Chapter 2. A Terrible Marriage
Kylus walked past Eleanor without saying a word.
As if she wasn’t even worth speaking to, as if she wasn’t someone he needed to greet after returning from a long military campaign.
He didn’t even spare her a glance.
That made it even more humiliating. The tiny bit of hope she had shattered like grains of sand, painfully breaking in her chest.
‘Ah.’
It felt like her flesh was being cut with a knife.
If he had at least thrown some harsh words, it wouldn’t have felt this miserable.
“……”
As he passed by the frozen Eleanor, his mother-in-law followed him.
And next to them, like a shadow, was that woman.When that woman made eye contact with Eleanor, she slowly smiled with her eyes.
‘Pfft.’
A secretive smile meant only for Eleanor—
But clearly a mocking one.
* * *
“To be at the victory banquet with another woman, leaving his wife behind… The state of House Carniel is truly pitiful, isn’t it?”
“Well, you have to understand. I wouldn’t be able to dance happily either if my wife were constantly at the center of scandals.”
“You’re right. Didn’t the duchess slap the Marchioness of Somali recently? How vulgar.”
Whispers like those were nothing new to Eleanor.
She stared at the cold back of her husband.
That man, as solid as a rock, who had returned after fighting on countless battlefields and slaying monsters, didn’t look back at her even once.
Even though this was his victory banquet, Eleanor—his wife—wasn’t even allowed to stand in his shadow.
She didn’t even feel like laughing. Maybe this was his way of getting revenge.
For how Eleanor’s father, the Earl of Grace, had humiliated his mother and the woman he cared about by dragging in his own people.
‘So be it.’
Eleanor had no intention of playing the pitiful victim.
But just as she turned away, she froze when she saw someone standing in front of her.
“…Father.”
It was a middle-aged man who couldn’t even hide his irritation—
Her father, the one her mother-in-law and husband loathed more than anything.
“Come with me.”
She didn’t want to, but too many people were watching.
If rumors of a father-daughter fight from House Grace spread, it would be bad.
She thought she felt her husband’s eyes on her for a moment—but it must’ve been her imagination.
She followed her father out to a quiet terrace.
SLAP!
“Ugh.”
“Did I ever give you such a grand mission?”
Eleanor, holding her stinging cheek, thought bitterly,
Looks like I’ll have to sneak out of the banquet again, hiding my face like some fugitive.
Her father, red with anger, looked pitiful.
“You couldn’t even dig up that much information properly? Do you think I married you off to that man for this kind of result?”
She mocked him silently.
Weren’t there many reasons?
Her father was greedy.
He didn’t just want to crush House Carniel—the Emperor’s favorite, the pride of the empire.
He wanted to rise above them.
He dishonored the previous Duke and got him killed.
If he hadn’t taken another of the Duke’s sons hostage and caught him off guard, he would’ve never succeeded.
‘After all that…’
That still wasn’t enough.
He shoved Eleanor—his own daughter and the daughter of the Duke’s enemy—into that house.
He told her to have the Duke’s child before the divorce.
He said it was to continue the Grace line, but Eleanor knew better.
When she asked why, all she got was more rage.
He was obsessed with magic.
Eleanor suspected he might want to use the Duke’s blood for human experiments.
Whatever it was, the thought disgusted her.
She thought, We may not share a drop of blood, but how can my adoptive father be this shameless?
“For now, that’s enough. Next time, bring me real information. Do you have any idea how much damage you caused me with those lies?”
“Yes, Father.”
“The pregnancy?” She let out a small laugh.
“That man just returned from the front lines today.”
“Click. You think I don’t know that?”
Judging from his sneer, Eleanor was sure he had once again pressured her husband.
Their first night together had only happened because of her father’s force.
She knew it well—
Her husband would never sleep with the daughter of his sworn enemy of his own free will.
But her father was worse.
“From tonight on, fulfill your duty every night. Understand? Once this is over, you can come back to the Grace household.”
Pretending to be the obedient daughter, Eleanor swallowed her disgust.
If only she could spit in his smug face.
After he left, Eleanor calmed herself and stepped back inside.
* * *
“……”
“……”
She nearly forgot how to breathe.
Why… Why was he here?
Those violet eyes, shining even in the dark—she could never mistake them. Eleanor took a step back, panicking.
How much did he hear?
Surely not from the beginning.
Surely, he didn’t see her getting slapped.
‘But my cheek must be swollen. What do I say?’
She couldn’t show weakness.
She couldn’t look pitiful.
That was her last pride.
She clenched her teeth and raised her head like nothing was wrong.
“Kylus.”
Oh no. She regretted saying his name the moment it left her mouth.
Her husband hated when she called him by name.
But the cold sarcasm or scoffing didn’t come.
When she carefully looked up, she saw him staring intently at her—
At her face.
Her swollen cheek.
‘No.’
She instinctively raised her hand to cover it, but—
Snap.
He grabbed her wrist.
“Let go of me.”
“Why should I?”
“What did you just say? Ugh!”
As he gripped her wrist tightly, Eleanor winced in pain. It felt like he could break her bones. Suddenly, the strong hand loosened, as if surprised by its own strength.
“…”
“…”
The mood shifted.
Kylus, who looked like he was about to say something, furrowed his brows and swallowed his words. Then, with a harsh, uncharacteristic voice, he asked:
“How long do you plan to be your father’s puppet?”
That wasn’t like him.
Eleanor widened her eyes.
“Say it clearly. What do you mean?”
Suppressing his irritation, he raised an eyebrow and sighed.
That sigh—so familiar.
It was the same sigh she’d seen over and over again during their 10 years of marriage. Eleanor’s heart felt like it was freezing over.
What cruel thing was he going to say this time?
She had long since given up on fixing their relationship.
He was probably trying to accuse her of something related to her father again.
Before he could wound her more,
Eleanor yanked her arm free and snapped at him, her words as sharp as a blade.
“If someone heard you, they’d think you actually care. They might mistake us for a loving couple.”
“You’re the one who brought up pregnancy like we were some sweet, affectionate pair.”
“Oh, did your mother tell you that? Or was it your sweet little songbird of a mistress?”
“…”
There it was again. Whenever she brought up his mistress, he always clammed up.
Did he even know?
How his loyal servants would whisper behind her back while he was away.
Eleanor, the wicked wife.
Katrina, the poor woman who had her love stolen.
And the worst part?
“Pick one thing, dear. Your fake concern is disgusting.”
That she still loved this man.
Loved him enough to die for him.
Enough to burn up her entire life if it meant being with him.
So horribly, heartbreakingly much.
“Does mocking me make you feel better?”
“Oh, you’re stating the obvious.”
When she saw his perfectly sculpted face twist in anger, she felt a small satisfaction.
Yes, of course.
If these words were the only way she could reach him, she’d say worse.
“Have we ever had a loving conversation? It’s funny you find it strange now, dear.”
When he flinched slightly at the term of endearment, as if it disgusted him, Eleanor smiled.
“Well, you seem curious about what my father said. I don’t mind telling you.”
She reached out.
The knight, the strongest man in the empire, didn’t avoid her touch.
Eleanor grabbed his collar and pulled him close.
“He spoke of a husband’s duty,” she whispered.
“Because he pitied his poor daughter who can’t get pregnant.”
“…”
“He even said you should give me a chance. You know exactly what he meant, don’t you?”
She could see his face go cold and stiff up close.
Why? Was this closeness too much for him?
But her heart was racing.
If this was the only way she could reach him, she would take it.
Clutching the edge of his robe tightly, Eleanor smiled sweetly.
“It’s fine. Enjoy the banquet with your darling mistress. But you know where you need to be tonight.”
She poured all the sorrow of loving a man who hated her into her final words.
“See you in the bedroom, dear.”
* * *
There was a time when she had hope. Even if Count Grace, her father, had done horrible things—
Killed the former duke, the duke’s eldest son, and ruined the family’s honor—
Even if she, the daughter of such a man, married into their house—
She still thought maybe, just maybe, things could work out.
If she tried hard enough, maybe something could change.
But of course, that foolish hope was crushed.
Maybe it all started the night her father forced her into bed with her husband.
Now, in the present—
In the deep, dark night,Eleanor lay on the bed, facing him, so close she could feel his breath.
And in his eyes, blazing like fire,
She saw a hunger—As if he might devour her whole.
