Chapter 119:
Milos felt deeply moved as he watched Dedrick peacefully asleep.
It was the first time he had seen his lord sleep so soundly—and in such a vulnerable state.
He was about to close the wardrobe door to make Dedrick even more comfortable when he paused.
“…There are magic circles all over the wardrobe.”
Knowing he might trigger something dangerous, Milos quietly backed out of the room. Just then, he spotted Pavle and quickly grabbed him.
“Is our lord inside?”
“Yeah, but come back tomorrow.”
“Why?”
“He’s sleeping.”
“He never sleeps deeply though.”
“Well, now he is. Completely out cold. Don’t wake him.”
“…Is he with Lady Marilyn?”
“Yup. They’re cuddling tightly. I’m telling you…”
Milos leaned in and whispered.
“They’re so in love.”
“…”
“There might be interrupters, so I’ll stand guard. You go do your job.”
Pavle nodded, a bit confused.
***
After I showed up in front of Dedrick and captured his full attention, the plans for revenge temporarily paused.
But not anymore.
Now that I had a cozy wardrobe and Dedrick was finally getting good rests—his dark circles started fading quickly—it was time to start.
“A bloody revenge.”
“Do you want to see blood? Whose? I’ll show you.”
“I’m going to throw a festival with Delani and Somerset’s blood.”
“I’ll make it happen.”
He looked like he would literally explode them like fireworks, so I quickly added,
“Just a metaphor. A metaphor.”
“Oh, a metaphor.”
“Shouldn’t we start reigniting the rumors? My appearance has kind of buried Delani’s affair scandal.”
Indeed, the appearance of Dedrick’s mysterious fiancée stirred up the society. The gossip must’ve spread everywhere, yet things were oddly quiet. Dedrick must’ve been working behind the scenes to keep me from worrying.
“It’s not because of you. I’ll soon call the vassals together.”
“Delani and Somerset will try everything to stop you.”
If they didn’t, their position would weaken. After all, raising Axel while pretending he was the duke’s son was a serious crime.
‘Even if the duke knew.’
The vassals would never forgive that.
Dedrick popped a cherry into my mouth.
“Still, there’s not much they can do. By the way, I’m going to meet with Axel soon. You’ll stay by my side, right?”
Of course. He was looking at me like a lost puppy—how could I say no?
Since I came here, Dedrick never left my side. Even when I was in the wardrobe, he’d come and take me back immediately.
“When are you meeting him?”
“When I call him.”
“Then call him now.”
“Can’t. It’s snack time.”
I feel like a puppy now…
But I couldn’t resist these delicious sweets.
Dedrick kept feeding me dessert after dessert.
Since I arrived here, I’d been living in luxury, with Dedrick personally taking care of me.
“I’m done. Let’s go.”
“You can just stay here. Use the wardrobe if you want.”
I playfully tapped his arm.
“You’re stuck to me.”
“I’ll stick even more after the revenge… You don’t mind, right?”
I threw my arms around him and shouted.
“Love it!”
He gently rubbed my back, but I pulled away when his hands started wandering.
“Let’s call Axel.”
Dedrick pouted but kissed my neck lightly and pulled the bell string. Instead of a servant, Milos showed up.
“My lord, why?”
Dedrick frowned at him.
“…Why is it always you?”
“I’ll be doing your close protection for now! It’s safer than trusting the servants, right?”
It made sense, so Dedrick nodded and ordered,
“Bring Axel.”
“As you command!”
Milos grinned and dashed out.
Soon, Axel came in, looking like he’d walked through a storm—probably after being rushed by Milos.
I sat on the wardrobe, watching the two of them. Dedrick gave me a soft smile.
Axel, fixing his hair, flinched when he saw that smile but quickly acted normal.
Delani and Somerset still didn’t know I was here, but Axel had already figured out I was Dedrick’s fiancée. Dedrick told me himself.
‘No wonder he used to help Delani and Somerset.’
Even though no one told him, he already knew.
“When did you find out you had a different father?”
Dedrick sounded different when he talked to others—not like when he spoke to me.
“Two years ago.”
“So you approached me while hiding that fact—for revenge?”
Axel nodded without hesitation, speaking with bitterness.
“I want nothing more than to see my mother and Somerset fall. They always treated me like trash. They deserve to be ruined just like me.”
He must’ve suffered a lot—his fists were shaking with rage.
“I never planned to clean up after them. I want to watch them break with my own eyes. That’s why I sought you out. I didn’t tell you at first because I thought you’d kick me out.”
“…”
“I can’t leave yet.”
His eyes glinted with desperation. He really wanted to stay here.
Dedrick, however, didn’t even blink.
“I don’t plan to kick you out. You’re still useful.”
He hinted at using Axel’s origins of being the illegitimate son of the duchess—to bring her down.
Axel gladly agreed.
“That’s exactly what I want.”
Dedrick glanced at me. I had a question.
“Why did you want to use Dedrick for revenge? If you knew such a big secret, couldn’t you have claimed the heir spot during the 4 years Dedrick was gone?”
“You didn’t want to be heir? That was your chance.”
Axel looked bitter.
“…I did, at first. But my mother and Somerset tried to kill me right away.”
He sneered and bit his lip.
So he went through a lot too.
Still not sorry for him, though.
“…I gave up everything. Just to survive.”
He hesitated, then asked Dedrick,
“When did you know? That I’m not… not the duke’s real son?”
“Before I came back.”
“…”
“Does that matter?”
“Not at all. Actually… I feel better.”
“Liar.”
I snorted.
“Honestly, I don’t like working with him. But using him as bait to destroy Delani’s reputation is too good to pass up.”
Dedrick understood and gave me a soft look.
“Do you know who your real father is?”
“…Sir Arnold.”
So he knew everything.
“Soon, you’ll announce it publicly—that Arnold is your real father. In front of everyone. Think of how you’ll do it.”
This was a chance Dedrick was giving Axel—to get revenge by outing the truth himself.
“…Thank you.”
“If that’s all, leave.”
After Axel left, Dedrick, still sleepy, wrapped his arms around me.
“I’m tired, Mary.”
“Want to nap?”
“Yeah…”
He blinked slowly. I brushed his hair back.
“…Can I sleep while holding you?”
“Every day if you want.”
He sighed happily and rubbed his face into my neck.
Then a loud ring broke the moment—the communication stone.
Dedrick pretended not to hear, but I pushed him away.
“Who is it?”
The stone’s color showed who was calling. He glanced at it.
“…Second Prince.”
“Oh, right. Prince Perez.”
I had forgotten another person who’d helped us.
“He helped us a lot. You know? I was able to send you the earring thanks to him.”
Dedrick touched his earring and smiled bashfully.
“It was made from your horn crystal, right?”
“Yeah. It’s as precious as my soul. I had to give it to you. I’m glad it made it.”
The topic drifted a bit, but I looked at him seriously.
“He called, I should thank him properly. I don’t want to ignore someone who helped us.”
I met his eyes, and after a moment, Dedrick finally backed down.
He picked up the still-ringing communication stone.
