Chapter 6
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#6.
At my cheerful response, the Grand Duchess's expression turned blank. A moment later, she let out a dismissive snort and spoke.
"Playing the role of a wife? You?"
Her face made it clear she didn't believe me. And truthfully, that was a natural reaction—since arriving at this mansion, I'd caused nothing but trouble and had never once looked after Arkid. If anything, she seemed to hope I'd simply stay out of the way.
Well, whether I'm serious or not, you'll find out soon enough.
I shrugged and answered.
"Of course, Mother."
"...So what exactly are you planning to do? Do you even understand what playing a wife's role means?"
"That is..."
I was just about to open my mouth when a knock sounded at the door, and someone entered without permission.
It was Arkid. My eyes widened at his sudden appearance.
'What brings him here at this hour?'
Arkid glanced at me once, then spoke respectfully to Elena.
"Forgive my sudden intrusion."
"I never gave you permission to enter."
The Grand Duchess radiated displeasure. Arkid bore such a striking resemblance to the Grand Duke that one might call him a miniature version of him.
Though unlike the Grand Duke, Arkid possessed a gentle nature, yet the aura he emanated was remarkably similar.
The Grand Duchess did not favor Arkid.
Arkid subtly positioned himself in front of me and spoke.
"I heard my wife had been summoned."
"Am I not permitted to call my daughter-in-law as I wish?"
"She has not yet fully recovered. She requires rest."
He grasped my hand firmly and pulled me behind him, as though shielding me.
The Grand Duchess stared intently at our intertwined hands.
I too felt bewildered by Arkid's sudden rescue.
'He didn't need to do that...'
Yet at his arrival, the corners of my mouth kept wanting to rise.
Being protected felt absolutely wonderful!
The Grand Duchess's eyebrows twitched, revealing her displeasure.
"Anyone listening would think I'm devouring my daughter-in-law."
"That is not my intention."
"Fine. I've asked all I needed to ask anyway, so you may go."
The Grand Duchess waved her hand dismissively. It was a gesture indicating she'd already obtained what she wanted.
"Let's go."
Arkid pulled me along. I stood there dumbly for a moment before suddenly remembering something.
"Wait a moment."
"...?"
I scurried back to the Grand Duchess, leaving Arkid behind. The Grand Duchess spoke with a sly expression.
"What now?"
"Mother, may I have a word in private...?"
As I drew closer to her, she flinched.
Regardless, I leaned in and whispered softly into her ear, adopting the most endearing, childlike tone I could muster.
"Mother, I hope you have pleasant dreams. Even better if you dream of Roena."
"...."
The Grand Duchess stared at me with a bewildered expression, as though my sudden familiarity had left her speechless.
I paid her reaction no mind, pressed a kiss to her cheek with a soft sound, murmured something further, and bid her farewell with a bright smile.
"Sleep well then, Mother!"
"You... what on earth is this...."
Caught off guard by the kiss, the Grand Duchess's face flushed crimson as she leaned her upper body back.
Behind her, Arkid's eyes widened like those of a startled rabbit.
I laughed cheerfully, indifferent to their shock.
The Grand Duchess actually adored children. She had longed to bear a child more than anything, yet her health harbored a grave obstacle.
Childbirth would likely cost her life.
Thus, she had concealed this truth and drawn a line between herself and the Grand Duke, living apart from him.
Her turning a blind eye to his infidelities and accepting Arkid, his illegitimate son, stemmed entirely from this burden.
'Had Roena in the original story possessed a warmer disposition, the Grand Duchess might have shown her affection.'
Unfortunately, since Arkid had been brought to the Grand Duke's domain at thirteen, he had lived without the lightness of childhood—more akin to existing as a living corpse.
Fearing the Grand Duchess's resentment toward him as the Grand Duke's illegitimate child, he had learned to suppress himself and fade into silence.
With Roena, his daughter-in-law, possessing such a difficult temperament, the Grand Duchess had scarcely spared the Crown Prince's household a glance.
'But everything will change now.'
I clenched my fist inwardly. I had already weathered every hardship in my previous life. Since gaining independence from my adoptive parents, I had stood alone.
'The experience of eating the bread of others' eyes won't fade away.'
For Arkid's future, I could perform such flattery with my eyes closed.
"Now I truly must take my leave, Mother."
I clasped my small hands together and bowed respectfully at the waist.
Then I scurried over to Arkid and seized his hand firmly. The Grand Duchess let out a hollow laugh behind me, but I paid it no heed.
"Let us go, Lord Arkid."
"...."
Arkid, his expression vacant, offered a silent bow to the Grand Duchess before leaving the room. He seemed utterly dazed.
We soon arrived at the lobby before the bedrooms. I deliberately walked slowly, hoping to linger longer with Arkid, but alas, no magic stretched the distance between us like taffy.
Now came the moment to retire to our separate chambers. With reluctance in my heart, I lowered my head to bid him farewell and turned toward my room. That was when it happened.
"My lady."
Arkid called out to me as I was about to enter. When I turned back, his expression had grown noticeably tense.
"Yes?"
"Did... nothing troubling occur just now?"
Arkid's lips trembled as he asked carefully.
"Troubling?"
"Whenever Mother summoned you, you always returned in a foul mood."
"Ah."
At his words, a scene from the novel flashed through my mind, and I let out a soft exclamation.
It was the day Roena returned after being severely scolded by the Grand Duchess.
"Madam, are you alright?"
"Do I look alright to you?"
"...."
"This is all because of you. My life has fallen apart since I met you."
"Mother was very harsh with you. Please, allow me to take your place...."
Crash—!
"Don't you dare touch me, you worthless wretch!"
"Madam...."
"And don't call me that either! I never wanted to marry a bastard like you."}
When Arkid offered words of comfort, Roena had flared up like wildfire.
Only after spewing a torrent of cutting remarks did she turn away.
Perhaps because I had remained unusually quiet that day, he seemed puzzled.
'So that's what it was. He found the courage to stand up for me.'
For someone who particularly feared the Grand Duchess, simply going there had taken tremendous courage.
I was touched by his consideration and smiled warmly at him to ease his worry.
"Nothing happened at all."
"Truly?"
"Of course. If something had happened, I wouldn't have given Mother a goodnight kiss."
"Ah...."
Arkid flinched at the mention of a goodnight kiss. He seemed to belatedly recall that earlier moment.
Even though his mind had been elsewhere with that very matter just moments before, he fidgeted while running his hand over the back of his head repeatedly.
Uncertain what Arkid would say to conclude, I decided to bid him farewell first.
"Thank you for coming. You were thinking of me, weren't you?"
"...."
"It's getting late. Sweet dreams, Arkid."
"Ah."
As I turned to enter my room, he let out a shallow exclamation—as if he still had something more to say.
"What is it?"
Tilting my head in confusion, he quickly stammered an excuse.
"It's nothing. As long as nothing happened, that's all that matters. Then."
Arkid nodded curtly and disappeared into his room.
His response felt oddly anticlimactic, so I alone remaining in the hallway simply shrugged.
* * *
Late into the night, the Grand Duchess came to the Grand Duke's private bedroom.
"Grand Duchess, what brings you here at this hour?"
Demian regarded Elena with an askew smile.
She had opened his bedroom door and entered first.
Between Demian's and Elena's bedrooms existed two doors.
The difference between them was that one was always locked.
Of course, the locked door was on Elena's side. And her visits to his bedroom were exceedingly rare.
Most of the time, she came to pick a fight. So Demian found it quite intriguing that she had opened the door herself and entered with a smiling face.
He wondered what she intended to scratch at this time, and curiosity stirred within him.
"Does that mean I've come somewhere I shouldn't?"
"That couldn't possibly be."
At Elena's sharp retort, Demian let out a soft chuckle and denied it.
Elena seemed displeased with his languid smile and clicked her tongue. Then, leaning diagonally against the door, she broached her purpose.
"I heard you had the Guest Room tidied. It seems you've grown tired of Lady Lorke?"
At her sarcastic tone, Demian's lips twitched.
From the moment she had come to find him, he had already anticipated she would speak of Lady Lorke.
After all, it was only this morning that he had ordered the room where Lady Lorke frequently stayed to be cleaned out.
But was that truly enough to displease her so greatly that she would seek him out in his bedroom?
'I thought she had no interest in my romantic affairs.'
Demian observed Elena's expression carefully. Her cheeks, slightly more flushed than usual, caught his eye particularly.
Yet it did not appear to be the joyful expression of his mistress being cast out.
Rather, it seemed to belong to something far more pleasant.
'Why are her cheeks so flushed?'
Demian watched Elena, who kept touching her cheeks, with narrowed eyes and answered.
"Yes. Bestia will have no reason to visit Hadelus Castle anymore."
"Why is that?"
"...When did you become so interested in my personal affairs?"
"You misunderstand. I am quite interested in the Grand Duke's every move."
Of course, only in your misfortunes.
Elena smiled brightly, keeping the rest of her words hidden. Demian's eyebrows twitched at her cheerful expression.
"I see. I had no idea the Grand Duchess took such interest in my matters."
"Now you do."
Elena answered carelessly and let out a cunning smile.
Demian gazed at that face for a moment before responding slowly.
"Simply... I grew tired of her."
"Then why did you cut her off in front of the Crown Prince and his wife?"
As she pressed the question with a twisting tone, Demian chuckled softly. Then he rose from his seat and drew closer to Elena.
Elena showed no intention of retreating, meeting his gaze boldly with an expression that seemed to say, 'Go ahead and make your excuses.'
Before long, the distance between them had narrowed to barely the width of a single person.
Demian tilted his chin, fixing his gaze upon Elena, and spoke abruptly.
"Would you like to know? Why I did it?"
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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