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~Chapter 11~
Elin got back into the carriage from the boutique and looked awkwardly at the pile of boxes stacked on the sofa across from her.
A small, helpless laugh escaped her.
“The Duke was already sure that I would accept his proposal.”
After losing sleep for days worrying about it, she suddenly felt foolish.
To think he understood her better than she understood herself.
She opened a small box and touched the lace gloves inside.
They were so smooth that her own hands felt rough in comparison.
“Don’t think of it as luxury. You must act in a way that matches the dignity of the Duchess of Linderto. That way, you can avoid unnecessary talk.”
Remembering the Duke’s words, she quietly closed the box again.
At the boutique today, she had truly realized—
what it meant to become the Duke of Linderto’s wife.
Because Janice was there, she had acted calm out of anger…
But would she have to live like this from now on?
“…We’ve arrived.”
Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t even notice the carriage had reached her house.
“How am I supposed to carry all this?”
Just as she was worrying, she saw Marie outside the gate.
Marie was looking around the unfamiliar carriage with a confused expression.
“Marie.”
“Miss Elin?”
As soon as she recognized Elin stepping out of the carriage, she rushed over in shock.
“What—what are all these?”
“There’s a lot of luggage. Can you help me?”
Marie peeked inside the carriage and her eyes widened.
“I’ll go call more people!”
She ran into the house, and soon returned with a few others.
“What’s going on? Why all this noise?”
Rosana came out next, looking annoyed.
But when she saw Elin standing in front of the luxurious carriage, her eyes widened in shock.
“Elin? What is this? Why are you getting out of that carriage—”
Before she could finish, she shouted toward the house.
“Dear! Come out quickly! Dear!”
Hearing Rosana’s excited voice, Elin already felt exhausted.
With a tired expression, she slowly walked inside.
“Elin.”
She ran into her father as he stepped out of his study.
With a calm face, she said:
“I have something to tell you.”
A moment later, the three of them sat in the living room.
A heavy silence filled the air.
Baron Nilson and Rosana stared at Elin anxiously, waiting for her to speak.
As if finishing a long-delayed task, Elin spoke briefly and clearly:
“The Duke of Linderto has proposed to me.”
As soon as she finished—
Rosana clutched her chest as if she couldn’t breathe,
and the Baron’s lips trembled as he tried to hold back his excitement.
The Duke of Linderto?
A prestigious family that had been connected to the royal family for generations.
A young Duke known for his incredible business skills—
someone who drew wealth from both the kingdom and foreign lands.
And now… they would become relatives with such a family?
It felt unreal.
Rosana swallowed hard and asked slowly, carefully:
“So… you accepted his proposal, of course… right?”
Elin answered calmly:
“Yes.”
The couple looked at each other—
their eyes almost dancing with joy.
They looked like they had just discovered a gold mine.
Seeing that, Elin felt even more ashamed.
“I’ll go upstairs now.”
As Elin stood up, Rosana hurriedly called out:
“Elin! Wait!”
She clearly wanted to ask more, but Elin went straight to her room.
Even after the Baron returned to his study,
Rosana couldn’t calm down.
She paced around the sofa restlessly.
“This isn’t a dream, right? Becoming related to the Linderto family…”
She couldn’t understand how Elin had captured the Duke’s attention.
Ever since she was young, Elin reminded her of her mother—
and that alone made Rosana dislike her.
At first, Elin had been obedient,
but later she became cold toward her.
Rosana had only wanted to marry her off quickly.
Even if it meant sending her as a second wife to some old rich man—
she didn’t care.
“And yet… she had the ability to catch a Duke?”
She had never imagined that.
Still, doubt began to grow in her mind.
“There’s no way a family like that would accept Elin as their daughter-in-law…”
No matter how she thought about it,
a family like the Lindertos wouldn’t accept just anyone as Duchess.
“Maybe the Duke has lost his mind… but it won’t last long. She’ll be thrown out eventually.”
Rosana only thought about what this marriage would bring her—
status in high society,
and financial gain.
Not just Elin—
the entire family would rise in status instantly.
It was enough to make anyone faint from happiness.
“…Ah…”
Rosana gently rubbed her stomach.
It had been feeling uncomfortable, like being pricked with needles.
“Why does my stomach hurt like this?”
Thinking about Elin walking proudly as the Duchess—
made her feel strangely bitter.
Of all people…
“Why Elin… and not my daughter, Janice?”
In the middle of a garden filled with exotic blooming flowers,
there stood a pavilion shaped like an ancient temple.
Several noble ladies sat together, drinking tea and chatting warmly.
“Tell us about your trip. Is it true people ride elephants instead of horses there?”
“I brought some beautiful paintings this time. After tea, let’s go see them together.”
“Oh my, I’m looking forward to it!”
At that moment, a servant approached with a silver tray and spoke to the mistress of the villa, Melissa.
“Your Grace has sent an urgent message, Madam.”
“Dominic?”
Hearing the word urgent, Melissa quickly opened the letter.
The noble ladies watched her curiously.
“It’s not something serious, is it?”
“Did something happen in the capital?”
After reading the letter, Melissa looked slightly surprised—
then smiled gracefully.
“Dominic says he’s going to get married.”
The news of the marriage between the Duke of Linderto and the daughter of Baron Nilson—
shook not just the capital, but the entire kingdom.
“Unbelievable.”
“The Nilson family? I don’t even know who they are. Why would he marry into such a family?”
“The Moas Count family must be in mourning right now. They probably thought they would become relatives with the Duke—what a disaster.”
“Or maybe not. They might actually be happy. Isn’t the Crown Prince pursuing the Count’s daughter?”
“The most shocked person must be the Grand Duchess. She would never have imagined accepting a daughter-in-law from such a family. If she had been in the capital, this marriage wouldn’t have happened at all.”
“So that’s why the Duke moved quickly. He acted first before anyone could stop him.”
“Now that makes sense. It really does.”
Wherever people gathered, they talked endlessly about the marriage.
A few days after the Duke made the marriage official—
two women arrived in the capital.
One from Castia,
and the other from the southern coast of Renon.
As they stepped out of their carriages,
their faces showed complicated emotions.
“Welcome, Aunt.”
As Isabella Avery stepped down with the help of her cane, Baron Nilson personally escorted her.
Her silver hair was elegantly styled, and her makeup was bold and refined.
Everyone looked tense in her presence.
She slowly looked over everyone who had come to greet her and smiled faintly.
“Thank you for welcoming an old woman like me.”
At her words, Rosana quickly stepped forward with a bright expression.
“We’re honored by your visit, Aunt.”
Janice, who had already married, was also there—along with her husband, Royce.
After all, no one could even estimate how much wealth this elderly woman possessed.
Baron Nilson and Rosana treated her as if a queen herself had arrived.
“Grandmother Isabella!”
While everyone else was cautious around her,
Elin ran forward and embraced her warmly, as if greeting her real grandmother.
“Elin. It’s been a long time. Let me see your face.”
Isabella carefully studied Elin’s face—
her eyes filled with concern, doubt, and worry.
She didn’t miss the faint shadow in Elin’s clear green eyes.
“You look thinner. Haven’t you been eating well here? You’re about to become a bride, yet you look so fragile. Will you really be treated properly as the lady of a Duke’s house?”
Her words sounded like scolding, but they were full of concern.
Tears gathered in Elin’s eyes.
Rosana watched the two with an uncomfortable expression,
then quickly forced a bright smile.
“Please come inside. You must be tired from such a long journey.”
“Yes, I am a little tired. I’d like some tea. Make it strong.”
Then she glanced at Elin with a sharp look.
“And while we drink, I’d like to hear about this suspicious marriage of yours.”
Her words sounded like a joke—
but they hit the truth directly.
Elin’s smile wasn’t as bright anymore.
Meanwhile, the Linderto mansion was just as busy.
The Grand Duchess had returned after a long time.
As Melissa Linderto—the former Duchess—arrived,
all the servants, led by Jeffrey, respectfully welcomed her.
Dominic personally escorted his mother as she stepped down from the carriage.
“It’s been a while since you’ve returned.”
Melissa looked at her son—
who had grown even more handsome since she last saw him—
and instead of smiling, she let out a small sigh.
“Such a perfect son… and yet he’s marrying into a family beneath him.”
She had already heard countless rumors and concerns from others.
She hadn’t even met the girl yet—
but just thinking about her son, who seemed too perfect for the world,
made her uneasy.
That was why she sighed.
Melissa chose not to say anything for now and gently wrapped her arm around her son’s neck.
From head to toe, she embodied elegance—
a true noblewoman of the Linderto family.
Jeffrey and Higgins watched the scene from behind with satisfaction.
In a quiet voice only the two of them could hear, Higgins muttered:
“The next lady of the Linderto house should be someone worthy of following the Grand Duchess…”
He had already investigated the Nilson family—
so his words carried more concern than expectation.
Hearing this, Jeffrey recalled the young lady who had visited the mansion before.
Her voice had been as clear as morning dew,
and her face bright and gentle.
Though her clothes were simple,
she never seemed vulgar or cheap.
If Melissa and Sylvia were the height of luxury and glamour—
then Elin possessed a different kind of elegance and beauty.
“I believe she is a good person. But…”
He paused slightly.
“I’m more worried about whether she will get along with the Madam.”
Higgins silently agreed.
“One thing is certain… the mansion won’t be as quiet as it used to be.”
The two men nodded at the same time.
