She was surprised that the duke called her ‘Chloe’, and somehow felt a chill in her heart at the fact that this ‘Chloe’ woman seemed to fill the duke’s mind.
No, what are you thinking, Chloe Liden. Get a grip!
She should be glad if the duke turns his attention away from her and thinks of another woman, even if it’s someone he can never find.
She looked at the duke, feeling pathetic about the large hole that seemed to have opened in her chest.
“Your Grace, I think it would be good to start from the central square. But it’s a bit crowded there, not suitable for horseback riding.”
“Hmm… Look. There’s a horse stable.”
Horse stable?
Chloe turned her head, wondering if there was such a thing in Bergen, and couldn’t help but smile. Sir Joyce was walking from the direction the duke had pointed.
It seemed that from the beginning, the duke had planned to tour the town and had Sir Joyce wait at the entrance. Otherwise, there was no way Sir Joyce would appear so timely.
Despite her earlier words about the central square being crowded, when she went there with the duke, only the sound of water falling from the central fountain was loud, with hardly any people around. It seemed no one had come out to the square due to the early hour.
Who would come out to the square fountain so early in the morning in this still chilly weather?
“Your Grace, this place is usually full of people. So much so that there’s no place to sit on this fountain.”
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Chloe pointed to the edge of the fountain.
The circular edge was high enough for people to sit and rest, and it was made much farther out from where the water fell, so people who came to the square would all sit here and spend leisurely time. When it was crowded, one had to stand around waiting for a spot. Anyway, not a single person was sitting there now.
“You sit here?”
The duke asked, sitting down on the fountain edge she had pointed to.
“You’re sitting… here?”
Chloe’s words became tangled as she looked at the duke who had already sat down, slightly taken aback.
Sitting at the fountain in the center of the square, watching people passing by, looking at goods sold in stores, eating street food, and flower viewing.
She had brought the duke here thinking of these things, but the square at this hour was too deserted, making sitting here feel awkward. Moreover, Duke Ulpaz sitting on the stone slab edge of the square fountain like commoners.
“You sit too.”
But at the duke’s words, Chloe finally sat down a little distance away from him.
“Chloe Liden.”
As soon as she sat down, the duke called her name. Again with the name ‘Chloe’.
“…!”
Chloe turned her head sharply to look at the duke. What is it? Did he call me wrong again? Why again…
“I mean your younger sister.”
“Ah… yes.”
Chloe felt relieved at the duke’s continued words, but also felt somewhat uneasy.
‘Chloe Liden.’
The duke’s tone sounded as if he was calling her sitting next to him, rather than talking about Clyne Liden’s younger sister. There was no basis, but it just felt that way.
“Have you sat here with your sister before?”
“Ah…!”
Me and my elder brother?
In an instant, memories of sitting at the square fountain eating ice cream with her brother came to mind. Every two weeks when they came down to town, she and her brother would borrow books from the library and then sit here waiting for their mother to come.
This was the meeting place with their mother who had bought necessary things in town. The square fountain was a place that everyone living in Bergen knew, so there was no way they couldn’t find it.
“Yes, very often.”
“You must have been close with your younger sister.”
Was I close with my elder brother? Was I? I’m not sure. We always fought. But I was always happy when we sat here eating ice cream. Even if mother was a little late, it wasn’t boring or scary because we were together.
And yet…
Why couldn’t we have been closer? Why couldn’t I have been nicer to him?
Now that he’s dead, I only remember the things I didn’t do well for my brother, the times I was mean, and it breaks my heart.
Chloe, who had been tense ever since the duke called the name ‘Chloe Liden’, was now lost in thoughts of her brother, forgetting her tension.
Was it because she was in a place of memories? Strangely, at the duke’s ordinary question, emotions she had suppressed came rushing like a flood.
“What did she look like?”
She looked at the duke, trying hard to gather her emotions.
“Your sister, I mean. What did your sister look like?”
Why does he keep asking? Get a grip. I need to be careful.
“Why are you asking that?”
“I know she was blonde with blue eyes. What else?”
“What do you mean by what else?”
“Did she resemble you?”
“…”
Why is he asking such things?
“You’re not blonde. Your sister was blonde. Which of your parents was blonde?”
“…”
Mother is blonde. And though I’ve never actually seen him, I heard father was blonde too. That’s why my brother who took after father was blonde, and I who took after mother was blonde too, that’s what mother said.
“My mother is blonde.”
“And your father has brown hair?”
“I… suppose so. I’ve never seen him, so I don’t really…”
She didn’t want to pile on another lie. If she said she didn’t know, it wouldn’t be a lie, right?
“What kind of sister was Chloe?”
“…”
“Ah… should we stop talking? It might be difficult for you to talk about deceased family members, and because of the name ‘Chloe’…”
“She wasn’t a very good sister.”
Chloe answered before she knew it. It was as if her mouth was moving on its own, ignoring her will.
You wanted to talk too, didn’t you? Actually, you wanted to talk about your brother to someone!
It felt like her mouth was arguing with her like that and acting on its own will.
The scene of arguing with her brother in front of the bakery across the square flickered before her eyes.
The cookie bags sold at that bakery always contained 5 cookies, and Chloe always insisted that she should eat 3 of them.
“My sister… whenever mother bought cookies, she always threw a tantrum saying she should eat more, but I… I always gave in. Without fail, always.”
Her brother always said he should eat more because he was the elder brother, but in the end, he always gave in to her. Saying that of course he, being handsome and kind, should yield.
She could feel the duke staring at her intently, but she kept her gaze fixed on the bakery in her memories, pretending not to notice the duke’s gaze.
The memories of her brother, rushing in like a tidal wave, were breaking down the mental walls she had barely built up over the past four months.
“He always teased me for being short, and for not being able to run fast. When we borrowed books from the library and climbed up the mountain, my brother… he would throw a bunch of books at me and just carry one in each hand himself. It must have been heavy. I was weak too.”
She didn’t want to suppress the memories of her brother surging through the crumbling walls. But she couldn’t look at him, feeling that if she met the duke’s eyes, she would have to push away the memories of her brother.
“My sister had to take medicine every month. I always whined, asking what the medicine was and saying I wanted to take it too. My sister teased me, saying mother only loved her and that’s why only she got medicine. Over such a thing. In fact, she… my sister didn’t want to take it either. Maybe knowing that my sister hated taking it, I, as the elder brother… pretended to want to take it on purpose, no, that’s what I did.”
Plop.
A drop of water fell onto the back of Chloe’s hand, which was neatly placed on her thigh.
Ah, why are you crying, really!
Chloe wiped her tears, turning her head to the opposite side so the duke couldn’t see her face.
It seemed she had lost her mind after all. The duke had said she didn’t have to talk. Why didn’t she stop the walls from crumbling? Why did she let out the memories rushing in from beyond the crumbled walls?
Fortunately, the duke didn’t say anything.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t make the square entertaining for you.”
Chloe said, keeping her head down.
“Clyne.”
“…Yes.”
“You seem to have been a good elder brother.”
“…Now that I think about it, I guess so. My sister always attacked her elder brother without ever losing, but I, as the elder brother, always ended up giving in. My sister was bad and I was a good elder brother.”
“So you don’t miss your bad sister? You seem to miss her though.”
“…”
I thought I wouldn’t miss my brother, I thought he was just an annoying person who always acted superior, so I shouldn’t miss him…
I miss my brother. I miss him so much it brings tears to my eyes.
Tears were already flowing down her cheeks again.
“I’m sorry.”
It seemed she had shown an unsightly appearance to the duke after all. Why did she talk about her brother to the duke of all people? He’s not even someone she’s comfortable with. Far from comfortable, he’s the most uncomfortable person.
“I’m sorry too that I don’t have a handkerchief. You’re even having a runny nose.”
Runny nose?
Come to think of it, she really was dripping snot. Chloe glanced at the duke while wiping under her nose with her sleeve. There was no need to point out that she had a runny nose. She was already sad, and this person was just making fun of someone crying.
“Your Grace, come to think of it, you’re similar to me when I teased my… I mean, my sister. Making fun of someone who’s sad. This is why my sister didn’t like me.”
“Is that so? I think your sister probably liked you a lot.”
“…?”
__________
My Clingy Little Husband (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
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