Grand Duchess Trovica is weak. Anyone who lives in Ronta has probably heard this at least once. The only Grand Duchess in the empire is weak, and the Grand Duke is worried about her to the max.
"Cough, cough, cough!”
“Oh my, Your Highness! You should drink water slowly."
She was so weak that she couldn't even say anything to the maids who dared to yell at her. After marrying the Grand Duke, her already weak body was in trouble everywhere, and the only people she could rely on in this large mansion were the maids who had become worn out.
“Oh my, I’m really pissed. Your Highness, it takes all day to just drink a glass of water, so how are you going to eat?”
“Eat, you can eat...”
“It’s so cool.”
My personal maid, Annie, whispered something to another maid and then giggled. Then, the sound of another maid carrying the tray of food she had brought in was heard, and she left the bedroom.
“Oh my, I’m really pissed. Your Highness, it takes all day to just drink a glass of water, so how are you going to eat?”
“Eat, you can eat...”
“It’s so cool.”
My personal maid, Annie, whispered something to another maid and then giggled. Then, the sound of another maid carrying the tray of food she had brought in was heard, and she left the bedroom.
No, no!
I cried out desperately, but I couldn’t bring myself to say it. I was a noble among nobles, and I wasn’t in a position to lose face over food. Annie, who knew this, smiled affectionately and tried to comfort me.
“I worked hard to make it, but Your Highness doesn’t even have the strength to eat it. What can I do?”
“Even if it’s a thin soup if you bring it to me...”
“No, Your Highness. Last time, you spilled everything and threw away all the clothes and blankets you were wearing. Do you know how much the laundry kids had a hard time?”
But that's your job.
“I worked hard to make it, but Your Highness doesn’t even have the strength to eat it. What can I do?”
“Even if it’s a thin soup if you bring it to me...”
“No, Your Highness. Last time, you spilled everything and threw away all the clothes and blankets you were wearing. Do you know how much the laundry kids had a hard time?”
But that's your job.
The clothes that should have been changed twice a day haven't been changed for over a week. The reason I couldn't swallow the soup in the first place is because it was incredibly salty and had enough sand mixed in that it made my tongue grit. And just like Annie said, I was in a state where I couldn't even hold a spoon for a long time.
The maid who should have been feeding me and wiping my mouth was standing there with her arms crossed, looking at me with eyes telling me to eat quickly, so I was so timid that I couldn't chew my food.
“Your Highness...”
Less than a minute after the maid carrying the tray left, there was a knock at the door and it was the Grand Duke's adjutant, Jimsker. Adrienne's face brightened suddenly.
“Your Highness, this is a gift from the Grand Duke.”
“What about him?”
The servants who followed him brought several gift boxes into the bedroom. However, I wanted to see my husband’s face rather than the gifts.
“Your Highness...”
Less than a minute after the maid carrying the tray left, there was a knock at the door and it was the Grand Duke's adjutant, Jimsker. Adrienne's face brightened suddenly.
“Your Highness, this is a gift from the Grand Duke.”
“What about him?”
The servants who followed him brought several gift boxes into the bedroom. However, I wanted to see my husband’s face rather than the gifts.
We had been married for two years. My husband, who was used to the title of Emperor’s Advisor, did not enjoy his honeymoon and was drafted to handle the aftermath of the defense of the east, west, south, and north borders, and looked after big and small matters on behalf of the Emperor. I was proud of him, but at the same time, I felt lonely. Jimsker, who knew my circumstances well, spoke with an embarrassed expression.
“He has returned to the capital, but by His Majesty the Emperor’s order, he must enter the palace immediately...”
“He has returned to the capital, but by His Majesty the Emperor’s order, he must enter the palace immediately...”
“At the mansion... Cough. Without stopping by for even a minute?”
“After the audience, there will be a meeting right away...”
Jimsker slowly examined me, who was young and beautiful, but clearly sick. The Grand Duchess was sitting against the head of the bed in her nightgown, which was 'barely naked' by the standards of the nobility.
The mistress of this mansion, who should be dressed up and welcoming him in the reception room of the Grand Duchess's residence, which was as luxurious as the palace, was too ill to be able to show such etiquette.
He said with a regretful expression on his face.
“I will tell him to stay in the capital for a day or so and then leave again.”
“Oh, cough. Please, Sir Jimsker.”
I quickly took a handkerchief out of my bosom and covered my mouth. As the cold air entered the room, I suddenly began to cough. Soon after, Jimsker was kicked out of the bedroom by the butler and maids. The servants, who were afraid that I would say something useless, quickly dealt with him.
“I will tell him to stay in the capital for a day or so and then leave again.”
“Oh, cough. Please, Sir Jimsker.”
I quickly took a handkerchief out of my bosom and covered my mouth. As the cold air entered the room, I suddenly began to cough. Soon after, Jimsker was kicked out of the bedroom by the butler and maids. The servants, who were afraid that I would say something useless, quickly dealt with him.
Suddenly, the Grand Duke's residence became busy. The Grand Duke, Noevian Trovica, who had gone to inspect the northern territory, was scheduled to return.
***
“Oh, I didn’t mean to wake you up.”
“When did you come? I asked the maid to wake me up when you came...”
“It hasn’t been that long since I got here.”
Noevian returned to the mansion at dawn. I, who had stayed up until midnight, finally gave up and fell into a deep sleep. Noevian’s affectionate blue eyes stared at me. I woke up with his support and immediately fell into his arms. There was a familiar scent. The cigar he was smoking. The scent of rosemary soap that he had just washed.
“I missed you, Noah.”
“Me too.”
He whispered as he hugged me who was holding him close.
“I missed you so much too.”
“Thank you so much for the gift. You don’t have to give it to me so often, do you?”
“Seeing you is like reaching for a star in the sky, but if I don’t do that, I’m afraid you’ll forget me.”
Noevian smiles affectionately.
'Ah...'
He had a somewhat sensitive and cold impression, but when he smiled, he was so beautiful that everything around him sparkled. I freely scanned his face in a wide and firm embrace. Two years had passed before we had even had our first night together. However, the romantic feelings from when I was a Princess still remained.
“The servants have been worried about you a lot. Are you taking all the medicine sent from Piretta and from me?”
“...Well, then.”
It was so hard to get through that pill every time. I couldn't even do the work of one person on my own, so I had to rely on the maids, and as the mistress of this huge mansion, I had to watch their every move...
“I always say, don’t worry about anything.”
“...But I can’t just lie down like this forever.”
The position of Grand Duchess was nominally a high position, comparable to that of an imperial Princess. As the wife of Noevian, a member of the imperial family, I also had to socialize with the Empress and Princess and participate in large and small events.
“Everyone in the empire knows that you are weak anyway.”
People are more generous than you think, Adrienne.
Noevian whispered, stroking my face with his long, delicate hands.
'Is that really true?'
Even the maids who should be serving her master right now treat me like a useless person. If my husband leaves tomorrow, they will raise their heads and use all sorts of clever verbal abuse against me, the Grand Duchess. I, who have no choice but to rely on them, who were sent by the Emperor himself, will be unable to say anything...
'Is that really true?'
Even the maids who should be serving her master right now treat me like a useless person. If my husband leaves tomorrow, they will raise their heads and use all sorts of clever verbal abuse against me, the Grand Duchess. I, who have no choice but to rely on them, who were sent by the Emperor himself, will be unable to say anything...
'People outside the mansion can't possibly be that kind and generous to me.'
During the past two years, when my health was deteriorating, I had become increasingly pessimistic and listless. Although I had been weak in the past, I had no trouble walking and writing. Although I got tired easily, I often danced at balls.
Seeing my depressed expression, Noevian was silent for a moment and then opened his mouth.
“If anyone bothers you, I will cut off their head.”
He whispered softly. I stiffened at the cold voice. I tried to shake off the tension and closed my eyes quietly as I fell back into my husband’s arms.
'I wish there was something I could do for you.'
My body was weak and I couldn't do my job, and I couldn't even win the hearts of the servants of this mansion...
“If anyone bothers you, I will cut off their head.”
He whispered softly. I stiffened at the cold voice. I tried to shake off the tension and closed my eyes quietly as I fell back into my husband’s arms.
'I wish there was something I could do for you.'
My body was weak and I couldn't do my job, and I couldn't even win the hearts of the servants of this mansion...
My status as the Grand Duchess was grand, but in reality, I was a weak mind consumed by my weak body. Compared to the love he gave me, what I had was too meager. Other couples would share passionate love when they met after a long time, but I couldn't do anything because I couldn't even sit up without help from others. Somehow, I was too miserable.
Noevian hugged me warmly, gave me anything that suited me as a gift, and even when he was called to all kinds of places on behalf of the Emperor, he would send good medicine to me at any price. A perfect husband. Noevian Trovica was that kind of man.
So I couldn't say more. How could I say that I, who only did things at home, was looked down on and bullied by the maids who were much lower in rank?
It was shameful for a noble to be looked down on by someone, especially a commoner. If Noevian ever found out that I was such a worthless person? If he ever saw it with his own eyes?
As he said, the maids and butlers would have their throats cut off, and at the same time, my last bit of pride, which I had barely managed to hide, would be cut off.
'Let's start with the body.'
'Let's start with the body.'
My weakened mind was proportional to my weakened body. Regaining my health, taking care of the housework I had left to the butler, and finding work to do again from Noevian, who had taken over my work...
Just the thought of that made me feel a little better. Until my eyes closed, Noevian’s pleasant voice filled my ears. He was singing me a familiar lullaby. The Three Little Ducks. The lullaby that the children of my hometown, Eastern Piretta, grew up listening to.
'I don't want to sleep...'
He will be gone in the morning. It may be months before we see each other again. If he is not there, no one will be my companion.
'I don't want to sleep...'
He will be gone in the morning. It may be months before we see each other again. If he is not there, no one will be my companion.
***
The servants of the Grand Duchess of Trovica ran around the large mansion, chattering away.
“Come on! Come on, doctor!”
"Oh my God!"
“Contact the Duke of Piretta!”
Grand Duchess Adrienne, who had been living like a ghost in the bedroom on the second floor, became critically ill. Unlike before, her severe seizure symptoms did not stop, so even the maids who had been ignoring her all along almost snatched the sleeping doctor and brought him to the bedroom.
"Your Highness...!"
It had been two months since the Grand Duke had left the mansion. The early winter had come quickly and was colder than ever, and one night the first snow had piled up to their knees.
“Noe, Vian...”
“Come on, take my pulse!”
The Grand Duchess's personal maid, Annie, began to push the doctor's back. The Grand Duchess was already halfway out of bed.
“Cough!”
A large clot of blood spilled onto the carpet. The gathered servants screamed. The trembling doctor quickly took out some medicine from his bosom and handed it to Annie.
“Let her swallow it, quickly!”
Annie and the other maids held me, whose face was already covered in blood, and fed me a huge potion. The medicine was so big that the maids practically poured water into my mouth while holding me, who could not swallow it properly.
“Come on! Come on, doctor!”
"Oh my God!"
“Contact the Duke of Piretta!”
Grand Duchess Adrienne, who had been living like a ghost in the bedroom on the second floor, became critically ill. Unlike before, her severe seizure symptoms did not stop, so even the maids who had been ignoring her all along almost snatched the sleeping doctor and brought him to the bedroom.
"Your Highness...!"
It had been two months since the Grand Duke had left the mansion. The early winter had come quickly and was colder than ever, and one night the first snow had piled up to their knees.
“Noe, Vian...”
“Come on, take my pulse!”
The Grand Duchess's personal maid, Annie, began to push the doctor's back. The Grand Duchess was already halfway out of bed.
“Cough!”
A large clot of blood spilled onto the carpet. The gathered servants screamed. The trembling doctor quickly took out some medicine from his bosom and handed it to Annie.
“Let her swallow it, quickly!”
Annie and the other maids held me, whose face was already covered in blood, and fed me a huge potion. The medicine was so big that the maids practically poured water into my mouth while holding me, who could not swallow it properly.
Gulp, gulp. Gulp!
I, who was writhing in pain as if drowning in water, swung my whole body through the air as if cutting through the current. Thinking that the seizure had started again, they held my body tightly, and to me, that action was no different from pulling me into the deep sea while I was drowning.
'It's frustrating...!'
I want to tear these people's hands off! Just let me go! I want to get out of the water!
'It's frustrating...!'
I want to tear these people's hands off! Just let me go! I want to get out of the water!
I, who had been struggling for a long time, suddenly felt free as if it were a lie. Ah, finally...!
But I couldn't move anymore. I opened my eyes but couldn't see anything, and I opened my ears but couldn't hear any voices. My head was like an empty white box, containing nothing.
'Save me...!'
Save me, save me. Save me!
'Save me...!'
Save me, save me. Save me!
I opened my mouth but no sound came out, and when it occurred to me that the white box was not in my head but myself, I vaguely realized: 'I' was dead.
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