HCM – 9

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As soon as the door closed, Aslei took off his blindfold. He felt like his heart was tearing, but it was stuck in his chest and difficult to express. He was frustrated and worried about Frisia but could not figure out why.

‘You’re not crying, are you?’

They had never been involved before even on the nights they spent in the same room. This was the first time for him and her. Aslei had liked that Frisia was his first. He was relieved that it was his marriage partner on paper and thought himself lucky.

But what about Frisia?

To avoid an unfair marriage she had ventured into a fake one and ended up sleeping with a man she didn’t want. That fact weighed heavily on Aslei’s chest.

‘I wanted to protect you.’

That’s how he felt when he had first met Frisia. He felt that their fake marriage had helped her, but he had ended up hurting her too.

He shouldn’t have slept with her. He could not inflict his cursed desires onto others or get Frisia involved with this.

But why did I hesitate? Why?

Aslei stared at the closed door with a look of confusion and embarrassment growing in his eyes. The curiosity he felt while watching Frisia, his growing affection, and…… eventually him thinking only she could touch his heart.

‘Oh my God.’

He wondered why he was such an idiot. It was a feeling that even a five-year-old child could understand. If he had been a child, at least he would have been honest with his heart.

At first, he was jealous when she said that she had only one man in her heart and had been relieved that there was no such person.

As the contract terms were coming to an end and the date of their divorce approached, he became more and more anxious and wanted to get closer to Frisia.

He had convinced himself. He had thought she was his best ‘friend’ and that there was no better friend than her.

Even his longing to reach out suddenly was dismissed as a yearning for a platonic companion rather than his desire for her as a woman.

He was uncomfortable and reluctant to even talk to other women!

“I made h- her… her… … .”

For nearly three years, she had slowly taken over his heart. So quietly that he did not even notice that he had come to want her.

At first, during the busy days on the duke’s estate, the time spent with Frisia allowed him to take a breath.

After spending several months like that, he looked forward to spending time with her.

He would occasionally talk to Frisia, who murmured and dined with him, and would even deliberately sit next to or take her side during their walk.

On the nights they shared a room……. He found himself looking at her sleeping face for hours.

Even though he had done all these actions, he had not realized his heart. Aslei had an urge to kick himself.

If he’d noticed a little earlier—if only he had…. at the very least, he could have won her heart before he had sex with her…….

‘Was it painful?’

Aslei couldn’t fathom the pain that Frisia must have felt. Even in his heart, he couldn’t help but harbor a selfish terror that she might hate him. It was overwhelming

“Frisia… … .”

Aslei stared blankly at the door leading to the Duchess’s room that was connected to his own. Even the curse cast on his body did not torment him as much as his emotional turmoil did.

❁ ❁ ❁

He realized that his master had attached a sentry to him only later. Jeremy, who is a disciple of the Master of Magic and a senior wizard, was chased by an eagle and had to fly to the duke’s mansion.

Initially, his destination was Marianne’s residence in the capital, but he had to turn around when attacked by an eagle bound to him by the Master of the Tower.

‘I can’t believe he is even interfering with this!’

Jeremy flapped his wings with a miserable heart, swearing at his master. His teacher said his punishment would last 200 years, but he had no intention of complying.

After all, his Master didn’t intend on carrying through either.

When his anger subsided, his disciple would come to mind, and he would forgive him with a reasonable excuse.

It was the first time he had been this angry.

‘What did I do wrong?’

They were a couple, and they were lucky enough to get along. Things probably got better between them. Rather, Jeremy thought they should thank him.

It was a trap he had dug for his own greed, but he wondered what was wrong with the Duke. As for the wife… … .

‘Frisia Atreille was a quiet, gentle woman.’

Jeremy didn’t know exactly what kind of woman Frisia was. But she was the last person that would make trouble or a scandal at any ball or banquets.

She wasn’t a wallflower, but she was always the first one to leave. She attended and left as if just greeting for courtesy’s sake.

So, when a single young nobleman managed to dance with her to at least one song, it became a hot topic of discussion. For she was a beautiful woman with ample status and dowry that stole everyone’s attention.

‘I heard Marianne was incredibly jealous of her, equal to her prestige.’

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