EARLY MARITAL PROBLEMS?

ZOE tried to use her brain to think of what Zoanne's dark secret could be, but she only got a headache.

[Ah, I forgot I'm dumb.]

"Isaak, I have a plan," Zoe said seriously. "Let's stop second-guessing and just talk to Vaughn Wilson directly."

Isaak immediately frowned at her suggestion. "Why did you suddenly bring up Vaughn Wilson?"

"Because he knows Zoanne personally, and my "Spider-sense" is telling me he knows her secret too. I find it suspicious that Zoanne didn't remember Vaughn Wilson even though Vaughn Wilson acts like they were close," she said, then she clicked her tongue. "I should have asked Zoanne about Vaughn Wilson when we met."

But instead of asking that, she just asked Zoanne if she could have sex with Isaak.

[Why did I ask that? Am I sex-deprived? God, this is why I told Liane a dumbass like me wouldn't survive in this world!]

"Zoe, who's your husband?"

She was surprised by Isaak's question.

[Why is he asking the obvious?]

"What, are you jealous?" she asked while laughing. Then, since Isaak was sitting beside her, she linked her arm with his. Her action obviously surprised him, but thankfully, he didn't shake her off. "Isaak, I know that I should depend on you since you're my husband. But let's be practical– this is out of our control."

He frowned at what she said.

"Didn't you ask your people to investigate Vaughn Wilson's relationship with Zoanne?" she asked. "Since I haven't heard anything from you yet, I'm guessing your people haven't found anything useful yet."

He avoided her gaze. "Vaughn Wilson is an important person in the empire. It's not easy to dig up information about him. But give me more time, and I promise I will find something useful."

"As I said earlier, let's be practical and just confront him."

He turned to her, then he gently pulled her by the arm until they closed the distance between them. Then he let go of her hand, but only to wrap his arm around her waist. "Why do you trust Vaughn Wilson when the original Lady Zoanne Rochester didn't have memories of him?"

Ah, her and her big mouth.

"It's not like I completely trust Vaughn Wilson," she said to pacify her dear husband. "I just don't like using my brain when another option is available. Didn't I already tell you that I'm dumb?"

"You're not dumb," he said gently. "It's okay if you don't like using your brainpower. I'll do the thinking for the both of us."

That strangely sounded sweet.

"And my brain rejects your idea," he said firmly this time. "Let's not depend on Vaughn Wilson. Moreover, you don't have memories of him. How would you trust the things that he might say to you?"

Well, Isaak had a point.

Zoanne didn't have memories of Vaughn Wilson. Although she felt like she could trust the duke, she still couldn't risk it since she had to protect Runa and Isaak now.

[If only I could take a peek at Zoanne's memories…]

Wait, that might work!

"Isaak, I think my brain just came up with a brilliant plan."

"And what is that brilliant plan?"

"Let's find a way to take a glimpse of Zoanne's memories," she said excitedly. "Since magic exists in this world, something like that might be possible. Right?"

He beamed at his suggestion. "That sounds like a good idea."

"I know, right? Hurry and praise me."

"Okay."

She waited for him to speak, but he didn't. So, she turned to him with the intention of scolding him. But much to her surprise, he suddenly leaned down and pressed his lips against hers firmly.

Huh?

She blinked in surprise. "What was that for–"

Isaak kissed again. This time, the kiss was quick but deep. But that was enough to make her body burn up. "I'm praising you with my lips."

She laughed at what he said. "Okay, praise me again."

He smirked, then he leaned down and closed his eyes.

This time, Isaak kissed her deeper and longer.

Before she knew it, she was already lying down on the sofa while her husband was straddling her hips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her.

[Ah, Isaak is really good at kissing!]

She moaned in his mouth when his hands began to wander on her body–

"Mommy, are you there?"

"Wait, Isaak," she whispered when she broke off the kiss to catch her breath. "Runa is calling– mmf!"

He kissed her again.

She gently pushed him away. "Hey, Runa is the empire's princess. She outranks us, so we can't ignore her–"

He cut her off again with a kiss.

[Someone is horny, huh?]

"Isaak," she said, then she cupped his face between her hands. "Runa is your brother's daughter."

"Uh-huh," he said, his eyes still sultry.

Damn.

It was so hot to see Isaak's red face while panting. His gaze remained heated, and she almost got swayed when he leaned down and closed her eyes.

[Kim Zoe, get a hold of yourself!]

She covered Isaak's mouth with her hand, causing him to open his eyes to glare at her. But instead of looking intimidating, he actually looked cute.

[Like a child throwing a tantrum…]

"Isaak, Runa is our daughter now," Zoe said gently, then she kissed the tip of his nose. "Let's be good parents to our baby girl, okay?"

Isaak nodded, then he licked her palm.

[Lord, give me patience to not jump my dear husband!]

***

ISAAK adored Princess Runa both as his niece and his adoptive daughter.

But at the moment…

[Is Princess Runa stealing my wife from me?]

The young princess played with Zoe all day. And now, the two were in the kitchen while making dinner. He heard Zoe say she'd teach Princess Runa how to make steak tartare.

[I feel left out…]

He didn't want to appear like a loser, so he stayed in his office and pretended he was busy even though he was already finished with his paperwork.

[It won't hurt if I check on them, right?]

He stood up and was about to leave his office when all of a sudden, the wall in front of him began to light up with Constellations.

[An emergency portal?]

The next thing he knew, the wall spat someone out.

It was followed by a painful groan.

He knitted his eyebrows when he recognized the robe that should be white. But because of blood, the robe turned red.

"Yosef," Isaak said worriedly while approaching the priest who was curled up on the floor while bleeding to death. "Who the hell did you piss off?" he asked, then he got down on one knee while inspecting his friend's injuries. "Damn, I can't tell where you're hurt because you're bleeding all over. Let me call Scarlet–"

"This is your fault," Yosef said in a weak voice, then he grabbed him by the collar. "Isaak Viotto, the gods refuse to acknowledge it."

"Acknowledge what?"

The priest raised his head to glare at him. "Your marriage with Zoanne Rochester."

"So what?" he asked. "I don't need their approval."

"Ah, you dumbass!" Yosef complained while weakly slapping him on the chest. This man was blessed with a sharp tongue, but a weak constitution. Or maybe the priest just grew weak because of being an alcoholic. "If the gods don't acknowledge your marriage with Zoanne Rochester, then it means your marriage with her won't be valid! And worse, if those gods who oppose your relationship with her send a word to their apostles, then the whole continent will know that your marriage with her isn't valid! Even His Majesty can't help you if that happens, and he will probably ask you to divorce Zoanne Rochester to keep the royal family safe from the gods' wrath!"

Haaah.

He let out a deep and annoyed sigh that made Yosef shut his mouth.

"I'll listen to you later," he said, then he used his wind to lift Yosef from the ground. "But first, we need to treat your wounds."

"It's not like I don't like Zoanne Rochester…"

He stood up, then he covered Yoseff's eyes with his hands. "Rest."

"Isaak, you're more important to me than Zoanne Rochester," Yosef said weakly. "If I could only save one of you, I'm sorry but I would save you instead of your wife."

[If Yosef is saying things like this, it only means the situation is serious.]

"Don't worry about that, Yosef," Isaak said while walking towards the door. "Zoe is my wife, so I'll take responsibility for her."

***

NOTE: Hi! Please consider ADDING 'I Won't Let The Ghoul Duke Go Hungry!' to your LIBRARY. Thank you! <3