Chapter 3……………………………………………………
The Duchess’s Dangerous Daily Life
After forming a blood pact with Duke Northdian, his attitude started to seem suspicious.
“Elloa. They say these sweets are all the rage in the capital these days. Try some.”
He smiled beautifully, like an angel, as he held out a plate of cookies to me. I stared down at the mountain of palm-sized cookies piled high, then raised both hands in surrender.
“Your Grace… you haven’t forgotten we just ate lunch, have you?”
“Oh.”
Only then did he seem to realize it.
“Well… I suppose you’re right.”
The Duke reluctantly set the cookie plate down, but his hand immediately looked like it was about to reach for the fruit platter beside it, so I hurriedly stopped him.
“Your Grace.”
I practically wanted to beg.
“These days, none of my clothes fit anymore. Unless you’re planning to have my entire wardrobe remade, could you please stop feeding me?”
Recently, it seemed Duke Northdian had developed a hobby of feeding me.
I’d heard he was normally so busy that he barely ate properly, usually just grabbing quick meals in his office. But ever since we returned from Baron Daisen’s territory, he had been coming down to the dining hall without fail to eat with me.
At first, I thought maybe he was doing it on purpose so we would look like a married couple…
But it seemed the real purpose was my meals.
No matter how much I’d written into the contract that I wanted three proper meals a day, he sat beside me the entire time coaxing—
“Try this.”
“How about that?”
“Just one more bite.”
He was so skilled at it that by the time I snapped back to my senses, most of the plates were empty.
My food intake has doubled.
Thanks to that, I’d been living with digestive medicine lately.
But I can’t even refuse.
It was like the expression of a servant watching their beloved cat grow plump…
Or maybe the satisfied smile of a mother melting away all resistance.
Either way, I really wished he would stop already.
“Oh dear. Then I’ll call the tailor today. This time, I’ll have them make the size more generous.”
More generous?
“…Just how much weight are you trying to make me gain?”
“Hm.”
He rested a hand on his chin, appearing to think for a moment, then grinned.
“To the point where it becomes difficult for me to carry you?”
My mouth fell open. Was it even possible to become heavy enough to burden an aura master?
“At that point, I don’t think I’d even be human anymore. I’d like to keep walking on my own two feet, so I’ll pass.”
“Not human? Really… where do you even get such ideas?”
He chuckled at our light conversation, looking at me—
And suddenly my heart dropped.
Why is he looking at me like that?
His gaze was completely different from before.
The warmth in his eyes was enough to make my skin itch just from being touched by it.
“Elloa?”
Startled at my name, I quickly avoided his gaze and lifted my teacup to hide my face.
Lately, that look had been troubling me more times than I could count.
And it wasn’t just his eyes. His actions were strange too.
He had started escorting me himself instead of leaving it to his aides, and once a day, we would sit together like this—drinking tea in the greenhouse or in a salon full of artwork.
And he kept smiling at me.
What kind of change of heart is this?
The problem was…
Even though I knew it was suspicious, I couldn’t bring myself to refuse.
Just then, Beric, who was standing beside the Duke, covered one side of his mouth as if whispering.
“Madam has accepted the proposal, and you can’t imagine how happy I am. Truly, I was worried I might never even bloom as a flower before becoming morning dew on the execution grounds—”
“Beric.”
The Duke cut him off.
“Go bring more tea.”
“No, why me when there’s a handbell right there—”
The Duke simply smiled brightly.
Beric immediately picked up the empty teapot.
“…I’ll be right back.”
Grumbling, he still obediently left the room.
I took a sip of tea, thinking about what he had called me.
Madam.
Me… the Duchess of House Northdian. Life really is something.
Two weeks ago, after receiving the Emperor’s seal on our marriage registration, I officially became the Duchess of Northdian.
The wedding, which was supposed to be simple to begin with, was held entirely unofficially.
After being attacked twice, we both agreed that exposing me publicly was not a good idea right now.
And it’s not like there was anyone I wanted to invite anyway.
Still, the procedure mattered.
Ten days ago, we called in a priest and held a private ceremony in the small temple attached to the estate.
It sounded romantic…
But in reality, it was rushed through in thirty minutes, leaving no time to feel sentimental.
The witnesses were Jace and Beric, the Duke’s close aides, and from the imperial family, the Crown Prince attended.
He congratulated us, but his expression remained complicated the entire time.
Perhaps because the Duke—who had once been in marriage talks with his sister—had suddenly married some woman who appeared out of nowhere.
The reason was still unclear.
And from that day on, the atmosphere among the estate staff changed.
Before, it felt like they treated me as a friendly outsider…
Now, it was as if they truly accepted me as family.
The Duke’s overly kind behavior lately played a part in that too.
“By the way, Elloa.”
“Yes?”
As I was lost in thought, his voice pulled me back.
Since the day of the blood pact, he had been calling me “Elloa.”
“Are you feeling well?”
At the sudden question, I tilted my head.
“Of course I’m fine?”
“Hm…”
He seemed to be measuring something.
“Have you been feeling nauseous lately? Dizzy? Or perhaps sleeping more than usual?”
The symptoms he listed all sounded suspicious.
Not the kind of questions you ask someone whose hand you’ve barely even held.
“…Did you break the contract terms without me knowing?”
That would be a serious problem.
Seeing my expression, his eyes widened, and then he lowered his head, shoulders shaking.
Was he laughing?
“…Really. You truly are something else.”
“I’m glad you seem amused.”
Of course, my eyes had turned into those of a Tibetan fox.
“That’s not what I meant. Sorry if I made you misunderstand. I was only asking if you felt any changes in your condition.”
It sounded like what Ripei had said…
Had I eaten something strange again?
“…There is something different. But I’m not sick.”
Then he raised his index finger and pointed at my left chest.
What is this man doing?
When I covered myself with my arms and glared, he smirked.
“Your heart.”
“…How did you know?”
Do aura masters also learn mind reading?
“It seems your core has activated.”
“Core…? That means my heart, but… what? Core?”
A core—
The central part where a mage gathers converted mana to cast spells.
If it had activated…
That meant usable mana had finally formed inside my body.
The Duke’s casually spoken sentence was enough to make my jaw drop.
“…Hmm.”
Soon after, Beric returned with a large pot of tea and performed a mana diagnosis.
At first, he insisted it was impossible.
But as he examined me, his expression gradually changed until he finally accepted reality.
Removing his fingers from my wrist, he said:
“His Grace is correct. Mana has begun to accumulate.”
Lectarion nodded, hand on his chin.
“I sensed unfamiliar mana from Elloa recently… so it was true.”
“……”
I was too shocked to speak.
I could only sit there frozen, mouth slightly open.
Beric held out a bottle filled with blue liquid.
“Madam… have you ever taken this?”
I nodded without thinking.
“Once. I was told it was heart medicine.”
“Wait—Elloa. You drank this?”
The Duke grabbed my shoulders, startled.
I nodded blankly again.
He opened his mouth to speak, but Beric was faster.
“It seems the medicine remaining in your body was recently stimulated and activated. It forced open the blocked pathways. That’s why mana is now pouring in.”
My mouth fell open even wider.
“So… in me—no, in my heart right now—”
“Elloa, wait.”
He calmed me down before turning to Beric.
“Is there any risk of a mana rampage?”
“Oh, none. Unlike that bastard Hans, this is completely stable. Honestly, it’s incredible. I’ve never seen a case like this before. What’s different?”
He observed me closely, curiosity sparked.
For reference—
Hans had died that day due to a mana rampage.
But his parents refused to even retrieve his body, claiming he was no longer part of the family.
A tragic ending.
“So there’s no chance of mana rampage or cardiac arrest.”
“Exactly. At this level of stability, side effects are about as likely as a legendary dragon randomly deciding it dislikes the palace and blowing it away with its breath.”
In other words—
No problem at all.
“Ah…”
This time, the sound came from me.
So that dangerous medicine had actually worked properly on me?
Which meant…
“…Does that mean I can become a mage? I’ll be able to use magic?”
Even as I said it, it didn’t feel real.
“Elloa. Do you feel anything strange in your heart right now?”
“No? Nothing at all.”
“Then let’s confirm one more thing. The reason you couldn’t use magic before was because of your heart.”
“Ah… yes.”
His words pulled me fully back to reality.
I pressed my fist firmly against my chest.
I still vividly remembered the horrific sensation from the awakening—like my heart was going to burst.
But now, even though mana was building up, I felt fine.
Am I really okay now? This isn’t temporary, right?
“Let’s have Elden examine you as well.”
At the Duke’s suggestion, I nodded.
