Remembering what happened on the battlefield, Helen narrowed her eyes.
“Well, he’s not the type to speak nicely from the start…”
In fact, this was something that even Roel, who had come to like Reus, had to fully agree with.
“It definitely seemed that way when we first met.”
The two, reminded of the times they had each been hurt by Reus, nodded slightly.
“But after getting married, he treats me kindly.”
“…Kindly?”
…Maybe there was a mistake in the word choice. Or maybe she was just trying to somehow package her husband in a positive light.
But Roel’s cheeks were flushed red with embarrassment as she sat across from her.
“That means kind for Reus’s standards…right?”
Of course not, but Roel could fully understand Helen’s reaction. Assuming she wasn’t married to Reus, if someone had said that, she too would have had trouble managing her expression.
In fact, even before that, Roel had a history of endlessly doubting him from the moment Reus started treating her well.
What ulterior motive did he have for doing this, how long would this inexplicable kindness last, would he change suddenly – she used to fret over even the smallest acts of kindness.
The day Roel completely changed her assessment of Reus was the day Feria suddenly visited the Duke’s castle unannounced.
The day her shameful secret, which she didn’t want anyone to find out, was exposed.
And of all people, it had to be Reus Rochester. It was the first time in her life she had experienced such humiliation. And before the embarrassment had even subsided, fear came rushing in.
But contrary to expectations, Reus rebuked Feria, not her, and said everything was his own fault. Not only that, but he even offered clumsy words of comfort.
Of course, the indifferent comfort was nice, but Roel was most comforted by Reus’s attitude of treating her as if nothing had happened from start to finish.
“When I’m feeling down, he comforts me well…”
“Comfort?”
This time, Helen looked as serious as someone facing the greatest challenge in the world.
For Reus to offer kind words… let’s say he can do that. Even if it’s not sincere, it would be easy to imitate such words, so let’s overlook that with a hundred concessions, but…
“So how exactly does he comfort…”
Unable to contain her curiosity, Helen leaned her upper body close to the table. Roel, who had no intention of hiding it, recounted what had happened as if it were familiar.
“He holds my hand or lightens the mood with jokes…”
Helen, who had been listening quietly, unconsciously dropped the teacup she was holding with a thud.
Roel, who was speaking softly, didn’t look like someone who was lying. She didn’t seem like that kind of person, nor did she seem to know how to exaggerate.
But the Reus Roel was talking about was the complete opposite of the image she had known, so she couldn’t help but doubt its truthfulness over and over again.
In her tilting neck, slightly furrowed brows, and eventually frozen movements, those emotions were revealed moment by moment.
Seeing Helen’s reaction that clearly showed disbelief, Roel hastily added.
“Also, when I’m sick, he takes care of me kindly! He personally nurses me and keeps me company by my side…”
Normally, there would be no reason to make excuses to this extent, but Roel wanted those who had a long history with Reus to clear up any misunderstandings, even if just a little.
‘Because he’s not the type to show it himself.’
In fact, if she had her way, rather than timidly supporting his post-farewell life like this, she wanted to reveal the whole story of their past life and dissuade him from rebelling.
But there was no way Reus would believe such nonsense.
‘Who would believe a story about being reincarnated? Even I wouldn’t believe it.’
Maybe Reus would not only say what nonsense she was talking about but also make a fuss asking if she was mentally ill this time…?
The very plausible assumption made her shudder for a moment.
‘Besides, revenge is not a territory that can be carelessly invaded.’
No matter what it was, no words should be added, and even the slightest concern had to be swallowed inwardly.
So Roel had no choice but to hope every day that Reus’s rebellion would succeed and that life would continue in this way.
She had tried to exclude things that might be considered extreme if heard by others, but for some reason, Helen’s expression only became more and more rigid.
‘Just listening, it sounds like he almost worships Roel.’
Helen suddenly recalled the rumors about the Duke and Duchess of Rochester that had reached the Levene Kingdom. The details were subtly different, but if the countless circulating rumors were to be summarized in one sentence, it would be this:
The cold-blooded man of the Asilith Empire found his destined partner and lived with her in his arms.
But of course, Helen was convinced that unless Reus Rochester was born again, it would never happen in his lifetime, and she often snorted at the thought.
A man who made a name for himself as a war hero in the Asilith Empire and the Levene Kingdom.
To those who had fought together with him on the battlefield, he became an object of admiration beyond respect, and enemy commanders unanimously said that as long as Duke Rochester was alive, no one could match him.
And Reus had an inner self that fit very well with the many epithets that followed him.
Thanks to that, no one could easily approach Reus. So much so that even the late King Elion of Levene, who passed away a few years ago, used to openly confess that Reus was the most difficult person to deal with.
But the human named Reus, who flowed from Roel’s mouth, was a peerless doting husband, at least according to her words.
A doting husband?
It was a word that briefly came to mind, but somehow it felt like her expression was slightly distorted.
‘He had a stiff expression all day for that.’
Of course, he did show a reaction she had never seen before when she hugged Roel, but…
Still, a doting husband?
‘No way. It would be faster for Claude to calm down.’
In the end, Helen came to the conclusion that Roel might have a personality that can’t lie but at the same time is good at rationalizing.
* * *
However, from the very next day, Helen had to admit that she had completely misunderstood.
After yesterday’s tea time, the first scene she witnessed was the two of them sitting on a bench in front of the fountain.
Roel was seen sitting on the bench, comfortably talking to someone. The other person was obscured by a tree and not clearly visible, but just by looking at the slightly protruding shoulders, it was clear that it was a man.
‘Who’s next to her?’
Seeing the arm muscles and broad shoulders not covered by clothing, it definitely looked like a knight.
Then did that mean she had her escort sitting next to her? As soon as she had that question, Helen was able to identify who the person behind the tree was from a few steps away.
It was Reus.
It was a scene she happened to come across while passing by, so she had to move on for her schedule, but Helen couldn’t help but stop and stare at the two with a dumbfounded face.
It was the first time she had seen her close friend sitting side by side with someone like that.
Moreover, Reus, who was making the world’s most affectionate face while being absorbed in his wife, must have clearly felt her gaze directed at him. But far from being embarrassed, he didn’t seem to care about people’s eyes at all, as usual.
‘Is this the Reus I know?’
As a result, the court ladies following behind her also came to a stop. Unable to contain their curiosity, the court ladies who stuck their necks out were soon able to find the reason at the end of Helen’s gaze.
“Oh my, isn’t that Duke Rochester?”
“That person is Duke Rochester? He doesn’t look scary at all?”
He wasn’t a man who treated people below him harshly, but the court ladies always passed work to each other whenever Reus came.
At best, they would relay a message that Claude or Helen was looking for him, or inform him of mealtime, and that was it, but even that brief moment was too much for them.
In particular, one court lady, who was more shocked than Helen, even narrowed her eyes excessively and stretched her neck forward to make sure that the person she was seeing was really that Duke Rochester.
The person who seemed like he would be as cold as ice if touched was wearing a spring-like smile that didn’t suit him.
‘And while looking at a person…’
At that moment, Roel turned her head to look at Reus and said something, and the man’s eyes softly crinkled. Then he raised his hand and gently arranged his wife’s hair fluttering in the wind.
Helen and some of the court ladies shook their heads in unison and turned away from the two. The disparity was too great for them to accept the image of the cold-blooded duke.
Only two court ladies who had not been in the palace for long did not understand the reactions of those in front of them and simply thought it was cozy.
In fact, for Helen, that day’s sight alone was shocking enough. But her friend’s startling behavior didn’t end there.
Reus, who disliked eating with someone on the battlefield and often skipped meals, nagged Roel with affection at every meal.
Knowing full well that Claude was gaping at him, Reus paid no heed and poured all his attention only on his wife.
What’s more, if the stair step was even slightly high, he would worry as if he were about to pick up his wife at any moment.
Yes, the extreme rumors, including the one about him carrying his wife in his arms, were rather understated.
‘Is he going to carry Roel around all day in someone else’s palace?’
Anyway, at the sight of Reus like that, strange rumors began to spread in the Levene royal palace, such as Reus actually being possessed by another soul, or that he had a hidden twin.
‘I vote for the soul.’
Helen tried to persuade Claude to let the ducal couple, who were on their first trip since marriage, leave early for their sake.
But sending them off like this felt like missing a golden opportunity to tease Reus, and she couldn’t help but feel regretful.
So Helen twisted her plan to let the ducal couple leave quickly and decided to annoy Reus a bit.
__________
Male Lead, The Black-Hearted Lotus (Female-dominant)
Short intro by Yuushi L:
At first, the male lead despised the female lead. Later, he misunderstood that she liked him, so he condescendingly and reluctantly reciprocated her feelings.
Then, he suddenly discovered that she was kind to everyone in the same way, and there was already someone she cherished in her heart, and that person was not him.
The male lead couldn’t believe it, he became angry and crazy. He was determined to capture her body and heart by any means necessary.
Synopsis:
Want to see how a green tea bitch male lead falls in love with the female lead?
Want to see how he flirtatiously pursues the female lead?
Want to see how he gets slapped in the face repeatedly?
The male lead is a green tea bitch, a poisonous lotus, jealous, ruthless, unscrupulous, with a venomous heart, and he’s also a delusional maniac.
The female lead is righteous, positive energy-filled, kind, a holy mother.
Let’s see how two people with extreme personalities come together~