Strategic Marriage with the Mad Villain - Chapter 22

It seems there are not only people who curse but also those who repeat the same words like a broken record.

Reus had no interest in entertaining drunkards, so he didn’t bother to respond.

Soon, he felt a round head leaning against his shoulder, as if giving up. Just when he thought it had quieted down, small hands started fumbling on his thick neck.

The touch was like that of a child who had found a favorite toy.

“So warm…”

“Roel, your hands-”

“I want to take you to my room…”

Even when he bluntly told her, the soft touch tickling his bare skin didn’t stop. Roel seemed to have difficulty lifting her eyelids amidst the drowsiness. She probably didn’t even realize what she was groping. Would she even hear him?

Sighing, Reus started walking again.

“And I need to eat ice cream too… I need to take this with me… Something warm…”

Reus lightly ignored the tiresome ice cream talk and tried to lay Roel on the bed. But suddenly, Roel, who had been quietly nestled in his arms and only touching his neck, hugged Reus tightly.

“Ah-! I won’t sleep… I won’t…”

At that, Reus froze on the spot like a statue.

It was because Roel’s body was pressed flush against Reus’ exposed chest through the gap in his robe.

The sensation felt on bare skin was even more vivid due to the thinness of Roel’s slip.

That’s not all. The golden hair strands falling heavily on his neck and collarbone exuded a floral scent, and the woman’s body hugging him tightly gave off a sweet smell, completely halting not only his body but also his thoughts.

Reus, who rarely showed emotional changes even in most situations, was uncharacteristically very flustered and stiffened.

A man over 190cm tall with not a single part of his arms and body that wasn’t firm, struggling to detach a single woman. What a sight.

“…Roel, just for a moment-”

“No, I don’t want to. I won’t… I won’t sleep…”

He had more than enough strength to forcibly remove her, but Reus couldn’t bring himself to do that.

As he thought while treating her swollen foot before, this woman’s bones were unnecessarily slender. Moreover, she didn’t have much flesh, so sometimes just looking at her made him feel a sense of precariousness.

So, his rough hands that used to grab iron couldn’t hold her delicate arms with his usual reckless force, and he became even more flustered and had no choice but to let go.

Seeing the red marks left by his hands on Roel’s skin, he couldn’t raise his hands again.

His arms, which looked capable of easily slaughtering even beasts, wandered around Roel’s body like they had lost their way for a long time.

Realizing this situation wouldn’t end like this, Reus gave up on detaching Roel and decided to persuade her to lie down with words as much as possible.

“Just your arms for a moment…”

“No… I said I won’t sleep… I won’t sleep until I eat melon ice cream…”

“Roel, I understand. Tomorrow, I’ll tell the servants-”

“No, I don’t like that. I’ll eat it… I’ll eat it now…”

Reus was truly at a loss.

The more he tried to separate from her, the tighter Roel hugged him, making him unable to move at all. In the end, after a long struggle, he chose to lie on the bed while holding Roel in his arms.

Reus, with his head resting haphazardly against the headboard, looked more exhausted than ever.

Reus spoke to Roel, who was squirming in his arms, in a tired voice.

“I hope you’ll stop causing unnecessary trouble and fall asleep now.”

“Hmm… I’m perfectly fine now. I’m not… drunk at all… I can eat ice cream…”

“…”

“Look, look. I’m speaking well… I’m really not drunk at all, you know?”

Roel, who said that, seemed to have no idea that she had her eyes closed.

“…Let’s stop now.”

“Ah, wait… just a moment…”

“…What is it again?”

“You know, if I sleep…”

“Yes.”

“Will you give me melon ice cream?”

That damn melon ice cream.

Reus vowed to himself that no matter what happened in the future, he would make sure to have that cursed ice cream delivered at every meal.

But Roel, who had been wriggling in his arms, urged for an answer.

“Why aren’t you answering again…”

“Roel. It would be better for you to stop doing things you’ll regret tomorrow and go to sleep now.”

“No… Who are you to…”

If only she had caused a ruckus with that docile face that didn’t feel threatening at all while earnestly looking for ice cream, it might have been a bit easier to deal with.

But even if he thought that way, there was only one answer.

Whether he liked it or not, the one who owed his life was Reus, so it was ultimately his responsibility to endure the unexpected drunken antics.

Reus closed his eyes and focused on pushing away his thoughts, hoping Roel would get tired and fall asleep on her own.

However, even that wasn’t allowed due to the lips that were pressed against his neck, mumbling half-coherently.

“So… my melon… ice cream…?”

“…”

“Hey… are you listening to me…”

“Haaa…”

Reus finally let out a deep sigh as if surrendering. Then, covering his eyes with the back of his hand, he quietly changed his evaluation of Roel.

From a quiet woman to a woman who quietly causes trouble.

* * *

I woke up in the muggy air. My body felt as heavy as cotton soaked in water. I had thoughtlessly chugged down high-proof alcohol without fear…

Although it’s pointless to regret it now, I should have refrained from that last glass.

As I lay there unable to move for a long time, only blinking my eyes… I noticed something strange blocking my view.

‘What is that…?’

I blankly gazed at the scene before my eyes without any thought. A thin, navy-colored robe and a snow-white, statue-like chest revealed underneath…

‘…Chest?’

Realizing what word I had been muttering to myself, I widened my eyes.

It was true. What came into my cleared vision was definitely a man’s bare chest. And it looked very broad and firm…

‘It can’t be… It shouldn’t be.’

It shouldn’t be.

At that moment, a low voice fell above my head.

“Are you awake?”

“…!”

At that voice, I reflexively lifted my head.

I thought the voice sounded close… but I never expected that I… I was resting my head on Reus’ arm.

‘How did I end up sleeping like this?’

I tried hard to recall, but no matter how much I tried to remember, nothing came to mind.

Right, after downing that last glass, my memory cut off, so it would be stranger if I remembered what happened last night.

I slowly pulled my body back while examining Reus’ face.

‘He doesn’t look angry or displeased…’

However, I couldn’t move my body further back due to something firm blocking me from behind. Seeing the firm arm I was resting on twitch slightly, it seemed to be Reus’ arm that was stopping me.

Reus, who had been gazing into the void with languid eyes, turned his head.

A tremendous silence flowed between us.

Meanwhile, Reus had an appearance I had never seen before.

‘Why does he look so tired…?’

I hate to admit it, but seeing Reus’ face that somehow looked haggard, it seemed certain that I had made a mistake.

If I could remember even a little bit of what had happened, I would have attempted to make amends, but my memory was completely erased as if last night had never existed.

I couldn’t even open my mouth, afraid of the answer that would come back.

But eventually, I had to ask about my sin myself due to Reus, who had no intention of averting his gaze.

“Y-Your Grace… by any chance, did I make a mistake…?”

“Hey, you.”

“…Yes?”

“You were speaking so well yesterday, so why has the form of address changed again?”

“…”

Hey, you?

‘Hey… you…?’

So he’s saying I spoke to him like that?

‘No way.’

It really makes no sense. That I was so rude?

My friends definitely said that when I get drunk, I just sleep quietly…

[“You? You don’t really have drunken habits. You don’t throw up either. You don’t get angry. You don’t insist on not going home, you don’t make a scene. You just sleep quietly next to me, so what drunken habits are there?”

“That’s right. If you just give her one ice cream, she becomes docile.”]

They definitely said that…!

So, even if I was drunk, would I have said “hey, you” to Reus?

“I don’t really understand what you mean…”

But I had no choice but to despair at Reus’ next words.

“You were looking for melon ice cream all night like that.”

“…”

It’s not that I become docile when given ice cream, but that I only become docile when given ice cream…?

‘So it’s true that I said “hey, you”…’

Realizing that Reus wasn’t making things up, I quietly closed my eyes.

If my body was free, I would have already fled the room. But I couldn’t do that thanks to Reus, who had no intention of letting me go.

I hastily bowed my head, but the embarrassment only became clearer as time passed. Heat rushed to my face, and both cheeks felt hot. Soon, I could feel the heat even at the tips of my ears.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry, Your Grace…”

“Why ‘Your Grace’ again?”

“…I’m sorry about that too.”

‘But surely I didn’t make an even worse mistake…?’

I slightly opened my eyes and looked at Reus.

“Do you want to hear more?”

“…”

“If it were me, I’d choose not to listen.”

Should I just go and die?

I wasn’t in a situation to have such thoughts, but I seriously considered it for a moment.

But then, there was a knock on the door.

Startled by someone’s sudden visit, I trembled, but Reus looked unfazed and turned his eyes towards the door.

And soon, the door opened.