I Was Tricked Into A Fraudulent Marriage By The Obsessive Villain - Chapter 4.4 - Grand Duke Thanatos

***

Clang!

A sharp sound echoed through the room.

The dishes on the table all crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces.

“That damn bastard!”

Empress Penelope gritted her teeth.

The face of the Grand Duke, who had been so bold at the coronation, still lingered in her mind.

“I should have killed that little brat long ago.”

She, who had started as a mere maid, had risen to become the Second Empress after dethroning the First Empress.

The satisfaction of driving out the once proud First Empress, with her high nose, was intoxicating!

The regret was not dealing with the First Empress’s child in the same manner.

That bloodline proved to be a thorn in her side.

The powerless figure, whom she thought would perish on their own, somehow managed to get a Hardin as a wife. And he even led the war to victory.

As if coming to claim what was rightfully his.

As if victory was already predetermined.

The resemblance to his mother, the First Empress, was unbearable.

The First Empress was such a woman.

Perfect from birth, as if God had ordained her to be flawless.

That was Empress Thaliasta Winchester.

After going to great lengths to bring down such an Empress, now the issue lay with her son.

The imperial succession was not yet set in stone.

Her own son, Prince Melchess, was not particularly exceptional.

Disregarding the controversies surrounding his suitability as a crown prince, she suppressed other princes and princesses through her power, maintaining a fragile balance.

The current emperor has five living children.

Because the Second Empress threatened them with their mother’s life in her hands.

The other princes and princesses were brought to their knees with difficulty, and now only the succession to the throne remained.

Praying desperately for the Grand Duke to die on the battlefield, he returned from the battlefield and threw dirt on the Second Empress’s blueprints.

“…..Moreover, Hardin. By obtaining Hardin as his wife.”

The Second Empress gnashed her teeth, clawing at the tablecloth with her nails.

He gained the favor of the Hardin family, who contributed to the founding of the country. It was as if the Grand Duke had been given wings.

“I must get rid of that Grand Duchess somehow.”

By any means necessary.

The Second Empress’s eyes blazed with determination.

She had endured harsh times, all in the hope of ascending to the throne through her own bloodline.

There was no thought of handing over the throne to the First Empress’s child.

“She must be eliminated.”

Her grim, blood-red lips twisted upwards.

***

“…Yeah, right, he’ll be back.”

Iona muttered softly.

The man who had promised to return hadn’t shown a sign of returning, leaving Iona to stay up all night, unsure of when he might appear.

Iona entrusted herself to the hands of the maidservants as they prepared her for the evening.

The delicate care with which the maidservants adorned her felt unfamiliar, like sculpting her piece by piece.

Despite having spent the past few years adjusting to noble life, the atmosphere among the maidservants of the Grand Duke’s household and those of the Hardin family was vastly different.

-Hey! The young lady is heading that way! Catch her!

– Miss Iona, Miss Iona, you must wear a dress today? Eh?! Do you want to get spanked again by the lord?

– Miss! Stand right there!!

A wry smile spread across her face as she remembered the maids who had been chasing after her, trying to catch her at every turn.

As time passed, Lady Hinckel, who was once a common guild leader, vanished, replaced by a noblewoman adorned in a pastel yellow dress.

Looking at her reflection in the mirror felt awkward, but she found herself fond of the pastel-toned yellow dress that matched her hair color, twiddling her fingers in approval.

Well. Not bad.

Considering the circumstances that were akin to being a hostage, this treatment was quite luxurious.

She thought she’d be shackled at her feet, but to be treated as a hostess.

“His Highness says he couldn’t dine with you because of work,” the maids said.

“His Highness was very sorry he couldn’t dine with you,” they added.

“I see…”

Iona pulled the corners of her mouth slightly and smiled at the maids, secretly sighing with relief.

Eating with the man would’ve surely made her hands tremble as if they were bird branches.

“Let’s go, then, Your Highness.”

Following the maids’ guidance, she finished her meal and even had tea time.

Throughout the meal and the tea drinking, Iona’s mind was in chaos.

‘…I’m screwed. I’ve forgotten everything.’

She had learned dining etiquette repeatedly, getting her hand smacked with a ruler just before running away. But now, it all seemed like a distant memory, causing her distress.

She couldn’t tell if she had followed dining etiquette properly or if she had executed the formalities correctly.

“Ughh…”

She held her throbbing head, and someone approached.

“Your Highness, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Meyer Kelson, butler to the Grand Duke of Thanatos. Please call me Meyer.”

An older, grey-haired man, about the same age as House Hardin’s butler, bowed his head in greeting.

Thanatos. It was the new family name he’d been given when he’d been made a Grand Duke.

“If you’re okay with it, may I introduce the mansion to you now?” the old Butler asked, saying that Carvain had left instructions to give a detailed introduction of the mansion.

The unseen man seemed to have firmly instructed the servants instead of showing himself.

“Of course.”

Following the butler’s guidance, they began to tour the mansion.

Once she decided to take on the household management, Iona listened attentively to the butler’s explanations and carefully inspected the mansion.

“The estate is much smaller in scale compared to the Thanatos estate in the countryside.”

“Smaller?”

Being small in this context could lead to someone’s demise.

Hardin Manor was occasionally large enough to accommodate other nobles, but this mansion seemed even grander.

“Where is the estate located?”

“It’s situated in the north, adjacent to the battlefield where the Grand Duke achieved a great victory.”

“I see…”

Judging by the size and scale of the mansion, it didn’t seem like something that could be built overnight…

“Straight ahead is His Highness’s office, and from here you’ll find the rest of the family’s…….”

“This is the vault where we keep the valuable items. Her Highness should keep the key.”

“This area is classified and managed as the western wing. The list of servants can be found here…”

“Hmm.”

The more she explored the mansion and listened to Mayer’s explanations, the more a sense of unease crept over her.

Something felt off.

Typically, a newly established noble family would adhere to some customs of their original lineage, but starting from scratch like this seemed unusual…

Even compared to the longstanding Hardin family, the meticulous system in place was impressive.

Despite only briefly looking around, it was evident at a glance.