《Marriage of Convenience》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Translator: Skye Scene I. The Villainess, Bianca A woman stood next to a window adorned with green drapes, her gaze settling on the scenery down below. Her name was Bianca, once the eldest daughter of the prestigious Blanchefort family, and presently the Countess of Arno. A subtle breeze fluttered through the crack of the window, and the stone walls emanated a chilly air. Though Bianca wore a white fox fur cape over her deep-green satin dress, it wasn¡¯t enough to fend off the draft coming from the walls. Despite her lips trembling due to the cold, Bianca pressed herself closer to the wall, as if she was trying to hide herself from being seen by the people on the other side of the window. Those people in question were a group of brawny soldiers. One could see the remnants of war lingering in the air around them as they strode forward on their whinnying and sighing steeds, which were all pedigree warhorses. Even from her room on the third floor, Bianca was able to distinguish the faces of the men down below. Her green eyes were fixed on the one standing at the very forefront of the group. The man who received a warm welcome from Vincent, the Arno family¡¯s butler, dismounted from his especially large black horse, his short silver-grey locks fluttering from the breeze. It was the return of Zachary de Arno, the Lord of Arno Castle, the Iron-Blooded Count, and Bianca¡¯s husband. Everyone in the castle welcomed him back with warm cheers. He was one who never fought in a losing war, and for every time he left the county, he always returned with feats that only made his domain more prosperous. As such, he was a lord who was much loved by his people. Normally, it would be proper for Bianca¨Cas the lady of the house¨Cto be standing next to the butler and offering her husband an embroidered handkerchief while expressing her concerns over his well-being. However, instead of welcoming him back, Bianca hid herself behind the high and solid walls of the castle. There was no one who would be looking for her anyway. ???? Zachary was a remarkable knight. Despite being thrown into the world as the second son of a viscount¨Cand therefore title-less¨Che worked hard on his own to earn the title of ¡®Baron¡¯ and the Arno name. But his feats didn¡¯t stop there. His participation in countless wars led him to receive the title of ¡®Viscount¡¯ and eventually ¡®Count,¡¯ while also earning the nickname of ¡®Iron-Blooded Count¡¯ along the way. He had only been a mere baron when he and Bianca were engaged, nowhere near the same status as the Blanchefort family. Yet, Bianca¡¯s father had offered him his daughter¡¯s hand in marriage. Had her father seen Zachary¡¯s potential? If so, then her father was an unmatched fortune teller and Bianca could only be amazed. Zachary was an outstanding son-in-law, having made significant results with such little financial support, but it did not mean he was an outstanding husband. Numerous wars had broken out after their marriage, causing him to practically live on the battlefield while always leaving Bianca behind in the castle alone. It was to the point where he almost resembled a reaper who could not stay apart from death. But Bianca couldn¡¯t put the sole blame on her husband for their disastrous marriage. She was not an exemplary wife herself. Zachary had been 20 years old at the time of their marriage, while Bianca had only been 7. She was much too young to be the wife of a hot-blooded 20-year-old who was on the fast track to raising his status and position, as well as starting a family. Hence, it was to no surprise that their marriage did not work out well. Bianca was unable to adjust to the Arno family, and her relationship with Zachary was that of indifference. And before they knew it, nine years had passed. Bianca was now 16 years old and Zachary was now 29. The ambitious young man had hardened, becoming a man exhibiting a calm, irrefutable sense of grandeur. But his vibrant youthfulness remained. Witnessing such an unfamiliar sight caused Bianca to feel a strange lurch in her chest. Please support our website and read on daonovel.com The last memory she held of Zachary was blurry¨Clike a faded oil painting¨Cunable to even recall his features. It was a testament to just how little they saw each other face-to-face, as well as the sense of disinclination she held against him. The only thing she could remember was the way his gaze appeared exhausted whenever he looked her way, as well as his indifference that seemed to signify how he held absolutely no expectations of her. That was the last she remembered of Zachary, and it was representative of the only feelings she held towards him. Suddenly, Zachary turned his head in Bianca¡¯s direction. Had he noticed her gaze? His eyes, the color of dark wild grapes, were accurately fixed on her position. Startled, Bianca quickly hid herself behind the curtain. She had done so on pure instinct. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest and her eyelashes fluttered above her light-green eyes. Bianca¡¯s face was already pale as it was¨Cresembling magnolia petals¨Cbut it paled even further like a blanket of snow. ¡°Haa¡­..¡± Bianca steadied her breathing, trying to calm herself, but it wasn¡¯t easy. Perhaps it was because she was already feeling the chills from the cold, or perhaps it was from the fear of the unfamiliar things to come. Either way, she was having a hard time ceasing her shivers. Once she calmed herself down to an extent, Bianca carefully leaned closer to the window once more. Zachary was no longer looking in her direction, as if he had realized it was her and lost interest, and was giving out orders to his vassals. He didn¡¯t meet her gaze again after that. Bianca observed the way his silver-grey hair sparkled under the sunlight and only closed the curtain once she saw him disappear into the castle. She placed her still-trembling hands over her chest as if in prayer. She had no idea what kind of expression she should have on when she was to face him. She felt terribly awkward seeing her husband again after such a long time apart. Husband! Bianca repeated the unfamiliar word hovering on the tip of her tongue several more times. Although they weren¡¯t complete strangers, their relationship was not much different than that of one. In the past, marriage was the culmination of love between a man and a woman, but that had changed over time. In the present, marriages stemming from love were hardly present. In fact, it was true even amongst the serfs. People married in order to make a living, feelings of affection towards the other taking a back seat. Marriage between nobles was even more so. They all used marriage as a way to gain benefits by forming political alliances between families. As the years went by, such conduct grew increasingly extreme, to the extent where engagements with one partner still in their mother¡¯s womb were being made. People called such marriage customs a ¡°marriage business,¡± but despite all their ridicule and quips, every noble made an effort to participate in such a ¡°business¡± if the opportunity arose. Bianca¡¯s marriage was also a result of a marriage business. An innocent 7-year-old girl and a stiff 20-year-old young man. How could love and romance possibly develop between the two? If marriage was a business, then Bianca¡¯s marriage was a failed one. The reason being that although she had been sold off like a commodity, she was unable to fulfill her role. Their marriage was like a cogwheel; unable to rotate correctly and squeaking until it ultimately came to a stop. Bianca de Blanchefort. The wife of Zachary de Arno, thrown out of the Arno family after his death due to her self-indulgent, frivolous, and immoral behavior. She had nowhere to go, the Blanchefort family having already fallen to ruin, and was more or less kicked to a convent out in the border. A woman who ultimately met her end on a cold stone floor. A villainess with no honor. That was Bianca¡¯s life before she went back in time. ???? Chapter 2 - The Villainess, Bianca (2) Chapter 2 ¨C The Villainess, Bianca (2) Translator: Skye Bianca had undoubtedly died. The memory of kneeling on the cold stone floor of the convent, praying even as frequent coughs escaped her throat was still fresh in her mind, as if it occurred just moments ago. ¡°Please God, please take pity on me and grant me another chance. I know I fell short, I was young and made countless mistakes. I promise I won¡¯t make such foolish decisions ever again and live an honest life instead¡­ I don¡¯t want to die just like this¡­¡± With death at her doorstep, Bianca¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. The sound of sneers from those who had kicked her out to the cold, hard floors of the convent lingered and rang in her ears. Sounds which Bianca tried to drown out by praying more earnestly than before. Except Bianca didn¡¯t believe God would listen to her prayers. If God was truly listening to her, they would have made themselves known before she had made the wrong choices throughout her life, guiding her on the right path instead. Her ill body could endure no further. It slackened, losing strength, while her eyes slowly began to close. Bianca ultimately collapsed on the spot, unable to support herself any longer. She had no energy to raise her slumped body from the stone floor, using what remaining strength she had to lift her gaze to look at the statue of the goddess instead. Bianca could just barely make out the righteous features on the statue¡¯s face with her blurry vision¨Ca face that almost seemed to be telling her that it was going to grant her wish. A bitter laugh faintly escaped her parted dry lips. She found herself pathetic for clinging onto hope even in her last moments. Bianca closed her eyes, the ends of her mouth still curled in a self-deprecating smile, believing that she wouldn¡¯t be able to open them ever again. However, Bianca ended up stirring. In fact, she woke up to find that she had returned to her younger self. The 38-year-old who was dying from a lung disease as she called out to God on a cold stone floor was nowhere to be found. When Bianca opened her eyes, she found herself in her room in Arno castle. The patterns on the wall, engraved with the crest of the Arno family, the layout of her room¡­ Everything was exactly as it had been in the past, which only caused Bianca¡¯s head to throb. Was this a dream? Or was this the final hallucination before she was to open the doors to heaven? Unsure of the situation, Bianca secluded herself in her room. It felt like she would easily see her lifeless corpse pathetically sprawled on the cold floors of the convent if she were to close and open her eyes again. She never wanted to return to that place. On the first day, Bianca never stepped a foot outside her blankets, her whole body continuously trembling with fear. On the second day, she turned her room upside down by throwing and breaking everything within sight. All the precious valuables were plucked from their chests and scattered messily on the ground. On the third day, Bianca screamed from the top of her lungs. And on the fourth day, she continuously scolded her maids, unceremoniously scarfing down the endless amounts of food she made them bring. Although Bianca¡¯s bizarre behavior continued, no one paid her any heed. They all assumed it was just their lazy and ill-tempered madam acting on a whim. Despite being the lady of the house, Bianca made no effort to uphold any duties or responsibilities that came with such a position, which included being a supportive wife for her husband, Zachary. The only things she held an interest in were decorating her room, partaking in trivial hobbies, and picking out luxury goods. Therefore, who in Arno castle would bother to spare a second glance at her, much less hold any affection towards her? The only reason they still treated her with the minimum amount of respect was because they were being mindful of the Blanchefort family. ¡°There¡¯s no way,¡± Bianca mumbled quietly. Her current appearance echoed her room, both in ruin from days of rampage. Her reddish-brown hair was disheveled like a madwoman, and her light green eyes were subdued and cold. The nails on her fingers, which were used to only strumming the strings of a lute, learning embroidery, or flipping pages of a book, were chipped and broken from throwing and making a mess of things the past few days. Yet they were still much more neat and tidy than when she had been a victim to frostbite at the age of 38. Bianca gripped the ends of her skirt. Unlike the rough fabric of the clothes she wore while living in the convent, the skirt she was wearing now felt smooth. She shifted her tired gaze to the statue of the goddess on top of the fireplace. The statue was carved from ivory and it was a precious item that Bianca had brought as part of her dowry. Of course, it also ended up being stolen from her by the same bastards who had kicked her out to the convent¡­ The faint smile on the goddess statue made of marble that she saw in her dying moments overlapped with the ivory statue she was seeing now above the fireplace. This was neither a dream nor a hallucination. This feeling of hunger, fatigue, the vivid sense of everything around her¡­ This was all real. Please support our website and read on daonovel.com ¡°Is this truly reality?¡± A hollow laugh escaped her lips. Her body was overrun with fatigue, her voice sounded exhausted, and a slew of thoughts invaded her muddled head, making it feel heavy. No matter how much she racked her brain, she couldn¡¯t come to an answer. If this was indeed reality, then what about all those experiences she faced throughout her life? Had everything up until the moment she died all just been an unfortunate dream? But the pain from being betrayed by the love of her life, and the despair from being kicked and thrown to the ground felt too real to be considered a dream. Just thinking about the man who played with her heart triggered a surge of rage. It was impossible for these emotions to arise from something that was just a dream. If her pathetic last moments had been real, and being here¨Cperfectly fine¨Cwas real as well¡­ Then did this mean that she had returned to the past? ¡°Have I really traveled back to the past?¡± Bianca¡¯s voice choked up, reverberating quietly around the room. If this was indeed reality¡­ If God truly gave her one more precious chance¡­! Belatedly accepting the truth, Bianca fell to her feet and wailed. She sounded like a wounded beast as sorrowful sobs escaped her throat, her cheeks wet with tears, and yet there was an aura of joy on her face from being given another chance to live. ???? After letting out all the emotions she had kept bottled up inside, Bianca composed herself and straightened her features. She had let herself be swept up by her emotions plenty enough. Now she focused on trying to make logical sense of her situation, but found that she had absolutely no idea how such a miracle had been bestowed upon her. Of course, Bianca had desperately wished for such a miracle in her dying moments, but that alone was surely not enough to let it come to fruition, was it? Despite joining the convent in the latter part of her life, Bianca hadn¡¯t exactly been the most faithful believer. The reason she had been more or less tossed into the convent was because nowhere else would accept her. Not only had her dowry and personal assets been stolen from her, but she was also labeled as an immoral woman for having an affair. Hence, it was no surprise that she was not welcomed by anyone. The convent that took her in told her to pray and repent for her sins, but Bianca¨Chaving been chased away to such a place and not by her own will¨Conly held feelings of loathing towards God. But it was to be expected as she only had regrets about her life. She hated and resented God for giving her such a difficult one. It wasn¡¯t until 15 years after she joined the convent, when she was nearing the end of her life, that she began repenting for her sins. To think that a miracle would be granted to an irreverent woman such as herself nonetheless. How could she possibly know the answer to that? Bianca stared at her reflection in the mirror. The figure looking back at her was no longer blue like a corpse. Instead, her skin looked light and soft like goat¡¯s milk. Fine, miniscule hairs lined her supple cheeks, making them appear like soft peaches¨Ca testament to her current youth. But in lieu of unadulterated naivete, her blemish-free features were painted with fear, anxiety, and insecurity regarding the future that would unfold. Bianca leaned back against the headrest, eyes staring off into space. When she was 7 years old, her father had suddenly brought up the news of marriage, prompting her to burst into tears immediately. ¡®Bianca. To tell you the truth, I just came back from offering your hand in marriage.¡¯ She had been given chocolate cake that day. The cake alone had made the innocent Bianca happy, as it wasn¡¯t often she was given permission to eat such a thing. After he placated her with plenty of sweets, her father had gone on to explain all the advantages of marriage, coating his words with honey. It was all in order to get Bianca to walk down the aisle on her own with no complaints. ¡®The candidate¡¯s name is Zachary de Arno. He recently received his title of ¡®Baron.¡¯ Although he hasn¡¯t given me an answer yet, I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll refuse.¡¯ The voice of her father had been sweet like chocolate, but she remembered how the chocolate cake she had been eating at the time tasted strangely like dry mud. Perhaps she had been instinctively trying to warn herself of the rocky marriage life she would end up having. Still, Bianca never would have imagined the very end of her marriage would end up the way it had. Even if she had been able to predict it, it wouldn¡¯t have changed anything. A child had no choice but to follow their father¡¯s will, including that of marriage. A child could not even express their refusal towards their proposed marriage partner unless they had a legitimate reason to disqualify them. As for Bianca, her young age put her in a position where she could not refuse even if she had a reason. Of course, she wasn¡¯t alone. Cases like Bianca¡¯s were the vast majority. ???? Chapter 3 Chapter 3 ¨C The Villainess, Bianca (3) Translator: Skye Bianca had been married off to the Arno family at the young age of 7. Despite being a young 20-year-old man himself, Zachary was nothing but big and scary to a child. He was a brusque person with hands as large as Bianca¡¯s face and his humble, dark, wool clothes gave off the scent of death. He was handsome and masculine, but that was also what made him look like a gravekeeper in the eyes of the young Bianca. Zachary wasn¡¯t used to interacting with children and Bianca wasn¡¯t used to interacting with grown men aside from her father. Bianca avoided Zachary and, in turn, the latter was unable to approach her easily. Though Zachary did make efforts to treat Bianca well in his own way, the problem was that instead of using warm words or smiles, he used money and gifts to try and win her favor. That had been the starting point of Bianca falling further into loneliness. With her back still leaning against the headrest, Bianca surveyed her room. The floor was covered with a carpet made from high-quality wool that felt extremely soft under her feet. Its rich hues and intricate patterns were indicative of its high-value, and yet Bianca was sure she had been dissatisfied with it in her past life, grumbling about how it was inferior to a carpet made of silk. The Arnos were well-off thanks to Zachary¡¯s impressive feats, which garnered all sorts of valuables and rewards from the king, but they were still incomparable to Bianca¡¯s family, the Blancheforts, which remained prosperous for generations. Zachary was a blunt and unsophisticated warrior, and he wasn¡¯t one to wear extravagant clothing. This was reflected in how his castle was decorated as well. Even so, he had made an effort to match the lavishness Bianca would have grown up with under the Blancheforts. Dull carpets, drab ornaments, and wooden furniture decorated Zachary¨Cthe lord of the castle¡¯s room. In contrast, Bianca¡¯s room held vibrant tapestries, gold-trimmed furniture, and cloth dyed in precious colors. But Bianca had still been dissatisfied. No matter how hard Zachary tried, it was not easy to meet Bianca¡¯s standards. The Bianca in the past had belittled Zachary¡¯s endeavors, calling them pathetic. Even when he had brought back priceless purple-dyed cloth from a foreign country, Bianca only grumbled about how there was no gold thread to embroider it with. There was one time when the usual amount of allowance given to Bianca had been slashed. As war continued, warhorses needed to be bought constantly while arrowheads and swords were always in short supply. Bianca had been wanting to redecorate her room before the weather got colder, so she became angry once she realized she did not have the funds to do so. Decorating her room was not just a simple act of indulgence for Bianca. As she had practically been deposited in an unfamiliar place with no one but her nanny, Bianca was on awkward terms with everyone in the Arno castle, including her husband. Hence, she had no person or thing to grow attached to. Decorating her own space was an action done to alleviate some of the loneliness she felt. She was able to feel a sense of familiarity whenever she spent time in the room she decorated similarly to the one she had back in Blanchefort castle while dressed in expensive garments. However, an absurd amount of money was required to adorn the desolate Arno castle and have it resemble the opulence of Blanchefort castle. Having her allowance cut was such a dire problem for Bianca that it had made her go find her husband herself, despite normally always avoiding him. ¡®Why in the world do you have to participate in the war? What¡¯s the point of winning if it just makes us poorer and poorer every time?!¡¯ ¡®This will be the only time your allowance is cut.¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s not a single joy of living in this castle, and you just took away the one source of happiness I had.¡¯ ¡®¡­¡­.¡¯ Bianca had glared at Zachary with tears welling up in her eyes, and the latter only stared at her wordlessly for a while before swiftly turning around and leaving the room. It caused Bianca to tremble with contempt, believing that she had just been insulted. But Bianca couldn¡¯t remember if it had been from the inability to decorate her room like she wanted, or if it had been from the humiliation she felt by Zachary deciding to cut her allowance without consulting her first. Zachary had achieved a sweeping victory in that war and the reward he was given was an amount that would make anyone envious. He had used it to not only make up for the amount he had initially taken away from Bianca¡¯s allowance, but went above and gave her much more¨Cas if he were trying to make up for cutting it in the first place. But that wasn¡¯t what Bianca really needed. Due to the constant wars that broke out, Zachary had to leave the castle frequently. Bianca had no idea why he seemed to be so obsessed with the battlefield, though her husband wasn¡¯t alone. All men were like that. Bianca always ended up having to stare at the figure of her husband¡¯s back as he left for war. In order for a couple to even grow feelings such as dislike towards each other, they would have to at least see each other often, but even that was nonexistent for Zachary and Bianca. As she was unable to grow any attachment towards her husband, Bianca only grew lonely as she was left in the giant castle by herself. That lonesomeness only grew when her nanny, Jean, the only person who came with her from Blanchefort castle, surrendered to infectious disease. Bianca ultimately fell into her own little world, having closed herself off, and an even deeper crack formed in her relationship with Zachary. One was normally considered an adult once they turned the age of 16, but Zachary and Bianca did not consummate their marriage until the latter had turned 18 years old. When Bianca was 18 and Zachary was 31, the situation outside the castle walls became increasingly severe. As the conditions brought on by war reached a breaking point, Zachary¡¯s vassals pleaded with him, urging for an heir. Though they had brought up the issue many times since long ago, Zachary had always pushed it off, but he knew he reached his limit and thus dragged himself to Bianca¡¯s room. It had been one day in the fall, right before the start of the harvest. The memory of Zachary¡¯s piercing gaze staring at her as he stood by her door was still vivid in Bianca¡¯s mind. He who usually never stepped a foot near her chambers had suddenly come to find her, and was staring at her without saying a word. Flustered, Bianca¡¯s hands had trembled, causing the embroidery frame she was holding to visibly shake as well. Despite her uneasiness having been exposed, Bianca had feigned nonchalance, lifting her chin as she reprimanded him. ¡®It¡¯s rude to suddenly visit without any notice. You could have let me know in advance you were coming.¡¯ ¡®Are you saying it¡¯s rude of me to come to my wife¡¯s room?¡¯ ¡®¡­It¡¯s unlike you. I¡¯m sure you have a reason for suddenly coming to find me. Is it urgent?¡¯ The corner of Zachary¡¯s mouth curled disparagingly, easily recognizing Bianca¡¯s hesitance. Bianca¡¯s lips remained pressed together in a silent reply. Even if it was an urgent or important matter, she didn¡¯t want to face him. ¡®Unfortunately, it is. We¡¯ve been able to push it off all this time, but the vassals are all yearning for an heir. We¡¯ll be sleeping together in a week so be ready.¡¯ ¡®Pardon?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m saying that it¡¯s now time for you to uphold your duty as my wife.¡¯ Observing Bianca simply blinking her eyes¨Cas if she couldn¡¯t believe what she had just heard¨CZachary repeated himself. But Bianca still appeared lost, absentmindedly fumbling with the embroidery frame instead. Zachary stared at her pale thin neck for a long time, scowling like he was dissatisfied with her slow response, and added one last comment. ¡®One week. Don¡¯t forget.¡¯ Bianca was in disbelief. Their first night? It was so sudden, seeming to have come out of nowhere. She wasn¡¯t unaware of the relations men and women would have behind closed doors. At the very least, she held a ¡®necessary¡¯ level of knowledge regarding it. The day after Bianca started her menstruation for the first time, her nanny had declared she was now an adult and explained the intimate relations between a man and a woman. That occurred when she was 13 years old¨Cand five years had already passed since then. Her nanny had done everything she could to make sure Bianca would grow up as a fine lady of the house. She also tried to help erase any prejudice and negative feelings Bianca held against Zachary. Jean genuinely loved Bianca. If she had lived a little longer, her nanny surely wouldn¡¯t have sat back and allowed Bianca to become entangled with a man who was not her husband. No, rather, if her nanny hadn¡¯t passed away, Bianca wouldn¡¯t have become so lonely to the extent she would fall for Fernand in the first place. Her nanny had undeniably done her best. The problem was that following Jean¡¯s early death, Bianca began living her life in her own way. She only did things she wanted to do and turned a blind eye to anything she found bothersome. But what Bianca wanted to avoid the most in her short life were matters involving her husband, Zachary. However, no one around her would bring up the duties and responsibilities required of her as the lady of the house, not even Zachary. As a result, the thought of sleeping with her husband was nonexistent, and Bianca ended up spending her time doing whatever she wanted while her relationship with Zachary continued to worsen. After Zachary left the room, Bianca fell into a state of panic and bewilderment, her easy-going, carefree life suddenly bombarded by the prospect of coition. ???? T/N: Whipped this one up while running on little to no sleep, so apologies if there¡¯s a lot of mistakes. Will check and fix any at a later date. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 ¨C The Villainess, Bianca (4) Translator: Skye Bianca¡¯s nanny had told her that she would experience splitting pain during her first intimate relation with a man, and that there would even be blood. Even if her chin may end up trembling from the unprecedented pain, Bianca wasn¡¯t worried about the blood part. How could that possibly frighten her when she was already experiencing that once a month? However, what did throw her into a state of panic was the fact that she would have to be stripped bare in front of Zachary and be pressed against his own exposed skin. Just thinking about having to bare her skin in front of a man for the first time caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand and a shiver to run down her spine. Her husband was sure to let out a disappointed sigh once he laid eyes on her figure, which was rather small compared to others her age¡­ It wasn¡¯t that she felt inferior for having a chest that wasn¡¯t as voluptuous as others, or a height that wasn¡¯t as tall as others. She never saw them as shortcomings either. Even so, the reason why she was concerned over what Zachary may think of her body was because she hated the possibility of him finding faults in her. Was there anyone who would enjoy being openly ridiculed for their body? Bianca wasn¡¯t confident that she would be able to handle such a situation in a dignified manner, and that was how she came to self-explain the cause behind her state of panic. Although Zachary would never actually do such a thing, the past Bianca wouldn¡¯t put it past him as he was someone who always got on her nerves¨Csomeone unwelcome. Still, she could not refuse him as she had no grounds to do so. No matter how much one could argue that Bianca had been ignoring all her responsibilities, sleeping with Zachary was something she needed to agree to as his wife. Bianca¡¯s nanny had told her that the reason their consummation was put on hold was Zachary being considerate of her. Bianca had snorted when she heard the word ¡®considerate.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t consideration but negligence. He had tossed her aside, finding her annoying, and was only coming to find her now in order to quiet the concerns of his vassals. And so, while Bianca did her best to suppress her nervousness, the week flew by and she found herself having to face her husband while dressed in fine robes. Though she was unable to stop her body from trembling, she raised her chin in an act of nonchalance, her light-green eyes glittering defiantly under her reddish-brown lashes. Bianca didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be hard, at least, that was the case until she was finally embraced by her husband. She had learned the basics of coitus, but she found that the act of actually doing it was completely different from what she had learned. Bianca closed her eyes tight and bit down on her lips, afraid that she¡¯d let out a scream otherwise. There was a sharp pain that sprung from between her quivering legs, body shaking helplessly everytime Zachary moved. It felt like she was on a boat in the middle of a storm, rocking back and forth. That was how powerless she was. Bianca had unconsciously attempted to crawl away due to the pain, but found herself trapped when Zachary¡¯s hand closed over hers, which was gripping onto the sheets. As a warrior, Zachary was much bigger than the frail Bianca. Holding her in his embrace prevented her from moving another inch. Bianca was now face down on the bed, faint tremors racking her body, and her brown hair flowed messily behind her pale neck. Feeling Zachary¡¯s lust-filled breath by her ear caused Bianca¡¯s mind to go blank. That night, Zachary didn¡¯t let Bianca go. He released himself inside of her relentlessly, and Bianca had no choice but to continue accepting him to the point the space between her legs was drenched. And this act carried on till the break of dawn. Her first time had left her with nothing but fear and shock. It had felt like she was being swallowed by a beast. Even if it was her duty, it was nothing but terrible. Never wanting to do such a thing with a man ever again, Bianca began to desperately push Zachary away since then. But if Zachary were to ignore her refusals, Bianca wouldn¡¯t be able to stop him. Fortunately, it seemed he had no desire to coerce her, acquiescing to her wishes instead. However, it didn¡¯t mean that they never slept together again after that first experience. Zachary would always come to find her each time he would have to leave for war. He would wordlessly grab and pull her by her arm, his face frighteningly stiff. Those were the only days Bianca wouldn¡¯t refuse him. Despite Zachary being regarded as an undefeatable commander, war was like an unpredictable monster. It could have been the surge of desire to have her conceive an heir in case he died on the battlefield, or it could have been the pestering of his vassals that pushed him to come find her each time. Zachary did not seek her unless he was about to leave for war and Bianca didn¡¯t think much of it. Then one day, Bianca happened to overhear maids gossiping with each other. Their high-pitched chatters were easily picked up by Bianca¡¯s ears. ¡®You won¡¯t believe how clingy he was. Whether it be stableboys, knights, or retainers, they¡¯re all the same. Men are always nuts about it. It¡¯s so annoying.¡¯ ¡®Ha, you wench. You say that yet you¡¯re always wagging your tail.¡¯ ¡®Well, that¡¯s because instead of the person I want, it¡¯s all these dolts coming at me.¡¯ ¡®You have someone in mind? Who? Sir Gaspard? Sir Robert?¡¯ ¡°Hu hu¡­¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t tell me, is it Lord Arno?¡¯ A burst of giggles followed the maid¡¯s playful quip, as if it was a humorous jest, and yet there was no denial coming from the other maid. The first maid took notice and quickly flitted her eyes around their surroundings before lowering her voice in a whisper. ¡®The madam won¡¯t let you off easily if she were to hear.¡¯ ¡®Our lady doesn¡¯t care about Lord Arno. Ah, our poor lord. Such a stunning man has to spend all his nights alone due to his wicked wife, while other lackluster men are busy chasing the skirts of other women. Did you know? Our lord and his wife don¡¯t even spend three nights together in a year? Can you believe that?¡¯ A wicked wife. Bianca scoffed. She knew the servants and maids weren¡¯t happy with her, but she never knew they had been talking about her in this manner. Moreover, to think they would even mention sharing a bed with Zachary. ¡®I¡¯m sure he has a mistress. It¡¯s already been over ten years since he got married, do you truly believe he¡¯s been abstinent all this time?¡¯ ¡®Lies! Lord Arno isn¡¯t like that!¡¯ ¡®As if. Aren¡¯t you the one who said not to trust men since they¡¯re all the same?¡¯ ¡®Ahh.. I want to be embraced by our lord. His solid chest¡­¡¯ ¡®Stop trying to change the subject. That¡¯s a pipe dream.¡¯ The maids bickered as they walked away, but the one who had overheard their conversation was unable to even move a step. Bianca¡¯s heart clenched, finding it hard to even breathe, when she heard the possibility of Zachary having a mistress¡­ She felt a needless sense of displeasure and a surge of disgust for some reason. A mistress! How could she have not thought of that before? Then again, that was probably why Zachary had easily backed off whenever she rejected his advances, as well as why he had been putting off their consummation till she turned 18. Looking back, it all made sense if he had a mistress. Bianca began to push Zachary away even more following that day, distrust towards men and a fear of intimate relations seizing her heart. ???? As Bianca¡¯s unfortunate marriage days continued, one encounter changed her life completely. It was when she met none other than her fateful love, a handsome fellow around her age named Fernand. If Zachary was a gruff, stone-like warrior, then Fernand, with his eyes that sparkled like the rays of the morning sun, was a tender, warm, zephyr-like minstrel. Her husband¡¯s name never fell from Fernand¡¯s lips, instead he whispered saccharine words in her ear. It was to be expected that the naive Bianca would easily fall for his kindness. Her distrust regarding men slowly began to subside after she met Fernand. But her fear regarding sex continued to ensnare her. Despite Bianca having undoubtedly fallen for Fernand, she showed no signs of taking it further intimately with him. This prompted Fernand to bat his eyelashes, blue eyes twinkling as he whispered, ¡®Do you not want me? When I want you this much¡­¡¯ He pulled her fingers to the hard bulge between his legs. Bianca became flustered when her fingertips came in contact with the burning heat. She averted her gaze, unsure of what to do, while her cheeks resembled ripe peaches. She was still terrified of intimate relations between a man and woman, but her heart fluttered when she saw how Fernand seemed to want her so desperately. The sound of her pounding heart rang in her ears. Before she knew it, Bianca was slowly raising the hem of her skirt as if in a trance. It had been done on impulse. Fernand pulled her closer, taking the sight of her slightly exposed ankle as a sign of consent, and the two fell further into the thicket. ???? T/N: I binged the webtoon this morning and wanted to address that it did change how many of the events played out, and the overall vibe is much more lighthearted/comedic than the novel, which will be more solemn with little pockets of humor instead. Novel-Bianca is nowhere near as¡­ perky as Webtoon-Bianca. Not sure if there¡¯s a translation for the webtoon out yet, but you can find the raw on KKP! I was originally only planning on updating this novel twice a week, but I¡¯ll try my best to update more than that at least until we catch up to the webtoon¡­ but no promises because I was only expecting them to release (at the very most) twenty chapters from the get go, not a whole twenty five. ?? (Also changed the rating to R18, though the more explicit scenes won¡¯t be until much later. Please note that such scenes are not the main focus of the story and thus there won¡¯t be much) Chapter 5 Chapter 5 ¨C The Villainess, Bianca (5) Translator: Skye Although Bianca ended up sleeping with Fernand, it did not mean it had been pleasant. Still, it had been less painful than with her husband, though it was not because Bianca loved Fernand¨Crather, it was because Fernand was not as well-endowed as Zachary. Nevertheless, she was happy. Bianca decided to think of it positively, despite knowing that she was having an affair and that things would become troubling for her if she were to be caught. The world was sunny and bright, and she felt like she was floating in the clouds. That was how deep Bianca fell into her relationship with Fernand. And then one day, news arrived of Zachary falling victim to an arrow and perishing in the war. His death itself didn¡¯t cause Bianca to feel any type of way, rather, it was from the realization that she was now free that elicited a feeling of happiness. Her father and brother had already passed away earlier in the war, leaving the Blanchefort county to be entrusted to the Arnos. Bianca was under the impression that she would be able to marry Fernand while taking ahold of both the Blanchefort and Arno counties, as well as receiving back her dowry. Though Fernand was only a minstrel, that couldn¡¯t stop them from being wed, and their child would be the future Count Blanchefort! Bianca was thrilled just from the thought alone. But her happiness was short-lived. Bianca only caught on that something wasn¡¯t right when Zachary¡¯s older brother, Viscount Roland de Hugues took over the Arno county. Roland had declared that Bianca was not an Arno, aware that there was no child born from her and his brother. In addition, he was also aware of her affair¨Cthough Bianca didn¡¯t know how¨Cand used it as a basis to keep her from receiving back her dowry. To make matters worse, he even took claim over the Blanchefort county. Though Bianca protested vehemently, saying that it made absolutely no sense, her affair with Fernand was her biggest shackle. No one would defend her. Roland also had the king¡¯s uncle, Duke Jacob de Sevran¡¯s support. As a result, Bianca, with no backing of her own, was ultimately kicked out with nothing but the clothes on her back. Despite all her misfortunes, Bianca still had trust in her lover, Fernand. He had fervently confessed to her before that he would love her no matter what, and his brilliant blue eyes had been nothing but genuine. And thus why, even though she no longer had anything to her name, Bianca held onto that firm belief and went to look for him. Only to be met with a cold shoulder. ¡®Oh, my foolish lady. Please don¡¯t be so clingy as this is where we part ways. You used to be more dignified than this, were you not? I know you¡¯ve lost everything, but isn¡¯t that why you should at least try to hold onto some of that dignity at the very least?¡¯ ¡®Fernand, why are you being like this all of a sudden?¡¯ ¡®Because I no longer have any reason to involve myself with you.¡¯ The flowery smile that was usually always present on Fernand¡¯s face was nowhere to be seen. The creases of his eyes no longer gave off warmth but reflected disdain instead¨Ca look that seemed to be calling her pathetic. The memory of him pressing a soft kiss to her cheek felt just like yesterday, and yet, the Fernand in front of her now was acting like a completely different person. Bianca¡¯s lips fluttered, unable to believe his sudden change in demeanor. ¡®Wha-what are you saying, Fernand? We¡¯re in love with each ot¨C¡¯ ¡®I believe the correct term would be lust, not love. My poor, foolish lady. To think you¡¯d lose everything from being blinded by lust. But please don¡¯t try to put the blame on me. Didn¡¯t I tell you multiple times that you shouldn¡¯t fall for me?¡¯ Fernand easily spouted his excuses, and he wasn¡¯t wrong. That was indeed what he had said to her before. ¡®You shouldn¡¯t fall for me, Lady Arno. I¡¯m having a hard time as it is trying to keep my wits together. Please be the one to draw the line between us.¡¯ His unwavering eyes had seemed like they were staring straight into her soul, and his lips had flinched slightly when they pressed over hers, almost as if he was trying hard to hide his feelings for her. Hearing Fernand now, Bianca felt like everything their relationship had been so far was an illusion¨Can illusion that was now dispelled. Her lover¡¯s sudden change inflicted a pain in her heart that was greater than her husband¡¯s death. She felt stifled and dizzy, unable to easily pull herself together. A frigid gust of wind caused her to shiver. Normally, she would have had her precious white fox fur cape, or her grey squirrel fur-lined coat, but all she had on now was an old blanket. It was a tattered, shabby blanket that she never would have used before¨Cnot even for her feet¨Cbut Bianca had not cared, thinking that all would be fine as long as Fernand remained by her side. But reality proved it was different from the tunes of a minstrel¡¯s song. Bianca¡¯s lips pressed together and her frown only deepened as Fernand¡¯s sardonic comments continued. The wounds of betrayal were too much for her to handle, causing her to lose the ability to even bite back with a harsh retort. ¡®¡­It, It wasn¡¯t lust for me. I truly¨C¡¯ ¡®Madam. I understand how desperate you must feel right now, but please don¡¯t try to lie. I¡¯m fully aware that you were lonely from your husband¡¯s frequent absence. Isn¡¯t that why you showed interest towards me?¡¯ His sharp rebuttal stabbed her delicate heart like a dagger. Fernand was turning all the blame for their failed relationship on her. This wasn¡¯t right. He was wrong. How could he say it was all just lust? Bianca had simply just been lonely. It wasn¡¯t easy for her to live in the giant Arno castle where no one liked her. She no longer wanted to endure the cold draft in her room by herself. Would things have been different if she had been more affectionate towards her husband? But Bianca had no courage to try and change their relationship that was already rooted in indifference. It was to be expected of someone as lonely as Bianca to readily fall for the dashing Fernand, who was as suave and sweet as they come. He had behaved like he would do anything for her, so it had been easy for Bianca to believe in his love, her only other experience involving men having been Zachary. ¡®I was easily able to seduce you thanks to that. I¡¯ll even be receiving an ample reward from Viscount Hugues¨Cah, or should I say Count now. I enjoyed our nights together, but you know it too, don¡¯t you? How precious the thing called money is? So even if I may ignore you now, please understand my sentiments.¡¯ Bianca¡¯s head throbbed. Viscount Hugues, Zachary¡¯s older brother, was the man who had kicked her to the curb. She was shocked to find out that he and Fernand knew each other, but she couldn¡¯t figure out why Fernand was to be rewarded by the viscount. Fernand decided to land one last blow when he saw the stupefied look on her face, staring at him like a kitten drenched in the rain. ¡®My ignorant, naive lady. You must think the world is all sunshine and rainbows.To think that you¡¯d fall in love with a minstrel who came to your castle out of nowhere. That¡¯s not something that would even appear in a cliche romance novel, don¡¯t you think? Did you truly not sense anything wrong? I don¡¯t know how a noble lady such as yourself was raised to innocently believe the world would be so kind.¡¯ ¡®Fernand!!¡¯ Fernand had ridiculed her to the very end. Bianca mulled over their conversation countless times as she watched the figure of his back walking away after heartlessly tossing her aside. It was only after a long while that she realized that everything had been planned; Fernand must have been ordered by Viscount Hugues to approach her. But by the time she realized, it was much too late. Bianca was left with nothing: no inheritance, love, children, or family. Not even memories. Everything had been torn to shreds and burned to ash. ¡°Bastard.¡± Even in the present, nothing but curses came out when she thought of Fernand again. Not even tears. She had suppressed her fear of sex with her love for Fernand, yet he had deceived her by claiming it had all been lust. Moreover, what had been the results of their illicit love affairs? Bianca had been thrown to the stone cold floor for her debauchery. Fernand had tried so hard to seduce her not because he had fallen head over heels for her, but because he had been instigated by Viscount Hugues. This only caused Bianca¡¯s heart to harden and close off when it came to intimate relations between a man and woman. Bianca released a hollow sigh and shifted her gaze to stare out the window, observing the setting sun. She recalled the memory of her listening to Fernand plucking the strings of his lute, the two hidden away from the eyes of everyone else. She had been happy then, feeling like she was the main character of a romance novel, but all she felt now was nothing but disgust, aware that everything had been a lie and part of a conspiracy. Bianca clenched her teeth, eyes gleaming with venom as she made a vow to get revenge if she ever saw him again. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 ¨C The Villainess, Bianca (6) Translator: Skye Bianca, who was born as a daughter of a noble, was immature and ignorant of how to desperately protect what was hers. Hence, she had been chased out from her position, completely clueless. Bianca closed herself off while spending her days in the cold convent, and held strong regrets regarding her life. Why did I believe in Fernand¡¯s love? Why was I without a child? Why was I thrown away so wretchedly? The cause behind all of Bianca¡¯s regrets was Zachary. Her husband, Zachary de Arno, to be more exact. If there had been a child born from her and Zachary, then it was likely that she would never have been driven out like so. No. If she had been on good terms with Zachary from the start, then she would have never been used by Fernand. No, that¡¯s not it. She never would have gotten caught up in the viscount¡¯s schemes if she had never married Zachary in the first place. Bianca wondered what would have happened if she had returned not to her 16-year-old self, but to her 7-year-old body before her marriage with Zachary instead. But she knew she would have still ended up marrying him. After all, their marriage was one chosen by her father after much deliberation, and it was the best political marriage for the Blancheforts. Even though she had returned to her 16-year-old body, Bianca was grateful to have been granted another chance at life. She had spent many years brooding over her regrets on the cold floors of the convent, so at the very least, it was clear what she had to do from now on. Bianca vowed never to suffer the same degradation and humiliation she faced before. If marriage was ultimately a business, she realized that the wisest choice would be to secure her own portion of benefits from it. Bianca¡¯s light-green eyes gleamed with resolve as she pushed aside thoughts of trivial matters, instead focusing on what was of most importance. To her knowledge, Zachary¡¯s death would occur during war. He would be 36 years old and Bianca would be 23. That meant there was still seven years until then. In order to not be kicked out after her husband¡¯s death, Bianca needed to make sure she did not spare any interest towards Fernand or other men, and focus on becoming pregnant with Zachary¡¯s child. Then, their child would become the Arno heir and Bianca would do her best to handle the county¡¯s affairs and endure until her child became an adult. It was a perfect plan. Once her child was of age, he would surely look after her. But there was a problem. Bianca and her husband weren¡¯t exactly on terms that would easily open up the chance for her to have a child. ¡®If I¡¯m still 16¡­ Then that means we¡¯ve yet to consummate our marriage¡­¡¯ Bianca sighed, feeling stumped. There were still two years left until they¡¯d consummate their marriage and Zachary would never reach out to her first on his own. He never seemed to be in a hurry. It was likely that they may have never slept together, even up until his death, if his vassals hadn¡¯t pestered him so. In that case, Bianca couldn¡¯t just sit back and wait. Seven years may sound like a long time, but considering how Zachary would be constantly vacating the castle for the battlefield, it would be appropriate to say that the period of time Bianca would truly have with him was only half that amount. Though it was possible to become pregnant after a single night together, it wasn¡¯t guaranteed. People did say that pregnancy came easily to those who wanted to avoid it, while evading those who yearned for it. In other words, seven years was already much too short of a period to try and conceive a child, therefore Bianca couldn¡¯t let two of those years go by just idling away. Whether it be using seduction or persuasion, she would need to make the first move. A blush stained her cheeks. How would she go about it? Should she proceed with some mild seduction and wait for him to respond? But Bianca was not a sensual beauty. The chances of success were low. Or should she be bold and demand of it confidently? Zachary may nod his head and agree if she used the approach his vassals used, arguing that it was only natural to have an heir early for the sake of the Arno family. Bianca let out another sigh. Even if she were to make the first move, it did not mean Zachary would like it, but rather be suspicious. His eyes would scan her for any underlying motives, wondering when she had started caring for the Arno family¡¯s future. They were a couple whose relationship was no different from that of strangers, no, one could even say it was worse. Looking back, it was amazing how Bianca had been able to keep her position as the lady of the house all the way up until Zachary¡¯s death. If she were Zachary, she would have thrown herself out much earlier. Perhaps Zachary had wanted to get rid of her, but took pity on her as the Blanchefort family had perished, leaving her with nowhere to go back to. Or it was possible that he wanted to seize the Blanchefort territory. Bianca viewed the latter option as more likely. If not that, she could not think of any other reason as to why he would have put up with her misconduct. Their marriage was a political one from the start and there existed neither love nor loyalty between them. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t Bianca that Zachary needed to be loyal to; it was not she who he married but the Blanchefort family. In return, Zachary strengthened political cooperation with the Blancheforts and led the battles in the war for the first prince. That¡¯s right. Bianca and Zachary¡¯s relationship was nothing more than a contractual one. Their goal was to unite their families and bring about mutual prosperity. Surely he would not refuse if she were to bring up the idea of an heir. Even if he may hold someone else in his heart. Bianca couldn¡¯t forget the words of the maids who speculated that Zachary might have a mistress. At the time, she had shuddered and pretended to have not heard it. The thought of her husband¨Cwho she did not love¨Chaving a mistress only caused irritation, so she didn¡¯t even want to waste another second on it. She didn¡¯t even try to confirm if Zachary really had one or not. Frankly, Bianca thought it would be stranger if he didn¡¯t have one. An image of her husband gently caressing the cheek of another woman and pressing his body over hers naturally to Bianca¡¯s mind. She wondered what kind of woman his mistress was. A serf? Or another noble¡¯s daughter? Would Zachary have loved that woman? A bitter smile marred Bianca¡¯s lips. Regardless of Zachary liking another woman or not, Bianca¡¯s goal remained unchanged. Of course, the thought of having to be embraced by a man who already held another was humiliating and revolting, but it was better than being used and expelled while having everything stolen from her. ¡®I¡¯m just going to carry out a business. After all, marriage is essentially a business. Zachary¡¯s child will be the perfect source of financial support. I¡¯m sure the child will protect my dowry and I won¡¯t have to lose the Blanchefort and Arno territories to that damned viscount either.¡¯ Bianca closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them again, they were ablaze with rage. Thinking about it again, this had all been because of Viscount Hugues. Zachary¡¯s death had been an opportunity for that cruel and deceitful man to come in and fill his own pockets. Rather, it was possible that he also played a part in Zachary¡¯s death, as he was the only one who would benefit from it. In addition, given the timing of Fernand first approaching Bianca, it was clear that the viscount¡¯s instigative plot had been a long one in the making¨Clike accumulating dust. He must have been planning to get rid of her from the start and thus why he had sent Fernand. He had used Fernand to hurt and extort everything from her. The viscount must have been over the moon when he took possession of everything she had¨Cincluding her future and tokens of her past. Just thinking about it caused anger to surge inside of her. If things ended up going well between her and Zachary, leading her to conceive without any problems and ultimately give birth to the next Arno¡­ Her next step would then be revenge. Revenge on Viscount Hugues and Fernand. No matter when or how, she swore she would return just as much humiliation and pain they had given her. Bianca was the daughter of a count, and though her husband was a baron, he had eventually become a count, and thus she had become a countess as well. She had an immense amount of pride, and that pride would have surely played a part in preventing her from being able to maintain an amicable relationship with Zachary. But to think a mere viscount would dare to interfere and mess with her life. It only added to Bianca¡¯s fury. At some point, the sun had completely set, causing the outside surroundings to become dark. The night sky was a perfect representation of how Bianca felt. There was no end to the darkness and it was hard to even see what lay ahead. But just like how the night would fade away when the sun rises, the darkness would disappear as well. Her revenge would serve the role of dawn. Looking forward to that day, Bianca fully accepted the fact that she had returned to the past. She pulled her hand to her chest and murmured a prayer. ¡°I¡¯m ever grateful for your mercy, for forgiving me of my sins and granting my wish to be revived. My faith in you is unyielding and I vow to act according to your will¡­ With all sincerity, I swear it on this second life you have bestowed upon me.¡± Bianca¡¯s lips curved upwards in an uncanny way. Her eyes gleamed like fresh spring blooms, but there was also a blazing flame reflected in her pupils. A flame of desire tinged with obsession that refused to be easily extinguished. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 ¨C 15 Year Reunion (1) Translator: Skye ¡°Where is the count?¡± Vincent¡¯s features shifted oddly when he heard Bianca suddenly asking for the count¡¯s whereabouts. He was already well aware of how little interest Bianca had in Zachary, but this was too much. ¡°¡­Lord Arno left for the campaign, if you recall?¡± Vincent replied, disapproval clearly evident in his tone. No wonder. Bianca had been causing an uproar for the last few days until she finally accepted the fact that she had returned to the past. She found it strange that Zachary hadn¡¯t made a single appearance, as he surely would¡¯ve come to check on her at least once despite how callous their relationship was. Bianca felt a great sense of relief at hearing that he was currently away. Although she had already strengthened her resolve, she would gladly welcome the extra time to prepare herself mentally. She swallowed a breath of relief at not having to face Zachary just yet. She feigned nonchalance and casually replied, ¡°Is that so? When is he expected to return?¡± ¡°Based on our last correspondence, he said that he estimates to be returning around the start of winter.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Bianca slowly nodded her head and shifted her gaze to look out the window. The turn of her neck reflected a noble elegance as well as the degree of her indifference towards Zachary. Irked by such demeanor, Vincent¡¯s expression crumpled, looking like he had tasted something acrid. Vincent was a man around his forties and it was known that he had long ties with Zachary, originating back from when they had both been under the Hugues family, before Zachary received his baron title. As Zachary¡¯s oldest vassal, Vincent¡¯s loyalty was like no other, and as the steward of the castle, he also frequently butted heads with Bianca. There were many in the castle who were disgruntled by Bianca and disliked her, but it was none other than Vincent who topped that list. It was likely that he cursed Bianca more than the maids who had a crush on Zachary. Plus, Vincent did not bother to even hide his dislike for her, possibly because he was confident that he wouldn¡¯t be kicked out even if Bianca were to go and tattle to Zachary. However, when it came to being a steward, Vincent was excellent. His unfriendly attitude was only out of spite. He made an effort to grant everything Bianca¨Cthe lady of the house¨Cwanted for the most part. There was nothing in his actions to nitpick on or identify as being negligent. Hence why Bianca overlooked his forward behavior, content with the fact that Vincent knew his place and never stepped out of line. Either way, it was not like she coveted strong loyalty from her servants. Bianca was quite lenient towards those who weren¡¯t lazy and did their job properly, and weren¡¯t thieves who tried to swipe their masters¡¯ possessions¡­ Of course, that was Bianca¡¯s opinion and hers alone. All of the servants of Arno castle kept their distance from her, though it wasn¡¯t clear why as she wasn¡¯t a particularly wicked master. Well, even so, Bianca had no desire to try and figure out the reason and mend it in this present life of hers. She did have regrets of her previous life, but they were only regarding certain important points in time. She had no reason or need to become someone particularly kind. It wasn¡¯t like she asked for such a miracle in order to become a new person. Even though she had fallen from grace so miserably and wretchedly, it did not change the fact that she was a lousy wife who could only think about the humiliation of being driven out instead of grieving over her husband¡¯s death. Instead of pledging to love her husband if she were granted a second chance at life, she was a woman who burned with the determination to seize revenge against Fernand. That was the type of person Bianca was. Saying goodbye to her old self and getting revenge on the people who had brought despair into her past life was the extent of her purpose. Her reputation or her relationship with others weren¡¯t very important. Peering at Bianca, who was staring out the window while lost in her own thoughts, Vincent asked in a rigid tone, ¡°Was there something you needed me to do?¡± ¡°No, not really.¡± Bianca shook her head. She no longer had a need for him as he had answered the one and only question she was curious about. But something came to mind right as she was about to dismiss him. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. It¡¯ll be pretty cold this winter so please prepare a cape made of fox fur for me. A white one would be best.¡± ¡°¡­I understand.¡± Vincent furrowed his brows, an expression that seemed to be saying ¡®I should¡¯ve known.¡¯ Bianca always asked for new fur coats despite owning several already. It was alarming how she was spending money on lavish goods like it was any normal day even though her husband was away on the battlefield. Their young lady of the house was well-known for her extravagance. She had grown up as a precious child of the Blanchefort family, so there was nothing she hadn¡¯t been able to obtain with money. After all, the dowry the Blancheforts paid had been enormous. Although a dowry was a wedding contribution by the bride¡¯s family, it was customary for an amount greater than the original dowry to be given back to the bride if her husband met an early death and she became a widow. Then, after her husband¡¯s death, the bride would leave with two times the amount of the original dowry and either re-marry or live on her own. Therefore, the bride¡¯s family would try to prepare a dowry reflecting how much they cared for her, while the groom¡¯s side would welcome the sudden increase in funds. But the Blanchefort¡¯s proposed amount had been much too grand. It was an amount that neared the two-year budget for the Arno¡¯s, so on the off chance that Zachary died in the war, then the majority of the Arno¡¯s assets would fall to the Blancheforts. As a result, Zachary had no choice but to endure the shame of imploring them to adjust the amount. And so, the bride who had arrived was a typical young lady of noble birth, swathed with grace and arrogance. A lady who preferred jewels and fox furs over playing house despite her young age. She would only converse with her nanny, whom she had brought with her from the Blanchefort estate, refraining from exchanging any words with the other servants unless she absolutely had to. The servants saw that as Bianca drawing the line, almost as if she¨Ca precious daughter of a count¨Chad no desire to even mingle with those of such lowly birth. Bianca¡¯s gaze also played a part in making the servants feel that way. At first glance, the trademark green eyes of the Blancheforts looked like they were filled with warmth resembling spring blooms, but a proper look made one see that her eyes were actually as cold as ice. They were so icy that the weak-minded servants were already walking on eggshells around Bianca when she was only 7 years old, while those who were strong-minded huffed defiantly. Vincent had a hard time trying to calm down the headstrong ones who grumbled about her. And the lord of the castle, Zachary de Arno, was no exception to Bianca¡¯s frosty gaze. Zachary was the son of a humble viscount and at the time of his marriage to Bianca, he had only been a baron. He was unable to inherit his father¡¯s territory or title, as he was born as the second son, so he was left with only two choices: the path of a religious brother or the path of a knight. He had picked the path of the knight without any hesitation, setting off for his first war at the age of 16, and ultimately made significant contributions. Then, at the age of 20, Zachary had received the title of baron along with the Arno territory, making his name known. Even so, it was still incomparable to the prestige of the Blanchefort family. Zachary himself did not understand why Count Blanchefort had offered him his daughter¡¯s hand in marriage. How nice would it have been had the count relayed his weighty answer through his daughter? Unfortunately, it had seemed the 7-year-old Bianca was completely clueless. She only continued to grumble like she was disgruntled and avoided her husband. Zachary had made much effort to try and placate her, trying to have meals together and buying her things she liked¡­ But due to his stiff features and harsh tone, it didn¡¯t seem to have a positive effect. Still, he had been doing his best and as such, there was no reason for him to be ignored and essentially given a reception resembling a frigid wind by his wife. Vincent was under the impression that Bianca was pushing away Zachary because she was inwardly looking down on his title and blood. He was enraged by the belief that his lord, who was not lacking in any areas, was being scorned by a young girl who had nothing to boast other than the fact she was born into a renowned family. However, because his master, Zachary, overlooked Bianca¡¯s behavior, there wasn¡¯t much Vincent could do. And that was how nine years passed by. Bianca was no longer a child but a girl, and would soon be a woman. The consummation of marriage they had been putting off due to Bianca¡¯s young age was approaching. Given that the majority of nobles took part in arranged marriages, it was rare for there to be love between them. Many couples lived by thinking of the contracts drawn up by their respective families, the attraction towards the other when they shared a bed, and their child and heir who shared their blood. An heir. Would things be better if there was an heir? As Zachary was a noble who had received his title through his achievements on the battlefield, he spent close to half his time on the frontlines. As his lord¡¯s vassal and steward, Vincent was nervous about his lord frequenting the warzones without even an heir. Thus why he had been pleading with Zachary to have an heir, but the latter ignored him with the sole argument being Bianca¡¯s young age. But what was the result of that? The still-childish countess was requesting for white fox capes while her husband was out risking his life on the battlefield. Vincent released a sigh. He decided he would try bringing up the idea of an heir again once Zachary returned this winter. The madam would surely mature if she gave birth to a child¨Cshe would need to. Vincent clicked his tongue and left the room. ???? T/N: Please take note of lines where words like ¡®likely¡¯ and ¡®possibly¡¯ are used (ex. It was *likely* that Vincent cursed Bianca more than the maids) ¨C These are conjectures aka it could be true but it doesn¡¯t mean that it absolutely is. (In this example, it¡¯s more like it¡¯s Bianca¡¯s guess). Just wanted to point it out because I mentioned that this story is slow burn and that characters will make their development slowly, but in order for a development to happen, you need to see the ¡°ugly¡± first ¨C I know there are people who are quick to hate on characters by jumping on specific excerpts without reading carefully. Trying my best to stick to the same nuances the raw gave, but there¡¯s only so much that can be conveyed directly in English. (Also, please don¡¯t use examples from the webtoon to argue against characters here, as the details are different from the novel) Chapter 8 Chapter 8 ¨C 15 Year Reunion (2) Translator: Skye Winter was fast approaching. The autumn leaves slowly vanished, snow taking its place and coating the bare branches of trees in white. It was also the return of Zachary and his men to Arno Castle. Vincent was successful in attaining a white fox fur cape before the start of winter. Not only were white foxes hard to catch, but they were also coveted by many for their beautiful white fur. They weren¡¯t something that could be purchased by acting fast. One would need connections with hunters and merchants in order to obtain one. As such, Vincent proved to be quite the capable steward for being able to acquire one so quickly. Bianca requesting such an item was not a simple act of indulging in luxury nor was it to confirm the memories of her lavish past. It was to pull herself together and strengthen her resolve. Brushing her fingers over the soft fur, Bianca closed her eyes. If she wanted to continue wearing these fine coats, to continue living in comfort, then she would need to offer something up herself. Bianca always expected to be given things when she was younger, but she was now someone who had gone through many experiences life threw at her, and consequently realized that everything had a price. What she had to do now was also, in its own way, a ¡®price.¡¯ Wrapping the cape around her shoulders, she turned to gaze out the window. Zachary and his men seemed to have entered the castle as she could only see the stablehands holding the reins of the horses. She took in several deep breaths. She couldn¡¯t believe the time had finally come to face her husband. She couldn¡¯t forget the figure of him she saw moments prior, like it was vividly engraved in her mind. It was a familiar face without a doubt, but her memory of Zachary¡¯s face was hidden behind a cloud of fog, so to see his young features suddenly burst out from the mist brought a strong sense of unfamiliarity instead of elation. When was the last time she had seen Zachary again? It made sense for her memory to be fuzzy, as it had been more than fifteen years ago. Bianca convinced herself that it was only expected for him to seem unfamiliar. Despite this being Zachary¡¯s first return to the castle in months, it was likely that he would neither send someone for her nor come looking for her himself. Bianca and Zachary¡¯s face-to-face meetings were simply coincidental occurrences resulting from the two happening to be within the same radius as the other. The only other times were if there was a particular reason they needed to see the other, and for Zachary, returning from war did not fall under that category. Bianca left her room, understanding she could only see him if she went to go find him herself. Her legs were shaking underneath her skirt, but she feigned composure, straightening her back and raising her chin. Noticing Bianca walking down the hall with graceful steps, the maids bowed their heads and stepped back in order to avoid her. Bianca headed for the entrance hall, expecting Zachary to be there. The closer she got, the louder the noisy laughter of men. It appeared the Arno Knights found the campaign this time to be the opposite of difficult, as their faces were overflowing with victory and joy. Their voices were raised, boisterously prattling about their accomplishments on the battlefield. The eyes of the male servants were filled with envy while the cheeks of the maids were tinged pink as they stole glances at the knights. The celebratory banquet had yet to even begin, but the lively atmosphere made it seem like it already had. At least, until Bianca appeared. ¡°And so I took the bastard¡¯s neck and wham! I gripped his neck firmly with my two hands and shook¨C¡± ¡°Sauveur.¡± Sauveur, one of the captains of the Arno Knights, had droplets of saliva flying from his mouth as he excitedly recounted his experience when another captain, Robert, suddenly jabbed his side. Still in an exhilarated state, Sauveur narrowed his eyes and turned to look back at Robert, only then realizing the atmosphere around the entrance hall had become quiet. ¡°Huh? Uhh¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Robert¡¯s demeanor had become subdued at some point, his chin slightly angled towards the top of the stairs. Sauveur¡¯s widened eyes looked up only to find that it was none other than the lady of the castle, Bianca. Despite only being 16 years old, she exuded a sense of elegance and dignity that could not be easily brushed off. But that was not the reason for the heavy silence that seized the entrance hall. The reason why everyone had immediately held their breath as soon as they noticed Bianca, why that was because¡­¡­ ¡°Madam, may I ask what brought you to come to such a raucous place¡­¡± Robert asked, lowering his head. There was nothing to find fault with in his perfect and polite posture, but reflected in his dark green eyes was an uneasiness resembling a dormant volcano that could erupt at any moment. And he wasn¡¯t alone. Hostility and reservation were present in the eyes of everyone in the entrance hall. In their eyes, not only was Bianca young and picky, but she was the lady of the house who they could not find a single thing to like about. Bianca was aware of it as well. There had been times when she had been hurt by their attitude in the past, but she had pretended it didn¡¯t bother her and only raised her nose higher, afraid that they would look down on her if she let it show. In the present, however, she had more important things to worry about. Her eyes sweeped the entrance hall. Confirming that Zachary wasn¡¯t here, she looked for Vincent but found that he wasn¡¯t here either. Bianca inwardly sighed before turning to Robert and asking, ¡°Where is the count?¡± ¡°¡­He has gone ahead to his room.¡± ¡°Is that so? For what reason?¡± ¡°He said he wanted to take a bath.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± With an offhanded nod of her head, Bianca turned around. She thought she would be meeting Zachary by the entrance. Her tense body immediately relaxed but her heart continued to beat loudly in her chest. Everyone left in the entrance hall let out a synchronized breath once Bianca disappeared. Sauveur, who had been the chattiest one before the interruption, took in several big inhales as if he had been holding his breath during the entire exchange. Robert stared at the hallway Bianca had disappeared through and commented, ¡°Why is she acting like that all of a sudden?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sauveur asked. ¡°Ha? I¡¯m just saying I was surprised to see Lady Arno coming all the way here.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. She¡¯s always stayed cooped in her room, never showing interest in what our lord is up to.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The quiet and aloof Gaspard nodded his head in agreement. Sauveur, Robert, and the quiet Gaspard. The three captains of the Arno Knights were like Zachary¡¯s hands and feet, hence they were unable to see Bianca in a good light due to how she treated her husband. Just thinking about how much their lord was doing for her only to be given back an attitude of ¡®is this all you can do?¡¯ instead of even a word of thanks made them boil with anger. But what was the point in that? The lady of the house was Bianca, and even if they were to curse her, it would just cause more harm to themselves. Sauveur sighed and shook his head, deeming Bianca¡¯s sudden change in behavior as nothing. ¡°I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s being like that all of a sudden, but I¡¯m sure she¡¯s just acting on a whim. It¡¯s none of our business.¡± ¡°But if she went to go bring up something unwarranted that¡¯ll only get on the count¡¯s nerves again¡­¡± ¡°Well, what can we do even if that¡¯s true? We can¡¯t do anything about it.¡± ¡°Yeah. Ah, our lord is a problem too. Why does he always just listen and never say anything back whenever the madam does that¡­ He could get angry at least once.¡± ¡°Oh please, do you really think he would ever do that? He¡¯s someone who doesn¡¯t dare to even raise his voice, too afraid that his 13 year younger bride might fly away from a slight gust of wind.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m saying just how much longer are we going to have to humor that young bride?!¡± Robert unconsciously raised his voice. Belatedly realizing the words that had come out of his mouth, he glanced around his surroundings. Fortunately, it seemed Sauveur had already dismissed the servants as there were none of them around to have heard Robert¡¯s disparaging comment. Calming himself down, Robert lowered his voice but it appeared his anger hadn¡¯t completely subsided as there were still sparks in his tone. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have teased him by saying that it looks like he¡¯d be playing house with a very young bride when the proposal from the Blancheforts first arrived. I should have told him to find another marriage partner instead.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say something ridiculous. There¡¯s no other family like the Blancheforts. Wasn¡¯t it you who mentioned that our lord was able to receive his current title more easily thanks to the Blancheforts¡¯ support?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Robert became silent, reminded of the words he had said himself. His face grew red from being corrected by Sauveur, who was the most frivolous and the most lacking when it came to understanding politics among the three captains. It was something Robert had indeed said himself, but Sauveur could not understand why his comrade was so highly strung. Robert was the third son of a baron, making him the only one of the three who was of noble birth. Naturally, he retained the empty formalities and manners of nobles, kind towards the ladies, and was normally composed. When Robert was being himself, one never would have imagined he would have spoken so harshly about Bianca¨Ca noble lady and his lord¡¯s wife. However, he was Zachary¡¯s most loyal retainer. Sauveur and Gaspard also held much loyalty towards Zachary, to the extent they would give up their lives for him, but Robert¡¯s loyalty went beyond that, resembling something closer to devotion. He was also the one who outwardly expressed his concern for Zachary the most. Not to mention, Robert had been the happiest one when he heard the news that his lord, who was still a baron at the time, had received a marriage offer from Count Blanchefort. It was none other than he who had commented that his lord was being acknowledged, but it was also why he was the most unhappy with how Zachary and Bianca¡¯s relationship had turned out. Sauveur scratched the back of his head awkwardly when he noticed Robert maintaining his silence. He recalled the figure of Bianca earlier and began babbling in order to change the subject. ¡°Now that I think about it, the madam was wearing a white fox fur cape I¡¯ve never seen before. She must¡¯ve bought another new one already. Unbelievable, really.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s improper for us to be grumbling about something the lord has allowed himself. Besides, our territory isn¡¯t poor to the extent that it¡¯d suffer from a single coat purchase.¡± Robert, having finally come to his senses, interjected. Sauveur inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, but continued to grumble in order to keep up the current change in mood. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem of money, but a problem of sincerity and thoughtfulness. I wonder if our madam is aware that while she was on cloud nine with her new fox fur, her husband was out risking his life on the frontlines.¡± ¡°She is indeed someone who uses a lot of money.¡± Instead of shutting Sauveur¡¯s mouth again, Robert nodded his head in agreement. Gaspard, who was more reserved, furrowed his brows like he was troubled by their attitudes. But because he was no good with words, he was unable to stop them and remained silent instead. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 ¨C 15 Year Reunion (3) + Illustration Translator: Skye Bianca paused multiple times on her way to Zachary¡¯s room, wondering if she was going in the right direction as it was a place she seldom visited. When she finally arrived at his door, she found that it was ajar. She could hear the sound of the servants moving around through the crack. It seemed they were busily assisting their lord who had returned for the first time in a long while. Bianca gave several graceful knocks on the door. It would be impolite of her to step in without notice regardless of the door being open or not. ¡°Who is¡­ Madam?¡± Vincent furrowed his eyebrows when he opened the doors and discovered the unexpected visitor. Bianca wasn¡¯t surprised. Though Vincent failed to hide his troubled expression, she remained unperturbed, not even raising a brow, and quietly asked, ¡°The count?¡± ¡°He is getting ready to bathe,¡± Vincent replied curtly. Every time Zachary returned from war, the first thing he did after stepping into his castle was bathe. It was a habit, something he never skipped. Vincent found it ridiculous that Bianca, his lord¡¯s wife, was unaware of that fact. It only further cemented the steward¡¯s view that she had absolutely no interest in her husband. ¡°I¡¯m here because I have something I would like to discuss with the count.¡± Bianca felt a small sense of relief at how her voice came out steady without a single tremble. Bianca suddenly asking to see Zachary was an event akin to the sun rising in the west. Vincent¡¯s eye inspected Bianca while the latter pretended to be unbothered by his openly suspicious gaze, only raising her chin casually. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest from the fear of how things would play out. No matter how hesitant he was, Vincent was not in a position where he could hinder the lady of the house. Having no other choice, he let Bianca in. ¡°Please wait a moment, I¡¯ll go and notify the lord.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The steward disappeared, leaving Bianca alone in the room. Her trembling hands reflected how anxious she felt. She was able to hide her hands with her sleeves but she could not do anything to stop her legs from pacing back and forth. Zachary¡¯s room was much larger and wider than hers, but it was also that much more empty. The walls did not hold any particular decorative design, the curtains were plain, and the carpet was generic and monotone. The only items in the room that could be called decorations was a tapestry with the Arno crest and a few weapons hanging on the walls. Thanks to the servants who had dutifully worked to prepare the room, the fireplace was already ablaze. It might have been because Bianca was continuously tense and nervous since the morning, but it only took a second for her attention to falter and be stolen by the flickering embers of the burning firewood. A deep voice belonging to a man interrupted her thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± Startled, Bianca turned her head. Standing tall like a mountain next to the door was her husband, Zachary de Arno. He boasted thick eyebrows and sharp eyes which always appeared clear and unwavering. The high bridge of his nose matched his self-esteem while his tightly closed lips reflected his reserved personality. The expression on his features looked as if he were looking at an enemy leader rather than his wife. Was he 29 now? Bianca had died at the age of 38, so Zachary was currently much younger than the age Bianca had lived up to. He was at the peak of his youth, and yet he hardly gave off the sense of youthfulness. It was a result of Zachary¡¯s years of experience far outweighing his actual age. Out of all the distinguished nobles who were self-made, Zachary was the cream of the crop. Born as the second son of the Hugues family and unable to inherit his father¡¯s title or territory, he was only left with two options. Zachary had unhesitatingly picked up a sword and chose the path of a knight, leaving for the battlefield at the age of 16. That was what being 16 years old meant; it was an age when one was acknowledged as an adult. Males were kicked out of their houses, females were sold off to other families, and the majority of children still left in the house were dispersed before even reaching that age. The only one permitted to stay was the heir. The other exception were ladies belonging to powerful families who did not need to participate in marriage businesses. 16 was also Bianca¡¯s current age. While Zachary had taken up his sword at this age, Bianca¡­ Bianca broke her train of thought as continuing would only further complicate her mind. After a simple glance, she noticed that Zachary¡¯s current attire was much lighter than the usual burdensome and heavy armor he wore. He was wearing a simple tunic and pants, as well as leather boots. The silver-grey hair covering half of his forehead looked a bit damp. It seemed she had intruded in the middle of his bath. ¡°Am I interrupting your bath?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve yet to start.¡± His voice was flat. Zachary was always a man of a few words. Not only was he one to never talk about trivial matters, but he did not speak much about things that were necessary either. It seemed almost impossible to have emotional exchanges with him, much less attempt to get any minor information from him. Creeaaak. The door behind Zachary closed, most likely the servants who left so as not to disturb the couple¡¯s conversation. Bianca swallowed a gulp, her slender neck quivering faintly. The only ones left in the room were now her and Zachary. Zachary pulled himself from the doorframe and took one step then another into the room. But instead of stopping directly in front of Bianca, he stopped a distance away. It was undoubtedly a distance one used to observe the other while waiting for a chance to strike. At that moment, he resembled a predator circling his prey, and of course, the prey being none other than Bianca. Zachary peered down at her. Though Bianca wanted to turn away from his piercing dark pupils, she could not. Showing fear would only steal away the credibility of what she needed to say. Noticing her stiff expression reflected on the window, Bianca morphed her features and put on an act of bravado. Zachary was the one to break the silence. ¡°What brings you here all of a sudden?¡± ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s only natural for the lady of the house to find her husband who has returned home from war.¡± Despite quipping back with a forced smile, Bianca was well aware that it was, in fact, outside of the expected in regards to their relationship. Her ears grew red from this embarrassing and awkward situation, fully sympathizing with how taken aback Zachary must be by her abrupt visit. ¡°It must be something urgent.¡± She bit her lips at his tone that seemed to be expressing that she wouldn¡¯t have come to find him if it wasn¡¯t urgent. She was able to get a better grasp of just how he thought of her the more he spoke. The discord in their relationship was bigger than she thought and it seemed it wouldn¡¯t be easy to patch. But if she were to view it in another perspective with the roles reversed, it was likely that Bianca would build higher walls around her heart if Zachary were to come to her and suddenly act like Fernand. That was how suspicious this situation appeared. ¡°¡­I¡¯m just here to say hello and see how you¡¯re doing.¡± Bianca responded patiently, tightly clenching her fists. ¡°Exactly.¡± Zachary didn¡¯t even blink once. His gaze was focused like he was trying to figure out her intentions. ¡°It must really be something urgent if it¡¯s to the extent you¡¯re asking me about my well-being, isn¡¯t it?¡± His voice came out monotonously, but the sarcasm mixed in his words were as sharp as jutting nails. Each word that left his lips only attacked her, like they were asking ¡®You haven¡¯t been interested in me all this time, so why now?¡¯ Bianca knew that her sudden visit wouldn¡¯t be welcomed. Everything that happened so far was within her expectations, but she still found her tongue growing stiff and her heart pounding in her chest. It felt like she had stones in her mouth. She took in several breaths trying to calm herself while contemplating how she could lighten the mood. But Zachary didn¡¯t give her the leisure to do so as he added, ¡°There must be something you want, isn¡¯t there? If that¡¯s the case, you can just let Vincent know.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. I just¡­¡± Bianca pursed her lips, unable to voice what she wanted to say easily. She didn¡¯t know what she would need to say in order to get him to listen without misunderstanding. Gripping the fabric of her dress, the bones of her slender and pale fingers noticeably stood out. For now, she had no choice but to continue being adamant, regardless of whether he believed her or not. Even if both of them knew her words were lies. Bianca forced a smile on her pale-stricken face. It was likely it appeared awkward and odd to others, but this was the best she could do for now. ¡°¡­You¡¯ve just returned from war, have you not? As your wife it¡®s only expected that I should come by.¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10 ¨C 15 Year Reunion (4) Translator: Skye ¡°¡­You¡¯ve just returned from war, have you not? As your wife, it¡®s only expected that I come by,¡± Bianca replied. A subtle crease marred Zachary¡¯s forehead. Was he irked by her words? It was possible that he found the latter part of her comment off-putting, since she had been ignoring him all this time. He may have also taken it as her being sarcastic. The lies felt from her forced smile may have played a part as well. Afraid that Zachary may misunderstand, Bianca quickly added, ¡°And there are things I¡¯ve been neglecting as well.¡± Zachary was silent. It appeared he didn¡¯t believe her. He continued to stand a distance away and observe her. Not only was the distance between them wide, but their conversation seemed to be going in circles as well. Would it get slightly better if the gap between them was narrowed? Bianca took a step forward. It was only a single step, yet it felt awfully heavy. But her efforts ended up being for naught. Zachary visibly flinched as soon as Bianca took a step forward and took several steps back, widening the space between them again. His face was contorted, like he hadn¡¯t been expecting her to get closer to him at all. Do you dislike me to the point where you don¡¯t want me to get near you? Stunned, Bianca stared at the gap between them, which had become wider than before. ¡°I haven¡¯t washed yet,¡± Zachary quietly added before clearing his throat. Perhaps he realized that his earlier actions had been too direct. ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Bianca tilted her head at the random comment, causing him to grow flustered when he saw her confused look. However, this caused Bianca to grow flustered as well, unsure why he appeared taken aback. ¡°¡­It must be fine now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Zachary mumbled, almost as if he were talking to himself, before pressing his lips shut. Bianca frowned at the ambiguity in his words. She didn¡¯t understand what it had to do with what they were talking about moments prior. In the midst of her confusion, Zachary carefully took a step towards her. Now it was Bianca who flinched, her instincts shouting at her to flee. At the same time, the rational part of her warned that if she were to back away now, all of her efforts would go down the drain. She couldn¡¯t let that happen. Even though she was afraid, Bianca knew better than anyone else the result of running away. She remained stubbornly in place, not taking a single step back, while the hairs on the back of her neck rose and her palms broke out in a cold sweat. Before she knew it, Zachary had closed the space between them one step at a time. Seeing him up close like this, Bianca realized he was bigger than she thought. Her eyes only came up to his wide and sturdy chest, which gave off the impression that it wouldn¡¯t budge no matter how hard she pushed. Bianca took in a breath. She had hated this part about him in the past. He was huge and frightening like a locked-away black fiend only talked about in fairytales. But she couldn¡¯t be afraid forever. She needed to face him head on. Bianca casually raised her head, eyes sweeping past his long, thick neck to his deep set, gleaming eyes. The unrest in his sharp gaze peering down at her was as clear as day. Gulp. His Adam¡¯s apple moved conspicuously as he swallowed. Though his movements were stiff and disciplined like a soldier, there was still an untamed, primitive air that could not be hidden in his small insignificant actions such as this. It felt like she was facing something raw; an instinctive threat that she, a defenseless herbivore in comparison, could do nothing but tremble before. ¡°¡­This is a first, seeing you be so doting,¡± Zachary mumbled in a deep, hoarse voice. His dark eyes observed Bianca¡¯s light green irises before moving down to take in her nose, cheeks, neck, and the outline of her shoulders. Her skin grew flushed from his direct gaze, feeling like she was being thoroughly examined. Zachary swiped his tongue over his dry lips, appearing like his whole mouth had become dry. Each and every one of his small actions caused Bianca to stiffen up. ¡°It feels like I¡¯m dreaming,¡± he commented. ¡°It¡¯s not a dream.¡± Bianca forced the corners of her mouth to curl upward. It felt like a cramp was going to form in her cheeks from how much she had been forcing a smile today. She wished it could freeze into a tender smile permanently as she would need to continue forcing one on her lips from now on anyway. At any rate, Zachary was much too close. She didn¡¯t know when he had closed the gap so much, but it had narrowed to the point where their bodies could almost touch. Her bangs fluttered slightly from his exhales. She had been under the impression that narrowing the physical distance between them would improve their hesitations towards the other, but it seemed that wasn¡¯t the case. Her heart was pounding and her body fidgeted, wanting to get away from him as soon as possible. She hated herself for feeling so timid, but just because she was determined to change didn¡¯t mean that change would come immediately. Her patience was pushed to its limits. Unable to endure any further, Bianca tried her best to not appear like she was uncomfortable before lifting her hand to slightly push against Zachary¡¯s chest. Though it had initially appeared he wouldn¡¯t budge from her weak push, he ended up easily moving back from the force of her fingertips. Bianca used what remained of her strength to beam a smile. Whether he genuinely believed her or not, she had no choice but to continue asserting and repeating words like a talking bird. ¡°As you may know, I¡¯ve become older.¡± Zachary looked a bit puzzled. His brows furrowed like he was trying to figure out what she meant but ultimately failed. Bianca smiled bitterly. ¡°I can¡¯t avoid you forever either¡­ I should fulfill my duty.¡± ¡°Duty?¡± he asked. It would have been better if he had sneered at her. Instead, he was staring at her dryly, appearing completely clueless. This caused Bianca¡¯s face to be the one growing hot. Desperately praying that her nervousness wouldn¡¯t show, she feigned composure and raised her chin. ¡°The duty of giving birth to your heir.¡± ¡°¡­Do you know what giving a birth to an heir entails?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Bianca shouted back before realizing, failing to maintain her composure like an adult. Zachary dragged a palm over his face and for the first time, his gaze left her visage. He pursed his lips, having trouble putting his thoughts into words. With the continued silence, Bianca¡¯s eyes flitted to his lips where she saw his tongue flicking between them several times. She knew what that muscle felt like; a blunt, rough, and honest part of him that could strip her of her resistance completely. Her cheeks reddened even further. It was after a long while when her ears picked up on Zachary¡¯s voice. ¡°This is rather confusing.¡± He sounded stumped, his words mixed with a sigh. His voice was calm like he was talking to a child. ¡°I don¡¯t know what brought upon your change of heart, but why don¡¯t you go and rest?¡± She couldn¡¯t believe the seemingly warm tone that left Zachary¡¯s lips. Her face grew red for a moment before turning pale. To think he would simply tell her to go and rest after she had steeled herself and taken an active role. Was that all he had to say? When it took her so much courage to come stand before him like this¡­ Bianca felt her body begin to tremble, feeling insulted. A flame ignited in her green eyes, her lips curling in a twisted way. A crack formed in the mask she had been making an effort to keep on, and as pieces of it started falling away, her wounded pride began to lift its head. Do you think I¡¯m doing this because I¡¯m truly in love with you? You¡¯re going to come take me in two years anyway ¨C You have to have an heir through me anyway! Bianca made an effort to calm her ragged breathing, shoulders shaking. Her small lips twitched before eventually tugging upwards. Though she was able to put her mask back on, her tongue still held a bite. Her eyes were subdued, resembling a dark viridescent forest, yet they were also quite clear. ¡°How much was my dowry exactly?¡± ¡°400 calves, 900 pigs, 100 units of silverware, 300 rolls of silk, 2 crates of jewels, and a portion of a territory¡­ Equivalent to a two-year budget for the Arno county.¡± Despite the randomness of her question, Zachary¡¯s answer came calmly and quietly. It didn¡¯t seem like he needed to rack his brain nor count with his fingers to recall. He easily listed out the items in her dowry and her assets like he had them memorized, as if it was something he would never forget. Bianca didn¡¯t understand why he had something like that memorized. Her dowry was indeed massive, but it wasn¡¯t something that needed to be looked back on enough to the point of being memorized. In the first place, a wife¡¯s assets were essentially her husband¡¯s. There were only two scenarios in which one would need to calculate the wife¡¯s assets: when the wife becomes a widow or when the husband wants to kick the wife out to proceed with a second marriage. It was possible that Zachary was itching to kick her out. After all, Bianca had clearly heard the talks that he must have a mistress. However, it didn¡¯t matter at this point because Zachary clearly had no plans to divorce her. If he was going to leave her, they would have separated much earlier in her previous life after all. As much as a woman was not able to file a divorce herself, the thought of divorce itself was pointless. In that case, there was only one answer. Smiling like the white fox on her shoulders, Bianca remarked, ¡°Don¡¯t you think you should compensate for that?¡± Chapter 11 ¡°Don¡¯t you think you should compensate for that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Zachary was silent, like he was at a loss for words. Believing that she had finally landed a decent blow on him, Bianca found her mood lifted to the point where she would have started humming had she been alone. The corners of her eyes curled up in delight. She had been trembling with nervousness moments ago, yet she now found herself enjoying her conversation with Zachary, as if the few moments prior had all been a lie. Now that the reins were in her control, she was able to speak to him comfortably despite initially finding him terrifying. She had an urge to say more when she saw him looking so distressed and unable to do this or that. Zachary eventually let out a sigh. It was deep and long, like a sign of a defeat, which led Bianca to feel a sense of triumph. Although the mending of their relationship was moving at a snail¡¯s pace, Bianca felt like she was holding the upper hand. ¡°If I have to be honest, I¡¯m confused as to why you¡¯re being like this all of a sudden.¡± Indeed. It was expected that Zachary would be taken aback. If Bianca hadn¡¯t traveled back in time, something like this never would have occurred. It would certainly come as a surprise if your wife, who normally never showed her face, suddenly appeared and started talking about an heir. He wasn¡¯t given any time to the settle the matter of his mistress either. ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you have a mistress. That¡¯s fine. I won¡¯t tell you to end things with her. I could even take her under me,¡± Bianca said, putting on an air of consideration. ¡°¡­Mistress?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend. I¡¯m not that naive.¡± After marrying a 7-year-old bride at the age of 20, Zachary had essentially been living the past ten years in solitary. It was unlikely that he wouldn¡¯t have taken in a mistress secretly all those years. It wasn¡¯t just the maids who believed that, but everyone in the Arno castle who were aware of what Zachary and Bianca¡¯s relationship was like. It was to the extent where even Bianca¡¯s father, Count Blanchefort, had indirectly hinted to her to be prepared for. Bianca herself thought it was only natural for him to have a mistress as well. It wasn¡¯t like Zachary was infertile. No, he was a healthy, hot-blooded male. Simply recalling just how unyielding he had been on the bed with her in the past, she couldn¡¯t imagine him not having a mistress. Wasn¡¯t she being rather generous in offering to take in his mistress?! Zachary treated her like a child, but that was only because he was unaware that she was a changed woman now. Bianca looked up at him nonchalantly. But Zachary was angry. He didn¡¯t make a sound or use his first, but the emotion painted over his features was clearly that of rage. ¡°Ha.¡± He let out an exasperated sigh, like he had no more reason to continue listening. He looked like he could spit out curses at any moment, eyes sharp and piercing. It was almost as if Bianca had hit his weakness. Was his pride hurt from getting found out about having a mistress? How long was he planning on keeping her a secret? In hindsight, seeing as how it had never been revealed even after his death, Zachary must be planning to continue hiding her away to the very end. It was likely he wanted to keep her a secret for as long as he could. It was also possible that he felt ashamed after his wife brought it out in the open. But if he were to think of it level-headedly, he should realize that he would benefit from Bianca¡¯s proposal too. He would receive his heir while also being able to go about with his mistress out in the open, no longer having to keep her a secret. For Bianca, regardless if Zachary truly had a mistress or not, all that mattered was having his heir. As such, she believed that he would concede with just a little more persuasion. Right as she was about to continue, Zachary shook his head and ended the conversation. ¡°I don¡¯t know who babbled such nonsense to you, but we can talk about an heir some other time. It¡¯s completely useless to talk about right now.¡± ¡°Completely use¨C!¡± ¡°Vincent! Kindly escort Bianca to her room!¡± Zachary barked, ignoring Bianca. The door opened immediately and Vincent strode in, like he had been waiting right behind the door the entire time. Though it was only a single person who entered the room, their entrance caused the tide to start turning in Zachary¡¯s favor and overturn Bianca¡¯s upperhand. Bianca frowned, though she wasn¡¯t the only one. Vincent¡¯s brows pinched together as well once he picked up on the mood of the room. The cool-headed count had raised his voice, going so far as to order Vincent to escort the madam out. Vincent wondered what in the world the enigmatic countess could¡¯ve done to warrant such a reaction. She must¡¯ve goaded Zachary with horrible words. Clicking his tongue, Vincent took a step towards Bianca. Since his lord had told him to escort her out courteously, he couldn¡¯t forcibly drag her out. Minding his manners, Vincent bowed his head and said, ¡°Madam, please follow me.¡± However, Bianca paid him no heed, shooting daggers at Zachary instead. So, you¡¯re going to come out like this because you don¡¯t want to talk? Bianca suppressed her anger and spoke as calmly as possibly to appear like she was level-headed and not worked up. ¡°It¡¯s not useless. It¡¯s a matter of most importance for the Arno family, is it not?¡± For the Arno family! Vincent¡¯s eyes widened as soon as he heard those words. He never imagined that such words would ever leave Bianca¡¯s lips. Ah, he may have dreamed of such a thing back when Bianca had first arrived at the castle 10 years ago, but he had thrown away all expectations after seeing her subsequent behavior. Hm. What could she be referring to, saying it¡¯s for the Arno family? Reducing her spending? Vincent snorted. That was how little to no expectations he held of her. Instead of responding to Bianca, Zachary called out to Vincent who was hesitating. ¡°Vincent.¡± His unhurried but firm voice was low and reverberated throughout the room. Like the loyal attendant he was, Vincent urged Bianca again as soon as his name left his lord¡¯s lips. ¡°This way, madam.¡± Though he hadn¡¯t tried to take her away with force, that was only temporary. If Bianca continued to resist even a little, then it was possible that she may end up being carried away disgracefully. It was horrific just to imagine. Bianca crumpled the fabric of her dress. Zachary was pretending like he didn¡¯t even hear her talk of having an heir. She had mustered the courage to stand before him like this, so she grew dispirited and felt her face grow hot from seeing it all be in vain. She bit her lip. Her pride was hurt. But what fanned the flame of her anger was that this wouldn¡¯t be the end. She needed to become pregnant with his child as soon as possible. Even if she were to back away now, she would need to approach him again, ultimately going through this ordeal and being dismissed over and over. Did things really need to be taken this far? Bianca chewed her lip. She thought her tremendous pride had already been trampled by Fernand and completely scattered like sand when she had been chased away to the convent, but it seemed her pride had been revived when she returned back in time. There was no other explanation as to why her chest felt so feverish. It felt like she had a flame in place of a heart in her ribcage. She failed to remember keeping a grip on her clothes, causing the white fox cape to fall off her shoulders. It was only when she felt the weight getting caught on her elbows that Bianca realized how disheveled she must appear. She released a sigh, about to straighten the cape, but Zachary was faster. His outstretched hand was carefully raising the cape that was hanging off her arms. Her fox cape felt like it had become the wings of a cicada. Before long, the soft and smooth fur was placed back on her shoulders. The warmth of his hands hadn¡¯t reached her in the slightest during the entire exchange. Though his hands had quickly left, their presence could still be felt like a weight on her shoulders. Bianca didn¡¯t understand why he was being like this to her all of a sudden. To think he¡¯d suddenly engage in an act of kindness, what could it mean? Her mind was thrown into a state of confusion. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve bought a new coat,¡± Zachary commented. His voice was cool and composed, like nothing out of the ordinary had occurred, the opposite of Bianca whose mind was muddled over the possible intentions of his earlier actions. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It suits you.¡± His face was the same as when she had first seen him; it was calm, composed, and unreadable, like their earlier conversation had meant nothing to him. ¡°Thank you for coming out to welcome me back,¡± he said. It served as a dismissal. His dark eyes peered down at her indifferently, like all the swaying fragments of emotion had been swept away by a wave. It was only then that Bianca realized she lost. She had believed she would be able to seize the reins of their relationship once she brought up the talk of a mistress, and thought she had indeed grabbed control the moment she saw him react. However, she now realized she never held it in her hands in the first place. Clearly it had all been Zachary¡¯s ploy to lead her into thinking that she had the upper hand and making her put on airs to figure out her intentions. Was appearing like he was taken aback earlier an act as well? Bianca¡¯s face fell. Without so much as a goodbye, Bianca staggered out of the room. Vincent followed behind her, the door closing behind him. Creeaak, thud. The door that closed with a dull sound was as firm as the rift that existed between Zachary and Bianca. ???? T/N: Sorry for the lull in updates. For those of you not in our discord, basically I went on a trip for a week and then ended up getting sick shortly after. I was able to get today¡¯s chapter out due to already having most of it done before I left for my trip. As for when the next chapter will be, I¡¯m not sure but I will be taking the next week off to focus on recovering. Hoping to be back with a regular schedule after that. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 ¨C 15 Year Reunion (6) Translator: Skye Bianca returned to her room. She felt drained, shoulders sagging. Though she hadn¡¯t done anything to cause her body to feel so physically fatigued, she was exhausted from having been stretched thin both mentally and emotionally. She headed for the window, holding back the desire to collapse on her bed. Other than a light or two twinkling in the distance¨Clikely houses belonging to the serfs¨Cshe couldn¡¯t make anything out due to the darkness that had settled outside. Bianca stared out the window absentmindedly. Even if it were the middle of the day, sun out and bright, the scenery before her still wouldn¡¯t feel familiar. It wasn¡¯t because she had lived elsewhere for 15 years after she had been kicked out of the castle, but rather because she had no interest in the view outside during the years she had been living in the castle. Bianca didn¡¯t have an interest in the world outside the boundaries of her room. In the past, she had holed herself in her room, engrossed solely in how she could decorate it to resemble the room she had back in Blanchefort castle. The present Bianca came to realize that the world wasn¡¯t just her room. After all, she had personally gone through the experience of things that she didn¡¯t think had anything to do with her, entangling and strangling her. She was aware that there were those beyond the far horizon who were eyeing her spot with hungry eyes. The world continued beyond the edge of the dark, distant horizon. Bianca pulled herself together by telling herself that today¡¯s incident was nothing in comparison. It was only natural that Zachary would refuse her advances. They were a mess from the moment they met. Their marriage was one that started off on the wrong foot. The past Bianca hadn¡¯t liked Zachary and there were many reasons as to why she hadn¡¯t accepted him as her husband. For example, his title and status as a baron were subpar compared to her family¡¯s, not to mention the fact he seldom even showed his face due to constantly being out on the battlefield. There was also their 13 year age gap. Frankly, such an age gap was common amongst nobles. Compared to cases involving a 16-year-old girl married off to a man nearing his 60¡¯s or a youthful 18-year-old married to a 45-year-old widow, Bianca and Zachary¡¯s age gap was nothing. It was just that their first meeting took place when she was the very young age of 7. She had met him when she was much too young and too much time had passed since then. Though they hadn¡¯t made an effort to get to know each other, the decade that had passed between them left a lumbering awareness of the other. The firm layers of prejudice that had piled over the years shook precariously. It was like a placket of buttons in which you only realized you had misfastened after reaching your neck. No, that¡¯s not it. You would¡¯ve known as you were fastening each button, it¡¯s just that you didn¡¯t unfasten and try again. Instead, you just kept going while putting it off. You closed your eyes, ignoring it, despite the obvious outcome. Bianca rubbed her arms and adjusted the warm cape over her shoulders when she felt a cold draft seeping in from the cracked open window. She had always been someone who was sensitive to the cold, but she found her sensitivity heightened after falling ill and freezing to death in the convent, reacting to even the slightest chill. She stared out the window, snuggling the cape up to her neck. Her figure was reflected on the frosty window. There wasn¡¯t a single blemish on her pretty, pale face and everything she wore was luxurious. Even so, the girl in the mirror appeared somewhat uneasy. ¡®Come to think of it, he said this cape suits me, didn¡¯t he? Why did he suddenly say that? Was he being sarcastic? Calling me out for spending money on this while he was out fighting in a war?¡¯ A sneer surfaced on her soft lips. He most likely viewed the amount of money going in to support her lavish lifestyle as too excessive to be brushed off as the price of the pact between the Arno and Blanchefort families. A white fox fur cape. Expensive dyed fabrics that had to be procured from a distant foreign country. Jewels, gold ornaments, as well as fragrance oils that were a must for her baths. Even the musical instrument she played as a hobby was expensive. As shameless of an excuse as it was, these were all things that came as natural in Bianca¡¯s life. She had grown up surrounded with only the finest things while under House Blanchefort, so House Arno seemed inferior in her eyes. It was only when she had been wretchedly kicked out that she realized just how exorbitant all the things she had enjoyed were. Recalling Zachary¡¯s words telling her to notify Vincent of anything she wanted the moment she had come to see him, it was clear what he thought of her. A wife who silently turns her head away, not even greeting her husband who she hasn¡¯t seen in a long time, despite spending his money left and right. Convinced that any time she tries to talk to him would be to talk about materialistic items. Bianca was sure to be akin to detestable shackles in Zachary¡¯s eyes. That might have been why he had said those words, telling her to go to Vincent. It was likely done to criticize her as well as signify that he did not believe her when he heard her say she wanted to fulfill her duty as his wife. Then why? His voice when he complimented her fur cape had been most gentle. A soft kindness she heard for the first time. Was I mistaken? Or perhaps he was referring to something else? Bianca used to think Zachary was made of rocks at one point because of how gruff and always relaxed yet indifferent he was towards her, regardless of whatever she would do. However, no matter how much of a curt man he was known to be, it was possible that he was someone who would be sweet to his mistress. The trace of gentleness she had heard in Zachary¡¯s voice, which he hadn¡¯t been able to hide, bewildered by Bianca¡¯s sudden expected behavior, was just a small taste of that. Bianca felt a tingle in a corner of her chest for some reason. No. What¡¯s important is that I was able to catch him off guard to that extent. She shook her head. Her feelings were starting to go on their own in a direction she didn¡¯t understand. How Zachary¡¯s voice may sound when whispering in the ears of his mistress wasn¡¯t important. A mistress was just a mistress. Even if his mistress were to become pregnant, that child would only be an illegitimate one. For the first time, Zachary¨Cwho was always unreadable regardless of what Bianca said or did¨Chad shown emotion. It had been quite subtle and did little in helping understand what was going on in his head, but it held significance in that the things which were kept hidden away thus far were brought up to the water¡¯s surface, exposed to some degree. Bianca was determined not to relive the same life she had gone through in the past, and she would need to grasp onto Zachary in order to accomplish that. He was her lifeline. So let¡¯s give birth to his child before he passes, as that¡¯ll prevent those who kicked me out from doing it again. It was a rather calculative and selfish thought for a 16-year-old girl, but for a 38-year-old who had died a wretched death on the floor of a convent, it was reasonable. ???? Zachary entered the bathroom. The heated water had become lukewarm while he was occupied by Bianca¡¯s visit. The servant attending to him asked, ¡°Shall I re-heat the water?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Zachary replied curtly and shrugged off his clothes. His well-trained body was taut and littered with small scars attesting to his constant days on the battlefield. There were several larger ones here and there as well. Most of them were from his young and hot-blooded days, though there were still quite a few received after he had gotten married. Of course, Bianca would have not the slightest idea as to when he had received any of his scars. Zachary stepped into the tub. The heat had all but dissipated from the water, leaving only a faint warmth in its wake, but that was enough for him. After all, he didn¡¯t need to worry about being targeted by an unexpected arrow to the back here. He released the breath he had been holding, a long sigh escaping his lips. The fatigue and toxins piled up in his body seeped out into the water one by one. T/N: I¡¯m back!! No set release schedule yet, but I¡¯ll be aiming for 2-3 chapters/week while I try to reorganize my life after being out sick for a while. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 ¨C 15 Year Reunion (7) / A Wounded Palm (1) Translator: Skye Following his marriage, Zachary developed a habit of bathing the moment he returned home after his campaigns. Blood, grime, and the stubborn smell of sweat clung to his body after battles. But that was only natural. The only thing one could afford to do in terms of washing on the battlefield was scrubbing their neck clean. Rather than soak their entire body in water, they were more desperate to get a few more moments of sleep and be able to slay at least one more opponent. Of course, there was not a chance a young noble lady could understand what the battlefield was like. How had Bianca reacted the first time she had witnessed Zachary returning from a campaign? She had backpedaled while her small, pretty face crumpled, appearing as if she would puke any moment. Following that occurrence, Zachary started to head straight for the bath every time he returned instead of going to see her. A husband who nauseates his wife? How ridiculous. However, Zachary himself was well aware that even if he were to bathe and freshen up, it didn¡¯t mean Bianca would welcome him. She hated him. She despised him and found him detestable. Though he could read that much just by looking at her face, she had even said it herself before. It was a further reason as to why Zachary couldn¡¯t understand what had just occurred earlier. Unfurling himself and leaning back against the edge of the tub, he recalled the events that unfolded a few moments ago. A sudden visit and an unexpected proposal he never thought would come from Bianca¡¯s own lips. Just what on earth could have happened to her while he was out on the battlefield? The Bianca he saw today had undoubtedly been unfamiliar. Yet, having said that, she was still the same as always, never chang¨C ¡°What do you mean ¡®an heir¡¯ when you¡¯re standing there trembling, afraid that I might touch you,¡± Zachary mumbled to himself. Her repulsion towards him. The visible quivering, body flinching before his hand could even get near her. Her trembling green eyes filled with fear at the possibility he may do something to her. Bianca tried to hide it, but Zachary had been able to see it as easily as looking at the palm of his hand. They were all things she exhibited when she was in front of him, in the past and in the present. Zachary scoffed. He had no intention of taking her suggestion of an heir seriously. After all, she was still the same as always. ???? Act III. A Wounded Palm The next day around midday, there was a commotion in a corner of Arno castle. It wasn¡¯t strange for there to be a ruckus as whenever the knights returned after each campaign, it was common for the castle to be noisy the following day. The unmarried ladies at risk of surpassing the prime marriageable age, as well as the boys looking up to the men in armor, would flock around the knights. The stories the knights would recount were as exciting as hearing a legend about a hero who defeated a dragon. Though the women were more interested in achieving their own interests, the stories the knights shared were the only source of amusement in this quiet, peaceful place. As a result, it was always a good day whenever the knights would pause to share their accounts of battle. However, the commotion today did not fall under that category. It involved a woman¡¯s sorrowful wails and the sound of a resounding slap. Arno castle was normally calm and quiet, like a tranquil lake, but that was disturbed by a noise that was as sharp as nails. It was a place where people lived, so there were small issues and quarrels that arose throughout the years. It was just that this time, it was none other than the lady of the house, Bianca, who had started it. Bianca could be described as¨Cto put it nicely¨Cquiet, calm, and someone who frankly had no interest in those around her, preferring to stay holed up in her room instead. She was so impassive to the extent that people questioned whether or not she was even capable of having emotion to show others. Nevertheless, as the daughter of a count, she was thorough when it came to distinguishing those of high vs lower status, and paid close attention to how promptly her orders were being followed. In addition, even Vincent¨Cthe steward in charge of overseeing the estate¨Cprioritized her demands over everything else, and trained the servants not to blabber any nonsense in front of her. Thanks to that, there was little to no trouble that occurred between Bianca and the servants. And that would remain true even if Bianca were to hear the servants talking behind her back. Even if she were to clearly hear it, Bianca wouldn¡¯t spare a glance in their direction, chin raised and pretending to be indifferent, taking it as nothing more than inferiors frivolously running their mouths. Though the servants found Bianca to be self-centered and finicky, she was a rather easy person to serve. As such, the maids were unable to understand Bianca¡¯s sudden behavior in the current situation. A maid was visibly trembling, her mesmerizing blonde hair in disarray under her bonnet, her cheek swollen and red, and yet her face appeared completely stunned, not having fully grasped what had just happened. The other maids were fidgeting in place, unsure of what to do. Bianca glared at the blonde maid with a frigid look. Though she was noticeably shorter than the other maids, the chilling aura and the searing rage in the air made Bianca appear more imposing. Bianca spoke heartlessly, ¡°Whether it be cursing me or not, I have no interest in what you talk about. I could care less.¡± And that had certainly been the case till now. The madam is so coldhearted, she didn¡¯t even say a word after receiving a gift from the count. I¡¯m so annoyed she makes us dust the tapestries almost every day. Why in the world is the count still keeping a wife like her around? Plenty of such comments had tirelessly reached Bianca¡¯s ears. Even so, she had never shown a response to them as the things the servants would say weren¡¯t a complete lie. There were even some comments Bianca agreed with. However, there was a limit to what she could overlook. There was something that even she, someone who tended to have zero interest in what others say, could not ignore. It was when inferiors didn¡¯t know their place and coveted what was beyond their reach. ¡°But comparing yourself to me, your master? That¡¯s unacceptable.¡± Bianca¡¯s pale hand sliced the air, striking the blonde-haired maid¡¯s cheek with a smack. Her hand turned red and swelled just as much as the maid¡¯s cheek, and despite how much it stung and burned, Bianca continued without so much as a glance down at it. ¡°Bring me the cane. It seems I need to punish her.¡± Quickly reading the room, one of the maids swiftly left to fetch one. The cries of the blonde-haired maid grew louder, as if in protest, when she heard Bianca¡¯s words, which only caused the latter to narrow her eyes at the sight. What right do you think you have to be wailing? The maid¡¯s face, eyes welled with tears, was pretty and her figure was glamorous. She must¡¯ve made her brazen comments while shamelessly believing in her pretty face. Just thinking about it again left Bianca speechless and distressed. Recalling the insults she had overheard moments prior, she wondered how in the world she ended up like this. The fact that Bianca went looking for Zachary had spread throughout the entire castle. Of course, that was only to be expected as she had gone out to the entrance hall where all of the knights were gathered. Everyone was curious as to why Bianca had gone to look for Zachary. After all, she was ¡®that¡¯ countess, the only one in Arno castle who avoided and ignored the count. The maids were particularly interested in the count and countess¡¯s relationship. Not only was Count Arno young and handsome, he was also prudent, wealthy, and powerful. He even had a good body to boot. He was like a prince the maids always dreamed about. There were a considerable number of maids who wished to catch the count¡¯s eye at least once and become his mistress. The fact that he already had a wife did little to deter them. It would be a different story if he loved his wife very much, but everyone knew that the count and his wife were a couple only in name. As such, there were many who held onto false ideas. And Bianca was certainly aware of the fact that they were holding onto such wishful thinking. The current situation never would¡¯ve arisen had they continued to hold such thoughts in their minds only. The maids had been gossiping about last night¡¯s events, about how Bianca went looking for Zachary, only to be kicked out of his room. Bianca had been coincidentally passing by when the maids raised their voices, completely unaware of her presence. ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me that no one heard what happened inside?¡± ¡°You really think anyone would¡¯ve been able to when the steward was standing guard at the door?¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± ¡°Still, isn¡¯t it a good thing? Hearing that the madam went to go look for the count, it could be a sign that they may become closer.¡± ¡°The madam is probably just acting on a whim.¡± ¡°Even so, it¡¯s something that¡¯s never occurred in the last decade. Maybe the madam changed her mind?¡± The maid who first spoke pouted when the other maid didn¡¯t seem to agree. The problem was the blonde maid who grumbled and refuted the other maid¡¯s claims. ¡°Hmph. Changed her mind, you say? But do you think the count will accept her? Frankly, she¡¯s a gloomy woman, don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°Ante.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what everyone thinks, you know? The knights and the servants.¡± Despite the other maid¡¯s warning, the blonde-haired maid, Ante, only tilted her chin upwards and raised her voice. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 ¨C A Wounded Palm (2) Translator: Skye ¡°That¡¯s what everyone thinks, you know? The knights and the servants.¡± Bianca hadn¡¯t thought much of it even up to that comment. After all, Ante wasn¡¯t wrong. Bianca¡¯s reputation amongst the castle servants and Zachary¡¯s vassals wasn¡¯t exactly the best. As a result, no one had stood up for her when she was ousted by Viscount Hugues in her past life. A bitter smile marred her lips. At the very least, it was fortunate that the conversation between her and Zachary in his room earlier hadn¡¯t been leaked. Zachary really hadn¡¯t been welcoming towards her, matching the maid¡¯s inciting expectations. Bianca let out a sigh of relief. If word of what happened earlier had gotten out, confirming the assumptions she was a forsaken wife, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to take a step outside of her room from the shame. In any case, it would only make her look more ridiculous if she were to unnecessarily show a sensitive response to these worthless gossipers, and it could even give the effect of acknowledging that the rumors were true. Knowing that it would only bring her mood down even further if she were to continue listening, Bianca was about to turn around when she heard something that she could not ignore. ¡°I bet I would do a better job of warming our lord¡¯s bed than the madam.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t say things like that. What if the madam were to hear? No, I mean, you shouldn¡¯t be saying things like that even if she¡¯s not here. That¡¯s insulting her!¡± ¡°Hmph, but it¡¯s the truth. Her body is probably as cold as her personality, like a reptile I¡¯m sure. Plus, she¡¯s thin and unattractive. I¡¯m better than her in every way.¡± Ante placed a hand on her slim waist and stuck out her rear. Her voluptuous figure was on display, unable to be hidden by her clothing, and her voice held a pompous tone. Meanwhile, Bianca froze. She had been able to ignore and overlook all the insults towards her so far, but she could not pardon what she heard just now. Insulting and looking down on me was already crossing the line, but you dare to compare yourself to me? You, a mere wench hired as a maid? Bianca¡¯s light green eyes flared. Her shoulders became tense and the corner of her lips tightened. She recalled how she had definitely heard similar things said in her past life, which she had ignored and done nothing about. However, she found that she was unable to overlook it this time. Before she could even contemplate why, her body moved on its own. By the time she came to her senses, it was after she had automatically grabbed the arm of the impudent maid and struck her cheek. Stunned from having been abruptly slapped, Ante stared at Bianca, eyes blinking as she tried to understand what just happened. The person in front of her eyes, the person who had slapped her was none other than the countess, and¡­ and after processing what had just transpired, Ante then came to realize that Bianca must have heard her talking about her behind her back. While Ante was still in a state of confoundment, her cheek fell victim to Bianca once more. Bianca wasn¡¯t kind or merciful, she simply found many things too troublesome to get involved with. Instead of brooding over the insults directed towards her, she was the type who paid back just as much as she received. As such, Bianca waited for the other maid to return with the cane while enduring the pain coming from her stinging hand. Other than the sound of Ante¡¯s sniffling, a silence ensued, resembling a calm before the storm. Bianca¡¯s lips were closed shut, signifying she had no need to exchange any words with Ante, while the other remaining maid remained quiet, wary of her master. It wasn¡¯t long until Bianca was presented with the cane she had asked for. The maid who brought the cane glanced sympathetically at Ante, but Bianca pretended she didn¡¯t see it, and instead lightly swung the cane. The sound of it slicing the air was sharp and harsh. ¡°A thin, unattractive, reptile-like woman you say¡­¡± Bianca murmured while brushing the end of the cane with her fingers. Everyone flinched when they heard the words Bianca muttered under her breath. They were wondering how much she had overheard and it seemed she had heard everything. When Bianca lifted her gaze sharply, eyes curled and piercing like a leopard cat¡¯s, all the maids held their breaths. ¡°Comparing me to a reptile, yet it seems you weren¡¯t aware of my personality being more vicious than a poisonous snake. That¡¯s why you went about babbling without thinking.¡± Bianca grinned. There was a bite hidden in her smile. The maids had no excuse and could only remain silent, bowing their heads. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll go easy on you?¡± Though her voice appeared gentle at first, it was clear that Bianca held absolutely no intention of showing mercy in the slightest. And the one who was more cognizant of that fact than anyone else was Ante, whose skin felt like it was being pierced by the hostility coming from Bianca. Ante began crying even louder as soon as Bianca finished her words. She purposely raised her volume while fully aware that Bianca wasn¡¯t going to take pity on her because she wanted someone to hear her cries and come to her rescue. Come to think of it, Count Arno was present in the castle today. Ante pictured the count coming to her rescue, pulling her into his arms while clicking his tongue at his wife¡¯s wickedness. A few whips were nothing in comparison. She could tolerate that much. The countess¡¯s wrists were frail, so no matter how hard she could possibly hit, Ante was confident she¡¯d be able to endure it. A scheming glint passed over her watery eyes. But regardless of what her inner thoughts were like, her sad, wailing outer appearance made her look quite pitiful. It was to the extent people would feel sorry for her even if they knew the whole situation. However, Bianca was unfazed and raised her cane. ¡°Hold out your hand.¡± As maids always did work requiring the use of their hands, it was inconvenient for them if their palms were injured. Just thinking about dunking their sore, tender hands in cold water when doing the dishes or laundry made them wince. Ante hesitated for a moment before eventually holding out her hands, having no other choice. Her outstretched hands were palm-side up and trembling. Bianca brought down the cane immediately. Thwack! Ante closed her eyes shut. ¡°This is for comparing your lowly self to your master.¡± Smack! Ante couldn¡¯t help but let out an ugly scream. ¡°This is for needlessly prying into the affairs of your masters.¡± Strike! Ante scanned her surroundings, hoping that someone would see and help her. But everyone averted their gazes, not wishing to make eye contact. ¡°This is for running your mouth.¡± ¡°This is for slandering your master.¡± There was no pause or hesitation in the strokes of the cane. Bianca continued to bring her arm down, causing Ante to cry in pain and realize she had deluded herself into thinking she would be able to endure. Despite Bianca¡¯s frail wrists, the cane still held onto momentum, splitting the air and leaving unsightly red welts on Ante¡¯s fair skin. It was only after a long while that Bianca¡¯s hand paused, but it was only so that she could catch her breath. Ante¡¯s face was a mess despite her initial attempt to cry prettily and hope for someone to save her. Her pained features were wet with tears and snot. She couldn¡¯t understand what she did wrong to deserve this kind of treatment. ¡®Did I lie? She¡¯s just doing this to me because she¡¯s jealous that I¡¯m prettier than her¨Cthat I¡¯m a beautiful blonde while her own hair resembles a barkless tree. That I¡¯m more¡­ Anyone is fine. Please, someone save me from this wicked countess¡­¡¯ ¡°And this is for daring to covet your lord who is way beyond your reach.¡± After catching her breath, Bianca raised her arm again, cane splitting the air more menacingly than before. Ante squeezed her eyes shut and braced for the incoming pain. But nothing happened. Ante carefully opened her eyes, wondering what happened. Her eyes widened, feeling like the heavens were answering her prayer when she saw a man standing in front of her, Bianca¡¯s cane firmly trapped in his hand. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he questioned, sounding as if he had witnessed something absurd. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll ask you the same thing. What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Bianca retorted, irritated. She tried the shake from the man¡¯s grip, but it didn¡¯t budge in the slightest. And by the way he kept his mouth stubbornly closed as he looked down at her, it didn¡¯t seem like he would back off easily either. It was then that Vincent arrived, panting and out of breath. Did he come after hearing the ruckus, or¡­ Bianca glanced sideways at the maid who had retrieved the cane. The maid let out a small eek and flinched when she met Bianca¡¯s eyes. Bianca returned her gaze to the man standing in her way. Could he be around Zachary¡¯s age? Black hair, dark green eyes, and a familiar face. He was definitely one of Zachary¡¯s captains¡­ Chapter 15 Chapter 15 ¨C A Wounded Palm (3) Translator: Skye PR: mm1347 Bianca frowned. She couldn¡¯t recall his name. There was no need for her to remember it anyway, as she could always ask whenever she needed it. ¡°And you are?¡± ¡°¡­My name is Robert,¡± the man replied, jaw clenched. He was one of the captains of the Arno Knights. Not only was he a long-time aide of Zachary¡¯s¨Cproven by the fact he had been around back when Zachary and Bianca were engaged, and he had given his opinion on the Blancheforts¡¯ proposed dowry for Bianca¨Cbut because he was also around Zachary¡¯s age, the two were close enough to be considered near friends. Though this was the first time Robert had ever spoken to Bianca directly, they had run into each other numerous times in the limited confines of the castle. Yet, to hear that she didn¡¯t even know his name. Wait, is she even aware of my existence? Her unfamiliarity with Robert further attested to her lack of interest in Zachary. Bianca was dressed in satin garments which were bought using the money Zachary earned from rolling in puddles of blood and maggots from decaying corpses. And yet, to see her showing no interest in Zachary¡­! A surge of anger flared up in Robert, but he did his best to calm himself down. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean he could get his hostility to subside immediately. Bianca remained composed despite the incomprehensible hostility coming from the man who had appeared out of nowhere. Though it was a little irritating, this wasn¡¯t her first time dealing with such a thing. Rather, it was Vincent coming to her defense that surprised her, not the man¡¯s hostility. ¡°That¡¯s no way to treat the madam, Sir Robert. First, please release your hand,¡± Vincent strictly admonished. Though he was only a steward, he was Zachary¡¯s longest-serving aide, and thus Robert could not ignore him. With just one word from Vincent, he immediately released his grip on the cane, whereas he had no shown no sign of letting go earlier no matter what Bianca said. Nevertheless, the one who stressed the importance of rank in the castle the most was Vincent. He was stern when it came to classifying who his superiors and inferiors were, and how to mediate between them. As a result, Bianca couldn¡¯t exactly hate him, despite being aware of his dislike for her. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean she liked him either. Bianca sighed quietly. To think she¡¯d have to explain herself in a situation like this. She felt pathetic, but she hid her torment before breaking the silence in a calm voice. ¡°I¡¯m being relatively lenient.¡± ¡°A lenient master would never bring a cane down on a person,¡± Robert refuted flatly. To think she¡¯d hit a person¨Ca human being, not even livestock!¨Cso harshly. It was too cruel to be brushed off as a master disciplining her maid. Robert was the most upright and chivalrous of Zachary¡¯s three captains, and he held a soft spot for women, but that was only towards women acknowledged as ¡°proper¡± ladies. His eyes were cold, viewing Bianca as a cruel woman. It was impossible for Bianca not to read his thoughts, as she was facing his gaze directly. He had suddenly shown up and was already deeming her to be cruel without even knowing the entire situation. Bianca snorted. She wasn¡¯t even surprised by such prejudice anymore. ¡°The madam is correct. Not only is the punishment appropriate, it¡¯s also quite lenient. Ante forgot her duty as a servant, and there would be nothing for us to say even if she were to be given a harsher punishment,¡± Vincent interjected. It seemed the maid who called for him had also explained the situation quite well, better than Bianca thought. That, too, was unexpected. Bianca took another glance at the maid who had brought the cane. The maid, a brunette, lowered her head even further. Robert was taken aback by Vincent agreeing with Bianca, as the steward was more level-headed than anyone else. ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± ¡°Calling me a thoughtless woman¨Cthat much I can understand. It¡¯s the truth, after all. I can even overlook you calling me a wicked woman who only likes to spend money excessively, since that¡¯s true as well.¡± Bianca¡¯s voice was calm and monotonous as she disclosed what the maids had been chattering on about earlier. Robert frowned when he heard the sudden account, unable to grasp the situation, and his face crumpled even further the more Bianca continued to disclose. Bianca almost let out a hum from how amusing it was to see the dumb look appear on Robert¡¯s face, his initial bravado replaced with uncertainty and nervousness. After putting some effort to hide her amusement, she tightened her grip on the cane. She saw Ante wearing a subtle smile of victory from her position behind Robert. It was clear as day that Ante believed Robert had saved her and that she was now free. How ridiculous. I¡¯m the lady of this house while Robert is a mere knight. It was a miscalculation on Ante¡¯s part if she truly believed Bianca would simply back away just because of a knight¡¯s interference. Bianca pursed her lips. ¡°However, just because I¡¯m a mean, unflattering woman doesn¡¯t mean you can enter my husband¡¯s bedroom in my stead.¡± Robert¡¯s eyes widened. When he turned his head to look at Ante and confirm whether or not she had really made such remarks, Bianca took that opportunity to strike. As she had prepared beforehand, her next move was smooth and instantaneous. A red welt was formed on the maid, who was caught off guard, and her skin was cut by the sharp end of the cane, causing droplets of blood to splatter. ¡°Kyaaak!¡± Ante flopped to the ground while holding her face. It was painful, but what shook her even more was the fear she felt from seeing blood spilling down her face. ¡®This isn¡¯t right, why did I get hit? There are so many eyes here. There¡¯s even someone who tried to stop her. Don¡¯t people usually stop at that point? Does she just not care about what other people think?¡¯ Ante¡¯s reasoning wasn¡¯t wrong. However, her opponent was Bianca, who prioritized upholding her pride over the whispering of others. If Bianca had been someone who cared about what other people thought, she wouldn¡¯t have become a loner in this castle in the first place. A content smile graced Bianca¡¯s lips. She felt a sense of delight at seeing Ante being dramatic, holding her face like she was going to die soon. ¡°It¡¯ll be good if you use this incident as an opportunity to reflect on your wrongdoing.¡± Bianca¡¯s voice was dry and flat, like she was simply reading off the menu for dinner. Tears fell from Ante¡¯s eyes. Her pretty, pale face only made the distinct wounds and crimson rivulets of blood stand out even more. Robert bit his lip, looking down at the result of his carelessness. This never would¡¯ve happened if he hadn¡¯t turned around. Though Ante had indeed uttered comments that were out of line, it wasn¡¯t something that deserved a punishment as cruel as this. Wasn¡¯t it Bianca who essentially allowed for such a thing to occur in the first place, with the way she had been behaving all these years? ¡°Still, don¡¯t you think this is going too far?!¡± Robert shouted, fixing Bianca with a glare. ¡°What is?¡± she quipped, tilting her head like she had no idea. She was unable to understand why she had to hear those words from him. Bianca weighed the insults against her in her head. Not only had Ante maligned her superior, but she also coveted a married man. Normally, that deserved a punishment in which one would be kicked out after being stripped bare and whipped. Head still tilted, Bianca nodded to herself. She had indeed been merciful in her choice of punishment. If Robert had taken a moment to think about it a little deeper, he would¡¯ve realized that Ante¡¯s crime was indeed one deserving of a harsh punishment. However, the grievances he held against Bianca that piled up over the years prevented him from thinking straight. Then, a deep voice cut in, ¡°What¡¯s the commotion?¡± It was curt, but the voice held such intense dignity that it caused everyone to become silent, like they had been doused in cold water. Everyone turned their eyes in the direction of the voice and were met with none other than the lord of the castle, Zachary. They all became silent at the entrance of the one who held authority over everything in the estate. Zachary had on a black fur vest over casual attire, as well as leather shoes soldiers normally wore. His silver-grey hair appeared somewhat relaxed, hanging down over one side of his forehead. His appearance resembled that of a young knight more than that of a lord. However, what dwelt in his dark irises were the experience and intimidation of a seasoned lord who had gone through all sorts of twists and turns since his childhood. Everyone turned in Zachary¡¯s direction, waists bent and heads facing downward. It was only Bianca who kept her head up and chin raised. She bit down on her bottom lip. Why now of all times. She did not find his appearance welcome in the slightest. Zachary was a rather merciful lord, never imposing a harsh punishment without reason. His numerous days in battle resulted in countless bloodshed, but he was magnanimous when it came to things unrelated to the battlefield. For example, when someone had stolen a bag¡¯s worth of grains from the Arno storehouse, the man¡¯s hand should have been cut off for his crime. However, Zachary had let him go under the condition that he return a bag of wheat the following year. How would such a forgiving man view the current situation with Ante? Would he take Bianca¡¯s side if he knew what the maid had been saying about him? Bianca wasn¡¯t confident. There was not a chance she¡¯d convey Ante¡¯s words to Zachary either. Though she could lay it out to others without a problem, she had no confidence in relaying it to her husband. Above all, Bianca agreed with Ante in that she was an unappealing, reptile-like woman. Plus, Zachary had kicked her out of his room yesterday, hadn¡¯t he? It would only hurt her pride even further if she were to convey Ante¡¯s words to him. Ante was aware of that fact as well. Bianca and Ante¡¯s joy and sorrow ended up switching places. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 ¨C A Wounded Palm (4) Ante was sure Zachary would take pity on her and lose any affection he had left for Bianca once he witnessed the latter¡¯s wicked act. If it was the lord Ante was familiar with, she could be confident. After all, he was a count who had no interest in his wife but was kind to his inferiors. Zachary observed Bianca¡¯s hand, causing her to involuntarily flinch. Squashing the urge to hide the cane behind her back, she convinced herself that she had done nothing wrong. However, that courage dissolved like salt in water as soon as she saw the furrow in his brow. ¡°¡­Bianca.¡± Zachary called her name, voice deep and a frown still present over his features. He had only said her name, but Bianca could read the reprimand in his eyes. Her face turned red, chest growing hot and stuffy, as if it housed burning charcoal. What did I do for you to be looking at me with those eyes? Was it because I wasn¡¯t able to get a single maid to watch her mouth? Because I¡¯m a woman who deserves to hear such insults, and am thus causing a scene over nothing? Bianca pursed her lips. She was curious what kind of expression Zachary might put on if she were to tell him what Ante had been saying about her. Would he be surprised like he was hearing it for the first time, or would he be indifferent like it was to be expected? Bianca kept her head held high despite being unable to bear the shame. Pride. Pride was what kept Bianca standing no matter the situation, even when she had been ousted by Viscount Hugues. The one and only time she tucked it away was when she had clung onto Fernand after being kicked out from Arno castle. She had tucked it away because she trusted him. Because she loved him and believed he loved her too¡­ Of course, the result of that didn¡¯t need to be said. Having learned that tucking away her pride would only bring misery, Bianca raised her chin, willing herself not to cry. She strained to keep her voice from trembling, spitting each word out one by one. ¡°Are you planning on telling me I went too far as well? I believe I¡¯ve done what I¨Cas the lady of the house and as your wife¨Cwas expected to do.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a step back if this woman happens to be your mistress, since that would mean she¡¯s in a position to say such things about warming your bed or whatnot.¡± Her words were a reflection of her current emotional state: half-sarcastic and half-miserable. ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Zachary replied firmly. He pursed his lips, jaw clenched. An unspeakable anger painted over his features, making him look like a beast baring his teeth. Vincent, Robert, and the other maids quickly stepped back when Zachary began taking large strides towards Bianca, afraid that they¡¯d get in the way. A shiver-inducing tension took over the hallway. Bianca backed away when she saw Zachary advancing towards her without any hesitation. The sight of his large figure approaching was as intimidating as always. He was faster than her and reached her before she could distance herself. He stretched his hand towards her, causing her to instinctively flinch when she saw his long arm coming closer. His hand headed not for her hand, but for the end of the cane she was holding. Bianca unwittingly tightened her grip as soon as he tried to pull it out of her grasp. They ended up looking at each other while each holding onto one end of the cane. Bianca looked up at Zachary in bewilderment, confused as to why he was suddenly acting like this, whereas his gaze fell onto her occupied hand. Her fingers, which always resembled the white, thin branches of a birch tree, were flushed. ¡°Your hand is red,¡± he muttered to himself. Bianca could only blink at the unexpected words coming from his mouth. Was that important right now? She was at a loss for words. Zachary¡¯s brows were still knotted, like he was disgruntled about something. The shadows of the creases on his forehead didn¡¯t look like they were going to disappear anytime soon. Bianca had no idea why he was acting like this, but she knew making her confusion obvious would be careless of her. Hence, she feigned composure and replied slowly, ¡°¡­I momentarily forgot there was a cane, so I used my hand.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯ll swell at this rate.¡± Zachary clicked his tongue, clearly displeased. It was possible he was unhappy that someone who was supposed to be a countess had recklessly used her hands. Though Bianca had been satisfied during the moment her hand struck the maid¡¯s cheek, she agreed that it had been unbefitting of a noble to do. Bianca lowered her eyes, her dark reddish-brown lashes hanging over her green irises. Suddenly, Zachary¡¯s hand drew near hers, but it only lingered for a moment before shortly retreating. Almost as if he was someone who couldn¡¯t touch her hand. Bianca wondered if he hated the thought of even touching her. However, if that was really the case, then Zachary¡¯s behavior was a little strange. After glancing down one more time at Bianca¡¯s hand with a displeased look, he gestured for the steward. ¡°Vincent. Escort Bianca inside and call for the doctor.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Vincent stepped towards Bianca soon as Zachary¡¯s orders fell. His curiosity as to why his master wanted him to call a doctor was answered when he discovered Bianca¡¯s blistered palm. Blood vessels appeared to have ruptured. It looked like it must¡¯ve hurt quite a lot while handling the cane. Vincent marveled that she hadn¡¯t let it show at all, and noted she had quite the resolve. Ante realized the situation was taking a weird turn, yet she looked up at Zachary desperately, unable to throw away her foolish aspirations. The count may be brusque, but he¡¯s also considerate and cherishes the castle servants¡­ Ante was confident that Zachary would never let it slide once he saw the blood spilling down her face. If he looked her way just once, he would surely be startled. Ante held onto the slightest bit of hope. He¡¯s just acting like that right now because he hasn¡¯t taken a proper look at my state¡­ Perhaps her earnestness had come through, as Zachary¡¯s eyes peered down at her ever so slightly. It was only a fleeting glance, but the moment she felt his gaze, Ante intensified her cries to make herself appear more pitiable and tragic in order to win his sympathy. The sight of her brows sloping downwards and the sound of her anguished cries was utterly heartbreaking. The slight tremors in her shoulders emphasized her effeminacy, and she didn¡¯t forget to raise the hem of her skirt to reveal her pale, thin ankle ever so slightly. However, Zachary¡¯s eyes never looked in her direction a second time. He glossed over her as if she were nothing more than a common pebble laying on the ground, and was absorbed in watching Vincent inspect Bianca¡¯s hand. As soon as Bianca¡¯s wounded palm was plainly revealed, an even darker shadow was cast over Zachary¡¯s features. ¡°And ensure such a ruckus in the castle never happens again,¡± he added irritably. ¡°¡­Yes, my lord.¡± Vincent nodded gravely. And with that, Zachary whipped around, not looking back even once, his retreating back broad and firm. Appearing out of nowhere and making puzzling comments before leaving as quickly as he had come. Bianca placed her uninjured hand on her head, as it was flooded by a myriad of thoughts as she chewed over the possible meanings behind Zachary¡¯s actions and the few words he had spoken. She wasn¡¯t the only one in a state of shock; Robert stood in place, stunned, while Ante could not hide her devastation. Ante had no idea. Zachary was a generous lord to his people, but on the battlefield, he was known to be heartless, shedding neither blood nor tears. He had been given the nickname ¡®Iron-Blooded Count¡¯ not just because of his powerful army and achievements on the battlefield, but also because the sight of his silver hair spattered with blood almost resembled a sword bathed in blood. The reason he appeared to be considerate was because he didn¡¯t care, and the reason he cherished the servants in the castle was because that made it more convenient and easy to govern his territory, as well as handle and manage the servants themselves. If needed, he could be quite cruel and cold-hearted. Hence, there was not a chance a heartless lord like himself would side with a maid who had insulted his wife. ¡°Madam, please let me escort you back to your room,¡± Vincent urged while everyone stood in a daze. Bianca, who had been staring at Zachary¡¯s retreating figure absentmindedly, responded exasperatedly, ¡°I can go back on my own. There¡¯s no need to make a fuss.¡± She was embarrassed by the thought of causing a scene and calling the doctor over simply having used her hand twice. Her hand was indeed in pain, but it was bearable. Moreover, something like that wasn¡¯t the main issue. Bianca bit her lip, feeling puzzled; she couldn¡¯t understand Zachary¡¯s behavior at all. It was almost as if¡­ It¡¯s almost as if he¡¯s worrying about me. T/N: I personally prefer how this scene played out here in the novel rather than the manhwa. I feel like the manhwa rushed things by changing the timing of when characters appeared. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 ¨C A Wounded Palm (5) Translator: Skye PR: mm1347 It¡¯s almost as if he¡¯s worrying about me. But that was impossible. Bianca shook her head, erasing the thought. The Zachary she knew was not ¡®that¡¯ kind of man. Nevertheless, her honor had been protected in front of the servants, so everything worked out in the end. Breathing a small sigh of relief, Bianca turned to head for her room. It was clear she had no intention of listening to Vincent, who trailed after her despite her flat refusal. As Zachary¡¯s loyal right-hand man, he was unyielding, repeating the order he had received. ¡°The lord has ordered me to call for the doctor, madam.¡± ¡°He also said not to cause a commotion. I¡¯ll take care of it on my own, so you can leave and go about your duties,¡± Bianca replied curtly without so much as a glance back. Her quick, short steps continued on determinedly until she disappeared from view. Bianca was just like Zachary in that neither of them bothered to listen to anyone else, only saying what they had to say before departing. Vincent let out a sigh as he watched Bianca¡¯s prideful and stubborn figure walk away. Sensing that the doctor would most likely just have the door slammed in his face if he visited now, Vincent decided he would send him later. He concluded he would settle what he needed to take care of instead of continuing to follow Bianca. Ante was still on the ground, stunned and sniffling. ¡°Cease your tears,¡± Vincent said coolly, shooting her a frigid look. Mistakenly thinking Vincent was comforting her, Ante sniffed and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. Because Vincent ran the castle on behalf of Bianca, who had essentially abandoned her duties, employing and managing the servants also fell under his purview. Like master, like servant: Vincent appeared cold at first, but in actuality, he was a superior who treated his employees well. Hence, Ante believed Vincent would console her and send her on her way after a light scolding. However, all of her expectations crumbled away when he continued. ¡°Pack your bags and prepare to go home.¡± ¡°Sniffle, sniffle¡­ Wha¨C?¡± Ante¡¯s eyes grew round, like she couldn¡¯t understand what she had just heard. Her face exuded a melancholic beauty, as she had been in the middle of putting on a sorrowful act, but due to being stained by blood and tear tracks, it also looked rather grotesque. Just like her inner heart. Vincent snorted, dumbfounded by Ante¡¯s foolishness. He made his explanation slow and concise so that she could get a proper grip on the situation. ¡°Did you not hear what the lord said earlier? I was ordered to ensure no such commotions occur ever again, commotions you are the cause of.¡± ¡°But sir¡­!¡± ¡°Being tight-lipped is the virtue of a servant. You are ill-suited for this castle with those loose lips of yours. Pack your things unless you wish to be kicked out without even the clothes on your back.¡± Vincent spoke firmly, having perfectly understood Zachary¡¯s intent. There was no guarantee that a cat that tried to climb on top of a stove wouldn¡¯t try it again. As Ante had gone after Bianca once already, Vincent felt a headache just thinking about what she might try to do again. He wouldn¡¯t have to worry about Ante¡¯s big mouth or her behavior if he kicked her out, and it would serve as a warning to the other servants. It would kill two birds with one stone. Ante had stepped so far out of line that she could have been rolled in a straw mat and flogged, so she had gotten off relatively easily. Vincent inwardly shook his head. In contrast, Ante was distraught, realizing she had no lifeline to grab onto after hearing Vincent¡¯s cold-hearted command. She had simply made a light-hearted jest. Plus, it wasn¡¯t like she had lied¡­ Vincent sent a look to the other maids who were standing around. Having quickly read his non-verbal orders, the maids grabbed and pulled Ante, who was still slumped on the floor and showed no signs of getting up. Ante struggled but ultimately couldn¡¯t overcome the strength of multiple maids combined. As Ante was dragged away by the other maids, only Robert and Vincent were left alone in the once-noisy hallway. Robert repeatedly opened and closed his lips. His normally exemplary features were muddled, like he couldn¡¯t understand what had just happened. He shook his head, like he was trying to shake off complicated thoughts, but his dark green eyes still brimmed with confusion. ¡°¡­What was that?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The relationship between the count and countess is clearly different than before. Something happened recently, didn¡¯t it? Is it related to the madam going to find the count yesterday?¡± Something was indeed different from usual. It was too obscure to point out what exactly, but the air around Zachary and Bianca had clearly changed. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure myself.¡± Vincent slowly shook his head at Robert¡¯s prying question. Zachary¡¯s room was well-soundproofed, making it hard to overhear conversation unless it involved shouting. As he didn¡¯t quite know what had happened yesterday, Vincent could only vaguely guess that today¡¯s incident was related to yesterday¡¯s. However, what was more important than what could have happened yesterday was why Bianca sought Zachary out. Unless Zachary went to go find her first, Bianca wasn¡¯t the type to look for him. And yet, that same Bianca had not only suddenly gone to find Zachary of her own accord, but had even brought up something that was supposedly for the good of House Arno, despite behaving as if she was still a Blanchefort all this time. Vincent was curious about the reason behind her change of heart. Of course, just because he was curious didn¡¯t mean he would get an answer right away. In that case, what the two remaining men had to do was simple. The ends of Vincent¡¯s lips quirked up, giving way to natural wrinkles. Vincent, who was around 15 years older than Robert, finished in a tone that seemed to be lecturing a young, quick-tempered knight who had trouble keeping his hot-bloodedness at bay. ¡°But something has indeed changed. There¡¯s only one thing for us to do, and that is to follow our master¡¯s command. It¡¯s clear what we must do for the sake of our lord, isn¡¯t that right, Sir Robert?¡± ???? Bianca mulled over the day¡¯s events once she returned to her room, staring out the window while leaning against a chest. The anger from being insulted by a maid melted away like snow, its place taken up by an unknown heart-pounding feeling. The more she chewed over each of Zachary¡¯s actions, the more it seemed he did not hold only ill feelings towards her. Then why did he turn me down? If he did not find her so detestable, then there was no reason for him to turn down her offer of sleeping together. Thinking about how eager all men were to get between a woman¡¯s legs made Bianca more confused over Zachary¡¯s behavior, which seemed to be keeping her at a distance. Perhaps my body just isn¡¯t his style. That¡¯s right, there was no reason for him to be impatient to embrace her, who wasn¡¯t even his type, if he had a mistress. That must also be why he had pushed back and delayed their first night together until he could absolutely no longer ignore the pestering of his vassals in her past life. Bianca glanced down at herself. Her 16-year-old body was as lanky as Ante claimed, and though her breasts were round, they would still be considered somewhat small when gripped by large hands. It definitely wasn¡¯t a body men would be delighted with. Though she was still only 16, Bianca was aware that even when she was two years older, her body wouldn¡¯t be much different than it was now. Should I be content with at least having more womanly curves by the time I turn 18? Bianca placed a hand on her forehead out of habit, only to frown when she felt a throb from her palm. It seemed the pain would last longer than she thought. It was then that a maid stepped into the room. The figure of the maid, who came in with muted steps and head bowed, was familiar. It was the light brunette who had gone to retrieve the cane earlier. The maid cautiously lifted her head while reading the room. ¡°Madam, the doctor¡­¡± ¡°I said it was fine. Why would I call for the doctor over an inconvenience like this? Do you want to let the whole place know I whipped a maid?¡± Bianca retorted as soon as she heard the word ¡°doctor,¡± before turning her head back to the window. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The maid glanced at Bianca from the side, sensing an unwavering, strong will to refuse from the latter. She fidgeted for a while, like she wasn¡¯t confident enough to try and bring it up again after witnessing Bianca¡¯s cold demeanor. After a long stretch of silence, the maid bowed her head and left the room, ultimately unable to suggest the idea again. It was only then that Bianca could release a slow sigh of relief. Her hand still throbbed, but she didn¡¯t want to call for the doctor. It was obvious what people would start saying. ¡®Just how severely did she hit the maid that she¡¯s the one getting treated instead of the maid?¡¯ Bianca wasn¡¯t one to particularly care about the prattling of servants, but she couldn¡¯t just let it be when she could plainly imagine the senseless rumors that were bound to start if she saw the doctor. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 ¨C A Wounded Palm (6) Translator: Skye PR: mm1347 Bianca wondered if perhaps she had responded a little too harshly to the maid. Frankly, she should have complimented her instead of berating her. It was thanks to the maid, who had explained the situation to Vincent well, that the whole ordeal had been wrapped up nicely. Though Bianca lamented her cold-hearted response, she had no idea how she should have responded, as it had been much too long since she last engaged in friendly terms with any maid. The maid was like a boat that had already departed while Bianca was left alone in her room. She chewed on her lips, words resembling excuses lingering in her mouth, and propped her chin on her hand. The window glass became foggy from Bianca¡¯s breaths. She placed her hand on the cold wall. The chilly draft from the walls cooled the burning heat of her hand. It wasn¡¯t much later when the same maid came to find Bianca again, but this time with a basin of sloshing water and a clean cloth. She smiled awkwardly, unable to bring herself to approach Bianca any closer. ¡°Madam, if you do not wish to call for a doctor, please let me treat your hand with herbal water. It¡¯ll alleviate the swelling and heat in your hand,¡± said the maid, round eyes simple and honest. She was perhaps around five years older than Bianca, but the maid was still a young and naive woman. She stood while holding the basin, calmly waiting for approval. Bianca blinked and peered at the maid, whose dark brown eyes flickered with concern while adding a quiet, ¡°Please, madam.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Bianca was rendered speechless, asking herself the same question she had asked herself multiple times before. Just why? She was aware she was cold-hearted without a speck of warmth, and not only was she lazy, failing to uphold any of her duties, but she was also a difficult master to serve. She also knew that was why the servants disliked her. ¡°¡­Thank you,¡± Bianca said after much difficulty. She was confused as to why this maid in front of her now was demonstrating concern and worry for her. ¡°Of course, madam.¡± The maid beamed. She let out an exhale, sweeping a hand over her chest as if in relief before stepping forward with the basin. She kneeled in front of Bianca and dipped the cloth in the water. Several unidentifiable herbs floated on top of the steaming water, an herbaceous scent filling the air. After wringing the cloth, the maid carefully dabbed Bianca¡¯s palm, but as soon as the cloth touched the stinging area, Bianca automatically winced. The maid continued to lightly dab the wound, careful like she was skimming off the layer of fat on top of milk. While the maid focused on attending to the injury, Bianca stared at the top of the maid¡¯s head in a daze, feeling an obscure lurch in her chest. The maid¡¯s light brown hair appeared warm and plentiful, like straw under the rays of the sun. Her touch resembled a mother cat¡¯s tongue licking away the protective layer on her newborn kitten. The maid¡¯s warm actions brought on memories of Bianca¡¯s nanny, Jean. Jean had adored Bianca, following her all the way to Arno Castle, and the latter always believed she would never need anyone else as long as she had her nanny. Jean had taught Bianca many things she needed to know, including what a reserved and elegant lady her mother was, what it meant to be a lady of a house, how to embroider, how to calculate and determine the inventory of candles and number of livestock¡­¡­ But such an ordinary life could not continue for very long. Jean had succumbed to lung disease when Bianca was 13 years old. Jean had been the only one for Bianca, who not only believed that no one else could replace her, but that she did not want to go through the pain of losing someone she opened up to a second time. However, the present Bianca was someone who had lived to the age of 38 before returning back in time. Jean¡¯s death became a vague memory, and though Bianca had tried to ignore the pain of death, she came to the realization that was impossible. Her father, her brother, and her husband¡­ They had all died and left her behind. Bianca was lonely. Not because they had all died and left her alone, but because she had been scared and isolated herself much before their deaths. That was why she had made the foolish mistake of falling for Fernand. She didn¡¯t want a life like that; she didn¡¯t want to repeat her past life. Perhaps it was because a person¡¯s values and nature weren¡¯t easily changed after experiencing death, but Bianca had no thought of changing her attitude. She still viewed the maids as tools who followed her orders, and she had no thought of being friendly and intentionally cultivating affection for them. But, at the very most, something like unlocking the door should be all right? Bianca had that much courage, at least. ¡°¡­What is your name?¡± she asked, voice faint like the chirp of a small bird. ¡°My name is Yvonne, madam.¡± Yvonne flashed a smile which held neither pretense nor deceit. The majority of servants in Arno Castle were unhappy with Bianca, so much so that Bianca was aware of it herself. Though there was the public distaste for Bianca enjoying all the privileges of a countess while abandoning all the duties and responsibilities required of one, they also held a personal dislike for Bianca stemming from her sharp, cold-hearted demeanor. They did not question why Bianca treated the people around her so harshly, and they most likely would not sympathize with her even if they knew the reason, simply waving it off as a spoiled lady¡¯s whining. But Yvonne was not a part of that majority. She had a younger sister who was around Bianca¡¯s age. Her family was far from well-off, and despite Yvonne working as a maid to afford food to send to her family, hunger was still an issue for them. Eventually, her younger sister married a much older carpenter who lived several doors down in order to eliminate one more mouth to feed at the table. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, sis. I won¡¯t ever be able to offer a sizeable dowry, so my marriage candidates are limited anyway. At the very least, I won¡¯t starve if I marry him.¡¯ Yvonne¡¯s younger sister had tried to alleviate some of Yvonne¡¯s concern, but it was obvious that her married life would not be exactly happy. But Yvonne could not do anything about it other than pray for her sister¡¯s happiness from far away in her place at Arno Castle. That was why Bianca weighed more heavily on Yvonne¡¯s heart. Seeing Bianca alone in this huge castle reminded Yvonne of her younger sister, making her feel restless. Moreover, hadn¡¯t Bianca lost her nanny, who was like a mother to her, only three years ago? The times Yvonne had occasionally seen Bianca standing alone in the hallway and looking out the window, there had always been a profound loneliness hanging over the latter¡¯s shoulders. ¡°All right then, Yvonne. Do you think you¡¯d be able to do this again tomorrow? It definitely seems to have an effect.¡± It was said as a suggestion, but to the listener, it felt closer to an irrefusable order. It may have been because of Bianca¡¯s high-handed demeanor which came naturally to her. Her light green eyes were calm, like she was confident Yvonne would accept. But Yvonne could sense the fear of rejection lurking underneath Bianca¡¯s stubborn, seemingly unyielding tongue. Furthermore, hadn¡¯t Bianca asked her to treat her hands again tomorrow? Bianca never made the same maid do an exclusive task regularly. Instead of calling for a specific maid to handle specific tasks, Bianca simply gave orders to a new maid whenever she had something that needed to be taken care of. Which was why Bianca was considered a picky, troublesome superior. She didn¡¯t even remember the names of the servants. No, from the start, she never even asked for their names. Sensing the subtle change in Bianca, Yvonne quickly replied in a cheerful tone, ¡°Of course, madam.¡± A small smile graced Bianca¡¯s lips once she heard the maid¡¯s affirmative response. It was a very subtle smile, hard to even tell if the corners of her lips curved upwards or not, but it was enough to elicit a scent resembling blooming violets to circle the air. Yvonne blinked, witnessing Bianca¡¯s smile for the first time. Her heart swelled, feeling like she was observing a white fox lowering its guard and carefully coming to rub its head against her hand. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 ¨C A Wounded Palm (7) Translator: Skye PR: mm1347 Yvonne asked if she could accompany Bianca on her walk the next morning. Bianca nodded her head impulsively, thrown off by the sudden question, but a smile naturally rose on her face once she saw Yvonne smiling while commenting on how she hoped the weather tomorrow would be nice. Once Yvonne left, Bianca busied herself with embroidery. However, she eventually found herself staring at the wooden frame in a daze. It was something she had started out of habit, and though it was halfway done, she found she could not make any further progress. She ultimately moved the messy embroidery frame out of the way. It wasn¡¯t like she¡¯d make any progress even if she continued holding it anyway. It had been a long time since she last went on a walk with someone. Bianca carefully placed a hand over her chest. It may have been due to the feeling of anticipation, but her heart was pounding. Bianca recalled Yvonne¡¯s innocent eyes looking at her. She wondered what Yvonne was like in her past life, but realized she couldn¡¯t recall any memories of her. But that was to be expected. After all, the past Bianca considered maids as nothing more or less than passing tools. Yvonne was likely to have been kind to her in the past as well. A person¡¯s nature wasn¡¯t something that could be easily changed, after all. However, Bianca¡¯s past self hadn¡¯t been able to recognize Yvonne¡¯s thoughtful kindness. If, by chance, she had noticed Yvonne¡¯s existence, would things have been different? Bianca lightly shook her head. She had been too foolish and inexperienced to be able to see how precious each small encounter was. Even if there had been an opportunity for her to run into Yvonne in the past, Bianca wouldn¡¯t have even bothered to look at her properly. Still, thanks to the things she had learned in her past life, the present Bianca was able to accept Yvonne¡¯s goodwill. It was just a suggestion for a walk, but it was something that never would have happened in the past. Whenever things like this occurred, a small smile of contentment fell on Bianca¡¯s lips as she felt assured that she was really living a second life. Later that day, however, yet another event arose which had not occurred in her past life: Zachary coming to find her. Zachary stood by the door stoically, while Bianca stared at him blankly, startled by his unexpected visit. ¡°Are you not going to permit me to step inside?¡± ¡°¡­No, please come in.¡± Once her permission was granted, Zachary strode through the door and into her chambers. The soles of his boots were clean, yet Bianca felt like she could see footprints left behind by his steps. He was as huge and intimidating as ever in her eyes. Her expression was calm, not wanting him to catch on to her fear of him, but she couldn¡¯t hide the involuntary trembling of her shoulders. ¡°Your hand. Please open it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Bianca obediently splayed her palm at his assertive command. Bianca hated the way he spoke as if he was dealing with one of his subordinates. It was a blunt way of speaking, holding neither lip service nor sweet nothings. He was a man whose method of persuasion was using a sword. As such, his physical prowess was outstanding, but he lacked a smooth tongue. There was no particular reason for him to be good with words. At the very most, whatever smooth-talking ability he had was used to boost the morale of his troops. Joy and displeasure weren¡¯t emotions Zachary displayed openly. Though that was a common trait in nobles, Zachary¡¯s placidity was on another level. He was a man resembling a very sharp sword. It was impossible to find a speck of emotion in him¡­ At least, that had certainly been the case until now. ¡°It still looks like burning charcoal. Why on earth did you refuse to call for the doctor?¡± That same Zachary who rarely showed emotion was currently making his displeasure clear while chastising Bianca. The latter lowered her eyes at his unfamiliar behavior, the shadows of her lashes hiding the confusion swirling in her pupils. Bianca replied quietly, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to cause a scene. Besides, Yvonne took a look, so I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Yvonne?¡± ¡°Yes, one of the maids.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Zachary was silent. One of his brows arched upwards, like he couldn¡¯t believe Bianca had remembered the name of a maid. Bianca herself never thought she would either, so his perplexity wasn¡¯t a surprise. Still, that didn¡¯t mean she could go into detail about her sudden change of heart. As such, Bianca feigned nonchalance and acted like remembering the maid¡¯s name was only natural for her to do. Instead of pressing further with regard to the maid, Zachary pursed his lips in disapproval. He must have been unhappy that she didn¡¯t follow his orders, seeing as he kept going on about seeing a doctor. ¡°But you should still let the doctor take a look.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Once one makes up their mind to lay a hand on someone, they should be prepared to feel pain themselves. Of course, I figured it would be too hard to endure a second time, which is why I resorted to a cane.¡± Bianca observed her hand. Though Yvonne¡¯s herbal bath earlier did have an effect, her hand was still swollen. A noblewoman didn¡¯t necessarily need to be tough or fit, but to think her body would be this weak. Bianca could only sigh. Come to think of it, she wondered how that impudent maid had been taken care of. Bianca recalled Ante and asked about the latter¡¯s punishment. ¡°How did you handle things with that other maid?¡± ¡°She has been dismissed.¡± Zachary¡¯s answer was immediate and firm. A smile took over Bianca¡¯s lips. Of all the things Zachary had done, this was one of the rare deeds she took a liking to. It was a relief that the woman really wasn¡¯t his mistress. If she were, then she wouldn¡¯t have been kicked out of the castle. At the sense of relief from getting rid of a thorn in her side, Bianca unknowingly murmured to herself quietly. ¡°It¡¯s a relief that she isn¡¯t your mistress.¡± ¡°¡­Just how long do you plan on bringing up that talk of a mistress?¡± Zachary retorted exasperatedly, having heard Bianca talking to herself. Witnessing his obvious displeasure, Bianca realized her mistake. No matter how public the knowledge of having a mistress was, it was something that should be hidden and not explicitly brought up. The fastidious ones tended to bristle, faces turning red with anger, whenever they were pointed out as having a mistress¨Cas if their weakness had been targeted. If they were such sticklers for propriety in the first place, then they shouldn¡¯t have gotten involved with a mistress. The fact that they didn¡¯t think that far was laughable. In any case, the issue of a mistress was a sensitive topic for both men and women. Therefore, it was only expected for Zachary to be vexed as Bianca kept prodding that matter. ¡°I apologize if I offended you,¡± Bianca said meekly. ¡°I think you¡¯re mistaken about something.¡± But her apology did nothing to quell Zachary¡¯s emotions. His black eyes flashed an azure blue and the veins on his hands bulged when he clenched them. A single hand of his was big enough to cover Bianca¡¯s entire face, and when clenched into a fist, it was the size of Bianca¡¯s two fists combined. Bianca was well aware that Zachary wasn¡¯t some thug who hit women, but that didn¡¯t prevent her from instinctively putting her guard up or getting goosebumps. ¡°I don¡¯t have something like a mistress.¡± His words came out firmly, each word clear and emphasized, as if he were going to make an indent on her head with his clenched fist. ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Bianca could only blink at the unexpected comment. Zachary didn¡¯t even give her time to sort her thoughts. He took steady, unfaltering steps towards her. The sound of his shoes hitting the floor was intimidating. His aura was so menacing that Bianca unknowingly began taking steps backward, but Zachary didn¡¯t stop, continuing to advance towards her as if stalking prey. Bianca stepped back until she no longer could, her back meeting the cold stone wall. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Bianca released a stupefied sound, finding herself stuck between a wall and Zachary. Her tense body reacted instinctively, shoulders trembling and teeth chattering. Anyone could see she was struck with fear. She looked as submissive and pitiful as a drowning mouse. Bianca bit her lip, catching her reflection in Zachary¡¯s glossy dark eyes. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what kind of scoundrel you see me as, but¨C¡± he mumbled while raising his arm. His palm, which was large enough on its own to cover her entire face and smother her, came over her eyes to obscure her line of sight. Bianca could no longer see what face he was making while looking at her. With her vision blocked off, her other senses were enhanced. The sound of her beating heart, the cold sweat rolling off her body, the wailing sound of the raging wind outside the castle, the chill of the stone wall behind her, the sound of saliva passing down one¡¯s throat, Zachary¡¯s scent¨Ca mix of dense grass and iron¨Cas well as the low timbre of his voice¡­¡­ ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not that shameless.¡±