Married Couple’s Qualifications

At first glance, the white, soft woman looked like a well-made ceramic doll, easily shattered by touch. 

Nevertheless, he didn’t think that she was weak. Her especially dark blue eyes were wet with tears, but she didn’t know how to give up. When the woman looked at him like that, he knew she would do anything and everything she set out to do.

“……What do you think I want?” (Calix)

This time, however, she was dealing with the wrong opponent. Calix’s face twisted and he let out a ragged breath. He couldn’t deny that he had his eyes on Rivianna without knowing it. 

But that didn’t mean that he lost his reason. He didn’t know how much Rivianna knew about him and found him, but he was not on her side. 

Just as he had suspected that the Marquis of Clayton was behind the Young Miss’s death, but had done nothing about it….

“I told you I will do whatever you want.” (Riv)

“What can a Marchioness, who had lost her successor, give me?” (Calix) 

Even though he deliberately brought up insulting words, Rivianna’s expression remained unchanged. Instead, she only smiled, even in this situation.

“It’s not that I don’t know the gaze of the man chasing me.” (Riv)

Rivianna tilted her head and smiled. It made her white neck glow even more white in the sunlight. Calix breathed roughly at her gaze, as if she knew everything.

“I won’t deny it. It is true that I am shaken.”

But that wasn’t everything. Quickly approaching, Calix growled lowly at Rivianna, like a wary animal. He was no longer the man to be swayed by emotion. 

“Thousands, maybe tens of thousands of times. I’ve thought about it more times than I can count.” (Calix)

“…….”

“You weren’t the type to do that. At least not you.” (Calix)

“…….”

“But in the end I have to admit it. You were the one who sold me out.” (Calix)

The man’s hand, which suddenly stretched out, stopped in front of Rivianna’s neck. If he had stretched out a little more, he would have reached her neck.

 A neck like a deer’s, so thin that even if he grasped it, it would be too much, though, he could have grasped it many times and broken it ruthlessly. But he couldn’t do that. Calix’s  fingers trembled. 

Blue streaks jutted out over the backs of his hands. The beautiful woman remained unchanged as time went by. Not a bit of it in the hands of a man who couldn’t do anything about it after all. 

Hot breath flowed from between Calix’s tightly closed teeth. Calix’s hands were well covered by gloves, but Rivianna knew better than anyone what the hands hidden within them looked like. Since swordsmanship was a predisposition within the nobility, he had naturally held swords from an early age. 

For a man, it was not bad to hold a sword and be praised for its attractive elements. But nothing he was taught in that way was useful for survival. 

The man had to learn to use a sword in order to survive, and his hands, too rough to be hidden by thin cloth, had become so calloused that he could no longer easily remove his gloves anywhere. Actually, it wasn’t just his hands that were broken.

“I thought as much as I missed you. I want to break that beautiful neck of yours that everyone praises so much.” (Calix)

“Then please do.” (Riv)

“You want me to do that?”

Rivianna’s body shrank at the murderous intent that had been revealed without concealment. But that was all. Instinctively, she tensed, but apart from him, she was still smiling. Calix wrinkled his brows . Something soft touched the top of his glove.

“If you want to, you can kill me now.” (Riv)

“…….”

“But it won’t be fun. Above all, you’ll regret it.” (Riv)

Rivianna’s whispering voice was soft, but powerful. As if she was sure of it.

“Regret? Is there anything to regret now?” (Calix)

“Shaking means you have lingering feelings. And usually, regrets arise because they can’t finish.” (Riv)

“…….”

“You too can end it this time. It’s the perfect ending. Then kill me.” (Riv)

“What on earth am I going to do?” (Calix)

It happened. The muscles in Calix’s jaw rose at the realization. The white fingers, which climbed on the glove smoothly like a spider, brushed the soft skin inside his wrist that could not be covered.

“I told you I’d do anything.”

“…….”

Their gazes met, and Calix’s face crumpled mercilessly. As ever, Rivianna was not afraid of him, no. More accurately, there was nothing to be afraid of. Fear was meaningless to someone who was ready to die. In the end, Calix was unable to take off Rivianna’s hand. 

****

“Rivianna!”

Bake, who had finally arrived late, looked for Rivianna. Her eyes widened as she saw him rushing towards her.

“Look at all this sweat. Why did you run all the way here? Are you okay?” (Riv)

“Um, ha, ha…that’s….”

“Let’s rest for a while. No. Do you want some water? It’ll help you calm down.” (Riv)

Just as she was about to turn her body to look for her handkerchief, her body tilted by the wrist that was unexpectedly grabbed. She was in Bake’s arms, and in her panic she slapped him on the chest.

“Why, what’s wrong with you?”

“Wait a minute, wait a minute.”

Bake gave his arms more strength and hugged Rivianna tighter. She hesitated and stopped pushing Bake out.

“…… What’s wrong?”

“It’s a little… I’m worried, ha, something’s going on.….”

At the close distance, she could feel his ragged breath and fast-running heartbeat as it was. Shw waited for Bake to calm down a bit, and then opened her mouth again.

“What’s wrong? What’s really going on?”

“That, that…..”

“It’s okay, just tell me.”

She gently pushed Bake’s chest to create a gap, and the sweat on his forehead dropped onto the back of her hand. Bake clenched his teeth tightly, and with a twisted face finally opened his mouth.

“Duke Pierre….”

“Did you run here because of that?”

“I’m sorry. I look ugly.”

Bake rubbed his face roughly. His trembling voice sounded as if he was crying.

“What are you so worried about?”

“You won’t remember. But that person is ……..”

“Just because I don’t remember me doesn’t mean we’re not a couple, does it?”

Bake’s eyes twitched as she deliberately smiled to reassure him. She not only did that, but she gladly held Bake’s hand. Trust was needed between them.

“I was surprised to see him. He was quite different from what I remembered. But that’s all.” (Riv)

“…… That’s it?”

“It was you, not him, who had been by my side until now.”

“…….”

“It has nothing to do with memory. I can already see how kind you are. So you try to make an effort, no. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

“Rivianna…..”

In a touching gaze, she leaned carefully on Bake. As if he was ashamed, he avoided her gaze.

“I know it’s hard to believe. And to be a little more honest, one side of my heart is heavy.” (Riv)

“Why? Did he say something?” (Bake)

“No, just ……..” (Riv)

The unconnected words leave a strange lingering impression. She paused for a moment, deliberately not continuing her words.

“Is it something you can’t tell?” (Bake)

“It’s not that. It was just a normal greeting.”

“A greeting?”

Bake unconsciously lowered his head. He seemed to be trying to appear unconcerned, but she could see the unconcealed curiosity in his eyes as he looked down at her.

“He said he was glad that I looked healthy, and hoped to see me again soon.” (Riv)

“…….”

“I told you. It was an ordinary greeting.” (Riv)

“… Was that really it?”(Bake)

Knowing the suspicious glare, Rivianna nodded, pretending not to know. There had to be trust between them, but there also had to be room left. 

****

“So you really did meet Duke Pierre?”

“Yes, somehow I did.”

“…… It’s going to be okay.”

Margaret set up the meeting herself, but she pretended not to know and asked. Pretending to be unaware of Margaret’s true intentions, Rivianna picked up the sugar cube with the tongs. Now it was better to pretend that she didn’t know anything and play Margaret’s game.

Bake was most wary of Duke Pierre meeting Rivianna. That was why Bake reduced his own activities as well as her external activities, trying to spend all his time with her if possible, and always keeping Margaret by Rivianna’s side when he couldn’t. 

It wasn’t easy for Rivianna to avoid the eyes of the increasingly vigilant Bake and make contact with Duke Pierre. So, to complicate matters, she had no choice but to take advantage of this. But she couldn’t keep using the same trick. Even after Mariel’s death, time was passing. 

The more time it took, the more perfectly the child’s death was manipulated. She had to loosen her tied hands and feet as soon as possible and prepare forces to fight. 

She watched the sugar cubes dissolve into the tea water and slowly opened her mouth. It was time to give Margaret the answer she had been waiting for.

“… I was actually happy. I didn’t say it in words, but I thought it was a relief to see him safe.” (Riv)

“Rivianna.”

“I understand. I am not supposed to do this. But still…..” (Riv)

“It’s okay. I know. I’m sure he knows everything. How much you did for him.” (Margaret)

Margaret grabbed Rivianna’s hand as if she had been waiting and poured out comfort. And Rivianna teared up as if she was very moved by Margaret’s action.

“…… Actually, he comforted me.” (Riv)

“Comforted?”

“He asked if I was okay. He was rather confident.” (Riv)

“See, I was right. I knew he couldn’t forget you either.” (Margaret)

“Is that right?”

“Of course. It’s only natural. You two had a deep connection.” (Margaret)

Margaret said quickly, without taking a breath. Her eyes flashed, as if she still had no doubt that Duke Pierre was the key to keeping Rivianna and Bake apart. Rivianna was very thankful that Margaret thought that way. Rivianna shook her head, trying her best to hold back the laugh that was about to come out.

“…… Still, no. I shouldn’t involve him in my work.” (Riv)

“I know how you feel. But the human mind doesn’t go the way you want it to.” (Margaret)

“…….”

“I’m not going to force you. But think about it again. What is it that you really want? And who is it that you love.” (Margaret)

Really, everything was a skit. Rivianna inwardly mocked and gladly hugged Margaret. Of course, even though she spotted the man she could see through the glass of the greenhouse, she pretended not to know and closed her eyes. 

In the first place, she already knew the reason why Bake was standing outside the greenhouse, unable to come in. It had been a few days since Duke Pierre’s visit, so it was about time that the news that Bake didn’t want to tell her arrived in Clayton. 

The reason she wanted to meet Duke Pierre was to remind him of their previous deal. She twisted her lips, hoping that the promise she made with the Emperor was still valid.