“Dear, stop it.” 

“No, I absolutely cannot.”

Alex spat out his words as if chewing them.

“He tried to hit you.”

“I wasn’t hit.”

“…Elicity!”

Alex shouted loudly once, then took a deep breath. Soon, he lifted Calix high and threw him to the ground.

Calix, foaming at the mouth, convulsed before passing out. Chelsea and Melina crawled toward him and began to weep.

“Duchess.”

Alex turned to Elicity with an angry expression.

“Why on earth are you defending that beast of a man?”

“Because you are my husband.”

Elicity answered without hesitation.

“A husband killing his wife’s brother is a disgrace.”

“…”

“And a parent must learn to endure for their child. Think of Bella.”

Elicity quietly took Alex’s hand.

“Damn it…”

Alex roughly ran a hand over his face. His chest rose and fell violently, still overwhelmed with anger.

Elicity decided to give him time. She approached the knights standing rigidly.

“Knights, restrain my brother and imprison him in the Order’s dungeon.”

“My Lady!!”

Chelsea crawled on her knees and grabbed Elicity’s sleeve.

“My Lady—no, Duchess! Please forgive my husband!! He is your brother!”

Chelsea’s face was drenched in tears. Was she truly defending that beast just because he was her husband? Elicity coldly ignored her sister-in-law.

“He used violence against me and the Lady of Lawrence. Charge him with assault and bring him to trial.”

The escort knights bowed without a word. As they moved swiftly, Chelsea screamed.

“My Lady! I told you, I’m fine!! I was the one hurt, and I said I’m fine, so why are you doing this?”

“And send a message and a carriage to Baron Rogers and his wife.”

Chelsea froze. The strength drained from her lips, which had been shouting moments before.

“My Lady, what did you just say…?”

“Sister-in-law, I will invite Baron Rogers and his wife to the duchy.”

“You will… allow me to see my parents?”

“Yes.”

Chelsea let go of Elicity’s sleeve and collapsed backward.

Elicity met her eyes. Her pupils were trembling, but her tears had stopped.

Her brown eyes must have flashed with the image of her parents.

Unlike Elicity’s own, Chelsea’s parents would be a solid support for her. Elicity gave a bitter smile.

“Who else would be a steadfast strength for a daughter but her parents?”

“B-but… I haven’t seen them in ten years…. I need mother’s permission.”

“Is it illegal to meet one’s parents? Not long ago, my mother came to this duchy entirely of her own accord.”

Only then did Chelsea fall silent. As she lowered her head, Melina clung to her mother’s hand.

“Mom…”

Watching the two, Elicity spoke to Retia.

“Retia, prepare a place for the Madam and the Young Lady to rest. They may be injured, so arrange for a physician and warm food.”

“Understood, Madam.”

With the help of maids, the two left the drawing room. Calix, of course, had long since been dragged away in restraints.

‘Everything is such a mess.’

A cold sweat had formed on her forehead. Wiping it away, Elicity approached her silent husband.

“Dear, are you angry?”

“Of course not.”

“But you look angry.”

“Not at all.”

Elicity sensed the suppressed fury in his chilly tone. If she didn’t handle this well, they would end up in a needless argument.

Her husband had never reacted this sharply before, so she was flustered but steadied herself.

“Dear, if you’re angry, please be honest with me. I don’t want to fight with you.”

“…”

His ragged breathing calmed slightly, and his voice softened just a fraction.

“To be honest, I am.”

But his words were accompanied by a chilling laugh.

At that cold smile, everyone except Elicity instinctively took a step back.

Alex’s eyes were frigid, and Elicity couldn’t understand why.

What had she done so wrong?

She had no idea.

“Why?”

“I don’t understand why you defended your brother.”

“I told you, I didn’t want your hands stained with the blood of someone like him. And what about Bella?”

Bella was still just a child.

No matter how much of a beast her uncle was for trying to strike her mother, if her father killed him, she would be deeply shaken.

Elicity wanted that wretched beast to face proper legal consequences and receive a fitting punishment.

Even if her husband did not personally administer the punishment, there were many witnesses. Her brother could easily be put on trial.

However, Alex seemed completely unconvinced.

‘……Perhaps my husband isn’t angry because of Calix.’

“So, you’re not angry because of my brother?”

It seemed she had hit the mark. The corners of Alex’s lips twitched ominously.

“Who is that man?”

“A man?”

The man Alex was looking at was Serad, a tall and handsome man with green eyes.

Elicity was puzzled. Since Serad was a knight sent by Prince Helios as a guard, she had assumed her husband knew about him.

“He is my guard knight. Is there a problem?”

In an instant, Alex’s face contorted. He took a deep breath and bit his lip.

“……Did you need a guard knight? If so, you should have told me. I would have chosen one for you myself.”

“Alex, I didn’t choose Sir Serad.”

“Serad?”

Once again, Alex’s eyebrows twitched.

Still, Elicity didn’t understand the situation, so she simply explained the facts as they were, her tone calm and composed.

“When Prince Helios visited the ducal estate last time, he was concerned that I didn’t have a guard by my side and sent him to me. Since a royal’s gift cannot be refused, I accepted Sir Serad’s protection.”

“…….”

“Why……? What’s wrong?”

Only then did Elicity realize that something was amiss, and she cautiously asked.

“You really don’t know? You should have consulted with me first…….”

Alex, who had been speaking without hesitation, suddenly stopped and shut his mouth.

“No, never mind.”

Elicity had no idea what was going on.

“Let’s talk later. I traveled for two days straight to get here, and I’m exhausted.”

“Alex……?”

“I’m going upstairs.”

Even if she didn’t understand, Elicity could at least tell that her husband was unusually on edge.

“Wait a moment!”

She didn’t want to be hated. Quickly, Elicity blocked Alex’s path.

Recently, her husband had been kind to her. He had whispered words of love countless times.

‘I can smooth things over with a conversation.’

Despite her unease, Elicity forced a smile and reached for his cravat to loosen it.

“Alex, my love. I think you’re misunderstanding something. I—”

But what came back was a cold stare and a firm rejection.

“Elicity, I told you I’m tired.”

At his sharp tone, Elicity inhaled sharply.

It was the first time she had heard that tone since her return to the past… but it was all too familiar.

Before her regression, it was the tone he always used. The tone that stabbed into her heart like a needle, impossible to forget.

It felt as if the warmth that had enveloped her was abruptly stripped away.

More than being flustered, she was shocked, but she barely managed to continue speaking.

“……Alex, I don’t know why you’re so angry at Sir Serad, but I haven’t done anything to be ashamed of in front of you.”

“I know that. But I don’t want to talk about this right now.”

“……My love.”

Elicity’s expression quickly shifted from confusion to sorrow.

Anyone could see the emotions written all over her face.

Alex’s eyes wavered.

“……I spoke too harshly. I apologize.”

His next words were different from before.

This time, his voice was gentle enough to reassure her. He even smiled warmly.

Alex reached out and gently cupped her cheek, as if to convey his regret.

But for some reason, Elicity felt unsettled.

His hand on her cheek was unnervingly cold, and the smile on his lips felt as though it was meant for a stranger.

“But I truly am tired. Will you let me go and rest?”

“……Alright.”

Elicity nodded.

However, as her husband turned to climb the stairs alone, she quickly called out.

“Wait, Alex!”

What about changing your clothes? Will you be alright without my help? Aren’t you going to ask me to sleep beside you tonight?

The words hovered on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn’t bring herself to say them.

Because when Alex turned back, she saw something familiar in his crimson gaze—

The color of fire, yet as cold as ice.

She had nearly forgotten it, but before her regression, Elicity had known that look all too well.

Still, Alex wore a smile as sweet as honey.

“What is it? If you’re worried about your brother’s punishment, you can leave it all to me.”

“Ah……”

“Don’t worry. I’ll handle everything just as you wish.”

Elicity felt even more confused.

“Th……Thank you.”

How could he say such affectionate words with such icy eyes?

If he was going to be so different inside and out, she would rather he just show his true emotions.

That way, at least they could reconcile.

This couldn’t go on.

Elicity opened her mouth to speak again.

“Elicity, finish your work and come upstairs. I’ll be waiting for you in the bedroom.”

But at those final words, all her tension drained away.

Before her regression, she had spent many lonely nights alone in that cold bedroom.

At the very least, this meant he wasn’t shutting her out.

Unconsciously, Elicity let out a sigh of relief.

“Alright, my love.”

***

‘Damn it.’

With every step he took toward the bedroom, Alex had to resist the urge to curse aloud.