“I’ll wake the Dowager right away. Please wait just a little longer, my lady.”
“Thank you for your trouble, Ma’am Janna.”
Ricardo thought this would be over once Izuli went inside to pay her respects. Even setting aside this body’s stamina issues, just sitting there doing nothing for three hours was mentally exhausting. Just as he was feeling relieved, voices drifted from beyond the door.
“Nanny, is she there?”
“Yes, my lady. She’s waiting for the Dowager.”
“Hmph—when did she arrive?”
“I don’t know exactly, but she was hurrying to kneel when I came out. I think she must have gone to the bathroom first.”
At the blatant lie, Ricardo stepped around the corner to look at the door. The words should have been loud enough for Izuli, who was right in front of it, to hear—but she remained silent with her head bowed.
“What? After I specifically excused her from yesterday’s respects, she’s late? That’s why you shouldn’t be kind to worthless people—they immediately take advantage!”
“Please calm down, Dowager. Getting angry is only bad for your health.”
“I had to wake up at 5 a.m. to wait for my mother-in-law back in my day! With no one watching, she’s late and lying. Ugh—what sin did I commit in my past life to get a daughter-in-law like that….”
“If you’re still upset, why not refuse to see her today? Leaving her be all day will make her realize her mistake.”
“That’s a good idea. You really are clever, Nanny.”
Izuli still didn’t react. As he’d thought, she was hearing every word from the other side of the door—but since she’d expected it, she wasn’t flustered.
It was true Evelon had a nasty streak, but she wasn’t smart enough to be devious. After months of tough married life, Izuli had realized most of these schemes were Janna’s doing. Janna had disliked Izuli from the start, and while she didn’t know why, she’d sensed there wasn’t always a reason for such things—and figuring it out wouldn’t change anything anyway.
She’d been expecting this outcome ever since Janna had come out at 7 a.m.
It’s been a while, though.
When she’d first married, she hadn’t understood their personalities and had made small mistakes—each time they’d used it as an excuse to make her kneel all day. She’d learned not to slip up after that, so this was a rare occurrence.
Do I still have that bruise-healing ointment?
As she tried to recall, she lowered her head slightly to stare at the carpet. Normally she’d pass the time counting the carpet threads, but today was different—she was tired from the banquet the night before.
Should I play sick for once?
All she had to do was hold on until morning and then pretend to faint. The method worked well, though she couldn’t use it often. Thankfully, the physician staying at the mansion was kind and always pretended not to notice her feigned illness.
Just as she made up her mind—
“Madam.”
She turned at the quiet, low voice.
“Dear?”
Her husband, who should have been asleep, was approaching. Instead of being surprised, she was confused, unable to make sense of the situation.
“Why are you doing this out here?”
“Pardon?”
Ricardo bent down, took her arm, and pulled her up. His strength easily lifted her to her feet, but her gaze remained blank.
“Kalyon?”
At the sound of his voice from beyond the door, Evelon appeared.
“What are you doing here? Did you come to have breakfast together or something?”
It wasn’t a pleasant thought, but since he’d come himself, she couldn’t very well chase him away.
“If my memory serves me right, my wife is supposed to attend to me. When I woke up, no one was there.”
After blinking a few times, Evelon realized he was talking to her.
He must be in a mood because no one was there to tend to him while he was unwell.
“Oh my—really? Izuli, what on earth were you doing? I told you yesterday to take good care of Kalyon. Do you think my words are a joke?”
“Pardon? Mother, I was just here to pay my morning respects to you….”
“Heavens—now you’re using me as an excuse?”
Evelon smoothly shifted the blame to Izuli. It was nothing new, and no one would take her side anyway.
“Kalyon, this is how I live—bullied by your wife and wronged like this all the time….”
“Mother.”
Ricardo cut her off.
“Don’t move without my permission from now on. You said she needs to attend to me, didn’t you?”
Evelon had thought he might defend Izuli, but his next words made her nod in understanding.
So he really is angry because no one was looking after him.
It was a shame she couldn’t take her frustration out on Izuli, but it was better to keep him happy for now.
‘Once I send Kalyon off to the countryside, I can torment Izuli as much as I want.’
She had plenty of time.
“Right, Izuli. Kalyon is correct. Focus on attending to him for the time being.”
“…Yes, Mother.”
“Go back now.”
As Ricardo turned to leave, Izuli followed behind him. Only the sound of their two sets of footsteps echoed alternately down the quiet corridor.
Finally back in their room, Ricardo let out a small sigh.
‘Did I really need to meddle?’
He’d found himself stepping forward without thinking when he saw them openly ignoring her. It had been frustrating to watch her take it all quietly, and he’d told himself it was a way to repay the small help she’d given him earlier. He started to head back to the bedroom—
“…Kalyon.”
He paused for a moment before responding to the call from behind.
“…Ah, what is it?”
Turning around, he saw Izuli standing by the door. The moment their eyes met—
“Who… are you?”
There were a few moments involving Kalyon that Izuli could never forget. One of them, from five years ago, was still as clear as if it had happened yesterday.
Contrary to her expectations, Evelon had learned Izuli was treated like an outcast in the Mentria Dukedom and had unleashed her anger on her. Punishments for trivial matters were common—once, she’d even locked Izuli in the attic, accusing her of stealing valuables.
During a sweltering summer, Izuli had gone without a drop of water. Just as she thought she would die, she heard footsteps outside the door.
The ball definitely went this way….
At the sound of Kalyon’s voice, she’d summoned her last strength to crawl to the door.
– D-dear… Kalyon….
– Izuli? Why are you in here?
– Help me… please… get me out of here….
– I can’t. You’re being punished.
Kalyon had been there when she was wrongfully accused of theft. The frame-up had been clumsy, and she’d explained she’d been with him in the same room at the time—but he hadn’t stood up for her.
– Then at least… water… my throat is so dry… I feel like I’m going to die….
– What if the Dowager or my cousin finds out I helped you?
– No… no one will notice….
Janna had stood guard at the door on the first day to stop anyone from helping her, but no one had been there since the day before. They’d clearly forgotten to watch her, so there was no risk of Kalyon getting caught—but from the other side of the door, he’d refused without a moment’s hesitation.
– I don’t want to. She said she’d cut my allowance in half this month if I help you.
– Kalyon, please….
– Why did you even marry into this family? Ever since I married you, the dowager and my cousin have been even more irritable! I wish you’d just die already!
Kalyon had kicked the door hard in anger before walking away. She’d fainted after that, and luckily, Selly had rescued her from the attic just in time.
From that day on, Izuli had completely given up on trying to get along with him and had started treating him like just another piece of furniture in the room. So when he’d been gone for a week, she hadn’t worried at all—she’d even hoped he’d never come back.
Yet this same Kalyon had suddenly come to her aid.
“You’re not Kalyon, are you?”
Izuli was certain, and Ricardo could tell. They stood in silence, staring at each other. Izuli understood what his silence meant.
“Then… is Kalyon dead?”
“Almost certainly.”
He’d woken up at the bottom of a cliff—no one could have survived that fall.
“Are you going to return to your original body?”
“That’s the plan. So it’s best you keep this secret—unless you want to be branded a heretic and burned at the stake with me.”
Heretics were those who used forbidden magic. Even without proof, anyone suspected of being one was subjected to brutal torture—and if labeled a heretic, they were burned alive.
Ricardo knew his words were practically a threat, but he had no other way. However, Izuli’s reaction was nothing like he’d expected.
