Chapter 2
Bereydon was truly a generous place.
Unlike Hezest.
Less than half a day after I transmigrated, I had been shoved into a carriage with nothing but a marriage contract in my hands.
Until then, I’d been practically starved.
When I said I was hungry, the Duchess of Hezest looked at me with icy eyes and said,
“Being fat isn’t attractive. Since you’re leaving anyway, conduct yourself like a true daughter of House Hezest, Roana. Don’t forget what I’ve taught you. Seduce the Duke of Bereydon and learn whatever information you can. We will be visiting Bereydon before long, so I trust you’ll be doing well until then. Tanya, I’ll leave Roana in your care.”
Then she assigned a maid who looked like the gatekeeper of hell to watch me.
Being suddenly transmigrated was miserable enough, but they even made eating miserable.
She wouldn’t let me have a single bite of anything sweet.
The moment I’d eaten about three spoonfuls, she’d snatch the entire plate away.
Can a maid seriously get away with that?
I honestly wanted to throw her off the carriage during the journey.
But she was so persistent that she never left my side for even a moment.
And now…
A leisurely breakfast.
Long live Bereydon!
The maid had been sent straight back to Hezest.
It had taken quite a bit of effort to get rid of her because she refused to leave.
“Your name is Tanya, correct? Bereydon has no intention of paying your wages. In other words, we have no intention of employing you. What do you think, Your Grace? Would you like to hire her personally?”
“You should return home, Tanya.”
There was no reason to miss such a wonderful opportunity to kick her out.
I was absolutely thrilled.
Tanya returned to House Hezest.
She was probably acting as their spy already, reporting every little thing I did.
My own life hadn’t exactly been a bed of roses either.
My parents only cared about my older brother.
My paternal grandparents were the same.
Even my sister-in-law made my life miserable.
But I had my maternal grandmother.
She loved me unconditionally.
Because of her, I knew Roana’s life had been anything but normal.
Tanya starving Roana.
The Duchess of Hezest forcing her sick daughter into a carriage.
The cold eyes with which she looked down on me.
And the memories of Roana that had gradually seeped into me throughout the journey.
That’s why I knew exactly how precious this grilled onion was.
Roana…
You really had a miserable life.
“The grilled onions practically melt in your mouth, Cheres. Oh! Aren’t you going to eat more? You’re getting up already?”
“I’m full. Finish your meal.”
Cheres replied curtly before turning and leaving the dining room.
He had barely touched his main course.
What a waste.
Roana’s stomach had become tiny from what must have been years of extreme dieting.
In my previous life, I would’ve happily finished everything left on the table.
Suppressing my regret, I continued eating.
Cheres needed to enjoy meals like this while he still could.
After all, six months after marrying Roana, he’d leave for the battlefield.
“So soon…”
And according to the novel, he’d never return alive.
Well… they say a ghost who dies with a full stomach looks healthier than one who dies hungry.
I glanced toward the empty seat he’d left with sympathetic eyes.
Next time, I’ll try harder to convince him to eat more.
That night…
I’d spent the entire day doing absolutely nothing, so I wasn’t sleepy at all.
Wow.
This place is amazing.
Still, spending six whole months lazing around like this would probably get boring.
Starting tomorrow, maybe I should find something to do.
He told me not to act like the mistress of the house, so that’s out.
I do feel guilty for contributing absolutely nothing.
Maybe I could at least help the maids with their work?
…No, they’d probably think I’d gone crazy.
After rolling around on the bed for a while, I got up and stepped outside.
Holding a lantern, I wandered through the hallway.
Then I heard a baby crying somewhere in the distance.
The little bright-eyed boy?
He was probably the only baby living in this mansion.
The little one had been legally adopted by Cheres.
His biological father had been Cheres’s older brother, who died after the war.
But why was he crying so desperately?
Where was the nanny?
His sobs grew louder and louder until it sounded as though he’d cry himself breathless.
Unable to ignore him, I hurried toward the room.
When I opened the door, I found the little boy crying so hard that his face had turned bright red.
The nanny was nowhere to be seen.
The spacious nursery contained only the tiny child.
“He told me not to go anywhere near the baby…”
But I couldn’t just leave a crying child alone.
After looking around, I reluctantly picked him up.
He looked like he’d only recently turned one year old.
“There, there. Poor thing. Why are you so upset? Are you hungry?”
It wasn’t time for a midnight feeding.
Was he sick?
He didn’t have a fever.
Maybe his stomach hurt?
As I gently patted his back, his round blue eyes slowly began to droop.
Or perhaps he was teething.
Babies cried for so many different reasons that it was impossible to know.
Fortunately, before transmigrating, I’d practically raised my nephew like a live-in babysitter.
Taking care of babies wasn’t difficult.
Back then, my mother had constantly forced me to watch him.
“You’re nothing but a freeloader stuffing your face all day! At least help your brother and your sister-in-law!”
A freeloader?
Have you ever seen a freeloader who worked full-time?
I even contributed money toward household expenses.
The one who’d spent seven years unemployed while preparing for the civil service exam was my brother.
If anyone was a parasite, it was him—not me.
And my sister-in-law claimed she was supporting him, yet she hardly took care of her own child.
Seriously.
If someone studied for the Grade 9 civil service exam for seven years and still couldn’t pass…
Maybe they were just hopeless.
Ah.
Why am I thinking about that now?
Shaking my head, I focused on putting the baby to sleep.
He’s asleep now.
I should be able to put him down.
The moment I laid him in his crib…
His eyes snapped wide open.
He stared straight at me with bright, alert eyes.
“Hm?”
“Waaaahhh!”
…Ah.
Apparently, this little guy came equipped with the highest-quality “put-me-down sensor.”
I quickly picked him up again.
I’ll just hold him until the nanny comes.
“Yaaawn…”
I let out a long yawn while gently rocking Hayden.
I’m so sleepy…
Where on earth is the nanny?
The next morning…
Cheres received a report he never could have anticipated.
With a grim expression, he repeated,
“The Duchess has disappeared?”
“Yes, Your Grace. We’ve searched everywhere, but we can’t find her.”
At the report from Mrs. Uraine, the head maid, Cheres rubbed his face.
Had her obedient behavior yesterday all been an act?
Disappearing first thing the following morning and causing chaos…
That certainly sounded like something House Hezest would do.
Whatever she was doing now, there was a high probability it would harm Bereydon.
He needed to find that troublesome woman immediately and remind her of the rules she’d agreed to follow.
Just as Cheres was about to issue the order…
Hayden’s nanny burst into the room.
“Your Grace! I think you should come at once!”
Her face was deathly pale, and her shoulders trembled violently.
Something was clearly wrong.
Did something happen to Hayden?
At that instant, the image of the missing Roana flashed through his mind.
It felt as though every drop of blood had drained from his body.
That woman from Hezest… What if she’s done something to him?
I knew I never should have let her into this house!
He hurried after the nanny toward Hayden’s room.
But what Cheres found there was…
Snore…
Roana and Hayden were fast asleep beside each other.
Whatever had happened during the night, Roana’s hair was completely disheveled as she slept with one arm wrapped protectively around the child’s back.
As Cheres stared at them in stunned silence, Hayden whimpered and squirmed.
Without even opening her eyes, Roana gently patted his back.
“There, there… Shhh… Shhh…”
As soon as Hayden settled down again…
She immediately drifted back to sleep herself.
Cheres watched the scene in complete disbelief.
Mrs. Uraine quietly tugged on his sleeve.
The moment they stepped outside the room, he turned his icy gaze toward the nanny.
“Explain.”
The nanny immediately bowed her head.
“I-I had terrible stomach pains last night… I fell asleep without hearing Young Master Hayden crying. When I woke up this morning… Her Grace was already there. I’m terribly sorry, Your Grace!”
He had explicitly told Roana to do two things.
Do nothing.
And stay away from the child.
Yet she had broken both rules in a single night.
“I believe it would be best to leave them alone for now, Your Grace.”
At Mrs. Uraine’s suggestion, Cheres gave a quiet order.
“Keep a close watch on the Duchess until she wakes. Make sure nothing happens to the child.”
“Yes, Your Grace!”
The nanny answered tearfully.
Cheres ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
I need to speak with Roana again.
Just what in the world is she thinking?
