DLYTL 04

Chapter – 04

“Madam, you are correct. I, who even shared a marriage with Duke Warren, should not be the one to raise you up like this.”

“I’m glad we understand each other, Princess Psyche.”

A satisfied smile spread across Lady Tilly’s face.

Psyche, however, stared at her without any emotion.

“But as you said, Madam, I am a body sold to the current Duke. There is no way I could dare go against his wishes.”

“What…!”

Lady Tilly’s mouth fell open in shock at Psyche’s unexpected refusal.

As Lady Tilly’s face turned red in bewilderment, Psyche instructed the gatekeeper to send her away and calmly walked away from the main gate.

Once she was a fair distance from the gate, the angry voice of Lady Tilly could no longer be heard.

Anna hurriedly followed Psyche back to the mansion.

“Are… are you alright, Your Highness?”

Anna knew her mistress was a kind-hearted princess.

She wasn’t the type to cry uncontrollably for three days straight just because her husband hadn’t consummated the marriage.

Even after hearing Lady Tilly’s insults face-to-face, it wouldn’t be unusual for her to burst into tears like a child.

But Psyche muttered absentmindedly as she walked ahead.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.”

“Your Highness…”

Anna looked as if she were the one about to cry.

At that moment, Psyche, walking ahead to the mansion, suddenly stopped.

Her husband was standing right in front of the mansion.

Come to think of it, it was around this time.

Lady Tilly had been showing up at the Duke’s mansion every day, protesting after Ikali, who had killed her husband and taken over the head of the house, assumed power.

Raising her voice alone wouldn’t make Ikali yield the position, but her presence had caused a period of tension in the household.

Before her reincarnation, Psyche had avoided meeting Lady Tilly, knowing how angry she was.

And now, Psyche Doson silently observed the man standing before her.

His shirt was buttoned up to the neck, his posture impeccable, and his jet-black hair swayed gently in the spring breeze—exactly the way she had loved him.

Facing her husband as he looked four years younger, Psyche paused to steady her breath.

No one spoke. A silence fell between them.

Anna, standing behind, awkwardly bowed first.

“G-Greetings, Your Grace.”

“Returning from a walk, I see.”

Ikali shifted his gaze to Anna as he spoke.

Psyche, instead of answering, casually remarked,

“Your Grace, Lady Tilly is protesting at the main gate. Are you aware of this?”

His eyes returned to Psyche.

Though it wasn’t the answer she wanted to hear, Ikali seemed to acknowledge it with a slight nod.

“She’ll probably leave once she tires herself out.”

There was a hint of fatigue and annoyance in his voice.

This had always been his approach over the past four years.

Whenever he happened to meet Lady Tilly, even when she clawed at him or acted outrageously, he said nothing—simply waiting for time to pass, almost as if it were routine.

At first, Psyche wondered why he was so weak toward Lady Tilly.

But now, she didn’t care about such things.

Fixing her gaze firmly on him, Psyche said,

“Your Grace, this isn’t something you should just stand by and watch. She just showered me with countless insults.”

“Insults?”

Before her reincarnation, every time Psyche had crossed paths with Lady Tilly in society, she had endured shameful slanders that made her face burn with embarrassment.

Lady Tilly had mocked her for being a bride sold into marriage and belittled her royal lineage in front of imperial women.

Back then, Psyche had kept her mouth shut despite all the humiliation.

Recalling the past, she brushed a lock of hair off her cheek and said,

“I hope this will be the last time I endure being humiliated by the former Duchess, Your Grace.”

“What kind of humiliation are you talking about?”

Ikali squinted slightly at her.

“They said I, a puppet sold off due to debt, am here for the Duchess’s amusement.”

“……”

“Honestly, that doesn’t hurt me much. Being called a princess sold to a murderer—I can bear that. But I will not tolerate insults against my royal family. I request you take proper measures, Your Grace.”

Psyche stared at him with an emotionless gaze.

Ikali looked at her for a moment, then nodded.

“I’ll make sure she cannot even stand at the main gate anymore.”

It was such a simple answer.

Even without her protesting at the gate, she would encounter Lady Tilly far less frequently.

But Psyche didn’t stop there. She added one more request.

“One more thing, please.”

“What is it?”

“Please prepare a room for me in the annex, separate from the main residence.”

Ikali frowned at her, who had shown no other reaction until now.

“Why?”

“So I won’t have to see the Duke as often.”

Ikali gave a brief, hollow laugh.

“Are you saying that even though you were sold to me, you don’t want to see my face?”

“Your Grace has not inquired about my well-being even once during my three days here.”

“……”

“I assume it makes no difference to you whether I stay in the main building or the annex. Am I wrong?”

Her confident words left Ikali speechless.

He ran his hand through his hair a few times and exhaled heavily.

“Is this about the consummation?”

“……”

“You don’t want me because I didn’t come to you for the first night?”

Anna, standing behind, turned bright red.

“I didn’t think you would want me forcibly,” he said.

“Your Grace, there is a limit to how much one can be disrespected.”

“I did not disrespect you.”

His expression twisted, and their conversation grew increasingly strained.

“Speak clearly if you have complaints.”

“I already stated them. I want a separate building.”

“Ha…”

Psyche remembered that before Ikali left for the battlefield, he hadn’t touched her for six months.

At least, he had no desire for her then. His interest had been in the past Psyche, not the present one.

Thinking back, she felt a bitter emotion arise.

She looked at him, then smiled slightly.

“If you want to spend time with me, I wouldn’t mind moving buildings. But I know that’s not your intent.”

After leaving her alone for three days, he had no reason to hold her back.

Understanding her meaning, Ikali’s expression hardened, but he had nothing to argue.

He sighed long and heavily.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Thank you.”

She didn’t press further and withdrew.

Holding her skirts, she bowed and led Anna back into the mansion.

“Your Highness… why did you say that?”

Anna clung to her pale-faced mistress, bewildered.

How could she have the audacity to make such demands in front of the Empire’s murderer?

Especially when the Doson royal family was busy watching Ikali.

Anna’s fear-induced questions were cut off by a cold voice from behind.

“Stop right there.”

Psyche and Anna turned to see Ikali, his face furious.

“Why do you call me ‘Your Highness’?”

“Huh?”

His deadly tone made Anna tremble as if a blade were at her neck.

“I know you hate being married to me. You were sold to me against your will. Correct?”

“……”

“But now you are the mistress of the Empire, of Demeosis. Use your proper title. Next time, I’ll punish your maid if you don’t.”

He spoke directly to Psyche, both warning Anna and admonishing her.

Anna realized she had been calling Psyche “Princess Highness” and apologized profusely.

Only then could Psyche return to the mansion with Anna.

As they entered through the massive gates, Psyche glanced back.

Ikali remained standing exactly where he was.

Back in her room, Psyche examined the valuables she had brought from the kingdom.

There were accessories favored by the royal family and several dresses personally made and gifted to her by the royal tailor.

The royal family had also included a few treasured items.

Although these couldn’t solve the enormous royal debt, they were certainly valuable assets.

Anna looked at her in surprise as Psyche laid out the lavish dresses on the bed.

“Where are all these dresses for?”

“To sell them.”

“Sell them? Why?”

“So I can buy cheaper clothes.”

“Why… why go to such lengths?”

Psyche remained silent for a moment, thinking.

Because I need to divorce Ikali as soon as possible.