Chapter 88
“…?”
For a moment, my mind completely checked out.
It felt like I’d punched through the atmosphere and been flung somewhere deep into space.
‘Has this fox—no, this half-dragon—lost his mind?’
Too stunned to even notice the stares around us, I glared at the back of Lycian’s head.
Maybe he felt it, because he finally set me down on the floor—
“…!”
Only to scoop me right back up. In a bridal carry.
No, put me down!
I have two perfectly functional legs!
“W-Wife…? When on earth did you marry without any of us knowing…?!”
Baron Clement trembled violently, utterly aghast.
The others who looked to be Lycian’s subordinates were staring at us with their eyes wide open.
More specifically, they were staring holes straight through me.
Under the crushing weight of those gazes, cold sweat poured down my back.
‘O-Okay, first things first. Let’s correct this.’
Still trapped in this mortifying position in Lycian’s arms, I forced my mouth open.
“I’m not his wife. We’ve never been married. It’s a misunder—”
“My dear, what are you saying? We’ve never been married?”
The insane fox looked at me with wide, shimmering eyes and spouted utter nonsense.
I mouthed silently, Are you actually insane?
But Lycian showed no signs of stopping.
“After you so boldly stole my lips… Have you already forgotten that night?”
He even let a faint tear slip, as if wounded. Truly award-worthy acting.
I was dumbfounded—and unfairly accused. When did I ever boldly—?! That was you, wasn’t it?!
“You’re the one who stole it! You said you’d count to ten and then—!”
“Muriel, it seems you don’t remember. You were the one who kissed me first.”
“…!”
…When I stopped and thought about it, stiff as a board, he was right.
I had been the one to kiss Lycian first.
The tidal wave of humiliation that followed nearly short-circuited my brain.
Flushed scarlet to the tips of my ears, burning up, I stammered through the heat.
“Y-You, you, this is because of you. It’s all your—”
“Yes, yes. Let’s say it’s my fault.”
Whether I tried to blame him or not, Lycian accepted it smoothly, as if he were used to this.
Then, as naturally as if it were routine, he began issuing orders to Baron Clement.
“Stuff the men in the back somewhere in the reception room. Send two maids up to my chambers. Have them prepare a change of clothes and a meal.”
“Y-Yes! Understood! Butler, did you hear?”
“Yes! I’ll see to it at once!”
Though their faces were still full of shock, the servants of Epherne Castle moved quickly.
Most of them snuck glances at me, but their gazes weren’t unpleasant.
If anything, they looked more like—
‘Who on earth is she? I’m dying to know!’
Eyes brimming with curiosity.
…To be honest, there were so many things about this situation that bothered me.
“Then let’s go to the room, my dear.”
“Enough already….”
“You don’t like ‘my dear’? Then should I go back to calling you Master?”
One of the servants carrying something overheard that and stumbled.
I shot Lycian a glare, bit down hard on my lower lip with my upper teeth, and then lunged forward to clamp a hand over his mouth.
“Cut the nonsense and get to the room. I have something to say.”
“…All right.”
Even with my hand covering his mouth, his pronunciation came out perfectly clear.
His lips brushed against my palm, and the faint ticklish sensation made me snatch my hand back at once, pretending nothing had happened.
A short while later, we arrived in front of a massive double door.
The main building of this castle had high ceilings everywhere, not just at the entrance. The doors were tall and grand as well.
Two male attendants who had followed us opened the doors, and Lycian carried me inside.
The interior was… vast. Ridiculously vast. You could mistake it for a small field.
Even the rooms used by members of the affluent Tierney family hadn’t been this large… The prestige of the Grastea Imperial Family truly was something else.
‘A nation founded by the hero who ended the Great War a thousand years ago. And the descendants of the first emperor inherited the power of dragons….’
Who would dare stand against the Grastea Empire?
It was nothing short of a miracle that not a single mad tyrant had emerged among its emperors.
‘If a despot with absolute power ruled the world for centuries, that would be a catastrophe in itself.’
Lycian set me down on a sofa near a wide sunlit window.
The sofa was crimson velvet, with gold embroidery on each corner. Its four legs were solid gold. Even at a glance, it looked obscenely expensive.
Not just the sofa—every piece of furniture and decoration in the room looked the same.
Especially the painting hanging on the opposite wall and the sculpture beside it… Even someone like me, who knew nothing about art, could tell they were priceless.
‘And he lived in a place like this….’
So how did he manage in my modest little house?
He’d even stayed at the village inn without a single complaint.
It was almost strange. Had he really felt no discomfort at all?
“So, what did you want to say?”
Lycian asked, sitting down close—far too close—beside me.
…He truly had no intention of being apart from me for even a second. Like a puppy with severe separation anxiety.
I cleared my throat and spoke with a serious expression.
“You didn’t forget that I’m divorced, right…?”
“I didn’t. Why?”
“‘Why’…?”
It wasn’t unheard of for noblewomen to remarry. There was even a woman in history who’d married nine times for political reasons.
But remarrying into the Grastea Imperial Family… That was unprecedented.
And I wasn’t even a real noble—just an adopted daughter.
I was worried that his reputation might suffer because of me.
If people criticized me, I could brush it off. I’d grown used to that over the years.
But—
I let out a slow breath and continued.
“I’m not the Duke of Tierney’s biological daughter, and I’ve already been divorced once. If you introduce me as someone you’re going to marry, how do you think people will take it?”
“What’s wrong with that? I don’t care. Are you afraid of people’s stares or criticism?”
“No. I’m worried about you….”
“Why worry about me? Muriel, do I look like someone who cares about what others think?”
“…….”
…No.
No matter what anyone said, Lycian wouldn’t care in the slightest.
That was just who he was. Strong enough, wealthy enough, to live exactly as he pleased.
Blinking rapidly, I glanced up at the ceiling.
An intricately detailed ceiling painting filled my vision, so elaborate it was almost overwhelming.
A voice inside me whispered, Why are you worrying about someone who lives in a place like this?
…True.
Was I worrying for nothing again?
The thought slipped straight out of my mouth.
“Was I worrying for nothing again?”
“Glad you realized it quickly.”
Lycian teased me lightly and poked my cheek with a finger.
I almost bit it—but figured he’d probably enjoy that—so I stopped myself.
“Still… we’re not actually married, are we? Don’t introduce me as your wife. You should at least explain who I really am…. What if people get the wrong idea?”
“All right. Then I’ll call you Master.”
“That’s not it either!”
We argued for fifteen full minutes over how to define our relationship. Lycian insisted that we should at least be engaged. I countered that it was far too soon for that.
After exhausting back-and-forth, we finally reached a compromise.
“L-Let’s say we’re… in a relationship.”
“…I’m not thrilled, but fine.”
“Engagement should be taken seriously. You never know what life will throw at you….”
“Yes, yes, I know. That cautious personality of yours.”
“…….”
Being careful—testing the bridge before you cross it—is far better than the opposite…!
I was just about to snap back when—
Knock, knock—
A sound came from the servants’ entrance.
“Come in.”
At Lycian’s permission, the small side door opened quietly, and two maids stepped inside.
Their eyes sparkled with bright curiosity as they looked at me.