Chapter 44

Adelina stopped Leophris from pulling her hand and looked around. More than a hundred Imperial Knights had already moved the bandits to another location, leaving only a few people around. 

“Today, let’s go to a safe place. I will protect you, Lady, until the end.” 

Leophris, annoyed by Adelina’s resistance, wrapped his large hand around her waist and pulled her close. Adelina, dragged along, felt a surge of irritation on her face. 

‘If only I had a little more strength! I wouldn’t be dragged around like a paper doll!’ 

This delicate body was only good for wearing dresses, but it was a disadvantage in a fight. 

“Sir Leophris, the script is not very satisfying. A little more creativity…” 

Adelina, with her fist clenched, pushed against Leophris’s chest to widen the distance. If necessary, she was ready to strike a vital point and run away. 

“This should be enough. If a man and woman spend a week together, the rumors I want will spread.” 

‘What? Did I hear wrong?’ 

At Leophris’s sudden informal tone and coercive voice, Adelina glared at him with full anger. 

“Speak formally. I am currently a Marquis’s daughter and will become a Duchess in a week.”

“All you have is a face worth looking at. Acting all high and mighty.” 

Leophris, with a sly glint in his eyes, cupped Adelina’s cheek with one hand. 

‘Lexion, today I will have your woman.’ 

Having Lexion’s woman! How thrilling it would be! 

Feeling the softness of Adelina’s skin, Leophris squinted his eyes and swallowed a groan inside. 

‘Hailyn, hurry up!’ 

Adelina ignored the goosebumps on her body and the hair standing on end, and shook off Leophris’s hand. 

Even though there were still Imperial Knights around, showing his true colors meant they were all Leophris’s direct subordinates. Even if she knocked Leophris unconscious now, she would be dragged somewhere by these knights. 

“You’re not even worth looking at.”

“What?” 

“Didn’t you know? You have an incredibly unlucky face.”

“You insolent!” 

As Adelina snapped with wide eyes, Leophris raised his large hand threateningly. 

“Go ahead, hit me. I’ll spread the word throughout the empire about who caused the bruise on my face.” 

“If you marry me, that impudent personality of yours will be fixed. You’ll spend your life locked in a room.” 

“There’s no way I’m marrying you.” 

Adelina didn’t hide her anxiety and kept her eyes strong. 

Leophris roughly grabbed Adelina’s chin and lifted it. 

‘Damn it, Adelina!’ 

If he applied a little force, he could easily crush this chin. Nevertheless, Adelina, glaring at him with venomous eyes, seemed ridiculous. 

“Did you really sleep with Lexion?” 

As he brought his face close enough to kiss, Adelina tensed her neck and pulled her head back. 

“What are you…”

“I’m thinking of confirming it tonight.” 

He scanned Adelina’s face slowly. With a face like this, it seemed worth holding her a few times as compensation for a political marriage. 

“Watching you cry out for Lexion might be quite entertaining.” 

Leophris’s sinister breath stuck to Adelina’s face. 

“What you’ll confirm tonight is that your little thing will be cut off.” 

So spiteful indeed. 

But it would be quite fun to see that venom disappear because of him. 

“Alright, let’s confirm it tonight. Let’s see who’s right.” 

Leophris pulled Adelina towards him with all his might. 

“Ugh! You crazy!” 

At the same time, Adelina punched Leophris’s neck hard enough to make a thud. 

“You’re the crazy one!” 

As Leophris cried out and clutched his neck, Adelina used the opportunity to run towards the forest. 

‘The knights are coming!’ 

The knights, who had been watching Leophris’s antics from afar, ran towards her with fierce faces. 

“Lady! Your hand!” 

From behind the knights, Hailyn rode in on a horse, extending a hand downward. 

“Hailyn!” 

As Adelina grabbed Hailyn’s hand, she was lifted onto the horse and they rode towards the forest. 

“Follow them! Don’t lose them!” 

Leophris’s near-wailing annoyance echoed through the forest. 

“Lady! Hit the center!” 

“I don’t want to! I feel like I’d cut off my wrist!”

As the distance widened, Hailyn shouted at Adelina as if scolding her. 

‘Hit his crotch with my fist? With my hand? No way! My hand might really rot!’ 

Adelina shook her head wildly. She felt she absolutely, absolutely couldn’t do that. 

+++

Night fell early in the forest. 

Mist, layered from the ground up, scattered and gathered again with the horse’s movement. 

“Hailyn, it seems like we’ve been here before.” 

Adelina found the * mark she had made on a tree just in case and got off the horse. The horse was also very tired from wandering the forest for so long. 

“Then, let’s rest for a moment.” 

Hailyn took a water bottle from the bag and gave the horse a drink, then sat on a nearby large rock. 

“Lady, have some chocolate. It’s really good that I packed it in advance.” 

Hailyn put a piece of chocolate into Adelina’s mouth, who was looking at the sky with a gloomy expression. 

“The mist is too thick.” 

“Well, there are many lakes around here.” 

As the night deepened, the mist grew thicker and thicker. The forest floor also became damp, and moving carelessly could lead to missteps and injuries. 

‘Could I see something with a hand mirror?’ 

Adelina took out a hand mirror she had packed just in case from her bag. 

“Lady?” 

Hailyn laughed softly, seeing Adelina seemingly checking her face in the mirror even in this situation. 

“Hailyn! Get up! We have to run!” 

Adelina, looking in the mirror, suddenly stood up. 

“Lady… don’t move.” 

Hailyn slowly raised both hands to shoulder height and stood up. They both froze, feeling the blade of a sword on their necks. 

“You’re really troublesome. I told you to behave.”

A voice more ominous than the thick mist slid down Adelina’s spine. 

+++

“I’ll kill you!” 

“If you don’t stay still, I’ll kill this woman!” 

Leophris, panting, laid Adelina on a large rock. Adelina’s hand held a handful of Leophris’s hair. 

“I’ll make you impotent!” 

“This… crazy…” 

Leophris’s face was already bruised from Adelina’s punches. Even though the knights held a sword to Hailyn’s neck, Adelina’s venom did not fade; instead, it grew stronger with time. 

“Ah!”

As Leophris slammed Adelina’s wrists onto the rock, she finally let out a groan. 

“Yes, like that. Let out those groans…”

Leophris, whose eyes gleamed with desire and anger, stiffened. He could no longer speak and swallowed dryly. 

“What am I seeing right now?” 

A sword as cold as the voice behind him began to press against Leophris’s neck. 

+++

“Close your eyes! Cover your ears!” 

The sound of swords clashing was heard in the thick mist. Warm liquid splattered over Adelina’s face and exposed skin. 

“How did you get here so fast?” 

Adelina opened her eyes wider and turned her head towards the sound. 

“Isn’t this the power of love?” 

Her eyes grew hot at the familiar voice. 

“Shut up and kill the enemy.” 

“What a cruel wife.”

Even though she couldn’t see him due to the thick mist, she knew. Lexion was smiling at his own words. 

“Ahhh!” 

As the agonizing groans echoed from all around, Adelina felt more at ease. 

Soon, the horrific screams stopped, leaving only groans rising from the ground. 

“Lexion…” 

Adelina reached out toward the dark figure approaching through the mist. 

“I told you… to close your eyes… and cover your ears…” 

The dark figure wrapped Adelina in a cloak and held her completely in his arms. As if to ensure no one could take her away, he held her securely with both arms.

Lexion, confirming that Adelina’s breathing was steady in his arms, released his hold. 

The red droplets on Adelina’s pale face were pitiful. 

“In the meantime, you’ve become ugly.” 

“What did you say?” 

At Adelina’s immediate response, Lexion’s laughter slipped out between his lips. 

“Maybe it’s because you haven’t received my love.” 

“Whatever.” 

Lexion wiped Adelina’s puffed-up cheeks with his hand as if sulking. 

“See, you’ve become pretty after receiving my touch.” 

He cupped Adelina’s cheeks with both hands. 

Noticing her shoulders flinch at the unfamiliar roughness of his hands, he spoke. 

“I’m back, my wife.” 

“I’ve been waiting, Lexion.” 

Listening to Adelina’s earnest voice, he slowly lowered his head towards her lips. 

‘It seems you’ve waited well without cheating.’

Well, it wouldn’t be easy to find a man like him anywhere. 

‘Tonight, I should take her to the Ducal house, not the palace.’ 

Shouldn’t I give a big reward to her for waiting for me alone, enduring loneliness for a long time? 

Well, something like… myself, or jewels and myself, or flowers and myself… 

“Father!” 

Just as Lexion was about to decide what reward to give with slightly reddened ears, Adelina pushed him away and sprang up, running off. 

“Daughter! Adelina!” 

“Father! I missed you!” 

Lexion stood with his empty arms blankly for a few seconds, then pressed his lips into a line and got up. 

“The reunion of father and daughter is excessively touching.” 

Lexion forcibly separated Stephan and Adelina, who were hugging tightly. 

“Of course, Duke. It’s father and daughter bond.” 

‘Ha! Since when were they real father and daughter!’ 

He separated them again, standing between them like a magnet. 

“Then… what about me?” 

Tilting his head slightly to the side, he lowered his eyes. 

‘Isn’t a husband closer than a father?’ 

“Um… still strangers?” 

“What?” 

“Adelina Florin. That’s my legal name.” 

Adelina said brightly, linking arms with Stephan. 

“Hahaha. Yes, it’s still Adelina Florin!” 

“Do you like it that much?” 

“Of course!” 

Stephan and Adelina’s cheerful voices echoed in the dreary mist, leaving Lexion alone. 

+++

“Adelina, you said we’re still strangers, but you bought a lot in my name.”

The next day, even before Adelina got up from bed, Lexion stormed into the palace. 

Holding various bills in his hand. 

“Hahaha. It’s a kind of… life allowance? I spent a bit in advance.” 

Adelina pulled the blanket up to her neck and winked at Lexion. 

‘It’s 6 a.m. right now!’