The Impact Of The Villainess’ Fake Marriage On The Ending - Chapter 56

Chapter 56

As Adeline expected, after the garden party, the story about Kael coming to pick her up swept through the social world.

The social world, which had been quiet without much discussion ever since Kael and Adeline left for the north, burst into flames as soon as the two returned.

It was a hassle for Adeline, who was already on everyone’s lips because of the false accusation and the emperor’s party.

Gazes followed her everywhere she went, so it wasn’t easy to walk around outside the mansion.

Since her body recovered more as time went on, and they also had a portal, it would be best to move back to the north. However, she had to stay in the capital until the emperor’s party was over.

The situation was such that Adeline could only hope that the emperor’s party would end soon.

“Your Grace. You are so beautiful. I’m not just saying this to make you feel good. I’m saying it with all my heart.”

Madam Elsa, who had brought the finished dress for the party that was coming up in two days, clapped her hands and admired her.

Not only Melissa, who was keeping next to Adeline, but also the salon staff, all shared the same compliment.

“There’s no color that doesn’t suit you, Your Grace. One of a designer’s greatest blessings is meeting a customer who perfectly suits their dresses. You don’t know how happy I am.”

Madam Elsa expressed her admiration again and again.

Adeline’s face flushed slightly at the successive compliments. It was quite embarrassing to keep hearing their words of admiration even after she had told them to stop.

Adeline had become the protagonist of the party because of the emperor. It was a position with great symbolism, so she couldn’t just wear any dress.

As Adeline was contemplating, she ordered a blue dress that symbolized the north.

She needed a design that was not too glamorous but embodied the dignity and elegance of the grand duchess’ high position.

“It is thanks to Madam Elsa’s wonderful design. It’s much more beautiful than I expected. It has everything I wanted.”

“You’re exaggerating, Your Grace.”

The indigo satin dress that flared out widely harmonized with Adeline’s white skin, further highlighting her distinctive features.

The off-the-shoulder dress, which exposed her eye-catching collarbone, completely covered her arms, perfectly covering the wounds caused by the vine, which had still not fully healed.

“Are the sleeves uncomfortable, Your Grace?”

As Adeline’s gaze lingered on the sleeves of the dress, Madam Elsa, who was quick-witted, quickly approached her and asked.

Instead of answering right away, Adeline thought for a moment.

[Are you saying there are rumors that I wasn’t tortured?]

[Yes, Your Grace. Word is spreading secretly that Your Grace looks too immaculate for someone who was tortured. It’s ridiculous. Rumors should enter through one ear and leave through the other, but I can’t ignore them this time because it’s unfair. I want to punch them in the face for saying something like this.]

Melissa’s exasperated words lingered in her ears.

People said all kinds of things when Adeline began to reappear in the social world, and there were even rumors that she wasn’t tortured because she looked too well and that she was trusting Kael, who was backing her up, and exaggerating the harm she had suffered.

‘The emperor must have had a hand in this. It’s easy to create a rumor and spread it.’

It was clear that the rumor spread when the emperor heard that word was going around that they might have caught his weakness.

“Madam Elsa.”

“Please tell me, Your Grace.”

“Can we remove the sleeves? So that my arms can be fully seen.”

At Adeline’s words, everyone in the dressing room looked at her with surprise.

Madam Elsa chose a design that covered her arms because she had checked Adeline’s bruised arms during the sizing process.

But once she cut the cloth covering her arms, all traces left by the vines would be revealed.

“Ah, the wounds can also be covered with makeup! I was short-sighted, Your Grace, I should have asked you in advance.”

“No. I have no intention of covering it up.”

Everyone’s eyes widened at her firm answer. Only Adeline was calm.

“I want to see it. How it looks if you cut the fabric.”

“Ah, yes, Your Grace. I’ll show you right away.”

Madam Elsa, who had become a little dazed, quickly came to her senses and fixed the fabric.

As she carefully mended the sleeves of the dress, the bruises that had settled over Adeline’s thin arms were revealed.

“Even if you cut them out, the dress is pretty. Let’s finish it like this.”

Madam Elsa smiled awkwardly and glanced at Melissa. She felt an unspoken pressure to step up and stop Adeline because it was difficult for her to say anything.

However, Melissa lightly ignored Madam Elsa’s gaze, knowing why Adeline wanted to show the bruises. She just gave her a nice, exaggerated smile.

Adeline caught a glimpse of her smile. It was a scene that showed why Adeline had made Melissa her handmaid and why she cherished her.

“Madam Elsa. Don’t worry. Let’s wrap it up like this.”

“Yes, Your Grace. I will do as you say.”

In the end, Madam Elsa swallowed her worries and followed Adeline’s wish.

“Then, with this, today…”

“Adeline. The letter that came to you…”

Just as she was taking off the dress, Kael approached the entrance of the dressing room with a letter.

Kael, who didn’t know it wasn’t over yet, and Adeline, who didn’t think he would come here, were all stunned.

“…”

But Kael’s surprise was only momentary, and his expression grew serious.

Disconcerted by the sudden change, Adeline followed his gaze and quickly found the reason.

It was the first time. The first time that Kael faced Adeline’s entire arms covered in bruises.

***

The people who were inside the dressing room quickly moved away the moment Kael entered the room.

In an instant, only Kael and Adeline remained, looking at each other.

Since they didn’t spend the night together, Kael could only see the wounds on Adeline’s wrists.

However, Kael’s anger, which had not yet subsided, boiled again when he saw the bruised arms in the shape of the vines wrapped around her.

“The bruises are only like this because they are disappearing slowly. It doesn’t hurt anymore. You don’t have to take it so seriously.”

Kael’s expression was too serious. Feeling a prick of conscience for no reason, Adeline tried to calm him down by saying she was fine, but nothing changed.

“It’s really fine.”

Feeling bad, Adeline descended from the round platform and approached Kael.

“Is everywhere like this?”

As Adeline approached, Kael asked in a low, sinking voice.

When asked if other places of her body were full of bruises like this, Adeline could not easily choose her words. She didn’t think he would believe her if she lied and said that it wasn’t, and Kael’s expression was too unusual to admit that it was true.

Kael let out a faint sigh as Adeline repeatedly moved her lips. That alone was enough to make him understand.

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault.”

Kael’s guilt deepened after he faced the wounds he had never seen. The fact that Adeline’s pain was much greater than he had imagined distressed him.

“Stop apologizing now. I kept telling you it wasn’t your fault. The people who did this are at fault.”

Adeline resolutely cleared Kael of his guilt.

“I want to find them and punish them just as much as you do, Kael. I have no intention of letting this go. I will repay them as much as it hurt, so don’t be so sad.”

It wasn’t empty words just to reassure Kael. Adeline sincerely wanted to pay them back, so she didn’t want Kael to feel too much responsibility for her pain.

“That’s why I’m thinking of going to the party like this.”

Kael’s eyes turned strange at Adeline’s words. He wasn’t surprised. His eyes were searching for a reason.

“Have you heard the rumors, too?”

Kael realized at once why Adeline was trying to show her arms.

“… Yes. I’ve heard them.”

“If that’s the reason, you don’t have to force yourself. No matter what the rumors say, the truth remains the same. You don’t have to act rashly just because of that.”

“I’m not forcing myself. I just want to cut the problem at the root. Just like how you came to the party yesterday.”

As she brought up what happened yesterday, Kael smirked as if he couldn’t stop her. Adeline also gave a faint smile and met his eyes.

“His Majesty should be the one to be ashamed or want to cover it up, not me. I want him to realize the weight of what he did. I don’t want to let him play with words.”

Adeline told him her intention again and again.

“Ah, though I’m fine with it, will it bring you harm? I don’t want that…”

Adeline, who was speaking confidently, looked at Kael with an expression that showed she hadn’t thought of that.

However, Kael’s eyes as he looked at Adeline showed such a clear affection that her face became hot.

She was at a standstill for a moment, vowing not to do this again and repeating over and over not to let her feelings grow.

“It might look a little unsightly. It’s not something pretty to look at, I suppose.”

Adeline, who looked down to hide her hot face, uttered something at random. She felt embarrassed all of a sudden and didn’t even know what she was talking about.

“Adeline.”

As Adeline struggled to hide her embarrassment, Kael called out to her in a soft voice.

“You don’t bring me harm. Regardless of what you do.”

Adeline, who had been avoiding his gaze the entire time, slowly raised her head and met Kael’s eyes.

“There was never a moment when you weren’t pretty. I’m sure there won’t be one in the future.”

He wasn’t trying to please her. He was delivering it calmly, as if he was stating an ordinary fact.

But that was what shook Adeline even more.

Did he have any idea how foul it was to make eye contact and say this kind of thing to someone who said they should keep their distance and wanted to push him away?

Feeling her heart beating senselessly, Adeline swallowed a bitter feeling that wasn’t resentment.