《I Bought the Prince as a S*ave to Get a Divorce》 Chapter 0 ¡°Where are you taking that woman? Don¡¯t you know the prostitute¡¯s room is in the other direction?¡± Through the arched columns, the colosseums earthen floor was visible. In front of the thick iron door at the end of a dark hallway, the guard frowned. Standing opposite him stood a woman with a black robe covering her body. She was a tall woman. A small man who had brought the woman jumped. ¡°Ack, a prostitute? Watch your mouth!¡± The guard looked her up and down. She must be a woman, but she stands upright like a man, no, like a knight. He didn¡¯t like it. ¡°Why are you talking like that? Why did you bring a woman who looks like this? Go away!¡± ¡°Crazy! Do you know who this is? Apologize immediately, this woman is¡­¡± The man rushed to the guard and whispered urgently into his ear. His eyes opened in shock when he heard the man¡¯s words. ¡°That, that¡­!¡± He jumped up quickly, his chair toppling over. She didn¡¯t respond at all. The blue eyes under the hood looked at him coldly. The man, sweating nervously, bowed down to her. ¡°Please forgive the rudeness, I will take you downstairs now, madam.¡± The woman nodded her head slightly. After the two men¡¯s busy movements, the thick door strained open with a heavy metal sound. Relying on the man¡¯s torch, they descended the long spiral staircase and then walked through a dim hallway, the sounds of their boots stepping in rainwater echoed in the darkness. ¡°clunk¡­clunk¡­¡± As they got closer downstairs, a strange noise began to be heard. Click. When he opened the door with the key, the blocked sounds poured out. Growling, barking, grunting, thrashing sounds. A prison that feeds the colosseum. It was the howling of beasts and men, gladiator slaves within cages. Various slaves, including bears, tigers, and prisoners of war, were chained to huge iron bars spaced apart from each other. At the sight of the visitors, the beasts ran wild with excitement, the gladiator slaves glared at them with a vicious force. The man glanced at the woman. ¡°My lady, don¡¯t be frightened. It¡¯s being managed safely, so there¡¯s no need to fear¡­ wait, madam!¡± The woman walked past him without a word. Anxious, he hurriedly followed her. The woman, who was slowly looking around at the beasts revealing their gruesome teeth, suddenly stopped. ¡°What is that?¡± It was a husky voice, and a short statement, but revealed a lot about her. Even in a situation where she should be terrified, she had a calm voice, a dry tone like that of a knight, and a natural hostility. The small man swallowed the dry lump in his throat. ¡°Um, that¡¯s¡­¡± He looked where her gaze was headed. She was staring at a cage in total darkness and covered in cloth. The man swallowed painfully again. ¡°There is a very dangerous man in there. You¡¯ve most likely heard of him, he¡¯s been famous lately. A monster that tore apart the giant tiger we were proud of¡­¡± ¡°Remove the cloth, I want to see him up close.¡± ¡°Yes? But my lady¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ah, yes I will remove it straight away.¡± The small man gestured to one of his subordinates to remove the cloth. They carefully approached the iron cage and pulled the fabric down. The sunlight passed through the bars of the cage. There, kneeling on the floor, was a man. His chains, thick enough to be fastened to a wild beast. His neck, hands, and feet were bound. ¡°He¡¯s a savage caught on the northern border. He was tough to catch alive, I don¡¯t know how much money it cost.¡± The man rambled on. The woman didn¡¯t care, she was observing the man in the cage as if she were examining an important prey. His thick black hair was as dark as night. Such perfect black hair was rare in this country. Healthy, tanned dark skin, a tall and large frame. He wore a muzzle like a dog, but underneath was a handsome face. He was a man with features she knew well enough. She moved closer to the iron bars. For a moment, in the dark, his eyes shone eerily. Clang, clang! ¡°My lady!¡± The sharp sound of chains crashing echoed in the hallway. The small man let out a shrill scream. The man ran towards her from inside the cage. The tight chains trembled as if they were about to break. The sound of the colosseum guardsmen drawing their swords echoed. The woman raised her hand toward the guardsmen to stop them. A heavy tension filled the air. ¡°A moment¡­¡± The woman took a breath as she approached him, as if there were no bars and chains between them. Golden eyes behind dark hair stared at her. She looked at him and slowly raised her hand to remove the hood covering her face. With her back to the sunlight, her face was revealed. Red hair with loose curls and cold blue eyes that would run a chill down the spine. Her sharp eyes were set by beautiful arched eyebrows and stunning but cold-looking facial features. Her red lips formed a serious line, as if she didn¡¯t know what a smile was. Her strong frame and intense eyes overwhelmed the guardsmen. Everyone, except the gladiator slave in the cage, looked at her face and was startled. It was because of the burn mark that travelled from her left cheek down to the nape of her neck. It was a terrible scar that had made her husband sympathize with her. She was used to it now, the unconscious gazes. ¡°My name is Irina Arcensis.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Irina looked at him, the man in the cage stared back at her. ¡°The only daughter of Marquee Levart, the commander general of the Kindgom, and the wife of Paris Arcensis, son of Count Arcensis.¡± It was a strange sight, a high-ranking noblewoman who came to buy slaves was introducing herself to the goods. It was proving the rumors of her strange personality and damaged face, but Irina¡¯s eyes were serious. She looked intently into his golden eyes, shining like a beast. ¡°I am the one who will set you free.¡± Irina slipped her hand through the bars and lifted his chin up. It was a sudden action that the guardsmen and the small man couldn¡¯t stop. They screamed silently. It was a dangerous act that could cause an arm to be twisted and broken at any moment. But the man in the cage didn¡¯t react. ¡°I¡¯m going to get you out of this cage, instead¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Be my lover. Become my slave in my husband¡¯s house.¡± Everyone¡¯s mouths were wide open at her calm suggestion. A shocking scandal that shook the entire kingdom was beginning. Chapter 1 Paris Arcensis, son of Count Arcensis, was well known for being a poor man. A dazzlingly handsome man, his beauty was talked about throughout the continent. Paris, the only son who will inherit the Counts title. But unfortunately, his wife was the ugliest woman in the kingdom. She had a burn on her face, obtained from a fire accident two years ago. She also had strong well-maintained body with little fat, and her skin was not a pale enough white. Skin pale as a corpse, limbs and waist as thin as a millet, a soft woman who tends to faint at the slightest surprise. Such a woman was the standard of beauty in this country. Paris¡¯ wife, Irina Arcensis, did not meet any of the criteria for that standard. Irina¡¯s father, General Levard, was a respected knight. But no matter what, he shouldn¡¯t have given his daughter a sword and raised her like a son. The servants who watched the woman in the large garden thought so. ¡°Hah!¡± Under the fresh morning sunlight, Irina¡¯s refined spirit resounded. With her red hair tied up, she was wearing a knight¡¯s uniform today. The autumn sunlight poured down on her thick eyebrows, blue eyes, and tightly closed lips. A deep shadow was cast on her clear, distinct facial features. The burn mark on her face and neck was also more clearly visible. Irina swung her commanding stick. ¡°Bite!¡± ¡°Creung, kung!¡± The leather end of her stick hit the floor. A black-haired military dog sprinted through the grass and ran towards her. The military guard precisely bit onto the guard on Irina¡¯s arm. Irina stumbled for a moment at the weight of the large dog rushing at full speed. ¡°My lady!¡± The maids¡¯ faces turned white. Irina straightened her legs and straightened her posture. ¡°Cherry, down!¡± At the firm instruction, the military dog Cherry released her, sat down, and looked up at Irina in delight. Irina looked down at the dog. ¡°You¡¯re a good dog.¡± Beads of sweat ran down her forehead and neck. ¡°My lady, if you¡¯re done, you¡¯d better go in now. No matter how much the knights ask for an illustration¡­¡± The maid said as she glared at the knights standing to the side. Irina threw a snack at Cherry. ¡°Did you hear that? I am in trouble again because of you guys who haven¡¯t been able to do this yet.¡± ¡°We will fix it!¡± The knights shouted loudly and saluted. They rushed over to Cherry. ¡°Grrrrr¡± Cherry growled and a loud commotion began. The screams of the knights were heard in the background. Irina indifferently threw the rod and the guard she wore on her arm to the floor. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Chapter 2 Irina headed into the mansion and entered the bedroom. She stripped off her sweaty uniform. Her body was neither full-breasted nor her waist constricted. Her stomach was flat with abs that even noblemen would not have. The muscles in her forearms and thighs were firm, and visible with each movement of her body. Her body was scratched and marked from her lifetime of sword scars and bruises. The maids wept at Irina¡¯s treatment of her own body. She was truly beautiful, as long as you ignored all those marks and bruises, they thought. They also wished to take care of and cover the scar on her face. ¡°With just a bit of makeup¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Irina stared at the maid. ¡°Yes, yes? Oh! My apologies, I was out of my mind for a moment.¡± The maids hesitated and picked up Irina¡¯s clothes and wrapped a robe around her. They had enough brain power to know not to speak out about their masters. Irina looked at her maids and faintly smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry this ugly master worried you today. You must have a lot of hardships.¡± The corners of her blue eyes softly bent. The maids blushed. Regardless of her serious appearance, their master was a nice person. ¡°Let¡¯s wash you up and get you ready for your date. My lady, we will take care of everything!¡± ¡°A date?¡± ¡°We will crack down on the other servants to keep the training today a secret! Our master hates it so much.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Irina responded, pretending not to be embarrassed. She walked quickly to the bathroom. Today was the day she and her husband decided to go see the opera after a long absence. They had once been estranged for a time after their daughter was born seven years ago. Her husband had long been dissatisfied with Irina. This is because even after she got married, she wielded a sword like she did when she was a virgin and did not even come into social circles. Then, his discontented attitude changed two years ago. After Irina was burned, he changed noticeably. Her husband began to be romantic enough to remind her of the days when they were dating. Irina began to open her heart to his consistent whispers of love. Now, a couple who has been married for 10 years was able to sleep with satisfaction. It was safe to say they were a good couple now. After washing her body, she looked at the dress her maids were holding and doubted her eyes. ¡°¡­ is this the dress you chose?¡± The neat, pure white dress was elegant and beautiful. It was a trendy design that gracefully exposed the shoulders and chest. The lace, which seemed to have been touched by a craftsman, was delicately decorated without being excessive. The dress itself shimmered subtly whenever it received the light. It was because fine jewels were adorning the skirt from the waist. It was a dress anyone could covet. But the problem was, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to fit.¡± Irina murmured seriously. The waist size was too small. Besides, it was an innocent dress that would be appropriate only for young girls who had just become adults. It was rather embarrassing for her, a married woman with her own child, who is more strong than other women, to wear. ¡°But it¡¯s the dress that the master specified¡­¡± ¡°Paris? Directly?¡± ¡°Yes. He asked me to tell you that he picked it especially for today.¡± ¡°He even sent a corset for his wife.¡± Irina, staring at her dress with a frown on her face, nodded her head reluctantly. The maids¡¯ faces turned red. As Irina grabbed the rod installed in her room, the two maids tugged at the corset laces. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± As her ribs and stomach tightened, a painful gasp erupted involuntarily. Irina¡¯s hand holding the rod trembled. Why are all the things called ¡®pretty clothes¡¯ shaped like this? Irina groaned inwardly. Wearing the corset made it difficult for her to even breathe. Irina put on her dress with the help of her maids. After finishing her hair and makeup, the maids exclaimed. ¡°You are beautiful, my lady!¡± Irina nodded her head slightly and looked at her reflection in her full-length mirror. ¡°¡­ so?¡± In Irina¡¯s eyes, she looked ridiculous. The artificially tightened tiny waist was awkward against her sharp, square shoulders. Basically, thanks to her stately posture, the pure white dress seemed very unsuited to her. ¡°Our master won¡¯t be able to keep his mouth shut. You are so elegant and feminine that it brings tears to my eyes.¡± It was the reaction Irina received every time she dressed up, but it was unusually passionate today. The maid reacted so intensely, Irina thought it was strange. The maid looking at Irina in the mirror suddenly clapped. ¡°Necklace! I knew something was missing, you need a necklace.¡± ¡°You mean we need more jewels than this?¡± At Irina¡¯s trembling voice, her maids vigorously nodded her head. ¡°Absolutely! Lady Young, who is making her debut today, is a great beauty. Everyone will come dressed up.¡± Today was also her husband¡¯s sponsored singer¡¯s debut at the Royal Opera House. Irina nodded. ¡°Bring my jewelry box.¡± Irina¡¯s jewelry box. It was a box containing only the precious things she had received during her relationship with her husband. The maids brought a jewelry box adorned with platinum like lightning. Irina¡¯s expression, who had been rummaging around with the lid open, suddenly darkened. The necklace she had received as an engagement gift. She didn¡¯t see the blue diamond necklace, the same color as her eyes. After she looked around a few more times and couldn¡¯t find it, her maids became nervous as well. Irina sighed and closed the lid of her jewelry box as if resigning. She took great care of her things, and her maids were honest. Among the servants, the irritable ones were those who served Paris. So, it was obvious who the culprit was. ¡°Sebastian.¡± To her slightly lowered voice, the butler Sebastian, who was waiting behind the dressing curtain, stepped forward quietly. ¡°Go and see if our family jewels have been deposited at the pawn shop of Young¡¯s mansion.¡± ¡°Yes, my lady. I will follow your orders.¡± Irina looked around at her maids, frozen in the icy atmosphere. ¡°I know it¡¯s not your fault. It¡¯s been more than a few times that Paris has preoccupied himself with gambling.¡± Paris was a good man. He was just sometimes not very savvy and enjoyed parties and people a little too much. This was a problem that all married aristocratic women suffered. So, it was something she had to deal with. The maids admired her wise choice to cover up her husband¡¯s faults. She is the perfect noblewoman, except for her modest behavior and unadorned looks. Irina felt sorry for the maids today. ¡°Prepare the carriage.¡± At Irina¡¯s command, the maids got busy. High heels and the tight dress made it difficult to move. Irina went down the stairs of her mansion with the help of her maid. Her husband, Paris, was supposed to escort her from now until the end of the night, but he only left a message that he would go to the opera house first. Everyone assumed it was because of his free-spirited nature. Irina rode in the carriage to the opera house. After moving for a while, her carriage stopped. Soft orchestral music could be heard outside the carriage walls. It seemed that she had arrived at the entrance to the opera house. The Royal Opera Theatre, accessible only to upper-class aristocrats. Befitting the upper-class, an orchestra was prepared to welcome the audience from the entrance. After waiting for a while, the door opened. The bright afternoon sunlight poured into the carriage. ¡°Are you here? Lady Arcensis.¡± As she closed her eyes for a moment in the sunlight, she heard a familiar voice. It belonged to her husband, Paris. Even though it was a male voice, it was soft and beautiful like the song of a minstrel. As her eyes got used to the sunlight, his figure slowly came into view. Aristocratic blonde that shined like sunlight. Beautiful purple eyes like jewels. Still, like a young man in his 20s, he has clear skin without a single wrinkle and beautiful features. His waist was as slender as a dancers, and even his fingers were soft. A man with such a beautiful appearance that even the opera actors on stage would be mesmerized. He was her husband, who was apt to be called a nobleman with picturesque beauty. He was also the romantic of the century who turned down an offer to become the queen¡¯s mistress and married a woman with hawk-like features. Her husband, Paris, smiled at her. ¡°Look. You are so dazzlingly beautiful in the dress I sent you, Lady Arcensis.¡± Playing in a witty tone, he stretched out his gloved hand towards the carriage. He had an overwhelming beauty. Besides that, he had had tea with a little extra strength in it today. Even Irina thought he looked more dazzling than any other man. ¡°Will you give me the honor of escorting the lady?¡± Paris squinted his eyes up at her. It was a silly yet unfamiliar request that should make her tingle with joy. However, there was no excitement or joy in Irina¡¯s expression. At her silent reaction, Paris tilted his head. Irina¡¯s gaze was not directed as her husband. Her eyes were taken from her as if possessed by something very small in the distance. Eyes full of doubt and confusion. The roar of nobles and the soft orchestra filled the lobby. All of them were aristocrats who were said to be the highest in the kingdom. They were all looking at one place with interest. A carriage adorned with golden rose vines. The carriage of Count Arcensis. Their gaze focused on the tall man with a well-shaped back. It was said that even male aristocrats had doubted their sexuality at least once when looking at him, Paris Arcensis had an ethereal beauty. He was the only one who made everyone stare just by appearing. However, there was something else interesting today. A woman who rarely appeared in the carriage. She was a woman hardly ever seen in social circles, the ugly Irina Arcensis. ¡°Irina?¡± Paris carefully observed Irina¡¯s reaction. Irina finally came to her senses and took her husband¡¯s outstretched hand. As she exited the carriage into view, the roar of the nobles grew louder. She was dazzling with her elegantly pinned hair and shimmering white dress. She had a dignified and beautiful appearance as if to show the influence of Paris. If there was any error, it was Irina herself. ¡°She must be hiding the burn marks. How unfortunate to have such scars.¡± ¡°Even if you coat the rice cake like that, it is still a terrifying thing to see.¡± ¡°To see a bare face like that at home, Sir Paris is a great man.¡± ¡°Look at how tanned her skin is, like a man. She can¡¯t put on makeup all over her body, so she has to go out looking that dark. Ho Ho.¡± Irina didn¡¯t pay any attention to the ridiculing voices. Because she was distracted by something else. Chapter 3 Paris looked at her with a questioning look. ¡°What are you looking at, my lady?¡± Paris looked behind him, holding his wife¡¯s hand. Being able to see the faces of the husband and wife at the same time increased the gossip of the aristocrats. Paris and Irina didn¡¯t care at all. They were used to others talking whenever they appeared. What Irina was looking at was a poster depicting the lead singer of the opera. It was an expensive piece of art that was reproduced as realistically as the real thing by hiring a portrait master. Paris smiled warmly, satisfied. ¡°Remember Lady Ariel Young? Baron Youngs child, whom I am sponsoring. I also sponsored that portrait. How perfect is the work of a craftsman.¡± He stated proudly. Lady Young was depicted in a position where she was slightly looking back. She was terribly beautiful. She was a woman who exuded a splendid beauty while still being modest, like an orchid imported from the East across the sea. Her elegant black hair and green eyes. Quiet and calm-looking features. Overall, her face line gave off a soft and elegant atmosphere. With her rather pale skin and her small skeleton, she was a languid, weak, and stimulated a man¡¯s protective instincts. Irina had met her a few times. She¡¯s been to the singer¡¯s house a few times as well, accompanied by Paris. Her voice was as beautiful as her appearance. There was something else that grabbed her attention now. It wasn¡¯t the extravagant poster, or the beautiful Lady Young¡¯s looks. The necklace in the picture. A blue diamond necklace hung around Lady Young¡¯s slender neck. It was a one-of-a-kind, custom-made necklace that Irina had received on her wedding anniversary this past year. Irina finally turned her head towards her husband. ¡°Paris Arcensis.¡± Paris flinched at the low voice. He was nervous because she called him by his full name. Irina¡¯s cold blue eyes bored into him. ¡°Why is my necklace painted there?¡± ¡°Necklace? What necklace? What do you mean, that¡¯s your necklace?¡± He looked at Irina and the poster alternately with a puzzled expression. Irina realized. And she spit her words out as if sighing. ¡°You really don¡¯t know.¡± Her husband had a great sense of aesthetics and loved art. He was a stylish man that was not common in the kingdom, and to put it bluntly, he was an idiot living happily in a flower garden every day. Fortunately, he was a terrible liar. He was not believable or very sincere. It was because he was a person with a simple mind, and his thoughts were all reflected on his face. ¡°¡­ Is that necklace yours?¡± He tilted his head. Oh my God. Irina took a deep breath, closing her eyes to contain her headache. She felt a sense of suffocation and a strange sense of relief at the same time. There were also positive aspects. At least she was selfish and it was certain that she didn¡¯t give the necklace. If she had given it to another woman, she would never have forgotten. Baron Young ran a gambling house and pawnshop for the nobility. It must have been because he forgot all his pocket money. Perhaps he was in a game of excessive stakes with Irina¡¯s necklace. With her husband¡¯s defeat, the necklace went to the pawnshop, and it must have then passed on to Lady Young¡¯s neck. ¡°Irina, my love. Your expression is dark. Do you not feel well? Is there something wrong with you now? That necklace is yours, what do you mean? Yes?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back, Paris.¡± ¡°What?¡± Paris went noticeably stiff. Irina raised her eyes as she looked at her husband, whose face was pale. ¡°I¡¯m not in the state of seeing the opera right now. Be prepared and follow me.¡± Irina growled like her army dog ??Cherry. The sound just before the dog attacked. ¡°Uh, suddenly? You just got here?¡± At the familiar anger directed at him, Paris¡¯ beautiful eyes fluttered wildly. ¡°Why are you angry? I prepared so much for you¡­ So suddenly¡­¡± ¡°Get in. If you don¡¯t want others to hear loud noises.¡± At her resolute words, Paris licked his dry lips. He sighed slightly as he looked down at the floor as if he was a little annoyed too. ¡°¡¯rina. You always so suddenly get in a commanding mood¡­¡± ¡°Who is this? Levart¡¯s little girl, no, that¡¯s Mrs. Arcensis. Her husband is still a young sir without a title.¡± A heavy male voice cut off the conversation that almost turned into a fierce argument. As they turned their heads, a mild old gentleman approached. ¡°Duke Lopesin!¡± Paris exclaimed in amazement. All the nobles, including Irina, greeted him. He was the king¡¯s younger brother and commander-in-chief, Archduke Lopesin. ¡°Greetings, Archduke.¡± Irina and Paris greeted him. The Archduke strode closer to Irina. ¡°Don¡¯t be so polite! When you were young, you often came and sat upon my knee. It¡¯s really sad that every time we meet, you¡¯re getting more and more respectful!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t been able to see you for a while. As you know, I have a husband now.¡± As Irina bowed her head, the Archduke glanced at Paris. ¡°Greetings, Archduke. Paris of the Arcensis family¡­¡± ¡°Irina. Call me comfortably like you once did. Seeing that you came to see the latest opera, you look less like your stuffy father. I¡¯m glad, haha.¡± Irina grinned at the lively joke. ¡°I didn¡¯t know the Archduke would even see an opera.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a theater owned by the royal family. Sometimes I have to come ¨C Oh wait, wasn¡¯t your husband the patron of Lady Young, who is debuting today?¡± The Archduke squinted at Paris. With the strangely uncomfortable gaze, Paris bit his lip. Irina spoke and turned the Archduke¡¯s gaze. ¡°We came to see her debut stage, but we are heading out.¡± ¡°I see. After meeting like this, I will prepare the best seats in the audience for you. A place where you can see the main character very, very well.¡± ¡°No, we don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Nuh-uh. A royal gift cannot be rejected! I will personally check to see if you sit there until the end.¡± The Archduke wrinkled his nose before Irina could answer him and turned away. Irina had a troubled expression on her face. ¡°If it¡¯s like this¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing. Let¡¯s go up, Irina.¡± Paris said in a muffled tone. He felt uncomfortable and twisted, and his emotions were clearly visible on his face. He bit his lower lip and looked down at the ground. ¡°You don¡¯t like the opera I prepared for you, but what¡¯s the deal with the Archduke¡¯s orders? I don¡¯t like it, but let¡¯s go up.¡± He was obviously giddy, but thanks to his sculptural appearance, he looked like a calm nobleman. It was only Irina who knew her husband well. * * * Thanks to the Archduke, the seats they had were in a very special place. In the middle of the high-rise balcony, a table with a red tablecloth was set so that the dessert course could be eaten. Fruit and chocolate desserts were set for them waiting for the opera to start. ¡°It¡¯s a real royal treat. How exciting!¡± Paris¡¯ eyes lit up. He took a fig to his lips and smiled ¡°Great. Irina, you eat it too! It¡¯s delicious.¡± Irina, who was sitting next to him, looked at him with a dry expression on her face. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m alright.¡± If it weren¡¯t for the Archduke, she¡¯d have left the opera and taken Paris back right away. Besides, today, because of the tight corset, it was difficult to breathe, and she had a constant headache. A sip of water, let alone a fig, was difficult to swallow. Taking a deep breath, Irina looked at Paris. Her eyes immediately contorted in confusion. Paris¡¯s eyes flashed hotly. ¡°What are you doing¡­?¡± Paris looked at her intensely and bit his lip slightly. It was a fascinating visual that would be breathtaking if other people saw it. ¡°You look so feminine.¡± At Paris¡¯ words, Irina frowned. A skinny woman with no appetite, a key element of an attractive woman in the kingdom. His eyes burned as if he was about to reach out at any moment. Irina felt disgusted. But unfortunately this wasn¡¯t going to go anywhere. It just a normal thing men in the kingdom did. But Irina was a prickly woman. ¡°¡­ Stop it, Paris.¡± How could this man be so simple? There were moments when he was good, but there were times when he was hopelessly disgusting. Paris seemed to be annoyed again at Irina¡¯s harsh reaction. ¡°Irina. What the hell is wrong with you today?¡± As he was about to ask the question, the music announcing the start of the opera played. They closed their mouths side by side and looked towards the stage. The performance boasted a high standard worthy of its reputation. After the initial performance, a young woman¡¯s singing voice began to flow from behind the curtains. Lady Young¡¯s skills seemed to be getting better. Even Irina, who doesn¡¯t know much about art, admired her. But she felt something, something unknown and cheap. As the song progressed dramatically, the curtains opened left and right. In the center of her stage stood the young Lady Young, in a white dress like Irina¡¯s. A blue diamond glistened in the light on her neck, singing with her graceful gestures. Song lyrics filled the hall. I will always love Even in the shadows, even if my soul cries. Even if you are next to her. I am yours, you are mine We fall asleep and dream of our future. My love, Adonis! Singing with a sad expression, Lady Young looked up from the stage. Her gaze roamed past the empty third floor auditorium. After drifting through the air, her gaze eventually landed on the seats where Irina and Paris were sitting. Irina looked. Lady Young¡¯s eyes were filled with emotion. And her husband¡¯s eyes were wet as if in response. thump thump. Irina¡¯s heart began to race. In an instant, her headache intensified, and a shrill tinnitus was heard. The walls in her head came crashing down. If it were an immature impulse for the song, she could look away. But the deception of their relationship was on another level. screech ¡°Huh? Kek!¡± With a heavy sound, Irina pulled Paris¡¯s neck as if she was about to tear it off. Irina growled lowly, her eyes lit with eerie light. ¡°You cheated. With that girl.¡± Chapter 4 ¡°I¡¯m going crazy because of you. How much more miserable are you going to make me!¡± Paris¡¯s voice pierced the hall of the mansion. He strode across the lobby with a rough gait, tearing open his cravat as he walked. Irina put one hand on her chest and slowly followed him in. Because of the corset, blood flow and oxygen were being restricted, and intense emotions rose. From the theater to the carriage on the way back, her head was spinning with vertigo. Paris shouted at her as she stood still and tried to calm her breathing. ¡°You screwed it all up,¡± he yelled. ¡°What an important performance. It¡¯s nice to see how noisy the social world will be now!¡± As soon as Irina grabbed him by the neck, a plate fell and made a loud sound. Surprised, Lady Young gave out a yelp and then continued to sing. To Paris, the sound of laughter that filled the opera hall seemed directed towards him. ¡°Do you know how much time I spend covering up your ignorance?¡± Blue veins appeared on Paris¡¯ white neck. He was grabbed by his wife and dragged out in front of the other nobles. It was a once-in-a-lifetime disgrace that crumpled up all the pride of a man. It was a passionate fight between the couple that had not been seen in a long time. The nervous servants only kept an eye on them. As if trying to calm the overheated air, the butler Sebastian took a step closer. It was because of Irina¡¯s complexion, which was turning a pale blue. ¡°Young master. I¡¯m sorry to interrupt, but I think your wife should get some rest¡­¡± ¡°If you know, don¡¯t interfere. Or I¡¯ll shut your mouth for you!¡± His shout echoed in the spacious mansion lobby. Irina clenched her teeth and said, fixing her posture upright. ¡°You want to make it my fault again? Then tell me straight, what is your relationship with Lady Young?¡± She didn¡¯t like it because she was weak in the current situation, although it would have been a good opportunity for her to get out of this argument. Irina didn¡¯t like garnering sympathy or worry to seize a victory. She felt it was insulting. Paris snorted. ¡°I¡¯m having an affair with her, do you have any proof, Irina?¡± ¡°I assumed you would cheat at least once in your life. It¡¯s something I thought of before we¡¯d gotten married.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Far from raising her voice, Irina spoke calmly. Paris, who was about to frown at the unexpected reaction, was startled. He thought Irina would be furious, he didn¡¯t expect her to react like this. The servants were equally surprised. The idea that she had expected their master to cheat on her. He wasn¡¯t particularly fond of women. He was simply a man who was quite weak against stimuli, impulses, and temptations. ¡°You thought about it before getting married to me? That one day I will unconditionally cheat on you¡­¡± Paris¡¯ long, fine eyelashes trembled. His purple eyes were wet with moisture as if they had been hurt. One couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for him because he was beautiful. Seeing this, the servants immediately wanted to forgive him even if he had cheated on Irina. Irina just stared at him with her unchanging expression. ¡°Tell me if you have. If you say it now, I will move on as if it is not a big deal.¡± ¡°There is only one thing I can honestly say.¡± Paris shouted in a trembling voice. With a distorted expression on his face, his trembling hand pointed towards Irina. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you would treat me as such a trivial bastard.¡± Tak, Irina firmly grabbed his trembling wrist. ¡°I knew you well, but I took the risk and chose you. Just be honest. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°You want to hear the truth, Irina?¡± Ferris looked at her with empty eyes, as if frustrated. ¡°It¡¯s not like anything you think it is. Just like other nobles, I decided to go to the baron¡¯s mansion to play card games and become a patron of Lady Young¡¯s art. Are you happy now?¡± He shook off Irina¡¯s hand. ¡°Lady Young is sixteen years old. The first time I saw her was when she was thirteen. You¡¯re telling me I¡¯m having an affair with a minor. Do you know what that means?¡± He glared at her Irina with contemptuous eyes, then made his way up the stairs of the lobby. Irina stared at his back as he moved away. She was confused. Her husband was someone who couldn¡¯t hide his feelings. He was immediately teased if he lied or acted. He was a human being whose legs trembled, who bit his lips, touched his eyebrows and face here and there, giving obvious signals when he was nervous. He was a man who blew his cover at even a little bit of questioning. His eyes were full of affection as he looked at Lady Young, who was singing. It was also clear that he felt emotionally betrayed by Irina¡¯s reaction and suspicion of him. A small uneasiness grew in Irina¡¯s heart. Maybe she was wrong? Could it be that he was just intoxicated with his artistic knowledge as always? Was she being sensitive and making a mistake? Thoughts poured out simultaneously without order. ¡°¡­ ha¡­ugh.¡± She felt dizzy to the point of gasping and looking to the ground. ¡°Lady!¡± ¡°Miss Irina!¡± The terrified screams of the servants could be heard from a distance. Immediately, her body tilted and her vision darkened at the same time. * * * Her eyes were weighty and heavy as if they were drowning in water. Irina slowly opened her eyes, forcing open her eyelids. The faint light of the lamp lit up the dark room. The place where Irina woke up was in Paris¡¯ bedroom. Like other nobles, Irina and Paris had their own bedrooms. ¡°Paris¡­ did I stay overnight¡­?¡± Irina muttered while still hazy. ¡°what¡­¡± Recalling the events of the day, Irina let out a deep sigh. Her shame swept over her in waves. She fell in front of a lot of people. Even in front of the servants, the ones she is supposed to take care of. She was Irina, who hated being weak to anyone rather than dying. They were busy all day managing her mansion, property, and her daughter¡¯s life. She didn¡¯t want to add another worry. As she thought about it that far, another embarrassment came upon her. The owner and couple showed in front of others how low their trust was in each other. Her face heated up at the ridiculousness. As she closed her eyes tightly, feeling like she wanted to forget what had happened, she heard regular breathing next to her. Irina opened her eyes slightly and looked to her side. Her maid, Louise, fell asleep on the bed. She felt sorry for her, who must have been worried about her all day. ¡°Shall I go for a walk?¡± It was bittersweet to talk to herself. She thought for a moment that the maid was her husband. When she confirmed that it wasn¡¯t him, she was embarrassed of herself. He was irresistible. As she had grown up, Irina knew nothing but the fun of wielding a sword among her knights and her military dogs. Paris was Irina¡¯s first love and first boyfriend. Irina felt her chest tighten. She felt that she wanted to get some air. As she lay, she turned her head to look out the window and saw the full moon. It was late enough that her daughter should be asleep. When she thought of her, she suddenly felt an intense desire to see her only child, her precious Juliet. Her daughter¡¯s bedroom could be accessed directly from Irina¡¯s bedroom without going through the hallway. But this is her husband¡¯s bedroom. She had to go to the other end of the hallway to see her sleeping daughter. Irina crossed the hallway, lead by the light of her lamp. She quietly opened her daughter¡¯s door and entered. ¡°¡­ Juliet.¡± The light of the full moon passed through the pale pink canopy and landed on her daughter¡¯s bed. Irina was careful not to wake her daughter, who had fallen into a deep sleep. She sat quietly on the edge of the bed. The chubby fingers of her new seven-year-old daughter wiggled. Irina¡¯s daughter, Juliet, was insanely cute. Juliet¡¯s appearance was so perfect that it could be said that Paris gave birth to her, and she inherited all his genes. Her shiny blonde hair was naturally curly. It was cute like a doll. Her skin was as white as milk, and her cheeks plump with a blushing pink. Her eyelashes were long enough to describe her fluttering, and her eyes were round like a baby deer. The only thing Irina gave to Juliet was her blue eyes. Thanks to this, Juliet was born with a look that perfectly fit the kingdoms beauty formula of blonde and blue eyes. Of course, no matter what Juliet looked like, to Irina, she would have been as lovely as an angel. Irina smiled softly. Her fingertips gently brushed Juliet¡¯s hair behind her ear. It was a gesture full of affection. ¡°Beautiful¡­¡± The daughter, who was breathing regularly, whined a little and tossed and turned. Irina chuckled at her heartbreakingly cute appearance. It felt like all her worries had melted away. ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Juliet babbled through her little mouth. Irina bowed her head closer to hear her daughter¡¯s sleep talk. ¡°Mom, Dad¡­ don¡¯t fight¡­ No¡­¡± thud. Something heavy seemed to fall down to her stomach. Her lips were dry and her breathing trembled. Her daughter had heard them. At the thought of that, she shuddered and felt tears prick her eyes. Irina raised her head slightly and turned her gaze out the window. Her guilt gripped her. She clutched the bed sheet. Children are the ones whose hearts are hurt, even if mom and dad are angry for only a moment. How could this little thing see a sight so callous that upset even their most veteran servants? There was a throbbing pain in her heart. Irina leaned over and kissed Juliet¡¯s forehead tenderly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Mom will never scare you again.¡± Irina whispered softly to Juliet¡¯s forehead. She atoned from the depths of her heart. She was the one who grew up without a mother. Her desire to raise her daughter without darkness was even stronger. Chapter 5 ¡°¡­ I need to placate Paris first.¡± Irina muttered to herself. Him working with Lady Young wasn¡¯t great, but it didn¡¯t matter, because her daughter¡¯s happiness was top priority. Irina had no intention of forgetting about it, but she thought she shouldn¡¯t broach that subject for now, as to not upset Paris any further. An unfamiliar voice caught her as she was about to get up from her seat with a fresh mind. ¡°How could such a thing happen? It must have been awful this afternoon.¡± It was a faint voice from her bedroom. ¡°¡­ What?¡± A thin door connected her daughter¡¯s room and Irina¡¯s bedroom. A voice was leaking through the crack in the door. Of course, it wasn¡¯t her husband¡¯s. It was a woman¡¯s voice. A soft light and a whispering voice leaked through the crack in the door. Irina approached the door as quietly as a cat. She looked through the crack in the door and saw two people moving by the bedside. A small sized woman with freckles on her face and a cat-like appearance. She was the new maid Mary who came in six months ago. She was sitting on Irina¡¯s bed, shaking her legs. ¡°Anyway, his wife collapsed and now he¡¯s staying out overnight. The master is too much.¡± Where Mary was looking, a slender, curly-haired servant was sitting by the window. These were the servants Paris had brought directly from the Count of Arcensis. Irina held her breath and watched their conversation. ¡°You should have seen Madam earlier this morning. If I lived with a woman like that, I¡¯d have an affair.¡± Paul shrugged. Mary shook her head. ¡°Honestly, even if the master is cheating, I admit it. If my husband was that handsome, it makes sense he¡¯d offer it once or twice.¡± ¡°Look. I thought women would too. Except, Madam. With half her face like that and her personality, you¡¯d have to be crazy.¡± ¡°A beauty with a beast, hahaha.¡± Irina pondered for a moment. She should go in and criticize the maid for sitting on her master¡¯s bed carelessly. The arrogance of using the master¡¯s room as if it was her own, she should be struck with a stick, but if Irina made a commotion now, Juliet might wake up. When it comes to gossip, she was the type of person who understood it, swearing about ones¡¯ boss. Moreover, she was overly accustomed to the rumors of this theme. An ugly woman who gets a decent man and doesn¡¯t even appreciate it. She was tired of having to respond every time. Irina decided to punish her at dawn and started to walk away from the door. ¡°I am glad that Miss Juliet only resembles Master Paris.¡± ¡°She¡¯s lucky she has her mother. If she hadn¡¯t jumped into the fire that day, Juliet would¡¯ve turned out just like her mother.¡± It was a conversation that caught her attention in an instant. Irina felt a spark in her eyes. You dare speak about my daughter, by mentioning that terrible accident that almost killed Juliet? Two years ago. An unknown fire broke out in their mansion. Arson was evident from the smell of oil, but the culprit had not been caught. At dawn, when everyone was asleep, a fire engulfed the mansion in red. Irina woke up from the flames. Her first instinct was Juliet. No heat was felt. She jumped into the fire in her pajamas and rescued Juliet. Her face was scorched by the flames and the smoke choked her breath, but she did not suffer. She was only afraid of what would happen to her daughter. She got burns from her left arm to her cheek that day, but not a single hair on Juliet¡¯s head was burned. And that day, like today, there was no husband at home. ¡°I know. Who do you want her personality to resemble? She shouldn¡¯t be like her mother.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pain in the ass when a woman is like that. But resembling the master is a bit¡­¡± ¡°Hey, it might be better for the girl. If she¡¯s like her father she may act a little cheap, but if you have a face that can be admired by all men, a woman¡¯s life is in full bloom. Just like that Lady Young. She¡¯d live a more comfortable life than Madam¡­ Whoops! Ack, Madam¡­!¡± The figure of Irina, who slowly appeared with her face floating in the light of her lamp, was quite eerie. ¡°Ack¡­!¡± Mary sprung off the bed. ¡°Shh.¡± Irina put her index finger to her mouth quietly before they could get any louder. Irina closed the door to her daughter¡¯s bedroom, her other hand still holding the lamp. click. The two stood still, unable to breathe, silence lingered around the room for a moment. ¡°Madam, I,¡± ¡°I never allowed you to speak.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Irina put down the lamp on the tea table in the center of her bedroom with a relaxed gesture. When her blue flame-like eyes fell on them, the two threw themselves down in front of Irina. ¡°We were wrong, madam. Truly wrong.¡± Mary and Paul, whoever came first, began pleading. Irina rummaged through the chest of drawers beside her bed. As she moved, a long shadow fell on the servant Paul¡¯s body. ¡°Lift your head.¡± ¡°I was really wrong, huh!¡± Irina shoved her hand roughly into Paul¡¯s mouth, grabbed the tip of his tongue and pulled it out. In an instant, Irina¡¯s dagger touched Paul¡¯s tongue. ¡°wrong¡­ ah¡­!¡± Frightened, Paul began to tremble. Mary pleaded with tears, as if her own tongue was in danger of being cut off. ¡°My Lady! Madam, please have mercy. Never again. Please.¡± ¡°It was fun when you insulted others with this tongue. Are you now afraid of getting it taken out?¡± The tip of the blade slowly dug into Paul¡¯s tongue. ¡°Be still. I am mercifully trying to finish it with one cut.¡± ¡°aah¡­!¡± Paul shut his eyes, tears streaming down his cheeks. He prepared for the pain to come as his tongue was cut off. ¡°¡­¡± But what he expected did not happen. Irina looked at his expression for a moment, then let his tongue go. She got up and threw her dagger to the floor. tak. With the light sound of the knife falling, Paul fell down. ¡°Gasp. Ugh¡­¡± Irina looked down at Paul with a dry expression. The cool moonlight cast dark shadows on her face. ¡°If I show you more mercy than I do now, what will you reward me with?¡± At her unexpected remark, they looked up at her, puzzled. ¡°Reward¡­ huh?¡± ¡°I have no mercy for idiots who don¡¯t understand even if given a chance.¡± As Irina looked at the dagger at her feet, Mary screamed hastily. ¡°I will do anything! Any dirty work you ask of me¡­¡± ¡°Shh.¡± Irina put her index finger to her mouth again and glanced toward Juliet¡¯s bedroom. Mary shut her mouth and nodded her head. ¡°As you said, my personality is eccentric¡­¡± Irina whispered and sat on her bed. Mary and Paul swallowed dry saliva and turned themselves towards her. ¡°Originally, I would have ripped you apart, like Cherry does to her prey.¡± There was no exaggeration in the husky voice. The two shivered as they recalled Cherry¡¯s wretched fangs. ¡°Prove now that you are worthy enough to be spared, in exchange for allegiance. If you fail, I will send you two back to my hometown.¡± Mary and Paul gasped. The Levart estate was the northernmost border of the kingdom. It was a harsh mountainous area, and the battles with savages and monsters, thieves and soldiers from neighboring countries, vagrants, and deserters were never-ending hell. The people from Levart were so bad-tempered that even other northerners couldn¡¯t bear them. None of the affluent capitalists wanted to leave their families behind and go to an unfamiliar land of death. Paul and Mary realized. Why are they feeling so extreme fear now? Irina was not a lady who only scolds servants. She was a warrior in the north who had to survive or die fighting. Irina opened her mouth again. ¡°If you have nothing to say,¡± Mary eyes widened as she tried to get up. ¡°Debt of the master! I know it¡­ It¡¯s a huge debt that the family doesn¡¯t know about. I know because it¡¯s my job to keep the master¡¯s secret letters from the madam¡¯s eyes.¡± Mary screamed loudly, then looked at Juliet¡¯s bedroom door and lowered her voice. Irina¡¯s eyes twitched slightly. She thought something would come out if she stabbed Paris¡¯ favorite servants. A big debt that even her family doesn¡¯t know about? She got more information than expected. ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly how much, but since he borrowed money many times, it must be a large amount. I have some friends at the top of the bank, so I know it well. I can tell you for sure.¡± ¡°Tell me more.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a debt owed two years ago. He is paying interest every time somehow¡­ It seemed that he was unable to repay the principal.¡± Irina was a little shocked. It was two years ago. He has been borrowing money for a much longer time than expected? ¡°I have something to tell you. The master has a carriage that my lady does not know about. And also, a house.¡± At Paul¡¯s words, Irina narrowed her eyes. His advice was more speculative. Paul said he was acquainted with the servant who oversaw the night guard. He said that Paris often goes out at night, and so that Irina did not know where he was going, he changed into a separate wagon and rode to another place. Paris has been staying out at night since they were newlyweds, because he was so free-spirited. He had agreed with Irina that he would inform her of his schedule ahead of time as long as she stopped continuing her swordsmanship training after their marriage. But as time went on, Paris sought to control all her wild hobbies. Eventually, his agreement was broken, and Paris went in and out of the house at will. Irina was astonished. After getting to know him better, she believed in him even if he stayed out. Earlier today, he seemed to be offended at her words, but what the hell was he doing?