If You Wish For A Married Couple’s Duties - Chapter 74

“Are you really feeling alright?”

“Yes.”

Dooha looked worriedly at Leonhart, who’d picked up his armour again.

Rather than how the duke didn’t look her in the eye, she was more worried about his physical condition.

“Wouldn’t it be better to rest a little more before making a move?”

“Both of us didn’t break any bones and are uninjured, so there’s no reason for us to dally any further.”

Dooha couldn’t respond with anything at the Duke’s answer.

Was the fact that the bloodstains on the Duke’s clothes didn’t belong to him a matter to be thankful for?

“Come to think of it, you’re oddly fine.”

On the other hand, Leonhart seemed to have some doubts about her condition, which was too perfect for someone that fell off a cliff.

“I borrowed the power of nature when I fell.”

“The power of nature? Are you talking about the power that the Bashalians worship?”

“Yes.”

Dooha was rather relieved that the power she could manipulate was the power of the wind.

If she was from a different tribe and could only manipulate water or fire instead of wind, she would have died from the fall.

“…You’re quite lucky.”

Leonhart replied briefly and looked upwards.

He was looking at a cliff where they had fallen from.

The cliff was so steep that she didn’t even dare to think about scaling it.

However, they had a long way to go in order to return to Tochern Castle directly.

Right now, they didn’t have any means of transportation, nor did they have provisions or drinking water.

In order to return safely, they have no choice but to rejoin the party somehow.

The question is, where were they right now?

Are they still searching for themselves on the cliff? It was possible, and wasn’t possible at the same time.

“First of all, let’s make a move.”

“Do you know the way?”

“Roughly, but I don’t know the way to get to that cliff. Additionally, we don’t even know where the knights are right now.”

“Then shouldn’t we refrain from moving hastily…”

Leonhart shook his head firmly at her question.

“It’s better for us to shift to another location right now. As this kind of open place is perfect for getting attacked.”

The nearby werewolves were wiped out, but other monsters might pop out.

Or that d*mned wizard might suddenly appear in front of them again.

“Let’s head that way for now.”

Leonhart indicated the forest on the other side of the rapids with his chin.

“As far as I’m aware, a path to the final campsite is present through that forest.”

Dooha pondered for a moment about his proposal.

Truthfully, considering the current situation, they didn’t have any other option.

Even if they lost their way in the forest, it was easy to find food and a place to hide in the forest, so she wouldn’t have to worry much.

As such, the both of them started moving towards the forest.

* * *

“…….”

Since when has silence become discomforting like so?

The forest on the other side of the rapids was silent, save for the cries of insects.

Dooha looked at Leonhart’s back, which was ahead of her.

Ever since they entered the forest, he hasn’t said a word.

Dooha was embarrassed as a person that was communicating just fine with her a while ago suddenly fell silent.

‘Why was he suddenly being like this?’

Dooha bit her lip as she stared at the back of the duke, who was moving forward decisively like he would never turn around.

It was rather frustrating when she was in the dark.

‘Could it be that he’s angry?’

Indeed, Leonhart’s broad back was giving off a pretty sanguineous vibe.

‘Who was it that said he’ll forget it as long as I’m safe?’

Dooha pouted.

Yes, truthfully, he deserved to get angry when she came over without informing him while hiding her identity.

As the act of the duchess leaving the ducal castle to come here in itself was an act of abandoning her responsibilities and duties as the duchess, which he’d strongly emphasised.

‘But is there a need to be that angry?’

Regardless of how the process went, the results weren’t that bad.

In the first place, isn’t the duchess’s first and foremost duty assisting the duke?

Thanks to her speedy movements, they were able to defeat all the monsters and escape from the wizard’s cunning ways.

While they’d almost died several times, isn’t it sufficient that both of them managed to survive?

After ruminating about it, aggrieved feelings began to rise within her.

“Excuse me.”

Eventually, Dooha started a conversation with the duke, who had been walking silently.

“Are you mad at me?”

At that, Leonhart’s shoulders tensed up slightly.

He asked in return without looking back.

“Why do you think so?”

“Because you remained silent throughout the entire journey in the forest.”

Dooha hesitated for a moment, and then added.

“And didn’t you say earlier that you’re the one that should be angry.”

Leonhart didn’t respond.

He just continued walking without saying a word.

“Leon…”

“You’re right. I’m angry right now.”

At her call, Leonhart finally stopped and turned his head backwards slightly.

The blue eyes that peered out underneath his bangs were subdued and dark.

“So I think it’s better not to converse right now.”

Dooha couldn’t understand.

Shouldn’t they talk about it if he’s angry? Why was it better if they didn’t converse?

“Why? You were talking to me properly just now, but now you don’t even want to spare a single word?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Then why do you not want to talk?”

Dooha quickly spoke as she narrowed the distance with him, who continued onwards silently again.

“I’m aware. That you deserve to be angry.”

“…You’re aware?”

Leonhart suddenly stopped and looked back at her.

For some reason, his gaze seemed much fiercer than before.

“What do you know?”

Dooha stiffened momentarily at the furious gaze that’s directed at her.

She was quite disconcerted as it had been quite a while since she’d received an obviously furious gaze from him.

But she opened her mouth again firmly.

“I acted as I’d pleased without asking for your opinion. But the situation then was urgent.”

Didn’t Nate attempt to send soldiers without being permitted to do so, and didn’t that cat-like wizard also say that he’ll kill the Duke?

Additionally, after arriving in Tochern Castle, the duke dove headfirst towards danger without listening to what others said.

Dooha spoke unhesitatingly.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t regret what I’ve done. Even if time was turned back, I would have done the same.”

Leonhart gazed silently into Dooha’s eyes, which were looking up at him.

The anger in his eyes seemed to have abated to some extent.

Though his face was still as cold as ice.

“…It’s the opposite of me.”

Dooha only stiffened at the answer that came from his mouth after a long pause.

Opposite? What does that mean?

Leonhart lowered his gaze towards Dooha’s hand, which was holding his arm, and slowly continued speaking.

“Do you know what went through my mind when I discovered that you’re the one who caught me at the cliff’s edge?”

The blue of his eyes turned into a deeper shade, like the colour of sky just before a shower.

He lifted his gaze back to Dooha’s face, and continued.

“If I could turn back time, I…”

He suppressed his melodic baritone voice so much that it cracked.

“I thought that I never should’ve married you.”

Dooha’s eyes slowly widened.

Shocked, her beautiful golden eyes shook.

“…What does that mean?”

“It’s exactly as you’ve heard.”

Leonhart didn’t hesitate, even at the sight of his wife’s face, which was red like she’d been hurt.

“I shouldn’t have married you.”

* * *

She felt her heart sink instantly.

Obviously, the place that hurt was around her chest, but why did her eyes feel burning hot?

Dooha clenched her hands into fists as she held back something in her eyes.

It was because she felt that it would become irreversible if something started to flow out from her eyes.

“…You, do you regret marrying me that much?”

She managed to move her quivering lips with difficulty.

“Did you hate it so much that I stepped forward for your sake?”

She had risked her life just to save a person.

What could she do if that person comes to dislike her?

Anger began to surge up again in the place of the sadness that she’d experienced once.

“My sincerest apologies. It’s just, never in my wildest dreams had I thought that I’d hurt your feelings, just because I saved you of my own accord.”

“…What?”

At her overly sharp response, bewilderment also appeared on Leonhart’s face.

It seemed like he didn’t expect this type of reaction from her.

Before she knew it, transparent tears began to flow down from Dooha’s eyes.

Tears that sprang up out of sadness and anger had a spicy and salty taste.

Dooha glared at him for a while and began moving in the opposite direction.

At that, the startled duke caught her.

“Where are you going? That path…”

“Who are you to care about which path I take!”

“What?”

“You know! To you, I’m actually nothing much!”

Dooha struggled to shake off his hand, which was grabbing her arm.

“Let go of me!”

“What are you suddenly talking about? That’s not what I said…”

“So what if that isn’t?”

After recalling the duke’s conversation with Baron in Tochern Castle, Dooha shouted at the top of her lungs.

“Aren’t you the Empire’s great and noble Duke of Esbaden, and to you, I’m just a ‘mere’ Duchess that doesn’t mean anything?”

Dooha tried her best to lift the distorted corners of her lips upwards.

“But do you know? I had to work really hard on my role as the ‘Duchess’.”

It was as though the bank of emotions that she’d barely managed to uphold had burst, and the words that she’d been holding back thus far poured out of her mouth.

“Ever since the decision to marry you, I have had to master the Empire’s language and etiquette. As it’s a country that’s completely different from Bashal.”

Although she’d decided to tread this path herself, it was extremely painful.

“You used to say this to me. If you want to enjoy your rights as the Duchess, fulfil your responsibilities and duties.”

It wasn’t because she coveted the position of Duchess in the Empire, but merely for the sake of living here.

As she’d received a new surname, Esbaden, in order to be recognised as a part of them and live.

“I’ve tried. At the very least, I’ve put a lot more effort into our marriage than you have.”

They had the worst first impression, opposite personalities, and they were bound together in a marital relationship on paper.

As the marriage started without love, she had to put much more effort in than a marriage that started with love alone.

So she put in more effort.

She made tea and a pillow with herbs that were beneficial for insomniacs, presented a handmade cape and wine glasses, located and brought back medicinal herbs for the duke’s grandmother, and endured the infuriating Fourth Prince and aristocratic wives.

Just like that, the efforts she’d spent while staying in the Esbaden castle weren’t wasted.

She’d tried so hard that the thought appeared unknowingly.

Even dying would be fine if it were for his sake.

* * *