Strategic Marriage with the Mad Villain - Chapter 82

Somehow, I felt a sense of satisfaction from my answer.

“I’m glad you don’t like it.”

“Pardon…?”

What kind of response is that?

But my confusion was short-lived, as I soon understood why Reus reacted that way from his next words.

“It would be better to look for a dress that’s more comfortable to wear than such a heavy one.”

While that white dress was particularly heavy for its appearance, ballgowns in general were quite weighty compared to regular dresses.

However, Reus, who was experiencing dress shopping for the first time, seemed completely unaware of this fact.

‘Well, he was the type of man who never spared a glance at women at balls, so he probably didn’t even notice what people were wearing.’

I couldn’t help but chuckle a little at the realization that there were things this man didn’t know.

“It’s true that dress is especially heavy, but actually, ballgowns are usually that weighty.”

However, after hearing my words, Reus, who had suddenly gone quiet, put on a seemingly serious expression.

“So you’ve been wearing dresses like this every time you attended a palace ball?”

“Yes…?”

His serious face soon cracked with a slight shock.

* * *

Reus suggested it would be better to look around elsewhere and subtly led me out of the store. But this man, it seems he thought dresses sold in other stores would be somewhat different.

As we encountered similar dresses everywhere we looked, his face grew increasingly tense.

Seeing him even slightly furrowing his brows, I could guess what he was thinking. That expression was one he often made when I would occasionally say I wasn’t hungry and wanted to skip a meal.

‘Does he really think I’m a paper doll…?’

These kinds of dresses were easily worn by people much thinner and smaller than me.

Moreover, quite a few of the dresses Shanette sent as gifts were of this type. Which meant, of course, she thought I could wear them, and also that she wanted to see me wearing them.

But Reus was subtly trying to prevent me from choosing a dress just because of the weight.

‘Isn’t he being a bit too overprotective?’

I could understand his concern about illness to some degree, as anyone would worry about that, but there were often times when his behavior was difficult to comprehend.

Of course, that included using Melsia root when I recently caught a cold.

Watching him pay such unusual attention to my health, even for someone who saved my life, I sometimes wondered how he viewed me.

At first, I thought he might have some affection for me, but he had practically denied that himself, so that was out.

‘Does he… see me as a younger sister?’

Come to think of it, even during the festival when the handsome contest winners were throwing off their clothes, he treated me like a child.

‘He even took me to a puppet show.’

He nagged a lot usually, and there was so much physical contact, but I was always the only one feeling embarrassed.

Listing out the reasons like this, I thought that maybe Reus really did see me as a younger sister.

‘It really seems likely?’

If that was true, there was practically no possibility of developing into lovers, but I didn’t feel bad about it. Rather, I first thought that just becoming this close from a relationship of mutual hatred held great meaning in itself.

‘Right, the idea of Reus having romantic feelings for me… is absurd. I was the one without conscience for even briefly expecting it.’

No matter how much the boundaries between us had been lowered, fundamentals don’t change.

No matter what, I was still the daughter of Count Ebel whom Reus despised, and would continue to be so.

Reminding myself of this fact anew, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had been making foolish worries until now.

Above all else, just being the blood of someone he hates means no relationship beyond this is possible.

‘I really was a fool for being confused.’

While I was having this small realization, Reus was still staring at the dresses with an utterly serious expression, lost in his own thoughts.

Watching him intently, I felt like he might be hoping for this kind of answer, so I tentatively threw out a suggestion.

“Should I just not buy a dress?”

At my words, Reus, who was about to blurt out an affirmative response, seemed to catch himself and closed his mouth. Only after completely erasing any signs of approval did he speak again.

“…No, didn’t you say you wanted to go to the ball tonight? So why don’t we buy the most comfortable one we can find.”

Ah, now I think I understand a bit what Reus is thinking.

The reason he was agonizing so much, even though it wouldn’t have been strange at all to tell me to buy something other than a ball gown.

He was prioritizing my desire to go to the ball over his own feelings.

“If it’s because I said I wanted to go to the ball, you don’t need to worry so much. I don’t actually like balls that much.”

“Then why did you say you wanted to go?”

Judging by Reus’s dubious reaction, he seemed to think I was lying.

“I’ve never been to a masquerade ball before, so I just wanted to go and take a light look around.”

Only after I stated the plain truth that I didn’t have high expectations did Reus’s expression soften considerably. He also seemed to be genuinely relieved that he didn’t have to buy a ball gown.

I carefully observed his reaction for a moment before cautiously speaking up.

“So… would it be alright if I use the rest of the money you gave me another time?”

“You’re refusing again.”

“No, I’m not! It’s just that there’s really nothing else I want to buy right now. Since you gave it to me out of consideration, I want to use it when I really find something I want.”

But Reus still didn’t seem to believe me.

“I promise I’ll try to spend all the money by the end of this month. We might find something I really like while traveling around the Kingdom of Leveren…”

In the end, I took Reus’s hand and subtly pulled him towards the shopping center exit.

“If I don’t spend all this money this month, then I’ll really accept four times the amount next time. Really.”

He didn’t budge at first, but after I made the promise, he finally started moving. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was digging my own grave, but seeing Reus follow along silently despite his disgruntled face, I couldn’t help but laugh.

* * *

While I was briefly waiting for Reus and Dwin to finish talking on the lobby sofa, Theron approached me.

“So. What happened with the Melsia root?”

“Ah.”

The other day, when Theron told me that the medicine I took when I had a cold was Melsia root, I was so shocked that I just sat silently for a long time. And soon after, when I heard Reus was coming, I went into my room without further conversation.

He seemed very curious about what had happened, given my completely dazed reaction that day.

“But how sick were you to drink Melsia root tea? They had me buy up every medicinal herb there was, saying they were busy dying.”

“Well…”

Since it happened when Theron said he couldn’t come to the Grand Duke’s castle because he was briefly busy with guild work, he didn’t seem to know exactly what I had been sick with.

His hazel eyes, scrutinizing me thoroughly, clearly conveyed the thought that I looked too fine for someone who needed to drink Melsia root tea.

When I couldn’t easily answer due to embarrassment, he seemed to misunderstand, and his face hardened slightly.

“Why can’t you speak? Were you really that sick?”

“No…”

“What exactly was wrong with you?”

“It was because of… a cold…”

When I spoke in a shrinking voice, stuttering, Theron slightly furrowed his brow as if he couldn’t hear well.

“What did you say?”

“So, I had… caught a cold…”

As soon as he heard my words, an expression I had never seen before appeared on Theron’s face, and then his eyes suddenly crumpled.

Theron, who had been unable to continue speaking for a while, couldn’t contain his disbelief and burst out with harsh words.

“That bastard, is he really crazy? What kind of lunatic would use that for a cold…”

Yes, this is a normal reaction!

It was a completely opposite attitude to Reus, who had acted as if he didn’t see any problem at all. But the unexpected relief was short-lived, as I felt awkward, as if I had done something wrong, due to the reaction that was more intense than I had anticipated.

Theron sighed repeatedly before finally continuing to speak.

“So when you talked to him, what did that… I mean, what did he say?”

What did he say again?

“Who else would I use it for if not you?”

“Roelle, it was all my fault.”]

‘Somehow, I feel like I shouldn’t repeat this conversation verbatim…’

Unable to reveal the full details of that day’s conversation, I summarized it into one sentence after omitting and omitting again.

“He just said he’d ask before doing it next time.”

“Crazy bastard.”

Theron grimaced, saying it didn’t make sense to think about using Melsia again. I hadn’t realized it at the time, but hearing it now, he was right.

“When did he start losing his mind?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m asking when he started… acting like that towards you.”

“Ah…”

Seeing him express it as ‘losing his mind’, it seemed Reus really was being overly protective. Once again feeling embarrassed, I unconsciously rubbed my neck.

But when exactly did he start changing?

Before and after returning from the battlefield, we were definitely not on good terms. Especially after I insisted on treating him, our relationship completely fell apart.

Reus didn’t even make eye contact with me, let alone converse, for several weeks, and then suddenly, at some point, he started being friendly towards me.

That time was probably…