Chapter 002
In an indescribable atmosphere, the first person to move was the aide who followed the Duke from behind.
He wore circular glasses and had reddish-brown hair neatly brushed down. He was a sophisticated young man, the epitome of the genius type.
“I will help you up.”
“…Sorry this keeps happening, Yuan.”
“Do not mind it.”
As the aide tidied the Duke’s appearance without a single change in his expression, it seemed as though the Duke falling to the floor was a frequent occurrence in their daily lives.
Walter turned toward his bewildered daughter-in-law, who stood frozen in place, and offered an apology with a hesitant look:
“I am sorry, my child. It seems I startled you quite a bit, didn’t I?”
“Ah, no! It’s alright.”
She didn’t truly understand why her father-in-law had rushed toward her the moment he saw her, but she didn’t ask.
As if reading her thoughts, he lowered his eyelids and muttered awkwardly:
“I was waiting for your arrival so impatiently that I felt an overwhelming joy…”
“……”
What is this? He’s not a dog reuniting with its master…
‘Even if foxes belong to the canine family, aren’t their temperaments supposed to be closer to cats?’
While she was lost in those puzzling thoughts, Walter continued introducing himself:
“I am your father-in-law, Walter Elestein. I cannot describe how happy I am that you have joined our family.”
“I am Rayleigh Bettencourt. I have many shortcomings, but I hope you will look after me well from now on.”
“……”
For some reason, as soon as he heard her greeting, Walter looked dejected again.
‘Did I do something wrong? I didn’t fail in my etiquette, did I?’
The aide standing aside stepped in to explain calmly:
“Although your official entry into the family register will happen after you reach adulthood, you are publicly considered part of the Elestein family from now on. Therefore, you may introduce yourself as Rayleigh Elestein in the future.”
“Ah… yes! I will keep that in mind.”
‘So, did he feel discouraged because I used my original family name instead of Elestein?’
The more she interacted with him, the more she discovered an unexpected charm in her father-in-law that surpassed her expectations.
“Thank you for understanding the overstepping advice with such good grace, Little Mistress.”
“There is no need for that. Please, speak to me comfortably from now on.”
“I am late in introducing myself. I am Yuan Willow, the Chief Aide serving His Grace the Duke.”
‘Yuan…?’
Rayleigh felt the name sounded familiar as she accepted his greeting politely. The aide exuded a completely professional aura, unlike her father-in-law who seemed a bit clumsy.
“Yuan, unlike me, is very meticulous in his work. I owe him a lot. As you can see, I am, ah, a bit clumsy.”
Rayleigh couldn’t respond by confirming that, so she settled for an awkward smile.
“Are you disappointed because your father-in-law is like this? I’m sorry…”
“No, not at all! I used to trip a lot when I was little, too.”
Of course, the man before her was a mature adult, and the last time Rayleigh had tripped was over five years ago, but she wanted to soothe her flustered father-in-law in any way possible.
“So, I’m not the only one who goes through this, right?”
“Of course, yes!”
“That’s a relief… It seems I have something in common with my daughter-in-law. We will become friends quickly.”
Walter smiled with relief as if he were reassured—a smile that held not a shred of charisma, a complete contrast to his cold image.
“Ah! You can just call me Rayleigh.”
“…Does it bother you if I call you my daughter-in-law?”
Walter added with a hum, “I was looking forward to the day I could call you that…”
Who could refuse him harshly after hearing that?
‘Honestly, the word “daughter-in-law” is a bit embarrassing at this age!’
Rayleigh smiled brightly and nodded her head:
“It doesn’t bother me. Call me whatever makes you comfortable, Lord Duke.”
“Alright…!”
Walter sat opposite Rayleigh with a happy face (and in the process, he almost tripped again if Yuan hadn’t caught him).
While observing her father-in-law, Rayleigh reached a conclusion:
‘Because the head of the household is clumsy… the family will be destroyed in ten years.’
Thinking about it, they weren’t necessarily villains. Recently, with the evolution of traditional story tropes, the Temple and the priests often became the default villains, while the outcasts and “evil” beings were portrayed as good people.
‘Of course, it might just be the father who is like this; perhaps the son is wicked. I shouldn’t relax too much.’
In any case, it was fortunate for Rayleigh that the Duke’s personality was more easygoing than she expected. That was because of her plan for the future.
Even if she ran away now with her small body, she wouldn’t find an effective solution. So, wouldn’t it be better to take advantage of the Duke’s strong family foundation, use her knowledge of the novel to make money, and then flee abroad at the right time?
Rayleigh, lacking any special abilities, had no way to save a family doomed to destruction in the massive tide of events. All she could do was look after herself.
However, out of conscience, she intended to leave hints about the suspicious movements of the Temple and the Empire before she fled.
Walter continued speaking kindly to her as she was submerged in her thoughts:
“Living in a strange place might be awkward in many ways. Do not think about studies or family matters for now; just focus on adjusting as if this were your home. Wander around the castle and relax.”
“Thank you for your kind words.”
“What is this? We are family now, aren’t we? This is only natural.”
Rayleigh smiled vaguely.
The word ‘family’ did not leave a positive impression on her. Aside from the content of the novel, her memories were hazy, but she dimly remembered being an orphan in her previous life. And in this life, although she had parents… it was better if they didn’t exist; they were that terrible.
“Ah, Father… this man, the Count, isn’t he too old…?”
“Yes, he surpassed sixty this year.”
“Then, to marry me, isn’t he a bit too old…”
“How dare you talk back! To marry someone as useless as you is something you should be grateful for!”
Her parents had been planning to sell their daughter to an old man over sixty. Fortunately, before Rayleigh was handed over to that rude old man, her marriage was arranged with the Elestein Ducal family.
No doubt her parents, if they knew, would burn with jealousy to see their girl associated with a Ducal family, expecting to exploit that for their own interests.
And that was exactly why she couldn’t break the engagement. If she returned to the Bettencourt family, they would surely sell her to that old Count this time.
“Thank you for your warm words. However, while living in the Duke’s castle, is there anything I should be careful of or know?”
“Hmm, there is nothing to be wary of… but Serge and I sometimes disappear suddenly. If we vanish without telling you, do not be surprised. Yuan will look after you in my stead.”
Rayleigh immediately understood that it was because of their occasional transformation into foxes. Of course, she intended to pretend not to know their identity no matter how easygoing they seemed, so she nodded like an obedient child.
“I have kept you long even though you are still tired. Next time, we shall go to meet Serge, shall we?”
“Yes.”
“He is a bit of a difficult young man, but please deal with him kindly.”
‘Difficult? Does my husband, unlike my father-in-law, possess a personality befitting a half-demon?’
In any case, she intended to get along with the family members until she escaped. She was confident in her ability to handle a violent or arrogant person.
She was tired of a life of misery. She refused a life doomed to death because of massive events that were not her fault. She was firmly determined to grasp a “happy future” she had never possessed before.
* * *
After Rayleigh left the reception room, Walter, Duke of Elestein, moved to his office with Yuan.
“What is the news regarding the ruby mine?”
Walter sat at his desk, leaning back in his chair relaxedly. The clumsy face he had shown earlier vanished, and his golden eyes shone with a sharp gaze.
Yuan answered while bowing politely:
“No major changes from the previous report.”
“Inform me immediately if any new information arises.”
“Understood.”
After discussing other business matters, Yuan asked cautiously:
“…What is your impression after meeting the Little Mistress in person?”
