Chapter 09:
“I’m working.”
“…What?”
Rexton’s brows twitched in confusion.
Something felt off.
Just a few days ago, Alexandra’s command of the Holy Empire’s language had been terrible.
And now, in just a few days, she could speak this fluently?
Leaning casually against the doorway, Rexton crossed his arms and looked her over suspiciously.
Her red hair was neatly styled without a single strand out of place, shining under the sunlight.
Her simple yet elegant dress gave off an air of refinement.
Unlike before, it looked like she had been carefully attended to by the servants.
Rexton narrowed his eyes, then his gaze shifted to her hands.
At that moment, Alexandra was picking up a small piece of pet food.
“Hah!”
So that’s it.
Rexton twisted his lips.
“I see now. In your homeland, even drinking tea counts as work, doesn’t it?”
Typical of a lazy and barbaric Southern woman.
“But not here. If you want to drink tea, stay hidden in some corner. How dare you dirty the office of the Felond family?”
“I’m not sure what misunderstanding you have.”
Alexandra calmly set down her hand.
“I’ve just finished my morning work and am taking a break.”
“How ridiculous.”
Rexton scoffed.
“No matter how desperate you are, such lies—”
“Wait a moment.”
Alexandra reached out and pulled the bell cord.
Rexton’s brow twitched.
She dared to interrupt him?
He was about to rebuke her—
“Yes, my lady!”
A woman rushed in energetically.
Rexton’s eyes widened.
Della—the head maid.
The very servant who had always been the harshest toward Alexandra.
While he stood there in disbelief, Alexandra spoke calmly,
“Bring the ledger I handled this morning.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Della bowed deeply and left.
Rexton’s gaze followed her.
This made no sense.
The Della he knew would always defy Alexandra, claiming her actions went against the family’s traditions.
If Alexandra gave orders, Della would report to him, saying the Duchess was overstepping.
Eventually, Rexton had told her to stop reporting every little thing and handle it herself.
“…What is going on?”
His thoughts grew tangled.
Then a possibility crossed his mind.
A sudden change like this—
Could only be related to something sinister.
Like… magic.
“My lady.”
Della returned with a thick ledger.
“Here it is.”
“Thank you, Della.”
“It’s nothing, my lady.”
After bowing deeply, Della also bowed to Rexton before leaving.
Only then did Rexton come back to his senses.
That servant—
Had she forgotten whom she should serve first?
She greeted that woman before me?
The long-standing order of the Felon family was being shaken.
Rexton ground his teeth and asked in a low voice,
“What did you do?”
“What do you mean?”
Alexandra lifted her teacup calmly.
Rexton smirked.
“What kind of vile trick did you use to make the head maid obey you? If you’ve used some forbidden power, I’ll personally—”
“Did you know Della has a younger sibling who has been seriously ill for a long time?”
“…?”
Rexton frowned.
“I suppose you didn’t.”
Click.
She set down her cup and looked up.
Her clear green eyes met his directly.
For the first time—
He truly met her gaze.
Her eyes were clear, like fresh greenery—
So pure it felt like they could see through him.
Without realizing it, Rexton looked away.
“…!”
His expression twisted.
Just days ago, she couldn’t even meet his eyes.
And now—
He was the one avoiding her?
Crack—
His pride fractured.
“…What are you implying?”
He snapped.
“What are you trying to say?”
Alexandra met his sharp gaze calmly.
“The duty of a head of household is to care for their people. Helping someone who is sick is only natural. When Della’s younger sibling was in critical condition, I called a doctor and had proper medicine provided. Are you saying that is a vile trick?”
“…!”
Rexton’s expression hardened.
He hadn’t known.
But still—
Acting without his permission was overstepping.
And speaking like this to him was arrogance.
His jaw tightened.
“So now you’re criticizing me?”
“Of course not.”
A faint smile appeared on Alexandra’s lips.
It could be seen as humble—
Or as someone who had already given up on everything.
That ambiguous expression irritated him even more.
It felt like she was seeing right through him.
Even if she denied it, it felt like she was mocking his ignorance.
Like she was reminding him—
That in this arranged marriage, he was the one who had been sold.
“…Damn it.”
Veins bulged along his jaw.
The air in the room felt suffocating.
He tugged at his collar irritably.
Then Alexandra spoke calmly.
“Aren’t you busy? I heard you have a meeting with Count Lavent after visiting the Grand Temple.”
One of Rexton’s eyes twitched.
“You’ve even been investigating my schedule?”
“Of course not.”
Her calm response only made him grind his teeth harder.
She looked at him steadily, then smiled gently.
“You should go. You must be busy.”
“I was going to, even without you saying so.”
“Yes.”
As if ending the conversation, Alexandra lifted her teacup.
Rexton glared at her for a moment—
Then turned sharply.
The door slammed behind him.
Silence fell.
Slowly, Alexandra opened her eyes.
“…Nothing has changed.”
She quietly set down her cup and looked toward the door.
Rex.
Rexton Dea Felond.
The head of the Felon family.
Her husband.
It felt like she hadn’t seen him in a long time—
Yet he was exactly the same.
“Nothing has changed at all.”
She covered her face with both hands.
Yes.
She knew.
She had hoped.
And because she hoped, she was disappointed.
Even knowing it was futile—
She couldn’t help it.
A bitter smile formed on her lips.
Now she knew for certain.
This life would follow the same path as before.
That hellish time had returned.
She had no choice but to accept it.
***
Two days ago, Alexandra had regressed for the second time.
To the same point as her first regression.
Why?
Confused, she carefully thought it through.
Her first regression happened when she invited the Saintess to the mansion—
and poisoned her.
They both drank poisoned tea and collapsed, coughing blood.
When the Duke rushed in, he looked between them—
then picked up one person.
Not his wife—
But his lover.
The Saintess, Serenity.
Only then did Alexandra feel despair.
Even in death—
She had been abandoned.
As she watched him, she took out the divine artifact she had hidden—
The Sword of Judgment.
Her tongue was numb.
Her vision fading.
But she poured all her resentment into one strike—
Stabbing the Saintess in the back.
Deep enough to pierce her heart.
And when she thought it was over—
Everything began again.
***
At first, she thought it was a miracle.
That some higher being had given her another chance.
So she chose to live differently.
She learned the empire’s language.
Controlled the servants.
Built businesses.
And even handed Rexton divorce papers.
Everything changed.
Servants who once looked down on her now obeyed her.
High society respected her.
She gained immense wealth.
And Rexton—
The man who would never love her—
Knelt before her, begging her to return.
She had changed almost everything.
And yet—
She regressed again.
Everything was gone.
After stabbing the Saintess—
The root of all disasters—
with the Sword of Judgment.
It happened under the exact same circumstances both times.
She suspected—
That killing the Saintess triggered the regression.
But knowing that—
Changed nothing.
It felt empty.
Cruelly empty.
Her past life—
Like a fleeting dream.
Her purpose was gone.
She didn’t know what to do anymore.
That’s why she did nothing at the banquet yesterday.
The incident with the fallen noble lady was just an accident.
Rexton left her alone, as always.
The other nobles mocked her behind her back.
Everything—
Was the same as before.
Except—
One thing.
This time—
She saved Della’s younger sibling.
Before, she thought Della treated her harshly because she disliked her.
But in her previous life, she learned the truth.
It was because Alexandra had been incompetent.
Della had taken on too much work—
And didn’t even realize her sibling’s illness had worsened.
In the end, she couldn’t even be there when her sibling died.
When Alexandra learned that—
She felt regret.
So this time—
She saved them.
It wasn’t difficult now.
And Della completely changed.
She bowed repeatedly, swearing loyalty.
That was the first difference.
And it gave Alexandra hope.
Maybe—
Rexton would change too.
Maybe this time—
He would come to love her.
“…Haha.”
Her hand slipped down her face.
“What a fool.”
Her hope turned into sharp disappointment.
And it didn’t take long to realize—
It was all an illusion.
What should she do now?
After a long silence, her eyes darkened.
“…I need to meet her.”
The Saintess.
The cause of everything.
The one at the center of it all.
She would decide what to do—
after that.
