CHAPTER 8
A Sheet of Sandpaper
Cock-a-doodle-doo—
“…!”
Cluck cluck! Cluck cluck cluck cluck!
“What is that…?”
In a far corner of the backyard, there was a chicken coop crudely built from wire mesh.
“What on earth…!”
Calix and Josh looked utterly flustered.
No matter how hidden it was, a chicken coop in a noble’s mansion?
Now that they looked more closely, a patch of the garden had been freshly tilled and darkened.
“What is that, too? Did they… plant potatoes or something?”
It was definitely a field.
“……”
Calix’s brow furrowed even more.
Josh, not knowing what to do, rubbed his forehead.
“How could this happen? She’s being evicted the day after tomorrow, and she’s ruined the garden like this…?”
“…Unbelievable.”
Calix shook his head, feeling irritated.
But a moment later, he stopped in his tracks.
“That is…!”
It was a rocking chair.
There was no way he wouldn’t recognize that simple shape.
Something’s different.
The grotesque, peeling paint that had made it look like a relic of the past was gone.
In its place, the pure surface of natural wood had been revealed.
Perhaps it was just his imagination, but even its formerly rough form seemed smooth now.
“……”
Calix stepped forward, almost entranced.
The unpleasant feeling from earlier vanished without a trace.
But the closer he got to the chair, the more he doubted his eyes.
“…!”
On the rocking chair lay a beautiful woman with softly shining ash-brown hair, fast asleep.
She wore a dazzling white dress, bathed in warm sunlight.
Silver-blond hair tinged with gold, and flawless white skin.
Her features were so delicate, they bordered on pale.
She looked like someone basking in sunlight for the first time in her life.
“……”
He felt breathless, overwhelmed by an indescribable beauty and peace.
His chest throbbed, for reasons he couldn’t explain.
“Mmm…”
He flinched.
The woman, who had seemed like an illusion, slowly opened her eyes as if sensing his presence.
Before he could react, her large eyes locked directly with his.
“……?”
She stared at him silently, still half-asleep.
Her eyes were a clear, deep shade of green.
Like enormous emeralds that might fall at any moment.
Her long, translucent lashes framed her gaze.
“……”
A powerful scent of a green forest surrounded Calix.
It felt like shimmering green trees and tall grass were exhaling fresh air in the distance.
A soft breeze swept across a meadow.
Someone might be waiting at the end of it.
It tasted sweet and refreshing, like chewing spearmint.
“……”
Heat crept into Calix’s cheeks.
How long had she been asleep?
Marie suddenly felt the temperature drop.
A shadow fell across her face.
‘Has time passed?’
She had only meant to take a short break from work.
“Hm…?”
When she opened her eyes, she saw a man’s silhouette blocking the sun.
Tall and broad-shouldered.
A subtle woodsy scent tickled her nose.
‘Am I still dreaming?’
The Duke of Bloodstone appearing in her dream must mean she was stressed about the fate of Whitehouse.
But contrary to his fearsome reputation, he didn’t seem scary in the dream.
‘No need to be intimidated.’
This house won’t be taken from me.
“You are…?”
Just then, the man in her dream spoke.
His voice was oddly reassuring and gentle.
His black hair swayed gently in the breeze.
Looking at the fringe falling over his forehead, her head started to clear.
“Uh…?”
Something was off.
Why did his breathing sound so real?
That deep, woody scent was getting stronger.
Crimson eyes peeked through the slit of a half-mask.
All black clothes and cloak.
A body strong enough to overpower her in an instant.
‘This is… too real.’
From his cherry-red lips came a confused breath.
And in her once-calm, green eyes, confusion and panic began to creep in.
‘This isn’t a dream…?’
Marie’s gaze fell to his hand.
Gloved fingers gripped a sharp sword.
“…They say he killed the former Duke and Duchess and all the servants in the castle. Then he set the place on fire…!”
A scream escaped Marie’s lips before she could stop herself.
“KYAAAAH!”
“…!”
Startled, he stepped back in alarm.
“My lord!”
Voices rose around them a moment later.
Shouts of panic rang out in all directions.
“Miss!”
Crash!
Someone must’ve dropped what they were holding in surprise.
Thud!
Furniture toppled over.
Thump, thump, thump!
The ground trembled with the heavy steps of a giant approaching fast.
“Miss! Who is that—”
“Stand back! This man is—!”
Clang! Clang!
The sound of swords being drawn echoed out.
But Calix stood frozen in place, unmoving.
Marie also couldn’t rise from the rocking chair.
His searing gaze weighed heavily on her, pinning her down.
“My lord! Please step back!”
Only when Josh and the giant blocked the line of sight between him and Marie did Calix finally come to his senses.
And began to take in his surroundings.
“…!”
He had thought there was just a single rocking chair placed quietly in the garden.
But that was a mistake.
Furniture, brushes, saws, and planes were everywhere.
Even jars of paint?
Dust and wood shavings covered the ground.
So much so that the hem of his black cloak had turned white.
It felt less like the garden of a noble’s estate and more like a furniture workshop.
And the two servants—seemingly the only ones here—were staring at him as if he were a burglar caught red-handed.
Now that he looked properly, Marianne Whitehouse wore a white smock over her dress.
Like a surgeon preparing to operate on the entire house.
She looked more like a professional than a noble lady.
‘Did she look like this a few days ago too?’
Seeing her again, she was beautiful enough to draw attention from afar.
Her long hair, reaching her waist, shone like clear brown glass.
Her glittering eyes stared straight at him.
That green gaze seemed like it could enchant someone in an instant.
She looked as pure as a blank sheet of paper, untouched by anything.
He almost feared that if he came closer, his hands would stain that white paper.
It was clear she wasn’t someone you could find just anywhere.
But if she hadn’t been sitting in that chair…
‘The chair!’
He suddenly remembered the reason he came here—to see the rocking chair.
The fact that he had forgotten that was unlike him.
‘She’s put an incredible amount of effort into that thing.’
The rocking chair looked freshly made.
He couldn’t imagine how she’d removed all the old paint.
With this much effort, she might not give it up easily.
“……”
Calix’s brow creased slightly.
Just then, a clear and confident voice rang out.
“It’s okay, Dwayne.”
Marie gave a slight curtsey.
“Pardon the disturbance, Your Grace.”
Her manner was impeccable.
Calix, too, greeted her with perfect formality, as if nothing had happened.
Up close, her bangs naturally framed her face.
Now that he was standing in front of her, his height felt even more imposing.
Especially the black mask and red eyes—they were intimidating.
“No. The fault is mine for not notifying you in advance.”
His voice was deep and pleasant to hear.
But it carried a clear tone of caution and dismissal.
‘He’s the male lead from the book, I’m sure… but why is he wearing a mask, as if hiding a scar?’
“By the way…”
The Duke of Bloodstone swept his sharp gaze across the area.
Like someone here to interrogate.
“What is all this furniture?”
He didn’t hesitate to question her directly.
Behind Marie were piles of old furniture in mid-restoration.
“Well…”
Most of the high-end furniture in Whitehouse had been taken the day Marie possessed this body.
But she’d found a stash of discarded pieces piled up in the storage.
They were originally quality items—good candidates for refurbishing.
“I’ve been doing furniture makeovers.”
“Furniture… makeovers? What does that mean?”
Apparently, the concept of furniture restoration didn’t exist in this world.
“A furniture makeover means modifying old furniture by changing its color or shape to make it look new again.”
Calix looked confused.
“…But most of that furniture looks unusable.”
“You’re right. That’s the appeal of makeovers—you turn old things into something like new.”
“With that paint…?”
“Yes. I plan to repaint some pieces white.”
“Why go to all that trouble? Don’t tell me… because you’re short on money?”
He had hit the nail on the head.
Marie was planning to restore and sell the old furniture stacked in storage.
‘But nobles care a lot about their image.’
Marie replied firmly.
“Doing makeovers because I’m short on money? That’s quite the assumption. Restoration is going to become a new cultural trend.”
“A new cultural trend…?”
“Yes. As living standards rise, people will seek out more diverse cultural activities. Furniture restoration can become a hobby, like painting or sculpture.”
In the modern world, people often threw away perfectly good furniture.
The thrill of finding a high-end piece left by an apartment dumpster!
“Jackpot!”
If done right, restored furniture could look as good as new.
Aside from material costs, it didn’t require much money.
More than saving money, she enjoyed creating something with her own hands.
‘I should post it on social media.’
The internet was full of people sharing their furniture makeover experiences.
It had grown into a widely enjoyed cultural activity.
“When you put your own effort into something, you grow more attached to it. There’s great satisfaction in the process of completing something.”
“…The idea of modifying already-made furniture is intriguing.”
He nodded, though his eyes still held doubt.
“Is it a hobby for commoners lacking entertainment?”
“No. Even nobles who value practicality are starting to appear. Like me.”
Calix finally spoke as if he understood.
“Pragmatism… So, the Whitehouse family is trying to start a new trend in interior design.”
Marie thought that sounded a bit over the top and decided to change the subject.
“It’s actually quite simple. Would you like to try it yourself, Your Grace?”
