The Search for the Duchess’s Husband

Lloyd bit his nails and cursed under his breath as only a commoner could.

 

With a tearful pain in his heart, he sent his beloved baby bird far away.

 

He sent many gifts to the nobles he had befriended.

 

But instead of getting better, things got worse.

 

It wasn’t just that he was being bullied by the nobles.

 “If they keep saying bad things about me, the emperor might actually grant Artia a divorce…” 

Then the Duchy of Edenberg would no longer be his.

 “I earned it. It can’t be taken away from me like that…” 

Lloyd bit his lip, his face contorted.

 “What can I do, how can I rectify this situation?” 

A moment later, a woman with silver hair and pink eyes appeared in his mind.

 

Suddenly he realized something he had long forgotten.

 

It was always her, Artia, who made him the Duke of Edenberg.

 

Lloyd’s eyes sparkled.

 

He had found hope in despair.

 

* * *

 

*Creak* 

Artia awoke to the sound of the door opening.

 

It was late at night, when everyone was asleep.

 

No maids bringing meals, no Elma sneaking in to see her, no one coming in at this hour.

 “Who…?” 

Artia’s eyes widened.

 

There, in the bright moonlight, was Lloyd.

 

Dressed in a white tuxedo, he carried a blooming pink hydrangea.

 

Just like the night he’d proposed three years ago.

 

‘Have things gotten so bad that he’s going crazy?’

 

Lloyd’s voice was wistful, in contrast to Artia’s sour thoughts.

 “When I became Duke of Edenberg, people who used to look down on me bowed their heads. I think I lost my mind for a moment at the respect and attention I received for the first time in my life. I shouldn’t have hurt you like that. You are the most important thing to me…” 

Lloyd, now in front of Artia, knelt down.

 “Forgive me, Artia.” 

As he looked up at Artia, transparent tears formed in his blue eyes.

 

He looked like a different man than the one who had locked her in her room not so long ago.

 

Artia knew this man.

 

That was Lloyd before they were married.

 

The Lloyd von Reiner who had whispered to her that he loved her.

 “I love you, Artia.” 

Lloyd smiled as he said it and handed her a pink hydrangea.

 

No fear of people, no shame of men, bright as the sun.

 

She wonders if he remembers those days.

 

Lloyd looked at Artia with expectant eyes.

 

‘But what is this…? It’s just boring to me.’

 

Artia said with a blank face.

“Lloyd, don’t wish me wrong. Don’t even say love. You don’t have to, because I don’t want anything from you from now on.” “……!” “Oh, there is one thing I do want.” “What is that?” 

“Write to the Imperial Court that you also want a divorce. If we both ask for a divorce together, the emperor might be willing to grant it…” Artia said and turned to Lloyd, who shouted in frustration.

 

Artia was speechless.

 

Lloyd had silenced her.

 “I should have done this a long time ago…” 

Goosebumps broke out all over her body as she met his snake-like eyes.

 “Move.” “No. Leave me now or I’ll kill you!” 

After a moment of flinching at Artia’s animated scream, Lloyd chuckled.

 “Don’t pretend to hate me now. You always wanted to be with me.”  

On the night of the wedding, Artia greeted Lloyd in her finery.

 

She was terrified, but more excited to be with the man she loved.

 “I can’t do this,”

Artia told Lloyd, looking embarrassed.

 “I can’t do it…” 

Artia remembered a story her maid had told her as she prepared for her wedding.

 “After the wedding, you’re supposed to obediently leave everything to your husband, and if he doesn’t do anything, it’s for two reasons: either he’s powerless, or his wife is unattractive.” 

The maid looked down at Artia with cold eyes.

 “You must try not to be the latter.” 

Lloyd had an apparently healthy body.

 

‘Then why…’ Artia’s face immediately paled.

 “I’m sorry, I’m not good enough…” 

Lloyd patted the sobbing Artia on the shoulder.

 

He never said it wasn’t her fault.

 

That night, Artia cried herself to sleep.

  

She was ashamed of her ugliness.

 

But Artia’s father, Benedict, was very interested in their heir, so they had to share the same room every day.

 

But apart from lying side by side in the same bed, nothing happened between them.

 

Unlike Lloyd, who snored and tossed and turned, Artia never got a second’s rest.

 

She was too consumed with the shame that had been imprinted on her that first night.

 

It wasn’t until Duke Benedict died that the awkward co-sleeping ended.

 

From that day on, Lloyd never visited her room.

 

Alone, she felt lonely.

 

She missed him so much.

 

Then one day Lloyd came in, reeking of alcohol.

 

As Artia smiled shyly at her long-lost husband, Lloyd whispered,

“You know what, Artia? I look at every woman but you.” “……!” 

As if to prove the shocking statement, Lloyd was with Lyrica every day.

 

Artia was heartbroken.

 

She envied her, his

“wife”

.

 

She hated herself for not being a woman to him.

 

Lloyd, who had humiliated her so much, spoke now.

 “I’m saying this now, but you weren’t so ugly that I didn’t want to touch you.” “…….” “But I’d like to kick the shit out of an old man who treats me like a stallion because he wants to give his daughter’s offspring a peacock’s stomach.” “…….” “After he died, I had no reason to stay with you. I didn’t want to hand over the Duchy of Edenberg to my child, but now I’ve decided to change my mind.” 

***

 

Lloyd whispered in Artia’s ear.

 “Let’s have a baby.” “……!” “You and everyone else talk about divorce so easily because we don’t have children, but if we have a baby, it’s a whole different story.” 

Lloyd is unbreakable.

 “The baby will be a big reason why we can never get divorced.” 

Artia felt an unbearable sense of killing intent as Lloyd brazenly spewed his anti-human words.

 “Get out of here!” 

But against her will, her body was too weak.

 

Even with all her strength, she struggled, but Lloyd didn’t move.

 

There was only one thing Artia could do.

 “Help!” 

She screamed as loud as her slender body could muster.

 

It was enough to make even the most agitated Lloyd pause, but then he burst out laughing.

 “Don’t be silly. I’ve bitten all the servants before you entered the room. You can scream like you’re dying, but no one will come…” Bam-! 

With a loud crash, Lloyd fell to the ground.

 

A figure appeared behind him.

 

It was Vivi.

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