Chapter 1.5

“Your birthday is still a little ways off, but……”  

Yvonne instinctively sensed danger. She tried to pull her hand away from Philip’s grip.  

However, Philip didn’t budge. Instead, he tightened his hold on her, and the cold touch of metal brushed against the edge of her ring finger.  

“It wouldn’t be so bad if your birthday became our wedding anniversary.”  

As expected, what slid onto her finger was a ring. The silver ring with its black onyx stone stood out starkly against Yvonne’s small, pale hand.  

“I knew it would suit you well.”  

Philip smiled with satisfaction, having achieved his intention.  

“N-no, I can’t accept something like this……”  

Yvonne hastily grabbed the ring now adorning her finger.  

But the ring, which had slipped on so easily, refused to come off.  

It wasn’t because of her fingers. Yvonne was slender, with delicate bones. Yet the ring remained firmly stuck, causing her to look distressed.  

“Why won’t it come off……? I’m sorry, Lord. I’ll find a way to remove it and return it to you……”  

“It’s normal for it not to come off.”  

“What?”  

“It’s a ring made by the famous Eris Witch. Haven’t you heard of her?”  

Eris Witch.  

She was said to have come from a distant country and claimed to be a descendant of a great alchemist. In ancient times, many people possessed mysterious powers, though such abilities were now rare and barely traceable.  

The Eris Witch didn’t display any particularly extraordinary powers, but she did create fascinating items.  

Things like a broom that allowed its user to fly for exactly three times, or a potion that rendered the body invisible for ten minutes.  

Her unique creations spread across the kingdom like wildfire, becoming the subject of rumors.  

However, the Eris Witch’s fame wasn’t solely due to her intriguing items. It also stemmed from two strict rules she upheld:  

1. She never recreated an item once it was made.  
2. Only those chosen by her crystal orb could purchase the items selected by the orb.  

Because of these rules, people both criticized her as eccentric and admired her uniqueness, yearning to own something she had crafted.  

“I wanted to give you a special gift, so I sent a letter to the Eris Witch’s shop. And this ring arrived. The moment I saw it, I thought it would suit you perfectly, and I couldn’t wait to put it on you.”  

“How did you obtain it? I’ve heard it’s extremely difficult to acquire one of her items. You have to be chosen by the crystal orb……”  

“Yvonne.”  

Philip stroked Yvonne’s hand, clearly pleased with the ring he had placed on her finger.  

“I’d do anything for you. So being chosen by the crystal orb wasn’t difficult at all.”  

“…….” 

“The orb must have recognized my love for you. That’s why it chose this pair of rings for me, don’t you think?”  

Philip added as he stroked his own ring.  

“They say this ring contains the powder of an ancient nymph’s wings. As long as my love doesn’t fade, it will never come off.”  

It was only then that Yvonne noticed Philip was wearing the same black onyx ring. His was slightly larger and thicker than hers.  

“So don’t worry anymore, Yvonne. This ring will be a symbol of our love.”  

Though his words sounded tender, they were also a form of restraint. Yvonne looked up at him helplessly, unable to do anything about the ring that wouldn’t come off.  

“A doctor will come later. I’m sorry I can’t stay with you longer, but focus on recovering for now.”  

After Philip left, as promised, the doctor came to see Yvonne.  

She was nervous, afraid he might discover what had happened to her. However, the doctor didn’t know anything about the incident. He simply examined her symptoms and, as Emma had suggested, assumed she was suffering from a severe combination of her monthly cycle and a cold. He left after prescribing painkillers.  

***

Three days later, Yvonne finally got out of bed.  

After being bedridden for over five days, her body had returned to normal, making everything feel like a distant dream. The incident with the third son of the Conrad Family, and the days of suffering afterward, all seemed hazy and far away.  

But one thing tethered her to reality: Philip’s promise of marriage.  

As soon as Yvonne recovered, Philip moved her bedroom to the main building of Rivette Estate, just as he had promised.  

Even this room was only temporary until their wedding. Afterward, she would use the room once occupied by Baroness Bertrand, which was being renovated for her.  

Yvonne repeatedly expressed her desire to decline, but Philip dismissed her objections, insisting she shouldn’t doubt his love and pretending to comfort her while pushing his will forward.  

He even brought in a furniture artisan, telling Yvonne she could decorate the room however she liked. When she adamantly refused, he decided to only replace the interiors of the furniture.  

The late Baroness Bertrand, Philip’s mother, had been frugal and had preferred elegant, understated furniture.  

As a result, the furniture hadn’t worn out much and still appeared new.  

Though the interiors were being replaced, the renovations were extensive, and the work was expected to take about a month and a half.  

Meanwhile, preparations for the wedding proceeded swiftly. Philip was determined to align their wedding date with Yvonne’s birthday and drove the servants hard to make it happen.  

Since tailoring a new dress would take too long, they decided to alter one previously worn by the late Baroness Bertrand.  

With everything moving so quickly, Yvonne spent her days in a whirlwind.  

She knew this wasn’t right, but the opportunity to escape had already passed.  

She couldn’t bring herself to confide in Philip about what had happened with the third son of the Conrad Family.  

Just thinking about that day filled her with anguish. Besides, if Philip had respected her refusal, the incident wouldn’t have occurred in the first place.  

‘But I can’t walk into the wedding without telling him…….’  

That would be deceiving Philip.  

Regardless of her unwillingness to marry, Yvonne felt guilty about the idea of deceiving someone.  

But what would happen after I told him? If Philip said it didn’t matter and insisted on proceeding with the wedding, would I have to go through with it?  

If he said it did matter and called off the engagement, could I continue working here as a maid?  

Unable to decide what was right, Yvonne resolved to wait until Emma’s suspension was lifted.  

Emma was the only one on her side and the only person who knew the whole truth. With her experience and wisdom, Yvonne believed Emma would offer a sensible solution this time as well.  

However.  

“……Don’t tell him. It’s better to marry Lord Philip as planned.”  

Emma’s response was unexpected. Yvonne momentarily thought she had misheard. It was that surprising.  

“After all, no one else knows about that incident but us. As long as we keep quiet, no one will ever find out.”  

“But, that man knows. The third son……”  

“If you mean the third son of the Conrad Family, don’t worry. That scoundrel wouldn’t care about a woman he spent one night with. If he did, he wouldn’t have treated you that way.”  

“…….”  

“Rivette is considered a remote area in the capital. If rumors about his promiscuity haven’t reached here, that says it all, doesn’t it?”  

Yvonne lowered her head. Listening to Emma, everything seemed to make sense.  

“What we need to think about isn’t that incident, but your feelings……. Honestly, I hope you marry Lord Philip.”  

“You used to support me when I wanted to run away. Why…….”  

“Well, you should’ve run away properly that day.”  

“…….”

“I gave you a chance.”  

“But that wasn’t my fault……”  

“It wasn’t your fault. I know it wasn’t your choice. Still, it was you who failed to escape.”  

“Head Maid……”  

“As you said, I’m the head maid of Rivette Estate. The kindness I can offer as a favor to help a friend’s daughter ends here.”  

“…….”  

“Do you understand, Yvonne? I can no longer go against Lord Philip’s wishes. So, I hope you won’t feel too hurt.”  

Yvonne bit her lip. Emma pitied her, but there was nothing she could do. The only words she could offer were realistic advice disguised as consolation.  

“No matter where you tried to run, there would have been someone like Lord Philip bothering you there too. Perhaps even someone like the scoundrel from the Conrad Family.”  

“…….”  

“Since things have come to this, let go of your worries. As time passes……. You might even grow fond of him.”  

“…….”  

“Believe that.”  

“But is it really okay to marry him without telling him the truth?”  

“Is there any reason to tell him?”  

“It would be deceiving him.”  

“How naive.”  

Emma chuckled softly at Yvonne’s words. It was a cynical laugh, uncharacteristic of her.  

“If you want to confess so badly, then go ahead. But I don’t understand why you’d reveal something he wouldn’t know otherwise, only to stir up trouble.”  

“What if he finds out? I’ve heard that during the first time, there’s blood. I’ve already lost my purity……”  

“I didn’t realize you were listening to the nonsense the servants spout. Those men talk as if they know everything, even though they’ve never been near a woman’s skirts. Not every woman bleeds during her first time.”  

“…….”  

“If you’re still worried, I’ll make sure Lord Philip believes you’re a maiden. We can soak the bed sheets with chicken blood beforehand and cover them with blankets. The next day, we’ll pretend not to notice and show them to Lord Philip—he’ll be satisfied.”  

Emma placed a firm hand on Yvonne’s shoulder before letting it fall away.  

Then, as if she had never spoken to Yvonne in such a personal manner, her expression hardened.  

“This is all I can say. I’ll take my leave now, Madam.”  

She bowed politely and left the room.