Episode 10
Gasp—someone collapsed?
“Your Grace, did you hear that just now?”
“Yes, I did.”
Even after hearing someone shout that his mother had fainted, the Duke only let out a cheerful laugh.
“I guess she was just overjoyed that I finally brought home a bride. Right?”
Uhh, I don’t think that’s it…
I swallowed dryly as I watched people rush toward the collapsed Madam.
‘Will I even be able to leave safely with the money envelope at this rate?’
I had a strong hunch that it would be impossible.
* * *
“Ugh…”
“Madam!”
“Are you awake?”
The family doctor quickly examined the Madam as she blinked faintly. Soon, he sighed in relief.
“There seems to be no major issue aside from a bit of physical weakness. I’ll prepare some medicine shortly, so there’s no need to worry.”
“The Madam’s had a headache since this morning. Please check that as well.”
“She mentioned a headache again? Let me see—”
“No need.”
As Dr. Graham tried to examine her, the Madam raised her hand and weakly sat up, declining his help.
Olvia quickly brought some lukewarm water, which the Madam sipped before leaning back against the headboard. Though her body looked drained, her eyes still gleamed sharply.
“Where is Elkhiers? Where is that brat now?”
“Well… I believe he’s currently at the Iris Pavilion with the guest.”
“He saw his mother faint right in front of him, and he didn’t even come to check on me?”
The Madam clutched her forehead in disbelief. The scene she witnessed before fainting replayed vividly in her mind.
A girl brought in as his fiancée—a commoner—clearly this was nothing but childish rebellion directed at her. That’s what the Madam thought.
‘Marry a commoner? There’s no way he’s serious!’
Even if Elkhiers had pretended to be a commoner during his academy years, that’s all it was—pretending.
The blood in his veins was that of the noble Ludians. No matter how dissatisfied he was with the parents who hadn’t raised him, he should still understand that as a Ludian heir, he couldn’t tarnish that bloodline. He had to understand that.
‘How old is he now? He’s a duke, for heaven’s sake, and this is how he chooses to rebel against his own mother?’
At that point, the Madam had only intended to give him a firm scolding.
But unease started to gnaw at her when a servant led her to the Iris Pavilion.
“Wait—when did they plant irises in that garden?”
The Iris Pavilion, a villa traditionally reserved for the future Duchess, was maintained even in the absence of a mistress.
However, shortly after succeeding the dukedom, when the Madam had suggested to Elkhiers that he might as well refurbish the pavilion, he had sneered.
‘Why waste money on a building that might not even have an occupant anytime soon? It’d be better spent improving the city park.’
As if it were no joke, Elkhiers had taken all the Iris Pavilion maintenance funds and used them to renovate the aging park, upgrade the plaza’s benches and magical lights.
Pennington’s citizens were delighted. The Madam was furious.
The Iris Pavilion was practically a symbol of the Duchess of Ludian. For the Madam, who had once lived there, it held special meaning.
But Elkhiers had withdrawn every single luk from the maintenance budget, leaving the pavilion in danger of being neglected.
A home without human care quickly deteriorates. In the end, the Madam had no choice but to spend a portion of her own dignity allowance to cover the pavilion’s upkeep.
The dignity allowance for the duchess of the Ludian family was no small amount. But between buying necessary dresses and accessories and maintaining a four-story villa, the latter was a heavy burden.
So she managed to maintain the building’s exterior—but gave up on the garden.
A garden full of blooming blue irises had once symbolized the Iris Pavilion. But now that garden had turned into a desolate lawn, and the Madam stopped visiting long ago, unable to bear the sight.
But now, now—
“The entire Iris Pavilion has been under renovation for the past two weeks by order of His Grace. The flowers were replanted then, too.”
“And no one thought to tell me?!”
The servant bowed deeply, looking mortified.
“His Grace ordered us not to say a word…”
“Ah, ahh…”
Just as a dizzy spell overtook her, the Madam saw a scene that felt like being smashed in the back of the head with a hammer.
“Iris, my love.”
Her son, holding the hand of a girl whose face was turned away, slipped a ring onto her left ring finger.
Even from a distance, the red gem embedded in the ring was unmistakably Red Peril, the symbol of Ludian.
“The only thing I can give you now is this Iris Pavilion. But someday, I’ll hang the Lazuli Key around your neck.”
He was even giving her the Lazuli Key?
That was one of only two keys that could open the Ludian family’s treasure vault. Only the Duke and Duchess possessed it.
It was the very item Elkhiers had taken from the Madam the day he inherited the title.
‘And now he’s giving that to her?!’
The Iris Pavilion. The Red Peril ring. The Lazuli Key.
Even if this was some performance meant to provoke her, would Elkhiers really go that far?
Even someone as stubborn as the Madam couldn’t help but realize it by now.
‘This isn’t a performance… He actually intends to make that girl the Duchess?’
As if he could read her thoughts, Elkhiers smiled at her.
Then he kissed the ring he had just slipped on the girl’s finger.
—Yes, that’s exactly what I intend to do.
That whisper seemed to echo in her ears.
And then the Madam collapsed and fainted.
* * *
Now awake, the Madam confirmed she hadn’t been dreaming and immediately had Olvia fetch her some cold water.
Even that didn’t settle her swirling thoughts, so she downed the medicine Dr. Graham had brought.
Of course, none of it helped.
How could she calm her mind when the source of her headache—Elkhiers—was still prancing around like that?
“What crime have I committed to deserve this…?”
“Please, calm yourself, Madam. You might fall into a chronic illness if this continues.”
“I already have a chronic illness! It’s that brat!”
Even though those words came from the Madam herself, they were so disrespectful toward the head of the household that everyone pretended not to hear and looked away.
The only one who dared to comfort her was Olvia.
“Madam, please calm down and take deep breaths. In times like these, the head of the family must remain composed.”
“Composed… Yes. You’re right. You’re absolutely right.”
If she didn’t get a grip, the Ludian family would go down in history as the first to accept a commoner as its Duchess.
Hadn’t the current Empress herself shown the world what misfortune awaited unworthy women who took seats too high for them?
“I don’t know how that girl got the nerve to set foot here thinking she could become a Duchess. Olvia, I must learn more about her.”
“I’ll investigate every detail and report back at once.”
“Good. And… didn’t the servant say earlier that someone among the staff recognized her?”
The Madam gave her order.
“Bring them to me. I’ll hear it directly.”
* * *
I was worried about the Madam collapsing, but I couldn’t just follow her without even being properly introduced.
“You don’t have to worry about my mother. Her personal doctor is very capable.”
“But still… I feel like she fainted because of me…”
“It wasn’t because of Iris. It’s just that she couldn’t control her own anger. She often collapses from carrying so much fury in her chest.”
…So basically, it was because of me.
‘Hmm… now that I think about it, maybe visiting her in her room isn’t the best idea.’
If I showed my face, I might just make her even angrier.
“Let’s take a look around where you’ll be staying. I’ve got people I’d like to introduce you to as well.”
“Introduce me to people?”
“My friends. They’ll help make your life here easier.”
“Your friends?”
“Yes. People I’ve known since the academy. Friends who followed me here the day I became a duke.”
Ah, so they must be truly close.
“Then they must know about me too, right?”
“Of course.”
As the Duke nodded, I felt my tension ease considerably.
That meant they knew I was a fake fiancée, so I wouldn’t have to keep up the act in front of them too, right?
