CHAPTER 3
3. The Duke of the Cliff Castle
“Ah!”
At that moment, Marie instantly realized her mistake.
She should have greeted him by slightly bending her knees and nodding her head like the noble ladies of the Kingdom of Leongrad.
‘My old habits just came out without thinking!’
Was it because of the incorrect greeting?
He responded reluctantly, with a displeased expression.
“…Callix Bloodstone.”
A low, curt voice.
Yet the tone was so alluring, evoking an air of refined maturity, accompanied by a subtle woody scent.
‘He’s handsome…’
His red eyes were incredibly beautiful, glinting beside his lightly tousled bangs.
Even with half his face covered by a mask, it was amazing how good-looking he still appeared.
‘If he just took off the mask, he’d be perfect. Why wear it? It makes it seem like he’s hiding a scar or something.’
Beneath his elegant black cloak, a black shirt and trousers could be seen.
Though his outfit was simple and unadorned, every movement was so graceful that he looked like a prince attending a royal ball.
“Well then.”
The man, handsome even with a mask, gave a slight nod and turned away.
Soon, the sound of indifferent footsteps echoed through the now-empty drawing room.
‘What? He’s just leaving like that?’
Marie tilted her head in confusion.
Then, the duke’s attendant, standing nearby, hesitantly stepped forward.
“Um, Lady Whitehouse.”
“Yes.”
Marie held her breath in nervous anticipation.
“As you’ve likely heard, the Whitehouse estate is now the property of the Bloodstone Duchy. We’d appreciate it if you could vacate the house immediately.”
“You want me to leave right now?”
Marie’s mouth fell open in shock.
The attendant glanced around awkwardly.
“Well then… good day.”
Avoiding eye contact, he bowed and quickly followed his lord out the door.
Marie soon came to her senses.
She had nowhere to go, no money, and knew nothing about this place.
“Wait a moment!”
“You can say what you like, but I have no authority…”
“Shouldn’t I at least be given some time to find another place?”
“Well… we’d appreciate it if you could vacate within a week. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”
He fled as though he hadn’t heard a word, disappearing quickly.
The Duke of Bloodstone had vanished long ago.
“My goodness…”
Marie collapsed to the floor without realizing it.
The next day.
The Whitehouse estate stood hollow and desolate.
Most of the servants had left after hearing of the count’s bankruptcy, and Marie sat alone in the study, holding her head in despair.
“Sigh, what a disaster.”
She had been happy to have saved the house, but that was clearly not the case.
Now she was about to be thrown out onto the street.
Staring at the worn desk she’d retrieved from the storage room, the image of the masked Duke of Bloodstone floated into her mind.
“Duke Bloodstone, you bastard! How am I supposed to find a place in a week? I don’t even have money!”
Cluck-cluck-cluck!
A sudden chicken cry startled her.
“Eek! You scared me!”
Turning toward the noise, she saw a chicken in a basket clucking mockingly at her.
Beside it was a sack of potatoes and flour, gifts from the tenants who worried about the count’s daughter.
“Phew, from the looks of it, the Whitehouse family must’ve had a decent reputation…”
Henry Whitehouse had been a leading figure in the field of interior design.
Since the kingdom was somewhat outdated in its interiors, he had even studied abroad in the Empire.
But he was a frugal and humble man, never attempting to monetize his talent.
“How in the world did Henry let the family finances fall apart like this?”
There was too little information.
Marie had no idea why Henry had gone into debt, and the memories she inherited from her counterpart were murky at best.
Knock knock—
Just then, a woman in a black maid uniform entered with tea.
It was Mildred, the only remaining maid.
“Milady, it’s time for your afternoon tea.”
Mildred had her brown hair tied back and wore round glasses, her expression so stern that she always looked angry.
But Marie was grateful that she had stayed despite not being paid.
“Still having tea time even after bankruptcy… I guess nobility is nobility. Thanks, Mildred.”
Clink—
Mildred placed a teacup in front of Marie.
“…You don’t need to thank me. I stayed only because my contract isn’t up yet.”
“What?”
“I was paid three years’ wages in advance due to my family’s situation. I’m just staying until the contract ends.”
Mildred knew the reclusive, temperamental young lady would likely scream or throw a tantrum, yet she spoke honestly anyway.
The noble lady, now part of a ruined family, had no one to rely on and was no better off than a maid.
‘If she starts yelling again, I’m not putting up with it. Just a few more months to go…’
Mildred bit her lip and prepared to snap back.
“I see…”
But Marie said nothing and simply sipped her tea.
‘She doesn’t like me.’
In a chipped servant’s cup, the red tea gently rippled, its subtle aroma calming her nerves.
“I appreciate your honesty. You could’ve left quietly during all the chaos, but you chose to stay. Thank you.”
Years of working in interior design had taught Marie to mask her emotions with ease.
Dealing with difficult clients and laborers had made her adaptable.
“…What?”
Mildred couldn’t believe her ears.
A thank you?
She had never heard those words before.
Was this really the same lady who did nothing but scream?
“Th-that…”
Mildred’s cheeks flushed awkwardly.
Marie tilted her head.
“But… did we still have tea leaves left?”
All the luxury goods had been seized, and any remaining supplies were likely taken by the departing servants.
“Oh, um…”
Mildred blushed even more beneath her glasses and hesitated. Her once-blunt demeanor was replaced with bashfulness.
“I just… bought them with my own money.”
“You did? Thank you. It’s delicious.”
“Ahem, it was cheap…”
Mildred turned away and cleared her throat, then asked,
“So… what will you do now?”
“Well…”
“You should really decide quickly. Who knows when the Duke from Cliff Castle will demolish this place.”
Marie set her teacup down.
“Cliff Castle? Who’s this person trying to destroy such a beautiful mansion?”
“Ha… I suppose you wouldn’t know, since you’ve been locked in your room for so long.”
Mildred’s glasses reflected her doubtful expression.
“Duke Bloodstone lives in a grotesque stone castle built on a cliff.”
“You mean the man who came yesterday?”
“Yes, that terrifying man in the mask.”
Marie’s green eyes widened in thought.
‘Wait. Hold on. The masked man the princess was looking for in the book also wore a mask. And isn’t this mansion the place she ends up living in later?’
So the male and female leads are connected as landlord and tenant?
The Duke of Bloodstone had to be the exceptional husband from the novel.
“He’s notorious for buying castles and buildings only to leave them in ruin or destroy them.”
Mildred lowered her voice as if someone might be eavesdropping.
“Why? Because maintaining castles is expensive?”
“Not at all. Duke Bloodstone is probably richer than the king himself.”
“He’s that wealthy?”
“Yes. You should leave before something terrible happens. He’s rumored to be very cruel.”
“Cruel? What’s he done?”
Mildred frowned in fear, unable to hide her dread.
Apparently, it was too horrifying to say aloud.
“They say… a few years ago, he killed his own parents, the former duke and duchess, along with all the servants.”
“What?!”
“Then he set fire to the castle and destroyed the evidence. He barely escaped punishment. He’s a murderer who killed his own parents.”
Marie hadn’t even finished half of How to Seduce an Exceptional Husband.
So she didn’t know the deeper background of Calix or the people around him.
“Why? Why would he kill his own parents?”
“Well… rumors say the former duke refused to pass down the title because of his violent nature. People say he did it for the title.”
“Oh my god…”
“He got burned in the fire and wears a mask now. Poetic justice, I suppose. Tsk, tsk.”
Mildred clicked her tongue.
Marie tilted her head in confusion.
But the man on the book cover had a flawless face. Why the mask?
‘No, not just flawless. He was exactly my type. That’s why I bought the book!’
She recalled the male lead’s appearance from the prologue:
…The mask fell to the ground.
And beneath it, a face as flawless as polished marble was revealed.
His neatly slicked-back black hair only emphasized his perfect features.
His high nose was striking, and his lips were full and sensual.
He was the most beautiful and mesmerizing man anyone had ever seen.
Even those standing beside him were left speechless by his beauty.
“Anyway, he’s destroyed more than a few buildings so far. Maybe he wants others to suffer the way he did when his own castle burned.”
Marie’s expression stiffened again.
This lovely mansion was her very first home.
And someone wanted to demolish it?
“Sigh…”
She let out a sigh before she realized it.
Mildred, sounding sympathetic, said,
“Milady, perhaps you should speak with the butler. You need to find a place to go.”
“Butler? He’s still here?”
“Yes. Though he insists he’s resigned and not to be called anymore.”
“What does that mean…?”
Suddenly, a memory of the butler surfaced.
“Eat it already!”
“I don’t want to…”
Smack!
“Ack!”
“I said eat!”
Smack!
“Aaah!”
“Going to tell the Count, are you? Think he’ll believe a crazy sister over a loyal butler?”
“What…?”
“Who do you think he’ll trust? The faithful butler or the family disgrace?”
Smack!
She remembered sobbing while eating her meager meal, the butler’s cruel smile seared into her memory.
Marie had attempted self-harm after her parents died seven years ago.
After repeated incidents, her brother Henry had chosen to confine her.
During that time, the butler had used violence to control her.
Marie, still a child then, had no way to resist.
Eventually, her depression worsened, and she became a recluse.
‘By the time she got better, her relationship with Henry had completely fallen apart.’
Yet the butler, though claiming to have resigned, had never actually left the Whitehouse estate.
“Could it be…?”
Marie suddenly stood up from her chair.
“…I have to see the butler. Right now.”
