“…….”

Delphine couldn’t give any answer and just chewed on her lower lip.

Until this very morning, she had been locked up in the cold dungeon of the imperial palace.

And it was just yesterday that her father, who was a count, had his head displayed on the outer wall of the imperial palace.

If she were to reject him here, her head would be displayed right next to her father’s, not even lasting a day after his execution.

“The method is simple. You just need to say one word to the messenger outside that door.”

The man said with a relaxed smile, as if he could see right through her thoughts.

“That you would ‘rather die’ than share a bed with that filthy emperor’s son of a bitch.”

He put a strange emphasis on the word ‘die’.

Both he and Delphine knew well that it wasn’t just a figure of speech.

“…….”

Delphine chewed on her lip but couldn’t utter a word.

Executing three generations of traitors was the principle of this empire.

So becoming the wife of a hero.

Other than that, she knew of no other alternative that could grant amnesty to a traitor’s daughter.

He surely knew that her silence was both an unspoken refusal of death and permission for the wedding night.

Thud-.

He seemed to unbutton the shirt he was wearing under his jacket, then, as if feeling stifled, he tore it off all at once.

Through the thin shirt, a thick body that looked as if carved from stone was revealed.

His body was the complete opposite of that pale and neat face.

Large, fierce, and full of scars.

Due to his white skin all over, those terrible scar marks were even more visible.

From small sword wounds to the large burn scar just below his left chest.

Delphine tried to find traces similar to Ioan on his body.

And in doing so, she missed the momentary hesitation of the man who was about to completely remove his shirt.

“……I managed to prevent the emperor’s messenger from being a scoundrel who watches over the consummation.”

At that moment, a shrill scream burst from Delphine’s mouth.

It was because he had easily lifted her up with one hand and embraced her.

Embarrassed by the unrefined sound she had made, Delphine quickly covered her mouth with one hand.

He placed her on the bed with an indifferent expression.

It was as light a movement as if he were holding a feather pillow.

Suddenly feeling the enormous difference in strength between them, she felt utterly powerless in just a single layer of wedding dress.

As he knelt on both sides of her body and leaned in, the bed sank heavily.

Is such a huge, large, and powerful man going to embrace me?

Thinking about him performing the act she had heard about from Anna, Delphine strangely felt her lower abdomen tighten.

‘Why am I like this?’

Is this how all women feel on their wedding night?

As she raised her reddened face, the man who had placed his arms on either side of her head, as if caging her in, stared down at her.

His eyes were once again seething with dark desire.

The man slowly buried his face in her neck.

As she flinched, he simply buried his prominently straight nose in her collarbone and took a deep breath.

Delphine felt goosebumps all over her body and her fingertips tingling at that breath.

“……We should at least provide some evidence of the wedding night to save ‘that’ Emperor’s face.”

The man who had muttered softly then roughly bit his own forearm.

While Delphine gasped in surprise, he shook his arm near her hips.

With a splatter, red blood fell like a brand on the wedding dress and white bedsheet.

The shock from the sudden and barbaric action was only momentary.

Soon, all strength drained from Delphine’s body.

It was because the tension had been released.

Only then did she realize that she had been clenching her toes with all her might.

Having finished his action, he grabbed her arm and tightly embraced her in his arms.

It was a natural and quick movement that left no room for resistance.

As the flustered Delphine squirmed, a languid whisper was heard by her ear.

“We need to share the same room so the messenger won’t be suspicious.”

“But……”

“It’s hard to hold back, so don’t provoke me any further tonight.”

Beyond their touching bodies, his undeniable presence was felt.

Delphine, who had been struggling, quickly stiffened her limbs and closed her mouth.

Then, his chuckle was transmitted through their touching bodies.

It was extremely stuffy, as she hadn’t even taken off her wedding dress yet, and his body was emitting heat.

Delphine tried her best not to move her body while rolling her eyes around.

Where on earth did this man come from?

Is he really not Ioan?

If not, then how did he get this face and name?

Moreover, if he’s really not Ioan, why did he marry someone like her who had lost both honor and family?

Was father’s treason really true?

There was a mountain of things to find out.

However, amidst all the confusion, one thing was certain.

For now, she had safely made it through this night. This man seemed to have no intention of harming her or cruelly violating her who had fallen into the abyss.

She had finally survived her father’s treason crime, and that hellish day.

At that thought, a sense of relief washed over her despite being in the arms of her enemy.

Delphine closed her eyes for a moment to calm her eyelids that had been trembling for a while.

Thinking to herself that she definitely wouldn’t be able to sleep comfortably tonight.

“Madam. Good morning.”

As soon as she opened her eyes slightly, a low voice was heard as if it had been waiting.

Delphine blankly looked up at the white face before her.

Brown eyes and dirty blonde hair were pouring down on her along with the morning sunlight.

“……Ioan?”

Have you come back?

Why did you suddenly disappear?

As Delphine, drunk with sleep and fatigue, mumbled that name, the corners of the man’s mouth slightly turned up.

“Del.”

……Del?

How dare that cautious Ioan call me by a nickname.

Huh? But was Ioan a man who smiled like that?

Suddenly wide awake, Delphine sat up abruptly.

But her body felt unusually light.

As she hurriedly looked down, she saw herself wearing only a thin slip instead of the heavy wedding dress.

“Ah, you seemed uncomfortable during your sleep, so I removed it for you.”

The man said nonchalantly, smiling elegantly.

Delphine wore an expression that seemed dumbfounded by his brazen attitude.

However, even seeing her like this, he continued to smile languidly with a noble attitude.

“The emperor’s messenger left early in the morning, having received what he needed to receive.”

Come to think of it, the single-layer bedsheet stained with blood had disappeared along with the wedding dress.

Delphine clutched her red hair in shock.

‘No way. Did I sleep that deeply?’

And next to this man whose identity I still don’t know?

At that moment, she noticed the man’s gaze suddenly turning lecherous and directed towards her lower body.

Only then did Delphine realize that her bare legs were exposed under the short slip, and she hurriedly covered herself with the blanket as she got up from the bed.

“……I’ve instructed the servants to prepare water for you to bathe.”

The man said, reluctantly turning his lingering gaze away.

“A bath?”

Delphine muttered with an expression that hadn’t lost its wariness.

A bath first thing in the morning. She couldn’t understand his words that seemed out of context.

“Madam might not know, but when a man and woman spend the night together, they end up in a state that requires bathing.”

He responded smoothly, as if he had anticipated her reaction.

Come to think of it, the boudoir had a small but quite luxurious bathroom attached to it.

‘I hadn’t noticed it at all before.’

Then, is it really true that couples bathe together after spending the night, as he says?

I didn’t particularly hear about this from Anna.

“You know how difficult it is to keep the servants’ mouths shut.”

It was a warning to comply quietly unless she wanted rumors spreading that the couple didn’t seem to have spent their wedding night together.

Delphine, who had been biting her lip, finally nodded like a defeated person.

As she, having finished her bath first, was slowly applying makeup to her face while wrapped in a robe, he came out of the bathroom.

He was already dressed in a shirt.

Delphine stared at the man’s reflection in the mirror with a confused expression.

Who are you?

Are you Ioan or not?

If not, then who exactly are you?

She had thought deeply while soaking in the warm water, but still no answers came to her.

However, amidst all the lingering confusion, one thing was certain.

For now, she must remain as this man’s wife.

Whatever his true identity may be.

……Unless she wanted to follow her father and die unjustly for a crime she didn’t commit.

As their eyes met in the mirror while she was staring intently at him, he smiled slightly.

Delphine forcibly lifted the corners of her lips to smile back, but as soon as he turned his back, she completely erased the smile.

Through the mirror, she could see his enormous back as he put on his uniform.

“……You don’t receive help from a valet?”

She asked casually while pretending to rub in cosmetics, and a smooth answer came back.

“It’s more comfortable to put on the uniform alone.”

A nobleman?

Though he couldn’t have heard her inner thoughts, he added with an indifferent expression.

“I am a soldier after all.”

“I see. I forgot to ask yesterday due to the circumstances……”

Delphine asked in a casual tone while combing her red hair with a brush.

“Why did you marry me?”