“Master, are you feeling dizzy again?”

As Ruan approached him, Luan hurriedly went to him and said.

“A little. It’s not too bad. My lady, this is Edward, the butler who manages all the affairs of the ducal household.”

“It’s an honor to finally meet you, madam. I apologize for not being able to greet you when you arrived at dawn due to my busy schedule today. If you need anything in the duke’s household from now on, please let me know.”

Ah. This doesn’t seem like the right atmosphere for formal greetings.

Mercian looked worriedly at Ruan, who was even paler than before, and said:

“Edward, I’m glad to meet you too. Let’s save the greetings for later and first escort the duke to his room since he seems to be feeling dizzy.”

“Ah. Yes, understood. Clea?”

“Oh my, madam, what are you doing here? Wasn’t Charles waiting for you? No, where on earth did that child go?”

At Edward’s words, Clea approached Mercian and tidied her dress while looking around.

“Head maid, I’m here. I’m sorry, madam.”

“It’s alright, Charles.”

“Hurry and escort the madam.”

“Madam, please follow me.”

“Thank you, Charles.”

Ruan, supported by Edward, said to Mercian as she followed Charles:

“Well then, my lady, I’ll see you at the reception.”

“Yes, Ruan. Please go and rest.”

Ruan returned to his room supported by Edward, and Mercian also entered a different room from where she had first stayed, guided by Charles.

“What is this place?”

“This is the duchess’s room where you will stay from today, madam.”

This is my room?

Although she was the daughter of a poor viscount family, Penelope also didn’t care much about Mercian, so her room only had a basic bed, dressing table, and a small wardrobe.

She had sometimes felt envious when seeing Lucienne’s room, which was said to be more luxurious than most noble ladies’ rooms in the empire, but compared to this room, Lucienne’s room was incomparable.

A room three times the size of her previous room, with a bed large enough for three or four people to lie on, a dressing table made of high-quality wood, a full-length mirror, and even a small table by the window for having tea…

Mercian looked around the room at Charles’s words.

“Do you like it? The head maid has been decorating the room for days, and she said you could change it if you don’t like it.”

“No, it’s fine. After all…”

There’s no need to bother others when I’ll be leaving in 6 months anyway.

“Pardon?”

“No, I mean I like it.”

Mercian swallowed her following words and smiled, and Charles nodded with relief and said:

“I’m really glad. Well then, first let’s get you out of your wedding dress as it must be uncomfortable. Ah, please wait a moment.”

Charles hurried to open a small door next to the room and came out with three or four dresses.

“What’s in there?”

“Ah. That’s your dressing room, madam. We haven’t filled it completely yet, but there are plenty of dresses, so if you need anything, you can have more made.”

Plenty, you say?

Mercian, as if entranced by Charles’s words, got up and opened the small door to find a dressing room the size of her previous room, already about one-third filled.

“Are all these dresses…”

“These are the dresses sent from the dress shop when we had your wedding dress made last time. They said they only sent ones that would suit you well, madam.”

“Ah…”

Mercian recalled the madam’s words about sending the wedding dress and other dresses to the duke’s house, along with a few more dresses that fit her body.

This isn’t a few, it’s dozens!

Looking at Mercian, who was blankly staring at the numerous dresses in the dressing room, Charles said:

“Oh my, it’s already this late. We should hurry and change you into your reception dress so you can attend the reception.”

Re-reception?

Ah, right, there’s a reception after the wedding ceremony. Surely I won’t be wearing a cloak to the reception, so it’ll be hard to avoid people’s gazes one way or another.

Today is really going to be a tough day.

Unaware of Mercian’s complicated thoughts, Charles held up the dresses she had brought against Mercian’s body and said:

“Madam, you look good in purple and green too. I suppose it’s because your skin is so fair.”

“Ah. Is that so?”

“I think light green would be better.”

Just then, an unfamiliar voice was heard from behind.

“Grand Madam!”

Charles, who was holding the dress up to Mercian, bowed her head in greeting to Olivia as she entered the room.

Grand Madam?

Mercian looked at the middle-aged lady entering the room.

The person who could be called ‘madam’ in this mansion would probably be the sister of the previous duke and Ruan’s aunt.

As Mercian stood up to greet her, Olivia gestured for her to sit down and said:

“That’s enough. We’ll be seeing each other often anyway, so there’s no need for formal greetings. Your name is Mercian, right?”

“Yes…”

Olivia smiled unconsciously, thinking that Mercian’s appearance – sitting uncomfortably with a tense expression due to her sudden appearance – looked like a fluffy, cute white-furred puppy trembling in front of a lion, and said:

“I am Olivia Canoloup, Ruan’s aunt.”

Mercian jumped up from her seat and bowed her head in greeting.

“Aunt, it’s nice to meet you.”

“I told you, greetings are done. Now that you’ve become my nephew’s wife, I’ll call you by your name comfortably. Is that alright?”

“Yes, aunt. Please speak comfortably.”

“Mercian, to tell you the truth, I was worried when Ruan told me he was marrying you. It’s not that I look down on your family, but out of my own greed, I had hoped he would marry a lady from a good family.”

Well, even though I only have six months left to live, since the family is the Canoloup duchy, many ladies from prestigious families must have sent marriage proposals.

Mercian felt somewhat bitter even as she thought Olivia’s words were correct.

“But now that I see you, I think I was mistaken.”

“Yes… What?”

“I really like that you look healthy.”

He-healthy? You don’t dislike me for being fatter than other ladies?

Mercian looked at Olivia with a puzzled expression at her words.

“You might feel upset if I say this, but I think one person who looks like they might collapse at any moment is enough in this household. If that child were healthy, it might be different. Seeing Ruan getting thinner every day, I can’t tell you how glad I am to see someone as healthy as you. Somehow, I feel like Ruan might become healthy again if he’s with you. Of course, that might just be my wishful thinking… Oh my, here I am rambling to someone I’ve just met. I only have one thing to ask of you. Please spend a happy time with that child until he leaves. I hope both you and that child have a marriage life without regrets. Well, it would be even better if a child were to come along, but if not, that’s also God’s will, so it can’t be helped.”

Mercian could tell from every word coming out of Olivia’s mouth how much she cherished and loved Ruan, even though she looked stern and sensitive at first glance.

Looking at Olivia, Mercian was reminded of Penelope, who only ever cared about Lucienne.

Lucy must have felt this way living with her mother.

Mercian felt envious of Ruan, who had such an aunt, even though he didn’t have much life left.

He’s much happier than me, who has a mother who’s useless even when she’s around.

Mercian looked at Olivia, who was holding her hand tightly, and replied with a bright smile:

“Yes, don’t worry, aunt. I’ll do my best to make the duke – I mean, Ruan – happy.”

“Thank you. And if anyone in this family treats you carelessly or bothers you, tell me.”

“Yes.”

“Well then, this old lady will take her leave now. It’s your wedding night, after all, so it wouldn’t be right to keep you too long. And you don’t need to come to the reception. I’ve already told them that Ruan isn’t feeling well and can’t attend, so you should rest too.”

I don’t have to go to the reception?

Mercian felt so happy at Olivia’s words that she wanted to hug her tightly.

“But the guests… I heard even the crown prince has come…”

“Who would dare say anything to a duke who will die in half a year? Don’t worry and rest.”

“Yes, aunt.”

After Olivia left, Charles looked at the dress regretfully and said:

“This green dress would have suited you so well. Everyone at the reception would have only looked at you, madam.”

That’s right. If I stood next to Ruan, it would be impossible not to draw people’s attention.

“Charles, if I don’t have to go to the reception, I’d like to sleep a bit. And before that, I’m sorry but could I have something to eat…”

“Ah, you probably didn’t eat well earlier either. I’ll prepare it right away.”

After Charles bowed and left, someone knocked on the door.

“Yes, come in.”

“Mer, you looked really pretty today.”

“Mother?”

Could it be, she came to see me?

Mercian stood up, seemingly pleased by Penelope’s unexpected visit.

“My goodness. I thought you were about to die with all the talk going around, but you look quite presentable. I was worried you’d embarrass us by looking too fat.”

“Mother!”

“I’m just saying. By the way, this seems to be your room.”

“Yes…”

“The duchy is indeed different, just as Lucy said. Such high-quality furniture. This dressing table would really suit Lucy well. What’s that room over there?”

Mercian felt a hollow laugh coming on as she watched Penelope, who had shown no interest in her since entering the room, mentioning Lucy and looking around the room.

What was I expecting just now?

“Did you come to see your married daughter? Or did you come to check if there’s anything you could take back for Lucy?”

“Mer, how can you say such things? Of course I came to see you.”

“I wish those words were true. Why is it that I can’t believe mother’s words?”

Mercian muttered, looking at Penelope whose words and actions were completely different.

“By the way, are you really planning to leave the duchy after the duke dies?”

“What?”

“I’ve been thinking. You officially married the duke, so you’re his wife, right? So even if the duke dies, you’re still the duchess.”

So you really did take the alimony in advance to keep me as the duchess.

I really hoped it wasn’t true.

Even when I heard from Cassel that he said he would receive the alimony along with the dowry, I hoped my thoughts were wrong.

500 gold coins plus 100 gold coins for 6 months, that’s 1100 gold coins in total.

With that amount, one might not be able to live a luxurious noble life, but it’s enough to keep two or three maids and live comfortably for a lifetime.

Is there really no end to mother and Lucienne’s greed?

Mercian looked at Penelope, whose actions matched her expectations perfectly, and said:

“Mother, we’ve already finished that conversation, haven’t we? And it’s clearly stated in the contract that if no child is born and the duke dies, I must leave the duchy without condition. I’ve signed it.”

“What? You signed that contract without even telling me?”

“And why didn’t you tell me that I have to sleep with the duke 4 times a week to have a child? And mother, you seem to have forgotten, but I’ve been married for less than an hour. No matter what, it’s not right to talk about the duke’s death at this moment. Did you really come to congratulate me on my marriage?”

“Didn’t I tell you? Oh my, I’ve been so upset because of you that I’m becoming forgetful. I must have forgotten to mention it. And anyway, you already know the duke is going to die, so what difference does it make if I say it today or a week later? Will it extend the duke’s life?”

“Mother!”

Surprised by Mercian’s sharp reaction, Penelope avoided Mercian’s gaze and said:

“Alright, I understand. I’ll stop talking about it. Anyway, I’ve seen the wedding ceremony go well and now I know your room is this nice, so I should be going now. Lucy is waiting for me at the reception. And this is really for your own good, but please don’t behave like you did in the viscount’s house. Don’t just laze around eating and lying about doing nothing, and don’t get kicked out of the duchy before the duke even dies by throwing tantrums like you did with us.”

It was strange.

Surely, in the past, this would have upset her.

Mercian no longer felt anything at Penelope’s harsh words.

No, rather, she felt pity for Penelope, who was constantly trying to find faults in her to prove that Lucienne was a much better child.

Right, no matter how much I deny it, to mother and sister, I’m just a lazy, gluttonous child with a bad temper, so I’m the strange one for denying it.

“Mer! Did you understand what I said?”

“Yes, mother. I’ll do as you say. If you’ve said everything you wanted to say, please leave now. I’m tired after being tense all day.”

Seeing Mercian respond differently than usual to her words, Penelope thought it was strange, but soon concluded that perhaps she had matured after getting married, and left the room.