Chapter 26

Last night, I did something so embarrassing that I wanted to die. I’m grateful that you’re kind enough to forget it, but…

‘No, wouldn’t it be better to pretend you didn’t notice, out of concern for my embarrassment?’

Why go out of your way to wait until I wake up and then deliberately remind me? My head was pounding so much that everything was annoying. Even giving the usual response of apologizing for my disgraceful behavior felt like a chore. Pretending to be shy and looking for a mouse hole to hide in was out of the question. My head and stomach churned simultaneously. It felt like I was having a dizzying dream with my eyes open. My blurred vision couldn’t even focus properly. Frida stretched out her hands to take the teacup offered to her but couldn’t find the right direction and stumbled. Daniel kindly took the teacup and placed it in her hands. Only after confirming that Frida’s hands were firmly holding the cup did he let go.

“The head chef said that what was given to you last night was almost like plain water. The fact that you’re feeling a hangover from that suggests you should stay away from alcohol altogether.”

I don’t drink for any reason other than medicinal purposes. I have no intention of even getting close to it. Still, where is Matilda, and why is the Duke taking care of this? Frida alternated her gaze between the teacup in her hands and Daniel, her parched lips trembling.

“W-Why is the Duke…? Oh, my head.”

Severe pain surged through her. Even though it was her mouth that was moving, why did her head hurt? Frida closed one eye that involuntarily squinted. Every time Daniel’s voice came from above her, it felt like needles piercing her scalp. It was as if the sound turned into needles that burrowed through her hair and into her scalp.

“The maid assigned to you seemed very busy helping in the kitchen.”

In the Mühaim Castle, where the number of servants is woefully insufficient, everyone does various jobs. Matilda, for example, not only takes care of Frida but also helps in the kitchen, cleaning, and farming. But even if she’s busy, she wouldn’t hand this over to the Duke, who is the lord of the manor.

“Ow…”

As dizziness worsened, her neck swayed. Frida gripped the ends of the teacup tightly to steady herself. Figuring out the sequence of events could wait; first, she needed to get her throbbing head back to normal. She gulped down the tea in her hand. She wasn’t sure if she could swallow it, but the sweet, warm tea with honey slid down her throat and spread through her body.

“Ugh…”

Her shoulders trembled at the vivid sensation of the tea soothing her organs. At the same time, the thirst she had forgotten about surged up. Lifting her white neck so stiffly that the tendons stood out, Frida drank the last drop from the bottom of the teacup. As she emptied it, Daniel promptly took the cup and placed it on the side table. Frida leaned her heavy head, which felt like it could drop to the floor at any moment, against the bedside. She knew her disheveled appearance was visible to her husband, but she had no energy to tidy herself up. Her voice, which was struggling to speak, sank heavily like her eyelids.

“Duke, I’m sorry, but… could you please leave my room? I’ll come to see you when I feel better. If you want to question me about last night, we can do that then.”

“I have no intention of questioning a wife who can’t even stand.”

He answered indifferently but didn’t leave; instead, he took a seat beside the bed. Perhaps due to the embarrassment, Frida’s body instinctively curled up. Wearing a dark shirt that matched his hair color and a coat of the same shade, he looked unusually large and robust today. After blinking a few times, she noticed the faint rose patterns embroidered on the sleeves and the entire garment. The contrast between the neat, tidy, and authoritative attire and the exposed chest of the shirt was striking. As Frida tried to lower her gaze, she met Daniel’s eyes, who had just sat down. Before she could process it, Daniel lightly touched her forehead with his fingertips and nodded in satisfaction.

“There’s just one issue we need to address clearly between us. I’d like to have a conversation about it. Since you don’t have a fever, can you spare a moment?”

“An issue?”

Daniel nodded calmly as he watched Frida, who was trying to muster some strength in her half-open eyes.

“Yes. It seems you feel an excessive sense of responsibility about that matter. I concluded that it’s best to clarify our positions on this issue beforehand.”

That matter? Excessive responsibility? This issue? Each word required deep thought, but in her current state, even repeating them was a struggle. She felt a bit better, but her head still seemed to be floating in the air. Without a word, Frida waited for the Duke to continue. Her husband, who seemed more composed than her, would be better at sorting out the situation.

“I don’t need children. The title of Duke of Rihardt will either end with me or be inherited by someone chosen by the royal family.”

‘Ah… the Duke doesn’t need children.’

That was her first thought after hearing her husband’s words.

“I don’t want you to worry about this issue anymore.”

I see. That’s what the Duke thinks. Yes, that’s possible. But…

“Why… though?”

Frida’s half-awake eyes scanned Daniel’s expression. Honestly, she couldn’t understand what he was saying. A healthy nobleman saying he doesn’t need children? Ending his lineage? The Rihardt family is one of the twelve ducal families with the most illustrious history in Svergen, and it’s the family from which the current emperor was born. Even if he could, wouldn’t it be insufficient to have dozens of children to pass on the name for generations? Why would he want to end his lineage? Why…? Dozens of question marks filled Frida’s face. Daniel chuckled inwardly at her puzzled expression. He couldn’t scold her for looking so clueless. After tucking away his brief smile, Daniel replied in his usual matter-of-fact tone.

“Why would I have a child who wouldn’t be welcomed anywhere?”

“...”

Sometimes, even if no sound is made, you can hear what the other person is saying. Despite her hangover and fatigue, his clear and white face, like a bright moon guiding the way in a dark night, was speaking. What kind of ridiculous statement is that? Could this small woman even imagine that the days she struggled to survive, hoping to live just one more day, meant nothing to someone else? The Empress Dowager wouldn’t stand by and watch Daniel have a child, but why would he want to pass on such a life to anyone? Before her pink lips, itching to argue, could open, Daniel spoke first.

“You became the Duchess of Rihardt because you met the conditions.”

In his transparent purple eyes, which had no trace of murkiness, a fine wrinkle appeared on the straight bridge of his nose. *** Among the many buildings that make up Mühaim Castle, Skadi Hall, connected to the main castle, was busy preparing to welcome new guests. Since the Viscount and Viscountess of Boild would arrive in ten days, Frida temporarily set aside other tasks to oversee the preparations at Skadi Hall. After adjusting the position of the tapestry depicting the refreshing view of the lake, Frida stopped in the hallway and turned around. After much deliberation, she still couldn’t find an answer and tilted her head to the left.

“I don’t know. What about Muriel?”

She had received the same question countless times over the past few days. Muriel shook her head vigorously.

“I’ve told you many times. I have no idea at all.”

Disappointed by the lackluster response, Frida placed her hands on her hips and stomped her foot in the hallway. Her scrunched-up face revealed her stubborn nature.

“Think about it a bit. Muriel has many brothers. They must be better at this than me.”

“My brothers are men who are desperate to produce more Rosivalt and are driven by their primal instincts. They are a completely different type from the Duke.”

Frida’s shoulders and arms drooped in disappointment.

“Most men are like that. Even my father, after having three daughters in a row, didn’t give up hope of having a son and eventually succeeded.”

The result of that effort is the youngest Albert, the next Earl of Harkbone.

‘Come to think of it, Albert must be fifteen this year.’

The young brother who escaped the curse that affects the women of the Harkbone family was born with the distinctive golden hair of Svergen, like his father. Suddenly, she missed the little boy who used to swing his wooden sword, saying he would protect his sister. She also missed her parents, who sent letters filled with worry and affection for their daughter, which never seemed to diminish over the three years. Frida’s eyes stung. Muriel led Frida to the window, avoiding the busy servants in the hallway. A gentle breeze carrying the scent of nearby trees and grass wafted in through the wide-open windows. Pushing Frida into the shade, Muriel leaned against the windowsill.

“Actually, my brothers did tell me a few more things.”

Frida, who had perked up her ears, leaned closer to Muriel.

“What? Why are you telling me this now?”

“Because I just remembered.”

Muriel, with her arms crossed nonchalantly, twisted her lips as she recalled.

“Well, my eldest brother studied law with the late Duke of Rihardt’s cousin at the University of Celino. He occasionally visited the Duke’s castle because of that connection. By the way, you know that the Duke’s territory was near Celino at the time, right?”

“I know. The Rihardt territory became the property of the royal family when the Duke ascended to the throne.”

Muriel nodded lightly and continued.

“At that time, the Duke and the Empress Dowager were very close.”

Frida, unable to hide her disappointment, glared at Muriel and rolled her eyes dramatically.

“Who doesn’t know that? The Empress Dowager, Margaret, was revered as benevolent for treating the illegitimate child of her lover as her own. When I got married, it was rumored that she had taken off her mask.”

In fact, the cracks in the Empress Dowager’s mask of benevolence had started much earlier. Daniel, her half-brother, who had made the greatest contributions to the ascension of Bolstark II to the throne, had his ennoblement delayed despite any reward being insufficient. The rumor that the Empress Dowager was the one who opposed it the most began to spread. At the time, most people were skeptical. However, when Daniel was granted Utrecht instead of the valuable land near Celino, where the Rihardt territory was, the whispers grew. People speculated that the Empress Dowager was actually displeased with her stepson. The marriage to the Harkbone family further solidified this rumor. People said she was helpless as a woman and criticized her for being heartless and stingy. How could she treat Daniel, who had risked his life for them, like that?

“My brother said they were not just close, but extremely close. He said the Duke called the Empress Dowager ‘Mother’…”

Muriel, sensing something strange, stopped mid-sentence and turned around.

“What are you doing here?”

Frida, startled by the black head that suddenly appeared outside the second-floor window, screamed and fell backward.

“Aaah!”