Come and Cry at My Funeral - Chapter 124

The eyes that had been oppressed with despair at the Antares residence were now shimmering brightly again. Thanks to that, her clear face and light green eyes shone like summer leaves.

When he first saw her, he had wondered what kind of spirit had fallen here… but so suddenly?

Albireo tried to move his body with effort.

‘Crossed arms. Did I cross my arms?’

As if by doing so, he could hold his feelings inside and not let them escape.

His tongue felt stiff as if he were paralyzed.

At the same time, the skin hidden by his collar burned with embarrassment.

“Um, well… You’re very welcome, madam.”

You fool, get a grip. Even if you can’t cross the line.

It was he who had first proposed to stay acquainted as good friends.

But even before Albireo could finish his farewell, the green eyes that had been so vibrant darkened. The man standing beside her looked down at her.

“Go inside first.”

“…Yes.”

Once, those eyes had glowed with tender love and sorrow when she looked at raspberries. But now, even in Albireo’s eyes, that light had dulled.

Seeing this, Albireo felt a sudden pang of sadness.

But before he could be consumed by that emotion, the duke’s gaze, slowly turning toward him, stiffened his expression.

‘It feels like the inevitable is coming.’

Even Viela Alpheratz, who usually didn’t care about social cues but had a survival instinct, sensed the atmosphere and quietly stepped back.

It was a wise decision to avoid staying where the lightning would strike.

As the sound of branches rustling in the wind echoed like waves, Izar narrowed his eyes at Albireo.

“I’ve already thanked you enough for the ‘incident’.”

“It was something I naturally had to do, and your thanks were excessive.”

For reporting Freesia’s condition first, the Arcturus family had given a generous reward to the Deneb family.

It was no different from hush money, so they didn’t hold back.

Thus, Izar, containing the cold animosity he had been holding back, asked,

“Then why do you keep trying to overstep despite the excessive payment?”

“Overstep? What do you mean?”

“If you enjoy your little court games, you should keep it at that. Why are you so eager to engage in behavior that would invite criticism?”

Since meeting up with the imperial prince earlier, Izar had steadily built up contempt.

And just now, this prick had revealed his fleeting ulterior motive.

Freesia might not have noticed because of the veil, but Izar had clearly seen Albireo’s speechlessness, like a country bumpkin talking to a lady for the first time.

Albireo felt a brief moment of shame at the rebuke.

“…And yet, Duke, it seemed you were having a very pleasant conversation with Lady Atria that night.”

He asked with a smirk, implying that he wasn’t the only one at fault.

And for a moment, he felt a thrill of satisfaction seeing Izar’s brow furrow with anger.

“Everyone knows Lady Atria was supposed to be your original match. How do you think that looked to others?”

With that thought, Albireo crossed his arms and forced a smile. But his lips struggled to lift because of the anger that pricked his chest.

“If that’s how you’re going to treat her, wouldn’t it be better to just get divorced?”

“…”

“Even if you break off your marriage and remarry your sister-in-law, it wouldn’t be surprising to us.”

Izar’s eyes darkened like a star that had lost its light. When they shone brightly, they were intimidating, but now that their light had faded, it sent chills down the spine of those who looked.

And when his lips twisted into a sneer, it was even more chilling.

However, instead of reprimanding him for his rudeness, Izar posed another question.

“Then, what would happen after that?”

“Pardon?”

“Do you think it will be your turn if I break off my marriage?”

“…”

“Isn’t your behavior quite amusing, Albireo Deneb?”

Izar continued to smile as he pressed on.

In truth, it wasn’t amusing at all. Not in the slightest. The dread he felt when he first thought of Freesia after considering a divorce returned to him.

In that imagination, the next man for Freesia had his face smeared with black ink. But now, this brazenly impolite scoundrel was taking that place.

The unreasonably vivid and repulsive thought made Izar’s killing intent flare.

“So tell me, do you have the guts to propose a marriage to the Antares family?”

Albireo gritted his teeth, struggling to maintain his composure.

‘Don’t cross the line, Albireo Deneb.’

There was nothing to gain from opposing this man. Not only because of his status… but also because he had seen firsthand how swiftly this man and the Arcturus knights dealt with the monsters when they appeared in Deneb territory.

Yes, don’t cross…

“…Wouldn’t be impossible, would it?”

But the desire to cross that line was overwhelming, driven by a maddening envy.

“Who knows? If the second son of the Deneb Marquisate proposes a marriage, perhaps Duke Antares will be lenient.”