My Husband was Switched - Chapter 21

“……Wife?”

Having heard from the maid, Cedric came running out immediately. He frowned upon seeing my completely soaked state.

“This seems a bit excessive to just be a splash of water.”

“Doesn’t it?”

I laughed and he draped his outer garment over my shoulders.

“We need to get you inside quickly. Seeing steam rising from your body, I’m worried you might catch a cold.”

“I should soak in some hot water soon.”

Without hesitation, he picked me up.

“Your clothes will get wet, Your Highness!”

“It’s fine. We can bathe together now that it’s come to this.”

Oh my.

This man really doesn’t hold back! Even in a situation with just the two of us, he’s acting so sincerely. Every word he said made my heart race.

I lowered my head to hide my blushing face. It felt like the steam wasn’t coming from my body but from my head.

“But… if you catch a cold…”

“If you catch a cold, I’ll catch it too, so it doesn’t matter if it’s now or later.”

“……Why would Your Highness catch a cold if I do?”

I asked, puzzled.

“Are you curious?”

Cedric looked down at me with a sly smile. Somehow, I felt like I already knew, so I shook my head vigorously.

“N-no! I’m not curious at all. I think I can do without knowing.”

My face felt even hotter than before.

❖ ❖ ❖

After bathing and changing into new clothes, I noticed someone sitting in my room.

I frowned and approached the sofa.

“You’re a bit late?”

“……Because of someone, my body was a bit frozen.”

“Hmm. Making a big deal out of nothing.”

Isabelle leaned back comfortably and tilted her head.

“This isn’t the room you’ll be staying in.”

“Oh my, sister, that’s a bit harsh. Can’t a sister look around the rooms?”

“……That dress looks like mine too.”

“Don’t I look better in it than you?”

She stood up and twirled around.

She must have lost her mind.

“Fine, you can have it.”

I crossed my arms and sat on the opposite sofa, crossing my legs. I didn’t mind giving away one dress. There were plenty in the mansion.

“There are a lot of pretty dresses.”

At Isabelle’s words, I pulled the cord to call a maid.

“Did you call, Your Highness the Grand Duchess?”

“Take all the dresses in the wardrobe to Princess Isabelle’s room.”

“……Pardon? Then Your Highness the Grand Duchess will have no dresses left.”

Rien looked bewildered.

“I can always buy new ones. The princess doesn’t like new things, does she?”

“Yes, understood.”

Once Rien left, Isabelle spoke in a controlled, angry voice.

“……What are you doing?”

“You seem to covet things touched by others.”

Her fists trembled. Her golden eyes were filled with rage.

I looked straight at Isabelle and said.

“How unbecoming.”

“Did you just call me unbecoming?”

“Don’t talk back. No matter what you say, it looks that way right now.”

Isabelle’s face contorted.

Her fists trembled. She hadn’t expected this when she barged into my house. After all, she was treated like a princess at the castle.

I used to laugh like I didn’t know anything, so she probably thought I’d be flustered when she came to the Grand Duke’s residence.

But I no longer intended to accommodate her.

“Isabelle, I no longer need to play along with your feelings.”

“……So you’ve been pretending all this time?”

“Of course.”

Did she really not know?

I had only been hiding my claws, hoping the story would flow as in the original. I didn’t want to trigger any death flags. But now, there was no need for that.

Why?

Because Cedric was paying attention to me, not Isabelle. His eyes told me everything. No matter what she said, he visibly disliked Isabelle.

Besides, seeing her actions, it was clear Cedric wouldn’t fall for her. Perhaps I was scared just because the original heroine was Isabelle.

‘Don’t be afraid, there’s nothing to fear.’

This wasn’t Isabelle’s house, it was where I resided as the hostess. Therefore, I was the homeowner.

“You still don’t consider other people, do you? Sometimes you need to pay attention to your surroundings. How long do you think you’ll remain a princess?”

“I’ll always be a princess. Unlike you.”

“You’re marrying the King of Narancas, aren’t you? Then you won’t be a princess anymore.”

“……Are you trying to pick a fight with me?”

Isabelle lifted her head and glared. Looking outside, dark clouds were gathering in the sky. Lightning flashed as if it would strike at any moment.

“Is it okay to use your power so recklessly? Father will notice.”

“Provoking me won’t benefit you, sister.”

I spread my fan and laughed softly.

“Oh my, provocation? I was just stating the truth. And you’re in a room that isn’t yours. Do you need to relearn some manners?”

“…….”

Should I stop here? If I pushed her further, she might rip my hair out. I walked towards the door, glancing back at Isabelle.

“It’s time for dinner, so get up.”

I folded my fan and crossed my arms. My gaze towards Isabelle was devoid of any emotion.

She stood up with a look of disbelief.

“What the hell did you eat to change so much? If you’re acting like this because you trust the Grand Duke!”

“Isabelle. It’s not that I’ve changed. You’re just seeing me properly for the first time.”

In the castle, I granted Isabelle whatever she wanted. I had to hide my power and make her shine more so that I could be overlooked.

I needed to divert Father’s attention from me to Isabelle to live comfortably. That’s all there was to it. Isabelle wasn’t the only one pretending to be a good sibling.

Isabelle stormed past me, leading the way. She seemed determined not to lose, her steps filled with anger.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t properly seen the garden of the Grand Duke’s residence. I should take a look later.”

“Do as you please. Aren’t you going to the forest? Didn’t they say the divine beast disappeared?”

“What do I care about the divine beast.”

I frowned at her words.

If she wasn’t here to find the divine beast, did she really intend to stay here?

‘If it takes too long, Zeno might turn the Grand Duke’s residence upside down.’

His pride seemed hurt from hiding, and his expression wasn’t good. If he couldn’t hold back and rushed out later……

Just thinking about it made my head spin.

❖ ❖ ❖

Dinner was quieter than expected. Isabelle cut her meat delicately and savored her food.

“The food is excellent. Thank you for preparing such a meal for me.”

Isabelle was under a serious misconception, but I didn’t correct her.

Even though a princess had arrived, the table was set with only my favorite dishes, which puzzled me. Cedric silently placed food on my plate.

“Eat a lot. You seem weak these days.”

“I do feel a bit chilly today.”

At my words, Cedric frowned and stood up. He took off his jacket and placed it over my shoulders, then called a servant and gave an order.

“Activate more magic stones in the grand ducal residence immediately.”

“What’s the matter?”

“The Grand Duchess seems to be catching a cold.”

“The Grand Duchess?! I’ll raise the temperature right away!”

The servant quickly disappeared. I gently held Cedric’s hand and smiled faintly.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t get sick. I don’t know who poured water on you, but.”

His gaze turned to Isabelle. Cutting her meat, Isabelle blinked innocently.

“I was also very surprised. Suddenly, it started raining… and then birds flew by… The North has so many strange occurrences.”

Isabelle bit her lip, seemingly still incredulous.

I ignored Isabelle’s words and spoke. Cedric also seemed uninterested in her words.

“I think I should eat quickly and rest today.”

But I wasn’t lying. I really didn’t feel well. I felt sleepy as the tension eased, so it seemed best to go to bed early.

“Do so.”

Cedric gently patted my shoulder and returned to his seat. Isabelle stared at Cedric and me, then turned her gaze away. But soon, the fork she had placed down fell to the floor with a clatter.