Chapter 1 – Part 2

Once all the preparations were complete, Kristin rose slowly from the chair.

With her hair done in red waves cascading beautifully down her waist, her black eyes, resembling black pearls, looked purely clear. Her fair and white skin, adorned with rouge, looked even cleaner, and the sapphire earrings added an air of elegance.

As one of the most beautiful young ladies in the Union Empire, the maids couldn’t help but admire Kristin as she rose from her seat.

Kristin hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether to leave her room or not, before sinking back into the chair.

Surprised by her behavior, the maids by her side asked her if she was okay staying put.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go out?”

At that, Kristin smiled and answered cautiously,

“I might be more pleased, and maybe even a little nervous. I should indeed go out to greet him, but I don’t want to appear too casual.”

No maid responded to her words. Instead, they nodded, seeming to acknowledge that Kristin Edith was indeed modest and reserved.

Before marrying Raphael, Kristin had never shown any interest, even when receiving attention from young men passing by the streets. She always believed that, as a noble young lady, she should always be modest and reserved and should never appear frivolous.

On the contrary, her stepsister Elena always tried her best to get along with noble young men. She would wear expensive dresses, stroll through the streets with maids, and immerse herself in capturing the attention of young men at cafes.

When compared to Kristin, Elena completely lacked the demeanor that a noblewoman should possess. No matter how much their backgrounds differed, it wasn’t an issue of education but rather a matter of attitude. The maids also often discussed the two among themselves.

One day, after overhearing such conversations, Elena became so angry that she turned the Edith mansion upside down. However, at that time, Vernon was away on a business trip to the northern region and was completely unaware of these events. Rose decided to conclude the matter by dismissing a few maids, as she knew that if the Viscount were to find out about the incident, he would surely take issue with Elena’s behavior.

Kristin remembered the incident, but when she returned, the maids had not yet been dismissed. It happened just a few days before her wedding. Some of the maids standing before her were now on the verge of being dismissed.

Seeking revenge against Raphael was one plan, but another was to expel Elena and Rose from the manor. However, for now, facing Raphael, who had just arrived, was the priority.

Knock, knock.

“Yes?”

“His Grace is now in the reception room. He wishes to see you, My Lady.”

Alberto, the butler, spoke as he knocked on the door.

And next, a voice full of sarcasm was heard—it was Elena’s.

“Sister, come out quickly! You were making such a fuss when sending the letter, and now you’re being so coy?”

After a moment of silence, Kristin spoke slowly to the maids beside her.

“I’ll go out now. If I end up having a conversation with the Duke, I’d like it to be in my room. But could you prepare some refreshments? Specifically, black tea with a slice of lemon. I’d like you to soak the lemons and prepare them now.”

“What?”

Lenci, one of the maids, responded with surprise.

Usually, adding lemon to black tea initially enhances its flavor with a refreshing aroma. However, after a certain amount of time, it becomes overly bitter to the point of being almost undrinkable.

“Wouldn’t it be better if I added it just before serving, My Lady? I’m worried the tea might become too bitter if I add it now.”

“No, don’t mind it.”

Kristin had no intention of enjoying refreshments with Raphael. Merely seeing his face was enough to anger her, and she wished to send him away as quickly as possible.

She didn’t even consider offering him regular black tea, which he liked. If his only complaint was that she married him solely for his gain, she could easily overlook such a trivial matter.

But it didn’t end there.

The year after marrying Raphael felt like hell.

Not only did he use her, but he also looked down on the Edith household, even continuing to have secret meetings with Princess Rebella from a neighboring kingdom.

Furthermore, he went as far as burning the handkerchief adorned with blue roses, a cherished heirloom of Kristin’s mother, in the fireplace, all while mocking her.

He was a completely different person before and after marriage.

Before they were married, he had gone to great lengths to win Kristin’s favor.

In fact, before meeting Raphael, Kristin had not chosen Winston Zenon, the Marquis who had captivated her.

The reason was clear.

The Zenon family did not want her. Despite being childhood playmates, the difference in status between the Zenon family and the Duke family was significant, and their relationship ceased to exist after the death of Elesia, the former Viscountess.

Winston Zenon had hoped to meet Kristin even after he was created a Marquis, but it never happened.

Since then, he has waited for Kristin’s debutante performance to ask her to dance, but she has never been able to fully accept him.

She hadn’t developed a crush on him.

On the contrary, she felt a strange attraction to Raphael, who seemed to love her so sincerely that she surrendered her heart to him.

She had always wanted to escape from Edith’s stifling home, where she could barely breathe.

Raphael was like heaven to her, and she dedicated herself to him. Perhaps, she felt guilty that all of this was the result of her foolish and rash decisions.

Yet, at times when she felt tormented by this guilt, Raphael turned that self-blame into a desire for revenge. And today, once again, she faced him.

* * *

“Kristin, it’s been almost a year since the debutante. I’ve thought a lot during this time. I’ve had many deliberations over the past year, and now I’ve concluded.”

“Your Grace, I’m glad to see you again.”

Kristin said softly, with a smile towards Raphael.

Kristin smiled gently at Raphael and continued, trying to suppress her feelings.

“It seems like a lot has happened over the past year. Surprisingly, you’re concluding now. I read the proposal letter you sent me very carefully. However, I cannot accept that proposal…”

“I wish I could speak first. I have quite a lot to say too.”

Kristin stared at him silently, then looked around.

All the servants, Vernon the Viscount, Lady Rose, and Elena were gathered in the parlor, watching only the two of them.

Under their gaze, Kristin felt that she could no longer stay there. She had to go to her room and make a proposal to him. A proposal that would pique his interest.

“I’ve spoken to my maid ahead of time and she has some refreshments ready for us, so why don’t you come up to my room with me?”

“Sure. Very well.”

Raphael, with a flushed face, followed Kristin as she walked ahead.

As they ascended the wooden stairs and entered Kristin’s room, a pot of steaming hot tea awaited them. However, the tea had turned into a murky, unusable brown color.

The Raphael that Kristin remembered always kept tea in his study, but the tea in front of them was not the kind he would enjoy.

Raphael looked at the tea and spoke to Kristin.

“I think we should change the tea.”

“Why do you say that?”

“The color has changed. When it changes like this, even the taste changes. I do like tea, but this one might need to be discarded.”

“Haha, how interesting.”

“What?”

“Oh, nothing. I just didn’t expect you to care so much about the change.”

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Anyway, let’s leave the tea alone.”

As Kristin was about to sit down, Raphael grabbed her wrist and continued.

“Why did you do that? Tearing up the letter, I mean, what’s the meaning of it? I don’t understand why you’re different from a year ago when I saw you.”

“You mean to say that I have changed, and if so, I may be thrown away like that black tea.”

At Kristin’s words, Raphael’s expression hardened instantly.

He thought his death had sent him back in time.

But strangely, Kristin was looking at him in a different way than she had before she died.

Feeling a piercing gaze upon him, Raphael, remained silent for a moment before speaking.

“Why do you seem like such a different person now? It’s as if you’ve come to know something, and it feels like you hate me. Have you developed feelings for someone else during that time? It couldn’t be Winston, the Marquis, right?”

Suppressing the laughter that almost escaped at his words, Kristin gently replied to the Duke.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about. I’m just… trying to change my personality, Your Grace.”

As their gazes intertwined, Raphael and Kristin’s eyes seemed oddly tangled in the air.

Kristin had no intention of telling the Duke that she had died and returned to a day in the past.

To her, who now knew the future of everything that was to come, the cold and callous Raphael seemed like a naive child.

The only way to soothe such a child was to offer them sweet candies.