I Married the Mad Duke Who Killed My Husband - Chapter 34
“Indeed, the tea party was not just a nominal gathering.
Perhaps due to the influence of the conversation that day, the First Prince’s business suffered a major failure, and it’s said that the price of reserved minerals has increased even though it’s unclear when they’ll be received.
The conversation about beautiful and rare minerals at the tea party had stimulated the nobles’ competitive spirit.
And Cassion’s reputation has risen unprecedentedly.
He was already a war hero to the commoners, but he became even more approachable by supporting the dam expansion. Among the noble ladies, he became known as a romantic and capable man.
Of course, among the male nobles supporting the First Prince, there were comments about how irritating it was and how his origins were still tainted, but such remarks were often drowned out by praise.
And as for me.
“Everyone’s talking about how loose-lipped you are.”
“What does it matter?”
I’m suffering from all sorts of rumors. Unable to attack Cassion, the arrows have been directed at me instead.
Even so, it wasn’t fatal. Just that my conduct as a woman wasn’t good? That I’m too naive due to lack of social experience for my age? That my head is full of flowers despite my parents’ death and my brother’s disappearance?
In other words, I’ve become a frivolous idiot. Of course, even at times like this, no one criticized my appearance.
“Is this something to discuss casually over tea?”
Cassion’s face turned demonic as he threw away the newsletter that was no better than a gossip rag.
The newsletter carried a more sensationalized version of what I had said, portraying me as a seductress who had enticed the war hero duke in a single night.
It’s understandable, given that Cassion’s public image is that of a playboy. To catch such a playboy in one day, an image that differed between day and night was necessary.
“This goes beyond insult to mockery! Aren’t you angry?”
“Well, no… Such rumors won’t really affect raising the Second Prince to Crown Prince.”
“What?”
“If I were the real Duchess, it might become a scandal for the Duke’s family, but I’m going to disappear later, right? Rather, if there’s a scandal, people will understand when I disappear, thinking, ‘That’s why she ran away!'”
Didn’t you think that far? Cassion’s mouth drops open. I reached out to close his gaping mouth again, but he frowned severely and blocked my hand.
“Is that what you should be saying, Asil?”
“Why are you getting angry? Everything is going well.”
“You’re okay with scandals because you’re going to disappear?”
“That’s right…?”
“Ha!”
“Why are you like this? Should I ask for macarons? Is your blood sugar low?”
“Do you think I’m your lover?”
…Was it that obvious? I quietly lowered my arm. Usually, he calms down when given something sweet, so I thought… But really, I don’t understand what he’s upset about.
“My reputation might be a problem when I date later. But I don’t care about men who are swayed by rumors rather than my true self. No, I don’t even think much about dating in the first place. When the contract ends, I’m going to live in a peaceful place like Jenin’s neighborhood.”
I waved Jenin’s letter that had arrived as soon as the newsletter was published, asking if I was okay. See? People who know and trust me aren’t swayed by such scandals. I’m only going to associate with people like this.
“Damn it, I don’t like it!”
“Well, you can’t like everything, can you? Thanks for worrying about me~”
“Ha…!”
To others, Cassion’s large frame panting might seem quite threatening. But knowing that this anger is for my sake, I made a love bullet gesture and winked to change the mood. He clutches his chest as if dumbfounded. I appreciate it, but please do it in moderation. You’re going to give yourself high blood pressure.
“Well, if you insist, I’ll pay a bit more attention to my reputation from now on.”
“Yes! Please!”
Right. If there’s a way to create good rumors about you and the Second Prince while also elevating my status, I’ll consider it. But for now, this is the best we can do, so what can we do? I smiled and finished drinking my tea. It was a really nice day.
***
“Actually, didn’t you sleep with the Marquis too and pretend to be a v****n to move up to the Duke? I’m curious how you managed to make that Duke fall for you, madam.”
Right. It was a really nice day.
Come to think of it, I suddenly realized that I had rarely taken a walk alone since regaining my past life memories. I had been so busy and so many things had happened that I didn’t even have a chance to stroll leisurely through the streets.
So, I decided to go out for a walk and to shop for gifts to send to the ladies I had met at the tea party, in an effort to restore my reputation.
Of course, Cassion wanted to come along, but I managed to shake him off, worried that if we showed such grim faces on the street after the good rumors had spread, it might backfire with new rumors of us fighting. So I only brought my maid, Pia, with me.
“Can’t you tell me a little bit too? I’m so curious about what else you have besides this innocent and pure face.”
Was it a mistake to mainly browse shops with ink and quills, thinking I didn’t need to buy any more clothes or accessories? Compared to the former, there were more male customers, and among them were nobles who had heard the rumors and recognized me.
No, actually, every time I entered a shop, gazes would turn towards me. There were so many furtive glances that Pia almost forgot her position and tried to scold them, but I barely managed to stop her and had her wait outside the shop.
But I didn’t expect such trash to approach me just because I was alone.
Usually, people would just look because of Cassion’s notoriety, but this must be an exceptionally crazy bastard.
“Are you scared, madam? You’re not saying anything.”
I ignored the man spouting nonsense at me while testing an ink that sparkled as if finely ground gem powder had been mixed in. I wrote Cassion’s name with the reddish-brown ink that glittered with a golden sheen.
I should buy one of these. The paper quality is really good too, making it a pleasure to write on.
“Or… are you pretending to be scared? Heh.”
“……”
There’s a limit to how crazy one can be. As I put down the pen and raised my head, the people who had been watching the situation with interest hurriedly averted their gaze. Right, this is normal.
“You’re even more beautiful when you raise your head! I like those large, innocent gray eyes the most.”
I quietly met the gaze of the madman. Did he think that was a sign of approval? The corners of the man’s mouth rose so high they almost reached his cheekbones as he drew closer to me. Beyond him, I could see the shop owner with a troubled expression.
“Sigh.”
“Have you given up? Or are you just pretending to give up again? If so, I’ll be the bad guy. You can just follow me unwillingly, like when you married the Duke.”
As I let out an obvious sigh, he seemed to enjoy it even more. I thought Cassion’s reputation had improved a lot, but it seems that’s somewhat separate from the prestige of the Duke’s family.
If the prestige of the Duke’s family had been untouchably high, no matter how low my reputation was, there wouldn’t have been people who would openly harass his wife like this. It seems we still have a long way to go.
If it’s this hard for Cassion, it must be even harder to raise the Second Prince’s prestige.
“It’s hard, so hard…”
“Heh… That’s right. If it’s hard, we should go to an inn and rest, madam.”
“It’s dirty, so dirty…”
“Yes, dirty… What?”
“Oh my.”
I spilled the sample of the reddish-brown ink I had been testing onto the man’s clothes, which were incongruously covered in white frills. It’s a shame I couldn’t pour it over his head due to the height difference.
“What is this…!”
“Beautiful ink should be written on beautiful paper… Oh dear.”
I swept my gaze up and down the man as he had done to me, and shook off the hand that had been holding me. Your face is the lowest grade if we’re talking about drawing paper.
“I’m sorry. I’ll pay for the spilled bottle of ink, and another bottle of the same. Please wrap just one bottle for me.”
“Ma-madam.”
“Ah, the remaining money is a tip. It will be difficult to clean the floor.”
A man, quite young for a shop owner, tremblingly received the money pouch I handed over. But his gaze was fixed behind me, so it was clear what he was looking at.
“Ahem. Hem.”
As the man covered in ink on his expensive clothes trembled, the people who had just been watching when I was being harassed hurriedly left the shop. As if they didn’t want to get involved in troublesome matters. I wanted to leave too, but the ink bottle hadn’t been wrapped yet.
“What are you doing? Hurry up and wrap it. I’ll take it right away.”
“You wench…!”
Your reactions are slow as well. It seems it took you quite some time to grasp the situation, as you were just sputtering incoherently while fidgeting uncomfortably. He grabbed my shoulder and turned me around. Even though I had expected this action, his grip was stronger than I thought, making me frown as I struck his hand away with my fist.
“It’s dirty.”
Even if it was beautiful ink, once spilled and stained, it became dirty, and the man covered in it was even dirtier. Ugh. The man’s expression turned dark red at my unfiltered expression of disgust. This just makes him even uglier.
I gave up on the wrapping and moved towards Pia with just the product in my hand. She was peering this way due to the commotion in the shop.
“You fallen noble family’s harlot!”
Ah, so predictable… Glancing at Pia, who stood outside the shop with eyes wide in surprise at the thunderous shout, I gripped the newly purchased ink bottle tightly, as if it were a baseball.
“That’s enough.”
Thwack. Crash-
“Urgh!”
“……”
“……”
I threw the ink bottle in self-defense at the man who was trying to strike down a fragile lady, and it hit him squarely on the forehead and shattered. However, the man’s arm, which had been clumsily reaching out towards me, was already caught by someone. Ink splattered on that person too.
“…My hand slipped.”
Why is the First Prince here? When did he come in?”
