“Tteokbokki?”

What on earth could that be?

Alec had never heard of such a dish before. Was it a food that only existed in her homeland? But it had been over 20 years since she’d eaten it, which struck him as odd. If it were possible, he wanted to have the chefs make it as a surprise gift for her. However, no matter where he looked, he couldn’t find any information about a dish called ‘tteokbokki.’

Even in Louise’s homeland, there seemed to be no such food. Alec couldn’t hide his disappointment. He wanted to give her what she desired, but it had to be something impossible to find.

He wanted to ask her where she had eaten it, but there was no way he could confess that he had read her diary. A sense of helplessness washed over him.

Would he ever be able to make her happy before he died? His mind had long been consumed with thoughts of her.

“You’ve been enduring it alone until now, haven’t you? From now on, let’s endure it together. When we’re with the emperor, it’s like we’re having a brief nightmare…”

“Yes, I lied. You looked so worn out every day. I thought that if I shortened my name, you wouldn’t have to struggle so much.”

“..”

Alec felt his chest tighten painfully.

Even just thinking about Louise made his heart ache and feel heavy. When they got married, people around him confidently predicted that she would leave him soon, or that she would quickly take another man as a lover. Alec couldn’t refute their claims either—he couldn’t play the role of a husband, after all.

However, even after three years of marriage, Louise neither took a young lover like other noblewomen nor met with other men. Instead, she stood by him whenever the other nobles belittled him, and even when men showed interest in her, she didn’t spare them a glance.

With just a single look, Louise could probably captivate every man in the country… He was both sorry and grateful.

He wanted to tell her that she could meet other men if she wanted to, but the words wouldn’t leave his lips. He felt that saying such a thing might disappoint her even more.

One day, Alec decided to say something he had kept buried in his heart for a long time. It had been three years since he couldn’t fulfill his role as her husband, so if she wanted, she was free to leave him or meet someone else.

“L-Louise.”

“Yes?”

“I-It’s been, al-already three y-years since w-we m-married.”

“That’s right. Time flies. Or is it dragging?”

“…”

“Do you have something you want to say to me?”

“What? Oh, no…”

But standing in front of her, he found himself unable to speak. The mere thought of her leaving him or being with another man made his blood feel as if it were boiling.

Was he trying to selfishly monopolize her when he couldn’t even satisfy her? He felt ashamed of his own selfishness.

Louise, who had been watching him for a moment, closed the book she had been reading. The title, ‘The Duchess’s Daring Outing’, caught his eye.

“I’m happy as things are now, Alec.”

“W-What?”

Alec was startled. It was as if she had already understood what he was about to say. She continued speaking earnestly.

“Even if we can never have children, I think I’d still be happy living like this.”

“…”

“This family has made me wealthier and freer. When I hear the stories from other wives, I wonder how they can even breathe, with their husbands constantly meddling in their lives.”

“…”

“You don’t nag me if I stay out late or call me lazy if I spend the whole day in bed.”

“…”

“You’ve bought me land, gifted me mansions, and recently, you even gave me an island. Not every rich man gives such grand gifts as you do. There are plenty of miserly people who boast even after giving the smallest things.”

“…”

“And there are plenty of husbands who meet with women left and right. Do you ever want to meet someone else?”

“What? No, absolutely not!”

As he firmly denied it, Alec smiled faintly.

“See? That’s why I’m happy now, Alec.”

“…”

“A life without children can be a precious experience that not everyone gets to have.”

“…”

Alec felt as though he had been hit on the back of the head, leaving his mind blank. He never imagined that Louise would feel this way.

He had thought she must be miserable. But it didn’t seem like she was lying just to spare his feelings.

How much more gratitude and guilt would he owe her?

However, it wasn’t long before the life Louise had cherished as a duchess was shattered to pieces.

“Do you know that people change when they’re shocked? Duke Brent, I’m going to personally prescribe a shock therapy for you. It’s to cure your stuttering. How about that?”

“I’m going to give you the greatest shock you’ve ever experienced.”

With just one mocking sneer from the emperor, he lost all his titles, lands, and wealth.

The wealth, the only thing he had to boast of to Louise, was gone.

Now, he had nothing left to offer her.

He could hardly believe that he, who had always been an inadequate husband, was now penniless.

Was this what it meant for the sky to fall and the ground to give way?

“Aksen, you bastard…”

Alec clenched his teeth so hard he thought they might shatter.

Tears streamed down his face, and his fists were clenched so tightly that his hands had turned white.

He had felt despair and anger countless times in his life.

Each time, it felt as if his insides were burning as he swallowed down his emotions, but never had his entire body felt so consumed by flames as it did now.

The illness that simmered inside him also flared up, as if it were raging out of control.

He no longer feared if it would explode.

He wanted to kill.

He had been too resigned to even consider such thoughts before, but now he wanted to kill the emperor.

He wanted to wring the neck of that cursed wretch, cut off his breath, and tear his heart into shreds.

Had he ever been this furious, wanting to destroy the whole world?

The illness within him swirled like a storm.

If only he had the power to kill the emperor.

How great it would be to take revenge and protect the ones he cared about.

Was that even possible?

He wanted to become stronger.

But now, he had lost even the few things he had, barely managing to enter this shabby inn room.

What tormented him the most was that he no longer had the face to look at Louise.

Alec felt the full weight of helplessness and defeat.

At that moment—

“Alec.”

Louise’s voice called softly from within the room.

He flinched, but couldn’t bring himself to turn and face her.

Would she be angry?

Would she resent him, blame him, and regret this marriage?

As she approached him, he grew more and more reluctant to meet her eyes.

But instead, she gently took his arm and patted it soothingly.

“Everything will be fine. Don’t be disheartened.”

“…!”

His lips trembled.

He strained his eyes to stop the flood of tears that seemed ready to burst at any moment.

Even in a moment like this, Louise was comforting him warmly.

He no longer wanted to show her his weakness, but he couldn’t stop the tears from welling up.

He almost wished she would just blame him and get angry.

“L-Louise…”

“……”

“I-I’m sorry. Y-You should go back t-to your country. D-Divorce, y-you need to d-divorce…”

He should have let her go earlier.

In the end, their marriage had only brought her unhappiness.

In her home country, there was a house and land he had bought in her name, so she wouldn’t need to return to her family.

“Y-You need to b-be happy-”

“Alec.”

Suddenly, Alec interrupted her, turning around and pulling her into a fierce embrace.

He held her with all his strength, as if it were the last time.

He couldn’t bear to look at her face, but he wanted to hold her just once more.

“I-In the next life, I-I will love you f-fully… m-more than I d-do now…”

In this life, things had turned out this way, but did she know how badly he wanted to be perfect for her, even for just one day?

He wanted to make the dishes she hadn’t tasted in over twenty years, and give her all the other things she liked.

But this was all he could say to her.

“I-I will be your p-perfect husband… I will be born again and again… u-until I get it right…”

“……”

“T-Then, I’ll t-take revenge on those w-who did this to us… become stronger… and p-protect you…”

His illness burned furiously within him.

Feeling a tightening pain around his throat, Alec drank poison that night.

In the end, he succumbed to his own helplessness.

If there was a next life, he hoped to be stronger then.

And he prayed that in the next life, he could be the perfect husband, giving his wife everything he couldn’t in this one.

Even in his dying moments, those desires only grew stronger.

Images of Louise from all the moments they had shared flashed through his mind.

Maybe I should have told her I loved her, at least once.

No, I don’t deserve that…

With thoughts of Louise, he lost consciousness.

But a little later, Alec opened his eyes to a clear and unfamiliar sound.

Ding!

[Congratulations!]

[The Perfect Husband System has been created through your magical power!]

[Win the final battle and become the perfect husband to return to your original world!]

[Note: You will return to the moment right after you drank the poison.]

TL NOTE: More advanced chapter of this story is already up to the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories