Chapter 126. As My Wife, as the Duchess of Cheister
The place they arrived at following Madame Charlotte was not the third-floor attic, but his bedroom on the second floor.
During the walk there, the two did not exchange a single word.
No, it was more accurate to say they simply couldn’t.
Recalling the cause of that commotion in front of the entrance hall, even a greeting like “nice to see you again” could not bring itself to leave her lips.
Whether Madame Charlotte felt the same, she remained silent for a long while before finally patting Deborah’s back gently and quietly exiting the bedroom.
Left alone, Deborah stood dazed for a long time before moving her steps toward the table.
“…….”
As the fierce, freezing expression of the Dowager Marchioness looking at the two of them flashed through her mind, her heart tightened painfully.
The two had been so close.
The infinitely warm and deep affection reflected in the way she looked at her son was so profound that it could be felt without the need for words.
Maternal love—to Deborah, that was the most painful wound and a mirage she could never grasp, no matter how much she longed for it her whole life.
That was why she had envied it so achingly.
In an instant, she lost her confidence.
Despite returning after being led by his hand as if she couldn’t resist, her heart wavered again.
It felt as though a heavy boulder was weighing her down, suffocating her with the thought that she was making everyone miserable with her useless greed, when everything would end if she just gave up.
Even though she didn’t even have the courage to leave him herself…
She felt so foolish and pathetic for being this weak.
*Click—*
Just as she felt she might be crushed by the endless stream of thoughts, the sound of a door opening was heard.
Deborah’s startled eyes quickly darted toward the doorway, and soon her gaze met the man entering.
“…….”
Just by seeing his face, the anxiety that had been strangling her heart felt as if it scattered rapidly into the air in an instant.
As she slowly stood up, the man strode toward her before she knew it.
A brief silence flowed between the two as they faced each other.
“What did she say?”, “Was it hard?”, “I’m sorry”…… for some reason, none of the many words floating in her head came out of her mouth.
The fact that the man had to face situations he shouldn’t have to experience because of her made it impossible for Deborah to say anything.
The man’s hand soon gently cupped her chin, which was dropping unconsciously.
“I think I know what you were thinking.”
“…….”
“I know, but it’s too late for that now.”
He was saying that it was already far too late for such thoughts.
He meant that the point of turning back had already ended long ago, back when they first tried to push each other away.
“I’m going to call off the engagement.”
Deborah’s eyes trembled faintly at the voice spoken so calmly.
Before coming here, she had heard him say there would be no marriage to anyone else while leaving her behind, but she hadn’t imagined it would truly happen.
Though she didn’t know much, she knew at least that marriages between nobles weren’t something that could be overturned as easily as flipping one’s palm.
She was utterly confused, unable to believe that he would endure such consequences just for her sake.
However, that was nothing compared to the words that followed.
The man, who was softly stroking Deborah’s cheek, finally brought up the story he had been keeping inside.
“As soon as that matter is settled, I plan to introduce you to people at the right time.”
“…….”
“As my wife, and as the Duchess of Cheister.”
*Thump—!*
Her heart began to beat like crazy.
It wasn’t joy or fluttering…… it wasn’t that kind of feeling.
It was an emotion born of shock and fear upon hearing something monumental that she couldn’t handle.
Looking at Deborah’s frozen face, the man smiled while knitting his brows.
“That’s harsh, considering it’s the first proposal I’ve ever made in my life.”
Despite his playful smile, for some reason, not a single shred of laughter came out.
It was because it was that much of an absurdity.
For him, the Duke of the Great House of Cheister, to marry a commoner—and a poor orphan at that.
It was something that could not, and should not, happen.
Even if they held a wedding, there was no way the Royal Family would approve the marriage.
A noble marriage that does not receive royal approval is not legally recognized, so in the end, it would be nothing more than an empty shell.
There was no way he, a nobleman, wouldn’t know what even she, who knew nothing, understood…… so it was only natural to be bewildered as to why he would say such things.
As if he had sensed all those thoughts, Raymond pulled Deborah’s waist and held her in his arms.
“There’s nothing to worry about. I’ll take care of everything.”
“…….”
“You just have to follow me without any worries.”
Locked in his large embrace, he whispered in a low voice.
She wanted to give back the words that she would do so, that she would wait and trust only him, as he continued to reassure her that there was nothing to worry about.
But even those words wouldn’t come out, for fear of becoming a burden to him.
So, in the end, instead of an answer, Deborah simply hugged the man’s large back tightly.
With all her strength, so that this unknown anxiety might disappear.
—
“So Deborah really came back? And she’s sitting in the Duke’s bedroom on the second floor right now?”
At the end of a dark hallway, beneath the stairs, a secret voice was heard.
“Ugh, I told you so!”
Greta’s voice, irritated by being asked for the umpteenth time, rose unconsciously.
She immediately shut her mouth, startled by the sound ringing out loudly.
Ludmilla, after giving Greta a fierce glare, sank back into her thoughts.
A few days ago, Ludmilla had been absolutely livid upon hearing that Deborah had been kicked out of Elfengreen.
Molly, who was beside her, had mindlessly asked if it wasn’t a good thing, but she didn’t know the truth.
She hadn’t endured and waited all this time just to see her get kicked out so blandly.
It was to see that girl, Deborah, while intoxicated by a sweet dream at her happiest moment—
At that very moment, to see her fall painfully down that cliff.
Wasn’t that why she had kept her mouth shut until now, even while holding that massive truth in her hands?
That enormous secret that the sly bitch Deborah was hiding.
Ludmilla’s gaze slowly drifted back to that incident not long ago.
That day was also a day she had been grinding her teeth while doing the work assigned by the chef, Bernard.
A status that had fallen to being everyone’s laughingstock overnight.
That resentment and indignation piled up and was directed entirely toward one person.
That lowly orphan bitch who made her like this, Deborah.
Every time she recalled the contemptuous look in Robin’s eyes as he looked at her, Ludmilla vowed and vowed again.
I will make sure to see blood tears flowing from that bitch’s eyes.
Double what I shed—no, hundreds of times more.
But, no matter how hard she thought about it, nothing struck her as the perfect plan.
By chance, she had found out that Deborah was going in and out of the Duke’s bedroom, but if she revealed it incorrectly, she might be the one to get in trouble.
She was a girl who had brought down the iron fortress that hadn’t wavered even when several pretty-faced maids tried to seduce him.
So, if she whispered to the Duke with that sly mouth, Ludmilla might end up being kicked out empty-handed before she could even try anything.
While she was agonizing and racking her brains like that, an unexpected opportunity came her way once more.
The holiday that all maids looked forward to.
Ludmilla had wasted most of her morning on the tasks Bernard had ordered.
Just as she was leaving the kitchen while pouring all sorts of curses toward Bernard and Deborah, she heard that someone was looking for her.
Since there was no one who would do such a thing, it was a bit strange, but she was curious who it was and went outside the main building where they said the person was waiting.
The person at the destination was a man she had never seen before.
Looking at his neat attire, he didn’t seem to be of a very low status, but then again, he didn’t look like someone of a particularly grand status either.
Anyway, as she approached the stranger who appeared out of nowhere with great caution, the man spoke strange words to her.
He asked if she could spare some time.
In a place where they could avoid people’s eyes.
Naturally, she refused.
Why should she trust a man she had never seen before? Furthermore, a story to be told in a place without people was even more suspicious.
She was about to turn away after refusing flatly, but the man said something she couldn’t refuse.
—It’s about that woman, Deborah.
At that name coming out of the suspicious man’s mouth, the hair on her neck stood up.
In Ludmilla’s sight as she slowly turned back, the corner of the man’s mouth hooked up unpleasantly.
As if he knew she would, the man smiled brightly and continued his next words.
—How about it? I think I can help you out a bit.
Eyes narrowed as thin as a snake’s.
Normally, she would have turned away immediately at that chilling sight, but Ludmilla’s hatred toward that girl Deborah was so strong that it acted as a variable.
It goes without saying that not long after that, Ludmilla nodded toward the man.
That was how Ludmilla came to know the enormous secret Deborah was hiding.
☆☆☆
