Chapter 18


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    “I’m sorry, my Lady. I was stupid. I asked you to go first, but when I heard you went missing, I got so


    scared of Iz’s reaction that I ended up lying to him…… Really, I’m so ashamed to admit this.”


    Freya, who repeatedly bowed her head, her purple eyes glistening with tears, seemed truly sorry.


    If I hadn’t known much about their rtionship, I might have forgiven her.


    She said she was scared of Izek’s reaction? What dog sh*t. And if she was really sorry, she would tell


    him the truthter. Why would she only tell me? Ah, she was somewhat scary.


    Depending on how I react here, I’d get to know Freya’s true self.


    Of course, I would continue to look insignificant. Especially for her.


    “It’s okay, that’s possible. Lady Furiana didn’t know that such an ident would happen. I understand


    everything, so don’t worry.”


    “If I hadn’t made such an offer in the first ce, mydy…”


    “It’s really okay. It’s a secret, but this was actually a little fun. This had never happened in Romagna. I


    feel sorry that the pdins had been working so hard to find me untilte at night, but I was fine.”


    When I smiled brightly like a child, she stared into my eyes as if she were searching for something, and


    then grinned, like she understood. It may be just my gut feeling, but at first nce, she seemed to be


    ridiculing me.


    “I see what you mean. But I’m d my Lady is okay. Feel free to let me know if there’s anything I can


    do for you in the future.” Suddenly, I could tell why I didn’t feel any animosity from her until now.


    I was not worthy of hostility to her. Not at all. I didn’t know what suddenly offended her, but Freya was


    an old friend of Izek and Ellenia. Her position was unparalleled in the North.


    No matter what happened, no one would believe me.


    It was ironic that in this dark situation, the final boss: my husband, is myst ray of hope. The problem


    was that I hadn’t even seen a strand of his hair since that night. To make matters worse, I couldn’t even


    dare to take a step outside the mansion even after my injured ankle was healed.


    The guards in the mansion watched me with their eyes wide open as if they were very happy about the


    situation. Ellenia seemed to be very angry with me and stuck to a very bystander-like attitude.


    Haa.


    I couldn’t even go out of the mansion even after my ankle healed.


    I had to see his face to check if I had a chance of surviving or not!


    If he made a decision, threw away all my hard work, and sent me home, I… I didn’t want to even


    imagine what was going to happen next.


    “The banquet will be held soon.”


    But Ellenia was less heartlesspared to her brother. She visited me and kindly reminded me of the


    event I had forgotten.


    My husband’s birthday, in the midst of the cold and ruthless winter, was approaching. Summer had


    already ended.


    “What can I help you with?…”


    “I’m just going to do what I do every year, so it’s fine. By the way, all the clothes you’ve ordered will


    arrive this afternoon.”


    When I asked carefully, she retorted with a sharp tone.


    Indeed, even if I stepped up in this situation, I felt that I would only gain more haters, and not provide


    help. So I decided not to pressurise anymore.


    Ellenia looked at my bowed head without saying a word, and got up, “I’ll be a little busy until the day


    before the party. I told the maid to prepare whatever you need right away, of course.”


    So, that was how I’d been ced under the mercy of these scumbags, who were anxious to kick me


    out, for a while.


    Waah! Ellen, why do you keep abandoning me?


    Until just a while ago, the servants all pretended to take care of me, but after the night of the incident,


    they all became cold again.


    When I pulled the rope by my bed because I needed something, a maid with an unpleasant look would


    appear almost half a dayter.


    The maid who received my jewellery the other day was named Lucille or something – it would have


    been a pain if I hadn’t bribed her that day.


    I didn’t know who was going on, so I didn’t want to ask about anything sensitive.


    In particr, the maid(nanny)  felt as threatening as Freya.


    How do I lighten myplicated husband’s mood? I was also stressed about what to prepare as a


    birthday present. It’s not that I hadn’t experienced such a simr situation, but I was being very careful


    because I didn’t know when or where he’d go. After nearly half a day of racking my brain, I decided to


    just rely on experience. Since it was difficult to ask anyone out of the house anyway, all I could prepare


    was embroidery.


    My father’s mistress, Lady Julia, brought me an embroidery kit as a wedding gift.


    I was lucky to still have it.


    “I didn’t know you enjoyed embroidery.”


    When I stayed in my bedroom all day, maybe because she thought it was suspicious, but the maid who


    came, mentioned this.


    I just grinned.


    “I’m just practicing.”


    “Are you making it for the Duke?”


    “Yes, but it’s been a while, so I don’t know if it’ll be good. I wonder what would be the most


    appropriate…”


    “If you don’t mind the advice of this humble servant, a willow pattern would be great.”


    “Willow…”


    “Yes, when the Duke was young, there was a willow tree that he often climbed up and yed with. But


    now it’s been a long time since it was cut down, so he often feels sad remembering it.”


    Her light brown eyes glowed with a mean look, along with that thin smile. I got goosebumps at that


    moment, but I didn’t show it and smiled.


    “Ah, thank you for the good information. I’ll keep that in mind.”


    Of course, I had no intention of embroidering the willow tree.


    What, he often felt sorry remembering it? Aside from the fact that I was not the type to fall into such


    cheap sentiments, her hate for me was too much to actually ask me to do this. I didn’t know exactly


    what caused Omerta’s mother to die such a tragic death, but I clearly remembered that she had


    committed suicide by hanging herself from a willow tree in the backyard.


    I still couldn’t believe she told me to embroider that.


    A sign asking to be beaten to death by a willow cane.


    She must have turned off the fire on purpose on the first night.


    It was just a suggestion, but it was very obvious, you b*tch!


    She seemed to be looking forward to me getting kicked out of here, but I won’t allow that, you vile


    woman.


    When I thought of my first night here, I naturally thought of monsters.


    Especially Popo. A strange creature who understood me and helped me. I thought it was silly back


    then, but there were suspicions that other monsters might be the same as it. The Gargoyle in the


    basement where Cesare had once pushed me into. My first night, when I met that monster, and the


    water monster that dragged me into the pce pond…


    I was sure that Rudbeckia had some connection with monsters.


    I didn’t have the weird ability to do this. No, I didn’t think there was a human being with such an


    unusual ability to understand monsters in this world itself.


    Nevertheless, Popomunicated clearly with me and made it clear that it couldn’t understand what


    anyone else said, except me.


    It was something I had to wait and see for now.


    If I told someone about this beforehand, I’d bebelled a witch.


    I worked hard on the embroidery for a few days. It had been a long time and I was so absorbed in it


    that my fingertips were swollen, but I ignored it.


    By the time it was almostpleted, I had asked Lucille to give me stationary for writing a letter.


    While I was writing with all my heart, I was a little scared that the personality wrecker might just tear it


    apart, but I couldn’t just stop. My back throbbed, and pain spread through my lower stomach.


    I heard bad things happen all at once. I knew I had irregr cycles, but why did it have toe today?


    It was sad that even Mother Nature wasn’t on my side.


    I was pretty good at enduring pain, but this time it was especially severe.


    I almost wanted to roll over the bed.


    How long had it been since I pulled the rope next to my bed, sweating buckets?


    “Are you feeling ufortable, ma’am?”


    It would have been better if Lucille came, but why did this maide? Just as I was about to grumble


    and open my mouth, she spoke, “You don’t seem very well, I’ll get you a painkiller for now. Also…”


    Huh?


    I tilted my head and looked at her.


    The pain was so severe that my vision was blurry, but I could see that the grumpy maid had a hesitant


    look on her face.


    What, what are you pretending to be hesitant about?


    “I’m sorry, but the Duke has said to tell my Lady to stay here today. You don’t have to attend the


    banquet.”


    What?


    “You just don’t seem to be feeling well, so you’d better follow it. If there is anything I can deliver to the


    Duke, I will deliver it for you.”


    Of course, I didn’t n on leaving my well-prepared gift in the hands of this woman.


    And what? What’s going on? You must be selling me crap.


    No matter how angry he was, I couldn’t just stay in my husband’s room while his birthday party was


    going on. I wanted to believe that it couldn’t be possible for him to say that, but on the other hand, I felt


    anxious about what to do if it was real.


    It was not impossible if it was him.


    I knew he was not going to see me for a while, but if he was really trying to get rid of me…


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Not long after the maid left, Lucille came in and gave me painkillers. I felt sorry for myself, but I was


    unfamiliar with the way she looked at me with pity.


    I asked her to call Ellenia, but all I could hear was that she was out and that she would be back by the


    end of the banquet.


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