I went downstairs with the butler and Anna. Princess Abigail was already in the hall, having burst in. She looked at me and smiled with a relaxed expression. Then, as if she hadn't noticed, she spoke.
“Oh, Yul got married?”
“Welcome, Your Highness. I would have been more hospitable if you had given me word of your arrival.”
"Yes, yes, sorry. I forgot. Should I have asked the landlady's permission to come in? It was a place I used to frequent. That's why I didn't think about it."
That couldn't be true. Princess Abigail had even attended our wedding a few days ago.
No matter how many rumors there are about the princess's unruliness, if it were truly a matter of course, the imperial family wouldn't have cast her out like that. They're leaving her alone because they're confident she'll act in a way that won't harm the palace's prestige.
I hesitated for a moment. Should I be gentle with her? Perhaps I should. But I had been gentle all my life in my past life. And that life was ruined. I didn't want to be that way anymore.
"How could that be the Princess's fault? From now on, if you give me advance notice, I will welcome you whenever you want, so don't worry too much."
I gently warned the Princess that from now on, she would no longer be allowed to enter the Grand Duchy without prior notice.
“Oh, really?”
But the Princess either understood or feigned ignorance, taking it lightly and simply giving a short reply. It was as if she was telling me to try if I could.
Princess Abigail took off her gloves and offered them to the butler. The butler accepted them politely. Serving a distinguished guest was also a butler's job.
But her attitude was like that of a hostess to her butler after she came home.
“Put it where you always put it.”
Despite the arrogant Princess's orders, the butler stood still, bowing. I realized he was on my side. There was no reason for me to be fooled when the butler was helping me.
"How could I treat the Princess so carelessly? I have a guest room that's always kept clean and tidy. I'll take you there."
At those words, Princess Abigail burst out laughing.
“There aren’t many servants in the Duke’s residence, so there’s only one room there. What is that...?”
"We don't have a servant? I just hired a new one. We have plenty of help, so don't worry about the mansion. It's our job to serve our guests, so how can we be negligent?"
"What?"
Princess Abigail looked utterly bewildered. She seemed to be well aware of the circumstances of the former Duchzan's residence.
“There’s no way Yul would allow it...”
I smiled quietly and rang the bell. Then, three maids working in another hallway approached and bowed politely.
I motioned for the butler to hand the gloves to the maid. The butler, following my instructions, respectfully handed them to the maid, as if holding them. The maid, in turn, accepted the gloves with the utmost respect. The courteous attitude toward the Princess was impeccable.
But Princess Abigail looked terribly offended by this situation. She narrowed her eyes fiercely and grinned.
"You."
Princess Abigail pressed her index finger firmly against my shoulder. I didn't back down even a step. I was the daughter of a distinguished margrave, and she was a Princess raised with honor. I wasn't about to be pushed aside by her delicate fingers.
Princess Abigail bit her lip, her temper growing even more twisted, and turned around abruptly.
“Yul! Where is Yul?”
"Julian is working in the study. Butler, tell His Highness that the Princess has visited."
“Yes, ma’am.”
After the butler left, I gestured to lead Princess Abigail to the guest room. Princess Abigail followed me with a hollow laugh and a displeased expression. It seemed she was quite displeased with me.
I knew the room where Princess Abigail always stayed. It was the only one of the guest rooms that was kept tidy. This must have meant that Princess Abigail visited here often. And even now, the room was tidy.
However, I deliberately guided Princess Abigail to a different location. From now on, I planned to lead her to a different room each time, to let her know that she no longer had a room in this mansion.
The place I guided Princess Abigail to was the largest and most ornate of the mansion's guest rooms. I couldn't find fault with it.
“That’s very reckless.”
Princess Abigail spoke with a haughty tone as soon as she entered the room. She seemed oblivious to the presence of four maids, including Anna.
"Yul was my fiancée. Ever since we were very young. He should have been mine, of course."
“I also had a fiancé. But I married Julian, so now he and I are a married couple.”
“Why are you so old-fashioned? You can just get a divorce.”
She was still clinging to the fact that she'd been offered marriage since her childhood. Divorce between nobles wasn't uncommon in this empire, but that wasn't the case with Julian and me.
Anyway, there isn't much time left in my married life with him.
If I die, will Julian marry Princess Abigail?
That thought made me feel uneasy. As my face darkened, Princess Abigail, perhaps convinced that her provocation had worked, spoke with a confident expression.
“I know Yul’s bare face, too. He wouldn’t have allowed you to see it, would he?”
Yes, Julian was wearing a mask even in his bedroom on their first night.
My shoulders, which had been so proud just moments before, now relaxed. I tried my best to keep them straight. I didn't want to feel intimidated in front of Princess Abigail. No matter what anyone said, I was the Grand Duke's wife.
"The Princess is Julian's relative. He's shy around me. I guess it's because we're married."
As if they were newlyweds about to be showered with sesame seeds, Princess Abigail snorted as if she didn't like the sight of them.
I smiled and lifted the hem of my skirt slightly, as a gesture of courtesy. To continue speaking would only expose my immature acting.
"Rest in peace. I'll be leaving now to prepare dinner."
I quickly retreated before even seeing Princess Abigail's reaction. I pretended to strike her, but it only made me feel more uneasy. I'd been feeling uneasy since earlier.
Yes, I am the Grand Duke's wife. Even if it was a political affair, I was his wife.
But Julian had something to hide from me, and I had something to hide from Julian. At least Julian's secret wouldn't violate the contract. But mine would clearly violate the contract.
I couldn't give him a healthy child.
I hurried back to my room and waved the maids away. Then, the blood I'd been holding back burst out from my lips. I covered my mouth with a handkerchief and retched. My heart pounded like crazy.
I'm sure something like this happened in my past life, too. But every time I went to the doctor, they always said it was stress. I took a few pills, hoping for a temporary relief, so I left it alone. But now I know.
This disease is not curable.
I lay face down on the bed and closed my eyes.
Julian, don't forgive me for deceiving you. I won't dare love you.
I felt unwell all day that day. Perhaps it was natural, given that I'd vomited blood. I lay in bed, groaning for a long time. Cold sweat formed on my forehead.
Anna, who felt it strange that I hadn't called her for a long time, even though it was well past my time to wake up, eventually came in cautiously.
“Miss! Oh my, what should I do?”
Anna unconsciously called me "Miss" instead of "Madam." I seemed quite surprised, since I always seemed so healthy.
I opened my hazy eyes and scolded Anna.
"You should call me Madam, not Miss. Since the Princess is here, you must be even more careful with your words and actions."
“Madam, what does it matter whether the princess comes or not when you are so sick?”
It was a rude remark, but Anna's concern was evident, and since we were alone in the room, I didn't stop her any longer.
“How much time has passed?”
"It's almost dinnertime. Don't worry, I've taken care of the preparations. But I'd advise you not to attend dinner. I'll bring it up here separately."
I said, slapping Anna's hand that was resting on my forehead.
“That can’t be.”
Anna looked embarrassed by the firm tone.
"The Princess knows I'm a joke, so if I don't attend because I'm sick, I'll just be nitpicking. I have to be as polite as possible. Please help me up."
Anna carefully sat me down. I leaned against the back of the bed and took a deep breath. The cold and hot air mixed together in my body, making me dizzy.
Should I call a doctor? But it was clear that nothing would change.
“Bring me some fever reducer. I should feel better by evening.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
"Anna."
I called out to Anna, who had come out in a hurry. She looked at me, nodding earnestly as if telling me to speak quickly. After much deliberation, I finally spoke.
“What is Julian doing?”
Anna hesitated at those words, as if she felt sorry for saying them. But it was even stranger that she didn't answer, since I had asked.
“His Highness the Grand Duke is... drinking tea with His Highness the Princess.”
Why do I feel this way?
Julian and I were merely politically involved. On our first night, we didn't even kiss or hold hands, let alone have sex. The closest we ever came to each other was the day of the carriage accident. Given my clumsy gait, any gentleman would have acted the same way.
Still, I didn't want Julian to be alone with Princess Abigail.
It was when I had my eyes closed and was feeling guilty in my thoughts.
“Madam, please interrupt!”
Anna, who was standing nearby, clenched her fists and shouted.
"Yes?"
“Please interrupt! No matter what anyone says, His Highness the Grand Duke is your husband, Madam.”
Anna could say that because she didn't know my circumstances. But strangely, her thoughtless words made me laugh. I burst out laughing and hugged Anna.
“Thank you, Anna. I’ll definitely come down in the evening.”
“But please take care of yourself.”
Anna held out her pinky to me. I hooked my pinky around her finger and shook it two or three times.
“Yeah. You have to be healthy to interfere.”
I told Anna to let her know that I would be attending the evening. Then, Anna, who had brought some fever-reducing medicine, said to me.
“...Madam, that is, His Highness the Grand Duke will not be attending dinner.”
He said he would never take off his mask in front of me.
“Oh, Yul got married?”
“Welcome, Your Highness. I would have been more hospitable if you had given me word of your arrival.”
"Yes, yes, sorry. I forgot. Should I have asked the landlady's permission to come in? It was a place I used to frequent. That's why I didn't think about it."
That couldn't be true. Princess Abigail had even attended our wedding a few days ago.
No matter how many rumors there are about the princess's unruliness, if it were truly a matter of course, the imperial family wouldn't have cast her out like that. They're leaving her alone because they're confident she'll act in a way that won't harm the palace's prestige.
I hesitated for a moment. Should I be gentle with her? Perhaps I should. But I had been gentle all my life in my past life. And that life was ruined. I didn't want to be that way anymore.
"How could that be the Princess's fault? From now on, if you give me advance notice, I will welcome you whenever you want, so don't worry too much."
I gently warned the Princess that from now on, she would no longer be allowed to enter the Grand Duchy without prior notice.
“Oh, really?”
But the Princess either understood or feigned ignorance, taking it lightly and simply giving a short reply. It was as if she was telling me to try if I could.
Princess Abigail took off her gloves and offered them to the butler. The butler accepted them politely. Serving a distinguished guest was also a butler's job.
But her attitude was like that of a hostess to her butler after she came home.
“Put it where you always put it.”
Despite the arrogant Princess's orders, the butler stood still, bowing. I realized he was on my side. There was no reason for me to be fooled when the butler was helping me.
"How could I treat the Princess so carelessly? I have a guest room that's always kept clean and tidy. I'll take you there."
At those words, Princess Abigail burst out laughing.
“There aren’t many servants in the Duke’s residence, so there’s only one room there. What is that...?”
"We don't have a servant? I just hired a new one. We have plenty of help, so don't worry about the mansion. It's our job to serve our guests, so how can we be negligent?"
"What?"
Princess Abigail looked utterly bewildered. She seemed to be well aware of the circumstances of the former Duchzan's residence.
“There’s no way Yul would allow it...”
I smiled quietly and rang the bell. Then, three maids working in another hallway approached and bowed politely.
I motioned for the butler to hand the gloves to the maid. The butler, following my instructions, respectfully handed them to the maid, as if holding them. The maid, in turn, accepted the gloves with the utmost respect. The courteous attitude toward the Princess was impeccable.
But Princess Abigail looked terribly offended by this situation. She narrowed her eyes fiercely and grinned.
"You."
Princess Abigail pressed her index finger firmly against my shoulder. I didn't back down even a step. I was the daughter of a distinguished margrave, and she was a Princess raised with honor. I wasn't about to be pushed aside by her delicate fingers.
Princess Abigail bit her lip, her temper growing even more twisted, and turned around abruptly.
“Yul! Where is Yul?”
"Julian is working in the study. Butler, tell His Highness that the Princess has visited."
“Yes, ma’am.”
After the butler left, I gestured to lead Princess Abigail to the guest room. Princess Abigail followed me with a hollow laugh and a displeased expression. It seemed she was quite displeased with me.
I knew the room where Princess Abigail always stayed. It was the only one of the guest rooms that was kept tidy. This must have meant that Princess Abigail visited here often. And even now, the room was tidy.
However, I deliberately guided Princess Abigail to a different location. From now on, I planned to lead her to a different room each time, to let her know that she no longer had a room in this mansion.
The place I guided Princess Abigail to was the largest and most ornate of the mansion's guest rooms. I couldn't find fault with it.
“That’s very reckless.”
Princess Abigail spoke with a haughty tone as soon as she entered the room. She seemed oblivious to the presence of four maids, including Anna.
"Yul was my fiancée. Ever since we were very young. He should have been mine, of course."
“I also had a fiancé. But I married Julian, so now he and I are a married couple.”
“Why are you so old-fashioned? You can just get a divorce.”
She was still clinging to the fact that she'd been offered marriage since her childhood. Divorce between nobles wasn't uncommon in this empire, but that wasn't the case with Julian and me.
Anyway, there isn't much time left in my married life with him.
If I die, will Julian marry Princess Abigail?
That thought made me feel uneasy. As my face darkened, Princess Abigail, perhaps convinced that her provocation had worked, spoke with a confident expression.
“I know Yul’s bare face, too. He wouldn’t have allowed you to see it, would he?”
Yes, Julian was wearing a mask even in his bedroom on their first night.
My shoulders, which had been so proud just moments before, now relaxed. I tried my best to keep them straight. I didn't want to feel intimidated in front of Princess Abigail. No matter what anyone said, I was the Grand Duke's wife.
"The Princess is Julian's relative. He's shy around me. I guess it's because we're married."
As if they were newlyweds about to be showered with sesame seeds, Princess Abigail snorted as if she didn't like the sight of them.
I smiled and lifted the hem of my skirt slightly, as a gesture of courtesy. To continue speaking would only expose my immature acting.
"Rest in peace. I'll be leaving now to prepare dinner."
I quickly retreated before even seeing Princess Abigail's reaction. I pretended to strike her, but it only made me feel more uneasy. I'd been feeling uneasy since earlier.
Yes, I am the Grand Duke's wife. Even if it was a political affair, I was his wife.
But Julian had something to hide from me, and I had something to hide from Julian. At least Julian's secret wouldn't violate the contract. But mine would clearly violate the contract.
I couldn't give him a healthy child.
I hurried back to my room and waved the maids away. Then, the blood I'd been holding back burst out from my lips. I covered my mouth with a handkerchief and retched. My heart pounded like crazy.
I'm sure something like this happened in my past life, too. But every time I went to the doctor, they always said it was stress. I took a few pills, hoping for a temporary relief, so I left it alone. But now I know.
This disease is not curable.
I lay face down on the bed and closed my eyes.
Julian, don't forgive me for deceiving you. I won't dare love you.
***
I felt unwell all day that day. Perhaps it was natural, given that I'd vomited blood. I lay in bed, groaning for a long time. Cold sweat formed on my forehead.
Anna, who felt it strange that I hadn't called her for a long time, even though it was well past my time to wake up, eventually came in cautiously.
“Miss! Oh my, what should I do?”
Anna unconsciously called me "Miss" instead of "Madam." I seemed quite surprised, since I always seemed so healthy.
I opened my hazy eyes and scolded Anna.
"You should call me Madam, not Miss. Since the Princess is here, you must be even more careful with your words and actions."
“Madam, what does it matter whether the princess comes or not when you are so sick?”
It was a rude remark, but Anna's concern was evident, and since we were alone in the room, I didn't stop her any longer.
“How much time has passed?”
"It's almost dinnertime. Don't worry, I've taken care of the preparations. But I'd advise you not to attend dinner. I'll bring it up here separately."
I said, slapping Anna's hand that was resting on my forehead.
“That can’t be.”
Anna looked embarrassed by the firm tone.
"The Princess knows I'm a joke, so if I don't attend because I'm sick, I'll just be nitpicking. I have to be as polite as possible. Please help me up."
Anna carefully sat me down. I leaned against the back of the bed and took a deep breath. The cold and hot air mixed together in my body, making me dizzy.
Should I call a doctor? But it was clear that nothing would change.
“Bring me some fever reducer. I should feel better by evening.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
"Anna."
I called out to Anna, who had come out in a hurry. She looked at me, nodding earnestly as if telling me to speak quickly. After much deliberation, I finally spoke.
“What is Julian doing?”
Anna hesitated at those words, as if she felt sorry for saying them. But it was even stranger that she didn't answer, since I had asked.
“His Highness the Grand Duke is... drinking tea with His Highness the Princess.”
Why do I feel this way?
Julian and I were merely politically involved. On our first night, we didn't even kiss or hold hands, let alone have sex. The closest we ever came to each other was the day of the carriage accident. Given my clumsy gait, any gentleman would have acted the same way.
Still, I didn't want Julian to be alone with Princess Abigail.
It was when I had my eyes closed and was feeling guilty in my thoughts.
“Madam, please interrupt!”
Anna, who was standing nearby, clenched her fists and shouted.
"Yes?"
“Please interrupt! No matter what anyone says, His Highness the Grand Duke is your husband, Madam.”
Anna could say that because she didn't know my circumstances. But strangely, her thoughtless words made me laugh. I burst out laughing and hugged Anna.
“Thank you, Anna. I’ll definitely come down in the evening.”
“But please take care of yourself.”
Anna held out her pinky to me. I hooked my pinky around her finger and shook it two or three times.
“Yeah. You have to be healthy to interfere.”
I told Anna to let her know that I would be attending the evening. Then, Anna, who had brought some fever-reducing medicine, said to me.
“...Madam, that is, His Highness the Grand Duke will not be attending dinner.”
He said he would never take off his mask in front of me.
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