My Husband Picked Up a Woman - Chapter 3

Damian watched me in silence while Delilah wore a relaxed smile. We were seated at a rectangular desk, two on each side facing one another.

“Shouldn’t we report this?”

“I plan to.”

I replied to Saturn’s worried remark. At that, Delilah looked at me with a bright smile and spoke.

“You fell down the stairs last week as well, did you not? Are you alright?”

“I am not alright.”

I looked Delilah straight in the eye. Damian immediately wrapped his arm firmly around her shoulder and spoke.

“Let us get on with the lesson.”

Damian turned his attention to the face-down cards placed on the desk for the assignment. He picked one up and read it aloud.

“What would be the best way to implement welfare for a territory used as a battlefield?”

As Damian spoke indifferently, Delilah’s eyes sparkled.

“Since Mervenia is now a vassal state, could we not just dump all the burdens onto them?”

“Hahaha.”

I stared at her, wondering if those words truly came from the mouth of the genius Delilah from the original story. She, however, simply smiled as if satisfied by the way Damian looked at her with adoration.

“That could work. But since they are a vassal state, they cannot do anything without the consent of the Cropus Empire.”

Saturn added his input without any malice.

“I do not think it is right to push the burden onto Mervenia just because they are a vassal state. Instead, I believe we should demand war reparations and then focus on rebuilding the fallen castles. During war, walls are burned and homes are destroyed.”

“Oh.”

“I think we should grant them autonomy but ensure that an official from the Cropus Empire oversees necessary approvals. However, since it is easy for those sent as governors to become corrupt, we must appoint separate inspectors to monitor them.”

I spoke based on what I had read in books before. Saturn began writing down my words under the card.

“The professor said we have to submit this.”

“Oh, I see. Thank you, Saturn.”

When I expressed my gratitude for him taking the initiative to write, Damian’s expression hardened.

“Brie, you still love showing off how smart you are.”

“Damian.”

“You are always trying to lecture people. If you are so brilliant, what are you doing married to someone like me?”

I was rendered speechless by his remark and bit my lip.

“But Brie is very understanding. She understands us, after all.”

Delilah leaned into Damian, hugging his arm. His arm was pressed right against the center of her chest. They were so close that she appeared to be hanging off him.

“By the way, if Damian has taken a lover, Brie, does that mean you can have one too?”

“What?”

At Saturn’s words, I reflexively looked toward him.

“I, should I introduce you to someone decent?”

“Brie is not allowed yet.”

“Why does Damian get to decide that?”

“You have not even given me an heir, yet you are already thinking of meeting a lover? Think about it after you have had about three children.”

“Children. I am so envious. I want to have a child too, Demi.”

Delilah spoke to Damian as if pleading. Damian laughed brightly and replied.

“I will make sure that happens soon. Once Brie is pregnant first.”

“Yes.”

“You can understand that much, right, Deli?”

“Yes, of course. Just being by your side is more than I deserve. If you were to grant me a child, it would be a blessing beyond words.”

Nausea rose within me, and I unintentionally bit my lip. I was clenching my fists so hard that I realized how much my arms ached. My limbs were covered in dark bruises from the fall down the stairs.

“So, will you take a mistress once she has three children?”

Saturn truly seemed to lack any tact. He was completely unable to read the murderous tension in the air. Perhaps because of that, words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them.

“I could take a lover starting now.”

Damian’s expression turned cold as he glared at me.

“Watch your words. There are many ears listening.”

“You should be the one to be careful, Damian. There are many ears listening, yet you continue to act and speak in such a disappointing manner.”

He only glared at me after that, seemingly offended, and did not participate in any further questions. Saturn tried his best to change the atmosphere. Delilah continued to say foolish things to act cute for Damian. I waited, speaking slowly so that Saturn could write down the answers.

What was strange was that after hearing my answers, Saturn did not look at Damian at all; he faithfully recorded only my words. The thought that he might actually be serious about introducing me to someone decent made me feel a bit tired.

Everything was exhausting. I tried to focus on the class to avoid feeling the regret of coming here in my condition. I did not want to realize that I had pushed myself to attend a useless lecture. However, the excited atmosphere surrounding those who had returned from the battlefield made it nearly impossible to study.

❖ ❖ ❖

That night, a celebratory banquet was held at the Imperial Palace. A victory parade had taken place the day after I fell down the stairs, and it was customary to hold a ball during the week of the parade. The Imperial family hosted this ball as an expression of gratitude.

The guests of honor were the nobles and knights who had gone to war. Damian, who had commanded as the General-in-Chief, naturally had to attend, and I was obligated to accompany him as his wife.

Therefore, as soon as I returned from the Academy, I had to move busily. My entire body was in pain, but I had no time to be ill; rest was a luxury I could not afford.

“Ella, please prepare low-heeled shoes.”

We were in the dressing room next to my bedroom.

“How about loafers instead? No one will know if they are hidden by your skirt.”

“That would be too informal. I cannot do that.”

If I only considered Damian, I would have preferred to go barefoot, but I was going to see the Emperor and Empress. There would be Princes and Princesses there as well; they were not people to be taken lightly. I had to be careful not to give them any reason to criticize me.

“Thank you for the thought, Ella. I only have you.”

“No, Milady.”

Seeing Ella’s tearful face gave me a strange sense of relief.

“I am so glad you are here, Ella.”

“I am also so glad to be your maid. But at times like this, I just wish I could be in pain instead of you. I am sturdy and strong. It breaks my heart that you are hurt.”

“If you were hurt, it would break my heart. So let us call it a draw.”

“Oh, goodness! You always have a way with words.”

Ella spoke while her eyes grew red with sorrow at the sight of the bruises on my body. Despite my heart being in tatters, her presence helped me maintain my composure.

The door swung open.

I had been choosing clothes and shoes with Ella and the other maids. It was routine to pick them out before heading to get my makeup done.

“Damian?”

“Brie, I am here to borrow some clothes.”

“Why do you need my clothes?”

“Deli has nothing to wear.”

He suddenly snatched a garment Ella was holding.

“Let her borrow this.”

“That will not fit Miss Delilah.”

“If you do not want to lend it, just say so. Do not be petty using clothes as an excuse.”

He spoke and then took the shoes Ella was holding in her other hand.

“Where is the jewelry box?”

“Why don’t you lend her the Grand Ducal jewels instead?”

“That is a wonderful idea. I should let her wear the family heirlooms so people will recognize Deli’s true value.”

I was so flabbergasted that I did not respond. The Grand Ducal jewels were traditionally worn by the Grand Duchess. To think he would lend them to a mistress.

“Are you truly the Damian I once knew?”

He turned to leave but paused to look back at me.

“Yes. However, circumstances have changed. My interest in an old, worn-out item like you has naturally faded.”

“Damian, how could you say something so cruel.”

“If you are an old item, act like one. Be easy to handle. You are not charming when you act so stiff, Wife.”

He spat out those words and left. I felt as though I had received a lifetime’s worth of insults from him in a single moment. I trembled with indignation.

“He is truly too much. How could he say such filthy things.”

Ella began to cry. Seeing her turn away while hiccuping to hold back her tears brought me back to my senses.

“Let us choose another dress, Ella.”

“Yes.”

I will divorce Damian. I cannot live with a man who keeps a mistress. Furthermore, looking at him now, he did not seem to be the Damian I had loved. Yet, perhaps because of the memories of our long love, his old promise echoed in my ears like a fool’s joke.

“I will surely make you happy, Brie.”

❖ ❖ ❖

In the end, Damian and I had to travel to the Imperial ball together. Since we were a married couple, we shared a carriage, while Delilah was scheduled to go as the partner of Sir Baron, Damian’s close aide.

Inside the carriage, I did not exchange a single word with Damian. He simply glared at me, huffing as if he were the one with a grievance. Upon arriving at the Great Banquet Hall, we had to move while walking arm in arm.

“His Grace, the Grand Duke of Mayze!”

“Her Grace, the Grand Duchess!”

“Welcome!”

Since Damian had defeated Mervenia, he was the hero of the party. Everyone rushed to greet him and make an impression.

The commotion died down for a moment. When the Emperor appeared on the interior balcony of the second floor, everyone looked up and fell silent.

“I thank the guests for coming today. This occasion is possible entirely due to the great merit of the Grand Duke of Mayze.”

The Emperor smiled at Damian with pride.

“Furthermore, the protagonists of this occasion are those who led the war”

The door burst open. Beyond the door, the Emperor’s aide shouted while delivering an urgent report.

“Your Majesty! His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince has annihilated the Viathen Empire and is returning after a great victory!”

The Crown Prince’s name was Calisten Ethan Cropus. He was my childhood friend and the second male lead of Delilah’s story.