“There’s no need to be so nervous.”

Mrs. Letten, noticing her tense gesture, smiled as if to reassure her.

“But still……”

Even though she knew that this person was just a maid in charge of the mansion’s affairs, and that they had only met today, at this moment, she felt this was the only place she could rely on.

“It will be alright. It will pass in an instant. Just think of it as closing your eyes and opening them again.”

“……”

Mrs. Letten patted Celia’s hand a couple more times before sending her inside.

“……”

Celia had no choice but to nod and walk into the interior, which was dimly lit by candles.

Thud.

The sound of the door closing seemed particularly loud. As she took another step inside, everything was quiet. With her trembling hands clasped together, she walked to the center of the bridal chamber as the head maid had instructed, where a massive bed stood.

The sheets were bulging, and it seemed that Duke Hilbert, who would be her groom tonight, was lying underneath.

She stood in front of it and waited for a while. She thought the Duke would get up after she had made enough noise, but that time was considerably delayed.

Could he have fallen asleep? Should she wake him up then? Part of her wished the Duke would never wake up. Then she wouldn’t have to consummate with a man older than her father.

At the end of her fantasy, Celia shook her head to drive away the distracting thoughts. Even for the sake of receiving the money, Celia had to sleep with this man tonight.

Celia took a deep breath and moved her steps.

“……”

Celia, who was approaching the Duke’s bed, stopped. It was because of the sticky sensation wrapping around her feet.

Looking down, she saw the carpet was completely stained red. Following the trail of red liquid dripping down, there was a broken wine glass.

About half of the wine glass was still on the table with fruits and alcohol, and the broken fragments were scattered messily on the floor. It looked as if it had been broken due to mishandling while putting down the wine glass.

Celia took a step back. But she could already see that the hem of her white nightgown and the toe of her slipper were soaked in wine and stained red. Did he accidentally drop it? But why was it left uncleaned?

“Um, Your Grace.”

Celia carefully called out to the man who would be her groom, right in front of the bed. It seemed like the right thing to do, and she didn’t have the courage to lift the sheet.

“Your Grace.”

However, even after calling several more times, the bulging sheet showed no signs of movement.

Could he be sleeping so deeply that he couldn’t hear her calls? Celia hesitated, then carefully reached out her hand towards the sheet.

Swoosh.

As soon as she touched it, the sheet slid down. And from underneath, the Duke’s face was revealed.

“Eek!”

Celia let out a scream and collapsed.

“……”

A moment later, a dull pain rose up her b*ttocks. Given how vivid the pain was, it wasn’t a dream. But she couldn’t believe what she had just seen.

Andros was lying dead, perfectly straight. His eyes, staring at the ceiling, looked as if he might get up at any moment, but there was no trace of life in them.

“Y-Your Grace.”

Celia called out to Andros again, trembling. But no answer came from the deceased. Celia raised her shaking hand and lightly touched the Duke’s body.

“Aah!”

Startled by her own action, Celia collapsed to the floor once again. Even in this situation, Celia desperately covered her mouth. It was to prevent herself from screaming.

How much time had passed? Celia finally had to accept the reality.

The fact that the groom had died on their wedding night.

“……”

Celia blankly stared at where the Duke was lying. The nightmarish reality remained unchanged.

I need to call someone.

The thought occurred, but it wasn’t easy to act on it. She just sat there, frozen in place.

All sorts of thoughts ran through her mind.

What if they accuse me of harming the Duke?

At that thought, a chill ran through her entire body. The people of the Duke’s mansion could easily think that way. She was the only outsider, there was a financial relationship, and they could think that she didn’t want to sleep with him or that she killed the Duke and was trying to steal valuables and escape secretly.

The Duke’s face, revealed under the moonlight streaming through the window, looked even paler and more grotesque. His eyes, wide open as if surprised by something, seemed to be reproaching her.

‘It wasn’t me.’

Celia inwardly asserted her innocence.

‘I didn’t do anything wrong, just……’

Maybe the Duke had been unwell to begin with. That must be it. How else could this happen.

She tried to hold and calm her trembling hands, but it was useless. The trembling soon spread to her jaw, then her entire body.

And so, the hellish night passed.

It was only near dawn that she came to her senses. Grasping her dazed mind and seeing the breaking dawn, it finally became clear in her mind what she needed to do.

Celia got up hesitantly and approached the broken wine glass pieces on the floor.

“……”

She picked up one of the shattered glass pieces. Carefully grasping it, Celia stared at it for a long time, then slashed her palm.

With a swish, she sprinkled the blood that seeped out along with the red line onto the sheet, then she sat down on the glass pieces. The feeling of glass shards digging into her flesh was vivid, but she endured the pain with her lips tightly closed. She took a few more deep breaths before finally screaming.

“Kyaaa!”

What happened next passed too quickly. People rushed in at her scream, and the dim room brightened. What they saw was the blood-covered Duchess and Duke Hilbert, who was no longer of this world.

4. Grace Period

“……”

As soon as Celia opened her eyes, she slowly looked around. No matter how many times she looked, the luxurious surroundings remained unchanged. This was the Duke’s mansion, and she had fallen asleep in one of its rooms.

It wasn’t the former Duchess’s room that was said to be indescribably splendid, but to her eyes, this place was sufficiently grand and beyond her means. As she recalled the 100-day grace period Eugen had proposed, her head started to ache again.

Last night, she dreamed of the dead Andros again. It was natural that she had a restless sleep. Only she knew the truth of that night.

Knock knock.

Celia’s face turned towards the knocking sound at the door. A moment later, the one who entered through the opened door was Mrs. Letten. It was a face that had become somewhat familiar by now.

“Your quarters have been prepared.”

Celia nodded at the calm voice.

“I will help you prepare to move to your quarters as soon as you’re ready.”

“I don’t have much to pack, so it won’t take long. But……”

From the wedding night until after the funeral, during those hectic times, it was this maid who had taken care of her.

“Come to think of it, I’m very grateful for your help. Thank you.”

As Celia expressed her gratitude, Mrs. Letten smiled and looked at her.

“I will assist you with all aspects of your life while you’re here. Please let me know if you ever feel
uncomfortable or need anything.”

“Have you worked here for a long time, Mrs. Letten?”

Judging by her graying hair, she seemed quite old, but her slim figure without an ounce of excess fat and her neat appearance made her look much younger than her actual age. Celia became curious about her presence, which seemed more than just a simple maid.

“I have served Lady Violetta since her childhood. Until her passing.”

That meant she was like the hands and feet of the former Duchess.

“Then why.”

She must be someone who would hardly be pleased to serve the nominal second wife of the Duke, so why was she assigned to her quarters?

“As I have been in this mansion for a long time, Master Eugen ordered that I would be suitable to assist you.”

“……I see.”

It meant she had the optimal conditions to monitor her. Celia still couldn’t forget Eugen’s cold gaze as he looked at her.

In his eyes, she must be nothing more than an impertinent woman trying to usurp his mother’s position. She thought that in Mrs. Letten’s eyes, she probably looked even worse than a parasite sucking the sap from a tree.