Chapter 18

Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────Chapter 18

Arianne still hadn’t returned. And, so did the Countess. Elysia could not see her face at all, perhaps because of Julius’ order. Edward and Rowena were also quite suspicious for being quiet.

Edward’s last words were still not forgotten. At the time, it seemed like he was going to do something right away, but now he was exceptionally quiet.

“It’s only been one day…”

She hadn’t worked for a day, but her body was already bored.

After all, it was the body that suffered from lifelong labor for over twenty years. In other words, her body was accustomed to working. She was aching all over the place to sit still and passed the time like that.

She wondered if she would really marry Damon and would not do anything in a month to it.

No matter how much Damon would ignore her and leave her alone, it was unsettling that she didn’t learn anything since she did not want to be dismissed as an ignorant Grand Duchess. Elysia wanted at least to be treated like a human being.

She didn’t know if that’s possible, though…

“Actually, it all depends on Damon, but…”

Even if she was smarter than anyone else in the Empire, that would be nothing if he didn’t treat her like a human. As far as she knew, Damon was clever.

Because the initial setting was so perfect that it was not even funny, so, that was why she touched him in her previous life. Humans felt more attractive when a fictional character was lacking somewhere and had a twist.

Of course, she regretted it all now, though at the time, it was so exciting.

“Ah!”

Turned out, Edward didn’t come back. He was supposed to be ready to go back right away, although he didn’t seem to want to leave at all. Considering Edward’s present physical condition, he had to go to the Logan Empire for recuperation.

Unlike the Caesar Empire, the Logan Empire was a country with advanced medicine and divine power. With the wealth of technology there, Edward was receiving treatment.

“Miss.”

As she was lying on her bed, bored, she heard the maid calling outside the door.

“What is going on?”

“You have a guest.”

Just a few days ago, she was treated like a maid and ignored, but ridicule poured out at the changed situation. A lady from the treatment worse than a maid… It was safe to say that she was successful.

“I brought the guest to the parlor.”

“Who is it?”

“If you go, you will find out.”

First of all, the probability that it was Damon was low, as she didn’t wear any weird clothes. Still, it was too early for her to be completely relieved. The Countess could have made up a second plan and had given up on lewd clothing.

Despite the Count’s restraining order, the Countess’s influence was still enormous. Naturally, her power had to extend to Elysia as well. All of Caitlin’s subordinates followed the Countess’s orders.

“Nice to meet you.”

When she opened the door to the parlor, a woman she had never met was sitting there. She smiled quietly and glanced her way. A middle-aged woman with blonde hair and purple eyes had a soft yet firm impression. It was never an impression she could easily ignore.

“Who are you…?”

“Hello. Grand Duchess, my name is Estelle Blair. I think you can call me Marchioness Blair.”

“Marchioness Blair?”

Yesterday it was Countess Arianne and today the Marchioness. Elysia was stunned at the new madams who appeared every other day. It felt like meeting all the nobles she would never have met in her lifetime.

“On the orders of the Grand Duke, I have come to help Your Grace’s wedding preparations. From now on, I will be in charge of the general education of the Grand Duchess.”

It was surprising to see that the person in charge of education changed in just one day. She could see why Arianne didn’t come back.

Even if she wanted to come back, Damon had already written her down. It had only been a day since the Empress approached. He knew everything about it and blocked access. Despite not knowing much, she could still tell that the imperial family and Damon didn’t get along very well.

“The Grand Duke has given me a month to prepare, though he told me that we must not neglect preparations.”

Power was terrifying. He made a Marchioness, who, at first glance, looked older than Damon, so polite.

Even Countess Arianne, whom she met yesterday, did not call her Grand Duchess. Whereas now, the Marchioness was calling her Grand Duchess. She didn’t even have the time to change her name in an attitude that was so natural.

“I look forward to your kind cooperation. If there are any shortcomings in the education, please understand it with an open mind.”

Due to the Marchioness’ very polite behavior, Elysia was frozen in place, unable to do this or that. In the end, she just stood there and greeted each other.

“Yes. Yes… Please take good care of me.”

***

“Your Grace, something has happened.”

Beneath the large black door that felt intimidating, a man with reddish-brown hair was knocking on the door with a tense gesture. Rather than a man, he was more like a young man who had just taken off his boyish body.

“Your Grace! I—”

He didn’t knock for a while until the big door swung open. However, no one opened the door.

“Your, Your Grace… ? May I come in?”

Sebastian trembled at the smell of blood as soon as the door opened. There was always an indescribable smell of blood in this room.

The smell of death… The man and death in this room were inseparable.

There was still no reply from the other side, though he would be even more upset if he reported late because no reply was heard.

“I’m coming in!”

Thinking that it would be all right, he closed his eyes and strode into the room. The darkness in the room seemed unwilling to lift. The sound of the whistling wind and the smell of blood made his legs tremble.

Yet, the most frightening thing was the man who owned this room.

“Grand… Grand Duke….”

“What’s the big deal?”

“That, that…”

Even in a plain tone, the man’s voice pierced the back of his neck. It could be because he knew the power of the man. Sebastian was terrified to know that a human life was nothing if he put his mind to it.

The man was always sensitive, and he had to be nervous when something would go against his heart.

It was because the man was easily aroused with even the slightest stimulation. The problem was that if he got excited, it wouldn’t be as bad as ruining his surroundings. There was currently no restraint device to hold the beast that lost control and ran wild.

It is said that no one knew when the blue eyes shining in the dark would constrict its pupils and attack.

“What happened to my Madam?”

“What happened—”

“Say it right.”

“Yes! It is said that the Countess Arianne was sent to teach Lady Caitlyn. I know that it was directly ordered by the Empress.”

After the words were finished, Sebastian was weeping inwardly in the quiet stillness, only sweating profusely. Nevertheless, it was easier to deal with a man running wild with excitement.

Damon, these days, couldn’t get the hang of anything involving Caitlyn’s daughter. Even though he was originally an unpredictable man, he became a man whom Sebastian did not know where he would go.

It was Sebastian’s stomach that was burning with his reaction, even now, when there was no answer. For some reason, he could no longer notice the heart of his master.

“Did the Empress approach her?”

“Yes, yes!”

How did he fall into a position of surveillance and investigation of a noble lady… Sebastian’s condition was so miserable that his tears were about to come out. It was better to serve Damon as before. Although he was beaten a few times when he made a mistake, it wasn’t Lady Caityln’s work.

“Can’t you even monitor it properly? Why didn’t I kill you and keep you alive…?”

“I want you to solve your troubles.”

“But, why is the result like this now? If you don’t explain it properly, it won’t end with one or two beats this time.”

Again, Damon was very angry.

Sebastian wanted to quit being the butler of Grand Duchy Raphael even now, but he couldn’t. Damon couldn’t have kept him alive, who had already learned the secret. And, even if he died, he had to continue his job as a butler.

Sebastian, who was nervous and swallowed a gulp without realizing it, quickly changed the topic.

“As Your Grace knows, the reason Count Caitlyn entered the marriage proposal was because of the Empress’s machinations from the beginning.”

“….”

Saying so, he trembled with fear whenever Damon was silent. It was because he never knew when the beast would go mad.

Sebastian’s body trembled thinly at the sudden sound of teeth spreading through the air. He couldn’t control his fear because he thought he was the one whose teeth were grinding.

“Of course, there is no way the Empress will not be affected by this wedding. The Empress and Countess Caitlyn have a close partnership.”

“I know.”

“Besides, Your Grace has set the wedding preparation period for one month.”

As he spoke while wiping the drops of sweat on his forehead, it seemed that the room was unusually hot. It was absurd to say that this cold, chilly room was so hot. As the only thing he was afraid of was the man in front of him, Sebastian’s body was hot and sweat was running down his face.

The master he served had always been something that made everyone tremble in fear.

“That…”

“I know. I know. I know what Your Grace means, but do people really think so?”

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible!