Episode 15
“Ugh, my whole body aches.”
No matter what, going to the imperial palace always brought a lot of pressure, so my muscles were knotted tight. After soaking in a bath infused with fragrant oils, I came out to find the maids waiting with solemn expressions.
Following their directions, I lay down and they began massaging my arms, legs, and shoulders in perfect unison. Their touch was gentle yet firm, and gradually my body loosened up. The pain was worth enduring for this.
‘How long has it been since I had true rest like this?’
I closed my eyes and savored the drowsy comfort. The maid working on my right arm must have been a newcomer—her touch was clumsy, but I generously overlooked it.
“Mmh.”
The massage felt so good that a satisfied noah slipped out. I tried to ignore the slight irritation in my right arm, determined to hold onto this bliss.
“Ah!”
“Are you all right, madam?”
The maid pressing my right arm lost control of her strength, and a sharp pain struck. The other maids froze at once.
Oh, and it had been feeling so good. Who ruined this moment?
It was like being dragged down from the gates of heaven—so frustrating. I had no intention of scolding her, but I did resolve to exclude her from future massages. I opened my eyes to see which maid it was.
“…Gasp.”
This wasn’t your job. What on earth are you doing here, slipping in among the maids?
As always, the one who startled me was standing there awkwardly. If surprising me were her side job, she would be earning handsomely by now. She gave me a sheepish grin as though to say sorry.
“What brings you here, Sophia?”
Suddenly, Sophia dropped to her knees. Oh dear. If you kneel like that so abruptly, you’ll ruin your joints.
“Please accept me, milady!”
Every time I saw her, Sophia radiated the energy of someone who had just come out of surviving the back alleys. Her intensity now even made me flinch.
“I beg of you, milady!”
It felt like she was about to sign a pledge in blood, swearing her loyalty. Her tense voice only added to the impression.
Even bowed so low, her spirit was palpable. With a small sigh, I rose to my feet, and the maids naturally began drying my body and dressing me in a robe.
“Well then—”
The instant I spoke, Sophia’s face shot up. Her eyes glittered with anticipation, and I couldn’t help but smile. She still had that charm that captivated people.
“Shall we talk after I’m dressed?”
“Oh! I disturbed your rest, didn’t I? I’m so sorry!”
I had made my voice as gentle as possible so she wouldn’t feel scolded, but Sophia still apologized as if her life depended on it. From reading alone, I never realized she was such a hot-blooded young woman.
‘So this is why experience matters.’
The world in books was one thing, but seeing and experiencing it myself was entirely different.
The maids, skilled and efficient, dressed me and dried my hair quickly.
‘How nice to have everything done without lifting a finger.’
They worked swiftly, knowing a guest was waiting. I was curious to see what sort of shock Sophia would bring me this time.
“All done.”
“Thank you.”
I checked my reflection in the mirror. My hair was still a little damp, but it wasn’t rude enough to meet someone.
“Bring her in.”
“Yes, madam.”
Soon, the maids returned with Sophia. She shuffled nervously toward me, and when they stopped, I slowly turned to face her.
“So, who is it you wish to be accepted by? Me—or House fiár, the ducal family?”
Once again, Sophia dropped to her knees. I told her she should treasure her knees, but she refused my hand when I tried to help her up, shaking her head. She clearly intended to kneel until I gave her what she wanted.
“Wherever you accept me, I will give my utmost! I’ll serve with my very life!”
What was she plotting? Her loose hair glistened in the morning sunlight, and day by day she grew more beautiful. I sensed the day of her full bloom was near.
“Very well.”
“Eh?”
The maids gasped. A palace maid had suddenly declared she wanted to join the ducal household, and I accepted her without any verification. Sophia herself gaped in shock.
“From now on, you’ll work in the duchy.”
I didn’t know what Sophia’s true intentions were, but for me, this was good fortune.
‘So the story is flowing as it should, after all.’
Looking at the woman destined to fall in love with Duke fiár, I bent slightly toward her. This was how things were meant to unfold.
Sophia blushed deeply, as if she had never expected me to extend my hand and lift her up after rejecting her once.
“M-my lady…”
Just when I thought it was over, Sophia’s eyes brimmed with tears. What was I supposed to do now? Though it was getting a bit tiresome, I kept calm.
Yes, Sophia. You must live here in the duchy, work hard, and fall in love with the Duke. That way, I’ll survive. So stay strong.
“I like you so much, my lady!”
What? Why was she suddenly saying this? Instead of going toward the Duke as I had anticipated, she clung to me. She was taller than me, yet clung like a child, leaving me flustered.
“Sophia? What are you doing?”
“I’ll devote my life to you, my lady!”
Her grip was surprisingly strong. I couldn’t withstand it and staggered.
“Madam!”
“You’re hurting her!”
The maids rushed over to pry Sophia off me, but her face still shone with joy. That look—I’d seen something like it before.
‘She looks… kind of like the Duke.’
Staring at her sparkling eyes, I felt an ominous sense that my future was going to be exhausting.
Truly, you can never predict what the future will bring. Never had I imagined the three of us in one room together.
“My lady, you’re so beautiful today as always!”
Sophia, the original heroine, her eyes focused solely on me.
“My lady? She is my wife, legally wed to me.”
The Duke, who failed to recognize the woman he was fated to love, flaunting his possessiveness over me.
“Please, don’t fight, either of you.”
And me, caught between them, flustered.
It was a strange combination. But neither Sophia nor the Duke cared—they just growled at one another.
‘I wanted to bring them together, and instead I’m stuck watching them squabble…’
It was so frustrating. No matter how hard I tried, their relationship never improved.
Thinking back on my secret struggles brought tears to my eyes.
‘How did it come to this…?’
At first, when Sophia came to live at the Duke’s estate, I hadn’t thought much of it. Her hostility toward him seemed natural.
‘After all, he did lead the empire that destroyed her homeland.’
So I resolved to step in. Since she followed me around constantly, I started slipping in little mentions of the Duke.
“The Duke is such a kind man. Every day he makes sure to check how my day went.”
But instead of softening her resentment, she answered in an unexpected way.
“I want to check on your days too, my lady. I can do it even better!”
She seemed to treat it like a contest—who could take better care of me. I adjusted my approach quickly.
“The Duke is one of the wealthiest men in the empire. His power is second only to His Majesty’s. There’s nothing he cannot have if he wishes it.”
I calmly highlighted his wealth and influence. Anyone should have been impressed.
“For your sake, I’ll succeed too, my lady. Just wait and see.”
But Sophia’s determination veered elsewhere. She talked about having her own plans, about repaying my faith in her.
Every time I praised the Duke, she twisted it into a vow to prove herself to me. As if she were trying to win my favor.
‘Sophia’s a lost cause.’
So I had to give up on her and focus on the Duke instead.
“Sophia is truly sweet and fun.”
“It’s good for you to have more friends, Luén, but remember—your first priority should always be me.”
As always, the Duke accepted my words well, though he couldn’t resist inserting a subtle appeal for himself.
I decided to keep trying.
“Today Sophia and I went on a little outing together. She really can do everything.”
“Luén, you had fun even without me.”
He was smiling, but I felt a sudden chill.
‘Was that a draft just now?’
I shivered.
“Luén, forgive me.”
The Duke paled at once, noticing my tremor.
“No, it’s fine. It must be the sudden temperature drop at night.”
I reassured him, but he was adamant that I should rest immediately. He escorted me to my room and stayed until I was tucked into bed.
“The Duchess may be catching a chill. Check her condition thoroughly.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
After stern instructions to the maids, he lingered by my side for a long time before finally leaving.
‘Perhaps I managed to get through to him, after all.’
I drifted off with a small hope in my heart.
“Yawn…”
Because I had gone to bed so early, I woke naturally before dawn.
“How long did I sleep?”
For once, the Duke wasn’t by my side. That was unusual.
‘A husband and wife must always fall asleep together. Even if I’m late, I’ll come, so don’t be alarmed, Luén.’
He had always insisted on this strange logic, faithfully appearing every night—even if only for a short nap before returning to work.
‘Did he already come and leave?’
I touched the sheets. Apart from the warmth of my own body, there was no trace of him.
‘Could he really be so busy, even at this hour?’
The sudden absence of the person who always lay beside me made me feel oddly empty.
‘Well, since I’m already awake, maybe I should go check on him.’
I peeked out the window. The world outside was utterly still; even the insects were silent. It must be deep in the night.
‘It’s only right to check on him. Otherwise, I’ll worry.’
I rose from bed, the hem of my soft nightgown brushing against my legs. It was made from a rare fabric the Duke had brought back from a distant continent.
I lit a lamp. The maids would all be asleep, so I would have to find the way myself.
“Ah—!”
Crash!
So focused on the lamp, I didn’t see the glass cup in my path. It shattered into pieces with a sharp crack.
“Oh no… it was a precious cup, too.”
I quickly used a handkerchief to gather the larger shards. For now, this was all I could do until morning.
“Ouch.”
Even though I tried to be careful, a shard cut my finger. A small nick on my calf too, likely from flying glass.
“What a mess in the middle of the night.”
Thankfully, the wounds weren’t deep. I pressed down to stop the bleeding, and soon the blood clotted, though the stinging lingered.
‘Why do I feel uneasy…?’
A sudden dread gripped me. What if something had happened to the Duke?
I jumped up, clutching the lamp, and hurried out of the room.
