I Will Become the Ex-Wife of the Beast - Chapter 50

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The twin sisters, who had been hovering on the sidelines looking cowed, latched onto me. They were strong, too, and they pressed their faces in close, growing more excited by the second.
They seemed to have noticed what was weighing on my mind.
“Your Highness has become the mistress of the Grand Duke’s Castle, and the wife of that famous… beast, I mean… the Grand Duke. And you’re here again, supposedly to see Your Highness, aren’t you?”
The moment I so much as mentioned the word “beast,” my jaw clenched, and Renie’s shoulders shrank. Rea took up the baton and chimed in.
“The people at the Imperial Palace are already dying to tear the Grand Duke down. How do you know what schemes they’ll cook up? It’s not as if you avoid stepping in dung because it’s filthy. Step in the wrong spot and you’ll end up covered in it yourself.”
“Hmm… well, that’s true.”
“Why don’t you at least have a dress made? If we go out to the Liden Commercial District today, we can get one by tomorrow somehow. There’s a shop we always go to, and if we ask them…”
“No. I’ll handle that myself. Ah… wait.”
I glanced down, drawn by a presence I’d just sensed.
Sure enough, Kiers was just stepping through the main gate. With every majestic stride, a black aura rippled around him.
“…”
Call it the law of the jungle, in real life.
Even this shameless pack of hyenas fell silent in the face of the beast’s overwhelming presence, and my heart started pounding. When Kiers spotted Rose’s group from a distance and began to approach, I shook off Rea’s hand at once.
“Your Highness, are you going down?”
“Mm. Don’t worry about the dress.”
“Um, no, that’s not what I meant… You’ll really put in a good word for us with the Grand Duke? Just let us go down as far as the hall…”
“We’ll see.”
They’re only pestering me because I’m the easy target.
If I scolded them harshly, like last time, they’d probably scatter, but Kiers might look up at that point. I’ve already shown him enough of my embarrassing side, and I don’t want to do it again. Gritting my teeth, I forced a smile.
“Ladies, as the Grand Duchess, I’m asking you to step aside, please.”
“I-I’m sorry, Your Highness. I didn’t mean to upset you… Huh? Why are your lips like that?”
“Hm? M-my lips? What about them?”
“Well, they’re all swollen and chapped, like someone chewed and gnawed on them.”
“With that kind of suction, it can only be one person… No way!”
“…”
Is that a talent or not?
The sisters, who were far too well-versed in that sort of thing, glared and pushed their faces closer. Their eyes had already gone glassy and dazed, and now there was no shaking them off.
“T-that’s it, isn’t it? The thing we’re thinking of!”
“It’s not! Honestly!”
Your Highness! What are you doing with your sword sheathed? There are demons here!
“…”
Perhaps my desperate plea had reached him, because Kiers’s gaze had already settled on the second-floor balcony. A chilling, growling stare.
When the twins panicked and fled back inside, I let out a sigh of relief and smoothed my clothes. Our eyes had already met squarely, so I couldn’t hide now either.
“…”
Ugh, how embarrassing. What am I supposed to do?
Just a day ago I was the one provoking him, but now that it’s broad daylight with people all around, I can barely hold myself together sober.
Last night, Kiers pinned me against the wall and drew my very soul out of me. He held me in his mouth and swept me up in a kiss that made me truly feel, down to the bone, that he really was a beast.

「Open your mouth.」
「Hngh. W-wait, stop.」
「…Shall I do it for you, then?」

No human could kiss like that. It went on until just before dawn, when Rose began to fuss, and by then time had ceased to mean anything.
“…Wife, were you there?”
“Ah. Yes. Your Highness.”
I hurriedly covered my mouth and went down the stairs. Unlike me, who hadn’t slept a wink after he left, Kiers squared his shoulders and swept his black robes behind him. He must have returned to training the moment he got back, yet there wasn’t a trace of fatigue or exhaustion on his face.
…So we really are so different.
I gave a bitter little smile, and Kiers looked puzzled. The moment I stepped back, not wanting to stand too close and be reminded of last night, his aura turned fierce.
“…Wife, did you not like it?”
“Hm? No. No, I didn’t dislike it.”
There wasn’t even a subject in the question, yet the very tone of it made me uneasy.
Still, it’s not as if this is the first or second time I’ve dealt with this man. Whenever something displeases him, he tends to close in so abruptly that it leaves you dazed. Even if it means being a little humble, the wisest course is not to get dragged into it.
The only lingering question is why I, who knows him this well, provoked a man who was about to leave.
“…What did those two say to make you act like this?”
“Ah… nothing.”
“It doesn’t look like nothing to me.”
His gaze, fixed on the inside of the house, was menacing. Only after I reached out in alarm and caught his arm did Kiers turn fully to face me.
“I only keep them for your convenience. If it ever becomes inconvenient, do tell me.”
“No, it’s fine. Sending them to the third floor instead of the second should be enough. After all, they’re Lord Jerome’s younger sisters and daughters of loyal retainers.”
Sorry, Twins.
“If only you’d been a little less perceptive, I thought, hiding my chapped lips as I pressed myself against his side.”
This way, he won’t be able to see my lips.
If Kiers points it out too, I might really dig a hole in the ground and crawl into it. Please.
When I lowered my head, Kiers didn’t bother pointing it out. Right now, I’m grateful for even that much.
“Hmm… but what is Rose doing over there? And those people again…”
“Oh, do you see? Our Rose is wearing a new dress. The one Your Grace gave her.”
“….”
“She’s so pleased with the new clothes. The Count said so too, and Sir Lear and Lord Jerome both praised how pretty she looks. Your Grace, too…”
“….”
This Your Grace of ours has clearly cracked somewhere deep inside. There’s no other way to put it.
“Hmm, this won’t do.”
“…What won’t?”
“No matter how I think about it, it’s about time we assigned you a guardian knight… Wife?”
He had come charging in looking for me, but now that he was facing Rose, Kiers had completely lost his footing. I felt proud of her as her big sister, and I couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
“No. No, it’s nothing. Really.”
“….”
Only after I’d burst into laughter did Kiers lower his head. I was grateful that he looked at me instead of the fairy-like Rose, but as always, every time he looked my way, an unnecessary flutter stirred in my chest.
Just then, Kiers’s eyes, which had been staring at me, slowly regained their composure.
“I understand you’ve acquired quite a few dresses like that as well, Wife.”
“Oh, yes, I did.”
“You did?”
Kiers’s brow twitched, as if to ask whether that was all. He seemed displeased that Rose was dressed up like this while I looked just as I always did.
“I believe you said that as the Grand Duchess Consort, you wouldn’t tolerate wastefulness, and that you’d accept them for the sake of environmental protection.”
“I know. I know.”
And it’s not as if you’re in any position to lecture anyone about wastefulness.
I glanced around restlessly. In truth, the reason I had waited here like this, abandoning my plan to hide somewhere all day to avoid him, was precisely this.
“I was going to bring it up anyway, but I’d like to alter the dress a little.”
“Why?”
Goodness, so blunt.
“…Because it was pretty?”
“….”
Right, I need to get used to this. The Male Lead style of conversation.
I pressed a hand to my chest to calm my heart, just as I had yesterday. There’s no telling how many more of his straightforward remarks I’ll have to endure, so I can’t keep fanning myself and fretting every time. Since I’ve decided to get used to it, I shamelessly went along with him.
Rose does it, and so does this man: agreeing without question. There’s no reason I can’t do it too.
“Yes. I know that too. But yesterday I was only trying it on, and since guests are coming tomorrow, I’d like to alter it so it’s a bit more comfortable.”
“Guests? Ah…”
His eyes were full of irritation. Unlike the Twins’ words, it seemed Kiers had forgotten the guests even existed. Still, it was clear he did not welcome them.
“They’re not people you need to concern yourself with, Wife. I’ll handle it myself.”
“H-handle? What do you mean? Either way, they’ll be sending word of Your Grace to the Imperial Palace.”
“….”
“I’m not saying I’ll do it well. It’s just that if guests come to my home, we should at least show them some courtesy.”
“My home?”
“….”
Come to think of it, for a protagonist, this man gets hung up on the most trivial and unexpected things. I didn’t miss the faint satisfaction in Kiers’s voice, and I pressed on even more eagerly.
“I think if we just cut back on the decorations, it’ll be fine. So I was thinking of heading out to the Liden Commercial District today.”
“No. If that’s all it is, there’s no need for you to go yourself. I’ll summon someone right away.”
“No, it’s better to go to the shop myself so I can finish it all in one go, and also…”
I need to get some air, too.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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