Though she had steadied herself with a positive mindset before coming out, as soon as she sat down to eat in the dining room, a wave of negative thoughts returned.
‘Leta might say things like that, but Alto’s not going to change.’
Because she was once again reminded of the fact that, in the past, they had been a couple who didn’t even engage in the ‘act of holding hands.’
Viviana lowered her head, a melancholy expression on her face.
‘In the end, breaking off the engagement is the right thing to do. If he were the kind of person who would change just because of a few words from me, he would have changed back when we first became intimate as husband and wife.’
The more she read the novel, the more certain she became. The male protagonist had also been inexperienced at first, but once things began, he turned passionate like someone drunk, desperate to touch the heroine's body, caressing her tenderly without ever having been taught.
Oddly enough, just thinking about the caresses swept away her gloom, and soon the contents of the novel filled her mind once more.
‘I’ve only read up to the caressing part. What on earth happens after that?’
Licking there — that was something she had never even imagined. Even Larissa, who had taught her so many things, had never brought it up.
‘Next... he’s going to put it in, right...?’
The licking part alone was already so erotic. How much more intense would it get once they actually did it?
Just as a faint smile crept onto Viviana’s lips at the thought—
“Viviana.”
“Y-yes?!”
Alto’s voice pulled Viviana back to reality, like someone roused from a deep sleep. He sat across from her, eyes fixed on her with a serious expression.
“What are you thinking about so intently?”
“W-well, it’s just…”
Viviana felt like slapping herself. One moment she was wallowing in gloom, and the next she had a lewd expression on her face. She probably looked like a total lunatic from across the table.
‘I can’t believe I was having such wild fantasies while eating with Alto!’
Even if they were going to break up, she didn’t want him thinking she was a madwoman. Viviana rushed to explain herself, and it wasn’t exactly a lie, either.
"I-I was reading a book before I came. I was just imagining what might happen next because I was curious about the rest of the story."
“What kind of book is it?”
If Alto hadn’t taken an interest in what she said, it would’ve been the perfect excuse.
‘There’s no way I can say it!’Caught off guard and thrown into an awkward situation, Viviana instead lifted her chin in defiance. Her voice came out as sharp and cold as her flustered state.
“Y-you showing interest in me? That’s unexpected! Don’t worry about it.”
“Viviana.”
Having said that, Viviana drew in her shoulders, feeling she’d been too sharp. Alto, acting maturely, gently reproached her.
“We promised to get to know each other more seriously before our marriage. But if you respond so sharply even to a simple question, does that mean you’ve already made up your mind?”
“I…”
Viviana lowered her head. This time, she felt truly ashamed of herself.
“…I’m sorry. The truth is, I was reading a book I’m too embarrassed to talk about.”
“A book you’re embarrassed about? All the books in this mansion were brought in with my grandfather’s permission.”
“Th-there are things like that.”
It was only natural for Alto to be puzzled. Judging by the condition of the books in the library, it was clear how obsessively the old duke had censored even their contents.
Alto frowned as if he couldn’t understand, then nodded obediently.
“I understand. I won’t ask any more.”
However, he didn’t completely back down. In a gentle tone, he added:
“Maybe you can tell me what kind of book it is once we get a little closer.”
“O-okay! I promise.”
Viviana quickly nodded. Then, feeling a strange flutter in her heart, she opened her eyes wide.
‘Huh? Aren’t we having a pretty good conversation?’
Come to think of it, in her past life, she never even had such simple conversations with him. And he, too...
[I heard Baroness Hyuge visited the mansion.]
No. A simple conversation she had with Alto in her past life flashed through her mind. It was mealtime, just like now.
Despite maintaining a dull marriage, Alto always made sure to have dinner with Viviana. Viviana simply thought he was obediently following the Duke’s orders.
Looking back now, it was really strange. Was it really because of the Duke? But the Duke died shortly after they got married. That meant from the very beginning of their marriage, there was no one to nag Alto about having dinner with Viviana.
Mealtimes were usually quiet, but that day, Alto asked about the Baroness Hyuge.
Larissa Hyuge. She was the cousin who had gifted Viviana the dildo.
Knowing that Viviana’s married life was worse than that of people a hundred years ago, Larissa often visited Duke Fortuna’s mansion to teach her enjoyable ways to masturbate.
‘What did I say back then?’
Viviana pretended to poke a bean pod with her fork, tapping the edge of her plate a few times. After searching her memory for a long time, the answer that came to her felt distant and unfamiliar, like an heirloom she had unexpectedly stumbled across after a long while.
That day was just like today. Embarrassed to talk about her conversation with Larissa, Viviana replied sharply.
[It was a conversation women share among themselves. Why are you so interested in such trivial things?]
[...]
Alto’s silent, closed-off expression vividly came to mind. At the time, she had been so flustered that she hadn’t even noticed how he was reacting.
‘He must have been hurt for sure.’
Though it was her own words, they were too harsh. Viviana sighed.
‘If I hadn’t answered so coldly back then, would things have changed?’
At her sigh, Alto frowned and asked.
“What’s wrong?”
“Just... I was thinking about our relationship again.”
Alto’s shoulders twitched slightly. His voice was calm, but his response came slower than usual.
“…I’ve already sent a letter stating that the wedding will be postponed by three months.”
Viviana blinked, realised what Alto had misunderstood, and hurriedly waved both hands.
“No, no. It’s not because I don’t trust you. You’ve always been someone who keeps your promises.”
“So then?”
“I was just thinking about why I never thought to have such an honest conversation with you until now. I feel pathetic.”
“You are not pathetic.”
Although Alto immediately denied it, Viviana gave a faint smile. No. There was no denying that she was partly to blame for how strained their relationship had become. After hesitating for a moment and brushing her fingers across the table, Viviana asked in a heavy tone.
“Alto, would you be willing to marry me?”
"I'm fine with it."
Alto’s answer came immediately. At his unhesitating response, Viviana’s shoulders tensed slightly. After hesitating for a moment, she asked again in a cautious tone.
“It feels strange for me to say this myself, but today is the first time we’ve had such a long conversation, isn’t it? Haven’t you ever felt frustrated?”
“I thought marrying you would be a good thing.”
“Why? Because the Duke chose me as your marriage partner? Because I’m a descendant of your benefactor?”
“...”
Alto closed his mouth. Naturally. Viviana gave a bitter smile. She felt foolish for having held even the faintest hope for him, even if only for a moment.
“You can’t answer, can you? That’s why I’m saying we should just part ways. We’re not a good match.”
“I only hesitated because I couldn’t give a simple answer. My feelings about wanting to marry you are certain.”
“Alto.”
Viviana was about to tell him not to waste time unnecessarily, but she held her tongue. Alto was genuinely deep in thought, his expression serious.
‘Can we really change? The two of us?’
Both Viviana and Alto fell into deep thought, and silence settled between them once again. In such a mood, there was no way they could continue the meal. No one said a word about getting up, but the meal naturally came to an end.
Viviana walked toward her room, wanting nothing more than to lie down on her bed. But strangely, Alto followed closely behind her.
‘Does he still have something left to say?’
Viviana tilted her head in confusion and looked back. Alto’s face was frighteningly serious. With his red eyes and silver hair, it felt as if she were facing a lone wolf.
[Your husband looks perfectly fine on the outside, but was he really such an unbelievable premature ejaculator?!]
Larissa's words from a past life came to mind. Just as she had said, Alto was a handsome man, so much so that, from his appearance alone, one could never have imagined such a dull, lifeless night.
It was while Viviana sat absentmindedly, lost in idle thoughts, that Alto spoke in a heavy, subdued voice.
"May I give you my answer to that question later as well?"
“Huh?”
Momentarily dazed, Viviana belatedly realised that it was an answer to the question ‘Why do you want to marry me?’
Realising that Alto was also sincerely facing her, her heart melted softly. Viviana returned a gentle smile and replied.
“Alright. Please tell me before the Duke returns.”
Alto’s eyes widened in surprise at Viviana’s smile. Flustered, Viviana quickly turned away and hurried her steps, nervously shifting her feet. Earlier, she had merely been tired and eager to get to her room, but now she wanted to disappear out of sheer embarrassment. To her surprise, Alto followed right behind her.
In the Fortuna mansion, Alto’s and Viviana’s rooms were the farthest apart. The Duke had arranged them that way before the marriage, as he didn’t want the two to grow close beforehand.
So there was no mistaking it. Alto was clearly following her. Unable to hold back any longer, she turned around.
“Why are you walking this way?”
Alto calmly asked in return.
“You said so, didn’t you? You told me to come to your bedroom today.”
"...!"
Only then did Viviana remember what she had said earlier, and she froze stiff.
‘Alto is coming to my bedroom?’
She was indeed the one who had provocatively told him to come first. But now, realising that Alto was genuinely taking the initiative to improve their relationship, even the feeling the bedroom gave her had changed. Viviana bit her lip as vivid scenes from the novel she had read earlier came to mind.
—My thoughts could go no further. A slick tongue languidly licked along the narrow crease between my legs.
‘No, no, no. What on earth am I thinking?’
Viviana, imagining Alto licking between her legs like the male lead in that novel, quickly shook her head.
‘We’ve been married for years, and nothing like that has ever happened between us. There’s no way something sudden would happen just because he came to the bedroom today.’
‘If I expected anything naughty, I’d only be disappointed!’
Viviana pulled herself together, trying to rein in her wavering heart. At the same time, irritation flared up inside her at his perfectly calm expression.
‘You don’t know a thing, yet you try to control me.’
She was truly serious, but he wasn’t serious at all. Frustrated by this, Viviana spoke with a cold expression.
“Wash up properly, and come dressed in your nightwear.”
“...Huh?”
“What did I say our problem was?”
“Well...”
Only then did Alto blush, as if he had just realised what it meant to go to her bedroom. Viviana’s eyebrows lifted.
‘So he can make that kind of expression, too.’
An embarrassed and utterly helpless expression.
But that expression didn’t last long. As if nothing had happened, Alto returned to his usual calm demeanour and replied bluntly.
“Understood. I’ll see you later then.”
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