《The Villain Is Obsessed With His Fake Wife》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1: The Sold Bride The woman disappeared. ¡°Estelle?¡± The man looked for the traces of the missing woman like a madman. But he didn¡¯t get a response, which could only imply one thing. The man clenched his fist tightly that his blood vessels spurted out. ¡®It¡¯s a lie.¡¯ The woman abandoned him and disappeared. The memory of the moment that seemed like a lie flashed across his head. But the man continued to wander in search of her even though he¡¯s clearly in a mess. The room where the woman usually stayed, the rose garden where they smile saying it was sunny, and the space just for him and her, who smiles shyly while looking at him. ¡®It seems like everything remains the same.¡¯ Now, even her life and death is unclear. At any rate, he was heartbroken at the assumption that the woman might¡¯ve died. The man¡¯s handsome face hardened his expression. ¡®This won¡¯t bring my wife back.¡¯ Even if the woman died, the remains of the body had to be captured and tied up to him. The dim madness moved on to serve one purpose. ¡®Even if I don¡¯t know exactly how you disappeared.¡¯ If there is a way to escape, there must also be a way to catch and imprison her. ¡®Estelle.¡¯ His lovely wife with a pale pink and a touch of platinum blonde hair that shone like a spring flower, as well as her mysterious indigo-blue eyes. ¡®In the end, this is what happened.¡¯ Everything is his fault, that he had completely lost her beautiful smile. ¡®But still, I can¡¯t live without you.¡¯ Even in the bright morning, his whole world was dark as night. The happiness she presented became the foundation for another hell. The man¡¯s giddy eyes turned towards the wedding ring. An elegant platinum-colored ring, studded with deep blue sapphires. The man wanted a jewel that resembled the woman¡¯s eyes, and the woman wanted a red jewel that resembles the man¡¯s pupil. But in the end, the wedding ring was decided according to the man¡¯s choice. So this ring on his hand was the only trace left by the woman who disappeared. The man, with his eyes closed, reverently kissed the wedding ring. Somehow, he felt that he¡¯s connected to the woman through the ring. The faint voice that was ringing in his ear grew louder. ¡®Hello, Johann.¡¯ I will definitely bring you back. Even if it means crushing your ankle and locking you up. ¡°We will continue to be together.¡± The man, Johann Blanchett, opened his eyes elegantly and had a languid smile on his lips. It was the smile that the woman occasionally looked at as if possessed. ¡°Forever.¡± * * * Estelle was an orphan adopted by the Duke of Libertan. The reason why a humble orphan could be adopted by the prestigious Duke of Libertan was simple. ¡®The death of Princess Yesella.¡¯ The lovely Yesella has blonde hair that shines like the sun, and deep blue eyes. People devoted their souls to the angel that was born in the devilish Duke of Libertan. So, when Yesella¡¯s life ended due to her terminal illness, not everyone could stand her vacancy. They tried to make up for the terrible sense of loss by filling in with something similar. It was Estelle who was chosen as the most similar girl. When they met her in the orphanage by fate, her blue eyes reminded them of the young Yesella, and she looked lovely like a doll despite being an orphan. Estella has won the tremendous luck of being adopted as a princess of a dukedom for ambiguous reason. But no one knew that she wasn¡¯t really lucky. The Duke and Duchess of Libertan, who they thought were supportive parents, abused her after adopting her. In the first place, the reason why they adopted her was simply because they needed a presence to remember their daughter. So whenever Estelle did something that didn¡¯t fit her role, they would starve her for days and lock her up in a confined space. Perhaps to hide the abuse, they barely let her go out of the mansion, appearing like she was nicely wrapped with love. That was, until the Duke of Libertan went bankrupt. * * * Honestly, I knew this day would come. ¡®It¡¯s really ruined.¡¯ I guessed it from the time they forcefully increased the size of the business, but I actually had known earlier that the Libertan Duchy would fall anytime soon. ¡®Because I read it in a book.¡¯ A few years ago, having passed out in a closet, I made a shocking discovery. This is where the novel lies, and I am the heroine of the book. ¡®How come that my life was too tough.¡¯ According to the contents of the book, a deal like a streak of salvation was made for the Duke of Libertan, who is sitting in a pile of debt. ¡®A deal to get rid of all his debts with my marriage alone.¡¯ Apparently, the other party was the Duke of Blanchett, who was the family¡¯s enemy, but it¡¯s a very common business to sell a spare daughter anyway. So, after being married to the Duke of Blanchett, she eventually felt betrayed because she had an unrequited love for her villainous husband without knowing that she was just a fake wife that was sold to him. She ran away with the male lead afterwards, but ended up being brutally killed. ¡®I can¡¯t die like that.¡¯ In the meantime, running away from the Duke of Libertan has been unsuccessful, so there is only one way. ¡®Build trust then run away.¡¯ Fortunately, unlike the original story where I don¡¯t even know that the villain was an enemy of Duke of Libertan, this time I know even a little of his background. At that moment, the butler suddenly opened the door and entered. ¡°Lady, the master is calling you.¡± The long-awaited day has come. The day I¡¯ll be sold for marriage to the villain. * * * I quietly closed my eyes. It was because the villain, who made me wear an eyepatch, was taking me by carriage with strict secrecy. ¡®It¡¯s the same as the original so far.¡¯ The Duke of Libertan, who suddenly called me, gave me the words I wanted. ¡®Now it¡¯s your turn to repay the love you received from this family on behalf of Yesella.¡¯ ¡®If you are a human being who knows grace, you will know what you are going to do.¡¯ The moving wagon stopped. The moment I heard the sound of someone¡¯s footsteps, the eyepatch that was covering my eyes was loosened. Because I had been wearing an eye patch for a long time, my eyesight did not return immediately. As I quietly blinked my eyes, my surroundings slowly caught my eye. There was a man right in front of him. A breathtakingly handsome man. His black hair, elegant and beautiful features like aristocrats, and especially his blood-red eyes shone exceptionally. Johann Blanchett. The best groom of the empire who reestablished the fallen duke family at a young age and became its new owner. Unlike the beautiful face, which coexists with drowsiness and neatness, the body, which seems to be tightly woven with muscles, made people tense just by looking at it. ¡°Hello, madam.¡± As he smiled softly, a deep dimple pierced his left cheek. And when his cool face smiled, he became as fresh as a little boy. ¡°It¡¯s your first time watching it like this, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it scary on your way here?¡± The drowsy voice sounded like he was genuinely worried about me. My heart was pounding unknowingly at the beautiful exterior. He¡¯s really a bad guy in many ways. ¡®It¡¯s all fake. Calm down.¡¯ This handsome man¡¯s purpose is to play with me until his grudge was undone, and then ruin me completely. ¡®You can never run away.¡¯ ¡®Because like me, your whole family must suffer to the end of hell.¡¯ Recalling the man¡¯s revenge that I had read in the original story, I was able to escape the shock of seeing a handsome man. But the man¡¯s actions did not stop there. The man¡¯s hand in a black gloves covered my hand within. His large hands were big enough to cover mine. But her body tensed up with the sudden contact, then using a soft voice, he whispered in her ear. ¡°Is my wife afraid of me?¡± At first, Estelle was mesmerized by her husband¡¯s appearance, but when she heard this, she became terrified and eventually cried. ¡®I understand.¡¯ Even though he¡¯s whispering sweetly, she can feel a sense of intimidation. It seemed that she would be pressed down by the pressure, as if she was in front of a menacing beast. ¡°No, I¡¯m not scared.¡± I can¡¯t make it obvious. His red eyes are strangely narrowing, and he is observing the reaction that ¡®Estelle¡¯ will show. ¡®What does this villain wants?¡¯ I remembered myself thinking of the villain. Estelle is an orphan adopted in place of Princess Libertan, who died at a young age from an incurable disease. A blessed adoptee who grew up happily and favorably with his enemy, the Duke of Libertan. She was actually abused, but no one knew about it. I slowly grabbed the man¡¯s hand and smiled. ¡°I was just surprised to meet you for the first time.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Is it strange for a wife to be afraid of her husband whom she met for the first time?¡± ¡°Was it?¡± The man who was watching me raised the corner of his lips and smiled. ¡°There were a lot of people who got scared as soon as they saw me. In fact, the conditions are enough for my wife to be scared too.¡± ¡°Why?¡± At first glance, my reflection over the man¡¯s red eyes seemed harmless. ¡°My wife was abandoned by her family and was sold to me.¡± The man slowly added more. ¡°It¡¯s also because of money.¡± He smiled at me with eerie red eyes like a beast looking at its prey. It felt as if the man¡¯s breath had spread through the nape of her neck. Her hair was standing up and she got goosebumps. ¡°Doesn¡¯t my wife feel betrayed by her parents?¡± * * * Johann looked at his new wife. Estelle Libertan. She was merely a target for revenge. To be honest, Estelle, who is not Libertan¡¯s real daughter, has not committed any crimes. But she is the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Libertan, whom they cherish as if she was their own. That alone made her an important chess piece in this great revenge. ¡°Hello, madam.¡± Creamy, soft pink platinum blonde hair, and adorable features like a painstakingly well-made doll. And her slightly terrified reaction was just as he had hoped. He even put an eye patch on purpose for that. ¡°Is my wife afraid of me?¡± Especially when she is sold for money by her trusted family. It was clear that she was in a perfect state to be swayed by confusion and anxiety. However, Estelle¡¯s answer was a bit unusual. ¡°Is it strange for a wife to be afraid of her husband whom she met for the first time?¡± she said. Suddenly, her terrified reaction disappeared, and she stared at him with curiosity in her bright eyes like a baby rabbit. Those eyes strangely stimulated people¡¯s desires. ¡°My wife was abandoned by her family and was sold to me.¡± So Johann decided to shake it up one more time. ¡°It¡¯s also because of money.¡± There was a gentle ripple in Estelle¡¯s indigo blue eyes. ¡°Doesn¡¯t my wife feel betrayed by her parents?¡± ¡°The feeling of betrayal¡­ not really.¡± The woman carefully opened her mouth as she lowered her white eyelashes that looked more silvery than platinum blonde. ¡°I¡¯m grateful that they adopted me, an orphan, and raised me until now.¡± It¡¯s an unexpected, yet exemplary answer. ¡°Now that I am past the age of having my parents to take care of me, I have to do my duty.¡± ¡°How are you going to do your duty?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure. Nevertheless, I will do my best to help as much as I can now that we¡¯re married.¡± Now Johann realized why she could be so naive. ¡®It looks like she grew up nicely as the rumors says.¡¯ For that reason, she did not understand the situation properly, and she seem to believe that this marriage is normal. ¡®Really¡­¡¯ It looked good to play with. Johann slowly reached out his hand towards her face. His fingertips strangely clasped Estelle¡¯s cheeks and tickled her ears. Estelle shuddered and shook her shoulder as if conscious of it. ¡°Are you going to do your best?¡± He asked, twisting the corners of her lips. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be possible just because my wife wants it.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Then?¡± Johann followed her as she tilted her head at an angle and met her gaze. ¡°Duke, what do you think I should do?¡± The innocence felt in the answer can strangely charm people. Suddenly, he remembered the moment he was dealing with a woman. The Duke of Libertan, who was sitting in debt and in trouble, made an offer to him. ¡®She¡¯s pretty as the rumors say, so I¡¯m sure the Duke will like it.¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t care even if you do whatever you want to make yourself feel better. After all, that child won¡¯t succeed the duchy anyway.¡¯ He sacrificed the adopted child he had raised with love. ¡®You mean it doesn¡¯t matter what happens to the daughter you love so much?¡¯ ¡®¡­¡­Use whatever is worth using. That child will understand if it¡¯s for the sake of the Duke of Libertan.¡¯ Perhaps it was a proposal they could dare to make, considering that he was not the eldest son of the Blanchett family they had killed, but rather a distant relative. So Libertan abandoned this woman. They couldn¡¯t throw it away and even gave it to him directly, asking him to get rid of it. A fake marriage with her as if she was sold and abandoned even by her family. And as if backed up by that statement, this fake didn¡¯t resent her family in the slightest. That strangely devoted appearance touched the nostalgic memories, and even the thought of ridicule disappeared. ¡®This is a bit strange.¡¯ He had long waited for this moment of revenge. Obviously, he should savor sweet revenge as much as possible, but something unpleasant kept coming out of the corner of his heart. ¡°I think this kind of problem is very difficult.¡± Estelle nodded and smiled bashfully. ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure. Nevertheless, I will do my best to help as much as I can now that we¡¯re married.¡± Maybe it¡¯s because this woman is so naive and innocent more than he thought. She may be because she¡¯s abandoned by everyone and this woman reminds me of his most unhappy days. But that was all. There was no reason to change the plan. Still, he intends to destroy this foolish woman in the most wretched way when he finds out about the sins of her adoptive parents. * * * The villain took me to the mansion¡¯s room and disappeared. Only after confirming that Johann closed the door and everyone had disappeared, that I managed to catch my breath. ¡®I hope my answer didn¡¯t sound weird?¡¯ There was no sense of betrayal because I had no expectations for the Duke and Duchess of Libertan in the first place. I was just worried that the part might look suspicious. ¡®I did a good job, though.¡¯ One more reassuring thing is that, like the original, I used the proper room. It¡¯s not as good as I usually use, but I thought I could sleep comfortably at night. As soon as I sat down on the bed, a maid knocked on the door and greeted me. She was a maid with brown hair and a calm-looking impression. But somehow it felt familiar. ¡°Hello, my lady. I¡¯m Betty, who was decided to serve the madam from today. It is an honor to have you.¡± ¡®I remembered.¡¯ In the original story, she was a maid who betrayed me at Johann¡¯s order. Chapter 2 Chapter 2: What kind of woman was she? In the original, Betty was a supporting character who led me to fall into the trap of the villain. And the biggest problem here is that everything about me goes into the ears of my villainous husband. ¡®But it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ I¡¯m afraid my privacy will be exposed but I can¡¯t just simply buy her trust after all. It would rather arouse suspicion. ¡®Besides, Betty isn¡¯t particularly a bad person.¡¯ It would be the same for anyone who will come in, because the only people who can come around me are people like Johann, who bears grudge against Libertan. ¡®If I pay attention to every single thing, I will die of exhaustion.¡¯ All of a sudden, Betty¡¯s wounded hand came into my eyes. ¡°How did you get hurt?¡± But as soon as our eyes met, Betty immediately hid her hand. ¡°It¡¯s just a small wound I got from my clumsiness.¡± ¡°Looks like it still hurts.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. There will be no problem serving the madam.¡± I think it still hurts, but she said she was okay, so I¡¯ll just let it be. ¡°Then at least go get some treatment after work.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± ¡°You promise?¡± Nodding her head politely, Betty opened her mouth. ¡°I will immediately prepare clothes for you to change into.¡± It was then that I felt uncomfortable in my wedding dress, as I prepared for it in a haste. ¡°Yes, please.¡± Betty quickly returned to her mansion with dresses that looks comfortable to wear. ¡°These are the dresses that has been prepared. I don¡¯t know if it will fit the lady¡¯s eyes, but if there are any inconveniences, I will take care of it in the future.¡± ¡°No, I like this enough.¡± ¡°Then I will prepare a similar design until the next designer comes.¡± Suitable for a maid sent by the duke, she was very polite and courteous. Her manners was even exemplary enough to be included in a textbook. ¡°Then I will prepare your clothes.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± I laughed awkwardly at Betty¡¯s gestures as she approached me naturally. ¡°But I want to wear it myself.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not used to it yet so it¡¯s awkward being served by someone.¡± Betty¡¯s brown eyes fluttered. After thinking for a while, Betty said, ¡®I see. When you¡¯re all changed, please call me¡¯ and she dismissed herself politely. I only changed clothes when I saw Betty completely shut the door. ¡®I can¡¯t keep changing by myself though.¡¯ I didn¡¯t want to create something that would be uncomfortable already. After changing my clothes, I looked in the mirror and adjusted my appearance. Glancing out the window, I noticed that it was already evening. ¡®Am I also alone in the original story?¡¯ It seems that I barely met my husband until the fall of the Duke of Libertan for treason. ¡®But I have to act differently this time.¡¯ When a person kept on seeing someone¡¯s face, they tend to grew a little more affectionate. But if you make a mistake, you can further increase their resentment. While I was thinking about it, Betty, who knocked on the door from outside, delivered an unexpected good news. ¡°Lady. The master said he would like to have dinner with his wife tonight.¡± * * * Duke Blanchett¡¯s office. Johann looked at the lily pattern of the Duke of Libertan on the desk with an indifferent gaze, as the image of that woman lingered in his mind in a strange way. Platinum blonde hair that was sweetly dyed with pale pink under the soft light, indigo-blue eyes that were somehow different from Libertan, and on top of that is her smile that was directed to him. ¡®I don¡¯t know for sure. Nevertheless, I will do my best to help as much as I can now that we¡¯re married.¡¯ Oddly enough, he didn¡¯t feel bad about that ridiculous innocence. ¡®It must have been because she was raised with love in Libertan.¡¯ Her stupid belief that if she put in some effort, they could become a good couple, sounds ridiculously cute. ¡®Her eyes even looks like a rabbit.¡¯ Johann frowned as he thought of the weak and slender woman as if she would break if he held her tight. The more he thought about it, the more terrifying it felt. ¡°Master, it¡¯s now over.¡± His adviser, Erich, entered the office. ¡°Sooner or later, the Duke of Libertan will be completely destroyed with the treason they originally forced upon us back.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not over yet.¡± Johann said in a cold voice. ¡°It¡¯s understandable to be happy, but carelessness is bound to lead to danger. Be careful until the job is done.¡± ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± Erich nodded his head and opened his mouth while looking at the lily pattern. ¡°Come to think of it, she must¡¯ve joined the duchy today.¡± Estelle Libertan. The adopted child of the Duke of Libertan, who¡¯s the center of all kinds of rumors. Erich, who had a deep grudge against the Duke of Libertan, disliked the woman quite clearly. ¡®Because there¡¯s no way that such rumors would spread.¡¯ No matter how much of a rumor it may be, it won¡¯t be an issue if there¡¯s really nothing happened. She was even rumored that she was broken off by her fianc¨¦ twice, and even treating her servants badly. ¡°What kind of woman do you think she was, my lord?¡± Johann, who recalled his wife, smiled again. ¡°Atleast enough for a light entertainment.¡± ¡°I am glad that it is of such use. Then, there will be no disruption to the plan.¡± At that time, Betty came into Johann¡¯s office to deliver the news of Estelle. ¡°Master, I came here to tell you about dinner.¡± ¡°Yeah, well done.¡± Johann looked at Betty¡¯s face in an elegant posture with his legs crossed. Betty, feeling her master¡¯s gaze, gradually tensed up. ¡®I¡¯m scared.¡¯ Betty was one of those people who had been watching Johann for quite some time. And as time passed by, Betty became more and more afraid of her master. Because he was a demon who trusted no one and never let anyone on his side. Even Betty, who¡¯s accustomed to blood and death, was at first startled by his apparent cruelty. ¡®Madam was just adopted in Libertan by chance¡­¡¯ Betty unwittingly sympathized with Estelle, whom she had just met. As long as she stood out in Johann¡¯s eyes, she will surely have no future. Johann looked at Betty with his suffocating cold eyes. ¡°How do you feel about meeting my wife?¡± ¡°The new madam¡­ she was a good person.¡± Estelle¡¯s gentle smile flashed in Betty¡¯s mind as she hesitated. To be honest, the moment she saw Estelle for the first time, Betty seemed to understand why the Duke and Duchess of Libertan did not let go of her despite the numerous rumors surrounding Estelle. ¡®She was such a beautiful person.¡¯ The long, white eyelashes that fluttered whenever she smiled were mysterious and dreamy like a fairy in a fairytale. ¡°Contrary to the rumors that she was a villain, she was very kind when I first met her.¡± There was concern in those eyes that looked at her wounds, which were insignificant. Unsurprisingly, many ladies were unable to hide their wretched feelings toward her humble maid. And before she was appointed as Estelle¡¯s maid, she was assigned as a spy to several noble families, so it quite worries her. ¡°She was sold in return of paying their debt, isn¡¯t it natural for her to behave herself?¡± Erich snorted. ¡°It won¡¯t be long before she reveals her true nature.¡± One corner of Johann¡¯s lips raised and form a smirk. ¡°Is there anything suspicious about her?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that suspicious, but¡­¡± Betty, who wanted to say something a little nice for her, opened her mouth after thinking about it. ¡°She wanted to change her clothes by herself.¡± Johann gently raised the tip of his chin and demanded an answer. ¡°I think it was because she just came to the Duchy of Blanchett and it was uncomfortable to be served by an unfamiliar person.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t it look like she was hiding something?¡± ¡°Yes, but her dress wasn¡¯t the type that could hide something in the first place. I checked it even after changing clothes.¡± Betty¡¯s eyes, which took care of many nobles, were reliable. So Johann just nodded his head softly. ¡°From now on, keep an eye on every little thing.¡± After her report, Betty exited her master¡¯s office. As she was staring blankly, she could see the wounds Estelle had cared for over her open hands and remembered that she promised to treat the wound as soon as she¡¯s finished. Erich, who caught Betty as she was about to walk towards the infirmary, suddenly talked. ¡°Betty, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange?¡± Erich glared fiercely at Betty with his pale blue-grey eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t take pity on her.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s just a fake since their marriage wasn¡¯t officially registered. She¡¯s meant to be thrown away after using her for revenge. If you sympathized with her, only you will suffer.¡± There is nothing wrong with what Erich said. Master Johann was never a someone to change his plans. So even if she sympathized with Estelle, only Betty herself would suffer. Nothing will change. ¡®But¡­¡¯ Betty covered the wound with her hand and bit her lip. * * * I looked in the mirror and fiddled with the pink ribbon tied on my head. ¡®Is it better not to wear a ribbon?¡¯ It was a pretty important decision for me. I don¡¯t think the villain will change much if I pay more attention to my appearance. But even so, I felt like it would be better if I looked pretty. After deciding on the shape of the ribbon, I headed straight to the dining area. ¡®Wow, it¡¯s pretty.¡¯ The dining place was beautiful. The fresh roses that as if cut and decorated today, and the softly waving candles added to the pleasant atmosphere. I sat down on my seat and looked across. ¡®He¡¯s not here yet.¡¯ On the other side was a silverware set for John. ¡®Doesn¡¯t it like this in the original?¡¯ The servant who came in at just the right time told me what Johann had said. ¡°Hello, madam. The master said that he might be late for dinner because he has urgent business to take care of. We don¡¯t know when the master will return, so why not eat first?¡± Okay, even if I wait longer, maybe he won¡¯t come. ¡°Alright. Instead, tell the duke that no matter how busy he is with work, make sure to eat a meal.¡± ¡°Yes. I will definitely tell him.¡± Duke Blanchett¡¯s cuisine began to be showcased in front of me. It was the first day I came, so it seems like they paid a lot of attention. Each and every dishes looks like it took a lot of work. ¡®Delicious!¡¯ It was so delicious that it felt like my eyes were getting teary just by eating it. Especially the veal steak, which was served as the main dish, melted perfectly in my mouth. ¡®I can¡¯t believe such a taste exists in this world.¡¯ The cuisine in the Duke of Libertan was also good, but this is on a completely different level. ¡®Well, even if the food was delicious there, I wouldn¡¯t have eaten properly.¡¯ Now, the dessert I¡¯m looking forward the most was about to come out. ¡°I¡¯m very late.¡± Coming from the opened door, Johann in a black suit walked in gracefully. The subtle shadow of the candle made the man feel more unrealistic. ¡®No, he does appear like an unrealistic existence but wasn¡¯t it because he¡¯s just really handsome?¡¯ Johann, who sat across me, grabbed his chin and asked me. ¡°How about the meal, do you like it?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very tasty.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± Finally, the dessert was finally placed in front of me. However, contrary to my expectations, I was very disappointed. It was a cake with Eleon fruit as the main ingredient. ¡®It must be the fruit of Eleon.¡¯ Eleon fruit was a rare fruit from the Southern Kingdom. It was sought by many nobles because of its addictive bitter taste, but I didn¡¯t like it very much. To be precise, it was an inedible fruit for me. Whenever I eat food containing Eleon fruit, my body got a fever or lost strength. Of course, it wasn¡¯t serious enough to die. ¡®Why is this fruit coming out as a dessert?¡¯ When I was about to ask for a different dessert, I suddenly realized that it wasn¡¯t something that just suddenly came out of nothing. This is because the Eleon fruit was a dessert often served to the Duke of Libertan. ¡®It¡¯s not a coincidence.¡¯ Johann was a very thorough man befitting a villain. Even if he couldn¡¯t acquire all the informations inside, he must have known about the dishes that the Duke often mentions. ¡®So this is¡­¡¯ As soon as I raised my head, my eyes met with red eyes staring at me with a serious gaze. ¡®He¡¯s trying to see if I¡¯m the Estelle Libertan he was thinking of.¡¯ Perhaps the information he knew contained the story that I liked Eleon fruit. Johann asked, raising his eyebrows slightly. ¡°Do you have any problem?¡± ¡°Ah, I wonder if I can eat alone.¡± With a bashful smile, I naturally cut the Eleon fruit cake and took a bite. ¡®Right now, it¡¯s difficult to look suspicious.¡¯ Then, when the Duke of Libertan falls, it could be dealt with. The subtle bitterness of the Eleon fruit struck her tongue. It had a very deep taste with just a little hint of sweetness of the cake. ¡®¡­It¡¯s delicious¡­¡¯ I remember the first time I ate this fruit without realizing it. The reason why this fruit dish was often eaten in the Duke of Libertan, and why everyone thinks I like it was all because Yesella, who liked this fruit very much. ¡®You¡¯re our substitute for Yella, how can you choose your own meal? I gave you the favor to pretend to be my daughter, and now you¡¯re not even going to play the role properly?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to die just by eating it anyway?¡¯ I had to pretend to be Yestella as much as possible in front of the Duke and Duchess of Libertan, so I ate the Eleon fruit very naturally. ¡°The desserts are very delicious. Please tell the chef that it is delicious.¡± At that time, the strength in my hand holding the fork, suddenly loosened. The fork fell on the white dress and the whipped cream was smeared on it. ¡®I¡¯ve always told you to keep your dignity!¡¯ Reflexively turning white, I quickly grabbed a napkin and wiped the whipped cream. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m sorry, I¡­¡± ¡°Wait for a moment.¡± Johann got up from his seat and grabbed my wrist as I was wiping the stain with a napkin. An uncontrollable trembling flowed in with the sudden touch. Noticing it, Johann¡¯s red eyes narrowed at the sight. Chapter 3 Chapter 3: Why is this man on my bed all of a sudden Her body shuddered as he gripped her wrists. Johann¡¯s intense gaze slowly reached her eyes, nose, and mouth, then returned to her eyes again. Completely nervous, she couldn¡¯t even breathe properly as she looked at him. But the words that came out of his mouth were completely different from what she expected. ¡°Don¡¯t wipe it.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look well right now.¡± Johann slowly bent his legs and looked at her. ¡°Were there any foods that didn¡¯t fit your body?¡± The tension was relieved by the sudden sense of reality. ¡®Oh, this is not Libertan.¡¯ It seems that she lost her temper for a while because of the coercive education in Libertan. It¡¯s terrifying that it became a habit. At that moment, a cold reason returned to her mind. ¡®There¡¯s no way that this man would speak like Libertans do.¡¯ Because like the Duke and Duchess of Libertan, Johann was not a very understanding person. He was trying to seduce her to get revenge, so there¡¯s no way that such a person would be angry and yell at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for showing you a bad side of me at the very first day.¡± After talking for a while, she slowly opened her mouth. ¡°When I¡¯m tired, some foods don¡¯t sit well with me. I guess today was such a day.¡± ¡°Does it happen often?¡± ¡°No, I think I was just nervous without realizing it.¡± The man¡¯s long fingers tidied her hair and gently brushed her ear. The subtle touch, which seemed to be confused, gave off a strange feeling of enthusiasm. ¡®I can see why I was deceived in the original.¡¯ Looking at Johann¡¯s attitude alone, it didn¡¯t seem like he was dealing with a fake wife who would be thrown away after using it. As he drew closer to her face, her body tensed up. Then Johann asked in a languid tone. ¡°So there¡¯s no problem with the food?¡± ¡°Yes. Rather, I was surprised by how delicious it was.¡± Now she was in a state where she had to be careful no matter what she do. ¡®Sometimes it will cause harm to the commoner chef who did nothing wrong.¡¯ Frankly, she just don¡¯t want to be a duchess who indirectly caused harm to a servant as soon as she got married. After all, the Duke of Blanchett is already full of reasons to hate her. ¡®Isn¡¯t there a good way to get past it?¡¯ With a bashful smile, she sliced ??the Eleon fruit cake she was eating with another fork next to her and gave it to Johann. ¡°Try it. It¡¯s very delicious.¡± Johann, who looked at her with strangely indescribable eyes, slowly opened his mouth and ate the cake. ¡°¡­It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s delicious.¡± It wasn¡¯t even the cake she made, but she was so proud that she smiled broadly. * * * After dinner, Estelle got up to go back to her room. Somehow, she seemed very happy to feed him a cake. ¡°Then I will go back now.¡± Estelle, who had just walked to the door, fluttered her pink ribbon as she sprinted back in front of him. She hesitated as she wiggled her fingers, then with her cheeks dyed with red, she muttered, ¡°Tonight¡¯s dinner was good. Let¡¯s have dinner together next time too.¡± Johann continued to think of Estelle¡¯s face as she left with a shy smile. Johann, who was looking at the cake that Estelle had left behind, lightly dipped the remaining cake on the whipped cream licked it. It tastes like a sweet whipped cream, nothing more or less. ¡®It doesn¡¯t taste like this.¡¯ There was no way the taste had changed in that short period of time, but it felt different from when Estelle gave it to him. ¡®It must be an illusion.¡¯ But there were only a couple of things that bothered him. ¡®Sorry. I¡¯m sorry, I¡­¡¯ A white, frightened face, and a voice lingering of fear. The hand that was hurriedly wiping the cream off the dress with a white handkerchief felt desperate even at first glance. ¡®Why did you say that?¡¯ To be honest, it was strange from the moment she ate that cake. The eleon fruit cake said to have been enjoyed by the entire family of the Duke of Libertan. Apparently, the spies said that Estelle, the adopted child, also enjoyed eating the cake, so it was always at her family¡¯s meals. That¡¯s why the cake was served as a dessert this evening. ¡®If you have a cake you like to eat, you will feel at ease.¡¯ However, when Estelle received the cake, her eyes fluttered slightly. The reaction didn¡¯t look like she was looking at the dessert she used to eat at home. ¡®Is that the kind of reaction a loved daughter would have?¡¯ Especially when she said she wasn¡¯t feeling well. If it was an ordinary noble girl, she would have received an apology from the person in charge of serving the food. ¡®Yes. Rather, I was surprised by how delicious it was.¡¯ But Estelle didn¡¯t want to get an apology from the cook nor anyone. Rather, she praised it and tried to get over it. ¡®I don¡¯t get it¡¯ After sitting in the office and reading the reports of the spies once again, Johann asked Erich. ¡°Erich, are these informations really credible?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a report from the spies that was sent to Libertan.¡± [The Duke and Duchess of Libertine loves Estelle so much that they refused to let anyone approach her unless it¡¯s an employee who earned their trust.] [The reason why the Duke and Duchess of Libertan secretly spent a large sum of money is presumed to be because of Estelle Libertan.] [Confirming that Estelle¡¯s one-year maintenance fee is greater than the expenses of the Duchess of Libertine each year.] [Estelle always shares her favorite eleon fruit cake once a week in their family meal.] ¡°Yes. It is a fact has been confirmed over and over again.¡± Originally, the Duke of Libertan was a wealthy duke. Even the gem mines that always give big profits on fertile land, it was not only because of Johann¡¯s trap that the Duke of Libertan suddenly collapsed. At one point, the wealth of the wealthy Duke of Libertan had completely dried up. And the source was due to the excessive donation to the temple. It wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t understand the power of the temple which was so great when he framed the Duke Blanchett with such a nonsensical frame. Erich asked Johann while fixing his glasses. ¡°Then why do you suddenly have doubts?¡± ¡°Because my wife is acting strange.¡± ¡°Is it that strange?¡± ¡°I think she¡¯s allergic to eleon fruit.¡± Very few people are allergic to eleon fruit. In particular, the symptoms themselves were also different from general allergy symptoms. At first, it seems that the person just suddenly loses strength, but later on, fever will rise and it will cause too much pain. It is a disease that is easily misunderstood by ordinary people as a mild fever. The reason why Johann knew about the eleon fruit allergy was because his nanny had an eleon allergy when he was young. ¡®Did you not even know that you had allergies?¡¯ Perhaps she¡¯s trying her best as his wife, but it was also possible that she was just overzealous. Still, even that wasn¡¯t common. At that moment, Erich frowned and retorted. ¡°Then she ate the cake even though she knew she was allergic to it?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°It¡¯s such a foolish trick.¡± Erich laughed as if Estelle was right in front of him. ¡°Did she think we would take pity on her if she showed something like that?¡± Johann answered gracefully, leaning his back on his chair. ¡°The purpose cannot be grasped.¡± ¡°I think she assumed that Duke Blanchett didn¡¯t know that she liked to eat eleon fruit. So even if she had that so-called allergies, she still proceeded to eat the fruit she like.¡± Hearing this, Johann¡¯s lips hardened. However, it was such a subtle change that even Johann himself was not aware of it. So, Erich continued his speech in an exasperated voice. ¡°Even if there¡¯s no blood relation, Libertan is still a Libertan. Do you believe that such matter will make a difference?¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Erich¡¯s blue-grey eyes looked at Johann in surprise. But, as always, Johann had an indifferent expression. ¡°There¡¯s nothing more dangerous than guessing without sensible logic.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s true that there are parts that are inconsistent in the reports of the spies. Whether it¡¯s a trick or not.¡± ¡°¡­that¡¯s right.¡± Erich nodded his head with difficulty at the reasonable point. ¡®Yes, that would be such a ridiculous flaw.¡¯ Erich would often show his irrationality as long as the matter is associated with Libertan. Estelle was the daughter of the hateful Libertan so he seemed to talk much. ¡®As expected, Master.¡¯ If there was anyone in the world who hated Libertan more than Erich, it would be Johann Blanchett. Even so, Johann maintained a calm attitude without mixing with personal thoughts even in the face of the hateful Libertan¡¯s daughter. Once again, he was reminded of the greatness of Johann. After all, he was the man who succeeded in rebuilding the duke¡¯s house, which had been completely destroyed by false treason. ¡°Before the Duke of Libertan is charged with treason, I will contact the spies to verify the facts.¡± Even when his assistant, Erich, left, Johann¡¯s office was enveloped in a dark silence. His desk, which does not tolerate any clutter while working, was very neat. But somehow the desk felt a little bigger today. ¡®Try it once. It¡¯s very delicious.¡¯ That innocent voice overlapped the memories of his lost family in the past. Unknowingly, Johann put strength on his hands. Johann saw the portrait of Estelle above the report. In the portrait, she was smiling faintly as if looking directly at Johann. ¡°It¡¯s Estelle Libertan.¡± His elongated finger touched the smiling woman¡¯s lips. If there are many uncertain elements, it is enough to manually remove them one by one. Shake it off until he gets an honest response. Because there are many ways to use it. * * * She returned to her room and lay comfortably on the bed. ¡®I must be so happy in this room.¡¯ To be honest, the room she got was not very good. The furniture and the curtains were all black, so there was something about the atmosphere that made people feel a bit eerie. ¡®But it¡¯s nice to have a personal space on my own though.¡¯ In Libertan, there was no such thing as her own room. She had a private room as she was adopted as a noble girl, but it wasn¡¯t hers. In the first place, it was not a room where she could sleep alone, because the servants were always attached nearby as if to monitor her. ¡®It¡¯s not like I could escape anywhere.¡¯ Sometimes, she even couldn¡¯t sleep because she¡¯s being nitpicked due to some ridiculous reasons. So this silence where she was left alone felt like a break. Then she stared blankly at the window and hugged the pillow. ¡®Did I do well today?¡¯ She didn¡¯t score particularly well, but it didn¡¯t seem like she made a big mistake. Yes, she made a mistake by dropping the fork, but she fixed it moderately well. ¡®Let¡¯s try a little harder in the future.¡¯ Looking at her situation, there is still no answer, but it was better than in the Duke of Libertan, so she felt a little more at ease. Knock knock. A knock on the door was heard from outside. ¡°Betty?¡± But instead, it was Johann who came into her room. The man who¡¯s in a matter of fact, in the original story, seldom visits her. And Johann, the villain, has no reason to visit her in the first place. ¡®What the hell did you come here for?¡¯ With her eyes wide open, she stood up and looked at him, but Johann just shrugged with a relaxed look. ¡°Are you uncomfortable with me coming all of a sudden?¡± His light outfit with a slightly unbuttoned top accentuated his bored mood. She shook her head in response to his eyes. ¡°I was a little surprised, but it¡¯s okay.¡± Not just a little surprised, but very much surprised. Rather than pretending to be okay, she think it would be better to show her bewildered feelings as they are. ¡°By the way, what is the Duke doing in my room?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first day my wife came.¡± Then Johann asked her in a very concerned voice. ¡°Did you have any discomfort?¡± ¡°Everything was fine. Thank you for taking care of me like this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. As your husband, of course it is something I should do.¡± In fact, he uses such a sweet and friendly voice that she almost forgot the fact that he actually didn¡¯t register their marriage legally. Johann approached her, then sat down on the bed and smiled sweetly. Her heart began to pound at the gap that this cold-looking man suddenly smiled softly. At that moment, Johann leaned leisurely on the bed, so she opened her mouth in surprise. ¡°Why are you on my bed all of a sudden¡­¡± ¡°All of a sudden?¡± Johann looked at her with a puzzled expression. ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural for a couple to share a room?¡± ¡°Yeah, but I heard this is my room.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. My wife¡¯s room.¡± Johann looked at me and smiled. ¡°Is there any reason why I shouldn¡¯t share my wife¡¯s room?¡± With Johann¡¯s sudden appearance, the bedroom was filled with tension instead of warmth. She didn¡¯t know if it¡¯s just her illusion, but it felt like the heat was rising in her head. Chapter 4 Translator: Muffles? Editor: Merci ¡ñ?¡ð?¡ñ?¡ð?¡ñ Chapter 4: Why are you hiding your pain She nodded at Johann¡¯s words. ¡°Yeah, there is.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you would do your best for me?¡± Johann gently lowered his eyebrows and made a sad expression on his face. For some reason, there¡¯s also a hint of hurt in his low voice. ¡°It¡¯s a bit disappointing if you push me away like this.¡± They¡¯d assume that she had done something wrong if anyone heard this. ¡®When did I push you away!¡¯ She felt like something was wrong with her. But strangely, while listening to Johann¡¯s words, she couldn¡¯t think of anything worthy of consideration. Because it was true anyway. ¡®Still, I didn¡¯t mean it that way.¡¯ Johann¡¯s handsome face drew closer, to the point where if he stretched his arms out, he could reach her right away. ¡°Did you just build my hopes up just to back down now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re so mean.¡± He seemed like he became a homme fatale that suddenly shook people¡¯s hearts. Even though he¡¯s the very person who would seduce her and throw her away! ¡°What are you talking about? I never stepped out.¡± ¡°Then why can¡¯t you accept what I¡¯m trying to say?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little embarrassing.¡± ¡°Will you do what I want then?¡± Johann, who had a smile hanging at the edge of his lip, gently brushed her bangs back with his hard fingers. The sound of her heartbeat grew louder. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± He smiled softly at her awkward reply and slowly came closer to her face. The reddish-looking lip approached slowly. Without realizing it, she quickly closed her eyes. Then, he let out a refreshing laugh and pressed his forehead against hers. ¡°Are you a little relaxed now?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°I intentionally played a joke on you.¡± Johann winked and touched her earlobe with his large hand. ¡°I feel like you¡¯re constantly being nervous around me because of the pressure, even if you don¡¯t have to.¡± She shouldn¡¯t have, but she loosened up as she was swayed by his words. Thus, she pulled herself together. ¡®This villain is aiming for this.¡¯ So her wariness just grew even further. It was because Johann, who smiled with his eyes, looking more like a playful boy than a grown man who had handled her skillfully a little while ago. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ve become a little more comfortable talking to me now.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t that hard to talk from the beginning.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s pretend I was joking.¡± Hearing Johann¡¯s sly remarks, she couldn¡¯t help but feel dizzy. ¡®I think I got too heated while I¡¯m being conscious of this villain.¡¯ But apparently, the side effects of eating the eleon fruit a while ago were already starting to act up. If it kept going like this, she might even collapse in front of Johann. ¡®Then it will be a big deal.¡¯ Her opponent is a smart villain. Even with the slightest clue, he might deduce that she¡¯s just an unloved daughter of Libertan. ¡®I could die right away.¡¯ The reason she¡¯s able to maintain this position is because she¡¯s valuable as a target for revenge. Because Johann had intended to inflict an even greater pain on the beloved daughter of Libertan by giving her a gruesome death. So, simply speaking, there¡¯s no reason to keep her alive if she¡¯s not loved. ¡®More than anything else, I¡¯m in a situation where I couldn¡¯t be any more hateful until I run away.¡¯ At least her range of action shouldn¡¯t be reduced to the point where she¡¯s not able to do anything. And everyone who sees her sickness would only despise her more. ¡®Even though it¡¯s on behalf of his real daughter, why does the Duke of Libertan keep leaving this thing in the mansion? To be honest, it¡¯s a lot of work, and this peasant only causes damage to the duke¡¯s family.¡¯ ¡®She must have deliberately pretended to be sick to win the sympathy of the duke.¡¯ So, if it was the villain that originally hated her, he might imprison her more thoroughly so that she could not do anything on the excuse of being sick. ¡°Yes, yes. As a mean wife, I should go to bed now.¡± She tried to get Johann out of the room, even if it was a little awkward. Fortunately, Johann graciously moved. ¡°Do you usually go to bed this early?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just you who¡¯s going to bed later than normal?¡± ¡°Or are you doing this because you¡¯re offended by my jokes?¡± She neatly answered Johann¡¯s question at the door. ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all that matters then.¡± She started to get even dizzier, and after a while, she was already unable to walk properly and stumbled. Johann grabbed her face as she was about to turn around. For a moment, she was afraid that he would notice the heat on her head. ¡°Sleep well, madam.¡± But he just smiled and slowly brushed her bangs before leaving. * * * On the other side, Johann did not leave and stood with his back on the door. He came to shake Estelle, but on the contrary, his doubts only grew bigger. ¡®She has a fever.¡¯ When he deliberately brushed her bangs and touched her forehead, he could feel a certain heat. ¡®It must have been an allergy to eleon fruit.¡¯ That must have been why she tried to get him out of the room. Johann remembered Estelle, who calmly let him go with an expressionless face. The acting was so natural that he wouldn¡¯t even know that the fever had risen if he hadn¡¯t checked it on purpose. ¡®Why are you trying to hide your allergy symptoms?¡¯ She should have pretended to be caught by mistake to win his sympathy. Johann narrowed his eyebrows at Estelle¡¯s behavior, which he could not comprehend. After waiting for a moment, he heard the soft breathing of the woman who had fallen asleep. He heard a moan of pain in the middle; it seemed like she was trying to endure the pain. Johann opened the door silently. The room he entered again was just as Johann had expected. Estelle grunted as if the blanket was something to protect her. Johann placed his large hand on the woman¡¯s forehead, which was filled with cold sweat. ¡®I should have called the doctor.¡¯ He took the eleon allergy medicine he had brought for Estelle out of his pocket. If she honestly confessed her allergy, he would have brought it out so he could score points. ¡®You hid it until the end but still end up using it.¡¯ Johann put a few drops of the medicine on Estelle¡¯s lips. Estelle¡¯s breathing, which sounded very disturbed, began to calm down as the drug started to take effect. Suddenly, realizing the strange fact, Johann frowned and looked at his own hand. From the moment before, up until now, although he had contact with the hateful Libertan¡¯s daughter, he did not feel any disgust at all. He even felt that the soft touch was pleasant. How ridiculous. * * * After a long time, her body felt refreshed, unlike usual as she stretched. ¡®Is it because the sleeping place has changed?¡¯ Originally, the effects of eating eleon fruit would be very difficult until daytime at least. However, her current state seemed to have taken some medicine instead of the eleon fruit yesterday. ¡®Or maybe my allergy to eleon fruit has gotten better.¡¯ ¡®Weren¡¯t there times when the disease is alleviated without us realizing it as we go through life?¡¯ As soon as she woke up, she pulled the black curtains and enjoyed the morning sun. Then, Betty came in. ¡°Madam, did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Yes. The bedroom was very nice and I slept well.¡± Betty¡¯s brown eyes fluttered slightly when she heard that she liked the bed. Apparently, it was strange to hear that a dark bedroom was good. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. I was worried about not being able to prepare a room suitable for madam, so I¡¯m very happy.¡± ¡°It suits my taste.¡± Contrary to how it looks, this bed was very good at alleviating allergy symptoms. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s not because of the bed.¡¯ Still, it was fortunate that the bed she slept in for the first time suited her body well. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve slept in such a nice bed.¡± In the original work, the Duke of Blanchett only used loyal people. So everyone came together and tried to get her into trouble. ¡®Is it better to praise Duke Blanchett?¡¯ After all, when a person is praised for something he did, he will surely feel good. ¡°So much that I was worried about whether I could be a hostess in such a good family.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t worry, madam. Your Grace will do well.¡± ¡°Thank you for looking at me that way.¡± She smiled broadly with sincerity, but it seemed like Betty had a sad expression on her face. ¡®Am I wrong?¡¯ Betty looked at her again, and her smile was brighter than before, but when she praised the Duke of Blanchett, why did she suddenly look sad? ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t prepare the bathwater yesterday. I have prepared bathwater in advance this morning. How about taking a bath after a light breakfast?¡± It was a little unsettling actually. ¡°Great. May I ask what¡¯s the menu for this morning?¡± * * * Johann said he had to go out because he was busy with work in the morning. So she ate a simple prepared breakfast by herself. Without Johann, she was able to eat more comfortably than before. ¡®The cherry pie was so delicious.¡¯ Fortunately, there was no eleon fruit dessert today, so it was relatively a satisfying meal. It¡¯s a bit excessive to have dessert in the morning, but it¡¯s not polite to the chef to refuse the food. After drinking tea, she followed Betty¡¯s guide and walked down the hallway of the annex for a bath. The walls of the central hallway were covered with a black cloth. It looked like the frames were all covered. Betty, who was passing by, noticed her gaze and asked with a smile. ¡°Are you curious about the black portraits?¡± ¡°Black portraits?¡± ¡°Yes. In the Duchy of Blanchett, there is a tradition of hanging portraits of those who should not be forgotten and remembering them for a long time. It¡¯s a tradition unique to the Blanchett, so you might be unfamiliar.¡± Fortunately, this wasn¡¯t the first time she had heard of it. ¡®Did I get scared when I saw this portrait behind the black cloth in the original story?¡¯ The black cloth portraits were portraits of vassals who had been loyal to Blanchett for a long time, enough to have said that they were not to be forgotten. If there is a peculiar part, it is drawn in a very scary and bizarre way, unlike a typical portrait. ¡®It was to commemorate the will of the vassals who wanted to protect Blanchett even after death.¡¯ Anyway, the important thing is that she was terrified when she saw this portrait in the original work, so there was a problem. It was because the adopted daughter of the Duke of Libertan showed ignorance with regard to the vassals of the Duke of Blanchett. ¡®If I had known, would I still be surprised?¡¯ By the way, Betty was careful when she asked her. ¡°Are you curious about the portrait behind the black cloth?¡± ¡°Can I see?¡± ¡°Of course, you are the Duchess of Blanchett after all.¡± Betty pulled the black cloth away. ¡®Is this really surprising?¡¯ Maybe it was because she already knew it, but it was a portrait that could be viewed as a moderately individualistic painting. Betty also showed other portraits. Among them, a very familiar name was written under the portrait. ¡®Lexius Polman?¡¯ She doesn¡¯t know why it¡¯s so familiar. Did she read it in the novel? Then Betty¡¯s cautious question came. This is the question she had been waiting for. ¡°Aren¡¯t these portraits scary in your eyes?¡± ¡°They are such important people in the Duchy of Blanchett that they should not be forgotten. It¡¯s not that scary when you think about it that way.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I just feel grateful.¡± She smiled and finished the words she had prepared from the moment she saw the portrait. Betty, who looked at her without saying anything for a moment, smiled happily. ¡°Your Grace is a very kind person. Other people in the duchy would be very happy to hear it.¡± ¡°Thank you for the kind words.¡± For some reason, Betty¡¯s reaction seemed a little different from when they first met. ¡®Were showing good looks worked?¡¯ Of course, that didn¡¯t change the fact that Betty is Johann¡¯s spy. So she opened her mouth to pretend to be the Duchess who cared for the servant. ¡°But I also know who I am. I¡¯m not that good of a person, I¡¯m not that good at anything.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°So, if Betty doesn¡¯t want to have me at any time, just tell me. Because I fully understand.¡± Then, it might be easier to escape when the person serving you disappears. Betty had a mysterious expression on her face and kept quiet. ¡®It¡¯s not a difficult story to tell.¡¯ The bathroom was near the room we arrived at from the hallway. Although it was an annex, it seemed like a huge place with a separate bathroom. ¡°This is the bathroom you will be using.¡± The bathroom was much more luxurious than she expected. The bathwater is warm enough to wash right away. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be here with you, can I take off your clothes now?¡± Betty reached out her hand with familiarity. ¡®This moment is coming after all.¡¯ This situation was a bit awkward for her, who washed alone in Libertan. Of course, there were things she wanted to hide. ¡°Can¡¯t I wash by myself?¡± ¡°¡­¡­without a bath attendant?¡± Betty¡¯s brown eyes were full of doubt. ¡°Lady, if you¡¯re uncomfortable with me, I¡¯ll get another maid¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯m ashamed.¡± ¡°Still, you are the wife of the Duke of Blanchett, and you have to take the bath eventually.¡± Betty looked very stubborn. The last time she changed clothes, she was fine. ¡®Did Johann tell you to keep an eye on me taking a bath?¡¯ If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s nothing she can do about it. Because she can¡¯t force herself to avoid it and get more suspicious. ¡°Then there is nothing I can do. I¡¯ll take a bath.¡± Eventually, she was served by Betty and took her clothes off. Betty, who was holding her clothes, gasped and dropped the dress. ¡°Madam, this is¡­¡± Her gaze was fixed on the scars on her body. ¡®That¡¯s why I wanted to hide it.¡¯ This was her very old scar. If one didn¡¯t know the circumstances, one would probably be surprised to see it. Chapter 5 Chapter 5: The Fall of Libertan She looked at herself in front of the mirror in the bathroom. Pale white skin, pink-blonde hair, indigo-blue eyes. A pretty and skinny doll-like body¡­ with scars engraved on it. Her face and arms looks very fine, without any wound on it, so the presence of the scars in the back feels so out of place and bizarre. It was awkward because she had never shown her scars to anyone. ¡°Isn¡¯t it very ugly to look at?¡± ¡°No, lady. How come¡­¡± Betty¡¯s astonished gaze passed near the scar on her waist up to her thigh. The more she looked at the scar, the harder Betty¡¯s face became. ¡°Sorry. If I had told you in advance, you would have been less surprised.¡± Actually, it doesn¡¯t look pleasing to her sight either. ¡®How did I get this scar?¡¯ She thought as she touched the scars on her back. All of these scars had suddenly appeared upon waking up. So she doesn¡¯t know how it appeared either. There were only one or two scars at first, but the more she woke up, the more the number of scars suddenly increases. ¡®But I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t feel any pain.¡¯ It looked like it had been beaten or stabbed somewhere, so it looked painful, but there was no pain because it happened while she was sleeping. That¡¯s why treatment wasn¡¯t needed either way. ¡®Well, Libertan is not even a place where I can be healed when I¡¯m sick anyway.¡¯ She was often sick. Just by receiving a lot of stress, she will end up with a high fever and extreme shivering. For this reason, the Duke of Libertan was very reluctant to send a doctor for her, even though she was often sick. ¡®Perhaps he just didn¡¯t want to care that much.¡¯ Surprisingly, there were no misunderstandings because it only appeared in the parts where can be hidden by clothes. ¡°I can wash by myself, so if you are very disgusted, you can leave now. Just bring me a change of clothes.¡± Betty carefully grabbed her hands and wept, but she still seemed to be holding back her tears. ¡°It¡¯s not. It¡¯s not bad at all.¡± That can¡¯t be true. ¡°You don¡¯t have to lie. I have eyes too.¡± ¡°A scar is just a scar. You¡¯re still a beautiful person as you are.¡± Betty blatantly mourned for her wounds. It makes her confused as to whether her attitude was just Johann¡¯s command. ¡®But there¡¯s no way that Johann knew beforehand that I had a scar.¡¯ Betty, who had stopped talking for a moment and met her eyes, opened her mouth slowly with a distorted face. ¡°And my brother also has a big scar, so it¡¯s not unusual for me.¡± ¡°Your brother have a scar?¡± ¡°Yeah. He suffered serious burn after he rebelliously responded to the nobles. But in fact, it wasn¡¯t just because of that.¡± Among the original characters, there was a person with such a past., but she couldn¡¯t think who was it right now. In the beginning, the original story was centered on her, so the circumstances of the other characters did not come out very much. ¡°¡­It must be very painful.¡± ¡°It was, but madam was in pain as well.¡± After a moment of hesitation, she answered casually. Although it was a bit of a tragic story about her family history, she still had a conscience to tell a lie. In particular, she even suffered burns for some absurd reasons. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t feel hurt at all. It¡¯s probably different from Betty¡¯s brother.¡± ¡°It was.¡± ¡°And this scar happened because of my fault.¡± She hesitated in fear that her words might reach Johann. ¡®Because there is no way that an adopted child who is rumored to be loved would have such a scar.¡¯ Wouldn¡¯t it be a little less strange if she insisted that it was a scar caused by the mistake of a stupid adopted child? She smiled softly, wiping Betty¡¯s tear-filled eyes. ¡°So you don¡¯t have to look too serious. Contrary to how it looked, it didn¡¯t hurt at all.¡± Then Betty, who had been weeping, finally burst into tears. Transparent tears streamed down her freckled face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry, lady. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± It seems that the misunderstanding has deepened. ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°I¡­I was wrong.¡± ¡°What did you do wrong?¡± She honestly doesn¡¯t know why Betty is crying and apologizing like this. Betty struggled to wipe away her tears, finally calming her breathing and opening her mouth. ¡°Ah, can I take care of my lady¡¯s bath from now on? I will make sure no one finds out.¡± ¡°If you want to, then sure you can.¡± Somehow, she didn¡¯t know that her words worked on Betty too much since she just told the truth. She went into the bathroom, which was warm enough to feel good just by soaking her body. She especially liked the sweet smell of perfumed oil. ¡®A luxury that she could not enjoy in Libertan duchy¡¯ As for the delicious desserts, there were a lot of things she was able to enjoy even though she¡¯s just been here for a while. ¡®Even a fake wife deserves this much.¡¯ Betty hesitated for a moment, then opened her trembling lips. ¡°¡­ And.¡± But even in the midst of her dripping tears, her eyes were determined as if she had made a great resolve. ¡°I will keep this scar a secret.¡± That¡¯s weird. In the original story, Betty wasn¡¯t very nice to the Blanchett¡¯s fake wife? ¡®Although she wasn¡¯t a supporting role that was important in the first place.¡¯ As she looked at Betty¡¯s face as she held her hands tightly, she was troubled. It¡¯s easy to see through people who hate her. Most of the time, even unconsciously, they revealed their inner feelings. However, it was difficult to determine whether Betty¡¯s reaction was sincere or not. ¡®Why doesn¡¯t it look like Betty is lying?¡¯ It¡¯s probably because she wants to think that way. ¡®¡­ Since it¡¯s really sad that no one is on my side.¡¯ Betty will go to Johann and tell him about her scars, because she¡¯s the spy assigned for that. Closing her eyes in the warm water, she just answered casually. ¡°Thanks.¡± *** Betty was a member of the vassal family of the Duke of Libertan. Precisely, she was until the Duke of Libertan used her family as a tool for their benefit. She probably wouldn¡¯t have been alive if she hadn¡¯t been saved by Johann¡¯s grace. ¡®Estelle Libertan.¡¯ That hateful Libertan¡¯s adopted child. When her family was struggling, she was living in Libertan¡¯s goodwill. Even if Estelle did nothing, Betty hated Estelle as much as Libertan. She, at least is a bystander, if she¡¯s not a perpetrator. She pretended to be ignorant of the terrible things that were going on at the duchy. So when she was assigned as Estelle¡¯s full-time maid, Betty followed the commands that she has been ordered without hesitation. ¡°Stay by her side as much as possible and befriend her.¡± ¡°Yeah. I will.¡± ¡°Tell me everything you hear from that woman.¡± A spy to stay at Estelle¡¯s side and keep an eye on her. Betty had no sympathy to give for the Libertan¡¯s daughter. ¡­Until she met Estelle in person. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± The first Estelle she saw up close to was quite different from the woman Betty had envisioned. ¡®This person is that Estelle Libertan?¡¯ Betty, who acted as her spy, heard more rumors about Estelle than any other. Especially among her subordinates, the rumored Estelle was very notorious. This woman, who is very cruel to her servants, was just lucky to become a Libertan. No matter how vicious she behaved, within a few days, the people who served her will just change every time, and their whereabouts ends up unclear. ¡®But it doesn¡¯t look like that at all.¡¯ She is a pretty person, as if she embodied the word lovable as a human. She, in particular, had long, white eyelashes, classical and hazy, like a white bird of snow. ¡®It seems that her personality is different from her appearance.¡¯ Among the nobles, there were countless of such people. In particular, in the case of Estelle, who was a commoner that only raised in status, this was more like that. But it turns out that Estelle wasn¡¯t vicious either. She rather went so far as to take care of her wounds and genuinely care about it. ¡°It must be painful though.¡± ¡°After work, atleast go for a treatment.¡± Even after looking at her adorable face, Betty¡¯s vigilance continued to collapse without realizing it. So Betty took her innocence as something that was protected and preserved by the Libertan¡¯s evil deeds. However, Estelle also continued to shake her determination. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve slept in such a nice bed.¡± Her bedroom in Blanchett, which was given to her by the duke, was dark and her bed was not of good quality, but she was not angry and was genuinely happy instead. ¡°To the extent that I¡¯m worried about whether I can stay as a hostess in such a good family.¡± She is the woman who was loved so much in Libertan. ¡®Is it possible that the duke didn¡¯t actually treated her properly?¡¯ She began to crack the image of the woman she had made with hatred. Such person expressed her condolences when she saw the terrifying black cloth portrait on sight. ¡°They are such important people in the Duke of Blanchett that should not be forgotten. It¡¯s not that scary when you think about it that way.¡± ¡°I just feel grateful.¡± Estelle Libertan didn¡¯t look like a Libertan at all. She grew up being loved in Libertan since she was very young, so Betty was sure she would atleast have a rude personality. ¡°But I also know who I am. I¡¯m not that good of a person, and I¡¯m not that good at anything.¡± ¡°So, if Betty doesn¡¯t want to be near me, just tell me. Because I understand enough.¡± Rather, she seemed unloved. In particular, Estelle, who had a faint smile in front of the paintings, looked too small and fragile. A remorse of conscience arose inside her. ¡®Can I use this woman for revenge?¡¯ She was simply adopted by Libertan. Her trembling heart completely collapsed the moment she entered to attend Estelle¡¯s bath. ¡°Can¡¯t I wash by myself?¡± With the face that had been hesitating for some reason, she still forced herself into doing it. It was to find out the secret she was hiding even a little. ¡­And the secret Estelle was hiding was unlike anything Betty had imagined. ¡°Isn¡¯t it very ugly to look at?¡± A secret that probably no one in the world would have dared to know. ¡®Why¡­¡¯ The scars were skillfully engraved only on the part covered by her clothes. It was a mark of being severely beaten and trampled upon by anyone. There were even burn marks. That cruel secret brought in a truth that she did not want to believe at all. In the first place, there¡¯s no way that those ruthless people could have cared for an adopted child without a drop of blood, so she still believed what she wanted to believe. ¡­But on the contrary, Estelle was the one who apologized to Betty instead. ¡°Sorry. If I had told you in advance, you would have been less surprised.¡± She made several excuses,as if pushing the fault on herself. But there¡¯s no way that those scar was just from a mistake. ¡°And this scar happened because of my fault.¡± Estelle¡¯s smile appeared in Betty¡¯s eyes. ¡°So you don¡¯t have to look too serious. Contrary to how it looked, it didn¡¯t hurt at all.¡± That smile had a faint light as if it was about to break. This woman whom everyone hated and criticized for being lucky¡­ That innocent smile, which seemed lovely and harmless, felt so pitiful. She was never lucky, nor became the princess of the hateful Libertan. In the end, Betty completely collapsed. ¡°I will keep this scar a secret.¡± And from then on, she decided to be on Estelle¡¯s side. Although she has no power, she wanted to be on the side of this poor woman whom everyone hates. *** The Duchy of Libertan has regained the vitality, which they had lost. They married their adopted child so they were able to pay off all those debts at once. The Duchess of Libertan took her wine glass and visited the Duke of Libertan. ¡°I¡¯m so glad she could be a little useful.¡± ¡°Yes. In the end, I¡¯m glad we were able to paid back all those debts. Even so¡­¡± The eyes of the Duke of Libertan landed on one part of his office. ¡°She was a good kid.¡± It was the exact spot where Estelle always stood when she was being scolded. ¡®She used to stand there every time and struggled to be loved.¡¯ After thinking for a while, strangely, he started to worry about, although that girl is nothing more than just a girl brought in out of usefulness. ¡®She wouldn¡¯t be able to live peacefully in the Duke of Blanchett.¡¯ He knew that, but he still didn¡¯t tell Estelle anything about Libertan. The Duchy of Blanchett is the family that Libertan blamed for treason, and it is clear that they will take revenge while using Estelle out of hatred. ¡®Is this really the end of this?¡¯ At first, he thought he had sold the useless adoptee as a sacrifice. But the more he thought about it, the more strange it felt. ¡®There¡¯s no way he can end his revenge with just using Estelle.¡¯ It is a grudge that destroyed their whole family. It can¡¯t be finished this easily. ¡®But it is also true that they did not take advantage of the opportunity to bring down Libertan.¡¯ The Duke of Libertan was convinced that there was a trap. ¡°Wife, were there any strings we put in the Duke Blanchett?¡± ¡°Are you talking about those incompetent bastards who didn¡¯t even know about the Duke Blanchett¡¯s trap?¡± Roselia, Duchess of Libertan, frowned and nodded her head. ¡°I was so busy that I couldn¡¯t get them out beforehand. Do you have anything to do with them?¡± ¡°I think Duke Blanchett must¡¯ve checked the internal situation-¡± A commotion suddenly began to arise from outside the office, which makes the forehead of the noble Duchess of Libertan frowned heavily. ¡°What¡¯s the fuss on this fine day?¡± The harsh footsteps and screams grew louder and louder. The butler hurriedly opened the door while his body was covered in blood. ¡°Duke, it¡¯s a big deal. I think you should come out right now.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The knights from the Imperial Palace stormed into the mansion¡­!¡± At that time, the knights of the Imperial Palace who arrived behind the butler moved the butler aside and strode into the office. ¡°What the hell are the Imperial Palace Knights doing here?¡± However, the knights of the Imperial Palace did not give any answer. Only after the situation was settled, a man slowly entered among the knights. Unlike the knights of the Imperial Palace, the man was wearing a black suit rather than armor. The man who walked in slowly glanced at the Duke and Duchess of Libertan with a perfectly restrained gesture. ¡°In the meantime, your faces have improved.¡± ¡°Duke Blanchett?¡± Duke of Libertan stared fiercely at Duke Blanchett. ¡°The debt problem would had been resolved. What are you doing with the imperial palace knights? Hopefully our deal-¡± ¡°All debts have been settled.¡± Johann sneered at him with an expressionless face that raised only his lips. His arrogant gaze turned towards the Duke of Libertan as if to press him down. ¡°This is a different matter.¡± Standing in front of Johann, the Duke of Libertan involuntarily trembled at the feeling of intimidation he felt. The Duke of Libertan opened his mouth with a trembling voice. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°Treason.¡± Johann took a step and gracefully tapped the Duke of Libertan on the shoulder. ¡°The treason of the Duke of Libertan has been revealed.¡± ¡°That, what nonsense¡­¡± ¡°How could you commit such a terrible sin?¡± Johann whispered softly in the ear of the Duke of Libertan, who had turned blue in an instant. ¡°It¡¯s starting now, so it would be great to look forward to it.¡±