Episode 21. Tonight, I'll be punished
A heavy pressure, as if her whole body was sinking under the bed, choked her breathing.
'If he finds out I'm not Madam... He won't leave me alone...!'
But... Jane was huma,n too. She was one of those who cared for Rose more than anyone else, but when it came to her life, her desire to live was more fervent than her master's.
'I feel like I'm going to die...'
Now, panting for breath, the only thing lingering in her mind was the will to survive. Nothing else seemed to matter. More than the fear of Eric discovering her identity, Jane felt a sense of crisis about her own life in danger. She desperately reached out to Eric, her hands trembling with desperation, as she begged for help. Begging for his life, for help. Eric stared blankly at her, trembling like a baby bird.
If she intervenes here, it'll be the Countess who'll be in even more trouble. Jane suppressed the words rising to her throat, and suppressed them again. Perhaps he was still resentful of her silence. Eric, who was watching Jane from a distance, muttered quietly, his eyes filled with lust and anger.
“You don’t seem to have any intention of praying at my feet... If that’s the case, then you’ll have to be punished.”
Jane's body flinched at the sound of his rough voice.
“I will educate you very thoroughly.”
The hairs on her body stood on end. Something about it felt off. She felt a piercing gaze on her spine. Eric's eyes gleamed like a wild beast, and he burrowed behind Jane.
Eric's hand slowly wrapped around her waist, sending a wave of discomfort through her, as if a snake were crawling across her body. Jane stood stiffly, sweat dripping down her face. Squeak—bang! Just then, someone opened the door without a word and came in.
“Oh my, the Count is here?”
It was Doana's voice. Eric, who was naked, frowned at the sudden intruder. But upon confirming that it was Doana, the anger that had been welling up in his head slowly subsided. If it had been another maid, he would have exploded in anger, but it was Doana, his concubine. He didn't even bother to reprimand Doana, who had entered without knocking, but instead, he fumbled around and put on his gown.
“What’s going on?”
Then he sat up in bed and looked at Doana. His expression was more affectionate than it had been with Rose. Doana furrowed her eyebrows as she looked at Eric and Rose, who were lying in the same bed.
'What brings me here?'
‘...Are you not satisfied with just me? Even though you have little energy.’
Doana was quite hurt by the fact that Eric, despite spending passionate days with her, had come to see Rose. She already knew from the maids' whispers that he was a man without integrity, but knowing and seeing for herself were two different things. The man she'd already considered her own was spending the night with another woman. It was something she couldn't bear to see with both eyes open. It was ridiculous. Eric's wife was Rose, and Doana was nothing more than an adulteress. She acted as if she were the wife.
'I guess nothing bad happened, though.'
Doana sighed in relief as she looked at Jane, shivering on the other side of the bed. Seeing her in her dress, perfectly dressed, reassured her that she wasn't late.
She would never allow Rose and Eric to be together again. That was her goal. Eric had to look only at her, love only her. Doana ran into the bedroom where Eric and the maid were. Then, with a dark expression, she grabbed Eric's arm. She pressed her body against Eric's and pulled him by the hand.
“I think you should come out for a moment.”
An expression of inexplicable urgency. Eric glanced at the maid, who still hadn't turned around.
'You're just lying there without even thinking about apologizing.'
For him, today was the last chance he was giving Rose. If she begged for his forgiveness, he might reconsider the divorce just this once.
'I can't stand it anymore. Throw that kid out right now.'
Cedric's voice pierced Eric's mind. The idea of divorce hadn't been appealing to him, but her actions today had given him a chance to sort things out.
'She's truly a disappointing woman.'
She had begged him to stay by her side so desperately, and now he was engaging in such a pointless fight. He hadn't even considered that Jane was lying there instead of Rose, and he simply assumed it was his wife's pride that was being used.
He stared at Rose with cold eyes. Doana sensed Eric's gaze was on Rose, not her, and she turned his face slightly towards her. Then, her eyes closed into crescent moons, and she pressed her body against Eric's. The lust that had cooled began to boil again. Not at Rose, but at Doana.
'It's too big. It's a little scary.'
Finn, with his massive body, wasn't the kind of creature one would find cute. Rose broke out in a cold sweat as she watched Finn, who looked as if he might run towards her at any moment.
“I guess you should take Finn and go out quickly, Neruan.”
“Then I will see you later, Your Highness, the Grand Duke of Artaeum.”
He spoke to the Grand Duke in a sharp, barbed tone and left the room with Finn. Rose couldn't help but be surprised at Neruan's brash behavior toward the Grand Duke.
'I never knew someone would treat the Grand Duke of Artaeum so carelessly.'
And that was from the mansion's hired "butler." It was something unimaginable in the Wences household. While Gwen, the butler, did speak the truth to Eric, she never spoke with such a sharp gaze. Gwen, always humble and bowing, was the Countess of Wences's Gwen.
'I wonder if this person named Neruan is a distant cousin of the Grand Duke.'
She doesn't know the circumstances, but it was clear that they weren't on a normal level. Rose stared at the door with a bewildered expression and asked the Grand Duke.
“Your Highness, didn’t something seem strange just now?”
“What’s strange?”
“It looks like the dog is being dragged away.”
The Grand Duke twitched his index finger at Rose's words. She hadn't missed a single moment.
'You're sharp.'
The Grand Duke's sharp gaze turned to Rose. A chill permeated the room. It was the tail end of summer, and autumn had not yet arrived in the north, yet the chill sent chills down Rose's spine.
'Suddenly... it feels a little cold in the room.'
Rose, overcome by an inexplicable chill, quietly wrapped her arms around herself. Grand Duke Artaeum stared blankly at Rose. His face hardened, his eyebrows furrowed, and he spoke in a subdued voice.
A heavy pressure, as if her whole body was sinking under the bed, choked her breathing.
'If he finds out I'm not Madam... He won't leave me alone...!'
But... Jane was huma,n too. She was one of those who cared for Rose more than anyone else, but when it came to her life, her desire to live was more fervent than her master's.
'I feel like I'm going to die...'
Now, panting for breath, the only thing lingering in her mind was the will to survive. Nothing else seemed to matter. More than the fear of Eric discovering her identity, Jane felt a sense of crisis about her own life in danger. She desperately reached out to Eric, her hands trembling with desperation, as she begged for help. Begging for his life, for help. Eric stared blankly at her, trembling like a baby bird.
His frail, delicate fiancée, Rose. She'd always acted like she'd give him anything if he'd marry her, but why had she been irritating him lately? And Rose had even been mocked by Duke Flice for giving her pointless testimony.
"You have a truly wonderful wife. Thanks to you, the noble Grand Duke of Artaeum has a long life."
Eric's cold eyes fluttered as he recalled what had happened during the day.
"Do you know what I've been through today because of you? I did something completely pointless. Thanks to you, that great Grand Duke of Artaeum is safe and sound."
He ruthlessly swatted away Jane's hand, which was reaching out for help, and spat out what he had to say. "If only you had told me beforehand that this had happened to me, I wouldn't be in this situation. I could have made a lavish excuse to Duke Flice!"
“Why didn’t you tell me? That you testified to Duke Flice.”
Jane couldn't understand a word Eric was saying. She wasn't Rose, so she couldn't understand what Eric was saying, no matter how angry he was. Unable to control her anguish, Jane struggled, desperate for help.
“Huh... huh.”
A sobbing voice filled Eric's ears. He hesitated, looking at the trembling maid.
“Don’t cry. I don’t want to hear it.”
The sound of her sobbing was jarring. He had so many more questions to ask about what happened that day, and yet she was crying.
“Tears are your weapon. If you cry, I will step aside.”
Eric jumped to his feet. He then glared at the back of Rose—or rather, Jane, disguised as Rose—with a fierce glare. He was so annoyed by Jane's voice that he threw his gown at the maid's face.
“It’s been three days, and you haven’t even apologized to me.”
As Eric, who had been pressed against her until just now, moved away, the maid's seizures began to subside. She caught her ragged breath and forcefully swallowed back her tears.
“They say you lose your mind after having a miscarriage, and I guess that’s not entirely wrong.”
Eric threw his dagger-like words without hesitation, hoping they would hurt her. Hoping she would look at him with a grudge. Jane flinched at Eric's words, almost turning around and shouting, "How could you say such things so shamelessly...!?"
‘The Countess’s miscarriage is all the Count’s fault...!’
"You have a truly wonderful wife. Thanks to you, the noble Grand Duke of Artaeum has a long life."
Eric's cold eyes fluttered as he recalled what had happened during the day.
"Do you know what I've been through today because of you? I did something completely pointless. Thanks to you, that great Grand Duke of Artaeum is safe and sound."
He ruthlessly swatted away Jane's hand, which was reaching out for help, and spat out what he had to say. "If only you had told me beforehand that this had happened to me, I wouldn't be in this situation. I could have made a lavish excuse to Duke Flice!"
“Why didn’t you tell me? That you testified to Duke Flice.”
Jane couldn't understand a word Eric was saying. She wasn't Rose, so she couldn't understand what Eric was saying, no matter how angry he was. Unable to control her anguish, Jane struggled, desperate for help.
“Huh... huh.”
A sobbing voice filled Eric's ears. He hesitated, looking at the trembling maid.
“Don’t cry. I don’t want to hear it.”
The sound of her sobbing was jarring. He had so many more questions to ask about what happened that day, and yet she was crying.
“Tears are your weapon. If you cry, I will step aside.”
Eric jumped to his feet. He then glared at the back of Rose—or rather, Jane, disguised as Rose—with a fierce glare. He was so annoyed by Jane's voice that he threw his gown at the maid's face.
“It’s been three days, and you haven’t even apologized to me.”
As Eric, who had been pressed against her until just now, moved away, the maid's seizures began to subside. She caught her ragged breath and forcefully swallowed back her tears.
“They say you lose your mind after having a miscarriage, and I guess that’s not entirely wrong.”
Eric threw his dagger-like words without hesitation, hoping they would hurt her. Hoping she would look at him with a grudge. Jane flinched at Eric's words, almost turning around and shouting, "How could you say such things so shamelessly...!?"
‘The Countess’s miscarriage is all the Count’s fault...!’
If she intervenes here, it'll be the Countess who'll be in even more trouble. Jane suppressed the words rising to her throat, and suppressed them again. Perhaps he was still resentful of her silence. Eric, who was watching Jane from a distance, muttered quietly, his eyes filled with lust and anger.
“You don’t seem to have any intention of praying at my feet... If that’s the case, then you’ll have to be punished.”
Jane's body flinched at the sound of his rough voice.
“I will educate you very thoroughly.”
The hairs on her body stood on end. Something about it felt off. She felt a piercing gaze on her spine. Eric's eyes gleamed like a wild beast, and he burrowed behind Jane.
Eric's hand slowly wrapped around her waist, sending a wave of discomfort through her, as if a snake were crawling across her body. Jane stood stiffly, sweat dripping down her face. Squeak—bang! Just then, someone opened the door without a word and came in.
“Oh my, the Count is here?”
It was Doana's voice. Eric, who was naked, frowned at the sudden intruder. But upon confirming that it was Doana, the anger that had been welling up in his head slowly subsided. If it had been another maid, he would have exploded in anger, but it was Doana, his concubine. He didn't even bother to reprimand Doana, who had entered without knocking, but instead, he fumbled around and put on his gown.
“What’s going on?”
Then he sat up in bed and looked at Doana. His expression was more affectionate than it had been with Rose. Doana furrowed her eyebrows as she looked at Eric and Rose, who were lying in the same bed.
'What brings me here?'
The sight of the two of them lying in the same bed was deeply unsettling. The person who should be beside him was not Rose, but her.
Doana was quite hurt by the fact that Eric, despite spending passionate days with her, had come to see Rose. She already knew from the maids' whispers that he was a man without integrity, but knowing and seeing for herself were two different things. The man she'd already considered her own was spending the night with another woman. It was something she couldn't bear to see with both eyes open. It was ridiculous. Eric's wife was Rose, and Doana was nothing more than an adulteress. She acted as if she were the wife.
'I guess nothing bad happened, though.'
Doana sighed in relief as she looked at Jane, shivering on the other side of the bed. Seeing her in her dress, perfectly dressed, reassured her that she wasn't late.
‘Don’t you dare look at him. My man.’
“I think you should come out for a moment.”
An expression of inexplicable urgency. Eric glanced at the maid, who still hadn't turned around.
'You're just lying there without even thinking about apologizing.'
For him, today was the last chance he was giving Rose. If she begged for his forgiveness, he might reconsider the divorce just this once.
'I can't stand it anymore. Throw that kid out right now.'
Cedric's voice pierced Eric's mind. The idea of divorce hadn't been appealing to him, but her actions today had given him a chance to sort things out.
'She's truly a disappointing woman.'
She had begged him to stay by her side so desperately, and now he was engaging in such a pointless fight. He hadn't even considered that Jane was lying there instead of Rose, and he simply assumed it was his wife's pride that was being used.
'If I ask for a divorce, you'll surely drag your feet, won't you?'
Without saying a word, he left the room with Doana. Silence returned with a click. A chill filled the room. When Eric left, Jane finally felt relief. It was truly a stroke of luck that he had left with Doana, but at the same time, she felt bitterness. Jane's shoulders hunched miserably as she was left alone. She wasn't the real Rose, but Eric's actions, not only abusing his ailing wife but also leaving her alone with his mistress, made her shiver...
***
Meanwhile, Rose almost fell backwards because of a large pet dog that rushed at her.
"Finn!"
The Grand Duke's angry voice echoed throughout the audience room. He had told Neruan to keep him quiet, but he barged in here. Finn was quite a ferocious creature, rarely following anyone but himself and Neruan. Then, he suddenly burst out and pounced on Rose. He was worried Finn might bite Rose at any moment.
"Finn!"
The Grand Duke's angry voice echoed throughout the audience room. He had told Neruan to keep him quiet, but he barged in here. Finn was quite a ferocious creature, rarely following anyone but himself and Neruan. Then, he suddenly burst out and pounced on Rose. He was worried Finn might bite Rose at any moment.
Finn, who had been digging into Rose's embrace, suddenly rose into the air, then landed on the floor with a "crack."
“Are you hurt?”
Rose nodded with a bewildered expression at the Grand Duke, who was looking at her with a serious expression.
“Ah... It’s okay. I was just a little surprised.”
But, just now... what was it? It happened so quickly that she couldn't be sure, but she saw Finn's body floating in the air.
'Did I see something wrong?'
A perfectly healthy puppy wouldn't suddenly levitate, unless it jumped to the ground on its own.
“Waal! Waal!”
Finn's booming cry was heard. He ran toward the open door. But something about his movements felt awkward. His body was facing the door, but he felt like he was struggling to get there. Finn's forelegs flailed as if he were being dragged.
“Ugh, squeak.”
Finn's cries sounded pitiful. Rose tilted her head at the strange situation and watched Finn's movements.
'It feels like it's being pulled by something invisible, doesn't it?'
That couldn't be true. Finn didn't have a leash around his neck, and there was no one around. Rose couldn't shake the strange feeling.
“Come here, Finn.”
Butler Neruan strode in through the open door. He lifted Finn's body, which was as tall as her upper body.
“I will take it, Your Highness.”
His intense golden eyes stared sharply at the Grand Duke. His gaze was fierce, a stark contrast to his polite tone. Neruan glanced at Rose and turned away from her. Then, he glared at the Grand Duke.
'I told you not to do that!'
Neruan growled, cursing with both eyes. But the Grand Duke scoffed at Neruan and ignored him. Neruan's insides were seething with anger at the Grand Duke's blatant disregard for him.
'I can't even spend a single day at peace!'
He stared at the Grand Duke with a sharp gaze. Unlike the butlers of ordinary noble families, Neruan and the Grand Duke weren't tied to a simple superior-subordinate relationship. That's why he could bare his teeth and growl at his master.
“Waal! Waal!”
Finn, held in Neruan's arms, couldn't help but bark. Finn's eyes were fixed not on the Grand Duke of Artaeum or Neruan, but on Rose.
‘Why me...’
The dog was panting ‘huff huff’ at her, and she was scared of her sparkling eyes. She does like dogs, but...
“Are you hurt?”
Rose nodded with a bewildered expression at the Grand Duke, who was looking at her with a serious expression.
“Ah... It’s okay. I was just a little surprised.”
But, just now... what was it? It happened so quickly that she couldn't be sure, but she saw Finn's body floating in the air.
'Did I see something wrong?'
A perfectly healthy puppy wouldn't suddenly levitate, unless it jumped to the ground on its own.
“Waal! Waal!”
Finn's booming cry was heard. He ran toward the open door. But something about his movements felt awkward. His body was facing the door, but he felt like he was struggling to get there. Finn's forelegs flailed as if he were being dragged.
“Ugh, squeak.”
Finn's cries sounded pitiful. Rose tilted her head at the strange situation and watched Finn's movements.
'It feels like it's being pulled by something invisible, doesn't it?'
That couldn't be true. Finn didn't have a leash around his neck, and there was no one around. Rose couldn't shake the strange feeling.
“Come here, Finn.”
Butler Neruan strode in through the open door. He lifted Finn's body, which was as tall as her upper body.
“I will take it, Your Highness.”
His intense golden eyes stared sharply at the Grand Duke. His gaze was fierce, a stark contrast to his polite tone. Neruan glanced at Rose and turned away from her. Then, he glared at the Grand Duke.
'I told you not to do that!'
Neruan growled, cursing with both eyes. But the Grand Duke scoffed at Neruan and ignored him. Neruan's insides were seething with anger at the Grand Duke's blatant disregard for him.
'I can't even spend a single day at peace!'
He stared at the Grand Duke with a sharp gaze. Unlike the butlers of ordinary noble families, Neruan and the Grand Duke weren't tied to a simple superior-subordinate relationship. That's why he could bare his teeth and growl at his master.
“Waal! Waal!”
Finn, held in Neruan's arms, couldn't help but bark. Finn's eyes were fixed not on the Grand Duke of Artaeum or Neruan, but on Rose.
‘Why me...’
The dog was panting ‘huff huff’ at her, and she was scared of her sparkling eyes. She does like dogs, but...
'It's too big. It's a little scary.'
Finn, with his massive body, wasn't the kind of creature one would find cute. Rose broke out in a cold sweat as she watched Finn, who looked as if he might run towards her at any moment.
“I guess you should take Finn and go out quickly, Neruan.”
“Then I will see you later, Your Highness, the Grand Duke of Artaeum.”
He spoke to the Grand Duke in a sharp, barbed tone and left the room with Finn. Rose couldn't help but be surprised at Neruan's brash behavior toward the Grand Duke.
'I never knew someone would treat the Grand Duke of Artaeum so carelessly.'
And that was from the mansion's hired "butler." It was something unimaginable in the Wences household. While Gwen, the butler, did speak the truth to Eric, she never spoke with such a sharp gaze. Gwen, always humble and bowing, was the Countess of Wences's Gwen.
'I wonder if this person named Neruan is a distant cousin of the Grand Duke.'
She doesn't know the circumstances, but it was clear that they weren't on a normal level. Rose stared at the door with a bewildered expression and asked the Grand Duke.
“Your Highness, didn’t something seem strange just now?”
“What’s strange?”
“It looks like the dog is being dragged away.”
The Grand Duke twitched his index finger at Rose's words. She hadn't missed a single moment.
'You're sharp.'
The Grand Duke's sharp gaze turned to Rose. A chill permeated the room. It was the tail end of summer, and autumn had not yet arrived in the north, yet the chill sent chills down Rose's spine.
'Suddenly... it feels a little cold in the room.'
Rose, overcome by an inexplicable chill, quietly wrapped her arms around herself. Grand Duke Artaeum stared blankly at Rose. His face hardened, his eyebrows furrowed, and he spoke in a subdued voice.
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