Living a Scheming Marriage with a Mad Villain - Chapter 50

So today, I came to the garden with Reus.

Even though it was the same place I came to every day, having someone different with me made it feel a little different. The servants seemed to feel the same way because they all looked our way at least once as they passed by.

It was really nice to sit side by side and spend ordinary time together.

“But what should I talk about?”

We had been sitting for a while, but neither of us said much. Then I gathered some courage and spoke first.

“By the way, aren’t you busy these days?”

“Why? Do you want me to be?”

“Huh? No…! I was just worried I might be wasting your time even though you’re busy.”

“It’s okay.”

Was he saying it was okay to take some time, or that he wasn’t that busy? The answer was unclear, but he didn’t seem like he wanted to leave, so I didn’t ask more.

“Hmm. What should I ask?”

Lately, Reus has been making time to eat with me at least twice a day, and when we have guests, he stays by my side from start to finish. So we’ve been spending a lot more time together.

But this was the first time we sat side by side like this for no special reason.

I didn’t know when I could have time like this again, so I wanted to keep the conversation going as long as possible, but I couldn’t think of what to ask.

“Most of what I’m curious about might be sensitive questions anyway.”

At that moment, Reus asked me.

“By the way, why do you want to leave for Veliata? If you leave, you would have many better choices.”

“Uh… There wasn’t any big reason…”

Even though I said that, Reus stared at me as if he really wanted to know the reason.

“When I was young… I went to the capital with my father once. I saw a cruise ad then, and the view of Veliata in that ad looked so beautiful. So I thought I must go there if I leave the empire.”

“Have you wanted to leave since you were young?”

The real reason for going to Veliata was to avoid the original plan and the engagement with Reus.

But I thought it might seem strange to Reus, who didn’t know this, that I wanted to leave the country from such a young age.

Surprisingly, Reus seemed to understand.

“Hmm… That’s true, but I didn’t plan to go to Veliata at first. I was going to move just within the empire. I never thought about getting a new identity.”

“Did someone help you?”

“A friend named Enni from Ibel was close to me and asked if I wanted to buy a new identity and leave the empire completely. Thanks to her, I also met Anas.”

Talking about such personal things with Reus made me feel excited. So I looked at him as if saying it’s okay to ask more.

But the next question wasn’t something I wanted to answer.

“But it must have taken a lot of money to buy a new identity.”

“Hmm… that’s true.”

I tried to avoid it and change the subject, but Reus seemed like he would wait until I answered. So I continued.

“I sold some gifts my father gave me to make money… and did other things, roughly speaking.”

I sold decorations, stole candlesticks and sold them.

I couldn’t explain in detail, so I spoke vaguely. But Reus seemed to understand well.

He didn’t mind, but I felt awkward and quickly changed the topic.

“By the way, Reus, don’t you eat dessert?”

“Yes.”

His answer was very quick and simple, as if he never intended to eat it.

The desserts on the tea table looked like more than enough for two people.

“Am I supposed to eat all this by myself…?”

Is that why he didn’t push me to eat more earlier? If I had known this, I would have eaten less.

While seriously staring at the table, Reus said,

“I won’t make you eat it all. Eat what you like, as much as you want.”

It was nice to hear he didn’t expect me to eat everything.

“But Reus, don’t you like sweets much?”

“I don’t especially prefer them.”

It was exactly what I expected, but a little disappointing.

There was really no joy in Reus’s daily life.

He barely slept and repeated work and training from waking up to falling asleep, and ate carelessly. He didn’t have favorite desserts or tea to enjoy.

“Want to try this? It’s not very sweet.”

I picked up a piece of raw chocolate and offered it to Reus. His eyes looking at the chocolate were full of reluctance.

“Just try one. It might be better than you think.”

“This one is really not that sweet… okay?”

In the past, he would have refused right away. But these days, Reus never says no like that.

That doesn’t mean he immediately agrees, though.

“I’ll eat it later.”

His indirect refusal wasn’t like him, and I smiled.

“That makes me want to tease you.”

“If you really hate it, I’ll ask again. Still no…?”

I thought he’d refuse if I asked again for such a small thing. But Reus didn’t answer and frowned slightly.

Then, while still crossing his arms, he leaned his upper body slightly forward. That made his face a little closer to mine.

Our eyes met over a fork for a moment. I felt nervous and held my breath briefly.

As we blinked, Reus still looking unwilling slowly put the chocolate from the fork into his mouth.

When the chocolate spread in his mouth, he frowned a little. After finishing it, he waited a moment before speaking again.

“You’re eager to drive down my life value.”

“Why do you say things like that again…?”

“You try to settle things by eating chocolate now, so what else would I think?”

Why always like that…

“He plays tricks on me, but when I do it, he complains a lot…”

I felt a bit down and apologized.

“I was joking… Sorry.”

Then Reus suddenly put raw chocolate into my mouth.

“If you’re apologizing for a personal request, I accept it.”

Surprised for a moment, I soon realized I was being teased by his playful expression again.

These days, Derwin was unusually free.

“I wonder where His Highness went again today…”

He started to reduce work little by little, and now he even disappeared in the middle of working.

After Shanette left, Reus went down to the dining hall every day unless there was a special event. Since then, his training and work started to reduce. After Peria’s visit, he tried to spend most of his time with Loelle except when Loelle was in the library.

Because of this, work was completely ignored, and outside schedules were canceled weeks ago.

Even Derwin, who is usually clueless, started to feel something strange.

Actually, his suspicion started when Reus directly visited Viscount Pillaren.

There was a plan to go to the capital the day after returning to the Duke’s castle. But after returning, he left only a note to cancel the schedule and disappeared at dawn.

Since he never handled things like that, Derwin was a little confused but thought he was acting fast for the Duke’s family.

But now, no matter how much he thought about it…

“No way. His Highness wouldn’t do that. It makes no sense.”

Even as he said that, Derwin’s serious eyes looked at Reus’s empty seat.

“Could it be… really?”

Derwin stood up quickly and shook his head to shake off strange thoughts. Whenever his thoughts got complicated, he remembered Reus standing by the window.

When I followed him, hoping looking outside might clear his mind, I saw an unbelievable sight at the window.

Reus was taking raw chocolate from Loelle and eating it. That was enough to shock me, but then I saw His Highness putting raw chocolate into Viscount’s mouth.

“What… what did I just see?”

Derwin was so shocked that he stood frozen with his mouth wide open.

Though he was usually clueless, I could tell the look he gave Viscount was very different from how he looked at others.

A soft breeze gently blew Loelle’s platinum hair, and it felt like the hair was brushing against my chest. A tickling feeling started inside and slowly spread through my body.

“In Veliata, it’s summer even in December, so everyone gathers at the beach for a year-end party. They also have a fireworks festival in the evening. It won’t be as big as the one in the capital, but I think it will be really beautiful.”

Why was it so hard to take my eyes off this woman today?

Reus carefully took in Loelle as she spoke about a midsummer Christmas night.

The bright sunlight falling on her pure pale skin made her cheeks glow pink. She looked so lovely.

When our blue eyes met, the colors of the world seemed clearer, starting from her.

My view widened from the woman to the world, and I began to notice things I hadn’t seen before.

The wide open sea, the lively fresh green garden, the shining sunlight above it all.

Yes. The colors of early summer hidden deep in my memory seemed just like this.

Seagulls flying over the sparkling sea like silver pieces falling down. The fresh smell of grass. The soft warm breeze. The full feeling of life spread all over me, making it easier to breathe.

Something in my chest fluttered and my heartbeat grew faster.

Now I know why I always followed the woman with my eyes.

I was breathing through her.

I think I will never forget this moment for a long time. Maybe even after I finish my revenge and become free, I will still remember today.

A feeling that started as a small curiosity has become so clear and real.

That was the moment I realized the woman who came into my harsh life was my first love.

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