Chapter 6

Rixus was a man with an iron heart, who didn’t grit his teeth even when bitten by a wild animal, but he was also a man with a clear consciousness as a righteous ruler.

He was a man who cared for his people as much as I did. It could be seen in his decision to marry a woman he didn’t love.

But one of the people he loved so much was now full of mud, his back torn, and his face wet with tears, pleading.

‘That bastard……’

Seeing the old coachman crying as if it was unfair, I crumpled a bit of my attire with my fist..

But I didn’t want to pathetically defend myself and explain that he was scolded for abusing his horse.

Rixus was called the ‘Human Butcher’ on the battlefield.

There, he cut humans as well as horses without blinking an eye. So, could he understand I punished one of his precious people like that because he was harassing the horse?

‘…He’ll never be able to do it.’

Rixus’ gaze moved from the coachman at his feet to me.

Then he asked in a dry voice.

“Berylia, is this man’s words true?”

“……”

My eyelashes trembled slightly.

Even if I was not a beloved wife… At least I didn’t want to be a terrible wife.

It looked like I made a blunder from the start.

‘Yes, anyway, I am used to being misunderstood by Rixus as a wicked woman who doesn’t deserve to live.’

Nothing changed.

I stared at him coldly with my shining, inhumane right eye. And with an arrogant and cold voice, I spit out only the truth.

“He offended me.”

I kept my dignity, but I would look like a crazy woman. With a twisted personality who whipped a person for simply blocking the road.

‘Think as you like…’

He had always thought of me that way, anyway.

Just as expected. The blue-violet eyes that looked at me turned cold.

And then I heard Rixus’ voice that was as low as hell, which completely overturned my expectations.

“Did you dare offend ‘my wife’?”

Sureung-

He drew his sword and mercilessly struck down the back of the coachman’s hand.

“Ahhhhhhh!”

The coachman, who had his hand pierced and fixed to the dirt floor, let out a terrible scream.

Using the sword as a support, Rixus lowered his upper body and made eye contact with him.

“Tell me your name.”

“…Dwipe, this is Dwipe Purcell!”

“Dwipe Purcell, do you have any family?”

“Uhhhh, my son… I have a son who looks just like me! It will be his birthday soon… ughh.”

The coachman said as if appealing to Rixius’s approval. Rixus answered like a man without a heart or warmth.

“You’re going to crawl on all fours from now on to Aktoum. And tell everyone, to show proper courtesy to the monarch of Spinel. If you break this rule…”

Rixus twisted his lips as he whispered in a relaxed tone.

“I will cut off your head and display it in your son’s birthday party.”

“!”

As he pulled out his sword and got up, the coachman screamed.

Rixus quickly brushed off the blood on the blade and put it back into its sheath. It was a movement without unnecessities.

I watched the scene with a little bit of perplexity.

Then Rixius came up to me and held out his hand.

“Come here, Berylia.”

“…….”

I grabbed that hand. As if possessed by something.

The hand of the nemesis that I held for the first time was surprisingly warm.

* * *

‘When can I release this hand…?’

In the end, I missed the timing to let go.

Dageudak, dageudak.

We were still holding hands in the gently swaying carriage.

No, rather than holding it, it was more like being unilaterally caught in his big long fingers.

Rixus was holding my hand so tightly that I couldn’t even sneak it out.

His body temperature was hot.

I felt weird. I even felt a tingling sensation from our joined hands.

It was, of course, the first time I had such close contact with him.

In my previous lives, I had never really touched him.

When it came to physical contact, all he did was grab me by the neck and press me onto the floor. Just the touch of the throat.

Oh, he stepped on my head too.

‘It’s unfamiliar.’

I thought it was strange, but I couldn’t get it out easily.

Was it because of the appearance of Rixus who stood by my side without hesitation earlier? Or maybe it was because of his passionate blue-purple eyes that had touched me strangely since before.

He looked pretty good today.

‘Why is it so good?’

I was looking at Rixus with a curious mind, and a question suddenly came to me.

“Berylia, why did you buy that horse?”

He was referring to the brown horse following us.

“It’s frame is thick and strong. It’s a great horse, it’s muscles showed well even when it’s thin. If you feed and take care of it well, you’ll be rewarded with its value.”

“There are a lot of famous horses in Aktoum. Isn’t that horse too humble?”

“…I just liked it.”

Half true, half false. My sympathy for the brown horse also played a big role.

But sympathy was a kind of weak heart, and I didn’t want to show it to my nemesis. If he found out about my weakness, he might laugh at me even more when he tries to kill me in the future.

At least for me, Rixus was a man without even the slightest bit of sympathy.

Rixus asked me with a piercing gaze.

“You didn’t buy to take care of it because it was pitiful, did you?”

“Not at all.”

I purposely raised my eyes and looked straight at him. With a dignified look that contained no hesitation at all.

Looking at me like that, Rixus suddenly whispered.

“It’s exciting to see you after a week.”

“!”

His eyes, which were normally cold, suddenly seemed sweeter than ever.

With that drowsy voice, all I heard was the threat of death.

I couldn’t believe a cold man with no blood or tears wanted to see someone. And that person was me? It was unfamiliar, like hearing a ghost story.

‘Is he the type to be good only to the woman who will become his wife?’

I was embarrassed, so I pretended not to hear it and quickly turned my gaze forward.

Rixus smiled at my cold reaction and looked at our clasped hands calmly. Then, with the tip of his index finger, he tickled my finger slightly.

“Did you wear a wedding ring with my heart?”

It was said that the spirit stone was connected to the one who swore his life. Even though it was disguised as another jewel on the ring, it seemed that he could sense his own spirit stone.

“Yes. I’m going to blow it up if I have to.”

“I’m afraid you won’t give me a chance and hurt my heart, even if there is a mistake in closing the floodgates of Mavilos Dam.”

“It’s better not to expect sympathy from me.”

It meant it. I had compassion for that horse, but not him.

“So be careful.”

‘If the opportunity comes, I will destroy him and survive.’

Wasn’t it okay to end with my victory once in a while?

So, the hostile me and the one who would harbor hostility towards me in the future would not be in a normal marriage.

It was a fact that Rixus didn’t know yet and only I knew. So it was good for me.

“You, too, be careful.”

“However much.”

I accepted his words as a threat, raised the corners of my mouth and responded coldly.

“The nobles of Aktoum will not leave you alone. Just because you are my wife.”

He didn’t mean to intimidate me. Rather, he was giving a soft warning.

“…What kind of people are they?”

Of course, to some extent, I knew about the nobles of Aktoum. I had read the original, and there were stories I had heard as the Queen of Spinel.

However, while repeating several regressions, some information about the original work faded in memory, and some information became very clear.

Memories of the Aktoum nobles were on the faded side.

I spent most of my life in Spinel during my regressions.

“Well…….”

Rixus seemed to be picking an expression while stroking his chin. Soon his eyebrows were raised.

“A butterfly of the social world who is crazy about ambition and will use and throw away anyone. A prime minister who will sell the country out of greed for money. The nobles who will cut my head off and pour out infinitely clever tricks to dedicate to my uncle.”

“The lineup is gorgeous. Does everyone sound crazy?”

He laughed cheerfully.

“You are right.”

Listening to Rixus, I remembered some characters from the original. I would have to see them with my own eyes to know for sure.

I wasn’t too worried. I knew the original story and the future to come, so I would have the advantage in every situation.

Besides, growing up in a swamp infested with venom, I was firmly equipped with the outer and inner skin to catch their arrows.

Of course, I would have to try it once to find out what it was really like.

“They are humans who only know their own desires. But don’t worry too much.”

Rixus continued to speak with his eyes that had suddenly darkened.

“If a dangerous situation comes upon us…”

He closed his eyes tightly and kissed the back of my clasped hand.

“Even if you forsake me, I will protect you.”

I was surprised by the touch of those lips, as if scratching my heart.

The saying that he would protect me even if I forsake him… It might not be like that, but for a moment, it felt like it was the truth.

I looked at him for a moment, not knowing what expression to make.

Where the hell did that decision come from? Responsibility for the wife who came to Aktoum, believing in him?

“Berylia, look out the window.”

Even before my thoughts were over, Rixus pointed out the window and I lost the chance to shoot at him, saying, ‘I’ll protect myself.’

The scenery outside the window after passing the Breathbridge was changing surprisingly quickly. Each time the horse ran forward, the season changed.

In an instant, the snow melted, buds sprouted, and a lush green forest appeared, and finally, a flower plaza where flower fairies seemed to play in.

Full, natural colors poured into my eyes.

“Ah…….”

Unwittingly, I uttered exclamations at the touching scenery I had seen for the first time in my many lives.

Before long, the enchanting sight was over and we arrived at the Imperial Palace. And just before the carriage stopped, he asked slowly from the side.

“What’s the first thing that came to your mind when you entered Aktoum? That it is beautiful…? Or, fear of the future?”

I stood still, looked out the window and said,

“I really want this country, and I want to conquer it.”

“!”

I calmly got off the carriage after saying something that would cool the future Emperor of Aktoum’s heart.