Chapter 3

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TL: Dazzel.D

ED: Taochaidee

***

Fortunately, despite his large physique, Grace was able to catch up with him easily, perhaps because his steps were not that wide.

Grace followed him just two steps away while observing Felix’s mansion.

The castle was built solidly to suit the cold climate of the north, and magnificent enough to meet the dignity of being the largest in the empire. However, it was so desolate that there was no other place to look.

Was it because the Duchess of Felix, the younger sister of the former emperor, who was originally the mistress of the castle, passed away and left it unattended for a long time? The central garden, which was covered with white snow over the withered plants, was shabby and decorated with broken sculptures.

Maybe Arthur Felix, the monster duke, was just not very good at decorating the mansion. Grace thought when she saw Arthur walking forward.

“……This is the bedroom you’re going to live in.”

After passing through the central garden, again through the gate, and up the round marble staircase, Arthur stopped at a door.

Then, Arthur reached out for the doorknob, opened the door and beckoned to Grace.

The gesture seemed to force her into the room, so Grace awkwardly passed him into the bedroom.

“……my goodness.”

At that moment, Grace’s bedroom was completely different from what she had imagined.

A large bed, white canopy hanging over it, warm light pink wallpaper and silver dressing table, and enormous windows to a spacious closet and terrace were perfectly up to date as the capital.

Grace widened her eyes in surprise at the bedroom, which was completely different from the atmosphere of the mansion she saw earlier.

“Do you like it?”

“…Ah, yes.”

Arthur asked Grace, who was looking around the bedroom with surprise, in a blunt voice.

When Grace answered with a nod, her eyes seemed to slightly wrinkled. Then Arthur, who soon cleared his throat briefly, reaffirmed completely that she had entered the room and said, taking a step back.

“Then get some rest. That little door is the bathroom in this room, so you can take a bath there.”

“….Yes? Ah, yeah.”

“Your luggage is ordered to be cleared tomorrow, so you don’t have to worry about the maids coming in during the break.”

“…..Ah, is that so?”

Before she even asked a question, Arthur told Grace what she might now be curious about. Grace nodded awkwardly when he said,

“I’ve told you everything, so don’t ask me any more.”

Arthur hardened his curt mouth, briefly sighed and said,

“I know what you’re worried about. But it’s probably never going to be what you imagine it to be.”

“….what? What do you mean by what I imagine?”

“Tonight, tomorrow, forever.” He said, “There will never be a terrible first night with a monster.”

“….what?”

“In other words, the curse that sticks to me will not go to you.”

Grace felt her eyes widen in surprise at Arthur’s blunt interjection, looking down at her with his blue, red odd eyes.

Arthur’s words seemed to have read Grace’s deepest fears. Grace was at a loss for words when he read her mind, which she thought was well hidden.

Arthur casually turned his head and added.

“Interference in the internal affairs of Felix’s estate, and unjust abuse to my brother, Leon. Other than these two, you may do anything in this castle.”

“……anything else?”

“I have no intention of forcing each other to do something like a couple’s duty while we are in a political marriage without love. Even if you are a lover, luxury is at your disposal.”

“……!”

“I said everything I wanted to say. Now, you can rest with peace of mind.”

Finally, Arthur closed the bedroom door and left.

Grace remained alone in the bedroom, which had suddenly become quiet, and stared at where Arthur was standing a little while ago with her still blank eyes.

He didn’t say a word all day from the wedding to her arrival at the estate, but he seemed to have tried to do so. Grace was a little horrified by the sight of him, and saw through his true feelings for a short time.

“The curse that sticks to me will not be directed at you.”

“What on earth did he mean by that? Does he have the ability to curse, but he won’t or don’t have the ability to curse in the first place?”

In any case, it was not great news to hear for Grace, who would break up with him by using his “curse” and become free.

Rather, if she had ignored him completely or acted harshly, it would have been easier to pretend to be crazy. Grace plopped down on a fluffy bed while thinking,

‘That’s alright. Whatever that means, I just have to stay alive and leave this mansion.’

Yeah, that’s enough.

There was no reason to brood over Arthur Felix, the monster duke.

Grace rose again thinking so.

Now it’s the first night, so she doesn’t have to worry about it. She wanted to quickly soak herself in hot water and sleep.

Grace walked into the bathroom after putting on a gown over a hanger on her arm. Before she knew it, snow was pouring outside the window again.

***

Thus the first night at Felix’s estate, then, dawn broke.

Grace, who fell into a deep sleep with a thick blanket which was about the thickness of her body, opened her eyes to the sunlight pouring out from the slightly open window.

“……Ah, it’s cold.”

“Madam, did you just cough?”

Grace, who had been shivering under the blanket from the cold weather that had never been felt in the capital, raised her upper body to the voice of a maid heard outside the door.

“Ah, Yes, I did.”

“Well, may I come in? I’ve prepared some water to wash your face.”

Grace, who was a little troubled by the maid’s words that she had prepared water to wash her face, soon replied.

“Ye, yes.”

Then the bedroom door opened and a maid came in, pushing a tray of silver plated filled with steaming hot water.

A middle-aged maid with red hair and freckles approached Grace, who raised half of her upper body in bed, and said,

“I’m late to say hello, ma’am. My name is Sally, and I will serve you in the future.”

“Nice to meet you, Sally.”

“It’s an honor to serve a beautiful lady. It’s really cold today, isn’t it, ma’am? May I help you wash your face here?”

“No, I think we should go to the dressing table…”

“Yes, ma’am. Then I’ll bring you a fur coat.”

When Grace got out of bed at Sally’s words, Sally quickly covered her with a fur coat.

She wiped her face with hot water and asked Sally, who brushed her long hair up nicely.

“Well, Sally.”

“Yes?”

“What should I do today?”

Sally tilted her head to Grace, who cautiously asked about what she had to do today.

Sally, who pondered for a moment, replied, “I still don’t know,” as if she couldn’t understand what it meant.

“Firmly, you don’t have to do anything in particular.”

“Yes? what, responding to letters, taking care of the mansion….. Isn’t there anything to be taken care of as a duchess?”

“Yes, the Duke always said, ‘Let the Duchess do as she pleases.’ This was the case even with Electra and fiance, Bianca too…..Oh my god…”

” ……ah.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am, I’ve made a slip of the tongue…”

Sally, who was chattering casually at Grace’s question, quickly covered her mouth with her hands when she realized she had made a slip of the tongue. As Sally kept rolling her big green eyes, Grace smiled briefly and replied.

“No, it’s fine.”

“I’m so sorry, ma’am. I have committed a crime worthy of death.”

“It’s really okay, so there’s nothing I can do, right?”

“……yes, ma’am.”

“That’s great. Then, can you take me somewhere nice for a walk? I’m bored, and my body aches, so I want to move a little.”

“Yes! I’ll quickly change into a warm dress! Let’s go for a walk together!”

When Grace brings the idea, Sally’s face brightens, mixed with Sally’s desire to apologize even though it was fine.

Sally replied that she will do it quickly, finishing Grace’s hair and moving on to the closet.

Grace looked at her reflection in the mirror with a small chuckle. Thanks to Sally’s wonderful skill, the reflection of herself in the mirror was more beautiful than usual.

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