Valentin had approved giving her the ‘Duchess’s room.’ And receiving the ‘Duchess’s room’ meant she was officially recognized as the Duchess by the Duke himself.
‘After three long years.’
The reason why the Northerners, who revered Ansgar like the heavens, could be rude to Adel was simple. They firmly believed their Duke detested, even abhorred, his Duchess.
Yet, the affection Valentin showered on Adel after his miraculous return defied all their expectations and common sense. Even those who suspected it was out of pity or obligation now believed there must have been some ‘intimate’ relationship between the Duke and Duchess that they didn’t know about.
More than any effort Adel had made in the past three years, the Duke’s attention had more effectively changed the situation.
‘It’s all based on a misunderstanding, but things have taken a strange turn. Now everyone thinks the Duke and I were lovers.’
While it was ludicrous and pitiful that all this goodwill stemmed from a misunderstanding, even feeling that way was a luxury. Her pride had long been sold off by Count Riehenaus for a high price.
After all, it was them who had misunderstood; she had not acted differently or lied. Adel swallowed her discomfort and nodded.
“Please show me.”
“Follow me, please.”
Margaret, skillfully tucking the laundry basket under her arm, led the way with quick steps. The maids they encountered in the hallway pressed themselves against the wall to avoid obstructing their path.
It seemed Adel was the last to know she was being moved to the Duchess’s room.
Curious glances followed them as they passed.
“Here it is.”
Adel was startled to see the door and corridor where Margaret stopped.
“This is…”
It was right next to the Duke’s bedroom. Sharing the same floor with her husband was surprising enough, but the room right next door?
Adel’s face showed her confusion, and Margaret asked cautiously,
“Is there a problem?”
“I never thought this would be the Duchess’s bedroom. That is, according to the law, the Duke’s bedroom should be far away from…”
“This is the right place.”
Margaret replied nonchalantly, in contrast to Adel’s restlessness.
“Being from the South, you might not be familiar with this. Unlike the Southern law that places the couple’s bedrooms far apart, in the North, they are kept as close as possible. It’s the norm here.”
The norm. She felt as if she was making a fuss over nothing, causing her neck to flush with embarrassment.
“But still…”
“Ever since Ansgar Castle was built, the Duchess’s quarters have always been located here. Of course, in cases where the marital bond is exceptionally strong, it’s not uncommon for spouses to share a bedroom.”
Margaret’s meaningful expression seemed to inquire if she should make such arrangements.
Adel, startled, shook her head vehemently, her face burning with embarrassment.
“No, no, this is better.”
“I’ll open the door then.”
Margaret respectfully announced and opened the door wide. The room was unusually bright with sunlight streaming in through the fully drawn curtains. Adel slowly surveyed the room.
“…”
The quarters were neat and moderately luxurious. A long couch was placed beneath the large window with clear glass panes, and in the fireplace, logs burned brightly. The curtains and carpet were all red, embroidered with the Ansgar family’s wolf head emblem in gold thread.
There was a table and chairs for reading letters or sewing, a dressing table in ivory, and beyond the sitting area, a large bed with a canopy in the bedroom.
Adel admired the delicate craftsmanship of the items on the dressing table. They were items she had only seen in her sister Charlotte’s room, marked with the craftsman’s seal.
“Do you like it?”
Margaret, observing Adel as she examined the room, asked. Adel blushed. Had she shown too much admiration?
However, Margaret explained the items in the room without any mocking tone.
“We brought the same chest of drawers you used. The mirror was old, so we replaced it, and the white wolf fur carpet was specially ordered by the Duke himself. He said he wanted to give you the best.”
“The Duke did?”
Adel’s eyes widened in surprise. Just the previous evening, Valentin had avoided eye contact with anyone but Adel.
Could he have really issued such impressive directives overnight? Was he learning quickly, or were his memories returning rapidly?
But Margaret seemed to have no intention of addressing Adel’s doubts. She continued in a business-like manner.
“I’m glad you seem to like it. I’ll send a list of maids to serve you soon.”
“Maids? I’ve been fine with just Greta so far. Do we really need to hire more?”
“Now that the Duke is back, you too must fulfill your duties as the Duchess.”
“Duties?”
“To bear an heir as soon as possible.”
Margaret’s words left Adel momentarily stunned. At her naive reaction, Margaret asked doubtfully.
“You do know what consummation is, don’t you?”
Adel managed to nod a few times, her face turning pale.
The night before her wedding, her half-sister Charlotte had cruelly shown her horses mating, saying that being married to a barbarian would make her first night similar to that.
It was a horrifying memory that she always shuddered to recall.
The image of the horse’s black eyes, wild mane, and flying spit still haunted her.
‘To do that…’
Adel’s youthful face went deathly white at the thought. She always trembled when remembering it, feeling ice cold from within. It felt disgusting, terribly ugly, and dirty.
Moreover, Valentin had always detested her. The thought of him desiring her ‘in that way’ had never crossed her mind. What about the difference in their builds?
With his massive and solid physique, she would be crushed instantly.
Adel, overwhelmed with terror, clasped her trembling hands tightly.
Male lead is reincarnated to save his wife
I’ve also read this one twice already. The female lead is kinda soft and gets embarrassed easily—not really my type, but the plot is definitely worth reading. Hurry up and read it, y’all!
Intro
When Shen Yuan encountered Su Jin again in his previous life, she had already become the Prime Minister of the current dynasty. As for him, the former top young master of the capital, he had long since fallen into the abyss, becoming a singer on a pleasure boat.
After a song ended, he was redeemed and sent to the Su Residence.
Su Jin respected and cherished him, gave him a roof over his head, and bestowed him with warmth. Shen Yuan fell deeper and deeper, but before he could express his feelings, Su Jin passed away.
Shen Yuan died to follow her in death, but instead, he returned to when he was fifteen years old.
At that time, he was not yet engaged, and Su Jin was just a poor scholar.
Shen Yuan gritted his teeth, casting aside all his pride, and thought of ways to coax and entice her every day.
The colder and more indifferent Su Jin was towards him, the more proactive Shen Yuan became.
He was not afraid of being mocked by the world, only wanting to marry his Wife-master early, to hold her hand and never let go for a lifetime.
[Note: This story will not specifically point out the male lead’s reincarnation time point; it’s all in the details. Whenever you feel that the male lead is acting strangely, he has most likely been reincarnated.]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
