EPISODE 1
“Then, have a good night, you two.”
The head maid, Rachel, bowed deeply and closed the door.
The door shut firmly before my eyes, and the room filled with suffocating silence.
‘What should I do?’
I glared stubbornly at the door.
A hesitant gaze fell on me from behind, but I couldn’t bring myself to turn around.
“……Wife.”
Flinch.
‘Please, just a moment, can’t you give me time to think?’
I ignored the low voice tickling my ears and squeezed my eyes shut.
“The Duke commanded me to personally ensure that you two have a good night.”
“……What?”
“There’s been no news of a baby, so the Duke must be worried.”
Rachel had whispered those words to me secretly.
Just before the door closed, the look she gave me surely held the same meaning.
That she would be watching to see if I carried out the command properly.
I broke out in a cold sweat and glanced at the eagle statue in the corner of the room.
It looked like an ordinary eagle. But the gem embedded in the statue’s left eye glittered strangely.
A magic stone.
That magic stone, inscribed with projection magic, would transmit everything happening in here to Rachel.
‘The problem is…’
We had been married for a long time, but we had never truly spent a ‘real’ night together!
It was a contract from the beginning.
A temporary contract marriage, made so I could gain my freedom and he could escape the danger of rampage.
Only my father, who had forced this marriage, would be completely unaware of that fact.
‘At this rate, it might be exposed…!’
Just as my mind was ablaze, trying to devise a solution.
“Is something wrong?”
“……!”
I almost screamed at the whisper that burrowed into my ear.
I hastily covered my burning ears with my hands.
As always, his low voice was ticklish. The sensation of something heavy flowing into me could only be described as ticklish.
“Denok…”
When I slowly turned my head, his large body, big enough to block the sunlight from outside the window, came into view.
He had tilted his head slightly as if to speak to me, but despite his crouched posture, the sheer physical presence remained intense.
Below his dishevelled black hair, the slanted light couldn’t pass his straight nose and deep-set eyes, creating a dark shadow.
His eyes, hidden beneath the shadow, were sharp, like a beast preparing for a hunt.
But contrary to his imposing impression, his gaze was strangely soft.
Delicate violet eyes, like violets blooming at dawn, carefully examined me.
When I inadvertently looked at him with pitiful eyes, his gaze deepened.
“Please tell me what’s wrong. Only then can I help you, can’t I?”
His gentle words pricked my heart.
Because if we were our original selves, such warm words would never have been exchanged.
I weakly bit the inside of my cheek.
Denok Luciano. The sole survivor of the Grand Ducal House of Luciano, once prominent for its magic.
After losing his parents in an accident as a child, the villagers called him the Beast Grand Duke, as he would lose his reason and turn violent every night.
‘And…’
Though I could never tell Denok.
There was a truth only I knew.
He was the male lead of an R-rated novel I had read in my previous life.
And I had reincarnated as his wife, the villainess Edith Certia, whom he utterly loathed.
Yes, the villainess.
And a utterly vile one at that.
‘I’m pregnant with your child.’
‘……What did you just say?’
‘Surely you’re not thinking of disregarding your child, are you? Then I’ll jump off the castle wall and die!’
In the novel, Denok gets caught in a scheme by Edith’s father, Duke Certia, and spends the night with her.
And he can’t push away the woman carrying his child.
How terrible their marriage must have been, goes without saying.
‘I’ll never… live that kind of life.’
To do that, I had to deceive everyone.
I squeezed my eyes shut once, then opened them, and approached him, extending my arm.
When Denok’s broad chest met my body, I felt his body stiffen.
Since this was our first direct contact, he seemed very surprised.
‘I’m sorry, Denok…’
I wanted to protect your first night, no matter what.
I offered a small apology inwardly, then rose on my tiptoes and brought my face close to his ear.
“Listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”
“……”
“Rachel has placed a magic stone that records video.”
I let out a small laugh, so it would seem like we were exchanging sweet nothings toward the statue.
His shoulder trembled slightly, perhaps because my breath tickled his ear.
“So… tonight, we need to thoroughly deceive them.”
“You mean.”
Somehow, Denok’s voice was deeper than usual.
It almost sounded like his pronunciation was muffled, as if he was gritting his teeth.
He must have been very flustered. Well, it was an understandable situation.
My face was burning, but I calmly whispered.
“Hold me.”
“……!”
“Like you truly love me.”
At that moment, Denok’s body seemed to stiffen like a stone, and he remained silent for a long time.
‘This is a bit awkward…’
The corners of my smiling lips trembled.
I knew it was unavoidable for the sake of the act, but it wasn’t an easy choice for me either.
‘No. Maybe it was too much to ask of someone who’s been cooped up at home.’
I shook my head inwardly and resolved, ‘I’ll just lead first.’
Then, his lips, which had been sealed for so long, finally opened.
“You mean we have to do it thoroughly. Really, like we’re in love.”
“Yes, yes. If it’s too difficult, I’ll… Kyaaak!”
Before I could finish my sentence, my body was lifted into the air.
I let out a short scream. Strong arms were supporting my waist and behind my knees.
While I blinked in surprise, Denok strode forward and gently laid me on the bed.
The hem of my dress spread across the sheets, and his vast shadow fell over me.
“Then tonight…”
A laugh that was somehow unlike him.
His subtly curving eyes set off a warning signal within me.
His knee touched the bed right beside where I lay. And his body slowly leaned in.
“Tonight, I don’t have to go easy on you.”
“What…?”
“I’ve… I’ve waited too long, wife.”
‘Huh…?’
But before I could even ask for the meaning. His lips swallowed my question whole.
My eyes wide, I thought.
Something was definitely, terribly wrong.
