ã€ŠHow to Tame My Beastly Husbandã€‹


 Chapter 1: A Long Night(1)

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    Ate¡¯s body swung frantically and she tightly grasped the bed sheets in her hands. Her consciousness was on the verge of slipping out and her legs kept on trembling pitifully.

    But the muscr hands that stretched out from behind her, were unwilling to let her rest. The man grabbed her voluminous butt and hoisted it up. As he did that, his waist shook more intensely.

    The thing that hit her deeply inside, was very hard and heavy and there was a lot of sticky fluid between her legs. He had already been driving her for hours without getting tired.

    ¡°Hmm, hmm, now stop, ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Ate sobbed and begged. She was very exhausted.

    With her long blond hair disheveled on the bed, flushed skin and teary eyes, she was so lovely and tantalizing that it was enough to make men want to chew and swallow her up.

    ¡®I¡¯m going to swallow her whole one day.¡¯

    The blue eyes of the man looking down at Ate, were all the more hideous. The man¡¯s body, which pressed her down, was so big and muscr, that one would not even be able to see Ate¡¯s petite body from outside.

    As he let out a grumbling groan while ramming his thick penis deep inside her, Ate felt as if she was being attacked by a beast. Her petite body shuddered at the very thought.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s too hard. Slow down.. Aah¡­.now stop..please?¡±

    A drop of tear flowed down Ate¡¯s pallid cheeks. The man paused for a short moment but pretended as if he was not affected by Ate¡¯s pitiful pleas. He lowered his hand and skimmed his fingers along her clitoris. Ate trembled as his fingers teased her heated vagina. His fingers which had held many swords, were unusually firm and rough, making it more stimting.

    He feigned ignorance of Ate¡¯s sensitive response and mischievously flicked the bloated clitoris. Ate moaned as an exhrating pleasure gripped her body. The man withdrew his hand and brought it in front of her. The hand which was ying with her clitoris just before, was soaked in her love fluids.

    The man licked the transparent honey covering his hands and stretched the corners of his mouth in a smirk and said,

    ¡°You want me to stop doing this? It¡¯s funny because your lower lips are tightly clenching me down there. But your upper lip is so deceptive just like your family, Ate.¡±

    looked at the man¡¯s resentful eyes and his beautiful lips. His cold visage and red, plump lips gave him a sensational beauty which could even make women jealous. However the words which came out of those lips were bitter and obscene.

    When he faced her teary eyes zed with lust, he became oddly excited. His penis buried deep inside her wriggled like a living creature, growing more in volume. A surprised Ate tightened her insides reflexively, making the man frown. He felt he couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and started to thrust again.

    ¡°Shh, Ate. If you really want me to quit, please don¡¯t open that dirty hole. I¡¯m going crazy here because I want to squeeze it in right now. If you want to finish this quickly, spread your legs wider.¡±

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    The lewd wordsing from the man¡¯s mouth bothered Ate and made her feel very ashamed. The man, who had finished speaking, began to shake his waist earnestly .

    Every time he dug deep, she felt as if her insides were choking and burning. When his hard, stiff penis poked the heated inner walls without mercy, her eyes turned white in pleasure. The little hole, which had already known the joy of love affairs, trembled pitifully but still tightened around his genitals as if feeling overwhelmed by joy.

    ¡°Oh uh uh uh aah!¡±

    Hot breaths and kisses rained on her slender neck and shoulders. Bodies covered in sweat were joined. Bare limbs intertwined tightly in the dark¡­

    Large hands grasped Ate¡¯s face to the side, and a thick tongue intruded her mouth.

    Ate epted the pleasure he provided. When the thick penis stabbed her insides, it felt so good that she couldn¡¯t think of anything else. The more intense the insertion became, the more her inner walls were rubbed, leaving her screaming in pleasure.

    Terrified of the seemingly endless nature of the affair, Ate crawled away from him, unknowingly on the bed. She was scared of his body heat and the rough movements that could crush her. However the beast who had already tasted his sweet prey had no intention of letting it go. He pressed his big hands on her back as if topletely block all her escape routes.

 Chapter 2: A Long Night (2)

    The man pulled her hips closer with the other hand and thrusted in and out of the wet hole roughly.

    He rammed deeper and faster. His hands were locked onto her waist as his thrusts became more violent and powerful.

    As his penis rubbed her good ces, thest bit of reasoning that she had faintly flew away. The only thing left was a melting pleasure between her legs. Her vagina mped around him as she convulsed in extreme pleasure.

    ¡°Ahhh¡±

    Due to the breathtaking climax, Ate was so overwhelmed that she could not even moan properly. She gasped and tightly grasped the man¡¯s body as if it was an anchor. Her narrow hole, which was already tight, tightened more as if it wanted to bite off the man¡¯s penis. Her body convulsed in pleasure, emitting an erotic smell.

    The beastly man groaned in sheer pleasure as her insides shook and tightened. Blue veins surfaced over his neck as he clenched his teeth and plunged his penis deeper inside her.

    ¡°Ugghh¡±

    The man let out a hot moan. His manhood swelled up and a thick white fluid gushed out. It shot all over her lower part, dripping down her legs. Ate¡¯s exhausted body drooped on the bed. Eyes heavily lidded, she took a moment to pacify her chaotic breathing.

    The man looked at Ate with a slight smile. The small, tender woman gave him a terrible feeling of satiety. But he still wanted to taste her a little more.

    With his head down, he pushed his tongue into Ate¡¯s earhole and licked it clumsily. The light pink ears were so lovely that he wanted to eat them up.

    Ate, who had sensitive ears squealed in surprise. Her muffled sobs and breathless moans made the man¡¯s lower body be stiff again.

    ¡°Ate, Ate¡­ What a terribly shameless body this is.¡±

    The man murmured as if he was reproaching her, but the one, who was really excited, was him. Ate was struck by fear as she felt him be stiff again. If they did it one more time, then she would truly die.

    Tears welled up in Ate¡¯srge pink eyes. She turned her head and faced the man. She carefully wrapped her arms around his neck and looked up at him with the most pitiful look possible.

    The man paused, he always became weak when Ate pulled that face. He knew that he was falling for Ate¡¯s tricks but was helpless. Even though he wanted to have her to his heart¡¯s desire, every time her soft lips touched his face, a corner of his heart tickled strangely.

    ¡°Rafael¡­.¡±

    His name, which came out of Ate¡¯s mouth, was soft and pitiful. He kicked his tongue disapprovingly, feeling himself get weak. He could have continued to press on her soft body, but strangely he didn¡¯t want to do it. Every time when the woman whispered in a soft and pitiful voice, the ferocious aggression inside him calmed down.

    ¡®This was a really bad thing.¡¯

    The man raised himself and spoke out in a cold tone.

    ¡°Such a crafty Bavarian woman.¡± Although his words seemed cold, Ate knew the truth. It actually meant that he would let her go.

    Ate, who was finally released from the arms of the beast, took a breath of relief. Even after her return, her husband was still extremely energetic and a very mean person. Because of this, Ate in her previous life used to cry all night every day.

    The wound of the heart made her debilitated like a dry de of grass, and Ate was often ill. Even thest moments of her previous life were spent on her bed, sick. Ate¡¯s past marriage was obviously an unhappy one.

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    But this time, it should be different.

    No, it will be different. Ate was determined to tame her wicked beast of a husband and get a life offort. She didn¡¯t know yet whether the result would be a happy marriage or a divorce, but this time, it would be in her hands.

    Rafael draped the gown over his muscr body which held many traces of the war, and reached out to the doorknob as if trying to leave her bedroom. Upon seeing this, Ate even said goodbye to him in a feeble voice.

    ¡°Thank you, Rafael. Good night.¡±

    Of course, there was no reply. He turned his back like a man who had never heard anything, and coldly left her bedroom. As the door closed, a cool breeze touched Ate¡¯s cheeks. She touched her cheeks as if consoling herself.

    It was okay though. To discipline the beast, she has to start with a praise. Ate smiled, she was exhausted.

    Her new operation was to tame Rafael into a good husband.

 Chapter 3: Second Wedding (1)

    Today was Ate¡¯s second wedding day.

    For others, it may be her first, but it was actually a second wedding for Ate who had returned back to the past. She touched the bouquet of white Ca flowers and light purple Lisianthus flowers and smiled softly.

    ¡®I never thought I¡¯d marry the same man twice.¡¯

    And of all the people, the man is none other than Rafael. It all somehow seemed like a poor joke.

    Ate, who had died from an illness, apparently returned back to five years ago. At first, she thought it was all just a dream, but it turned out to be a reality.

    Ate, dressed in a white wedding dress, slowly walked into the ceremonial hall. The scattered light pink petals, the light jasmine scent surrounding the ceremonial hall, and the curious murmurs of the people were exactly the same as five years ago.

    Ate¡¯s return was on the morning of her wedding day. Because of this, she didn¡¯t have an option to reject marrying Rafael again.

    She had to hold Rafael¡¯s hand, who stared at her coldly as she walked down the wedding aisle just as she did five years ago.

    ¡®This life will be different. I¡¯m not going to have a miserable marriage like before.¡¯

    A look of resolute determination came on Ate¡¯s doll-like face. She lived a very passive life before. Coming from the most prestigious family in Deltium, she received a harsh education in manners and etiquette. The phrase ¡®a flower in the greenhouse¡¯ was probably the best to describe her previous life. Thanks to this, she couldn¡¯t endure the hard life. She often became ill and finally died miserably.

    She didn¡¯t want to die like that again. So, Ate decided to change everything one by one right away.

    Like her second marriage.

    Fortunately thanks to the memories of her previous life, this wedding was much easier. In fact, it seemed that it couldn¡¯t have worked out better than this.

    Ate, in the past, was very upset on the day of her wedding. She got married as if she was being kicked out from her family under false pretenses, and her husband, Rafael was frighteningly cold towards her. The evil gossips and murmurs of the guests flew into a frightened Ate¡¯s ears and left a great scar. Her previous immature self couldn¡¯t contain her anxiety until the end, and she cried a lot during the wedding.

    Of course, Rafael¡¯s face became grim when he experienced this. He misunderstood that Ate cried because she didn¡¯t want to marry him and ended up hating her more.

    Since Rafael was originally an illegitimate child, he had a strong insecurity towards his origin.

    Ate¡¯s tears ended up having an adverse negative effect. It made people¡¯s curiosity even bigger. The guests were thrilled to see how unhappy she looked at her wedding and how sadly she cried. A lot of bad rumours spread because of this incident and this made Rafael feel ufortable throughout his honeymoon. She sighed as she remembered the past.

    ¡®Now let¡¯s not make that mistake again.¡¯

    So Ate smiled as if she was happy this time. She blushed shyly, sped Rafael¡¯s arms, and kept her new bride-like, fluttering smile. She raised her head proudly and looked only forward, ignoring the evil chatters of others. Then their voices gradually faded and died down.

    ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you say it was a political marriage? For something like that, the bride looks very happy. She looks like she has a crush on the groom.¡±

    ¡°Somehow I felt like the Bavarian family was giving up their precious daughter. Maybe the youngdy begged them to marry the Marquis of Carnes first? He¡¯s actually very good-looking. Look at those robes. Oh my God!¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s because Bavaria is so great. But Marquis of Carnes is also a good marriage prospect. There are rumors that he will soon be the Master of Swords. I even heard that he got a huge reward for his great work in thest war. You know what he got? Iron ore and diamond mines! If I were her, even I would fall in love with him!¡±

    ¡°Shh! The Duke of Bavaria looked this way. Let¡¯s be careful.¡±

    The guests who were gossiping and giggling among themselves, became quiet at once when Ate¡¯s father, Amand Bavaria looked at them. Ate¡¯s father,the Duke of Bavaria was a very powerful man. The family of Bavaria had a reputation for being the noblest family after the Royal family in the capital. The fame and wealth that they¡¯ve built over hundreds of years was so big, that no one dared topare with them. Those who were jealous of them, sometimes sarcastically called them ¡®Blue Blooded Bavarians¡¯ due to their cold blooded nature.

    Therefore, Ate¡¯s father regarded the wedding as a great disgrace. If it hadn¡¯t been for ¡®the incident,¡¯ he would have never let Ate get married to an illegitimate child like Rafael in the first ce.

    However Ate was inevitably married to Rafael in her previous life, and throughout her married life, she struggled to mediate between her father and her husband.

    ¡®Of course, I couldn¡¯t satisfy both. I was so stupid.¡¯

    Ateughed, thinking of her previous naive and immature self.

    But no matter what the inside story behind this marriage was, it was time for her to y a happy bride. Ate took a steady step, maintaining the shy smile on her face. When she walked proudly, only looking forward, the murmurs around her soon faded away. Atst, she could see the podium where the pastor was waiting in the distance.

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    Ate seeing this, suddenly slowed down. It was a slight act of hesitation which contrasted with the previous her who was confidently smiling and walking down the aisle

    ¡°Ah¡±

    The moment she saw the podium, Ate suddenly became aware of the reality. The podium brought back the memories of her previous miserable marriage.

    ¡®Will this marriage be terrible again this time? Am I going to be sick and die miserably again?¡¯

    Ate stopped walking. She felt as if she was rushing into a cliff, knowing it was right before her. Ate hesitated for a moment due to her past trauma.

    Suddenly, she felt a strong force tugging her hands and dragging her forward. It was none other than Rafael, who was escorting her.

    ¡°Rafael?¡­..Why all of a sudden?¡±

 Chapter 4: Second Wedding ( 2)

    A surprised Ate turned her head unconsciously and stared at Rafael. Beyond a thin veil, she saw a handsome man with ck hair. Rafael, who was much taller than Ate, was stubbornly looking ahead. His red plump lips, under his cold, sleek nose were mesmerizing. A low voice came out of them, which could only be heard by her.

    ¡°Keep smiling, and don¡¯t stop again. There is nowhere to escape.¡±

    Ateughed bitterly at the oppressive tone of the man. Rafael was right. Thanks to his warning, Ate was able to walkfortably down the wedding aisle without much effort.

    Maybe it¡¯s because he thought she was dizzy, he grabbed her arms more tightly.

    His grip was rather reassuring. Ate looked ahead with a more sincere heart. Then she saw her father in the distance. The Duke of Bavaria was as perfect as ever.

    Ate¡¯s mother was already dead, and her brother was unable to attend her wedding as he was in an another country. That¡¯s why her father was the only one from her family that was present here. Amand Bavaria, with a sleek face and striking tinum blond hair, looked incredibly young. It was hard to believe that this man had fathered two grown up children.

    The expression of the Duke of Bavaria was so calm, that no one was able to know what was going in his mind. Because of this, the guests gossiped as they liked.

    ¡°Well, look at the Duke¡¯s face. I think he¡¯s sad since his daughter is getting married. I guess she¡¯s lucky. She¡¯s such a pretty daughter, who wouldn¡¯t feel sad to part from her.¡±

    ¡°Look at Ate on the other hand. She is smiling like a blooming flower. She looks so cute. Maybe the young bride has a crush on the groom. Looking at them like this, they look much better together than I thought.¡±

    The gossips of the ignorant guests worked towards her favour this time. Although Ate became an immature youngdy who had fallen for Rafael, this was indeed not bad. Because of this, Rafael¡¯s expression as he walked next to her became much softer. Just because she didn¡¯t upset him in anyway, the wedding was a sess.

    As she listened to the pastor¡¯s speech, she sneaked a nce over at the ce where the guests were sitting. Fortunately, the prince and his new fiancee were not there. Just like her previous life, he didn¡¯t attend Ate¡¯s wedding this time too. It was rather a good thing.

    Ate was relieved to know that the prince and his fiancee didn¡¯t attend her wedding. They sure would have made the whole ceremony awkward. The guests didn¡¯t know anything about this as the Duke had made sure to silence this matter.

    If it continues like this, the wedding would end well. If only thest procedure of the ceremony could also go well.

    ¡°Now, the groom may kiss the bride and then take your vows.¡±

    The wordsing from the pastor¡¯s mouth sounded like a death sentence. At least it did for Ate.

    Ate, who was very nervous, grabbed the bouquet tightly without realizing it. She was unsure whether Rafael would kiss her this time.

    Rafael, in her previous life¡­.was very angry. And it was somewhat her fault.

    When the pastor said the words, Ate cried during the wedding ceremony. It was a marriage that neither of them wanted, but Ate couldn¡¯t control her facial expression. Because of this, Rafael became very angry and responded coldly to the pastor¡¯s request to kiss her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Just finish the vows.¡±

    So their first wedding ended up bing a joke. Ate became the first bride to be never kissed by the groom and this made her father, Amand very angry. Of course it wasn¡¯t because he loved Ate.

    Amand considered this as an insult as the status of Bavaria was ignored in public and that too by an illegitimate child like Rafael. Naturally, an angry Amand had a big fight with Rafael at the reception. Ate, who became the cause of the fight, was so ashamed that she just wanted to die.

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    ¡®Please¡­.I hope my marriage doesn¡¯t end up like that, this time,

    Ate bit her lips tightly, and nervously waited for Rafael¡¯s next move. Soon, the transparent veil on her head was lifted and Rafael¡¯s face came in front of her eyes.

    With a white, handsome face and dark ck hair hanging down, he was a very attractive man. However, his dark blue eyes looking at her were very cold. Even though he had hardened his face not to reveal his emotions, Ate could still clearly see a look of reluctance on his face. He was unwilling to kiss her. The moment she saw the cold expression, Ate had a bad hunch.

    ¡®Oh, Rafael won¡¯t kiss me this time.¡¯

    Ate lowered her eyes to hide her disappointment. She was worried about how to stop her father, who would me Rafael and fight with him at the reception.

    At that moment, a crazy idea shed through Ate¡¯s mind.

    ¡®Wait a minute, is it necessary to wait for the groom to kiss first? If I do it first, will it not serve the purpose?

 Chapter 5: Kiss and Vow(1)

    Ate was so nervous that she unknowingly gulped and looked at Rafael. When she thought of kissing him, her lips suddenly became dry.

    But rather than living a passive life like her previous one, she wanted to try anything to make this life better. Even if it¡¯s a little crazy effort.

    Anyway, because of Ate¡¯s acting, the guests already thought she was in love with Rafael. So no one would me her if the bride kissed the groom first. No, they might justugh it off saying the marriage between the couple looked good.

    ¡®Yes, let¡¯s just do it.¡¯

    Rafael wouldn¡¯t be offended by just putting on and taking off her lips for a while. Motivated by this thought, Ate looked up at Rafael with a determined but tense look on her face. Looking at the face of Ate, which seemed as if she was preparing for something, Rafael frowned as if puzzled. He couldn¡¯t understand why she was looking at him with such a serious expression.

    At that moment, Ate grabbed Rafael¡¯s cor and pulled him down as hard as she could. In an instant the two lips met, and Ate¡¯s golden eyshes trembled with tension. Rafael¡¯s blue eyes, which never revealed his emotions, widened with surprise.

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Ate puckered her lips together and closed her eyes tightly because she didn¡¯t have the courage to look him in the eye. She could feel the heat exuding from his lips.

    Rafael never expected Ate woulde at him like this. But at this moment, she was definitely kissing him!

    ¡®You did it!¡¯

    Ate¡¯s whole body shuddered with tension. She quickly took off her lips from him. Her heart was beating excessively fast and her vision became hazy. Ate gasped and looked up at Rafael¡¯s face.

    Rafael was still looking down at her with an emotionless face but she could see the shock in his eyes.

    The moment she saw his eyes, Ate became grim and quickly let go off her hands, tightly clutching his cor. She closed her eyes and prepared herself for his impending wrath.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be angry.¡¯

    Rafael was a proud man with a fiery temper. He was a person who would get angry easily whenever he was offended.

    Ate shrugged her shoulders unknowingly and closed her eyes tightly. At that moment, arge hand grasped her chin and raised her head up. Before she knew it, a beautiful face came before her. Rafael was looking at her intensely as he approached her. He quietly whispered,

    ¡°You can¡¯t just start off on your own and end it at your will.¡±

    What the hell does this mean? Ate blinked, not understanding what Rafael¡¯s words meant. Then Raphel¡¯s handsome mouth curved in a mocking smile, showing a bitter cynicism that she was well acquainted with. Unlike his cold handsome face, his lips were terribly red and sensual.

    Rafael raised her head in afortable angle and pressed his plump lips on hers. Ate trembled with surprise at the unexpected kiss. The formal kiss for the ceremony had already beenpleted, so she had no idea why he was doing this.

    ¡°!¡±

    Rafael¡¯s kiss felt like a retaliation. Ate blushed as he kept on kissing her without having any regards to the eyes of others. His hot tongue probed her lips open and surged inside her mouth. His velvety tongue roughly wandered inside her, tasting her thoroughly.

    As the tip of his tongue slowly skimmed through her sensitive pte, she felt chills run up and down her spine. Ate was surprised and reflexively pulled her body back. Rafael¡¯s other hand curled around her waist tightly and pulled it closer.

    As he said, there was nowhere to escape now.

    Ate¡¯s body unknowingly bended backwards as Rafael continued to kiss her fiercely.

    His lips never left hers. He twisted his head not wanting to leave any gap and continued kissing her persistently. He sucked and teased her tongue and lips simultaneously, leaving her no room to breathe. Her head became dizzy by the deep kiss. She felt like she was going to be eaten alive by him right now.

    ¡°Ra, Rafael¡­..¡±

    Ate, frightened by the suffocating kiss, gasped and reflexively put her hands on his shoulder to push him away. But thankfully, Ate soon realised her action and controlled herself. She couldn¡¯t reject Rafael in front of others. She was sure he¡¯ll be greatly hurt as his pride was very big.

    Fortunately, in the eyes of the guests who knew nothing, they seemed to be very much in love as they hugged and kissed each other passionately. The guests who were looking at this open disy of passionate love, were startled and chattered among themselves,

    ¡°Oh my God! Isn¡¯t this a political marriage? It doesn¡¯t seem like it. I¡¯ve never seen such a passionate wedding in my life!¡±

    ¡°Oh, my God, what a surprise! I wonder what¡¯s really between the two of them!¡±

    Fortunately, the reactions of the guests were favorable. Even though they blushed at the hot kiss between the bride and groom, they still apuded and praised them.

    At first, they only came to find some gossip behind this unexpected marriage, but what they finally saw was something even more incredible. Now, only their passionate kiss will be remembered by these guests after they return.

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    Ate was so dizzy from the kiss that she couldn¡¯t hear anything. However Rafael, the most promising Lord General in the Kingdom of the Deltium, was a little different. Rafael smiled thinly at the whispers that were caught by his sharp hearing.

    He would have surelyughed if someone had told him this was how this despicable marriage would take ce. He was quite surprised by the turn of events today.

    ¡®But it¡¯s not as despicable as I thought.¡¯

    Just like Ate, Rafael too was reluctant to marry. His only weakness was his birth, and he had to marry Ate Bavaria topensate for it. Even if she was a wicked woman, as his father said Rafael had no choice. So he already expected this wedding to be terrible.

    He was sick and tired of people¡¯s gossips and he also thought of Ate¡¯s pretending to be a victim abominable. She was after all a woman who should have be the Crown Princess. But she ended up getting married to an illegitimate child like him. So he thought she must be feeling like the world is over.

    It would have been terrible if Ate had cried in front of others here. Rafael who was determined to be patient, sure would have exploded in anger. However Ate had a joyful smile all the time as if she was very happy with this marriage. She was so good at managing her facial expressions that even he almost fell for it. It really seemed as if she truly liked him.

    ¡®What is this woman thinking?¡¯

 Chapter 6: Kiss and Vow (2)

    The sharp eyes of Rafael noticed that the more Ate smiled brightly, the more she tightly grabbed onto her bouquet. He snickered as he looked at this. That¡¯s right! How could Ate Bavaria fall in love with him, she was just putting up an act for everyone.

    Rafael was a little impressed with her boldness. He was very satisfied with how wisely she behaved in front of others. But at the same time, he was also disgusted at her. After all, she was a woman who had tried every trick to be the Crown Princess.

    Rafael did not like her.

    When he saw Ate hesitating on seeing the pastor, he forcibly pulled her arms. It was truly annoying! It seemed that she had still not yet given up her regrets on not bing a queen. It was good that Ateter cooperated with him and he didn¡¯t have to force her before the pastor. After that, he didn¡¯t pay much attention to her.

    <strong>¡°Now, the groom may kiss the bride and then take your vows.¡±</strong>

    When the pastor said these words, only then did Rafaele to his senses. He had forgotten about thest procedure of the ceremony.

    Rafael looked casually down at Ate¡¯s face, which was revealed over the veil. She was a pretty woman with a doll-like face and striking blonde hair. But he didn¡¯t really have a particr desire to kiss her.

    No, he refused to kiss the snake-like Bavarian woman.

    Surprisingly at that very moment, Ate grabbed his cor and kissed him. The texture of the rustling cotton cloth tickled his face, and a wonderful flowery scent permeated his senses. As soon as he felt her trembling lips pressed against his, Rafael became stiff.

    <em>¡®Now¡­.What¡­What are you doing now?¡¯</em>

    The kiss was short and in a blink of an eye, Ate removed her lips and looked up at him with trembling eyes. She seemed as if she was regretting what she did. Ate, who had been looking at Rafael¡¯s face for a while, soon lowered her eyes as if it was all over.

    The moment he saw that face, Rafael felt a strange tingling feeling in his chest.

    He couldn¡¯t let himself be swayed by the sly Bavarian woman. So Rafael retaliated by kissing her fiercely. He licked her soft lips and swallowed them up, without leaving even a breath of her sweet scent.

    And soon he regretted his decision.

    Kissing Ate felt damn good. The texture of the shy little tongue attached to the tip of his tongue, was tantalizingly soft. As he sucked on her tongue, a trembling breath of surprise came out of Ate¡¯s mouth.

    He was amused at seeing Ate pretending to be innocent. But at that moment, she had Rafael quite moved. He had to do his best to get away from those lips, which tasted like honey.

    <strong>¡°Ha.¡±</strong>

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    A thread of silver liquid glistened and disappeared between the two parted lips. Ate¡¯s bewildered face looked like as if she waspletely lost. She, who was always calm and quiet, was so stiff that she resembled a scared rabbit.

    The moment he saw her face, Rafael unexpectedly burst outughing. He thought she was a woman who was evil to the core and didn¡¯t know what she was thinking. But looking at her like this, she seemed to have a cute side to her. The unexpected kiss made his lower body feel quite agitated, which hardly ever reacted like this. He somehow seemed to be looking forward to the first night with her.

    Hisughter tickled Ate¡¯s forehead at a close distance. Only then did her rosy pink eyes return back to focus.

    <strong>¡°Ah.¡±</strong>

    Ate¡¯s face when she came back to her senses became red.

    <em>¡®What did you do in front of so many guests!¡¯</em>

    Anyway, it was fortunate that Rafael did not refuse to kiss her. Ate, who was unaware of Rafael¡¯s expectations for the uing night, was relieved for now.

 Chapter 7: First Night(1)

    Ate tried to calm herself down. She felt her face burning by just thinking about the deep kiss. But the more she tried, the hotter her face became. When she heard Rafael¡¯sughter at seeing her reddened face, she was so embarrassed that she couldn¡¯t bear it even more. Ate eventually gave up and hid her face in her bouquet.

    Rafael, who was watching Ate like this, thought that her desperate bird-like appearance was very cute. Her manner was somehow reminiscent of a rabbit burrowing into a burrow. He thought she was a quiet girl who was like a doll, but looking at her like this, she seemed a little different.

    When Rafael saw her ears turning red, which were exposed through her gracefully tied blonde hair, he finallyughed out loud. <strong>¡°Ha ha!¡±</strong>

    Rafaelughed out loudly and hugged her shoulder, pretending to be friendly. Since Ate had worked this hard, he also needed to keep up with the rhythm, so as not to disappoint all the <em>bloodthirsty eyes</em> here.

    Ate felt her heart flutter a little at his smile. She became even more embarrassed and could not show her face. She walked out of the room as he led her.

    The atmosphere of the wedding ceremony heated up thanks to the steamy kissing scene. Unlike in her previous life, the guests praised and blessed the couple saying,<strong><em> ¡°Ate and Rafael are a perfect match.¡±</em></strong> It was amazing to see how the evaluation could change even though it was the same wedding.

    Thanks to this, the atmosphere of the reception was amicable all the time.

    So Ate¡¯s second wedding ended well. Although her father, Amand seemed a little displeased, he did not criticize or me Rafael. Everything worked out really well.

    However one more important event remained. It was none other than the <em>¡®first night¡¯</em> of the bride and the groom.

    ***

    <strong>¡°When will Rafaele?¡±</strong>

    Ate rubbed her sleepy eyes. She was very tired. She had to wake up early in the morning and then worry about sessfullypleting her wedding. All this took quite a toll on her. So she couldn¡¯t help but fall asleep. She eventually leaned against the bedpost and began to doze off.

    <em>¡®How long has it been?¡¯</em>

    Suddenly, she heard the door open. Rafael, wearing a robe over hisrge body, strode into the room. His ck hair and firm chest, which was still wet, gleamed under the light. Raphel¡¯s deep blue eyes looked straight at her just like a predator who had found his prey.

    <strong>¡°You haven¡¯t slept yet.¡±</strong>

    Rafael was so tall and well built, that his mere appearance made the bedroom suddenly feel like it was cramped. His half naked body gave off an overbearing feeling of intimidation just like a giant ck panther. Ate quickly got out of bed, feeling an unknown sense of crisis. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips nervously.

    <strong>¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±</strong>

    Rafael¡¯s eyes deepened at her strangely naive answer. Even though it was a trivial answer, it felt strangely stimting. The atmosphere in the quiet room suddenly became tense with anticipation. Fortunately, it was Rafael who broke this awkward silence first.

    <strong>¡°Come on, let¡¯s have a drink.¡±</strong>

    Blinking at the unexpected suggestion, Ate went to him instantly. Rafael¡¯s reaction was different today, perhaps because the wedding ended well. In her previous life, he didn¡¯t even rmend drinking. Rafael, who appeared drunk all alone, rushed to her in a craze and ¡­¡­No, there was no need to recall the painful memories.

    Ate calmly sat down in front of him. Rafael tilted the bottle and filled her ss with wine. The clear golden liquid smelled fragrant and strong. It was an expensive wine that he enjoyed. Rafael, who half filled Ate¡¯s ss, suddenly looked up at her questioningly,

    <strong>¡°You know how to drink, right?¡±</strong>

    Unlike Rafael, Ate didn¡¯t enjoy drinking that much. Since Rafael was friendly with her for the first time, she didn¡¯t want to ruin this atmosphere. Ate, as he suggested, took the ss of wine and chugged it¡¯s contents down. She felt a burning sensation as if her esophagus had caught fire.

    <span> Only

    Rafael, who had already emptied his ss, looked at Ate with resolute eyes. His deep blue eyes slowly skimmed over Ate¡¯s small face, gentle eyes, and flushed cheeks. His gaze stopped at her lips that were as alluring as a blooming bud.

    At that moment, Rapel frowned and his forehead furrowed in displease . He was annoyed with the fact that he felt some sort of sexual attraction towards Ate. He couldn¡¯t believe he lusted a woman from the Bavarian family, who despised his illegitimate status.

    Rafael¡¯s blue eyes turned cold.

    Ate, who had not yet noticed this change in Rafael, put down her ss and touched her burning cheeks. When she looked up at him, she was stunned.

    <strong>¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±</strong>

    Ate, who had already been married to Rafael, quickly realized something was wrong with him. She didn¡¯t know why, but Rafael¡¯s face was pretty twisted at the moment. Not surprisingly, as soon as their eyes met, Rafael smiled sardonically.

    <strong>¡°Come on, now that you¡¯ve had a drink, be honest with me.¡±</strong>

 Chapter 8: First Night (2)

    <strong>¡°Come on, now that you¡¯ve had a drink, be honest with me.¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°What? What the¡­¡±</strong>

    Ate suddenly had a bad premonition. She tried to ask him calmly but then Rafael came close to her and whispered in a wicked tone.

    <strong>¡°Do you still believe you can be the Crown Princess?¡±</strong>

    In an instant the atmosphere cooled down. This was a misunderstanding that tormented Ate in her previous life.

    <em>The usation that she made a vicious move to be the Crown Princess.</em>

    Even in her previous life, Rafael believed in this false usation and this led to their honeymoon end up with fights and tears.

    <em>¡®In fact, I don¡¯t even remember those memories of him right n</em>ow.¡¯

    Ate, who returned, did not care about the marriage that was cancelled five years ago. The face of the Crown Prince Ludwig, who she once believed she would marry, now was only a hazy memory. Now that she thought about it, it was actually a good thing, that she didn¡¯t be the Crown Princess.

    However, one thing that Ate found unfair was that she could not clear herself of her false charges until she died. Even if she was not interested in being the Crown Princess, Ate wanted to clear up all the false charges against her. After all, her previous life became miserable because she didn¡¯t take any initiative herself.

    Rafael¡¯s blue eyes shed coldly as he looked at her. When Ate saw it, she sighed inwardly. She had tried to defend herself hundreds of times in her previous life, even though she knew it was useless.

    <strong>¡°That¡¯s a misunderstanding, Rafael. I¡¯ve never done anything like that. Someone framed me.¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°Who is it? That¡¯s funny! The testimony was very clear. For someone who wanted to be a Crown Princess, you must have been terribly disappointed to marry someone like me.¡±</strong>

    Ate¡¯s protests went unheard. His eyes were so malicious, as he looked down at her with total contempt. Rafael, without any doubt, believed the rumours he heard, just like in her previous life.

    <strong>¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, then I don¡¯t have anything to say to you anymore. It¡¯ste today, so let¡¯s rest and talk again tomorrow.¡±</strong>

    Ate was tired and didn¡¯t want to repeat the same argument. She got up to leave, as she usually did whenever Rafael was being mean. It was useless to say anything to him when he was like this. Rather the longer the conversation was, the more uglier the fight became. So it was wise to avoid it before a fight broke out.

    However, Rafael, who was a newlywed, did not let her go so easily. Before she knew it, arge hand wrapped around her wrist and pulled her, just like he did at the wedding.

    <strong>¡°Where are you going on our first night? Don¡¯t make me upset, Ate.¡±</strong>

    The small and slender Ate was no match for the well-built Rafael. As she fell back under his strong grip, her blonde hair that the maids had brushed beautifully for a long time, became disheveled. Rafael reached out his hand and tenderly brushed her disheveled hair. Ate shuddered at his sudden affectionate touch.

    The feeling of a warm,rge hand brushing her hair along the curve of her earlobe was too vivid. Ate unconsciously, turned her head and avoided his touch. But Rafael roughly grasped her face and turned it back towards him.

    <strong>¡°Shh, you think I¡¯m a bad guy, that¡¯s why you keep avoiding me like this, right? Why? Is it because I¡¯m not the Crown Prince? Oh yeah, a noble Bavarian like you would obviously get sick just by looking at a bastard like me! Hmm?¡±</strong>

    Rafael¡¯s voice was chillingly sweet. But the words he spoke became more and more hurtful. He was determined to have a quarrel with her. He would asionallye to her with this unrestrained rage, as he did today.

    If it had been the same as in the past, Ate would have fought him back fiercely. And they would have been arguing back and forth until they couldn¡¯t hurt each other any more.

    But Ate, who had returned, had no more anger in her. These wasteful quarrels had already exhausted her in previous life. Even though Ate was hurt by Rafael¡¯s words, she found it equally painful to hurt him back. So now she wanted to be a little wise.

    It was time to find a smarter way to deal with him.

    <strong>¡°Let go of me, Rafael. Hmm?¡±</strong>

    <span> Only

    Instead of being angry, Ate gently grabbed Rafael¡¯s hand clutching her cheek and in a calm voice, she demanded him to let go of her. Her face, which was strongly held by Rafael, was ufortable. Being a former War General, his grip was unusually rough and strong.

    Of course, Rafael did not let her go so easily. Rafael hated his half brother, Crown Prince Ludwig. That¡¯s why he loathed Ate more, who tried despicable means to marry him. His eyes filled with cold hatred felt like a needle piercing into her skin.

    But Ate was not afraid of him. Rafael had never raised his hand against Ate in thest five years anyway. Ate, unlike before, decided to be more clever this time. Fortunately, she had a little idea of how to deal with Rafael.

    <strong>¡°Let me go, Rafael. It really hurts.¡±</strong>

    Ate, who whispered faintly, quivered her lips slightly. She really looked like she was in extreme pain. The sight of her was so pitiful that it unconsciously invoked a sense of distress in him. At that moment, Rapel was startled and quickly removed his hand from her face.

    <strong>¡°Are you really hurt?¡±</strong>

    Rafael was a little dubious at Ate¡¯s fox-like actions. His gaze swept over her slender jaw and neck.

 Chapter 9: His Misunderstanding (1)

    It was only natural that Rafael was worried. His wife was so small. Her hands and feet were as small as a doll¡¯s, and so was her delicate white face. This made it a little difficult for him to treat her harshly. No matter how hard he controlled his strength, his grip which had trained with the sword, was strong enough to hurt her. So in the end, he had no choice but to let her go, even though he was suspicious.

    In the meantime, Ate slipped out of Rafael¡¯s grasp. As she stood up from her seat, she didn¡¯t want to miss this opportunity. She softly said goodbye to Rafael and tried her best not to make it seem, as if she was running away from him.

    <strong>¡°I¡¯ll go back to my room first today. Rafael, I think you are a little drunk now. If you have any questions for me, let¡¯s talk when you are sober tomorrow. I¡¯ll be going now, then.¡±</strong>

    After finishing her words in a smooth flow, Ate felt quite proud of herself. She was able toe out of an argument very rationally, all by herself.

    <em>¡®Why couldn¡¯t I do it in my previous life?¡¯ </em>

    Because of this, she always fought with Rafael.

    <em>¡®We fought really badly back then.¡¯</em>

    Ate turned around and felt a little sad. If she had handled it as well as she did now, they would have hurt each other less. However it was too rash to let her guard down with Rafael now behind her. He was not a naive man to let her go so easily.

    The moment Ate grabbed the doorknob, all of a sudden, all of her nerves stood up and warned her of an imminent danger. It was like a reflex of a herbivorous animal that sensed a predatoring from behind.

    Ate turned her head in surprise. No, she tried to turn it. But her body was stuck close to the door, and behind her, Rafael crushed her and held her immobilized. The hot breath that fell on her ears, made her shudder.

    <strong>¡°I told you, Ate. Today is the first night of our honeymoon and you can never run away from me.¡±</strong>

    His faint deep-toned voice sounded just like a low roar of a beast. After speaking, Rafael stuck out his tongue and licked her round earlobe. At that moment, Ate sensed a crisis and tried to flee.

    <strong>¡°Where are you going?¡±</strong>

    But the arms that locked her from behind, had no intention of letting her go. Ate was trapped between the door and Rafael¡¯s body. Before she knew it, his hand grabbed the back of her thin chemise. Due to his terrifyingly strong grip, the cloth got torn in half and loosely flowed down to the center of her back.

    <strong>¡°Ah¡­¡­!¡±</strong>

    Ate quickly grabbed the front of her chemise, which was also about to flow down. She somehow managed to prevent exposing her front, but unfortunately could not do anything about the bared part of her back.

    <span> Only

    Rafael was dazzled by the white skin that was revealed on her back. He bowed his head like a beast trying to bite off a rabbit¡¯s neck, and bit and sucked the back of her neck pretty hard. Ate gasped and almost stopped breathing. A rough breath stroked her exposed elegant nape and her body trembled unconsciously. She felt goosebumps all over her skin.

    Rafael¡¯s hand, which stretched out from behind, pressed her shoulders down so that she couldn¡¯t move. He pushed her petite body closer to the door and began to ce fervent kisses along her back. The sensation of fingertips over her prominent wingbones was too vivid.

    <strong>¡°Shh, you¡¯re gonna stay still, aren¡¯t you? Now you¡¯re my wife Ate.¡±</strong>

    Rafael bit her exposed earlobes gently, trying his best not to cause her any harm. The wet sounds and the feeling of his tongue licking the inside of her ear, was too much for Ate. She shrugged her body and tightly grabbed onto her chemise. She couldn¡¯t understand why he was doing this to her. He always looked at her with such cold hatred in his eyes, but on the other hand, he would touch and kiss her so passionately as if he desired her.

    <em>¡®What if Rafael really wants to spend the first night?¡¯</em>

    Ate, who was stuck close to the cold door, was terrified. The first night of her previous life was terribly painful. Ate was hoping that Rafael will soon end the act and consider it a brief whim. But the pouring kisses around her neck were getting more and more hot.

    <strong>¡°Ate¡­Ate, my noble wife. Please tell me directly with that mouth. Have you already given your body to the Crown Prince Ludwig? Huh?¡±</strong>

 Chapter 10: His Misunderstanding (2)

    <strong>Ate¡­Ate, my noble wife. Please tell me directly with that mouth. Have you already given your body to the Crown Prince Ludwig? Huh?¡±</strong>

    Rafael pressed down his lips and let out a groan of excitement while interrogating her. He still seemed to firmly believe in those unjust usations. She was falsely used of throwing herself at Ludwig because she wanted to be the Crown Princess and she even harmed her rivals for it.

    Ate was ashamed because of the absurd misunderstanding. She clenched her teeth in exasperation. It would have been better if she had returned just before the ¡®event¡¯ took ce. If she had, she could have avoided this malicious trap and maybe her future would have been different.

    But God unfortunately sent Ate back, right after the incident. There was nothing she could do at this point. Ate, who was bitten by her beastly husband, simply shuddered and appealed for her innocence.

    <strong>¡°I¡¯ve never done that, Rafael. I didn¡¯t do anything with Ludwig and¡­ This is my first time.¡±</strong>

    As she spoke, she felt her ears be hot. She wanted to ignore this ridiculous interrogation. But if Rafael wanted to go through the <em>¡®first night</em>¡®, she couldn¡¯t keep silent anymore. She paid the price of the stupid silence in her previous life. The memories of her first time were nothing but painful and she didn¡¯t want to go through it again.

    However Rafael ignored her confession and justughed it off. His deep blue eyes shed with wickedness as he ridiculed her.

    <strong>¡°As expected, Bavarians have a reputation for being expert liars. Did your family educate you well how to deceive people? You are pretty good!¡±</strong>

    Rafael, in anger, sunk his teeth into her soft delicate skin and bit her hard enough to leave a mark. Surprised by his sudden action, Ate trembled and turned her head to look at him.

    <strong>¡°Believe me, Rafael. I really¡­..¡± </strong>

    <strong>¡°Well, who told you to look back!¡±</strong>

    Rafael brutally held her head and turned it back towards the door. It was a heartless attitude that made it clear to her that he didn¡¯t want to face her. Facing the cold wall, Ate bit her lips tightly in despair. She wanted to change this life, but how will she, if Raphael hated her so much?

    ¡®<em>Why does Rafael hate me so much?¡¯</em>

    Ate took a deep breath and tried to regain herposure. Panic and despair did nothing to change one¡¯s life. She racked her brain to somehow get out of this crisis. Soon Ate came up with a good solution. She spoke in a soft voice, so as not to provoke the beast behind her back.

    <strong>¡°I¡¯m not lying. I can prove it. I¡¯ve never thrown myself at Ludwig, Rafael.¡±</strong>

    At that moment, Rafael froze. Ate felt his grip on her loosen. There was hope that maybe he would believe her words. So she tried to persuade him even more earnestly.

    <strong>¡°Really, I swear Rafael. Shall we do this? Tomorrow morning, call a practitioner you can trust. Let him verify. ¡­.I¡¯ll cooperate. Would you believe me if I do that?¡± </strong>

    Ate suggested this in a quiet tone, hiding her resentment. Even now, when she had reincarnated, she had to suffer because of these false usations. It was not fair that she had to go this length to prove her innocence. Fortunately, Deltium¡¯s current medical practices were excellent enough to prove her innocence. This was the best way!

    It would have been nice if she had called a practitioner in her previous life but Ate didn¡¯t dare to do so because of shame. Thanks to Rafael¡¯s misunderstanding, she had a terrible first night. Her bleeding was so severe that Rafael stopped in the middle of the act and ran directly out to call for a doctor.

    <em>¡®I don¡¯t want to repeat that terrible first night again.¡¯</em>

    Ate bit her lips in sheer determination. Fortunately Rafael seemed to have felt something in her confident tone. He slowly took his lips off from Ate¡¯s smooth back. Even if she couldn¡¯t look back, Ate could feel Rafael¡¯s blue eyes staring at her.

    Ate plucked up her courage and slowly looked back. She was very determined this time. Even if he grabbed her face again and turned it back, she would try again. Even if it takes hundreds or thousand times. Ate had the right to speak, and he couldn¡¯t stop her.

    <span> Only

    <strong>¡°Rafael?¡±</strong>

    Rafael¡¯s face was cold when she faced him. His face, which was revealed through his pitch ck hair, was as perfect as a statue. Only the red lips under his sharp nose, proved his humanity. She wondered if the sensual lips held a cold smile, and suddenly a loud sound rang in her ear.

    Bang!

    <strong>¡°Argggh!¡±</strong>

    Ate instinctively crouched and screamed. Something fell from the side and when she looked down, it was the remains of the broken door. An angry Rafael had smashed the door with his fist.

    <hr>

    <em>T/N: Let me make it clear, Rafael is actually not a bad person. The following chapters will make you wanna hit him on his head. </em><em>But he¡¯s not a jerk.</em><em> He is very impulsive and acts before thinking. There¡¯s a reason why he hates Ate and her family. But he¡¯s a sweet man. This is why An</emte is giving <em>another chance to their wedding. </em>

 Chapter 11: Test of Innocence (1)

    Rafael looked down at Ate¡¯s frightened face with a cruel smile.

    <strong>¡°As expected of a Bavarian. So crafty and cunning! It really pisses me off how you lie so skillfully with that naive-looking face.¡±</strong>

    His cruel words struck Ate¡¯s heart. She thought she had handled it well this time, but it was her mistake to think so. After all, Rafael was a stubborn and mean man. He wouldn¡¯t believe her so easily. Rafael smiled coldly when he saw Ate¡¯s face bing white with shock.

    <strong>¡°Okay, let¡¯s say you won today. Damn this first night! Just go anywhere. I don¡¯t want to see that face anymore.¡±</strong>

    Rafael took his hand from the broken door and turned heartlessly. Ate looked at his cold back and inwardly sighed. Even now, his temper was the same. Maybe she had gotten used to it, that¡¯s why she didn¡¯t even cry.

    <em>¡®Someday,¡­. I¡¯ll get rid of this me.¡¯</em>

    And she would surely get an apology from Rafael for this misunderstanding.

    Although she was now walking barefoot through the dark hallway, it was still fine. She wouldn¡¯t do anything like in her previous life. She won¡¯t die as a passive woman who couldn¡¯t do anything for herself. Ate gathered all her courage and raised her bowed head up in determination.

    The first decision of her new life happened very quickly. A practitioner was called to the house of Marquis of Carnesis. He was a young man in his early 30s, with glossy brown hair and dark eyebrows. He began to doubt his ears, when he heard Ate¡¯s odd request. After a moment of silence, he asked her carefully,

    <strong>¡°What? What are you¡­ What kind of treatment did you want?¡±</strong>

    His eyes seemed to want Ate to withdraw her words right away. It was a very embarrassing request. But Ate, who had already made up her mind, calmly repeated what she had just said.

    <strong>¡°That¡­.I heard there are practitioners who can prove one¡¯s innocence. They are said to be from the Gynecological side. Can you introduce someone like that from your circle to me? I¡¯d rather prefer the person to be a female practitioner</strong>.¡±

    Ate seemed calm on the surface, but she was actually shaking inside with shame. She clenched the arms of her chair so hard that her knuckles turned white. She wanted to withdraw what she said right now and send the practitioner back, but she knew this was the only way.

    Rafael, who hated Ate, would not believe in her innocence even if she appealed day and night. She had no choice but to show him corroborative evidence through the testimony of the practitioner. If she herself didn¡¯t take the initiative to clear her charges, no one would. The door will open only for those bold enough to knock. That was the lesson, Ate learned from her previous life.

    Ate bit her lips tightly as she recalled thest five years she had suffered. Rather than repeating the same misfortune again, it was much better to endure the momentary shame.

    <strong>¡°Well, ma¡¯am. If you insist¡­.¡±</strong>

    When the practitioner saw Ate unwilling to withdraw her request, he broke out in a cold sweat. He seemed to be trying to tell her something. Just when Ate was about to listen, the door of the drawing room suddenly opened unceremoniously.

    <em>Bang!!</em>

    <strong>¡°Hey!¡±</strong>

    Surprised by the unexpected loud noise, the practitioner screamed. Unlike his former professional face, he now seemed surprisingly timid. In fact, Ate was also surprised. She gazed at the unexpected intruder and her eyes widened.

    <strong>¡°Rafael? What are you doing here?¡±</strong>

    As it hadn¡¯t been long since he woke up, Rafael strode in, wearing a white shirt and pants. His well-trained muscles stood out from under his shirt. With his tall and muscr build, he looked threatening enough.

    His blue eyes shed angrily as he turned towards the practitioner standing in front of Ate. He asked him in a gruff voice as if he was growling.

    <strong>¡°Has the test been done already?¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°Yes, yes? What, what kind of test?..¡±</strong>

    <span> Only

    The practitioner was so terrified that he didn¡¯t know what to say, and started to stutter. Rafael¡¯s face contorted with rage. He clenched his teeth andshed out at him.

    <strong>¡°You damn fucker! Did you already do it or not?!¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°No! I didn¡¯t, Your Highness. I swear to God!! I¡¯m¡­I didn¡¯t touch your wife at all!¡­¡­¡±</strong>

    Only then did the practitioner realise what Rafael was asking. He shook his hand desperately. He was shaking so much that he almost bit his tongue while talking. Ate was worried that he might get involved in a fight.

    Rafael, who saw the truth on the face of the frightened practitioner, strode towards him. He grabbed his cor and dragged him out of the drawing room and then mmed the door shut behind him. The air in the whole room seemed to vibrate along with the mmed door.

    Rafael really had a bad temper. The doors of the mansion which were mmed so hard, luckily didn¡¯t copse. Well when she thought about it, yesterday he broke the bedroom¡¯s door. Ate, who was used to living with her boorish husband sighed as she saw him approaching her.

    <strong>¡°What happened, Rafael? Is something wrong?¡±</strong>

 Chapter 12: Test of Innocence (2)

    Instead of answering, Rafael put his hands on the armrests of the chair on which Ate was sitting. Ate, now, was unable to stand up or run away. Rafael seemed to feel better when he had blocked all her escape routes, before questioning her.

    The handsome face before her was frightening, as he stared at her coldly. Still angry, Rafael asked her out of the blue.

    <strong>¡°What else are you trying to do by calling the practitioner? Are you nning to forge a medical certificate for this? That¡¯s a cunning move, Bavarian. It¡¯s not so easy to do that.¡±</strong>

    If it was the previous Ate, she would have felt very humiliated by this. And she would have argued back with him to return the same misery. But the present Ate wasn¡¯t like that. She opened her mouth and calmly said,

    <strong>¡°It¡¯s not like that, Rafael. As I said yesterday, if you don¡¯t really believe me, then I can prove my innocence through the power of medicine. If you think I¡¯ll forge a medical certificate for this, then you can call a practitioner that you trust.¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°You really mean it when you say you want to be tested? Hah, would a person like you who¡¯s lived her life like a flower in a greenhouse, would go through such a shameful examination? Would you roll up your skirt and spread your legs for another man? Not even the dogs out there will believe this shit.¡±</strong>

    Ate, who heard Rafael¡¯s sarcasm, was a little frustrated. What the hell was she supposed to do? He didn¡¯t believe what she said and now that she said she would see a practitioner, he still doubted her. Ate knew he was a man with serious trust issues. But his behaviour was getting really sick.

    Apparently Rafael thought that she was going to see a male doctor. She was his wife and he couldn¡¯t tolerate the very thought of her spreading her legs in front of another man. That¡¯s why he scurried to the room to stop her. Ate, who had a husband with anger issues, struggled and agonized. She didn¡¯t know whether to be impressed by this or not.

    Rafael was a brute beast, but he never hurted her. At least physically. Maybe that¡¯s why she didn¡¯t hate him or wasn¡¯t afraid of him as before. He wasn¡¯t that bad. Since they were going to live in this rtionship again, she didn¡¯t want to repeat the previous life. So she thought it was okay to tame him a little.

    A determined Ate called out his name softly.

    <strong>¡°Rafael¡±</strong>

    She looked into his eyes and slowly wrapped her arms around his neck. Rafael did not pull himself out of her embrace, but kept on looking at her skeptically, wondering what she was trying to pull. Ate blinked her eyes as she looked up at him and smiled softly. Then she lowered her eyes and whispered shyly.

    <strong>¡°If you don¡¯t want me to see a practitioner¡­ then how about you check it out yourself?¡±</strong>

    The burning anger in Rafael¡¯s eyes, dissipated on hearing her words and was now reced with surprise. He looked as if he couldn¡¯t believe what he heard just now. He tried to open his mouth to say something to Ate, but nothing came out of his mouth. He was that much shocked by Ate¡¯s bold words.

    In fact Ate herself was a little shocked by her own boldness. She was originally a conservative woman with great integrity. However when she saw Rafael¡¯s embarrassed face, it didn¡¯t seem so bad. She slowly lifted her eyes and whispered to him.

    <strong>¡°We¡¯re a couple, aren¡¯t we? So you can check it out. I¡¯ll roll up my skirt and spread my legs for you to see. You can see it directly with your eyes¡­..¡±</strong>

    Unfortunately, Ate couldn¡¯t finish her words. It was all because Rafael suddenly bent over and held her up. Ate¡¯s bedroom was just a few steps away. He roughly pushed the door open and headed straight to bed.

    <span> Only

    <strong>¡°Ahhh!¡±</strong>

    Ate, lying on the bed, looked at him with her eyes wide open. But Rafael didn¡¯t look at her as he was busy taking off his clothes. He ripped off his shirt from his upper body and slid his pants down. As soon as his hands took off his bottoms, his penis popped out, already standing stiff and hard, in all its glory.

    With an expressionless face, Rafael strode up to her. As his big shadow loomed over her head, Ate was a little scared as she could guess what was about toe. The first time of her previous life was terribly painful, and she was afraid that it might happen again this time.

    Without making eye contact with her, he immediately began to strip her clothes off. The hand, which was at first trying to be careful, suddenly grew impatient. A crackling sound came from the seams of her clothes due to his rough movements. Ate, startled by the sound, cried unconsciously and hugged his neck tightly.

    <strong>¡°Rafael¡­¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°Why, didn¡¯t you ask me to check for myself? You don¡¯t mean to ask me to quit now do you?¡±</strong>

    Rafael asked sarcastically and then took off her underwear. Now Ate waspletely naked with nothing on. At this rate, it might be as awful as it was in her previous life.

 Chapter 13

    Ate, who recalled the pain of the first night, whimpered, and hugged Rafael¡¯s neck a little harder. Her tender breasts grazed against his torso. But she didn¡¯t care about it, as now her fear was greater than her shame. Ate asked Rafael, making her voice seem as pitiful as possible.

    <strong>¡°You¡¯re not gonna hurt me, are you? Yes?¡±</strong>

    Rafael didn¡¯t respond. He felt that Ate¡¯s arms tightly holding onto his neck were strangely ufortable. The thin, soft hands seemed as if they would break if he applied even a little force. Because of this, Rafael calmed his temper down, even though he was in a state of impatience. His actions became a little gentle. If he hugged someone this weak so roughly, she might die.

    <strong>¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±</strong>

    He whispered lowly in a voice clouded by desire. Ate, who was trembling, then slowly let go of his neck. The now free Rafael reached out and swept her legs down and stretched it out like a deer.

    The texture of the skin on his fingertips was incredibly soft. Her quivering skin, her hair everything smelled ridiculously good.

    It would not even seem fishy if someone swallowed her whole up. She smelled that good. Even though he had decided to be gentle with her in his head, his hands kept getting rough.

    At first, he wondered if he could tolerate a Bavarian woman as his wife, but now he didn¡¯t need to worry about that. Rafael clenched his teeth and looked at Ate¡¯s naked body in front of him. Ate¡¯s skin was terribly white, as if she was a woman made of sugar.

    <em>¡®If you don¡¯t stand up after looking at such a body, would you be even considered as a boy.¡¯</em>

    Rafael, with his head down, drew her breasts in his mouth and greedily sucked on them. The nipples, which were initially pale in colour, quickly reacted to the stimtion and heated up like bright red cherries. The tip of his tongue pressed down on her erect nipple and licked it up obscenely. He then gnawed and bit her nipples gently.

    <strong>¡°Ah, ha..ha¡±</strong>

    Ate panted and twisted her body. She was afraid that he would bite hard, but on the other hand, she felt a strange thrill between her legs. Her nipples which were persistently bit and licked in his mouth, spread a tingling pleasure throughout her body.

    After tasting her pudding like sweet breasts, Rafael licked his lips and looked up at her. His deep blue eyes were cold but also strangely hot at this moment. He slowly moved towards her legs, while savouring the texture of her skin and spread her legs wide open.

    <strong>¡°This is a little bit embarrassing, Rafael.¡±</strong>

    Ate cried and tried to close her legs. It was still afternoon, so the bedroom was bright. Anyone would be able to see her nakedness clearly. She was so ashamed that her eyes turned red. But Rafael looked down at her nervous action and sped her thighs and spread it wider.

    <strong>¡°Stay still. Didn¡¯t you ask me to see for myself?¡±</strong>

    The words that came out of Rafael¡¯s lips were obscene. When he thought of Ate, who made such a bold proposal with her innocent and pretty face, he felt that he would explode. His penis swelled up painfully as if urging him to go right through Ate¡¯s legs.

    Ate had no idea of Rafael¡¯s thoughts but she still felt an instinctive sense of crisis. Although she had prepared to go through this, his eyes staring between her legs were so persistent that she was scared. Ate quickly raised her torso and tried to calm him down by carefully kissing his cheeks and forehead.

    <strong>¡°¡­.What are you doing? Do you still want to act being nervous?¡±</strong>

    <span> Only

    Rafael clenched his teeth andid her back. However his voice became slightly softer than before. He thought even though it was their first sex, it wouldn¡¯t be bad to be a little gentle. So Rafael with all his patience, lowered his head towards the gap between her legs.

    Ate¡¯s genitals were very clean. Her radiantbia looked so fragile that he feared it would crush if he touched it. Looking a little closer, her moist vagina trembled with tension and excitement, and glistened in a pretty color. It was such a spectacr sight that he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off it.

    Ate, who could not bear the shame, turned her head and buried her face in her pillow. Rafael¡¯s breath on her sensitive ce made her feel even more ashamed.

    <em>¡®With what kind of expression is he looking at her secret ce right now?¡¯</em>

    His forefinger slid over her narrow petals and then opened her up, revealing her entrance. Ate closed her eyes tightly, hoping that this moment would pass as soon as possible. But at that moment, she felt a hot tongue over herher region.

    <strong>¡°Ahhh! Rafael!¡±</strong>

    Ate was startled and raised her head unknowingly to dissuade Rafael. Rafael, in her previous life, came onto her on their first night with a misunderstanding, that she was a woman who lobbied her body. Of course, he didn¡¯t caress her like this and thanks to that, Ate had to lie down for three days on bed.

    However the current Rafael was a little different. He was trying to reconsider a little about the <em>¡®false charges¡¯</em> that Ate had keenly refuted. If she really wasn¡¯t that kind of a woman, then he needed to let her insides loosen enough. Rafael was rather big and naturally, his <em>¡®assets¡¯</em> were also dignified.

    Ate, who did not know of Rafael¡¯s thoughts, covered her face with tears. She was ashamed to death when he licked her vagina. He intentionally spread her legs wider at seeing Ate be shy.

 Chapter 14

    The texture of the tongue around her core was too vivid. The tongue, which had licked up her garden several times, suddenly poked over her sensitive clitoris. His hot lips wrapped around her clit and began to suck it. Then, as the heat rose between her legs, her lower region got wet without her realizing it.

    <b>¡°Ahh..uh..hum!¡± </b>

    His flexible tongue prated her narrow gap and licked her insides tenaciously. Everywhere his tongue touched, an ecstatic thrill spread out. She could feel her inner walls melting and her lower body bing stiff.

    Suddenly a finger entered her narrow entrance, making the delicate muscles contract. The thick finger was pushed in deeply, filling her to the brim. Every time it went in and out of her wet hole, it spread her inner walls, and rubbed the back of her sensitive core. Her body seemed to have caught fire.

    As Ate gasped for breath, the fingers that went in and out of her had already stretched to three.

    <b>¡°Uhh, s-stop ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡±</b>

    Her heated vagina swallowed his fingers greedily. His deeply inserted fingers rubbed her inner walls back and forth as if looking around for something. Ate trembled weekly and her body twisted beyond her consciousness. She sobbed and shook her head helplessly.

    The moment he saw Ate¡¯s wet eyes, the corners of Rafael¡¯s mouth rose dully. His fingers began to move faster and faster, stimting all her weak spots. Whenever those ces were pressed, her waist shook on its own.

    Gasps of pleasure spilled out of her mouth as her body was racked by an almost unbearable sensation. Rafael leaned back and sucked her erect clitoris. His fingers, which went in and out of her vagina, vigorously rubbed her weak spots.

    A strange sensation began to simmer, making her toes curl. Her body twisted and arched as she reached the climax. Her body convulsed due to the intense stimtion and then weakly fell onto the bed.

    <strong>¡°Huh huh¡­¡± </strong>

    The tears that had gathered at the corners of her eyes, rolled down her cheeks. With her flower like red lips wide open and gasping for breath, she looked as if she didn¡¯t know what just happened to her. Looking down at her enchanting and innocent face, Rafael felt an unknown satisfaction.

    He raised his head, licking her release that dripped down his finger. It tasted like a sour fruit, which turned his appetite even more. His lower body was already agitated with excitement. He hated to admit it, but he was turned on by this woman. And he found this absolutely damnable.

    Rafael settled between Ate¡¯s legs and pushed his arousal in. His round head squeezed in through her narrow gap, which was still quivering in climax. Ate, feeling the heat of his ns, was startled and suddenly stilled. She clearly remembered the pain of her first time. It was too painful.

    <em>¡®I¡¯m scared.¡¯</em>

    Ate¡¯s big frightened eyes looked up at Rafael. Although she knew she was going to experience this anyway in this life, she still couldn¡¯t help but be scared when it actually came to it. Seeing this, Rafael frowned and raised one hand to cover her eyes. There was something in her eyes that made him feel uselessly weak.

    <span> Only

    His big hand almost covered her whole face, and only her slender chin and red lips could be seen.

    Rafael whopletely blocked her vision, bowed his head and kissed her. His lips greedily wrapped around her tongue and explored her mouth. His tongue gently scratched her sensitive pte and pulled the tip of her tongue.

    While Ate was distracted by the kiss, Rafael pushed his member in.

    Despite having climaxed once, her insides were still tight and cramped. So he could only push in half of his length. Nevertheless, it still felt dam good. Her warm inner walls mped his member tightly and melted all his reasons.

    <strong>¡°Lose your strength, Ate. It¡¯s too tight.¡± </strong>

    The evil Rafael rebuked her for this. But Ate didn¡¯t know how to loosen her body and relieve herself of the splitting pain between her legs. She tried, but the tingling pain would not leave. Her body flinched and she groaned in suffering. As she trembled in pain and bit her lips, Rafael kicked his tongue in disapproval. Then he lowered his hand and gently rubbed her swollen clit with his thumb.

    <strong>¡°Ummm¡­¡± </strong>

    Following the round gestures of caressing, a familiar pleasure spread out through her body. Ate¡¯s body, which had been stiffened by pain, rxed a little. Instinctively sensing the moment, Rafael pushed his entire length inside her.

 Chapter 15

    Ate was frightened by the pressure building inside her. It felt as if her stomach was about to explode. It was hard for her to ept his entirety. Feeling the little hole being stretched out to its limit, she was afraid that it might tear any moment. She breathed rapidly, holding on to the sheets for dear life. However Rafael who was immersed in the throes of passion, pretended as if he didn¡¯t see her struggles and began to move his waist.

    <strong>¡°Ughh! Ra¡­ Rafael! A little slower!¡± </strong>

    Whenever the thick ns entered and rubbed against her wet inner walls, a dull pain along with a strange pleasure, together arose inside her. Ate with tears in her eyes, unwittingly stretched her hand towards him. But Rafael heartlessly grabbed her hand and pressed it back on the bed. He started moving his hips a little faster. His thrusts suddenly became demanding.

    The thick penis poked inside her making her eyes sh white. Ate¡¯s breathing became more rapid as he began to stab her weak spots that he found earlier.

    Rafael still was a man equally as passionate as he was in her previous life.

    The pain was almost gone now. The feeling of his thick penis rubbing against her sensitive ces was so pleasant that it was fascinating. Rafael started to rapidly screw her insides, plunging deep into her womb. Whenever the penis thrusted deep into her innermost recesses, a groan slipped out her mouth.

    <strong>¡°Ha¡­Aah!¡± </strong>

    His big thing pierced her lower body again and again. Her inner walls which were stimted by his onught, cramped and greedily tightened around his penis. She could feel the thickness and the shape of his thing that prated her. Suddenly a guttural sound came to her ear. An excited Rafael growled like a male beast, pushing himself deeper inside her.

    <strong>¡°Ughh!¡±</strong>

    Ate¡¯s eyes turned white, as her first climax from the insertion started building. Her body quivered due to the intense orgasm. It was so intense that she found it even hard to breathe properly. As her warm insides tightly wrapped around him, Rafael literally lost his mind. He started shoving his thing inside her frantically.

    As her insides were continuously stimted, Ate literally thought she was going to die. She sobbed and twisted her body to escape, but Rafael held her hands together and pressed them onto the sheet. Holding on to the beastly man, she cried, as she struggled with the terrible pleasure.

    Rafael grabbed her ass and thrusted his penis into her deepest parts. Even after ejacting, he didn¡¯t stop and continuously stimted her insides with his deep thrusts. Wet smacking sounds filled up the big chamber.

    Rafael, after relieving his lust once, pulled out his penis. He was going to turn Ate over and do it one more time. It was nice to look down at her pretty doll like face, but looking at her wet eyshes and lips with teeth marks, he felt strangely ufortable.

    The moment Rafael bowed down his head to turn her over, he smelled blood. Rafael instinctively lowered his gaze to the blood-smelling spot and his sharp eyes widened for the first time, revealing his surprise.

    It was between Ate¡¯s legs where the blood flowed. Her pale golden pubic hair was messed with their love fluids and blood. Since he had made her rx with his tongue, he didn¡¯t understand why she was bleeding now.

    Unless what Ate said was really true. Did she really not throw herself at Crown Prince Ludwig to be a princess¡­. She didn¡¯t seem to be such a vulgar woman. Realising this, Rafael¡¯s eyes shook violently with shock and confusion. Naturally, the thought of continuing the act faded.

    Ate, who did not notice the change in Rafael¡¯s heart, closed her eyes in dread. Rafael was a very energetic man, and never finished once or twice in her previous life. He was a beastly man who would not let her go even if she cried and crawled away. He would drag her back and re-insert his raging length from the back. Therefore, Ate thought he would do it once more.

    <em>¡®What should I do? It hurts a little¡­¡¯</em>

    Ate was worried. In the middle of the act, she didn¡¯t know because of the pleasure, but the pain in her lower body was gradually bing bitter. As expected, the first time turned out to be painful. Ate was worried about his reaction if she said she didn¡¯t want to do it anymore. So she looked up at him carefully.

    However Rafael didn¡¯te at her as she expected. Ate was puzzled. Unexpectedly, Rafael¡¯s gaze was fixed, as if nailed between her legs. The moments she saw his trembling eyes, Ate realized what happened. He had only now realised that her words were true.

    Rafael silently let go of his hand holding Ate. Then he turned back and stepped down from the bed. The gesture was somewhat sad and quite different from usual.

    The moment she saw this, Ate instinctively realized that this was her opportunity. She decided to take advantage of this and make Rafael reflect on his roguish behaviour.

    <strong>¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I!¡­.It¡¯s really too much.¡±</strong>

    Ate said resentfully. The moment he heard her voice, the muscles of his back turned hard. Because of the shock he was already feeling guilty and now hearing Ate¡¯s resentment, his guilt doubled.

    Rafael¡¯s eyebrows furrowed and he bit his tongue gently. It was because words of apology almost slipped out of his mouth. However, the first thing to do here before apologizing was to grasp the situation. Was Ate really framed? When the premise that he believed turned out to be false, all Rafael was left was with terrible confusion.

    Fortunately, the hatred that he had forgotten came back and corrected his reasoning. He red at Ate¡¯s blonde locks and made up his mind. <em>Bavarians were cunning people with blue blood flowing through their veins.</em> Rafael, who recalled this, replied coldly.

    <strong>¡°Okay. I admit that you did not throw yourself at Prince Ludwig. But that¡¯s all.¡±</strong>

    Ate immediately understood what he was talking about. In fact, the usation of throwing herself at the Crown Prince was not very much. They were almost engaged at that time, and Ate was really on the verge of bing a Crown Princess. So even if the charmingdies of Deltium talked and gossiped about it, the talks about engagement was enough to make everyone close their eyes.

    In fact, there was another charge which destroyed Ate¡¯s future. But Rafael wisely didn¡¯t say anything about it. It was a secret that only the three families knew. Judging from the guests¡¯ reaction at the wedding hall, fortunately the <em>¡®secret¡¯</em> seemed to be well kept.

    <em>¡®It remains to be seen whether that is true or not.¡¯</em>

    Rafael thought coldly and turned his head. It was only to check whether Ate was shocked by his words. However, Rafael soon regretted his hasty action.

    The naked body of a woman which still held the traces of their love affairs was very stimting. Ate¡¯s cheeks which were as white as a porcin doll, were flushed and appeared like blooming flowers. The sight of her breasts sticking out of her long blonde hair, was enough to make all his blood flow towards hisher regions. What stimted Rafael the most was the white semen flowing down between Ate¡¯s legs. A mixture of love juices and a little blood, looked terribly lewd and erotic. However, the worst part of all this was Ate¡¯s eyes, which looked at him naively in the midst of all this.

    <strong>¡°Rafael¡­¡±</strong>

    Ate didn¡¯t know what kind of thoughts were going through Rafael¡¯s mind. She simply called him, wondering how to rify her charges. Ate raised her head and was confused when she saw his dark face.

    <em>¡®Why are you looking at me like that?¡¯</em>

    <em>¡®Maybe he wants to do it one more time.¡¯ </em>

    Ate trembled at the ominous possibility. The pain between her legs was too unbearable to do it once more. Since there was no evidence to prove her innocence right now, she thought it would be better to exin it to him next time.

    What was more important right now was to somehow calm down the excited Rafael.

    Ate quickly cried out and appealed to Rafael in a small voice.

    <span> Only

    <strong>¡°I¡¯m sick, Rafael. My legs are in so much pain. So let¡¯s stop for now.¡±</strong>

    Rafael¡¯s gaze once again shifted towards the between of her legs. At that moment, as if on good timing, the body fluids dripped down her white legs. Seeing this, Rafael hardened his face and ran out of the bedroom.

    <em>Bang!</em>

    The door closed making a harsh noise. Judging from the force with which he mmed the door, it seemed as if Rafael was very angry. The door shuddered and made a ringing sound. Ate was so surprised that she couldn¡¯t even scream and grabbed her chest unknowingly. That wicked habit of mming the door absolutely needed to be fixed.

    However, Rafael, who had already run out of the room, was unaware of this. He strode down the hall, constantly trying to empty his mind. But it didn¡¯t go well.

    <strong>¡°Fucking Bavarians! Damn Ate Bavaria!¡±</strong>

    The image of a naked Ate shed before his eyes. He couldn¡¯t get that pretty and sexy image of her out of his mind. His sexual desire, which had not yet beenpletely doused, rose hot and fast again in him, urging him to go back to Ate. Even if Ate was sick or crying, it would be great to crush her slender body under him and indulge in her to his heart¡¯s desire.

    But Rafael wondered why he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it.

 Chapter 15.1

    Looking at the empty spot where Rafael stood just a few minutes ago, Ateid down weakly on the bed. It seemed Rafael didn¡¯t like her because he didn¡¯t seem to want to be with her even for a second. Anyway she was used to his cold attitude, but him doing this right after they did such an intimate act, she felt a little sad.

    <em>¡®Well, if you think about it, Rafael hates me.¡¯</em>

    Ate looked back at her previous life. How much did he hate her, to not even sleep with her on the same bed for five years? Rafael always went away like this every time after they had sex. There was no way such a man would suddenly be affectionate just because he indulged in her once.

    Ate decided not to be too depressed. She had gone through death and evene back alive, it doesn¡¯t matter if her husband¡¯s still cold to her. There would be no disappointment if she didn¡¯t expect anything from him in the first ce. So everything will befortable if she emptied her mind of all such worries.

    In fact, Ate¡¯s biggest enemy was not Rafael, but mental stress. Even though she had returned back in the past and improved her health a bit, she had always been quite delicate in her previous life. Because of this, stress easily harmed her health and in the end, she died at an early age of twenty because of her illness. Ate was not willing to die like that again.

    <em>¡®But there are certainly some things better than before.¡¯</em>

    For example her first time. Although Rafael bit and sucked her like a beast, her body didn¡¯t feel much pain. It was a big improvementpared to her first night in her previous life. It was so harsh that she had toy on her bed sick for three days. Ate was slowly changing her future little by little.

    <em>¡®Yes, I can do it.¡¯ </em>

    Ate hugged the nket and made up her mind. In this life, she wanted to get rid of her false charges and get along with Rafael if possible. If Rafael really hated her that much, then she would consider to divorce him. Because now Ate was not a passive woman like her former self. She was a woman who had gone through a miracle ande back to life after experiencing death.

    It was just then that the door of the bedroom which had been tightly closed, opened making a creaking sound. Ate got surprised and quickly covered herself up with the nket. Fortunately it was the man whom she was considering to divorce a moment ago.

    <strong>¡°Rafael?¡±</strong>

    Ate was a little stunned to see him. She didn¡¯t expect he woulde back. Strangely Rafael looked angry for some reason. Seeing him like this, Ate for a moment was worried whether he read her thoughts.

    <em>¡®Did you hear my thoughts?¡¯</em>

    Of course Rafael didn¡¯t hear her thoughts. He only came back to her bedroom for purely different reasons. Rafael who came up to Ate, put something on the side table, making a loud <em>ng</em> sound.

    Ate wondered what it was and curiously looked at the side table. What Rafael put down was a t bowl. It seemed there was hot water in it as she could see steam rising from it. There was also a soft cloth draped over the side of the bowl.

    <em>¡®Oh, my God.¡¯</em>

    After seeing this, Ate opened her eyes widely. Could it be that Rafael brought all this for her. When he met her bewildered eyes, Rafael¡¯s expression became more grim. As he reached out his hand towards her, Ate thought he wasing on her again. But therge hand that stopped in front of her nose held a ss of water.

    <strong>¡°This, what is this? Rafael?¡±</strong>

    Ate asked. As she was struck by Rafael¡¯s ferocious spirit, she reflexively received the cup of water. Then he replied in a bad tone as if he was chewing out every word.

    <strong>¡°You said you were sick.¡±</strong>

    Only then did Ate¡¯s gaze lowered to the bottom of the cup.

    She found some pure white powder at the bottom. Maybe he brought her some painkiller. Ate was really grateful, but seeing his hideous face it seemed he was offering her poison instead of painkillers. Still she was grateful for his unexpected consideration. Ate surprised by Rafael¡¯s actions, was speechless for a moment.

    Rafael frowned and looked at Ate nervously. He couldn¡¯t understand why he was doing something that didn¡¯t suit him. But Ate¡¯sins of <em>¡®It hurts¡¯</em> strangely bothered him. Why does this fine woman look so weak?

    So he gave her some painkillers, but she just sat there nkly holding the ss of water. It seemed she didn¡¯t even want to drink what he had given her.

    <em>¡®Why did you do such a useless thing!¡¯</em>

    Rafael¡¯s pride was hurt. Annoyed by this, he tried to take the cup back from Ate¡¯s hand. But Ate was one step faster. Ate got up from her bed, put the cup of water on the table and hugged his waist.

    <strong>¡°Thank you very much, Rafael.¡±</strong>

    Ate raised her head slightly while hugging him and smiled softly at him. Her finely folded golden eyshes fluttered, and beneath them, her petal like pink eyes twinkled withughter. It was a pretty smile, like a blooming flower.

    <span> Only

    Seeing this, Rafael was irritated that he still seemed to want the Bavarian woman. The feeling of her dainty hands around his waist and her dazzling smile as she looked up at him were very unfamiliar to him. He quickly turned around to escape from the awkward embrace. He did everything he could for her, so he was going to let her rest.

    Rafael was afraid he would hurt her again if he didn¡¯t leave this room immediately. So without even looking back he quickly left her bedroom. Looking at his cold back, Ate still greeted him politely

    <strong>¡°Goodnight, Rafael!¡±</strong>

    Of course there was no answer from him. It was okay, though. After taking the painkillers he brought, Ate reached out to the bowl. She felt her pain lessen as she wiped the area between her legs with the soft cloth soaked in warm water. Naturally, Ate¡¯s heart also warmed up.

    <em>¡®I didn¡¯t know Rafael would do this.¡¯</em>

    Ate smiled softly. ¡®<em>Well if you think about it, it wasn¡¯t always bad with Rafael.¡¯ </em>

    In her previous life, Rafael worked quite hard to provide her with medical care until the day she died. After Ate was bedridden, he stopped arguing with her and personally took care of her. Rafael was very sensitive to the physical pain of others, perhaps because he had been through war.

    Ate, who had wiped herself to some extent,id back on the bed. The painkillers began to take effect and the pain slowly started to subside. As sheid alone on the big bed, she felt a little cold and lonely, but it was still fine. Even in the vague dark future, she could see the light of hope growing little by little.

 Chapter 15.2: Unfortunately, Annetteâ€™s optimism quickly faded away the next day.

    Unfortunately, Ate¡¯s optimism quickly faded away the next day.

    The next morning, Ate woke up earlier because it was very noisy outside. There seemed to be some dispute as she could hear Rafael quarrelling and ranting in the middle.

    Ate rubbed her sleepy eyes and looked out of the window, but she could see no-one standing there. Judging from the direction where the sound wasing, it seemed to being from the foyer.

    Ate got up from her bed and decided to go out. She was now the wife of the Marquis of Carnesis, so she needed to keep track of all the fuss happening in the mansion.

    As she walked a few steps to go down the floor, she felt a slight burning pain between her legs. But this was tolerable. Ate, who had been rigorously educated to be the Crown Princess, was very patient. Ate quickly dressed up and nervously looked at the direction of the discord.

    <i>¡®What the hell is going on?¡¯</i>

    As Ate left the room, she tried to remember what happened at this time in her previous life. However she couldn¡¯t think of anything because Ate in her previous life was sick and bedridden at this time.

    Rafael hated her at the beginning of their honeymoon. The misunderstanding on their first night was terrible, and Ate suffered from the aftermath. At that time, she was so foolish that she couldn¡¯t even say easy words like, <i>¡®Please don¡¯t let me get sick.¡¯</i> If she had said that, she wouldn¡¯t have suffered so much.

    The price of stupid stubbornness was three days of illness and helplessness. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Rafael¡¯s dark face, coldly ring at her. He acted as if she was his enemy. He didn¡¯t even seem to feel sorry for his sick wife who had ended up like this because of him.

    <i>¡®I was really sad back then¡­¡¯</i>

    Ate frowned at the unpleasant memory. From then on, she also hated him earnestly. She could not understand why Rafael hated her. He didn¡¯t believe her at all whenever she tried to clear the misunderstandings. At that time he was just as cold as her father, even more cruel than him.

    But this time she had apletely different first night. Though Rafael still behaved very awfully, he did consider Ate¡¯s convenience this time. Thanks to this, Ate woke up as usual and was able to notice this current uproar.

    <i>¡®I hope it¡¯s not a big deal.¡¯</i>

    <span> Only

    Ate¡¯s heart pounded because of an unknown anxiety. Naturally her steps towards the foyer became a little faster. As soon as she turned around the corner of the corridor, she heard Rafael¡¯s voice from afar.

    <b>¡°¡­.So you mean, the gifts I¡¯ve sent you are verycking in the eyes of the Bavarian old man?¡±</b>

    Rafael yelled out. Although he asked in a low ridiculing voice, Ate could sense his anger from it. She knew she didn¡¯t have to face him to know that he was in his worst mood right now. She had hardly seen him this angry.

    <b>¡°I¡¯m sorry, Marquis of Carnesis. The gifts you sent are wonderful¡­ but my master is a person who is only familiar with the finest quality products. I would like to ask for your generous understanding of the difference of opinions that may arise between the two families.¡±</b>

    Ate listened to the noble voice that followed. It was a voice she knew very well. It was Gerard, the butler of her family. He had a ssy tone of speech with a little foreign ent. Gerard had a gentle impression on her and was a pretty good butler.

    However Ate frowned on seeing him. It was because what Gerard just said came into her mind.

    <i>¡®Gerard is a little weird today. Why is he talking to Rafael that way? It¡¯s quite rude.¡¯</i>

    She didn¡¯t understand why Gerard, her family butler, was speaking down to Rafael in a very rude tone.

 Chapter 15.3

    Gerard was a very promising butler. He was quite able, which earned him the grace of the Duke of Bavaria. Coming from a foreign noble family, he possessed perfect manners and good looks. Gerard was a good butler, and Ate had received a lot of meticulous care from him since childhood.

    <i>¡®But that¡¯s it. I can¡¯t stand by and watch him be rude to my husband.¡¯</i>

    Ate bit her lips and approached the front door. She saw Gerard standing straight, looking as graceful and calm as ever. However, Ate found the problem at once. It was his attitude that was now quite different from what she had known before.

    <i>¡®What¡¯s wrong with his posture?¡¯</i>

    Gerard looked very proud and confident, with his back erect and head held up straight. On the surface, it didn¡¯t look like much of a problem but his posture was quite disrespectful considering who he was standing before. It was none other than in front of Marquis Rafael Carnesis. No way Gerard wouldn¡¯t know such basic manners. So it must have been done deliberately.

    Seeing this, Ate frowned and walked out to the front door. Rafael, who was quite sensitive to his surroundings, sensed her presence and looked back first. Following his gaze, Gerard also looked that way. Seeing who was standing there, his eyes widened slightly.

    <b>¡°Good morning, Marchioness of Carnesis.¡±</b>

    <b>¡°Gerard.¡±</b>

    Gerard recognized Ate immediately and bowed his head politely. Apparently, Gerard¡¯s neck only bowed before people of Bavaria. Seeing this, Rafael¡¯s deep blue eyes became narrow. He wondered whether his neck could continue to be stiff before him if he cut it off from his body.

    Ate, who had already grasped Rafael to some extent, was stung by his bloody gaze. To prevent him from taking any irrevocable step, she quickly cleared her throat and asked Gerard.

    <b>¡°Gerard, what¡¯s going on? Why are you making a fuss so early in the morning?¡±</b>

    <b>¡°I¡¯m sorry, Madam. I just came here to fulfill the Duke¡¯smand. I couldn¡¯tplete the work smoothly. So, I apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused you.¡±</b>

    Gerard said politely while bowing his back. He no longer called Ate ¡®Lady¡¯. Well this was the right title to address her, since Ate was now married. She had not seen him since her marriage, so she felt a little strange for a while. But Ate quickly adapted to the change and immediately refuted Gerard¡¯s words.

    <b>¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re here to fulfill your orders. But Gerard, since how many years have you been serving the House of Bavaria?¡±</b>

    <b>¡°It¡¯s been 12 years now, Young Lady¡­um Marchioness.¡±</b> Gerard, who btedly corrected the habitual title, was sweating. He was right now very embarrassed by Ate¡¯s sudden appearance.

    In a fight, the first one to be distracted was bound to lose. Ate, who had already won the game, began to reprimand Gerard in earnest.

    <b>¡°12 years! That¡¯s enough time to learn etiquettes. But what¡¯s with your attitude towards my husband, Gerard? If someone sees how you¡¯re behaving right now, they might think you¡¯re the master here.¡±</b>

    <b>¡°Madam, that¡¯s not it. Sorry, I think there¡¯s a misunderstanding regarding this situation, but I¡¯m¡­¡±</b>

    Gerard was very flustered and hurried to correct Ate¡¯s misunderstanding. However, Ate was not a person who could be easily swayed by a butler¡¯s eloquence. She was also from the Bavarian family, so it was as natural as breathing for her to correct the discipline of her employees.

    Ate raised her head in a haughty way andshed out at the butler who wasparatively quite taller than her.

    <b>¡°What misunderstanding! I saw it with my own eyes! How could you be so rude to my husband, Gerard? Are you saying that just because I got married, you don¡¯t see me as your master anymore? So there¡¯s no need to be polite to me and my husband?¡± </b>

    As she spoke, it seemed as if she would explode from her anger and sadness. Ate only med Gerard on the surface, because she knew the actual truth. Gerard didn¡¯t do this because he looked down upon Rafael. He was originally an exemry butler who knew how to politely entertain the guests even if it was themoners who came to visit the Ducal house.

    <i>¡®Gerard is probably doing this right now¡­ because my father ordered it.¡¯ </i>

    Ate¡¯s father, Amand Bavaria, was a terrible supremacist. He openly ignored Rafael even before Ate¡¯s marriage because Rafael was an illegitimate child of the royal family. No matter how pure and high the royal blood flowing in him was, it was never ignored that the blood of his mother was vulgar and from unknown origins.

    This contempt of Amand continued even after Rafael became his son-inw. Because of this, Ate who was inexperienced, struggled to mediate between her father and her husband. But she never thought something like this would have happened.

    <i>¡®This is so mean!¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Why did you marry me off to Rafael if you didn¡¯t want to treat him like a son-inw in the first ce?¡¯</i>

    Ate resented her cold and selfish father. Thanks to this, Ate¡¯s pink eyes became a little teary. She couldn¡¯t see Rafael¡¯s expression standing behind her, so she red at Gerard spitefully.

    When Gerard saw Ate¡¯s teary eyes, he hung his head in a daze. He was very vulnerable to the weak look of his youngdy.

    <b>¡°No, Madam, I apologize for my rudeness. Please forgive me with a generous heart.¡±</b>

    <b>¡°Apologise to my husband, not me.¡±</b>

    Hearing Ate¡¯s firmmand, Gerard closed his mouth with a difficult expression. His green eyes were stubbornly neglecting Rafael¡¯s existence. Gerard could never apologize to Rafael, as long as he had been instructed by his master. Instead, Gerard decided to try to somehow persuade Ate.

    <i>¡®If you¡¯re thedy I served, you¡¯d take my side. If you¡¯re just saying it¡­¡¯</i>

    Thedy whom Gerard had served, though clever, was rather weak-minded. Gerard clung to that point. Now that her husband was in front of her, she pretended to scold Gerard. He has known her for so many years, so he thought it was an attempt worth trying.

    Gerard gulped and began speaking in a distinct elegant tone.

    <b>¡°No, ma¡¯am, I visited you on the asion of a formal visit by the Duke of Bavaria. There seems to be a misunderstanding, but please understand that my actions do not contain any personal intention. All of this was by Duke of Bavaria¡­.¡±</b>

    Ate was immersed in her thoughts while listening to Gerard¡¯s fluent excuse. As expected, her suspicions that her father had ordered to do this was right. Amand must have done this with an intention to demoralise Rafael and to clearly show that he refused to acknowledge him as his son inw. Instead of letting him think Ate was married to him, he wanted Rafael to know Ate was rather thrown away to him.

    <i>¡®So you¡¯re openly ignoring Rafael so much. You didn¡¯t even consider the position of your daughter who was married to him.¡¯</i>

    A bitter smile emerged on Ate¡¯s face. She couldn¡¯t believe her father sent a butler to insult his son-inw who was also a nobleman. Because of this Rafael was angry and cold towards her. This showed her how selfish her father was and how he didn¡¯t care about her at all.

    In fact, even when Ate was having a hard time during her marriage in her previous life, her father only kept his distance and stayed on the sides. It stayed like that until the day she died at a young age. Thest time Ate saw her father was the day of her wedding, and that too, he had only attended to satisfy the king.

    It was then Ate realized that she had been abandoned by her father. Being unable to be a Crown Princess, she became useless to Amand. But it was not surprising. Her father was cold-blooded, with blue blood flowing in his veins. So it was time for the abandoned daughter to make choices for herself.

    <i>¡®Rafael is my husband. And now he¡¯s¡­ my only family.¡¯</i>

    It was a sad truth. Rafael was her husband, and she was obliged to protect her husband. Although she couldn¡¯t do that in her previous life, it would be different this time. Ate¡¯s pink determined eyes elegantly looked down at the butler.

    <b>¡°Okay, Gerard. Then tell me with your own mouth. I too, have the Bavarian blood flowing in my veins, and even after marriage, my middle name will contain Bavaria in it. Then, am I, who is standing in front of you, your master or not?¡± </b>

    Unexpectedly, Ate¡¯s resolute attitude left Gerard feeling stifled. Ate, who had a lofty chin and cold eyes, was currently more Bavarian than anyone else. Seeing this, Gerard realized that she had no intention ofpromising.

    <strong>¡°Madam has always been a Bavarian, and will continue to be so. I am loyal to the House of Bavaria, and I have devoted my whole life to its noble lineage.¡±</strong>

    Gerard gave te the answer she wanted in a quivering voice. After all, he had never gone against his youngdy. From the moment he first saw a young Ate broadly smiling at him, Gerard was desperately defeated and he always gave in to her.

    <b>¡°Good. Then, I would like you to apologize to my husband, who deserves respect.¡±</b>

    Ate raised her head straight as she sped her hands around Rafael¡¯s arms. Her figure looked quite haughty and arrogant. Rafael thought this image of Ate was rather strange, but it wasn¡¯t surprisingly bad. To be honest, he also seemed to like it.

    <em>¡®I never thought I¡¯d see a Bavarian taking my side in my life.¡¯</em>

    Rafael felt indescribably strange. He had always been alone. He had to climb fiercely from the bottom to the top all alone. And he always took it for granted. Even his own biological father, King Selgratis, would not have recognized him as his son if he did not have talent. That was the heartless world that Rafael knew.

    But suddenly in his life, a woman named Ate Bavaria appeared. She didn¡¯t let Rafael solve the problem ¡®<em>directly</em>¡® in his own style. Instead, she stood in front of him with her slender body, and even scolded the butler that was sent by her own family, by saying,<em> ¡®How dare you disrespect my husband?¡¯</em>

    <span> Only

    It was the first time in his life, Rafael had ever experienced ¡®<em>protection¡¯</em> of others. Unbelievably, he was now protected by a woman who barely reached his shoulder. And on top of that, she was the daughter of the Bavarian family, who despised Rafael¡¯s very existence. This was all a really fresh shock to Rafael.

    <em>¡®Strange woman.¡¯</em>

    Rafael nced at Ate and then turned his gaze to the butler. He could see Gerard looking at himself from the distance, with a pale face. In Rafael¡¯s eyes, this impolite butler seemed to like Ate. Only a man could better know the heart of the other man.

    Gerard¡¯s arrogance came from the fact that he was backed by the Duke Amand Bavaria. But it was clear that his hostile feelings towards Rafael were his own. And he knew very well where they came from. Gerard bowed his head to Rafael with a frustrated face and at the order of his youngdy, he politely apologized.

    <strong>¡°I politely apologize for my rudeness, Your Excellency, Marquis of Carnesis. Please forgive me.¡±</strong>

    Rafael stared at Gerard¡¯s bowed head with cold eyes. He wanted to make an example by teaching the butler a lesson for his insolence. But it was obvious that if he made an employee from his wife¡¯s house like that, he would never hear the end of it and would be scorned by the public. Ate will be portrayed as a poor victim and he will be described as a ruthless butcher. It¡¯s better to show mercy once than to hear such things.

    Above all, Rafael honestly didn¡¯t expect Ate to raise her voice like this and give him face. Since she did a great job as a wife, he also had to consider his position as her husband.

    The determined Raphel opened his mouth coldly. <strong>¡°Hey, did you say your name was Gerard?¡±</strong>

 Chapter 15.4: ch11

    Chapter 15.4: ch11

    At Rafael''s call, Gerard reluctantly opened his mouth and answered.

    ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡±

    ¡°Considering your tant rudeness, the reputation of the Bavarian family is questionable. This time I''ll forgive you because of my wife, but I will not give the same mercy twice.¡±

    Rafael glowered at Gerard as a warning. Noticing Rafael''s warning, a cold sweat broke out on Gerard''s forehead. Rafael was still able to breathe fire, even after just being woken up from his sleep. The fear of the beast of a man, standing in front of him, made him feel dizzy.

    Only then did Gerard realise the sheer danger that Rafael posed. It seemed that the rumours that he was an outstanding swordsman, enough to reach the level of Sword Master soon were indeed true. Until a few years ago, he was a brutal butcher who was called the ''demon of the battlefield''.

    Gerard''s spine soon became cold as ice. He realised that Rafael''s warning of''I will not give the same mercy twice''was true. Even now his fiery eyes were shining brightly and were focusing on Gerard''s hands and legs, as if wondering which side he should first cut. The moment Gerard realized this, his jaw briefly twitched.

    ¡°Tha¡­thank you for your generosity, Your Excellency, Marquis of Carnesis.¡±

    This time, Gerard, who gave a polite and cordial greeting from his heart, hurriedly left as if he was running away.''If I go back like this, I''ll be in trouble with my master, but at this moment¡­ that''s quite eptable.''Feeling the sinister gaze on his back, Gerard quickly dragged his limbs that weren''t moving and hurried to escape from the mansion.

    Now the only people left in the foyer were Ate and Rafael. Ate felt Rafael''s scorching gaze on her. She nervously swallowed her saliva, raised her trembling eyes and then looked up at him.

    ¡°I''m sorry, Rafael. You felt bad, didn''t you?¡±

    Ate was deeply depressed by what just happened, so she frankly apologized to Rafael. She pretended to be bold, but in fact, she was so surprised that her heart was pounding wildly. In her previous life, she was sick because of the first night, so she didn''t know something like this had happened. Her own family had ignored and disrespected Rafael so badly.

    Ate now finally realised why Rafael was so cold to her when she woke up in her previous life. He had been terribly insulted by her family while she was sick. She was sorry for hating him and calling him cold-blooded without knowing what had happened.

    Fortunately, Rafael''s eyes, which looked down on Ate, were no longer zing with fire. He epted Ate''s apology without being sarcastic or angry at her.

    ¡°I don''t really care.¡±

    Rafael calmly lied about it even though he was just nning to dismember Gerard. When he recalled Ate''s small bodyshing out at her loyal, hard-working butler, he felt his anger cool down. Actually, he thought it was a bit fun.

    However, he didn''t have any intention to let this go. Although Ate sided with him, he had no idea how she would have acted behind his back. Rafael''s hatred and distrust towards the people of Bavaria were that deep. He spat out harsh words at Ate who was looking up at him.

    ¡°It seems the people of Bavaria should really pay attention to educate their servants in proper manners. What happened just now was uneptable.¡±

    Rafael thought maybe Ate would get angry after hearing what he said. The people of the Bavarian family were arrogant to their bones and their pride was as high as the sky. But Ate''s reaction was very unexpected.

    ¡°I know. Well, they''ll take care of it themselves. Now I''m a part of the House of Carnesis.¡±

    Ate replied, recalling her father who abandoned her. In her previous life, she couldn''t get out of the shadow of being his good daughter, but this time she had no intention of doing that again. Rafael, whoined and cared for her until the end, was more family to her than her father, who never showed his face until the day she died.

    However Rafael seemed rather surprised to hear Ate''s answer. His cold expression in front of her crumbled for the first time, revealing his honest feelings to her. Ate, on seeing this, somehow felt a little closer to him. As she was in the mood, she looked up at Rafael and asked him with a pitiful expression.

    ¡°You''re not thinking of getting rid of me now, right? I just fought with my family and now I have nowhere to go.¡±

    ¡°You''re talking nonsense.¡±

    Rafael held a straight face at her joke. It was clear that he still had no intention of epting Ate as his family. But Ate wasn''t particrly hurt. In a way, this could have be a serious family conflict, but she was grateful that Rafael had let go of his anger.

    ¡°So why did Gerarde here? I thought he was running errands earlier.¡±

    Ate tilted her head, recalling the purpose of Gerard''s visit that she had forgotten for a while. Then Rafael raised his hand with an expressionless face and pointed somewhere. It was where Gerard had been standing before. There were a lot of luxurious boxes piled up there.

    Ate wondered what those boxes were, so she looked closely at them. The logo engraved with gold foil on its packaging stood out.

    Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks

    They were all logos of famous workshops in the Deltium. Most of them dealt with wedding gifts as main products.

    ¡°No way¡­Don''t tell me those.¡±

    Ate''s eyes widened. Come to think of it, the shapes of the boxes seemed familiar. Ate''s cheeks paled when she realized something. Those boxes that were piled up on the ground now¡­were probably wedding presents. They were all precious and rare gifts that Rafael had sent to her family before the marriage.

    ''Now¡­ Did you just return the wedding gifts sent by your son-inw?''

    At this point, Gerard''s rudenessparatively felt rather trivial.

    Ate gasped at the contempt of her own family that was beyond imagination.''How can you return the gifts that Rafael had sent with all his love?''She had never heard anything about this in her previous life. Rafael, who opened his mouth just in time, confirmed Ate''s suspicions.

    ¡°Your father rejected the gifts because they werecking in his eyes. These things don''t fit the Bavarian Duke''s standards. It seems they''re not useful to him. So he sent them all back.¡±

    Standing with his arms folded, Rafael groaned. Now that she saw him properly, she could see he was dressed in a loose outfit with its front unbuttoned and his deep blue eyes were bloodshot. It seemed he didn''t sleep wellst night. In such a state, he experienced such a turmoil so early in the morning, so Ate had nothing to say to him even if he hated and med her at this point.

    Ate was very upset. It was ridiculous to question the utility of a wedding gift. It was clear that he intended to brutally insult Rafael and break his spirit. Her father, Amand, was a character who wouldn''t hesitate to do something like this.

    ''If I had known it would be like this, I''d rather not have agreed to the marriage.''

    The more she thought about it, the more angry and sad she became. Ate''s false usation prevented her from bing a Crown Princess. Fortunately, Ate''s family took care of it, but in the process, she had to take care of the royal family. In a word, to bury this matter for once and for all, her father, Amand married her off to Rafael. So he abandoned his own daughter, in an attempt to satisfy the king.

    King Selgratis cared about the illegitimate status of Rafael. So in order to make up for his poor lineage, the king tried to marry him with ady of a prestigious family. Just in time, Ate, who was ''framed'', had be the best choice for it.

    Her father must have been very displeased with this wedding. But instead of directly turning down the king who proposed this wedding, Amand chose to insult the easy Rafael. Ate thought this was very cowardly of her father.

    ¡°I''m so sorry, Rafael. I don''t have the face to see you. I¡­I''ll make sure this doesn''t happen again next time.¡±

    Rafael loosened his arms and looked at Ate, who was apologizing. With her head bowed down, he couldn''t see her face, but listening to her voice, he could feel her sincere apology. Her desperate voice and bent neck were enough to soften his wicked self.

    Rafael thought he shouldn''t just let it go here. Even though Ate seemed to be reflecting on her family''s behaviour, she was still a member of the Bavarian family. You never know when she would cunningly change her stance and take sides with her father.

    Therefore, Rafael opened his mouth to scold Ate. But strangely enough, he couldn''t think of any mean words to say to her.

    ''What''s wrong with me?''

    Rafael frowned for a moment and looked down at Ate''s small head. In the end, only a perfunctory warning came out of his mouth.

    ¡°Make sure that this doesn''t happen in the future again. Do you understand me?¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Rafael left the room after saying this. Ate turned sadly and looked at Rafael''s back. She thought he was going to get upset with her, but unexpectedly he didn''t say anything. It was a miracle that it ended like this. At least, she hoped that when she had openly sided with him, his heart softened towards her a little.

    Ate, who was left alone, blinked her eyes a couple of times and sighed heavily. She had just dered to cut off all her ties with her family, but surprisingly she did not regret it. It was her father who let go off her first anyway.

    ¡°It''s all right. It was a good decision.¡±

    Ateforted herself. She married Rafael and now was his wife. So of course, it was right to side with him. Although Rafael was an illegitimate child, he was still a nobleman and a war hero who was recognized by the royal family. No matter how big and powerful the Duke of Bavaria was, he had no right to insult Rafael like this.

    There was only one strange part. Ate blinked and pondered.

    ¡°But why bother sending the gifts back?¡±

    Ate felt that somehow, her father might be hiding another intention¡­..a very insidious intention.

    Chapter end

 Chapter 15.5: Translated by Ailee

    Tranted by Ailee

    Edited by Mori

    Ate¡¯s doubts about her father were rational . The blue-blooded Bavarians never wasted their time on useless things. <i>¡®If you did this simply to insult Rafael, then instead of sending the gifts back, you should have just thrown them away.¡¯</i>

    With a deep sigh, Ate decided to keep a close eye on her father for the time being. She didn¡¯t know what he was actually up to, but she couldn¡¯t let him continue looking down on Rafael like this. Just the thought of the treatment Rafael had received from her father today made her furious.

    <i>¡®It was you who had sent me to get married to Rafael and now, you¡¯re not even treating him like a son-inw. That¡¯s just too irresponsible!¡¯</i>

    Although Rafael was an illegitimate child, he was the illegitimate child of the royal family. Even the present king, Selgratis, was known to care for Rafael quite a bit. Because of this, Crown Prince Ludwig was very antagonistic to Rafael. Although Ludwig was the heir to the official royal family, and Rafael was just an illegitimate child.

    Perhaps the reason why Ate¡¯s father neglected Rafael was also because of the Prince. Ludwig would surely be the next king. Although he had no choice but to ept Rafael as his son-inw, to win Ludwig¡¯s favour, he was so cold hearted that he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to break his ties with Rafael.

    Ate understood her father¡¯s position in her mind. But emotionally, it was uneptable for her. Even though he knew she was falsely used, he married her off just like that, as if he was kicking her out, and he even treated her husband Rafael poorly. Feeling a strong rage over her father¡¯s behaviour, Ate clenched her teeth.

    ***

    It was a very noisy morning. Afterpleting his swordsmanship training without any rest, Rafael entered the mansion with his sweaty body. Last night, he fell asleep while drinking, so he was in a terrible condition. Neither his sword-wielding arms nor his legs were moving smoothly. Nevertheless, it was not a good idea to take a break from the practice.

    Apart from his private life, Rafael had never neglected a single day of sword training. Until the illegitimate son of the king, who was nothing, rose and became the Marquis of the Carnesis. The only thing that was protecting him was his ability with swords. Rafael¡¯s eyes were dark as he took off his shirt and wiped his sweaty body.

    <b>¡°Why the hell isn¡¯t it working today?¡±</b>

    Although it seemed that he had almost reached the level of the Sword Master, in truth he hadn¡¯t. It was so suffocating as if he had been blocked by an invisible wall. <i>¡®If anyone could tell me the direction, I would give him a thousand gold coins. </i><i>Will</i><i> it be better if I don¡¯t drink alcohol? But that¡¯s impossible.¡¯</i>

    <b>¡°Damn it!¡±</b>

    Rafael couldn¡¯t control his anger and frustration. He flung aside the towel and headed to the window. Whenever he was in a bad mood, he enjoyed looking at the view through the open window of his mansion. Gazing at the magnificent mansion and the vast gardens, which he had acquired himself, made him feel much better.

    However today, even this wonderful scenery could not calm his heart. His hawk like eyes found a little woman sitting in the garden. Ate Bavaria. Another trophy he had won, just like the Carnesis Mansion.

    Technically speaking, herst name was now Carnesis. However, Rafael had not yet epted her as his family. She was nothing but an essory to the disgusting Duke of Bavaria. For him, she was just something that was a little peculiar .

    <span> Only

    Rafael narrowed his eyes and looked at Ate, who seemed as small as his finger. She was sitting on a bench and looking intently at some books.

    <i>¡®Is this a trick to get my attention?¡¯</i>

    Rafael¡¯s blue eyes stared coldly. Standing by the window in his room, he could see the bench where Ate was sitting very well. It was definitely a deliberate act of the Bavarian woman.

    Wearing a light green off-shoulder dress and with her shiny blonde hair braided behind her back, Ate certainly was an eye-catching figure. <i>¡®If you bite that pure white shoulder, a pale pink tooth mark will remain.¡¯</i> In his eyes, Ate looked like a very exquisite and expensive porcin doll. She was like a high-end product that an illegitimate child like him could never have.

    Rafael was unfamiliar with the fact that she was now his wife. However, Ate herself seemed to believe that she now already belonged to the Carnesis family. The corners of Rafael¡¯s mouth curled upwards when he recalled the quarrel she had with the Bavarian butler.

    <b>¡°Apologize to my husband who deserves respect! Huh! Anyway, you¡¯re really a cunning woman.¡±</b>

    Rafael sarcastically tried to denigrate Ate¡¯s intentions in his heart, but strangely, the risen corners of his mouth were not going back down. The impudent butler of the Bavarian family seemed very despondent at the sight of Ate taking his side. The thought of it made him feel better.

    Actually, even Rafael didn¡¯t expect that Ate would take his side. Well, maybe it was just a pretense of the cunning Bavarian woman, but it was strangely quite satisfactory. Rafael¡¯s eyes, as he stared at Ate outside the window, softened a little.

 Chapter 15.6: 12.2 - Special Abilities

    <em>~Whoosh</em>

    Today was not a very sunny day, but instead the wind blew. Ate reflexively raised her hand and swept her windswept hair away from her face. Her blond hair glistened with a light tinum color, just like a x thread on a cloudy day. As her view became clearer, the passage of the book she had read before caught her eye.

    <em>¡®¡­Regression is an extremely rare experience, but once you regress, you may acquire a special ability that you never had before. A prime example is the prodigal daughter Natalie, who had the ability to attract men by releasing special pheromones after returning. In this way, regressors acquire rare abilities one by one, ranging from spirit skills to the ability to make sugar cubes at a small level.¡¯ </em>

    Ate snorted a little at the phrase ¡®<em>the ability to make sugar cubes¡¯</em>.

    However her mind becameplicated. It was because of the thought of what her special ability could be.<em> ¡®I hope it¡¯s not making french fries out of the nostrils.¡¯</em> Ate did not like fried foods very much .

    <em>¡®Whatever it is, please, I wish it is a helpful ability.¡¯</em>

    Unfortunately, this book did not say when and how the regressors came to realize their new abilities. In the first ce, there were too few known cases of regression. Ate couldn¡¯t hide her disappointment and looked back to see if there was anything she missed.

    At that moment, a sudden gust of wind blew away the book she was reading. At the same time, the hem of Ate¡¯s dress flipped over. A surprised Ate hurried to pull down her skirt and bent to look for the book that had rolled away.

    <strong>¡°Oh dear, what shall I do?¡±</strong>

    Ate sprang to her feet and scurried towards the book. It was quite humid today, so she was afraid to get the book stained. The book was taken from the study of the Marquis of Carnesis, and if it was damaged, she would not have the face to see Rafael.

    <em>~Whoosh</em>

    The yful wind ruffled her braided hair. Before she knew it, almost half of her hair came out of the thin hairpin. The blonde hair fluttered and kept obscuring her view. Because of this, Ate, who bowed her head to pick up the book urgently, did not sense the pir in front of her in time.

    <strong>¡°Ouch!¡±</strong>

    Suddenly her eyes shed, and she felt quite a sharp pain in her left temple. Ate picked up the book with one hand, and touched her forehead with the other. The bump seemed to burn, and a warm liquid trickled down between her fingers.

    <strong>¡°Blood¡­isn¡¯t it blood?¡±</strong>

    Ate was startled. As a well bred girl, she hardly ever got hurt. It was even more so because she was generally a very cautious person. Ate futilely caressed the ce from where the blood was flowing. She was embarrassed and didn¡¯t know what to do.

    Fortunately, the knowledge she had once seen in a book soon came to her mind. In this case, to stop the bleeding, she had to press on the wound. Ate tried hard to stay calm and pressed down on the wound. However, theories and realities were so different.

    <strong>¡°Ouch!!¡±</strong>

    When she applied pressure on her hand, it was so painful that tears fell from her eyes. Ate finally gave up on stopping the bleeding and removed her hand from her temple, but the blood dripped down and stained the dress. She felt that she might need some help.

    Ate staggered and turned toward the front door of the mansion. At that moment, a solid wall suddenly appeared before her eyes. She was so surprised that she couldn¡¯t scream and her body stiffened.

    <span> Only

    <strong>¡°Are you hurt?¡±</strong>

    What appeared in front of her was not a wall, but Rafael. He was so tall and well built that Ate¡¯s confused eyes thought it was an illusion. Rafael, looking down at Ate with disapproving eyes, reached out and looked at her forehead.

    Fortunately, Ate¡¯s wound wasn¡¯t big. The skin where the blood vessels covered was torn, but the bleeding seemed to be severe. For Rafael who had spent the majority of his time on the battlefield, it was just a minor wound.

    Nevertheless, the pale face of Ate and the crimson blood on her light blond hair looked somehow sinister. Rafael felt like a person who had been pushed back from a cliff. Ate¡¯s pain made his heart sink. Somehow, he felt like he had been through something like this before.

    Rafael, trying to shake off this nasty feeling, made a bitter rebuke.

    <strong>¡°Well, are you stupid? Do you think those eyes are for decoration?¡±</strong>

    Ate opened her mouth and lowered her gaze weakly. She was speechless, because it was true that she had gone to the pir and foolishly hit her head. But because of Rafael¡¯s harsh words and her surprise upon seeing the blood, Ate felt extremely upset and tears welled up in her eyes.

    Ate blinked her eyes and inhaled to avoid crying. Then, unintentionally, a little sniffling sound came out. At that moment, Rafael¡¯s hand, which was grazing Ate¡¯s forehead, hardened. Ate looked up at him, wondering why he was doing this.

 Chapter 15.7

    Rafael¡¯s face, looking down at her, was especially cold. His face, which was revealed through the flowing ck hair, had a cold beauty as if it were not a person. However, his hands that were slightly trembling seemed to reveal his embarrassment that he had hidden behind the mask.

    At that moment, Ate had a strange feeling. It was a hunch that she herself couldn¡¯t even exin, but if she let out a weak sound now, Rafael would listen to her. Ate carefully opened her lips to confirm her premonition.

    <strong>¡°I¡¯m sick, Rafael¡­.¡±</strong>

    At that moment, Rafael¡¯s hand, which was pressing on her forehead to stop the bleeding, lost its strength. His enraged face looked down at Ate¡¯s tearing eyes. Rafael tried to spit out his usual snide quibble, but nothing came out this time. A few secondster, he managed to open his mouth to rebuke her.

    <strong>¡°Of course it will hurt. The skin on your forehead is torn.¡±</strong>

    Even though his empty words did notfort her much, the sharp thorns that were usually present in his cold voice had now softened.

    With a new courage, Ate carefully reached out and grabbed the hem of his shirt. The shirt curled in the palm of her hand was warm as it radiated the heat of his body.

    Rafael¡¯s gaze naturally averted to Ate¡¯s hand that held the hem of his shirt. There was still some blood on her hands. Ate, who realized this toote, quickly yanked her hand back. The color of the shirt was dark, so it didn¡¯t show any spots, but she was worried whether Rafael would like getting blood on his clothes. Ate absentmindedly muttered an excuse.

    <strong>¡°Sorry. I¡¯m just a little dizzy¡­¡±</strong>

    Rafael bent slightly to listen to Ate. Ate thought he was trying to shake off her hand holding the hem of his clothes. But Rafael unexpectedly supported the back of her knee, and lifted her up. And he started taking big strides towards the mansion.

    Ate was startled by his unexpected kindness. Suddenly, her feet lifted off from the ground, and her vision was a little blurry as the feeling of spinning overcame her. She subconsciously clutched Rafael¡¯s shoulder but thinking of her blood stained hands, she hurriedly removed it. This was the second time that she had stained his clothes.

    <strong>¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rafael. I stained blood on your clothes¡­¡±</strong>

    <em>There were so many things she was sorry about today.</em> Rafael did not respond to her apology, and hurried a little further. As he nced down at her wound, he could see Ate¡¯s blond hair drenched in blood. <em>Instead of worrying about all the blood flowing from her wound, she was worried about his damn shirt getting stained.</em> Rafael was truly dumbfounded.

    Ate¡¯s body swaying in his arms was unnaturally light. She was very soft, slender, and smelled surprisingly good. She was so needlessly weak that such a minor wound made him feel sorry. <em>Yeah, anybody would have been.</em>

    Rafael was so unfamiliar with such a fragile appearance. He was worried he might break her, so he focused on reaching the mansion quickly. After flinging the front door open, he quickly strode up to the second floor while holding Ate carefully. Then he slowlyid her down on the sofa in front of Ate¡¯s bedroom.

    <strong>¡°Thank you, Rafael.¡±</strong>

    Ate said in a faint voice. Her face had be pale. Rafael turned his back and went away without a word. The icy wind that he caused while hurrying out caressed Ate¡¯s cheek. Ate closed her eyes as she looked at the back that she was so familiar with.

    After a while, three maids rushed to look at Ate. <i>¡®They must have been sent by Rafael.¡¯</i> They wiped the dried blood off her body with a soft cloth soaked in warm water, and bandaged the wound after applying some haemostatic medicine. Then, after drinking enough water, Ate wasid on the bed.

    <strong>¡°Sleep a little, madam. You¡¯ve lost a lot of blood, so you need to rest.¡±</strong>

    Ate, who was already exhausted, nodded her head weakly. It was still in the afternoon, so the sun was high up in the sky. But she really didn¡¯t have the energy to open her eyes and so, Ate was sucked into a deep sleep .

    * * *

    The moon was especially bright that night. Ate woke up from her sleep and got out of her snow-white bed. Although she was still a little dizzy because of her wound, she was in much better shape than before because she slept so well. She fell asleep in the afternoon, so she thought she had woken up at dawn.

    <em>¡®I¡¯m thirsty.¡¯</em>

    Ate thought nkly. Maybe it was because she lost a lot of blood, Ate, who was generally afraid of the dark and did not go out alone anywhere at night, suddenly had the courage to go out. It was because the bright moonlight today was enough to give her some courage. She carefully stepped out into the hallway with a lightedmp by her side. She just wanted to drink water quickly and then go back to sleep.

    <i>~Whoosh</i>

    She could hear the howling of the winds through the closed window of the hallway. Ate shivered hearing the dreadful noise. The wind has been unusually strong since the morning, and it seemed like it was going to rain tomorrow. Ate¡¯s steps that were going downstairs without much thought, suddenly stopped.

    <strong>¡°Rafael?¡±</strong>

    <span> Only

    She could hear Rafael¡¯s voice mixed in with the sound of the wind. They used the same floor as a couple, but their rooms were far from each other at the end of the hall.

    The way to Rafael¡¯s room through the dark corridor was frightening. But Ate decided to show some courage. She was worried about Rafael, and she had even gotten some help from him today. Ate carefully lifted themp and took a step forward.

    <em>¡®I¡¯m just checking to see if Rafael¡¯s okay.¡¯</em>

    Rafael loved to drink alcohol. He drank more especially at night. <em>Maybe he was vomiting or suffering from alcohol poisoning.</em> She had heard that some people could choke on their vomit sometimes. <em>What if Rafael did too?</em> Ate was concerned about him.

    Ate, holding amp, carefully stepped towards his room. When she arrived at the door, she could hear the faint sound of metal shing from inside and someone shouting and sobbing. It was a sound that had never been heard in the bedroom at thiste hour. Surprised, Ate hastily knocked on the door.

    <strong>¡°Rafael, are you okay? This is Ate.¡±</strong>

    There was no answer from the inside. Ate kept knocking at the door and stamping her feet, but Rafael remained silent. But she could hear him faintly groaning through the thick door, so it was clear that he was inside.

    <strong>¡°Rafael, are you sick? I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m going inside.¡±</strong>

 Chapter 15.8: c13.2

    Ate bravely pushed the door open and stepped inside. Unlike her, who was afraid of the dark, Rafael did not leave the lights on. Fortunately, the moon was very bright today, so the interior of therge bedroom could be seen.

    Ate looked around and found Rafael¡¯s figure in it. But he was neither on the sofa nor on the bed. This made her wonder if she had heard wrong. If it wasn¡¯t for the strange noiseing from the corner of the wall, Ate might have left the room.

    <i>~Chiinng</i>

    A strange scraping sound, like a stone or metal being dragged, entered her ears. Ate whirled to look at the corner, obscured by the shadow of the bed. The eerie metallic sound wasing from the dark corner. Ate¡¯s hand trembled with fear, but she plucked up her courage and walked towards it, themp illuminating her way.

    <b>¡°Rafael?¡±</b>

    Fortunately, the man standing in the corner was a man she knew very well. Rafael was half-naked without a shirt, as was usually the case at night. Seeing the familiar silhouette, Ate felt d but hesitated to approach him. Something was wrong.

    Rafael was currently the most distinguished swordsman in the Deltium Kingdom, and was highly sensitive to his surroundings. But now, he didn¡¯t seem to sense Ate¡¯s presence. There was a longsword in Rafael¡¯s hand, and he was swinging it against the wall. The strange frictional sound that Ate heard was the sound of this de hitting the wall.

    Ate, surprised by Rafael¡¯s unusual behaviour, took a breath and stepped back without knowing it. Even though it was quite loud, he still stared at the wall with unfocused eyes. Whenever Rafael¡¯s sword hit the wall, the de dragged along, producing a creepy noise.

    <b>¡°What are you doing now, Rafael? Oh my goodness! Are you all right?¡±</b>

    Ate asked while shaking. However, Rafael didn¡¯t seem to understand her. The deep blue eyes, which could be seen through the half-opened eyelids, were unusually cloudy. His face was expressionless, but somehow he still looked enchanting. The moment she saw his peculiar state, Ate recalled a simr condition.

    <i>¡®You¡¯re sleepwalking.¡¯</i>

    Ate felt like someone was suffocating her. She had been married to Rafael for five years in her previous life, but she had no idea he had this condition.

    It was no wonder that Rafael never fell asleep in the same bed as Ate. After spending the night with her, Rafael would go back to his bedroom as if there was nothing more to do. Rafael¡¯s cold attitude of drawing the line was quite hurtful to Ate.

    But now that she thought about it, Rafael might not have wanted to be seen in such a condition by her. He was a man of great pride. When she thought about it, Ate grabbed her chest. Unknowingly, a lone tear slid down her cheek.

    <i>~Chiinng-Grunnng</i>

    In the midst of this, Rafael continued to sob and swing his sword against the wall. At first, she didn¡¯t see it because it was dark, but this didn¡¯t seem to have happened only once or twice. The walls that were exposed in the moonlight, were covered with scratches. Rafael¡¯s forehead was already wet with cold sweat.

    <i>¡®What do I do?¡¯</i>

    Ate hesitated, but she couldn¡¯t just leave Rafael in this state. If she turned a blind eye to him, Rafael would repeat this act alone all night long in thisrge dark room, suffering from endless nightmares. When she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t stop her steps.

    <b>¡°Rafael¡­¡±</b>

    Ate cautiously reached out and wrapped her hand around the sword. Then Rafael looked back at her with bleak eyes. The face looked awfully confused, so Ate wasn¡¯t sure if he hade to his senses or not. So, she kept talking to Rafael in the softest voice possible.

    <b>¡°Stop it ande here, Rafael. Hello? This way. Hold my hand and follow me.¡±</b>

    Ate first led him to a sofa and, fortunately, Rafael followed her. Ate tried to take away the sword from him before he sat down but Rafael held it firmly and refused to loosen his grip on it. Rafael, who was looking at her with quivering eyes, soon opened his mouth.

    <span> Only

    <b>¡°Robert, how are you here? You, you must be in the front line defense battle¡­ ¡­ No, no. Are you alive? That¡¯s right, that must be it. I knew it.¡± </b>

    Rafael¡¯s zed eyes did not recognize Ate. Ate felt embarrassed by the gibberish words flowing out of his mouth. Now, Rafael¡¯s mind had returned back to the battlefield he had been on several years ago. To that hell where blood, shouts, and death ran rampant.

    Rafael was originally an illegitimate child of the royal family. The present King Selgratis had quite a few children from outside, and so he was considered nothing special. But Rafael was a born swordsmanship genius. He confidently demonstrated his ability in the war. For this reason, Selgratis recognized Rafael as his own son and gave him a title.

    Among the old aristocratic families, Rafael was unrivalled. Although he was criticized by the aristocrats who valued pedigree, he always raised his chin proudly and had an arrogant aura. However, behind Rafael¡¯s proud and arrogant mask was a distressed soldier who had not yetpletely escaped from the horrors of the battlefield.

    <b>¡°Where are the enemies? They¡­.. Ah, I hear their shouts. That noise is too loud, Robert, I¡¯m going to kill them all.¡± </b>

    Rafael¡¯s eyebrows were painfully knitted, and his grip was tightened. Ate nearly cut her arm as he suddenly raised his sword. Fortunately, the sleeves of the fluttering gown saved her. Thankfully there was no blood.

    <i>¡®What should I do?¡¯</i>

    Ate bit down on her lips hard.

 Chapter 15.9: c14

    Chapter 15.9: c14

    Tranted by Ailee

    Edited by Mori

    Honestly, it would be a lie if she said it wasn''t scary. She was now in a dark room alone with a man muchrger than herself. He wasn''t in his right mind and was even wielding a sword. She was scared to death by this strange appearance of Rafael.

    ¡°Rafael¡­¡±

    But Ate didn''t want to leave him all alone here. It was true that she was frightened, but she had now witnessed the weakest moment of Rafael that he had spent so long hiding. Ate somehow felt a strong sense of gratitude towards him. So with great courage, she gently wrapped Rafael''s cheeks with both hands.

    ¡°Shh, Rafael. The war is already over. You are safe now, and nothing will happen to us. So put your sword down ande here. Yeah?¡±

    Ate whispered tenderly and gently patted his cheek. Her small but warm hand caressed Rafael''s face, neck and arms several times. His distressed expression gradually disappeared, and his taut body slowly rxed.

    ~Clink.. ng¡­

    Finally Rafael let go of the sword and it fell on the floor. Fortunately it fell on the carpet, so it didn''t make much noise. Ate gently knocked the hideous thing away from his feet. She sat on the couch and half-hugged the exposed upper body of Rafael.

    With both her small hands, she gently pressed down on his hard bare chest, so that he could fall down on the sofa. Once he wasid on the sofa, Ate exhaled a huge sigh of relief.

    But it was still too early to rx her mind. Rafael, reclining on the sofa, looked down at his hands nkly. Then suddenly, he began to rub his hands roughly against his pants. After rubbing so hard against the coarse fabric, the back of his elegant hand quickly turned red. Her sigh of relief soon turned into a long exhale.

    ¡°Look at this. Blood.. it''s blood, isn''t it? I wasn''t trying to do this, Robert.. You know what I mean? I didn''t want to, but ¡­ I could do nothing about it.¡±

    Rafael, who was rambling ceaselessly, soon buried his face in both hands as if he was in great pain. The appearance of the veins emerging on the back of the hand as he applied strength to his hands, was horrific. Ate, who saw this, sat by his side, grabbed his formidable veiny hands and gently pressed on it.

    ¡°I know. Of course, you''re not bad at all, Rafael. So now stop making yourself suffer and rest. Now, would you like to lie down this way?¡­Yes¡­ Like that.¡±

    Rafael seemed to calm down a little, and then followed her hand andy down with his head on her knees. Because he was so tall, his legs hung off of the sofa a little, but at least he looked much morefortable than before. All that was left was to let Rafael have a peaceful sleep.

    Underneath his longshes, his blue eyes stared nkly into space. His eyes, which seemed to be still wandering at the end of his nightmare, were bloodshot. Ate reached out in sorrow, closed his eyelids, and stroked his shoulders. However, Rafael couldn''t fall asleep and was gasping again and again.

    ''How do I get him to sleep?''

    Ate thought about what she could do for Rafael. Fortunately, after searching her memories, she was able to think of a luby. Her parents didn''t care about her enough to sing a luby to their young daughter, so her nanny must have sung it. Ate, who cleared her throat, started singing a little awkwardly.

    Good night, darling.

    When the silver bead-like moon hangs on the ck ridge

    When the soft spring breeze that kissed the flowers blows.

    When the bubbles pop and rumble and then again grow over the ocean.

    You will fall asleep

    You''ll fall asleep in my arms.

    Ate''s low, soothing humming filled the silent room. At the same time, her soft hands gently stroked Rafael''s head as if he was a helpless lovely child.

    Ate''s luby worked better than she thought. Rafael''s rough breathing died down, and the movement of his eyes, which were shaking unsteadily behind his closed eyelids, stopped suddenly. After a while, there was a sound of even breathing. Rafael had finally fallen into a deep sleep.

    Ate looked down at him, now only humming the melody of the luby. Rafael''s face while sleeping so peacefully, looked very exhausted. He must have been suffering from sleep problems for quite some time.

    Only now did Ate understand why he was drunk every night. Even now, Rafael''s even breath smelled faintly of alcohol.

    ''It was because of insomnia.''

    Under the strict discipline of the Duke of Bavaria, Ate led a diligent life. She always got up early in the morning and started her day. On the other hand, Rafael would only wake upte and appear past noon with bloodshot eyes. Ate once really disliked this appearance of Rafael.

    Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks

    But now that she saw Rafael''s weakness, she felt sorry for him. Ate was well aware of what these symptoms of Rafael were.

    ''This is¡­.. probably the aftermath of the war, right? The war must have created a trauma for him.''

    The Kingdom of Deltium was at war a few years ago. This was because the insurgent forces of Letan kingdom, a neighboring country that they upied more than 100 years ago, rose up. They imed for the independence of Letan, which had already been merged to the Deltium kingdom, and started a war. They even brought in the foreign powers to raise the stakes. For this reason, Deltium also had to shed quite a bit of blood to suppress it.

    Rafael fought on the front lines in the war. He built a big army with his overwhelming skills and relentlessness, and got a sweeping victory in return. Even then, he continued to stick to his arrogant attitude of¡°Of course it was just natural.¡±

    In fact, Rafael was a self-righteous, and proud man. He was as cold and firm as a well-forged-out Mithril*, and nothing seemed to hurt him. So no one, even his wife, Ate, knew the darkness hiding behind his pride.

    (T/N: It seems author is a Lord of the Ring''s fan.)

    ¡°You stubborn idiot.¡±

    Ate touched Rafael''s sculpted cheek and whispered in a small voice. While asleep, his delicate eyebrows and forehead wrinkled in a frown. It seemed as if his beastly sixth sense had noticed Ate looking at him and calling him an idiot.

    When she saw that, Ate somehow burst outughing. No matter how angry Rafael was now, it seemed that he would not be as scary as before. She also found out that he was a normal person with his own scars and heartache.

    ¡°Good night, Rafael. My brave husband.¡±

    Ate whispered in his ear, hoping that Rafael would rest in peace for today. Then the wrinkles on Rafael''s forehead smoothed out and disappeared. Ate, who saw this,ughed silently. So the peaceful night between the couple grew deeper.

    * * *

    The sunlight pouring through the window was dazzling. Rafael, who reflexively frowned, felt weird before even getting up. Something was different from usual today.

    While he was still half asleep, Rafael realised he was in his best condition ever in recent years. He felt as if he had slept well after a very long time. The view of the room when he opened his eyes was simr to the usual, but there was something strange about it. He saw his feet sticking out over the sofa and realized why.

    ''It seems I had fallen asleep on the sofast night.''

    It wasn''t so strange that the bed changed. Rafael was well aware of his sleepwalking tendencies. He probably slept on the sofa while moving around in his sleep. Maybe he fell down on such a small sofa and slept morefortably than ever. ''What a funny thing to do.''

    Anyway, Rafael, who had a good night''s sleep, felt pretty good. It had been such a long time since he was in such good shape like this. He wanted to go out and practice his swordsmanship skills to be a Sword Master. As he tried to get up, he suddenly realized that there was something very soft and warm, underneath him. After confirming the identity of what he was sleeping on, Rafael was confused and could not think about anything properly. He wondered if he was still dreaming.

    ¡°Why is she here?¡±

    On the corner of the sofa, he saw Ate sleeping. With a bandage on her injured head, her face seemed unusually small and pale.

    Rafael gazed at her lowered eyshes and slightly open, petal-like lips. Admiring her beauty, he inadvertently reached out and touched Ate''s cheek and neck. He said to himself it was to check her body temperature, but truthfully , there was something strange inside him that made him want to touch Ate. The feeling of her skin on his fingertips, was as smooth as silk.

    Fortunately, even though Ate''s temperature was a little low, it was still in the normal range. The wound had now closed and didn''t seem that sinister. Rafael lifted his hands and clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

    ¡°If you''re hurt, you should stay in your room and rest. Why are you..¡±

    The face of Rafael, who had been thinking so far, suddenly hardened. An ominous feeling ran through his head. Rafael unknowingly grabbed Ate''s shoulder and roughly shook her to wake her up. Ate, who was violently dragged out of her dreams, woke up gasping in surprise.

    ¡°Rafael?¡±

    Rafael red at her reaction. She looked like a rabbit caught in a trap. He locked her in his arms to prevent her from running away. He then bowed his head to keep his eyes levelled with hers and questioned her in an eerie voice.

    ¡°Did you see it?¡±

    ¡°What? What do you¡­¡±

    ¡°Last night, did you see me?¡±

    Ate who had just woken up was a little puzzled at Rafael''s sudden weird mood. But hearing his words, she soon realized what he was asking. His blue eyes, ring at her, were pretending to be angry, but they quivered a little with anxiety. The proud Rafael must have been worried that she might have seen his sleepwalking episode.

    How should I answer this?Ate gulped down her saliva.

    Chapter end

 Chapter 15.10

    Ate decided to protect Rafael¡¯s pride by lying first. She lowered her gaze and exined quietly, in case Rafael might find out her lie.

    <strong>¡°No, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, but I just found the wrong room. I woke up thirsty at night yesterday, but it was too dark to go back to my room after drinking water. So, I came into your room by ident. I was going to go back to my room when it was dawn, but I guess I just fell asleep while sitting on the sofa. Sorry.¡±</strong>

    Fortunately, Ate¡¯s face seemed very sincere, so Rafael was a little dubious. While he was contemting, Ate slipped under his arm and prepared to escape.

    <strong>¡°I won¡¯t do that again. I¡¯m sorry. Then I¡¯ll leave you here¡­.. Yaah!¡±</strong>

    Rafael grasped Ate¡¯s waist from behind and bit her auricle which was revealed through her hair. She seemed to be hiding something, but he couldn¡¯t question her because he didn¡¯t rememberst night.

    Rafael bit Ate¡¯s ears several times with resentment, and then licked up the fleshy nape of her neck. She tasted indescribably sweet. What was started in half annoyance, got his sturdy lower body up early morning.

    <i>¡®Should I just do it?¡¯</i> Rafael thought while looking down at Ate, who was gently embraced in his arms. But the white bandage wrapped around her little head bothered him. Rafael preferred rough sex, but if he rolled Ate now like that, her wound might open and bleed again. Anyway, she was such a weak woman.

    <strong>¡°Go. If youe into my room one more time, just know it won¡¯t end here.¡±</strong>

    Rafael threatened and pushed her away coldly. The way he turned his back against her, he seemed to be quite angry. Ate nodded and hurried out of the room. Although he didn¡¯t seem to be fooled by her lie, it was fortunate that she could escape the situation.

    Ate wiped her ear and nape, wet with Rafael¡¯s saliva, with her sleeve. He especially liked to lick and bite Ate. This point had not changed from the past till now. After all, her husband was a beastly man.

    * * *

    A few dayster, after finishing his afternoon training, Rafael came into the mansion wiping his sweat. His expression was horribly distorted. It was because a few days had passed since he couldn¡¯t sleep properly. Certainly, theck of sleep for a long time had a profound effect on Rafael¡¯s sword skills.

    <i>¡®I was in much better shape when I slept well.¡¯</i>

    Rafael clicked his tongue, recalling how he slept on Ate¡¯s thigh a few days ago. That day, his body felt so refreshed that he attained outstanding achievements. That day, he felt as if he could reach the state of Sword Master soon. Rafael fell asleep that night, believing he would be the Sword Master the next day .

    But this all just remained as Rafael¡¯s illusion. He suffered from sleep disorders again, and his performance with the sword also receded. ¡®<i>At this point, I would rather sleep with Ate.¡¯ </i>Rafael¡¯s delicate eyes were filled with irritation.

    <i>¡®She would certainly look at me like I¡¯m a funny person!</i>¡®

    After all, it was he who had told her not toe into his bedroom, and now it was also him who wanted to desperately sleep with her. It was obvious what Ate, a member of the prideful Bavarian family, would think of him. However, she was his wife anyway, and she had to fulfill her duty to sleep with him. And by now, the wound on her head had healed, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about it opening again.

    Rafael decided to think as he pleased. Of course, he couldn¡¯t tell if it was a nasty coincidence or Ate¡¯s warmth that helped him have a good sleep. But now, he really wanted to find out. Due tock of sleep, his blue eyes were bloodshot.

    Entering the mansion, he looked around with hungry eyes and questioned a maid who was passing by.

    <strong>¡°Where¡¯s te?¡±</strong>

    The maid¡¯s pupils quivered as it was the first time she was talking to Rafael. Even though she had been working several years as a maid in the Carnesis Mansion, it was the first time she had spoken to her young and fierce master. The maid answered quickly, bowing her head too politely.

    <strong>¡°Her Majesty has gone out today. She has left a note for you, would you like me to bring it?¡±</strong>

    <i>Out? </i>Rafael¡¯s handsome forehead knitted in frown. He felt a strange feeling of betrayal because he thought Ate had gone to her parents¡¯ home. Rafael still hadn¡¯t forgotten the butler¡¯s insult and the tant disrespect her family showed by returning the wedding gifts.

    <i>¡®In front of me, you pretended to be on my side.¡¯</i>

    Rafael frowned. He didn¡¯t want to admit it but he was starting to have a little faith in her. It seemed Ate was always on her family¡¯s side, and by now she must be swearing and cursing him there. If she was indeed a crafty Bavarian woman, then that was all there was to it.

    Rafael clenched his teeth and instructed the maid to bring the note to confirm the truth. Rafael snatched the note from the maid and nced down on it.

    <b><i>¨C Dear Rafael.</i></b>

    <b><i>I¡¯m going to the pce today. My new sister-inw, ire Lucid Bavaria, from the Chapelle Empire, is staying at the Deltium Pce for the first time. So to say hello to ire, I will visit the Imperial Embassy east of the pce. I¡¯ll be back in time.</i></b>

    Rafael¡¯s expression as he looked at the light pink scented note paper became strange.

    Well, it seemed Ate didn¡¯t go to that damn Bavarian Duke, so his anger quickly cooled down. However, the reason why Rafael¡¯s expression was so strange wasn¡¯t just because his presumptions about Ate were wrong.

    Graceful Ate Bavaria, who had been thoroughly brought up as a youngdy of a powerful Ducal House, had¡­¡­unexpectedly, a very bad handwriting. It seemed that she had tried to write it down while pressing the pen hard on the paper, but it smeared the ink and made the note look even more messy. It was amazing to see that even though she wrote with the finest pen and a high-quality paper, the result could be like this.

    <strong>¡°The pce.¡±</strong>

    Rafael, who held the letter paper, was lost in thought for a moment. He thought Ate was probably now sitting with her new sister-inw, ire, and drinking tea in a friendly way. He could imagine the appearance of the two women, wearingrge puffy dresses decorated with ribbons and feathers while eating pink desserts. Perhaps they would curse and badmouth him to apany their desserts.

    Rafael frowned. He hated the arrogant Bavarians. Especially the Duke of Bavaria who didn¡¯t leave a chance to insult him whenever he saw Rafael in the royal pce. And the greatest irony was that, now, he was his father-inw.

    The world sometimes seemed moreedic than aedy.

    ¡®<i>But Ate Bavaria is, well, not that bad.¡¯</i>

    Rafael, who inadvertently gave a generous evaluation of Ate, clicked his tongue. Maybe this after all was Ate¡¯s intention. She may be fooling him with her gentle and courteous face andughing at him for being stupid behind his back.

    The thought of it made Rafael feel somehow dirty. He couldn¡¯t let her denigrate him before her new sister-inw who came from the Chapelle Empire. Rafael also felt the need to go to the royal pce. He had so many questions to ask his father, the current king of the Deltium, Selgratis. Especially about Ate Bavaria.

    Rafael frowned at the thought of his father, who always smiled suspiciously at him. He hated going to the royal pce, but sometimes like a pitiful noble beggar, he had to endure what he hated. He had a hunch that today would be a very unpleasant day.

    * * *

    Ate¡¯s tea time was neither pink nor sweet, unlike Rafael¡¯s expectations. Her new sister-inw¡¯s wrist, tilting the teacup across from her, was quite sturdy. It was clear that the hand was more familiar with wielding a sharp sword than an elegant tea cup. What was seen under the table was not the hem of a rich dress, but a pair of pants of a knight.

    Ate looked at her new sister-inw, ire. With her blue hair cut short below her chin, she was an androgynous beauty. She was also an outstanding knight who headed the 3rd Knights Division of the Chapelle Empire. Feeling Ate¡¯s gaze, she put down her teacup and started apologizing out of the blue.

    <strong>¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t attend your wedding, Ate. I was on a really important mission at that time.¡±</strong>

    ire¡¯s ent, mixed with the Chapelle people¡¯s ents, sounded more harsh. But under her cold-looking appearance, she was actually a very sweet-tempered person. She still seemed to be remorseful for not being able to attend Ate¡¯s wedding due to unavoidable circumstances.

    <strong>¡°No, I understand. The Empire was a mess at that time, right? There was an assassination attempt on the militarymander. My God, I¡¯m d the work went well.¡±</strong>

    Ate smiled and epted ire¡¯s apology. When hermander is on the verge of being assassinated, how can ire, a knight,e to her wedding? It wasn¡¯t something she couldn¡¯t understand. Not just ire, but her brother Arjen must have also been very busy.

    Blinking at the friendly response of Ate, ire jumped up from her seat and hugged her. ire, who looked much more dignified than most nobles, poured a shower of kisses on Ate.

    <strong>¡°You¡¯re so pretty! How can one be so nice? If I were a man, I would have married you by all means, Ate Bavaria.¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°It¡¯s Ate Bavaria Carnesis now. Don¡¯t forget I am married.¡±</strong>

    Ate, swinging in ire¡¯s arm, said with a smile. Then ire stopped moving and let her go. All of a sudden, ire¡¯s expression became very serious.

    <strong>¡°So are you alright, Ate? You said that your husband is ¡­.. Rafael Carnesis. ¡°</strong>

    The smile on Ate¡¯s facepletely disappeared. She thought that just like other nobles, ire would also question Rafael¡¯s parentage. It wasn¡¯t so pleasant for Ate to hear about her husband¡¯s illegitimate birth. But what popped out of ire¡¯s mouth waspletely different and something that she never expected.

    <span> Only

    <strong>¡°Rafael, the Demon of the Battlefield, right? I heard he¡¯s into men. Rumor has it that he and his aide-de-camp were in a rtionship. Is he really gay?¡±</strong>

    [T/N: In the raws it says ???? (namsaekkaya) Well gay in korean is ?? (namseongae). Namsaekkaya would literally trante to indigo man, which means sodomite in korean. I¡¯ve just used gay here but the term namsaekkaya appears a lot in next chapter, so I¡¯ll be using sodomite for then.]

    Ate¡¯s smile stiffened at the unexpected words.

    ¡®<i>What the hell are you talking about? My husband is gay and is also into sodomy?!¡¯</i>

 Chapter 16

    Ate struggled to ovee her embarrassment. She knew better than anyone that Rafael wasn¡¯t a sodomite. To say he was gay¡­. it was too ludicrous. Once caught by Rafael, she could only be released after gasping underneath him until she was too exhausted. Ate, who remembered this, quickly denied.

    <strong>¡°No, ire. My husband is¡­ he likes women.¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°Are you sure? How do you know that¡­ Ah.¡±</strong>

    ire, who had been asking thoughtlessly, suddenly fell silent. ¡®<i>How do you know that?¡¯</i> As ire herself thought about it, the question was too ridiculous.

    ¡®<i>Of course they¡¯ve slept together since they are married. I¡¯ve been swinging my sword so muchtely that my brain seems to have be rusty.¡¯</i>

    ire had no intention of questioning her sister-inw¡¯s sex life, so she was very embarrassed. ire swept her short hair in an awkward way. Then suddenly, she came up with another question and asked Ate very carefully.

    <strong>¡°So, now he knows? Ate, that you¡­. That nothing happened between you and the Crown Prince?¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°That¡¯s right.¡±</strong>

    Ate¡¯s cheeks flushed as she recalled her first time. When she remembered Rafael¡¯s shocked face that night, sheughed a little. ire breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Ate¡¯s answer.

    <strong>¡°Yeah, of course he should know! Ate, is there any girl who is as diligent and kind as you? If your husband had neglected you because he believed in those vile rumors or whatever, I was going to ask for a duel.¡±</strong>

    ire¡¯s eyes were sincere. Ate, in a cold sweat, held her back and dissuaded her from thinking so. Though Rafael had a poor character, he was a brilliant and talented man, enough to win the Marquis title with his sheer swordsmanship skills. Although Ate loved ire, she was convinced that if the two fought, Rafael would definitely win.

    ire, after calming her excitement, lowered her deep blue eyshes and immediately fell in thought. Her pink lips, with nothing applied, posed a sharp question.

    <strong>¡°Your coachman who framed you back then, was his name Ivan? Has it been revealed who¡¯s behind it yet?¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°Yes, it¡¯s probably not that easy.¡±</strong>

    Ivan was a name that made Ate¡¯s heart beat faster every time she heard it. Ate wasn¡¯t able to be the Crown Princess only because of the false usation of one coachman. ire, biting her lips, muttered in an angry voice.

    <strong>¡°Honestly, it was that big jerk¡¯s doing. How dare he put such a terrible charge on you?¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°Sure.¡±</strong>

    Ate answered calmly. In her previous life, when she heard this story, she felt so bitter that her heart copsed and heat surged through her body. But, perhaps because of her regression, she was able to maintain a more objective attitude this time.

    <i>¡®Actually, the false usation of lobbying with the prince¡¯s body now seemed cute.¡¯</i>

    It was nothingpared to Ate¡¯s ¡®real¡¯ charge. There was a useless custom of having more than one candidate when selecting the Crown Princess. It was literally just a formality.

    Ate¡¯s contender at that time was Lady Celestine Keers, daughter of Marquis Keers. However, her family was very weak to evenpete with Ate and crucially, Ludwig liked her more. It was obvious to anyone that the next queen would be Ate.

    However, the world was a ce where one never knows what to expect.

    One day, Celestine, who returned from meeting the prince, suddenly went missing, and everything was turned upside down. The contender Celestine was kidnapped by some rascal on her way home.

    Fortunately, the kidnapped Celestine returned safely in a day. But the real problem was the identity of the person who kidnapped Celestine. As expected, it was Ate¡¯s personal coachman, Ivan.

    Ivan, who was interrogated, pretended to hold on a little and soon used Ate being all behind it.

    <strong>¡°It¡¯s not fair! I was just following Lady Ate¡¯s orders. How could a coachman like me dare to disobey a noble¡¯smand? I just did what I was told to, so please take my injustice into ount!!¡±</strong>

    Ivan¡¯s acting skills were truly outstanding. He cried so desperately that even Ate wondered if she had ever done that. ¡®<i>Was it as persuasive enough for others?¡¯</i>

    What followed was an obvious downfall. To her surprise, Ivan took the royal servants as his aplices. Ate was familiar with those servants as she had seen them quite a number of times when she entered and left the royal pce. Together, they all testified against her by saying, <strong>¡°The Princess of Bavaria did this.¡±</strong>

    Thanks to this, Ate became a terrible evil woman who was blinded by jealousy and tried to kidnap and kill her rival. The Marquis of Keers was very furious and insisted on Ate¡¯s punishment. However, the power of Ate¡¯s father, the Duke of Bavaria, was so great that it was all suppressed down very quietly. The king sided with Bavaria, saying, <em><strong>¡°Let¡¯s pass this quietly.¡±</strong></em>

    <i>¡®And then he married me off to Rafael.¡¯</i>

    Ate sighed as she recalled the painful memories for the first time in a long time. Ivan was her personal coachman who had driven a carriage for her for nearly ten years. She wanted to ask him why he did it, but it was impossible at this point. Ate slowly opened her mouth.

    <strong>¡°I don¡¯t know who¡¯s behind it yet. There is no way to even know if Ivan is dead or alive. Someone took him out of the royal prison. Maybe he was already killed in silence.¡±</strong>

    ire also guessed Ivan might be dead. Even if he was behind it, he still wouldn¡¯t have been left alive. It was fortunate that the terrible false usation on Ate was not known by anyone at all. Thanks to the thorough silence, only the involved parties knew about this.

    Well, in fact, it was also good for Celestine, the victim. As she was kidnapped for not more than a day, it was difficult for this to be known to the outside world. If people came to know Celestine had been kidnapped, how much would they have to say? Some of them sure would have spread malicious rumors about her. Then, even if she became a queen, her future would be a thorny road.

    <strong>¡°I thought about it, Ate.¡±</strong>

    ire suddenly lowered her voice as she lowered the teacup. Her intelligent eyes narrowed in suspicion.

    <strong>¡°Couldn¡¯t all this be a self-made y done by Celestine Keers?¡±</strong>

    Ate almostughed out loud. She was actually suspicious of Celestine too. Celestine lost nothing in this case. The kidnappers didn¡¯t touch a single hair of her, and the ¡®<i>silence</i>¡® was so good that her honor was also not lost. Crucially, she even took the ce of the prince¡¯s fiancee, which would not have been possible with her family status.

    On the other hand, Ate lost everything. Having endured all sorts of rigorous education to be a Queen, she fell into such a pit and was quickly tossed aside. On top of that, some people, including Rafael, believed in those false rumours and harshly criticized her.

    ¡®<i>It¡¯s so unfair.¡¯</i>

    Ate made up her mind. Although she couldn¡¯t get rid of the charge in her previous life, this time, she will prove her innocence at any costs. Just then, ire reached out and hugged tofort her.

    <strong>¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ate. It doesn¡¯t matter who¡¯s behind it. I¡¯ll make sure I catch those who have used you of such kinds of stuff. If they dare to ruin your future, wouldn¡¯t it be fair to break their limbs too?¡±</strong>

    ire smiled ferociously, revealing her teeth. But Ate, who had nned to catch the person herself, hugged ire without a word. Thanks to ire, who treated Ate like her own sister, she felt relieved. She believed in Ate¡¯s innocence.

    ¡®<i>I hope that someday, Rafael could also trust me.¡¯ </i>

    Ate thought to herself. In her previous life, she didn¡¯t get along very well with Rafael, so she had no way of knowing his thoughts. The only conversation they had were arguments and fierce criticisms. It wasn¡¯t until Ate was dying because of her illness, that Rafael became kind to her. But by that time, it was already toote.

    <i>¡®But still more than Ludwig¡­. I like Rafael</i>.¡¯

    Ate¡¯s cheeks flushed a bright red. She herself was surprised at her own thoughts. ¡®<i>I guess Rafael and I have been married for too long. I¡¯vee to think about things I¡¯ve never had in my previous life.¡¯</i>

    Prince Ludwig was also a handsome man with a delicate beauty, but Rafael was so sensual and manly that any woman would turn her eyes twice to look at him. Even Ate, who knew his dirty temperament thoroughly well, sometimes became nervous around him and her heart would flutter for no reason whenever she saw himugh.

    At first, she thought it would be a marriage in which she would only cry and eat ginger* at the king¡¯s rmendation, but it was not always bad. Anyway, Rafael didn¡¯t abandon Ate even when she was dying of illness. In that respect, Rafael was a very responsible husband. Atleast, he was much better than Ludwig, who turned away from her because he could not go against his father¡¯s order.

    [T/N: Eat ginger means to face difficulties]

    <strong>¡°So how is elder brother Arjen doing these days? Oh, is he still addicted to his work?¡±</strong>

    Ate decided to stop thinking about her husband. So, this time, she asked about ire¡¯s husband. Of course, ire¡¯s husband was Ate¡¯s elder brother, Arjen Bavaria.

    ire¡¯s face frowned when her husband was mentioned. Sheined, wriggling her eyebrows that were more handsome than a man.

    <strong>¡°Don¡¯t say it, Ate. I haven¡¯t been home for three weeks. Apparently, I heard he washes and sleeps in the royal pce¡¯s office. Someone might think he¡¯s a homeless man.¡± </strong>

    Ateughed as she recalled her elder brother, Arjen. He was recognized for his extraordinary brain early and went to study at the Academy of the Chapelle Empire. And afterpleting all his courses, he was taken to the office as a high-ranking official of the Chapelle Empire. Arjen¡¯s talent seemed to be too exceptional to be limited to the Kingdom of Deltium.

    Of course, her father, Amand did not like it very much. As soon as his studies were over, Arjen was supposed to return and receive his education as a sessor to the Bavarian family. But Amand couldn¡¯t do anything about it as the opponent was the Chapelle Empire! Even though Amanda did not like it, he had no choice but to let Arjen go.

    ¡®<i>It was probably the first thing that didn¡¯t go ording to my father¡¯s will.¡¯</i>

    Ate was envious of her great elder brother. The Chapelle Empire was muchrger than the Kingdom of the Deltium, and Arjen was always busy thanks to it. So he couldn¡¯te to Ate¡¯s wedding, which was suddenly held.

    Unlike ire, the valiant Knightmander, Arjen was a weak and nervous civilian-type of handsome man. ire and Arjen, who filled each other¡¯s shorings, were a very well-matched couple. At least that was what Ate thought.

    ¡®<i>Can Rafael and I ever be that kind of couple?</i>

    If it had been her previous life, she would have shook her head and said that it was absolutely impossible. But now, Ate could not be too sure. Rafael had changed as much as she had changed herself. It was truly a wonder.

    <span> Only

    ire nced at Ate who was deep in thoughts, and eventually put something out on the table. It was a small box wrapped in a rustling golden wrapping paper. Ate blinked as she saw the item, ire smiled brightly with an expectant look.

    <strong>¡°Ta-da! It¡¯s ate wedding present, Ate. Although it¡¯s not the marriage you wanted, I still hope you live well and happily. This is my sincere wish for you.¡±</strong>

    ire, holding Ate¡¯s hand, smiled affectionately like Ate¡¯s real sister. ire¡¯s family was actually full of haggard men so she found her new sister-inw, Ate very cute and pretty. Ate, who smiled happily at her congrattions, picked up the present and asked without thinking.

    <strong>¡°Thank you, Sister ire. But what¡¯s in here? It¡¯s very light.¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°Oh, that?¡±</strong>

    ire suddenly smiled sordidly. She lowered her voice and whispered secretly as if she was spewing state secrets.

    <strong>¡°Don¡¯t be surprised. that¡¯s¡­. It¡¯s a tremendous thing that will make even the gay men horny.¡± </strong>

    ¡­ <i>It was absolutely impossible not to be surprised after hearing such words.</i>

 Chapter 17

    Upon hearing the hint about the gift, Ate¡¯s eyes quivered. Her naive reaction made ireugh out loud and ruffle her hair. ire thought Ate was really very cute. At that moment, Ate unknowingly recoiled and let out a small scream.

    <strong>¡°Aah!¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°Huh? Did it hurt? I¡¯m sorry, Ate.¡±</strong>

    A surprised ire hurriedly lifted her hand and examined Ate¡¯s head. Her sharp eyes soon found a small scar on Ate¡¯s forehead. And at that moment, ire¡¯s face became cold.

    <strong>¡°Who did this, Ate?¡±</strong>

    ire¡¯s yful expression became grave in an instant. Even though she was asking who did it, she was quite certain of the culprit. In the first ce, only a few people could hurt Ate and that could only be the enemies of the Duke of Bavaria. Ate, who noticed ire¡¯s misunderstanding, quickly denied it.

    <strong>¡°No, ire. It¡¯s not like that. I just¡­ bumped into a pir by mistake.¡±</strong>

    Ate found this a little strange. Obviously, she was just telling the truth, but strangely it sounded like a typical excuse from a beaten wife. Naturally, ire¡¯s green eyes reflected her skepticism

    <strong>¡°What do you mean no? This damn sodomite Rafael dares to touch my sister..!¡±</strong>

    ire, who was thoroughly angry, jumped up from her seat with such force that it overturned the table. Because of this, ire¡¯s gift fell to the floor.

    Ate was moved by ire¡¯s words, <em>¡°My sister.¡±</em> But now was not the time to be moved. She quickly calmed ire down before she used Rafael of being a man who beated his wife.

    <strong>¡°Really, it wasn¡¯t Rafael! I hit my forehead against the edge of a pir while trying to pick up a book. Here, look closely at my wound here, you can see that it¡¯s not a wound that one would get when hit, but it¡¯s actually torn skin. Isn¡¯t it?¡±</strong>

    Ate swept her blond hair aside so that ire could see it in more detail. In fact,pared to the extent of bleeding, the wound was not very big, and it healed after a few days. Ate was amazed at ire¡¯s sharp senses. It was hard for her to see the wound because it was covered by her hair, but ire quickly found it out. It was simply amazing.

    ire opened her eyes and scrutinized Ate¡¯s wound. ire, who had been training as a Knight since she was a child, was familiar with injuries. Just as Ate said, the wound did resemble one that one would get on bumping into something.

    <strong>¡°Okay. But I¡¯ll be watching from now on, Ate. If he ever raises his hand on you, you can tell me anytime. I¡¯ll make sure to crush him.¡±</strong>

    <em>¡®How the hell are you going to crush him?¡¯</em> Ateughed at ire¡¯s bloodthirsty threat and her eyshes fluttered lightly. Although ire couldn¡¯t beat Rafael, it was reassuring to know that someone was on her side. This was why her brother, Arjen, was in love with ire.

    Ate was always used to the cold, menacing presence of the Bavarian family. She was so used to it that she did not even know that she craved for some familial love. Her brother, Arjen was kind but he was always busy because his brain was so extraordinary. The lone genius had no time to pay attention to his sister, who was five or six years younger than him.

    Ate wanted to be loved by her family, so she became a good child. She was especially under the illusion that if she met her father, Amand¡¯s expectations, he might love her. ¡®<i>How naive you were in the past!¡¯</i>

    ¡®<i>Although everything was already wrong at that point, I waspletely abandoned when I couldn¡¯t be the Crown Princess.¡¯</i>

    Now the only people who she could call her family were Arjen, CIaire, and Rafael. Of course, Rafael hated her, but maybe they could find apromise. Ate wanted to get along with him if possible. He was a better husband than she thought, contrary to his intimidating appearance.

    <strong>¡°Oh!¡±</strong>

    Just in time, ire bent over and picked up the gift that had fallen on the floor. It had fallen earlier when ire excitedly got up from her seat. Sheughed, giving Ate the gift back as if embarrassed by her impulsive behaviour.

    <strong>¡°Oh, I¡¯m d Rafael Carnesis isn¡¯t a son of a bitch who hits his wife. It¡¯s a hard-earned gift. I got it so I could get along with my husband. I still want to take it back now.¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°By the way, what¡¯s really in here?¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°Are you curious? If you¡¯re curious, go home and open it with Rafael Carnesis.¡±</strong>

    ire, with a mischievous smile, casually shrugged her shoulders and teased Ate. She did not tell her what was the present until they parted. Thanks to this, Ate had to walk with a vague expression, fiddling with the gift.

    <strong>¡°What the hell is in this box?¡¯</strong>

    ¡®<i>It must be something terrible to even arouse the sodomite men.. No way, it¡¯s not an aphrodisiac, is it? That¡¯s something illegal.¡¯</i> Ate looked down at the box with a stiff face as if she was looking at a bomb. Of course, that wouldn¡¯t make her see the object in the box.

    Ate decided to go home quickly and check out this suspicious gift. The ce where she met ire was west of the pce. Because of this, it took her quite a long walk to get to the south gate where her carriage was waiting. Naturally, Ate¡¯s footsteps became a little hurried.

    It was then, a long shadow suddenly fell in front of Ate. Ate¡¯s eyes widened, when she casually looked up and identified the owner of the shadow.

    <strong>¡°¡­. Greetings to the Little Sun of Deltium.¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°Ate.¡±</strong>

    The person in front of her was none other than Prince Ludwig. A man who she once believed she would marry. Also the man whom she after being framed, never met again.

    Ate was embarrassed to see him in front of her after a long time. In fact, it wouldn¡¯t be considered a long time if she considered her present life. But it was a reunion after nearly five years if her time before regression was also counted. In front of Ludwig, Ate , who was always polite, trembled secretly. The timing of the encounter was not so good.

    ¡®<i>There might be illegal aphrodisiacs in the gift box.¡¯</i>

    She couldn¡¯t believe she had to worry about this in front of the prince, who she had reunited with for the first time in five years. Ate became sad. The face of Prince Ludwig, looking down at her, looked very lonely. After a few seconds of silence, he reached out to his former fiancee.

    <strong>¡°You don¡¯t have to kneel before me, Ate. Get up.¡±</strong>

    Fortunately, Ludwig did not seem to be interested in the box that Ate was holding. His blue eyes were fixed as if they were nailed on Ate only. His eyes even looked pained.

    Ate didn¡¯t take his hand and she stood up on her own. Now that she was married to another man, this was right. When Ludwig noticed Ate¡¯s indirect rejection, he withdrew his hand and frowned.

    And in an earnest tone, he asked Ate.

    <strong>¡°If it¡¯s fine, l¡¯ll like to walk with you for a while. I have something I want to tell you.¡±</strong>

    At the unexpected suggestion, Ate closed her eyes and remained silent. Frankly speaking, she didn¡¯t want to do it. Taking a walk with Ludwig will do her more harm than good now. If anyone saw them like this, Ate would again be gossiped about how she still hadn¡¯t given up on the throne. If anything like that went into Rafael¡¯s ears¡­.. just thinking about it was terrible.

    Seeing Ate¡¯s hesitation, Ludwig reached out to her. His graceful fingertips were shaking a little. Ludwig, carefully grasped the end of her sleeve, decorated withce and whispered painfully.

    <strong>¡°Please, Ate¡­.please.¡±</strong>

    His face, which was just as beautiful as before, was pale with anxiety and nervousness. Seeing this, Ate let out a sigh. It wasn¡¯t like Ludwig did not know why or what he was doing this now. Ate looked around and eventually epted.

    <strong>¡°Instead, please bring at least four attendants with you. I have to go home before it¡¯s toote, so I can only talk for 30 minutes. Is that okay with you?¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°Of course, Ate.¡±</strong>

    Only then did a smile bloom on Ludwig¡¯s sad face. He quickly noticed why Ate was doing this. Ludwig beckoned towards four servants who were standing far away from them. Seeing the four servants following them, Ate felt relieved. At least, this was much better than walking alone with Ludwig.

    Fortunately, Ludwig led her to the Crown Prince¡¯s Pce. No one could enter this ce without Ludwig¡¯s permission. Naturally, the chances of their walk bing a social gossip were also lowered. It really was an excellent location.

    Sitting on a bench, Ludwig remained silent for a while. He seemed to be agonizing over what to say. Ate looked at Ludwig¡¯s side and waited patiently. He looked a little thin and more nervous than she remembered. Ate¡¯s eyes were full with pity seeing him like that.

    ¡®<i>You poor fellow.¡¯</i>

    Ludwig was a seemingly perfect man. He was tall and had a slender physique. His wless skin, and his features were as delicate and beautiful as a woman. In particr, the long silver hair that cascaded down to his waist shimmered like moonlight and made Ludwig¡¯s appearance stand out more. He was a man who would be soon crowned as the king.

    However, Ludwig had one fatal drawback.

    <strong>¡°Ate¡­.Oh!¡±</strong>

    <span> Only

    Ludwig, who was about to get up from his seat as if he had made up his mind, stumbled. He almost tripped over on his own feet. Ate caught his arm swinging in the air with familiarity and made him sit back. Ludwig liked to have his butt attached to one ce.* To his life. To the future of the Deltium.

    [T/N: To have one¡¯s butt attach to one ce means to remain still. What she means here is that he always remains still(or doesn¡¯t do anything) when ites to his life or the kingdom]

    <strong>¡°Are you all right, Your Highness?¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°Oh, thank you, Ate. What an embarrassment.¡±</strong>

    She helped him up. Ludwig who had a perfect appearance and seemed to be good at everything, was actually a far cry from it. He was terribly clumsy. Everything he did with his limbs turned out terribly. He would never dream of doing intense activities like sword practicing and horseback riding. Even on a t floor, he fell alone on his knees and ate dust.

    Ludwig, who had just now stumbled and got help from Ate, blushed. He took a deep breath and then turned his head to look at Ate. Ate looked at him blinking her eyes, wanting him to get up and say something.

    The moment their eyes met, a painful expression came on Ludwig¡¯s beautiful face. His crimson lips whispered painfully,

    <strong>¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ate.¡±</strong>

 Chapter 18

    Ate wondered what Ludwig was apologizing for. For Ludwig it was something that happened only a few weeks ago, but for Ate, who had returned, it was something that happened five years ago. Perhaps that¡¯s why Ate was able to look at him with an objective attitude as if it were someone else¡¯s business.

    <strong>¡°I, Ate¡­.So, I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t send ¡­ your wedding present.¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°It¡¯s all right, Your Highness.¡±</strong>

    It wasn¡¯t just an empty talk, it was really all right. Rather, if Ludwig, as her ex-fianc¨¦, had sent her a wedding gift, it would have been disastrous. By the way, even in this situation, the only thing he could say to her was ¡®<i>I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t send you a wedding present.¡¯</i> Unlike before, Ate felt that Ludwig¡¯s weakness was pathetic.

    When Ludwig noticed the tant criticism in her pink eyes, he bit his lips. With a character as delicate as his face, he hesitated for a while, unable to say something. Ludwig buried his face in both hands and confessed as if he was vomiting everything in his heart.

    <strong>¡°No, I¡¯m not actually sorry. I didn¡¯t want to send a congrattory gift to your wedding. So I didn¡¯t send one on purpose. In this case, I know I should say sorry, but to be honest with you, I¡¯m really not. I¡¯ve been looking forward to see you. I.. I¡¯ve always been sorry for that, Ate.¡±</strong>

    Ludwig muttered without any remorse and buried his face even deeper into his hands. At this point, it was confusing whether he was really sorry or not. Now all that could be seen of Ludwig was his pinna that peeked out through his long silver hair. His ears were turning red and he whispered bitterly.

    <strong>¡°What on earth should I do? To me, my only princess is you Ate.¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°Your Highness¡­¡±</strong>

    Ate, hearing Ludwig¡¯s confession, casted her eyes down in silence. She felt something hoting up from inside her throat. Of course, it wasn¡¯t because she was moved by Ludwig¡¯s words. Ate was actually trying to contain her anger.

    ¡®<i>You didn¡¯t do anything when I was framed.¡¯</i>

    Thanks to this, Ate was expelled from the nomination of the Crown Princess, and Celestine became his new fiancee. Of course, in the process, Ludwig was restless and even appealed that it was Ate whom he loved. But that was just all of Ludwig¡¯s ¡°effort.¡±

    Ludwig was always weak against King Selgratis. Ludwig, under the pressure of his father, finally stepped back and just watched her from a distance until she got married to Rafael. But now, he pretended to be remorseful and said, <i>¡®My only princess is you.¡¯</i>

    Ate was dumbfounded. If it hadn¡¯t been five years ago, by now she would have been blinded by anger and grabbed Ludwig by his cor. Of course, if she had done that, she would be taken to the pce dungeon No. 503 for the crime of touching the body of the royal family.

    Ate swallowed up her pent-up anger and reeled it in well. With a nonchnt smile, she poked Ludwig¡¯s sore spot.

    <strong>¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t say that. Now you have Lady Celestine Keers, don¡¯t you? She¡¯d be so sad to hear that. She likes you very much.¡±</strong>

    She did like Ludwig, to the point she dragged Ate through mud just to be a Crown Princess. Well, still it was just a family affair. Anyway, Ate¡¯s prickly and amiable tone made Ludwig¡¯s ears turn red. He couldn¡¯t raise his head and buried his face between his palms. Painful sobs escaped out of his mouth.

    <strong>¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­I¡¯m really sorry. Ate. But I can¡¯t really love Lady Keers.¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°But she¡¯s your fiancee now. Please try to get along with her well.¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°But Lady Keers is¡­. she¡¯s so different from you. She¡¯s too nervous and sensitive. I can¡¯t even imagine a future with Lady Keers. Just being together with her makes me tired.¡±</strong>

    After hearing Ludwig¡¯s words, Ate was puzzled. <i>Did Celestine Keers have such a sensitive personality?</i> When they often met as crown princess candidates, she seemed rtively indifferent. She was quite fond of Ludwig, so there¡¯s no way she¡¯d be nervous around him.

    But again,she didn¡¯t know her very well. If Celestine was the one who drove out Ate and took the crown by making her own y, it would not be strange if her true character came out slowly after bing the winner. Well, if she could plot to me Ate like that, she could be quite a vicious woman.

    Whatever it was, it wasn¡¯t the time to rush anything. Seeing Ate remain silent, Ludwig¡¯s head sank down more and more. Now the wordsing out of his mouth resembled a gasp.

    <strong>¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ate. Because I¡¯m this kind of man,¡­I¡¯m just sorry for you.¡±</strong>

    With his face hidden in his hand, the only thing she could hear from his serene figure was sounds of his breathing. His breathing began to get harder and faster. Ludwig seemed to be sobbing and gasping. He was too weak to deal with stress and fell into a mild panic.

    Fortunately, Ate was used to his seizures. When Ludwig had a seizure, it was nothing more than pouring oil into the fire if the person next to him was embarrassed. So Ate replied gently in a low humming tone.

    <strong>¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s all right. It¡¯s now all in the past. I have never resented you. Both me and Your Highness have done what we could, so there is only one thing left to do and that is to ept it and be okay with it. So please don¡¯t bother about it.¡±</strong>

    At first nce, Ate¡¯s answer sounded monotonous. But, this was one of the ways to alleviate Ludwig¡¯s nervous seizures. Fortunately, Ludwig¡¯s breathing subsided a little when he heard Ate speak. Ate, after confirming that it was effective, skillfully changed the subject.

    <strong>¡°Shall we think about something else? Well, there are vast stretches of wheat fields in the Chapelle Empire with no end in sight. Even if it¡¯s windy in summer, it is said that the field looks like it¡¯s covered with green waves everywhere. The wheat grains rub against each other, and a fresh smell of grass emanates from them. Someday I would like to lie there and take a nap while listening to the songs of therks. Perhaps their cheerful song is as beautiful as Your Highness¡¯ lute?¡±</strong>

    Ate¡¯s voice was sweet and calm. It was a quiet tone that was very pleasant to hear. The sounds of Ludwig¡¯s harsh breathing subsided as he listened to her words.

    Ate waited patiently for him to calm down. Although Ludwig was the only Crown Prince of Deltium, his disposition was frankly more of an artist than a ruler. Since birth, his path had already been decided, and it was quite painful because it didn¡¯t suit his aptitude. This was the main cause that induced Ludwig¡¯s asional seizures.

    ¡®<i>Well, he¡¯s a poor man.¡¯</i>

    Ludwig especially liked to y the lute. He could y very beautifully, but unfortunately, he didn¡¯t y it that often. This was because his father, King Selgratis, disapproved of Ludwig¡¯s hobby.

    King Selgratis hoped that Ludwig, his one and only legitimate son, would have more desire for power¡­. like Rafael. King Selgratis was a harsh father who pushed Ludwig to his limits for this point. He sometimes did not hesitate to evenpare Ludwig to Rafael. Thanks to this, Ludwig was very nervous about Rafael.

    Knowing this well, Ate looked at Ludwig with a slightly wistful look. Just in time, Ludwig holding his face, opened his lips with slightly reddish eyes.

    <strong>¡°Apart from you, who else would understand me, Ate? Now that I must marry another woman, other than you¡­ I do not want to. I don¡¯t think I can bear it.¡±</strong>

    Ludwig¡¯s eyes looked over Ate¡¯s head as he nervously spoke. The tall man could easily look down at Ate¡¯s little head.

    <strong>¡°I always thought that the crown of the Crown Princess would suit your blond hair. There is a very beautiful red ruby embedded in the crown. The crown would have shined more brightly on your blond hair and the red ruby would have made your pink eyes stand out even more. So¡­ I had been looking forward to the day when I could myself put the crown on your head.¡±</strong>

    Ludwig, who finished speaking, smiled wistfully. His fingertips hovered in the air as if he wanted to touch Ate¡¯s blonde hair. But he couldn¡¯t touch her. Now, Ate was the wife of another man, who happened to be his half brother, Rafael.

    Ate looked at such Ludwig without saying a word. As it wasn¡¯t a bad break-up, Ate also felt sorry for him. Ludwig was safe because he was a Crown Prince, but also at the same time he was unhappy because of it. He was rather a man who would have been much happier if he was born as a fourth or fifth prince. Then he could have lived a leisurely life away from the troubles of the throne.

    <strong>¡°Ate.¡±</strong>

    <span> Only

    At that moment, Ludwig, who rose from his seat, knelt before her. Then he bowed his head and kissed Ate¡¯s skirt affectionately. His silvery eyshes were dripping wet.

    <strong>¡°Sorry. Even though I believed in your innocence, I couldn¡¯t go against the strong will of my father. I know I was cowardly. But I also¡­. I can¡¯t live without you. Only you Ate Bavaria, it should only be you.¡±</strong>

    Ludwig whispered as he looked up at Ate imploringly. Ate was surprised by his unexpected words and jumped up from her seat without her knowledge.

    In the first ce, there was only one reason she epted Ludwig¡¯s request to talk. It was to say goodbye to him for thest time. However, the situation kept bing worse.

    <strong>¡°Your Highness, please don¡¯t do this. I am already married to Rafael¡­¡±</strong>

    Ate, who was trying to speak in a hurry, suddenly froze stiff in ce. Her eyes fell on the gift box next to Ludwig. The light box seemed to have fallen when Ate got up in surprise.

    It was okay until the box fell a little on the floor. ire also dropped it once. However, the box that fell to the ground twice in a row, as if to protest, opened and threw out its contents.

    And the true identity of the horrible gift that could make even the sodomite men go into heat¡­ was a <em>leather choker and a whip.</em>

 Chapter 19

    Seeing Ate suddenly stop talking and panic, Ludwig¡¯s gaze averted to where she was looking. He inadvertently opened his mouth after looking at the box.

    <strong>¡°Isn¡¯t that the box you were holding? Looks like its lid is broken, but don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll order the attendants to¡­.¡±</strong>

    Ludwig couldn¡¯t finish the sentence and his face hardened. It was because he realized quitete what the contents that came out of the box were. There was a sudden silence in the Pce that was earlier full of heartfelt atmosphere. It was a very, very heavy silence.

    Ate closed her eyes silently. At this point, she thought it would have been better if it was an illegal aphrodisiac. If that was the case, she could have at least made some excuse saying it was a perfume or a lotion. But at this moment, she didn¡¯t know how to exin the choker and whip.

    Amidst this silence, one of the attendants standing behind Ludwig, carefully approached them. With great professionalism, he picked up the box from the floor, gathered its contents and silently put it back in the box. Then, after cing it on the bench, he stepped back as if nothing had happened and returned to his original position.

    Meanwhile, Ate closed her eyes and prayed that the world would somehow perish at that moment. Of course, the world did not perish, and the time for exnation came. Before she knew it, Ludwig stood up from his seat and looked at Ate with quivering eyes. He stutteringly asked, not even knowing what he was asking.

    <strong>¡°Your¡­ no way, Rafael does that sort of thing to you¡­. ?¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°No, no. Absolutely not!!¡±</strong>

    A frightened Ate spoke with an unusually strong, shrill voice. Feeling a sense of crisis stronger than ever, she spit out whatever that came into her mind. It was the first time in Ate¡¯s prudent life that her words were ahead of her thoughts.

    <strong>¡°Well, that¡¯s because we have a dog in our house! It¡¯s really almost the size of a house, and I¡¯m sure Your Highness probably hasn¡¯t seen such a big sized dog. I wanted to educate myself about how to tame such a fierce dog, so I ced a special order¡­ Because it¡¯s a really big dog.¡±</strong>

    Somehow, the more she spoke, the more ufortable she felt. It was obviously an excuse that she made up, but strangely enough, she felt as if she was indirectly cursing Rafael. Feeling guilty, Ate closed her eyes tightly. At the end of her long, lengthy excuse, Ludwig epted it with a trembling look, as if he had been pushed by some momentum.

    <strong>¡°Well, I see.¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°¡­Yes.¡±</strong>

    Ate replied absentmindedly. She hoped the world would perish now, but unfortunately, Ate did not have the ability to make things happen as she wanted. In fact, she wondered whether she had any special abilities.

    Another awkward silence passed between Ate and Ludwig. Ludwig, who was standing in an awkward position, soon offered her a seat.

    <strong>¡°Let¡¯s sit down for now¡­ Let¡¯s sit down and talk.¡±</strong>

    He tripped over his words. Ate sat on the bench silently, just wanting to die. She just wanted to pick up the box and run away, but leaving without permission in front of the royalty was an insult and a punishable crime.

    Fortunately, Ludwig seemed to want to change the subject too. He was desperately worried about something, and soon opened his mouth.

    <strong>¡°I wasposing a new lute song the other day, do you remember? I just finished that song a few days ago. Would you like to listen to it?¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±</strong>

    Now whatever it was, it was fine. If only she could escape from this awkward atmosphere, Ate nodded soullessly.

    When Ludwig beckoned, one of the servants behind him ran and brought a lute. Ludwig, in his position, tried to calm his mind and began to y the lute. Even in this situation, Ludwig¡¯s lute performance was remarkably excellent.

    Ate closed her eyes and listened to the lute and tried to calm herself down.

    From Ludwig¡¯s delicate fingertips, a beautiful melody like a celestial song filled the air. Ludwig, who finished ying, opened his mouth with a more rxed expression than before.

    <strong>¡°This reminds me of old times. When I yed the lute, you would sit by my side and listen like this. Do you remember?¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°Of course I remember it.¡±</strong>

    Music certainly had the effect of softening the mood. Thanks to that, Ate also felt a little nostalgic. As she reminisced her memories, Ate¡¯s beautiful face, with her eyshes down, looked deep in thoughts. Ludwig looked at her with admiration and suddenly opened his mouth.

    <strong>¡°Ate, I have a request for you. Will you please listen to my request?¡±</strong>

    Ate, who looked up at Ludwig, did not readily ept his request. <i>¡®Don¡¯t tell me, he would again say something controversial like you are my one and only queen¡¯.</i> Ate was a little nervous about what woulde out of his mouth, but fortunately Ludwig wasn¡¯t greedy.

    <strong>¡°If it¡¯s okay, please sing along to my performance just like old times.¡±</strong>

    Under Ludwig¡¯s long silver eyshes, blue eyes resembling that of Rafael¡¯s gleamed brightly. Ate, who was worried about his unexpected request, agreed, since it wasn¡¯t a difficult request.

    Ludwig was very afraid of his father. And King Selgratis didn¡¯t like the sight of Ludwig ying musical instruments. For this reason, Ludwig used to use Ate to y his favorite lute. They closed the doors and windows tightly under the pretext of chatting, so that Ludwig could y the lute, without his father knowing

    The rumors that Ate threw herself at Ludwig to be the Crown Princess must have started because of this. Well, it would be obviously misunderstood if a grown man and woman were doing something alone in a closed room. They probably would think they had that kind of rtionship.

    Ate clicked her tongue with disapproval at her foolish past self. So she added one condition to Ludwig¡¯s request.

    <strong>¡°Of course. Since it is only one song anyway, let¡¯s just y it here. But after that, I really have to go. It¡¯s already veryte.¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°I understand. Thank you for listening and agreeing to my request, Ate.¡±</strong>

    Before he started ying, Ludwig looked at Ate with sorrowful eyes. When this performance would be over, she would go back home. To her husband and the house where Rafael is. And after that he and Ate would be strangers forever.

    Ludwig bit his lips. He had firmly believed that he would be Ate¡¯s husband, and he still wanted to be. Not Rafael, but him. He should have been Ate¡¯s husband. But it seemed that Ate had already acknowledged and epted Rafael as her husband. So Ludwig felt indescribably bitter.

    ¡®<i>Not only the father¡¯s affection but also Ate¡­ he took away everything.¡¯</i>

    A dark shadow passed over Ludwig¡¯s blue eyes. But now was the time to focus on Ate. Ludwigposed himself and soon began to y the lute. Just like the memory of those days, when he believed that he would put the crown of the Crown Princess on her blond hair himself.

    Ate gently closed her eyes and hummed to the tune. It was a song that she had already sung several times in the past. At first, her humming, which was nothing but a melody, soon turned out into a song.

    <i>The tip of your sword is the color of the cold winter.</i>

    <i>The roars of the boiling battlefields are the color of theva.</i>

    <i>Loyalty to the royal family is the color of the first leaves of evergreen trees.</i>

    <i>When the world goes round and round and all these colors melt together,</i>

    <i>I¡¯ll stamp my feet once and leave freely.</i>

    Ate liked to sing. Of course, she didn¡¯t have much skill because it was just a hobby, but the voice itself was soft and gentle. So it was worth listening to.

    Whenever she went in and out of the royal pce, she often joined Ludwig like she did today. Although her singing ability was not as good as before, it was still fun to sing like this after a long time. So Ate didn¡¯t realize that the lute had stopped ying at some point.

    <i>I will leave freely..</i>

    After finishing thest verse of the song, Ate opened her eyes and she was startled. This was because Ludwig, who was ying the lute a while ago, was lying on the bench with his eyes closed.

    <i>¡®Wait, did you really faint? Was my singing so terrible?¡¯</i>

    Frightened, Ate hurriedly got up from her seat and shook Ludwig¡¯s body. She thought Ludwig, who often had seizures, copsed again. Or he might have hit his head with his hand while ying the lute. That was possible because Ludwig was terribly clumsy.

    <strong>¡°Your Highness, Your Highness! Get a hold of yourself. Are you sick?¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°Um, Ate?¡±</strong>

    Fortunately, Ludwig quickly opened his eyes. She didn¡¯t know if he fainted or fell asleep for a while, but at least it didn¡¯t seem there was anything wrong with his body. Ludwig¡¯s eyes blinked for a couple of times and he yawned drowsily.

    <span> Only

    <strong>¡°Well, I guess I was so tired that I fell asleep for a while. I¡¯m sorry, Ate. Why am I suddenly so sleepy?¡­ That¡¯s really weird. I guess I¡¯m not feeling well. I¡¯m ashamed that I fell asleep after holding you back to talk to you. Go back home and please be careful on your way.¡±</strong>

    Ludwig said goodbye to Ate, speaking gibberish with his eyes half closed. His delicate eyelids had several wrinkles, although he was in a deep slumber. Ate was bewildered by the unexpected situation, but she had hoped for it anyway, so she quickly said goodbye to Ludwig.

    ¡®<i>That¡¯s weird.¡¯</i>

    Ate tilted her head as she looked at the back of Ludwig disappearing in the distance. Ludwig was very sensitive, so he did not sleep much. But still, he fell asleep while ying the lute, which he loved so much. It was not something that Ludwig would do.

    But there was something more surprising. Ate turned back without thinking and found the four attendants waiting a little further away. It was a burden for her to walk alone with Ludwig, so she had requested for the attendants to apany them.

    Apparently just a moment ago, they were standing upright, but now they all fell asleep while leaning on each other. Just like how Ludwig did.

    ¡®<i>What¡¯s going on here?¡¯</i>

    Ate stood still in ce, with her mouth hanging open in surprise.

 Chapter 20

    The attendants working in the royal pce were trained vigorously. They always held themselves upright and were careful with everything they did. Not only one, but all four of them fell asleep during work. It was something beyond conceivable.

    Feeling strange, Ate tested by shaking one of them awake. Then, just like Ludwig, the first attendant got up bewilderedly in a fit of surprise. He couldn¡¯t believe he dozed off while serving a distinguished guest who visited the Crown Prince¡¯s pce! There was nothing to say about this even if he was hit forck of discipline.

    <strong>¡°No, what kind of disrespect! I¡¯m really sorry, Marchioness of Carnesis. I sincerely apologize for my misconduct.¡±</strong>

    The attendant apologized politely to Ate, while covertly kicking his colleagues hard to awaken them. Shortly after, the other servants got up and then bowed their heads to apologize. Seeing them sway in the waves of drowsiness, Ate waved her hand and pardoned them, saying it was okay.

    The attendants who knew nothing, looked at Ate with twinkling eyes. Ate, who didn¡¯t get angry at them, smiled kindly and showed them mercy, was literally like an angel to them. It was a great pity that such a kind woman could not be the Crown Princess.

    But Ate¡¯s thoughts were a little different. As soon as she turned around, the smile disappeared from her face and was reced by a grave expression. At this moment, there was only one thought in Ate¡¯s mind.

    <i>¡®In the book, it was clearly written that the regressors have one special ability that they did not possess before. Maybe my ability¡­ Is putting people to sleep by singing. ¡® </i>

    A strange thrill passed down Ate¡¯s body, as she realised this. She had once put Rafael, who was suffering from insomnia and sleepwalking, to sleep.

    At that time, she thought that it was the effect of a good luby. But now that she looked back, she wondered if it was true that she used the ¡®<i>ability</i>¡® to put Rafael to sleep. She wasn¡¯t sure of anything yet. Ate, who was cautious in everything, decided to try this theory if it was possible.

    Although it was not a marvelous ability like spirit skill, it might be more useful in some cases.

    Ate, who had thought so far, felt goosebumps erupt on her skin. This was because she finally felt more than ever before, that she had really returned back to the past. She was really living a new life. And her future was entirely in her hands.

    * * *

    The day passed away quickly and the sun had already set. Before she knew it, it was already dark. The carriage going back home through the dark was slower than usual. However, Ate, who was deep in her thoughts didn¡¯t even realise this. She was contemting how to test her new abilities. So, she didn¡¯t even realise that they had arrived home.

    <strong>¡°We¡¯re here, madam.¡±</strong>

    The coachman carefully announced their arrival to Ate. Ate stepped out of the carriagepletely lost in her thoughts. But before her feet could touch the ground, suddenly her body was swept up into the air.

    <strong>¡°Ahh!¡±</strong>

    The unpleasant feeling of floating terribly surprised Ate. It was especially surprising because it happened while she was in the midst of her thoughts. Ate instinctively pulled whatever she could reach out to and clung on it. It unfortunately turned out to be Rafael¡¯s pitch-ck hair.

    It was Rafael who caught Ate from the carriage. He looked very displeased when Ate grasped his hair. Ate became still as a silent growl slipped out from his slightly parted lips.

    <strong>¡°Oh my, I¡¯m sorry. I was so surprised that I¡­¡±</strong>

    Ate quickly let go of Rafael¡¯s hair and apologised tremblingly. She was gasping for breath as she could not calm down her surprised heart. Looking down at such Ate, Rafael, who was about to hurl out some abuses, took a deep breath while clenching his teeth. He looked very fierce as if he was bearing something.

    ¡®<i>Why are you so angry?¡¯</i>

    Ate, who saw this, was overwhelmed with anxiety. Rafael¡¯s anger had nothing to do with her pulling his hair. He had been waiting for Ate in anger for some reason. The cold air of the night that had seeped into Rafael¡¯s cor proved this.

    Ate bit her lip because she didn¡¯t know why he was doing this. The whimsical and violent temperament of Rafael was a very difficult mystery for Ate. With a hardened face, Rafael questioned her.

    <strong>¡°Who did you meet at the pce today?¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°What? I went to see my sister-inw, didn¡¯t you see the letter I left?¡±</strong>

    Ate, who responded in a daze, realized something was wrong andmented at her stupidity. She didn¡¯t know how, but Rafael seemed to know that she met Prince Ludwig today. Only then did Ate understand why Rafael was so angry.

    In fact, it was natural for Rafael to be angry at her. His wife pretended to meet someone else, and had a secret meeting with her old fiance. Looking at Ate¡¯s embarrassed expression, Rafael felt even more cold and empty.

    <strong>¡°You said you¡¯d be back in time. You must have had so much fun that you didn¡¯t even realise so much time had passed, did you? Did he treat you so well?¡±</strong>

    Rafael¡¯s deep blue eyes looked colder than the ice in the North Sea. Even after returning, it was still painful to receive his hatred. Ate, with her eyes lowered pitifully, carefully reached out and grabbed Rafael¡¯s cor.

    <strong>¡°It¡¯s not like that, Rafael. I just bumped into him on my way back from seeing my sister-inw. The marriage was so suddenly broken off that we couldn¡¯t even say goodbye to each other properly. That¡¯s why I just wanted to finish that rtionship well. Now we will never have to face Your Highness again. I promise.¡±</strong>

    Ate raised her head and looked up at him with earnest eyes. Rafael looked back at her with a nk face without saying anything. Ate¡¯s face looked so naive and gentle that anyone would fall for her lies.

    However, Rafael was not fooled. He was in a very bad mood now. After reading Ate¡¯s letter, he headed to the pce. Of course, he didn¡¯t go to pick up Ate. He also had a business to visit the pce for.

    Rafael intended to meet his father, King Selgratis, and ask him about Ate. It was because the rumors that the king told him before the wedding were somewhat different from the reality. Rafael felt that he needed to check where the hell this discrepancy had originated.

    However, Selgratis did not meet Rafael. He acted as if he cared about Rafael in public, but in private, he avoided any exchange with him. It was all truly a pretense.

    Because of this, Rafael had to return from the royal pce. Naturally, he felt terrible, and decided to go back home with Ate. However, it was an apparent mistake in Rafael¡¯s judgment.

    <strong>¡°What the hell are you doing in the Pce of the Crown Prince?¡±</strong>

    When Rafael found out where Ate was, he was very angry. He wanted to see with his own eyes what the two lovers were doing, but the ce was the crown prince¡¯s pce. No one could enter the Crown Prince¡¯s pce without Ludwig¡¯s permission. It was also the same for Rafael.

    As he turned his back and came out of the pce, he felt more terrible than before. After returning to the mansion, Rafael gnashed his teeth and waited for Ate to return. Originally it didn¡¯t matter to him where she was or what she did, but Rafael didn¡¯t realize that his behavior was strange. As he looked at Ate trapped in his arms, he felt an anger that he could not understand.

    <strong>¡°Rafael, I¡¯m telling you. Nothing happened with His Highness. All we did was say goodbye. You can ask the servants of the Crown Prince¡¯s pce. You¡¯ll find out the truth.¡±</strong>

    Ate, with her eyes lowered, pleaded innocently. However, it seemed that today, luck was not on Ate¡¯s side. The coachman who was checking the carriage in the distance, came to her with something in his hand.

    <strong>¡°Madam, this is what you left here.¡±</strong>

    When Ate saw the gift box that the coachman had brought out, she gave up everything. A vainugh escaped out from her mouth. <i>God must have decided to abandon her today.</i>

    Rafael put her down on the floor, picked up the box and looked inside. Heughed sardonically after checking the contents of the box. The leather choker, held between his fingers, fluttered in the air. Rafael held it in front of Ate and spat out coldly.

    <strong>¡°Yes, you¡¯ll get a very interesting answer if you ask the pce servants.¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°No, Rafael! That¡¯s ire¡­Wait a minute.¡±</strong>

    Embarrassed by the growing misunderstanding, Ate hurriedly reached out and took away the gift box. She searched inside with unusually urgent hands. ire was the type who usually enclosed letters in gifts. Ate hoped that there would be a letter inside so that she could clear all the misunderstandings.

    Fortunately, an envelope attached to the inside of the box came into her hands. Ate quickly gave it to Rafael without even checking the contents of the letter.

    <strong>¡°Look, this is a gift from my new sister-inw. I really have nothing to do with the Crown Prince!¡±</strong>

    <span> Only

    Rafael frowned as he pulled out the letter and read it. His deep blue eyes slowly skimmed the contents of the letter. It only took a few seconds, but for Ate it felt like an eternity.

    Rafael with a sarcastic smile, brought the letter in front of her. There, in ire¡¯s unique sharp font, a concise sentence stood out. Ate didn¡¯t know whether that was a good or a bad thing.

    <hr>

    <i><b>I hope you have an exciting night with him, Ate! Make him call out your name by putting on that tight leash! </b></i>

    <i><b>Yours lovingly,</b></i>

    <i><b>ire</b></i>

    <hr>

    ¡®<i>Ah, ire¡­</i>¡® Ate covered her face with both hands without saying anything. She was frustrated. Her letter made it clear that it was a gift from ire. But it wasn¡¯t clear who ire¡¯s ¡®<i>him</i>¡® in her letter referred to, whether it was Rafael or Ludwig.

    The starkments that ire wrote and the leather choker in Rafael¡¯s manly hands, together made Ate even more embarrassed. She couldn¡¯t raise her head and prayed desperately to disappear from this world forever.

    But this time again, Ate¡¯s wish did note true. <strong>¡°Okay. What an exhrating farewell you had at the Crown Prince¡¯s Pce. Let¡¯s see how thrilling it was for you.¡±</strong>

    Rafael smiled cruelly, revealing his teeth and grabbed her arm.

 Chapter 21

    Now, all she had left on her body was a thin chemise. Ate pulled her arms and tried to cover her exposed chest. At that moment, something soft and prickly struck her ass.

    <strong>¡°Ahh!¡±</strong>

    Ate was startled and her body shuddered. The whip was made by trimming the softest leather several times, so it didn¡¯t hurt much. But she couldn¡¯t help but be startled whenever it struck her skin. Ate looked at Rafael with pitiful eyes, but he ignored her and ordered in a cold tone.

    <strong>¡°Don¡¯t cover it. Put your hands away.¡±</strong>

    Ate¡¯s pink eyes trembled when she heard those words. Rafael, seeing her pitiful eyes, raised Ate¡¯s chin with the tip of the whip.

    <strong>¡°You still want to pretend to be innocent?¡±</strong>

    His big, sharp eyes reminded her of a beautiful beast. Ate lowered her arms helplessly, feeling like a captured rabbit. Then Rafael slowly walked around her, looking at her naked body with fierce eyes. As his eyes fiercely raked her naked body up and down, Ate felt as if a fire was licking her exposed skin.

    Rafael, who was inspecting Ate¡¯s luscious body, stretched his arms from behind and wrapped it around her waist. She could feel his big hand touching her chest. His hand was so big that they easily covered all her ribs. Rafael, with his head dipped, bit her auricle from behind and whispered softly.

    <strong>¡°Tell me. Have you ever allowed the Crown Prince to suck these pretty breasts?¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°What? What the hell are you¡­ Aahh!¡±</strong>

    When Ate was about to refute, she yelped in surprise. His warm hands roughly grabbed both of her breasts. The sensation she felt as his hands rubbed her nipples was strange. She felt a thrilling stimtion at the tip of her nipples that were pinched.

    <strong>¡°Oh, Rafael ¡­¡±</strong>

    Suddenly, one of his hands plunged into Ate¡¯s underwear. His hand, like a snake, squeezed in between her legs and rubbed her core. Ate instinctively crossed her legs, but couldn¡¯t escape from his tenacious touch.

    Rafael¡¯s hand slowly ran over from the back of her perineum to her vagina and then in front of the clitoris, which had started to swell. Before long, his red lips rose in a cold sneer.

    <strong>¡°You¡¯re already wet.¡±</strong>

    Ate sobbed with shame. Seeing her like this, an excited Rafael pulled her lower body closer and began to rub her core hard. Every time his hand touched her garden, Ate felt the strength between her legs bing loose, as if her legs would melt. Ate gasped and twisted back and forth, but couldn¡¯t get out of his grasp.

    Suddenly, she felt something hard touching her hips. Rafael, who had his lower body pressed to hers, began to rub his angry arousal against her. Ate bit her lips helplessly, not knowing what to do with the intense stimuli from her back and front, but the area between her legs became more and more wet.

    <strong>¡°Oh, Rafael, uh-huh.¡±</strong>

    Every time he moved his finger, she could hear wet sounds. As his hard fingers that had developed calluses during his swordsmanship practice, rubbed her clitoris, she felt an exhrating sensation.

    He spread her petals and rubbed her little hole, making Ate instinctively tighten her insides. The body that had gotten acquainted with the pleasure offered by the man, was restless and felt strangely empty.

    Ate was now tottering and could barely stand properly. She leaned on his hand to support herself. But his tenacious hands rubbed her core more and more quickly. The slippery love liquiding out from between her legs, spurred the lewd movement even more. When he started rubbing her clitoris hard, Ate finally couldn¡¯t stand it any more and reached her peak.

    <strong>¡°Ha-huh¡­¡±</strong>

    Ate¡¯s legs, which could barely support her, becamepletely soft. Rafael, who was standing behind her, embraced the slender woman as she slowly fell into his arms.

    At that moment, something wrapped around Ate¡¯s slender neck with a <em>ck</em> sound. Ate quickly reached out her fingers to the thing wrapped around her neck. It had a small cold metallic and soft leather feel. ¡®<em>This must be the choker that ire gave me as a gift.¡¯</em>

    The moment she realized this, Ate¡¯s cheeks flushed as if they were on fire. Unknowingly, she cried and asked Rafael for help.

    <strong>¡°Ra, Rafael¡­ Untie this for me.¡±</strong>

    Rafael slowly nced at her without saying anything. His eyes full of vivid desires looked at her white skin, her shiny shriveled nipples, and the ck choker wrapped around her slender neck. It was an insanely stimting scene.

    Rafael gritted his teeth and pushed Ate against the wall. He made her stick her hips out with her arms against the wall. Ate had no idea what to do, so she posed as she was told to and looked back at him with anxious eyes.

    ¡°<strong>Rafael? Yikes!¡±</strong>

    The whip snapped again on her backside. It wasn¡¯t painful, but Ate¡¯s body shuddered unknowingly with shame. This kind of thing was done as a corporal punishment only for small children. It was very embarrassing that she, a fully grown, mature woman was beaten with a whip on her exposed cheeks while beingpletely naked.

    Ate looked at Rafael with a desperate look. She understood why he was angry, but she really hoped that he would stop this shameful corporal punishment. But the moment Rafael saw Ate¡¯s big watery eyes, he reached out and grabbed her hips hard.

    <strong>¡°Fuck, don¡¯t look at me with those eyes, Ate. You tend to provoke men too much.¡±</strong>

    Rafael was annoyed and spouted out harsh words. Then, as if to punish her, he spread her ass, and pushed his arousal from behind. Her secret ce which was already wet weed him without any hesitation. His swollen tip rubbed her wet insides and reached her deepest parts.

    Rafael was so excited that he immediately began to shake his waist. His heated manhood pierced through her vagina and rubbed her sensitive inner walls. Ate epted the rough attack, while panting and leaning against the wall. Every time he pushed her roughly from behind, the heels of her feet kept lifting off because of the difference in their heights.

    <strong>¡°Huh, Rafael, ah, huh!¡±</strong>

    The movements were so intense that she felt as if her body was going to break. Still, it felt really good. She liked it so much that her legs kept getting loose. Whenever that happened, Ate, who felt anxious at the feeling of floating, unknowingly tightened her insides. Rafael, who was driving Ate from behind, groaned.

    <strong>¡°Stop tightening, Ate. Do you like to get punished that much?¡±</strong>

    Rafael, who rebuked her, spanked her ass with his palm. It had been a long time since he threw away the whip. At first, he just did that to make Ate feel ashamed, but the smoothness of her derriere that he felt in his palm was amazing. He deliberately spanked her a few more times, while controlling his strength so that Ate wouldn¡¯t get hurt.

    <strong>¡°You¡¯re biting onto me very tightly every time you get hit. Do you like it that much?¡±</strong>

    Ate¡¯s ears turned red with shame when she heard his sarcasm. Every time he spanked her backside, she could feel his arousal tightening as he forced his way inside. Whenever that happened, she could feel the movement of his penis piercing her insides more clearly. Her legs trembled as he poked her weak spots with force.

    <strong>¡°Huh, ah, Rafael, ah¡­¡­!!¡±</strong>

    She couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. The beastly mating from the back raised Ate¡¯s shame and desire. She shivered gently and tilted her head. Her inner walls were spasming violently due to the orgasm, but his manhood kept on pushing through the gap without any hesitation and continued to feed her desire. In the midst of the climax, she was so overwhelmed by the rough movements that tears flowed down from her eyes.

    <span> Only

    <strong>¡°Rafael, that¡¯s enough!¡­Ah! Hhhh, ahh! Stop it, okay?¡±</strong>

    <strong>¡°Stop it? You¡¯re saying this while biting me down there? And it doesn¡¯t seem as if you¡¯re not having fun, Ate.¡±</strong>

    Rafael, with his hand outstretched forward, rubbed her clitoris vigorously. Every time he brushed his fingers along her clit, a faint wet sound was heard between her legs. Ate bit her lips, feeling the love juices flowing down between her legs. She couldn¡¯t bear it. She was ashamed of her own lewdness, but her body which had known the joy of carnal pleasures, was more heated and wanted to use him as a material of pleasure.

    Rafael¡¯s fingers were wet and he began to fiddle with her slippery clitoris. He was still thrusting his length wildly from behind. Every time he shook his waist, his penis rubbed back and forth her vagina, and her inner walls seemed to melt in pleasure.

    His big and hard penis was never satisfied as he drove Ate endlessly until she was exhausted.

    <strong>¡°Do you feel it, Ate? Your little hole is chewing my cock so hard.¡±</strong>

    She didn¡¯t know if Rafael was right. Ate couldn¡¯t even groan properly anymore and just cried and cried because of the intense pleasure. His hand pinching her clitoris and his violent thrusts that rubbed and pierced through the walls of her vagina all brought a terrible pleasure. The slippery walls, which were tenaciously stabbed in the sensitive area, convulsed joyfully and tightened around him.

    Ate eventually reached another climax and copsed due to exhaustion.

 Chapter 22

    Rafael put down the ss filled with liquor. He couldn''t drink today unlike usual. It had be a habit before going to bed, but today he found that he was strangely reluctant. He thought it would be better to drink it slowly than chug it down like usual.

    The sparkling golden liquor slowly flowed from the ss to his red lips. As he was savoring the taste and aroma of the liquor in his mouth, Rafael''s gaze soon turned to his side. There, an exhausted Ate had fallen into a deep sleep.

    Ate''s pale eyelids were closed without making any movement. She was sleeping with her mouth slightly open and shallow breaths wereing out of it. The inside of her mouth was a very pale pink. Just by looking at this innocent appearance, no one would ever think she had just had a damn hot sex.

    Ate was clinging to his side just like a puppy looking for its mother. Her little hands on his body were so light that he could barely even feel their weight. Strangely, a tickling feeling seemed to be transmitted from her white hand to his body. Rafael shoved her hand away heartlessly.

    ''Strange woman.''

    Still, her face was stunningly pretty. He could finally understand why the Bavarians took so much pride in themselves, as if they were a special race. Even though the damn Duke of Bavaria was an elegant middle-aged man with tinum-coloured hair, he still looked amazing. He could prove the fact that they were the wealthiest lineage with his face alone.

    Rafael reached out for no reason and touched Ate''s cheeks. On the soft, round cheeks, a faint redness from their recent affair remained. As he looked at those reddened eyes, he felt all his blood flow down to hisher regions. But if he did give in to his desire, Ate would really be sick.

    ''Anyway, she''s uselessly weak.''

    Rafael clicked his tongue. He didn''t expect to have such a rtionship with this woman. Rafael''s hostility towards the Duke of Bavaria was that great.

    Rafael really hated the Duke Amand Bavaria. He had opposed Rafael''s Marquis title until thest minute. Rafael still remembered the eyes of Amand Bavaria, as he looked down at him with contempt. He considered himself superior and hated to even breathe the same air as an illegitimate child like Rafael.

    So Rafael had epted this wedding. Even if Ate was a vicious woman and her rtionship with the Crown Prince was broken, he didn''t care much about it.

    All Rafael needed was Ate''s lineage topensate for his muddled blood. On top of that, it was not only fun to see the distorted expression of Duke Amand Bavaria who became his father-inw, but was also quite profitable to be able to see his work. Ate was only valuable to him in that aspect.

    ''How many couples in the world love each other and get married?''

    Rafael didn''t even believe in love. The only thing in this damn world he could believe in, was himself. He wanted to make his way up to the nobles, whoughed at him, and he needed Ate for that. Other than that, it didn''t matter to him what Ate did behind his back.

    ''She''s from the noble Bavarian family anyway, so she''ll soon be fed up with her disgusting lowly husband.''Rafael thought.

    However, Ate turned out to be slightly different from his expectations. She acted as if she respected Rafael, and every time they quarreled, she tried to exin herself with sincerity. He couldn''t grasp yet whether she was pretending or being actually serious.

    ''Well, it doesn''t matter anyway.''

    There was nothing wrong with Ate pretending to respect him. Rather, it was advantageous for both of them. Rafaelnguidly swallowed down the hard liquor in his mouth. The leather choker still wrapped around her elegant neck caught his eyes. He left it on her because he was grumpy. But it wasn''t bad because Ate seemed to somehow belong to him.

    Rafael snickered, while recalling Ate''s white naked body. At least she didn''t seem to have given herself up to Ludwig. Still, he felt strangely upset, when he imagined them affectionately crying and saying goodbye to each other.

    He couldn''t bear the sight of Ate with another man. When he thought it didn''t matter what she did behind his back, he could not help but be angry and change his thoughts.

    Still, it didn''t matter.Because he was an unsophisticated viin who crawled up from the bottom anyway, and Ate was a poor prisoner under his grasp.

    ¡°Um.¡±

    Perhaps she felt a sense of crisis, Ate whimpered in pain. Looking at the woman, who was sleeping like a log, Rafael slowly brushed her luscious bottom lip with indifferent eyes. The flesh, which was slightly pushed under his fingertips, was very soft.

    Ate mumbled something in her sleep and puckered her lips, making it look like she was kissing the tip of his finger. She looked quite cute. Seeing this, Rafael smiled and whispered in her ear.

    ¡°It would be better for you to forget everything about the Crown Prince, Ate. There''s nowhere for you to run now anyway.¡±

    Rafael whispered in a low, harsh voice and bit her ears. The small white ears with his teeth marks were nice to see. Just like the choker wrapped around her slender neck.

    * * *

    Ate woke up and was devastated when she saw the afternoon suning through the window. She always used to wake up early in the morning because of the strict education she received from her family. But she overslept yesterday because of the intense love affair she had with Rafael.

    Ate sighed and as she tried to get out of the bed, she suddenly found the choker on her neck. Ate blushed remembering what had happenedst night.

    Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks

    ''Anyway, he''s so mean.''

    Fortunately, there was a knife for opening letters on the table. Ate used the knife to cut off the choker around her neck. She was sorry to do that since it was a gift from her new sister-inw, ire. But she knew ire would be satisfied knowing her gift fulfilled her purpose very well.

    Ate sighed as she recalled yesterday''s Rafael. Although his anger seemed to have been a little subdued through their affair, he seemed quite displeased hearing about her meeting with Ludwig.

    ''It would be better to make him feel better.''

    Ate felt sorry for him and made up her mind. No matter how little Rafael loved her, it would still be unpleasant to see his wife have a private conversation with her ex-fiance. After getting dressed, Ate went downstairs to find Rafael. On the way, she ran into a maid and asked her thoughtlessly.

    ¡°Do you happen to know where he is?¡±

    ¡°Sir has gone out, Madam. He said he was going to the royal pce.¡±

    The maid answered, bowing her head politely. Ate nodded and passed her with a nonchnt face. It was a bit disappointing that Rafael went out without leaving a note, but anyway, he never went around revealing his destination. He was angry with Ate, so he probably must have gone out to vent that anger.

    Ate sighed and decided to go to the study. She luckily hoped that she could find more books on regressors. But Ate''s n was unintentionally halted. It was because she found an unexpected personing out of the reception room.

    ''Gerard?''

    The tall, elegant-looking young man with blond hair, was Gerard, the butler of the Bavarian family. Last time, he was severely rebuked when he came to return the wedding presents from Rafael. Ate thought he would never visit the Mansion of Carnesis again.

    Gerard, who had not yet noticed Ate''s presence, headed for the front door with an indifferent face. Just as he was about to leave, he told the servant who came out to see him off,

    ¡°Then, I will visit again when Your Excellency, Marquis of Carnesis is present.¡±

    Ate''s eyes narrowed hearing his words. Although Rafael was absent, the hostess herself was definitely there. However, Gerard dared to return, saying,''I will visit again when Your Excellency is present.''Ate found Gerard''s actions very suspicious.

    ''You''re not trying to insult Rafael again, are you?''Ate was on the edge, feeling an ominous premonition. If that was the case, she couldn''t let Gerard go back like this. If Gerard revisited when she was not in the mansion and provoked Rafael''s anger again, then the worst would happen.

    So, just before Gerard could leave the mansion, Ate quickly called him. Her voice sounded very pretentious even to her own ears.

    ¡°Gerard! What are you doing here?It''s good to see you again.¡±

    ¡°Greetings to the Marchioness. Have you been well?¡±

    Gerard seemed to have made up his mind. He bowed politely to Ate as if he had just met her. Looking at Gerard''s businesslike attitude, who could guess that he had served Ate for nearly a decade?

    Ate nodded gracefully. Just like he knew her, Ate also knew him quite well. Ate could see a little bit of dismay on Gerard''s smooth face when she encountered him. Pretending not to have seen this, she calmly said to Gerard.

    ¡°I was too heartless the other day, wasn''t I, Gerard? But I won''t apologize. As a wife, I can''t stand anyone insulting my husband. But still I''d like to invite you for a cup of tea for old times sake. Let''s talk about the old times. Now, follow me.¡±

    Ate turned around naturally. Then, Gerard''s mouth became a little stiff. He was eager to somehow avoid being alone with Ate.

    ¡°I wish I could, but I must obey the Duke''s orders. I think I should go now. I''m sorry, Madam.¡±

    Sure enough, he rejected Ate''s request. At that, Ate''s eyes widened and she covered her mouth in amazement. She looked at Gerard with a hurt face.

    ¡°Oh, my God! Did my father order you not to even have a cup of tea with me? No matter how busy you are, how can he not even allow me to say hello to the old butler? I can''t¡­ I''ll write a letter to my father right now¡­¡±

    Gerard was very embarrassed when he saw Ate protesting directly against her father. It was already a disaster for Gerard to face Ate instead of Rafael in the first ce. If Ate''s letter of protest was also added to this, it would be impossible to deal with the mess. Amand who was already once disappointed with Gerard, would not forgive him twice. Gerard finally epted Ate''s request helplessly.

    ¡°A cup of tea will do. Thank you for your kindness.¡±

    Ate took the lead and headed to the parlor with a victorious smile. Now, through Gerard, it was time to dig deeper into her father''s intentions.

 Chapter 23

    Although she seeded in inviting him for having tea, Ate couldn¡¯t force Gerard to open his mouth. As the butler of the Bavarian family, Gerard was definitely not an easy opponent. He dodged Ate¡¯s questions and exined only those things that were not very important. Meanwhile, Gerard¡¯s teacup was almost now empty.

    ¡®<i>What should I do? ¡®</i>

    Ate frowned, feeling embarrassed. Gerard did not fall for her conciliatory gestures or persuasion. He must have intended to reveal whatever gunpowder he brought only in front of Rafael.

    She could not force Gerard, who hade under his father¡¯s orders, to open his mouth. Ate, who now did not belong to the Bavarian family, had no authority to persecute Gerard for giving priority to his orders. She secretly grabbed the hem of her dress in anxiety.

    However Gerard didn¡¯t wait for her toe up with a good idea. Finally, after taking thest sip of the tea, Gerard looked at her with a relieved face. The butler¡¯s face, with his blond hair neatlybed back, was as shrewd as she was.

    Confident of his victory, Gerard opened his mouth and politely said goodbye. ¡°Then I¡¯m done with the tea, so I should leave now. Thank you for your kindness, Marchioness of Carnesis.¡±

    Ate bit her lips as she watched Gerard get up from his seat. At that moment, an idea shed through Ate¡¯s mind. She opened her mouth with a calm expression.

    ¡°Gerard, I have a favor to ask you before you go.¡±

    Gerard became suddenly alert. Ate, who couldn¡¯t give up until the end, said this to check whether she could still try to get something out of him. She quickly continued talking before he could refuse.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing big, it¡¯s just a personal request. I¡¯m learning vocal music as a hobby these days. But I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m talented. I can¡¯t let others hear it because I¡¯m very shy. But since you¡¯ve been taking care of me for a long time, I think it would be fine if it was you who heard it. Oh, can you listen to my song? It won¡¯t take long.¡±

    Ate shamelessly used Prince Ludwig¡¯s request on Gerard. At the unexpected request, Gerard hesitated and couldn¡¯t refuse immediately. Although he was following the orders of his master, the Duke of Bavaria, he liked Ate personally. Gerard, who was worried for a moment, nodded in the end.

    ¡°¡­.. I think it will be okay for a while.¡±

    Ate smiled dly at his consent. The smile that made her eyes close, was so simr to that of her maiden days, that Gerard looked at her with an indulging look without realizing it. Noticing this, Ate closed her eyes and immediately started singing.

    <i>The petals of the flower that fall in fleeting sheets of time.</i>

    <i>If the tragedy of this fall could capture your beautiful eyes for a moment,</i>

    <i>All right, I¡¯ll be d to fall in front of you, for countless times. </i>

    Ate sang an opera that she had recently heard at the court. The song wasn¡¯t really important anyway. Ate, who was singing as far as she could remember, quietly opened her eyes and looked at Gerard. Sure enough, in less than 30 seconds, Gerard fell asleep on the sofa. After seeing this, Ate blinked and admired her ability.

    ¡®<i>I guess this is really my ability.¡¯</i>

    However, it was not the time to leisurely admire her abilility. Ate didn¡¯t know how long her ability could keep a person asleep. So, before Gerard woke up, she had to quickly search his body. She might be able to find some clue if she was lucky.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Gerard.¡±

    With a small whisper, Ate reached out and began to search his body. There was nothing in the pocket of the jacket that Gerard was wearing, but fortunately she found something in the pocket inside the vest. It was some letter.

    Ate carefully opened the letter. Although the sender¡¯s name was not specified, Ate could quickly recognize her father¡¯s exquisite and elegant handwriting. There was a short sentence written in it.

    <i>~Gifts are for the recipient, not for the giver.</i>

    ¡®<i>What does this mean?¡¯</i> Ate pondered over the contents of the single-line letter and fell in deep thought. Amand, who valued bloodline, was more aristocratic than anyone else. Therefore, he thought it was vulgar to express what he wanted directly. Fortunately, Ate had been his daughter for a long time, so she knew the thought process of her father very well.

    <i>¡®I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t like the wedding gift that Rafael sent you.¡¯</i>

    So he would definitely send the gifts back to clearly express this. Considering the contents of the letter, it seemed that her father wanted a separate ¡°gift¡± from Rafael.

    Ate then realized why her father kept sending Gerard to contact Rafael. At first, she thought since Rafael was an illegitimate child, he was trying to humiliate him because he hated to ept him as his son-inw. However, if that was her father¡¯s real purpose, returning the presentsst time served the purpose very well. So it could only mean that her father wanted something from Rafael.

    <i>¡®But what the hell is that?¡¯</i>

    Ate frowned. The Duke of Bavaria was Deltium¡¯s most prestigious and wealthiest man. The Bavarian family was a family that didn¡¯tck power, wealth, or honor.

    Rafael, on the other hand, was an emerging aristocrat who had just started his family. Although he had several properties and territories that were awarded to him for his brilliant achievements, they were still not at the level that her father would want to covet. Ate pondered over what her father could possibly want and searched her memories of her previous life.

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    ¡®<i>Oh, look at my mind.</i>

    At this time, Gerard, who was asleep, frowned his delicate eyebrows and showed signs of getting up. It had only been five minutes since he fell asleep, but Ate¡¯s power seemed to be unable to keep people asleep for a long time.

    Before Gerard fully awoke, Ate hurried to put the letter back into his vest pocket . Ate calmed herself down and lightly shook Gerard¡¯s shoulder to wake him up.

    ¡°Gerard, Gerard? Wake up. Didn¡¯t you say you had to go urgently?¡±

    When Gerard heard Ate¡¯s voice, he opened his eyes with a disheveled look. The soft eyelids were folded in severalyers, and his dark green eyes drooped under the golden eyshes. Gerard, who blinked a couple of times, looked at Ate and smiled drowsily.

    ¡°Miss Ate.¡±

    Gerard, with his eyes slightly lowered, carefully grasped Ate¡¯s hand, which was shaking his shoulders and left a feathery kiss on the back of her hand. It was as if he didn¡¯t know what to do because his girl was so precious.

    Ate smiled bitterly when she saw Gerard addressing her as a maiden again. He still seemed to be half asleep. Ate, pretending to be unaware of his mistakes, removed her hands from Gerard and pped loudly to bring him to his senses.

    ¡°Oh my God, Gerard. Was my song so boring? You fell asleep before even listening to the end. I¡¯m a little hurt.¡±

    Ate grumbled, pouting her lips. Only then did Gerard¡¯s eyes be clear and he remembered the situation before he went to sleep. He was very embarrassed and it was quite evident from the look on his face. Gerard himself couldn¡¯t believe that he was so negligent that he fell asleep in this situation.

    ¡°Sorry, Miss¡­. No, Marchioness of Carnesis. That was very rude of me.¡±

    Gerard quickly offered an apology. In response, Ate replied in a lonely voice, making a sad expression.

    ¡°No. How can I me others when it is me who doesn¡¯t have any talent? Thank you for epting my request even though you were busy. Go back now, you¡¯ll bete.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll get going now.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t make any excuse because he was feeling very drowsy. Gerard felt like he was possessed by a ghost.

    ¡®<i>I¡¯m not that tired, but why did I fall asleep?¡¯</i>

    Gerard, who had no idea what to do,hesitated. He eventually lowered his head and left the Mansion of Carnesis.

    * * *

    That night, Ate eagerly waited for Rafael to return. She went through each and every memory of her previous life, but the rtionship between her father and Rafael was very bad. So she didn¡¯t even remember Rafael giving anything to her family.

    All she could do now was to ask Rafael directly. He probably knew what her father wanted. Ate held her hands together anxiously and waited for Rafael to return. She was sorry and upset that her own family kept trying to take something from him.

    ¡®<i>Did you marry me off to Rafael¡­ because you wanted something? Was it because of this?¡¯</i>

    <span> Only

    Ate decided to look into this possibility as well. At first, she thought it was a marriage that was settled because of the false charges against her. So she believed that her father had no choice but to give his consent to this marriage.

    Anyway Ate, who couldn¡¯t be the Crown Princess, was of no value to him. If he refused the king¡¯s proposal, bad rumors about Ate would have spread and created a great negative impact on the reputation of both Ate and the Duke of Bavaria. It was so bad that her family couldn¡¯t even help her.

    <i>¡®What if my father had his own ns with this marriage? What if he intended to take something from Rafael by using me, who was already useless to him, as a bargaining chip?¡¯ </i>

    Ate closed her eyes, recalling the cold face of her father who attended her wedding. Her head was spinning with all these new conjectures.

    <i>¡®How long have I been waiting?¡¯ </i>

    A little after midnight, atst she heard the sound of Rafaeling in. Ate quickly went down the stairs and weed him.

    ¡°Rafael, are you here? How was your meeting at the pce?¡±

    Instead of answering her, Rafael looked at her with hazy eyes. She smelled a very strong smell of alcohol from his breath. Ate, who made eye contact with him, was nervous without realizing it.

 Chapter 24: â€œLetâ€™s go upstairs together, Rafael. Iâ€™ll hold your hand.â€

    ¡°Let¡¯s go upstairs together, Rafael. I¡¯ll hold your hand.¡±

    Ate was anxious but didn¡¯t show it and carefully held Rafael¡¯s big hand. At first, he shook it off, but soon he held her hand together as he was dizzy. Ate supported him and led him to his bedroom.

    A staggering Rafael flopped down on the edge of the bed. His sword fell down along with him. He couldn¡¯t even support himself as he was very drunk. It was impossible to ask him about anything today.

    Ate took off his clothes and socks, and gentlyid him on the bed. Unlike usual, Rafael epted her help without saying anything. His eyelids were half-closed, and his face was somewhat flushed because of the alcohol. Nevertheless, he was so handsome that his drunken appearance looked rather decadent and erotic.

    ¡°Go to sleep early tonight, Rafael. I¡¯ll tell the chef to prepare some hangover soup for you tomorrow.¡±

    Ate whispered, while sweeping away his ck hair that had flopped down over his straight forehead. She didn¡¯t know why, but Rafael looked very tired now. He looked like a person who was struggling to suppress something inside of him.

    Ate looked down at him with sad eyes. At that moment, Rafael suddenly grabbed her hand, which was caressing his forehead, and pulled her towards him. Ate fell on his body and wasn¡¯t even able to scream.

    Rafael¡¯s handsome face was just right in front of her. Blinking his eyes that looked as blue as the Northern sea, Rafael muttered,

    ¡°I¡­. I hate you.¡±

    The moment she heard it, Ate felt her heart sink. Even though she knew this very well, she was still badly hurt when she heard it herself. Ate actually thought she was getting along with Rafael this time. However, it seemed to be her own delusion.

    Ate bit her lip and pulled her hand from his grasp. Then she tried to get away from his hard body. But Rafael stretched out his hand and pressed her back down, making here even more closer to his body. Now Ate was half hugging him. Rafael raised his other hand and stroked Ate¡¯s cheek.

    ¡°You¡¯ll hate me anyway.¡±

    Ate couldn¡¯t understand what was going on in Rafael¡¯s mind. It was meaningless to be angry at a drunk person anyway. So Ate lowered her eyes and whispered in a small voice.

    ¡°No, Rafael.¡±

    There were times in her previous life when she hated Rafael. He was like a fretful man who couldn¡¯t control himself. Ate, who was already mentally and physically unstable due to the shock of her father¡¯s abandonment, could not bear it.

    Her marriage to Rafael and the sudden change in reality that was caused due to the false usation were too much for her. She ended up suffering from mental stress and died young. Even though her previous marriage was terrible, there was only one reason why Ate had been able to endure Rafael¡¯s quarrels for so long.

    <i>¡®Because the only person who stayed beside me until the end was Rafael.¡¯</i>

    When Ate was in good health, Rafael was the worst husband to her, but ironically he became a good husband when she fell ill. He nursed her faithfully for about two years when she was bedridden.

    Of course, Rafael¡¯s temper didn¡¯t change, so sometimes he threw the soup away and yelled at her. But in the end, he would always crawl next to her with a regretful face, check her temperature, and help her get dressed. When she thought of that time, Ate did not hate Rafael as much as before. Even though she married him again this time without a choice, still¡­ She wanted to dream of a happy future¡­ if possible with him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t hate you. Rafael, you¡¯re my family.¡±

    Ate, with a bitter smile, reached out and stroked his cheek. Then Rafael¡¯s sleek eyebrows furrowed and he pushed her hand away. He coldly rejected her touch.

    ¡°No, I am not your family. It¡¯s the great Bavaria. Isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Rafael¡¯s words became more harsh. Even his drunken stupor could not stop his sharp tongue.

    ¡°Rafael!¡±

    When Ate heard that, she wanted to cry. She had a lot to say, but she couldn¡¯t get her words out of her mouth. She had never felt this miserable.

    Her father had abandoned her, and her only brother was in a distant empire across the sea. Now that her new sister-inw, ire, had also returned to her empire, the only family left of Ate was Rafael. But even he hated her.

    Seeing this, Rafael reached out and covered her eyes. And he muttered in a low voice,

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, damn it. Every time you look at me like that, I..¡±

    Instead of finishing his words, Rafael stubbornly pursed his lips. He didn¡¯t even want to look at her eyes. Seeing this, Ate¡¯s eyes filled with tears. The transparent tears eventually fell andnded on Rafael¡¯s palm. Startled by this, Rafael withdrew his hand as if he had been burned.

    ¡°Are you crying?¡±

    Rafael drunkenly looked up at Ate¡¯s face with soft eyes. Ate calmly wiped her tears and swallowed her grief. Due to the strict education of the Bavarian family, she was used to hiding her feelings. Ate, who skillfully concealed the wounds of her heart, calmly said,

    ¡°I know why you¡¯re talking in that way, Rafael. I understand. But you are my only husband, and I regard you as a precious family member. I mean it.¡±

    Ate smiled sadly with red eyes. Then Rafael, who was looking up at her with a look of disapproval, repeated what he had said earlier.

    ¡°But I hate you.¡±

    When Ate heard that, she felt suffocated. Before her calm demeanor could fall apart, she quickly got up and got off the bed. Perhaps she was the only one who thought that this marriage was better than before.

    Ate returned to her room and couldn¡¯t sleep all night. She was determined to protect Rafael by fighting against her father¡¯s tyranny. But after listening to Rafael¡¯s drunken words, her mind changed a little.

    <i>¡®Is it possible for me to protect Rafael in the first ce? He is¡­ suffering because of me.¡¯</i>

    In fact, there was only one effective solution. She just didn¡¯t want to admit it.

    For Rafael¡¯s life to befortable, Ate had to leave him. Then her father would not be able to use her to ask for something from Rafael. Besides, he wouldn¡¯t have to look at her awful face anymore. He would feel more rxed then.

    Ateughed bitterly. Unlike others, she got to live twice, but Ate could not live peacefully in either lives. She tried her best every moment, but why couldn¡¯t she always get away from being treated as a nuisance? When she remembered her father¡¯s cold face, which she hadn¡¯t seen for a long time,it made her feel sadder.

    ¡®<i>Yes, let¡¯s find a way tomorrow.¡¯</i>

    She could not dream of a new life without any preparation or direction. Even if she returned and improved her conditions than before, Ate was still a flower in a greenhouse. So, this time, before leaving the greenhouse, she was going to prepare as thoroughly as possible. So that she wouldn¡¯t wither like she did in her previous life.

    Ate tried hard to sleep, lowering her wet eyshes with sadness. She hoped that tomorrow would be a better day.

    The next day, Rafael got out of bed clutching his head. He was in a bad condition because he couldn¡¯t sleep due to the terrible hangovers and sleepwalking. However, today¡¯s sword training could not be skipped. All that Rafael had now was obtained only by the tip of his sword.

    ¡®<i>Now it won¡¯t be long before I be the Sword Master.</i>¡®

    Rafael washed his face and wore his training suit with terribly exhausted eyes. He couldn¡¯t afford to copse now at thest step of his goal. Rafael knew a number of warriors who failed to get through this final stage. So he was more nervous than ever.

    His face reflected in the mirror looked terrible. The area around his blue eyes was sore, his beard was overgrown and his skin had a dullplexion. If you looked at this skeleton, how could a woman like Ate Bavaria like that?

    ¡®<i>Yes she must hate it too. Come </i><i>to think of it, I felt like I saw Ate before I went to bed yesterday.¡¯</i>

    He couldn¡¯t remember the conversation he had with her, but he remembered the tears that had fallen from Ate¡¯s petal like eyes. Rafael reflexively looked down at his palm. The dirty feeling got even worse.

    ¡°Fuck.¡±

    In fact, Ate was doing better than he thought. Even though she was from prideful Bavaria, she wasn¡¯t arrogant and respected him, an illegitimate child as her husband. Not only that, she never got angry with him, no matter how mean he was. He truly wanted to pay homage to her amazing patience.

    Seeing that Ate even cried, it seemed he was too drunk yesterday and spoke quite harshly to her. Rafael smiled bitterly, thinking he had nothing to say if she wanted a divorce. Somehow the word ¡°divorce¡± evoked a creepy feeling in his heart.

    ¡®<i>Maybe I¡¯m feeling like that because of my mood.¡¯</i>

    <span> Only

    Rafael¡¯s footsteps stopped as he was going downstairs. It was because he could see Ate humming softly by the window of the drawing room. The moment she met his eyes, Ate suddenly stopped humming.

    ¡®<i>Are you angry?¡¯</i>

    Rafael looked at her with a nk gaze.. It was natural to expect her to hate a drunk husband who went inte and spat out curses. As he waited for Ate to turn away from him, he nervously clenched his fist. He wasn¡¯t even aware of his own emotions.

    But Ate smiled at him, as if nothing had happened. There was no resentment directed towards him in her eyes. Ate got up from her seat and approached him slowly.

    Rafael couldn¡¯t say anything and just watched her approach him. Soon, she stopped in front of him and greeted him kindly.

    ¡°Hi, Rafael. Did you sleep well? How are you feeling?¡±

    Rafael clenched his fists more tightly.

    ¡®<i>How could this woman smile and talk like this to me?¡¯</i>

 Chapter 25

    Rafael was genuinely curious about what was going in Ate¡¯s head. She was so small and dazzling, that he couldn¡¯t help but look at her with a frown.

    When Ate saw Rafael¡¯s frowning face, she became anxious. Perhaps it was because he couldn¡¯t sleep wellst night. Ate tried to advise Rafael as calmly as possible, even though she knew he would just dismiss it cold-heartedly.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, why don¡¯t you have a cup of tea with me? I¡¯m drinking herbal tea, and it¡¯s good for headaches and fatigue.¡±

    Rafael shrugged and didn¡¯t say anything. As expected, he ignored her words and left without saying anything. Ate¡¯s shoulders, after being rejected, slumped a little. At that moment, Rafael urged her in a harsh tone without looking back.

    ¡°What are you doing? Let¡¯s drink tea.¡±

    Unexpectedly, Ate¡¯s eyes widened and she looked at his broad back stupidly. Rafael quickly strode forward as if not wanting to wait for her. He went to the sofa near the window where Ate had just been sitting and sat down.

    <i>¡®Why am I doing this?¡¯</i>

    Rafael was confused by his own actions. She was the daughter of the Bavarian Duke who always looked down on him, but he couldn¡¯t understand why he felt sorry for hurting her anding home drunk. He decided to have a cup of tea with her to fulfill a husband¡¯s duty. He wanted to quickly get out of this ufortable situation as soon as possible.

    Ate, who was not aware of Rafael¡¯s internal conflict, smiled and poured him a cup of tea. She was just happy to spend time with him after a long time, without having any quarrels. She was going to ask Rafael if he knew what her father wanted from him.

    A fragrant tea flowed from the pretty antique teapot. When he smelled the strong scent of the herbal tea, he felt refreshed. Rafael savored the warm tea and enjoyed the feeling of rxation as his taut nerves became loose. He casually looked at Ate who was reaching for the book she had been reading earlier.

    ¡°You seem to like books, right?¡±

    Rafael asked, recalling the time when Ate was reading in the garden before. Ate replied with a soft smile.

    ¡°Yes. But I don¡¯t like it that much¡­ It¡¯s just I don¡¯t have a lot of hobbies to do indoors. You know, in Deltium, white skin is preferred, right? That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t gone out much in the sun since I was young. Whenever I went outside, everyone would be nervous about my skin getting tanned or me falling and hurting myself. It was ufortable, so I couldn¡¯t go out much.¡±

    Rafael¡¯s eyes gently nced over Ate. The slender limbs, snow-white skin, and delicate face made her look like a high end porcin doll crafted by an artisan. However, Ate, who talked about her past memories with a sad face, was clearly a living person.

    ¡®<i>I guess it must be tiring to live upto the Bavarian family¡¯s expectations.¡¯</i>

    Rafael, who was casually thinking about it, soon hardened his expression. No matter how she lived in Bavaria, Ate would not have experienced starving or freezing in the cold. Rafael clenched his teeth, recalling his ugly past, filled with filth and misery. The sufferings he had to go through because of his dirty birth, was something that the prideful Rafael would never reveal to anyone, even if he died.

    Fortunately, his father, King Selgratis, did his best, so nothing was known about his mother¡¯s side. If it bes known, the nobles of Deltium who still despised him, would surely jump at this opportunity to tear him apart.

    Rafael¡¯s masculine, angled chin became stiff. To shake off this filthy feeling, he spit out an insincere remark.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like white skin because it looks sick.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Ate¡¯s gentle eyes drooped as if she was disappointed. She bowed her head and looked down at her pale arms. Because of this, Rafael became nervous as he couldn¡¯t see her face.

    ¡®<i>Why do you keep saying nonsense like this?¡¯</i>

    Somehow, he always managed to stir a disaster. Rafael, who was unhappy with himself, clicked his tongue and turned his head away. Looking at Ate¡¯s depressed face, he strangely felt guilty.

    Just then, Ate with her arms outstretched, gently grasped his hand. Then she asked him with shy and quivering eyes.

    ¡°Then Rafael, if I tan my skin¡­ Will you then like me a little bit?¡±

    Ate¡¯s rose-like pink eyes, surrounded by golden eyshes, blinked and looked up at him. At the innocent yet provocative question, Rafael felt his heart sink.

    ¡°Stop talking nonsense.¡±

    Rafael couldn¡¯t remember what he saidst night. So, he didn¡¯t know why Ate, who was bothered by his ¡°I hate you,¡± asked such a question. She knew she would get hurt again, but she still desperately gathered her courage to face him.

    When Rafael saw Ate¡¯s quivering eyes, he suddenly felt a chill in his heart. He hated to admit it, but it felt like some kind of fear. He felt a strange anxiety at the thought of him copsing in front of this little woman, one day. It was a very strange feeling.

    ¡°I¡¯ve finished drinking tea, so I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    Rafael jumped out of his seat and coldly shook off Ate¡¯s hand. He quickly turned his back away as if he was eager to escape out of here. Even though she expected this, still his cold-hearted attitude hurt her again.

    Ate, who was left alone in the empty ce, dejectedly lowered her eyshes. A pure white hand trembled in the air and then fell down powerlessly. Having lost all courage, she slid down in front of the empty table all alone.

    There was still a light steam rising from Rafael¡¯s teacup. The steam fluttered in the air, swaying as if it wasughing at Ate. Looking at this, she finally decided to ept the painful reality.

    <i>¡®I guess we can¡¯t¡­ Rafael,¡­. he hates me.¡¯ </i>

    In fact, she felt sorry for Rafael. He was forced to marry her topensate for his illegitimate origin. Because of this, he was also caught up in the bad rumors about Ate who could not be a Crown Princess.

    Still, it must have been a really unpleasant marriage from Rafael¡¯s point of view. His own inws looked down upon him because of his birth. How disgusted he must be to see such people trying to take something from him. That must be why Rafael looked at her so coldly.

    ¡®<i>If Rafael was a bad guy, I could have hated him now as much as I did when I didn¡¯t know anything.¡¯</i>

    Ate¡¯s face was distorted. Her face reflected in the tea was both crying and smiling, which was truly bizarre. She was well aware that Rafael¡¯s nature was not so bad. However, in order to survive in the harsh environment, he had to be a beast.

    When Ate was bedridden and abandoned by her family, only Rafael was willing to stay by her side. He took care of her until she died. Although he might not have loved her, he faithfully kept his loyalty to her until the end.

    After all, the problem wasn¡¯t Rafael. The enmity around him constantly tormented him, feeding fire to his sharp temper. No one believed in him and most of the enemies used Ate as a bow to fire at him. Ate finally decided to admit that Rafael could only be happy if she left him. After deeply contemting for a while, she slowly got up from her seat.

    From now on, she would find a new path and there was a lot of work to do for it.

    * * *

    The beauty with luscious colorful purple hair hanging long down behind her back, tapped the table with her fingertips. White skin, cat-like provocative eyes, and the little mole around her mouth were all very enchanting. But surprisingly, this beauty was not a woman, but a man.

    The man¡¯s red eyes, which looked like rubies, nced gently over Ate sitting across him. Although Ate had covered her face with a long veil, she could not deceive his eyes. The man immediately noticed that Ate was a very precious person.

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Railin, the head of the smuggling guild ¡°Secret,¡± eventually cleared his throat with a couple of false coughs. He then started off with a soft voice.

    ¡°You¡¯re looking for a reliable foreign job? Have you thought about which kingdom you will go to?¡±

    ¡°Yes. If possible, the Kingdom of Ond would be good. I heard it¡¯s a good ce to live.¡±

    <span> Only

    Ate answered in a calm voice. Ond was a kingdom having a fairly stable security and well-organized legal system. She hadn¡¯t made up her mind yet, but there was nothing wrong with looking into it beforehand. Ahe was a thorough person, so she liked to be prepared beforehand.

    ¡°Ond¡­ it¡¯s a nice ce. It¡¯s safe because the legal system is very well established. Well, border crossing is a bit tricky, but it¡¯s not impossible. What can you do? In order to find a job for you, I have to first figure out your ability.¡±

    Railin asked, curving his eyes in a beautiful smile. It was a question that would be offensive enough if she was a noble, as there was no word or proof to know what she could do without the status. But Ate didn¡¯t get agitated and calmly listed the things she knew how to do.

    ¡°At first, I can read and write in fournguages: Deltium¡¯snguage , the Continental¡¯s Officialnguage, the Chapelle¡¯s Imperialnguage, and the Austriannguage. So I can do trantion or ghostwriting.¡±

    Ate brazenly said this, without considering her bad handwriting. Well, her handwriting wasn¡¯t pretty, but it wasn¡¯t ufortable to read. Atepletely believed in the readability of her handwriting. But for some reason, she thought it would be better to appeal with her other strengths.

    ¡°I¡¯m also good at embroidery. I can do t embroidery, three-dimensional embroidery, and Hardanger embroidery, Cutwork, and Smocking. I heard Ond¡¯s fashion is quite high standard, isn¡¯t it? And, um, I¡¯m also familiar with management and ounting documents. That¡¯s why it would be nice to work at the top. Of course, if there is a willingness to hire me there.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    Railin stared at her with his chin up. That didn¡¯t mean he could see the face behind the veil. But Railin found the mysterious woman quite attractive. Unlike the extravagant aristocratic women, he thought she might be quite clever.

 Chapter 26

    Railin Mosley was a stunning man whose age was unknown. He was one of the great hands supporting Deltium. Railin¡¯s secret guild, ¡®<i>Secret</i>¡® was not limited only to smuggling. He had a number of organizations that ran illegal ¡®<i>errands</i>¡®, including Information Guilds.

    Because of this, Railin had to walk tightropes quite often. Contrary to his fine looks, he was a very daring and observant person. He could urately grasp a person¡¯s character just by listening to the way they spoke. In Railin¡¯s view, Ate was not an easy bet.

    Her tone was elegant and calm, and she didn¡¯t show any sign of excitement while talking about smuggling. She was like a person who had foreseen the misfortunes of the future and was looking for a way out. In a word, it didn¡¯t seem like a careless attempt made by an immature Lady to run away.

    ¡®<i>You look like ady from a noble family, what¡¯s making you suffer so much?¡¯</i>

    Railin was very interested in her. Even though he was involved in the Underworld, he was very picky with his tastes. He liked elegant and noble things, just like Ate who was sitting in front of him. Her breathing pattern, her sitting posture and her every hand gesture was full of grace.

    In exchange for not revealing her identity, Ate paid a huge advance. When Railin received it, she was sure he could find her a good job with that. However, Railin didn¡¯t want their rtionship to end there. Anyway, Railin¡¯s ¡®business¡¯ dealt with a wide range of things, so if he was lucky, they would continue to meet in future. Railin concluded the consultation by keeping his personal curiosity aside.

    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll send you reports of some of the Ond¡¯s livable viges and jobs in as much detail as possible. If you change your mind or have more questions, you can always use this ring to contact me.¡±

    Railin, with a bright business-like smile, held out a ring. The ring with arge amethyst set in it, was engraved with the ¡®S¡¯ logo in gold. It was the symbol of the Secret Guild ran by Railin .

    Ate happily picked up the ring. If she was going to be smuggled out of the country, she needed toy the groundwork in advance. In Deltium, ¡®Ate Bavaria Carnesis¡¯ needed to be at least missing, or in some cases, needed to be disguised, as meeting with an ident. That way, the pursuit would not follow Ate in the future.

    ¡®<i>No, I don¡¯t think I need to worry about someone tracking me.¡¯</i>

    A bitter smile appeared on the face covered with a veil. There was no way the family who had abandoned her would wonder about her life and death. It was pointless to even think about it. At least her brother Arjen and her new sister-inw ire would be worried. She was going to somehow tell them the news separately.

    <i>¡®And Rafael¡­¡¯</i>

    Ate, who remembered her husband, was heartbroken. It was because she remembered the appearance of the drunk Rafael who said he hated her. He didn¡¯t look very happy. Maybe it was because he married her.

    There were many things she felt sorry for Rafael, and there were many things she wanted to improve in this deteriorating rtionship. For this reason, Ate tried to get along with him, but what was impossible was.. simply impossible.

    Ate bit her lips and gripped the amethyst ring in her hand tightly. If Rafael hated her so much, the only thing Ate could do for him now was to disappear from his sight. If she disappeared, she knew Rafael would be unable to sleep at night. But still he would be fine. At least his worries would disappear.

    * * *

    Even after returning to the mansion, Ate could not sleep easily. Her fingertips skimmed over the gold foil on the headboard of the luxurious bed. Since she was born into the Bavarian family, she naturally got used to these high-end goods and luxuries. So she was afraid of being alone, which was something that was going to begin now.

    In fact, she did think about going to the Chapelle Empire, where her brother and his wife lived. However if Ate¡¯s smuggling were to be known, they would be harmed as well. Arjen and ire held high office positions, so she didn¡¯t want them to get penalized because of her.

    It was for this reason, Ate boldly decided to choose the kingdom of Ond. She thoughtlessly looked out of the window, contemting how to make detailed ns for the future. Then she was surprised to see the position of the moon.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s already time.¡±

    ustomed to her regr life, Atey down on the bed and went to sleep. But she couldn¡¯t sleep because she had a lot of thoughts guing her mind. She would have to prepare thoroughly for at least a few months to leave Deltium.

    The night was so quiet today that she could even hear her own heartbeats. Atey on the bed dazed, blinking her eyes, and suddenly she pricked up her ears. It seemed like something wasing from outside and was right in front of her bedroom.

    <i>¡®The sound of human footsteps?¡¯</i>

    The mysterious footsteps were wandering from front of her bedroom to between the hallways. Carefully approaching the front of her bedroom, Ate put her ears to the door and closed her eyes. It wasn¡¯t an illusion, but the sound of footsteps was reallying from outside the door.

    ¡®<i>Oh my god, it¡¯s not a ghost, is it?¡¯</i>

    Ate trembled in fear. At first, she thought it was a maid, but at this time, no maid would disturb the hostess¡¯ sleep by cleaning the hallway in front of her bedroom. Above all, the sound of footsteps was too heavy for a woman. Ate asked, trying to calm down her fear.

    ¡°Who¡¯s out there?¡±

    Of course no one answered back. Rather, the sound of footsteps stopped suddenly and there was an unsettling silence. She couldn¡¯t breathe. She was scared that whatever was outside the bedroom would barge inside. Fortunately, as she was about to shout for someone, a faint murmur came from outside the door.

    ¡°No¡­.. I didn¡¯t really mean to abandon you¡­ That was the only way then.¡±

    The murmurs from the outside sounded dull and confused. But the low voice was something that Ate knew very well.

    ¡°Rafael?¡±

    After knowing who was outside the door, Ate¡¯s fear disappeared and was reced by worry. Of course, she was sad and angry when she thought of Rafael being cold to her. But apart from that, she was worried about Rafael¡¯s condition. He seemed to be wandering in another terrible nightmare.

    Ate carefully pushed open the bedroom door slowly. The faint light of themp, leaking from the inside lit up the man¡¯s sculpted face. Rafael was half-naked and his pants hung dangerously low on his hips. Maybe he just came out of bed, because he barely walked in his pants. With his eyes tightly closed, he was sweating profusely, as if he was being tormented.

    ¡°I wanted to save you too, Robert¡­. The enemies over the moat¡­. I shouldn¡¯t have abandoned you. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Words flowed out between his rough breaths, and soon disappeared, as if buried in the stillness of the night. He was beating himself up. Behind his closed eyelids she could see his eyes moving.

    ¡°Rafael, are you okay?¡±

    Ate quickly approached him and spoke in a soft voice. However, her voice went unheard as Rafael was trapped in the depths of his dream. Rafael stood facing the wall of the cold corridor, frowning his beautiful eyebrows. Then, he began to pound his forehead against the wall.

    ¡°I¡¯m cowardly,¡­weak¡­..I deserve to die.¡±

    The intensity of Rafael hitting his forehead against the wall grew stronger and stronger as he continued to deprecate himself. The trauma was so severe that despite the impact on his forehead, Rafael showed no sign of waking up. At this rate, his forehead was sure to bruise if he went on like this.

    ¡°Rafael, what¡¯s wrong? Stop!!¡±

    Surprised, Ate jumped up quickly and wrapped his forehead with her hand. This prevented Rafael¡¯s forehead from bruising, but instead her little hand was crushed quite forcefully against the wall. Ate almost screamed in pain, but she bit her lips tightly and held it in.

    <span> Only

    As she hugged Rafael, the coldness from his naked torso permeated her skin. It seemed that he had been wandering outside for quite a while. Feeling sorry for him, Ate did her best to distance him from the wall.

    ¡°Come here, Rafael. Come on. It¡¯s too cold and dark in here, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Ate hastily brought him into her bedroom before he began to hurt himself again. Her bedroom was filled with a gentle glow of light, and scent of herb potpourri, which helped her to sleep well. Maybe he felt it when he was unconscious, but Rafael¡¯s painfully distorted expression became much better.

    Ate, who managed toy Rafael on her bed, quickly looked down at her hand, thinking that her hand that struck the wall while shielding Rafael¡¯s forehead wasn¡¯t so badly injured. However, her fingers were now numb as if electricity were flowing through them, and the third and fourth fingers began to swell.

    <i>¡®I hope it¡¯s not a fracture.¡¯</i>

    Ate looked down at her hand with an anxious gaze. Rafael, still confused and trapped in his nightmare, groaned from behind.

    ¡°I wanted to¡­ save you, Robert,¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you could save my fingers first,¡± Ate thought.

 Chapter 27

    Most of Ate¡¯s hobbies and specialties were all done by her right hand. ¡®<i>I would be in trouble if I really fracture my hand. I just bumped into the wall.¡¯</i>

    Looking down at her swollen fingers, Ate somehow felt unfair. Suddenly, she remembered the words of a practitioner who had been watching over her illness in her previous life. She said Ate was born with a ¡°pygostyle*¡± constitution and advised her to be careful because she was prone to bone damage. <i>¡®I guess that was true.¡¯</i>

    [T/N: Pygostyle is actually a skeletal condition in which the final few caudal vertebrae are fused into a single ossification, supporting the tail feathers and muscture. It is found in birds¡­ so i have no idea why the author has used this for Ate. ]

    Anyway, she could only call a practitioner the next morning. Ate looked away from her swollen hands and turned her gaze to Rafael. He was crouching on her bed with his eyes closed and was sweating profusely. Looking at his painful expression , Ate felt sorry for him as he still couldn¡¯t escape from the trauma of the past wars.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right now, Rafael. You¡¯re not bad. Nothing¡¯s wrong.¡±

    Ate reached out her other hand and stroked his ck hair gently. Her small, warm hand stroked his handsome face and swept his disheveled hair behind his ears. Then she gently touched his wrinkled forehead. Rafael¡¯s unstable breathing began to subside slowly.

    Rafael, with a sharp face, was a very manly handsome man. It would be great if he smiled a little with that face, but sadly, Rafael only frowned whenever he saw her. Ate whispered sweetly, looking down at him with sad eyes.

    ¡°Deltium is safe because you fought bravely in the war. Nothing can hurt you now. I¡¯ll protect you from now on, so don¡¯t worry and sleep well now.¡±

    Ate¡¯s gentle whispers were already like a song in itself. Rafael who had been clenching his teeth because of the nightmare, rxed and his jaw ckened a little. Ate reached out and patted his cold bare shoulders. Then she opened her mouth and began to sing a luby.

    <i>Good night, lovely girl</i>

    <i>When evening primroses with dew are in full bloom</i>

    <i>When the silver ring by the window shines warmly in the sun</i>

    <i>You will have a good sleep¡­.</i>

    It seemed like she was now getting used to using her abilities. Rafael fell asleep with a rxed expression. Ate pulled the quilt over his rigid, muscr torso and covered it gently. When he was awake, he only spoke hateful words, and when he was asleep, he looked like an angel. Looking at the shadows of the longshes falling on his handsome face, she almost let out a sigh.

    <i>¡®Will the daye when this face would fade away from my memory and I won¡¯t be even able to remember it?¡¯</i>

    Ate thought and shook her head. No, maybe not. There¡¯s no way she could forget a face like this. With a bitter smile on her face, Ate reached out and touched Rafael¡¯s sharp nose. He was sleeping so deeply that he allowed Ate to touch him defenselessly. It was very different from the usual sensitive Rafael.

    Somehow, Ate¡¯s ability seemed to work better for tired people. Otherwise, it would work for less than 5 minutes if she used it on someone who was not sleepy or was in good spirits. Just like when she forced Gerard to sleep in the middle of the day.

    ¡°Good night, Rafael.¡±

    Ate crouched, lying quietly beside him and then closed her eyes. She could hear Rafael¡¯s calm breathing as he slept deeply. In her previous life, she had never slept together with Rafael, but looking back like this, it didn¡¯t seem bad. Thanks to this, she now had more memories to take with her before leaving Deltium.

    Ate closed her eyes quietly. Her injured hand was throbbing a little, but she thought it would be fine if she called the practitioner as soon as she woke up next morning. For the first time in her life, she felt that she was not alone.

    The next morning, Rafael opened his eyesnguidly. Before he even got up, he could feel that he was in his best condition. ¡®<i>I must have slept wellst night.¡¯</i>

    It was good to practice on a day like this, as he could further strengthen his swordsmanship skills. Maybe this time he could break through to be the Sword Master. Rafael, who opened his eyes in anticipation, suddenly became stiff and made a surprised face.

    ¡®<i>Ate Bavaria?¡¯</i>

    Ate was sleeping, in a position facing him. The delicate features of the palm-sized white face were just like a doll. Only the radiant blush on her closed eyes and cheeks proved that she was alive.

    Rafael slowly nced over at her sleeping face. Ate¡¯s long blond hair, and her white shoulders which were slightly exposed through her chemise, all sparkled in sunlight. Seeing this, Rafael somehow felt ufortable and he turned his eyes away. Whenever he looked at Ate these days, he felt unpleasant as if a corner of his chest was tightening strangely.

    Rafael raised his upper body and looked around the room, clutching his slightly throbbing forehead. The room smelled of fragrant herbs and was decorated with pure white furniture. Looking at the cozy carpets on the floor and the cherry blossom curtains fluttering over the window, it was clear that it was Ate¡¯s bedroom.

    ¡®<i>Why did I sleep here?¡¯</i>

    Rafael¡¯s eyebrows wrinkled badly. He seemed to have walked all the way to Ate¡¯s bedroom because of his damn sleepwalking. Until now, no matter how severe his illness was, he had nevere out of the bedroom. Seeing this, he waspletely caught off guard. So he decided to lock his bedroom in the future.

    ¡®<i>You didn¡¯t see it, did you?¡¯</i>

    Rafael had no idea what he did while he was asleep. He could only make a guess. Sometimes when he woke up in the morning, he would find his eyes sore, his hands broken, and his throat hurt and sore. Considering this, it could be quite ugly.

    The prideful Rafael was horrified by the idea of him begging and dragging his body around outside. If Ate ever saw that¡­¡­! It was humiliating to just think about it. So he clenched his teeth and looked at Ate fiercely.

    ¡°Wake up, Ate.¡±

    Rafael gritted his teeth and reached out to wake up Ate. He was going to ask her whether she had witnessed the mortifying momentst night. But Ate was sleeping so deeply that she didn¡¯t wake up even when he shook her body.

    ¡°Hmm¡­Rafael.¡±

    Ate reacted unconsciously, but her long, curled eyshes showed no sign of opening her eyes. The short-tempered Rafael growled, grasping her small face in one hand and shaking it from side to side.

    ¡°Wake up, Ate, right now!¡±

    At that moment, Ate¡¯s slender body slumped under his grasp. Feeling something was unusual, Rafael was stunned and stopped trying to wake her up.

    ¡°What is this? Come on!¡±

    Ate couldn¡¯t open her eyes and was very weak and helpless in his hands. The delicate texture of the neck as it drooped unusually made Rafael¡¯s chest sink. It was only then that Rafael realized that Ate¡¯s condition was not good.

    ¡°Why are you doing this all of a sudden?¡±

    Instantly his anger turned into embarrassment. Rafael was flustered as he looked at Ate¡¯s condition. He thought her body temperature was high because she was asleep, but now he could see her temperature was unusually high. He realised Ate¡¯s cheeks, which were a bright red, were flushed because of the fever.

    The embarrassed Rafael didn¡¯t know what to do and woke Ate very carefully. Once he woke her up, he could ask where she was sick. The moment his hand touched her arm, Ate suddenly recoiled and groaned in pain.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Ate, who reflexively wrapped her hand around the injured area, sniffed in pain. Rafael¡¯s gaze turned to her right hand. Ate¡¯s hand was so swollen that he wondered why he had just noticed it now. Rafael, who was well informed about injuries, knew what was wrong with her hands.

    <i>¡®It¡¯s a fracture.¡¯</i>

    <span> Only

    Fever was also one of the side effects of fractures. RafaeI frowned and carefully grabbed her hand to examine it. Her small hand was so fragile that it seemed it would crumble even with a little force. Her hand was a little warm. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t a very severe fracture, but Ate¡¯s body was so weak and frail, that even such a small injury was enough to make her suffer greatly.

    ¡°Open your eyes, Ate, are you very sick?¡±

    Rafael grabbed her cheek and shook it anxiously. Then Ate managed to open her eyes and looked up at him. Tears rolled down her pink eyes and she looked very pained. Seeing this, Rafael¡¯s heart was strangely hot. Just in time, Ate whispered softly.

    ¡°Rafael¡­. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m feeling well.¡±

    Rafael clenched his teeth instead of answering her. When the tears running down her cheek fell on his hand, he felt hot and painful as if he had been burned. He found it ridiculous that someone¡¯s tears could hurt. Rafael got up in a hurry, not knowing why he was doing this.

    ¡°Stay here for a moment, Ate.¡±

    Rapelle hurried out of the bedroom and went downstairs. He jumped over several steps and sprinted down the stairs. In a sh, he arrived downstairs and grabbed the servants around him, screaming violently.

    ¡°Practitioner, call a practitioner now!¡±

 Chapter 28

    Rafael leaned on the chair by the bed and grasped his chin. A practitioner, who was halfway dragged by the employees of the Carnesis Mansion, trembled while examining Ate. It was the same practitioner who had visited the mansion to prove Ate¡¯s ¡®innocence¡¯ before.

    In front of Rafael, the young practitioner in his early 30s was as nervous as a rat who had met a snake. Before RafaeI¡¯s beastly eyes, the practitioner recoiled and shuddered, while expressing his opinion.

    ¡°The fever is due to the inmmation caused by the fracture. The fracture has been corrected, so if Madam takes the inmmatory drug I prescribed and take a good rest, she will get better soon.¡±

    The doctor who wrote the prescription tremblingly, looked at Rafael with eyes wanting to say something. In response, Rafael red at him with a fierce look.

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡±

    Rafael thought he wanted to say something like, ¡°<i>It looks like a husband hit his wife.¡±</i> Of course, it was just Rafael¡¯s delusion, but he felt really unpleasant because of that. It was because there was a possibility¡­

    All Ate held in that little hand was a book and her mantle. Surely they couldn¡¯t have been dangerous enough to fracture her finger bones. And considering the fact that Ate was fine until yesterday afternoon, the culprit was probably himself. Rafael¡¯s eyes, which had be sore from sleepwalking, became grim.

    However, contrary to Rafael¡¯s thoughts, the practitioner did not doubt him at all. Even though the practitioner was intimidated by Rafael¡¯s aura, he pushed out something with his trembling hands. It was a letter of introduction.

    ¡°There is a very capable female practitioner around here. Apparently, Madam seems to have a weak constitution, but if this is the case, wouldn¡¯t it be better if she¡¯s taken care by another woman? Well, if you don¡¯t mind, I can arrange a meeting.¡±

    Despite his fear, the practitioner steadfastly rmended a colleague, and then quickly left the mansion as if he was running away. Looking at his running back, it seemed that he would never step in this direction again. The rmendation of a colleague probably was to push in another scapegoat to suffer on his behalf.

    ¡°What, take care of each other? That¡¯s not funny.¡±

    Rafael frowned and tried to resist throwing away the letter of introduction given by the practitioner. As the practitioner said, Ate was very small and weak. So, it wasn¡¯t a bad idea to have a female practitioner work as the chief physician of the Carnesis family.

    Most aristocratic families already had their own family doctors. But the Carnesis was a newly-acquired title purely because of Rafael¡¯s ability, and he was the first Marquis in the Deltium kingdom. The mansion had just been built a few years ago, and still had the smell of a new house, so he was not able to hire a separate doctor.

    Rafael clicked his tongue but eventually put in a separate letter of introduction. Later, when Ate woke up, he was going to ask about her opinions on this. He didn¡¯t realize he was paying attention to Ate¡¯s opinion for the first time.

    Ate¡¯s mind was confused. This was because of the fever and inmmation caused by the fracture. The mental shock and fatigue caused by the regression, and the stress and worry she felt because of Rafael umted one after the other, and finally exploded. In addition, she decided to smuggle herself out of the country and paid attention to this and that. So it was natural for Ate, who had a weak constitution, to be sick.

    Rafael sat in a narrow chair by the bed and frowned. It had already been two days since Ate¡¯s fever. The furnitures in Ate¡¯s bedroom were of small size to match her body. So arge, well-built man like Rafael had to fold his body in order to sit down. Rafael, sitting in an ufortable position, looked at Ate with a wry look.

    A bandage was wrapped around Ate¡¯s right hand which was protruding out from the nket. Her bandaged right hand was thicker than her slender wrist and seemed as if she was wearing mittens. Strangely, Rafael found the hand ugly. Unwilling to see it anymore, he pushed it back into the nket. Rafael then reached out to measure Ate¡¯s body temperature and muttered ferociously.

    ¡°That damn quack. He said she would get better soon.¡±

    Ate¡¯s fever did not go down easily even after taking the medicine prescribed by the practitioner. Rafael had never taken care of anyone, but strangely, he felt as if he was used to nursing Ate. He carefully woke her up, gave her the medicine, and then wiped her nape and cheeks with a wet towel. He did all this very skillfully as if he had done this a lot.

    His hand, which had only wielded a sword so far, was astonishingly nursing someone. Thanks to this, Ate¡¯s condition was bing quite stable. However, there was only one problem in this situation¡­

    ¡®<i>Why am I doing this?¡¯</i>

    Rafael recalled the troubles he had repeated countless times over the past two days. It was enough to give this work to any of the numerous maids working in the mansion. If he wanted to, he could have Ate get a different maid every hour so that she could receive the best care.

    <i>But, why couldn¡¯t he leave her side and went as far to personally take care of her? </i>

    To solve this unanswered question, Rafael locked himself up in his room and drank alcohol on purpose. However, he eventually came back to her bedroom in an intoxicated state. There was an anxiety that he felt whenever he wasn¡¯t near Ate. He couldn¡¯t even exin it himself, but he couldn¡¯t bear not being around her because he thought Ate would suddenly stop breathing if he was not there.

    He himself didn¡¯t know what the hell he was thinking. Looking at the unfortunate Bavarian woman, who looked so pretty, he thought he was going crazy.

    ¡®<i>Well, she is truly very pretty.¡¯</i>

    Rafael¡¯s deep blue eyes nced over Ate¡¯s face. Even though she hadn¡¯t washed her face for two days, she still looked so pretty that he felt ashamed of himself. Before she got married to him, she was considered one of the best bride candidates in the Deltium¡¯s high society, so he didn¡¯t know whether he was worthy of her.

    <i>Yes, it was all because of that little wicked face of Ate.</i> That Bavarian woman had a needlessly pretty appearance, so it must be a mistake that she ended up with a jerk like him.

    Rafael grinded his teeth and looked down at Ate with bloody eyes. Maybe she felt a sense of crisis while she was asleep, but Ate frowned, making her forehead wrinkle. She then groaned a little in pain.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    Her lips, which were too red for her white face, parted a little. Rafael felt awkward and a little irritated at seeing Ate sleepingfortably with her mouth wide open, oblivious to all his troubles. Frowning, he reached out and touched her luscious lips.

    Then Ate suddenly closed her lips and gently sucked the tip of his index finger. She seemed to be dreaming of eating something. Her soft lips, like petals, wrapped around his finger, and her small moist tongue moved around as if she was sucking a candy. The texture of her little tongue felt on his sensitive fingertip was so hot and sweet that he thought he would go crazy.

    Rafael became stiff and looked down at the face of Ate, who was sucking his finger. Her lips were stretched and her face looked very innocent. Seeing her pretty lips devour his finger, he wanted to put something other than his finger in there.

    Suddenly, his lower body became stiff. Rafael was startled as if he had been burned. He hurriedly took his finger out of Ate¡¯s mouth and then immediately ran out of her bedroom. Swear words flowed out of Rafael¡¯s distorted mouth. He couldn¡¯t understand the sudden anger that he felt. But it was clear to him that one day, that deste woman, Ate Bavaria would creep into his heart and set it on fire.

    Ate¡¯s head was nk. She felt like she ate something delicious in her dream. Ate groaned and lifted her heavy eyelids. The bright afternoon sunlight blinded her eyes. Because of this, Ate¡¯s eyesight returned only after blinking for three or four times.

    The first thing that caught her eye was the familiar view of her room. Ate woke up and looked dazedly at the small dust particles floating in the air. Her hearing recovered only one stepter than her sight and a strange sound flowed into Ate¡¯s ears.

    <span> Only

    It¡¯s just¡­

    It was a small sound of something metallic hitting regrly. Ate lifted her head and looked up in the direction of the sound. Surprisingly, she found Rafael sitting there.

    Rafael, with a strangely dissatisfied expression, looked very cold and sharp. He was sitting awkwardly in a cream-colored chair that was much smaller than his size. Ate stared at him nkly, wondering why he was sitting there.

    With something in his hand, Rafael was making this strange noise by hitting it against the bedside table with a bored expression. Ate lifted her eyes to see the object in Rafael¡¯s hand, and was startled when she saw what it really was.

    ¡®<i>That ring¡­..!¡¯</i>

    It was the ring that Ate received from Railin, the leader of the smuggling guild. She was sure she had hid it in a drawer, but she couldn¡¯t understand how it ended up in Rafael¡¯s hands. A surprised Ate, reflexively raised her upper body. Rafael, who sensed her movements, turned his head.

    ¡°Good. You woke up just in time.¡±

    Rafael with a stiff face raised his body and got up from the chair.

 Chapter 29

    Unexpectedly, Rafael said nothing. After making sure that Ate was awake, he got up to leave the bedroom. As he was about to cross the threshold, he randomly put the ring on the shelf, as if he had forgotten about it. Judging from his indifferent attitude, fortunately Rafael seemed to have no idea about the ring.

    <i>¡®Where did you find that?¡¯</i>

    Ate¡¯s heart was pounding violently. Rafael probably found it by ident in Ate¡¯s room and started ying with it. This little y almost made Ate¡¯s heart stop beating.

    When Rafael left the bedroompletely, Ate got up helplessly with her trembling legs and picked up the ring. As she stretched her right hand out, she saw there was a bandage wrapped around it. Ate, who was looking down at it eagerly, recalled the pain she felt in her sore hand the day before yesterday.

    ¡®<i>Oh, no. I guess I really had a fracture.¡±</i>

    Ate sighed deeply. She had boasted to Railinst time, saying, <i>¡°I can do embroidery, trantion, and ghostwriting.¡± </i>But now that she had hurt her hand like this, she felt a little dispirited. If the aftereffects of the fracture remained, it would be difficult to do any work.

    Anyway, it would take at least a few more months to prepare for her smuggling. Ate picked up the ring with her left hand, hoping that her fingers would heal before that. And she then hid it carefully by pushing it into the deepest part of her jewelry box.

    At this time, a sudden knock came from outside. Frightened, Ate quickly put the jewelry box in and asked,

    ¡°Who, who is it?¡±

    ¡°Madame, this is Ellie. I heard you¡¯re up¡­. so¡­ do you need help?¡±

    The cautious voice of the maid came from outside. Ate then realized that her body felt quite unpleasant. She didn¡¯t know how long she was unconscious, but it seemed like she had been sick for at least one day.

    The Carnesis maids checked Ate¡¯s condition and immediately started preparing for the bath. They rmended her to eat a simple meal so that she wouldn¡¯t feel dizzy while taking a bath. Since she had to wait a little for the bath water to heat up anyway, Ate nodded and had the watery soup and fruit juice.

    ¡°How long have I been sick?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been two and a half days, madam.¡±

    ¡°Oh no.¡±

    She had been unconscious longer than what she expected. The body that had lived in bed in the previous life seemed to have encountered trouble again. Ate became depressed, wondering if she might be bedridden again in this life.

    Ate calmed herself down and quietly stirred the spoon in the soup. At that time, the maids exchanged meaningful gazes with each other and one of themughed. Seeing Ate puzzled over their sudden behavior, the maid who justughed, lowered her voice and whispered to Ate.

    ¡°While Madam was ill, Master stayed by your side all the time and took care of you. He adamantly nursed you for over two days without budging. You are lucky to have such a good husband.¡±

    Ate¡¯s spoon as she was moving around the soup bowI suddenly stopped. The maids covered their mouths andughed with excitement when they saw Ate¡¯s surprised face, as if she couldn¡¯t believe her ears. The good rtionship between the newlyweds made the young maids excited.

    Meanwhile, the dizzy Ate was lost in her thoughts. When she opened her eyes, the first person she saw was Rafael, but at that time she just shrugged it off as a coincidence. She wondered how he would look as he stopped by her room to check her condition and see whether she had opened her eyes. But she didn¡¯t expect him to do that for two and a half days.

    ¡®<i>Why did he do that?¡¯</i>

    Ate believed that Rafael¡¯s care for her in her previous life was purely because of his affection. No matter how much he hated her, they had faced each other and even mixed their bodies for five years, so he must have some emotion towards her. Rafael had a rough personality, but his nature was not bad. So he remained a loyal husband to her until herst breath.

    But after Ate died, she returned and they still ended up getting married. At the beginning of their marriage, Rafael hated her fiercely. It was even more so because there were not enough encounters to increase the intimacy and affection between the couple.

    Nevertheless, Rafael still took care of her. A few days ago, he even said, ¡®<i>I hate you.</i>¡®

    So, there was only one conclusion that Ate could make.

    <i>¡®I don¡¯t know if Rafael¡­I guess he has a weakness for sick people.¡¯</i>

    Ate sighed and soaked herself in the bath. The maids helped her take a bath and took special care not to let her bandaged right hand touch the water. Truthfully, this fracture and the resulting fever were all caused by Rafael, but she could not me him since he didn¡¯t do it deliberately and knew nothing about it.

    So what could she do? She could only pretend to be grateful towards him for his care. When she thought about meeting his bright blue eyes, her heart felt heavy, even after taking a bath in the warm fragrant water. Ate soaked herself in the water until her other unbandaged fingers became white. She barely managed to lift herself from the bath water.

    * * *

    <i>Knock knock</i>

    Ate knocked on the door and carefully asked,

    ¡°Rafael, are you inside? If you don¡¯t mind, I would like to talk with you.¡±

    Ate habitually tried to hold her hands together in her nervousness, but stopped because of the bandage. She had no choice but to look at the floor and wait for Rafael¡¯s answer. After a while, a very low voice came from inside.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    Before opening the door, Ate took one deep breath. It was to prepare her heart from getting hurt. Ate calmed herself down, opened the door and stepped inside.

    It wasn¡¯t that hard to find Rafael in the big room. He seemed to have juste out of the bath. With a towel hanging loosely on his lower body, Rafael slowly sat on the sofa like arge ck panther.

    Rafael¡¯s eyes, under the thick dark eyshes, were fierce and beautiful. Before he began to speak, his deep blue eyes stared tenaciously at Ate, as if searching for something.

    ¡°You look better now. I think you¡¯re going to live, right?¡±

    As expected, a question filled with sarcasm came out. But Ate, who already knew that he nursed her during her illness, wasn¡¯t very upset. Ate opened her mouth, while carefully approaching Rafael, who was lying down on the sofa.

    ¡°I heard that you took care of me while I was sick. Thank you, Rafael.¡±

    Ate, who knew Rafael¡¯s personality very well, spoke in a roundabout way. If she had directly said, ¡®<i>Thank you for taking care of me,¡¯</i> Rafael was more likely to dislike the idea that his actions were caught.

    Ate was now learning how tomunicate with Rafael. Although it was difficult to understand how Rafael was feeling when he twisted his words all the time, she now had a little idea about it. Ate, with a gentle face, expressed the gratitude that she could not convey in her previous life.

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    After receiving Ate¡¯s thanks, Rafael was silent. His gaze fell on the bandage wrapped around Ate¡¯s right hand. Other than that annoying thing, Ate looked rtively fine. Perhaps maybe because she took a bath and had something to eat, her white pale face now looked quite lively.

    Seeing this, Rafael felt a perverse whim. While he was nursing her, he suffered all kinds of anguish over his idiot-like appearance, but the person who made him suffer was sleeping well and now her face was shining. Rafael, while lying on the sofa, raised his head and asked in anguid tone.

    ¡°Are you going to just say thank you in words?¡±

    ¡°Huh? What do you¡­¡±

    Ate, who knew nothing, tilted her head and asked. Then Rafael¡¯s low voice made his appearance look even more insidious. He stared at her as if he was going to eat her up.

    ¡°As you said, I took a lot of care of you. Do you think just saying thank you is enough?¡±

    Frustrated by this, Ate remained silent for a moment. It was to think about why Rafael was doing this again and what he wanted by saying this to her. However, Ate couldn¡¯t get the right answer. Finally after much deliberation, she asked.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to give you a thank-you gift¡­if you want.¡±

    <span> Only

    ¡°Gift? What are you going to give me? I already have a lot of wealth piled up underground.¡±

    Rafael had received numerous loot for his contribution to the war. So wealth didn¡¯t matter much to him. Heughed coldly, revealing his teeth like a wild beast. That face didn¡¯t seem to ask for a present. Then there was only one answer left. Ate, who had been struggling with her fingers for a while, nervously said,

    ¡°Then in return for the kindness you have shown me, I will grant you what you want. As far as it¡¯s within my ability.¡±

    Ate was feeling a little indebted to Rafael because of her parents. She was even preparing to leave here, so her heart was heavy looking at Rafael, who knew nothing about all this. If Rafael wanted anything from her, she wanted to grant it as much as she could before they broke up as a parting gift.

    The moment he heard the words flowing from Ate¡¯s mouth, Rafael who was lying on the sofa, slowly raised himself. As he walked towards her, his torso ripped with muscles magnified in her sight and she felt a little suffocated because of his overbearing aura. Ate, unwittingly took a step back, trying to avoid the approaching hard body.

    ¡°Ra, Rafael?¡±

    Ate¡¯s back hit the wall and she looked up at him with quivering eyes. Rafael slowly pushed Ate into a corner, and then put his hand on the wall and locked her tightly. Rafael bowed his head so that their eyes were at same level and whispered quietly,

    ¡°You want to grant me a favor? What the hell do you think I want?¡±

 Chapter 30

    Rafael narrowed his bright eyes and came close to her. His eyes seemed to want to devour her alive. Seeing this, Ate¡¯s mouth became dry. She felt like a herbivore in front of a dangerous predator. Ate licked her lips without realizing it. At that moment, Rafael reached out and rubbed her lips slowly with his thumb.

    ¡°Tell me, Ate. If I say I want to do something to you, what will you do? Knowing what it is, will you do it?¡±

    His voice lowered to a low husky tone and coiled around her like a snake and clung to her eardrums. When Ate felt a sense of crisis, she tried to shake her body to escape from his grasp but Rafael reached out and pulled her dress down to her shoulders. As her dress slid down helplessly, white breasts peeked out of its cor. Seeing this, Rafael lowered his head and began to lick her chest.

    ¡°Ah, Rafael¡­¡­.¡±

    There was a clear desire in his actions of rubbing and pinching her soft breasts. Rafael greedily sucked the tip of her chest and stimted it by licking and scratching her nipples with his tongue. The nipples, which had been soft up until now, became stiff and erect as his tongue tangled around them.

    As Ate panted and gasped for breath, his strong hands tightened around her shoulders and waist. Rafael, holding her tightly, began to suck her nipples more fervently. Whenever the small, soft flesh was crushed under the tip of his tongue, she felt a painful and exhrating pleasure. The stimtion was too strong, but strangely, she thought it would be nice if it was a little more painful.

    ¡°Don¡¯t struggle like that, Ate¡­ You¡¯ll hurt your hand.¡±

    Before she knew it, Rafael¡¯s one hand grabbed her bandaged right hand and fixed it to the wall. His other hand rolled up her skirt and plundered her underwear. While touching the slit hidden between her lower petals, he suddenly took his mouth off her breast and looked up at her. Rafael¡¯s handsome mouth whispered in her ears with a twisted smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s wet. You got this wet just by sucking your nipples?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m not like that¡­¡±

    Ate, whose face was dyed red in shame, tried to protest. However, Rafael, who was looking at her lips hungrily, covered her lips and didn¡¯t let her finish. He pushed his tongue into her mouth and scratched her sensitive pte, making her let out a crying sound. He pulled her tongue and sucked it so hard, that her knees went weak and she felt very lightheaded.

    The hand that slipped through the gap between Ate¡¯s legs touched her core. One thick finger easily prated inside her because of the wetness between her legs. The fingers eventually stretched to two and then three, moving in and out of her wet core, rubbing her inner walls. Everytime the thick fingers poked her insides, she felt a pleasant throbbing sensation all over her body.

    Ate was enraptured by the intense sensations exerted up and down her body. She could hear a low, obscene sounding into her ears. And she could feel a warm drop of tears flowing slowly down from the corner of her reddened eyes.

    ¡°Ate, ha¡­¡­.¡±

    Rafael stuck out his tongue and licked her tears up. He hugged Ate and headed straight to the bed. Ate thought he wouldy her on the bed, but he didn¡¯t. With Ate sitting on hisp, he took out his erection and rubbed it.

    ¡°Lift your ass, Ate.¡±

    Rafael, lightly biting Ate¡¯s ears, instructed in a muddy voice filled with desire. Ate hesitated a little, but before she could do anything, arge hand grasped her waist and lifted her up. Rafael pressed his penis against her core and slowly lowered her body down. As the narrow entrance was slowly made to open wide, the thick ns rushed inwards.

    ¡°It¡¯s too small, damn it.¡±

    Rafael grumbled but greedily pushed in his big manhood. Perhaps because of the sitting position, she felt it hit deeper than usual. Her stomach seemed to be full of his penis, so Ate gasped and unwittingly touched her stomach.

    Seeing this, Rafael slowly closed his eyes and clenched his teeth, as if trying to hold back something. At that moment, the penis that had filled her insides, wriggled, and swelled even more. It was so tight that Ate thought her stomach would burst.

    ¡°It¡¯s driving me crazy.¡±

    Rafael, after muttering some swear words through his evil mouth, soon began to wildly thrust inside her. The thick manhood, that entered all the way to the root, felt terrifying. His desire jammed deep inside her, tightly filled up every crevice of her little hole. Ate¡¯s vision swayed up and down, as a familiar pleasure rose from the inside of her legs. The sensation of Rafael¡¯s manhood going in and out of her, while spreading her narrow tight insides, was very vivid.

    ¡°Ah¡­yeah..um !¡±

    Every time he pushed in his thick penis, the wet flesh was pushed and pulled, making a sweet shiver flow down her body. Whenever his hard ns pierced her insides deeply, white sparks shed before her eyes. Due to the overwhelming sensations, Ate couldn¡¯t even make a sound and tears trickled down her cheeks.

    ¡°Ate, look at this. Your lower mouth is sucking mine very ravenously.¡±

    As he whispered in her ears, the corners of his mouth lifted in a wicked smile. Even in the midst of this lustful haze, Ate shook her head, letting out a small whimper. Then he wickedly whispered, ¡°Liar.¡± He grabbed her ass, and began to thrust more quickly.

    Everytime her body swayed up and down, the clitoris, which was stimted by the base of his thick penis, was stinging. As her legs trembled, she felt her insides tightening around his penis greedily. As he said, Ate¡¯s vagina tightly sped his penis, not letting it leave. Under these violent movements, Ate couldn¡¯t help but scream and moan brokenly.

    ¡°Ah¡­ huh¡­ngg..ahhh¡­!¡±

    Ate flinched and tilted her head back. As a terrible orgasm wracked her body, dizzying eelectric sensations spread from her lower body to her head. Even at her peak, the tightly swollen penis continued to squeeze and poke inside. Her tender fleshy walls were in both pain and pleasure through his aggressive wild thrusting. She liked it so much that she felt like she was floating in air.

    Ate shed tears and unknowingly struggled in his arms. Because of the orgasm, her body felt as if rising in clouds. She was scared of this feeling as her body could crash anytime. However, in these turbulent and raging sensations, the only thing Ate could depend on was the man in front of her.

    ¡°Rafael, Rafael¡­ !¡±

    Ate reached out desperately and hugged his neck. The gesture seemed somewhat desperate, so Rafael unknowingly bowed his head to make it easier for her to embrace him. It felt quite nice to see the thin arms wrapped around his neck and the soft blonde woman swaying under his chin.

    Ate shook up and down, frantically gasping for breath. The movements of the penis, as it thrusted inside her without mercy, gave her a terrible delight. She felt so good that she thought she would go crazy.

    In the face to face position, Rafael reached out and massaged her buttocks. This unintentionally made her vaginal lips stretch and spread to both sides, deepening the friction between the sensitive inner walls. As the vaginal mouth loosened a little, the movement of the penis in and out of it became even more intense.

    ¡°Your insides are tight again, Ate. Do you like it that much?¡±

    ¡°No.. yes.. ah! Ah, um¡­ !!¡±

    With a stifling pleasure, Ate¡¯s legs trembled and strained. The second climax was so intense that it made her toes curl. Her insides were so hot that Rafael almost thrusted into it.

    Rafael waited for Ate toe down from her peak and then turned her back. It was nice to face Ate like this, but looking at her pretty eyes dripping with tears, his heart strangely ached.

    Now Ate was sitting with her back turned to Rafael in a position that seemed like a child peeing. Rafael, aftermaking sure she was stable in that position, roughly inserted his penis again. Whenever Ate lifted her hips as if wanting to run away from the excessive stimulus, he held onto her waist and pushed in even harder. Ate cried out loud at the ruthless act of driving pleasure.

    ¡°Huh, ah, uh, uh, uh!¡±

    The cry that leaked out whenever her body shook was very pitiful. Rafael, with his head down, licked and bit her neck and shoulders like a wolfforting his female. As all of her skin had turned into one erogenous zone, Ate sobbed, not being able to bear such excessive stimulus. The movement of the penis that poked her sensitive spots made her almost faint.

    Rafael¡¯s hands rubbed her red swollen clitoris, which was hidden between her pubic hair, matted with her love juice and semen. Ate reflexively tightened her inside and trembled. Every time his fingers slided over her clitoris, Ate¡¯s cries got louder. Her inner walls seemed as they would melt away with the pleasure applied from both inside and outside her vagina.

    ¡°Oh, damn it. It¡¯s hot. I¡¯m going crazy, Ate.¡±

    Whenever the man¡¯s low growls filled with excitement reached her ear, a shudder ran through her spine. The feeling of his canines* biting down her sensitive back and the warmth of his lips felt really good.

    [T/N: Well it should be teeth instead of canines, but since Rafael is a beastly man, the author used this for his teeth. After a long debate with myself, I decided to keep what the author used.]

    ¡°Ah, huh, hah huh!¡±

    <span> Only

    The moment he pressed the perky clitoris with his fingertips, his eyes turned red. The penis buried all the way inside her swelled up a little and squeezed the tender fleshy folds. As Ate reached another climax, she leaned her head back and her whole body trembled pitifully.

    His manhood stuck between her legs wriggled and spewed out hot semen. Her soaked inner walls intermittently squeezed him tight. Now, Ate could not even groan and just helplessly shed tears. Her body waspletely exhausted and she copsed on Rafael¡¯s hard body.

    Rafael embraced the tiny woman and pressed a light kiss on her wet blond hair. The rtionship was terribly satisfying, so therefore only the affection for the person with whom this pleasure was shared, remained in his heart. At this moment, Bavaria¡¯s arrogance, haughtiness and indifference were all erased from his mind.

    ¡°Ugh, Rafael¡­¡­.¡±

    Ate, leaning against Rafael¡¯s hard chest, looked up at him with eyes dazed with desire. Just looking at her zed eyes and wet eyshes, his manhood rose again. Rafael clenched his teeth andid her on the bed. This time, he intended to be at the top.

    ¡°Ra, Rafael?¡±

    Ate, who realized that it wasn¡¯t over, looked scared. She was well aware of Rafael¡¯s stamina, but she didn¡¯t expect him to do it again.

    ¡± I think tonight¡¯s going to be a long night.¡±

 Chapter 31

    Raphael, lying on his side, put his chin on his hand and stared at Ate¡¯s sleeping face. Having been tossed around by Raphael many times, she was sleeping like a log. Unlike Raphael who had sleep problems, Ate was the type who could fall asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

    Stretching out his hand, Raphael habitually touched Ate¡¯s forehead and neck to check her temperature. Fortunately, there was no fever. It was difficult to check her right hand because of the bandage, but at least when he saw her exposed wrist, it only seemed to have a slight injury.

    Raphael regretted overworking Ate who had just woken up from her fever. He chastised himself for not controlling his desires. Knowing that she was a weak, little woman who couldn¡¯t be treated so roughly, he decided to be careful with her next time. Ate¡¯s eyes, which had be slightly sore from all the crying, made his chest ache in a strange way. As if a small thorn was stuck inside his heart.

    Raphael¡¯s deep blue eyes slowly skimmed over Ate¡¯s sleeping figure. Ate¡¯s sleeping posture was unusually straight. She slept peacefully with her hands in front of her chest. Even her little sleeping posture perfectly represented her exemry disposition. Although he was a little irritated at seeing that, he still couldn¡¯t help but smile at her. Raphael was stunned when he realised he was smiling at her and soon hardened his face.

    ¡°Fuck.¡±

    If he wanted to hold that woman and toss her as much as he wanted, it was normal to do so and leave without looking back. They were in a formal marriage anyway, and this was just sex without emotion. But why was he looking down at the face of this passed out woman and smiling like a madman?

    Raphael swept his hands down his face, and rubbed his eyes roughly until they became sore. However, he still found Ate¡¯s face pretty enough to want to swear. The faint tear marks left on her cheeks, her swollen lips, her blond hair scattered over her forehead and cheeks were all very pretty.

    <em>¡®What the hell am I doing?¡¯</em>

    Raphael was very confused with himself. Even now, when he recalled the insulting remarks and actions of Ate¡¯s father, Amand Bavaria, he couldn¡¯t help but clench his teeth in anger. The Duke of Bavaria, a vile pure-bred supremacist, and Raphael , an illegitimate child, were literally the worst match together. But why did he find that damn Amand Bavaria¡¯s daughter so pretty? Feeling confused and ashamed, Raphael was suffering as he rubbed his forehead against the bed sheets. A muffled groan came out from his mouth.

    ¡°Umm.. Raphael?¡±

    At that moment, Ate, who was asleep, looked at Raphael with sleepy eyes. She couldn¡¯t open her eyes properly, so she struggled to turn towards Raphael. Then she reached out and stuttered, while stroking his bare shoulder.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Raphael. You¡¯re safe now. No one will hurt you. I¡¯ll¡­¡­¡­.. I¡¯ll protect you.¡±

    After suffering from the arduous love affairs, her voice had be a little hoarse. Seeing her utter such strange words, Raphael looked at her with a frown, wondering what she was talking about. However, Ate, who was half-asleep, did not notice this. She was very drowsy, but she still tried tofort Raphael.

    ¡°You did nothing wrong¡­ So don¡¯t suffer. The war is over, so¡­ now rx and¡­¡±

    Ate¡¯s voice eventually faded, unable to finish her words. Her small hand, patting Raphael¡¯s shoulder, eventually slipped onto the sheet. Raphael looked at Ate¡¯s face for a while. At first he was puzzled, not knowing what Ate was talking about, but soon he realized what she meant. She knew about his crappy illness.

    Raphael¡¯s eyes darkened. He thought she didn¡¯t have a clue. He remembered the time when Ate had fallen asleep in his room. And just a few days earlier, he had found himself in her bedroom. At this point, she would be a fool if she didn¡¯t know. She must have lied to save his pride. She knew he valued his pride and didn¡¯t like to show his weaknesses. So she simply closed her eyes and pretended to not know anything, to not get caught.

    ¡°Ha.¡±

    A dejected sigh came out of his mouth. Ate Bavaria found the weakness that he had been trying so hard to hide from others. <em>¡®That damn Bavarian woman.¡¯</em> In addition to this, after seeing his unconscious behavior while sleeping, it was clear that Ate pitied him.

    It was such a fucked up situation. At this point, the wounded pride made him see red, but it wasn¡¯t enough to blow his top. Infact, he felt less sleazy than he thought. Looking at Ate sleeping defenselessly next to him, he felt no urge to wring her slender neck to bury his secret forever. Ironically, Raphael felt very desperate.

    After removing his arm wrapped around her, Raphael got up and left his bedroom. Right now, his thoughts were veryplicated, so he didn¡¯t want to see Ate¡¯s face. He thought he had a little trophy called Ate Bavaria, but in fact it was he who was struggling in her little grip.

    The shadow of the man in agony lingered in the hallway.

    <em>¡®It seems I would not be able to sleep easily tonight.¡¯</em>

    * * *

    ¡®Even in my second life, the morning sun rose without faiI. And a new day has begun.¡¯

    Today Ate had no schedule. So, after lightly grooming herself, she was going to read a book in the living room under the sun. That was the only hobby that she could now do with her injured hand.

    At this time, she heard someone knock from the outside. Ate thought it was a maid who hade to brush her hair. So she told the person toe in without much thought. But it was a man, not a maid who had turned up. It was surprisingly Raphael.

    ¡°Are you busy today?¡±

    Raphael, leaning obliquely against the door, asked with his arms folded in front of his chest. The posture looked just as bad as the market scoundrels, but his overly handsome face neutralised his overall meanness. <em>¡®Yesterday you couldn¡¯t even see my face, but today, all of a sudden, why would you show up and ask me that?¡¯</em> Ate, who became puzzled, shook her head, blinking her eyes.

    ¡°No, nothing much. What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Good. If it¡¯s okay, go out with me.¡±

    Raphael didn¡¯t reveal where they were going and gave such a notice out of the blue. Surprised by this, Ate looked at him with her eyes wide open. When his eyes met Ate¡¯s startled and curious eyes, Raphael felt his mouth be dry. He unwittingly added a little excuse.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that far from here.¡±

    Ate, who was staring at Raphael for a moment, smiled brightly.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get ready now.¡±

    Even though her hand was fractured because of Raphael, she couldn¡¯t neglect the fact that Raphael took great care of her while she was sick. So there was no reason to refuse his request to go out. Rather, it was a rare opportunity to go out with Raphael, so she was very excited. Naturally, Ate¡¯s smile brightened up even more.

    Seeing her dazzling smile, Raphael stood like a rock,pletely dazed. Every time Ateughed, she strangely seemed to glow. There¡¯s no way a person could glow, so he chastised himself for his stupid delusion.

    Raphael couldn¡¯t bear it and ran away. It would take Ate a little time to prepare anyway. In the meantime, he also needed to prepare his heart.

    * * *

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to get up?¡±

    At the cold voiceing overhead, Ate opened her eyes. Seeing that the carriage had stopped, it seemed they had arrived at their destination. Ate realized she was dozing off against Raphael¡¯s shoulder. She thought Raphael¡¯s nature was not too bad, given that he had let her lean on his shoulder without pushing her away

    Even though it was still daytime, it was dark outside. Because of this, Raphael¡¯s face, a little shaded, looked more dangerous and decadent than usual. Maybe because of his ck hair, he looked just like a devil or an incubus who hade to steal Ate¡¯s soul. Ate holding his hand, got off the carriage and looked around.

    ¡°Raphael, where are we?¡±

    Looking at the ce, she didn¡¯t need an answer to know where it was. The vast expanse of pure white marbles in the distance captured Ate¡¯s gaze. Adding to this, the cold air and the stifling silence made the whole atmosphere more creepy and Ate couldn¡¯t help but shudder. The ce where Raphael had brought her was the cemetery.

    The nobles usually had their own separate family cemetery, so it was the first time Ate had seen a public cemetery. It was obviously iparable to a nobleman¡¯s cemetery, but it was still very well maintained than what she expected. So she thought it was a ce for gentry without connections.

    ¡°Well, if I had known we wereing to the cemetery, I would have worn a ck dress.¡±

    Ate smiled a little awkwardly. It was her first outing with her husband after her regression, but she never thought he would take her to the cemetery. She wasn¡¯t expecting a romantic date, but this was very unexpected. Ate looked down at the light blue dress she was wearing.

    <span> Only

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. I didn¡¯t tell you in advance. So, how could you know?¡±

    Raphael unexpectedly came up with a rational reply. In fact, he found it really annoying when people dressed up in ck suits whening to this ce. Ate nced at him and then looked around the quiet graveyard. But she didn¡¯t know why they came here.

    ¡°But Raphael, what are we doing here¡­?¡±

    Ate¡¯s eyes quivered as she asked this question thoughtlessly. Only she and Raphael hade here, but will only one person go back? Ate broke out in a cold sweat when she recalled the old ghost stories. Ate, who had already died once, suddenly found the cemetery very ominous.

    Raphael just shrugged and escorted her somewhere instead of answering. Looking at his expression, it seemed that he wasn¡¯t nning to bury Ate here. Ate gulped and followed him, somewhat nervous.

    ¡°Here it is.

    Raphael stopped in front of a tombstone. Compared to the other tombstones, it was a particrlyrge and luxurious tombstone. Ate squinted her eyes to read the name engraved on the tombstone. When she realised who it was, she was surprised.

    ¡°This tombstone is¡­.¡±

 Chapter 32: The name engraved on the tombstone was very familiar to Annette.

    The name engraved on the tombstone was very familiar to Ate.

    <strong><em>¨CRobert Smith. 27 years old. Killed during the Letan Resistance Suppression Battle.</em></strong>

    <em>Robert</em>. It was the name that Raphael mumbled every time during his sleepwalking. In his nightmare, he begged Robert again and again for forgiveness. Perhaps the name engraved on this tombstone was also painfully engraved on Raphael¡¯s heart.

    Raphael did not look back at her. Raphael¡¯s side profile looking at the tombstone with both hands held together was so beautiful that it could not be considered human. As he stood there biting his lips, he looked like a god of death guarding the cemetery.

    ¡°You know that, don¡¯t you? Every night I¡­¡±

    Raphael¡¯s face was distorted as if he was mentioning something very disgusting. Though he did not finish what he was saying, Ae understood his omitted words. Raphael, who was a very prideful man, was disgusted with his weakness and could not ept it.

    Ate reached out and affectionately wrapped her hand around the back of his hand. It was an act she did subconsciously because she couldn¡¯t bear Raphael looking so haggard. Fortunately, Raphael didn¡¯t open his mouth. He only nced down at her hand and surprisingly didn¡¯t shake it off.

    ¡°What kind of person was he?¡±

    Ate asked quietly to calm Raphael¡¯s emotions a little. Raphael swallowed hard, and then with great difficulty opened his mouth.

    ¡°My aide-de-camp. He was the only one who stayed behind. But in the battle, while we were suppressing Letan¡¯s forces¡­. he couldn¡¯te back alive. He stumbled and fell into the moat. Because of that, he broke his legs. The enemies just kepting, but Robert, with his broken leg, could not climb up the moat. If I had also stayed behind, we both would have died.¡±

    Raphael stopped speaking and clenched both of his fists hard. Perhaps Raphael struggled until the end and was forced to retreat, leaving Robert behind. And that guilt still tormented him everyday. Because of this, he had nightmares of Robert dying every night.

    Ate felt sorry for such a Raphael. In such a situation, if she had left her sister-inw, ire behind and retreated, she too would have felt guilty all her life. Instead of consoling him through words, she just grasped his hand more tightly.

    Raphael didn¡¯t say anything after that. Instead, he simply reached out, brushed the dirt off from Robert¡¯s tombstone, and ripped off the moss that grew between the engraved name. The action was a little rough, but it still had a warm feeling.

    Ate, who looked at this from the side, smiled a little. Then she suddenly became curious.

    <em>¡®In my past life after I died, did Raphael alsoe to my grave¡­ would he have also taken care of my grave like this?¡¯</em>

    Ate felt dazed just by imagining it. Standing alone in front of her tombstone, dressed in a ck suit, what kind of facial expression would Raphael have? Was he happy, thinking his sick and annoying wife finally disappeared? Or was he alone and lonely like this?

    It was a mystery for her now. Ate never wanted to die because of stress again. And for that, she had to leave Raphael. Whenever she saw him hating her, Ate¡¯s heart ached.

    <em>¡®But unlike before, this time he told me about Robert.¡¯</em>

    This was the first time Raphael had told her about Robert. In her previous life, she knew nothing because she had never been close with him. Not only that, she only now learned that Raphael was suffering from trauma after the war, and he had a painful thorn in his heart named Robert.

    But this time, Ate didn¡¯t ask, but Raphael voluntarily told her first. Ate felt the need to think about this a little. Did Raphael really hate her that much? A little hope shone in Ate¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Umm, Raphael.¡±

    Ate wasn¡¯t the type who could guess what was going in others¡¯ minds and behave ordingly. She believed if one had any questions, the best way was to ask the other person directly. Even though she might get hurt again by hearing the words <em>¡®I hate you¡¯ </em>likest time, she was now quite closer to the truth. Ate cleared her throat and straightened her back. She then looked up at Raphael and asked.

    ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡±

    Raphael looked back at her with dark eyes. His red lips, set in his white chin, were strikingly beautiful.

    ¡°Because you know my secret.¡±

    ¡°Is that all?¡±

    ¡°Then, should there be another reason?¡±

    The small hope that had blossomed in her heart immediately withered away. She really didn¡¯t expect him to say something like<em> ¡®I don¡¯t hate you like before.</em>¡® But, his cold clipped tone sounded like not to expect anything more. This alone was disappointing enough, but Raphael didn¡¯t just stop there. He bowed his head, then, clutched Ate¡¯s shoulder tightly and whispered into her ear.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about saying a word about this to others. You better stay still.¡±

    Raphael¡¯s deep blue eyes looking at her were very fierce. Ate understood he only shared his secret because he had to, not because he wanted to confide or have any emotional exchange with Ate. Seeing this, Ate swallowed a sigh and decided to stay quiet. It seemed like it would be better to visit the smuggling guild again soon.

    After leaving the cemetery, Ate remained silent. She was nkly staring out of a small window in the carriage. The golden eyshes, which were slightly lowered, were weakly quivering, and the pink lips under her small nose, were tightly closed. Seeing this, Raphael felt strangely stuffy in his chest.

    <em>¡®Are you offended?¡¯</em>

    Raphael was used to Ate¡¯s attitude of always smiling at him and talking to him about this and that. And on top of that, after nursing her, he felt a little affection for her, whether he liked it or not. So, he brought Ate to Robert¡¯s graveyard.

    However, because of his distorted nature, he doubted Ate and was quite wary of her. Raphael had a lot of enemies. But if Ate told someone about his weaknesses¡­ It was just too horrible to even imagine.

    It would have been nice if he had had enough time to telI Ate his secrets. However, Raphael came unprepared and shared the secret as if he did so only because he was caught. In a word, what happened was really the worst. Because of this, Ate shut her mouth a little more tightly than what he intended.

    <em>¡®I should have said it softer.¡®</em>

    Raphael unknowingly frowned and regretted his actions. For an illegitimate child like him, there was only one way for him to survive in the aristocratic society. And that was to raise his head more haughtily, even if someone pointed their fingers at him, and bite those who ndered him ferociously like a beast.

    A man who was surrounded by enemies on all sides had no choice but to be wary and sensitive about everything. The same was also true for Raphael. The aggressive speech that he used to protect himself could not be changed easily. He believed he would live his life alone anyway, so he never regretted it. But this time¡­.. he really regretted it.

    ¡°Ate.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Ate turned her head on hearing Raphael call her. As their eyes met, a habitual elegant smile appeared on Ate¡¯s face. But her pink eyes weren¡¯t smiling at all.

    Raphael¡¯s heart sank when he saw it. Strangely, Ate, who was sitting right next to him, felt very far away. It seemed as if she was about to open the carriage door and go somewhere far away. Well, in fact, Raphael¡¯s intuition was very urate. Ate was wondering when to visit the secret guild <em>¡®Secret¡¯</em> again.

    Raphael was a man whose disposition was as close to that of a noble beast. Naturally, his instincts were very sharp and now they insisted him to do something. Raphael, in his anxiety, unknowingly made an impulsive offer.

    ¡°Ate, if it¡¯s okay, let¡¯s have dinner around here. What do you say?¡±

    ¡°¡­.Here?¡±

    Ate¡¯s eyes, intrigued, became a little energetic. They were now near a town that was quite far away from the mansion. Of course, for Ate, who had lived all her life like a flower in the greenhouse, it was a novel ce. Having lived only on the Bavarian street, she had never been to a restaurant on a street like this.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Anyway, in order to move to Ond and start a new life, it was necessary to get used to the life of themon people. After getting Ate¡¯s consent, Raphael poked his head out of the window and ordered the coachman to do something. Then, about 10 minutester, the carriage stopped in front of a busy street.

    First, Raphael got off from the carriage, and with great care, opened the door and held Ate¡¯s hand. It was a kind and caring gesture. However, Ate, who was very excited on seeing the exotic scenery of the busy streets, did not notice it.

    ¡°Oh my goodness! This is my first time in a ce like this.¡±

    This town was far different from the high-end shopping district. So Raphael was a little worried because it was not a ce suitable for Ate who had high eyes. It was a ce that received gentry and rich merchants as main customers. Fortunately, Ate seemed very interested, so Raphael coughed and pointed his finger somewhere.

    ¡°As far as I know, everything from this street to that street are all restaurants. Take a look around and pick a ce you like.¡±

    <span> Only

    ¡°I¡­ can I choose?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Raphael answered lightly. After all it was nothing for him. At that moment, Ate smiled brightly. The smile that couldn¡¯t hide her excitement was so beautiful that it was something beyond describable. Seeing this, Raphael couldn¡¯t breathe properly and felt as if he had been hit hard.

    <em>¡®Why is she smiling like that?¡¯</em>

    It was a beautiful smile as if flowers were blooming right before his eyes. Raphael didn¡¯t know, but Ate had rarely herself taken any decision in her life. Her father, Amand, was an extremely aristocratic and conservative figure. He was a tyrant who controlled everything under him. And Ate was also considered as one of his possessions.

    Because of this, Ate¡¯s previous life was extremely passive. But she didn¡¯t want to live like that in this life. In the meantime, the choice that Raphael offered her, really made her very happy. Ate looked at the numerous restaurants in front of her and with an excited gait, contemted where to go.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go this way.¡±

    Ate, with a big smile, stepped forward, forgetting all her earlier sorrows. She didn¡¯t even realise that Raphael was standing still,pletely dazed, while looking at her.

 Chapter 33

    Raphael didn''t have much expectations for the restaurant Ate chose. He expected Ate to choose a restaurant with a luxurious and elegant atmosphere just like the restaurants she usually went to. However Raphael''s expectations were brutally shattered.

    ¡°Oh, my God, Raphael! Look at that pig. It''s really big!¡±

    Ate chose an open-air restaurant. There, a huge pig was being roasted on the iron skewers with a sizzling sound. It looked really well cooked. Even the apple stuffed in the pig''s open mouth looked very delicious and smooth. Ate, who had only eaten perfectly cooked cut pieces of meat, unexpectedly lit up with excitement on seeing the pig roast.

    ¡°It smells really good. ck pepper, basil, cumin¡­ and hmm..what else did you put in? Oh my God, look at that gloss!¡±

    The chef became excited when a pretty looking nobledy looked at him with high hopes. At first, he was worried that the two people with dazzling looks and dressed up in luxurious clothes hade to make trouble. But they were unexpectedly quiet, and also ordered the most expensive dish from the menu! For these distinguished guests, he was willing to give the services that he generally would not be willing to do.

    ¡°Look, the pig is cooked very well! I''ll cut it for you in a special way.¡±

    The chef, with a terrifying saw and bone knife in both hands, began to carefully cut the pig. With exaggerated movements, he swung the de in arge trajectory. Seeing all this along with a wide-eyed look, anyone could tell that the focus was on showmanship rather than practicality. In particr, Raphael, a seasoned swordsman, found all these exaggerated gimmicks absurd.

    ¡°Oh, that''s amazing. I''ve never seen anything like this in my life!¡±

    But Ate was very excited and happy on seeing this and she even pped her hands in her excitement. Then, she flinched a little in pain and looked down at the bandage on her right hand that she had forgotten. Raphael was dumbstruck seeing the always elegant Ate be this excited for the first time. Her cheeks were flushed red, and her eyes sparkled like stars.

    ¡°Ate,e here and sit properly.¡±

    Raphael did not want to say something like this to a grown adult. Especially if the said person was a woman like Ate Bavaria who always seemed elegant since childhood. However, it was the first time he had seen Ate look so excited, so he was worried that she would make a mistake.

    When she was about to graze her injured right hand against the table, Raphael couldn''t stand it anymore and grabbed her elbow to support her. As a result,the napkin tucked into her neckline fell over.

    ''Why the hell am I doing this?''

    ¡°Come on, try it! It''s the best masterpiece in our restaurant!¡±

    Finally, the chef, who had finished cutting the roast, came towards them, wiping his sweat. He was kind enough to cut it into small parts on the te to make it easier to eat. Surprisingly, all the cooking utensils and tableware used in the restaurant were made of iron, which made the whole experience of dining in themon restaurant more realistic.

    The new thrilling experience lifted both Ate''s mood and appetite. The steaming pig roast smelled really nice. Ate, who was more excited than ever, eagerly picked up her fork.

    ¡°Wait, Ate.¡±

    Raphael frowned and reached out to stop her. If the freshly roasted pig meat was eaten directly, it would have burnt her mouth. Even though the chef took special care of the meat and cut it into pieces, the pieces were still pretty big. Raphael nced at her right hand wrapped in bandage. Even if he doubted whether he was the cause of her injury, Raphael couldn''t help but be worried about her injured hand.

    Raphael raised the knife and while furrowing his eyebrows, cut the meat into very small pieces for Ate. When he saw himself doing what others did to impress their femalepanions, he felt really ridiculous. He never expected he would do something like this for a woman. Raphael put the knife down and coldly pushed the te back.

    ¡°Here, eat after it cools down.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Ate picked the pig rind with her fork and put it into her mouth in anticipation. And the result¡­ totally exceeded her expectations! The pork rind with spicy sauce was very crunchy. The thick flesh beneath it melted in her mouth, filling it with salty juices. Because of the cool breeze blowing outside, it tasted even more amazing.

    ¡°It''s really delicious.¡±

    Ate said, covering her mouth with one hand. She was really moved. Raphael, who was looking at her from the opposite side, smiled. When she saw his handsome face smile without malice for the first time, her heart strangely started beating violently. So Ate, to hide her flustered state, rmended the dish to him.

    ¡°Try it, Raphael. Come on.¡±

    Ate''s fork in the air was shaking unstably. The fork, forcibly held between the thickly bandaged fingers, was about to fall off. Seeing this, Raphael shook his head and cut the meat into more smaller pieces. At this point, the pig roast was almost reduced into mashed meat.

    After almost crushing the meat, Raphael reached out and took the fork from her. Then, after swallowing the meat hanging at the fork''s end, he ced a spoon in Ate''s hand.

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    ¡°Just eat with a spoon. It''s not even a formal restaurant anyway, so nobody would say anything.¡±

    Ate had been subjected to rigorous training to be the Crown Princess. Of course, table manners were also included in it. But eating mashed meat with a spoon¡­ it was something that she could never imagine to do.

    ''But¡­.there''s no reason not to, right?''

    Someone whispered from inside the newly born Ate. Ate looked at the spoon for a moment, and then scooped up a lot of mashed meat and pushed it straight into her mouth. The meat that Raphael chopped up was still delicious and fragrant, but it was now much easier to chew than before. Ate was enchanted by the greasy and salty taste that filled her mouth.

    ¡°Try this, too. It doesn''t taste bad.¡±

    Raphael lifted the ss that he was sipping and pushed it towards Ate. It was a sweet and sour liquor with lemon and apple added to white wine. When she took a sip, the refreshing taste washed away the salty and greasy aftertaste of the meat. The cool night breeze blowing near the river was also very pleasant. In a word, it was a night that made people get drunk.

    Most of all, what pleased Ate was Raphael''s face looking at her from across. His beautiful face, under the warm lighting, was much warmer than usual. In her previous short life, Ate had barely seen him like this.

    ''Seeing you like this, it feels like we''ve be a little familiar.''

    Perhaps because of seeing him cut the meat up for her, Ate somehow forgot her earlier sadness. Everything would be solved when she would leave anyway, so there was no need to make an impression on him. But before saying goodbye to Raphael, she was satisfied to share a memory with him, that she could look back at, with a smile.

    Ate smiled and tilted her ss. Unlike her appearance, she could hold her alcohol very well. Thanks to this, she was able to walk pretty well even after drinking three sses of wine in a row. Raphael, who looked more rxed than before, said in a jovial voice.

    ¡°It turned out to be real drinks. If you had drunk more there, by now your blood vessels would have been filled with wine instead of blood.¡±

    ¡°I can still have one or more drinks. It''s a pity that the restaurant closed earlier than I expected.¡±

    On the way back to the carriage, Ate regretted not being able to drink more. She didn''t usually enjoy alcohol very much, but she wasn''t a weak drinker. She wanted to drink as much as she could because of its sweet and sour taste. Raphael, who was listening to her boisterous remarks, eventuallyughed out loud. But he didn''t notice his own strange behavior, and even teased Ate.

    ¡°No way, no more after this. Would it be good for a Lady''s honor to be carried piggyback? Now you wouldn''t want to go back home like that, would you?¡±

    Raphael''s eyes, which always looked at her sharply, were curved, and his blue eyes sparkled under his long eyshes. Ate smiled and looked at him warmly. It was a very pleasant but short night. As their carriage got closer, Ate became a little sad. Now, they would go back to their usual selves after this short ride.

    ¡°Oh, by any chance,¡­.is it Lady Ate?¡±

    At this time, someone walking from the other side came towards them. Ate, who was smiling at RafaeI, turned her head. Just as she saw who the person was, the pleasant smilepletely disappeared from her face. It was someone very familiar to Ate.

    ¡°Miss Diana. It''s quite an unexpected meeting.¡±

    The name of the woman with ck curly hair was Diana Mcire. Diana, the second daughter of Count Mcire, famous for his multifaceted business, was once Ate''s childhood friend. Even though there has been no exchange between them since childhood, one''s childhood friends always remained in their memories. Thanks to this, Ate could quickly recall Diana''s name even after five years.

    ¡°You know it''s dangerous to roam outside at thiste hour!.. Ah! You were with your husband. Hello, Your Excellency, Marquis of Carnesis? I''m Diana Mcire, daughter of Count Mcire.¡±

    Diana slightly lifted the hem of her skirt and greeted Raphael. It was a rather natural polite greeting, but her cheeks, as she nced sideways at Raphael, were slightly red. Raphael, who had a bigger and sturdier physique than others, was a very attractive man. He not only looked handsome, but his violent and arrogant temperament also added to his charm.

    Ate looked at Diana with a subtle frown. She wasn''t a bad person, but she had two problems. The first problem was that Diana was the type that fell in love too quickly. Even now, Diana''s face, looking at her husband, seemed to be full of admiration.

    Well, actually that was okay. Diana just would fall in love quickly, but she would never lose hermon sense. Even if she fell in love with a man who was already taken, she would never do anything more. That''s why Ate could ignore the slight blush on Diana''s cheek.

    However, she couldn''t ignore Diana''s other problem. It was not really much of a problem, but at least for Ate, it was quite a big problem. Because Diana Mcire¡­.

    ¡°Oh,e to think of it, Lady Ate. No, you are Marchioness of Carnesis now! Did you hear that? Well my friend Celestine has received two boxes of wedding gifts from the royal family! After all, being a Crown Princess must be amazing, isn''t it?¡±

    It was because Diana Mcire was one of Celestine Keers'' best friends.

 Chapter 34

    Ate remained silent. Diana stood in front of her, with an eager face, as if waiting for her response. She was well aware that Ate was once a very strong candidate for Crown Princess. Nevertheless, bringing up that story by mentioning Celestine could only be exined as sheer malice.

    ¡®If she would have said this before my regression, I sure would have got hurt.¡¯

    Ate shrugged inwardly and looked at Diana. She used to be her childhood friend, but now she was Celestine¡¯s best friend. The human rtionships were really ironic.

    Fortunately, Ate could nowugh it off casually. It was something that happened five years ago, so she didn¡¯t get hurt because of it anymore. Unless Celestine, who she suspected to be the mastermind behind her framed charges, came in front of her, she could easilyugh it off. So Ate smiled and retorted.

    ¡°Oh, really? That¡¯s amazing. Is there any blue diamond tiara among the gifts that Lady Celestine received? I really want to see it in person, at least once. I hope she uses it for her coronation ceremony.¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Ate really seemed purely curious about the tiara. Seeing Diana tremble with a face having the expression of ¡®It¡¯s not like that.¡¯, Ate ambushed her and affectionately put her hands together on Raphael¡¯s arms. Looking up at him, she tilted her head and said affectionately.

    ¡°Honey, I think I¡¯d rather have a blue diamond. What do you think? Will it look good on me?¡±

    Raphael looked down at her silently. Seeing him not respond, Ate broke out in a cold sweat. She thought he would be on her side because they had a good time together just now. She wondered if she got too ahead of herself. She thought it would be sad if she got embarrassed in front of Diana.

    Just then, Raphael pulled out his arm and removed Ate¡¯s folded arms around him. As expected, he had no intention of getting involved in this troublesome altercation between two women. Ate bit her lips, feeling her heart sink. At that moment, Raphael gently hugged her shoulder.

    ¡°If you want a blue diamond¡­¡­. feel free to buy whatever you want. As long as you¡¯re happy, you can even empty the safe.¡±

    Hearing the low and deep voice, Diana eximed, ¡°Oh my!¡± and quickly covered her mouth. It was a strange and wonderful feeling to see a man be so affectionate to his wife. But Raphael didn¡¯t just stop there. He lowered his head and gently caressed Ate¡¯s face.

    ¡°But I think pink diamonds would be better. It would look better with your pretty pink eyes.¡±

    After speaking, Raphael smiled and brushed his lips against Ate¡¯s eyelid. The tender, affectionate gesture could melt the heart of the beholders. Thanks to Raphael¡¯s active cooperation, Ate gained more courage.

    ¡°Thank you, Raphael. Marrying you was the best choice of my life.¡±

    A woman who had never had a choice since she was born,ughed like a flower and lied. Both the speaker and the listener knew it was a lie. But Diana Mcire didn¡¯t know this. As Celestine¡¯s best friend, she just wanted to poke fun at Ate, but in the end it was she who became a joke.

    ¡°Then, Lady Mcire, it¡¯s toote. We have to go now. Will you be okay with being all alone?¡±

    Ate, hugging Raphael¡¯s waist, smiled and took a jab at Diana, who had no fiance yet. Diana was a person who easily fell in love with someone, but unfortunately, the person with whom she fell in love never responded back to her. Due to this, she had never been embroiled in a scandal where she was linked with someone. Diana, who had been stabbed in her sore spot, raised her voice in a fit of rage.

    ¡°Of course, I would be okay! All of this area is amercial district that is managed by my family. Do you know how popr iron tools are these days? Thanks to that, the business is going so well that I was just on my way home, after working untilte at night!!¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see. I¡¯m really jealous of that.¡±

    Ate, who was from the richest family in Deltium,ughed leisurely. In response, Diana clenched her fists and trembled in anger. In addition, Raphael also joined her in the fun, which was like an icing on the cake.

    ¡°Come to think of it, among the things I was given, there was also an iron ore mine. Somehow, the ie from there these days is quite good. Ate, if you want, I¡¯ll put it in your name. Whether it¡¯s blue or pink, buy all the diamonds you want.¡±

    It¡¯s amazing, really! Diana opened her mouth wide. Nowadays, with the knowledge of how to use the iron ore, it was quite a fad to use iron materials. Because of this, the nobles with iron ore mines and mining rights were having quite fun these days. But you want to give it whole to Ate? At that moment Diana felt humiliated and was very jealous of Ate.

    Originally, iron was a material that was not well used because it was difficult to remove carbon from the cast iron. However, with new methods being discovered recently, ironware had be enormously popr in everyday life. From the iron tableware that Ate saw at the restaurant, it seemed that they had also jumped on this trend.

    ¡®Iron can make money¡­.. that¡¯s interesting.¡¯

    Ate blinked and was in a state of awe. She decided to learn more about Raphael¡¯s iron ore mine. Of course, it wasn¡¯t because she coveted his iron ore mine. Ate spected that her father might be after Raphael¡¯s iron ore mine.

    Ate, who was lost in her thoughts, was lovingly embraced by Raphael. He then kissed her little head. With a flushed face, Ate said goodbye to Diana, who was enviously looking at them.

    ¡°Then Lady Mcire. My wife is tired, so we¡¯ll take our leave. Please excuse us.¡±

    Diana turned around in humiliation and looked at the backs of the man and the woman. Just like the loving couples in the pictures, they hugged each other¡¯s shoulders and waist and headed for the carriage together. In particr, the appearance of Raphael with a sturdy built, bowing down towards the slender Ate was a scene that made even the viewers blush.

    ¡®You¡¯ll see, I¡¯ll also get into a rtionship this year!¡¯

    With a firm resolution in her mind, Diana turned around. At that moment, her eyes teared up as she thought that she could never bepletely happy, even if the ironware business of her family went well. If the iron sells well, Raphael¡¯s iron ore mine will also be profitable, and he would buy Ate a lot of diamonds with that money.

    Diana was so envious that she shed tears in her heart. Even if Ate couldn¡¯t be the Crown Princess, it didn¡¯t really matter. She now had such a hot and loving husband! At that moment, she envied Ate ten times more than Celestine. For her, seeing Ate walk affectionately with her husband was more hurtful than seeing Celestine receiving wedding gifts from the royal family.

    Meanwhile, Ate, riding in the carriage after leaving Diana, breathed a sigh of relief. She carefully opened her mouth, blushing with shame.

    ¡°That ¡­. Thank you very much for that, Raphael¡­. For being on my side.¡±

    When Ate expressed her heartfelt gratitude, Raphael felt awkward for no reason. He actually started to hate Diana, who was acting like a fox. Although seeing that her husband was standing next to her, she still indirectly asked Ate, ¡®Isn¡¯t it sad that you couldn¡¯t marry another man?¡¯ It felt as if someone was pricking his body with thousands of needles. So he wanted to prove that Ate¡¯s marriage with him was not something to be disappointed about. That was all.

    However, he couldn¡¯t be honest about this childish feeling. In the first ce, Raphael was a very stubborn man, so he always spoke very frankly. Because of this, he replied bluntly to Ate¡¯s ¡®thank you¡¯.

    ¡°If you¡¯re grateful, just make sure your hand gets well soon.¡±

    He didn¡¯t remember how Ate¡¯s hand got injured, but he knew it was probably his fault. Whenever Raphael saw her bandaged hand, he felt ufortable. He thought it would have been better, if it was his hand that had gotten injured.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get better soon. Thank you for today.¡±

    Ate replied with an idiotic smile. Though they encountered a little bump in the middle, her first outing with Raphael was much better than what she expected. She not only went to Robert¡¯s cemetery, which she didn¡¯t even know about in her previous life, but also dined with Raphael and drank alcohol. Although she hated Diana¡¯s interruption, she was able to deal with her, thanks to Raphael¡¯s help.

    ¡®Come to think of it, Miss Diana¡­ She didn¡¯t seem to know anything about my false charges.¡¯

    Ate recalled Diana¡¯s expression and tone as she looked at her. If she had known about Ate¡¯s false charges, she would have taunted her with it right away. Considering how Diana was Celestine¡¯s best friend, she was surprised by how perfect Bavaria¡¯s ¡®silencing of the matter¡¯ was. Although Ate didn¡¯t like her family very much, she feltfortable because of it.

    While Ate was lost in thought, the carriage quietly headed home. The town they stopped by was not much far away, so they soon arrived at the mansion. Before entering her room, Ate turned towards Raphael in the hallway.

    ¡°Good night, Raphael. I really enjoyed going out with you.¡±

    Raphael nodded without much response. Ate was actually now much more familiar with Raphael¡¯s blunt responses. As soon as she turned around, Raphael¡¯s low voice came from behind.

    <span> Only

    ¡°Ate.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    As she turned her head, she saw Raphael standing stiffly in the dark corridor, looking up at her. Raphael¡¯s white face, which did not get tanned even after all the rigorous training in the sun, was as immacte as a marble sculpture. His red lips hesitated for a while. And soon Ate was asked a question that she had never expected.

    ¡°That.. What you said¡­.Was it true?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°That, you don¡¯t regret¡­¡­.¡±

    Raphael couldn¡¯t directly ask her, ¡°Was marrying me really the best option?¡± Ate, who had never thought he would ask such a question, opened her eyes wide.

 Chapter 35

    The moment Raphael saw her pink eyes, strangely, he felt nervous and his heart was pounding wildly. He was worried about what Ate would say to his question. But Ate unexpectedly didn''t take the question seriously.

    ''Maybe he''s asking if I regret this marriage?''

    Ate realised what he was asking. In her previous life, Raphael had kept his promise until the end. Though she was helpless and was suffering from the ugly illness, he never looked at her in disgust. Until the day she died, he stayed by her side and no matter how bad her illness became, he never turned his back on her. Such a man was truly rare in this world. Ate, remembering this, replied gently with a smile.

    ¡°Yes. Even though this may be disrespectful towards the royal family, I''d rather marry you than be some princess.¡±

    It was really strange. Ate, who had said something so embarrassing, was calm, but Raphael''s face turned beet red when he heard it. He was embarrassed because it was his first time blushing in front of a woman. It was so sweet to hear her say that she would rather marry him than be a princess.

    Raphael was only the king''s illegitimate child. And the Deltium''s aristocratic society tended to value lineage. Because of this, Raphael was often ridiculed by other nobles. In contrast, Raphael''s half brother, Ludwig, was the only noble crown prince. Under these circumstances, Raphael had a strong inferiorityplex about his birth. This was why he was particrly hard on Ate, who married someone like him.

    For a woman who was desperately aiming to be the Crown Princess and could even bring down her otherpetitors, this marriage would only be a death sentence. She would never put the marriage in her eyes. Instead of the treasure she really wanted, she ended up with trash! Raphael was too proud to be treated like that by a woman. So he wanted to give up on this marriage before Ate could. Raphael''s cold attitude at the beginning of their marriage was a result of this sentiment.

    ''But is it truly better to marry me than the prince¡­.. do you really like it?''

    He knew it was too shallow of him to think like this, but her words had a profound effect on Raphael. Raphael turned his back, trying to control the corners of his mouth, which were continuously trying to soar up. He was worried that she might see his red face even in the dark hallway.

    Ate, who was unaware of the big tremors she had caused in Raphael''s heart, simply thought he was going to bed. Since she had apanied him to Robert''s grave for a long time, she hoped that Raphael could now sleepfortably. With great sincerity, Ate warmly said good night to Raphael.

    ¡°Good night, Raphael.¡±

    ¡°¡­. Ate.¡±

    Just as Ate was about to turn her back, Raphael suddenly called her from behind. Ate looked at him, tilting her head a little and waited for him to speak. However, Raphael hesitated, unable to speak out any word, and simply gazed at the floor, struggling to keep his mouth shut.

    ¡°That.. Sometimes¡­.. Can Ie to your bedroom?¡±

    Ateughed at the unexpected question. One of the drawbacks of Raphael was that he mostly came into her bedroom by mming the door open. He rarely knocked, let alone ask for Ate''s permission. However, Raphael, who was standing stiffly in the hallway, staring at the floor without making eye contact, seemed quite sincere.

    ''He even looks a little cute.''

    It was really surprising to see Raphael look this cute. Before her regression, he was such a scary and violent man. Because of this, Ate was in a strange mood and could not speak for a while. Misunderstanding her silence for rejection, Raphael added with a more anxious tone than before.

    ¡°You know I can''t sleep well.¡±

    At that, Ate felt her feet be numb. It sounded like he knew he could sleep well when he was with her, but could it be possible that Raphael had noticed her ''ability''? She didn''t want anyone to know about her regression. Ate, hiding her surprised heart, asked as if she was really curious.

    ¡°Do you feel better when you sleep with me?¡±

    ¡°A lot.¡±

    Raphael responded with a firm tone and looked straight at her. The blue eyes shining under the long, dark eyshes seemed sincere. Somehow, when she faced his intense gaze, Ate''s cheeks slightly flushed with shame. Seeing this, it seemed like he really wanted her. Even if it was because of sleep.

    So Ate lowered her eyshes and nodded. They were a couple anyway. Raphael, who finally got her consent, beamed a dazzling smile.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    For the first time, Raphael said ''thank you'' to her. As soon as Ate heard it, she realised that everything was really different from before. A warm and friendly atmosphere covered the two people who stood in the dark hallway, turning their backs to each other''s bedrooms. It was too surreal that it felt like a pleasant dream.

    ___

    Ate opened her eyes in a hazy mood. She could see the side face of the handsome man in front of her. The man with a straight forehead, sharp nose, and red lips looked surprisingly beautiful. However, the stiff neck, broad shoulders, and muscr torso exuded wild masculinity.

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    Ate, half asleep, looked at the unrealistic side face of Raphael. Only then didst night''s events vaguelye to her mind.

    ''Oh, he slept here against night.''

    To put it up nicely, Raphael was like a skilled assassin, but to be honest, to her he was like a night thief. Whenever he couldn''t sleep, he silently sneaked into Ate''s bedroom, without letting a mouse or a bird know. Unfortunately, Ate was the type of person who would fall asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. So she didn''t even know when he would sneak into her room. Because of this, she would be startled to find Raphael in her bed every morning.

    But likest night, there were times when she noticed in advance that Raphael hade. It usually happened whenever his sleepwalking was triggered. Every time Ate woke up, she would hold Raphael''s hand and bring him to bed. And then she would use her ability to put him to sleep. Thanks to this, her luby skills were improving day by day.

    Ate held back the yawn that threatened to spill out. She carefully raised her upper body and examined the face of Raphael, who was sleeping peacefully. She was a little worriedst night because he was again sleepwalking, but fortunately Raphael now, seemed to be sleeping well. There was no shade under his eyes, and hisplexion also looked good. Looking at his figure sleeping deeply and taking steady breaths, she thought he looked just as beautiful and strong as the god of war.

    ''Let him sleep more.''

    Ate felt sorry for Raphael, who could hardly fall asleep. So if possible, she wanted to make sure he could sleep as long as possible. She very silently came down from the bed so as not to wake him up. But then, a thought came to her mind.

    ''What if he catches a cold while sleeping like that?''

    Raphael preferred to keep his torso bare, while sleeping at night. Even now, his sturdy, tanned upper body was half exposed under the nket. Of course the scenery was very pleasing to the eye, but it seemed not very good for Raphael''s health.

    Ate, who was worried, carefully pulled up the nket and covered him up to his neck. Even the fingers that were exposed out of the nket were carefully pulled in and covered under the nket. Then, the sensitive Raphael frowned and showed signs of waking up. Ate patted him gently on the shoulder unknowingly, just like a mother soothing her child.

    ¡°Come on, baby, sleep.¡±

    Once she said it out, Ate wanted to bite her tongue off. What do you mean by e on baby, sleep''? How embarrassing would it be if Raphael woke up and looked at her with a ridiculous expression?

    Fortunately, Raphael did not wake up. He just turned his head a little and then again fell back into a deep sleep. Ate, who had been frozen on the spot, sighed in relief. Lifting up her heels, she did her best to quietly sneak out of the bedroom. She hoped Raphael could continue sleeping deeply.

    Click-

    Unfortunately, Ate''s wish did note true. Even though the sound of the door closing was very small, it was still picked up by Raphael''s sharp ears. Raphael was actually awake when Ate woke up. He just pretended to fall asleep because he was embarrassed to face Ate.

    ''You don''t think I''ming too often, right?''

    Raphael was inwardly bothered by that part. How much would his pride get hurt if he ran into Ate in the morning and get caught by her? If it had been his normal self, he would have stoppeding, even if he didn''t want to worry about such nasty things. But, the sleep in Ate''s bedroom was too sweet. He wondered why he could sleep so well here.

    Well, given Ate''s personality, it didn''t seem she would kick him out. She wasn''t the type to go back on her words. Raphaelughed unconsciously, recalling what she had said earlier.

    ''Come on baby, sleep''

    It was not something that woulde out of Ate''s mouth, who always seemed calm and clever. Raphael actually got nervous when she was staring at him. If she had woken him up and told him to leave right away, something inside him would have surely fallen apart. He didn''t know if it would be his pride or what.

    But Ate unexpectedly pulled the nket over him and patted his shoulder. The touch of the small, light hand seemed to pat on his heart, not his shoulder. As he recalled the moment, Raphael somehow felt a queer feeling as if his heart was tightening. He frowned and rubbed his aching chest, not knowing why he was doing this.

    ''Anyway, this isn''t bad either.''

    Maybe this is what marriage is. Raphael who thought this in his heart, sighed and rose satisfactorily, like a lion who had just woken up. As he stretched out his arms and legs, he noticed that his body''s vitality had improved. He only slept well for a few days, but was surprised by the unexpected result.

    So he couldn''t stop sneaking into Ate''s bedroom. Raphael was sure that today would be a pleasant day. He thought it wouldn''t be a bad idea to have dinner with Ate after his sword training. After all that was something that couples did.

    ¡°What? Ate has gone out?¡±

    Unfortunately, Raphael''s good mood onlysted for a day. After finishing his sword training, Raphael, who had hurried back, now felt very ufortable. The maid was terrified when Raphael asked this with a crooked face.

 Chapter 36: The poor maid was flustered. She tried to tell her master about Annetteâ€™s whereabouts.

    The poor maid was flustered. She tried to tell her master about Ate¡¯s whereabouts.

    ¡°Yes. She went out somewhat¡­ around two hours ago.¡±

    Where could she have gone now? Are there any ces where she would go around here? Raphael was displeased with the fact that Ate was not at home. It wasn¡¯t good for a small, slender woman like her to wander around this time. Does she know even what could happen to her? Like thest time, someone like the Crown Prince may appear and try to get close to her with the pretense of saying goodbye, or a crazy bitch like Diana Mcire could pretend to be close with her, only try to embarrass her by bringing up how she couldn¡¯t be the crown princess.

    Raphael frowned, recalling all the dangers present outside the mansion. Because of this, the maid¡¯splexion became more pale. However, Raphael wasn¡¯t interested in the maid¡¯s reaction and asked casually.

    ¡°Is it somewhere around here?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I think so. Perhaps a maid named Mary knows Madam¡¯s destination. May I call her now, Master?¡±

    The maid who somehow wanted to escape from Raphael¡¯s interrogation said earnestly. Raphael wasn¡¯t really going to look into it or anything, but the maid¡¯s suggestion didn¡¯t seem bad. It was not that he wanted to imprison Ate inside the house or something, he was just worried about her, so he was just trying to find out where she had gone.

    ¡°Okay. Bring her to me.¡±

    Thinking like this, Raphael nodded his head. Then the maid quickly disappeared to go and find Mary. Looking at her quick action, Raphael felt satisfied as an employer. Bing an aristocrat was the most satisfying reward he ever had. It was because of this he was also able to marry Ate Bavaria.

    ¡°Wait, why would I think like this¡­.?¡±

    He found his own thoughts strange. Raphael frowned and turned around. Seeing his affection for Ate grow like this, he became anxious. He had always been alone and so, felt much morefortable like that. Because of this, he was determined to continue living like that in the future.

    * * *

    A white, elegant hand came close, as if it was about to grasp Ate¡¯s hand. But the hand, moving like a white snake, only circled around her hand, lightly brushing against the bandage. The owner of the hand said in a chillingly soft tone.

    ¡°You¡¯re hurt.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. There was an ident.¡±

    Ate answered casually and shifted her injured hand to the side. Maybe a week or soter she could remove the bandage. But the man looking at Ate¡¯s injured hand didn¡¯t seem to think so at all. The purple-haired man with a gorgeous face clicked his tongue.

    ¡°You have beautiful hands, but what a pity! It would be hard to embroider like this.¡±

    Only then did Ate recall how she had boasted about her embroidery skills in theirst meeting. She replied, covering her hands feeling ashamed. She was really relieved that the veil couldn¡¯t show her face.

    ¡°It¡¯ll get better soon. It¡¯s just a minor injury.¡±

    The person who Ate was conversing with right now, was Railin Mosley, who ran the smuggling guild ¡°Secret.¡± He had promised Atest time that he would send her all the information on smuggling, and because of that, they finally got in touch.

    Railin handed a thick report, finely bending his red ruby-like eyes. Ate casually took it and checked the contents. It had information about all the good viges to settle in Ond, rmended jobs there, and even the average price of housing andnd prices. She was satisfied as she could meticulously n and make a good choice with this.

    ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯ll take a look. After making up my mind, I¡¯ll contact you.¡±

    ¡°I am d that you liked it. Please feel free to contact us for further information or advice. Our ¡®Secret¡¯ always prioritises our customer¡¯s satisfaction first.¡±

    Railin snickered. Ate looked at his face unknowingly. His colorful purple hair, which resembled hyacinths, had beautiful curls, and his hooded, feline red eyes had a decadent beauty. Particrly, the mole near his smiling mouth made his divine beauty reach its zenith.

    If Railin had been born as a woman, the men of Deltium sure would have thrown all their riches to his feet and offered their everything to him. He was the type of person who could enve people with just a wink or a smile.

    ¡®I envy you.¡¯

    Ate¡¯s eyes, under the veil, were filled with envy. All she had learned to do was to keep a noble and graceful smile, to raise her chin high, and maintain a graceful and dignified posture. These things might be helpful for her social life, but they were pretty useless when it came to improve her rtionship with her husband. It would have been nice if she also had such a bewitching beauty.

    At this time, Railin suddenly opened his mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if this seems rude to you, but I just want to know why you want to leave this ce? You don¡¯t really look like you¡¯recking anything, so if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to ask you why.¡±

    Ate was startled at his sudden question. She had never revealed her identity before, but he asked as if he knew who Ate was. Seeing Ate be wary and silent, Railin said in a nonchnt tone, as if asking about her neighbors next door.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry if you found my question offensive. I am asking this so that we can take care of the situation, just in case, if your husband tries to find you in the future. That¡¯s why I just wanted to check in advance.¡±

    This made it clear that Railin knew who she was. She had very carefully hidden her identity whileing to this ce, so she could not understand how this happened. Ate, who had been silent for a while, sighed and said.

    ¡°You know who I am, right?¡±

    ¡°As you know, my business is not only limited to smuggling. If my informants are slow, how can a beauty like me survive in this harsh ce?¡±

    Railin, who operated in the dark and headed the guild ¡®Secret¡¯, shrugged his shoulders with a proud expression. He had actually guessed Ate¡¯s identity from the beginning. At that time he was a bit wary of her because of her high status, as it made it a little difficult for her to be smuggled out of the kingdom.

    When Ate looked at her bandaged hand, everything became clear to her. Railin¡¯s information guild waspetent enough to find out for what kind of treatment the physician was invited to the house of Marquis of Carnesis. Railin looked at his precious customer with an elegant smile.

    Meanwhile, Ate was very displeased with her identity being revealed. Her cold eyes had already drawn a boundary between them. Railin, noticing this, waved his hand and spoke softly.

    ¡°Our ¡®Secret¡¯ always puts our customers first. It was very pitiful to see our precious customer experience unreasonable inconvenience by covering your face. So please do not doubt our faith.¡±

    The actual hidden meaning behind this bullshit was ¡®I already know your identity, so don¡¯t use a useless veil.¡¯ Ate was surprised by Railin¡¯s wit, he turned out to be sharper than she thought.

    Ate sighed and quietly took off the veiled hat. Actually, she felt very stuffy wearing the hat that covered her whole face down to the neck. Fortunately, as long as she was a ¡®customer¡¯, Railin was unlikely to reveal anything about her to others. In the first ce, if he had been a man who carelessly revealed or talked about his customer¡¯s information, the Secret Guild would not have been as big as it is now.

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    The moment he saw Ate¡¯s face with her veil removed, Railin let out a brief exmation. She didn¡¯t know what it meant, but she was very ufortable. The fact that the other party knew her identity made her feel quite wary of him.

    ¡®Maybe Raphael also felt this way when I caught him sleepwalking.¡¯

    Ate ended up sympathising with Raphael in an unexpected ce and closed her eyes. Just as she thought of Raphael, a thought naturally came to her mind. Ate carefully asked about Railin¡¯s other businesses.

    ¡°Then can I ask you to investigate something? I want to know something about my husband¡¯s iron ore mine.¡±

    ¡°Of course, but I¡¯d like you to answer my question first. If you were to smuggle out of the kingdom, would your husband try to find you? It¡¯s a really important matter.¡±

    Railin, who smiled brightly, looked so beautiful that she felt dizzy. However, if you look closely, it was also a very inscrutable face. Railin, who made it difficult to grasp what was going on in his mind, was a really tough opponent. It was clear he would not give any information until he heard Ate¡¯s answer.

    But Ate didn¡¯t want to be dragged around at his pace either. Now that she was inwardly displeased because of her identity being exposed, she smiled gracefully and retorted.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you figure it out with the help of your information guild. I think you can do it.¡±

    Seeing a modest and docile looking Ate unexpectedly counterattack, Railin¡¯s eyes widened and the smile on his face became a little stiff. Ate thought he was angry at her, but unexpectedly, Railin burst intoughter.

    ¡°Ha-ha, what a pleasant surprise! Okay. We¡¯ll take care of this problem. Please consider it as a small apology for offending you.

    It had been a long time since Railin hadughed carelessly without any meaning. It was a smile as bright as that of a young boy. Ate trembled seeing the strangely pleasing face. Seeing that her counterattack didn¡¯t have much effect on him, she was very embarrassed.

    ¡°Okay. Then contact me as soon as you get the information. Thank you very much.¡±

    The longer the deal with Railin was kept, the better it was. Although it was very annoying that her identity had been exposed, Ate decided to go out shamelessly since it had already turned out like this. Elegantly raising her head, Ate stood up from her seat. When Railin saw it, he thought to himself,

    ¡®The more I see it, the more I like it.¡¯

    <span> Only

    Recently, Railin had been having a growing ¡®personal interest¡¯ in her. Of course, if one asked Ate whether she was interested in the opposite sex, she would vehemently deny. The Ate, in his eyes, was like a treasure that stood out in the eyes of a very picky collector.

    Railin, as the top predator in the underworld, had a very luxurious taste. His picky eyes were as high as the Duke of Bavaria. So there were only a few people who perfectly satisfied his demanding taste. Just like Ate, who had received severe education under Deltium¡¯s most prestigious family.

    ¡®I¡¯m satisfied just by looking at it.¡¯

    Railin¡¯s ruby red eyes nced over at Ate¡¯s sitting posture. His eyes slowly raked over her elegant neck and slender waist to the rich hem of the neat dress. She looked like a perfect aristocrat, which made her more pleasing to the eye. When he saw her taking off the veil, Railin, for the first time in his life, wanted to embalm someone to keep them as they were for forever.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll get back to you soon, customer. You¡¯ll probably be satisfied with our information.¡±

    Railin, who hid his dark heart, smiled brightly and saw Ate off. Just as she was about to turn around, Railin lowered his head. and whispered in Ate¡¯s ear with a dizzying smile.

    ¡°Since today, I had the honor of seeing your face and make a good rtion with you, I would like to offer you a small favor. When you leave here, it would be better if you use the back door if possible. Otherwise, you¡¯ll have to go through quite a nuisance.¡±

    Railin, cing his fingers on his lips, smiled very meaningfully.

 Chapter 37

    After hearing Railin¡¯s advice, Ate paused and pondered for a moment. <em>¡®It would be better to use the back door¡¯</em> <em>What the hell does that mean?</em> It would have been better if Railin had given her more details, but he just stood there smiling with his mouth tightly shut.

    Ate rebelled by raising her chin proudly. She straightened her body to show a perfect aristocratic figure, something that had been imprinted into her bones.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t good to avoid the problems in your life. Sometimes there are things that we have to face in person. So I¡¯ll go out from the front door. No matter what¡¯s waiting there, it¡¯s a challenge I have to face.¡±

    ¡°Please do as you please.¡±

    With a short reply, Railin bowed and showed her out. He knew Ate would surely regret it, but he didn¡¯t want to give her anymore hints. When he listened to her say, ¡®<em>Sometimes there are things that we have to face in person¡¯,</em> Railin¡¯s bewitching lips held a nasty smile.

    Ate pressed her hat firmly to cover her face and then headed towards the front door with confident steps. Whatever was waiting there, she had intended to solve it herself. However in less than five minutes, Ate regretted not listening to Railin¡¯s words.

    <em>¡®I should¡¯ve just gone out from the back door!¡¯</em>

    She wanted to hit her five minutes ago past self. Of course, avoiding the problems didn¡¯t solve them. But sometimes there were problems in the world that were better to avoid. For example, the Crown Prince Ludwig, who was now standing in front of her.

    ¡°Ate.¡±

    Ludwig, who had tied his long silver hair together, carefully called out her name. His graceful face, which seemed to be molded out of silver, was distorted as if he would cry any moment. Ate, who saw this, also wanted to cry with him. Even after having Celestine as his fiancee, why did he keep on running into her?

    ¡°Ate, I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m so sorry!!¡±

    As Crown Prince Ludwig was approaching her with a sad face, he bumped into a roadside tree and grabbed his forehead in pain. Ludwig was a man with luscious silver hair, tall height, and beautiful features. Sometimes seeing him, she even wondered if he was a prince who hade out of a fairy tale. However, unlike his perfect appearance, Ludwig had an <em>amazing</em> skill that could make him break his nose even if he fell backwards on a bare floor.

    Ate found it ironic that Ludwig, who was so clumsy, was actually the half brother of Raphael, who was about to be a Sword Master. Even though she thought like this, she still gently put her handkerchief on Ludwig¡¯s forehead.

    ¡°Your Highness, how did you get here? Did you follow me?¡±

    Ate¡¯s voice speaking to the crown prince was soft, but her eyes and tone were quite firm. Ate was wearing a veiled hat to visit the <em>Secret</em>. So, let alone her face, even her neck waspletely hidden.

    Nevertheless, as soon as Ludwig saw her, he called out her name at once. Seeing that he could recognise her even without seeing her face, someone would have thought, ¡°<em>Amazing, this is the power of love!¡±</em> But Ate knew people wouldn¡¯t believe this. They would rather most likely think that she had followed him from the time he went out.

    Her identity had already been exposed today, so Ate was quite wary of him. As she was a married woman, there was nothing good in getting involved with Ludwig. Seeing Ate¡¯s reluctance, Ludwig didn¡¯te closer and looked very lonely

    ¡°Ate, I know this would be a nuisance to you. I¡¯m really aware of it. But¡­. I couldn¡¯t stand it. It¡¯s so painful. There¡¯s no one to whom I can bare my heart to. Ate, there¡¯s no-one except you.¡±

    Ludwig wistfully lowered his silver eyshes. A terrible loneliness and pain passed by his blue eyes. It was such a sad sight that any woman on seeing it, would want tofort him. But Ate gently refuted Ludwig¡¯s words without any agitation.

    ¡°You already have a fiance. Not only that, there are also many people who want to consult with Your Highness regarding Deltium. You¡¯re like this only because you don¡¯t allow it. Please open your heart and make new connections. Rtionships are important, Your Highness.¡¯

    ¡°You¡¯re saying this because you don¡¯t know! Celestine, she¡¯s really¡­ so different from you that I can¡¯t evenpare. I, Ate¡­. I can¡¯t even think of her as my fiancee¡­¡±

    While Ludwig was speaking, his emotions were all over the ce and he burst into tears. With a disposition simr to that of a musician, he basically had a sensitive and uneasy personality. So, Ate would always try to cheer him up whenever she was by his side. In a good sense, she was like a pir to him providing him with emotional support but actually, if seen in a straightforward way¡­.

    She was nothing but his emotional trash can.

    Ate calmly judged. What if Ludwig had gotten along well with his new fiancee, Celestine Keers? He probably would not have clinged to her like he was doing now. Ate wondered if Ludwig really liked her as a woman or if he was just relying on her to seek some sort of maternal love. Well, either way it didn¡¯t matter anymore.

    ¡°Ae, please. Don¡¯t push me away so coldly. If you also do this to me, I really¡­¡­.¡±

    Tears flowed down from Ludwig¡¯s blue eyes, which were wide open, as if in agony. With trembling hands, he carefully grabbed Ate¡¯s hand and ced his forehead on the back of it. The gesture seemed as if he was praying and begging to her. His beautiful appearance made it further look as if he was reverently worshipping her.

    But Ate wasn¡¯t really unnerved on seeing this. She hade to the smuggling guild with the intention of leaving Raphael. Even though she had made up her mind about it, she was still Raphael¡¯s wife. If she now epted Ludwig¡¯s affection out of pity, she would end up hurting Raphaelter. If she had to hurt either of them, it would be the right choice to hurt Ludwig, rather than Raphael.

    ¡°Your Highness, I really feel sorry for the pain you¡¯re going through right now. I sincerely hope Your Highness would be able to find some peace of mind and be happy. But I can¡¯t be what you want. I am already married to Raphael.¡±

    Ate pulled out her hand from Ludwig¡¯s grasp in a gentle but determined manner. And then took a step back from him, drawing a line between them. She only just listened to Ludwig¡¯sints, and didn¡¯t go forward tofort him. She didn¡¯t want to cause any misunderstandings between her and Raphaelter. She was not that kindhearted to entertain such immature behavior.

    Seeing Ate withdraw her hand, Ludwig slowly looked at his empty hand. His breathing gradually faded, and his beautiful face distorted into an expression of crazy despair.

    ¡°Raphael, that damn Raphael! Everyone only just talks about him. It would have been better if he was the Crown Prince. Even father thinks so!¡±

    Ludwig¡¯s bloodshot blue eyes looked terribly simr to that of Raphael¡¯s. Ludwig was a person who always stayed quiet. So, it was quite rare to see him shout like this. Seeing him clutching and pulling his beautiful silver hair, it was clear that the pain in his heart was much more than in his body.

    ¡°Then what the hell am I born for? What is the purpose of my existence? If I hadn¡¯t been born, Raphael would have been the heir to the throne!! He took everything from me. My Father¡¯s acknowledgement, reputation, even you Ate, even you¡­.¡­!!¡±

    [T/N: Ludwig calls his father Imperial father. I¡¯m just keeping it to father because imperial father, to me, doesn¡¯t go with the flow. ]

    Listening to Ludwig wail, Ate sighed inwardly. It seemed that King Selgratispared Ludwig to Raphael. King Selgratis was a good king, but he had never been a good father.

    King Selgratis had always been displeased with the fact that the kingdom¡¯s only prince was terribly unfit and was a musician who liked to y lute. Perhaps that was why he would often insult Ludwig byparing him to his illegitimate son, Raphael. Ludwig was very sensitive, so he was deeply distressed by his father¡¯s attitude towards him. Still, he longed for his father¡¯s acknowledgement. This was the main factor that drove Ludwig to madness.

    ¡°Tell me, Ate. Do you also think Raphael is more capable than me? Is that why¡­ you¡¯re cold-heartedly pushing me away? Compared to that great Raphael Carnesis, I am now not even a man in your eyes!¡±

    From Ludwig¡¯s blue eyes, a drop of tear slowly flowed down his face. He hade to seek somefort for his broken heart, but he ended up bing even more hurt. It was all because Ate had rejected him. Since childhood, from the time they first saw each other, Ate had always been Ludwig¡¯s onlypanion. At least it had always been like that for Ludwig. So Ate¡¯s rejection only drove Ludwig to the extreme.

    Ate, listening to his wails, silently closed her eyes. Ludwig was actually not a bad person. However, he was very weak and tended to be somewhat mentally dependent on others. Ate had always kind to the people who wanted to lean on her, but now she couldn¡¯t. It was because Ludwig repeatedly picked on Raphael.

    <span> Only

    Raphael also did not have a life full offorts. To everyone, he looked like a man who didn¡¯tck anything except for a pure lineage. He was protected by the king, had outstanding swordsmanship skills, was well-known among people and even had a Marquis title. But all of this was obtained from Raphael¡¯s hardwork. Unlike Ludwig, he had to grit his teeth and grind his bones to reach till here. Ate, who knew this well, coldly looked at him.

    ¡°Your Highness Ludwig.¡±

    For the first time in his life, he had heard Ate call his name out in a cold voice. The moment he met her eyes, Ludwig was stunned. It was as if he looking at a stranger. Ate had changed the atmosphere of the whole conversation just by calling out his name once.

    ¡°To tell you the truth, I don¡¯t understand this situation very well. As you know, I was falsely used, and your Highness at that time let go of my hand. Of course, I know very well that the situation at that time was unfavorable. But no matter what, Your Highness should have protected me, if I was as precious to you as you say. Am I not right?¡±

    ¡°Ate, that¡­ Listen to me, then I¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°No, Your Highness should listen to me. At that time, Your Highness was afraid of His Majesty¡¯s wrath, so you just gave up on me. I was not only removed from the list of candidates for the Crown Princess, but also ended up getting married as if I was being sold. It¡¯s obvious that I¡¯m the biggest victim in this situation. But instead of ming Your Highness, I tried to understand you. But why is Your Highness trying to me me now?¡±

    Ate¡¯s tone was neither exactly woeful nor was it filled with anger. She made her argument in a calm tone, as if she was reading from a book. But with her every word, Ludwig felt as if he someone had punched his stomach. It hurted like hell.

    But Ate didn¡¯t stop there. Her silent rage had just begun now.

 Chapter 38

    Ate, with a cold face, looked at Ludwig with clear, determined eyes. Her smooth rebuttal stabbed Ludwig in his heart.

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t want me to get married, then why did you run away at that time? You could have done something using your powers behind the scene to stop the formal marriage. If you had at least tried to get rid of my charges, I wouldn¡¯t be so angry right now.¡±

    Ludwig imed that he loved her, yet he still hadn¡¯t noticed the bandage on her hand. Even Railin, who was nothing more than just a business partner, had noticed it.

    Ludwig onlyined and wailed about his pain every time, and Ate always listened andforted him. It had always been like that for nearly ten years. So Ludwig seemed to have forgotten that she too could feel pain just like him. Ate said coldly, suppressing her surging emotions.

    ¡°I too can also get hurt, Your Highness. If you really wanted to marry me, you should have done something. So please admit your cowardice and let me go. I want to live a new life and start afresh.¡±

    It was only after hearing Ate that Ludwig realized it quitete, that he was being too immature with Ate. The Ate in Ludwig¡¯s memory always had a gentle smile and sincerely listened to his worries and anxieties. So from some point on, he started to take it for granted.

    But now, the Ate in front of him was like aplete stranger. The cold eyes and indifferent face were something that didn¡¯t belong to the Ate he knew. She didn¡¯t even bat an eye when she saw Ludwig gasping in pain. Under her cold gaze Ludwig opened his mouth and desperately tried to make some excuses.

    ¡°Ate, I did my best. You don¡¯t know how many times I had begged my father not to do that, and that I couldn¡¯t be without you. But I couldn¡¯t convince him..¡­.¡±

    ¡°No, Your Highness.¡±

    Ate coldly cut off Ludwig¡¯s excuses. It was something that happened five years ago before her regression. She thought she had forgotten everything, but it seemed that she hadn¡¯t forgotten anything. Ate¡¯s voice slightly wavered as she refuted Ludwig¡¯s excuses.

    ¡°I think it would be more right to say that it wasn¡¯t the best that you could do, but it was something that you did just for pretense. If you want to save someone from drowning, shouldn¡¯t you either swim in or at least throw a lifeline? You say that you did your best, but all you¡¯ve done is just watch everything from afar and throw a fit. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    Ate had always thought that she would marry Ludwig since childhood. The young boy and girl who were matched earlier, only had each other. The betrayal that she felt when her expectations were broken, was so bitter that she wanted to vomit blood.

    Ate, of course, knew it very well that Ludwig was very weak against his father. But no matter what, she never expected him to give up on her so easily. She never thought he would turn away from her so quickly. Ludwig easily epted the new engagement. He only made a few weak protests and after that pretended to give in as if he couldn¡¯t win.

    Nevertheless, Ate wasn¡¯t angry at him. It wasn¡¯t because Ludwig was a prince or anything. It was because she just knew nothing would change even if she got angry at him. By nature, Ludwig was indecisive and weak-minded. So there was no point in being angry with such a person, for not being on her side. It would only make the mouth of the speaker hurt.

    So Ate somehow put up with it. Seeing that it was meaningless to hold on to such anger, she just silently let it go. But today, Ludwig¡¯s past feelings and his betrayal made that anger crawl out from her mouth. Strangely, she felt relieved as well as sick. Atepletely cut him off her life, by saying,

    ¡°And if you have any respect for me, please don¡¯t do this again. Please never talk about my husband like that again. Raphael is a good man, and despite my bad situation, he willingly weed me as his wife. Now he is my family. No one can ever criticise my family in front of me. Do you understand me?¡±

    Ludwig waspletely speechless. Ate¡¯s attitude of drawing a line between them by saying that Raphael was her family, was so painful that his fingers became numb. The woman who he once believed was the closest person to him was now the one who was the farthest. This broke his heart, and unwittingly tears rolled down his pallid cheeks.

    Ate was right. He was really a coward. He had always taken her for granted and because of this, he lost Ate¡¯s hand forever. No matter how many tears he shed, they could now never go back to their old rtionship. This fact made him feel as if he had plunged into a swamp. Ate said goodbye to Ludwig, who looked at her nkly in despair.

    ¡°I would be grateful if you could generously forgive me for my rude behavior today. Please, after today never visit me for your personal business again. Then I¡¯ll get going now.¡±

    After finishing what she had to say, Ate turned around. It was actually very disrespectful to show one¡¯s back to a member of the royal family without their permission. But today, she wanted to do something sphemous. After all, it was all because they didn¡¯t do anything, that she was falsely framed and fell to the bottom.

    Honestly, it was not that she didn¡¯t find the sight of Ludwig, with a distorted face and shedding tears heartbreaking. After all, she had been with Ludwig since her childhood. They were old childhood friends and she even sometimes treated him like her family. Ludwig, who suffered from theck of acknowledgement from his father, was always sad. So she always had wanted to stay by his side to cheer him up.

    However, it was Ludwig who let go of her hand first, and brought an end to their rtionship.

    Ate lightly walked away from him, like a butterfly leaving a flower. Ludwig, now couldn¡¯t dare to catch her or force her.

    He couldn¡¯t do anything, just like the day when Ate was framed. He again had no choice but to look at her distant back,as she went away from him. He stood there until hisst tear scattered and dried away.

    * * *

    ¡°I¡¯m home, honey.¡±

    After returning home, Ate ran into Raphael, who was wandering around the front door. She habitually smiled and greeted him affectionately. Raphael¡¯s broad shoulders suddenly flinched as if he was startled, and he turned towards her in a strangely awkward movement.

    ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±

    Raphael¡¯s expression on seeing Ate became very strange. He was looking at her, but somehow couldn¡¯t make eye contact with her. All of these actions made him feel very clumsy. In the first ce, Raphael had never been a self-conscious person, so it was very awkward.

    Ate wondered why he was being like this. He looked at her as if he had something to say, but his firm lips were tightly shut. Ate tilted her head a little and finally asked.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Raphael? Is there something on my face?¡±

    ¡°No. You must be tired, so go in and rest.¡±

    Raphael furtively avoided Ate¡¯s gaze and bolted upstairs. Ate, who was left alone on the porch, looked at his fleeting back with puzzled eyes. Seeing Raphael¡¯s strange behavior, she wondered if he knew that she had ran into Ludwig again. But if that was the case, Raphael would have been angry at her, as he was the type of person who couldn¡¯t contain his displeasure.

    <em>¡®Good thing! I guess he doesn¡¯t know that I ran into Prince Ludwig.¡¯</em>

    Ate was relieved and decided to be more careful in the future. In her previous life, because of being falsely framed, her mind became unstable, so she started having a little aversion to socializing. Because of this, she didn¡¯t go out much often. And on top of that, her body was very sick and weak, making it almost impossible to socialize with others.

    Because of this, Ate had never ran into Prince Ludwig after her marriage in her previous life. However, now she was very anxious about encountering him again. <em>What changes will these little variables bring in the future?</em> Ate was worried about that.

    ¡®<em>I should have listened to Mr. Railin¡¯s advice.¡¯</em>

    Ate recalled Railin¡¯s words telling her to go out from the back door to avoid any nuisance. Indeed, he really had amazing intelligence and gut instincts. No matter how big a figure he was in the underworld, it was quite daring of him to dismiss Ludwig, the crown prince of Deltium, as a mere ¡®nuisance¡¯. Unlike his beautiful appearance, Railin sure was a man with great capabilities.

    Ate vowed to take Railin¡¯s words seriously in the future. She trudged up to her bedroom, dragging her tired body. After saying out everything she held against Ludwig in her heart, she felt relieved as well as exhausted.

    Ate, after taking a warm bath, soon fell into a deep sleep. So again she didn¡¯t notice Raphael sneaking into her bed.

    ¡®<em>You really sleep as if you are dead.¡¯</em>

    Lying obliquely, Raphael looked down at the sleeping Ate with his head in one arm. Even after seeing her like this countless times, he still strangely did not get tired of seeing Ate¡¯s face. Raphael, who had been looking down at Ate with a strange look, muttered suddenly.

    ¡°<em>I¡¯m your family¡­.¡±</em>

    Raphael had earlier questioned Ate¡¯s maid, Mary, and roughly dug out all her whereabouts. Of course, Ate did not reveal the exact location to anyone. But with Raphael¡¯s beastly senses, he somehow managed to track her down.

    Fortunately, today the fate was on Ate¡¯s side. Raphael did not see the ¡®Secret¡¯ guild. It was because he arrived a littlete at the scene, as he was searching for the ambiguous ce that he had heard from the maid. Thanks to that, when Raphael found Ate, she had already left Secret.

    However, the problem was that there was another man standing next to her. And that man was none other than Crown Prince Ludwig.

    <span> Only

    ¡®<em>What¡¯s going on here?</em>

    At first, Raphael had almost misunderstood that Ate was secretly meeting Ludwig. In fact, it was a very convincing scene. As soon as he saw Ate facing Ludwig, Raphael literally felt all the blood in his body be cold. However the conversation between them was far from that of a secret meeting.

    <em>¡°Tell me, Ate. Do you also think Raphael is more capable than me? Is that why¡­ you¡¯re cold-heartedly pushing me away? Compared to that great Raphael Carnesis, I am now not even a man in your eyes!¡±</em>

    The moment he heard Ludwig¡¯s wails from afar, Raphael felt relieved. Ate wasn¡¯t cheating on him, rather she was rejecting the clingy Ludwig. Raphael couldn¡¯t understand why he felt so happy about this.

    But it didn¡¯t just end there. Raphael squinted his eyes and waited for Ate¡¯s next reaction. He was nervous as he couldn¡¯t see her expression as she stared at Ludwig.

    <em>Why isn¡¯t she answering anything?</em> Raphael¡¯s heart was beating strangely and there was a numb ringing sensation in his ears. It was a physical abnormality that was unlikely to belong to a Sword Master.

    ¡®<em>Should I just rather leave now?¡¯</em>

    Raphael couldn¡¯t stand it as he was afraid to hear Ate¡¯s reply. <em>What if she really changed her mind? What if everything she told him was a lie? What if it was a lie when she said it was better to marry him than be a princess? What if she abandoned him and chose Ludwig, who had pure noble blood?</em>

 Chapter 39

    Raphael couldn¡¯t understand what he was feeling right now. But if Ate chose Ludwig here¡­¡­ He could never live as well as he did before.

    He knew it was just a political marriage, and Ate was from the damn Bavarian family¡­ But why did he feel this way? Raphael wanted to run away from the scene right away. But as he was about to take action, Ate said in a very firm tone.

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t want me to get married, then why did you run away at that time? You could have done something using your powers behind the scene to stop the formal marriage.¡±

    Raphael¡¯s heart sank as soon as he heard it. Was Ate so disgusted with their political marriage? Because of the shock, the ringing in his ear became louder and he could hardly listen what Ate said next.

    ¡°If you had¡­ tried to¡­ you should have done¡­. I wouldn¡¯t be so¡­.¡±

    Raphael went a little closer to them as he tried to catch his breath. He wanted to check the situation with his own eyes and ears. He had a slight fear of being caught as he approached them closer and closer. Because all his senses were running wild, he couldn¡¯t grasp the situation in front of him. And then, Ate¡¯sst words struck Raphael¡¯s ear.

    Ate raised her head and said something Raphael could never had imagined.

    ¡°And if you have any respect for me, please don¡¯t do this again. Please never talk about my husband like that again. Raphael is a good man, and despite my bad situation, he willingly weed me as his wife. Now he is my family. No one can ever criticise my family in front of me. Do you understand me?¡±

    The moment Raphael heard it, he was utterly speechless. Strangely the inside of his throat was heating up. He had neither ever been nice to Ate nor had ever trusted her. But Ate was still faithful to him.

    Ate¡¯s words painted him as someone who was very attentive and generous. It sounded as if he was the world¡¯s most wonderful man. But this made Raphael feel more like a scumbag.

    ¡°Please, after today never visit me for your personal business again. Then I¡¯ll get going now.¡±

    Ate turned her back after finishing what she had to say. From the noblest, most exalted and loved prince of the Deltium, without any hesitation, she stepped away only toe back home¡­to him.

    Seeing this, Raphael felt a bit like crying for the first time. Ate¡¯s confident gait and her upright back dazzled him. Ludwig standing far away looked somewhat miserable. Raphael just kept on tenaciously looking at her back until shepletely disappeared from his sight.

    ¡®<em>My family¡­.¡¯</em>

    Raphael repeated her words in his mind. Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t caught by Ate while following her. After returning home, Ate was a little suspicious of his strange attitude, but fortunately she did not doubt anything.

    After Ate fell asleep, Raphael sneaked into her bedroom and silently stared at her sleeping face. This little woman constantly evoked strange feelings in him.

    <em>Is this woman harmful or good to me?</em> Raphael looked at the beautiful riddle before his eyes, unable to answer at all. Thenying beside her, he slowly closed his eyes. The small regr breathing sound that came into his ears was very warm and soothing.

    * * *

    It was windy today. Perhaps that¡¯s why a wonderful scent came from the lcs blooming in the backyard. But the scent wasn¡¯t more fragrant than the scenting from Ate¡¯s hair and neck.

    Ate was sitting on the sofa staring hard at something. Raphael, who was hugging Ate from behind, bit and licked her little ears, which were revealed through her hair. Ate, trapped in Raphael¡¯s arms, shuddered and shrugged her shoulders. A twinkling bell-likeughter erupted from her mouth.

    ¡°It tickles, Raphael.¡±

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡±

    Just like a big beast, Raphael, who had disturbed Ate, bowed his head and reached out to see the thing that Ate had been looking at so seriously. It was an invitation letter with letters carved in silver on a thin, rustling high-quality paper.

    ¡°Garden Evening Party? Looks like it¡¯s being held by Marquis Eloque.¡±

    ¡°Yes, the summer garden there is quite beautiful. Have you ever been there?¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡±

    Raphael didn¡¯t like to go out in crowded ces. The women flirted with him with envious eyes, and the men looked at him with disapproving gazes and scorned him from behind. Since they were no match to Raphael when it came to looks and abilities, all they could attack him with was his lineage.

    The fiery Raphael could not endure such things. He also had sharp ears. So whenever he caught them insulting him, he would rashly turn the ce upside down and scare away the rat like people. But it was also quite distasteful towards the host to make a fuss at the ball every time, so Raphael naturally became reluctant towards attending such socializing events.

    Still, it was okay if the organizer was Marquis Eloque. Eloque family advocated political neutrality and had a long prestigious history, so their guests must be quite cultured. Ate had nned to make her first public appearance here after her marriage. She needed to meet Celestine Keers again to clear herself of all the false charges.

    ¡®<em>Celestine, no matter what, would attend the party of Marquis Eloque.¡¯</em>

    The party¡¯s organizer Marquis Eloque¡¯s wife was the chairman of Celestine¡¯s book club. So Celestine was probably going to attend this party.

    When Ate thought of facing Celestine again, her heart throbbed. She was anxious and afraid, but on the other hand she was also looking forward to it. It would the first time she would encounter Celestine since her ¡®<em>kidnapping</em>¡® incident. Ate wondered if she would again pretend to be the <em>victim</em> before her eyes.

    Raphael didn¡¯t know why Ate looked so grim. He looked at Ate¡¯s eyes looking down at the invitation. She looked like a rabbit who had decided to fight a rattlesnake. So Raphael asked her with half curiosity and half anxiety.

    ¡°Are you going? This party¡­¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ yeah, I¡¯m thinking about it.¡±

    Ate answered frankly. Raphael, who carefully opened the invitation, looked quite displeased. He swept his nce over the ce and time written on the invitation.

    ¡°The opening time is toote. What if it ends up quitete in the night and you encounter some strange people on the way? Not only that, the ce is also outdoors. What if you catch a cold? Would Marquis Eloque take the responsibility?¡±

    Ate wondered why Raphael suddenly started finding faults with the party. Summer outdoor garden parties were usually held at night. It was because it was too hot during the day. Ate blinked her eyes a couple of times and replied calmly.

    ¡°But it¡¯s summer now. It will be a little cool at night, so one will feel better. And since it¡¯s an evening party, I think it should end up before 9 o¡¯clock. So it will be okay.¡±

    Ate¡¯s answer was very reasonable. But it wasn¡¯t the answer Raphael wanted. He furrowed his dark eyebrows and bit Ate¡¯s ears, as if he wasining

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s dangerous. It¡¯s dangerous to catch a cold and it¡¯s also dangerous on the way back. Anyway, it¡¯s too dangerous to have a party at night.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­So you¡¯re telling me not to go?¡±

    Ate, who had been silent for a while, turned her head and looked at Raphael. The Marquis Eloque¡¯s evening party was a perfect ce for Ate¡¯s re-debut after marriage. In addition, there was a high possibility that Celestine, who was busy preparing for the coronation, woulde.

    Such an opportunity was rare toe. Ate wanted to attend this party as much as possible. But if Raphael kept trying to stop her this way, she had no choice but to fight him. Anticipating the impending fight, Ate¡¯s eyes drooped gloomily.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant!¡±

    Raphael, who saw this, raised his voice without realizing it. Then Ate¡¯s body, which had been held in his arms, shrank in surprise. She was frightened because he suddenly screamed harshly in her ear. Seeing this, Raphael frowned and chastised himself for his behavior.

    ¡®<em>What¡¯s wrong with me these days?¡¯</em>

    He realized that he was being overly clingy towards Ate these days. Today again, he wandered around her without any work and then tried to find opportunities to talk to her. He even took away the invitation like a child. All this was really uneptable behavior.

    He was like this because of Ate¡¯s words that he heard while following herst time. She kept praising him as a good husband, so he wanted to be that person. But he felt like a clown. Anyway, even after seeing Ate¡¯s wary expression, he couldn¡¯t stop. Raphael gently softened his voice and spat out.

    ¡°I mean¡­. it¡¯s dangerous, so I¡¯lle with you.¡±

    ¡°You wille with me?¡±

    <span> Only

    Ate doubted her ears. She and Raphael had never attended a party together in their previous lives. It was because their marital life was really bad.

    In addition, Ate had some sort of fear at that time. Even though her family had suppressed all the rumours, still there was no eternal secret in this world. She was afraid that people would pretend to be oblivious in front of her, only to gossip behind her back. So, Ate could not afford to go outside the mansion. Because of this, they didn¡¯t attend a single party as a couple.

    ¡°Why, don¡¯t you want me to go?¡±

    Seeing that Ate was silent, Raphael¡¯s handsome eyebrows wriggled as he looked at her. If it was like before, he probably would have sarcastically asked her if she was ashamed of her illegitimate husband. But now that he had seen Ate defend him several times, it was a little different. He knew she wouldn¡¯t be ashamed of him.

    However Raphael¡¯s twisted personality was sometimes expressed in this way. It was his way of pressurising to answer quickly that <em>she would like him toe with her</em>. Ate, who knew this well, shook her head andughed.

    ¡°No way. It would be great if I could go to the party with you. I would be really happy.¡±

    Raphael flinched at Ate¡¯s friendly words, and then turned his head slightly. The area around his temple was slightly red. Perhaps Ate listened to his thoughts and relieved him with a single word.

    <hr>

    Merry Christmas Guys

 Chapter 40

    Ate was very happy when she heard that Raphael would attend the evening party with her. So she didn¡¯t notice his flushed face. She then recalled an unfortunate memory of her past life.

    <em>¡®In my previous life, I couldn¡¯t attend his Sword Master celebration party. Maybe¡­ This time again.. ?¡¯</em>

    In her previous life, Raphael became a Sword Master thanks to his hard work and determination. But Ate was bedridden at that time. As she recalled, she realised that it happened about half a year before Ate died. At that time, arge banquet was held to celebrate his achievement of bing a Sword Master.

    In fact, such avish celebration was actually worth it. Across the continent, it was rare to see Sword Masters emerge. It was such a high level talent that only one or two people could be Sword Masters in a generation. They were generally seen inrge kingdoms like the Chapelle Empire, so it was quite rare to have one in a small kingdom like Deltium.

    Naturally, King Selgratis was not willing to miss this opportunity. It was a big deal to see such a talent appear in his kingdom, and moreover, it was none other than his own son! He wanted to show off Raphael¡¯s presence to establish the status of the kingdom. Thanks to this, grand celebrations were held throughout the entire kingdom of Deltium for a whole month.

    As a result, the crown prince¡¯s coronation ceremony became much less significant. However, Ate never attended all of these celebrations. She was very sick and wasn¡¯t on good terms with Raphael. Because of this, she had to soothe her bitterness by hearing about the scale of the celebrations only through words.

    <em>¡®Can it be different in this life?¡¯</em>

    Ate wasn¡¯t sure. She hadn¡¯t even decided yet whether to Ieave Raphael or stay with him. To make a decision, she had to first find out what Raphael thought of her. As they were now going to the party together, she had a lot of time to ask him. Ate was nning to hear out Raphael sooner orter. She didn¡¯t want to hear ¡®<em>I hate you¡¯ </em>from him again.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. Let¡¯s go to this party together.¡±

    Just in time, Raphael roughly shook the invitation in his hand. The pretty invitation in his big, hard hand looked like a toy. Ate suppressed her bitter thoughts and smiled brightly. Yeah, just attending a party with Raphael was already changing her life. So she thought she could now have some optimistic expectations towards her new life.

    ¡°Okay, then shall we go get ready?¡±

    ¡°Ready? What?¡±

    Raphael asked in confusion. Instead of answering his question, Ate closed her eyes andughed. There were so many things to prepare to attend such a grand party. Especially as it was the first event that the couple would attend together, it was very meaningful for her.

    Fortunately, Ate had a fairly good knowledge about this field.

    * * *

    ¡°Lady Ate! No, should I now call you Marchioness of Carnesis.?¡±

    A smiling woman walked out of the luxurious dressing room and spread her arms open. She was very tall and thin, with red hair that looked like mes. She gave off a neutral and sophisticated image. Ate beamed on seeing her and also stretched her arms out to hug her.

    ¡°Tina! I missed you so much!!¡±

    ¡°Me, too. Oh, you have be more prettier! Look at this glowing skin and eyes as clear as pink topaz! Are you sleeping well these days?¡±

    The two women hugged each other and exchanged pleasant greetings. The designer Tina Hamilton, owner of the luxury boutique, Papillion, was nearly ten years older than Ate. Because of this, Tina had been in charge of her dresses since Ate was a little girl. For Ate, Tina was like her cousin. She was a friend who always made her feelfortable.

    In her present life, she could not reunite with Tina. Considering the time before her regression, it had been a long time since she had seen her. In her previous life, Ate had stopped socializingpletely. So she never had had any reason to visit the boutique. That¡¯s why she was very pleased to see Tina again and rekindle those good times with her.

    ¡°This is my husband, Tina. Say hello.¡±

    After exchanging greetings, Ate smiled and introduced Raphael to Tina. Raphael, who was watching the situation with his arms folded behind him, greeted awkwardly. This ce was very strange to him as he had only been to private gentleman¡¯s boutiques where men exchanged only necessary words. The colorful fabrics that shone from all sides, the manner of overly clever clerks, and the scent of some unknown powder, everything was very unfamiliar to him.

    Tina noticed her customer¡¯s difort like a ghost and greeted them with a gentle smile. While smiling, her eyes were busy scanning Raphael¡¯s appearance. Tina¡¯s pupils, hidden between her smiling eyes, widened.

    ¡°Oh, my God! You¡¯re as handsome as they say!¡±

    Tina¡¯s boutique, Papillion, was one of the three most famous ces in the Deltium. She generally specialized indies¡¯ clothes, but the men¡¯s clothes from here were also famous. Since she was close to Ate, she also used to make clothes for Crown Prince Ludwig, as she thought he would marry Ate in the future.

    The Crown Prince, Ludwig had a rare luxurious appearance. His long and beautiful silvery hair and delicate features made him look like a work of art. However Tina personally assessed Raphael as the more attractive one.

    Raphael was one of the few noble men who only used the private boutiques for gentlemen. So it was the first time Tina had seen him. She was deeply impressed by this meeting. <em>Look at that chiselled, sensual face and those wild, bright blue eyes!</em> The charisma exuding from his whole body was very unique and sexy. He was the type of man that no woman could ever forget after meeting him.

    Tina silently looked at Ate and lifted her thumb up, pretending to be indifferent. Recognizing the meaning of the gesture, Ate burst intoughter and pped Tina¡¯s arm. It was unlike her usual demeanor. Ate¡¯s face gleamed naturally in front of her friend who she had reunited after a long time.

    Raphael, for some unknown reason, couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Ate¡¯s smiling face, Even though he felt awkward in this strange ce, his eyes, fixed on Ate, were dripping with honey. Tina smiled slyly seeing this.

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    Tina was actually very worried about her long-time client, Ate¡¯s marriage. Ate had a delicate and weak physique like a fine-growndy. Raphael, on the other hand, was a young and capable handsome man, but the rumours about him were not very good. He was especially famous for his fiery and violent nature. Tina wondered if Ate could have a blissful marital life with such a man.

    <em>¡®If there¡¯s love, any problem can be easily ovee.¡¯</em>

    Tina gazed at Raphael happily. Raphael¡¯s nervousness in a strange ce was just like a big beast put in a cage. But seeing him stick very close to Ate, she thought he looked quite cute.

    Tina looked at the well-matched couple and somehow felt motivated. The feeling was even more special because she had designed Ate¡¯s wedding dress. Tina, with an excited smile, grabbed Ate¡¯s hand and asked.

    ¡°So customer, what kind of dress are you here for today? From the exotic silks from the East to the multiyeredces from Letan, we have everything, even the dyed fabrics using thetest ombre technique! All the perfect ingredients for the perfect dress are waiting for your choice.¡±

    ¡°Today¡­ I¡¯m here to find a dress for this party.¡±

    Ate showed Tina a thinly folded invitation. It was the invitation that she had received this morning. After receiving it, Tina took a closer look at it and threw some suggestions.

    ¡°It¡¯s an evening garden party. Since it¡¯s an outdoor party that will be held at night, it would be good to make a shawl that goes well with the dress, so that you not only would get moderate exposure but also wouldn¡¯t catch a cold. Is there any color in your mind?¡±

    ¡°Well.¡±

    Instead of saying the color, Ate just smiled. After seeing her meaningful smile, Tina immediately recognized Ate¡¯s intentions. After all Ate had been Tina¡¯s most valuable and oldest regr customer.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to make your decision after seeing the dresses of other attendees first, right? Is there anyone who My Lady is particrly concerned about?¡±

    Tina lowered her voice and asked Ate. In the social world, information was equivalent to life. Only after getting a rough idea of the dresses and colors of the other attendees, could one refer their customers to choose a dress that will make them stand out. Having such information was a natural service for a well-known boutique in Deltium.

    If thedies used dresses from less known boutiques that did not provide this information, they could sometimes face humiliation because of ovepping dresses with other attendees or falling behind the new fashion trends. So, a person like Ate, who was the daughter of the mighty Duke of Bavaria, could not afford to deal with such humiliation. In that respect, Tina had never let Ate down.

    ¡°Tina, I heard¡­¡­that Lady Celestine will also be a part of this party.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you meant ¡®her¡¯. Of course I do.¡±

    Tina smiled gracefully and understood the meaning behind Ate¡¯s word. Tina herself didn¡¯t like Celestine much, as she had snatched the Crown Princess¡¯ position from Ate. Tina had always believed that one day she would make a dress for Ate¡¯s coronation. She had even collected some fabrics for it. But because of Celestine, who suddenly came from nowhere, it all came to a naught!

    Tina¡¯s feelings towards Celestine, naturally, were not quite good. Especially as the boutique which Celestine frequented was herpetitor! So Tina pretended to be casual and told Ate what she had heard from the rumours.

    ¡°I heard someone say that she was going to wear a dress with a refreshing color, like a summer lemon. The whole fabric is embroidered with gold thread to make it look very bright and luxurious.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, gold on yellow fabric.¡±

    It would be a very good dress for Celestine who had brown hair. Ate was eagerly looking forward to this evening party. In her previous life, she had no chance to meet and talk to Celestine. Her family regarded Ate as an enemy, and made sure she could never approach Celestine again. Well, from their point of view, she was a viin as they believed Ate was the main culprit behind the kidnapping.

    <em>¡®This time, I must talk to Celestine.¡¯</em>

    Ate thought hard about what to wear at the party. Then Tina picked up various fabric samples and showed them, as she had always done.

    <span> Only

    ¡°It¡¯s an evening party in a green garden, so how about a bright salmon pink color? It¡¯ll make you stand out as the color would be a nice contrast against the vegetation. Or we can go for a refreshing look by harmonising this light blue skirt with a silver bodice.¡±

    It was just then, Raphael, who had been standing awkwardly behind them, opened his mouth.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    Raphael¡¯s tone was quiet, but it held a strange power that could not be easily ignored. Maybe it was because he had been on the battlefield and had fought through life and death, his heavy voice had the effect of making people focus on him. Tina stopped talking and looked back at him.

    What Raphael was looking at was a pair of custom-made clothing on disy on the side of the boutique. Seeing this, Tina exined with a bright business smile.

    ¡°Oh, this is a couple¡¯s dress that is popr in the Chapelle Empire these days. When a couple or pair of lovers want to show off their rtionship, they wear matching outfits. Isn¡¯t it lovely?¡±

    The woman¡¯s dress on disy was stylish and feminine, with a dark navy skirt and a gorgeous red bodice. Meanwhile, the man¡¯s dress next to it consisted of a navy coat and dark red cravat in the same color scheme. Whoever saw it would definitelye to the conclusion that it¡¯s a set for a pair of couples.

    Raphael was staring at the costumes with a gaze full of interest. His eyes were so intense that she was worried that the fabric would be pierced.

 Chapter 41

    Tina looked at Raphael who was staring at the couple dress sample. As a designer, she found it quite interesting to be able to dress such a unique and wild handsome man. Taking Ate¡¯s permission, Tina approached Raphael with a smile.

    ¡°Let me see, you have ck hair and blue eyes. Your skin is also white which overall gives off a cold feel. So colors like dark cobalt blue or silver gray would suit you, but unfortunately, such colors don¡¯t go well with Ate. Those heavy and cold shades don¡¯t suit Ate¡¯s softness and femininity.¡±

    It was this fine exnation that was the highlight of a fine boutique. As Tina exined all this smoothly like flowing water, she picked up a lot of fabrics. Among them, the most striking fabric was the white ivory one. The smooth fabric, embroidered with leaf patterns with silver thread, had a subtle splendor. Tina, who showed this to Raphael, went into her business mode.

    ¡°How about this? Both of you have fair skin, so this white ivory color would look good on you. It would make your face look brighter, just like antern! It would be great if we could choose this as the background color of the coat and the robe!!¡±

    ¡°The color¡­ is a little brighter than what I usually prefer. That¡¯s too¡­¡±

    Raphael furrowed his dark eyebrows, revealing a slight rejection. Then Tina smiled and slipped a piece of fabric around his neck.

    ¡°Oh, what are you talking about? It suits you so well. Look!¡±

    A handsome man was indeed a handsome man. When she put the white cloth around his neck, Raphael¡¯s face indeed became as bright as antern. With his cold face, dark ck hair and blue eyesbined with the white cloth, he looked just like a Winter King.

    Ate unknowingly covered her mouth and looked at him with admiring eyes. Seeing this, all the discontent disappeared from his sulking face. If Ate could look at him with such eyes, it was worth trying on a bright outfit once in a while. When Tina noticed it, she tried not tough and brought up the next topic in a solemn manner.

    ¡°Okay, so the background color has been decided¡­ Now we should choose the point color that you will use inmon. Um, what color would you like?¡±

    Excited, Tina hummed and took out a bunch of colorful, vivid fabrics. The bright vivid colors almost made him blind. Seeing Raphael¡¯splexion be pale, Ate, who was quietly watching, opened her mouth.

    ¡°How about we use purple shades? As in violetvender or medium orchid color.¡±

    ¡°Good choice! These colors are enough to be used as the point colors. They¡¯re all hard to pull off, so they¡¯ll be perfect to use as your own unique color! Which of these do you like the most? Now, please pick one!¡±

    An excited Tina took out a row of purple fabrics and spread them out in front of Raphael. Thanks to this, Raphael was in great confusion. ¡®Are you telling me that these are all different colors? How the hell are they all different?¡¯

    In Raphael¡¯s eyes, all the colors looked the same. The eyes which had never trembled even in the battlefield, were now shaking like an earthquake. Fortunately, Ate helped him out again.

    ¡°How¡¯s this, Raphael?¡±

    What Ate chose was a luxurious blue- violet color. Tina nodded as she picked it up and put it near Raphael¡¯s face.

    ¡°It looks good! It makes his blue eyes stand out, making him look sexy.¡±

    ¡°Right? If it¡¯s colors like this, I could also use them along with Raphael.¡±

    Ate smiled as she spoke. Her pink eyes went well with the purple fabric. Ate was exhrated at the thought of going to a party wearing matching clothes with Raphael. The moment Raphael saw her bright smile, without any hesitation, he picked up the fabric that Ate had chosen and dered,

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take this.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a good choice, I¡¯m sure. Now shall we take your measurements and then decide on the other details of your clothes?¡±

    Tina led them in with a satisfied face. With this, the discussion on what color to use for Ate¡¯s dress was also resolved. Fortunately, Ate was also satisfied with the decision. When the ivory white fabric was put together with the purple fabric, it looked elegant and gorgeous. Above all, she could wear a matching dress with Raphael. It was something that she could never imagine in her previous life, so it felt even more special to her.

    ¡®He¡¯s being really kind to me these days.¡¯

    As they were leaving the boutique after deciding all the measurements and details, Ate nced at Raphael¡¯s side face. It seemed like a good time to ask about Raphael¡¯s feelings. He might not hate her anymore. If he did, he wouldn¡¯t go to a party like this and even agree to wear matching clothes with her.

    So Ate decided to muster up her courage and ask him. Raphael nced back at her. As always, his face was cold and indifferent, which made one unable to know what he was thinking. As she looked at those cold eyes, a familiar anxiety came over her. But Ate bit her lips tightly and suppressed it. She wanted to believe that Raphael was now different from before.

    ¡°Raphael.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    Raphael replied briefly and instantly. But his gaze was not on Ate, but at a distant ce. Ate, who was looking at Raphael¡¯s side face, was a little disappointed seeing him not give her, even one look. Nevertheless, Ate asked quietly, repressing her trembling heart.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for asking this question all of a sudden. Perhaps¡­ what do you think of me? Are you still very ufortable..?¡±

    Raphael gave no answer to her question. Looking somewhere far away, his face seemed to be lost in thought, as if he was immersed in something. Ate, who wondered if her question was too sudden, added a little exnation as an excuse.

    ¡°Well, as you know, our marriage wasn¡¯t a normal one. At first you seemed to be giving off a feeling of being a little repulsed. I just want to know if it¡¯s still there¡­¡±

    ¡°Tell meter, Ate.¡±

    With a cold reply, he suddenly dashed forward. Embarrassed by his unexpected behavior, Ate looked at his back with her eyes wide open. At first, she thought Raphael was running away because he didn¡¯t want to answer her questions, but now he seemed to be chasing someone.

    Ate wondered who Raphael was chasing so hard. However, because of her short height and the crowded street, it was difficult to see anything. She didn¡¯t even know if it was a man or a woman. While Ate was struggling to catch up with him, Raphael slowly disappeared somewhere far away.

    ¡®Oh, he left me alone.¡¯

    Ate, who was left alone, drooped her shoulders. Raphael¡¯s cold-hearted attitude of leaving her alone on the street without any exnation was disappointing. It was even more so because she had finally mustered up her courage to seriously talk with him.

    Ate felt a little miserable because she felt neglected by him. A short sigh escaped out of her mouth, as she stared vacantly at the direction where Raphael had disappeared.

    ¡°Ha.¡±

    Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t too far from where the carriage was parked. Since she was a regr at Tina¡¯s boutique, she was familiar with the roads here. But Ate¡¯s steps were strangely slow. A rtionship without any progress; steps without progress. It felt like she had be a slow turtle.

    Ate ended up stopping a few meters away from the carriage. For some reason, she didn¡¯t want to go home like this. Just in time, a nearby white bench caught her eye. It was a high-end shopping street which many nobles frequented, so the benches here were neat and even a small fountain was ced beside them.

    Ate pondered as she gazed at the fountain with clear water gurgling out of it. It was nice to have a second chance in her life, but her self-confidence kept on dwindling these days. She wasn¡¯t sure if she could make good use of this opportunity.

    ¡®Can I change something just because I try?¡¯

    Ate was afraid that all of this was nothing but a joke of fate. What if all her paddling and struggling doesn¡¯t work? It was such a hopeless life that any effort only brought the same result as before. Ate bit her lip and somehow held herself up.

    ¡®But just because it¡¯s scary, you can¡¯t just do nothing.¡¯

    There must be a reason for her regression and this second chance. Ate decided to believe in herself. Anyway, there was no other way out now.

    Ate raised her drooping head, and got up from the bench. At that very moment, she was so surprised that she almost let out a scream. Ate clutched her chest and asked with a trembling voice.

    ¡°Ra, Mister Railin?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you finally noticed me.¡±

    Railin, squatting in front of Ate,ughed with his chin raised. She didn¡¯t expect him to suddenly pop out like this out of nowhere. Railin, who was taller than what she expected, was just right at the same eye level with her. Because of this, Ate was able to watch his pomegranate-like red eyes smiling thinly at her. Ate, who grabbed her startled heart, asked with dismay.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing here? What can I do for you?¡±

    ¡°Well, I came because I have something to do. In that sense, are you done with your meditation? If it¡¯s okay, would you like to take a walk with me, my dear customer?¡±

    Railin, who smiled like a fox, got up and reached out to her. Ate hesitated for a moment but eventually took his hand. Railin¡¯s elegant, long fingers were surprisingly cold and soft. Railin naturally led Ate to the walking course and spoke lightly as if he was saying a mere hello.

    ¡°So, have you made up your mind? Are you willing to start a new life?¡±

    <span> Only

    ¡°Huh? Oh, you¡¯re talking about the ¡®smuggling¡¯.¡±

    All the data investigations for her smuggling had already beenpleted. Ate simply had to decide where she would be staying and the duration of her stay. But it wasn¡¯t the time yet. Ate still had a lot of work to do here.

    ¡°I think I need a little more time for that. By the way, did you get the information I asked for?¡±

    Ate shrugged and brought up another topic. Railin smacked his lips as if he was disappointed. She didn¡¯t know why, but he seemed eager to get Ate out of the country. Is it because of the money?

    Railin¡¯s services, which secretly smuggled a person out of the country and forged his identity in the new country, were immensely expensive. In fact, the cost was worth it, considering the myriad of efforts that went into the process. However Ate had enough money to handle it. Nevertheless, when Ate changed the topic, Railin pretended not to have seen through her.

    ¡°You said you were curious about your husband¡¯s iron ore minest time, right? It¡¯s probably a mine located in the Cbria Mountains, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. How¡¯s his mining business now? Tell me everything you know. I¡¯ll pay for the information as much as you want.¡±

    Ate turned and looked at Railin. Her eyes, under the afternoon sun, were just as beautiful as a pinkce rose. Railin¡¯s lips, looking at this, held a quiet meaningful smile.

 Chapter 42

    Railin didn¡¯t immediately tell her the information she wanted to know. He basically had a twisted personality. The more he liked something, the more mischievous he became. As a result, Railin slightly tilted his head and stabbed Ate¡¯s sore spot.

    ¡°Before that, I want to ask you one question. Why don¡¯t you ask your husband yourself?¡±

    Ate smiled bitterly at Railin¡¯s question. She also wanted to ask Raphael directly. But she wasn¡¯t sure how Raphael would take it. If Ate asked him about the mine while her father was already eyeing it¡­.. What misunderstanding would Raphaele up with?

    ¡®He would probably suspect that I¡¯m siding with my family and have my eyes on his mine¡¯.¡¯

    Raphael hated her family. But just as Raphael couldn¡¯t change his illegitimate status, even if he strongly hated it, it was the same for Ate. She hoped that Raphael would someday understand this and ept her for who she is. But realistically, it would be better for her to leave before that.

    For now, the road seemed quite far. The back of Raphael, who turned his back away and went somewhere, was still burned in her mind. Ate didn¡¯t respond to Railin¡¯s question and pursed her lips tightly.

    Ate¡¯s decision to not answer was quite intriguing. Railin, who wasn¡¯t used to being ignored, smiled a little deeper. He became even more interested because Ate was not an easy woman. Even if she shed a little of her colors, she was different from the women who he had met. That¡¯s why Railin was willing to bring out the information she wanted to know first.

    ¡°I was surprised. Your husband¡¯s iron ore mine is a good mine, ounting for 55% of the total mining volume of the Deltium. In the past, iron processing was too demanding, so its demand was low, and iron ore mines did not have much profits. But a lot has changed recently. Did they call it something like the so-called new era? Thanks to this, the value of the mine¡¯s assets is going up day by day. Sooner orter, it¡¯ll be irreceable, even more than the diamond mines.¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡­ Is that about it?¡±

    Ate was amazed. She also knew that the times were changing. The bronze rakes of the gardeners working in the mansion were now reced with iron, and the scraper de, which the maids used to scrape the dirt from the floor, was also reced with shiny iron. But she didn¡¯t know that the change would be this big.

    The times were now changing and now in this world, iron tools were easily supplied to themon people. And Raphael was the man who held the key to that change. And that too a very big golden key.

    ¡®Did His Majesty, Selgratis guess this in advance and give Raphael an iron ore mine?¡¯

    Ate suddenly became curious about this. ording to the rumours, King Selgratis cherished his illegitimate child, Raphael very much. Moreover strangely, he didn¡¯t talk much to Raphael but oftenpared Raphael with Ludwig, even in the public. Because of this, the sensitive and delicate Ludwig suffered great damage to his pride every day. It was inevitable for Ludwig to feel inferior to Raphael because of his father¡¯s tant favoritism.

    ¡®At least if His Highness Ludwig was not this clumsy¡­.. The situation would have been better.¡¯

    Ate sighed, recalling Ludwig¡¯s amazing luck, which made him stumble over his feet on his own. That¡¯s how clumsy he was, but his half brother, Raphael, was just as skilled and powerful as a Sword Master. Their situation could only be really summed up as a joke of parentage. This was why Ludwig looked at Raphael maliciously, full of jealousy.

    Anyway, she wasn¡¯t sure of anything right now. Ate tried to hide her surprise and maintained a calm face. Then, she posed the most important question to Railin.

    ¡°If the mine is so valuable, there must have been a lot of offers for sale. Everyone wants to buy something valuable. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    ¡°You are also wise. And the customer is probably curious about¡­ whether that list includes the name of the Duke of Bavaria or not?¡±

    Railin smiled thinly and looked down at her. With his back against the light, his face held a strangely erotic and dangerous feel. Perhaps that¡¯s why she always felt as if she was walking on a tightrope when dealing with Railin. Ate gulped and then resolutely raised her head to face Railin.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I wanted to know that. So please answer me. Did my family¡­force Raphael to hand over the mine?¡±

    ¡°Answering your question, yes. It has been done many times. It¡¯s obvious that the Duke of Bavaria wants the iron ore mine.¡±

    The moment she heard Railin¡¯s answer, Ate felt as if her feet were sinking. Her ominous spections came true. Her father, Amand coveted his own son-inw¡¯s iron ore mine. This was not simply a matter of increasing wealth. If you get your hands on a mine that ounts for more than half of the total mining volume of the Deltium, your political influence will increase exponentially. Amand must have been trying to steal the mine from Raphael for this.

    Perhaps this had been the same case in her previous life. However, Raphael had never let her know about this either in her previous life or in the present. Despite the numerous quarrels and terrible arguments they had, he had never let out even a word about it. A single word of exmation came out of Ate¡¯s mouth, who only realised this fact after her regression.

    ¡°Oh My God!¡±

    Ate was so shocked that her footsteps naturally slowed down. She was stunned, not even realizing that there was a puddle near her feet. Just before Ate¡¯s fine sheepskin boots could fall into the puddle, Railin¡¯s arms wrapped around her waist like a snake. Unlike his pretty appearance, he easily lifted Ate with one arm.

    ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡±

    Ate, startled by the contact of another man, returned back to reality. It was a short period of time, even less than a second, but Ate¡¯s body flew in the air like a bird. After safely crossing the puddle, Railin immediately dropped her on dry ground.

    ¡°Oh my God, Mister Railin!¡±

    Amazed, Ate eximed and unknowingly called out Railin¡¯s name. Just then he swiftly released the arm wrapped around Ate¡¯s waist. Railin looked at her as if asking, ¡®What happened?¡¯ and thenughed harmlessly.

    ¡°I was worried that thedy¡¯s feet would fall into the puddle.¡±

    ¡°¡­. Mister Railin.¡±

    Ate did not fall for his fox-like tricks. When she called out his name exasperatedly, he looked at her with an innocent smile. Ate was not agitated by this, but was rather intimidated.

    ¡°Thank you for your consideration, but don¡¯t do this again. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°As you wish.¡±

    Railin raised his one arm and pretended to bow deftly. After seeing this, Ate finally sighed andughed. He was a man who could fool people ande out of any problem as naturally as breathing. It¡¯s probably the result of abination of natural wit, sense and charm.

    ¡°Thank you very much for today, Mister Railin. I¡¯ll send the remuneration to the Secret Guild soon. Well then, goodbye.¡±

    Ate bowed her head a little and turned around. Her figure was just perfect and her etiquettes and manners were textbook perfect. Railin looked at her graceful back with admiring eyes. He was relieved to hear that the couple had a bad rtionship, but it seemed that was not all to it. Her husband even apanied her to the boutique today.

    Seeing Ate¡¯s back disappearing in the distance, Railin turned around, licking his lips. He had prepared something tofort the woundeddy, but it was a pity that it was not yet the time to use it. What would be the final choice of this exciting customer? Railin was very curious.

    * * *

    ¡°Oh, Raphael¡­ Ugh! Please, slow down a little bit¡­¡­¡­.¡±

    The pleasing out from the hoarse neck were pitiful but they had a tendency to provoke a man¡¯s passions. Raphael gripped Ate¡¯s struggling white ass harder and lifted it up. Even with a little force, her body moved easily and was so sweet that it seemed like a sugar doll. Isn¡¯t it a foul to say that something so delicious could be so weak? All sorts of useless thoughts came into his muddled mind filled with lust.

    Raphael buried his desire between the wriggling buttocks, where his handprints were left red. A groan of ecstasy spilled out of his mouth, as if he was going into hot water. He wanted to make it a little more rough, fill her a little more, but he had to restrain himself because he was afraid to break her. Raphael grinded his mrs hard.

    ¡°Heungg!¡±

    Ate sniffed and shook her head at the overly deep insertion. Raphael, who bowed his head behind her back, licked and bit her tear stained cheeks. At the same time, a huge object dug between her legs and poked deeply down there. Ate trembled as his penis plunged inside her warmth, cutting through her fragile folds and stabbing her sensitive spots in a row. A blinding sense of pleasure spread out.

    She felt like she was going to suffer a great shame if she went on like this. Ate unwittingly crawled forward, avoiding his hideous length. Then, without any mercy, Raphael pulled her slender wrist back, pulling her body closer to him. Because of this, his length thrusted inside her so strongly that it made a loud squelching noise.

    ¡°Hah!! Ah!!¡±

    The movement of the penis going back and forth between her legs felt so good that she felt like she was going crazy. Ate could not think of anything now. She shed a few tears and unwittingly shook her waist. She hoped this dreadful pleasure would end as soon as possible. But then she heard a beastly growl from behind.

    ¡°Where did you learn to be such a naughty girl?¡±

    At the same time, the movement of the penis poking from behind became more intense. The stinging exhration and pleasure spread throughout her body like a me, pushing her further down into the abyss of ecstasy.

    The scenting from the shaking body mingled with his breath, making his eyes flush red. Although her legs were not tightened properly around him, because of the pleasure, his huge penis pushed through the narrow inside as if it was dissatisfied.

    ¡°It¡¯s a hell of a mess inside, Ate. You¡¯re dripping wet.¡±

    <span> Only

    Raphael whispered wickedly as he pushed his penis all the way in. He then pulled it out and his fingertips rubbed the edge of the vaginal mouth as it swallowed his desire again. Ate was so overwhelmed by this stimtion that she sobbed and cried pitifully. Because of this, the inner wall further tightened, making Raphael groan and thrust into her harder.

    ¡°Umm,¡­nggh.. huh, ah!! Ugh¡­ !¡±

    The thick penis fiercely rushed into her deepest part, crushing her weak spots. A cramp-like pleasure slowly engulfed her whole body. The body, which was already familiar with joys of carnal pleasures, greedily sucked up the penis and pursued the greater pleasure. Raphael¡¯s penis again prated her deeply, and his hard fingers rubbed the clitoris between her legs. At that moment, Ate reached her peak and convulsed while leaning back.

    ¡°Keeuk !¡±

    As if drawn by the strong tightening of her inner walls, Raphael thrusted inside her. He bit Ate¡¯s lean white throat, and pushed himself deeper inside her. His movements were overly primitive, just like a beast.

    Ate, who was lying on the bed, tiredly closed her eyes. She could feel the lingering cramps in her body but she was too exhausted to care about them. Sex with Raphael was good, but it was too stimting. He was a man who didn¡¯t know the meaning of ¡®self-restraint¡¯. Thanks to this, after suffering for a long time, Ate¡¯s consciousness slowly faded away.

    ¡°Are you sleeping?¡±

    Raphael frowned and gently touched Ate¡¯s wet cheek. She can¡¯t sleep yet.

 Chapter 43

    Fortunately, Ate hadn''t yet fallen asleep. She grabbed Raphael''srge hand, that was lightly stroking her cheek. Surprisingly, he went along with Ate''s weak whims. Exhausted from their fierce love affair, Ate unexpectedly put her hand in his hand. The bold, intimate contact made Raphael feel embarrassed.

    Ateughed a little. Raphael, who had so far done far more sexual and violent acts, seemed cute as he stiffly put his fingers over hers. But this time, she couldn''t dy the ''conversation '' anymore. Ate, holding Raphael''s hands in hers, asked the question that she had been waiting to ask.

    ¡°Raphael, that person you followed today ¡­¡­. Who was that person?¡±

    Raphael said nothing. Ate turned her head and saw him tightly clenching his teeth. His manly chin held an oppressive power. It was one of his habits that he did whenever he was asked something that he didn''t want to speak about. Sure enough, even after waiting for a long time, Raphael didn''t answer anything.

    ¡°Raphael.¡±

    Ate sighed and quietly called his name. They were a couple now and were even more closer than before, but she still didn''t know anything about Raphael. He was a veryplicated person, so even a little slip of the foot could lead to stepping on andmine.

    Ate was disappointed with Raphael''s unwillingness to open up to her. But if he didn''t want to say anything, she also didn''t want to pry. However, it was necessary to say a word to him about the way he treated her. Ate pointed out his today''s actions in a quiet tone.

    ¡°You left me alone on the street today without saying anything, Raphael. I was so embarrassed. If you can''t say much about it, then at least tell me why. You don''t have to be specific, so can you tell me why you did that then? So that I can understand your actions.¡±

    Ate said as carefully as she could without mentioning the person whom Raphael had followed. Raphael apparently didn''t want to talk about the person, so he didn''t didn''t want her to broach the subject.

    Ate was willing to understand him, even if he had given her a typicalme excuse like ''I needed to find a washroom urgently.'' But, he seemed to have no intention of even doing that. Raphael coldly shook off Ate''s fingers and got up from the bed. Then, he picked up his fallen clothes and began to put them on.

    ''So is everything again like it was before?''

    Ate didn''t say anything and looked at Raphael''s back with darkened eyes. Whenever the distance between them seemed to narrow a little, it always turned out this way. Furthermore, he didn''t even answer any of her questions. So she couldn''t even ask him about what he thought of her. Ate was getting tired of this repeating pattern.

    ''If he doesn''t want to open up to me and just wants a superficial rtionship¡­ I can''t help it anymore.''

    A rtionship is built by the efforts of two people. One sided effort alone can not keep up a rtionship. And Ate had no intention of ending her second life by trying to dig this dry well. It seemed she would have to visit Railin again as soon as possible. A new life in Ond may be a little lonely but it still had a possibility. A possibility of finding peace and happiness.

    At that time, Raphael, who was holding the doorknob of Ate''s bedroom, turned to her side. His deep blue eyes raked over Ate''s face. Even though she didn''t say a word about his attitude, his heart still sank for no reason. Her darkened eyes and disappointed expression seemed to strangely hold him back.

    Perhaps that was why Raphael couldn''t dash out of the room as he usually did before. He opened his lips to say something to Ate. But he had nothing to say. Raphael was a sceptical person and had too many secrets.

    ''No, I can never tell her this.''

    His instincts growled, saying that he shouldn''t expose his weaknesses. Raphael''s mouth was naturally tightly sealed in response to the warning. He was already used to a life where no one could be believed. But now, he couldn''t make an exception to Ate, who he had just married. To do so, the risk that Raphael would have to take was too great. Again, his choice eventually led to a refusal to talk.

    ¡°Next time, I''ll tell you next time.¡±

    Raphael somehow managed to answer while turning his back and then hurried out of her bedroom. He was annoyed by his pathetic appearance in front of Ate, as he could neither do this nor do that. Why do I keep feeling so pathetic in front of her?

    Ate quietly closed her eyes, feeling the chill from the closed door. Just this afternoon, they were happy, choosing clothes for the ball together. All of it now seemed like a lie. Life truly is a tragedy when seen closely, and aedy from afar. The same repeating cycle made Ate feel suddenly distressed.

    * * *

    Since then, Raphael stoppeding into Ate''s bedroom. Ate didn''t bother to visit or appease such Raphael. The mansion of Marquis of the Carnesis fell into a heavy silence, and in the midst of all this, time flowed like water.

    Ate flicked her finger over the hard bandage. Now she wasn''t sick or ufortable anymore. It seemed that it was almost time to remove the bandage. Ate called a maid and instructed her gently.

    ¡°Do you know the practitioner who looked at my fingers? Please call him back. I need to get a medical check up.¡±

    At that time, Ate was quite ill because of the inmmation caused by the fracture. So she didn''t know which practitioner looked at her fingers. Fortunately, the maid remembered the person and soon called him in. The 30-year-old practitioner, with an elite face and chestnut brown hair, was quite memorable to her.

    ¡°My greetings, Madam. Have you been doing well?¡±

    Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks

    Unlike his stubborn looking face, the practitioner still had a small fear. He looked around restlessly, breaking into cold sweats. He was actually looking around whether Ate''s husband, one with a fierce face, was present there or not. Seeing that he was not there, the practitioner breathed a deep sigh of relief.

    This was a secret, but every time he was called here, he wetted his pants a little because of Raphael. The practitioner who had only studied all his life sitting at his desk until now, had a very delicate mind. Ate reached out to the practitioner with a vague smile.

    ¡°I think I''m all better now, but I want you to see if it''s okay to remove the bandage.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. Then let me see its status.¡±

    After removing the bandages, the practitioner took a close look at her knuckles and then ordered her to do some hand gestures. Fortunately, Ate didn''t feel much pain while following the movements. Seeing this, the practitioner nodded and took off his eye ss.

    ¡°Okay. I guess you''re all better. However having a fracture once makes the bones more likely to break again, so be careful not to strain your hands for at least a month.¡±

    He finished his medical treatment, but instead of getting up right away, he hesitated. Ate looked at the practitioner with a wary look. She wondered if his fees for the medical treatment was overdue. But strangely, apletely different story popped out of the practitioner''s mouth.

    ¡°Well, Madam. I gave a letter of introduction to your husband during myst visit. I was wondering if you have heard anything¡­¡±

    ¡°Introduction letter? No, I''ve never heard of it.¡±

    Upon hearing Ate''s answer, the practitioner nodded with a resigned look. The practitioner really did not have any expectations from Raphael. He took out another letter of introduction from his visit bag and said solemnly.

    ¡°I thought so, so I prepared one more.¡±

    Should I give him a round of apuse? Staring at the practitioner with a solemn face, Ate epted the letter of introduction. The introduction letter, which was roughly scribbled with a doctor''s unique bad handwriting, was hard to read. It was really difficult to understand its content. Deeply reflecting on this point, Ate somehow managed to read the name written in it.

    ¡°Eucaly .Y. Cayun?¡±

    ¡°Yes. This person is one of my colleagues, and is also a woman. She''s looking for a job now. Since she has left her hometown, she hopes to work as a doctor at a mansion where amodation is possible. But, as you know, all the Deltium''s nobles already have a family doctor. So it is hard for her to find a job.¡±

    So, he wanted to rmend his colleague to the Marquis of Carnesis, a newly-emerging aristocrat. Ate gently fiddled with the letter of introduction and lowered her eyshes. The practitioner''s exnation continued for a long time, but there was no need for her to hear it. Because Ate already knew the doctor named Eucaly.

    ''I can''t believe I would intersect with her again in my life. Is it coincidence or fate?''

    Ate, in her previous life, continued to suffer and eventually died. Originally, she was not very healthy and the mental stress caused by her terrible marriage and false charges worsened her illness. She started to be sick more and more frequently. The vicious cycle continued, and she eventually died five years after her marriage.

    Until Ate was seriously ill, she only called the practitioners when needed. Just like now. However, as her illness continued to be worse, a need for a doctor arose. The Marquis of Carnesis didn''t have a family doctor like the other noble families. So, thest practitioner who was chosen for recruitment was Eucaly. Anyway Ate was the only one who was sick in this mansion, so it was much better to have a female doctor.

    ''But this time, fate made them intersect again in this form.''

    Ate looked at the letter of introduction in a strange mood. She had noints about Eucaly. She was actually quite modest, and was always calm, and spoke carefully. Either way, it was a great advantage to keep her as a nobledy''s doctor. Ate happily folded the letter of introduction and smiled brightly.

    ¡°Let me see. I''ll call her. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Yes thank you very much. Please take care of yourself. Well then, goodbye.¡±

    The practitioner hoped that Ate would contact Eucaly. The practitioner quickly packed his visit bag and hurried out of the mansion, without looking back. He was afraid that he would run into Raphael on the way.

    Ate, who did not know the feelings of the poor practitioner, looked back and forth at her free fingers. They had be slightly thinner and pale because of the bandage, but she knew they would return to their original state in a day or two. Ate smiled happily at the feeling of herfortable hand.

    ''Now, I can wear a ring when I go to the ball.''

    The garden party that the Marquis Eloque decided to hold was approaching soon. The matching dresses from Tina''s boutique were alsopleted, so there was only one thing left to do. Should I appease Raphael and go to the party together with him, or would it be better to go alone?

    Ate''s eyes drooped in thought.

 Chapter 44: â€˜The day of the Garden Party has finally come.â€™

    ¡®The day of the Garden Party has finallye.¡¯

    Ate sat in front of the dressing table and stared nkly into the mirror. Tina¡¯s dress, which was lying in one corner of the room, reflected on the clean mirror surface. The gorgeous skirt, embroidered with sparkling silver threads on a pure white background, fit together with the blue-violet colored bodice. The diamond ne, which would adorn her corbone, shone like a snowke next to it. They were gorgeous and beautiful things that could make any woman¡¯s heart beat.

    But Ate sat in front of the dressing table with a pale face like a lifeless doll. She was being dressed up by the maids. Because of their skills, the woman¡¯s face in the mirror became brighter and more beautiful. However, Ate¡¯s heart, looking at this, hadpletely withered.

    ¡®Raphael probably¡­ wouldn¡¯t go with me.¡¯

    In the end, they didn¡¯t reconcile at all. This time, Ate made no effort to mend their rtionship. She neither smiled at Raphael nor spoke to him first and acted as if nothing had happened. She had finally realised that it was all a futile effort.

    Now whenever she reached out to him, Raphael did not shake her hand off. But sadly, that was all he did. He never made any efforts from his side. He never held Ate¡¯s hand or reached out to her first. And if Ate wanted to know more about him, he would coldly push her away. As if saying that this was the closest that she was allowed to be with him.

    ¡®It¡¯s okay. I can go to the party alone.¡¯

    Ate closed her eyes and made up her mind. For the first time in her life, she had been so excited to attend a party. It was all because she was going to attend the party together with Raphael. Now that all her expectations were smashed, it was heartbreaking, but that also didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t go to the party on her own. Regardless of whether Raphael went with her or not, this party was a must-attend event.

    Ate had nned to confront Celestine Keers there to see if she was the one who framed her. In fact, considering Ate¡¯s purpose, it was better to go alone than with Raphael. This way, it would be much easier to move around and achieve her purpose efficiently.

    Just in time, the maids finished applying a light rose-colored rouge on Ate¡¯s lips and then gave her warmpliments. It meant that all the preparations were finallyplete.

    ¡°You look really beautiful, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll be the most beautiful woman at the party.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Ate smiled as she looked at her face in the mirror. The woman with a small face, big eyes, bright cheeks, and moist lips looked beautiful even to herself. With a familiar smile, the woman¡¯s face seemed happy at first nce.

    It would be okay to be alone. It has always been like that anyway.

    * * *

    Marquis Eloque¡¯s Garden Party was still very aesthetic this year. Beautiful lights were lit all over the garden covered in a dim darkness. Butterfly-shapednterns were lit on top of many branches, and lotus-shapednterns were lit on top of ponds and water basins, each giving off a subtle light. On top of that, the roses were in full bloom in the garden and gave off a deep fragrance, adding to the night¡¯s atmosphere.

    ¡°Lady Ate! No, you¡¯re Marchioness of Carnesis now. I enjoyed your wedding. It was so beautiful! Wee to the world of the married.¡±

    Marchioness Eloque weed Ate as the host of the party. Being fifteen years older than Ate, she looked quite mild-mannered. Ate thanked her for the invitation and politely praised her for her thoughtfulness. However, Ate¡¯s eyes carefully examined Marchioness Eloque¡¯s face.

    Fortunately, there was no indication of any type of resistance or malice on her face. After seeing this, Ate was relieved and calmed down her heart.

    ¡®As expected, people don¡¯t know about my framed charges. The ¡®silence¡¯ is really thorough.¡¯

    The whole matter was silenced because of the cooperation between the Duke of Bavaria and the royal family. Even the victim, Celestine Keers, agreed to protect her honor. So the silence was bound to be perfect. If this thing leaked out, both Ate and Celestine would get hurt.

    Ate¡¯s handling of the whole matter was also excellent. It was a wise choice on her part to act as if she had fallen in love with Raphael at her wedding. She couldn¡¯t do that in her previous life, so people gossiped about it all the time. Why did she, the most perfect candidate for the crown princess, suddenly marry Raphael? Maybe there was some kind of w. Thanks to this, there were many rumors specting whether she was infertile or had a promiscuous private life.

    However, people would easily ept the story of Ate falling in love with another man and not bing the Crown Princess because of it. As long as the Crown Prince Ludwig did not publicly express his dissatisfaction with this matter, there was no particr factor that could cause problems for her in the social circles. Thanks to this, Ate was able to confidentlye to the party which Celestine was going to attend.

    ¡®I wish Raphael hade with me.¡¯

    Ate smiled bitterly as she recalled the matching outfits that they had ordered from Tina¡¯s boutique. The Raphael she knew, mainly enjoyed wearing cold and dark colors. He preferred dark cobalt blue, navy blue, ck, and dark burgundy colors. If he wore the white tailored coat this time, his beautiful chiselled face would have literally shined brightly like antern.

    But now these kinds of thoughts were useless. Ate looked around the party hall, trying to erase Raphael¡¯s thoughts from her mind. To prevent Celestine from avoiding her, she deliberately waited until thest minute to dere her attendance.

    The dress that Celestine was supposed to wear today, was a fresh lemon yellow in color. So, if she arrived at the party, she would stand out in the dark green garden. However, there was no sign of Celestine¡¯s figure anywhere.

    ¡®I guess she¡¯s going to be a littlete.¡¯

    The higher the status of thedy, theter she appeared at a party. Although Celestine was still just ¡®the daughter of Marquis Keers¡¯, her case was little special. It was because she was going to be the Crown Princess. Now the treatment that she would get, would be somewhere in the middle of Lady Keers and the Crown Princess. Therefore, the chances of hering a littlete were high.

    Ate slowly walked around the party to avoid making it seem that she was waiting for Celestine. She greeted all the familiar faces. Fortunately, most of the nobles still had favorable opinions about Ate. It was all because they didn¡¯t know about her framed charges and the reason for her suddenly nned marriage.

    Instead of gossiping about her behind her back, they greeted her with big smiles and congratted her on her wedding. They praised how perfect her wedding was and how beautiful the bride and groom looked that day. It was going well so far, but suddenly a very dreadful question popped out.

    ¡°But where is your husband ? Didn¡¯t hee with you today?¡±

    Their curious eyes gleamed darkly at Ate, who appeared alone. With a bright smile on her face, Ate answered the question casually.

    ¡°Ah yes. Actually, we were going toe together, but¡­ there were some issues with the mine. As you know, his mining business is very busy these days. It would have been nice if we could attend the party together.¡±

    At times like this, she knew she had to answer naturally. The curious audience would not hesitate to throw her to the wolves, so she didn¡¯t give them what they wanted. Fortunately, Ate¡¯s decision worked well, again this time. Those who asked the question just nodded with a half-disappointed and half-convinced expressions.

    Just when Ate, who had passed the crisis safely, was about to leave, someone suddenly shouted her name out loud. Because of this, several gazes again fell on her.

    ¡°Oh, Marchioness of Carnesis! I just saw you a few days ago, and now, here we meet again!! It¡¯s so nice to meet you!!!¡±

    It was Diana Mcire who called Ate. The daughter of Count Mcire was Celestine Keers¡¯ best friend and owned a fairlyrge business venture. She had met her the other day when she had gone to eat pork roast with Raphael and they even had a little altercation. Maybe that was why Diana approached her like this, bringing everyone¡¯s attention to her. It seemed she was again looking for a fight.

    Ate stopped walking and waited in a courtly manner for Diana to approach her. Now, she wasn¡¯t afraid of Diana. Ate, in fact, had already thought of this in her mind.

    ¡®Diana¡¯s presence certainly confirms that Celestine Keers woulde to this party.¡¯

    That said, it was rare for someone to revoke their confirmation of attendance on the same day of a party. Since it was a basic courtesy to the party organizer. Perhaps that¡¯s why Diana¡¯s face, seeing Ate, shone with an extraordinary joy.

    ¡°Seeing that you attended this party, you must have heard that my friend Lady Celestine is alsoing! Oh my, did youe here to congratte her on her coronation in advance? How generous of you! After all, you were also a talented candidate that oncepeted for the same position with Celestine.¡±

    <span> Only

    Ate¡¯s eyes trembled a little at her provocative words. Diana seemed to believe that Ate had a lingering regret of not bing the Crown Princess. No, she wanted everyone to believe that. Last time she did the same before Raphael andughed it off as if it was not a big deal and now again, she came at her in this way.

    Ate knew why Diana kepting at her like this. Ate looked at Diana with some sympathy.

    ¡®Actually, she¡¯s the one who¡¯s envious of Celestine.¡¯

    Diana could quickly fall in love with men she didn¡¯t even know. In other words, Diana was a person full of delusions and fantasies. What she liked was actually not the men themselves, but her own fantasies. How attractive would be the position of a Crown Princess in the eyes of Diana, who had so many delusions?

    Ludwig was a good-looking man with long silver hair. So, to Diana, he must have looked like a prince from some fairytale. In fact, there were even rumors that Diana wrote a love letter to Ludwig when she was young.

    Perhaps she was very envious of her best friend, who would soon be the Crown Princess. However, harboring jealousy and envy towards your own best friend was morally uneptable.

    ¡®So you¡¯re trying to attack me to defend your conscience by projecting yourself onto me.¡¯

    In short, Diana¡¯s hostility towards Ate was now her own jealousy towards her friend. She tried to relieve her guilt by attacking Ate after projecting herself onto her. So, Ate had no reason to be hurt by Diana¡¯s childish hostility. It wasn¡¯t like she couldn¡¯t understand Diana¡¯s feelings. But, Ate had no intention of ying the role of a punching bag for someone else.

 Chapter 45

    Ate was really annoyed at Diana¡¯s behavior. <em>You should take care of your jealousy on your own, why do you have to drag someone else to y some role for you?</em> It wasn¡¯t even a good role to begin with. Diana just wanted to project her own jealousy and inferiority on Ate. It was just absolutely detestable.

    Although Diana¡¯s level of arguing was somewhat cute, Ate didn¡¯t want to further develop this sick behavior. If she didn¡¯t take care of Diana now, she might go around spewing nonsense to others. Before her reputation could be damaged, Ate had to step on Diana¡¯s delusion. Ate smiled graciously and said,

    ¡°Of course, the two are a very good match. I can¡¯t wait to see their wedding. It will surely be a wonderful royal wedding just like those in fairytales. Wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡®<em>This justes up again and again!</em> ¡® Diana clenched her fists hidden under her gloves. Ate pretended to be unconcerned on the outside, but just like her, she sure must be jealous of Celestine, who was about to be the Crown Princess. If she couldn¡¯t help but be jealous of her own best friend, then how miserable must Ate be?

    Prince Ludwig, in particr, treated her very specially, to the point that there were even rumors that he liked Ate. <em>The man who was wrapped around her finger was now going to marry another woman. Which woman in this world would befortable with this?</em> Diana had no doubt that she was just acting that she wasn¡¯t bothered by this. So Diana tried to smile and hurt Ate.

    ¡°Oh my, so you¡¯re looking forward to my friend¡¯s wedding! Celestine will be very happy to hear that. Celestine and I are really like sisters, so I can¡¯t help but feel grateful for all your kind wishes. Celestine will be here soon anyway. So how about youe with me and tell her what you just said yourself?¡±

    Diana was so delusional that for a moment shepletely forgot that Ate was above her in social ranking. <em>Why is she not all bothered by this?</em> Seeing that she was the only one who was caught up in the ugly jealousy, Diana¡¯s felt her mouth be dry. She somehow wanted to rip away Ate¡¯s elegant mask.

    ¡°Of course, you would right Lady Ate?¡­. No, sorry, my bad! Now you¡¯re Marchioness of Carnesis!¡±

    Diana thought that Ate would be ufortable with congratting Celestine in person. Even if she gave a pretentious congrattion, that pretty face would sure be somewhat distorted because of the humiliation and jealousy. So she was sure Ate would somehow turn down her offer.

    ¡°That¡¯s good! I really wanted to ask Miss Diana this. I¡¯m really grateful that you brought this up first. Thank you very much.¡±

    Contrary to Diana¡¯s expectations, Ate hade to the party to confront Celestine. But she also knew there would be a huge crowd of people around Celestine as people would try to get acquainted with the soon-to-be Crown Princess. So Ate was worried about how to approach her. But thankfully Diana offered to personally take her to Celestine.

    Ate concealed her smile and grasped Diana¡¯s hand in a more friendly manner. <em>I would face Celestine no matter what! I¡¯ll make sure of it! </em>Ate really wanted to talk with Celestine. Seeing this, Diana¡¯s pupils trembled greatly.

    ¡®<em>This, what is this?¡¯</em>

    As Ate held her hands, Diana could not do anything. She hesitated a little, but then suddenly, the entrance of the garden party became noisy, creating a small disturbance. After seeing this, Ate smiled and said.

    ¡°It looks like Lady Celestine has arrived! Since you have said that you would take me to personally greet her, shall we go and say hello? We must not miss this opportunity to impress the future Crown Princess. Shall we?¡±

    Ate, with a graceful smile, grabbed Diana¡¯s hand. Diana, who was led by Ate, looked as if she was being dragged by the reins. The slender small woman pulled her towards the entrance and for some reason she couldn¡¯t push her off. Diana, who was apanied by Ate in a hurry, quickly cleared her mind.

    ¡®<em>No, maybe it¡¯s better this way!¡¯</em>

    After all, two were better than one, and three were better than two. Since Celestine was her friend, she sure would take her side and help her tear off Ate¡¯s pretense. Diana, who had gone crazy at this point, hastened her steps and headed toward the entrance. <em>Soon, Celestine¡¯s beautiful and rich dark brown hair wille before my eyes¡­ Wait uh?</em>

    ¡®<em>tinum blonde hair?¡¯</em>

    Standing like a rock in one ce, Diana looked dumbfounded. It was not Celestine who was surrounded by people and received people¡¯s greetings and ttery. No, it wasn¡¯t even a woman in the first ce.

    The tall gentleman, with smooth face, and dazzling tinum hair, was a middle-aged man whose age was difficult to guess. A man radiating cold elegance from head to toe turned his head in her direction. As soon as she realized who he was, Diana felt a tingling in her head. Especially because she was attacking his daughter. Her feet became more numb.

    ¡°Oh my God, your Excellency, the Duke of Bavaria, has himselfe to this party!! It is truly an honor for us.¡±

    Marquis Eloque, who ran out to the entrance, said in an exhrating voice. His garden party was very good, but it was also a bitcking to be considered as one of the best social events. And the Duke Amand Bavaria, also known as the Blue-blooded Bavaria, only attended the best. So therefore, his sudden attendance was nothing short of the highest praise for the party organisers.

    <em>¡®I didn¡¯t hear that my father was also going to participate in this party.¡¯</em>

    Ate took a step back from the crowd. Her face turned pale. Although she vowed not to live as her father¡¯s puppet in this life, she suddenly felt breathless.

    Amand was a coercive and authoritative father. Under him, she lived obediently just like a chess piece. That life was imprinted deep in her veins. So she rather preferred to be prepared from the beginning. Now facing her father in such an unexpected manner, the fear that she had forgotten slowly crept out.

    After finishing his conversation with the host and some other key figures, he turned exactly their way. The Deltium¡¯s second most powerful noble following the king, stared at Ate with purple eyes without even blinking his eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, my daughter.¡±

    Her father¡¯s nk face, which made it difficult to know what he was thinking, slowly smiled. Like a snake on the verge of suffocating its prey. The moment he met her eyes, Ate felt as if she was falling. Her feet were numb and she was so scared that her legs becamepletely soft. He looked so young that it was hard to believe that he had a married daughter. She suddenly felt goosebumps seeing his inhuman face.

    In the meantime, Amand came and stood in front of her. The moment the wless soles of his shoes stopped right in front of her, Ate finally came back to her senses. This was a battlefield and a lot of people were watching them. She couldn¡¯t afford to show any gaps in their rtionship.

    ¡°Have you been well, Father?¡±

    Ate greeted her father perfectly just as as she was taught. Suddenly Ate¡¯s face had a soft spring like smile and her greeting was soft and smooth like flowing water. Even the angle of her waist and the cement of her fingers holding the dress, was wlessly perfect.

    Amand¡¯s violet eyes slowly nced at such an Ate. His eyes were like that of a craftsman who was carefully checking the perfection of his work.

    ¡°¡­..Yes. You must have been well, too.¡±

    Finally, he reached out to Ate with a gaze that seemed to havepleted his assessment. It seemed she had passed the excruciatingly long test. Ate raised her head and held her father¡¯s outstretched pure white hand in hers. His hands were so cold that she felt chills on her back.

    After finishing their greetings, Ate quickly tried to let go of her father¡¯s hand, but Amand seemed to have no intention of letting her go. Her father, who was a perfect aristocrat down to his fingertips, tightly sped her wrists as if squeezing out her breath. However, his face held a very fatherly smile, which was purely made to deceive others.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. Let¡¯s talk.¡±

    Diana had already disappeared somewhere, without even leaving a trace. So Ate couldn¡¯t use Diana to refuse her father¡¯s request. Amand¡¯s tone was more friendlier than usual and his eyes sparkled strangely. It seemed that he was creating a misunderstanding for others.

    ¡°Oh, did you hear the Duke¡¯s voice? It seems he¡¯s happy to see his married daughter again.¡±

    ¡°No matter how great the Duke of Bavaria is, he treats his own flesh and blood specially. It¡¯s surprising to see that he has a sweet side, too.¡±

    <span> Only

    No, Amand did not consider her as a daughter. He only thought of her as his possession, just a mere chess piece. Those who talked about him, only knew as much as the tip of an iceberg. They were not much familiar with Amand¡¯s selfish nature. It was just like how they celebrated Ate¡¯s wedding without knowing anything.

    But only Ate knew what kind of human her father was. She had already nned to quit being his good daughter. Ate raised her head and with all her courage, she grasped Amand¡¯s arm tenderly. She then slightly bent her eyes and pointed to the pavilion in one corner.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go that way. Father.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s do that, daughter.¡±

    Ate had something to say to her father anyway. The moment they turned gracefully towards the pavilion, the grips on each other¡¯s arms tightened. Away from the people¡¯s gaze, Amand¡¯s face returned to his cold expressionless look. He coldly sneered at Ate.

    ¡°You look pretty confident. Now you don¡¯t look like you¡¯re ashamed of going anywhere and introducing yourself as a Bavaria. Earlier you used to be like a like a caught mouse.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to my father¡¯s teachings. What brings you here? I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not here because you¡¯re curious about the rose garden of Eloque family. You don¡¯t even like flowers.¡±

    Ate did not fall for his provocation, but straightaway brought up the main point. Even though she had returned from the past, she still wasn¡¯t strong enough to beat her father. Therefore, it was more advantageous to hit the bull¡¯s-eye. Ate¡¯s lips trembled with tension, as she raised her head and stood up to her father.

 Chapter 46

    Instead of answering her question, Amand took out a cigar from his arms and put it in his mouth. The cigars he enjoyed were of the finest quality, that were delivered to the royal family, but it was only painful for non-smokers. Ate took a step back and turned her head. Her lungs seemed to be throbbing because of the heavy, bitter smell of the cigar.

    As always, Amand smoked cigars for his own pleasure. He didn¡¯t care whether his daughter was suffering. It was a beautiful night party, but the only thing that passed between the two people was silence and a pungent smoke. By the time he smoked half of his thick cigar, Amand spat out, as if he had suddenly recalled Ate¡¯s existence.

    ¡°Why did youe alone?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s busy with his business..Ah.¡±

    Ate inadvertently blurted out the answer that she had prepared for the people she would meet at the party. For her, Amand was an emotionally indifferent person. At that very moment, a thought came into Ate¡¯s mind. Ate, with her eyes wide open, asked Amand.

    ¡°You¡¯re here to meet Raphael, aren¡¯t you? How did you know that he was supposed to attend the party with me? What were you nning to tell him?¡±

    Amand gave no answer. He continued smoking the cigar, holding it between his bloodless lips. After seeing this, Ate¡¯s face distorted and she didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. At this point, it seemed that it was rather fortunate that Raphael didn¡¯t attend the party.

    It seems that Raphael did not properly inform Marquis Eloque of his intention to ¡®not attend¡¯. If he had, then Marquis Eloque would have removed his name from thest list of attendees. Then, Amanda would not havee to this party.

    Of course, Raphael didn¡¯t know this, but he unintentionally stood Amand up. No one in the entire kingdom of Deltium, not even the king himself, had ever stood Amand Bavaria up. If Raphael had known this, he would have surelyughed ferociously, but unfortunately he was not here. Seeing that his purpose foring to the party was out, Amand threw the cigar away andughed.

    ¡°It¡¯s really worth it. Seeing you like this, I suppose that stupid bastard is doing well, hmm? Unlike his wild temperament, he really turned out to be a homely person. I¡¯m so proud to see that your drooping neck has finally gotten tough.¡±

    At her father¡¯s mocking words, Ate felt an unknown rage. He has been raising Ate like a doll since childhood, forcing her to obey him. But when Ate finally raised her head up and rebelled against him, he shrugged her off by saying, ¡®It¡¯s worth it.¡¯ His contradictory behavior made Ate feel sceptical about her childhood.

    Just like always, she was clueless about whether or not Amand cared about her feelings. Crushing the remaining cigar under his feet, Amand looked at her with cold serpentine eyes, as if trying to see through her heart

    ¡°Hmm. Or is it the opposite? Maybe the bastard has been acting like your dog and you think you¡¯ve be stronger just because you¡¯re now living on your own. Isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about my husband that way again. It¡¯s offensive. He does not need to be insulted like that.¡±

    Ate suppressed her anger and said in a low voice. She really didn¡¯t like the way Amand looked down at Raphael with contempt. He talked about him as if he was mentioning a street bum. Naturally, a cold hostility appeared on Ate¡¯s face. However, Amand only looked bored and dismissed her off as a little kitten showing off her ws.

    ¡°Oh, it seems that my daughter has forgotten all her lessons.¡±

    Amand took a step closer to Ate, reached out his right hand and grabbed her shoulder. The cold, strong fingertips cruelly pressed on the dip near her scap. As soon as Ate bit her lips in pain, a hissing threat, like a snake¡¯s whispers came into her ear.

    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve left the house, you¡¯ve be very cocky. How dare you side with that filthy bastard in front of me! Did you really think you can act all arrogant in front of me by relying on him? How dare you stand up to me.¡±

    Amand increased the strength in his hand, as if he wanted to dislocate her shoulder bones. Ate looked up at him, panting in pain.

    ¡°Raphael¡­. It doesn¡¯t matter. Don¡¯t swear at him. And I already know what my father wants. Whatever it is, don¡¯t even think about taking anything from Raphael. He¡¯ll never give it to you.¡±

    ¡°What do you even know to talk like that? You don¡¯t know anything! You¡¯re nothing but a fool for taking the wrong side.¡±

    Amand¡¯s eyes gleamed with a cruel light. Even if he dislocated Ate¡¯s shoulder here, there was no one who could say anything to him. Even if there was, Amand would only look back with a cold noble face as if it were nothing. He could easily get away with it just because he was Ate¡¯s father.

    Ate closed her eyes tightly, preparing for the uing pain. Her body trembled in fear. At that moment, a strong arm stretched out from the side and grasped Amand¡¯s wrist tightly.

    ¡°Take your hand off my wife.¡±

    Before she knew it, Raphael came to her side and growled at Amand with a fierce look. Not only his voice, even his grip on Amand¡¯s arm, carried a tremendous weight. This time, it was Amand¡¯s face which was distorted in pain.

    ¡°How dare a filthy bastard like you touch my body!¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t take your hand off Ate right now, this filthy bastard will break your arm, father-inw.¡±

    Raphael curled up the corners of his mouth and brought his face near Amand. Enraged, Amand twisted his wrist back and forth, but he couldn¡¯t beat the young and strong Raphael. As Raphael applied more force on his grip, Amand groaned and took his hand off Ate¡¯s shoulder. Then Raphael threw his wrist away and strode towards Ate.

    ¡°Are you all right, Ate?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m all right. Thank you, Raphael.¡±

    The firm broad shoulders blocked her view of Amand. As soon as she saw the strong, sturdy torso, she felt all her fears wash away. Even though Ate smiled bashfully, her face was terribly pale because of the pain. When Raphael saw her face, he clicked his tongue and caressed her cheek.

    ¡°As soon as I take my eyes off you, you always get hurt. For a nobledy like you, you have a surprising clumsy side.¡±

    Ate smiled awkwardly. Seeing her smile disappear, Raphael regretted his words. If he had known this would happen, he wouldn¡¯t have been this harsh. He just couldn¡¯t figure out why he kept talking to Ate bluntly.

    Amand, who was looking at this from a distance, gnashed his teeth. He was already angry at being insulted by his son-inw, and now the two instigators were ignoring him and chatting with each other. The blue-blooded Bavarians could never stand being ignored by others. Especially Amand, who had lived arrogantly all his life.

    ¡°This is not funny at all. Are you going to act like a loving couple now?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not something you need to bother with. And isn¡¯t all this thanks to my father, who married me to Raphael?

    Ate, who regained herposure, replied in a soft voice. When Amand decided to cover up Ate¡¯s charges for the sake of family¡¯s honor, he had to curry favor from the royal family. So he had no choice but to marry Ate off to Raphael, whom the king cherished. He never once asked about Ate¡¯s opinions or sought her consent in this matter.

    Ate sarcastically put this point before him, making Amand¡¯s face distort with intense anger. His always indifferent and cold face finally revealed his teeth, and made him look somewhat human. At that very moment, poisonous words came out of Amand¡¯s mouth.

    (T/N: Reveal his teeth-show hostility)

    ¡°You seem to be getting along very well. So Ate, do you know how great your inws are?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­what are you trying to talk about?¡±

    Raphael growled at Amand, who suddenly attacked his family. Even though Ate was not used to Amand¡¯s sarcastic remarks about Raphael¡¯s illegitimate lineage, she thought her father¡¯s words were a little different from usual. He wasn¡¯t being sarcastic about Raphael¡¯s parentage, but seemed to be trying to bring up something else.

    ¡°My inws? Are you talking about His Majesty, King Selgratis?¡±

    Ate asked back warily. As far as she knew, Raphael¡¯s only rtive was his father, King Selgratis. Very little was known about Raphael¡¯s mother, but it was clear that she was not from their world. So considering the situation right now, Ate¡¯s question made sense.

    But from her words, Amand noticed that she had no idea what he was talking about. Amand regained hisposure, and a cold smile appeared on his face. With a look of sympathy, he put out the bait in front of her.

    ¡°Oh, my poor daughter. You haven¡¯t heard anything from him yet, have you? What a wicked son-inw! I can¡¯t believe he wouldpletely cover up his embarrassing past by bewitching my pure and strong sweet daughter.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°That wicked coachman who framed you¡­ What was his name, yes! Was it Ivan?¡±

    ¡°Why are you suddenly talking about Ivan?¡±

    Feeling an ominous premonition, Ate¡¯s voice began to tremble. Raphael looked puzzled as he looked back and forth between them. He didn¡¯t know what Amand meant. Raphael was a man with many secrets, but he was not a skillful liar. If Raphael had anything to hide about Ivan, his face would have long given it away.

    <span> Only

    Seeing Raphael¡¯s face, Ate collected herself together. She thought whatever words woulde out of Amand¡¯s mouth, he probably only said them to sway Ate. Even if it might be a shocking information, it was okay as long as Raphael wasn¡¯t cheating on her.

    ¡®It won¡¯t be a big deal. My father must be plotting something again.¡¯

    Ate struggled to face Amand. She somehow stabilised her trembling chin and straightened herself up. Raphael put his hand on her shoulder as if protecting her. Amand just looked at both of them with contempt. A chilling sweet voice came out from his pale bloodless lips.

    ¡°Ahh my dear daughter, I guess you didn¡¯t know. Ivan¡¯s real name is Ben March. And he¡¯s also your husband¡¯s only maternal uncle. For you, he should probably be a distant uncle from the countryside.¡±

    What the hell was he talking about? Ate¡¯s face turned white. She did have a vague feeling that Raphael¡¯s maternal side may not be from a noble lineage. But she never expected it to do something with Ivan. She just couldn¡¯t believe it. Raphael and Ivan did not have a single resemnce. Yes, there must have been some mistake.

    Ate turned her head and looked at Raphael. However, Raphael¡¯s face was also white. The moment she saw hisplexion, Ate¡¯s heart sank. She asked stutteringly,

    ¡°This, this¡­ What does it all mean, Raphael? What does he mean, your¡­ maternal uncle? Ivan is really¡­your¡­?¡±

    Upon being questioned by Ate, Raphael¡¯s deep blue eyes froze. It was clear that there was some truth in this. What Amand said was really true. The moment Ate realized this, something copsed inside her.

 Chapter 47

    Amand, after watching the scene,ughed out loud and ced his hand on his forehead. He was a man who always kept up his noble appearance. He despised boorish people who could not conceal their emotions andugh out loud in public. But this time he couldn¡¯t stand it. Amand¡¯s eyes shone eerily with a bliss of hurting his enemy.

    ¡°What a great uncle-inw! He helped his nephew by framing a princess that was beyond his reach, and then made her his daughter-inw! Raphael, you must thank your uncle. If not, how could you marry my daughter? It¡¯s truly ridiculous!¡±

    Ate¡¯s body, listening to Amand¡¯s mockery, stumbled forward. The mental stress umted from the confrontation with Amand had reached its limit. Raphael, who was ring at Amand with his teeth clenched, embraced Ate¡¯s copsed body.

    ¡°Ate! Wake up!¡±

    The listless hands of Ate¡¯s drooping body trembled. Raphael, who did not even share a drop of blood with her, was very worried about her, but there was no agitation in the eyes of Amand, who was her father. Amand, blinking his thin eyelids, swept up his slightly disheveled tinum hair. And, with the tips of his lips curled up, he mocked Raphael.

    ¡°The Marquis of Carnesis? What nonsense! If it wasn¡¯t for your talent, you would have been only Raphael by now. It¡¯s more suitable for you considering your vile bloodline. Go and make your uncle like your rat. Who knows? He might help you by ming someone else¡¯s daughter.¡±

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    Raphael vented his anger, but now was not the time to growl at Amand. Raphael hurriedly took off his jacket, wrapped Ate¡¯s body in it and hugged her. The limp body in his arms was so thin that his chest tightened with unknown emotions.

    ¡°Please be nice to my daughter. ¡®Someone¡¯ smeared mud on her and no one knows how to get rid of it. I wonder how long this little house y wouldst.¡±

    When Amand nced at the fainted Ate, he turned his back and walked away. Raphael¡¯s eyes were blurred with confusion as he stood at the spot, hugging Ate¡¯s body. He was also quite mentally shocked right now.

    ¡®I thought he fell off a gambling board and died, but I never thought he was Ate¡¯s coachman.¡¯

    In fact, it was Ben who Raphael was chasing after leaving Tina¡¯s boutiquest time. His sharp eyes somehow managed to find Ben mingling with the workers. It had been a long time since he had seen him again. Even after almost fifteen years, he still remembered Ben¡¯s face. Because he was one of the main protagonists of Raphael¡¯s dirtiest memories.

    Ben, his uncle, liked gambling, to the point it had be a serious addiction. So Raphael thought that he would still be living on a gambling table after suddenly disappearing. He had even thought that it was better he died there. But it turned out that Ben was working in the Bavarian House as Ate¡¯s personal coachman, under the fake identity of ¡®Ivan¡¯.

    He didn¡¯t know who rmended Ben for the position of the coachman of Bavaria. Somehow he became Ate¡¯s coachman, and then he shot her wings and dragged her to the ground to live beside a bastard.

    Although Raphael had no idea about all this, Ben was still his uncle. Even though it was disgusting, he couldn¡¯t deny the blood ties. Therefore, Raphael could not say that he was not responsible for the situation. Because it was true that he had benefited from marrying Ate because of the false usation. Raphael¡¯s shocked eyes trembled.

    ¡®Not knowing that, I¡­¡¯

    Until he first met Ate, Raphael thought she was a snob. ¡®How much did you want to be a princess, to kidnap and kill your rival?¡¯ And the fact that she was from Bavaria made him hate her more. He ridiculed her and looked down upon her.

    But Ate was nothing but a poor victim. She was falsely used by his uncle Ben, and was married to his nephew, Raphael, who again subjected her to abuse and humiliation the second time. But still, Ate smiled warmly at him every time. Whenever others pointed their fingers at Raphael, she always defended him by saying ¡®He¡¯s a good man.¡¯

    Raphael was so distressed that he wanted to yell and vent out his feelings. But as long as Ate was in his arms, he couldn¡¯t do it. Her pale eyelids and still eyshes were heartbreaking. Now by the time these eyes would open again, everything would be different.

    Ate will now no longer smile at him.

    * * *

    Ate sat by the sunny window and looked out quietly. It was the first time she hadzed around when the sun was up in the sky. She had just a thin piece of chemise and had let her hair loose. She even sat on a window sill, instead of a chair. ¡®Well, now since I¡¯m supposed to be a patient, who would bother me about it?¡¯

    Last night¡¯s garden party was like a beautiful hell. Ate, who had fainted, was carried out in Raphael¡¯s arms. The host, Marquis Eloque was surprised to see her like that, but he believed in the excuse that she was sick. The excuse worked well because she actually looked very sick and pale. It was fortunate that there were no strange rumors.

    The scenery beyond the window was beautiful. Everything in sight glistened under the golden sunlight. The green grass swaying in the wind, the yellow and purple flowers blooming in clusters. Even the hem of the new white skirts of the maids who were busy rushing around with their chores, were full of life. Only Ate was dull and spiritless, left all alone here.

    ¡°Madam, try a bit of the soup. Yeah? This will only hurt your health more.¡±

    Next to her, Ate¡¯s maid, Mary pleaded with her. Ate rolled her eyes and looked at the bowl of soup she held. She didn¡¯t have any appetite, but the word ¡®health¡¯ caught her attention. For Ate, who had died so young in her previous life, there was nothing more effective than this word.

    ¡°Give it here and just go. I will eat it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, madam! Please call me if the soup gets cold while eating. I¡¯ll boil it warm again!¡±

    Mary¡¯s face lit up when Ate said she was going to eat. She handed Ate a tray of soup and left the room. Finally alone, Ate scooped two or three times, but as expected, her stomach didn¡¯t ept it well. Ate put her spoon down casually, closed her eyes and enjoyed the cool breeze. There was only one thought in her mind.

    ¡®I want to leave this ce.¡¯

    When she saw Raphael¡¯s face that day, she knew he didn¡¯t know anything about this matter. After all, it hadn¡¯t been long since he had be an aristocrat. Moreover, because Raphael didn¡¯t socialise much, Ate had little contact with him until their marriage. So Raphael had no idea about Ate¡¯s personal coachman.

    But she couldn¡¯t forgive everything just because he didn¡¯t know. A lot could have changed if he had told Ate even a word about his biological mother and his maternal family before. He had an opportunity to speak, but Raphael remained silent to the end. He didn¡¯t believe in Ate, so he didn¡¯t tell her anything about himself.

    And the result came back to them in such a dramatic boomerang. Ivan, the man who had sent Ate to hell, was actually Raphael¡¯s maternal uncle. What kind of cheap third-rate y is this? Ate imagined herself politely calling Ivan, ¡± Uncle-inw¡±. Then a dejectedugh came out from her lungs.

    ¡°Haha, ha¡­ ughh, hmm¡­hmm¡±

    It didn¡¯t take long for the squeakyughter to soon turn into crying. Ate had died young after living a passive life and being swayed by others. So in this life, she tried to change herself somehow. She even thought it was going well.

    But she was still being yed in the clutches of fate. She felt like a mouse, who believed it was moving forward as it ran round and round in a wheel. Ate cried again and again because of her unending despair.

    ¡°Ugh¡±

    Strangely she felt a little refreshed after shedding a few tears. Ate rubbed her wet eyshes and raised her head. Then, facing the garden, she leaned her head against the window, but somehow her eyes fell on Railin. Just in time, Railin, who was looking over here, smiled and said innocently.

    ¡°Oh, you must have cried.¡±

    ¡°..? ¡°

    Why are you out there? Ate sincerely wanted to ask. No matter how many illegal things the information guild did, this was too much. To intrude into an aristocrat¡¯s mansion! However, Railin, who pretended to be innocent, looked very impudent.

    ¡°You¡¯re not as surprised as I thought. As expected of my client.¡±

    No! Ate was so surprised that she was speechless. She wanted to ask how he managed to get through the security ande to the terrace of her room. But she didn¡¯t have to ask. At first, she didn¡¯t know because it looked so good on him, but Ate¡¯s eyes btedly discovered the clothes worn by Railin.

    ¡°It¡¯s a maid outfit. That too of our mansion.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. The fabric is of high quality. A family that knows how to invest in the servant¡¯s outfits will never fail. It sure is a ce that knows what true aesthetics are. I am very impressed with the high views of the Carnesis family.¡±

    Ate wasn¡¯t happy with his praise at all. Railin jumped off from the windowsill and looked around. Following his graceful movement, the skirt of the maid¡¯s suit fluttered. He was a fine adult man, but she wondered why a maid¡¯s suit suited him so well. There was even a frill headband sitting on Railin¡¯s gorgeous purple hair.

    The tears clinging on her eyebrows fell down her face when she saw this amazing look. She sighed and touched her forehead. Why am I thinking about such trivial things in this situation? No matter how amazing Railin was, he could not give her more impact than Raphael¡¯s uncle. It was a shocking identity that she could never even imagine!

    ¡°Come and sit down. Since it¡¯s a sudden visit, I can¡¯t serve you tea.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an honor, Madam.¡±

    Railin grabbed the hem of his skirt and greeted somewhat like a real maid. Then, he walked lightly like a cat, and sat opposite to Ate. With his chin in both hands, he looked up and down at Ate, bent his eyes andughed.

    ¡°You look so free today. Did you change your mind? For example, would you like to leave in search of more freedom?¡±

    <span> Only

    As expected, he was a quick-witted man. He easily grasped that Ate wanted to leave. Ate opened her mouth while looking at the mole on the side of his mouth.

    ¡°I would like to live in Ond¡¯s Seylon area. It¡¯s near the beach, and it¡¯s a pretty big city. Most of all, I like the fact that there is a lot of trantion work. It¡¯s probably because there are many foreign merchant ships entering and leaving the port.¡±

    ¡°Okay. If so, what date would you like to pick?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s currently a bit difficult to set a date. There¡¯s one more thing that I have to deal with here, and it has to be done soon.¡±

    Ate said vaguely. All the preparations for the smuggling werepleted, and she also had quite a bit of cash. So now, she could leave anytime she wanted. Nevertheless, there were two reasons for Ate to remain here. One was her lingering feelings about her marriage to Raphael, and the other was her determination to clear herself of all the false charges.

    The former reason could no longer hold Ate back. Ate was now tired of the high walls around Raphael¡¯s heart, which would never let anyone in. But, thetter case was different. Ate has not yet lost her will to prove her innocence. She had to meet Celestine Keers and say her piece of mind.

    ¡®Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t see Celestine at the party.¡¯

    Ate frowned as she realised this quitete. The presence of her father, Amand, was so great that shepletely forgot about Celestine, who was said to arrive soon. After all she had gone to the party to meet her.

 Chapter 48

    Ate didn¡¯t expect her father to show up at the party. Amand was still as cold and selfish, as she remembered. Raphael¡¯s broad back, which stood up against Amand, covering her sight, was so strong that it moved her to tears. Because it was the first time someone had protected her like that.

    Ate still felt heartbroken when she thought of his back. But this didn¡¯t mean she could forgive Raphael. He had not onlypletely concealed his maternal family from Ate, but also mocked her for what his family had done. Even though she knew he didn¡¯t know about it, she still couldn¡¯t forgive him.

    ¡®I hate him.¡¯

    She hated Raphael for not opening his heart to her. She hated Raphael for not believing in her. No matter how many times she reached out her hand to him, she hated Raphael for not holding it. Ate bit her plump lower lip and tried to control thisplex swirl of emotions. At that time, an unknown hand suddenly touched her long blonde hair.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Ate, who was pulled out from herplex thoughts, frowned and looked at Railin. Then Railin took his hand off and shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°It was so shiny that I couldn¡¯t help but touch it.¡±

    It was a shameless answer, as if asking what was wrong in doing this. Railin¡¯s thoughts behind that touch was nothing more than petting a cat. The touch did not have any sexual feeling, but was rather a simple touch full of curiosity.

    But Ate couldn¡¯t stand this and watch Railin do whatever he liked. She parted her lips to berate him. At that moment, Railin shut her mouth in a very effective way. Of course it wasn¡¯t a kiss, instead Railin took out some very interesting information and waved it before Ate.

    ¡°Oh yeah. I visited like this today for business. Of course, it is our pleasure to find the information requested by our customers, but this is nothing. If you are apetent guild like our ¡®Secret¡¯, you have to provide more advanced services. For example, finding and presenting the information first, even before the customer tells you.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean you¡¯ve brought information that I¡¯m interested in? What kind of information is that?¡±

    In Ate¡¯s head, Amand¡¯s and Raphael¡¯s faces passed by simultaneously. These two men were the ones who bothered her the most right now. But a different name popped out of Railin¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°This is the information regarding Lady Celestine Keers.¡±

    The moment Ate heard the name, Ate realised that she had already been tricked by Railin. It was the type of information that she couldn¡¯t help but buy. <em>But how did you know I¡¯m interested in Celestine?</em> Ate, hiding her wariness, deliberately asked him back with an indifferent expression.

    ¡°Why do you think I would be curious about her? Everyone is just mistaken that I still regret not being the Crown Princess. But the truth is I am already married, and I have no feelings for Your Highness Ludwig.¡±

    ¡°Of course, you have no feelings for Prince Ludwig. But not even for Lady Celestine?¡±

    Railin didn¡¯t fall for her acting and smiled charmingly. There was nothing this man didn¡¯t know about. Ate realised that she couldn¡¯t beat Railin in this regard. He knew how to y this game much better than her.

    Even if she asked him how he knew she was thinking about Celestine, she knew Railin wouldn¡¯t tell her. Dealing with him was like ying with the devil. Ate admitted coolly, pushing one of her stray blonde strands behind her ear.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m interested. I¡¯ll buy it, so tell me. What do you know about Celestine?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a wise customer, that¡¯s why we are always on the same page. Let¡¯s see. Here we go¡­¡­¡±

    Railin deftly pulled out a thin file folder from under the maid¡¯s skirt. ¡®<em>Why the hell is thating out of there?¡¯ </em>Ate took the file folder and turned the page with a slightly unpleasant expression. She felt absurd feeling the lingering lukewarm temperature on the paper, but she didn¡¯t much bother about it. Ate, who had quickly swept through a few sheets of paper, was lost in thought.

    ¡°She has be sensitive and nervous. I guess the rumors about Celestine are indeed true.¡±

    ¡°Yes. People gossip that she pretended everything to be a princess. When she finally got what she wanted, she showed her true colors. Everyone seems to be displeased with the fact that the future Crown Princess woulde from a humble family like the Keers. The contents weren¡¯t very good.¡±

    ¡°Oh my! The higher a person climbs, the better the arrows of envy would hit. Who¡¯s been spreading these words?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Diana Mcire. Well, even if I don¡¯t tell you who it is, you know her very well.¡±

    Hearing Diana¡¯s name, Ate lowered her eyes andughed ridiculously. <em>What kind of woman is she?</em> She always attacked her by using Celestine as her friend, but she also publicized Celestine¡¯s faults behind her back.

    Anyway, the information Railin brought was quite informative. Especially thest part.

    ¡°Since then, she has turned very religious. Well, that¡¯s right. I do remember smelling the scent of the temple¡¯s perfume from her. By the way, it seems that she has been going to the temple more recently. I guess that¡¯s why she almost stopped socializing, and instead preferred to visit a temple. Let¡¯s see, the name of the temple she goes to¡­¡­ it¡¯s the temple of Odessa Louis.¡±

    Ate realized that this was a highly reliable and high quality information. Celestine Keers barely had been socializing these days. She expected her toe to Marquis Eloque¡¯s party, since she was close to them, but she couldn¡¯t meet her there.

    Because of this, Ate was very frustrated. Since she was framed as the perpetrator who caused damage to Celestine, it was impossible for her to go to Keers Mansion. Therefore, she needed something new. A very bold and innovative method.

    Railin observed Ate as she immersed herself in the papers. The bandage had been taken off and Ate¡¯s hand was nowpletely bare. The sight of her pure white fingers turning the papers somehow stimted the man¡¯s sensuality. Thebination of golden eyshes, a pure white face, a narrow nose, and plump lips was so perfect that he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her. Perhaps that¡¯s why Railin suddenly praised her unexpectedly.

    ¡°You are a very beautiful woman.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Ate¡¯s rose petal-like eyes narrowed, as if warning. Earlier, everything happened too suddenly, and Railin was wearing a maid¡¯s dress, so she didn¡¯t feel any threat. In fact, anyone would feel embarrassed rather than threatened on encountering a man in a maid¡¯s uniform.

    But when she heard Railin¡¯s praise, the wariness and alertness in her was awakened again. No matter how pretty he was, it didn¡¯t change the fact that he was a man. She was now sitting alone in a bedroom with a man other than her husband. Ate put down the papers she was holding with a loud thud sound and dismissed him in a firm tone.

    ¡°I will send the remuneration to the guild. I¡¯d like you to leave now. Thank you for your work, Mr. Railin.¡±

    ¡°Hoho! I see you have a habit of kicking people out on hearingpliments. Well, I was just about to get up. I hate dogs.¡±

    With a small shrug of his shoulders, Railin rose from his seat. Ate was grateful that he left quietly without making any trouble, but at the same time, she was also puzzled. <em>Dog? Why is he mentioning dogs all of a sudden?</em> As much as Ate knew, the Marquis of Carnesis didn¡¯t have any dogs.

    However, Railin seemed unwilling to answer any question. As he walked towards the window, he lifted the hem of his skirt and greeted lightly.

    ¡°Then see you next time. Until then, do not cry and stay healthy.¡±

    Railin, with a yful smile, jumped down the window. Ate was so surprised that she almost got up and screamed. But when she looked down the garden through the window, there was no one there. Neither Railin nor any fluttering maid¡¯s outfit.

    ¡®<em>He¡¯s really a ghost.¡¯</em>

    Anyway, it seemed that Railin had left safely, so Ate breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment, she thought he wasmitting suicide, so she was very furious. The corpse of a man dressed as a woman after jumping down the window of a nobledy! Just thinking about the aftermath made her head ache. Just then, all of a sudden, Ate¡¯s bedroom door burst open.

    ¡°Ate!¡±

    It was none other than Raphael who hade in with a fierce face. He looked relieved as he confirmed Ate was safe with his eyes. Then he started looking around the room as if looking for someone. From his face, it could be seen that he was convinced that someone was here. But no matter what, he would not be able to find Railin, who had already left.

    ¡°Ate, tell me. Did anyone break into this ce?¡±

    Raphael asked as he stood before her like a beast whose territory had been invaded. Ate shook her head as she watched him take a step. Then Raphael approached her and looked down at her face as if he was trying to pry her open.

    ¡°Surely, I felt a strange existence here. There¡¯s no way I could be mistaken. You really haven¡¯t seen anyone, Ate?¡±

    <span> Only

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Ate replied with a pale face. It was painful to face Raphael like this without any preparation. As far as Ate knew, Raphael would continue to question her until he got the answer he wanted. He didn¡¯t care if it made her ufortable or not. That was how he was in herst marriage.

    Ate was nowpletely exhausted. In this life, she tried hard not to have such a rtionship with Raphael again. However, everything was ruined again. Ate looked up at Raphael, with her heart tightly closed like a m. This time, no matter how much he pushed her, she wasn¡¯t going to say anything. The moment Raphael¡¯s eyes met Ate¡¯s, a troubled look passed over his face.

    ¡°¡­..Okay¡­If you say so. Sorry foring in like this. Take rest.¡±

    Ate doubted her ears. Did such words reallye out of Raphael¡¯s mouth? He even apologized foring in freely. Ate wondered whether she had heard it wrong. But Raphael really turned his back and left her bedroom. The back of his drooping shoulders looked strangely small.

    Ate, who was left alone in the bedroom, somehow felt strange. She couldn¡¯t understand Raphael¡¯s unusual behavior. But she also didn¡¯t want to think about it. She was really tired of torturing herself with hope.

    ¡®<em>Good. Let¡¯s think about meeting Celestine Keers.</em>¡®

    Ate sitting on the table looked down at the document. Just in time, an idea came into her mind.

 Chapter 49

    A well-trained man¡¯s body is always pleasing to the eye. Especially if he has a fine skeletal frame. The line from the nape of the neck to his broad shoulders and from the firm back to his slender waist was too beautiful to look at. Whenever the body moved a little, the stic muscles wriggled ordingly, creating sensual expectations in the spectators. But every time Ate looked at this back, she wondered.

    ¡®Why do I see his back often these days?¡¯

    Whenever she looked down from her bedroom window, there was that back. Whenever she looked out, while drinking tea in the drawing room, there was that back again. <em>Even when I¡¯m reading in the garden, with a turn of my head, I can¡­.. I don¡¯t think I needed any further exnation.</em>

    Ate wasn¡¯t very pleased with this situation where she had to constantly encounter Raphael¡¯s back. Their rtionship was quite different from other couples, so even if a small conflict arose between them, it could not be resolved through simple conversations. To be precise, Raphael just stubbornly refused tomunicate. In this situation, there was nothing good in bumping into him again and again. So Ate took her eyes off his back and walked away. <em>Somehow, it feels as if his shoulders drooped a little more than before, but I guess it¡¯s just his mood.</em>

    Ate returned to the room and spread open several books on the table. All were books rted to religion and temples. She read each and every line of the books very carefully.

    ¡®<em>If I go to the Temple of Odessa Louis, I may encounter Celestine.¡¯</em>

    Last time, she couldn¡¯t meet Celestine at the garden party of the Marquis of Eloque. It was because she also hadn¡¯t attended the party that day. It was actually considered very rude to suddenly cancel attendance on the very day of an event. Especially if it was done by a ¡®distinguished guest¡¯ who will soon be the Crown Princess. This behavior was highly looked down upon. Celestine knew this too, then why did she do this?

    Nevertheless, since Celestine did this, many nobles resented her, as they had attended the party only to meet her. Ate had no idea about this and naively thought that she couldn¡¯t meet her because she ran into her father on the way and fainted from the shock. Ate, who now learned of Celestine¡¯s absence, suddenly came up with a question.

    ¡®Is Celestine avoiding me now?¡¯

    If Celestine was really the real culprit behind that little self-made y, it was understandable that she was avoiding Ate. When she got what she really wanted, it seemed that she felt guilty. If not, she would not have avoided Ate or been afraid of being found out for what she had done. After all she wasn¡¯t the type of person who could manage her facial expressions.

    Well, either way, Ate wasn¡¯t very happy. It didn¡¯t matter if Celestine was really trying to avoid her. She would somehow meet her and confront her. Even though she was satisfied for not bing the Crown Princess, it also didn¡¯t mean that anyone could trample all over her. And that too, to the extent that she was forced to walk down a path in which she didn¡¯t want to step her feet on. Ate¡¯s eyes, as she looked at the books on the table, became more sharp.

    <em>~Whoosh</em>!

    Ate took her eyes off the book and looked outside the darkened window. Because she was so focused, she even lost track of time. As she stood up, rubbing her dry eyes, Ate suddenly found an invitation on the sofa.

    ¡°Hmm? Was there something like this here earlier?¡±

    Curiously, Ate picked up the invitation and looked around. It was an invitation to a party held by Count Lucini. The party who had sent this invitation and the content of the invitation were quite ordinary. But there was one peculiar thing in it.

    ¡°Couple attendance party.¡±

    After reading thest line, Ate harshly wrote ¡®not attending¡¯ on it and put it on the table. Later, if Mary, the maid, found it, she would convey her rejection to Count Lucini. Believing so, Ate lied down on the bed with a rxed mind. There won¡¯t be many days to sleep here now.

    * * *

    Raphael leaned over the ss, nestling in the sofa with a dark look. Every time his bent neck moved, a strong liquor flowed down his throat. A generous gentleman, looking at it from the opposite side clicked his tongue.

    ¡°Drink slowly. If you keep going like that, it might go through the wrong pipe.¡±

    ¡°Just leave me alone, old man. I just want to get drunk right now.¡±

    Raphael rubbed his wet lips with the back of his hand and replied harshly. At first nce, it could be seen that he didn¡¯t really want to get drunk. It seemed that there was a big problem. Well, if it wasn¡¯t for that, Raphael wouldn¡¯t visit him in the first ce. The old gentleman shrugged his shoulders, stroked his chin and then asked.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I thought you were doing well. You¡¯re just about to be a Sword Master and you even got a beautiful wife. Do you know how popr Princess Ate Bavaria was in Deltium? Everyone thought she was going to be the Crown Princess, so they all were eager to suck her fingers. But you ended up being the one who actually snatched her. Haha, you lucky bad guy.¡±

    The old gentleman deftly tiptoed towards Raphael. There was an unpleasant furrow between Raphael¡¯s thick eyebrows. After seeing this, the old gentleman quickly noticed the problem with Raphael. He wondered whether he was troubled with something rted to his marriage. As soon as he realised this, the old gentleman¡¯s mouth rose in a graceful smile.

    ¡®Oh my Goodness, this arrogant brat is worried about his marriage! ¡®

    It was truly awesome. The old gentleman had been watching Raphael since he was young, but he never thought he would have such a fun time. It was a matter that he had to himself unfurl and see. However, there was also a high possibility that Raphael would immediately kick him in a fit of anger if he caught what he was thinking. So the old gentleman subdued the rising corners of his mouth and asked solemnly.

    ¡°Why? Does your wife hate you?¡±

    ¡°Who hates me¡­!!¡±

    Raphael¡¯s bellowing voice didn¡¯t finish what he was going to say. He was aware that he was in a position where he was hated by Ate. Their marriage started pretty badly, but it still went pretty well. And all this was purely because of Ate¡¯s efforts. Raphael was not really aware of this. No, he just pretended not to know.

    However, now Ate stopped trying. She neither smiled at him anymore, nor did she ask him how he was doing in her sweet voice. Raphael couldn¡¯t ept it and kept hovering around her. But no matter how much he lingered around Ate, she never spoke to him like before. She even turned away the invitation to the couple attendance party that he had secretly sneaked in!

    ¡®I really liked it when you asked me to go to a ball with you.¡¯

    This time Ate seemed determined topletely turn her back on him. As soon as he realized this, his heart sank. He even felt a profound sense of despair as if he was sinking down into the deep sea.

    So he was very confused. He was confused about so many things; why he was so desperate now, what Ate meant to him, and how to unravel these tangled and twisted threads. This was why Raphael came to find the old gentleman standing before him.

    ¡°Tsk. Tsk. It¡¯s pretty obvious why your wife hates you. You must have again lost your temper at her. Especially since she¡¯s the daughter of the Duke Amand Bavaria whom you hate so much. I¡¯m sure you must have done everything to hurt her. Well, let me guess what you must have said. A woman like you must have been really upset because you couldn¡¯t be the princess, or you Bavarians are so cunning.¡±

    ¡°Harold!¡±

    Raphael, who was stabbed in the sore ces, shouted in a fit of temper. If it wasplete nonsense, he wouldn¡¯t have been this angry. But he couldn¡¯t ignore Harold¡¯s age and his words were all correct, so Raphael felt more crazy.

    As Raphael¡¯s blue eyes red murderously, the old gentleman named Harold shrank back as if he was scared. However, the corners of his lips gave him away as he couldn¡¯t hide his smile filled with joy. In the first ce, Harold was one of the few people who Raphael couldn¡¯t scare.

    Raphael knew this very well, so he eventually ckened his shoulders and sat down. There was a look of distress on his indifferent face. Then Harold, with a little cough, asked in a serious tone.

    ¡°Okay, have you apologized to your wife?¡±

    ¡°Not yet.¡±

    ¡°Huh? You haven¡¯t apologized yet? Tsk, tsk, you¡¯re still full of arrogance. I don¡¯t have any advice for a birdbrained person who can¡¯t even apologize to his wife.¡±

    Harold looked at Raphael with a pathetic look and shook his head. Then Raphael became furious, but soon that anger was reced with distress. A weak murmur came out of his lips.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem, old man. It¡¯s reallyplicated. If I want to apologize to Ate, I have to tell her everything about my biological mother.¡±

    Raphael¡¯s jaw, as he pronounced the word mother, became strained. He looked pained, as if he was holding back his nausea. Ate was a clever woman and Raphael wasn¡¯t confident toe up with an excusable story in front of her. Eventually, he would have no choice but to bring out the story of his mother, who was connected to his uncle.

    Raphael vehemently hated his mother and his maternal lineage, to the point If anyone found out about it, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill that person by any means possible. This was why he couldn¡¯t tell Ate about it. He would rather keep his mouth shut, even though he knew it would make her sad.

    ¡®I could have been more honest with Ate if it wasn¡¯t for my damn bloodline.¡¯

    <em>Wait a minute. But why do I care so much about her?</em> Raphael realized something was wrong. Come to think of it, it wasn¡¯t the first time he had thought like this. The insignificant thoughts, that came every time, were piled up in one side of his mind and kept on piling up, to the point he felt like aplete new existence. He also felt as if his body had be bigger than before.

    In the first ce, he had never thought about all this in his own initiative. Just in time Harold asked Raphael a question in a heavy voice.

    ¡°What about you, then? Do you love your wife? Are you willing to take the risk and tell her your secret someday?¡±

    <span> Only

    ¡°Love? That¡¯s not gonna happen¡­¡­.¡±

    Raphael¡¯s words, as heughed cynically, suddenly stopped. <em>I love that Bavarian woman? What ridiculous bullshit! But why can¡¯t I say no?</em> Raphael closed his eyes tightly and tried to open his mouth.

    <hr>

    <strong>T/N</strong>: (<strong>Long review/rant whatever idk what to call this. So if you don¡¯t want to read it you can skip this</strong>).I really do enjoy reading yourments and take on the characters. So I thought why not put mine too.

    What I really love about this novel is that none of the characters are perfect like how main leads should be in a novel. They have ws that I can rte to, which makes them more than characters of a novel to me. And there is no cheating or anyone getting in between the leads in the novel. It¡¯s a story about two wed people and how they ruined each other because of their misunderstandings.

    Ate is one of my favorite protagonists. Even though she has been used and discarded, she still stays strong and is a kind hearted person. Someone said she hasn¡¯t tried enough. Well I would like to disagree with that. What I really like is that author kept her character constant even after her regression. For a person who had lived her whole life passively, it¡¯s difficult to suddenly change yourself. She did try her best as you can see in this chapter. Even though her efforts were small but I think that¡¯s the best one can do towards a person who does not respond to your affection or efforts. She knows Raphael doesn¡¯t love her, but she still tried her best to improve their rtionship. When she got her second chance, she gave her rtionship with Raphael another try because of theirst moments in her previous life. But seeing that their marriage was going down the same path, no matter what she did, she gave up. She just wanted to live her second life peacefully with her loved ones. So why should she waste her second chance tormenting herself in a loveless marriage. And I really like her for that.

    Well it¡¯s really interesting to read everyone¡¯s take on Raphael. Many may not like him but I really like him as a character. Though I don¡¯t really like the way he acts but I can see why he does what he does. Till now we got much of the events from Ate¡¯s perspective and I¡¯m not gonna spoil much but in the next chapters we¡¯ll get to see how Raphael thinks and what all he has been through. It would exin why he doesn¡¯t trust anyone and why he has so many insecurities. But still yeah it doesn¡¯t justify his shitty behavior towards Ate.

    Wow I wrote quite too much, so I¡¯m gonna stop here. Do tell me what you think of them. Or you can ask questions, if you have any regarding the story. I¡¯ll be happy to answer them.

 Chapter 50

    ¡°Don''t say anything weird, old man. I''m just trying to get along with my wife. There is no need to mention useless things like love or affection. I don''t need it.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you say so.¡±

    Haroldughed with a meaningful face. Apparently, it seemed that he was still in denial, but it was only his own loss. Because of this, he knew he would have to sufferter. It is always better to admit it early and find a way to win the other person''s heart.

    But Harold was going to ignore it this time. Raphael needed this opportunity toe out a bit. Because he had been stuck in his shell for so long, his emotional growth hadpletely stopped. Perhaps the hatred towards his mother, and the inferiorityplex towards his origin were holding him back.

    Information about Raphael''s biological mother was kept strictly confidential by King Selgratis. So no one knew who Raphael''s ¡°mother¡± was or how she died. Count Harold Evans was one of the few people who knew all the details.

    ''You poor soul.''

    Harold had now retired due to his old age, but until a few years ago, he had been a loyal henchman of King Selgratis. Therefore, he had watched the king''s illegitimate son, Raphael, since he was young. Had Harold not discovered Raphael''s extraordinary swordsmanship talent and told the king about it, Raphael would have still wandered around the shady back alleys as amoner. Or, he might have been already dead.

    ¡°Anyway, I¡­ I don''t want to tell Ate anything. Not only to her, but also to anyone. I''d rather bite my tongue and eat it than talk about my past.¡±

    Raphael murmured as he lowered his head and then grabbed it with both hands anxiously. His life before he had be the Marquis of Carnesis was like hell. Raphael was not confident to talk about his dirtiest and filthiest secrets with Ate. Ate Bavaria was the noblest and most perfect woman in the kingdom of Deltium.How can I tear my heart apart and reveal my rotten past to someone like her, who is so spotless and dazzling?

    ''Raphael is a good person. He should be respected.''

    Raphael felt ashamed when he remembered Ate''s face, innocently defending him without knowing anything. When Harold saw Raphael''s distressed expression, he said,

    ¡°One has to prepare his heart to reveal his toughest secret. If you''re not ready, you don''t have to force yourself to confess. If you wait calmly, time will help you mature, just like a fermented bread. Well, who knows, maybe by then your stubborn mouth may open easily.¡±

    ¡°But before that, Ate will leave me.¡±

    Raphael had a strong feeling. He had a wild intuition inside him that lived and breathed just like an animal. Everytime he saw Ate staring off into the distance with a lonely expression, that intuition whispered to him ominously. ''She''s thinking of running away.''When Harold listened to Raphael''s words, he pondered for a while and then put forward a suggestion.

    ¡°Then be nicer to your wife. Think you''re the master of secrets, andpletely spoil your wife. Then, I don''t know. Maybe she might stick with you patiently, even if you fall from her graces.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ What kind of crap are you spewing out, old man?¡±

    Raphael raised his head, furrowing his handsome eyebrows. But Harold''s eyes looking at him were not joking. Although the old gentleman''s eyebrows had begray, the shining eyes underneath them still had a lively look.

    ¡°Women are wise. Your wife must have already noticed that you''re hiding something from her. So be good to your wife. To the point even if she gets to know about it, she won''t leave you and would dismiss it saying ''since you''re this good, can''t I turn a blind eye to a little secret?'' Do you understand me?¡±

    Only then did Raphael, who understood Harold''s words, be silent. It sounded like a very wise advice, but how should one be good to a woman? Raphael had never been ¡°good¡± to any woman. To be honest, Ate was the first person with whom he wanted to try to have something simr to a rtionship. Harold, who saw through Raphael''s heart,ughed and teased him.

    ¡°Oh, can''t you do that because of your pride? Or is it because you''re flustered? Well, you''ve been very shy since you were a child. When you bought a pocket watch for my birthday present, you were so embarrassed that you couldn''t even give it to me yourself and ordered a servant to send it to the branch.¡­.¡±

    ¡°Ugh so noisy!! Damn it, it was foolish of me toe here.¡±

    When the forgotten dark history was forcibly brought out, Raphael jumped up from his seat and tried to gallop out of the room. At that moment, Harold wiped the smile from his face and gave ast advise.

    ¡°You know I love you so much. Even your odd personality and arrogance look cute in my eyes. But a real man must know when to bend his ego. Just pretend to be pitiful and turn her heart around! Do not choose any stupid means or methods. Otherwise, you will soon end up like me.¡±

    Harold poured all his youth and passion into his work. And in return, he got everything. Except for love.

    The woman, whom Harold had loved with all his heart, left him and married another man. All this was because Harold firmly believed that she would not leave him as long as he was sessful. But all she ever wanted from him was some caring words and a little attention. Harold was so stupid that he didn''t notice this and so lost her forever.

    Raphael, who knew Harold''s past, looked at him with a grim look. For Raphael, Harold was no less than a benefactor. But Harold felt much closer to him as a father figure than his own biological father, King Selgratis. So he could not take his advice lightly. Just then, Raphael''s gaze suddenly moved from Harold''s hand to the shiny ring on his finger.

    ¡°Oh, old man. What the hell is that ring? Is this ring popr in Deltium these days?¡±

    The ring in Harold''s hand was simr to the one in his memory. Therge amethyst ring was uniquely engraved with an alphabet. Just like the one he found in Ate''s drawer when he was nursing her before.

    Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks

    ¡°Oh, this? You don''t know. This is a ring of a guild called ''Secret''. All of their most distinguished customers have one such ring.¡±

    ¡°Secret? What kind of guild is that?¡±

    ¡°What¡­ Well, first of all, should I call it an errand guild? It started with small information transactions and now does almost any illegal thing a customer wants. It''s a ce that has been emerging rapidly in thest 5 years, but the guild master is quite something big. Rumor has it that he is one of the few ''real'' wizards left.¡±

    Even after retirement, Harold was still Harold. It wasn''t unusual for Harold, who had once worked as a secret agent, to know all the information guilds of the underworld. But it was certainly strange for Ate to know such a ce. She was an extremely elegant and ordinary noblewoman who loved to read and do embroidery.

    ¡°Give me more details, old man. What specific things do you do in that guild?¡±

    As his face distorted with anxiety, Raphael turned and sat down in front of Harold.

    * * *

    The weather was nice. The blue sky was clear, the sun was hot, but the wind blowing was cool. So Ate sat in the garden and read a book peacefully. Although the content was information on the temple that Celestine mainly attends, it was undeniable that this time was peaceful.

    ''Except for one.''

    Ate, who took her eyes off the book for a moment, sighed a little when she saw Raphael from a distance. Apparently he had recently changed his tendency to show his back these days and was now sticking to show his front side. And on top of that he kept a very disturbing distance from her. They could see each other well just with a turn of their eyes, but it was such an ambiguous distance which forced one to get up and approach the other person to talk.

    Ate was ufortable with Raphael''s sharp eyes, staring at her like a hawk. So she closed the book and got up without saying anything. She was going back to her room to avoid him. But as soon as Ate turned around, Raphael came right next to her and grabbed her wrist.

    ¡°Let''s talk.¡±

    ¡°¡­Talk? About what?¡±

    Ate looked up at Raphael without any anticipation. Whenever she tried to talk, he got annoyed and avoided it, so now, what does he want to talk about? When Ate stared at him without epting or refusing his request, a little nervousness appeared on Raphael''s face.

    ¡°Just for a minute.¡±

    If it had been earlier, he would have taken Ate by the arm and dragged her along as he pleased. But he couldn''t do that to Ate anymore. Raphael shut his mouth tight. The woman, who was standing in front of him, looking at him indifferently, was driving him crazy. Naturally, Harold''s advice, whom he had met a few days ago, came to his mind.

    ''Be good to your wife. Get rid of things like pride.''

    But, what the hell should I do to be good?Raphael was just about to curse.If you were going to give me such advice, you should have told me about it in detail. Unnecessarily scaring people.Raphael grumbled inwardly and looked around desperately.

    Fortunately, he noticed some dahlias blooming in groups. As soon as he saw it, he remembered hearing that women liked flowers. Without thinking any further, he reached out and plucked the biggest dahlia. And then carefully ced it in Ate''s other hand.

    ¡°It would really only take a minute, Ate. Let''s talk.¡±

    ¡°Is this for me?¡±

    Instead of answering, Ate looked at dahlia given by Raphael with shock. It was the first time she had received anything from him. She never thought she would one day get a flower from him. Though it was not bought or wrapped beautifully in a bouquet, it still felt quite novel.

    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±

    Seeing that Ate was interested in the flower, Raphael let go of her wrist and began to sweep the dahlias away. Under his ruthless grasp, the dahlias broke in an instant. If the gardener had seen this domineering way of handling flowers, he sure would have screamed and shed tears. However, the gardener''s shock was of no concern to Raphael. In a blink of an eye, Raphael made a bouquetrge enough to cover Ate''s torso and then gave the whole bunch to her.

    ¡°If you think it''s not enough, I can pluck some more. So talk to me, Ate.¡±

    ''¡­. You''re going to pluck more?''As Ate received the bunch of flowers, her pupils trembled. It was good to receive a flower as a gift from the husband, but this was a little too much. Ate decided to follow him quietly before he plucked out all the flowers in the garden.

    To tell the truth, she was still reluctant to talk to Raphael. She had no expectation that he would tell her the truth. However, since Raphael had showed this much sincerity, she had to give him a chance. Now even his tone sounded like a pleading. Ate''s heart softened on seeing this. She looked back at Raphael.

    ¡°Then let''s go that way. Shall we?¡±

 Chapter 51

    It felt really strange to follow a woman who was much smaller than himself. Raphael looked at the dazzling sunlight as the sun sank over the top of her round head. ¡®It would be nice if I could stretch my arms behind that back and hug that slender body. And then rub my lips against those golden hair which held the warmth of the sun.¡¯ However, Ate suddenly stopped walking and turned around, making Raphael stunned.

    ¡°What do you have to say?¡±

    Raphael bit his lips. He was prepared to some extent to reveal his secrets, but when he faced Ate, his mouth refused to open. After considering it very much, he decided to speak out what he wanted to say first.

    ¡°Ate, I¡­I didn¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t know Ben was working as your coachman and that he was the one who framed you.¡±

    Raphael was worried that Ate would suspect he was an aplice of Ben. After all, it was true that he was the only one who benefitted from this false charge.

    There was no princess in the Deltium royal family, so Ate Bavaria became the most noble woman in the kingdom of Deltium. Taking her as his wife, the w in Raphael¡¯s lineage waspensated. So, he was worried that Ate might suspect that this was a fraudulent marriage. Ate, who listened quietly to Raphael, replied,

    ¡°I thought so, too. That you won¡¯t have anything to do with the case. The fact that Ivan, no¡­ Ben shares his blood with you was quite shocking. But now I don¡¯t doubt you or anything.¡±

    ¡°Do you trust me?

    The intensity of Raphael¡¯s hard-spoken words softened with a little hope. Unfortunately, Ate didn¡¯t say this because she trusted him, as Raphael thought. Ate, with her golden eyshes lowered, calmly expressed her thoughts.

    ¡°It would be too much to call you an aplice¡­.. since you were reluctant to marry me. You hated me so much, so you couldn¡¯t have been involved in it to marry me. Unless you have some strange likeness for enjoying sufferings.¡±

    Raphael¡¯s wicked mouth was effectively sealed with this. There were too many misdeeds for which he had to be ountable now. He had nothing more to say because it was true that he didn¡¯t want to marry Ate. If his biological father, King Selgratis, hadn¡¯t forced him by saying, ¡°This is all for you,¡± he would never have married Ate on his own will.

    While Raphael was sweating and couldn¡¯t say a word, Ate raised her head and looked at him. Her face looked a little tired. The gentle smile and warm consideration had all disappeared.

    ¡°Is that all you have to say? Then I¡¯ll get going.¡±

    Ate turned her back slowly. Her thin blonde hair fluttered in the air, and her pink eyes, which looked lonely under her eyshes, turned away from him. Raphael couldn¡¯t just let Ate go away like this.

    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±

    Fortunately, Ate, as usual, did not ignore him. Ate turned her back and looked at him gently as if there was still nothing left to say. The moment his eyes met her pretty ones, Raphael¡¯s mouth suddenly moved on its own and so a request for a date popped out of his mouth.

    ¡°Well, hmm¡­ If it¡¯s okay with you, would you go to the party next week? Umm, that couple party at the Count Lucini¡¯s.¡±

    Ate said nothing, but tilted her head slightly to the side. Maybe she was thinking ¡®Why me?¡¯ As soon as he met Ate¡¯s reluctant eyes, Raphael instinctively felt that he would be rejected. His heart sank feeling a sense of crisis. At that time, Harold¡¯s words suddenly came to his mind.

    ¡®Don¡¯t hold to your pride and pretend to be pitiful!¡¯

    Yeah, anyway the dice had already been thrown. He had to get an answer from her and for that he would go by any means possible. Raphael unknowingly lowered his eyes and muttered, avoiding Ate¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°You must attend the party Ate. My benefactor will be there. He couldn¡¯t attend our wedding for some reason, so he asked me to introduce him to you. He¡¯s a very important person to me¡­..¡±

    It was a tant lie. Raphael actually did not know whether Harold was going to attend the party or not. To be honest, there was a high probability that he wouldn¡¯t. This was because Harold was unmarried and it was a party which you had to attend as a couple. However, since Harold himself had advised him to act pitiful, he should notin about it. Raphael decided to think as he liked.

    ¡°Your benefactor?¡±

    Fortunately, Ate was interested in this clumsy excuse. This was because it was the first time that Raphael had revealed something about his past to Ate. Although Raphael himself didn¡¯t realise this, Ate¡¯s interest encouraged him to speak more. Naturally, Raphael¡¯s chatter became a little more convincing.

    ¡°Yeah. As you know I¡­Because my birth¡­ is a bitplicated, I can call only a few people as family. But his position in my life is just like His Majesty,¡­he¡¯s kind of like a father figure to me. I wouldn¡¯t be here by now if it wasn¡¯t for him. So I really want to introduce you both. He¡¯s one of the few people who really cares about me.¡±

    Originally, the most persuasive lie was a lie with 50 percent truth added in it. As he talked about his actual situation, a slight lonesome look appeared on Raphael¡¯s face. Ate hesitated when she saw it. Raphael instinctively realised that this was the opportunity and quickly grabbed her hand.

    ¡°Please, Ate,e with me. You¡¯re my wife, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Raphael¡¯s words informing her about her wife¡¯s duties were effective. Ate, who had grown up surrounded by duties and responsibilities from an early age, became weak at those words. But the reason why she hesitated was not just because she had to fulfill her duties as a wife.

    Ate was really surprised at seeing Raphael look at her with desperate eyes. She couldn¡¯t believe that words like ¡®please¡¯ coulde out of those wicked lips that only knew how to spit out mean words. Ate realised that this benefactor was indeed really important to Raphael. So she nodded eventually.

    ¡®Well, since I would be leaving Raphael soon, I¡¯ll do him a favor for thest time.¡¯

    In fact, there was only one thing that Raphael did wrong in the current tragedy that Ate was facing. And that was his refusal tomunicate with her regarding his past. However, she did not also want to force him to do so. How could he do something that he detested and tell his secrets to someone who he didn¡¯t believe?

    The rest of the problems were too vague to me Raphael. However, all these problems would only be solved if Ate left Raphael and Deltium. To do that, she had to meet Celestine Keers as soon as possible.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know when all this will be over, but I think I can do you a favor before that.¡¯

    ¡°Thank you, Ate!¡±

    With a wide smile, Raphael held her up and turned around. He easily lifted her up as if she was a paper doll. Surprised by this, Ate¡¯s eyes widened and she clutched his shoulder tightly. Finally, after hugging Ate tightly, Raphael put her down on the floor and said,

    ¡°Thank you very much. Foring with me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±

    Ate, who didn¡¯t know Raphael would like it this much, answered vaguely. At this point, she wondered who this benefactor was for whom Raphael would behave like this. It seemed she would have to pay attention to her dress at the ball.

    * * *

    ¡°That¡¯s what happened, so please cooperate.¡±

    ¡°Huh, look at this shameless bastard!¡±

    Harold, who was dragged out to the party on Raphael¡¯s sudden notice, was really irked by his request. Harold didn¡¯t really want to attend the party in the first ce. Harold, who attended a couple party alone, was sad and upset.

    ¡®<em>You¡¯re such an ungrateful bastard.¡¯</em>

    If he had known this would happen, he wouldn¡¯t have given him any advice. In the meantime, Raphael¡¯s face as he was smiling all alone waiting for his wife, made him even more angrier.

    ¡°Just wait and see how I deal with youter! When your wifees, I¡¯ll tell her all your dark history.¡±

    ¡°Try it if you can.¡±

    Raphael stood in front of Harold with his arms crossed like a huge barrier. Theparison felt more so because of his tall and muscr build. Seeing that Harold was about to say nonsense, it really took all his will to not drag him out of there. Feeling the transient flow of time*, Harold trembled softly and gently stepped on Raphael¡¯s shiny shoes.

    *[I don¡¯t whether this makes sense to you, so I¡¯ll make it a bit clear. It¡¯s that feeling when you reminisce about old memories and suddenly feel as if time had quickly passed.]

    ¡°What the hell are you doing old man? It¡¯s a new pair of shoes!!¡±

    Raphael frowned. He quickly took out his handkerchief and wiped his shoe clean. His intention to quickly finish grooming himself before Ate¡¯s arrival was really apparent. Harold, who had been watching this with an amused look, suddenly asked as he had remembered something.

    ¡°But why didn¡¯t youe with your wife?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. She told me to go ahead because she had some work to do. She would follow soon.¡±

    Raphael, who was still checking his shoe, responded dully. Harold realised something from the words and began tough. When Raphael heard hisughter, he raised his head wondering what was wrong with him. Harold, who had been waiting for this moment, tried to suppress hisughter.

    ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re really an idiot. She didn¡¯t want to go with you, that¡¯s why she told you to go ahead.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that! She said she really had some work to do.¡±

    <span> Only

    ¡°Oh, believe whatever you want. She must have made up some things to do so that she wouldn¡¯t have to ride the same carriage with you.¡±

    ¡°Fuck! ¡°

    Raphael unknowingly spit out curses that he had learned during his days as amoner. Harold had only hit his sore spot, and a billion curses came out of his mouth on its own. Meanwhile, the smile returned on Harold¡¯s face, who had finally taken his revenge for being dragged to a couple party. Such retaliation was the best way to teach an ungrateful ck-haired beast.

    Raphael frowned at seeing the nasty smile on his face. He was about to say something to Harold, but a familiar face caught his sharp eyes. Unfortunately it wasn¡¯t Ate¡¯s pretty face.

    ¡®Why the hell is he here?¡¯

    Raphael¡¯s face was sharply distorted. The man who was greeted by everyone from afar was a very handsome man. With his tall body, white face, sculpture like delicate features, and his long silver hair, he looked like a prince who hade out of a fairy tale.

    ¡®Prince Ludwig¡­¡­!¡¯

    Raphael¡¯s blue eyes sank coldly when he unexpectedly ran into his half-brother.

 Chapter 52: â€˜Would it be okay to dress up like this?â€™

    ¡®Would it be okay to dress up like this?¡¯

    Ate looked carefully around her dress. The dress made of high quality blue fabric sprinkled with diamond powder, sparkled like a star in the night sky. Her blonde hair was braided to the side and was decorated with a blue velvet rose hair corsage to highlight her golden tresses. The overall color tone was calm, but the details made it look rather colorful, so it seemed a suitable dress to meet Raphael¡¯s benefactor.

    After finishing her final inspection, Ate entered the party with a smile on her face. After a formal greeting with the host of the party, Count Lucini and his wife, she looked around, but she couldn¡¯t find Raphael. Ate looked around with a puzzled look.

    ¡®I told you to go first.¡¯

    Although she had agreed to attend the party on Raphael¡¯s request, she found it burdensome to be alone with him in the carriage. Ate always became weak when it came to affection and became even more weak when it came to Raphael, with whom she had been married for five years in her previous life. If he hadn¡¯t taken good care of her when she was sick in her previous life, she would have left him long ago. Ate was afraid that if she became close to Raphael again, she would fall for him.

    So that¡¯s why Ate encouraged him to attend separately. Fortunately, Raphael had no experience attending a couple¡¯s party, so he readily epted her request. He wasn¡¯t the type to stray away without informing, so he must have arrived at the ball first. But she couldn¡¯t see Raphael at all. A man with such a prominent appearance like him should be easy to find.

    ¡°Ate Bavaria?¡±

    Just then, someone called out Ate¡¯s name. Ate blinked and looked at the strange gentleman. The man wearing a dark blue suit with a mahogany cane in one hand looked quite old. Nevertheless, his well-kept short beard and solid body frame made him look very sophisticated.

    ¡°Oh, I see you don¡¯t know who I am. I usually stay abroad a lot. I am Count Harold Evans. It¡¯s my pleasure to meet such a greatdy like you.¡±

    The old gentleman, who introduced himself, was very polite despite his age. Ate became quite fond of Harold because of that. She happily smiled and gently holded Harold¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re Count Evans. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. I¡¯m Ate Bavaria Carnesis.¡±

    Harold Evans was once considered as the most mysterious man among Ate¡¯s previous generation. No one knew exactly about his life in detail or what business he did abroad. But all the rumors about Harold were amazing. It seemed like hearing about beans sprouting in drought. He had tracked down traitors, caught many people who had escaped to other countries aftermitting felony and so on.

    Although Harold was now retired and confined to his estate, the mystery around him did not fade. So Ate looked up at the old legend with twinkling eyes. Seeing this, a chuckle almost escaped out of Harold¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°You are more lovely than what I thought. If I was now my twenty years old younger self, I would have given Raphael a goodpetition. s! It¡¯s quite unfortunate.¡±

    ¡°Do you know my husband?¡±

    ¡°Hmm I know. I¡¯ll let you in on a secret.¡±

    Looking around, Harold lowered his voice and gestured to Ate. Ate was captivated by his mysterious behavior and unknowingly leaned closer to listen to him. Then Harold, with a serious look on his face, whispered in her ear.

    ¡°It¡¯s a secret I¡¯ve never told anyone. I¡¯m the person who had changed the nkets that he peed on.¡±

    ¡°What? Raphael peed on the nket. I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°He was pretty cute back then. He couldn¡¯t even say that he peed, but he cried and held on to the bottom of his pants. In those times, I really tried my best to hold back the corners of my mouth from rising. Haah! I didn¡¯t expect that cute little thing would change to such a bad and boring guy. Who would have known?¡±

    Harold pretended to be disappointed. At first, Ate was rmed at the shocking revtion of Raphael¡¯s childhood. But soon a smile came on her face. In Ate¡¯s memory, Raphael had always been a big, violent, and mean man. She couldn¡¯t believe Raphael had peed on his nkets when he was young.

    Ate, who was listening to Harold, smiled and realized something. Looking around, she lowered her voice and asked Harold.

    ¡°Sir Evans, you must be Raphael¡¯s benefactor, right?¡±

    Instead of answering, Harold smiled and ced a finger on his lips. Ate quickly became morefortable with him. She somehow ended up unintentionally meeting Raphael¡¯s benefactor first, but it was a party that she had attended to meet Harold anyway. Ate felt like she had achieved today¡¯s task early, so she became more mentally rxed. Harold, who was analyzing Ate¡¯s expressions, suddenly changed the subject.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he a very bad person?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not honest, he¡¯s very proud and he¡¯s too arrogant. He¡¯s almost like a hedgehog. He will hurt others first so that they won¡¯t hurt him. What an ugly, bad guy.¡±

    Ate was at a loss for what to say, so she just smiled. Raphael¡¯s own benefactor suddenly began to badmouth him. But she couldn¡¯t refute anything because it was all true. Harold, who nced at Ate¡¯s quivering pupils, shrugged and said.

    ¡°If he makes you upset, just divorce him. You¡¯re still young and pretty. You don¡¯t have to live with such a nasty guy. If I were in your position, I¡¯d throw him away without looking back. Once he¡¯s abandoned, he¡¯lle to his senses.¡±

    Ate didn¡¯t know that it was Harold¡¯s specialty to deliberately exaggerate his words and test people¡¯s reactions. Harold watched Ate¡¯s facial expression change in seconds while cursing Raphael. He saw her delicate eyebrows furrow a little. Soon, Ate spoke in defense of Raphael.

    ¡°He¡¯s not a bad person. He¡¯s just¡­. just a little stubborn.¡±

    She didn¡¯t know why she felt so bad when she heard other people badmouthing Raphael. Ate recalled Raphael¡¯s sincere face as he told her, ¡®He¡¯s my benefactor that I want to introduce to you.¡¯ Harold was so important to Raphael that he had even bent his pride and said ¡®please¡¯ to her. However, when she met Harold, he bad-mouthed Raphael a lot. So Ate was very upset.

    But fighting with Harold here wasn¡¯t a good choice either. After all, Raphael considered him as his benefactor, so he would be hurt if she fought with him in front of Raphael. Ate decided to rather end this ufortable conversation quickly and move away from Harold. She smiled gracefully and asked in a soft but determined tone.

    ¡°Do you happen to know where my husband is? I want to say hello to him first.¡±

    Harold did not answer immediately and simply smiled. Ate knew how to avoid unnecessary conflicts without being influenced by her own emotions or thoughts. It was a wise attitude which was quite not suitable for her age. At least that was what it seemed to Harold. Harold slowly stroked his sharp chin and pointed somewhere. It was a balcony covered with thick curtains.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Ate responded politely and turned around to go there. Just as she was about to move, Harold¡¯s advice came from behind.

    ¡°If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t go in there now.¡±

    <span> Only

    ¡®What is he talking about now?¡¯ Ate looked back at him, but Harold just smiled vaguely. It didn¡¯t seem that asking him would get her answers. Ate headed toward the balcony where a bomb was lurking.

    Usually, at parties like these, people woulde to the balcony, so the hosts would put out curtains to prevent others from disturbing them and give them some privacy. And sometimes in such ces there usually would be secret meetings between a couple or secret lovers. Or sometimes even passionate encounters between men and women.

    Of course, it was unlikely that Raphael would do something like that, but it was also something that she couldn¡¯t say for sure. He was after all a very handsome and attractive man. A man, who shone on his own with just his face and tall and muscr body, sure would attract many women¡¯s attention. Ate became more determined to go to the balcony where Harold had pointed. Hearing the sound of conversation leaking through the curtain, it was clear that Raphael was in there.

    However, he was having a hot¡¯ time¡¯ in a way that was quite different from Ate¡¯s expectations.

    ¡°¡­¡­in the past, she¡¯s my wife now. So please get your hands off my wife. Every time Your Highness wanders around her like a rutting dog, my loyalty towards you keeps turning upside down.¡±

    Raphael¡¯s voiceing from the inside was as cold and hard as steel. Ate¡¯s mouth opened on its own when she heard the vulgar remarks. Someone who Raphael would call ¡®Your Highness¡¯ and tell that person to get his hands away from his wife¡­.. There was only one person in the whole Deltium who could meet these two conditions.

    ¡®Is he with His Highness, Prince Ludwig ?¡¯

    Ate¡¯s face turned pale from shock.

 Chapter 53

    The rtionship between the two different brothers had been quiteplicated for a long time. In fact, it was a rtionship that was bound to beplicated.

    In terms of age, Raphael was a couple of years older than Ludwig, but he was just an illegitimate child. And Ludwig was the heir of the noble royal family. Although they had the same father, their positions were very different, just like the difference between the sky and earth. In short, if Ludwig was the light, then Raphael was the shadow cast behind it.

    Raphael didn¡¯t want to marry Ate as Ludwig¡¯s substitute. And on top of that she was a woman from the Bavarian family, who were big pedigree supremacists. Raphael and Bavaria were literally poles apart. So he expected the marriage to be nothing more than a wreck.

    ¡®But now¡­..¡¯

    He hated to admit it but Ate had be someone special to him. The tears falling from her eyes felt like hot candle wax falling over his heart. Because of his misunderstandings, he wrongfully berated her, but now he could see that it was over there that he started to lose his treasure. This happened all because Ludwig kept on hanging around and snooping around other people¡¯s wife. Raphael¡¯s eyes became cold when he saw Ludwig.

    ¡°Ate is my wife now. And she feels ufortable running into you,Your Highness. I don¡¯t understand why people who already have a fianc¨¦e would keep doing this. Does Your Majesty know about this?¡±

    Ludwigughed ridiculously at the mention of his father. As Ludwig leaned against the wall, a sharp answer naturally came out of his mouth.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize I had to get permission from my father at this age. I was just going to attend the party with my fianc¨¦e, but she canceled at thest moment, so I had toe alone.¡±

    ¡°Ha! Even a child won¡¯t believe in such excuses. Then since my wife doesn¡¯t have anything to do, I¡¯ll take her and leave.¡±

    Raphael smiled and tried to turn his back. Ludwig, who had not yet met Ate, became nervous. On the surface, he pretended to be calm, but it was true that he hade here to meet Ate. Raphael was again going to take her away from him. Ludwig¡¯s demeanor broke down when he heard Raphael¡¯s words as if Ate only belonged to him.

    ¡°Why, are you now afraid that you¡¯ll lose your wife if she sees me? You were the one who whined to father that you didn¡¯t want to get married to her. You said you didn¡¯t like a woman from the Bavarian family who were all like snakes. Then why? Now, is it that you started liking snakes? It¡¯s ridiculous that you¡¯re saying this now.¡±

    Raphael¡¯s face, as he looked back, became blue with anger. In the first ce, he was the type who used his fist to talk. But this time, the opponent wasn¡¯t good. If he had achieved the ability of Sword Master, he could havended him a blow or two, but he was not in a position to do so yet. King Selgratis sure would not forgive Raphael for assaulting the Crown Prince. So Raphael folded his arms and tightly clenched his fist to hold himself back.

    ¡°If she really was so precious to you, then why didn¡¯t you do anything earlier? Unlike me, you knew from the beginning that Ate was falsely used. Ate must have felt heartbroken because you knew everything and still did nothing. Now, she has no regrets or feelings for you, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°And you? Do you think Ate loves you? No way! She¡¯s a noble and delicate woman. So she would never like a rude bastard like you.¡±

    Ludwig, who was stabbed in his sore spot, gritted his teeth and mocked Raphael. When Ludwig, the royal heir, looked down at him contemptuously, Raphael clenched his jaw. Just because he was born well and had everything, Ludwig¡¯s selfishness to take Ate away was disgusting. So Raphael brazenly gave a blow to Ludwig bypletely abandoning his conscience.

    ¡°No. Ate likes me. And very much at that. Your Highness must have felt it too, haven¡¯t you? If she didn¡¯t like me, she would have taken your hand when Your Highness reached out to her long ago. Well, if she really has eyes to see, she would prefer a real man like me rather than a clumsy weakling.¡±

    As Raphael challenged andughed at Ludwig, the corners of his mouth rose in a mocking smile. At that moment, it was Ludwig who lost hisposure first. Because of Raphael¡¯s jab at his embarrassing weakness and the trauma from Ate¡¯s rejection, Ludwig lost his temper. He gritted his teeth and grabbed Raphael by the cor.

    ¡°Shut up! What do you think you know? You don¡¯t know anything!! About her, about our rtionship!¡±

    Raphael looked at Ludwig¡¯s face with grim eyes. In his deep blue eyes, the glimpse of the features that were stained with anger had a clear resemnce to him. Maybe that¡¯s why he felt even more dirtier.

    ¡°Oh, no. Even though I don¡¯t know anything, I know this one thing very well.¡±

    Raphael slowly raised his hand and crushed Ludwig¡¯s hand, which held his cor. The incredible grip distorted Ludwig¡¯s face with pain. Before Raphael, who had been wielding the sword all his life, someone like Ludwig, who had only yed the lute and held the pen, was of no match. Feeling the crushing pain, Ludwig eventually had to let go of his grip on Raphael¡¯s cor.

    At that moment, Raphael grasped Ludwig¡¯s shoulder and pushed him against the wall. His elbows and forearms pressed hard near Ludwig¡¯s neck. Ludwig felt suffocated because he was caught between the wall and Raphael¡¯s body. He tried his best to get out of the humiliating position, but Raphael didn¡¯t even budge. Raphael, who bowed his head to bring his face close to Ludwig, growled.

    ¡°It¡¯s stupid to attack someone who¡¯s stronger than you. Especially when you¡¯re alone.

    ¡°Ugh¡­humph¡±!!¡±

    Ludwig red at Raphael with bloodshot eyes and then again grabbed his cor. As he pulled desperately, Raphael¡¯s cor tore making a crisp sound. Just then, Ate, who hade through the curtain gap, found this scene.

    ¡°Raphael¡­.Oh my God!¡±

    Ate¡¯s pupils quivered. At first nce, Raphael and Ludwig did not seem as if they were fighting, but they rather seemed as if they were¡­ sharing the hot passion of adults. Raphael had Ludwig trapped in his arms and pressed against the wall while Ludwig stretched out his hand and tore off his clothes. They were looking at each other with their faces up very close.

    ¡®I¡­ Did I disturb them?¡¯

    Ate¡¯s pupils trembled as if an earthquake had broken out in them. If she hadn¡¯t heard their quarreling over from behind the curtains, she really wouldn¡¯t have experienced this scene. Fortunately, Raphael, who first noticed Ate¡¯s presence, removed his hands and released Ludwig.

    ¡°Ate.¡±

    Being conscious of Ludwig¡¯s presence, Raphael called her more affectionately than usual. Ludwig, who was clutching his cor and ring at him, immediately looked this way. As soon as he saw Ate, Ludwig¡¯s expression suddenly changed 180 degrees. Ludwig, who just had been wielding his ws and revealing his teeth, suddenly called Ate with a sad face.

    ¡°Ate¡­.¡±

    Ludwig, who looked as if he was crying, staggered as he approached Ate and then suddenly fell down. Ate was surprised to see this and quickly supported Ludwig.

    ¡°Oh my! Your Highness, are you all right?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to have another seizure¡­¡­it¡¯s painful.¡±

    Ludwig leaned his head against Ate¡¯s arm and breathed roughly. Raphael was bewildered seeing Ludwig suddenly pretend to be pitiful as if he didn¡¯t care about his image. Just now, he was so lively that he tore off his clothes.

    ¡®What the hell is this nonsense?¡¯

    Raphael¡¯s eyebrows distorted unpleasantly. It was obvious that Ludwig was just acting. However, Ate took care of him with a worried look, as if she had fallen for his trick.

    ¡°Breathe slowly, Your Highness. The faster you breathe because of anxiety, the worse your condition will be. Don¡¯t worry and bend your head more.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in pain, Ate¡­ huh..keuk¡­¡±

    Ludwig moistened his eyes and rubbed his cheeks against Ate¡¯s arms. He threw away all his pride and guilt. Raphael, who saw this happen right in front of his eyes, literally felt ridiculous. In the eyes of Raphael, who thought men should be manly, Ludwig¡¯s current appearance was a culture shock to him.

    <span> Only

    He really wanted to kick Ludwig and yell at him to stop his bloody acting right away. But considering Ludwig¡¯s status, he could not do such a thing in front of Ate. He wondered how he looked in Ate¡¯s eyes.

    ¡®You must think I¡¯m a barbarian with no blood or tears.¡¯

    Raphael gritted his teeth and endured his stomach turning upside down. But Ate was also wise. Ate, who used her shawl to support Ludwig¡¯s head, stood up. Then she said to Raphael with a worried look.

    ¡°Raphael, I¡¯ll go and bring someone. Please watch Your Highness until then.¡±

    In fact, thinking of Ludwig, it would have been better for her to stay and take care of him, and for Raphael to go and call the people. But Ate didn¡¯t want to wait alone with Ludwig on the balcony, which was usually used for ¡®secret meetings¡¯. It would be a perfect topic for people to gossip about. So, it was a much wiser choice to leave Raphael and Ludwig alone.

    ¡°Of course. Trust me, Ate. I¡¯ll take good care of him.¡±

    There was a very bright smile on his lips. When Ate saw his smile, she felt ufortable because it felt like leaving a mouse with a cat alone. But there was no time to think about useless things. If Ludwig really had a seizure, she had to hurry to save him. Ate quickly walked out of the curtains and called the people.

    ¡°Your Highness, the Crown Prince has fallen! Somebody pleasee and help!¡±

 Chapter 54: â€˜We came separately, but now we are going back together.â€™

    ¡®We came separately, but now we are going back together.¡¯

    There was a rather awkward silence in the carriage. Generally at times like this, it was Ate who filled the silence with her soft voice. Raphael looked sideways and found her sitting beside him with her eyshes lowered,pletely lost in thought. Eventually, Raphael couldn¡¯t take it anymore and opened his mouth first by coughing.

    ¡°Your Royal Highness seemed to be fine. He looked so perfectly fine that I wondered whether he faked his illness.¡±

    Raphael sneakily brought up Ludwig¡¯s fake illness. Ludwig, who had been lying on the floor acting as if he was dying, jumped up as soon as Ate left. Raphael was dumbfounded when he saw it. Thanks to that, the ruckus around the prince¡¯s seizure ended safely, but Ludwig was indeed shameless to the end. He was really a little fox, if not so, then how could a person change their words so quickly.

    Raphael learned a lesson from today¡¯s event. He finally understood that Harold¡¯s words, ¡®Pretend to be pitiful¡¯ somewhat referred to Ludwig¡¯s behavior. His shamelessness was really at an iparable level. He didn¡¯t even feel a little bit embarrassed before Ate. This gave Raphael a great enlightenment.

    ¡°Anyway don¡¯t worry about the prince. As far as I¡¯ve observed, he¡¯ll eat and live well until his senility.¡±

    In Raphael¡¯s eyes, he was not a man but a little fox monster*. He said brusquely, trying not to tremble. Ate, who was pulled out of her thoughts, blinked hearing Raphael¡¯s strong intonation. Ludwig had long disappeared from Ate¡¯s head and now another man was guing her mind.

    *[The words fox and monster are actually metaphors for a scary cunning person. Ludwig left quite an impact on Raphael, lol.]

    ¡°Oh, Raphael, I met your benefactor. He¡¯s Count Harold Evans, right?¡±

    ¡°Did you meet that old man? When?¡±

    Raphael furrowed his eyebrows. Harold¡¯s words came to his mind, that he would expose his shameful history to his wife as a retaliation for forcing him to attend the party. Sure enough, Ate looked at him and smiled softly.

    ¡°As soon as I arrived at the party, I was lucky to meet him right away. He seems to know you very well.¡±

    ¡°Did he say anything stupid to you? Like what I was like when I was a kid?¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Ate smiled ambiguously and kept her words short. She couldn¡¯t tell Raphael all the bad things that Harold had told her about him. The benefactor whom he valued him so much badmouthed him behind his back. So in Ate¡¯s eyes, Raphael, who knew nothing about this, was really pitiful.

    ¡°Don¡¯t believe anything what the old man said. He exaggerates everything.¡±

    Raphael leaned back and spat out with an indifferent face. Listening to his words, Ate nodded her head silently. Because of this, silence fell in the carriage again. Raphael, who felt stuffy inside, eventually couldn¡¯t ovee his temper. He grabbed Ate and ced her on hisp.

    ¡°What the hell are you thinking, Ate?¡±

    Raphael growled, as he grabbed Ate¡¯s head and turned her to face him. rmed by this sudden action, Ate looked down at him and responded softly.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking about anything.¡±

    ¡°Lies! Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re concerned about the crown prince. He¡¯s a swindler.¡±

    Raphael¡¯s blue eyes red up when he remembered Ludwig¡¯s tricks earlier. Seeing that he was not likely to calm down easily, Ate sighed and leaned against his chest. This made Raphael immediately stop venting his anger. Ate said quietly in the meantime.

    ¡°Ludwig just needs some time. Time to admit that I¡¯m not his anymore. I¡¯m sorry for what happened at the party. Because of me, you got involved with him.¡±

    After saying these words, Ate wriggled her body a little and took afortable position. As she leaned her head against the gap between Raphael¡¯s firm shoulders and neck, she felt a strange sense of stability. ¡®He¡¯s a man whom I¡¯ll leave one day, then why do I always feel like this when I¡¯m with him?¡¯ Ate turned her dull eyes to the side so that Raphael wouldn¡¯t see it.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re my wife. It¡¯s my duty to protect you from such strange people. So don¡¯t say sorry for something like this.¡±

    Raphael said tly. He became anxious when he heard Ate¡¯s overly polite tone. It seemed as if she was drawing a line between them. Raphael¡¯s anxious arms hugged Ate¡¯s body tightly from behind. His sturdy arms seemed as if he¡¯ll never let her go away. This made Ate feel even more strange.

    ¡®Why do you act like this when you don¡¯t even like me?¡¯

    Ate did not want to be swayed by Raphael¡¯s whimsical gentleness. What if she gets fooled by this warmth and gives her heart away, only to end up getting coldly rejected by him with words like ¡®It¡¯s none of my business¡¯? Ate wanted to first make sure whether her predictions were correct or not. So she gently skimmed her fingers over Raphael¡¯s tense forearm and asked quietly.

    ¡°Your uncle¡­ will you tell me about him?¡±

    At that moment, Raphael¡¯s body stiffened. It was a familiar pattern. Ate thought he would soon pull himself off her and coldly push her aside. But Raphael unexpectedly let out a painful groan and pressed his forehead against her shoulder. His arms, holding Ate tightly, became more tense. Just as if he was embarrassed.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that.¡±

    This was an unexpected reaction. Ate¡¯s eyes moved a little. She knew nothing about Ivan, the coachman who ruined her future. It was because he was an employee who entered the duchy with a forged identity. All the employees of the Duke of Bavaria were thoroughly investigated, so she was puzzled about how Ivan passed it.

    ¡®No, I should call him Ben, not Ivan anymore.¡¯

    Raphael sighed and rubbed his forehead against the nape of her neck. The hot breath that leaked through his lips tickled the nape of her neck, making goosebumps erupt on her skin. As if enjoying this, Raphael pressed his lips on her neck and soon opened his mouth.

    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know him very well either. All I saw as a child is all I know about him. He loved gambling, and almost lived in gambling houses. And he used to steal from my child support and wasted it all on gambling. At that time, it was Harold who looked after me and was responsible for delivering my child support.¡­ It was him who realized that I was good at swordsmanship. So he reported it to his Majesty and helped me to reach out to my father.¡±

    Listening to him speak about his dark past, Ate turned her head and looked at him. Raphael, feeling ashamed, reached out and covered her eyes. When Ate blinked, her long eyshes tickled his palms. Raphael lightly bit her pale white cheeks and murmured.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with those eyes. I keep forgetting what I was going to say.¡±

    At that, Ate slowly closed her eyes. She still wanted to hear more of Raphael¡¯s past. Raphael looked at Ate¡¯s slender chin and petal-like lips under his palm. Seeing Ate sitting so defenselessly before him, it seemed as if she was urging the sleeping beast inside him to wake up. Raphael managed to suppress this feeling and continued to speak.

    ¡°That¡¯s how I was brought to the pce. Perhaps much sooner than what was expected. But since no one knew how developed my talent was, it took a long time for me to be recognized as his son. Thanks to the rise of the old rebels in Letan, I was able to show my talent and was awarded with a title much earlier than I thought. And then I also got to marry you.¡±

    After speaking, Raphael bowed his head and kissed Ate¡¯s lips lightly. The sweet fragranceing from her and the soft touch of her lips were incredible. It was understandable that Ludwig, who had let Ate slip through his hand, had now his eyes bloodshot<strong>* </strong>and was desperately pretending to shake<strong>**</strong> to get her back.

    [*It¡¯s a phrase which means to get angry or enraged to such an extent that one¡¯s eyes get bloodshot.]

    [**This is referring to Ludwig¡¯s fake seizures]

    Ludwig had failed to wee such a nice woman as his wife, making her fall into an abyss of despair by pushing her to marry him. Raphael¡¯s heart became heavy when he recalled Ate¡¯s poor situation. On one hand, the selfish beast deep in his heart opened its red mouth andughed, saying that it was rather good that it happened. If it wasn¡¯t for the cruel trick of fate, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten the chance to be with her.

    Raphael struggled to hide his terrible selfishness. He smoothened his voice and exined to Ate.

    ¡°And Ben¡­.To be honest, I don¡¯t know what happened to him. When I entered the pce, my rtionship with him was already broken. We didn¡¯t have a very close rtionship, so I thought Ben was hiding from loan sharks because of his gambling debts, or was already dead. But I never thought he would be your coachman and do something so vile. I really never imagined it.¡±

    Raphael, who finally finished speaking, took a deep breath. He didn¡¯t disclose everything, but he had honestly spoken about Ben. Ate, whose life had been destroyed by him, at least had the right to know about him. Apparently even after hearing the whole story, she wasn¡¯t upset, but rather, she answered back with a smile.

    ¡°Thank you. Although I know you didn¡¯t tell me everything, you really did your best.. I actually thought¡­ you wouldn¡¯t tell me the whole story.¡±

    Ate¡¯s innocuous gratitude pierced Raphael¡¯s conscience more than ever. Raphael, with his lips mped together, turned his head to hide his slightly reddening temples. He fiddled with Ate¡¯s long blond hair for a while and said nothing. At this moment, there was a fierce conflict raging inside Raphael.

    ¡®Should I apologize to Ate now?¡¯

 Chapter 55

    Raphael knew he had done ten times more wrong than what he had done right. The side profile of Ate''s face, which he looked at while contemting, was absolutely beautiful. A round forehead with a soft nose, long eyshes, and red lips. People just couldn''t help but keep on looking at her.

    Raphael felt a sense of crisis. If he now hesitated and didn''t say what he had to say in time, or again lost his temper at her, Ate might leave him forever. And surely, she would forget about a bad guy like him and meet someone else. With whom, she would then eat and live well. After a brief period of silence, Raphael finally called out her name.

    ¡°Ate, I¡­¡­.¡±

    Just then, Ate''s head drooped and leaned on his chest. Even though she was sitting on a man''sp, she was too defenseless. Frustrated by this, Raphael didn''t say what he was trying to say and looked down at her. Her pale eyelids werepletely closed, and slow rhythmic breaths escaped out of her lips.

    ¡°¡­you, are you sleeping?¡±

    Of course, no answer came back from the sleeping Ate. She seemed to have fallen asleep while Raphael was thinking about the right time to apologize to her. Well,e to think of it, Ate usually fell asleep as soon as her head touched a soft surface.

    ¡°Ha.¡±

    A peal of desteughter flowed out of Raphael''s lips. Completely ignorant of his anguish, Ate leaned on his chest and slept like a baby. With his head tilted back, Raphael sighed and hugged Ate''s body more tightly. He wanted to protect the dream of this naive sleeping woman, who left her body defenseless before a terrible beast.

    * * *

    The morning sunlight tapped on her thin eyelids, disturbing her sleep. Ate instinctively turned her head from the window and burrowed herself into a pair of warm arms. A body,rge enough to cover her up, pulled her closer and hugged her tightly. She felt a little stuffy as her breasts were pressed against the hot and hard body.

    ¡°Uh¡­.¡±

    When Ate groaned sleepily, the arms loosened a little bit. ''Yeah, this is much better.'' The forearm, which was wrapped around her body, was a little heavy as if it would never let her go. But strangely she didn''t dislike the feeling.

    A little awake, Ate rubbed her cheek against the firm, smooth skin in front of her. The pulsating heartbeats and the warmth radiating from the body felt pleasant. She unknowingly stuck a little closer to the skin and put her body in close contact with it. Then a terrible low groan rang over her head.

    ¡°Ate¡­. if you stick to me like that, damn it.¡±

    The skin against which she was rubbing her cheeks became a little hotter. It was like a hearth that radiated heat the more you touched it. The sound of the heartbeats also became loud, making her ears ring. At the loud noise, Ate eventually lifted her heavy eyelids.

    When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was a hard muscr chest. Ate''s half-asleep eyes found wide shoulders, a sensual neck, and a beautiful face along with the manly muscles. It was a beautiful and cold face, just like a sculpture, and the blue eyes in it were intensely looking down at her as if they would erupt in mes.

    ¡°¡­ Raphael?¡±

    Ate generally was a bit weak-minded in the morning. After waking up her muddled head, she managed to figure out who the good-looking person lying in front of her was. When his name was called, Raphael licked his lips and smiled sensually. His deep blue eyes held a dangerous glint, which unknowingly mesmerized Ate.

    ¡°It''s good that you''re up. Then I don''t have to put up with it anymore.¡±

    As soon as Raphael''s words fell, Ate''s vision suddenly flipped over and she found herself facing the ceiling. Raphael parted her legs, grabbed her ass, and buried his face down there like a hungry beast. Before Ate could react, his lips covered her core and sucked her sensitive folds.

    ¡°Oh, hmm!¡±

    The hot tongue licked the sensitive clitoris and poked around her core. In response, Ate''s waist flinched and bounced upward. Her legs iled about, unable to stay still due to his relentless attack. Annoyed with this, Raphael grabbed her thighs and pressed them on the sheet. He kept on licking the ce as if honey was flowing between Ate''s legs. His hot lips covered her clitoris and sucked vigorously, making her eyes sh and legs tremble.

    ¡°Huh, Raphael! That''s weird..No¡­.I don''t want to.¡±

    Tears fell from Ate''s wide-open eyes. He licked her legs so tenaciously that she was afraid that her legs would melt away. Suddenly his long thick fingers slowly poked through the narrow opening and rubbed her insides. Whenever the thick fingers went in and out of the little hole, a tantalizing pleasure spread throughout her body. As the speed of his fingers gradually increased, her vision started to blur and she could hear the loud squelching soundsing from down there.

    ¡°Oh, heung.. aak.. heung.. ah, ah!¡±

    Ate reached her peak with her head down. Raphael, after getting up, licked and bit her neck violently and groaned. The beast-like voice was intimidating but also deeply aroused Ate''s desires.

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    ¡°I just used my fingers to enter you. Did it feel that good? You''re dripping wet.¡±

    His penis, which had erected all of a sudden, rubbed over her pussy. It looked terribly intimidating as if it wanted to be put inside right away. However, the inner walls of her vagina, which remembered the taste of the man, were tingling and contracting in anticipation. At that moment, Raphael, who was teasingly licking Ate''s ears, whispered.

    ¡°Don''t tell me, are you clenching your insides? Do you want me to put it in so badly?¡±

    Ate''s eyes turned red with shame. Seeing her bite her lips and look at him with wet eyes, Raphael stopped moving as if he was frozen. Just as Ate was wondering about his strange behavior, her body was suddenly dragged down and arge penis squeezed into her.

    ¡°Oh, so suddenly¡­.¡­!¡±

    ¡°I can''t stand it, damn it. If it hurts, just hit me.¡±

    Raphael grabbed Ate''s hand and ced it on his cheek. He then frowned and let out an impatient groan. The taste of the hot and moist inner walls almost drove him crazy. As he slowly moved a couple of times, the flesh that clung to him every time he took out his penis, felt really good. Unable to hold back anymore, he continued to ram into her ferociously.

    ¡°You''re so tight, Ate. You''re clenching onto me so tightly.¡±

    ¡°Ah ah Raphael ah!¡±

    As he spread her ass wide, Raphaelnded soft blows on it, enough to leave his handprints. He was so deep inside her that she almost felt suffocated. Hisrge, hot penis filled her narrow walls and rubbed all the ces where it felt good. Regardless of her will, her eyes filled with tears as her body was gripped by the terrible pleasure. Ate cried and begged Raphael because she could almost feel her brain melt due to the heat.

    ¡°You''re too fierce. Slow down a little, ah, a little slowly¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°How should I slow down now when you''re sticking to me like this? Is that truly what you want?

    Raphael sneered and again flipped her body over. His big hands raised her knees and made her pose like a bitch. Raphael began to thrust from behind in that posture. His penis roughly poked her insides with a new-found ferocity. In the new posture, he rammed deeper into her, hitting all her sensitive spots. Ate screamed as the bitter-sweet sensation of pain and pleasure rushed through her body.

    ¡°Ah, ngh! Uh, this posture¡­no! Oh!!¡±

    The rutting dog-like posture stimted Ate''s shame. Whenever she was stabbed by therge penis from the back, Ate felt numb with pleasure. Ate''s legs, which had been overworked since morning, eventually slipped onto the sheets. Raphael reached out and cruelly rammed into her, lifting only her hips.

    ¡°Don''t you like it? You''re so tight, sucking me in like this¡­ Ohh, it''s so hot and tight that it''s such a mess inside.¡±

    Raphael pushed his penis all the way in and then slowly pulled it out. The feeling of his thick ns moving in and out of her while rubbing her insides felt too vivid. Just as he said, she could feel her warm insides suck his penis in. Feeling ashamed by this, Ate cried and tried to crawl away from his grasp.

    But Raphael was not the type to let the prey he was eating run away. He pulled Ate''s arms back and plunged deeper into her hot insides. The obsession that he felt as he grasped her thin wrist was chilling but also increased his sexual appetite. The penis, moving in and out of her, brutally poked at her sensitive spots.

    ¡°Ah, yes, ha, ang! Huh!¡±

    As the hot sparks of passion burst in every inch of her body, she clenched the sheets in desperation. Although she was begging him to stop, her body shuddered with delight instead. Ate eventually reached her climax. Tremors shook her body as she let herself go. But Raphael kept on thrusting harder and harder, cutting through the convulsing walls. Hot, white shes of passion blinded her as she was again stimted during her peak. The pleasure of being strongly stimted in the sensitive ces almost felt like violence.

    ¡°No, now, aang! No, no, stop! Please¡­ Ahh!!¡±

    Ate kept on crying as the familiar tingling sensation built up inside her once again. Hearing her cries, Raphael leaned down to lick her neck and bit her hard. Surprised, Ate reflexively tightened, making Raphael thrust even harder. It was so intense that she almost felt that the thickness and shape of his penis were going to be etched into her inner walls.

    ¡°I told you not to tighten up, Ate. Do you want me to mess you up more?¡±

    ¡°Now, ah! St ..ah stop¡­¡­ngh!¡±

    She was afraid if they did it again, she wouldn''t be able to close her legs. As he hugged Ate''s weeping body, Raphael buried his raging desire deep inside her. The penis, buried in her tight walls, wriggled and spilled out hot fluids. That was thest feeling Ate felt before she lost her consciousness.

 Chapter 56

    It waste afternoon when Ate woke up again. The muscr man¡¯s forearms, which were hugging her body, were pretty heavy. Ate, realizing that she had slept until the afternoon, blinked her eyes.

    Suddenly her vision turned ck and she wondered if there was a dark ck hair-like curtain of darkness covering her eyes. She felt two warm lips touch her eyes.

    ¡°Wake up. Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡±

    The voice of the man, whoy next to hernguidly, was very low and sexy. Raphael, who spoke more affectionately than usual, pressed his lips down on her temple. The soft texture of his lipspletely woke Ate up. As she propped herself up, the things that happened in the morning came to her mind.

    <em>¡®Oh, right! We fell asleep togetherst night and then in the morning¡­¡¯</em>

    Ate remembered that she had fallen asleep on the way back in the carriage right after the ball. But since she was sleeping by leaning against Raphael¡¯s body, she didn¡¯t know that Raphael hadter picked her up and moved her to her bedroom. In the morning, because of this, she reflexively burrowed herself into Raphael¡¯s arms, wanting to look for warmth from his body. Recalling the events that happened in the morning, Ate bowed her head and blushed. Raphael, lying next to her, got up from the bed and examined herplexion.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you not feeling well?¡±

    Raphael looked around at Ate¡¯s face, wondering if he had hugged her too roughly. Ate did not refuse his touch but looked up at him quietly. The man who had quenched his greed was now quite generous towards his woman.

    Ate was not very pleased with the whimsical actions of Raphael, who was again being nice to her. She thought it would be better to have a physical rtionship with him. But that way, she would not be able to leave and would never be happy. Ate closed her eyes as Raphael gently swept back her hair.

    Ate knew that even if she left him and found new happiness, there would be days when she would miss this hand. There would be nights when she would think of his warmth and feel lonely. To get rid of this feeling, Ate asked Raphael.

    ¡°I have a question for you. Can I ask you?¡±

    As expected, his hands caressing her forehead, stopped. She would have rather appreciated it if Raphael had pushed her away again. Ate blinked, expecting him to turn her down. However, Raphael frowned and answered with a grimace.

    ¡°¡­ You can ask me anything.¡±

    It meant that it was up to him to answer. ¡®<em>Are you saying that I can ask any question I want?¡¯</em> Ate opened her mouth with her cheek resting on his big palm.

    ¡°I heard that the demand for iron ore has skyrocketed these days. And because of that your iron ore mine has soared in value. What do you think? Are you making good profits there?¡±

    ¡°Why? Are you interested in my mine too?¡±

    Instead of answering, Raphael raised one eyebrow and asked. Ate was worried that he might misunderstand that she was coveting his mine. Ate¡¯s tone of voice rose as she quickly added her exnation.

    ¡°No, Raphael. It¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s a huge industrial change, isn¡¯t it? So, I just had a few questions¡­.¡­¡±

    ¡°I was just kidding. You don¡¯t have to be so flustered.¡±

    Raphael, with the corners of his mouth raised, grabbed her blond hair and gently twisted it between his fingers. Surely if it had been in the past, he would have sarcastically used Ate for setting her eyes on his mine. But now that he had witnessed the scene of Ate fighting with her fatherst time, he knew she didn¡¯t want his mine.

    <em>¡®I already know what my father wants. Whatever it is, don¡¯t even think about taking anything from Raphael. He¡¯ll never give it to you.¡¯</em>

    At that time, Ate fought against her father while trembling with a pale face. It was too much to suspect Ate after seeing it. Raphael finally admitted to himself; he had already started believing in her. He gently told Ate what she was curious about.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. The profits have increased a lot. There were a lot of people who wanted to buy my iron ore mine. After all, it¡¯s thergest mine in the Deltium.¡±

    ¡°I see. Um¡­ You know, Raphael¡­. Maybe your mine has something besides financial benefits¡­.. Are there any influential elements that could be used in politics or diplomacy?¡±

    Raphael said nothing for a moment. Instead, he stretched out his arms and hugged Ate from behind. Then he started licking her neck gently. There were traces of Raphael¡¯s bites on her white nape. It was unfortunate that her slender neck was marred by his bite marks, but on the other hand, seeing his traces on her aroused dark sadistic feelings inside him. Raphael, who licked the marks to soothe her, opened his mouth.

    ¡°Yes, it can be used to exert diplomatic influence on some countries. It¡¯s a good thing that industrial efficiency has increased with the supply of iron to themon people, but not all countries can mine iron ore. So, I am also selling a significant amount of iron ore overseas.¡±

    ¡°Ah, then, if someone buys your iron ore mine¡­. they can mix a little into diplomacy and trade with certain countries.¡±

    Understanding Raphael¡¯s words, Ate lowered her eyes. Of course, her father, Amand, was not after the iron ore mine simply because of the financial gain. After all, the Bavarian family was one of the richest families in Deltium. What Amand coveted was not the iron ore mine, but the influence he can exert over other countries through it.

    Seeing Ate deep in thought, Raphael hugged her and pulled her closer to him. The delicate Ate fit right into his arms. As Raphael looked down at her, her round head and slender neck along with her small ears that were slightly peeking out of her long blond hairs, all seemed very pretty. He had a rough idea why she was asking about his mine.

    <em>¡®In fact, I, myself didn¡¯t expect this mine to be this profitable.¡¯</em>

    Raphael was really lucky. His biological father, King Selgratis, gave Raphael a diamond mine and an iron ore mine in return for his major contributions to the war. At that time, iron was too difficult to smelt and so was quite expensive. Since it was difficult to procure, its use was also limited. Therefore, the iron ore mine that Raphael received did not receive much attention. But who knew that the tides of the time would turn like this in a few years?

    <em>¡®It was probably given to me because he didn¡¯t think something like this would happen.¡¯</em>

    Raphael thought cynically. His biological father, King Selgratis, apparently seemed to care a lot about Raphael. But the things he would give him were like cing silver alms in the hands of a beggar. Raphael wondered if he was mistaken because of his own feelings or it was actually what the king intended.

    ¡°Raphael.¡±

    Just then, Ate, who was still in Raphael¡¯s arms like a doll, turned her head and called him. He looked so serious as if he had finished thinking about something. Ate reached out and grasped Raphael¡¯s hand and then sighed.

    ¡°I know. My father¡­. He is coveting your mine. And because of me, you¡¯re being put into undue pressure.¡±

    After finishing speaking, Ate dropped her head as if she was ashamed. Raphael watched her little fingers clutching the sheets painfully. When he saw this pitiful sight, generous words flowed out of his mouth.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s really nothing before what my uncle did to you. Well father-inw really needs to do better. As the proud blue-blooded Bavarian, he is currently second in this race.¡±

    Ate grinned at Raphael¡¯s unexpected joke. For the first time, she realised that Raphael too had simr concerns as her. Just as she was worried about her father, Raphael also seemed to have some problems with his mother¡¯s family. Perhaps that was why he could sympathize with her.

    She never thought that she would be able to build a connection with Raphael in her life. It was an experience that she never had in her previous life. Was this life changing little by little because of her efforts? Ate, who was fiddling with Raphael¡¯s hand, said in a determined voice.

    ¡°Raphael, I¡¯ll protect your mine. No one can take away what¡¯s yours. Even if it¡¯s my father.¡±

    Raphael¡¯s blue eyes widened when he heard those words. Raphael, who was looking at Ate without saying anything, soonughed out aloud. His sharp eyes curled into two small crescent moons, and his red lips, which only spoke bad words, were now pulled into a bright smile. Raphael replied, looking at Ate with blue eyes filled with amusement.

    ¡°That¡¯s quite reassuring. Thanks to you, I feel very secure.¡±

    Ate warmed up to his positive response. She was determined to protect his mine before leaving him. His naked chest, his arms hugging her, his cheeks and lips pressed against her body all felt pleasantly warm. It was a pity that she would have to leave her handsome husband, but it was a better choice for both of them.

    Raphael only wanted a formal rtionship and didn¡¯t want to involve any personal feelings. But Ate didn¡¯t want to live like that. Since this was her second life, she wanted to love and cherish someone and have a meaningful rtionship with him. If Raphael refused, Ate had no choice but to leave him.

    But before that, she wanted to solve his mine problem.

    Ate¡¯s little pink lips paled a little. To be honest, it was scary and hopeless to fight against Amand. However, she really wanted to protect Raphael. It was her way of repaying him for the kindness he showed to her when she was sick in her previous life. Also in the first ce, it was her own family who was behind it.

    Fortunately, while Ate acted out the role of a good daughter, there were some things she saw and heard from the shadows. She knew what Amand did to get what he wanted.

    Now, it was time to stop being a good daughter.

 Chapter 57

    ¡°Today¡¯s afternoon is very bright for distinguished guests, my dear customer,¡± Railin smiled and kissed the back of Ate¡¯s hand. Fortunately, today he was wearing a normal gentleman¡¯s clothes.

    The ck stripe suit fitted well with his tall and slim body and made him look more sophisticated and beautiful. Particrly the crimson red vest and the ck silk hat adorned with colorful peacock feathers were truly unique. But Ate still couldn¡¯t forget the shocking appearance of Railin that she sawst time.

    ¡°Mister Railin, did you return the maid¡¯s clothes that you took from our mansionst time?¡±

    Ate asked gracefully. An ¡®oops!¡¯ expression came on Railin¡¯s charming face and then soon disappeared. Having a whimsical cat-like demeanor, he paid little attention to trivial matters. Of course, the maid¡¯s uniform was included in that list. Ate, who saw this, narrowed her eyes and said.

    ¡°If it¡¯s okay, I would like you to return it to the original owner. The number of uniforms given to each maid is fixed.¡±

    By now, some poor maid working for the Marquis of Carnesis must be losing her mind over her lost uniform. Since two maid¡¯s uniforms were provided to each person, she must be now embarrassed because she didn¡¯t know where her clothes had disappeared. Listening to Ate, Railin bowed down elegantly and kissed the back of her hand again.

    ¡°Okay, whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you.¡±

    With a friendly but determined smile, Ate pulled out her hand from Railin¡¯s grasp. She hadn¡¯te here to talk about the maid¡¯s outfits with him today. Ate took a book rted to the temple in her arms and opened a page.

    ¡°ording to my research, the temple has a system called ¡®God¡¯s Servant.¡¯ They collect orphans and poor people and use them as servants to manage the temple. Unlike the priests, they¡¯re just ves, so they have no identities or any records. Of course, a ce as big as Goddess Odessa¡¯s temple would be a little more difficult to manage, but maybe I could¡­¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Aha! You¡¯re trying to infiltrate the temple as a servant. And are you thinking of meeting Lady Celestine, whoes to pray there? Well, since they poorly investigate the personal details of these people, you can enter the temple as a maidservant without being noticed.¡±

    Railin, holding his chin smiled and said. As expected, he correctly deduced what she was thinking. Ate nodded and admitted,

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Honestly, I don¡¯t know if I can be a good servant, but¡­ I think this is the best way to do it right now. Do you have any other opinions?¡±

    Ate, who was brought up in riches, was far from a maidservant. Of course, she would do her best, but frankly speaking, she wasn¡¯t very confident. But there was no other way to infiltrate the temple. Even after searching throughout the book, using the system of ¡®God¡¯s Servant¡¯ was the easiest way for her to infiltrate.

    Of course, meeting Celestine was another hurdle. Even if she infiltrated the temple, it would be difficult to approach Celestine. There was no way that a servant would be allowed to approach a person like her, who was about to be the Crown Princess. However, Ate had also thought about that.

    ¡°¡­Just help me infiltrate the temple for now. After that, I¡¯ll take care of everything by myself.¡±

    Ate bit her lips and said. It was not easy to sneak into a temple that was visited by the future princess. But the ¡®Secret¡¯ guild run by Railin would certainly find a way to infiltrate.

    Instead of answering her request immediately, Railin stared at Ate without saying a word. He looked as if he was calcting the benefits of his involvement in this work and the risks he would face if Ate failed. As Railin¡¯s silence grew, Ate asked anxiously.

    ¡°Is there something wrong with my n? Or perhaps¡­ is it impossible for you to infiltrate the temple?¡±

    ¡°Impossible? Nothing is impossible for me.¡±

    Ate¡¯s question seemed to have hurt his pride. Railin smiled brightly like a poisonous flower. It was a secret, but he was one of the few remaining wizards in the world. It¡¯s just that no one knew what Railin was because he had hidden his identity using the cover of the information guild.

    In the first ce, there was no information that couldn¡¯t fall into Railin¡¯s grasp. He was the master of the Secret Guild, which was thergest underground information guild in Deltium. However, Railin didn¡¯t detect the secret that Ate was keeping. The secret that she is a regressor. Railin, who had no idea of Ate¡¯s secret, shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°Okay, I think I can help you sneak into the temple. But after that, as you said, you¡¯re on your own. We won¡¯t take responsibility for what happenster.¡±

    Fortunately, Railin agreed to help. Ate tried to suppress her joy and thanked him with a bright smile.

    ¡°Thank you very much, Mister Railin. As expected, there¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t do. You¡¯re verypetent.¡±

    ¡°Of course. But if there¡¯s one thing I want to point out¡­¡­.¡±

    With a strange look, Railin reached for Ate like a cat. The man¡¯s delicate white hands glided along the contours of Ate¡¯s face. When his hands hovered around her as if they were going to touch her bare skin, her breathing elerated, making the hair stand up on the back of her neck.

    ¡°Mister Railin?¡±

    Ate called his name out as she tried to get away from his fingertips. But at that moment, Railin gently grabbed her chin. The unfamiliar fingers touching her face were cold, and there was a dreamy scenting from them. As soon as he saw Ate¡¯s eyes widen in surprise, Railin smiled brightly. He then took his hands off her face and said in a strange tone, as if he had done nothing wrong.

    ¡°To be honest with you, the idea of infiltrating as a maidservant is too reckless. Your face is too noticeable to do that. Even if you wear rags, it¡¯ll be too difficult to hide your natural elegance. With such a face, no one would believe that you¡¯re an orphan or a ve girl. So you will be caught at once.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡­. So then what should we do?¡±

    Ate was relieved that the air around them had returned to normal. He must have put his hand on her face to look closely. Railin¡¯s appearance was so gorgeous and beautiful that it tended to mess with people¡¯s eyes. So even though his actions didn¡¯t mean much, it made people nervous just like now. Railinughed a little when he saw the tip of Ate¡¯s ear turn slightly red.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll do something about it. I¡¯ll contact you on a suitable day to infiltrate the temple. I heard that the Odessa Louis¡¯ temple is having a harvest ritual for autumn soon. As far as I know, the priests would wear ceremonial masks in the rituals. Why don¡¯t we go for that?¡±

    ¡°The mask, that¡¯s great! It will definitely work. If we go on normal days, we will have to reveal our faces, so the chances of us getting caught will also be high but¡­ if we go during the festive period, the mask will help us to hide. And there will be a lot of people looking for the temple, so sneaking into it will be much easier.¡±

    Ate¡¯s face brightened. It was much better to disguise yourself as one of the masked priests than to act as a maidservant. Since she could now cover her face while doing something bad, it felt a lot less burdensome psychologically. Railin, who was watching Ate¡¯s face brighten up, said slowly.

    ¡°I¡¯m d you like my opinion. Do you have any more issues you¡¯d like to discuss?¡±

    Railin expected that Ate would tell him that she would leave her husband and wanted to be smuggled out. Once she left Deltium, he had nned to sneak into her new life. Ate, who was just asked this question, was lost in thought. Her red lips moved enchantingly.

    ¡°I still have one thing I want to find out.¡±

    ¡°What is that, my dear customer?¡±

    Railin tilted his head and looked at her in anticipation. Ate¡¯s neatlybed blond hair, white round forehead, and elegant nose were really pleasing to the eye. But the question from Ate waspletely unexpected.

    ¡°Can I find out how we can take someone else¡¯s ownership of the mine? Please don¡¯t leave out any information if possible.¡±

    ¡°Mine¡¯s ownership¡­..is that what you want?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please find out all the legal and illegal ways.¡±

    Ate was lost in thought and did not notice Railin¡¯s weak tone. She hadn¡¯t just taken bridal lessons before marriage. Amand wanted to make her a perfect princess and gave his daughter an excessive higher education. Thanks to him, Ate knew more than what her father expected. Especially about how he gets what he wants.

    However, Ate did not know thew regarding the ownership of the mine, so she needed some help from Railin. Surely it was quite difficult to contact Railin, but whenever she sessfully did, she was always satisfied. The ¡®Secret¡¯ Guild was Deltium¡¯s top information guild that provided thorough services when paid. And Ate had enough money tomission them. So eventually a good synergy was formed between both of them in this deal.

    ¡°As you wish.¡±

    Railin, who let out a faint sigh, smiled and epted her request. Thedy sitting in front of him had an innocent and graceful face that could not kill a single worm. But every step she made was really extraordinary and exciting.

    ¡®I wish you would take your husband¡¯s mine.¡¯

    Well, he didn¡¯t think that would happen. Railin, who had a rough grip on Ate¡¯s personal affairs, clicked his tongue in annoyance. Until she came to visit him, she had a pretty bad rtionship with her husband. However, the rtionship seemed to be improving these days. He had heard two reports of Ate apanying her husband at a recent ball. It was a real shame. But ¡¤¡¤¡¤

    ¡°Then I look forward to your kind cooperation. Mister Railin, thank you so much for your help.¡±

    Ate¡¯s smiling face, as she stood up from her seat, shined like the sun. Her heartfelt words of gratitude wrapped in his ears and sounded as sweet as honey. Her honest eyes showed no greed or trickery. That¡¯s why Railin liked her.

    Laughing helplessly, Railin said goodbye and kissed the back of her hand. The red lips, which concealed their greed, fell covetously on the back of her white hands.

    ¡°I look forward to seeing you again, my special customer.¡±

 Chapter 58

    The light golden glossy dress sparkled just like the wings of a dragonfly under the autumn sun. Looking at the fabric alone, the overall ensemble did not seem much luxurious, but it did look a little excessive. However, the bodice and sleeves of the dress were made of a dark red velvet fabric, giving it a heavy sense of frivolity. The dark red velvet gloves, which were made of the same material, were pulled up to the elbows. Somehow it looked bewitching.

    Raphael thought that Ate today looked just like a ripe cranberry in autumn. His mouth watered when he imagined the sour and ripe taste. At this point, all the thoughts about his mine vanished from his mind. He only wanted to pull down Ate¡¯s dress, which sparkled like a high-end gift wrapper. He felt like he was going crazy.

    Completely ignorant of the raging thoughts in Raphael¡¯s head, Ate looked out of the carriage with a nervous look. The destination was getting closer. She opened her mouth as if she had suddenly remembered something and held both her hands anxiously.

    ¡°Thank you for letting me see your mine manager, Raphael¡­. The fact that you trust me enough to let me handle this work¡­ I really appreciate it. I truly mean it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±

    Raphael felt guilty. There was a pin prick feeling in his chest. In fact, he was really sorry for not trusting Ate sooner. But Ate still thanked him and treated him well without any resentment.

    As a result, Raphael felt ufortable and his expression hardened. He wanted to treat Ate better, but he didn¡¯t know what to do, as he had never been good to any woman in his life. In the midst of this, the carriage continued to move and finally stopped in front of Raphael¡¯s mining office.

    ¡°Oh, we arrived earlier than I thought.¡±

    Ate pressed her palms over her pounding heart. Ate had always led a passive life, like a flower in the greenhouse. Who would have thought that she was now going to cheat others to protect someone!

    <em>¡®My heart is pounding.¡¯</em>

    Ate took a deep breath. If she said she wasn¡¯t scared, it would be a t-out lie. But now, she had no choice but to trust herself and move forward. After taking Raphael¡¯s hand, she got off the carriage and said goodbye to him. Ate¡¯s voice was just as sweet as honey. She was really grateful that Raphael apanied her to the destination.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, Raphael. Please wish me luck.

    Raphael nodded. To avoid the possibility of getting caught, Raphael decided to go home and wait. But he kept on looking at her as if he had something to say. Raphael¡¯s blue eyes darkened a little and his mouth moved. The words, which took a long time toe out, clumsily flowed out of his mouth.

    ¡°Have a safe trip.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Ate smiled brightly with her eyes curled like half moons. She turned around and stepped forward to enter the mining office. But Raphael didn¡¯t let go of her hand. As he grasped her small hands in hisrge ones, an unknown lingering feeling arose inside him.

    ¡°Raphael¡­?

    Ate looked back at him with her head slightly tilted. However, Raphael just blinked and looked at her dumbly. It seemed he didn¡¯t realise that he was holding Ate¡¯s hand. When Ate¡¯s gaze moved down to their intertwined hands, Raphael got surprised and quickly let go.

    ¡°Well, good-bye.¡±

    Raphael spat out the words and quickly turned away. His sudden actions seemed as if he disliked Ate. It looked even more so because of his cold-looking features and stubborn eyebrows. However, Ate had already experienced this Raphael in her previous life. If he really didn¡¯t like her, he wouldn¡¯t have held her hand or said goodbye.

    ¡®Most of all, he wouldn¡¯t have trusted me and let me handle this job.¡¯

    Ate was most pleased about that. The iron ore mine was now Raphael¡¯s biggest asset. And the person aiming for it was none other than her own father, Amand. In this situation, it was obvious how difficult it must have been for Raphael to leave this job to her. And that sceptical Raphael, who didn¡¯t trust anyone, believed in her¡­.

    The more she thought about it, the more she felt like crying, so she decided to focus on what she should do now. She hurried her steps into the office without looking back. Now, she only wanted to focus on what was ahead. So Ate didn¡¯t see with what kind of expression Raphael, who was left behind, was looking at her.

    ¡°Oh, ma¡¯am! You came as promised. It is such an honor to have you here! It makes me feel like this dark mine has brightened up!! My name is Thomas Bradley. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you!¡±

    The middle-aged man, who ran out to the entrance, bent down in an excessively ttering manner. Ate grinned and looked up and down at him. His head was shiny as he didn¡¯t have a lot of hair, but his beard was as thick and dark as a young man, which was really impressive. The hair roots were concentrated down his face. But it would have been much better if the condition of the top and bottom of his face was reversed. How unfortunate!

    Ate knew his face. Of course, she had seen some things about him in Railin¡¯s report, but Ate had known Thomas before that. There was no way she wouldn¡¯t remember such a man with such a sad hairline.

    ¡®Yes, he¡¯s one of my father¡¯s servants. I remember seeing him go in and out of the mansion before.¡±

    It was fortunate that Amand had underestimated his daughter. He didn¡¯t tell Ate publicly about his ¡°business,¡± but he also didn¡¯t hide it. It was because he didn¡¯t feel the need to do so in the first ce. Amand only thought of the obedient Ate as his possession. Thanks to him, Ate knew more than he thought.

    <em>¡®Thomas Bradley? It¡¯s probably not his real name.¡¯</em>

    Ate blinked and looked at Thomas. She wondered if he would recognize her as Amand¡¯s daughter. But Thomas was also not an easy opponent. She couldn¡¯t read anything from his grinning face. So Ate smiled brightly and said hello.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Bradley. I heard you¡¯re quite good at your job. I¡¯m d to have an informative conversation today with you about the direction of the mine¡¯s business. Now that I¡¯ve seen you in person, you¡¯re so manly and wonderful!¡±

    Ate¡¯s attitude for dealing with employees was too friendly. She looked at Thomas as if she was seeing her first love in ten years. Thomas felt a little embarrassed, but he soon recovered hisposure and answered back.

    ¡°Of course! I must do well for the Marquis, who entrusted me with this mine. It¡¯s an honor to know that my hard work is appreciated.¡±

    Thomas was not an easy man either. He was the man that Raphael had hired to manage the mine shortly after he received it. It will not be an exaggeration to say that Raphael¡¯s iron ore mine was now in Thomas¡¯s hands.

    Raphael was a man who had won the title of a nobleman on his own, but the problems in this situation only came forward afterwards. Bing an aristocrat was much more difficult than he thought. Especially as he was an emerging aristocrat who had just created a new family name.

    Raphael had to make a lot of decisions as a new aristocrat¡ªwhere his mansion would be built, howrge it should be, how many employees should be hired, how thend would be managed, how the tax rate would be applied, and etc. On top of that, he also had to manage the mines that he had received. It was literally impossible to manage all this alone. Raphael, who had only wielded the sword throughout his life, could not manage the matters regarding the daily mining volume of the mine, the supplier, and the profitability of the business.

    So Raphael decided to hire a manager to take care of the diamond mine and iron ore mine he received. And the problem started from there.

    <em>¡®Since then, my father has already nted his people.¡¯</em>

    Ate, who pretended to know nothing in front of Thomas, smiled at him. At that time, diamonds were far more precious than iron ore. So, Raphael only focused on the diamond mine. Because of this, the manager of the iron ore mine was selected ¡®appropriately¡¯. Thomas, who was so chosen, was none other than Amand¡¯s servant.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go inside! I¡¯ve prepared a very nice tea for today¡¯s special conversation. We also have various kinds of scones that are good to eat with it! I really hope you have a fun time today.¡±

    ¡°Oh, how kind of you! Then I¡¯ll gratefully ept the invitation. Shall we go?¡±

    Ate grinned as she looked at Thomas¡¯ bald head gleaming in the sun. Perhaps because of the re from the reflective surface, the corners of her eyes curved more naturally. Thomas, who didn¡¯t know anything, rxed at seeing Ate¡¯s amiable expression.

    Ate followed him into his private parlour. The office attached with a reception room was quite spacious and tidy. From its decor, Thomas looked like an upright person. However, Ate looked carefully around the room and found a door in the back of the parlour. Her eyes glistened on seeing it.

    ¡®If I want to hide something, I would definitely hide it there.¡¯

    Ate, who pretended to be innocent, chatted with Thomas in a consistent friendly manner. Seeing her subtle and outspoken demeanor, Thomas almost asked her ¡®Are you interested in me?¡¯ After exchanging some chatter with each other, Thomas finally got to the main topic.

    ¡°By the way, ma¡¯am, why do you have questions about the mining business? I apologize if this question is rude. But most people like you, are generally not interested in mines like this¡­¡­.¡±

    Finally, the question that Ate had been waiting for came up. The important thing began from now on. Ate, who shrugged her shoulders, leaned back on the sofa and made an unusually arrogant face. The corners of her eyes curled a little, giving a crafty look to Thomas.

    ¡°Oh, no I¡¯m actually very interested. Especially when ites to his mines.¡±

    Ate, who lowered her voice, whispered greedily. Just like a woman who coveted her husband¡¯s mines.

 Chapter 59

    Listening to Ate¡¯s words, Thomas¡¯s eyes shook like reeds. He was even dubious about what he had heard. Suspecting Ate¡¯s intentions, Thomas said nonchntly,

    ¡°Oh, are you? I¡¯m sure Marquis would be very pleased to hear that. His wife not only cares about the household but also the operations of his mine! As a fellow man, I really envy the Marquis. Hehe!¡±

    Thomasughed loudly, but the tips of his eyebrows were slightly twitching. From Thomas¡¯s point of view, her interest could not be entertained. Even though Raphael was the owner, Thomas was able to do whatever he wanted because Raphael had left all the mining operations to him and did not pay much attention. But if the ownership of the mine gets in the hands of Ate, he would be left with nothing. Naturally, his eyes, looking at Ate, were filled with caution.

    After seeing this, Ate raised her hand gracefully and held her chin. Then arge diamond tucked over her velvet glove gave off a dazzling glow. It was an excessive design that she never would have worn if it was her usual self. However, it was also a good bait to attract attention. As soon as Thomas¡¯s gaze turned to the diamond, Ate smiled arrogantly.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. He has little interest in mines. So¡­ Shouldn¡¯t something precious belong to someone who recognizes its value? What do you think, Mr. Bradley?¡±

    ¡°¡­What? Excuse me, Madam, what are you talking about? Well, I can¡¯t understand¡­¡±

    Ate looked at the embarrassed Thomas with an even more charming smile. It was the smile that she had learned from Railin. It was only for this moment that she had intentionally dressed up in fancy clothes and shown Thomas too much attention. Ate,zily leaning her head, whispered with a gleam in her eyes.

    ¡°I mean, I think I can do a lot better if I be the owner of the mine. Whether it¡¯s regarding its operations or profits. And maybe¡­ also give the loyal employees who helped me, plenty of my ¡®sincerity¡¯?¡±

    When Thomas heard Ate¡¯s suggestion, his eyes became wide open with shock. He looked as if he had never expected to hear something like this from her. After seeing this, Ate became more confident. It seemed she was doing a good job in acting. Ate, with her head tilted, smiled like a cat and further cornered Thomas.

    ¡°What do you think, Mr. Bradley? Are you willing to help me out?¡±

    ¡°Madam, that¡­¡­ It¡¯s so sudden, I¡¯m not sure how to answer.¡±

    Thomas¡¯s bald head gleamed with embarrassment. In fact, from his current standpoint, he couldn¡¯t help but be embarrassed. He hade here as Raphael¡¯s mine manager at the order of Amand. But the employer¡¯s daughter suddenly stepped in, saying that she too wanted the mine. So it was a bit embarrassing. After putting Thomas into a spot, just like she wanted, Ate decided to step back.

    ¡°I think you need time to think, Mr. Bradley.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I¡¯m so sorry, but I can¡¯t give you an answer right now.¡±

    Thomas, who was sweating a lot, analyzed her words and bit her bait. In response, Ate nodded and pretended to be sullen for not receiving an answer. There was an awkward silence between the two, but it was soon broken by Ate.

    ¡°Then Mr. Bradley. I heard you say you¡¯re from West Deilun?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, ma¡¯am. Do you know about Deilun?¡±

    Thomas answered Ate¡¯s question with a confident smile. ¡®<em>He must have forged his hometown as well.¡¯</em> It seemed he was also a good actor. Ate decided to be generous with him. She was cheating Thomas anyway. Ate with a curious look asked by tilting her head.

    ¡°There¡¯s a traditional song that¡¯s popr in the Deilun area, isn¡¯t there? I listened to it by chance before. It was really rich in notes and was more pleasant to hear than I thought. But maybe it was because the lyrics were unfamiliar, I couldn¡¯t understand what the song meant. Since Mr. Bradley is from there, you should know the meaning, right?¡±

    ¡°Meaning of the traditional song? Ah¡­. yes.¡±

    A drop of sweat trickled down from Thomas¡¯s dazzling head. Although he had memorized the specialties of the fake hometown and famous names rted to it, he didn¡¯t know much about the traditional songs. But it was okay. Ate also didn¡¯t know anyway.

    <em>¡®Ah, it¡¯s all made up.¡¯</em>

    Ate smiled, concealing her thoughts. Then she asked Thomas, naively blinking her eyes as if she was not at all suspicious of him.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not good enough at singing, but would you like to hear it? I really want to know the meaning of that enchanting song.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes, yes! Of course, I would like to hear it!¡±

    Thomas, whose face became red, nodded knowingly. He was very embarrassed because he knew nothing about the traditional songs of Deilun. He wondered what he would do if he got caught because of this and his identity was exposed. But on the other hand, he was also grateful to hear Ate sing it for him first. After listening to the song, he could make some meaning out of it, right?

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s somewhat embarrassing, but I¡¯ll sing a little bit.¡±

    Ate cleared her throat, pretending to be unaware of Thomas¡¯s feelings. Then Thomas, with a ttering smile, bowed his head and leaned in a little to focus on her singing. After confirming this, Ate opened her mouth and began to sing a random song.

    <em>The morning sun is golden.</em>

    <em>The afternoon sun is white</em>

    <em>The evening sun is red.</em>

    <em>And when the moon rises, everything disappears</em>

    It was just a random song, but its effect was clear. Thomas, who was leaning forward, fell asleep on the table and snored loudly. Ate, who confirmed this, quickly got up from her seat.

    <em>¡®I don¡¯t have much time. I have to quickly find the evidence that could prove Thomas is</em> a traitor.¡¯

    As a regressor, Ate¡¯s ¡°special ability¡± was to put people to sleep. Fortunately, the ability was instantaneous, so most of the people fell asleep in 30 seconds. However, the only w in this was that it was difficult to estimate the duration of the ability.

    If the opponent was as sleep-deprived as Raphael, the abilitysted for a longer duration. However, if she forced a sober person to sleep, the effect did notst for more than five minutes. Therefore, she had to move as fast as possible in situations like this.

    Ate looked around the parlour and searched everything that stood out. But there was nothing on the shelves near the table or on the bookshelves. ording to Railin¡¯s report, Thomas didn¡¯t get a house around here. Instead, Thomas shared a room and board in thisrge mining office building.

    ¡®Then the only thing left to search is there.¡±

    She approached the back door that she had noticed earlier. Perhaps inside this door was Thomas¡¯s personal living space. But the door was tightly locked. Ate hurried back to Thomas and searched his arms carefully.

    <em>¡®Key, key¡­ I found it!¡¯</em>

    She felt something simr to a key when she looked in the inner pocket of Thomas¡¯s right vest. But Thomas fell asleep in a precarious position on the table. So she was unable to take out the key from his inner pocket. Ate grunted and then lifted Thomas by grabbing him by the shoulder. Fortunately, after much effort, she was able to take the key out of his vest pocket, but there was another problem.

    ¡°Ummm¡­.¡±

    Thomas, who frowned, showed signs of awakening. The sounds of his loud snoring had disappeared. Frustrated, Ate quickly sang and put him back to sleep. She was doubtful whether it will work again on the person she had already used it on. But fortunately, Thomas fell asleep again. As he started snoring again, Ate breathed a sigh of relief.

    <em>¡®I almost got in trouble there.¡¯</em>

    Her hands trembled as she felt the danger of this work. It was a very tense moment for Ate, who had always lived as a good child and like a flower in a greenhouse. But now there was no time to hesitate. Ate, grasping the warm key, hurriedly opened the door behind the parlour. Inside, there was a bedroom with a slightly stale smell.

    <em>¡®Please, I hope I can find any evidence¡­¡­!¡¯</em>

    Ate went into Thomas¡¯s bedroom, praying earnestly. She wanted to bring some gain to Raphael, who had entrusted her with this job. And at this opportunity, she also hoped that she could cut off her father¡¯s paws extending toward Raphael.

    Fortunately, her prayers were soon answered.

    * * *

    ¡°Thank you very much for forgiving my rudeness, madam.¡±

    Thomas, who got up after falling asleep, blushed deeply. Then his head turned red, making him look like a big boiled octopus. Ate politely took her gaze off his bald head and smiled generously.

    ¡°Oh, it was because you were tired. I know Mr. Bradley works very hard for the mining business.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really grateful for your generosity. Well, I¡¯ll think seriously about your request. So please give me a little time.¡±

    Thomas lowered his voice and whispered, to which Ate nodded with a subtle nce. He still seemed to believe that Ate was a greedy woman who coveted her husband¡¯s mine. She was sure he would tell her father about this and ask him what to do.

    But it didn¡¯t really matter. The evidence of Thomas¡¯s embezzlement was hidden inside therge hem of Ate¡¯s dress. Thomas would be done for as soon as she returned to Raphael with this. So he won¡¯t have a chance to get a reply from Amand. Ate smiled gracefully, suppressing her still pounding chest.

    ¡°Good-bye, then Mr. Bradley. It was really nice meeting you.¡±

    ¡°It was an honor for me too, madam. Then please be careful on your way home.¡±

    Thomas didn¡¯t realize that Ate was saying goodbye instead of ¡®see you soon¡¯. He thought she had said it wrong and just simply shrugged it off.

    And that was thest time ¡®<em>Thomas Bradley¡¯</em> saw Ate.

 Chapter 60

    Raphael, who went home first as promised, practiced his sword in the training camp. However,pared to the drops of sweat dripping down his face, the efficiency of his training was not very good. Now his head was full of worries about Ate. He knew she was a very cautious person, so she would never do anything dangerous. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but worry about her.

    Raphael sighed and let go of the sword he was holding. It was dangerous to wield a sword in such a state. With one wrong step, he could fall on his own sword. ¡®I need to be a Sword Master as soon as possible, but why is it so slow?¡¯ It was so frustrating.

    ¡®I¡¯m in pretty good shape these days.¡¯

    His condition was far much better from what it had been before when he suffered from chronic sleep deprivation. It was perfectly peaceful to fall asleep by Ate¡¯s side every night. He didn¡¯t know why, but whenever he fell asleep in her bedroom, he did not suffer from sleepwalking.

    Raphael did not know that Ate would sing and put him to sleep whenever he was suffering from his sleep disorders. He simply believed that he had recovered from his illness and that Ate was his mysterious cure. Perhaps it was because he had found a peace of mind in this rtionship with her. Otherwise, he couldn¡¯t exin this strange situation where he would sleep well if he was on good terms with her and would have insomnia if they were on bad terms.

    ¡®By the way, Ate is toote¡­¡¯

    Raphael realized that he was circling around the same spot. Although Thomas, the mine manager, was far from the type to try anything, he was still a man. What if he raised his hand on Ate on being discovered! It was really foolish to send Ate alone. Raphael was so anxious that he was about to leave the ce to get her.

    ¡°Raphael!¡±

    The voiceing from behind his back was as cheerful and happy as ark. As he turned his head, he could see Ateing towards him from a distance. She, who had always walked gracefully, was now running towards him with all her might. The well-braided blonde hair became disheveled, and the long dress fluttered in the air like a flower. But the flushed cheeks and eyes of Ate seemed to have no concern for this.

    Raphael looked at Ate¡¯s face as if he was bewitched and opened his arms unknowingly. Then Ate, who had sprinted from a distance, jumped into his arms and gasped for air. A pleasant shock hit his body, and he felt her soft arms curl around him like vines. Ate raised her head and shouted gleefully.

    ¡°I seeded, Raphael!¡±

    Excited, Ate took out a bunch of papers from under the hem of herrge dress. Raphael, who received it, felt Ate¡¯s lingering warmth on the document and his face slightly reddened. Ate, who knew nothing about this, exined her sess in a high-pitched voice.

    ¡°This is a double ledger that Thomas Bradley hid. He has been giving fake business reports to you all this time. Here¡¯s the amount of embezzled money he¡¯s been steadily siphoning over the past several months.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of data. How didn¡¯t I manage to catch it?¡±

    Raphael pressed his tongue to the inside of his cheek and checked the thickness of the paper. ¡®How did thise from underneath her dress? Is it magic?¡¯ Ate smiled awkwardly when she saw Raphael¡¯s surprised expression. She had actually thought of this method after seeing Railin¡¯s maid outfit.

    Since the hem of a woman¡¯s dress was so big, it was easy to hide something under it. Even if it was noticeable, who would dare to go ahead and examine under the skirt of a Lady? Ate purposely wore a rustling dress with a big hem. It was to hide the sounds of documents that might be heard. Thanks to that, Thomas couldn¡¯t even guess what was hidden under her dress.

    ¡°Raphael, I went over this paper on the way here¡­. This is a pretty long-term and detailed n. Thomas Bradley was going to steadily deteriorate your mining business over the years. So that it would fall into enormous debts and you would be forced to auction it off to someone else.¡±

    After speaking, Ate smiled sadly. If that had happened, it was obvious who the new owner of the mine would be. If she hadn¡¯t intervened, an iron ore mine would have also been added to the Duke of Bavaria¡¯s property list in the future. And her father would haveughed at them coldly, just like a snake that had swallowed its prey.

    Ate sighed deeply. Amand¡¯s method was to work hard for several years to bring the mine down and then swallow it all at once. So Ate began her investigation with the mine manager. If Thomas wasn¡¯t the spy, she had nned to next investigate the mine site supervisor. Afterwards, she was going to investigate the deputy director and everyone involved with the mining business one by one. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t have to do it as she caught the big fish in her first try.

    Ate suddenly wondered whether after her death in her previous life, Raphael could keep the mine till the end. Since her father¡¯s n was quite long, Ate in her previous life died without seeing the results. However, there was no way to check it now. At least in this life, Ate¡¯s only constion was that she got to know about this early and was able to prevent it in time.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that we got to know this earl, Raphael. Your iron ore business is now safe.¡±

    Ate blushed with shame and whispered in a small voice. As the joy of sess subsided, she could see the reality before her eyes and her blood turned cold. It was her father who was behind all this, so she had no face to look at Raphael. When her pink eyes distorted as if she was about to cry, Raphael saw it and held her up. Then, in a curt tone, he tried to soothe her.

    ¡°Shh, why are you crying? You did a good job.¡±

    ¡°But, Raphael, my father almost ruined your business.¡±

    Even though she did well this time, will Amand give up the mine just because she got rid of Thomas? Ate was very worried about that. Tears welled up in her eyes as she felt a mixture of fear and guilt. Raphael started panicking when he saw that her tears were about to fall. Naturally, his tone of soothing Ate became a little faster.

    ¡°What are you sorry about? You saved my business from going bankrupt. Come on, let¡¯s go find the money stolen by this damn manager. Andst time didn¡¯t you want a blue diamond? Let¡¯s go buy that too.¡±

    ¡°Diamonds?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I haven¡¯t gifted you anything aside from those stupid flowers I collectedst time. As your husband, I¡¯ve wanted to buy you something at least once. If you want, you can buy whatever color of diamond you want.¡±

    Raphael sneakily tried to coax her using his wealth. At the same time, he couldn¡¯t make eye contact with Ate. He was grateful that he still had a sulky look on his face. Raphael, who was not honest, looked more shy than he usually looked. Ate, who looked at his brusque face with tearful eyes, finallyughed.

    ¡°But it was a pretty flower. You were the first one to pick a flower for me. Thank you very much, Raphael.¡±

    Raphael¡¯s temples turned a little red on hearing Ate¡¯s affectionate words. The redness that appeared on the cold, snowy white skin was more pronounced. Under the broad daylight, there was no darkness to cover his face. Pretending not to have seen it, Ate asked carefully.

    ¡°So what are you going to do about Thomas Bradley?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll think about it now.¡±

    Raphael carefully lowered Ate, who had stopped crying, to the ground. Then he picked up the double ledger that she had stolen. He didn¡¯t know how she found this, but Ate was quitepetent, unlike her modest appearance. Maybe she was better than him, who only knew how to wield a sword.

    Raphael¡¯s eyes gradually sharpened as he looked down at the ledger book. It was a different feeling to hear Ate¡¯s suspicions regarding Thomas, and to actually see the result. Looking at the systematic n, he was overwhelmed with anger. This way that jerk wanted his business to go bankrupt so that he could take away his mine.

    ¡®That greedy jerk wants to add more to his piece.¡¯

    Raphael felt he needed more power. He was an excellent prosecutor and a brilliant Major with several military achievements in the war. But the war of independence in Lehtan was now all over. He had finished it with his own hands.

    After the hunt, the useless hounds were eaten. Luckily Raphael was a human, but it was clear that his status and property were now in jeopardy. So this time, he had to prove his new usefulness and gain the power to protect himself. All of his enemies were great men who were difficult to fight.

    ¡°Well done, Ate, I¡¯ll take care of the rest. Now go in and rest.¡±

    Raphael bowed his head and kissed Ate¡¯s cheek affectionately. The blond hair that touched his fingertips and the soft cheeks under his lips were precious to him. To protect Ate, he had to be stronger.

    * * *

    ¡®I can hear the sound of rain from outside.¡¯

    Ate, sitting in a cafe in the posh shopping district, looked out of the window with a steaming herbal tea in her hand. Raphael thought she was out shopping for the jewels, but this was a trick. Ate had actuallye here to meet Railin.

    ¡®I told you I was ready.¡¯

    It was early autumn. They would soon hold a ritual at the Temple of Odessa Louis to pray for a bountiful harvest. Since the autumn harvest ritual there was a quite famous asion, Ate was nning to take this opportunity to infiltrate the temple. No one would know about the identity of Ate if she went in as one of the masked priests.

    Ate stared out of the window, waiting for Railin. At that moment, there was a scene that caught Ate¡¯s eye. The first thing that stood out was a beautiful and colorful umbre. The redce-covered umbre was full of pale purple butterflies. Maybe it was sprinkled with diamond powder, but the wings of the butterfly twinkled brightly whenever the umbre moved.

    But even those butterflies couldn¡¯t be more morous than the face of the man holding the umbre.

    ¡°¡­Mr. Railin?¡±

    As soon as the name was called, Railin looked this way. The white face, under the dark red shadow was as colorful as a red butterfly. He didn¡¯t smile at her as usual and looked very grim.

 Chapter 61

    Ate narrowed her eyes and looked at the man¡¯s face standing under the umbre. She wondered why he had such a dark look on his face. The moment their eyes met, Railin suddenly smiled at Ate. His face immediately turned bright as usual.

    <em>¡®He sure didn¡¯t look happy. Did I see it wrong?¡¯</em>

    Ate tilted her head. Railin approached her while yfully twirling his umbre. With a window between them, he stopped and greeted her in a slightly different way than usual.

    ¡°Give me the grace of the goddess, O¡¯ servant of the faithful goddess.¡±

    The greeting that Railin just said was only used to greet the priests serving the Goddess Odessa. Ate, who understood his joke, grinned and replied in the same way.

    ¡°The breath of the goddess will always be with you, O¡¯ Lamb of the devout Goddess.¡±

    Seeing Ate ept the joke, Railin nodded satisfactorily and entered the cafe. Despite the rain, there was no trace of any water sshing on Railin¡¯s pale gray trousers. Ate asked, looking at this curiously.

    ¡°Do I have to use magic to be a Secret Guild Master? Like walking on water or something.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. After all, a charming beauty like me needs to have some secrets.¡±

    With a mysterious smile, Railin pretended to show off his beauty. It was a unique charm of Railin but she didn¡¯t dislike it. However, Ate hadn¡¯te here to crack jokes with Railin.

    ¡°So, have you set a date for the infiltration?¡±

    ¡°Of course. A week from now, it will be the second day of the harvest festival. We will meet at the Western Burial Tomb, a little far from the Odessa Louis temple. Very few peoplee there.¡±

    Ate nodded her head. Well, though the festival was said to be celebrated for giving ancestral worship, the period of harvest ahead was celebrated no different from a carnival. On such a fine day, there would not be many mourners wandering around the graves. Ate asked Railin just to make sure.

    ¡°Are you sure Celestine Keers wille to the temple that day?¡±

    ¡°Has my information ever gone wrong?¡±

    Railin asked back with a dizzying smile, with his eyes curved beautifully under the long eyshes. Ate nodded at the fairly reliable answer. While lost in thought, Ate caressed the rim of the warm teacup and muttered,

    ¡°Recently, Celestine rarely socializes. I heard that because of this, people are doubting her qualifications to be a Crown Princess.¡±

    ¡°Well, yes. After all, her family doesn¡¯t have that much power to support her for that position. There¡¯s a rumor going around here that she¡¯s showing signs of social phobia these days. Thanks to this, she seems to be getting a lot of resentment from her acquaintances. Of all the things, this came out as soon as she was confirmed to be the Crown Princess. It seems to everyone it¡¯s the so-called case of ¡®<em>After she has seeded, she has changed</em>¡®.¡­¡±

    Railin exined by acting it out and skillfully changing his voice. Ate frowned at the words. Come to think of it, Celestine also suddenly canceled her attendance at the garden party of Marquis Eloque. Something was off.

    ¡°Why is Celestine acting so carelessly now?¡¯

    Ate, who suspected Celestine as the real culprit, was puzzled. Now, Celestine had finally got the position of the Crown Princess that she wanted so much. However, at this time with her goal so close, Ate couldn¡¯t understand why she was suddenly throwing away the prepared soup handed out to her.

    Well, it didn¡¯t matter. She would eventually know all this when she confronts her anyway. The lingering desire to clear all the false usations against her was the only reason keeping Ate here. If she was lucky, she might get the answer right away from her encounter with Celestine. And after that¡­¡­.

    Ate smiled when she recalled her prepared ns for the future. Unlike her bitter mood, her voice flowed out smoothly as usual.

    ¡°Mister Railin, if you don¡¯t mind, could you please prepare for me to move to Ond? I¡¯d like to visit the ce, once this is all over. I have to check it out since I¡¯ll be living there from now on.¡±

    <em>Finally</em>! Railin¡¯s ruby red eyes twinkled with joy.

    After finishing her conversation with Railin, Ate headed to the carriage without much thought. It was time to go back to the mansion. It was a rainy day, and if she dyed any longer, Raphael would get worried. Ateughed at herself for having delusions that ¡®<em>Raphael would care about her¡¯</em>. She wondered when this started to happen.

    Ate quickened her steps and finally reached the front of the carriage. It was raining, so the leather boots that she wore had be soaked. The moisture sticking between her toes felt unpleasant. Just as she was about to get into the carriage, someone called her from behind.

    ¡°Lady¡­¡­ No, Marchioness.¡±

    The young man¡¯s voice mixed with a foreign ent sounded very aristocratic. After waiting for her for quite a while, the man waspletely soaked in the rain. Ate was surprised to see who it was. The young man, whose neatly done blond hair was sticking to his pale forehead, was someone she didn¡¯t expect.

    ¡°Gerard? Oh my, don¡¯t you have an umbre? It¡¯s raining so hard, what are you doing?¡±

    It was Gerard, the butler of the Bavarian family, who was waiting for her. Ate, surprised by Gerard¡¯s pitiful appearance of a wet mouse, grabbed his hand. Gerard¡¯s hands were cold from being out for so long in the rain. She wanted him toe inside the carriage to warm himself up before his temperature dropped further, but Gerard refused.

    ¡°It¡¯ll ruin the leather covers, Madam. It¡¯s okay, so I¡¯ll just¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about! Do I look like a person who can¡¯t buy new leather covers? It¡¯s all right,e on, get in.¡±

    While scolding him, Ate pulled his hand in a determined manner and then made him sit inside the carriage. Gerard was her father¡¯s trusted butler and he took care of her for a long time. Although she was now a little distant from him, she had always thought of him as a distant cousin. So to leave Gerard in the rain, while she talked with him sittingfortably in the carriage, she wasn¡¯t that heartless.

    Suddenly being pulled into the carriage by Ate made Gerard finallyugh. He could feel the fine leather covers getting wet under his clothes. It was a little cold in the rain, but his heart warmed up from her kindness. His youngdy was as sweet and gentle as she used to be.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Gerard? You came all the way here. Did my father make you do it?¡±

    Ate asked while covering Gerard¡¯s body with a nket. Her heart thumped, wondering whether her father, Amand, was going to send her another warning note. But Gerard shook his head and nced intently at Ate. A small shadow covered his graceful face.

    ¡°My Lady, no¡­¡­Madam.¡±

    ¡°Just call me whatever you like. What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I heard this by ident. The¡­¡­ the mine of your husband. I heard you kicked out the mine manager.¡±

    Ate¡¯s heart started pounding. The news of her handling Thomas Bradley, her father¡¯s subordinate, had reached his ears. She had expected it, but never thought it would happen so fast.

    Ate now wondered how much she could trust Gerard, who was also her father¡¯s subordinate. He would definitely never harm her as he had cared for her since she was a child. But it was different for her husband, Raphael. Ate warily asked Gerard,

    ¡°Aah right. Are you asking why he did that? Thomas kept a double ledger and tried to siphon off the profits of the mining business. From a business owner¡¯s point of view, it is natural to fire such people.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just because of that, My Lady. You¡¯re a smart person, so you must have already guessed everything.¡±

    Gerard smiled bitterly. He knew the real reason Ate kicked Thomas out. Ate stared straight at Gerard¡¯s face, not knowing what would happen. Then Gerard sighed deeply and knelt on the floor of the carriage.

    ¡°I¡¯m not here to harm you or your husband today. Actually, I will quit this job and return to my hometown tomorrow. Before that, I wanted to say goodbye to you, so I apologize foring here all of a sudden.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going home? Why?¡±

    ¡°My life in Deltium was great, but now it seems it¡¯s time to return to my native country. My brother, who just took over the estate, also needs help.¡±

    Gerard did not give his reasons for leaving. Maybe it was because his te of troubles got too big and he felt a sense of crisis, or maybe he was ufortable with the situation where he had to keep confronting her. Of course, there was also a possibility that it was a lie to bring down Ate¡¯s guard. However, his candid tone and detached face felt sincere.

    Just like how he knew Ate well, Ate too knew him very well. Although they had some conflicts in the middle, the time spent with Gerard was very long. It could even be exaggerated that the time spent with Gerard was much longer than the time she spent with her father. During those times, Gerard had consistently been a good butler. Now that he was leaving, she couldn¡¯t continue to treat him coldly.

    ¡°I see. Please be careful on your way. I hope we can meet again, Gerard.

    Ate bid her farewell in a soft tone and hid her regret. But Gerard¡¯s visit wasn¡¯t just for saying goodbyes. With Ate in front of him, he suddenly looked around. Then he pushed the window of the half-open carriage. Gerard then lowered his voice and whispered very carefully.

    ¡°Lady, although I don¡¯t know everything¡­¡­ but I¡¯ve found one thing.¡±

    ¡°What? What are you talking about all of a sudden, Gerard?¡±

    ¡°The mine. It¡¯s not just the Master, but there are some other people who are helping him. It¡¯s a much more dangerous and bigger conspiracy than what the Lady thought.¡±

    Ate¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpected words. Amand, the Duke of Bavaria, alone, was a great power. The self-righteous man didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s help. She couldn¡¯t believe that Amand had someone¡¯s help in nning something. It was totally unexpected.

    ¡°Would you mind telling me more about this, Gerard? I really appreciate it, but if you get caught¡­¡­.¡±

    While Ate was trembling with anxiety, she was very worried about Gerard. Although she was just trying to protect Raphael, she regretted being too harsh on him. Gerard chuckled sadly and shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°Well, what can they do with someone who¡¯s already gone? There¡¯s something else I really want to tell you.¡±

    Gerard, kneeling on the floor of the carriage, bowed his head. Then he kissed Ate¡¯s rain-soaked boots without any hesitation. At his reverent attitude, Ate¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. He looked up at Ate, still being on his knees, and smiled grimly.

    ¡°I sincerely apologize for insulting your husband the other day. That day, I felt like I had been robbed of my precious youngdy whom I had brought up. I was really ashamed of my behavior. I shouldn¡¯t have done¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Gerard. You apologized to my husband then. It¡¯s all in the past.¡±

    Gerard again bowed at Ate¡¯s words. Ate¡¯s husband, Raphael¡¯s face shed in front of his dark eyes. Gerard hoped that he would soon realize what a great privilege it was to stand tall next to Ate. Because he was just a butler, he didn¡¯t even get that chance. Gerard suppressed his lingering feelings and closed his eyes. He deliberately said hisst farewell in a bright tone.

    ¡°The time I served mydy will always be the most precious and warmest memories of my life. Even if I go back to my native country, I will always think of you. Please be happy.¡±

    When Gerard had finished speaking, he smiled with a cheerful face. Some tears had already umted near his eyes. Now not having anything to say to Ate, Gerard turned his back and jumped out of the carriage. Then he strode and disappeared into the darkness.

    ¡°Gerard¡­.¡±

    Ate sighed as she looked sadly at Gerard¡¯s back from the window. She was worried if he would safely find his way back home. But now it was really time to go back home. Ate, looking out of the dark window, gave orders to start the carriage.

 Chapter 62

    The dawn was rising outside the window. The warm white sunlight crept into the room, slowly illuminating the room. Sitting stiffly on a divan, Raphael turned his head. Then he saw Ate¡¯s beautiful face sleeping quietly on the bed. It was a defenseless and lovely face, enough to make people sigh.

    Raphael, after rising silently from his seat, began to look around her hidden jewelry box. In contrast to hisrge physique, his movements were quite agile and quiet just like that of wild beasts. After finding what he wanted, Raphael carefully picked up the thing without waking Ate up.

    The object looked just like what it was in his memory. The ring made of the finest amethyst glinted even in the dim light of early morning. The alphabet ¡°S ¡± engraved with gold leaf on the surface particrly caught his attention. Raphael wasn¡¯t aware of its meaning before, but now he did. It meant that Ate was a client of a special information guild.

    <em>The Secret Guild.</em>

    Even Harold Evans, his only acquaintance, also had the ring as he was once in a position to run secret errands for the king. But what about Ate? She was an ordinary woman who enjoyed a peaceful daily life by doing embroidery with her fine hands or reading books. But she was also a woman who secretly hid the token of the Secret Guild deep in her drawer.

    Raphael looked at the amethyst ring on his palm with an expressionless face. At first nce, one could see that the size of the ring was too big to fit Ate¡¯s fingers. That implied that it wasn¡¯t a ring that was meant to be worn in the first ce. Suddenly, Harold¡¯s words shed in Raphael¡¯s mind.

    <em>¡°It¡¯s a guild that deals with everything except assassination; like exchanging information, sales of various illegal items such as poison, aphrodisiacs, and other weak drugs, kidnapping people, private loan business, etc¡­. Ah! I heard they¡¯ve recently also ventured into smuggling and also smuggle people outside the kingdom. It¡¯s a pretty expensive service, but if you want to run away from your reality, you won¡¯t be pouring your money down the drain.¡± </em>

    Raphael¡¯s hand, grabbing the ring, unknowingly tightened. Yes, Ate might have gone there to just trade information. She wasn¡¯t the type to set foot into illegal crimes. And as for smuggling out of the kingdom¡­.. he wasn¡¯t sure. Raphael¡¯s face, looking down at the sleeping Ate, showed signs of distress.

    Yes, nothing was certain yet. It was not reasonable to break Ate¡¯s possessions. Raphael clenched his teeth and ced the ring back in its ce. But the moment he closed the drawer, his emotions surged a little. Tak! The sound echoed in the room. Raphael¡¯s keen intuition sensed a disturbance on the bed.

    ¡°Umm¡­¡­Raphael?¡±

    Sure enough, Ate lifted her eyelids that were heavy with sleep. Her confused pink eyes scanned his face and gave him a worried look. Ate reached out and caressed his cheek carefully. Since he had just woke up, his body temperature, which was higher than usual, felt warm as he came close to her.

    ¡°Did you have another nightmare? Come here.¡±

    Ate lifted a corner of the quilt and tugged his neck gently. Raphael¡¯s blue eyes looking down at her became a little darker. There was no way he could resist this temptation. He gently lied down beside her as she led him. Then Ate, who stretched out her arms and embraced Raphael¡¯s head, affectionately appeased him.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Raphael. You¡¯re a good person. I¡­ I¡¯ll protect you. So rx and sleep well.¡±

    It felt good to hear Ate¡¯s delicate voice, which had be a little husky because of sleep. Her wise and elegant manner of speaking was too cute. It felt like someone was pouring the whole bottle of sweet maple syrup into his ear.

    Raphael slowly closed his eyes. He liked the feeling of being held in her delicate arms. Ate smelled of clean white musk and some flowers. As she was again breathing steadily, she had fallen asleep before she knew it. Her barely audible and peaceful breath tickled his forehead.

    <em>¡®After being so kind to me, you wouldn¡¯t leave me behind, would you?¡¯</em>

    Raphael tightly clenched his jaw to prevent his face from getting distorted. He slowly raised his torso so that Ate wouldn¡¯t wake up. Then he locked her sleeping figure in his arms. Raphael bowed his head and softly whispered in Ate¡¯s ear.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere, Ate.¡±

    Raphael¡¯s flowing, ck hair wrapped around Ate¡¯s small face. Unintentionally, her figure looked like a poor prisoner trapped in a grate. Satisfied with this, Raphael hugged her a little more tightly. Ate groaned in protest as she felt stuffy.

    Raphael quietly kissed the frown on her forehead. He felt sorry for her, but he didn¡¯t feel like letting go of his arms. If she felt this captivity was too much, then she would have to better get used to it. He didn¡¯t n to ever let her go.

    Ate, who woke up in a disarray, checked the clock reflexively. Her body nowadays seemed to be more sluggish than usual, so she had overslept by two hours more. Since she had a lot of things to care about these days, it seemed like she was getting mentally tired.

    Ate carefully removed Raphael¡¯s arms that were hugging her waist. She was going to let him sleep a little longer. Ate always felt sorry for Raphael because he had suffered long from a sleeping disorder. So, she did not want to disturb his sleep as much as possible.

    <em>¡®If I leave, what will he do?¡¯</em>

    Ate recently had a headache because of this concern. Raphael had now begun to sleep well, but it would be harder for him if she disappeared and his sleeping disorder might also return to its original state. Ate wistfully looked down at Raphael¡¯s sleeping face.

    His profile, revealed through his disheveled ck hair, was just as beautiful as that of an ancient male god. It was amazing to see that his skin didn¡¯t get tanned even though he practiced his swordsmanship skills every day. Ate slowly swept her fingers over Raphael¡¯s straight forehead, high nose, and sensual lips. Then, she got up from the bed.

    ¡°Hah¡­.¡±

    Her troubles were not over yet, but she had to start the new day. Ate stretched out her body and went out of the bedroom in an indoor gown. It was quitete for breakfast, ao she nned to grab a brunch or something. But the n didn¡¯t go as she wanted. As soon as Ate went out to her private parlor, she ran into a maid, who had an embarrassing look on her face.

    ¡°Madam, I beg your pardon, but there¡¯s a visitor who has been waiting for you for the past two hours.¡±

    ¡°Visitor? What¡­¡­ Oh my goodness! I must be out of my mind!!¡±

    Just when Ate asked with a perplexed face, she btedly recalled the promise and was horrified. Today was the day she was scheduled to meet Eucaly and take a brief interview of her. In this life too, Eucaly, Ate¡¯s doctor in her previous life, met her again under a mysterious connection. However, her first impression would turn out to be bad. Seeing Ate rushing to the parlor, the maid was remorseful and bowed her head repeatedly.

    ¡°I should have woken you up somehow, but since the master was inside¡­¡­ I just couldn¡¯t enter like that. I¡¯m really sorry, madam.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. Can you help me with something? Go down and quickly assort her as much as possible.¡±

    Ate waved her hand and offered a realistic alternative. Just as the maid said, she and her husband were spending intimate time together, so the employees were not allowed to interfere recklessly. This was entirely Ate¡¯s fault. She was not a bad hostess who passed on her faults to her employees.

    The maid¡¯s face brightened a little after receiving Ate¡¯s forgiveness. All the maid had to do was just bow a little and express her gratitude, but instead, she helped Ate get ready as fast as possible. Thanks to her, Ate was able to head downstairs in a decent appearance in just fifteen minutes.

    When she opened the door to the parlor, she saw Eucaly sitting on the sofa. Her face was exactly how it was in Ate¡¯s memory.

    Even though Eucaly, who was of mixed descent from the Eastern Continent, had been here for a while, truthfully she was quite an experienced practitioner. However, she had one disadvantage and that was that her features were too modest. Because of her expressionless face, she looked a little gloomy. But no one really cared about one¡¯s appearance or sociability in the profession of a practitioner.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯mte. Did you wait for a long time?¡±

    Ate politely apologized to Eucaly, who rose from her seat on seeing her. They were not empty words; Ate¡¯s face clearly showed that she was really sorry. Even as a noblewoman, she sincerely apologized to a servant who was not even a noble. After seeing this, Eucaly, whocked sociability, confidently shook her head to say no.

    ¡°No madam. It¡¯s nice to meet you. I¡¯m Eucaly Kayun.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Miss Kayun. I must have forgotten because I had a lot of work yesterday. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    Ate almost called Eucaly in a friendly way like in her previous life. Ate smiled sheepishly as she called out Eucaly¡¯s exotic surname. It was a mistake that was unlike Ate¡¯s usual self, who was always thorough with her promises. Ate sat down with a remorseful face. She raised her eyes and looked towards Eucaly.

    Fortunately, there was tea and cookies ced in front of Eucaly. Seeing the steam rising from the tea even after the two hour wait, the maid must have paid thorough attention. Ate smiled sweetly, inwardly pledging to raise the maid¡¯s sry and asked a question.

    ¡°So, Miss Kayun. Do you want to be the family doctor for our family?¡±

 Chapter 63

    Fortunately, Ate¡¯s tardiness did not seem to have any adverse effect on Eucaly¡¯s desire to work. Eucaly nodded her head and began to tell about her work experience by taking out some documents from her arms.

    ¡°I havepleted a nine-year medical academy course in the Kingdom of Provatte. Here, I have also brought a rmendation letter from my supervisor and also one from the former president of the Royal Hospital. I¡¯ve specialized in the field of chronic diseases and diseases rted to women¡­.¡±

    Unlike her appearance, Eucaly¡¯s tone, which had a Provatte ent, was a little stiff. Perhaps that¡¯s why her self-introduction made Ate feel as if a teacher was giving a lecture to the student. Ate, who already knew about all this, listened while pretending to be interested in Eucaly¡¯s career. She didn¡¯t want to make it obvious that she had gone back in time and knew everything here. Thanks to this, Eucaly finished her self-introduction without any problems.

    ¡°I heard it well. You¡¯ve had an impressive career experience, Miss Kayun. I think you¡¯re aspetent as I¡¯ve heard.¡±

    Ate smiled as she presented the letter of introduction she received from her former practitioner. That gentleman was a timid person, who was particrly afraid of Raphael. So he introduced Eucaly instead and ran away so that he would never be called to the Carnesis Mansion again. <em>¡°Madam you must hire Eucal</em>y!¡± Ate smiled as she recalled the desperate appeal of the practitioner to hire Eucaly.

    ¡°Well, madam. Then, whether I¡¯m hired or not¡­.¡±

    Seeing Ate be silent for a moment, Eucaly¡¯s expression became a little darker. She was worried that she might have given Ate a bad impression. Ate liked Eucaly¡¯s such clumsy appearance. She was older than herself, but somehow her naive and clumsy actions made Ate want to take care of her.

    <em>¡®You took good care of me in my past life.¡¯</em>

    Ate in her previous life was very sensitive because of her long illness. Having a weak body was scary. Even healthy people be crazy if they have to lie down on a hospital bed every day. Ate cried, vomited, and desperately clung to Eucaly whenever she was seriously ill. Now that she thought about it, she felt sorry towards her.

    Ate was so lonely in her previous life. She was abandoned by her father and her brother, Arjen and her sister-inw, ire were in an empire too far away. On top of that, she also had a bad rtionship with her husband, Raphael. So, the only person on whom she could rely was Eucaly. Perhaps it was quite a burdensome situation for Eucaly as her doctor.

    Nevertheless, Eucaly patiently took good care of her. Because of that, Ate¡¯s condition also somewhat stabilized. She was also able to reconcile with Raphael, who came to check on her condition.

    <em>¡®That¡¯s when he started nursing me.¡¯</em>

    At first, Raphael went outside leaving herpletely to Eucaly¡¯s care. It was expected since their rtionship was so bad.

    But one day, when Ate was on the brink of death, Raphael, who hade to check Ate¡¯s condition for the first time in a while, looked very shocked. He had thought she was doing fine as usual with her treatment, but Ate¡¯s condition was far worse than he thought.

    After that Raphael always stayed by her side. Later, he took care of Ate¡¯s every need on behalf of Eucaly and managed her medication and treatment. Even though he always fought with her, he seemed to be bothered by her death. Thanks to him, she wasn¡¯t able to bother Eucaly till the time of her death.

    <em>¡®Raphael looks violent, but he¡¯s actually sweet.¡¯</em>

    Ateughed as she recalled Raphael¡¯s sleeping figure lying on her bed like azy lion. In order not to waste her second life as before, Ate¡¯s priority now was to take care of her health. To do so, she was trying to sleep more than before and take as little stress as possible. This was why she had hired a doctor to carefully take care of her health.

    Ate, who had made up her mind, smiled warmly at Eucaly.

    ¡°Wee to the Carnesis family, Miss Kayun.¡±

    At those words, Eucaly, who hadn¡¯t met Ate¡¯s eyes until now, raised her head for the first time. The dark expression on her face had now slightly brightened. As she stood stupefied in a ce, Eucaly took a deep breath, and then bowed her head to Ate.

    ¡°Thank you, madam. Please call me Eucaly.¡±

    ¡°All right, Miss Eucaly. I look forward to your kind cooperation.¡±

    Ate smiled at the look on Eucaly¡¯s face, which looked much better than before. She was in desperate need of a job because she was far away from her hometown and didn¡¯t have a ce to stay. Now that she was hired as a physician of an aristocratic family, no wonder she was so relieved.

    Ate was going to leave after clearing herself of her false charges. However, even after that, Eucaly would still be able to work here. Aristocratic families seldom kicked out a doctor who was hired by them once. In addition, because of Raphael¡¯s personality and excellent health, he wouldn¡¯t even remember that he had a doctor in his mansion. Ate was pleased to be able to help Eucaly like this. She owed a lot to her in her past life.

    <em>¡®But in this life, I¡¯ll try to be less indebted to Eucaly.¡¯</em>

    Not only with Eucaly, but she also wanted to do the same with Raphael. There¡¯s no way he would take care of her in this life, but again, she couldn¡¯t say for sure. In her previous life, she was really amazed to see him nurse her from her illness even though he had a terrible temper.

    Of course, Raphael¡¯s care didn¡¯t always go smoothly. There was too much of a rift between the couple to do that. While nursing, Raphael often got angry at Ate¡¯s nervous responses and ran out of the room in a fit of rage. But he always returned to Ate within half a day.

    Then he boiled the soup he had thrown away and scooped it to feed her. He also changed the sheets and helped Ate up, as her condition didn¡¯t even allow her to get up. At thest moment of her death, he even¡­.

    <em>¡®Did he cry for me? I don¡¯t remember very well.¡¯</em>

    Ate remembered the moment when death loomed over her body. At first, her vision shed and became dark and then her hearing ceased. She was very scared and started panicking. She tried to move her hands, but her arms and legs had already been paralyzed. And a cold numbness, that one felt when their skin was pressed against ice for a long time, slowly overtook her whole body. That was the feeling of death that Ate remembered.

    Her sight was the first thing that disappeared, so Ate couldn¡¯t see Raphael¡¯s face at that time. However, she remembered seeing his contorting face in her blurred vision as if he was going to cry. She didn¡¯t want to make Raphael look like that again. For that, it was evident what she had to do.

    ¡°Then Miss Eucaly, would you like to have a meal together to celebrate your appointment as our family doctor?¡±

    Ate, who had woken upte, couldn¡¯t eat anything. So she smiled while hiding her growling stomach. Her tone asking her employee was unbelievably sweet. Of course, Eucaly agreed.

    * * *

    The long-awaited day had finallye. The fall harvest festival hosted by the temple of Odessa Louis had begun. In words, it was just a ritual, but actually, it was celebrated like a festival in the temple. On this day, everyone, regardless of age or gender, visited the temple to relish the delicious sheep¡¯s milk cheese, and wine.

    Thanks to this, all of the nobles living near the capital of Deltium, the bourgeoisie, and themoners, all headed for the Odessa Louis¡¯ temple. Even Celestine Keers, who will soon be the Crown Princess, would also attend. Ate was also going to do the same, but her way of visiting the temple was a little different.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see, the Western Tomb is probably around here¡­¡­.¡±

    Ate headed to the cemetery of the temple of Odessa Louis, referring to the map that Railin had sent in advance. She had to climb a mountain a bit to avoid other people¡¯s eyes, but it was fine as she had safely reached without getting sick or sore anywhere. Thanks to this, she was able to enter the cemetery without being seen by anyone.

    She was d it was festival time now. Originally, no one paid attention to the cemetery on a festive day. People were instinctively reluctant to visit a cemetery on a joyous day, for fear of attracting bad luck. Thanks to this, Ate was able to look around the cemetery where even a single ant couldn¡¯t be seen.

    The ce she had promised to meet with Railin was the western tomb, but it was not easy to find the way because the cemetery was veryrge. Ate, who was struggling to find the way, raised her ears. She could hear the loud voicesing from the distant temple. Everyone seemed drunk after drinking a lot of wine, that was made in the temple. No one would notice Ate in such a busy atmosphere.

    <em>¡®As expected, Sir Railin is so amazing. I think we¡¯ll sessfully infiltrate the temple today.¡¯</em>

    Ate was a little relieved. She was very nervous ahead of the big event. Since her return, Ate had continuously faced huge challenges that she could not even imagine before. Ate felt both unfamiliar and amazed at herself. She never thought people could change 180 degrees for their survival.

    Fortunately, Ate was soon able to find the Western Tomb, the ce of her appointment. At first, she thought things had gone wrong because she went to the wrong tomb in the east. She was scared when she saw no presence of either Railin or the new priest¡¯s clothes that he was supposed to prepare. It was fortunate that the priests had kindly embossed ¡°East¡± on the floor of the cemetery.

    ¡®Those who are closest to God, how considerate of you.¡¯

    Ate was deeply impressed. Although she first attended this temple for Celestine, she wasn¡¯t exactly a believer, but she decided to believe in the goddess Odessa. Anyway, after finding the right path, Ate looked around and entered the western part of the cemetery carefully.

    ¡°¡­¡­Is this the right ce?¡±

    As she opened the heavy stone door and entered, she could see the ¡°West¡± mark embossed on the floor.

    <em>¡®I think I¡¯vee to the right c</em>e.¡¯

    A light breeze from the dusty cemetery brushed against the tip of her nose. Even in broad daylight, the room was quite dark with grey tones all over it, giving off a gloomy atmosphere. The only sound one could hear inside the building built for the dead was the sound of Ate¡¯s footsteps.

    Ate looked around, but couldn¡¯t find Railin. Instead, the statue standing in the center of the tomb seemed to stare down at her. Maybe because it was dark and she couldn¡¯t see its face well, the statue felt even more dismal.

    Knowing that she was doing ¡®<em>bad things¡¯,</em> Ate trembled unknowingly. She closed her eyes and sped her hands in a prayer before the statue.

    <em>¡®I¡¯m sorry, goddess Odessa. I¡¯ll leave right away after meeting Celestine Keers.¡¯</em>

    Just at that moment, the statue standing in front of Ate¡¯s eyes suddenly reached out and grabbed her shoulder.

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