“Why have you come to the Grand Duke’s castle without any notice?”

Although I haven’t left the empire yet, I subconsciously thought I had completely escaped from Evelle.

But… I was wrong.

Perhaps because of the sudden situation, my heart began to beat abnormally fast.

Not realizing that I was visibly hastening my steps, I arrived at the 2nd floor reception room reserved for distinguished guests where Feria was.

“Your Highness. Are you alright?”

“Ah… Yes, I’m fine.”

Rotheo looked at me with unusually worried eyes. After a brief moment of contemplation, I spoke.

“When it seems like Reus is finishing his conversation with Viscount Gretion later… Could you tell him to come here for a moment?”

“Of course, Your Highness. It won’t be a problem.”

“The tea prepared inside is sufficient, so there’s no need to send more up.”

“I understand that as well, Your Highness.”

I didn’t want anyone in the Grand Duke’s castle to find out how I had been treated in the Evelle family. So I smiled at Rotheo as if nothing was wrong.

After successfully getting rid of the people, I quickly entered the reception room.

As soon as I opened the door, I saw Feria’s back. As always, she had the perfect appearance of a noble lady.

“You’re here?”

Feria didn’t even turn around and only said one sentence. But that alone was enough to make me feel suffocated.

“Are you going to keep standing there stupidly like that, Roel?”

“Ah, no…”

At the irritated voice, my feet moved on their own. After standing right behind Feria, I waited for her next words with bated breath.

The longer the silence lasted, the more anxious I became, worrying that she might suddenly yell at me or hit me.

As my palms gradually became damp, Feria finally spoke.

“The Grand Duke’s castle is quite nice. Everything is excellent. The servants, the landscaping, the buildings… It’s definitely incomparable to the Erysian Marquis’ family. What do you think, Roel?”

“I, I… I think so too, Mother.”

At my answer, Feria finally turned around.

“Yes. Of course. Even without you saying it directly, I can tell by looking at your face.”

In an instant, Feria closed the gap and fiercely grabbed my chin.

“Eugh…”

“Your face looks so good that it’s almost moving, so I understand very well, right?”

But this is where I live now. I’m no longer the eldest daughter of Evelle, but the head of a family.

At least I thought she wouldn’t do what she did in Evelle.

However, Feria’s grip was even more forceful than when I was at the Evelle Count’s estate.

The fear that engulfed me turned the Grand Duke’s castle reception room into the corner storage room of the Evelle Count’s estate.

“You insolent girl… You wicked wretch who doesn’t know gratitude!”

She gripped so tightly as if she would break my jaw at any moment, making it difficult to even let out a groan.

“I shouldn’t have married you to the Grand Duke when you don’t even know the grace of being raised! Someone like you should have married Casien and lived in hell for the rest of your life.”

“Eugh…!”

Feria abruptly let go of my chin, causing me to stagger back.

Before I could stand up straight, her sharp index finger poked my shoulder repeatedly. With the force behind her gestures, I had no choice but to step back as Feria pushed me.

“Do you even know what state Evelle is in right now to be acting so carefree?”

“Mo, Mother, please calm down a bit…”

The moment I opened my mouth, Feria raised her hand. Startled, I reflexively turned my head in the opposite direction.

Fortunately, the sharp hand didn’t slap my cheek.

Instead, Feria grabbed my arm so tightly that it would leave a bruise and pulled it up. Then, she recited in a low voice close to my face.

“You were born as a bug and allowed to live as Evelle’s eldest daughter. You should be repaying that grace.”

“Mo, Mother…”

“I let you live like a human when you could have died as trash rolling on the streets, and you, how dare you!”

“If you’re too loud… People might come…”

“Shut your mouth! When did I say you could open it?”

Feria, who had grabbed my other arm as well, looked down at me with a terrifying expression.

“You’ve really become insolent, Roel.”

“…”

“I should have locked you in the basement and made sure you never saw the light again. That day, I should have… I should have killed you…!”

It was the moment when Feria was about to strangle my neck. A neat knocking sound was heard, shattering the acute tension.

Feria flinched and hurriedly removed her hands, then gently wrapped her arms around my shoulders as if she had never been angry. I also spoke in a voice that was no different from usual.

“Yes, come in.”

The person who entered as the door opened was Reus.

I didn’t know if he had not been having an important conversation with Viscount Gretion, or if Rotheo had forcibly called Reus, but it was fortunate.

Although my pounding heart still hadn’t calmed down, at least I could breathe a sigh of relief.

No matter how much Feria tried, she couldn’t do anything to me in front of Reus.

“Your Highness. It seems this is the first time we’ve met since the wedding. Have you been well?”

“As you can see.”

Reus, who had given a brief answer, immediately approached me. Perhaps because of what had just happened, my body jerked at the slightest movement.

However, Reus didn’t show any signs of noticing and carefully led me to sit next to him.

Then, he casually gestured with his eyes for Feria to sit across from us.

Feria seemed slightly offended but soon took a seat opposite. As soon as she did, Reus spoke in a pressing manner without any greetings.

“I’d like to hear the reason for coming to the Grand Duke’s castle without any notice first.”

“Of course, I came to see my daughter. Do I need to give notice to see my own daughter? It’s already been nearly three months since the wedding, and as a mother, I’m ashamed to be visiting only now.”

Feria responded glibly, but Reus did not answer.

“And as Your Highness must have noticed, this child is not very quick in her actions. I was worried about whether she was adapting well, or if she was causing trouble for the Rochester Grand Ducal House… So I visited with various concerns in mind.”

“It seems that Madam was not particularly close to my wife.”

At the somewhat meaningful remark, Feria stumbled over her words for a moment.

“Th-that, what do you mean by that, Your Highness…?”

“Roel is fulfilling her role as the Grand Duchess better than anyone else. But I don’t understand what Madam is so worried about that she even disregarded etiquette to come to the Grand Duke’s castle.”

“It’s a relief to hear that she’s doing well. But when she was in Evelle, she used to make frequent minor mistakes. Thinking about that, I couldn’t just sit still…”

Reus cut off Feria’s words.

“If you keep making such absurd excuses…”

“…”

“It will become even more difficult for Madam to say what she really wants to say.”

At Reus’ words, Feria’s mouth snapped shut.

Come to think of it, she had said something like that earlier. Asking if I knew what state Evelle was in right now.

Since Theron informed me about the progress whenever he came to the Grand Duke’s castle, I knew that the Count’s family’s fortune had not yet declined to the point of collapse.

Those words were enough to shake Feria and the Evelle Count’s family to this extent.

From my position of seeking revenge, it was a good thing, but I wasn’t entirely happy about it.

‘I thought at least the Grand Duke’s castle would be safe, but it turns out it’s not…’

If I tried anything further and got caught by any chance, I was afraid that I would die at Feria’s hands before I could even try to escape.

‘If Reus hadn’t come sooner, she definitely had a look in her eyes like she would have done something…’

Now that the original story had been twisted, my death wasn’t just two years away.

The day I die could be tomorrow, or perhaps even today.

So these sudden changes were even more terrifying.

After a long period of silence, Feria, who had been staring at me intently, finally brought up the main point.

“…We need the help of the Rochester Grand Ducal House, Your Highness.”

The humiliation was evident in her faltering voice.

Even when she was being gossiped about in high society in the past, Feria had held her head high. How agonizing must it be for her to have to lower her head like this for the sake of her family?

Even if the other party was the one and only Grand Duke of the empire whom everyone looked up to.

“If you had stated the main point from the beginning, there wouldn’t have been any unpleasant feelings on either side.”

“I apologize, Your Highness. It’s such a delicate matter, so I tried to bring it up as indirectly as possible, but it seems that became the source of trouble.”

Feria apologized in a humble manner, but Reus blatantly ignored it.

“I will receive the details in writing. …But Madam.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Reus stared at Feria with emotionless eyes and spoke in a slightly ominous voice.

“I don’t have a very good temper. I’ll overlook this rudeness for Roel’s sake, but there won’t be a next time.”

Just by looking at her extremely tense facial muscles, I could tell the level of humiliation Feria felt. However, Reus acted as if it was none of his concern and didn’t show even the minimum courtesy until the end.

“We’re in the middle of receiving guests as a couple, so I don’t think we’ll be able to see you off. If you understand, you may leave now.”

Perhaps due to anger, Feria’s hand holding the bag turned white. But even so, she didn’t reveal her true nature in the end.

As Feria bowed and was about to leave, Reus called out to her as if summoning a servant.

“Ah, wait a moment.”

Then Feria

“I think it’s better to clarify this as well. Roel is no longer a person of the Evelle Count’s family, but a person of the Rochester Grand Ducal House. No matter how much you are her mother, I’d appreciate it if you refrained from treating her casually as before.”

“Of course. How could there be any other way, Your Highness the Grand Duke?”

Even at Feria’s answer, Reus showed no gesture. He only stared at Feria’s face as if asking if she had more to say.

Soon, Feria spoke.

“Your… Highness.”

And Reus nodded once as if telling her to leave now.