Chapter 6

#6.

My cheerful response left the Grand Duchess with a stunned expression. After a moment, she sniffed and said,

“Wife’s role? You’re talking about that?”

Her face clearly showed that she didn’t believe me. After all, since I came to the house, I had only caused trouble and never taken care of Akid. It was a natural reaction, and she seemed to prefer that I just stay out of the way.

Well, whether it’s real or not, you’ll see in the future.

I shrugged and replied,

“Of course, Mother.”

“...So what are you going to do? Do you even know what being a wife means?”

“That’s...”

Just as I was about to speak, there was a knock, and someone entered without permission.

It was Akid. I widened my eyes at his sudden appearance.

‘What’s he doing here at this time?’

Akid glanced at me and then politely addressed Elena.

“I apologize for the sudden visit.”

“I never gave you permission to enter.”

The Grand Duchess radiated annoyance. Akid resembled the Grand Duke so much that he could be called a mini version of him.

Unlike the Grand Duke, Akid was a pure-hearted man, but his overall image was very similar.

The Grand Duchess didn’t particularly like such an Akid.

Akid stepped in front of me and said,

“I heard that my wife was called here.”

“Can’t I call my daughter-in-law as I please?”

“She hasn’t fully recovered yet. She needs to rest.”

He firmly held my hand and pulled me back, as if trying to protect me.

The Grand Duchess stared at our clasped hands.

I was also taken aback by Akid’s sudden rescue.

‘I could have handled it...’

Despite this, I couldn’t help but smile.

Being protected feels great!

The Grand Duchess frowned, revealing her displeasure.

“Anyone listening would think I’m trying to eat my daughter-in-law.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Right. Since I’ve asked everything I wanted to, you can leave now.”

The Grand Duchess waved her hand, a gesture indicating that she had gotten what she wanted.

“Let’s go.”

Akid pulled me. I stood there for a moment, then suddenly remembered something.

“Wait a moment.”

“...?”

I ran to the Grand Duchess, who looked at me with a stern face.

“Leaving already?”

“Mother, could I have a word...”

As I leaned in close, she flinched.

Ignoring her reaction, I whispered in her ear, using the sweetest, most childlike tone I could.

“Mother, have a good dream. It would be even better if you dream about Roena.”

“...”

The Grand Duchess stared at me with a stunned expression, clearly taken aback by my sudden friendliness.

I kissed her cheek and whispered more, then smiled brightly.

“Goodnight, Mother!”

“You, you... What is this...”

The surprise kiss left the Grand Duchess blushing and leaning back.

Akid, standing behind, had eyes as wide as a startled rabbit.

I laughed, regardless of their shock.

The Grand Duchess actually liked children. She had always wanted to have children more than anyone, but her health was a problem.

She had been told that having a child could cost her life.

Thus, the Grand Duchess had kept this a secret and distanced herself from the Grand Duke.

She had turned a blind eye to the Grand Duke’s infidelity and accepted Akid, the illegitimate child, all because of this.

‘If the original Roena had been more affectionate, she might have been favored by the Grand Duchess.’

Unfortunately, Akid had lived a life of constant fear and depression since he was brought to the Grand Duke’s territory at the age of thirteen. He had lived like a walking dead.

Being the child the Grand Duke had brought home after an incident, he had been afraid of the Grand Duchess’s disapproval and lived in constant fear.

With a daughter-in-law like Roena, who had a terrible temper, the Grand Duchess had ignored the couple entirely.

‘But now, everything will change.’

I clenched my fist in determination. I had already experienced everything in my previous life. After gaining independence from my adoptive parents, I had always been on my own.

‘The skills I learned from living on my wits won’t go to waste.’

For Akid’s future, I could easily put on this act.

“Now, I’m really leaving, Mother.”

I clasped my small hands together and bowed deeply.

Then, I ran to Akid and grabbed his hand. The Grand Duchess let out a hollow laugh behind me, but I ignored it.

“Let’s go, Lord Akid.”

“...”

Akid, with a dazed look, bowed to the Grand Duchess and left the room. He seemed to be in a daze.

We eventually reached the lobby in front of the bedroom. I had walked slowly, hoping to spend more time with Akid, but unfortunately, the distance didn’t magically stretch.

It was time to go to our respective rooms. I bowed my head in farewell, feeling a bit disappointed, and was about to head to my room when he called out.

“Lady.”

Akid stopped me as I was about to enter my room. His expression was serious.

“What is it?”

“Did... Did anything happen just now?”

Akid hesitated, then asked cautiously.

“What do you mean?”

“Didn’t your mother always get very angry when she called you?”

“Oh.”

Akid’s words reminded me of a scene from the novel, and I let out a shallow sigh.

It was the day Roena had returned from a scolding by the Grand Duchess.

{“Lady, are you alright?”

“Do I look alright?”

“...”

“This is all your fault. My life has been a mess since I met you.”

“Did your mother scold you a lot? I could...”

Clang!

“Don’t touch me, you trash!”

“Lady...”

“Don’t even call me Lady! I didn’t marry you because I wanted to marry an illegitimate child.”}

Roena had been furious when Akid tried to comfort her.

She had lashed out with sharp words before turning away.

Perhaps that’s why he found my calmness today unusual.

‘Now I see, he was trying to give me courage. He was trying to stand up for me.’

For someone who found the Grand Duchess particularly intimidating, his presence itself was a huge act of courage.

I smiled at his consideration and reassured him.

“Nothing happened.”

“Really?”

“Of course. If anything had happened, I wouldn’t have given Mother a goodnight kiss.”

“Ah...”

Akid flinched at the mention of the goodnight kiss, seemingly recalling the earlier scene.

He had been in a daze over it. He rubbed the back of his head several times, hesitating.

I, unsure of how he would conclude, said goodbye first.

“Thank you for coming. You were thinking of me, right?”

“...”

“It’s late. Have a good dream, Lord Akid.”

“Ah.”

As I was about to enter my room, he let out a shallow sigh, as if he had more to say.

“What is it?”

He quickly brushed it off when I tilted my head in confusion.

“No, it’s fine. If nothing happened, that’s good. Goodnight.”

Akid nodded and quickly entered his room.

His reaction seemed a bit anticlimactic, so I shrugged, left alone.

* * *

Late at night, the Grand Duchess visited the Grand Duke’s private bedroom.

“Why are you here, Grand Duchess?”

Damian smiled crookedly as he looked at Elena, who had entered his room first.

There were two doors between Damian’s and Elena’s bedrooms.

One of the doors was always locked.

Of course, the locked door was on Elena’s side, and she rarely entered his room.

Usually, her visits were to start an argument, so Damian found her current approach, with a smile, intriguing.

What was she trying to do this time to irritate him?

“Am I not allowed to come here?”

“Of course not.”

Elena’s sharp response made Damian chuckle.

Elena, displeased with his slow smile, clicked her tongue and leaned against the door, stating her business.

“I heard you’ve cleaned out the guest room. It seems you’re tired of Lady Lorque.”

Damian’s lips twitched at her mocking tone.

He had expected she would bring up Lady Lorque when she came, as he had ordered the cleaning of her room that morning.

But was it enough to make her visit his bedroom and irritate her so much?

‘I thought she wasn’t interested in my love life.’

Damian observed Elena’s face carefully. Her cheeks were slightly redder than usual.

However, it didn’t seem like she was happy about his mistress leaving.

It seemed more like a different kind of pleasant emotion.

‘Then, why are her cheeks so red?’

Damian looked at Elena, who kept touching her cheeks, with narrowed eyes and replied.

“Yes. Lady Bastia won’t be coming to Hadelus Castle anymore.”

“Why?”

“...Since when have you been so interested in my affairs?”

“Don’t misunderstand. I’m very interested in the Grand Duke’s every move.”

Of course, only the unhappy ones.

Elena hid the latter part and smiled. Damian raised an eyebrow at her cheerful face.

“I see. I didn’t realize the Grand Duchess was so interested in my affairs.”

“Better late than never.”

Elena answered with a sly smile.

Damian looked at her face for a while before slowly responding.

“I just... got tired of her.”

“Then why did you cut her off in front of the prince and princess?”

As she probed, Damian chuckled and stood up, approaching Elena.

Elena, showing no intention to back away, met his gaze boldly, as if daring him to explain.

They were now close enough for a person to stand between them.

Damian, lifting his chin, looked at Elena and said casually,

“Do you want to know why I did it?”