Episode 5
Just Get Another Woman
Rossi stared at him, confused—then she realized.
Oh… he’s talking about tonight.
The whole “be ready” threat from earlier.
“I was just mad… Was I that scary?”
He sounded like he was trying to be considerate.
Rossi just stared at him over her teacup.
Sure, he was always scary and intense.
Now that she didn’t fear him anymore, it didn’t really matter.
Calios let out a sigh and pressed his fingers to his temple. Maybe he read something in her expression.
“Anyway, I didn’t mean it. I won’t force you to do anything. So just be clear. Yes or no.”
He made it sound like he was being generous.
Rossi let out a dry chuckle.
That clearly ticked him off—his eyes went cold again, and she felt uneasy.
His voice dropped.
“Why do you always look at me like that?”
“Like what?”
Instead of answering, he motioned with his chin.
“That. Like you’re tossing out something valuable without even realizing it.”
He was pointing at a piece of bread she’d cut the crust off of.
Rossi’s eyes narrowed.
She knew about his rough childhood—growing up poor in the slums before being adopted into the duke’s family.
But what did that have to do with how she looked at him? Or bread crusts?
She put down her knife with a sigh.
“I have no idea what you’re trying to say.”
“And stop calling me ‘duke,’ too.”
“What’s wrong with calling the duke ‘duke’?”
He dropped his own knife with a sharp clack.
His eyes were icy.
“Sounds like I’m just some stranger to you.”
You’re about to be, soon enough.
She swallowed the words.
Rossi stayed quiet, taking a bite of bread.
Calios watched her, clearly annoyed.
“Be honest. What’s the real reason you keep avoiding me?”
“I need to rest for tomorrow’s birthday banquet. If I stay up with you tonight like always…”
She trailed off.
He frowned again at the word “duke” but gestured for her to keep going.
“Always?”
“…It always takes forever.”
Ugh, she didn’t want to be talking about this.
Her cheeks flushed. Did she really have to bring this up just to make her excuse stick?
“It’s too exhausting. It messes me up for the next day.”
She lifted her embroidered handkerchief to her lips, hiding her trembling mouth and burning face.
Calios blinked like that hadn’t occurred to him before.
“Huh. That’s it? Then I’ll just make it quick.”
…Quick?
Rossi gave him a look.
As if that was ever the case.
He never “made it quick.”
Whenever he came back from war, it was like he tried to make up for lost time with aggression.
She’d pass out as the sun was rising more often than not.
She narrowed her eyes.
He just kept cutting his steak calmly.
“No promises though.”
Exactly.
Her brow twitched.
“Anyway, I’m not feeling well, so I’ll rest alone tonight.”
She stood to leave, trying to stay casual—
But then he spoke again, low and cold.
“Rossi.”
The way he said her name—she could practically smell blood.
His knife sliced smoothly through the meat, red juices spilling out.
“Enough excuses. Just tell me the truth.”
His face was tense, like he was trying not to explode.
“I’ve wanted to ask for a while now. Did someone else show up while I was away?”
So that’s it.
All the nagging about her “duties” and sleeping with him—it was because he thought she was cheating?
Rossi let out a disbelieving laugh.
“I’m not even going to answer that.”
“Then do you just hate the idea of sleeping with me that much?”
The tea in front of her had gone cold.
She looked him straight in the eyes.
“Yes. I hate it.”
“…What?”
“No—I find it disgusting.”
Calios’s brows knit together like he couldn’t believe what she’d just said.
A spark flared in his pitch-black eyes.
“Say that again. What did you just say?”
Any other time, she might’ve been afraid.
But not now.
She was so done sugarcoating things.
Rossi downed the cold tea in one gulp and slammed the cup down.
“Fine. I’ll be honest. I’m done clinging to false hope. It’s awful, and I don’t want it anymore. That’s why I refused. Is that not enough?”
Even if I got pregnant, you wouldn’t be happy.
The last time she told him she was pregnant, he acted like it was a burden.
He never liked kids anyway.
Carrying an unwanted child in a body that felt like it was breaking… it had been pure torture.
Even when she was dying, she still clung to the hope he’d come see her one more time.
She’d spent her last hours wondering, endlessly:
What did I even mean to him?
He was a man of responsibility.
And once, she’d mistaken that for love.
But his sharp words, his cold distance, the pain that kept coming back—
It was all too much.
It wasn’t until the very end, when she finally let go of him for good, that she realized:
He never loved me.
The only thing Calios had ever loved… was himself.
He loved honor. He loved being the responsible one.
That was his self-image—and anything that threatened it, he rejected.
So hearing these words from his supposedly “loyal” wife must’ve been unbearable.
His brows drew together tightly.
“False hope?”
“I’m talking about an heir.”
He stiffened. Something flashed across his face.
She swallowed hard and said,
“Let me give you one piece of advice.”
“There’s never going to be an heir between us. So bring in another woman.”
He stared at her like she was insane.
“You want me to bring in someone else?”
“Better that than dragging this out and making us both miserable.”
“Rossi Benedict.”
That was the end of the conversation.
“I’m not feeling great. I’ll go now.”
She left first.
Until now, she had never once left a meal before he was finished.
“Oh, one more thing.”
She turned around, composed, and looked him in the eye.
“Happy birthday in advance.”
Calios’s perfect face twisted in anger.
The Next Day
The banquet hall was packed. Rossi barely had a moment to breathe between all the greetings.
“Are you alright, my lady? Here, let me wipe your sweat.”
Jenny fussed over her with a handkerchief.
“Thanks. Let’s take a little break.”
Rossi sat down, tapping her sore legs.
She glanced around—and, of course, the person drawing the most attention was her husband, Calios Benedict.
Not because it was his birthday.
But because he was… well, him.
Broad shoulders. Strong build. That deep navy tailcoat hugging his muscular frame.
He gave off this aura—so intense, it didn’t feel human.
A presence forged on the battlefield.
His face was flawless, as always.
So perfect it looked sculpted.
Back when they got engaged, her heart nearly exploded just looking at him.
She even felt lucky that it was Calios and not his brother Pantheon she was marrying.
What a joke.
Rossi composed her expression and walked around, greeting people.
Eventually, she sat down quietly at Calios’s side.
From the second she arrived, his eyes had been glued to her.
Probably because of last night.
She had a good guess why.
Still, she smiled gracefully and said,
“Thank you for coming. Are you enjoying yourselves?”
The guests were laughing, drinking, enjoying themselves…
Everyone except Calios, who looked like he was sitting through a funeral.
He hated socializing to begin with, but today he looked especially sour.
You’d think someone had dragged him here at gunpoint.
Well, it has only been two days since he got back from his campaign, Rossi reminded herself.
He’d just forced a border nation into a treaty and returned to a pile of duties.
Her eyes drifted to the sword hanging at his waist.
Yup. Still wearing it.
Except when visiting the emperor, he never took it off.
That sword—the one said to be made from a dragon’s heart—
It was a gift from the emperor himself.
As long as he had that sword, Calios would always be at the center of power.
Others were eyeing it too, sneaking glances.
Isabella, noticing, smiled smugly.
“Our duke never puts that sword down—even after coming back from war.”
“All for the good of the empire,” Pantheon chimed in, flattering his mother.
The other nobles eagerly jumped in.
“As expected of the duke!”
“Such loyalty! Truly remarkable.”
While the flattery flew, Rossi just kept sipping her wine with a blank expression.
Ugh. Everyone’s being extra ridiculous today.
