Chapter : 10
“We are officially married, so it would be proper for me to call you ‘Madam’…”
“Ah, is that what you meant?”
Ye Rin, who seemed momentarily confused, gave a soft smile as if it was nothing important.
“It’s fine.”
“……Fine?”
“Even if you don’t call me Madam, I really don’t mind at all.”
Ye Rin looked up at Do Yul with clear, innocent eyes.
“I understand your feelings, Lord of the Palace.”
“No, what do you mean by that…?”
“If we think back on why we became husband and wife in the first place, it’s only natural that you would dislike me.”
Ye Rin nodded with a pure expression.
Do Yul’s face stiffened slightly.
‘Again.’
She had been practically ignored right in front of him. There was no way something like that could truly be fine.
Yet she always said it was fine.
She silently endured all those unfair things and said:
‘It’s only natural that you hate me.’
And Do Yul felt that all of this…
‘……is making me angry.’
Strangely enough, his heart twisted unbearably.
“No. I was the one who was wrong.”
At his somewhat intense tone, Ye Rin’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit.
“You should not do that either, Madam.”
“W-what?”
“When something like this happens, you should receive an apology. How can you just keep saying that everything is fine?”
Do Yul frowned and began pouring out his complaints.
But Ye Rin had no room to pay attention to his scolding.
Because one word he had casually spoken had struck directly into her heart.
“……Lord of the Palace.”
“Because you always say everything is fine, people really think you are fine… Why are you like this?”
Do Yul looked at Ye Rin with puzzled eyes.
And it was understandable.
Because at some point, Ye Rin’s eyes had begun sparkling like stars.
“Do you know that you just called me ‘Madam’?”
Huh?
At Ye Rin’s words, Do Yul blinked blankly.
‘……That’s true.’
He had been too busy scolding her and had unconsciously called her “Madam.”
Ye Rin’s cheeks flushed red like ripe apples.
“Will you keep calling me Madam from now on?”
“T-that’s because…… you officially married me, Madam……”
Do Yul nodded without realizing it.
Then Ye Rin’s face brightened like a child who had received an unexpected gift.
“Thank you!”
……To think she could become that happy just from hearing a title she should naturally be called.
Do Yul found himself feeling strangely complicated.
And as he looked at her like that, his heart felt strangely ticklish, as if being brushed by a feather.
“W-well, anyway.”
Do Yul hurriedly changed the subject.
“It’s not like I am in a position to scold you unilaterally.”
“Pardon?”
“To be honest, I also…… did not act properly earlier.”
For a moment, Do Yul’s face darkened like a sky covered with storm clouds.
“When those maids were being punished by the Tang Family Head earlier, I did not save their lives.”
He lowered his eyes quietly.
Beneath the shadow of his long eyelashes, his dark eyes trembled faintly.
“Rather, in that situation, I demanded that all the maids be thrown out.”
His thin voice continued without breaking.
“Was her name Myeong? That maid was probably badly injured.”
“……”
“Even if she was extremely lucky, she was struck by a kick containing internal energy. She will certainly become disabled.”
Unable to control the emotions rising inside him, Do Yul clenched his fist tightly.
Even though his nails dug into his palm, he could not properly feel the pain.
“If I were truly a gentleman, I would not have acted that way.”
“……Lord of the Palace.”
“The North Sea Ice Palace taught me that every life should be valued……”
“Lord of the Palace!”
At her sudden shout, Do Yul immediately raised his head.
Ye Rin was staring directly at him.
It was a strict gaze unlike any he had seen from her before.
“You do not need to feel guilty.”
“……But.”
“You made that choice in order to protect me.”
Ye Rin answered firmly and reached out her hand.
Only after her small hand gently caressed the back of his hand…
Did Do Yul realize that he had been clenching his fist so tightly that the bones on the back of his hand were visible.
“The guilt for that choice should not belong to you, Lord of the Palace. It should belong to me. So……”
Ye Rin continued in a determined voice.
“I will carry it.”
“Madam.”
“That guilt, and the resentment of the maid. I will carry all of it instead of you.”
The hand gently stroking the back of Do Yul’s hand was incredibly soft and warm.
“Please do not suffer, Lord of the Palace.”
Ye Rin whispered quietly.
“Above all, Lord of the Palace, you are wondering whether your actions were right or wrong.”
“……”
“I believe that alone…… is proof that you are a kind person.”
Do Yul could not say anything.
Her youthful voice, her gentle words of comfort that continued softly…
They soothed the self-loathing that had been biting at his entire body.
And somehow, he wanted to lean on that voice……
“I like that kindness of yours, Lord of the Palace. Also……”
Ye Rin looked up at him quietly and gently lowered her eyes.
It was a warm smile like the sunlight of early spring spreading over all things.
“……I am very happy that someone like you chose me instead of Myeong.”
At that moment.
The strength that had been tightly holding Do Yul’s fist slowly disappeared.
“……As soon as possible.”
Feeling strangely hot behind his ears, Do Yul hurriedly pulled his hand away from Ye Rin’s.
“I intend to return to the North Sea Ice Palace.”
“Really?”
Ye Rin’s eyes widened.
Do Yul quietly avoided her gaze and nodded slightly instead of answering.
“Your hometown, Lord of the Palace…… I’m really looking forward to it!”
“Are you?”
“Yes! I want to go there soon.”
Listening to Ye Rin chatter in her innocent voice, Do Yul pressed his lips together.
……If they wanted to continue trading food steadily in the future, it would be better to show that he cherished the Tang Family’s daughter from now on.
That was why he protected her.
There was no other meaning.
None at all.
Do Yul forced himself to think that way.
While deliberately ignoring the fact that he had opposed the Tang Family Head, who held control over their food supplies, in order to protect that very Tang Family daughter.
