When I arrived at the Zenkis Duchy, I was more nervous than when I met the Empress.
Even though the Empress had summoned me to the capital for selfish reasons, she had at least welcomed my presence. But the people in this bleak-looking gray mansion were different.
Of course, I felt a certain internal closeness to them because I had encountered them in the original story. But to them, I was nothing more than an unwelcome guest who had suddenly rolled into their lives.
As soon as I stepped out of the carriage, I saw that the servants were already lined up waiting for me, having apparently been informed in advance. Among them, an elderly man with neatly slicked-back white hair approached me and offered a greeting. The monocle he wore gleamed calmly.
“I am the butler in charge of this mansion. I was informed by Her Majesty the Empress and have prepared a room for the young lady in advance.”
The moment I saw him, his name almost slipped out of my mouth.
‘Jan!’
Jan Hessen was the head butler who oversaw everything in this mansion. His personality was meticulous to the point of being cold, but that made him all the more loyal and honest.
Even in the original, he never showed warmth to Kayla or Stella, but when it came to the mistress of the mansion, he was faultlessly respectful.
It wasn’t Jan who was the problem—it was the servants standing behind him with cold eyes already on display.
Led by the head maid, these servants had scorned and disregarded the duchess, who failed to gain the Duke’s recognition. In the original story, much of the reason Kayla was perceived as a wicked duchess was due to these people maliciously twisting and exaggerating the truth.
“I’ll show you the way,” Jan said.
“Thank you,” I replied.
As I followed Jan, I could feel the burning stares of the servants cling to the back of my head. I forced a polite smile in their direction, but none of them responded.
‘So I’m the public enemy, huh.’
The chilly hostility and tension directed at me felt like a noose tightening around my neck.
‘They must all know. That their master is being forced into a ridiculous marriage because of the Empress.’
Now that I was seeing them in person, I could understand why Kayla hadn’t been able to adjust to the duchy and had always felt like an outsider.
Jan looked back at me and spoke.
“The Duke is not here at the moment, but we have received word that he is returning from the battlefield. He should arrive sometime tomorrow.”
I nodded slowly at the butler’s report.
“I understand.”
The thought of meeting Ricardo made me feel strange.
That arrogant bastard was the reason I’d even started reading the original story—and now he was to become my husband. I had imagined him more than anyone while reading the book, but now that I was actually here, I couldn’t seem to picture him at all.
“Would you like a tour of the mansion?”
“No. Thank you, but I’m tired and would prefer to rest today.”
I meant it. After going through so much in such a short time since transmigrating into this world, I was desperate to simply rest.
My body was exhausted, my mind felt strangely worn out. I needed to recover in order to calmly think through what lay ahead.
“Understood. Then I shall give you a proper tour tomorrow. Please enjoy your rest today.”
Though Jan’s demeanor was overly polite to the point of being burdensome, it actually made me feel at ease—because I knew he was a man whose exterior matched his interior.
“If you need anything, do not hesitate to call.”
With that, I was shown to a guest room with a small garden attached. Finally able to take a breath, I looked around the room—only for Molly, who had been quiet all this time, to start grumbling again.
“This looks pretty decent. To someone who doesn’t know better, you could really pass for a noble young lady.”
I ignored her and shut the curtains, speaking in a flat tone.
“The maid’s room is next door. Why don’t you get some rest too? I’m really too tired to deal with you right now.”
As I began to undress, she approached with a twisted smile.
“That won’t do. I’m here as a maid, so I need to do my job properly. Otherwise, you’ll really be treated like trash. Didn’t you see the way the people here looked at you?”
While helping me take off my dress—or rather, practically yanking it off—Molly spoke. Her hands were anything but gentle.
“We came here together, so we have to rely on each other in this unfamiliar place. Don’t you think, future Duchess?”
She burst into laughter, amused by her own words.
I wanted to push her disgusting hands away right then and there, but instead, I bit down on my lower lip and endured it.
‘Not yet.’
It was too early to get rid of Molly now. Like she said, a duchess without even one maid would be a laughingstock. Even if the Empress sent someone else to serve me, I’d have no excuse.
Though she was unpleasant, I had no choice but to keep her around until the right time came.
Molly smirked smugly, as if she had already won. I looked at her and smiled right back.
‘Go ahead and enjoy this while you can, Molly.’
You’ll regret it soon enough.
The Next Day
The sound of sparrows chirping tickled my ears. My eyelashes fluttered slightly, then opened wide in an instant.
“Ah!”
Like a spring snapping into place, I bolted upright.
‘I just closed my eyes for a second, but I fell completely asleep.’
I sighed in dismay, realizing the entire night had passed in a flash.
Last night had been my first night in the duchy. I had intended to spend it recalling future events and figuring out how to survive here.
‘Damn. Could I be any more relaxed?’
I must have been completely worn out. I didn’t even remember falling asleep—it was like the moment my head hit the pillow, I passed out cold.
Luckily, it was still early morning, and no one had come to wake me yet. The room next door was eerily silent, so Molly must still be asleep too.
I had thought sleeping in this mansion would bring restless dreams or even sleep paralysis—but somehow, I had slept like a baby.
‘Maybe I actually get along with this place better than I thought.’
Letting out a helpless laugh, I got up from the bed. Thanks to the good sleep, my body felt lighter than yesterday, and my mind was clearer.
Looking out the window, I saw the fresh morning air shimmering outside. Wanting to fully wake up, I decided to go for a short walk.
‘The room connects to the garden, right?’
The mansion, still asleep in the early dawn, felt oddly mystical. I pulled a robe over my shoulders and quietly stepped out the door leading to the garden.
The fog-draped garden glowed faintly blue. Each step I took wet my feet with morning dew, and the chilly air seemed to cleanse my lungs—it was refreshing.
Unlike yesterday, I could now see much more of the mansion. The red-brick chapel spire, ivy-covered gray stone walls, the towering columns of the house.
‘So this is what the Duke’s mansion really looks like.’
It hit me again—I was inside the original story.
Curious, I wandered farther than I’d intended. I walked slowly along a path lined with blooming periwinkle forget-me-nots, but at some point, I started to worry.
‘I’ve gone too far. I should head back.’
But the path I had followed looked the same in every direction.
‘Where was it? Was it this way?’
This side and that side all looked identical. It felt like I had wandered into a maze.
‘No choice. I need to find someone.’
Even though it was early, I figured someone must be awake and glanced around.
Rustle.
At that moment, I heard the sound of someone stepping on grass. I rushed toward the sound, assuming it was a gardener or a servant.
“Is someone there? I—”
But before I could finish asking for help, the man ahead of me turned his head. Through the faint mist, my eyes locked with those of a tall man.
In that instant, it felt like I was trapped in air so dense I couldn’t even breathe. I stood frozen.
The haze around him made it feel unreal.
The tall, young man wore a white shirt unbuttoned down to his chest and slim black trousers. It was a casual outfit, but I instinctively knew—he wasn’t a gardener or a servant.
Black hair fell naturally across his forehead, and his sharp, well-defined features were almost too perfect. His cold, blue eyes looked back at me with indifference.
Despite the emptiness in his aura, he radiated a charisma that overwhelmed others.
As he looked at me, I also stared back—and in that fleeting moment, it felt like time had stopped.
There was no doubt in my mind—the man in front of me was Ricardo Zenkis, Duke of this house.
The bastard from the original novel. The owner of this mansion. My soon-to-be husband.
Realizing who he was, I fell into momentary confusion.
‘Didn’t they say he’d arrive tomorrow? Why is he here now?’
Well, technically, it was tomorrow. A day had passed since I fell asleep.
‘Then he must have arrived in the middle of the night or early dawn.’
Still, I had never imagined I’d run into him here, at this hour, in this place.
My mind went completely blank.
