Chapter 33
The Duke turned his head.
“Nicholas! What on earth did you tell your sister on the way here?”
Nicholas, who had been standing firm by the door, answered,
“She would find out soon anyway. Since we even gave His Majesty the dowry, I thought hearing it early wouldn’t hurt.”
“Foolish judgment. It was unnecessary.”
It was obvious—Christopher, their family’s enemy, would likely become king.
The Duke wanted to fix their relationship with him while there was still time. And I was just a tool for that.
Jen looked closely at my face and gently wiped my tears with his sleeve. He bit his lower lip, trying not to cry. The Duke looked at us with displeasure.
“I trust nothing shameful happened while I was unaware, Natania?”
“Father!”
I grabbed Zenn’s trembling hand and shook my head so he could see.
“…No. Nothing happened.”
“Tsk. You look so terrible I almost didn’t recognize my own daughter. Fix yourself and come back down.”
The Duke spoke harshly and walked away. When Theodore tried to support his limping walk, the Duke pushed him away.
Zenn helped me up from the floor and said softly, trying to calm me,
“I’ll wait here, Nat. See you soon.”
I nodded. If it weren’t for Zenn, I might have run away long ago. I wouldn’t have even considered trying to save the ducal family.
In the end, it was my affection for gentle Jen that kept me here.
Covering my swollen cheek, I followed the maids up the stairs. After passing portraits in the long third-floor hallway, we entered the powder room the Duchess once used.
The head maid opened the door when the maids had almost finished removing my clothes. A stern woman with tightly tied hair walked in.
“Hello, my lady. His Grace ordered me to check if you’re injured anywhere. Please stay still until I’m done.”
I gave a small, bitter laugh. The Duke wanted to make sure I was still “pure.”
She checked me carefully for a long time, as if searching for the smallest flaw.
“All done. Other than the injury on your shoulder, there’s nothing unusual. You went through a lot.”
Once she approved, I changed into a silk dress and sat before the vanity. My cheek, still red and swollen from his slap, showed clearly in the mirror.
Except for Lily, the maids helping me undress were unfamiliar. They must have guessed something happened in the drawing room, but they showed no emotion—clearly well trained.
The emptiness in their faces made me uneasy. Whatever I said or did in front of them would be reported straight to the Duke.
So I forced a calm smile.
“Hurry up. Father is waiting.”
“Yes, my lady.”
The maids applied powder to my face. A strong artificial fragrance filled the room. I sighed lightly and closed my eyes.
Natania, as a child, once decided she would learn art and painted many sheets of paper. But with no one to show them to, the drawings just scattered around her room.
Another time, she sewed a handkerchief by herself, only to throw it away and cry all night.
She even picked up a sword to gain her father’s attention, following her brothers blindly.
Nothing changed.
Fragments of her memories rose to the surface.
‘…This is disgusting.’
I thought I was used to being ignored, but the reality hit hard again.
Was coming home really the right choice?
Maybe I should find a way to break this engagement quickly and leave.
My suspicion was turning toward Lavier. He had harmed me even though we were the same bloodline.
I needed to warn my family that staying aligned with the noble faction was dangerous.
If Lavier kept acting differently from the original story, he might even hurt Zenn.
At least Zenn was on my side. I would need his help.
Lily spoke carefully.
“You’re still beautiful, Lady Natania. Once I fix your hair, you’ll be perfect.”
“Okay.”
My face in the mirror looked flawless, as if nothing had happened. My colored lips gave me a healthy look. Just like the Duke said—I looked “human” again.
Lily brushed my reddish-brown hair gently and braided it.
Then she handed me the embroidered eyepatch I used to wear to cover my right eye, whose color had changed. I put it on.
Lily said,
“I’m so glad you returned safely. We all waited for you.”
“Lily… What happened to the other servants in the annex?”
Instead of answering, Lily looked at the other maids. They exchanged awkward glances.
One unfamiliar maid stepped forward.
“My lady… Young Lord Theodore told us not to talk about anything related to the annex.”
She hesitated, glancing at me.
“To you as well… my lady.”
I touched a perfume bottle on the table, then gripped a silver hairpin tightly.
“Everyone except Lily, please leave.”
After the maids bowed and left, Lily finally spoke with a dark expression.
“After you went missing, most of the servants left the estate. Many new maids were hired, and I was the only one left in the annex.”
My heart sank. It felt like they were punished because of me. I worried about what the Duke had done to them.
Lily handed me my cane. Pushing away my worries, I returned to the study.
“You finally look presentable. A woman should dress like that. Understood?”
I ignored Theodore’s nonsense and followed Lily toward the room.
My family sat around the oak table.
I told them everything that had happened—or at least, the parts I chose to share.
I left out anything about Devon or the princes.
Talk of the royal marriage came up again. Nicholas spoke as if my engagement was already settled.
‘I need to separate my family from Lavier, even if I have to lie.’
When there was a pause in conversation, I spoke.
“I overheard something when I was kidnapped… They said if Mermandyi stays close to the Queen, they’ll kill not only me, but all of us.”
The room went silent. The Duke asked stiffly,
“Who told you that?”
“…I don’t know. I can’t see faces. I only know it was an older man.”
The Duke exchanged glances with Nicholas.
“And like I told Nick earlier… I can’t do this marriage.”
Nicholas, who had been excitedly talking about negotiations, frowned deeply.
“Do you even understand what a political marriage is?”
Before he could argue more, the Duke raised his hand to silence him.
“It’s not your decision. Have you still not come to your senses?”
I shrank back timidly, pretending to be scared of Nicholas, and shook my head.
“It’s not that… I already confessed that I like Prince Chris.”
“…What?”
“He rejected me before, so how can I become his princess? And what if people in the palace bully me?”
The Duke slumped onto the sofa as if struck by lightning.
At home, I always pretended to be slow and foolish.
If I acted smart, they would hate me even more.
I wanted them to think I was too harmless to bother with.
It worked. The Duke lost the energy to be angry and muttered,
“You carry the name Mermandi. Don’t speak so weakly. Giving up is not in our blood. Trust Her Majesty the Queen. She will protect you.”
Theodore, half-lying on the sofa, smirked.
“She’s always been slow, Father. She was born much earlier than expected. Even if she has our blood, it’s natural she wouldn’t be normal.”
The Duke suddenly glared sharply and pointed a finger at him.
“Shut up, Theodore! Say that in public again and I’ll slap you myself!”
Theodore lifted his hands, looking wronged. Chaos erupted as usual.
Zenn calmly stepped between them.
“Come on. You know he didn’t mean it seriously. Please calm down, Father.”
While they argued, I sat quietly. Nicholas spoke again.
“Nat, everything with the royal family is already settled. Your stubbornness won’t change anything.”
“That’s enough. We’ll talk again later. She’ll understand with time.”
At least I bought myself a little time. I needed to find another plan soon.
I considered lying and saying I wasn’t pure anymore, but the Duke might kill me or lock me away forever.
He wouldn’t let the family’s disgrace live freely.
Just then, Nicholas muttered softly,
“Good for you, Nat. Seems like Father still cares about you.”
His sharp tone made me flinch.
The Duke… cared?
After everything he did?
At that moment, while chatting with Theodore, the Duke suddenly stopped talking.
“There is… a benefactor in our mansion?”
