Chapter 3
In the spacious dining room, I was naturally alone. The long table, easily capable of seating at least twelve people, was entirely occupied by just me.
I sat right in the center of the table. A never-ending parade of dishes stretched across its surface—so abundant that the large table didn’t feel empty at all.
From appetizers to the main course, the chef’s cooking was astonishingly delicious.
Even to my palate, which in my previous life had only been accustomed to mediocre food and didn’t particularly understand taste, it was clear that this was high-quality cuisine.
So this is what a ducal household is like.
I couldn’t help but admire it repeatedly as I focused on eating.
“This is delicious! So delicious!”
Not having anyone to eat with made it even better. I could enjoy everything freely without worrying about anyone else’s presence.
Yes, this is the life of someone born with a silver spoon.
I cleaned every dish completely, and before I knew it, only dessert remained.
Since I had specifically requested that special care be taken with the dessert, my expectations were even higher.
I wiped the corners of my mouth and waited reverently.
Then it happened.
The door, which had only been used by servants delivering food, suddenly opened.
No one should have been coming in while the meal wasn’t finished. Who would dare interrupt my dining? I should give them a proper lesson—
…No, wait.
The moment I saw the silhouette of the man entering through the door, I quickly abandoned that thought.
There was only one person in this estate who could interrupt my meal.
A tall figure filled the doorway, his large frame commanding the space. His presence immediately drew all attention to him. And his striking face was the kind that anyone would glance at at least once.
Just moments ago, I had been the sole, wealthy protagonist of this dining room. Now, it felt as though a born star had stolen that role from me.
The muscular man strode toward me with heavy steps. His imposing aura was almost intimidating.
I didn’t think I’d have to see his face.
My husband, Kairon, casually glanced over the table and, without much hesitation, took the seat opposite me.
“How many days has it been since we last saw each other?”
So he at least remembers that I’m his wife. I had briefly worried that he might have forgotten my existence entirely.
I tried to recall Eckett’s memories.
He had returned home three days ago. The last time we saw each other was when I went to greet him then.
Since that moment, Kairon had lived his life as Kairon, and Eckett had lived as Eckett—both of us in the same vast house, yet never crossing paths.
It was a relationship that could hardly even be called a marriage.
“Since you returned three days ago, this is the first time.”
“I see.”
Kairon nodded as if it were nothing surprising.
If he couldn’t even remember how many days it had been since he last saw his wife, his interest in her must truly be close to zero.
“I intended to eat before leaving, but I didn’t expect you to be dining first.”
He said this while glancing at the empty dishes in front of me.
“I’ll be finishing dessert soon, so if you wait a little, you’ll be able to eat comfortably. The chef prepared everything with great care today, so all the dishes are delicious.”
In other words, I was telling him that my meal would be over soon, so it would be better for him to wait outside.
It seemed more comfortable for both of us not to sit and eat together.
After all, we were a business marriage—there was no need to dine together.
However, perhaps finding it troublesome, Kairon did not leave his seat. Instead, he raised a hand and called a servant.
“Bring me something simple that I can eat quickly.”
“Yes, my lord.”
He then added an explanation, looking directly at me.
“I’m leaving soon, so I don’t have much time.”
Typical of him—doing things entirely on his own terms.
Well, moving according to each other’s schedules could still be considered a kind of business relationship. I decided not to mind.
Since he said he would be leaving soon, I was willing to endure a little discomfort. After all, this might be the first and last time we encountered each other like this.
Soon, my dessert arrived, followed by Kairon’s simple meal.
My dessert, just as I had requested earlier, was extravagant.
From bite-sized mini cakes to a chocolate fountain for dipping pieces of bread and fruit into chocolate fondue—it was practically a full dessert buffet.
The fountain, continuously producing chocolate powered by magic, was a magnificent sight.
If Kairon hadn’t been there, I might have been moved to tears and even applauded.
Kairon glanced once at the chocolate fountain, muttered, “So there were things like that in the ducal residence,” and then began his meal.
We focused solely on finishing our respective dishes without any conversation. Naturally, neither of us wasted energy asking about each other’s menus or recent happenings.
I started with the small cakes and gradually worked my way through to bread coated in chocolate.
Even after having already eaten so much, the desserts were so delicious that they continued to go down effortlessly.
Meanwhile, Kairon, having finished his meal, stood up first.
“I’ll be leaving first. I’m busy.”
It was actually a relief that he would be leaving first. I was also satisfied that we hadn’t interfered with each other’s meals.
This seemed like a reasonably acceptable relationship.
Kairon picked up his outer coat and was about to leave the dining room.
“Um…”
It was I who stopped him. Since we had encountered each other, there was something I wanted to ask.
Kairon’s sharp gaze turned toward me. His expression wasn’t pleasant, likely because I had stopped someone in a hurry.
“When you go out this time, when will you be returning?”
Of course, I wasn’t asking because I hoped he would come back early. I simply thought it would be better to know how much time I could enjoy alone.
In any case, Kairon rarely returned to the ducal residence, so it wasn’t a major issue.
His response was cold.
“Is that something you need to know?”
That tone—firm and without any gaps. A chilling gaze that allowed no interference or interest.
Is it really that difficult to simply answer when he’ll be back?
“It wouldn’t hurt to at least know.”
“You always receive prior notice before I arrive anyway. Even I don’t know how long it will take, so I can’t answer that now.”
He replied as if it were a bother.
I hadn’t expected a kind answer anyway. I had just asked on a whim—and as expected.
“Alright, I understand. Have a safe trip. I won’t be seeing you off.”
Having quickly given up, I casually said my farewell and turned my attention back to dessert.
Go or don’t go, it didn’t matter to me.
I picked up a grape with a skewer and dipped it into my beloved chocolate fountain.
Just as I was about to put the chocolate-coated grape into my mouth—
a sudden itch began around my chest.
It felt like a dense web was spreading inside my lungs. A suffocating sensation, as if air might burst out from within my throat at any moment.
I recognized this feeling. I had experienced it many times in my previous life.
This was…
“Cough…!”
…the beginning of coughing and spitting blood.
“Cough, cough!”
I was trying to start anew in this new body, but this ominous sensation kept triggering the illness from my previous life.
“Cough…! Cough, cough…!”
My mind panicked, and violent coughing erupted as though my throat were blocked.
Could it be that the nosebleed earlier, the fainting, and now this coughing… were all lingering symptoms from my past life?
The shock of that realization was greater than the physical suffering of the coughing itself.
Hadn’t they said I would be freed from that wretched illness?
If that silver-haired man were in front of me now, I would want to confront him.
But then I remembered what I had said to him.
I had told him I was doing well. Damn it.
Could that answer have been the reason?
“Cough, cough…!”
Even as I covered my mouth and coughed, my mind raced to find the cause of this situation.
I had just wanted to enjoy some chocolate fondue—what bad luck was this?
Then suddenly, I felt a liquid in my hand covering my mouth. I pulled my hand away.
It was blood.
Ah. This was exactly the same symptom I had experienced in my previous life.
…At that moment, while I was sinking into despair, I suddenly remembered that I wasn’t the only one still in the dining room.
Damn it.
Surely he had left already. With those long legs, he would have taken big strides and gone far by now.
I tried to deny the ominous feeling and lifted my head.
But the moment I turned, my faint hope collapsed.
Kairon, who I had assumed had already left, was standing not far away—completely still, as if frozen in place.
His widened eyes were fixed on my blood-covered hand.
