If I Throw Myself into His Sea - Episode 2.20

He had expected a rejection, but Pereian silently stared at him.

“…Speak.”

He finally granted permission to speak. Rupel emphasized each syllable, speaking firmly.

“Please, I ask that you not treat her harshly. At least in the eyes of others, I hope you will remain a good husband.”

“Hmm.”

Pereian cut him off as if he couldn’t be bothered to listen further. Rupel’s sudden request displeased him.

Even if Sipri had said it, it would have been considered overstepping, but the fact that a mainland man close to Irene Iphraim had said it further irritated Pereian.

It was ridiculous that he was acting as if he were Irene Iphraim’s guardian.

“I don’t think I need to hear that trivial request any further.”

“But!”

“If you truly care for the Queen, disappear from my sight, right now.”

It was a moment’s work for Pereian to send Rupel out of the Coral Palace. If he ever did anything more annoying, he could simply take issue with today’s words. Only cold tea remained where Rupel had been.

Irene, left alone in front of Pereian, watched the direction Rupel had left for a long time, then soon lowered her head like a sinner and shrank back.

“You must have told him everything that happened between us.”

Even at Pereian’s words, Irene couldn’t raise her reddened face.

“…I never did. I never spoke ill of you, nor did I speak of you carelessly.”

“Ah, perhaps you were too ashamed to even mention that you were being treated like this by me.”

Irene, whom he glanced at, looked more pathetic than usual.

Seeing the woman, who had acted as if she knew no shame no matter what he did, finally show a satisfactory reaction, Pereian finally smiled.

Wishing she would become even more miserable and show an even more messed-up expression, he said,

“It’s better to cancel the welcoming ceremony you prepared.”

“Why is that?”

Irene was embarrassed by the unexpected words. It was Pereian who had ordered her to properly fulfill her duties as queen.

Above all, it was an event she had painstakingly prepared with Atina’s help.

“I can’t entrust it to a queen who shared gossip about me with the mainland envoy.”

“That’s a misunderstanding.”

“I don’t think you, who aren’t even a proper princess to begin with, would have properly prepared a royal welcoming ceremony. I think it’s better to have someone else do it than to be unnecessarily embarrassed.”

Irene’s efforts were thus rendered useless by Pereian’s one sentence.

“We’ll only invite the envoys except for Rupel. Don’t come out of the Coral Palace that day.”

Irene’s eyes wavered at his following words.

“It’s a rightful measure. The purpose of the welcoming ceremony is for the envoys to adapt, and your country’s envoy has already adapted to Deltia to the point of daring to speak ill of the monarch.”

Pereian stared with interest at Irene’s expression, which was mixed with shame and futility. Irene couldn’t possibly object to Pereian’s decision.

As long as Rupel was involved, adding more words would only harm Rupel. He might even punish Rupel.

“Okay. Do as you please.”

Resigned, Irene acquiesced. Her quick agreement felt as if she was desperately trying to protect Rupel from him, which Pereian somehow found displeasing.

Feeling a lack somewhere, he added,

“He said to be a good husband.”

He scanned Irene’s listless figure up and down, then tossed out the words,

“Go confess. That you’re not actually the princess I sent the marriage proposal to, and that you had an affair with the envoy from the mainland.”

“Pereian, just a moment. I told you it’s not true.”

“Adultery would be a good enough reason to depose you from the queen’s seat. If it’s clearly your fault, even Epin won’t be able to say anything.”

Pereian’s eyes gleamed as if what he was saying was a perfectly good idea.

“If you do that, I’ll be a good husband, at least for the moment you step down from the queen’s seat.”

“Are you saying I should take the blame and leave?”

“Why, you hate that so much?” Irene retorted at the absurd demand, and Pereian sneered in response.

“The noble princess couldn’t possibly do that. I didn’t expect you to in the first place.”

Pereian turned to leave the garden, as if there was nothing more to say.

“What I wanted to convey to you is that you have to do at least that much to expect husband-like treatment from me.”

His last words were a complete trampling of Rupel’s request.

It was that night that Irene visited Pereian’s office.

“Pereian, can’t we proceed with the welcoming ceremony as planned?”

No matter how she thought about it, she wanted to hold the welcoming ceremony properly. It was an achievement made with Atina’s help, so she didn’t want to let it go.

If it meant withdrawing the cancellation, Irene was prepared to kneel and beg for a long time. Irene, watching Pereian who didn’t even glance at her and was focused on state affairs, cautiously added,

“It’s something a queen should do.”

It was then that Pereian put down his pen. Thinking he was finally listening to her, Irene moved her lips again.

“I prepared diligently, okay? There won’t be anything that would bring you shame.”

Irene’s words were cut short. It was because Pereian had risen from his seat and was walking towards her.

“W-wait a moment…”

Despite Irene’s restraint, Pereian only came closer without answering.

Irene felt overwhelmed by his breath coming so close. She slowly stepped back. She tried to move away as if running away, but only for a moment. With a thud, her heel hit the leg of the sofa, and Irene staggered.

Pereian seized the opportunity and pushed Irene onto the sofa.

“Why do you keep objecting to my decisions?”

“……!”

“I suppose you feel quite secure with the dogs from your homeland that your father sent.”

Irene, laid out on the sofa, squirmed to escape Pereian.

“So, you crawl to me like this?”

“…Let me go.”

As if finding her struggles amusing, Pereian seized both of Irene’s wrists with one hand, halting her movements.

“Do I have to display the heads of your friends and the envoys on the beach for you to understand your place?”

“I, I’m sorry. I won’t ask for anything more…!”

Irene’s apology had no effect on him. As if acceptance and forgiveness were long past, he imprisoned Irene with his body and sneered.

“Look straight at where your position is before me.”

“Stop…”

“You are nothing now. Not the noble princess of Epin, nor someone special to Rupel.”

Reaching out with his free hand, Pereian gripped Irene’s thigh, radiating murderous intent. Irene moaned softly at the rough sensation.

“As long as you are in the Queen’s seat, you will simply be beside me.”

“Pereian, please.”

“As my consort, you will only sink into this mire.”

Finishing his words as if spitting out a curse, he released the force in his body that had trapped Irene and slowly retreated.

“If you understand, go back. Go, and please, live as if you were dead, at least until the envoys leave.”

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