Reinas face reddened from humiliation.
Right as a silence fell over the living room, my stepmother cleared her throat.
Dont paint as the villain, Pershati. I didnt co to fight with you.
If bringing up soones ex while theyre happily enjoying their honeymoon isnt an attempt to start a fight, then what is it?
You got married so suddenly. Its just regrettable we werent able to proceed with the proper formalities, since we were so surprised at the news of your marriage.
Formalities?
Thats right.
What are the formalities that you, Mother, should have proceeded with at my wedding?
As I narrowed my eyes, my stepmother, seemingly embarrassed, fanned herself while avoiding my gaze.
Ahem. Did you know that when a bride is married, shes supposed to be given a dowry?
What? What, gold?
Since youre being taken away from your family, they should express their sincerity for who raised you up until now. But whats this?
She clicked her tongue, her anger seeming to grow as she spoke.
This is no different than being looked down on.
Theyre looking down on ?
My stepmother, thinking I was agreeing with her, put down her fan and gently took hold of my hand.
I felt like you were being looked down on and it made unhappy.
What makes even unhappier is you holding my hand right now.
I spoke in a displeased tone and withdrew my hand coldly. Even in such a tense atmosphere, like thin ice, my stepmother was insistent.
Pershati, why dont you understand where Im coming from? You dont know how lonely and empty the estate is now that Ive lost my eldest daughter. I still visit your bedroom sotis.
So to fill that emptiness, you ca to receive a dowry?
Thats because it feels like the Lapileon family is looking down on you
Are you doing business with as an asset?
I hit the bullseye. Both of their faces instantly paled.
S-Sister! Why do you say it like that?
It seems like you dont have enough money. Is your wealth in decline, Mother?
We were only thinking of you!
Thats right! We were just worried you were being ignored!
I beca tired watching them conjure up excuses like rapid-fire. Letting them be for entertainnt would end here.
In my opinion, the ones looking down on are you two.
What?
It seems like you dont know who the Grand Duchess of the Empire is?
Their shoulders flinched.
You forget who you sit across from, your chins raised so high you dont know they point to the sky. Ill ask you once more. Who are the ones looking down on ?
At my question, their chins lowered.
Thats right. This is the reason I offered Grand Duke Lapileon a contract marriage.
Seeing them rendered speechless, I felt refreshed.
Go back, Mother. This is the last ti I will et with and listen to you while staying polite.
Pershati! Were your family! How could you do this?
My stepmother raised her voice while speaking in an anguished voice. Reina, as if to show her sadness, took out her handkerchief and dabbed away her tears.
Your sad act wont work on , so stop.
Pershati!
Would you like to return to your residence with dignity? Or would you like to be dragged out by the guards?
My stepmother clenched both of her fists tightly. After her mask of pretending to be a kind and pitiful mother was taken away, all that was left was a face filled with loathing and contempt towards .
Sister, what about Sir Siph? He is just too pitiful. Cant you at least let him take the Imperial knights evaluation exam? Hes still soone who was by your side when you were having a difficult ti. Shouldnt you do one last thing for him?
Reina.
I heard that the judge for the evaluation was His Royal Highness the Grand Duke! Then, Sister, cant you request it? Hm?
Shes still pushing for her lover.
She must think that if Siph becos an Imperial knight, then sothing will change. But that cant happen.
Reina.
Yes, Sister.
Go and tell Siph.
Huh? What should I tell him? Just tell !
Reinas face brightened instantly.
What an idiot. Did you think I would simply let myself be taken advantage of?
Tell him to live quietly without making a fuss if he doesnt want to lose the rest of what he has.
At that, there was no more conversation.
Youll co to regret what happened today. Just you wait.
Lets wait and see who regrets it more.
Do you think its over just because you received the inheritance?
I scrunched up my face, as though I had drunk bitter dicine.
I had expected them to find another way to try for the inheritance, since they couldnt get to marry Siph. It was just as I thought.
Why are you bringing up my inheritance?
You know that if youre ineligible for succession, you need to cough up the full value of the inheritance, including what youve used, right?
They must have really been trying to use their brains.
Just you wait.
They got up abruptly, seeming to know that I wouldnt go along with anything else they said.
Without even a knock, the door suddenly burst open.
Just you wait. What I heard just now was that directed toward the Grand Duchess?
Selphius, tilting his head arrogantly, walked over with a tap on my shoulder. At his sudden appearance, my stepmother and Reina bowed their heads with dumbfounded expressions.
I never imagined that I would ever witness soone telling the Grand Duchess to just wait and see in my lifeti.
Y-You must have misheard.
You?
Selphiuss face, which had just been smiling, hardened as fast as a plaster cast. Selphius, who had spent his entire life growing up as the arrogant Young Master of the Grand Duchy, could not be looked down on.
You speak informally.
Selphius growled coldly. His deanor was completely different to when he spoke with .
Youre doing great, Selphi.
I drank my tea calmly, as if a re onlooker of the situation.
I-I was not thinking
My stepmother eventually surrendered in a voice as small as a worm wiggling by. Selphius walked to my side with his short legs and spoke flatly.
You should not be apologizing to , but to the Grand Duchess herself.
Ahh, he received such impeccable training on family etiquette. I dont even have to do anything.
Youre not apologizing?
Selphius domineering tone pressured an apology. They were in the Lapileon estate, and the two people in front of them were the Lapileon Young Master and the Lapileon Grand Duchess.
They lowered their heads slowly.
I-Im sorry, Your Royal Highness.
Saying such a thing to the Grand Duchess. You should be thankful. The sole reason you are being left alone is the Grand Duchess kindness.
Yes.
Your Royal Highness, shall we send them on their way?
Selphius continued his role solidly until the end. As soon as he indicated with his head that he was asking , he waved his hand dismissively in a gesture which said go away quickly.
After the two of them had departed, Selphius and I left the drawing room feeling refreshed.
By the way, your family is really sothing else.
Did you hear everything from the start?
Vaguely. I have pretty sharp ears. If they co again, please call for . Ill make it so that they cant even show up.
It felt like I had made a reliable ally. I smiled and nodded.
Should I ask the kitchen to make a chiffon cake so we can share it?
At my question, Selphius stopped walking. No matter how good his acting was, a child was still a child. His stateliness from earlier disappeared, and it looked like hearts were dripping from his eyes.
Where is Theodore? Lets call him and eat together.
His Royal Highness is away visiting the Imperial palace.
The palace? Why?
So ti ago, there was a celebration congratulating our victory in the war. As a result, there will soon be a festival celebrating the Crown Prince and the Grand Duke.
Ah
His Majesty called for him, saying there were things to discuss before the festival.
It was said that Theodore was a huge factor in winning the war because of the curse. If he wiped even a drop of his blood on his sword, those with even a slight scratch would all die.
A victory festivalTheodore probably doesnt even want one.
All the rumors about him enjoying war, blood, and killing were all lies. At least, that was the way I saw it.
Because of the curse of his blood, he has no choice but to utilize it. Because his entire body was a weapon.
Next to , Selphius furrowed his brow as if rembering sothing unpleasant. He spoke after fixing his expression.
In the countryside where I was living, many children lost their parents to the war. So I dont like war.
If the nation has beco this powerful, then they should stop now. Why does the Emperor have such greed
Selphi.
I quickly stopped Selphius, who was about to say sothing against the Emperor, and glanced around.
There were guards on duty in the surroundings, as well as maids and servants working.
If news that a grievance was expressed about the Emperor in the Grand Duchy, there was a chance that rumors of treason would spread. It was best to be careful.
I understand how you feel.
With a bitter smile, I patted Selphius head. Although Selphius mumbled stop it, why are you petting ? with a bright red face, he didnt avoid my hand.
Lets eat cake together. Selphi.
* * *
As soon as night fell, Theodore ca back with a tired countenance. He approached with a dark expression and inquired after .
The butler inford that your family visited.
They did.
Are you alright? There werent any issues?
It seed like Theodore asked without much thought, but having soone genuinely worry about was a new experience. It was a curious feeling.
After nodding reluctantly, I quickly changed the subject.
I heard from Selphi the capital is going to hold a celebratory festival for you soon?
Its completely unnecessary.
As I thought, he didnt like it. Although it seed that he hated it more than I expected.
Do you not like war? Or do you not like attention?
I dont like either.
Seeing how he answered without even the slightest bit of hesitation, it looked like he really ant it.
According to the rumors, Theodore was a bloodthirsty warrior who enjoyed war, blood, and killing, but
There wasnt a single thing true about the rumors.
Do you happen to know anything about the rumors about you?
What are they like?
They say you love war, blood, and killing. I heard that you were a barbarian who didnt even pay attention to your only heir after sending him off to a remote residence.
And I also heard he didnt complete his first wedding night, but lets not tell him that.
Even at my straightforward words, Theodores expression was unchanging. He was calm as if listening to a story about soone else.
Then, did you believe them?
Why dont you correct the rumors?
What?
Its like soone is deliberately speaking ill of you. If life was based on rumor alone, you would be the worst person in the world.
Thats right. Unless soone was purposely spreading rumors, they shouldnt have been this harsh.
I dont care about the gaze of the world, so it doesnt bother .
Even if youre being cursed at like a devil?
Thats right. And frankly, they arent wrong.
Theodores lips curled into a self-mocking smile. With his gaze lowered and a stony, expressionless face, Theodore mumbled quietly:
How could there be anyone worse than a man whose body possesses lethal poison?
I scowled at Theodores self-loathing. I even had the sneaking suspicion that maybe the horrible rumors ca from Theodore himself.
I didnt bring it up to create such a heavy atmosphere!
In an effort to lighten the mood, I raised the pitch of my voice playfully.
I think you might have to care now.
Why is that?
Youre married to now. Since youve beco my reliable support, if you get caught up in weird rumors, then Ill be in a bad situation too.
Theodore didnt have an answer. No, more accurately, I dont think he knew how to respond.
Ah, right. I heard you went to the Imperial palace.Did you et Princess Dahlia?
As soon as I finished my question, a murderous look crossed Theodores face.
My goodness, whats the matter?
His expression was so cold it felt like he really could kill soone.
That princess
Shes definitely insane.
What? Did sothing happen?
My concern rose unintentionally because he spit out his words so angrily it seed he had been holding them back behind his serious face.
Did she do sothing weird again?
My uneasy worry beca a reality.
She wrote a pledge in her own blood.
What?
Did I hear wrong? What? She wrote what?
My mouth hung open out of shock.
She really is one of those ultra-rare crazy bitches.
J-Just what did she write?
That part is a bit weird.
What?
She did write sothing, but it was in a language no one could recognize.
Theodore scowled as he rembered what had happened.
It looked like an ancient script. On top of that, they said she wrote secretly every night.
She wrote a pledge in her own blood every night?
Goosebumps ford all along my arms. Sothing definitely went wrong while she was recovering.
Because of her disease, Dahlia did not receive proper education. She never went to an academy. Due to her difficulty with outsiders, she didnt even have a common tutor.
And yet she wrotea blood pledge in an ancient text?
There were many strange details. But the shocking news didnt end there.
When she burned the blood pledge, she said she needed to burn it with my hair and approached with a knife.
At Theodores words, I stood up abruptly.
W-Were you hurt?
You think I wouldnt be able to block that? She approached from behind, so I just pushed her away. His Majesty couldnt even say anything.
Shes even crazier than I had thought.
I rembered Dahlias murderous gaze boring into from the day I left the temple.
I should definitely avoid her.
Enough. Lets stop talking about that. I dont even want to think about it again. More importantly, here.
Theodore shuddered, then took sothing out and handed it to .
I almost forgot.
What is this?
Tomorrows article No, to state it more accurately, the newspaper that was almost released tomorrow. It wont be released anymore, though.
What?
I unfolded the newspaper Theodore handed .
At the very top was news about Princess Dahlia. My eye was imdiately drawn to the article written just below it.
[Grand Duchess Pershati Lapileon! Abandoned a Commoner and Reached for Power!]
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