Chapter 4 (Part 6)

“It’s done.”  

The stew, served promptly in bowls, looked appetizing with well-cooked potatoes, onions, carrots, and ham. When he simply stared at it blankly, Therese, holding a wooden spoon, started eating first.  

“Your Grace, it won’t taste good if it gets cold.”  

“…Hmm.”  

Jeremy took a big spoonful and put it in his mouth. The stew, with its mild broth and blend of various vegetables and ham, was rich in flavor.  

The warmth of the stew bowl traveled from the Duke’s hands throughout his entire body.  

When dealing with monsters at the borders, he often had to make do with hastily prepared meals by the army cooks. But this stew was different.  

It was special because the vegetables he had peeled himself were cooked by Therese.  

As the two emptied their bowls of stew, the rain did not let up.  

Just as the Duke had predicted, the rain continued throughout the night. Battling through the downpour and navigating the dark forest to return to the ducal residence was impossible.  

Moreover, the Duke was injured.  

Thus, the two had no choice but to spend the night in the log cabin.  

“You can use the bed, Madame.”  

The Duke, who had settled near the fireplace, spoke while lying down with a rolled-up blanket as his pillow.  

“……”  

If only she had listened to Sophia and taken the carriage, she wouldn’t have gotten lost or ended up spending the night in the same space as the Duke.  

‘How pathetic. Truly pathetic.’  

Watching the Duke’s back as he lay turned away, Therese climbed onto the small bed and leaned her back against the wall. Her body was utterly exhausted, but it felt like sleep would elude her tonight.  

To her memory, this was the first time she had been so close to the Duke since their wedding night.  

The sight of the Duke resting his head on one arm was illuminated by the flickering firelight, casting a reddish hue.  

It must be uncomfortable for him to lie like that with his injured arm.  

“Your arm must hurt. Please take the bed. I’ll sleep on the floor.”  

“In the battlefield, it’s common to catch brief moments of sleep like this. You don’t need to worry about me.”  

“……”  

At his words, Therese found herself imagining the Duke on the battlefield—a thought she had never entertained before.  

‘Life on the battlefield must always be this uncomfortable.’  

The beds would be hard, and casualties from battles with monsters would occur almost daily. The Duke must have stood directly in those blood-soaked battlefields she had only read about in newspapers.  

Breaking the brief silence, Therese spoke.  

“Do you have a lady you fancy?”  

It was a question that had been on her mind for some time. Perhaps he had someone he loved but was forced into a marriage he didn’t want by the Emperor’s decree. That might explain why he treated her so coldly.  

“I have no such lady.”  

The Duke replied firmly without even turning to look at her.  

“How can you be so sure?”  

“…Hmm.”  

Jeremy Richard had countless admirers across the Empire, and one of them was even staying at the ducal residence.  

At Therese’s question, the Duke merely swallowed a sigh and stared at the flickering flames.  

‘Love is something that cannot exist for me.’  

Jeremy muttered inwardly, his face darkened by shadows.  

From a young age, Jeremy Richard had never shown much interest in the opposite s*x. In truth, he wasn’t particularly interested in people in general, preferring books and swordsmanship.  

At some point, however, he found himself unable to distinguish women’s faces at all. No matter how skilled the physicians were, they couldn’t determine the cause.  

‘It seems to be a curse.’  

He had even heard absurd suggestions to seek out a powerful shaman.  

During the war, it hadn’t caused much inconvenience, but when he returned to the capital after the war ended, it became a significant problem.  

Since he couldn’t recognize any women other than his mother, Jeremy found interactions with them to be incredibly troublesome.  

How could he meet someone and fall in love under such circumstances?  

Even if, by some twist of fate, he did find someone he loved, the problem would still remain.  

There were too many enemies targeting the Richard family. He would have to live with the constant fear of losing someone precious.  

Just as he had to helplessly watch his father pass away.  

Thus, when he entered into an arranged marriage, Jeremy deliberately treated Therese even colder.  

‘Because this is the best path for everyone.’  

What he thought was the best decision began to confuse him the more he got to know Therese.  

Therese, whom he had thought would simply maintain appearances, constantly provoked him in unexpected ways.  

‘But she is not weak.’  

Therese was entirely different from his mother or the noblewomen he had seen as a child, and Jeremy found himself increasingly drawn to her.  

‘And it’s impossible to maintain distance.’  

Whether he liked it or not, she was a member of his family and his wife.  

So, he needed to make it clear. He would never stoop to the lowly act of desiring another woman while having a wife.  

‘I suppose I need to explain a little more.’  

He didn’t want Therese to misunderstand.  

Jeremy abruptly got up and slowly approached the bed.  

Therese, leaning against the wall, looked like she might collapse at any moment.  

“I am not the kind of man to commit dishonorable acts….”  

Just as he quietly began to speak, Therese’s head tipped to the side and fell.  

Before he could think, Jeremy’s body moved on its own. He reached out and caught her head, preventing her from hitting the floor.  

Unable to withdraw his hand, Jeremy collapsed onto the bed.  

“Are you really sleeping in front of me?”  

How much had I agonized and been cautious?  

As he slowly withdrew his hand, Therese’s head naturally tilted against his shoulder.  

Looking down at her sleeping eyelashes, Jeremy let out a short sigh.  

“Why is it only you?”  

Was it a curse or a blessing that Therese was the only woman I could recognize?  

“What kind of fate binds us together?”  

One day in the past, Jeremy had briefly attended a ball due to urgent business. After conveying his message directly to the Emperor, he had intended to leave immediately.  

‘One dance should be enough….’  

The Emperor had insisted, but Jeremy did not want to participate in the ball.  

As Jeremy hurriedly left the hall with his face hidden, his eyes met those of a woman with brilliant silver hair and blue eyes.  

‘Ah, it’s that girl from back then.’  

Jeremy’s steps briefly halted as he recalled the brave girl he had saved several years ago.  

The small girl with wide eyes had grown into a woman with a slender waist and deep-set eyes.  

“How could I possibly love another woman?”  

Jeremy whispered lowly as he gazed at Therese’s round head, peacefully asleep.  

The sound of the rain was gradually subsiding.  

Ignoring it, Jeremy closed his eyes. Even if it was just for a moment, he wanted to savor the current peace a little longer.  

* * *  

Therese, wearing her soaked dress, and the Duke, with his injured arm, returned to the ducal residence around noon the next day. Their late return caused an uproar among the household staff.  

“My goodness! Do you know how worried I was, thinking something might have happened to the Duke?”  

Maria, her face pale from a sleepless night of anxiety, greeted her son. Ignoring his fretful mother, the Duke called for a servant.  

“Prepare warm water immediately.”  

When her son dismissed her words, sparks flared in Maria Richard’s eyes. She had not slept a wink all night, worried over her son’s lack of news. To her, Jeremy Richard was her reason for living and her purpose in life.  

If she were to lose her eldest son, Maria swore she wouldn’t be able to go on. The son who had obeyed her and the family’s wishes his entire life now seemed utterly unfamiliar.  

‘He’s never been this insolent toward me before!’  

And it was all because of the new daughter-in-law.  

“You, explain yourself!”  

Maria shoved Therese’s shoulder and began to berate her harshly.  

“Isn’t it because of you that our precious Duke got hurt and suffered like this?”  

Exhausted from crossing the damp forest to return to the residence, Therese stumbled weakly under her mother-in-law’s touch.  

“Mother, my wife is not at fault.”  

When Jeremy tried to mediate, Maria’s fury only grew.  

“Duke, this isn’t something that can be resolved by shielding her. How many times has our family been in turmoil because of the Duchess? Sneaking out at night, creating unspeakable rumors—are these the actions of a noblewoman who has only been married for a few months? Hmm?”  

Maria always went all out when dealing with Therese. Not only did she deeply dislike her daughter-in-law, but she also hated seeing the Duke defend her so much.  

“Mother, I will handle matters concerning my wife myself.”  

The Duke removed Maria’s hand and stood protectively behind his wife.  

“How could you treat me like this after all the hardship I endured to raise you?”  

“Mother, I’ll take my leave now.”  

Leaving a brief farewell, the Duke gently wrapped his arm around Therese’s back.