--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leticia made no explanation about her relationship with Idris.
But the fact that she was avoiding answering was as good as admitting the relationship.
And Leticia's non-answer was...
"Duchess, are you admitting your relationship?"
"Your Highness, please say something! Your Highness!"
It was enough to set not only Feidan but also the reporters on fire.
'Trying to change public opinion clumsily, I ended up fueling my own scandal.'
He had become a poor man suddenly abandoned by his wife.
'His pride must be quite hurt.'
Leticia smiled at Feidan, whose face was turning red and blue, and removed his hand.
Then, she and Idris pushed through the reporters and left the boutique.
"Duchess!"
"Your Highness!"
The reporters completely forgot the purpose for which they had initially followed Feidan and chased after the scoop of tomorrow.
Elise, who had been stunned by the unexpected situation, suddenly came to her senses and approached Feidan.
"F-Feidan! What just happened between those two?"
She had completely forgotten about questioning him about the fake necklace as soon as she saw him.
Feidan seemed not to hear Elise's voice and stared in disbelief at the retreating figures of Leticia and Idris.
'Leticia... abandoned me and chose another man?'
The same Leticia who, until a few days ago, was anxiously afraid of being divorced even after knowing about his relationship with Elise?
And to think it was Idris Dellua, who had always been a thorn in his side?
'...I can't accept it.'
No, he didn't want to accept it.
"Could it be that His Highness and the Duchess are really―"
Feidan, grinding his teeth as he thought of the two, rushed out of the boutique before Elise could finish her sentence.
"Feidan? Feidan!"
Elise, who was briefly flustered by Feidan's actions that completely ignored her, chased after him, and only then could the boutique staff breathe a sigh of relief.
It took an enormous amount of time for the carriage to get out of the front of the boutique.
It was because of the reporters who had followed.
The carriage finally became quiet only after it had completely escaped from the front of the boutique.
'It was thrilling to get back at Feidan.'
Thinking about living with this kind of attention in the future already made me feel tired...
Just as I was quietly taking a breather, a voice I had momentarily forgotten was heard.
"So that was the woman. The reason why you want to take revenge on the Duke."
Idris's voice, muttering as if to himself, was strangely low.
Judging that he too was feeling tired from what had just happened, I carefully apologized.
"I'm sorry."
Then, a questioning gaze returned.
'Huh? Wasn't he feeling down because of what happened at the boutique?'
Anyway, since I had brought it up, I added an explanation.
"For getting you caught up in this commotion."
For some reason, Idris seemed not to like my reaction and replied with a disapproving look.
"I don't know why that's something you should apologize for. It was the Duke who betrayed you first, and it was also him who brought the reporters to the store, right?"
"But―"
"Don't bow down because of the Duke's fault. You're no longer his wife or anything."
I was stunned, as if hit on the head, by Idris's firm words.
'That's right, Feidan is no longer my husband.'
I was clearly a victim of this incident.
It wasn't something to apologize to Idris for, but something to be angry about.
That very obvious fact came to me anew only after hearing Idris's words.
'In the last life, even while resenting Feidan, I thought that maybe some of it was my fault...'
People sympathized with me, but they also gossiped that I had been cheated on because I hadn't been good enough to Feidan.
I thought I had completely escaped from the past by miraculously regressing from the brink of death.
But it seemed that I couldn't shake off the gaslighting that had tormented me for so long overnight.
It was Idris's languid voice that broke my self-deprecating thoughts.
"Leticia."
He crossed his long legs and continued.
"This game is only to help you as a partner, and I won't be a prince on a white horse."
"......"
"You don't really seem to need a prince anyway. Don't you think?"
The princess in fairy tales only waits for the prince to come and save her.
It was my appearance in the last life that conformed to that princess role.
'I don't like that kind of protagonist.'
I decided not to live that way this time.
Idris was speaking as if he had read my mind.
"In other words, the victory or defeat of this game depends entirely on you. So..."
His eyes, which had been slightly lowered, lifted again and looked at me.
"Make sure to win."
There was a cold determination in his golden eyes.
He chose to be a supporting character, not a prince in a fairy tale.
While handing the sword into my hand.
But why is it that...
Those words, which might sound harsh, make me stronger?
I couldn't help but smile and replied.
"I wouldn't have started if I was going to lose."
At my confident answer, a satisfied smile appeared on Idris's lips.
"Good. It has to be fun."
Just as the conversation with him was coming to an end, the carriage stopped.
'Since the coachman isn't saying anything, it doesn't seem like the carriage has arrived yet?'
Just as I was wondering what was going on, Idris, who had opened the carriage curtain and looked out the window, opened his mouth.
"It seems like it will be difficult to go to the hotel right now."
I was puzzled by those words, but as soon as I saw the scenery outside the window, I knew.
The carriage had already arrived near the hotel where I was staying, and in front of it...
'Reporters?'
There were reporters all over the place.
We were the first to leave the boutique, so they wouldn't have come knowing about the relationship between me and Idris.
They must have seen today's newspaper article and come.
'If I get out of the Grand Duke's carriage in this situation...'
I'd be swept away by the reporters who would flock to me again, just like at the boutique.
Of course, it was a play that I wanted, but the thought of being buried in a barrage of questions made me feel tired.
'But I don't have anywhere else to go... Should I just brace myself and go to the hotel?'
Just as I was looking at the reporters spread out in front of the hotel with a resigned feeling, it was then.
"Leticia."
When I reflexively looked at him at his call, Idris tilted his head to meet my gaze and offered.
"Would you like to go to my house?"
A little later, the carriage ran smoothly and stopped.
As the door opened, a familiar mansion greeted me.
"Shall we get out, milady?"
Idris smiled playfully and held out his hand to me.
Certainly, the front of the Grand Duke's residence was deserted.
It was thanks to the servants who had chased away the reporters who were trying to enter recklessly.
As I got out of the carriage with his escort, I thought he would now withdraw his hand.
But.
'......Huh?'
Idris's hand, which had let go of my hand, gently wrapped around my shoulders.
Surprised by the sudden warmth, I looked up at him, and Idris whispered with a smile.
"I told you? I'll do it properly."
In a voice that only I could hear.
"You'd better get used to it from now on."
We are, after all, lovers?
His gaze, adding so, pointed to the servants in front of him.
Only then did I feel it.
The gazes that were only looking at us.
Not only the servants lined up in front of the entrance, but also the gazes of the reporters who were watching while buzzing from beyond the gate.
Comments
Post a Comment