CH 9

The day Raeliana moved to the duke’s mansion.

Raeliana did not have the chance to take out the ornate, luxurious carriage she had planned to take when she had received the letter.

Why? Because, there was no need to.

At dawn, she stood blank-faced in front of the whinnying horses and the carriage the size of a whale that awaited her.

It looks like the horses are pulling a house.

“The duke’s carriage seems like it’s pulling my entire house.”

Venia, the professional maid who had come out to bid Raeliana farewell, spoke for her.

The size alone was overwhelming. The smooth, black coat of the carriage was only adorned with the duke’s emblem of hawk and thorns but seemed to exemplify the splendor of the House of Wynknight despite the simplicity.

Raeliana let herself be helped onto the duke’s carriage and was relieved that she did not have to take out the ornate, luxurious and so very nouveau riche carriage.

Compared to the duke’s carriage, the McMillans’ carriage seemed to scream ‘Look at me! I’m Nouveau riche!

The huge carriage still had enough space to carry Raeliana’s whole room even after fitting all her luggage.

The carriage driver asked if this was all and if she needed anything more, but Raeliana waved him away.

The door shut and her family waved good-bye with tearful eyes.

Raeliana waved her hand out the window and bade farewell many times. The driver started the carriage going only after the 40-minute goodbye session was over.

When she arrived at the dinosaur of a mansion past the fancy city of the nobles, four butlers greeted her.

“Welcome, Lady Raeliana. I am Gideon Jura, the head butler. Please call me Gideon.”

“Nice to meet you, Gideon.”

How does one mansion have four butlers? In order to refrain from looking surprised, Raeliana greeted them with a lady-like expression.

Each butler introduced himself with a long welcome and Gideon smiled warmly after sending the others back to work.

Fitting the title of the head butler, he was a stern-looking, elderly man with slicked-back white hair, long nose, and appearance well-groomed to the tip of his sleeves.

“The servants will put your luggage in place, my lady.”

“Thank you. You are very reliable.”

Her luggage only consisted of a few dresses and jewels, but Raeliana expressed how impressed she was at the consideration of the duke’s men.

It was one of her strategies to gain favors at this mansion in order to comfortably spend the six months here.

After introducing Raeliana to a few maids that would wait on her, Gideon cleared his throat once and announced that he was going to show her around the mansion.

“And I will explain the origins and the history of this mansion as well.”

“The mansion’s origin… and history?”

“Yes, my lady. This mansion has been with the historical House of Wynknight through centuries. It holds the history of Wynknights.”

“Ah, ha ha, that… sounds very interesting!”

Why should I need to know that? Raeliana’s mouth twitched a bit, but Gideon, not noticing, started his story.

Gideon took her around the duke’s mansion and continued his two and a half hour lecture on the mansion’s origin and history that… she did not wish to know at all.

And Raeliana had to follow his steps, smiling until her lips spasmed.

What is this? Hazing the newcomer? A how-dare-you-be-with-the-great duke? A I-will-let-you-know-the duke-I-raised-like-my-own-son deserves-someone-better-than-you?

She learned how the Wynknight Mansion was gifted by Jake Sawyer Chamers, the founding king of the Kingdom of Chamers himself, to the House of Wynknight, number one retainer, how every coat and emblem in the building were worthy of being designated as treasures, how it took months to choose the location, how the greatest architect of the time meticulously designed the edifice under the theme of the Wynknight bravery, and how the mansion influenced renowned architects throughout the history.

As Raeliana wished she could throw herself out the window, the head butler passionately explained with a proud face about how the windows were placed with design and ratio in mind.

Only after listening to which season and how regularly the mansion was maintained, Raeliana was able to finally enter the room designated to her.

Although the room was not significantly bigger than her own room back home, the interior was decorated in a more classic and 1mpos1ng manner.

After looking around the room here and there, Raeliana sent away all the maids at her heels. Then, she dragged her feet to her bed and plopped down.

“So exhausting.”

She blinked her eyes and stared at the canopy.

The head butler Gideon felt like he was genetically engineered to overlook this mansion.

Despite the less developed science, this world had magic so her theory was not devoid of possibility.

Toying with the ‘Genetically Engineered Gideon Hypothesis,’ Raeliana was tossing and turning her tired body with much effort when a sudden thought made her sit up.

“Surely this bed isn’t also a national treasure., is it……?”

If she was told one thing today, it was that everything that she touched… paintings, ornaments, handles, etc. were all designated as national treasures.

Raeliana, who had reached out her hand to admire the beautiful decoration, had to pull her hands back calmly with a pounding heart.

What was even more frightening was the fact that the butler knew when, how and by whom each scratch and blemish was made on the mansion.

If she damaged the national treasure by carelessly rolling around in bed, she would definitely engrave the name Raeliana McMillan into that butler’s data.

I can’t do that. My goal is to stay quiet until I can disappear.

As Raeliana contemplated whether she needed to be careful about the precious Lord Bed, she heard a familiar voice behind her.

“That bed’s not a treasure, so don’t worry.”

“…?!”

As she whipped her head around, the Duke was looking into her eyes with a haughty expression, and was sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed.

“Care to have some?”

When Raeliana looked at him blankly, he raised up the teacup.

How long has he been sitting there?

Raeliana patted down her dress with a pale face and spoke.

“What, what, what… what are you doing here? Did you just enter a lady’s room without permission?”

“You need privacy?”

“Of course!”

“Give it up. Your life will become rather difficult if you expect such things.”

Noah shrugged nonchalantly. She screamed inside her head. Oh god, oh god, oh god.

She felt like a country maiden from a quiet rustic village sold to a heinous nobleman being told, ‘You belong to me now.’

“What brings you here…?”

“The duke’s fiancee arrived at the mansion. Of course I should welcome her.”

Oh, of course you should.

Raeliana silently sat across the duke as if to protest with a displeased face.

A deep aroma wafted from the steaming tea. As she wet her Iips with the tea, he spoke.

“I see that the House of Brooks raised a lawsuit for alimony.”

“Yes, well…”

“You have poor taste in men.”

“I know.”

Choosing Noah Wynknight to get away from Francis Brooks, she had nothing to say as to her choice of men.

“We will take care of that on our end, so you focus on settling down here.”

That was an unexpected favor.

Hm, I can already feel what it’s like to get engaged to a powerful man.

Raeliana expressed her gratitude and silently gave a bravo at the social caste system.

“You’ll officially begin the lessons starting tomorrow. I don’t expect much so just act accordingly.”

What does he mean by, don’t expect much? Who said I wanted to put in an effort? Raeliana also answered in a haughty tone.

“Well, I have no wish to become a perfect fiancee for you, either. So in return, Your Highness does not need to become a perfect fiance for me. Just please act accordingly.”

Meeting her insolent green eyes, Noah snickered and added on.

“I will remember that.”

Raeliana put the teacup on the table and looked around her.

Though she had worried that an assassin would pop up like a surprise gift, it didn’t seem as though that would happen for the time being.

After confirming her safety, she spoke in a lower tone.

“I have something to ask you, Your Highness. Who knows about the contract? I feel like I should keep that in mind, so that I could act properly.”

The duke seemed truly surprised that she would think about such things.

“At this point, besides us two, only two others know about our deal. One of them is currently in this mansion.”

Noah gestured outside the door with his eyes.

“Sir Adam?”

He nodded at her question.

She was obviously aware that Adam Taylor knew about the contract.

Otherwise how could he chop her head off if she acted suspiciously?

My head!

Raeliana got rid of the terrible thought and egged Noah for the next answer.

“The other person, you’ll find out soon enough even if you don’t want to.”

I’m assuming it would probably be his head advisor. I remembered seeing it in the novel. Raeliana nodded.

Since only a few knew about the deal, they would have to act like a couple madly in love inside the mansion in order to not raise any suspicion.

As if he had read her mind, Noah spoke out.

“You are going to be my very beloved fiancee outside and inside this mansion.”

Raeliana opened both of her hands and stopped him from talking.

“One moment.”

“What is it?”

“I believe we need to reconcile some details that are not in the contract.”

Noah leaned back on the buffalo hide sofa and silently urged her to continue.

“First of all, my name is not ‘you’, it’s Raeliana.”

He shrugged his shoulders.

“I shall remember that, Raeliana.”

“Also, I fully understand why you’re suspicious of me, but I’d like to have some privacy at least in this room.”

“And if I can’t do that?”

“Then I hope you remember that I’m working to your convenience as much as possible.”

“My convenience?”

“Yes, remember? The Royal Seal that only I know about, etc.?”

I have you by your collar. Shouldn’t you relinquish some control?

As Raeliana smiled mildly, Noah smiled back.

“Alright. It would be troublesome to run into, say, your naked body which isn’t even that eye-catching, anyway.”

What? Raeliana narrowed her eyes. Does he not see the full breasts and narrow waist? Perhaps he needs to replace his eyes.

“Oh, you speak as if you’ve already seen me without clothes on. I assure you that will never happen.”