IABCBMH Chapter 32

Disclaimer: Some words or phrases may be lost in translation. The word might not have a literal translation in English or there may be sayings in Korean culture that I am not familiar with.

(athanasiafrost)

He shook his head, speaking hastily.

“An interrogation doesn’t necessarily involve pain or torture, especially when you haven’t done anything wrong. Did you grow up so sheltered in the South that you don’t even understand the basic meaning of such words?”

“… uh… hmm… .”

“What the hell do you think I am?”

His voice held a touch of genuine bewilderment, and the aura of intimidation he had been exuding seemed to vanish. He let out a light sigh as he observed me trembling like a small animal.

“Honestly…”

He shook his head reluctantly.

“… It’s truly baffling, Eloise. If you’re acting, how do you conjure up reactions that are so out of the ordinary?”

“Well, but…”

I posed the essential question, my expression still cowering.

“How does one conduct an interrogation without pain or torture? How can you manipulate an uncooperative subject to your advantage?”

“I have no taste for harming innocent people. Wouldn’t it be more effective to present an enticing incentive?”

His tone was no longer aggressive; it had become quite gentlemanly, though far from dripping with sweetness.

“So, please, don’t tremble. I feel like I’ve turned into a scoundrel.”

Nevertheless, his words of “don’t tremble” held a magical power. His tone remained stern, but I sensed an attempt to comfort me.

Gradually, my body began to warm up again, and my stiff tongue started to loosen. I replied in a steadier tone, without stuttering.

“However, it would be difficult to present such an enticing incentive. Even looking at it from this perspective, I don’t possess a particularly greedy nature.”

“Any lure will be impossible to offer. But I do detest wasting time.”

Johannes leaned in closer, his demeanor suddenly mischievous.

“So, I’ll start with a big gamble right from the beginning.”

Unconsciously, I pulled back slightly. Johannes smiled leisurely, keeping that precise distance.

“Eloise.”

He called my name in a low voice, and I held my breath. But Johannes continued at once.

“How about having me?”

“… yes?”

I stood in a daze for a moment, not comprehending what he meant.

“H-have the Duke? Me?”

Observing my bewildered expression, Johannes smiled slightly. It was the smile of a predator who enjoyed seeing me caught off guard.

“Okay. I mean, I will offer you myself, Johannes Noavik. I don’t believe your outrageous claims about falling for me.”

Yet, it was Johannes who appeared puzzled by my subsequent words.

“uh… however… .”

I asked with complete seriousness, my expression earnest.

“What am I supposed to do with the life of a Duke?”

“… … .”

“What… It’s not a terribly bad proposition, but I’d rather not take it to the point of killing.”

“… … .”

Johannes’ expression stiffened slightly. Watching his puzzled face, I carefully posed my question.

“I apologize, but… Isn’t that what ‘having a Duke’ implies?”

For a moment, Johannes gazed at my serious expression with a perplexed look.

“I’ve said it many times, but your acting is truly exceptional. And imaginative.”

He spoke slowly.

“… Typically, the phrase ‘have me’ is interpreted rather romantically.”

“Romantic?”

“I’m not that incapacitated.”

Was he implying he was offering his manly attributes to me? Bestowing them upon me like a gift?

It wasn’t until the word “impossible” left his lips that I finally grasped his meaning, and in sheer astonishment, I waved my hand hurriedly.

“G-goodness, is life really that complicated?”

“A very unusual and swift rejection.”

Johannes chuckled with a mix of dejection and sarcasm.

“Don’t you find this to be suspicious of someone who initially approached you and proposed, claiming it was love at first sight?”

“By ‘proposing’, I didn’t mean that I was asking for… well, you know, the physical aspects of it. Not at all. You said so yourself.” ^[1]

My words came out stuttered; it was almost absurd to speak them aloud.

“You needn’t be so alarmed. Are you stammering as you did when uttering the words ‘torture’ or ‘pain’?”

Johannes replied incredulously, then tilted his head.

“Don’t just parrot the ‘love at first sight’ notion; act reasonably, Eloise. Most young ladies in the capital would treasure a conversation like this with me.”

Well, I can understand that feeling to some extent… .”

I gave his deep-set eyes and sculpted nose another glance before continuing calmly.

“I mean, in this world, there’s bound to be a woman who adores the Duke’s appearance alone and might not even desire… the other aspects.”^[2]

And if there was indeed such a woman, it could only be me. Much of my life had been spent avoiding any contact with Johannes. Johannes responded with a casual shrug.

“It’s rather unfortunate for that woman to be my wife, isn’t it?”

“I don’t know about that, but the Duke married me with the intention of using me from the very beginning, so… .”

“Do you really need to make it sound so… dry?”

The man who wouldn’t be out of place in the driest desert continued with an eerily composed expression.

“I don’t believe any of that nonsense about you being infatuated with me. Nonetheless, it wouldn’t be an unfavorable choice for me to become yours.”

(athanasiafrost)

“uh… hmm.”

“Even if it’s not a physical connection, I can promise to be a loyal husband if you just speak the truth now and tell me you want me.”

It was a needlessly solemn statement, and I almost found myself nodding involuntarily. I didn’t know what exactly constituted a good husband, but it was apparent that if Johannes set his mind to it, he would perform the role dutifully.

If offering himself was what this bet entailed, then it was indeed a substantial gamble. Something perhaps even more challenging to possess than wealth or power.

“No matter why you initially approached me or whatever your intentions may be, I will embrace you. So, consider carefully if you’d like to reconsider, to become one with me. I think…”

He chuckled and whispered.

“… I think I like you quite a bit.”

If this was temptation, it was indeed a tempting offer.

It meant that I could placate and observe any spy from any corner. He had already seen through the fact that my initial proclamation of liking him was a lie. Internally, I couldn’t help but laugh heartily.

Aligning with Johannes… It was something I had never thought of.

A man who refused to simply get rid of himself of an overtly suspicious wife from his land, a man willing to keep her regardless, provided she unveiled her true intent. He was certainly no ordinary individual; in some respects, he was the most compassionate person I had ever encountered.

‘… He said he would accept anything?’

This declaration carried an air of peculiarity. It also implied that my predicament held little significance for him if he was prepared to accept it so readily.

So what truly mattered to him? I pondered this briefly, and seemed to hit the nail on the head.

“I am quite lenient outside of ‘Blue Ruby,’ so I’m likely to be accommodating towards almost anything, no matter your circumstances.”

Ultimately, it meant that his leniency is not for me.

The term ‘anything’ only applied to those not affiliated with ‘Blue Ruby.’ I abruptly snapped back to reality, releasing a strand of hair I had been clutching. I answered earnestly.

“As I suspected, I don’t really wish to ‘have’ it.”

“Why?”

Johannes appeared genuinely intrigued by my refusal. His demeanor was akin to a salesman inquiring why I would decline an item marked down significantly. I attempted to keep my eyes off the ‘sale’ of ‘Johannes Noavik’ he was presenting.

Undoubtedly, Johannes was a challenging man, but he was a man who possessed it all: wealth, power, fame, good looks, physique, and even his unique brand of gentlemanly charm. And he appeared to be acutely aware of this.

Quietly, I addressed him. And I posed a fundamental question.

“Why, when you have everything, would you wish to relinquish your life so readily? Isn’t the life of a great duke something of great value to you?”

His eyes twitched, widening in surprise.

“And when it comes to ‘giving away the duke,’ wouldn’t you typically say that to someone you genuinely care for, rather than someone you are seeking a trivial truth from?”

“Eloise.”

Johannes released a light, annoyed sigh and raked his fingers through his jet-black hair. He then spoke with cold, golden eyes.

“I have never loved anyone.”

Truly, this statement suited Johannes, who could turn cold in an instant. It was such a predictable response that it hardly caught me off guard.

In fact, I considered it virtually impossible for him to feel love. If he did indeed harbor a passionate love for me, the solution would be straightforward: I could merely ask him for the Time Stone he had acquired at the age of eight.

However, the reason seduction wasn’t an option from the start was that I couldn’t see him being trapped by a woman’s seduction. Yet he stubbornly asserted that he would never love anyone, prompting me to ask sullenly.

“But… there seems to be an exception.”

Rather than laugh, Johannes smiled and nodded in agreement.

“Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve engaged in such an long conversation with a woman. Your words aren’t at all predictable, which has led to this lengthy conversation. You are my exception. As I mentioned before, I like you.”

“uh… hmm.”

I was slightly taken aback by this unexpected affirmation, but Johannes calmly continued, his smile gentle.

“Yet, apart from this inexplicable charm you hold, I find myself in a position where I simply can’t love. I’d rather offer myself as your pawn, but I cannot be a subject of affection.”

I looked at my nemesis in front of me and became distant for a moment. There had to be some untold story behind his behavior.

What kind of story does this man have to take a boy who is not even his own son, raise him as an heir, and live a life of wandering around the ‘Blue Ruby’, talking about ‘the situation of not being able to love properly’?

What sort of narrative was unfolding between him and me, one that I remained unaware of?

“So Eloise.”

Johannes continued speaking earnestly, even with one of his eyes appearing empty.

“If you require a lie of love from me, I can play that role as effortlessly as breathing. I can deliver a convincing performance. But to genuinely love is beyond my capacity.”

“Then, having the duke is only owning a shell after all.”

“Well, even with that alone, there have been countless individuals eager to ‘have’ me. Did you not leverage that fact to come all the way here?”

That was certainly true. But for me, that held no significance.

“then… .”

I looked at him and asked the most curious question.

“So, if I were to have the Duke, would you then be willing to relinquish ‘Blue Ruby’ at my request?”

(athanasiafrost)

[1] They mean consummating the marriage.

[2] Again… They mean sex

I went on vacation for an entire week and totally forgot to turn on auto-updates. As an apology, I’ll be updating 2 more chapters this week.

If you’d like to help me survive throughout the day, It’ll be greatly appreciated: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/athanasiafrost

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