If I Can’t Be Your Wife

‘When did you find out my size?’

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She was already surprised that he even thought of ordering a new robe, but what was more unexpected was that they delivered the perfect size without the dressing room having to measure her.
Of course, it was something that he could easily find out by calling one of the maids and asking but still…

 

‘Was he a person who could ever do something like this?’

 

Alexis Walten was not interested in luxury in the first place.
He only wore uniforms, and only remembered having the family’s tailors make a few more comfortable clothes for him.

 

After becoming the duchess, there was only one time when he purchased the clothes himself.
It was when she looked at the list of items he had sent down to the local estate.
At that time, what was written in the book was…

 

‘Perhaps.’

 

Just when she thought of the question that she had turned away from because she wanted to forget…

 

“It’s done.
I just need to make some modifications here.
There.”

 

Madame Mettelin clapped her hands in satisfaction.
The curtains suddenly opened and she saw Alexis standing outside.

 

“…….Ah.”

 

He was also wearing the same robe as her.
The pearlescent robe had gold-clad cuffs, with a light blue silk as its finish, with the robe lining gleaming red.

 

“Both of them are not very different in size, so I think we can send it to you tomorrow afternoon at the earliest.”

 

Madame Mettellin looked very proud of the custom-made robes.

 

“That’s fine.”

 

Even Alexis looked at Kathleen with a satisfied smile.
Kathleen stared at the mirror hanging on the wall with complex thoughts.
The pair of beautiful robes bound him and her together.

 

‘As one….’

 

Except at their wedding, she felt awkward because they had never matched clothes like this.

 

After the fitting was over, she moved to another place and changed her clothes again.
Kathleen asked as she saw Madame Mettelin meticulously reviewing the arrangement of some of the embellishments.

 

“When did the Duke order the robes?”

“Hmm, I think it was two months ago.”

 

It was much earlier than she expected.
Still, it was a bit late compared to the time when ladies would usually make reservations.

 

“Was the dressing room fully booked back then?”

“That’s right, but it’s the duke’s reservation.
Besides, this time, he asked for a robe that has the exact same design as the duchess, so how could I miss this opportunity?”

 

It was the first official event of the duchess who had suddenly disappeared from the social world.
It was a unique opportunity for the tailor, as it would attract the attention of everyone who attended the event.

 

At the same time, it was also an opportunity to symbolically reveal the close relationship between the duke and his wife.

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After changing back into her outdoor clothes, Alexis was waiting for her.

 

“How was the present?”

“…Was it a present?”

“Of course.”

 

He grabbed her hand and remarked.

 

“I liked it.
It was beautiful.”

 

The staff who were seeing the duke and duchess off, and even Kathleen, who doubted her ears at the sudden words, flinched.
However, the parties remained as calm as possible.

 

“Send it as soon as it’s finished.”

“Yes, Your Grace.
Thank you for visiting.”

 

Madame Mettelin, who skillfully managed her expression like a true professional, opened the door with a smile.
Alexis stepped outside, placing Kathleen’s hand on his arm.

 

“So I’m curious how you felt.”

 

As they walked towards the carriage on the side of the road, Alexis asked for an answer.
Kathleen answered honestly.

 

“It was strange.”

“The owner of the boutique said it was a masterpiece of a lifetime.
If you don’t like the design…”

“The Duke has never given me a present.
I don’t know if I like it or not.”

 

Alexis’ face hardened at the soft words.
He seemed to recognize his mistake.

 

“I’m sorry.
That I never cared.”

 

At his second confession, revealed by accident, Kathleen once again couldn’t believe what she had heard.
She wondered if it was her imagination or a delusion.

 

“I won’t do that again.
I’ll fix it.”

 

But she knew that wasn’t all.
Alexis’ apology was real.
Kathleen pulled her hand out of his arm and stood firm.

 

Looking up at the golden eyes looking back at her, she asked.

 

“Why would you do that?”

“What?”

“I don’t understand.
Apologizing, gifts…”

 

He even said that he liked it because it was beautiful.
Of course, he was referring to the clothes, but that was the first time that Duke Walten spoke such things from when she was a maid until now.

 

“I don’t know why you’re doing this.”

“I want to change.”

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Her question was something she could barely ask while she suppressed her confused mind, but the answer she got was clear and easy.

 

“No, I will change.”

“…..”

“I want to show you that I mean it.”

 

Kathleen’s throat suddenly became hot and she bit her lip.
Even if she answered him with all sorts of thoughts mixed in, she would likely later regret it.

 

“You beggar!”

 

She then heard the sound of something breaking, together with a loud voice from across the street.
People passing nearby also flocked to the area and chattered.

 

“Is it those beggars again?”

“Dirty b*st*rds.
Why did they come all the way here?”

 

People chimed in and passed by as if it were a common occurrence, but the commotion continued.

 

“It might be dangerous, so go back first.”

 

Alexis said, pointing to the carriage a few steps ahead.

 

A crowd eventually formed and the atmosphere became serious.
Alexis’ expression looked so urgent that Kathleen immediately nodded her head.

 

Just as she was about to step towards the carriage, someone rushed through the crowd from the other side.
As if breaking sea waves apart, people were startled and started to step aside.
Someone ran out of nowhere and fell in front of Kathleen.

 

It was a child.

 

“Ugh.”

 

The groaning child, lying face down, must have been about ten years old, and his limbs, exposed through his tattered old clothes, were full of scratches.

 

Kathleen cautiously reached out her hand towards the child.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

His terrified eyes met Kathleen’s.
However, before an answer could be given, the person chasing the child from the other side was screaming as he approached.

 

“You b*st*rd, come here.”

 

He had a stick in his hand.
The child jumped up in fear and hid behind Kathleen.
Everyone around her turned to her.

 

As soon as Alexis stood in front of Kathleen, a large man with a stern look approached him.

 

“What’s going on?”

“Please get out of my way.
That child must be severely punished!”

“I asked, what is going on?”

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He couldn’t push forward because a nobleman was blocking him.
Therefore, the man shouted with an exasperated expression that seemed to say it wasn’t fair, perhaps frustrated.

 

“This, you see, that beggar took the bread dough I placed outside by the window to ferment!”

 

Kathleen looked down at the child hiding behind her.
There was a small wooden bowl in the child’s arms.

 

When Alexis didn’t respond, the man raised his voice even more, as if he wanted him to agree with him.

 

“And by the way, he’s a southerner living in the slums.
How dare you sneak in here, you should have your legs cut off!”

 

Alexis turned his head to look at the child.
But he still showed no signs of backing down.
Rather, he questioned with a cold face.

 

“Since when were there restrictions on people living in the protected areas?”

“Look at the color of his eyes.
He’s a southern b*st*rd! They’re like bugs that shamelessly climbed up to Meyer because of the earthquake and stuck here…”

“I don’t remember deciding on something like that.”

“What?”

 

The man looked at Alexis, Kathleen, and the carriage next to them in turn, wondering if something was wrong.
His gaze reached the inscription on the side of the carriage.
Before long, the man’s face, recognizing the status of the nobleman in front of him, became pale.

 

“Since when did the penalty for stealing become a broken leg if you’re from the South? Did residents of the special commercial districts even have the right to amend the statute?”

“D-d-duke.
That’s not it.”

 

The man dropped the bat and gibbered.
The child hiding behind started crying while holding the bowl.
Kathleen quietly extended her hand to her child.

 

“Will you give me that?”

“N-No.”

 

The child shook his head with tears in his eyes.

 

“Without this, my mother and younger siblings will have to starve……”

“Isn’t there a separate ration in the protected areas?”

“Whenever I say I was from the South, they give me less bread than others.
My younger sisters cry every day because they are hungry, but my mother has a sore leg and cannot walk.”

 

The cry of the child hugging the bowl of unbaked pastry dough didn’t seem like a lie.

 

‘If you’re from the south, you’re probably the same people who came up because of the earthquake and couldn’t go back because of the unrest.”

 

She knew that the poor were being rescued by the imperial family and some nobles were also engaged in philanthropy.

 

If this kind of discrimination spreads when the problem in the South had just barely settled, there was a possibility that not only those in Meyer, but also immigrants living in other areas would protest again.

 

Alexis must have been interrogating the man for that too.

 

“Give it to me.”

 

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Someone broke through the crowd and reached for the bowl in the child’s hand.
He stared intently at the child who suddenly surrendered the bowl.
He was someone they knew.

 

“Count Schenberg?”

 

He bowed his head slightly to greet Kathleen, then stepped forward.

 

“I am going to buy this bread.
Who owns it?”

 

Count Schenberg, who walked forward, pulled out a coin and drew the crowd’s attention with a loud voice.
The puzzled man who was struggling just a minute ago shouted.

 

“Me!”

“Here, I’ll pay for it.
Is it okay?”

“What? But it hasn’t been baked yet.
You’re giving me this money even though the dough hasn’t fermented yet?”

“It looks delicious.
It’s fine right?”

“Ah, yes…”

 

The man looked at Alexis awkwardly.
Alexis was displeased at Count Schenberg, but he showed no reaction.
The man who accepted it as permission, disappeared quickly.

 

Count Schenberg stared at the guy expressionlessly and then turned around with a smile on his face.

 

“We meet again, Your Grace.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I came here to refresh my mind.
Then, admiring Your Grace’s careful judgment, I intervened for a moment.
Thank you for your generosity.”

“You’re wrong, I wasn’t intending to.
If you’re done with your business, you can go.”

“Yes.”

 

He slyly agreed, then turned and held out the bowl to the boy again.

 

“Here you go, take it.”

 

When the child looked up and took the bowl, Count Schenberg leaned down and whispered something into the child’s ear.
He then took his hand and headed towards an alley.

 

At that moment, thinking that the spectacle was over, the crowd began to disperse.

 

Alexis walked into the carriage with a stiff face.
He opened the door and turned around.

 

“Kathleen, go back first.
There must be something wrong with the protected areas, I think I should take a look.” 

“Yes.
Please.”

“I won’t be late.”

 

After confirming that Kathleen was properly seated and closing the door with his own hands, he caught another carriage and set off.
Seeing his haste, it seemed that his heart was in a hurry.

 

“Madame, shall we go?”

 

After confirming that Alexis had gone towards the palace through the window, the coachman asked.
Just as she was about to say yes, someone knocked on the carriage door.

 

It was Count Schenberg, whom she thought had left.