

 

“When I was younger, I used to wear a lace scarf whenever I was in trouble, and I think this dress, with its lily of the valley color, would look very nice on you.”

 

“…Thanks.”

 

Just as they were getting ready, the delicate, rich melodies of the orchestra drifted in through the window, signaling the beginning of the feast.

 

* * *

 

The banquet was grand.

 

The arched frames of the gardens were adorned with heavenly drapery and vines, and the rarely seen spring flowers were in full bloom, creating a magical atmosphere.

 

The banquet hall was packed with nobles, as befits an event for a family that may have retreated from the front lines but still wields great influence.

 

‘Huh, I’m shaking…’

 

Evelyn, dressed in a crimson evening gown, took a deep breath and strolled through the center garden.

 

It was her first time attending a social event, and she couldn’t help but feel nervous.

 

‘Not that I ever attended one.’

 

She shook off the bittersweet feeling as she walked and reached a corner of the garden.

 

“Did you hear the news?”

 

A voice called out on the breeze.

 

“They say the grand duke is secretly visiting the Saint’s bedroom every night.”

 

‘What does that mean?’

 

Evelyn stopped walking for a moment.

 

Then she peered through a gap in the laurel bush, a little more than her height, to see who it was.

 

It’s McHale and the Marquise of Saxony.

 

They are the daughters-in-law of a family that is said to be influential in the Parminion.

 

In the case of Mrs. McHale, she was a daily visitor to the duke’s castle to curry favor with the saint.

 

‘Even so, you shouldn’t say such things out in the open.’

 

Whether it was true or not.

 

As long as the grand duke’s name was mentioned, it was Evelyn’s duty to point out their imprudence.

 

Her face hardened; she took a deep breath.

 

“My God, how frivolous…!”

 

Reah popped out of a nearby bush, a handful of roses in hand.

 

“Hush, wait.”

 

Evelyn quickly covered Leah’s mouth as she bared her teeth at them.

 

It wasn’t that she was worried about the commotion. It was because the past she’d forgotten had come back to her like a thunderbolt.

 

“What, miss?”

 

“Hold still.”

 

She shouted under her breath and removed her hand from Reah’s mouth. Reah cried out in frustration.

 

“You’re not going to let her get away with that, are you?”

 

“Not that, Mrs. Saxony, but… right now, she’s a little sick.”

 

“What? She looks healthier today than I’ve ever seen her?”

 

Of course, it might seem that way. She’s pregnant.

 

‘Now that’s a fact that only I know.’