“Rightful rights? Fine, be my guest. But can you really do it?”

“Yes. As long as I am Crayton.”

“That was something you could say when your father was alive.”

“You[Dash].”

“As long as I keep accepting you, do you think you’re someone remarkable? Don’t delude yourself! The current Viscount Crayton is me, not your father!”

Bake suddenly approached, grabbing my shoulders. I didn’t feel the wind blowing from my side towards him, and I didn’t notice the strong smell of alcohol on him.

“…How much did you drink?”

“Is that important right now?”

“You’re completely drunk, ugh!”
The clenched shoulders complained of pain. I struggled to escape from Bake’s grip, but it was in vain. Despite Bake being distant from martial arts, he was a robust man.

“Does it hurt? Does it?”

“…….,”

“I’ve been in more pain! Every time you say such things to me, it hurts much more than you can imagine!”

Against my will, tears welled up from the pain.

But I didn’t want to sound weak like this.

The man towering over me, using my stature and height as weapons, disgustingly had the face of the victim. That fact was the most dreadful.

“What’s so painful for you?”

“What?”

“You’re truly the worst.”

“…….,”

I couldn’t win with strength. But it didn’t matter. Real pain wasn’t like this.

I stubbornly raised my chin and stared directly at Bake. Oddly, this action seemed to provoke him even more, as his eyes became fiercer.

“What if I’m the worst? This is reality.”

“…….,”

“Your noble and honorable family is all gone, and the worst one like me is still alive.”

“Bake.”

“Crayton!”

The grip on my shoulders tightened.

But this time, I didn’t make a sound. Instead, I bit my lips tightly and glared at Bake.

As if finding my actions pitiful, Bake burst into laughter.

“I’m Bake Crayton. Your husband. Why, does someone who claims to understand etiquette not know manners towards her husband?”

“…….,”

“Ah, because you’re a noblewoman, unwilling to show courtesy to a lowly merchant’s son?”

“…….,”

“Rivianna. My beautiful wife. Sorry, but I have no intention of becoming like your father. I don’t want to talk about empty honor and die like your prestigious father.”

Once a man loses his reason, he pours out vicious words as much as he can. I resisted, enduring several times to maintain my sanity, and grabbed his wrist without making a sound.

“Stop it. I won’t tolerate any more insults.”

“If you can’t tolerate it, then what? Frankly, what’s different between you and me? In the end, you married me because you wanted to live, right?”

“Don’t mock me.”

“I’m telling the truth. You said it yourself. Losing your memory doesn’t make you a fool.”

Bake forcefully pulled his face closer while grinning. The strong smell of alcohol emanating from him became more intense as he approached.

“Then can you think with that good head of yours? What’s the reason for a woman like you, with such a high nose, to marry someone like me? Why did your family all die, and why are you the only one left alive?”

“…….,”

“Don’t be delusional. You’re not noble. You’re just a hypocrite.”

Before I could realize that the strength on my shoulder had disappeared, my wrist was pulled, and I was dragged along. My left foot, which had lost balance in the forcibly pulled body, twisted. The ankle bent, and the shoe rolled on the floor, but there was no time to care.
The body, swaying here and there, was dragged around, and it fell backward. However, I didn’t feel any pain. It was as if the entire body, which swayed mockingly, only felt a soft texture behind.

I finally realized that I was lying on the bed.

“Today, you need to learn the duties of a wife.”

“…….,”

“Don’t worry. You’re smart. You’ll learn quickly.”

Bake, who approached the bed step by step, looked down at me. His face was still red, but the anger from earlier was no longer visible. Only the impatient touch of untying the cravat remained hasty.

“Don’t do regrettable things.”

“Regret? Is there anything more to regret here? Our relationship is already the worst. Don’t I know that? Every time you look at me, it’s like you’re disgusted, as if you’re seeing some filthy bug.”

“…….,”

“Well, then, act accordingly.”

“…….,”

“It’s okay. In fact, the way you look at me isn’t that bad.”

It seemed quite sexy.

My whole body shivered at the softly whispered voice. I didn’t want to show it, but my stiffened body instinctively shrank.

But even that seemed to be amusing to the man; his lips drew a more enticing line. For him, this moment seemed like a game.

I endured the uncomfortable feeling, lifting my body. Even though my body was in pain from the disturbance, I didn’t want to see the desire-filled eyes directed at me.

“Don’t come.”

“Why that expression? Not like yourself?”

“I told you not to come.”

A warning was useless. It wasn’t a situation where dialogue would work.

I quickly averted my eyes. There wouldn’t be a proper weapon in the room prepared for me, and even if there was, I couldn’t wield it properly.

“If you want to resist, try it. It might be quite enjoyable.”

“……Enjoyable, huh? Well, it could be.”

“It could be?”

Bake might think he was hunting me, but that was arrogance. When cornered, even a lowly mouse could face a cat.

Without hesitation, I grabbed the candlestick beside the table.

Due to the hasty movement, the flame shook vigorously, and drops of wax fell onto the back of my hand. It was hot, but it was a welcome pain.

Thanks to that, Bake, who realized what I was trying to do, had a contemplative expression on his face.

“If you want to teach me the duties of a wife, you should learn the duties of a husband as well.”

Isn’t that what marriage is about? Right?

I sneered while tilting the candlestick downward.