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It wasn’t because Benelucia’s actions were romantic or right.
It was very unpleasant for her to be dragged by her wrists so forcibly.
Nevertheless, she needed Benelucia.
It was the only way to get what she wanted.
So, she endured it.
However, Benelucia’s behavior of injuring her and then treating her unwilling aroused antipathy within her, which she then suppressed. [T/N: antipathy means an aversion or a strong feeling of dislike.]
Harshly.
Senelia resolutely slapped Benelucia’s hand that held her away.
It was an act that even she was unaware of.
Senelia, realizing her impulsive action, shut her mouth firmly and spoke out a second later.
“
If you do not have anything else to say to me, I’ll just leave.”
Senelia turned her back on Benelucia.
To her, he was a Grand Duke, and she knew exhaustively that she had to be polite to the end, and to when to draw the line.
However, I don’t want to do this. I’m terribly tired after that meeting with Cliff yesterday and now wrestling with Benelucia today.
“Wait, Sally.”
Benelucia recaptured Senelia.
Unlike before, it was a cautious touch.
Come to think of it, she had never taken care of herself, so he had to be careful.
“Are you in need of someone to marry?”
Senelia felt her expression harden at Benelucia’s sudden question.
She couldn’t help it but feel so with her twisted heart.
That the Benelucia Afron was talking about marriage.

Until now, there no mention of an engagement, let alone a marriage.
How could she not be angry?
Senelia had long passed the age of marriage. Yenelov was of marriable age.
So, it wasn’t unreasonable for Benelucia to draw that conclusion.
But at least, Senelia’s marriage age wasn’t something he could ask about as if just a passing by.
“
Did the Viscount’s urge you again?”
When Senelia remained silent, Benelucia continued.
Her body trembled.
I didn’t know he would even know about that.
As Senelia had approached the middle of her marriageable age, the Viscount and Viscountess had mentioned a word about marriage to her every time.
At first, they too, had held a small hope that the Archduke would take up their daughter in marriage, but when nothing came of it, they had given up.
Nevertheless, Senelia became angry when she upset when she stayed at the Grand Duke’s residency without getting engaged, let alone married, until she passed the age of marriage.
And like any child, she didn’t want her parents to learn to resign to it instead of having any expectations.
“
Did you know?”
Senelia’s voice was subtly enraged.
Even if she remembered her past life, it was the Viscount couple who had raised her and loved her until now.
Now her family was the Daphnen family.
Even while watching the process of their disappointment grow, Senelia had never told Benelucia to get engaged or married.
He also didn’t say anything about it either.
It was so that it didn’t look as if she wanted something from him.
She wasn’t the only one who had endured the years Senelia spent with the duke.
But it seemed as if Benelucia had been aware of the facts. Her heart couldn’t take the truth.
“
Yes.”
At Senelia’s question, Benelucia had bit his lip for a moment.
But in the end, he had no choice but to nod his head and admit.
At that moment, Senelia’s mood plummeted.
“Since when?”
She didn’t even realize that she was now talking to him as though she was interrogating him.
“
If their children were not even engaged by the time they had reached marriable age, the parents would be worried.”
Benelucia refused to meet her gaze.
He didn’t specify, but it meant he knew for a while.
Senelia was amazed.
I don’t know what to say.
Then, the duke continued to speak as if he was making excuses.
“But Sally, I waited for you to speak to me about this, but you hadn’t said a word.”
To Senelia, Benelucia’s words sounded as if he was blaming herself for being silent.
You acted so ignorantly, and now you come and blame me.
She couldn’t hold back and immediately retorted.
“If I did, could Your Majesty have done anything for me?”
It was funny.
Had she told him about it, Senelia would have been cut off from Benelucia.
She was sure of it.
“Yes, of course
”
So, for the first time, Senelia interrupted Benelucia and her words flowed out like vomit.
“Of course, there would have been nothing.”
And for the first time, she spoke to the grand duke as if sarcastically.
“No way
!”
Benelucia tried to refute her, but Senelia did not listen to what he had to say this time.
“It could be. Your Majesty the Grand Duke still only loves one person, right?”
The second Senelia spoke those words, Benelucia’s complexion changed drastically.
In short, it was clear for anyone to see.
She smiled as if accomplished.
What are you going to do with this topic?
“Shut up, Sally.”
Benelucia warned her.
But Senelia ignored his warning.
The possibility that her current actions may in fact ruin all of her progress did not come to mind.
She hated him, who neglected not only hers, but also her parent’s suffering.
I hate it so much! It feels as if my entire body is being torn into pieces from the inside out.
So, Senelia couldn’t stand still without having her say.
“Lucalina Elihan. That’s the person who resides in the Grand Duke’s heart, so how dare I ask His Majesty to marry me?”
Senelia spat Lucalina’s name from her lips.
“I know my place, My Lord.”
It all felt so twisted.
Grind.
She could hear teeth being ground.
For a long time, the name of Lucalina was a taboo for Benelucia.
She was the only reason that stopped the emperor when he had sent a young boy into battle.
In return, Lucalina had also being thrown into the battlefield from an early age.
At the time, Cliff had spilt countless blood in order to ascend to the throne, so no one wanted to step in and stop his decision.
Benelucia had then given Lucalina his love for a lifetime.
But Senelia had now spoken of that name.
“If I had known that you would so quickly switch from me to Young Lord Pendragon just so that you can get married, then I wouldn’t have minded if you had left right away.”
Benelucia spoke out sharply.
It was words uttered by a person used intentionally to stab as a vice and thoroughly injure the opponent.
“Yes. I know. I was foolishly attached.”
But Senelia did not allow herself to lose.
It was natural.
Just because one more blade stabbed into her already tattered heart, she wouldn’t let it show.
“I’m not really blaming the Grand Duke. I’ve never held onto any expectations from you in the first place.”
Senelia, who had already masterfully hidden her expression, replied in her usual calm tone.
Because I know it is easier to hide my feelings to not upset people further.
Because Senelia was the one who had to suffer from the emperor every single time.
“
Ha. Yes, you never did ask me for anything. Never.”
Benelucia’s words were spat out at Senelia.
Her intentions were completed successfully.
Because Benelucia now felt dirty.
He couldn’t gauge how much Senelia knew about Lucalina.
It was only at that moment in time that he had found out that she even cared about Lucalina.
Senelia had never told her story for eight years.
So, he just couldn’t tell.
When Senelia had finally made him aware, Benelucia felt dirty.
Ever since Senelia’s departure from his Duke Afron residency, he came discovered something.
It was the fact that Senelia knew him even better than he had originally thought.
But compared to that fact, he didn’t know even half of what made Senelia, well, Senelia.
From the first time, he knew nothing else about her other than her smiling silently at his side, nodding her head, and answering only when asked questions.
“Yes, so don’t worry Your Majesty. Even if I want to desperately marry you, as Your Majesty said, I should never bother you with it.”
Senelia said, bluntly.
Even if she couldn’t hurt Benelucia as he didn’t love her, she at least hoped that he would feels as bad as she felt right now.
“
If not me
?”
When he had first mentioned Yenelov Pendragon, when she had said that he wasn’t the only one, Benelucia’s feelings plummeted deeper and deeper.
“According to Your Majesty’s words, I may switch to the Pendragon’s Young Lord.”
Senelia’s provocation, which was words taken directly from Benelucia’s own mouth, worked perfectly.
“Sally!”
Someone other himself standing next to Senelia.
The second he imagined it, Benelucia raised his voice at her without even realizing it.
“I am sorry You Majesty, but I can no longer call you by your nickname. Nor do I have any desire to call you such. So please, stop calling me like that.”
We have no relationship, so let’s not call each other by those nicknames.
That was what Senelia meant.
At that moment, Benelucia rushed to speak, forgetting why he had been angry up to now.
“It’s okay if you marry me, right?”
On the contrary, those words completely messed up Senelia’s heart, causing it to thump violently.
For a split moment, her neck felt sore. She forcibly swallowed and barely made any sound.
“
That is, are you getting married?”
It was only a short but weak rebuttal.