Soon, she discovered the purple eyes staring intently at her and jumped to her feet, startled. The book that had been resting on her lap fell to the floor with a loud noise.
“Master!”
Carlos’s eyebrows rose at the strange title.
“Why am I your master?”
Ah, was it wrong to call him that?
Dewey and Jessie had called Carlos ‘master,’ so Irene had also addressed him as master, but it seemed to be the wrong term.
Should she then call him Duke?
Or perhaps Lord?
Irene was utterly lost and stammered.
Carlos, who had been silently watching her, finally spoke.
“Just call me Duke.”
“Yes, Duke.”
Irene quickly picked up on Carlos’s cue.
Only then did Carlos straighten his body, which had been leaning against a bookshelf.
“Were you reading?”
When Carlos’s gaze landed on the fallen book, Irene quickly picked it up.
“What book is it?”
“Sapied Henmon’s ‘Does God Exist?’,” she replied.
Sapied Henmon was a famous philosopher who existed over 100 years ago, and naturally, his book was a highlevel philosophical work that ordinary people found hard to understand.
But it was both surprising and astonishing that Irene was reading it.
“Do you understand what it’s about?”
It wasn’t a question meant to mock or belittle her. Carlos was genuinely curious, but Irene’s cheeks turned slightly red.
“Sorry.”
Carlos, realizing that his question might be unpleasant, apologized. Irene, her cheeks still flushed, lowered her head.
“It’s okay. And the content of the book… I don’t understand all of it, but I do understand some.”
“I see.”
Carlos’s reply marked the onset of an awkward silence.
Usually, when silence fell, Irene would be the one who felt awkward and helpless, but this time it was the other way around.
Not liking the anxious silence, Carlos opened his mouth.
“The doves will be here soon.”
Irene blinked slowly, not understanding the meaning of the ‘doves.’
He couldn’t be talking about actual doves.
“It means priests sent from the temple.”
“Ah.”
Only then did Irene nod, understanding. Visits from priests were common, and she didn’t think much of it, wondering why he was telling her.
“The priests are coming to see you. To verify whether you are a witch or not.”
“……!”
The moment her confusion was resolved, shock overtook her. Irene’s face went pale, and her hands trembled, memories of what she had experienced in the Silas territory overlapping.
“I, I’m not a witch.”
Irene, with trembling hands, clutched her hem and spoke incoherently.
“They’ll betray me as a witch even though I’m not a witch. Like the Lord did to me, they’ll, they’ll…….”
“Calm down.”
Carlos stepped forward and grasped both of Irene’s shoulders.
“I know you’re not a witch.”
Irene had claimed countless times before that she wasn’t a witch and that she was just an ordinary human being.
But no one believed her words. Instead, they screamed at her not to lie and beat her mercilessly.
For the first time, someone appeared who believed what she said.
The fact that it was Duke Esper, whom she feared so much, was somewhat startling… but she was relieved that at least one person believed in her.
“Those bastards won’t be able to lay a finger on you.”
A heavy, low voice echoed above her bowed head.
“Promise me.”
Perhaps because Carlos had believed her words, Irene could readily believe his as well.
“So, there’s something you need to do for me.”
As Irene seemed to calm down, Carlos revealed his real purpose for seeking her out.
Something that needed to be done. Irene’s mind, which had been numb from various shocks, suddenly snapped to attention. She clasped her hands tightly together and nodded her head.
“Please tell me.”
She wore a resolute expression as if ready for anything, and Carlos smiled with satisfaction.
“Good attitude. I was worried that you would be shocked when you heard this, but I’m relieved.”
What on earth could it be that he’s saying such things? Irene gripped her hands together tightly once more, this time for a different reason.
“The temple side thinks I’ve been bewitched by you, a witch, and that I’ve taken you with me.”
Carlos continued.
“I’m going to make that story true.”
“……What?”
What am I hearing right now? Irene’s eyes widened in astonishment.
“You mean… you’re going to turn me into a witch?”
A thin laugh escaped her thin lips.
“I don’t know why you’re focusing on that.”
So, it’s not that?
“What I’m trying to make real is the part about being infatuated with you. Precisely, it’s just pretending to be true.”
Carlos kindly added an explanation for the bewildered Irene.
“People are insanely fascinated by other people’s love stories. So if we spread that rumor, the false story that you’re a witch will be swallowed up.”
Ah, I see! Finally understanding Carlos’s intentions, Irene nodded her head emphatically.
“But it can’t be just me who likes you.”
Carlos added.
“You have to pretend to like me too.”
At those words, Irene’s complexion darkened again.
Carlos crossed his arms and cocked his head to one side.
“You really seem to dislike me.”
“It’s, it’s not like that!”
Irene protested in surprise, but unfortunately, Carlos did not believe her words.
He hadn’t thought about it anew. It was a fact he already knew.
“Even if you dislike me, act like you like me when the pigeons come. That way, you can clear your name as a witch.”
Irene lowered her gaze and expressed her opinion in a soft voice.
“I… really don’t dislike His Highness.”
“I know.”
Carlos gently stroked Irene’s bowed head.
“I’ll be looking forward to your acting, since you really don’t dislike me.”
Cold Male Lead Became My Clingy Husband (Female-Dominant)
Feng Bai Su transmigrated into a matriarchal novel, becoming the sister of the female protagonist and the Seventh Princess of the Feng Ling Kingdom.
After working herself to death in her previous life, finally reincarnating as a princess, she only wanted to be a lazy fish who could eat, sleep, and play.
Until she met the male protagonist from the book, Wei Jing Mo, and he took a liking to her!
Wei Jing Mo is the top young man in Feng Ling City, talented in both appearance and ability, from a prestigious family, with a cold and otherworldly appearance, a figure like the bright moon in the hearts of noble ladies. It was thought that only the most powerful and talented noble lady in Feng Ling City would be worthy of such a brilliant young man. Who knew that this young gentleman would secretly admire the infamous Seventh Princess?
Short scene 1:
Feng Bai Su looked at the young man crying like a pear blossom in the rain before her, and couldn’t help but doubt her life.
Wasn’t the male lead described as a cold and otherworldly figure in the book?
Then who was this poor little thing crying with swollen red eyes and tear-stained face?
Short scene 2:
Wei Jing Mo stared intently at Feng Bai Su who was about to go out, wanting to say, “Be careful on the road.”
Before he could speak, Feng Bai Su suddenly bent down and bit his cheek.
Her peach blossom eyes were full of disdain: “Tsk! You’re so clingy!”
Wei Jing Mo: “…”
A talented fox spirit female lead with a flirtatious appearance but actually abstinent VS A cold-looking but actually naive and clingy little jealous male lead
