The Dark Lord Obsesses Over His Fake Wife (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 8

The captain of the knights handed Johan the letter from Duke Libertan. The contents of the letter were exactly as the captain had reported.

[“Duke Blanchet, please allow me to see my married daughter just once more. If you grant me this, I will confess to all the crimes of House Libertan as you wish.”]

A heavy silence settled over the room after the letter was read. The captain turned to Erich and spoke.

“It seems Duke Libertan loved his daughter even more than I thought. Then again, since there’s no way out for him anyway, he might as well prefer to see his cherished daughter’s face one last time before he dies.”

“I don’t think your reasoning is wrong, but Duke Libertan isn’t the type to give up so easily, no matter how much he dotes on his daughter.”

Erich, who had been frowning slightly, adjusted his glasses and replied coolly.

“Perhaps… he’s hiding his true intention. What do you think, my lord?”

“Your guess is probably right.”

Johan answered in an indifferent tone.

“Even if he truly loves his daughter, it wouldn’t be easy to set such a condition unless he had some ulterior motive.”

Knock knock.

A sound came from outside—the door to the study being tapped. All three pairs of eyes turned toward it. Slowly, the door cracked open, and a woman peeked her head through the gap.

“Would it be a bother if I came in now?”

“My lady?”

Everyone was startled by Estelle’s sudden appearance. The atmosphere grew even more awkward, especially since they had just been discussing her moments before.

Johan asked Estelle with a practiced smile.

“What brings my lady to my study?”

“I’ve never once visited the study where you work, my lord.”

Estelle held a tray bearing tea and a teacup. Her slender arms trembled slightly, as if she might drop the tray at any moment.

The captain quickly stepped forward, saying, “Please, allow me,” and took the tray from her, placing it on Johan’s desk. Estelle looked at Johan with a relieved, bright smile.

“To be honest, since I won’t be attending the banquet, I wanted to do something for you—even something small.”

Johan raised one eyebrow slightly and asked in a languid voice,

“Weren’t you upset that I told you not to come?”

“To be honest, it would be a lie to say I wasn’t upset. But it doesn’t matter to me.”

Amid the rich aroma of tea, Estelle smiled brightly as if nothing were amiss.

“You know the retainers of House Blanchet far better than I do, my lord. If you felt it wasn’t the right time yet, I’m sure you had your reasons. Right?”

“Thank you for trusting me.”

“I haven’t done anything at all.”

Having said that, Estelle glanced from Johan to the two men nearby and asked,

“Are you two retainers who work with my lord?”

“Oh, my lady. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m the captain of the knights,”

The captain, who had just laid eyes on Estelle for the first time, was about to introduce himself.

“She doesn’t need to know you.”

Johan cut off the captain’s words with a strangely displeased tone. The captain pointed at himself with his index finger, bewildered.

“Me, my lord?”

“Does my wife need any reason to know you?”

“Well… if you put it that way, I suppose not…”

The captain awkwardly nodded, scratched the back of his neck, and gave a light bow.

“Good day, my lady. I’m the one who doesn’t need to be known.”

“Yes. It’s nice to meet you.”

Estelle glanced quickly at the captain and Erich, then turned to Johan.

“You all seem busy, so I’ll take my leave now. I hope your meeting goes well.”

Johan caught Estelle just as she was about to leave.

“My lady.”

He looked at her bewildered expression and gently pulled at the corners of his lips into a smile.

“What am I supposed to do if you just leave like this?”

“Then what?”

“I don’t usually drink tea.”

Johan’s red eyes glinted enticingly.

“So come here. Like last time, you’ll have to feed it to me directly with your own hands.”

At those words, Estelle’s cheeks instantly flushed pink. When she tried to step backward, he firmly grasped her hand so she couldn’t escape.

‘How amusing.’

The more flustered Estelle became, the better Johan’s mood grew.

“Hurry up. It’s not a fault for spouses to feed each other.”

Johan took both of Estelle’s hands and kissed the back of them. His lips slowly traveled from her knuckles to the tips of her fingers. He gave her a seductive, knowing smile.

“If you don’t want to feed me with your hands, I wouldn’t mind if you used your mouth instead. Which will it be?”

“I won’t do either!”

Estelle, her face now as red as it could possibly be, yanked her hand from Johan’s and fled. Johan watched her platinum hair flutter as she ran away, then let out a clear, ringing laugh.

The captain turned to Erich and asked,

“I didn’t just drift off to dreamland for a moment, did I?”

Erich pretended not to hear the question and ignored him. The captain then folded his arms and whistled, gazing at the door through which Estelle had left.

“They really seem to get along well. Anyone who didn’t know better would think they were a genuinely affectionate couple.”

“That just means my lord’s plan is proceeding smoothly.”

Erich summarized the captain’s comment and addressed Johan.

“Do you think she overheard our conversation outside?”

“To me, my lady didn’t seem to be thinking deeply about anything—she just looked at you with pure admiration…”

“My lord. You mustn’t let your guard down. No matter how you look at it, she’s a woman from Libertan. We can’t predict what she might do.”

Erich sighed and pressed his fingers firmly against his temple.

“My lord, perhaps it would be best to invite her to tonight’s banquet as originally planned? That way, we could find out exactly how much she overheard today.”

“Erich.”

Johan called his name in a voice so low it sent a chill down one’s spine.

“Since when did you start questioning my decisions?”

“My apologies. I misspoke.”

Erich quickly bowed his head. Johan rarely changed his mind once he’d made a decision. Since he’d already reversed his decision once, he certainly wouldn’t do it again.

“I’ll inform everyone that my lord will attend tonight’s banquet alone.”

As soon as Erich finished speaking, the captain interjected.

“Then, do you intend to grant Duke Libertan’s request?”

Johan, who had been staring at the Libertan letter for a moment, lifted one corner of his mouth in a mocking smirk.

After stepping outside, I was lost in confusion.

‘Duke and Duchess Libertan asked to see me just once more?’

Duke and Duchess Libertan’s faces flashed in my mind, and I couldn’t help but feel absurd.

‘Why on earth?’

Honestly, I wasn’t truly curious. Even if I dug into their reasons, I doubted they’d be anything good. They must be so desperate after their downfall for treason that they’d resort to relying on someone like me.

‘The problem is me.’

My image as the beloved adopted daughter might hold, but with the Libertans pushing harder, I’d likely become even more disliked than before.

‘Could not inviting me to the banquet with the retainers be related to this?’

Already feeling a headache coming on, I let out a deep sigh. Since this event never appeared in the original story, it would be extremely difficult to prepare for.

Just then, Betty, who had recommended the tea earlier, approached me with a curious expression.

“My lady, how did my lord react? Surely he wasn’t displeased?”

“No, not that… but he didn’t seem particularly pleased either.”

“But you left the snacks there, didn’t you?”

“That’s true.”

“Then he must have welcomed it.”

Seeing Estelle’s empty hands, Betty shrugged. I couldn’t quite believe it and asked Betty once more.

“Really welcomed it?”

“Of course! You know how much my lord dislikes unannounced visits. And you even brought him tea!”

“…In other words, Betty, you encouraged me to do something my lord might have greatly disliked.”

At my remark, Betty quickly defended herself in a flustered voice.

“I was certain it would go well! Most importantly, my lord let you leave the tea untouched and even asked for a snack. That definitely means he was pleased!”

Betty clenched both fists as if she herself had gone in and witnessed it firsthand.

For some reason, I suspected she was just trying to cover up her own carelessness, but I decided not to press further. After all, debating the matter with Betty wouldn’t accomplish much.

“Maybe he just didn’t want to embarrass me too much since I’m his wife.”

“…My lord?”

Betty’s eyes were filled with disbelief, as if the Johan I knew and the Johan she knew were completely different people.

“If that’s what you believe, my lady, then I suppose there’s nothing I can say… but my lord truly dislikes letting others into his personal space.”

Anyway, since I wasn’t attending the evening banquet with the retainers, my schedule was suddenly free.

So I decided to visit the library, which I hadn’t properly managed to enter last time because of Erich. But it was locked—perhaps because retainers were visiting as guests today.

‘Should I ask Betty about the key?’

Normally, I wasn’t this proactive, but when the manor was chaotic enough to lock the library, it seemed like the perfect time to search for and read books on dark magic.

I returned to the spot where I’d last parted with Betty.

Then, I heard a strange voice coming from the garden near the manor.

…Es…telle.

Normally, hearing a strange voice out of nowhere would be eerie, but this one didn’t sound frightening at all—in fact, it felt oddly warm.

‘Who is it?’

I looked around, but there was no one nearby.

‘It sounded like someone called my name.’

So I deliberately walked toward the garden where the voice had come from.

House Blanchet had beautifully landscaped all its gardens, except for the rose garden tended by Johan’s mother, the former duchess.

Particularly behind the manor, dense trees were planted to resemble a forest, which gave the place its own unique charm.

‘As expected, there’s nothing here.’

I even called out toward the spot where the sound had come from—“Were you trying to speak to me?”—but received no reply.

The sharp, distinctive scent of summer tickled my nose.

‘Is the summer festival about to begin soon?’

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say summer was the season with the most events in the empire. Even after the summer festival ended, several other celebrations would follow in quick succession, making the season feel unusually long.

As soon as I stepped out of the garden, I ran into Erich, Johan, and a retainer who seemed to have come for the banquet.

“My lady, what are you doing here…?”

Johan’s straight eyebrows furrowed slightly at first, but he immediately introduced me.

“This is my wife, Estelle Blanchet.”

“Good day, Lady Blanchet.”

The retainer bowed politely. The moment I saw his face clearly, I couldn’t help but be startled.

“Lexius Polman?”

He was the man I’d seen in the Black Cloth Portrait.

‘Weren’t only those who had loyally served House Blanchet and passed away depicted in the Black Cloth Portraits?’

How was it possible that someone who should be dead was standing here, wide-eyed and very much alive? The man visibly flinched in surprise.

“My lady, what do you mean? Why would you suddenly mention Lord Lexius Polman…?”

“Oh, I must have been mistaken for a moment.”

The Black Cloth Portraits were always painted in a grotesque style—perhaps I’d simply confused him with someone who looked similar.

‘If only I hadn’t spoken, I could have brushed it off.’

My shock had made me blurt out his name—that was the problem. Johan’s sharp gaze turned toward the man, and the atmosphere grew even more awkward.

To ease the tension I’d caused, I carefully observed the man.

‘In situations like this, praise is the best solution.’

At that moment, the amethyst brooch pinned to his chest sparkled brilliantly in the sunlight. Not only amethyst but also diamonds were embedded nearby, making it exceptionally ornate.

‘It looks different from typical men’s brooches.’

But if he wore something this distinctive, it must be a brooch he deeply cherished.

“Your amethyst brooch is very lovely. It matches your attire perfectly.”

“…Yes?”

The retainer replied with a pale face—definitely not the reaction I’d hoped for.

‘It must have some significant history.’

He was clearly startled the moment I mentioned it. Just then, Erich seemed about to say something, but Johan raised his hand and cut him off.

Johan stared directly into my navy-blue eyes and asked,

“Viscount Gaspeer’s brooch is quite splendid, isn’t it? Does my lady like brooches like that?”

“I’d be happy with any brooch my lord gave me. But that particular one doesn’t seem to suit my taste.”

One lesson I’d learned since childhood was that in uncertain situations, pretending calmness was always the safest choice.

I smiled as if nothing had happened.

“Then I’ll take my leave now. Though I won’t be attending, I hope you all have a pleasant time.”

After finishing my greeting, I turned away as calmly as possible. Once my face was hidden, I finally let out a sigh of relief.

‘Why do I keep getting so nervous?’

All things considered, Johan’s judgment in preventing me from attending the banquet must have been accurate.

After Estelle left.

Johan turned to Viscount Gaspeer with an expressionless face.

“Do you understand what my wife meant by her words?”

“I—I truly have no idea. An amethyst brooch? As you can see, my lord, I’m not wearing any brooch at all.”

Indeed, there was no brooch on the viscount’s person.

“Is that so? Then why did my wife call out the name Lexius Polman upon seeing you?”

Viscount Gaspeer had absolutely no connection to the late Lord Lexius Polman.

Yet those words carried special weight—because Lord Lexius Polman, a loyal retainer, had been investigating the Amethyst Brooch Case at the time of his murder.

That case had automatically vanished when House Blanchet was accused of treason.

“I truly know nothing of this! My lady must be trying to slander me! After all, she’s just a woman from Libertan! She’s clearly trying to stir up trouble within House Blanchet…”

As Viscount Gaspeer paled and glanced around nervously, Erich swiftly grabbed his arm with practiced ease.

“We’ll find out which side speaks the truth once we investigate.”

A dry chuckle escaped Johan’s indifferent lips.

“Whether my wife spoke recklessly or you’ve truly committed some unspeakable act…”

“…”

“If my wife did utter nonsense, I’ll sincerely make amends.”

Viscount Gaspeer confessed his crimes as soon as he was dragged into the dungeon.

He had accepted an amethyst brooch as a bribe in exchange for quietly handling a corruption case involving an orphanage in the capital—and when things went wrong and he was about to be caught, he murdered Lord Lexius Polman.

Later, he luckily escaped the consequences when House Blanchet was destroyed.

Johan stared at the amethyst brooch retrieved from Viscount Gaspeer’s belongings.

‘Viscount Gaspeer spat blood and died the moment I questioned him about the magic used to hide the amethyst brooch.’

It was a spell so subtle that even Johan, well-versed in magic, hadn’t noticed it. Johan recalled Estelle, who had spoken so casually about the amethyst brooch.

‘How on earth did my wife know about that?’

The sudden proposal from Libertan, his wife’s inexplicable actions, and now this past case resolved unintentionally.

He needed to verify things for himself.

By the time I found Betty, it was already nearly evening. Since I didn’t need to attend the banquet with the retainers, I ate dinner alone.

Honestly, it was a pleasant meal with no one to disturb me. I even had dessert twice.

But as dinner drew to a close, practical concerns began to weigh on my mind. Since I didn’t know what I’d done wrong, understanding the situation was my top priority.

‘First, I’ll visit the study tomorrow and check Johan’s reaction…’

When I returned to my room after finishing my meal, Johan was waiting for me there.

“My lady. Did you enjoy your dinner?”

He was wearing only a robe.