I Tamed the Black Duke as a Terminally-Ill Saint (3 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 10
Could he possibly mean what he just said?
I looked back and forth between Sir William and Hades.
To others, I might have appeared like a nervous concubine caught awkwardly between two men, but the truth was different.
‘He must be a loyal retainer.’
It wasn’t simply because he spoke honestly to Hades that I deemed him loyal.
The answer lay in Hades’ own attitude toward him.
At the very least, in Hades’ eyes, he was a trustworthy and dependable man.
That was Sir William.
“Your Highness, I do not intend to insult Lady Angelica. I am merely advising you to exercise a bit more caution.”
Sir William continued without even pausing for breath.
“Moreover, she is an outsider, is she not? Since when have we ever allowed outsiders into the castle without verifying their background?”
Hades’ expression didn’t so much as flicker.
“Isn’t Sir Tobias himself an outsider as well?”
“His background is verified! That’s entirely different from this woman’s case!”
“I did conduct an investigation, in my own way.”
Hades’ reply was calm.
“Everything checked out precisely as she claimed.”
I couldn’t hide my astonishment.
He’d sent someone all the way to Casey in that short time to investigate?
Sir William still looked unconvinced.
“Is it really true that you are the Saintess?”
“Shall I show you?”
I interrupted the conversation, and instantly every gaze in the room turned to me.
Without waiting for a reply, I held out my palm toward Sir William.
Pure white flames flared up.
“…So you truly are the Saintess.”
Sir William reluctantly admitted it.
“But if you are indeed the Saintess, wouldn’t you have many other places to go? Couldn’t you seek shelter in a temple?”
I scoffed inwardly.
That would only be possible if one possessed sufficient sacred power.
With such feeble divine energy as mine, I’d be treated as nothing more than a parasite wherever I went.
Of course, I had no intention of revealing my weakness, so I offered no explanation.
“It was I who decided Angel’s place here. Are you now opposing my decision, Sir?”
“Yes.”
Sir William answered in an unwavering voice.
“Your Highness, have you forgotten how your predecessor met his end?”
“…”
A heavy silence settled over the room.
Even Hades seemed startled by those words.
“…Leave.”
Hmm, he sounded genuinely angry.
“I cannot leave until you expel that woman.”
I have to admit—
Sir William was undoubtedly a courageous man.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t dare defy Hades so recklessly, heedless of his own life.
Hades clenched his jaw.
“I won’t say it a third time. Go back, cool your head, and reflect carefully on what you’ve just said.”
“Your Highness…”
That… pitiful, whining sound really did come from me.
All eyes in the room turned back to me once again.
This time, their gazes clearly said, ‘Who is this madwoman?’
Apparently, acting cute just wasn’t my forte.
Hiding my flushed face in Hades’ chest, I spoke in a soft yet clear voice.
“Sir William is only worried about you, Your Highness. Please don’t be so harsh.”
“Angel.”
Hades looked genuinely moved.
“You’re so kind-hearted—how could I not cherish you?”
“That witch…!”
“Sir, even now, would you speak ill of Angel, who worries for you before anyone else?”
“…”
Sir William tightly shut his mouth, turned on his heel, and strode out of the dining room.
I pulled away from Hades’ embrace, but I couldn’t stop acting just yet.
After all, the servants hadn’t all left just because Sir William had.
“Your Highness.”
I looked up at Hades and blinked my eyes.
“My appetite’s completely gone.”
“You seem shaken.”
Hades replied gently.
“I’ll escort you back to your room.”
I swallowed hard.
I’d thought this was the perfect chance to return alone, but now I’d have to walk back with Hades, clearly showing everyone just how close we were.
Yet I couldn’t think of any good reason to refuse, so I simply smiled faintly.
“Then I’ll feel much safer. To be honest, Sir William truly frightened me.”
“There’s no need to be afraid.”
Hades looked utterly serious.
“How many people in this castle dare openly defy me and still walk away unharmed? He may talk big, but in truth, he won’t do a thing.”
In fact, there’s a bold maid right here who’s actually doing something, dear His Grace the Grand Duke.
Thinking this, I silently muttered my words to Hades in my head and stared straight at the maid before me.
“I asked for warm clothes to be brought, didn’t I?”
Until now, considering my sudden and precarious position in the castle, I’d played the part of an overly kind, almost foolish Saintess—but that was no longer necessary.
Truthfully, after Hades so clearly showed everyone how dearly he cherished me, I’d assumed this maid’s attitude would naturally shift too…
‘Is she brave… or just foolish?’
Perhaps she was both.
“I searched, but these were all I could find.”
The maid answered confidently.
That’s impossible.
I sighed and shook my head.
“What’s your name?”
“…Sola.”
“I see, Sola.”
Sola had been the maid assigned to attend me since my first day in the castle.
Which meant she was precisely the one who’d brought me those thin clothes and rotting food all this time.
Of course, it wouldn’t have been possible without cooperation from the other servants—but she’d clearly been at the center of it all.
“Why aren’t you doing your job properly?”
“I’m sorry!”
Suddenly, Sola dropped to her knees.
I was so taken aback I could only blink.
I’d expected her to defiantly insist she’d done nothing wrong—but instead, she knelt?
“I did my very best, but apparently it wasn’t enough for you, Saintess. Please, dismiss me!”
Hah.
So that’s how she planned to play it.
She probably thought that since she couldn’t torment me anymore, she’d frame it as if I’d cast her out—making me look cruel.
Naturally, my reputation would suffer even further.
It was actually a very clever move.
Except that ‘bad reputation’ wasn’t what I needed at all.
“Get up.”
I ordered coldly.
Sola rose quietly from the floor, showing no sign of panic.
“I’ll explain to you, one by one, exactly what you did wrong.”
“…”
“My eyes aren’t blind, and it’s plain to see what clothes everyone else wears. Are you telling me you couldn’t even bring me a simple woolen coat?”
“…”
“The same goes for the food.”
As I spoke, my frustration mounted.
However you slice it, tampering with someone’s food like that?
“I know you deliberately brought me only old and spoiled meals.”
“I only delivered what the kitchen sent up…”
“Every time I left even a bite uneaten, that dish mysteriously vanished from the menu entirely. How would the kitchen know unless you told them?”
Sola had no reply.
Her wavering eyes showed she’d finally realized I hadn’t been a fool all this time, helplessly enduring her schemes.
“Listen carefully, Sola.”
I gave her a faint smile.
“His Grace the Grand Duke was furious even at Sir William’s loyal counsel. I wonder how he’ll react when he hears about you and your friends?”
“F-forgive me!”
Sola’s voice sounded half-dazed.
“Of course I can’t possibly keep you by my side. How could I know what else you might do?”
“Saintess!”
Sola cried out desperately.
“I’ll do anything! Please, just forgive me! And the cooks—I was the only one who spoke to them! It was all my fault…”
I shook my head.
“If you thought I’d actually believe that, you’re truly naive. To begin with, the steward who assigned you to me in the first place is the real problem.”
“…!”
“Tell the steward this: I demand a new maid who will actually bring me proper food and warm clothing.”
Sola left the room, her face deathly pale.
I sighed inwardly.
Now that I thought about it, she looked quite young and probably hadn’t been a maid for long—did she really have to treat me so cruelly?
But my sympathy didn’t last long.
A cold autumn wind blew in, chilling me to the bone.
Frowning, I moved toward the fireplace to warm myself.
If the new maid the steward sent behaved like Sola, I was ready to turn this entire castle upside down.
Fortunately for both the steward and me, the new maid had a cheerful and sharp personality.
“It’s an honor to serve you, Saintess!”
The maid, who introduced herself as Amy, immediately apologized for Sola’s misdeeds and swiftly set things right.
The wardrobe, once filled only with thin garments, was now overflowing with warm, thick dresses, and an array of coats hung before me.
What pleased me most were the warm fur hat and socks.
“They didn’t even bring you a hat? Goodness, how could that happen?”
Amy, furious as if it were her own burden, promptly returned with a mountain of clothing.
And that wasn’t all.
“You should wear clothes that match current fashion trends too. I’ve already contacted the finest dressmaker in our Grand Duchy of Donovan. It’s a bit far, so it’ll take some time, though.”
I held back from saying I didn’t need fashionable clothes.
After all, it wouldn’t suit a concubine known for being greedy.
The food situation improved as well.
“You must be exhausted—I’ll bring you some warm tea. What dessert would you like with it?”
I paused to consider.
When I’d glanced into the kitchen earlier, I was certain…
“Anything’s fine—could I just have a nice, hot pie?”
“Of course!”
When Amy returned shortly after, the trolley she pushed was piled high with all kinds of pies.
Naturally, a steaming teapot accompanied them.
Having skipped dinner entirely, I was genuinely delighted to see the pies.
“Thank you so much.”
“To say thank you for something this small…”
Amy shook her head firmly.
“Just wait and see—you’ll have far more reasons to thank me from now on.”
Ah.
Now I understood.
Amy wasn’t being kind out of mere goodwill or pity.
She was an ambitious maid aiming to rise in status by winning my favor.
Did I mind?
Not at all.
In fact, someone like Amy was exactly the type who’d truly become loyal if treated well.
And based on everything I’d observed so far…
‘I need someone who follows only me.’
Not by the command of Hades Crohittner—but by mine alone.
Perhaps Amy could be that person.
Just as I decided to treat Amy even better and took a final sip of my tea—
“Oh dear, look at the time!”
Amy said, flustered.
“It is rather late.”
I nodded.
We’d long passed dinnertime—it was nearly bedtime.
“Right?”
Amy’s tone was unmistakably urgent.
“Hurry and get ready! You must go to His Highness right away!”
“Huh?”
I was momentarily confused.
Was there really a reason I needed to visit Hades Crohittner in the middle of the night…?
Ex-husband Wants Reconciliation
One-line summary: Chasing the wife to the crematorium (making an effort to attract someone who has become indifferent), the female lead doesn’t look back, the second male lead takes the position.
Intro:
To repay the kindness of the older generation, Su Mu crossed into a female-dominated world and became a live-in daughter-in-law of the Yan family, single-handedly saving the Yan family from fire and water.
But her husband, Yan Jiyue, the eldest son of the Yan family, treated her with sarcasm and never showed her a good face.
It wasn’t until after Su Mu’s death that this pampered and arrogant young master shed a few fake tears and pretended to want to die for love.
This life’s kindness was enough. If there was a next life, she would definitely kick Yan Jiyue away.
Who knew that the heavens would be so kind as to allow her to be reborn, returning to the time when she had just married into the Yan family.
Su Mu glanced at the Yan eldest son, who still spoke coldly to her, and threw a divorce letter in front of him.
“Let’s divorce!”
***
Yan Jiyue never imagined that he would be reborn. He happily went to find Su Mu, wanting to make up for the mistakes he had made in his ignorant youth.
Wasn’t the reason the heavens allowed him to be reborn to let him reconcile with Su Mu?
But when he pushed open the door to Su Mu’s room, the person lying on the bed was another man.
Su Mu’s personal attendant, Xie Yi.
Yan Jiyue hated him so much that his teeth itched. In front of Su Mu, Xie Yi was a gentle and considerate whisperer of sweet nothings, but in reality, he was vicious-hearted and deliberately sabotaged their husband and wife relationship.
In the previous life, it was he who secretly hid in Su Mu’s coffin and committed suicide, stealing a step ahead of him to be buried with Su Mu.
Yan Jiyue’s eyes were filled with hatred as he cursed, “What kind of thing are you? Your background is lowly, what right do you have to occupy Su Mu?”
Xie Yi looked at the sleeping Su Mu and no longer pretended to be a whisperer of sweet nothings.
He proudly stuck out his belly, “I have the right because my belly is capable of giving the Wife-master a daughter.”
***
Yan Jiyue was consumed with jealousy. He spread rumors that Xie Yi had once been branded with the mark of a “harlot” on his chest.
But on the night Xie Yi cut off the flesh bearing that mark, Su Mu suddenly realized something was amiss.
“How did you know the exact moment I was poisoned? And why did you show up a month early?”
Xie Yi remained silent, blood from his wound soaking through his robes. His sapphire eyes brimmed with anguish – or was it just a flawless act?
Between a once-arrogant husband now seeking redemption, and a gentle soul willing to die for her – who truly held the darkest secrets? And could it be that Su Mu and Yan Jiyue weren’t the only ones given a second chance at life…?
[Reading Guide]
1. True divorce, chasing the wife to the crematorium, the female lead doesn’t look back, the male lead is Xie Yi.
2. The ex-husband did not cheat, he just realized too late and didn’t realize that he liked the female lead.
_____
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