Daphne got goosebumps. She wanted to push away the Duke’s hand right now, leave Duke Seyfried’s estate, and run far, far away.

She couldn’t live like this anymore.

This place wasn’t where she belonged. Though she’d never once thought of this house as her own home.

“That’s enough.”

When Astaire commanded the head maid, she stopped the punishment.

The maid Ada sobbed like a child, clutching her reddened calves.

“I’m sorry, I was wrong. Please, please…”

Though the punishment had stopped, Ada clung to the head maid’s skirt and wailed. But she was begging the wrong person. The one she should plead for mercy from wasn’t the head maid—it was Astaire.

“Daphne.”

Astaire’s voice calling Daphne sounded exactly like he was scolding her. Daphne’s stomach turned.

“You need to manage your subordinates properly. So they don’t dare insult the Grand Duchess and you, the Duchess.”

Astaire must know.

The maid Ada was the Grand Duchess’s person, merely acting as a connection between herself and the Grand Duchess.

She had only followed the orders of the Duchess.

She’d only obeyed her master’s words, so why should Ada be punished?

But Daphne understood why Astaire was doing this.

It was all to show her.

This was a warning.

A warning to stay quietly attached to this estate if she didn’t want the people around her to get hurt.

Daphne didn’t sleep a wink that night.

In the deep night when even birds and insects slept, Daphne secretly left her room and went to find the maid Ada locked on the top floor.

“Ada.”

She smashed the lock with a tool she’d obtained beforehand. When she opened the door, she saw the young maid still clutching her calves and crying.

“It’s medicine. I’ll apply it for you, so show me your calves.”

Daphne said, opening the lid of the palm-sized jar of medicine. When the sniffling Ada lifted her skirt, she began applying the medicine with careful hands.

The unfortunate truth was that the more she applied the medicine, the louder Ada’s pained m*ans grew, seemingly hurting more. Hearing the sounds, Daphne’s heart felt like it was tearing apart.

“Leave the estate, Ada.”

“But… sniff… I’ve already been kicked out anyway.”

Ada said with her face a mess and flushed red. In her eyes looking at Daphne, there was also unspoken resentment.

Even knowing this, Daphne couldn’t say anything.

“I shouldn’t have trusted the Duchess.”

Ada cried endlessly. Daphne silently held her hand quietly. Even as this young maid entrusted her hand to Daphne, she poured out her resentment toward her.

“The Grand Duchess was right after all.”

“Ada.”

“I shouldn’t have… trusted the Duchess.”

I shouldn’t have trusted you.

Whenever Daphne heard people around her say they couldn’t trust her, her heart felt like it was sinking.

The people around her were gradually leaving her.

“I don’t trust you anymore, Daphne.”

Most of all, when that man Astaire’s voice echoed in her head.

She clenched her fists tight.

It wasn’t like she had nothing to say either.

She too had once trusted Astaire. As a result, she’d paid a heavy price for trusting someone untrustworthy. Even to this day.

One by one, people who trusted her were disappearing.

The candles inside her were going out one by one.

When all these candles went out, a darkness like never before would fall inside her.

Daphne knew instinctively.

“Take this.”

“This is…”

Daphne held out some of the money she had to the maid.

At least this much was enough for her to live alone for about half a year without working. She could find work during that time. She wanted to help find employment too if possible, but her own situation wasn’t favorable either.

Even now as Duchess, Daphne hadn’t forgotten her days as an impoverished fallen noble. She vividly remembered how desperate those days were, doing menial work while hungry and lonely.

That’s why she couldn’t turn away from Ada. There was a distinct reason Daphne differed from nobles who typically blamed servants for mistakes and used them as tools while ignoring their injustices.

Because Daphne had experienced the same things they had.

“Can I… sniff… really accept this money?”

“Take it.”

Daphne said firmly.

“If this can convey even a little of my apologetic heart.”

“…”

Ada couldn’t continue beyond that.

By then, Daphne could see a small sign of remorse appear in Ada’s eyes.

People are so cunning. A few coins make all that resentment disappear.

But Ada might have her own circumstances. Like having younger siblings to feed. It was one of the reasons many girls became maids.

The amount of money Daphne gave was enough to feed that family for several months and then some.

“I’ll be going now.”

She who had been sitting the whole time stood up. Despite her indoor dress being wrinkled, unbecoming of a duchess, she didn’t particularly care.

Thud.

It would be better to leave Ada alone now. As soon as day broke, she would leave the estate on her own. She could have arranged a carriage, but Daphne deliberately didn’t. From now on, she didn’t have much time to move for herself either.

She had to leave this ducal estate immediately.

The ornately carved chandelier felt like it would pour down on her head at any moment.

She felt like she’d suffocate, overwhelmed by this massive mansion’s grandeur.

She couldn’t live in a place like this anymore.

The debt she had to repay, whatever—she didn’t think about anything anymore.

She only thought about running away recklessly.

She’d already packed her bags in the wardrobe of her bedroom on the third floor. Daphne hurried her steps.

But when she arrived at her room, she didn’t need to open the door.

“Looking for your luggage?”

Astaire greeted her from inside Daphne’s room, holding her suitcase.

And in his other hand.

“Don’t forget this too.”

Contraceptive pills.

Daphne quietly bit her lip. Astaire must have tampered with the lock too.

He must have opened the door on his own, rifled through her secrets, and taken out the medicine inside.

“Head butler.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

At Astaire’s chilling voice, the hidden head butler emerged and bowed. For a moment, Daphne’s eyes met the head butler’s. A troubled look briefly crossed his wrinkled eyes, but that was all.

In the end, the head butler was the Duke’s person too. Not the Duchess’s person.

“Burn this.”

“Pardon?”

“I said burn it. This bag, this medicine. Take it all and burn it.”

At Astaire’s sharply firm command, the head butler seemed quite flustered. But after hesitating for a few seconds, the elderly man bowed his head.

“Now you should go to bed, Daphne.”

Despite all that, Astaire now spoke in the most gentle voice in the world.

Daphne quietly clenched her fists. In the end, this man had grasped everything perfectly from the start. That she wouldn’t be able to just leave Ada alone. That she wouldn’t be able to pretend not to see and immediately run out of this ducal estate.

Since when, how far.

How does this man know her so well?

It was getting creepy now.

“Let’s talk tomorrow.”

Astaire approached Daphne and embraced her shoulders. She tried to shake him off, but naturally her strength was insufficient.

“Sleep well then.”

Light like a feather, a goodnight kiss landed on her cheek.

But to Daphne, it was a kiss more terrible than a demon’s kiss.

* * *

The next day, early morning.

The first thing Daphne did upon opening her eyes was visit the Seyfried ducal family’s exclusive lawyer.

“Please help me.”

The lawyer followed Daphne with a surprised face.

Daphne caught Astaire preparing to leave for the trading company and spoke.

“I have something to say.”

“What is it?”

Astaire asked back though he knew. Daphne wanted to smash the sneer hanging on his lips more than anything in the world.

“Let’s divorce.”

Daphne said, spreading out the marriage contract the exclusive lawyer had brought.

“It’s written here.”

Article 1, Section 6.

If the Duchess fails to faithfully produce an heir, she shall compensate accordingly.

The compensation amount shall be set at approximately 20 times the original contract sum.

“So? Daphne, can you pay this money?”

Astaire’s brazen tone held derision, seemingly asking if she could possibly do that.

Daphne suppressed her anger and said.

“Paying the money is my concern. Not yours to worry about, Your Grace.”

“Is it strange for a husband to worry about his wife?”

Astaire didn’t hide his sarcasm. Daphne suppressed her anger and looked at the lawyer.

“I violated the contract last night.”

“Yes, Madam? What did you say…?”

The lawyer showed a dazed face, unable to believe what he heard.

Daphne said it clearly once more.

“Due to my contract violation, this contract marriage will be terminated. Last night, the Duke caught me taking contraceptive pills.”

The lawyer was shocked and gaped.

Then a few seconds later, he came to his senses, cleared his throat with a cough, and looked at Astaire. Asking if what the Duchess said was really true.

“It’s not wrong.”

At Astaire’s words, the lawyer now looked like he might faint.

“Then… Yes, the marriage contract is automatically terminated, and the Madam has incurred a debt to compensate approximately 20 times the original contract sum.”

“Is this what you wanted, Daphne?”

Astaire whispered, looking at her.

Daphne smiled coldly.

“I’ll handle my own affairs, Your Grace.”

She would never have occasion to call him by the name “Astaire” again.

“Don’t worry, I’ll repay the debt.”

Finally, she could leave this ducal estate.

‘Come to think of it, I didn’t really need the Grand Duchess’s help after all.’

She regretted not thinking of this method sooner, but decided not to dwell on it.

A way to compensate the money.

From now on, only that problem remained, so she felt refreshed instead.

Duke Seyfried’s estate was turned upside down from the morning.

All the servants doubted their eyes seeing Daphne suddenly leaving the ducal estate with just one small bag, practically empty-handed.

“M-Madam…?”

“What’s happening?”

Daphne didn’t hide her sneer.

“Can’t you tell by looking?”

Gasps came from everywhere. The Duchess was really leaving the ducal estate. Leaving the Duke, her husband.

“Oh my, will our Duchess, no, Lady Daphne be able to live well alone…?”

“What is all this about?”

All the servants of the ducal estate were confused. Sighs burst out from everywhere.