Prologue
“Unbelievable.”
The woman seated at the vanity stared into the mirror, murmuring in a tone of utter disbelief.
“How could this…”
What a damned mess. Her eyes crinkled fiercely at the corners.
Golden hair cascading in waves down to her waist, gentle green eyes gleaming softly, and cheeks flushed with a rosy hue.
The reflection staring back wasn’t her own familiar face, but that of Helena, the Duchess of Destrian.
‘What on earth…’
Wondering if it was a dream, she patted her cheeks sharply, but the stinging sensation only confirmed the unyielding reality before her.
“Madam, are you alright? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”
The maid, Marian, asked in a worried tone. Helena had been muttering incomprehensible words to the mirror since morning, which struck her as odd.
“Madam?”
At Marian’s persistent calls, Helena, who had been staring fixedly at the mirror as if nailed in place, slowly turned her head.
“Gasp!”
Marian quickly clamped her hand over her mouth at the sight of Helena’s expression.
The face that had always seemed so delicate and gentle, as if it might blow away in the wind, now bore a clear ferocity, her eyes flashing like a wild beast’s.
“Then where is the real Helena right now?”
“…Pardon?”
Helena’s face twisted menacingly as she growled low.
“Helena, my wife, I mean. If I’ve become my wife, then where is my real wife now?”
Marian tilted her head in confusion at the nonsensical words. It seemed the madam hadn’t fully woken up yet. She was about to suggest bringing some refreshing tea when…
Helena abruptly stood from her seat and stormed out of the room.
A beat late in registering the situation, Marian’s eyes widened in shock. She whipped her head around to see the door flung wide open.
Though made of thick material, Helena had dashed out in nothing but her chemise.
“Madam!”
Grabbing a shawl in haste, Marian stumbled after her in a flurry. Helena had come to a stop in front of the Duke of Destrian’s chamber door.
Her eyes gleamed intensely as she stared at the firmly shut door. Marian, panting from the unexpected sprint so early in the morning, asked breathlessly.
“M-Madam. Why have you come to the master’s room all of a sudden? More importantly, at least put on the shawl first… Madam!”
Ignoring Marian’s words, Helena flung open the duke’s chamber door.
Bang! The door swung wide, and at that moment, a massive man standing before the mirror—the Duke of Destrian—turned his head.
“……!”
“……!”
The duke stared blankly at Helena, his eyes wide in a way that didn’t match his fierce gaze.
Helena slowly scanned the duke’s body.
A solid frame woven with muscles, skin lightly tanned. Jet-black hair covering his forehead, and beneath it, golden eyes shining fiercely like a beast’s.
The duke before her, wearing a dazed expression, was unmistakably ‘her’ own body.
“What in the world…”
This is insane. And now that she thought about it, the duke’s gently blinking eyes somehow felt familiar.
“Could it be…”
Even as her mind screamed that it was impossible, Helena opened her mouth.
“…Helena, is that you?”
The duke’s eyes widened in surprise, as if startled. After parting his lips hesitantly, he spoke cautiously.
“Could it be… Kavil? Is that you?”
“…Ha.”
Helena—no, Kavil’s eyes slowly twisted in realization. Of all times, the day after deciding to divorce his wife.
He had swapped bodies with her.
* * *
In the Duke of Destrian’s study.
Kavil’s gaze drifted to the clock. It had already been four hours since he and his wife had swapped bodies. Sensing a presence, he looked up to see Helena approaching with a joyful expression.
“I think I’ve found it!”
Kavil involuntarily flinched at the unfamiliar sight of his own face beaming brightly. He replied a half-beat late.
“…Found what?”
“A way to switch our bodies back to normal. I think I’ve found it.”
Kavil scanned the piles of books surrounding Helena with indifferent eyes. They were volumes he had already read to the point of memorization.
There was no solution in those books. He could guarantee it.
Kavil crossed his arms over his chest, tilting his head skeptically as if to say, “Go on, tell me.”
Helena’s expression grew somewhat resolute. She took a deep breath and stepped closer to Kavil.
And then.
“……!”
Kavil staggered in shock, losing his balance at the words Helena whispered close to him.
“Madam? What did you just…”
Before Kavil could even process his wife’s words in his confusion, Helena met his eyes squarely and enunciated clearly once more.
“Let’s consummate our marriage, us two.”
“……!”
Kavil, who had been leaning against the sofa, suddenly lost his balance and stumbled.
“After today, I won’t have any reason to see you again.”
Those were the words Kavil had said to Helena on their wedding night about two years ago. And now, she was proposing they share a bed.
Kavil’s eyes, now holding Helena within them, shook violently.
