SHBVH 09

Chapter 09

Preview

…What did he just say? What did I just hear?

‘Honey??’

Cedric, whose feet had stopped on the floor regardless of his will, briefly lowered his gaze before slowly turning his head. A woman clutching the hem of her dress tightly with both hands looked at him, rapidly blinking her large eyes.

‘Did I hear that wrong?’

Just as he was doubting it, Lamein, whose eyes met his directly, quickly opened her mouth.

“Dear. Father has come after a long time. How about we have a cup of tea together?”

…Again. “Dear.” Cedric slightly frowned. His violet eyes seemed to shimmer with a sense of urgency. He fully turned his body, which had been facing away from the two of them, back to its original position.

‘Did he change his mind?’

Relieved that Cedric seemed willing to stay, Lamein slowly blinked her wide-open eyes.

‘But why does he look like that?’

Her husband’s expression was somewhat strange. At a glance, it looked like he had just been struck on the back of the head by a thrown stone.

‘Ah! Does he not want to stay here?’

What if he tries to leave again? No matter what, she had to stop him from going!

‘Should I just lie down on the floor? Roll around in my dress?’

Just as she was running simulations in her head of countless ways to stop her escaping husband, Cedric’s straight, tightly pressed lips slowly curved upward.

“Lamein. Would that be alright?”

Her husband was showing a willingness to stay.

“Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”

As if urging him to come over immediately, Lamein softened her gaze. Cedric, who had been looking at her, shifted his gaze to Heter and closed the distance he had created. Stopping neatly in front of the two, he looked straight at Heter.

“Your Grace. If it would not be an inconvenience to your valuable time, may we do so?”

He asked in a polite voice. Heter’s slightly stiff expression soon softened.

“What inconvenience could it be? However, unfortunately, it seems I must take my leave now.”

Just a few seconds ago, the man who said he would spend some quiet time with his daughter now claimed he had to leave.

‘If Cedric is here, he can’t threaten me like before, can he?’

Having read his obvious intentions, Lamein slowly spoke.

“You came after such a long time, yet you’re leaving like this….”

She spoke with a voice full of regret, wearing an equally regretful expression.

“It’s truly a pity, but I won’t be a disappointing daughter who takes up her busy father’s time.”

In other words—please leave already.

“Hohoho. Lamein, it’s not that I don’t understand your regret, but today is not the only day, is it?”

Nonsense came flying back.

‘Fine. Let’s just go with that.’

Thinking it wasn’t even worth responding, she simply curled her lips slightly.

“Then I shall take my leave.”

Heter looked between Lamein and Cedric before turning toward the door. At the same time, Cedric also turned in that direction.

“No need to see me off. Instead, spend some quality time with my daughter.”

Heter stopped Cedric, who seemed about to escort him out.

“Yes. Then I will do as you say. Please take care on your way.”

Cedric halted the step he had been about to take and bowed deeply.

“Please take care on your way.”

As Lamein quickly offered her farewell, Heter turned toward the door. The reception room door opened wide, and a servant who had been waiting somewhere followed closely behind him.

‘Just what kind of person is that stick-like man?’

Lamein’s gaze, which had been fixed on Heter’s retreating back, slowly dropped to his thin, bony hands.

‘If Cedric hadn’t shown up, I would’ve definitely been hit by those hands.’

Her tightly pressed lips trembled. Even thinking about it again, the situation was both absurd and infuriating.

‘Well, you’ve always been like that since you were young. The kind of child who never understands unless spoken to harshly.’

Does that mean it happened all the time? From Heter’s words, it could be inferred that Lamein had suffered abuse since childhood.

‘What exactly happened?’

But without knowing Lamein’s past or her relationship with Heter, it was frustrating.

‘Other protagonists possess all their past memories when they transmigrate. Why am I the one who knows nothing?’

Just as she blamed her current reality—

Thud. Cedric sat down in a chair in front of the reception room table.

“Lamein. Let’s talk for a moment.”

Her mind was too complicated, and she didn’t want to talk about anything. But since he had helped her out of danger, she decided to go along with him for now. Leaning comfortably against the back of the chair, Cedric crossed his long legs and carefully observed her with his blue eyes.

“Yes. Let’s.”

Lamein sat across from him. The servant standing by the door firmly shut it. A brief silence flowed between them. The man who had been staring quietly tilted his head slightly and blinked slowly. Tap, tap, tap. Cedric’s long fingers rhythmically tapped the armrest.

‘Must be a habit.’

It seemed like a habit he showed when concentrating or thinking.

“Lamein.”

At his low call, she lifted her gaze from his fingertips.

“Yes. Go ahead.”

She straightened her back slightly.

“I’ve thought carefully about what you said.”

The man, wearing a composed expression, spoke in an equally composed tone.

“What do you mean?”

“The divorce you wanted.”

Ah… Lamein slowly closed her slightly parted lips. She looked at him as if to say, go on.

“As Duke Calypse mentioned, unfavorable rumors about us are spreading among the nobles.”

“……”

“The fact that those rumors have reached me means they are more widespread than expected.”

So his claim of not knowing anything before was a lie.

“And?”

“Idle rumors can be ignored. And if we only consider our relationship, getting a simple divorce wouldn’t be difficult.”

The man spoke cleanly, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

“However, as I said, since our union was formed by royal command, it’s not something that can be decided so easily.”

“……”

“As you can see from how Duke Heter Calypse rushed here, this marriage is not just about the two of us.”

He was right. Thanks to Heter, she realized that this wasn’t something to treat lightly out of impulse.

“Also, for me to obtain what I want, now is not the time.”

Cedric’s eyes deepened. It was a serious expression she had never seen from him before. Narrowing her eyes slightly, Lamein focused on him.

“Cedric. What is it that you want?”

“Hm…”

Taking a deep breath, he straightened his previously relaxed posture. After a brief pause, he slowly began speaking.

“Originally, on the condition of marrying you, my father promised to pass his title to me.”

This was not part of the original story, and even if Lamein had known, her current self wouldn’t.

“Of course, only my father and I know about this. My brother and mother do not.”

His gaze warned her to keep it secret.

“However, as you can see from the rumors spreading among the nobles, my father is also viewing our relationship as unstable.”

“……”

“The moment this marriage ends, even if my father changes his mind, I would have nothing to say.”

That must never happen. Cedric’s expression instantly grew heavy.

‘Cedric… so he’s an ambitious man.’

Realizing something she hadn’t known before, Lamein slowly spoke.

“Then are you suggesting we maintain this marriage?”

“Of course. However…”

“However what?”

“Our relationship needs to change a little. Or rather… you need to change, Lamein.”

Hm. Lamein swallowed softly.

“How should I change?”

“First, stop acting like someone who wants to be kicked out of this house.”

Lamein’s eyes widened for a moment. Readers of the original story had clamored for Lamein—who clung to the protagonists and caused trouble—to be kicked out. But—

‘Isn’t Lamein the one who wants to leave this house the most? Otherwise, why act like this?’

That had been her own thought while reading. And it was surprising that Cedric had been seeing Lamein in the same way.

To hide her surprise, she softened her gaze.

“Why do you think I want to be kicked out?”

“If that weren’t the case, you wouldn’t have mentioned divorce.”

“……”

“The moment the word ‘divorce’ came from your lips, my suspicions were confirmed.”

In other words, he had been wondering about her strange behavior, and the moment she brought up divorce, he concluded that everything had been for that purpose.

‘I see.’

Lamein relaxed her gaze.

‘Even if I leave here, I have nowhere to go now.’

The moment Heter threatened her, she realized that leaving wouldn’t lead to a flower path, but a muddy one.

‘I still don’t even understand this world properly. For now, it might be better for me to follow Cedric’s lead.’

Rather than rushing blindly, it would be wiser to secure something before leaving. Having reached that conclusion, she looked straight at him.

“I was short-sighted. I didn’t want to live with a husband who had not even the slightest interest in me.”

“……”

“But as you said, this isn’t just about the two of us.”

Cedric nodded.

“Then let’s divorce after you inherit the ducal title.”

“Let’s do that. And I, too, was short-sighted. I will apologize for that.”

“…Apologize?”

The man, who had said something unexpected, smiled faintly.

“When even the person involved says she has a husband who shows no interest in her, it’s no wonder such rumors spread.”

So what are you trying to say? Just as she stared blankly—

“I also intend to change my behavior.”

“……”

“I hope you won’t be too surprised.”

“…Pardon?”

At that moment, as his smile seemed strangely unsettling—

“You’ll start receiving attention you’ve never had before.”

His low, lingering voice sank into her ears.