Surprised by Serpina’s unexpected response, Letasha’s face crumpled.

“What do you mean…”

“Instead, I’ll do to you exactly what you did to me.”

At the word ‘exactly’, both Laura and Letasha’s faces turned pale simultaneously.

“By the way, since the Richter mansion doesn’t have an attic, I’ll give you a room in the basement. Is that okay? It’s a prison, but it hasn’t been used in a while, so it should be habitable.”

Smiling brightly, Serpina approached the two with Dante proudly by her side.

“So choose. Will you go to the basement of this house right now, or will you never show your face near me again?”

A radiant smile bloomed on Serpina’s face.

“I’m no longer the little child who could only cry and do nothing while being mistreated by you. That’s a past I left behind when I abandoned the Adeline name.”

Her green eyes sparkled brilliantly above her curved lips.

“I am Serpina Richter.”

With this self-introduction, more confident and strong than ever before, the trembling in her fingertips had ceased without her noticing.

The final touch was left to Dante.

“It would be best if you never appeared before my eyes again. If you do, I’ll show you what a real monster is.”

After Laura and Letasha left, the mansion felt quiet.

It was because they had caused such a commotion while they were here.

Thanks to Siena, who had been holding back her tears the whole time and finally burst into loud sobs after the two left, it was noisy for a moment.

After comforting and soothing her, Siena soon stopped crying and returned to her quarters with a giggle.

But I think I heard someone among those returning whisper, ‘Ah… I should have been hit…’, or did I mishear?

Anyway.

I lay down on the bed with Dante after a long time and had a conversation.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“That’s what I should be asking. Did you return safely from the northern forest? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“I’m fine. No injuries.”

“Me too. I’m fine too. Actually, I’ve been getting revenge all this time. I’ve been fighting pretty well.”

“That’s impressive.”

“Right? But still.”

I grinned and closed my eyes.

Yes. I was fighting well.

But still, the fear deeply ingrained in my bones would suddenly surface, making me feel miserable.

Every time I thought I had overcome it, my weakness would rear its head, suffocating me.

Finally, I thought the worst moment had come, when I reached my limit.

“Thank you for saving me.”

You came to rescue me.

You don’t know how much of a comfort that was.

I carefully placed my hand on top of Dante’s.

His large hand flinched for a moment, but that was all. He quietly gripped my hand.

Without saying a word.

Just like that.

…Ah. It feels like my heart is beating in my hand.

I couldn’t open my eyes at all. At this moment, I didn’t have the courage to face him in front of me.

Even in the dark world under my eyelids, his face flickered.

Dante.

Dante Richter.

My husband.

The protagonist of this world.

…Right.

The male protagonist of this world.

That fact, which I couldn’t erase from my mind, built a huge wall in my heart.

Actually, I knew it all along.

The reason why my heart sank every time I saw him.

The reason why my neck would get hot and I would laugh for no reason.

Even the reason why I would shrink back when our fingertips occasionally touched, feeling too hot.

I had noticed it long ago.

I love him.

I love Dante Richter. I desire this person.

Regardless of the original story, can’t I just stay by this man’s side?

Without divorcing, without leaving.

Can’t we live like this?

Can’t we live laughing with everyone in the warm Richter mansion, messing up the entire garden?

Whenever my silent desire screamed out, I thought of Flora from the original story.

I thought of Dante beside her.

I thought of his future, enjoying guaranteed happiness with a destined love.

What if my selfishness took away the happiness he should enjoy?

That’s what I feared.

Because I wanted this man to be happy.

So I hid it.

I concealed it, pretended not to know, turned a blind eye.

I believed that would solve everything.

Dante and Flora would spend happy days together. I would live running my own herb garden and small dessert shop.

Even if it’s not perfect, I could face a future that’s not bad.

Compared to my past that was like a gutter, an ordinary life would be nothing short of heaven for me.

But.

Some desires, no matter how much you try to suppress them, end up poking their heads out.

They grow bigger and bigger, and eventually explode.

Just like now.

…Yes. I’m at my limit now.

I’m at my limit.

I can’t do this anymore.

I can’t do this anymore!

I can’t pretend to be a stupid, shy, and ignorant female protagonist anymore, muttering ‘Why am I like this?’ without even knowing that my feelings are love.

I’m tired.

How long do I have to do this?

How long do I have to live like this, enduring and turning a blind eye?

Until Flora appears?

Until they fall in love and politely ask me for a divorce?

No, come to think of it, if I don’t divorce, Flora won’t appear, right?

Only after I divorce and the position of Duchess Richter becomes vacant will the Emperor hurriedly find a new lady to match with Dante.

…Then, what if I don’t leave?

Once the desire burst out, it started pouring out endlessly.

This is why big things happen when people live holding back.

And I was already in a state where big things had happened.

Flora, the future, the original story.

I don’t care about such things anymore. I don’t want to know either.

Dante’s guaranteed happiness?

I can make him even happier.

If, just if.

If Flora and Dante are really tied by an unbreakable thread of fate…

Well, whatever happens will happen someday!

Really destined people, even if they bump shoulders while passing on the street, instead of clashing fists, they’ll clash lips.

If by chance Dante and Flora accidentally meet on the street and bump shoulders, and if it feels like their lips might clash soon too, I can just slap him once and cleanly divorce him, right?

After that, I can smartly secure a huge alimony, house, land, and even a commercial building to open a dessert shop, and live comfortably for the rest of my life.

I can wipe my tears with money and cry out, ‘Sob sob, you bad ones. Eat well, live well.’ while pretending to be sad.

Right. What’s there in life?

Let’s live as we want, and if it doesn’t work out, we’ll live accordingly.

…Ah. How relieved I feel.

Somehow everything started to feel easy and comfortable.

Until now, it felt like something was weighing on my chest.

It was uncomfortable not being able to acknowledge my feelings, and even having such feelings was uncomfortable.

It was just full of discomfort…

But once I acknowledged and faced my feelings, I couldn’t feel more at ease.

I slowly opened my eyes that I had forcibly closed.

I lifted the eyelids that I had used as a curtain to avoid facing Dante, to somehow suppress my feelings for him.

And our eyes met.

As if he had anticipated that I would open my eyes, his blue eyes were clearly gazing at me.

Our hands were still clasped together, and our gazes were also connected.

We stared at each other like that for a while.

Doing nothing, just like that.

My heart was pounding. It feels like my heart is dropping. It’s fluttering. I’m trembling. It feels good.

Questions like ‘Why am I like this?’ were no longer necessary.

I like him.

I like Dante Richter, my husband, the male protagonist of this world.

I’ve come to like him very much.

“An investigation into Count Adeline, you say?”

Barhan asked in surprise at Dante’s unusual order.

“Yes. Points that can be used against him, potential weaknesses, unknown secrets. Find out everything.”

Somehow, all the things he’s asking to find out are quite dangerous.

It seems he’s properly angered by those impolite uninvited guests.

To the extent that just driving them out with a fierce warning wasn’t enough.

“Are you perhaps thinking of ruining the Count’s family?”

To Barhan’s question, Dante answered while lightly stretching his neck.

“Not right away.”

However.

“I’m just preparing the knife handle in advance, so we can bring them down whenever Serpina wants.”

Behind his monotone voice, the corner of his mouth slightly rose and then fell.

It was evidence that he was truly angry.

Well, even I was fuming at how those two treated the Madam, so how much more would the Duke be?

If it were up to him, he’d probably want to finish them off right away, but he’s holding back because it’s the Madam’s family.

Barhan inwardly clicked his tongue while writing ‘Find out weaknesses of the Adeline family.’ in his notebook and drawing several stars next to it.

Using the Duke’s secret knights and informants, it wouldn’t be difficult to obtain weaknesses that could shake the Adelines.

“By the way, Your Grace. Was everything alright in the northern forest?”