《First Love Never Dies》


 Chapter 1 - Supporting Role

    There was a romance novel.


    The heroine, Priscilla, was a fallen aristocrat. She was introduced by the people and entered as the Duke¡¯s maid.


    She started working in the residence of the Fenvernon family, which is said to be the strongest of the Dukes in the empire.


    Words referring to the young Duke, the owner of a huge mansion, varied. He was the lord of the vast lands west of the Grandia Empire and was a swordsman born with magical power who will remain in the history of the Empire. He was also a handsome young man who was so beautiful that bards sang songs praising his beauty.


    He had much wealth and great power.


    The Emperor cared for him but was wary of him, the nobles wanted to use him, and the priests praised him while fearing him.


    But the Duke, to say the least, was wandering aimlessly after losing his wife a few years ago.


    Their marriage was not decided by them. It was established through political schemes. They possessed the courtesy of a couple, and their loveless marriage was desolate.


    The reason the Duke married his wife, the daughter of a nameless Count who was in need of influence, was because of the Emperor¡¯s trick. To prevent the Duke¡¯s status from getting higher, he(emperor) put a woman who was useless to him(Duke).


    In the beginning, the Duke was a man who was called a brutal cold-blooded man.  He was called the dragon¡¯s power and was a subject of awe. He was also used to everyone being afraid of him.


    Still, because everything about the Duke was so attractive, countless beauties approached him, but no one received his love. So no one thought the quiet and weak Duchess would move his mind.


    Their marriage ended tragically. One day, his wife, who was walking alone, fell into the river and died.


    It was not until his wife died in an unfortunate accident did the Duke begin to regret.


    To the Duke, his wife was his only family but he couldn¡¯t protect her. Having lost his ¡®only family¡¯, he is locked in deep grief.


    It was a time when he was on guard because she was the woman the emperor gave him, and he spent heartless years because he didn¡¯t want to have a precious person.


    But maybe he loved her and could have cared for each other, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t. It was the Duke¡¯s fault and the possibility withered without blooming.


    What use is it, regretting now? His wife¡¯s soul would have already disappeared in the deep river.


    The happiness he could have attained seemed infinitely beautiful. She(Priscilla) gradually became the main character of the fantasy.


    So, only after the duchess died, she developed a sense of presence in front of the Duke.


    Thus, the duchess finally became his first love.


    With indelible traces, she remained as a pathetic shadow and became an existence that the female protagonist took as ¡®an enemy that cannot be beaten¡¯/ ¡®an unwinnable enemy¡¯.


    But what¡¯s the use of it all?


    The dead have no power. What more, if it¡¯s an extra that only appears in romance novels.


    The ex-wife is just an obstacle that the female protagonist must overcome, a conflict element for a happy marriage of lovers, an extra who will eventually be removed from the Duke¡¯s heart.


    Eventually, Priscilla removes the dark shadow in the Duke¡¯s heart and falls in love with him.


    There are obstacles, but it was a happy ending waiting for the two of them, as is the case in most romance novels.


    But if there¡¯s one problem, it¡¯s the fact that I¡¯ve become the ¡°Ex-wife of the Duke,¡± Alyssa Fenvernon.


    So now my husband is Rashid, Duke of Fenvernon, the male protagonist of the romance novel.


    ¡®Ah, this is ridiculous. How did it happen?¡¯

 Chapter 2

    ¡®Ah, this is ridiculous. How did it happen?¡¯


    I sighed and held my head.


    The long hair that can be held in the hand is a bright coral color. I¡¯m wearing a chemise made of pure white silk and sitting on a bed covered with delicate-patterned sheets, and this was the bedroom of the Duchess of Fenvernon.


    Everything around me was alive.


    It means that I am now a character in the book.


    When I woke up one day, it was a world in a novel. I never dreamed that such a ridiculous thing would happen to me.


    The start of the incident came from a very small mistake.


    I, a twenty-two-year-old college student, went to the Han River to see a meteor shower and fell into the river when I lost my footing.


    In an instant, the ice-cold water filled my lungs. The drenched body was getting heavier. I felt a sudden urge to reach the light on the surface, but I could not reach it.


    Is this how I die? My life was not long, it ended without a hitch/ absurdly.


    I was caught up in deep darkness and struggled and lost my conscience¡­


    ¡­ When I woke up and I was here.


    When I opened my eyes for the first time, a gorgeous ceiling came into my view.


    Where am I? I¡¯m sure I fell into the river¡­.


    ¡°Madam, are you okay?¡±


    Someone who noticed I opened my eyes ran and wiped the cold sweat off my forehead.


    Madam? Who are you talking about? Are you talking to me?


    ¡°¡­Where is this?¡±


    As I woke up while wondering, a headache that seemed to break my head came over. I screamed and fell.


    At that moment, a strong shock hit me as if I had been struck by lightning. Along with the story, the memory of Alyssa, the body¡¯s original owner, quickly penetrated my head. Thanks to this, I realized that I had fallen into the world of romance novels.


    A violent pain ensued. It was a terrible headache, like stabbing the head with a needle.


    ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡±


    ¡°Madame, madame! What am I supposed to do?¡±


    As she screamed and covered her head, the maid made a fuss. It seemed that she had brought other people in, but I passed out before they even arrived.


    It was midnight when I came back to my senses.


    The duchess¡¯ bedroom was still in the deep darkness. Blue moonlight shone through the closed window. The cool light somehow made me feel uneasy. My parched lips made me feel thirsty.


    I got up and lit a candle. The dim interior soon emerged against the weak light.


    The bedroom that I looked around again was no longer an unfamiliar space. Now I know this place. The place where Alyssa stayed for over a year was now in my memory.


    ¡®How can this happen?¡¯


    I wished everything was a dream. When I wake up again, I would be in hospital. Actually, it¡¯s all a dream while I am unconscious


    But as the morning dawned, I slowly began to accept this reality.


    I had to do that. Because no matter how many times I opened my eyes, I was still in this strange world.


    In the morning, a doctor came to see me. According to the doctors, Alyssa woke up three days after falling into the Seira River across the land and barely rescued.


    ¡°Madame, do you recognize me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the Duke¡¯s doctor.¡±


    In response to my answer, the doctor exchanged a meaningful look with the maid. As it turned out, speaking too politely to him, who was a subordinate, was embarrassing to them.


    Even if they were from the countryside, Alyssa, a noble, would have treated them informally.

 Chapter 3

    If I couldn¡¯t go back to the original world right away, I would have to adapt to this place. I felt the need to imitate her behavior so that no one else would find me strange.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s because of the shock. You¡¯ll feel better if you rest well.¡±


    Thanks to the doctor¡¯s diagnosis, I was confined to my bedroom for a while and taken care of by my maids.


    I did nothing and rested. Eat then sleep, eat then sleep again.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to do anything. I¡¯m already doing nothing, but I want to do nothing more intensely.¡¯


    (T/N: Lol, this is so me )


    Please read this at blackcattranslation.wordpress.com


    But after a few days, I got tired of that, too. My daily life, with nothing to see or play, was boring and dull.


    Meanwhile, I recalled Alyssa¡¯s memories one by one and retained them again. And I slowly retraced the memories of me, the 22-year-old Kim Ye-ri, who fell into the Han River.


    The novel ¡¶The Inevitable Destiny¡·, which underlies this world was a book that was in my bag when I drowned. I thought it was an extremely ordinary story, no different from other Harley Quinn romance novels.


    But I became the character in that novel ¡­


    I remember the first time I saw the mirror.


    Beyond the colorful gold mirror, a woman was looking at me. A pink hair that paints a soft curve, gray pupil mixed with blue, and a small slender body.


    As I tilted my head slightly, the woman in front of me moved with me. It was hard to believe that this was really me, even though I¡¯ve seen it dozens of times already.


    But surely the woman in the mirror was me, and now I was Alyssa Fenvernon.


    She was not the main character nor a supporting character with power, but an extra with only her name being mentioned in the novel. There are many other characters, but why did I have to possess the male lead¡¯s ex-wife role?


    Besides, it¡¯s really too much that the story unfolds only when you die.


    In other words, as a result of waking up in this body, Rashid¡¯s wife, Alyssa, who was supposed to become his ex-wife, did not die and survived.


    Only when Alyssa dies will Rashid glorify her, miss her, regret his past words and deeds, and leave her as a scar in his heart. Only then would Priscilla, the heroine, heal the loss of his family and wife, but things got messed up. Perhaps this is good?


    In fact, Rashid¡¯s beloved ¡°original Alyssa¡± has died.


    It¡¯s because I¡¯m alive in the ¡®body of the real Alyssa¡¯.


    ¡®What should I do now?¡¯


    I sighed as I looked at the ring on my left ring finger.


    The love for Alisa-I don¡¯t know if that really is love-but what will happen to Rashid, who didn¡¯t realize it? Still, will destiny follow the flow of the original story?


    And what should I do when I meet that Rashid?


    Is there a way back to the original world?


    If I continue to remain in this world, how should I live?


    Why did this happen?


    I constantly thought about it, but there was nothing I could answer.


    As I dwelled on my thoughts like this, twelve days passed in the blink of an eye while living as ¡®Alyssa¡¯ and taking care of my health.


    Rashid grabbed the end of that time and came to me.


    * * *


    ¡°One, two, three¡­¡±


    I looked out the window and counted. It was to count the leaves of the tree that I could see from my bedroom. As spring came, the green color of the young leaves that sprouted on each branch was fresh.


    One day, however, it will wither. That¡¯s what fate means. A future that is already fixed and cannot be avoided.


    ¡°Madame, what are you doing?¡±

 Chapter 4

    The maid approached me and snooped as if she didn¡¯t know what to say. I pointed over to the window without looking back at her.


    ¡°Louise, look over there. I was counting the leaves in that tree. When the last leaf falls, I¡­ I¡¯m going to die.¡±


    I spoke wistfully like a time-worn lady just waiting for the day she dies. I gently laid my hands over my chest as if I were the heroine of a tragic story. A smile that was formed with a slight pull of the tip of one¡¯s mouth must look pathetic and lonely.


    At my words, the maid Louise, looked out the window and at me alternately with an impatient expression.


    ¡°What do you mean, Madam? It¡¯s spring now, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Embarrassed by the cold criticism, I simply rolled my eyes. After all, how would she know about¡¶The Last Leaf¡·? It was a short story from ¡®the world outside of the novel¡¯, so there was no way we could be on the same page.


    Yes. The season was a sunny spring, and new leaves sprouted abundantly in the tree. The sun shone over the garden as if the day the last leaf falls would never come.


    A soft breeze blew past the garden plants towards me, and my long hair curled and fluttered.


    ¡°I know. I was just pretending to be the main character .¡±


    (e/n: main character of the short story she mentioned, ¡°The Last Leaf¡± by O. Henry)


    ¡°Pardon? The main character?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    I shook my head gently. It was funny how I imitated the main character when I was just an extra.


    Louise, who didn¡¯t know what was going inside my mind, tilted her head. I turned away from her curious gaze and sat down.


    ¡°What about His Grace? Have you heard from him yet?¡±


    ¡°No. He has yet to send word.¡±


    My husband had already been away for days. It was clear that it didn¡¯t matter to him whether his wife was sick or not. I was sure I would¡¯ve gotten news of where and why he left since he had been out of the house ever since I woke up after days of being ill.


    ¡®He¡¯s incredibly indifferent to his wife.¡¯


    It was true. I couldn¡¯t believe he had been away from the mansion for days without any word. Did something urgent happen? I felt uneasy even though I knew it was useless.


    I wanted to see him soon, but on the other hand I didn¡¯t want to see him at all. Rashid Fenvernon would be the ultimate proof that I was trapped in the world of the novel.


    So whenever I thought of him, I¡¯d inevitably get confused. I decided to think about something else for a change.


    ¡°I have to go out on the town tomorrow. It¡¯s frustrating to stay inside the mansion.¡±


    ¡°No, Madam. Please listen to me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s frustrating.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get in deep trouble if anything else happens, Madam.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll defend you.¡±


    ¡°Madam?¡±


    Louise, who had been firmly dissuading me, laughed as if I was telling nonsense this time. She didn¡¯t seem too keen on being criticized for failing to stop me.


    ¡®You¡¯re looking down on me.¡¯


    She wasn¡¯t worried about me. Rather, she was more worried about what the Duke might say.


    This was all because Alyssa had a low position within the Ducal House of Fenvernon. The Duchess was a woman whom the duke was forced to marry.  Although it wasn¡¯t too obvious, it was a fact, so her situation was embarrassing.


    It would be nice to have a more comfortable child as a personal maid. However, in the first place, there weren¡¯t many employees in this mansion.


    Furthermore, Louise Garnett was a maid who had worked in the palace before, so I couldn¡¯t just deal with her however I wanted.  The Emperor had personally presented Louise to the Duchess as a wedding gift. Even though she was quick-witted and disregarded my opinion, she took care of me.


    For example, she would put a shawl around me without my asking, check my body¡¯s condition and automatically serve suitable tea, open invitations and decide where to sort them before I could, or choose a dress to wear for a banquet without consulting me even once. As if they were self-prepared in advance, schedules and tasks to be done were decided without considering my wishes.


    ¡®Maybe she¡¯s just being presumptuous rather than caring.¡¯


    I took a moment to sift through Alyssa¡¯s memories. I was a little worried that Louise would sometimes act in that manner.


    However, the original Alyssa was pleased with Louise¡¯s presence.

 Chapter 5

    Alyssa grew up in the County of Regantia, on the northwestern frontier of the Empire. Hailing from an unknown family with a small and barren land, it was impossible for her to know the sophisticated taste of high society.


    Having lost her mother early, she was so quiet and timid that she didn¡¯t engage in proper social activities.


    I was lucky to have someone like Louise who knows all about high society and socializing to be taking care of me.


    ¡°I chose this myself for you. You can¡¯t be seen as tacky.¡±


    Louise, who grew up in the province, was taking care of herself to not be ridiculed by wearing an outdated dress.


    ¡°The lady doesn¡¯t know where to go.¡±


    It¡¯s about choosing parties that you can go to for yourself who doesn¡¯t know the subtle war of nerves in society.


    ¡°It¡¯s all for your own good, Madam.¡±


    Everything she said was straightforward for me, who still lacks the capacity as a duchess.


    Usually, Louise would be telling Alyssa where to go, what to wear, and do.


    Alyssa wasn¡¯t very dissatisfied with those days, but the Duchess now is no longer the same as she once was.


    ¡®I don¡¯t think I have to do what Louise says anymore.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t because I was in a situation of a Duchess and a maid, but because she kept saying harsh things while squeezing me.


    If I had to stay with her, it seemed necessary to talk with each other about what kind of direction we should take in the future.


    ¡°You know, Louise.¡±


    She turned her head at my call.


    It was then.


    Knock Knock¡ª


    A knock at the door was heard.


    (T/N: I feel like a ghost will pop up hehe)


    Who is it? The doctor came and went earlier, and there¡¯s no one to see me at this time. Is it the maid, Mrs. Ronan? Or a butler? My head tilted itself at the question.


    (t/n: don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s the ml!! Getting ready with knives)


    Louise, who approached the door to respond, looked surprised when she checked the person outside the door. She knelt down to show her respect to the guest.


    If Louise was polite all of a sudden, it must be¡­


    My back went cold at the unexpected situation.


    Of course, I knew we would meet someday, but not now.


    No! I¡¯m not ready yet!


    ¡°Madam, His Excellency is here.¡±


    As soon as Louise was finished, I hurried into bed.


    ***


    People call Alyssa Fenvernon the luckiest girl in the world.


    It was a mockery of her being a duchess as was with her luck.


    It¡¯s not wrong.


    The daughter of a fallen Count who only had a name left, and an ordinary girl who can be seen everywhere takes the place of the Duchess of the Fenvernon family! Isn¡¯t that perfect luck?


    But was it really perfect?


    Was it really good enough to make people jealous and envious?


    I looked at the best luck God had given me with suspicious eyes.


    It was in the form of an admirable man.


    A sleek figure like an elegant black leopard, and a gorgeous beauty that catches the eye at once. Looking like that, he was the owner of the most powerful dukedom in the Empire and an unprecedentedly strong swordsman in history, a man with everything.


    Because of Alyssa¡¯s memory, I already knew his face, but when I saw him in person, I was speechless because of his overwhelming presence.


    I sat down and stared at him, blinking my eyes. He was looking down at me, too. His dark black hair looked like the deepness of the night and golden eyes that shone like a full moon in the middle.


    It was him who opened his mouth first.


    My husband, the owner of the Fenvernon dukedom, and the male protagonist of the story¡ª Rashid.

 Chapter 6

    He said:


    ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t feeling well yet, but you look pretty well.¡±


    ¡°¡­yes, probably because many days have passed.¡±


    He looked at me in a subtle way. I followed him and answered calmly.


    ¡°Thank you for your concern. I¡¯m relieved to see that Your Excellency also appears to be flawless.¡±


    It was a formal reply. I wonder if Alyssa would have answered like how I did just now. I wanted to imitate her as much as I could, but it was hard to be completely the same. I can¡¯t help it. Even if I had Alyssa¡¯s memory, I wasn¡¯t really ¡°Alyssa¡±, so it was hard to talk and act like her.


    ¡°You feel much relieved?¡±


    Rashid¡¯s brow slightly frowned. No way, did I choose the wrong reply? But it was a very ordinary answer, so I continued on nervously.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m worried that something was going on¡­because of what I did.¡±


    ¡°You, me?¡±


    He looked down at me coldly. It was a gruesome and sharp look, as was the moonlight of this world once looked.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Asked Rashid. His look of contempt sharply stared down at me, as if he would find out what I truly meant as if trying to find  my true intentions.


    The pressure he was exuding was about to choke me. Do you doubt me? What did I do? Are you wondering what kind of tricks a woman who married you at the emperor¡¯s order would do? Or maybe you even noticed that I wasn¡¯t Alyssa?


    I replied cautiously, trying to repress my anxious heart.


    ¡°Because¡­I¡¯m your wife.¡±


    ¡°My wife.¡±


    Recounting on what I had said, Rashid smiled a corny smile. But not everyone whose lips are curved up are smiling. The emotions on his face clearly showed distrust and doubt.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t blame you if you told me honestly that you wouldn¡¯t mind if I didn¡¯t come back.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°My wife is so kind.¡±


    His mouth is smiling softly, but not his eyes. The bright yellow eyes now looked like a wild animal at night. Feeling like a prey in a game, I ducked my head to avoid him.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re more concerned about yourself rather than me.¡±


    Rashid¡¯s voice rang over my head. I wasn¡¯t foolish enough to think it was true.


    The apparent indifference and the little bit of hostility he showed was perplexing. It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t understand why he married Alyssa, but what I do know is ¡®Alyssa, Rashid¡¯s First Love¡¯ in the novel


    But what¡¯s the situation now? I was so confused by the much harsher and sharper attitude than I had imagined.


    It was a story that made sense if you asked me to worry about myself. And it was certainly absurd for the weak woman who almost drowned to be worried about the comfort of Rashid Fenvernon, the owner of a powerful power.


    ¡®But¡­I can¡¯t believe that I¡¯m acting this way to a person with such an attitude..¡¯


    As I thought over and over again, my anger soared.


    As if to keep up with the beat, Alyssa¡¯s past days that were spent in agony began to rise up. Things like fear, sadness, sorrow, grief, inferiority, and loneliness caught my ankle. I raised my head up and said:


    ¡°No.¡±


    I quietly opened my mouth. My cold and subdued heart that came out of those feelings rose and the voice that came out of my throat came out calmly, unlike before.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if I don¡¯t wake up. Because it¡¯s harder for me to be affectionate to a husband who won¡¯t tell me how he feels honestly.¡±


    Rashid narrowed his eyes at the words I retorted back to him.


    ¡°Are you angry, Madam?¡±


    There was a small stir on his face, but he was still as calm as he was before. Although it was a very subtle vibration, I still noticed it. This was probably the first time his wife has ever treated him like this.


    Alyssa Fenvernon, whom Rashid knew, was a gentle and weak duchess. She was a quiet, timid woman who understood her own situation very well. In this politically arranged marriage, she didn¡¯t try to go against his feelings and decisions.


    But this time, Alyssa certainly did. (go against his feelings)


    So let it be.


    ¡°No way. I¡¯m just grateful. I¡¯m afraid that I¡¯m causing you to waste your time. After all, it¡¯s hard for you to take care of your wife because you¡¯re so busy.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re angry.¡±


    ¡°Do you think this is something to get angry about?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s like you.¡±


    It was an overly typical line.


    ¡°Do you know what I¡¯m like?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it really like me?¡±


    How much does Rashid know about Alyssa? Is it really the ¡®Alyssa¡® he knows? He couldn¡¯t be so sure, but he goes on and says, ¡®It¡¯s not like you¡®.

 Chapter 7

    ¡°I think you need more rest, Madam.¡±


    ¡°So I do.¡±


    It was at that time when he was breathing in to retort his words.


    Trickle¡ª


    I felt something watery flow quickly down from my nose to my lips.


    Ah, this familiar sensation, this feeling is definitely¡­


    When I wiped my mouth off, I found my hand covered in blood. Oh, my God. I¡¯m having a nosebleed.


    While I was looking at the hand that wiped off my mouth, I could feel something flowing down from the opposite nostril. Blood began to flow down as much as possible in an instant and the bedsheets began to get stained.


    When I saw the bright red blood, my eyesight suddenly became fuzzy. My surroundings were starting to become blurred and I felt dizzy. My vision began to slowly dim out.


    I was starting to lose my bearings. Cold sweat began to flow and everything sounded like it was getting farther and farther away.


    No, what¡¯s wrong with me? Why¡­


    ¡°Alyssa!¡±


    (t/n: he finally called her name!)


    The last time I heard Rashid calling, I lost consciousness.


    ***


    ¡°Louise, I want some water¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mistress. Please wait a minute.¡±


    There is still red blood in front of me. My heart kept beating without listening.


    When I drank a glass of cold water, it felt like my head finally cooled down.


    ¡°Phew¡­¡±


    After a long sigh, I laid back in bed.


    After collapsing in front of Rashid with a nosebleed, I was lying on a bed when I regained consciousness.


    The doctor, who examined my body, diagnosed it as a sudden rush of blood to my head. My body wasn¡¯t healed yet, but because of a sudden change of my emotions, I got to where I was now.


    The doctor just said, ¡°You weren¡¯t so healthy to begin with, but you¡¯re even weaker now. Try to stay calm,¡± and left.


    I wasn¡¯t so emotional¡­ But if the doctor said so, then that¡¯s what it is. Even if I pretend to be, I was also worried because my body was thin and skinny.


    ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t feel dizzy anymore.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since the Duke came, and you¡¯ve already fallen in front of him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡±


    Louise sat on the bedside and criticized me. I didn¡¯t like it because it seemed like I was getting scolded by Louise, but I decided to stay still because I was embarrassed and ashamed.


    Still, it was fortunate that I had a poor constitution and not for any other reason. If I had a healthy body, I could have been mistaken for being excited about Rashid.


    It was never like that, but rumors sometimes spread ridiculously, so you never know.


    ¡°His Excellency told me to take good care of his wife and left.¡±


    God, really? For some reason, he was being strange.


    I stared blankly at the ceiling. I had no energy left since I lost a lot of blood.


    ¡°Really, Mistress. You¡¯re a really worrying person.¡±


    Louise wiped my forehead with a wet towel and said affectionately.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I feel uneasy about leaving you alone.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying this because I¡¯m worried about you. You can¡¯t do anything by yourself. But I¡¯ll take good care of you, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah¡­¡±


    I think it¡¯s time to say thank you, but the words didn¡¯t come out of my mouth. It sounds warm when you hear it at first glance, but when you really think about it, your head becomes muddled.


    Louise has often spoken this way before. Listening to it, Alyssa seemed to think of herself as a fool who couldn¡¯t do anything without Louise, and it was Louise¡¯s way of speaking that made me feel like I had to depend on her.


    ¡°So, from now on¡­.¡±


    ¡°Louise.¡±


    I quickly raised my voice and cut off Louise.


    ¡°Get me some warm tea.¡±


    ¡°¡­yes, Mistress.¡±


    Louise¡¯s expression showed dissatisfaction. I stared at her with a determined look as she stood there with her hands on her hips. Louise soon yielded to Alyssa and went to get her warm tea.


    This certainly doesn¡¯t go unnoticed when this situation happens. I could make up how Louise¡¯s attitude toward Alyssa was from this.

 Chapter 8

    Anyways, I was left alone in the bedroom, staring out the window blankly and silently thinking about more important matters.


    Finally, I met Rashid Fenvernon¡ª someone whose name actually appears in the novel. A real character in the book, and the male protagonist of ¡¶Inevitable Fate¡·.


    As I read in the book, ¡®Alyssa¡¯ is Rashid¡¯s ¡®first love¡¯, but it seems like it was a title that could only be granted after death. There was a sharp contrast between his cold attitude towards me and what was said in the book. The energy he gave off was so blade-like that I felt like it was going to pierce my skin to pieces. It was an intense first meeting that was really hard to forget.


    After facing him, this place felt unfamiliar. The world I crashed into might be fictional, but what matters now is that I¡¯m here.


    The world that was only a reality on paper became my reality and hit me hard. I was afraid of it because I was unfamiliar with the land that I didn¡¯t originally grow up in.


    I was the spilled ink on the paper. I was supposed to disappear behind the stage earlier, but I was still a fake actress in front of the audience.[1]


    What should the uninvited guest of the story, the person who changed the fixed plot, do in the future? A dark anxiety arose in my heart, trying to gauge the kind of future I¡¯d have no control over.


    Originally, it was supposed to be 15 days after Alyssa had died that Rashid would be wallowing in regret.[2]


    But Alyssa, I¡¯m not dead.[3]


    Therefore, Rashid doesn¡¯t realize his feelings for Alyssa. His regrets have now become absent.


    And because Alyssa isn¡¯t dead, the Duchess¡¯ seat isn¡¯t vacant.


    In such a situation, what if Priscilla, the original female lead, appears?


    Even if Alyssa is alive, Rashid will still probably fall in love with Priscilla. Because that is their fate.


    But what would happen to me?


    If this continues on, I¡¯ll become a hindrance to the original plot. This isn¡¯t an ideal situation I¡¯d want to be in and it was a stumbling block for me.


    ¡®But I can¡¯t drown in the river again.¡¯


    I¡¯m worried about straying away from the original plot I know, but I don¡¯t want to keep the original plot at the expense of my life.


    Don¡¯t tell me that I shouldn¡¯t be alive. The possibility of this world killing me in the future isn¡¯t possible, is it? I¡¯m afraid that I will be forced to disappear.


    I should take care of myself first. I don¡¯t want to die miserably twice.


    There is a long way to go if I want to return to the real world I lived in, and in a way, this is my second life.


    Although I borrowed someone else¡¯s body and shared her memories, it was also a chance for me to live again. In this moment, I am alive and well¡ª even if this world wasn¡¯t where I was born and raised in.


    ¡®This time, I have to live a long and fulfilled life.¡¯


    My goal is to live comfortably in this complicated world.


    But to do that, how should I live from now on?


    If everything in the future goes like how it did in the original, then I shouldn¡¯t stay here.


    It was plausible to imagine Rashid, who was blinded by his love for Priscilla, kicking me out so Priscilla could have my position. I¡¯m still in an ambiguous position, but if I think of myself simply as a former duchess¡­it¡¯s so terrible. Maybe I should be thankful for getting kicked out alive, and not dead.


    Of course, I don¡¯t want to die like Alyssa from the original plot.


    Notes:


    [1]tl: it means that she had changed what the story was supposed to be.


    [2]means: 15 days have passed since the original or the book timeline Alyssa died and by this time Rashid would be regretting.


    [3]but she, the current Alyssa is not dead.

 Chapter 9

    ¡®Because I¡¯m not the original Alyssa, I can¡¯t speak and act like her. Therefore, I need to quickly get away from the course of the novel so that I don¡¯t seem suspicious.¡¯


    That was the decision I made.


    ¡®So that means I have to leave this place. I have to find a way to be free as soon as possible.¡¯


    I can move away from the male lead and create a place for the heroine, and live peacefully away from the center of the story. So that when everyone has a happy ending, everything is perfect.


    Even though some variables have risen, I already know the clear process of getting the right answer.


    ¡®Because even if I try to do my goals using any means beside Rashid, it¡¯ll all be in vain.¡¯


    But I have to think about how to proceed with the process properly.


    ***


    ¡°Mistress, I have brought your tea.¡±


    While thinking about my plan repeatedly, Louise returned with a tray, filled with an elegant pattern of tea set.


    Made with the finest tea leaves, the tea was surprisingly fragrant and rich. The tea went from my mouth to my throat and beyond. I closed my eyes and savored the taste of the tea. It¡¯s enjoyable to have this kind of luxury.


    What a great family the Fenvernon Duchy was. Compared to how I lived as an ordinary 22-year-old college student, this world surrounding me now was unimaginable.


    At first glance, the Duchess¡¯ bedroom was relatively simple in interior decoration compared to the wealth and reputation of the family. However, if you take a closer look, everything was luxurious.


    Every day, the maids swept and wiped the furniture to have a glossy dark color, carpet with delicate patterns, and elegant chandeliers reflected the clear sunlight and shined brightly.


    I never thought I¡¯d enjoy this super luxurious life. This all happened thanks to almost being drowned to death. Fate is really ironic.


    ¡®I¡¯ll break up with this mansion soon, but I¡¯ll enjoy myself a lot until then.¡¯


    But it was then, when I was in my thoughts and taking another sip of tea.


    ¡¸The face of Alyssa who was drinking tea was pale and looked like a flower that had already faded away.¡¹


    ¡­huh?


    ¡¸I can¡¯t believe you were pouring out flesh and blood so suddenly.¡¹


    What is this?


    Suddenly, sentences that I had never thought of began to appear in my head. I was surprised and stopped sipping my tea. My hand that was holding the teacup began to tremble slightly.


    ¡¸Louise thought that Alyssa Fenvernon might die after suffering so much.¡¹


    My eyes widened at the unexpected content. It was ridiculous. What do you mean I might die?


    ¡°Wait a minute¡­¡±


    No, this wasn¡¯t a sound.


    I shook my head violently.


    ¡°Mistress, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Louise¡¯s voice reached my ear. Unlike Louise¡¯s voice that rang in my head and disappeared, this sound remained the same¡ª as if it was sealed in my mind forever.


    Have I been thinking too much now? Did this phenomenon occur because I kept thinking about this world? Or is this just a part of my unconsciousness? What the heck is this?


    When I tried to concentrate on the sentence while frowning, the letters in my head disappeared without a trace like smoke.


    Oh, so it was just a feeling. That¡¯s what I thought it was.


    ¡¸The Duchess must report to the Emperor before she dies.¡¹


    Yet, another sentence popped into my mind as if I were typing it along the way.


    ¡¸Because it was Louise¡¯s mission that the emperor gave. To monitor the Duchess of the Fenvernon Duchy and to inform him of the Duke¡¯s movements.¡¹


    ¡­it wasn¡¯t just a feeling.


    Clearly, unknown sentences were suddenly emerging in my head.


    Sentences that seemed to explain the situation at this moment revolved around me.


    I didn¡¯t think about it, I didn¡¯t see it clearly nor hear it properly, but they left an accurate and clear meaning to me.


    ¡¸ Louise was convinced once again. Alyssa doesn¡¯t suit the position as Duchess of the Fenvernon Duchy.¡¹


    Again. It¡¯s weird. Am I crazy? Am I starting to get delusional? Sentences describing and explaining things as if they were reading a novel were stuck in my head.


    Wait¡­a novel?


    Oh, no way.


    Me the whole chapter ¡­. AHHHHHHH


    Note on change of Madam to Mistress:


    Louise uses ?? (manim) while addressing Alyssa. It is used to exalt the wife of someone, so here ¡®Wife of the Master¡¯. So in the future chapters we will be using ¡®Mistress¡¯. It is also to avoid confusion when Rashid calls/addresses her. He uses ¡®??¡¯ which means ¡®wife¡¯ -a formal way. But both translate to Madam.

 Chapter 10

    A flash of intuition flashed through me in an instant. This is the world in a novel.


    A novel is made up of sentences.


    Then maybe these thoughts that forcibly occupied my head are the sentences of this world that describe the present?


    Wait a minute, then, is Louise thinking these words on the inside while pretending to be obedient and light on the outside? It seems like she¡¯s still treating me carelessly. This wasn¡¯t just a matter of hitting and insulting her.


    Will my guess be the answer?


    I made an insinuation to provoke Louise in order to confirm my guess.


    ¡°Louise, you know what?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mistress?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t suit the position of being ¡®Duchess Fenvernon¡¯?¡±


    As soon as I finished speaking, Louise¡¯s eyes widened. Her green eyes seemed to shake with embarrassment.


    ¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d think that for some reason.¡±


    Louise flinched and waved her hands.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve never done that!¡±


    ¡°Really? Or have you.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God, Mistress, are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    Louise touched my forehead with an exaggerated gesture. It was a gesture asking, ¡°Are you sick?¡±


    I grinned and removed her arm. Seeing that Louise had reacted excessively, it seems that I had directly stabbed at her.


    ¡°I just¡­for some reason, felt that way and said that.¡±


    I¡¯ve never seen such a restless Louise before.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t know much about this mansion, and it¡¯s been over a year since I came here.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re working hard. So you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    That means it¡¯s right that I don¡¯t know anything well.


    I shrugged my shoulders and spoke casually. Small words such as ¡°This cup is pretty¡± and ¡°I want to try another type of tea next time,¡± naturally followed.


    It was then.


    ¡¸ Louise was surprised. This is because Alyssa had spoken as if she had read her mind.¡¹


    I soon became even more convinced of my intuition. I was peeking at a part of this world in another perspective. The contents of the sentences I heard before were indeed true.


    I waited for a while for this to continue.


    But nothing new came to my mind. Seriously, you¡¯re not going to show me any more? I was so curious about what was going to be shown next, because I had no idea how the sentence was created or how it came to my mind.


    To be able to read a ¡®sentence¡¯ of the novel. It¡¯s an amazing ability. But why did I have this ability? Is it because I¡¯m a human who originally lived outside the book? It certainly felt like I was listening to a novel being read to me.


    So, in the future, will these sentences create a whole new story from the original work I know? There were so many things I was curious and upset about.


    ¡®If you¡¯re able to read other people¡¯s minds or the future like this, it¡¯s a terrifying and dreadful ability.¡¯


    But if I read meaningless sentences, I¡¯ll just get dizzy.


    It¡¯d be better if I could decide the content of the sentence or whenever it comes to my mind, but how it was now was a little disappointing. Still, it seemed to be a third person narrative from an omniscient writer¡¯s point of view. This ability will be very useful if it works well.


    I can¡¯t believe this nonsense is possible. Of course, it also doesn¡¯t make sense for a person to enter the world of a novel. (E/n: she¡¯s saying how the ability is nonsense, but at the same time, how a person is able to be in a different world is also nonsense, like her situation)


    ¡®As expected, I¡¯m really from outside this world.¡¯


    What¡¯s happening here is only considered a novel to me. Even if the contents were to change a little bit due to the circumstances, it isn¡¯t a reality but a story in a book.


    I won¡¯t give or use any special powers then. I¡¯ll just find a way to put myself back in my original world. Then, Alyssa and I won¡¯t destroy the fixed plot.


    ¡­no. Come to think of it, I might die when I get back. I don¡¯t know what happened to my body that fell into the Han River. I don¡¯t even remember getting out of the water.


    All I can remember is the black-like water that blocked my breathing, the cold temperature against my skin, and a seemingly never-ending fall¡­

 Chapter 11

    ¡°Mistress?¡±


    I shrank in surprise. When I was lost in my thoughts, Louise¡¯s voice brought me back to reality.


    ¡°Oh, yes, I¡¯m tired. I want to get some rest.¡±


    I beckoned her to come closer with an euphemistic look on my face.


    For some reason, Louise couldn¡¯t control her expression and showed a nervous look. I was worried about what she was thinking inside.


    Louise is a spy that was planted by the Emperor. It wasn¡¯t surprising since it was a plausible thought. Rather, it¡¯d be a surprise to think she wasn¡¯t one. It wasn¡¯t so strange that she was suspicious of everyone around her, except for Alyssa, the one who solely relied on her.


    ¡®The Emperor is trying to keep the Duke in check and in his control.¡¯


    It means that he indeed cares about Rashid¡¯s existence. It seems that my marriage with Rashid is worthwhile that even the Emperor himself checks and gets himself involved with it.


    ¡®He (Rashid) probably thinks that I¡¯m the Emperor¡¯s snitch, someone who tells him Rashid¡¯s every single move.¡¯


    The thought reminded me of Rashid¡¯s hostility and wariness towards me. Now that I think about it, it¡¯d be reasonable to doubt me from his point of view.


    I stared at Louise who was cleaning up the tea.


    I had never seen Louise¡¯s name when I read the novel. She was probably just a Maid 1, or she left the mansion after Alyssa died.


    I don¡¯t know what to do with her. I think I¡¯ll have to let her go once I know her true colors behind that polite facade. Is that what I should call it? Is it even possible to do that?


    I¡¯ll have to get Louise out of the room first. So many things had happened all of a sudden that my mind was exhausted. I needed some time to pick my own thoughts up and relax.


    ¡°Louise, I want to rest. Can you leave me alone?¡±


    ¡°Oh my God, Mistress¡­¡±


    ¡°Quickly.¡±


    I strictly cut Louise off. She looked at me for a moment and lowered her head without further ado. She took cautious steps out of the room.


    ***


    That night¡­


    Back in her room, Louise bit her nails. It was a habit that came out whenever she was embarrassed.


    Somehow, what Alyssa Fenvernon had said during the day bothered her.


    Of course, it was natural for Alyssa to worry about her lack of qualifications as a Duchess. In fact, Louise made sure that Alyssa was aware of it by carefully choosing her words to give that implication. However, if you think about it, the timing of what Alyssa said and what Louise thought wasn¡¯t so strange.


    ¡®But¡­¡¯


    Louise still felt uncomfortable.


    After her near-death experience, Alyssa acted different from before. It was just like when someone had a fever, their words and actions were inconsistent with how they usually were. (tl: it means that Alyssa¡¯s actions now aren¡¯t consistent with how she usually is)


    But what if Alyssa dies because of this illness? (tl: Louise considers her different personality as an ¡°illness¡±)


    Anxiety crept up from the bottom of Louise¡¯s heart.


    If Alyssa dies, the position as the wife of Duke Fenvernon will be vacant again. Then the plan to use Alyssa as a bridge to make connections with other noble families will go down the drain. (tl: Louise won¡¯t be able to do her plan without Alyssa anymore)


    To make it easy as it is now, the next Duchess needs to be a mess like Alyssa, but what would happen then?


    How nice it would be if the Duke and Louise were to meet in the meantime.


    Louise had a dreamlike imagination. Even having a government position is enough for her. But being in the position as Duchess guaranteed that you could never feel unhappy. And it¡¯s not like Louise can¡¯t do what Alyssa does. But in the first place, she and Alyssa were already so different.


    Louise is an illegitimate child of a local baron. The baron didn¡¯t recognize her as his blood because she was the child from a maid he spent the night with.

 Chapter 12

    Louise¡¯s pov:


    Life in my hometown was sick and tiring. I hated my mother who lived in self-pity, the heartless and wicked Baron, and the stuffy countryside.


    So Louise went to the capital on her own. The system was spectacular, but there was no place for her. In the end, She was in a position where she was forced to find any work to make a living. To be a maid of the palace was one of the best things a woman could do with her body.


    Louise, who gritted her teeth, climbed up from below. At first, she was in charge of chores, and later she managed to have the ability to deal with situations from behind-the-scenes. It was a pretty good place because the power could reach the eyes of the ladies.


    The noble ladies looked at Louise in a good light because she knew how to use her tongue well.


    When the Emperor was looking for a spy to put in the Fenvernon Duchy, the Empress recommended Louise. It was a name she had heard frequently from her maids.


    ¡®It would be nice to use Alyssa Fenvernon a little more.¡¯


    Louise wanted to escape from the heinous reality. To do that, Alyssa was still needed. Louise had to be connected with more nobles, to get in their eyes, and to be praised by the Emperor for her hard work.


    ¡®This isn¡¯t enough.¡¯


    Louise pulled out a rugged wooden box hidden between the bed frame and the mattress and opened it. The jewels, which were secretly hidden inside, shone brightly. They were all taken from Duchess Fenvernon¡¯s jewelry box.


    tl/n: oh dear!!!!


    A smile came over Louise¡¯s face. She felt better after checking the glow of the jewels. It was nothing to the Duchess, but it was precious enough to a maid.


    Alyssa didn¡¯t even care about the little jewels. Since she wore the accessories Louise chose, she didn¡¯t know what was or wasn¡¯t. It wouldn¡¯t be too obvious if a few of these were lost in the vast estate of the Duchess.


    The obtuse, cowardly woman was easy to handle. Suddenly, Louise was a woman who couldn¡¯t help herself because she took her place like a star falling from the sky. She was embarrassed when pressed a little bit and listened carefully when she(Louise) tried to coax her. But it was an easy task for Louise, who rolled all around in the palace, to appease a woman (Alyssa) who had no time to relax.


    ¡®Yeah, I¡¯m probably being too sensitive. Alyssa will go back to her cowardly self in no time.¡¯


    She fell into a river, suffered from a fever, and even threw up blood in front of the Duke. Alyssa is just out of her mind and is a little different from before.


    After calming down, she will return as the Alyssa she knows. Because people don¡¯t change easily.


    Then the days when nothing happens again will last. The peaceful days when Louise manipulates a doll with strings hanging on her limbs.


    Unfortunately, however, Louise¡¯s wishes soon shattered.


    e/n: good


    ***


    ¡°Great work, My Lord.¡±


    Granrose directly works under the Duke of Fenvernon.


    Rashid Fenvernon, who came down from the teleportation magic circle, took off his cloak and handed it over to the butler.


    Lee Dong-jin, which connects the duchy of Camelli, the central western city, to the duchy of the islands, was only available to the Fenvernon family. The magic that could move in a distance that would usually take dozens of days on horseback is a precious thing that could only be used by Dukes or the Imperial family..


    ¡°What about the Madam?¡± (Rashid)


    ¡°The Mistress has gotten a lot better. Would you like to stop by her room immediately?¡±


    ¡°Well.¡±


    What should I do? I didn¡¯t mean to be so interested. All she needs to do is live. I don¡¯t really care if she dies.


    ¡°Sure.¡±

 Chapter 13

    This is so capricious.* Rashid sighed briefly. Black hair, like ebony, fluttered into small strands in the air.


    (t/n: he means his behaviour)


    It has been 15 days since his wife fell into the river while taking a walk. Still, I could care about when I would wake up for a day or two, but on the third day, I had to go to Cameli.


    Duke Penvernon¡¯s dukedom borders the western border. The mountain range that created the boundary was so rugged that it was virtually impossible to interact with anything beyond it. People called the mountain range Dragon¡¯s Breath. There was a legend that said the evil dragons in the founding myth fled to the west, setting up the mountain range so that humans could not follow them.


    It is said that there is a fairy country on the western continent beyond the border.


    No living human being has ever been there, and they also did not invade the eastern continent, which led to a long disconnection.


    Now, only the occasional appearances of fairies proved the existence of this race.


    To the west of the dukedom¡¯s borders, beasts often appeared. They were called the remains of evil dragons. It was rare for them to invade private houses, but they prevented people from living in areas they frequented.


    But that rare thing has suddenly increased in recent years.


    Frustrated local lords asked Rashid for help, and Rashid visited the West to protect them as the duke of the local lords. Not to mention that his duties as a duke are far more important than the safety of his wife, who he married politically as the emperor hoped.


    The woman forced by the emperor was a nuisance just in case he was confused with a powerful man. If I was too negligent, I would think that the emperor would not obey me, but I had no intention of cherishing it.


    Then I¡¯d only have to treat her to the extent, he (the emperor) couldn¡¯t find fault with him. Is it necessary to value a woman like a shackle put on by the emperor? The decision was sensible at first glance, and the relationship with her was as callous as could be.


    Alyssa¡¯s complexion, which was an obligatory check in the Duchess¡¯ bedroom, was better than expected. She was still pale, but she was probably like that because she saw a stranger as she was struggling while lying down.


    ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t feeling well yet, but you look pretty good.¡±


    Rashid uttered a formal greeting.


    He knows what she¡¯ll say next. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be embarrassed and sorry for the trouble. I could see her clenching her hands, not knowing what to do. Her blue-gray eyes will look even bluer, frightened.


    She¡¯s a normal woman anyway.


    It¡¯s rare to see eye to eye with her. She was afraid of me and almost hid her eyes. Shoulders huddled like a battered rabbit was portrayed. Like any other human being who treats him, the frightened attitude made him even less willing to not be bored.


    Then he can tell her to rest in peace and recover before leaving. His relationship with her was just about that.


    ¡°¡­Yes, it¡¯s been days.¡±


    But Alyssa betrayed Rashid¡¯s expectations in a pleasing way.

 Chapter 14

    Darkness fell on the duchy¡¯s spire.


    Rashid sat in the office and checked the documents. There was no end to his work throughout the day, from the problems of the vast estates to the matters of the capital.


    Would it have been easier to handle things if he had been mindful of becoming a duke since childhood? The past was irreversible and uncertain.


    Then suddenly, I remembered Alyssa I saw during the day.


    Rashid smirked unconsciously. I thought of how she kept speaking nonchalantly, remarking sarcastic answers, and making complaining faces when I tried to concentrate on the documents. No one has ever dared to do that to me. I was surprised that she suddenly had a nosebleed, but I was relieved to hear that she would be okay if she just relaxed.


    I saw the ring on my left ring finger. I¡¯ve been wearing it as a habit since I got married, but the weight I¡¯ve never recognized felt new.


    What kind of wind is that woman going to bring, the one who was always quiet and in a hurry to avoid me?


    ¡®It¡¯s funny.¡¯


    Rashid rested on his chin. His golden eyes stood out.


    It was extremely rare for anything unexpected to cheer him up. But now it was so interesting that he couldn¡¯t categorize it either way. The insurgency, which was not a threat, was refreshing.


    The world was divided into two things for him. Yes and no, possible and impossible, O and X, good and bad, what he has to do and what he doesn¡¯t have to do¡­and in the meantime, a half-way compromise belonged to those who failed or abandoned the clear classification.


    Succession to the duchy was possible for him. Before that, it was cutting down his blood-stained brothers and sisters. It was also possible to keep my mother on an island.


    As a result, Rashid Penvernon became the Duke of Penvernon of his time, the second son of a duke.


    The emperor allowed Rashid to have everything of a duke¡¯s without accusing him of murder. The immense wealth, power, and honor became entirely his possession.


    The price for it was firm loyalty to the imperial family. The intention was clear to strengthen control over the Duke of Penvernon by incurring debt.


    Use your power for the imperial family, follow and serve the imperial family, do not rise up against it, do not become too prominent¡­.


    Despite having pledged blood loyalty for a long time, the emperor¡¯s restraint became more and more sophisticated. Maybe it¡¯s because he thinks he¡¯s the one who¡¯s going to ¡®set Granrose on fire¡¯, but anyway.


    At first, there was backlash. However, the emperor¡¯s control over the dragon¡¯s power was stubborn. Eventually, after kneeling down once in the palace hall, Rashid obeyed those who put chains around his head.


    It doesn¡¯t matter now. He tells me to do what he wants. The same was true for marrying the daughter of an unknown count. It was a good thing for him.


    Rashid leaned over the chair and closed his eyes. The subtle light of the lamp coiled through his eyelids.


    He liked things that could be measured. Moments that flow as imagined and do not betray expectations were insignificant.


    Things that didn¡¯t, things that went beyond my expectations, usually made me tired. For example, when my brother tried to kill me and my mother and sister joined the plan. It was due to the suffering of their jealousy and inferiority towards the strongest dragon power wielder.


    So Rashid decided not to trust anyone. I couldn¡¯t trust anyone any more. Even my blood relationships rejected me, so who do you think he¡¯s going to trust your heart to?

 Chapter 15

    The inner intentions of those approaching me were obvious enough without a close look. The sight of their mouths drooling over a weak human subject like a bug was disgusting. It was hard work to persevere with it. So the world was disillusioned and life was a drag.


    He did not hide his contempt for others, and it was no exception to the woman he married at the behest of the Emperor.


    Being a duke was an inseparable bond and a burden of sin. It wasn¡¯t a position I wanted, it was a position I had to gain in order to live. So I just wanted this obligation to get it over with soon.


    The lamp went out when Rashid waved. The blue night hugged him silently where the light disappeared. So that no one could see him, the starry shroud slowly covered the Duke of Penvernon.


    The deep night followed.


    * * *


    The rug in the long corridors of the palace is as red as blood, or as flowers. Rashid walked peacefully on them. The emperor was sitting on a gold seat at the end of the carpet waiting for him.


    Helios Grandia, the emperor of his time, was indeed a tiring and troublesome man.


    Since Rashid gained the ability to control fire, the emperor has always wanted to know what he is doing. The stronger his ability, the stronger his obsession.


    It got worse. The desire to keep him under complete control was so ardent that even the women who had a love for Rashid could not overcome his passion.


    ¡°May the glory of the rose be with you. I see the Emperor.¡±


    Rashid kneeled before the emperor. The emperor shook his arms with a gracious smile. It was the permission to rise. Rashid rose from his position.


    ¡°Duke Penvernon, it¡¯s hard to see you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve been in the western territories for a while.¡±


    ¡°I heard. You saw signs of a wave?¡±


    It was a peaceful tone as if he were talking about something unrelated to him, even though it happened within the confines of the empire.


    Rashid¡¯s lips drew a small line in response.


    ¡°We¡¯ve taken the necessary steps, so it won¡¯t be a problem for a while.¡±


    ¡°This is nothing to Duke Penvernon. Isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m flattered.¡±


    When he answered with a light bow, the emperor grinned. An exaggerated sound rang through the palace hall.


    ¡°How¡¯s your wife?¡±


    Well, you do care how I deal with the partner you gave me. Not really curious about her safety, Rashid put up with the poisonous words.


    ¡°Because she is introverted, she doesn¡¯t like to come out¡­ But she¡¯s doing fine,¡±


    ¡°Is that so? You have the same trait as your wife.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m delighted.¡±


    ¡°However, apparently your wife has had a mishap recently.¡±


    ¡°There was a small accident, but it¡¯s okay now.¡±


    I know that Alyssa¡¯s maid worked diligently.


    He knew that the emperor would bother him more if he caught him getting rid of her, but he had only left him to do so. Rumors must have circulated because it was a matter for luxury people to make a fuss. I was fed up when I thought of them making a fuss.


    ¡°Good thing. The Empress said your wife missed the ball. It bothered me.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±


    Judging from yesterday¡¯s attitude, she  didn¡¯t seem to have missed much. He didn¡¯t know what the hell he heard.


    Alyssa has a few friends in society. Rashid knew exactly who they were. But it was the first time I heard that you were acquainted with the empress. I do wonder if it is true, but I needed to be sure.


    ¡°Take care of her so she won¡¯t be lonely, she¡¯ll spend the rest of her life with you.¡±


    ¡°I will obey your orders.¡±


    Rashid bowed his head.


    That is, as much as he can. Rashid easily distinguished the emperor¡¯s commands. Even if the emperor didn¡¯t say it, he was going to anyway.


    He remembered his wife. Her soft coral-colored hair, her azure eyes with a blue tinge, and her unfamiliar words that don¡¯t match her look, seemingly alien and strange.


    It was quite strange to see her make eye contact without showing signs of being afraid of me. She¡¯s been fine for a whole year when she¡¯s  actually had such a vivid look on her face and knew how to say such rude things.


    What more can she do in the future?


    Rashid suddenly wondered about it. Even if she had a temporary stroke or something behind it. It was a touch of curiosity that sprang up through a swamp of endless boredom.


    To a human being of no interest, it was unexpected.


    Rashid felt at first glance unfamiliar with himself. It was a feeling he would never have normally had.


    What the hell changed him, he didn¡¯t know yet.

 Chapter 16

    For a while I was eating and resting well.


    Fortunately, no additional nosebleeds or bleeding occurred since then. I didn¡¯t have a headache and my fever subsided. The body was light and the mind was fresh. The sentences I read sometimes weren¡¯t really something to worry about.


    No one else came to visit me while I was sick. Even though I come from a humble family and have no presence in the dukedom, I¡¯m still a Duchess. I felt bitter for no reason.


    ¡®It¡¯s not bothersome so it¡¯s good.¡¯


    I decided to think positively.


    Rashid has visited me one more time since.


    ¡°Are you feeling alright today?¡±


    He asked in a somewhat softened tone compared to before. The energy of contempt, which was wrapped like a blade, also faded, making it easier to treat him. I don¡¯t know what wind brought about this change, but it was a relief for me.


    ¡°Yes¡­it¡¯s great. The weather is good, the meals are good, my body is in good shape. Everything is good.¡±


    It was a little embarrassing because it was the first meeting after having a nosebleed. I keep avoiding his eyes because I don¡¯t know what to look at right away.


    ¡°Are you relieved of your anger?¡±


    ¡°Yes, well¡­¡±


    He showed signs and I followed suit and nodded my head.


    ¡°Nosebleed.¡±


    ¡°¡­that¡¯s also¡­yes.¡±


    Rashid smirked. The curve with a twisted mouth was smooth, but it seemed to me to be just laughing. Can you laugh when your wife is sick?


    I put my head on it and pretended to be sick.


    I must decide how I want to live in the future. I have to clear up the situation as soon as possible, but at what timing? What I say and how to say it. Rashid¡¯s response to my request was hardly predictable.


    To imagine¡­


    Q. Find the response of the Duke of Penvernon, who was asked to part from the scarecrow wife.


    ¢Ù It¡¯s a marriage I swore to God, so no.


    ¢Ú I can¡¯t let the emperor be bothered.


    ¢Û I can¡¯t because it¡¯s too troublesome.


    ¢Ü I can¡¯t because I love you (it¡¯s speculation, but it¡¯s ridiculous).


    ¢Ý Whatever, you can do that.


    What would the answer be?


    ¡®In this case, it would be nice if a sentence came to mind.¡¯


    Unfortunately, that didn¡¯t happen. Had I been lucky enough to do that, I wouldn¡¯t have fallen here in the first place. You wouldn¡¯t have drowned even in the first place. (she¡¯s saying that to OG Alyssa. It¡¯s the reason why she says ¡®you¡¯.)


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it slowly.¡¯


    After that, Rashid broke apart after sharing a few more small talks.


    He was so busy that he didn¡¯t have much time to face me in the first place. Whenever I had a chance, he had a lot of work to do, such as entering the palace, having meetings with the Privy Council, and taking care of the dukedom¡¯s matters in his office.


    When Rashid was gone, Louise made alterations as promised..


    ¡°This must be a blessing in disguise, Your Excellency. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re sick.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s good about that?¡±


    I replied curtly.


    ¡°Fortunately. If it¡¯s not a time like this, when will you get his attention? It¡¯s a good thing.¡±


    Louise said with a grin. I almost thought it was a good thing.


    Louise was saying, ¡®You are nothing to the Duke¡¯. If you don¡¯t get sick, you can¡¯t get a glimpse of him. She was a poor Duchess. It was meant to crumple her pride.


    In this situation, if it was the Alyssa Louise knew, she would have laughed together with her(Louise), saying, ¡®Uh yeah, really.¡¯ And she must have been overwhelmed by saying that she is only such an existence at best.

 Chapter 17

    But I won¡¯t live with it any longer. It¡¯s inevitable, because the old Alyssa is gone.


    Nevertheless, this is my revenge for me(OG ALyssa).


    ¡®What should I do with Louise?¡¯


    It seems that it would be unreasonable for me to stay in tune with my personality. It was necessary to send Louise out of the Fenvernon Dukedom, even in order to block information from entering the emperor. To do so, I needed a perfect excuse not to argue, ¡®How dare you kick out my maid!¡¯


    ¡®I need to find a way.¡¯


    What should I do to get her out as soon as possible? The afternoon ended while I was thinking about various things.


    As I was watching the duke¡¯s wide garden and the spires beyond it, the duke¡¯s butler, Sylvester, came to visit.


    ¡°Mistress, His Excellency has asked you to join him for dinner.¡±


    * * *


    The duke¡¯s mansion during sunset was quiet.


    It¡¯s not just when it¡¯s dinner. The duke¡¯s house was always calm and desolate, as if submerged in water. I swam through it like a slow-moving fish.


    The estate of the Fenvernon dukedom was huge, as it was the axis of the five dukes reigning over the Empire. Hundreds of rooms were used differently and were all spacious and elegant.


    There were patterns of camellia flowers, the symbol of the family, throughout the mansion. I went back to my room and carved the flowers into my eyes as if I were looking for a hidden picture.


    The Camellia of Fenvernon.


    It was the last name of this family.


    A long time ago, when evil dragons ruled the continent. The founder of the Grandia Empire was called by God and gained the power to rule over dragons, opening the country with five powerful men. The warriors killed the Dragon Kings and took their hearts one by one, each gaining the power of a dragon.


    Thus they became human but close to dragons, and the power of their ancestors was passed down to the five dukes in blood. Some members of each family have this special ability, unlike ordinary people. That¡¯s why Rashid was able to operate magical swordsmanship.


    Among them, Rashid was unprecedentedly strong, comparable to the first duke. So there were sounds of whispering that he would be more of a dragon than a human being. Now that the dragon¡¯s power has gradually faded over the years, his existence has been distinctly disparate.


    And Rashid and I are the only people in this mansion who have Fenvernon¡¯s last name.


    Before marrying me, only Rashid was the Fenvernon of his time. All Grandia nobles know, but for a reason, no one speaks.


    A few years ago, the conflict over the Duke of Fenvernon was called the Camellia Civil War. Rashid was the winner of the war.


    The main character of the tragedy that killed his brothers and confined his mother. The devil of the west dyed the sunset with blood. However, he was so fascinating that anyone couldn¡¯t help but be bewitched by him.


    Strong and beautiful, but deeply wounded. It was indeed a manly setting in a romance novel.


    People thought that Rashid, the second son, had killed his brother for the Duke position after their father died.


    But the reality was a little different. Rashid¡¯s brother tried to kill Rashid because he was jealous of his brother¡¯s ability and appearance that inherited his family¡¯s characteristics.


    I knew the inside story because I read it in the book.


    Alyssa¡¯s memory and mine were intertwined to complete the understanding of Rashid. I¡¯m probably the one who knows him best in the world right now.


    As I passed by, the sun set out of the big window. I walked into the dining room with the purple sky behind me.


    Rashid had already arrived.

 Chapter 18

    Rashid had already arrived.


    ¡°You¡¯re late.¡±


    ¡°You came early.¡±


    I didn¡¯t lose, I hit back.


    It was comfortable not to have to consider his feelings because I had the idea of leaving this mansion in mind. It¡¯s like cutting my stomach if I¡¯m dissatisfied. I was a little worried that it would be the first time, just a little bit¡­


    When I sat across from Rashid, the plates quickly came out. Soon, a simple appetizer was ready.


    I bit off the roasted asparagus with wine sauce. I liked the crunchy texture, so I felt a little better.


    ¡°By the way, why did you suddenly call for me?¡±


    ¡°What must happen to have a meal with my wife?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true¡­¡±


    ¡°For the close relationship between couples, let¡¯s say.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes¡­¡±


    That¡¯s a ridiculous lie. You say that with such a straight face.


    ¡°The doctor says you can eat the right food now. I think we should be together for dinner from now on.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    I asked with my eyes wide open to an unimaginable suggestion. Rashid answered, staring at me as if he had never imagined my questioning.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone who wants that affection.¡±


    Rashid replied curtly. It didn¡¯t even need to be asked who it meant. It was also quickly apparent that his intentions were not so reflected in this position.


    It was hard to add words because it was a forced place. I don¡¯t know what to do because you show that you¡¯re doing something you don¡¯t have to do because of me.


    A silence hung over the table. Hating the silence, I reached out and took a bite of the bread with a fine spread.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s delicious.¡±


    I was trying to say anything that came to mind, but my eyes opened round to more satisfying food than I imagined. The savory and tender taste spread through my mouth. It was an amazing taste that opened my eyes.


    A smile was made on my face by itself. I didn¡¯t hide my pleasant appearance. Even the joy of eating delicious food didn¡¯t have to be hidden.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Foie gras Pate.[1] Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°Yes! It¡¯s so delicious.¡±


    Feeling better again, I made a fresher voice. I thought we could have a little chat like this.


    By the way, I can¡¯t believe I haven¡¯t eaten anything so delicious until now. It was such a waste of time when I was eating food that was easy to digest. From what I can tell, there would have been no problem even if I ate as much as I wanted since last week.


    The menu was served in turn at the speed of Rashid and my meal.


    Grilled mushrooms, pork terrine, top caviar, fresh salmon, and veal tenderloin with sauce made from all kinds of fruits.


    The food tasted great. I constantly talked about food and the state of things, and Rashid answered occasionally, and the meal continued peacefully.


    Rashid was elegant in acting even when eating. Should he be said to be the youth of the century? The perfect etiquette, which was sublime in every move, made his prestige shine even more.


    I watched him eat vegetables with orange marmalade and tried it secretly.


    ¡®This marmalade is too sweet.¡¯


    I barely put up with the fact that my brows almost squinted for a moment. I managed my facial expression diligently. The chef worked hard to make it for me, so I shouldn¡¯t show it. But I¡¯ll talk to the maid later and ask her to make it less sweet. Rashid must think this is too much.


    When the meat of the main dish was cut in turn, the juices seeped out. The smell of properly cooked meat stimulated my nose. Smelling good made me think of spices that were perfect for this meat.


    ¡°Do you happen to know? Dried truffles are also very tasty when chopped up and mixed with salt.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re interested in food. Have you ever eaten like that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, before.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll get it ready next time.¡±


    The past, of course, means time in modern times. What would happen to my truffle salt that I bought at about ten times the normal price by now? Your master is happy in his own way¡­


    Notes: Food torture


    [1] Foie gras Pate: ok so i literally translated it im no food guru so I¡¯m assuming this is what the author meant.


    Pat¨¦ de foie gras is considered an ultimate culinary delight, the king of pat¨¦s. Along with its pedigree comes a hefty price tag. Foie gras is French for ¡°fat liver,¡± and this pat¨¦ is made from the livers of specially fattened geese or duck.


    This is Pat¨¦ de foie gras.


    This is foie gras


    You can check more here for Pat¨¦ de foie gras and Foie Gras. All I know is that they taste good. and now I feel hungry looking at these pics

 Chapter 19

    With that in mind, the fancy meal continued peacefully.


    ¡¸Rashid thought her chattering was like a bird talking.¡¹


    A sentence rose like smoke.


    ¡®This is¡­what Rashid is thinking.¡¯


    I blinked again and again. As Rashid is in front of me, it is right that the description of him continues, but when I actually checked it, I was surprised.


    ¡°Madam?¡± (This is Rashid speaking to Alyssa formally)


    ¡°Yes? Yes! Good!¡±


    Rashid¡¯s voice caught me, who was dazed by the sentence. I answered hastily with astonishment.


    ¡®By the way¡­is it noisy?¡¯


    It¡¯s like a bird is talking, so is talking the point? Are you saying not to talk a lot when eating? I didn¡¯t like the quiet atmosphere, so I tried to talk deliberately, but I wouldn¡¯t. I glanced at Rashid.


    ¡¸When was the last time I faced such a table? Rashid was silent with the memories of a long time ago.¡¹


    The last time I faced a table like this¡­


    After reading the following sentence, I recalled Alyssa¡¯s memories.


    She rarely ate with Rashid, and rarely had any significant conversations in the few places they met.


    ¡®Don¡¯t tell me, do I compare myself to the old Alyssa by contrasting my memories?¡¯


    Maybe I acted too strange. No matter how hard it is to talk and act like Alyssa, if it¡¯s suddenly too different, it¡¯ll seem strange. I don¡¯t mean to live like her, but¡­I should be a little more careful.


    Silence will help me. I decided to focus on food, not words.


    Instead of talking in the dining room, the sound of spoons and dishes clattering followed.


    When I shut up, Rashid didn¡¯t speak any more.


    After the meal, refreshments came in. The snacks were colorful and the tea was fragrant. Rashid and I emptied the teacups, exchanging a few more superficial stories.


    It was already deep into the night when I barely got back to the bedroom.


    ¡°Phew.¡±


    As I tried to sit in the familiar place, a long sigh burst out without realizing it. I felt as if my whole body was melting because my body was so nervous.


    ¡°Madam, I¡¯ll prepare you a bath.¡±


    Louise skillfully led me to the next schedule. I tucked myself into my bathtub full of warm water. As I gestured lightly to the surface, the floating petals scattered along the waves.


    How much longer do we have to spend like this? It¡¯s good to make some decisions. While repeatedly thinking about the unanswered concerns, my white skin burned red with the heat.


    The maids clung to my washed body and wiped the water off. I¡¯ve been through it several times already, but I was still embarrassed.


    When I changed into a light chemise dress, I found white wine and fruit on the table in the bedroom. As I tried to pour a glass of wine, Louise turned off the other light and lit the scented candle on the table.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little dark?¡±


    ¡°Because today¡¯s the day¡­ Well, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±


    After Louise left the room, the bedroom was quiet. Gradually, I began to familiarize myself with the darkness.


    I stared hard at the candle on the table. The raging fire was burning red, burning the wick. Whether the wax was poured with fragrant oil, the subtle scent of flowers made me feel at ease.


    I have to sleep. In this world, nothing can be done late at night. Besides, I¡¯m a little tired today, so it¡¯s a good time to fall asleep early. I put a blanket on, extinguished the flame, and lay down in bed.


    Rattle¡ª


    My eyes awakened at the sound. Did the wind knock on the window? But it was quiet outside without any fuss.


    I went back to sleep, suppressing my nervousness.


    Sneak.


    Then, I heard the sound of the door opening. At the same time, my body bounced reflexively.


    ¡°Who is it? Louise?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until I spoke that I realized my voice was shaking.


    As if to respond to me, the opponent who came into the room lifted the lamp to his face.


    ¡°Alyssa.¡±


    It was Rashid.


    Only then did I let out a sigh of relief.


    Come to think of it, there wouldn¡¯t be an uneasy guest in the Duke of Fenvernon¡¯s mansion, but a reflexive fear arose and goosebumps rose on my back.


    He approached the bed.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    The voice that was trying to ask the purpose of the visit was cut off. Rashid¡¯s hard bare body was seen inside the long neckline of the gown. I turned my head in surprise at the unexpected appearance.


    ¡°Wh-what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Well.¡±


    Rashid sat down on the bed. The mattress tilted by his weight, and I consciously moved my body against him.


    ¡°What do you think is going to happen?¡±


    At that moment, I remembered Louise¡¯s remark from earlier. Now I know. It was once a month, the promised day. It was the couple union day.


    When I remembered Alyssa¡¯s memory of him, my face was burning. In any case, Rashid and Alyssa were married, and Rashid had no plans to expel Alyssa, so it was natural to have a relationship as a couple.


    When I came to my senses, Rashid was pressing my lower lip with his thumb. I felt a strange warmth in his fingers, which I felt at the tip of my chin. It was the body temperature of someone else, not me.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    A sigh followed. At the same time, he opened my lips slightly. His fingers touch my lips moistened with saliva. At the same time, I got goosebumps on the back of my neck.


    Rashid bent his thumb and swept lightly over my lower teeth. My breath scattered over the back of his hand.


    Like a hawk for food, the gaze of a predator was following me. I twisted my head like an ostrich, hiding my head under a pile of straw, avoiding any predators. It doesn¡¯t mean he disappears, but instincts surpass my reason in fear.

 Chapter 20

    ¡°Alyssa.¡±


    Rashid gave strength to his hand and lightly turned my head back. He wouldn¡¯t have even known that he was using grip.


    I have no choice but to make eye contact with him. Rashid put his face close to me.


    Even in the darkness, his eyes shone alone. However, the emotions contained in them did not appear to be due to the darkness, or whether that was originally the case. There was only a clear and transparent absence in it, neither joy nor affection.


    ¡°Are you afraid?¡±


    His breath tickled me. Following that gentle exhalation, his deep scent flowed inside me. It smelled like a deep flower and a pure musk. In the wind, I felt like I had fallen into the traces of Rashid, which was hard to define.


    Are you afraid? What?


    ¡°¡­no, I¡¯m not afraid.¡±


    I answered as if I were possessed. I meant it.


    But I had no intention of spending the night with Rashid. Becoming Alyssa, I wasn¡¯t going to go with the flow. I can¡¯t do that.


    First of all, I have to escape this situation somehow. I have to think about the rest next.


    ¡°But¡­oh, I-I¡¯m not ready for it yet.¡±


    I stuttered in a mess. I¡¯m not even sure what I¡¯m talking about.


    ¡°Prepare your heart.¡±


    Rashid smirked.


    Anyway, Alyssa and Rashid are married, and they¡¯ve been together for more than 12 months, but they¡¯re still not ready. How ridiculous it must have sounded. You must be wondering what¡¯s wrong with her now.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not feeling well yet.¡±


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re in good shape.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still a little tired.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    He smiled quietly. It was a relaxed attitude, as if to listen where I was going with this.


    ¡°Also, I think I have a fe-fever¡­¡±


    ¡°Fever.¡±


    While I was rolling my eyes because I was so stumped that I couldn¡¯t give a better excuse, Rashid gently touched my forehead. His hand was large, covering my forehead as well as my eyebrows, and my vision was colored by the cozy darkness.


    The excuse can¡¯t work. Because his palms seemed hotter than my forehead.


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    I was going to say anything that came to mind, but Rashid unexpectedly let me go. I don¡¯t know what he was thinking, but for me it was a relief. Sweeping down his chest, he continued.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s wait.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Until you¡¯re ready.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    He said, rolling his eyes at the unexpected sound.


    ¡°Tomorrow?¡±


    I shook my head in a hurry.


    ¡°Then the day after tomorrow.¡±


    Continuing to shake my head, I dropped my eyes. Two round hands lay side by side on a white chemise.


    ¡°Will it be next month?¡±


    ¡°Well, I mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh, then when is it good?¡±


    I groaned like a goldfish out of the water. When should I say? Can I do it next month? Or the month after? Next year? When the hell?


    There was no day on schedule to share my body heat with Rashid in the future, so I had nothing to say for an answer.


    ¡°We-well¡­¡±


    ¡°Tell me straight.¡±


    ¡°Let me tell you! When I¡¯m ready¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°So on a good day¡­yeah.¡±


    If there is a mouse hole, I want to go in. When I wrapped my hands around my face, my palms were warm.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Rashid got up out of bed. I felt the elastic mattress bounce back flat.


    ¡°Then take your rest, Madam.¡±


    Then he blew out the candles on the table. White smoke scattered through the darkness.


    Rashid¡¯s footsteps recede. The door opens and closes again. I recognized the fact that he had left with a sound coming from beyond the dim vision.


    I fell flat on the bed.


    ¡®Oh, I can¡¯t. I have to get out of here as soon as possible.¡¯


    I was trying to get things going slowly, but it was an unfamiliar sound. My heart pounded as if the fire of the extinguished candle had moved over the top of my foot.


    So, I have to get a divorce. I have to ask for a divorce tomorrow. I have to file the divorce papers. Days and days later, good days won¡¯t come. It has to be now.


    ¡®If another day like today comes, then¡­¡¯


    Delusions are about to rise. I hurriedly put the blanket over my head. And in that state, I could barely fall asleep after tossing and turning dozens of times.


    * * *


    The morning was bright, but Louise didn¡¯t wake Alyssa. If there is no specific schedule, it is a rule to do so, and today was the day after the union day.


    Alyssa, who had a weak constitution, always lay down for a long time after spending the night. It wasn¡¯t until the sun came up that she pulled the rope to call Louise. Then Louise let the tub be filled with warm water and removed the bed while Alyssa was washing up.


    Usually, Louise doesn¡¯t go to bed herself, except the day after the merger. It was because Alyssa was shy and asked her separately.


    Ring! The bell rang cheerfully. It was a call from the Duchess¡¯ bedroom. I guess she woke up early today.


    On her way to the room, Alyssa sat on the bed and greeted Louise. The pink hair that was pressed while sleeping was disheveled. You looked a little tired, but that¡¯s all. Louise felt at odds with her usual appearance.


    ¡°Please prepare a meal.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mistress. The bath is¡­¡±


    Louise looked at her blankly for a moment.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. I can eat after I wash up.¡±


    Alyssa got out of bed and went to wash up. Left behind, Louise tidied up the bedroom.


    The Duchess¡¯ bed was neat. The blanket was disorganized and the pillow crumpled because she was sleeping, but that¡¯s all. There were no signs of the union day.


    ¡®What?¡¯


    Louise tilted her head.


    The relationship between the owners was the most interesting story among the workers of the aristocratic mansion. It is no exaggeration to say that the atmosphere of the mansion is usually determined by the good and bad relationship. Of course, to some extent, it was also a matter of interest.

 Chapter 21

    Louise paid attention to the relationship between the Duchess and the Duke of Fenvernon for various reasons. One was because the emperor paid attention to the Duke¡¯s successor, because it was an important matter.


    The production of successors was an obligation within and outside the high-ranking nobles, who were married in an organized way. The Duke and his wife generally kept their union day well, and Louise would make the same report every time to the emperor once a month. (e/d: ¡®married in an organized way¡¯ ¨C think of political and arranged marriages).


    But today was different.


    ¡®You violated the rule of the couple¡¯s union day.¡¯


    Why? For what reason?


    It was a sudden change for unknown reasons. Louise clasped the quilt.


    It¡¯s weird. Something¡¯s changed. Something is changing.


    * * *


    I don¡¯t know how I washed up and ate. It was already afternoon when I came to my senses. Everything I do reminds me of last night, and my face turns red from time to time. Then it calmed down to some extent.


    The way to solve this situation is obvious. The answer is one¡ª divorce. It also has to be a very quick and tidy divorce.


    I thought about running away at night for a while. I thought that would be the easiest.


    But I didn¡¯t think it would work. The rest of my life should be at peace, so I had to consider it. Whether the emperor came to catch me or Rashid, I was not confident of escaping safely.


    I¡¯ll have to figure out what to say to him about divorce and how to get a divorce. It¡¯s not going to be easy as it sounds. I may have to try several methods to get it.


    ¡°Mistress, dinner is ready.¡±


    Louise announced dinner time. Today, Rashid said that he would have dinner with me, leisurely.


    I grabbed her outstretched arm and got up from the bed.


    It was then.


    ¡¸Louise had just contacted the Imperial Palace.¡¹


    I blinked my eyes over and over again.


    ¡¸It was about the trouble in Rashid¡¯s relationship with Alyssa.¡¹


    I was embarrassed and startled. On what basis did you make such contact?


    It was difficult to manage my facial expressions as I pretended not to know. I tried to straighten out my frown.


    ¡°Are you sick?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s okay.¡±


    I walked to the dining room and fell deep into thought. Anything about the duke was information to Louise. His relationship between the duchess is by far the most important. Depending on the circumstances, I also assumed that she would interfere with my divorce.


    ¡®I have to do something about this.¡¯


    But Louise did not want to leave my side even for a moment. Even if I wanted to be alone, she did not go far and stayed by the door.


    It wasn¡¯t Louise who went in and out of the kitchen to get food or tea, but another maid who went down there. The only time Louise left my side was practically when I was sleeping.


    First of all, I¡¯ll get her out of the duchy somehow. I¡¯ll have to avoid Louise¡¯s eyes, so I¡¯ll either search her room or come up with another scheme.


    To do that, I have no choice but to deceive her.


    * * *


    The next day, I wrote a letter.


    ¡°Louise, deliver this letter to Lady Rimnicke and come back with a reply.¡±


    Rimnicke was one of the five duchesses, who was acquainted with Alyssa.


    The letter sealed in wax looked quite ordinary. It was pressed with a flat rod rather than a family wax seal, making it difficult to guess who sent it from the wax alone. It was as if the letter was deliberately sent secretly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have someone do it.¡±


    ¡°No! You have to do it.¡±


    Louise looked surprised at the tough tone. I immediately ordered.


    ¡°It¡¯s a letter I can only ask someone I trust. I can¡¯t leave it up to anyone.¡±


    Then, with her eyes shining, Louise replied that she knew what to do.


    How suspicious would it look if a letter was sent secretly with a seal hidden? All the more so if it was sent to another duchess. It was clear to Louise that she had to open the letter on the way.


    The contents was a plain greeting with a suspicious sentence that looked like a code in the middle. ¡®How are you? The weather is nice these days, I think moles will wander around at night.¡¯ It was like that.


    ¡°You have to get an answer. Definitely.¡±


    Perhaps Miss Rimnicke will ponder for a long time, wondering what the hell this means.


    Then Louise would waste her time.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back, Mistress. In the meantime, stay in your bedroom. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll feel more pain walking around.¡±


    ¡°Okay, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll do what you say.¡±


    Louise left the mansion with the letter. It¡¯ll take at least a couple of hours for her to get back.


    It was the maid downstairs who took care of me while she was away. I also let the maid run her errands all around the mansion, calling the butler and the head maid separately.


    At the call of the Duchess, the Duke¡¯s butler, Sylvester Eddie and Head Maid Harriet Ronan came at her call.


    The two were long-time workers at the Duchy of Fenvernon. They were loyal to Rashid, who¡¯s the Duke, so I thought they were trustworthy. Regardless of how the Duke treated Alyssa, the two treated Alyssa as a duchess.


    (t/n: finally someone has sense and doesn¡¯t treat their superiors with hate or smth)


    (e/d: ikrr)


    ¡®At least I won¡¯t do anything stupid.¡¯


    Because it¡¯s for Rashid as well.


    I met them one by one.


    The first person I met was butler Sylvester.


    A man with light grey hair and a firm, honest impression greeted me politely.


    I delivered my business without hesitation.


    ¡°Butler, please bring me all the letters that come to the mansion from now on, except the Duke¡¯s.¡±


    As someone who had higher authority, it was very awkward to speak informally to someone who would be twice or even three times my age. I¡¯m a bit sorry, too.


    But you have to get used to it. I am now a nobleman, and among all, I have become a duchess.