TDWO Chapter 21
by xxsienna“On the day of the divorce.”
“……”
The sudden mention of divorce made Edwin flinch slightly.
Anri moved closer to him and whispered.
Just like a femme fatale.
“Could you help me find a male identity to live under?”
“Pardon?”
“I want to live as a man, in disguise.”
“……?”
What?
Anri just didn’t seem to exist within the realm of Edwin’s imagination.
Although he had heard of plays or books featuring women disguised as men, it was a rare occurrence…
“As you know, what can a woman do to live in this world?”
“……”
Anri and Edwin glided together in a large circle, embracing each other.
Edwin pondered quietly, matching Anri’s serious expression.
He couldn’t imagine it.
A woman who was obviously beautiful and lovely, disguised as a man?
But he could understand her intention well enough.
Even though he didn’t know what she wanted to do as a man, it was clear she desired more freedom than what was available to her as a woman.
Moreover, for Edwin, creating a fake identity was not difficult.
Anyone can do it if they have power, money, and connections.
By simply instructing Albert, he could create it by tomorrow without any bothersome procedures.
A male identity that would allow her to own property, attend university, and have a prestigious job right away.
“No one would believe that Miss Anri is a man.”
Edwin pulled Anri, who had moved away, closer to him.
“Are you serious?”
Anri nodded vigorously, her eyes filled with sorrow.
“I’m desperate.”
As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes.
Anri had to bite her lip to keep from crying.
Sniff. Does the Duke know the sorrow of living as a woman?
“……”
At that moment, Edwin felt something tangled in his chest.
He could feel true sorrow in Anri’s pitiful eyes, like a puppy soaked in rain.
It was heart-wrenching and distressing enough to stir his emotions.
Her expression seemed somewhat playful, but there was undeniable earnestness behind it.
It probably wasn’t easy for her to reveal such inner thoughts to someone she didn’t know well.
Edwin felt a sense of déjà vu, as if he had experienced this feeling before.
The desire to grant the wishes of the person he cares about and to fulfill their deepest desires.
It was an unusual urge.
‘Am I a pushover?’
He seemed to have a soft spot for women who wanted things that were difficult to obtain.
He wanted to fulfill the impossible dream for them.
If he does that, then, in the eyes of the other person, there will be no one more perfect than him.
That was also a way to bind the other person to him—a way to make them deeply dependent on him.
There aren’t many people who can refuse a perfect environment where they can do anything.
Especially someone like Anri, who has strong deficiencies and desires at the same time.
Edwin wanted to accept everything Anri wished for and become an inevitable presence in her life.
If Anri depended on him, wouldn’t he eventually be able to have her?
In truth, he wants a lifelong slave for marriage. He needs a ‘wife’ who can be buried with him in the same grave, so that no one can ever lecture him about marriage again.
The woman before him was a very suitable match.
She lacked what he had, making a deal possible, and he liked her.
Even if he were to hire a servant, they had to first appeal to him.
Eventually, Edwin spoke.
“……Alright.”
Yay!
Anri, filled with excitement, raised one arm gracefully above her head like a ballerina and spun around two or three times.
She felt as if she had not only become a millionaire but also gained a newfound freedom.
Now, she could freely own wealth and property.
Edwin was taken aback.
……How happy must she be to even modify her dance?
However, he understood the joy of a person guaranteed freedom.
‘Hmm.’
Edwin’s eyes narrowed slightly, and his brow furrowed subtly.
He felt a strange discomfort.
As Anri accepted Edwin’s proposal, his mind was filled with thoughts of liberation.
The idea of giving freedom to someone he wanted to bind as his wife forever felt unsettling.
Could giving freedom to someone who wants to be free allow him to bind her to himself?
However, he couldn’t refuse her now.
If he did, Anri wouldn’t want to become his fake wife.
Besides, he had already made a promise.
It remained to be seen if Anri would really divorce him and disguise herself as a man.
“And finally, one last thing.”
There it is again.
Edwin hoped it would be something he could understand, as it had been so far.
A creeping feeling of fear began to settle in.
“I’m sorry if it seems like I’m asking for too much, Your Grace.”
Looking up at him with sparkling eyes, Anri appeared more sincere than ever.
Still, it felt like a sufficiently reasonable request so far.
Except for the very last one.
“It’s fine. As long as you don’t intend to cheat on me during our marriage, it’s fine.”
“Oh my! Then, will you also refrain from cheating on me during our marriage, Your Grace?”
“Of course.”
“But it’s alright with me. You might find a lover you like.”
“Pardon?”
“So, for the last one…”
Did he just hear something subtly unsettling?
With a furrowed brow, Edwin turned Anri around, twisting his arm, and spun himself as well.
Upon reflection, it wasn’t really something that Edwin should be bothered by.
It meant he could freely meet another woman he liked at any time.
But she wouldn’t mind…?
The more he thought about it, the more inexplicably irritated he felt.
“Last one?”
He asked again, but Anri found it difficult to speak.
Even though it was a fake marriage and a contract, asking for this seemed greedy.
“But legally, we will be husband and wife, right?”
Her eyes sparkled with an unknown excitement.
What was she excited about?
It certainly wasn’t because of Edwin himself; it seemed to be because of the investment or the male identity.
Edwin’s frown deepened.
“You said last time that you couldn’t give me the stars.”
He had said he could do anything except that.
It was a reasonable statement. How could he possibly fetch a star from the sky?
Even if he could, it would be hard to deal with.
“……?”
Edwin had no idea what she was talking about.
But seeing Anri hesitate made it seem like something important. Did she want the stars?
“I don’t really want a star.”
The music was nearing its end.
By now, Anri had grown accustomed to holding his hand, touching each other’s shoulders and sides.
The more they moved around the hall, the more her heart swelled.
She didn’t genuinely want a star.
But from someone who would be her legal husband for a while, she needed a commitment or determination, a show of intent to grant her even a star from the sky if she wished.
It symbolized a willingness to devote oneself to what the other person desired.
…And it showed that there was that much romance in it.
“If you wish, Your Grace, I will try to bring you the sun. So, could you get me a star from the sky?”
“……”
Edwin slowly understood her intention.
After a long time, he felt relieved, as if the mystery had been solved. He even let out a short laugh.
“It’s just a thought.”
Saying this, Edwin lightly intertwined his fingers with Anri’s.
In his life, he had never heard a woman say she would give him the sun.
Hearing it now, he understood why women in literature asked such things.
It was, of course, impossible, but it was a statement full of devotion, and its absurdity made it amusing.
“For Miss Anri, I really do feel like fetching a star.”
“……”
Anri finally started to brighten up.
It was pleasing to hear, even if it was just words.
“I’m glad to have found my Perseus.”
Anri felt like this man was her timely savior.
Though it was a deal filled with mutual desires, it was far better than having nothing.
“Miss Anri.”
His hand, which had been on her shoulder blade, slid down to her lower back.
Tilting his head, he looked into her eyes deeply and intently.
“But is it alright not to know who I am? You said you couldn’t marry me if I didn’t know my name.”
Anri smiled brightly.
“Yes. It’s alright now. Just this is enough.”
She couldn’t bring herself to say that she just needed a wealthy and reliable man.
With such a man before her, a name felt unnecessary.
Edwin’s lips curled into a faint smile, as if concluding something.
“From now on, Miss Anri’s name will be Duchess of Briston, Anri Askar.”
“……?”
What?
What did he say?
He laughed slightly, then took Anri’s hand and lifted it into the air.
The music had already ended. He then led Anri somewhere.
Wait a minute?
What did I just hear?
She wanted to grab his collar and confirm what he had said, thinking she must have misheard, but she couldn’t.
She was so stunned, as if her whole body and tongue were frozen, that she could only be led by him.
The crowd parted like the Red Sea before Moses.
She was too overwhelmed to notice what was around her.
They arrived at a table inside a spacious hall.
An elderly woman, who looked like Queen Elizabeth from the news, sat gracefully on a luxurious sofa.
An elegant woman with platinum hair, perfectly suited to a deep purple velvet dress.
When Anri appeared, the various noblewomen surrounding the elderly woman all stepped back.
The elderly woman looked back and forth between Anri and Edwin with wide eyes.
She seemed so surprised that she lost her words.
Edwin skillfully introduced the two women.
“Miss Anri, this is the Grand Duchess of Briston. Mother, this is Miss Anri Wentworth from the Viscount Wentworth family.”
Clatter.
The elderly woman’s teacup fell onto the saucer she was holding with her other hand.
Her plump cheeks trembled slightly.
The elderly woman and Anri stared at each other, both filled with the strong question, “Who?”
Then Edwin lowered Anri’s hand, which he had been holding.
“I will marry Miss Anri.”
