The Blackened Second Male Lead’s Wife - Chapter 36

After that day, Estelle and Carlix began exchanging letters.

I didn’t know what they were talking about, but it must be quite sweet.

Each time one of them got a letter from the other, their faces would be overcome with love.

“Thank you, Miss Nia.”

Estelle smiled brightly as she took the letter. I felt undeniable joy bulging from my cheekbones.

It was very pleasant to see Estelle’s face, but on the other hand, it was also uncomfortable.

Because of Lucian.

I was currently helping his first love, Estelle, with her relationship, which was with none other than the Crown Prince.

Lucian would surely be furious if he found out about this.

‘He may turn yandere and crush me.’

I knew that my relationship with Lucian had gotten better. That he had some kind of special feelings for me.

But they were small compared to the genuine feelings he had for Estelle. That may have changed now that I was involved with Estelle.

‘I shouldn’t have helped Carlix in the first place.’ 

I had a belated surge of regret, but I couldn’t stop delivering the letters for them.

I knew how much Estelle was anticipating his letter.

Well, all I could do now was be as nice as possible to Lucian.

So that he could hate me a little less when he finds out the truth later.

───── 〔✿〕─────

I shouted loudly at Lucian.

“Welcome, Lord Kardien. This is the first time I’ve officially invited the lord to dinner, so I paid special attention in preparing it.”

A so-called Marquis Lady’s luxurious special dinner!

We had all of the fruits in season and different kinds of meat such as duck, chicken, beef, pork, and pheasant.

I went to line up since the break of dawn to bring desserts from the most popular shops in the capital.

Lucian’s eyes widened at the enormous table which had crooked legs.

“This is amazing. This is even more than the meal I had with the Emperor when I returned from the war.”

“Ho ho. Is that so?”

I shrugged my shoulders as if this was nothing, but in fact, my pocket was in a dire situation.

After this, I’ll only be able to afford plain bread to eat for the next two weeks.

But I had no regrets!

‘A man will never forget the kindness of those who fed him.’ 

The meal began as I focused my energy on making Lucian feel indebted to return my kindness. (Note: she means that this is to prevent Lucian from killing her)

Contrary to Anne’s concern that this would be too much food for the both of us, the food that was piled up like mountains on the table disappeared at an incredible rate.

Thanks to Lucian.

He was unexpectedly a glutton although he showed no desire for food.

The way he ate with a fork and knife in his hands was elegant and picturesque, but the amount of food in his stomach was not elegant.

Lucian, who was chewing, made eye contact with me and bent his eyes gently.

“Everything was so delicious.”

“I’m glad it suits your taste. Eat lots so you can grow.”

At that, Lucian burst into laughter. He said over a sip of wine.

“Lady Pernia, have you done something to me that you need to apologize for?”

“Kkof!”

I was so surprised that I almost spilled the juice I was drinking.

I looked at Lucian with a bewildered look, unable to think or put on a straight face.

Lucian wiped the orange juice off my mouth with a napkin and asked with a worried face.

“Are you all right?”

I’m not alright!

I asked Lucian with a pounding heart.

“Why did you ask me that?”

Don’t tell me you knew I was delivering letters for Estelle and Carlix?

Will this be my last dinner?

But contrary to my worries, Lucian’s answer was nothing bad.

“You’ve been so nice to me every time we meet these days. Didn’t you just give me a present a few days ago? Now you’re treating me to this very luxurious meal today. So I wondered if you did something you felt bad for.”

You’re such a quick-witted man.

I gulped and asked.

“….What if I did do something?”

“……”

“Will you be angry?”

Or are you going to send me to the other world with a stroke of your sword?

I couldn’t bring myself to say that and looked at him.

He said, placing a tomato from his plate into his mouth.

“No.”

“······.”

“I will never get angry at you. The lady is my fiancee.”

His voice sounded so warm, it made my heart flutter.

“Even if I ate all the snacks Lord Kardien saved for himself to eat later?”

“Yes.”

“Even if I sold Lord Kardien’s most cherished sword?”

“Yes.”

“Even if I took money from Lord Kardien’s bank and spent it all?”

“Yes.”

He answered all of those without hesitation. I didn’t think he said it just to look good.

I think he meant all of it.

He’s a man who gives his things easily to people. He’s such a gentle person.

“Really?”

“Of course.”

If I could, I’d like to have this all on an official document, but if I did that, Lucian would run away.

So I reached out to him and stretched out my little finger.

Lucian blinked, looked at my hand, and tilted his head.

“Did you hurt your finger?”

“No, let’s make a pinky promise.”

“·……Ah.”

Lucian widened his eyes as if he hadn’t thought of it.

He murmured the words ‘pinky promise,’ and quickly reached out. With his pinky stretched out like mine, he looked at me.

As if he was asking me ‘what to do?’

Oh god, don’t do that to my heart.

I asked, unable to believe what I was seeing.

“Is this your first time doing this?”

“……It’s embarrassing, but yes, it is.”

His ears reddened as he shyly answered.

Ahhhhh, so cute!

How can you be so clumsy and cute?

I spoke like a teacher, enduring the urge to hug him.

“You put your finger like this….”

I touched his pinky finger with mine. And he flinched as if it tickled.

I laughed, closed my finger, and pressed my thumb over his.

“When you stamp it like this, the promise has been sealed.”

“……”

This was just an ordinary and playful hand gesture. But Lucian stared blankly at our intertwined hands.

It’s as if he had finished a profound ceremony.

After a while, he nodded with determined eyes.

“Yes, I promise. No matter what the lady does, I won’t be angry.”

His words made me feel significantly relieved.

───── 〔✿〕─────

Early in the morning, I arrived at the temple.

This was not because a wave of faith washed over me and urged me to go pray.

This was an empty and quiet chapel and Carlix was there.

Under the sunlight seeping through the window, the handsome black-haired man, seated on a chair, with his eyes lowered and his hands put together, looked cool.

Cool enough to mesmerize anyone.

Instead of blankly admiring the handsome man praying, I approached him.

I stood beside him and reached out.

“Here’s Estelle’s letter.”

His expression changed at that moment. The cold and arrogant facade disappeared, and the face of the child who received the most precious gift in the world replaced it.

‘He tried so hard to hide this face at first, but now, he’s not even trying.’ 

Carlix no longer hid his innermost feelings from me. His expression revealed everything he was feeling.

‘Hm, he’s gotten a little cuter.’ 

He was still a foul-mouthed and arrogant man, but he was not the man he used to be before, who had nothing but his face.

Carefully inserting Estelle’s letter between the Bible, Carlix said.

“I’ll give you my letter here in three days at the same time.”

“Okay.”

Let me remind you again. He’s the hottest bachelor in the empire right now.

So it’s burdensome to meet him alone like this.

There’s no one else as famous as Estelle in this country but him.

So I suggested one thing when he and Estelle began to frequently exchange letters. Why don’t you exchange letters through a trustworthy servant rather than me?

He refused to do that instantly.

[And leave our letters in strangers’ hands? No way.] 

[I’m a stranger, too?!] 

[You’re different. You’re her best friend and my…] 

[Your?]

[…….you’re closer to me than a servant would be. We are traders who exchange goods and services with each other. So make sure to deliver the letters as you have done so far.] 

Ah, Carlix only shows the outside world his cool and noble prince image.

So he would not want to show a servant his soft and jelly-like face when he receives a letter.

‘He had already shown me all of those expressions.’

That’s why I had to be the one to sneak around and deliver the letter to Carlix like this.

“Then I’ll be on my way.”

I tried to leave after a quick goodbye, but he called me.

“Wait. I got something for you.”

Something for me?

I opened my eyes wide and looked at Carlix.

What Carlix took out of his arms was a dainty glass box. As soon as I saw the pattern on the box, I covered my mouth.

“Oh my god. Don’t tell me. That’s, that’s…!

“Yes, I thought you’d recognize it.”

Carlix raised his chin with an arrogant face. But I forgave him for doing that.

Because what he had in his hand was Caana’s 100th Anniversary Limited Edition chocolate!