#8.
With the Lorke siblings cleared away, a newfound peace descended upon Hadelus Castle.
If there was one slight regret, it was that the Grand Duke had overlooked Baron Lorke’s transgressions.
*‘He’s doing it because the bill is still under review, isn’t he?’*
It seemed he was intentionally suppressing the abuse scandal because it would be troublesome for such a case to break while the legislation was being scrutinized. For now, the Grand Duke was leaving the Baron’s house alone.
But he surely wasn’t just sitting idly by.
Knowing the Grand Duke, he had likely paid the Baron a visit and warned him that the moment he opened his mouth, his entire house would be ground into dust. Given how quiet Baron Lorke had been lately, it was a safe bet.
I heard that Lady Lorke hadn’t stepped foot out of her room.
She was likely in deep shock after being discarded by the Grand Duke. After all, she had been the mistress of the fickle Duke for three years—a fixture in his life even before I married into the family.
*‘So she probably never dreamed she’d be cast aside so easily because of me.’*
Regardless, with the Lorke siblings out of the picture, Archid’s path forward looked a little brighter.
Perhaps out of a sense of guilt, the Grand Duke had started looking after Archid in his own subtle way.
What was it he said this morning?
I recalled the conversation from breakfast, a rare occasion where the four of us ate together.
Mid-meal, the Grand Duke had remarked nonchalantly:
“Next time, if anyone dares to treat you with disrespect, do not just stand there.”
I stared blankly at the Grand Duke, who spoke so freely even in front of the Grand Duchess.
The Grand Duchess’s expression was equally composed, looking perfectly unbothered.
*‘I guess they really did reach some sort of agreement yesterday.’*
Even if she didn’t get the mines like in the original novel, she must have struck some kind of deal.
Archid blinked at the Duke’s unexpected words before replying stiffly:
“Did you not tell me once to live as quietly as a mouse?”
The Grand Duke’s eyebrow twitched at the subtle reproach, and he let out a low bark of a laugh.
“I did not mean you should stay silent even while being struck.”
As if that wasn’t enough, he added:
“Strike them instead. It is far easier for me to clean up after you’ve dealt a blow than to deal with you coming home having taken one.”
“……I will keep that in mind.”
*‘What a great thing to teach him. What on earth are you telling our sweet Archid?’*
I shook my head, recalling the Grand Duke’s absurd advice.
Of course, I didn’t want him to get hurt, but telling him to hit anyone he didn’t like was pure hooliganism.
Archid resembled the Grand Duke greatly in appearance, but their personalities were worlds apart.
The Grand Duke was a man of loose morals and overflowing narcissism.
Archid, on the other hand, had grown up walking on eggshells, which had left him with the bad habit of interpreting everything negatively.
That trait caused frequent conflicts with the heroine, Maybel, and eventually led to her being taken away by the male lead, Jeronis.
*‘It’s okay. As long as I’m here, Archid’s childhood won’t be a miserable one.’*
Just thinking about Archid brought a smile to my lips.
At that moment, Hanna entered the bedroom carrying a flower basket.
“What are the flowers for?”
“Ah, the Flower Festival is coming up soon, so I brought some in to brighten the mood.”
“A Flower Festival? In this weather?”
I blinked, pointing toward the window where a cold wind was whistling outside.
Even if the coldest days had passed, it was still early spring. Even if a few buds were peeking out here and there, the weather was hardly fit for a festival.
Seeing my bewildered expression, Vivian let out a giggle.
“You haven’t been in Delus for just a day or two, so why the confusion?”
“Huh?”
“It’s called the Flower Festival, but it’s actually the day we sow the seeds.”
“Sow seeds?”
“Oh dear, is our Little Mistress feeling sleepy today? Why are you pretending not to know?”
When Vivian asked with narrowed, suspicious eyes, I flinched and let my gaze wander. Shuri stepped in to explain.
“Yes. Since the soil of Delus is so poor that flowers struggle to bloom, we have an event where everyone volunteers to sow seeds.”
Hanna added as she trimmed the flowers and placed them in a vase:
“Is it because you ran away last year, calling it a tedious event, that you don’t remember?”
“Ah, that’s right. You did do that last year. Hmm, then I suppose it makes sense that you wouldn’t know.”
Vivian stuck her tongue out playfully as she recalled. Shuri agreed.
“Well, you had only just married into the family back then, so things must have been chaotic.”
“Right. I suppose so.”
I slipped into the explanation my maids had conveniently provided, narrowly avoiding a crisis.
Hanna looked me in the eye and said seriously:
“You mustn’t run away this time like you did before. You might get a harsh scolding from the Grand Duchess again.”
“O-Of course! I’m going to be obedient now and fulfill my role as a wife perfectly.”
“My, really? You’re not just being fickle and planning to embarrass the Young Duke again, are you?”
I bristled at Vivian’s provocation and shouted:
“I am not! Do you have any idea how much I like Lord Archid?!”
“Heavens, My Lady! It seems you’ve finally decided to acknowledge the Young Duke!”
Hanna spoke brightly, as if it were the best news she’d heard all day.
“Don’t tell me all that grumbling was actually you just pretending not to care when you really did? My goodness.”
When I found myself speechless, Vivian shrugged and continued:
“Tsk, tsk. You really are unskilled at this. If the Young Duke were anyone else, he would have run away long ago. These days, if you act that meanly, even a growing crush will shrivel up and vanish.”
“You—! Vivian, you…!”
I trembled at the suggestion that Archid might have run away.
The memory of him offering me a divorce and trying to leave last time came flooding back, making me even more annoyed.
Then, Shuri gently patted my back and said sweetly:
“Fufufu. How cute. Ignore Vivian. She’s just jealous of Lord Archid.”
“Shuri, what are you talking about?”
Vivian jumped in protest and glared, but she didn’t deny it.
I ignored their bickering and fell into deep thought.
Truly, Roena had left so many messes behind that it was a serious problem. Even the maids I brought from April Castle barely believed me; there was no way Archid would trust my sudden change of heart easily.
*‘It’s going to take quite a while to convince everyone in the Grand Duchy.’*
Feeling a wave of exhaustion, I shook my head.
A moment later, I brought the subject back to the Flower Festival.
“So, what exactly am I supposed to do that day?”
—
Archid was sitting on the terrace, engrossed in a book.
Since Baron Lorke’s departure, stability had returned to his life. He no longer had to worry about being struck despite staying up all night to study, and his new tutor was quite decent. Furthermore, the Grand Duke had even provided him with a swordsmanship instructor.
*‘Was he actually serious about me hitting people instead?’*
Just as that thought crossed his mind, a girl’s clear laughter drifted over from beyond the terrace.
It was coming from Roena’s bedroom, right next door.
Archid recognized that laughter as Roena’s instantly.
“She must be talking with her maids.”
The laughter was exceptionally clear, and it kept drawing his attention.
Archid closed his book and stood up, moving closer toward the edge of his terrace that bordered Roena’s. It was a bit of spying he usually wouldn’t have dreamed of doing. Though the rooms were separated by a lobby, the terraces were adjacent, allowing one to see the other. Of course, the distance was a bit too far to actually jump across.
The window must have been open, as the low murmur of voices drifted clearly onto Archid’s terrace. He couldn’t hear exactly what was being said, but he could tell they were sharing a pleasant conversation.
*‘Are those the maids who came with her from April Castle?’*
Archid guessed at the voices besides Roena’s. Since her arrival at the castle, she had been particularly close with those three. Even when she wouldn’t open her heart to other servants, she relied on them.
Thinking he shouldn’t eavesdrop on her private life, Archid started to turn back.
But right then, Roena’s confident voice rang out:
“Do you have any idea how much I like Lord Archid?!”
“……!”
Archid caught his breath at the sudden confession. Because she had shouted it, the words were unmistakably clear. He was so startled he actually choked.
“*Cough! Hack!*”
Archid managed to stifle his coughing and leaned against the wall. His heart was pounding so hard he could feel it in his chest. He covered his mouth tightly, regulating his breathing for fear of being heard.
*‘Did I hear that correctly?’*
Archid was bewildered. It was definitely Roena’s voice. But the content was too unexpected to have come from her. It was something the wife he knew would never say.
> *‘I hate you so, so much! Don’t even come near me!’*
She was a wife who had screamed her hatred every time she opened her mouth. Not just in words, but in every action, she had made her loathing for him abundantly clear.
And yet.
*‘Let’s go, Darling.’*
Archid’s face flushed hot as he recalled the pet name Roena had whispered unconsciously before. It had been such a shocking remark that it had taken him a long time to even process it because she had said it so naturally.
But then, when she had gone back to calling him “Lord Archid,” he had felt a strange twinge of disappointment.
*‘Disappointment? Why on earth?’*
Archid felt his thoughts spiraling into confusion. He was simply flustered because Roena kept showing him new sides of herself.
Moreover, it was suspicious that she was suddenly saying she liked him now. Was she trying to lie to him again?
“Sigh……”
Archid let out a deep sigh. No matter how hard he tried to understand Roena, he couldn’t make sense of her. At the very least, she wasn’t throwing fits like before, so he didn’t have to feel ashamed in front of his parents. The problem, conversely, was that she was being far too affectionate.
*‘What exactly is my wife thinking?’*
Naturally, Archid’s mind became consumed by thoughts of Roena. Then, he suddenly remembered something she had said.
*‘It’s true that I disliked you, Lord Archid, but I didn’t hate my life.’*
At the time, Roena had seemed to be dodging the subject. Especially when she said the words “disliked you,” her voice had trembled. It was exactly like someone telling a lie they didn’t want to tell. For the perceptive Archid, her transformation was nothing short of baffling.
Archid leaned against the terrace wall for a long time, lost in thought.
Eventually, he trudged back to his table and sat down. He didn’t think to open his book again. He simply toyed with the cover, his lower lip trembling slightly.
Finally, Archid murmured to himself:
“She said she hated me……”
Archid lowered his head, his face turning crimson. He couldn’t remember the last time he had heard someone say they “liked” him.
Overwhelmed by a strange embarrassment, he fumbled with the hair at the back of his neck and let out one sigh after another. He felt pathetic for letting his heart melt so easily at a single sentence.
After he had sat there for a while, just as his heart was beginning to settle—
*Knock, knock.*
“Lord Archid. It’s me, Roena.”
Roena was knocking on his bedroom door.
