‘So I was treated almost like the official Duchess while I was unconscious.’

Originally, only the official Duchess could use this marital bedroom. That’s why the original me couldn’t enter this bedroom, no matter how much I wanted to.

‘Did I do well until now?’

It was while I was lost in such thoughts that Yohan’s solid body came closer. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and whispered softly.

“What are you thinking about?”

His red eyes shone vividly.

“It seems you have the luxury to think about something other than me.”

Feeling an ominous sensation, I quickly responded.

“I was just wondering if I would continue to sleep with the Duke from now on.”

“Of course, we should continue to sleep together.”

“Like this, continuously……?”

My gaze naturally turned to his robe again. Then he lifted the corners of his mouth in a grin.

“I prefer to sleep comfortably.”

Aren’t you too comfortable!

Unable to confront Yohan, I rolled my blue eyes around. Then, Yohan chuckled and pinched my cheek.

“Are you uncomfortable?”

Yohan, who had been staring at me, lightly brushed my skin and asked in a low voice.

“Is it me, or my attire?”

Without realizing it, I swallowed. Yohan slowly wrapped his arm around my waist and laid me on the bed. Despite the warmth of the blankets, I still felt uncomfortable.

“Well…… It’s not exactly uncomfortable.”

“You look very uncomfortable to me.”

For a moment, Yohan’s face got closer. Surprised by the suddenly reduced distance, I reflexively stepped back.

“Hey.”

Yohan pushed me down onto the bed.

“If you keep running away, I might want to chase you even without thinking.”

His eyes, full of interest, scanned me. He slowly enclosed me in his arms, grabbing my wrist.

He, who had held my thin wrist tightly, grinned at me like a starved beast.

“What if I get excited?”

Gulp. His rough movement pushed back my loose robe, revealing a threatening physical figure.

‘I didn’t mean to stimulate him!’

I felt a shiver realizing how much bigger he is compared to me.

If he wanted to, Yohan could kill me easier than anyone else, without any grand preparations.

Seeing my eyes filled with wariness, he smirked.

“Don’t worry.”

Yohan’s face came closer. The light and shadow playing on his handsome face added a decadent atmosphere.

“I can’t just eat an unknowing wife.”

Yohan gently rubbed his nose against mine and chuckled.

He loosened the hand that was holding my wrist and took my hand. Yohan’s hand, which was straight and elegant as if it had never been through hardship, gave off a rough and solid feeling.

“I’ll just hold your hand and sleep tonight.”

Yohan pulled me into his arms.

The wild muscles beyond his robe held me tightly. A strange sensation of being warmed to his body temperature started creeping in.

‘I have to keep my wits about me in such situations.’

For some reason, the night felt very long.

Yohan slowly lifted his eyelids. Bright morning sunshine was pouring in from beyond the window. Yohan raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

‘……Did I really fall asleep here?’

His initial plan was to leave in the middle of their shared time.

Yohan could never sleep when someone else was present. Therefore, he couldn’t believe that he had fallen asleep together. This was a variable that was not at all included in his plan.

‘How could I.’

He slowly recalled the memories of that night.

Estelle, who had been nestled in his arms, did not fall asleep quietly. The woman who had been restlessly provoking him suddenly lifted her flushed head and spoke.

“Being held like this… it’s making me too nervous to sleep!”

“Are you nervous because of me?”

“You know everything now, don’t you?”

Estelle’s pink lips protruded in a pout.

“Because you’re nervous, I’ll have to hold you even tighter.”

“Why… why…”

“Because I like it when my wife is nervous because of me.”

As Johann had hoped, Estelle was honest in her embarrassment as soon as her body came into close contact with him. However, he could not discover anything about the woman’s secret.

But the moment he felt it was quite fun, the woman fell asleep with a tiny whispering sound.

Johann, who was about to leave the woman as she was, became addicted to the soft and warm sensation wrapped in his arms. Listening to her shallow, regular breathing like a baby, he seemed to have fallen asleep with the cozy scent.

“How could I…”

Johann’s firm chin tensed.

“Sleep peacefully by this woman’s side.”

Johann could not believe that he felt refreshed after a deep rest. Precisely, he could not stand himself like that.

He had slept while hugging the woman who was the subject of his revenge, and he had not even had a nightmare.

“I must have finally gone mad.”

Originally, he had nightmares every night.

In that dream, the Duke of Blanket was trampled and burnt by fire every time, and the residents of the dukedom were exploited by the Libertan Duke.

His family also appeared in their miserable state on that day. They were tortured, screaming in pain, begging for their lives.

And as time passed, their words also changed.

“Johann. It hurts. It hurts so much. But why are you the only one who’s okay? Why aren’t you hurt?”

“This mother can’t close her eyes even in the afterlife. Until they die miserably, until I see their death with my own eyes, I won’t be able to rest.”

“My son, correct the Duke of Blanket and execute all those dirty enemies. That’s the only way to compensate for our deaths. Give them the most miserable death! The most terrible and disgusting pain that they can’t bear!”

Johann in the dream could do nothing consistently. He just watched them without a single wound.

It was a dream so sad that it was cruel.

But Johann was glad to have that dream. Because in that dream, he could see his family’s faces. He would never give up revenge as he reflected on the most terrible moments.

“But why…”

In front of his eyes was Estelle.

“The adopted child of Libertan.”

Her sleeping face, breathing softly, was very lovely. A soft face as if it had been coated with sugar, tiny, pretty features like a doll.

The beauty of the woman was a treasure carefully crafted by Libertan.

Otherwise, there couldn’t have been such a beautiful thing like a plant in a greenhouse.

“This is a variable.”

Johann reached out and stroked the woman’s slender neck with his long index finger. The faint breath along the soft skin.

“Just you.”

The woman’s neck was so slender that it could be fully embraced with one hand.

“Something that means nothing.”

It wouldn’t be too difficult to break this thin neck. With just a little force, this fragile woman would die.

Johann slowly wrapped his hand around the woman’s neck and applied a slight force. He could hear the heartbeat along with the regular breathing.

“Maybe this would be a better way for this woman.”

If things go according to Johann’s plan, the woman will meet the most miserable death. Perhaps even more than Duke and Duchess Libertan.

But if she dies now, Estelle can die happily without knowing anything terrible.

As if she instinctively foresaw death, Estelle’s delicate white eyelashes trembled.

“My lady.”

Johann slowly tightened his grip.

“Goodbye now.”