How the Villainous Consort Avoids His Death Ending

I know that. But I could not do anything more extreme than that. People watching would need some empathy points or whatever.

 
Tristan’s affection is decreasing.
Grand Duke Tristan current affection: -30

“Ugh, please cut me some slack……”

My blood ran cold at the flashing affection number in front of my eyes. I had been so focused on that that I briefly forgot Tristan was there.

“You are unbearable. What exactly are you trying to do right now?”

“……”

I had never tried to act cute my whole life, so of course I could not do it now. Still, could I not at least get some effort points? I felt like tearing my clothes off in frustration.

I squeezed my eyes shut. Three breaths of patience could save my life. If I lost my temper, I might be the one who got killed.

“Tr-Tristan, I am only reflecting on my past mistakes. I swear I will be faithful to my husband as the Grand Consort from now on. Aren’t we married? For old times’ sake, please just trust me this once……”

Life is precious. Survival comes first. I reached out to grab Tristan, trying to hold him back.

“Haha!”

Tristan burst out laughing. But his laugh was odd.

It was so cold and chilling that it made my spine prickle. His gaze that looked down on me flashed with a frightening light.

“Everyone knows you are Prince Everett’s lover. Is that why you want to seize the Grand Duke so badly?”

“My husband, that is not—”

“Trying to force it with your body is beyond ignorant. I am ashamed that you are the Grand Consort of Hezekia.”

Who, me? Who forced anything with my body?

Just trying to cling to him and now he was insulting me beyond bounds. My barely held patience was about to snap. Still, I held back. I quietly chanted to myself.

My life…… precious life……

“They say Viscount Elsworth increased his wealth by shameful means. Is that why the Viscount’s blood flows in you? It shows how unrefined you are.”

But I had my limits.

“You fucking bastard!”

Smack—! Wham, wham, wham!

“Is that all you have to say? What, you think you can just spout anything with that open mouth?”

Speaking of my parents was my trigger.

Of course Viscount Elsworth was not my biological father. Tristan did not seem to know that he was not even Ruellin’s real father.

But in my original world I had lost my parents early and suffered a lot. Maybe that was why I could take other insults, but not that one.

“Grand Consort, what is this……”

I swung fists wildly and pressed Tristan back. Startled by my sudden attack, or perhaps seeing me as a frail omega and giving me some leeway, Tristan only widened his eyes and took the blows without stopping me.

That made me even more aggressive.

“Yeah, because you are uneducated, right? What did your family ever contribute? Where did you get the nerve to talk like that?”

You should not have touched my parents.

…Of course I should not have done that myself.

Apparently my shouting and a few punches made a scene. Servants waiting outside alerted others, and grim-faced knights burst through the doors.

“Grand Consort, what rudeness is this to His Grace? Stand down. Attend to the Grand Consort at once.”

An elderly man barged in and shouted, his vein pulsing at his neck. The knights clenched their teeth and restrained me from both sides.

Before Tristan could intervene, I was dragged off to the underground prison by the furious retainers of the Grand Ducal house.

❖ ❖ ❖

“Getting sent to the dungeon for hitting him a few times. Is that even reasonable?”

I muttered weakly while pulling my knees tight. I was terrified inside.

No matter how ruined Hezekia was, Tristan was its lord and Grand Duke. I had struck the lord of the land. In this absolute monarchy, that was an unforgivable crime.

“You need to calm yourself. Think before you act. Why the hell did you hit the Grand Duke in his territory?”

My grumbling turned into self-reflection. I shivered at the memory of a Joseon queen who had been executed for scratching a king’s face during a marital quarrel. Was the grisly death ending coming for me now?

‘What now?’