Chapter 1 Part 1 – Marriage Life 

“Stop here,” Ruby requested, tapping the carriage.

It had been a short while since the carriage of Marquis of Grit had passed through the front gate of the palace.

“Marquis Grit requested that I take you all the way,” the coachman said.

The Marquis, whom the coachman mentioned, was now Ruby’s ex-husband. This carriage ride was his final act of consideration for his ex-wife. Ruby had never received such consideration, not even on their wedding day. It was somewhat ironic.

“I have to stop by somewhere.”

“But…”

“I have things to think about. Don’t worry, I’ll be safe. Please convey that to Lord Grit.”

With a firm demand, the coachman reluctantly halted the carriage. This was the first time Ruby had ever refused anything. Although Eli probably didn’t know, this alone gave Ruby a sense of relief.

Ruby left the carriage behind and walked slowly. There were still many unresolved matters. She hadn’t decided what to do next, and she couldn’t predict how her family would react to the sudden divorce news.

The divorce news would soon be in the newspapers, and the nobility would all find out. Thinking back to how she had suddenly caught Eli’s eye and became his fiancée.

She had thought about the possibility of remarriage but shook her head. Someday, perhaps, but not right now.

What was it that she had originally wanted to do? She couldn’t quite remember how she used to spend her time and what brought her joy before getting married.

During her three-year marriage, Ruby’s sole focus had been Lord Grit. She had made constant efforts to understand the heart of Lord Grit. Trying to erase her own habits had caused many changes, even in a short period.

To rediscover the things that had changed, she would need to dig into her memories for quite some time.

“Get out of the way!”

The shout was urgent, and simultaneously, there was a jolt. The noise grew closer to her. The approaching object was revealed as the carriage, along with the pain that came with it. There was no time to scream.

The sensation of her head hitting the ground hard was the last thing she felt. People’s feet came into view, and the spreading red liquid as well.

However, her body wouldn’t respond as she wished. What had she been doing?

Yes, she had been thinking that she didn’t want to marry again. If she were to live with her parents again, she thought it would be better to do something outside of their house to avoid the pitying gazes of her parents. But how had it come to this?

Where had things gone wrong? Was it the impulsive moment when she proposed the divorce, or was it the foolish moment when she first proposed marriage? Or perhaps it was the moment when she fell in love with him at first sight?

Ruby’s trembling eyelids closed.

***

“Ruby, come over here.”

Ruby’s long-time friend, Lynn, leaned against a second-floor pillar with her arms crossed, trying to hide her presence. Ruby followed her obediently, even though she knew she wouldn’t be hidden.

“It’s Lord Grit.”

At the mention of the name, Ruby mimicked Lynn’s actions, barely squeezing herself against the pillar and cautiously peeking her head out.

“I heard he was here yesterday.”

Lynn gestured to the opposite side of Ruby. Ruby still thought Eli was incredibly handsome when he interacted with people.

Eli Grit, the rising star in the new emperor’s favor, was becoming an influential figure. As a result, his face had become less visible, and even more challenging to see.

So, today was really a rare occasion.

“Are you not going to talk to him again today?”

“I… I’m too embarrassed.”

Ruby, her cheeks turning red, replied shyly. She had a secret crush on Eli Grit, but she could only watch him from afar and never approach him.

Ruby wasn’t the only one who had a crush on Eli. Many young ladies from noble households admired him, and he held a prestigious position. As the trusted confidant of the emperor, he was a desirable candidate for any noble family. Ruby didn’t believe she had a chance.

“If you don’t confess, you’ll never know if there’s a chance.”

Lynn sighed and spoke.

“Do you think there’s a chance if I confess?”

“Well, you never know.”

Ruby forced a bitter smile. As Lynn offered words of comfort, she didn’t fail to notice Lynn’s momentary hesitation. Ruby knew that she knew the answer well enough herself.

Even though Ruby had no intention of confessing, she couldn’t help but follow Eli throughout the entire ball, feeling a strange sense of regret.

Then, unexpectedly, she witnessed a scene where Eli received a confession.

“I refuse.”

“Why?”

“I’m busy.”

A firm rejection followed.

“I’m leaving.”

“Is it because of Miles, the Duke’s daughter?”

Eli was about to leave without saying anything else unless there was a follow-up question.

“There are rumors about a marriage proposal going around.”

“No, it’s not.”

“If it’s not for that reason, then there’s no reason for you to refuse.”

The words just spoken were far from polite.

The young lady who confessed her love to Eli was a member of the Duke of Kiab’s family. Neither her family nor herself were worthy of rejection.

“There is, even if you put aside that ridiculous rumor.”

“What are you talking about?”

She tried to smile, but it felt awkward, perhaps due to the worsening mood.

“Your family is too impressive, so it’s burdensome.”

“…What’s that supposed to mean?”

“If someone like Iyana is by my side, there will be many people talking. I don’t like that. Iyana enjoys such noisy things, so you should find a partner whom you can enjoy it with”

After finishing his words, Eli turned away without any regret, as if he didn’t want to hear her response.

“You dislike me because I’m impressive? What a preposterous rejection.”

As Ruby heard Iyana’s annoyance, strangely, her heart swelled, as if she had found some hope.

***

“Her gaze is fierce.”

“Who?”

“The Kiab Lady from the ten o’clock direction.”

Kane, who pretended to be talking to Eli, informed him of the lady’s location. However, Kane’s efforts were in vain as Eli met Iyana’s gaze directly.

“Oh.”

He seemed so indifferent. Kane let out a small sigh at Eli’s behavior.

Kane, who had been watching him carefully, and Iyana, whose eyes met his, turned and left.

Iyana’s face widened, displaying her embarrassment.
“You didn’t reject the Kiab Lady, did you?”

“Why not?”

“Wait!. What!. ……When?” Kane was surprise

“It was on the first day of the ball, two days ago.”

Eli had an expression as if it was no big deal.

Iyana Kiab was undoubtedly the queen of high society. Even based on her appearance alone, men lined up to dance with her. And she was the center of power as a Kiab Duke’s daughter. Her popularity was beyond words. Rejecting such a woman made Eli’s actions all the more remarkable.

“I’m curious about what kind of woman you’d marry.”

“A woman who won’t be a bother. Both in terms of personality and family.”

“What’s the point of getting married then?”

“It’ll reduce the bothersome things.”

Kane tilted his head as if looking at Eli like a strange creature. Seeing that Eli didn’t seem to mind at all, it seemed he was sincere.

“But the Dowager Marchioness of Grit seems quite enthusiastic.”

“You don’t mean Arren Miles, do you?”

Kane nodded, and Eli’s face immediately frowned.

“Where on earth are these absurd rumors coming from?”

“You think they just sprang out of thin air?”

Kane, who knew more about the Marchioness of Grit than anyone else, asked half in jest. His face was filled with mischievousness.

“So, choose carefully. Otherwise, you’ll end up marrying a bothersome woman just as you said. It won’t be worth rejecting then.”

Eli let out a deep sigh in response to Kane’s heartfelt advice.

***

Eli thought he had done his duty just by attending the ball until the last day, so when he hurriedly left the hall, he was approached by someone.

“Marquis.”

Although he had hoped to find a moment to rest alone, he found it annoying that there was still someone following him. When he turned around, he saw a lady named Ruby, whom he had no memory of greeting before.

“I am Ruby of the Rainier family.”

As her name suggested, her eyes had a reddish hue.

He thought they had chosen the name well. From the moment he heard her name, it would be memorable. There was no better promotion in high society than that.

“What can I do for you?”

But that was it. Eli wanted to end the conversation quickly and leave.

“What do you think of me as a potential marriage partner?”

“…What are you talking about?”

Although he didn’t show it outwardly, Eli was inwardly flustered.

He thought she might suggest that they become partners for the next ball or ask him to remember her name.

“I won’t be a bother to you, Marquis. Our family is not ambitious enough to wish for anything. I have no such intentions, and neither do those around me.”

“….”

“If you want, I can write a contract. Oh, of course, you can take your time to consider and answer before that.”

Before Eli could reject her, Ruby quickly delivered her prepared words.

After witnessing Lady Kiab’s confession, Ruby had been pondering ever since.

If her family, appearance, and charm didn’t matter to him, could she possibly be his choice of marriage partner?

“It’s okay to be rejected. I expected it,” she comforted herself while not letting go of her hope.

“Let’s do it.”

“What?”

A surprised Ruby asked.

Her expression was too silly to be considered the person who had suggested it first.

But what was even more surprising was that Eli had accepted the proposal as if he had forgotten to manage his expression.

“Let’s get married.”

Eli’s response had the same tone as when he rejected Lady Kiab, but the content was quite different.

+++

A few days later, the news of Eli and Ruby’s marriage adorned the front page of the newspaper.

“Marquis Grit, the Undisputed Number One Bachelor, Announces Sudden Marriage! Is the Bride Cinderella?”

It was the headline that adorned the front page of the newspaper.

The main content of the article was Eli and Ruby’s marriage. It briefly explained Ruby’s background as a Rainier lady.

In summary, the article was somewhat critical, bordering on disbelief, about how a woman from an ordinary household could have captured Eli’s heart, but in the end, it concluded with a romantic interpretation that Eli’s decision to marry her despite unfavorable conditions must mean he had fallen in love at first sight.

“Well, it’s not entirely wrong,” Lynn mumbled as she read the newspaper.

“What do you mean?”

“The part about falling in love at first sight.”

“That’s impossible. I was the one who pushed for it.”

“Think about it. Is Eli Grit, the Marquis, the type to give in just because you pushed for it? He accepted it because he liked you.”

Ruby looked awkwardly at Lynn, who was misinterpreting the situation.

She swallowed the words that it was an unfounded guess, considering the situation when she confessed.

“What kind of dress do you want to wear?”

“I’ve been thinking about it.”

Only after reading the article did Lynn show interest in the catalog Ruby had been looking at.

“Both of them are beautiful.”

“Really? That’s why it’s so difficult.”

The off-shoulder dress was decorated with lace from the collarbone to the chest, and the lace pattern was so intricate that it subtly revealed the skin, making it look cool and elegant at the same time.

Another dress followed the line of the body and subtly spread out towards the bottom. When the chest was adorned with petal-like decorations, the model in the dress looked as if she were the very embodiment of a flower.

“What are you worried about? After all, the Marquis will choose for you.”

“…Will he?”

“Oh, come on, I envy you. A dress chosen by the Marquis!”

Lynn teased Ruby, who seemed a little overwhelmed.

It wasn’t the kind of relationship she had in mind, but she had no doubt that the Marquis’ choice would remain unchanged. Ruby felt a little excited by the expectation.

***