I knew you were hurt but…
I didn’t know you had such a sad story.
The Grand Duke looked at Riel, who was still lying on her floor.
What a shameless child.
It made him angry because it was so obvious what purpose she had come here for. The Grand Duke looked at Riel, and did not hide his anger.
It was impossible for Riel, whose body was weak, to be able to withstand the energy of the Grand Duke. In the end, Riel trembled, and then she fainted.
“Young Count Ascardo. You brought them, so I’ll let you take them out.” The Grand Duke said coldly.
Ascardo parted his lips as if he wanted to say something, then took a deep breath, supported Riel, who had fainted, and stood up.
“I’ll take you to the infirmary.” Ascardo left the conference room dragging the limp Riel.
This time the Grand Duke looked at Irene. He frowned slightly. He did not like the situation at all, but he could not help it.
“We will have a separate meeting. Do you want to go out and wait?”
“...Yes.”
As expected, it was difficult to get recognition right away. Irene lowered her head and looked at Noel. He reached his hand towards her with a smile on his face.
“You must be tired, let’s go and rest.” His voice was still warm. While looking at his bare hand, Irene carefully grabbed it.
After Irene and Noel left, the Grand Duke remained silent for a long time. He looked at the door with a worried expression and said with a heavy voice.
“Let’s start the meeting on a new topic.”
♔♔♔
“…I’m sorry, Noel.”
Irene, who left the meeting room holding Noel’s hand, spoke in a melancholy voice.
“What do you mean?”
“I ruined it, because of me... If you do not receive recognition, you can’t become a Grand Duke... Our marriage cannot...”
“I have absolutely no intention of giving up on marriage.”
Opening the door of the waiting carriage, Noel said firmly. Noel got on the carriage first and then pulled up Irene. As the two of them sat on the chairs, the carriage headed straight for the main building.
“I think you made the right choice. If you had refused to speak in that situation, you would have been caught in their trap and turning the situation around would have been difficult. On the contrary, it would be embarrassing if you spoke honestly. We can leave the room like this.”
It wasn’t meant to be comforting. He truly believed that Irene’s choice was the best.
She could understand his intentions, but Irene’s gloomy mood did not improve.
“It’s okay. We haven’t reached a conclusion yet. Perhaps they are currently discussing whether to recognise you or not.”
“…if I don’t get recognition, what will you do?”
“Well. If that’s the case, then...”
Noel looked at Irene and smiled.
“Shall we run away so far that the pursuers can’t chase us and live together? Of course, only if you would allow it.”
At Noel’s unexpected words, Irene blinked and responded quickly. “I like the sound of that!”
Irene looked at Noel seriously. Noel, who was also looking at Irene, quietly parted his lips.
“I’ll have to think about it seriously. It wouldn’t hurt to be unexpectedly unrecognised.”
At that moment, her heart became a little lighter, and Irene sunk deeper into her chair. Following her conversation with Noel, she felt a sense of incompatibility.
If you can’t become a Grand Duke, do you really need to continue our relationship?
The reason the two were married in the first place was that they needed each other to achieve their respective goals. She needed Noel to leave her home justly, and Noel needed herself to succeed the Grand Duke.
Moreover, she was no longer obliged to return home, but Noel had not yet succeeded the Grand Duchy. He would not have to keep this contractual marriage if he did not get the recognition of the Grand Duke.
However, Noel and Irene had forgotten that fact and were thinking about the future as a couple very naturally.
Did he notice?
If they did not receive recognition, there was no need for the two of them to be married. All these speculations of the future were meaningless.
Irene glanced at Noel. He was looking out the window with a relaxed expression on his face, as if he had no worries or regrets.
Should I raise it?
She wondered what he was thinking; what would happen to their relationship then, if she did not receive their recognition, and him…
I like it the way it is now.
It was greed – a selfish thought. She got what she wanted, and he wanted her to keep a worthless relationship.
Let’s not talk about it.
Irene cleared her mind. She wondered what was on his mind, but she did not want to be hurt by reminding him of it.
Because there is still time.
There was still a while before the meeting was over. She did not know what would happen after that, but for now, she just wanted to enjoy this time with him.
♔♔♔
//the complicated political world of nobles…just let two people be happy!!!