The Blackened Second Male Lead’s Wife - Chapter 3

“You said you know how to ask for a dance?”’

“Yes.”

I grabbed the hem of my skirt and bowed slightly before him.

He bowed his head, too.

It was quite an elegant move for a person who had never learned to dance properly.

“Now, it’s time to hold hands.”

He held out his hand before me in an awkward gesture.

I put my hand on his big hand.

I thought it would be soft, but it’s rough.

At first touch, his hand felt like the hand of a prosecutor that had a lot of blisters.

I’ve never had to do any hard work before. It was nothing like my baby-like soft hands.

“Lady Pernia?”

His voice broke the fact that I was staring at his hand.

I said, hurriedly looking up,

“I’ll tell you the steps first. It’s a bit difficult, but you don’t have to worry. One of the most talented people in high society is in front of Lord Kardien.”

It might sound like a load of crap, but it was true.

Even though Pernia is tough and unprincipled, she is as refined as an aristocrat lady.

But that arrogance is my illusion.

But…. On the other hand, Lucian is………

“The right foot should come forward, not the left foot.”

“Oh.”

“No, now your left foot has to come out.”

“……..I’m sorry.”

“You have to make a turn and get back in place. Why did you go so far?”

“……..I’ll get back in place.”

“The music is still playing even after we finished dancing. Isn’t this very disconcerting?”

“………I think so.”

He’s terrible at dancing!

Oh, my God. How could this happen?

A man so perfect, like he was made by God, is a bad dancer!

Hey, writer. Isn’t the setup too humane?

After half a day of practice, little progress was made.

“………I’m sorry.”

Lucian, who was very lively when he first started learning, had completely lost all hope.

I could see the tail drooping like a hallucination.

“I’ve never danced properly, so I didn’t know I would be this bad.”

He spoke with a look of guilt.

“I guess this doesn’t suit me. It’s time for class to stop here.”

“Who’s going to end class?”

“What?”

I’ve been very kind to him because I’m afraid of him becoming blackened.

But after seeing the great deal of movements a while ago, I couldn’t bear to think about them.

I looked down at Lucian with a glaring look.

“It’s me who started it. So I’m the only one who can end it. And I’m not prepared to end class right now.”

That was a bad idea.

I can’t believe you’re moving like a broken spring doll with such a great physique.

It was simply unacceptable.

“Get up right now!”

Above all, I can’t let you appear ridiculous at the engagement ceremony.

Because you’re my favorite!

* * *

The lessons, which I thought would be done in a few days, have extended indefinitely.

Fortunately, Lucian had taken a long vacation after the war and my father had taken care of all the preparations for the engagement, so I had plenty of time.

Thanks to that, we were able to practice from morning to evening.

“Yes. Turns back to back here at the same time.”

I don’t know how on earth it happened, but with every turn he makes, he was showing promising results.

I turned round and wished for it.

Please. Please let this one be good.

And my eyes grew bigger after twirling around. It was the first time he was in place!

*sobs*

Tears almost leaked out.

As expected, a person can do anything.

Well, the steps are still janky and were a bit offbeat, but really, it’s much better.

Effort never betrays you!

‘You did a great job!’

My praise loosened his nervous face.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, at least it looks like a dance.”

“……didn’t it look like a dance before?’

“No, I thought you were calling the devil of the world.”

“……”

The atmosphere shot down at once.

I shut my mouth late.

My damn mouth. I am so absorbed in the role of a strict teacher these days that I forgot what was important.

He’s gonna be a yandere second male lead.

Never do anything offensive.

I turned away with an awkward smile.

“Ah~ maybe it’s because you’re working hard. I’m thirsty. Shall we have a glass of juice?”

“……Yes.”

He replied in a hoarse voice.

Still, it was worthwhile dancing face to face every day.

The air surrounding him and me was much more relaxed.

At least it’s not like the first day we had an awkward conversation which felt like reading a Korean book.

I, sipping clear lemon juice, looked at Lucian.

He was drinking a pink juice made of ground peaches.

I couldn’t help laughing.

Cute.

It was more than a pleasure to know these little things about him that didn’t appear in the novel.

Lucian turned his eyes on me when I giggled.

He looked at me and said, lowering his eyes.

“Lady Pernia, may I ask you a question?”

“As much as you like.”

“Why are you working so hard to help me?”

The truth is, your love for the female lead grew so big that you blackened. He turned his eyes upside down and killed all the unpleasant people.

I don’t want to be a fiancée that used all sorts of curse words at you, and then be hung by you. Hahahaha.

I don’t even have the slightest intention of passing away at a young age.

I said a plausible answer because there was not a single good thing to say.

“Because you’re my fiance. I can’t afford listening to people to talk about my fiancé’s poor dancing.”

He was dumbfounded by the words I uttered.

Wait, doesn’t that sound a bit bitchy?

I’m on his side, but it sounded incredibly arrogant because of Penia’s tough face and a little high voice.

I rushed along.

“Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying I’m ashamed of Lord Kardien.”

I’m telling you!

I hope you believe me as much as you can. He burst into a small laugh when he looked at me.

“I know.”

“……”

“Lady Pernia is on my side.”

Oh, that.

That’s what I wrote in my first letter to him.

I didn’t know that would come out of his mouth.

Did you like hearing that?

I’m glad I didn’t write “From your fiancee.” Excellent job, me in the past.

While I was praising my past self, Lucian’s voice was heard.

“Lady Pernia was the second person to say, ‘I’m on your side.’ So the letter left an impression.”

“Who’s the first person?”

I asked, knowing whose name the answer was.

A child born under the curse of the devil and abandoned as soon as he slept.

The first person to reach out to him, who grew up lonely.

“…… it’s Estelle.”

Even though it was an expected answer, his voice dug deep into my heart.

He just said a name……

How could I be so sad when it’s just that?

The red-eyed child tried to pretend to be calm, but nevertheless, the fragments of emotion that could not be hidden made the viewer heartache.

“The saint brought Lord Kardien to the capital and made you a knight, didn’t she?”

“That’s right.”

It was a very clear story that I didn’t have to ask him anything.

Estelle, who had been rescuing people in dark places such as brothels and empty houses throughout the empire, brought Lucian, who was growing up in a slum.

Under Estelle’s protection, Lucian was able to live in society for the first time.

He learned how to talk, learn how to write, learned the sword, and learned how to communicate with people.

It’s natural to love someone like that.

Enough to not touch a finger.

Enough to wander around the battlefield for fear of his feelings leaking.

I shouldn’t. I couldn’t eat jajangmyeon and I’m crying whenever I see that scene. Why do you hide your desperate heart? 

Later on, his heart couldn’t handle it and he became a demon.

“If I were Lord Kardien, I think I would have loved her.”

He shrugged slightly at my sudden remark.

As if that hit the spot.

But I went on calmly without caring.

“Because she saved me from hell.”

“……”

“Every day, I mean, every minute, every second, I would have confessed my love.”

You’re probably wondering why I’m saying this out of the blue.

You might think that your strange fiancé is talking nonsense.

And yet, I really wanted to say this. I hope he opens his closed heart a little bit.

Lucian, who was looking at me with big eyes, said with a stiff face.

“You’re kidding, Lady. If a cursed man says such a thing, I’m afraid even the saint will run away.”

“Really?”

I smiled, curving my eyes as if it were nonsense.

“She’s an ordinary woman, too. If she doesn’t have very strange tastes, I’m sure she’ll say something like this.”

I covered my mouth with both hands.

“Awe~~ some!”

Oh, why am I always like this?