HPMC 03

Chaptert 03

“A man depends on how his woman treats him. Isn’t Alec keeping his distance because you’re not affectionate enough?”

“….”

Yes, yes.

So it’s my fault we haven’t even seen the stars together, let alone had a child, Mother-in-law…

Not long after I resigned myself to this marriage,

I began focusing on things other than sharing a bed with my husband or getting pregnant.

No matter how desperately I wished for it, he wouldn’t suddenly change.

I decided we would try, little by little, and I would wait for him.

According to the head maid, Alec had never intended to marry in the first place.

He knew very well what was impossible for him, so he had given up on marriage entirely.

But my mother-in-law, desperate for an heir, couldn’t find a suitable bride within the Lilt Empire, so she searched abroad—and found me.

Everyone acknowledged Alec’s appearance,

but no one dared marry him for fear of being targeted by the tyrant.

Alec couldn’t stop the marriage his mother forced through.

“Right. Alec is suffering from this unwanted marriage too. Maybe things will get better someday.”

After all, he was the only man I had ever fallen in love with at first sight, across both my past and present lives.

Where else would I find a man like him?

Convincing myself like that, I planned to gradually adapt to life as his wife—the Duchess of Brent.

In the early days of our marriage, I spent most of my time in the duke’s library.

Since I had learned the language of the Lilt Empire from a young age, I had no trouble reading or communicating.

The library was enormous—large enough to combine two or three reception rooms.

I still vividly remembered the first time I ran into my husband there.

That day, I deliberately approached him first.

I asked him to recommend books because I wanted to learn about the empire I had moved to.

“I want to study my husband’s country. It’s my country now too, isn’t it?”

He looked slightly surprised.

Until just a few days ago, I had been crying alone, regretting this marriage.

My words must have seemed completely unexpected.

Soon, he recommended several books to me.

From that day on, I occasionally received book recommendations from him in the library.

Naturally, we began spending more time together—drinking tea and talking.

I often found myself impressed by his vast knowledge.

“This man… I thought he only had good looks, but he’s smart and kind too…”

It was pitiful that he had been so disregarded that he couldn’t even find a bride within the empire.

“It’s all because of that bastard.”

Whenever I went to the imperial palace, I glared at Emperor Axen.

His dark red eyes looked like swirling lava.

His sharp forehead and nose were like sheer cliffs, and his jawline was angular and severe.

His roughly styled golden hair shimmered like the sun,

and his arrogant gaze was rooted in the pride of someone who ruled the empire beneath his feet.

The tyrant didn’t hesitate to mock me either, even after I became the Duchess of Brent.

The first time he saw me, he stared for a long time before bursting into laughter.

“So I wondered who would marry such an idiot—turns out there’s another fool who only looks fancy on the outside.”

A fool?

It was the first time in my life I had been called that.

Even my stepmother had never used such a word.

Being insulted like that in front of so many nobles was humiliating,

but surprisingly, I remained calm.

They say husband and wife are one body—compared to what Alec had endured all his life, this was nothing.

But after that day, Alec refused to go to the imperial palace.

Even though he knew exactly what would happen if he rejected a royal summons,

he still refused the tyrant’s call.

Eventually, the tyrant’s army stormed the ducal estate and dragged him away.

My mother-in-law blamed me, saying Alec would die because of me,

but before she could even finish, I grabbed my coat and ran outside.

Facing the tyrant was terrifying,

but I couldn’t just sit still.

I knelt before him.

“Please release my husband. He was merely delayed due to poor health. If you grant mercy just this once, I swear he will never be late to a royal summons again.”

I couldn’t bring myself to look into his eyes.

I didn’t want to.

Begging for my life before such a cruel tyrant was humiliating enough.

He sneered at me.

“How amusing. The duke said he’d rather die than come here again.”

“……”

“But if the duchess looks me in the eye and speaks sincerely, I might believe her. Your apology lacks sincerity. Go on—look me in the eye and show me your sincerity.”

What a uselessly perceptive emperor…

Reluctantly, like swallowing bitter medicine, I lifted my head.

I met his brilliant yet vile red eyes directly.

Just meeting his gaze made me feel sick.

Outwardly, I politely pleaded for my husband again,

but inwardly, I cursed him.

You immature bastard of an emperor.

Do you know how hard my married life is?

We can’t even have a child—will you only be satisfied after taking my husband too?

Even after finishing my plea, I stared straight at him.

Perhaps he sensed my thoughts—his expression stiffened with displeasure.

Fortunately, he released Alec.

“Go tell your husband this: if he defies me again, his head will roll. This is the last time I spare his life out of respect for the ducal house.”

On the way back after finally bringing him out of prison, I couldn’t help but scold him.

“Don’t ever do that again. Why would you do something like that? It’s not like this is the first time the emperor has behaved this way…”

But his answer was something I never expected.

“I… I can endure… anything… but you… being treated like that…”

…Wait. Don’t tell me—

Did he refuse to go to the palace because of me?

I felt like hitting his back out of frustration.

Instead of gratitude, tears welled up in my eyes.

“Alec. I don’t care what the emperor says. Just because he called me a fool doesn’t make it true. What matters to me is living happily—regardless of someone like him.”

He lowered his head without a word.

He felt deeply sorry that I had become a laughingstock because of him.

So I simply reached out and held his hand.

Who could possibly understand the pain he had endured alone?

“You’ve been enduring everything by yourself, haven’t you? From now on, endure it with me. When we’re with the emperor, we’re just having a brief nightmare…”

“……”

“Nightmares are something you forget once you wake up…”

I reached out to gently embrace him, then stopped.

His broad shoulders wouldn’t fit within my small arms anyway.

In the end, all we could do was endure.

Trying to curry favor with the tyrant like other nobles was far more disgusting,

and we didn’t have the power to oppose him.

Thus, that storm-like period passed.

A few days later, I saw him through a slightly open door, practicing pronunciation with a therapist.

It seemed to be part of his daily routine.

He looked exhausted, as if he had been practicing for quite some time.

I was about to leave quietly—

when something stopped me.

“Lu… Lui…”

“Lu. I. Je. Please pronounce it one syllable at a time, Your Grace.”

“Lu… lu…”

“It’s alright. Again—”

“Lui… lu…”

“……”

Was he… practicing my name?

It’s just my name—why is he trying so desperately?

He could just say it however he wanted…

I stood there, eyes wide, unable to look away for a long time.

After that, Alec continued practicing my name.

Seasons passed.

Eventually, even the exhausted therapist told him there was no need to pronounce the duchess’s name perfectly and suggested he give up.

For a long time, I pretended not to notice and watched him practice.

Who else in the world would try so hard just to say my name?

Would anyone ever want to call my name that desperately?

A deep impression and shock etched themselves into my heart.

But even after all that effort, Alec couldn’t properly say my name for over two years.

No—

Now I realize, there was only one time he ever said my name correctly.

Even if it took a long time, he did eventually say it perfectly once.

“Louise.”

Before drinking rat poison at the inn—

“If… if I… am reborn… in the next life… I will… love you… much more… perfectly than now…”

“……”

And the man who I thought would die—

opened his eyes.