🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter : 50
Luciano approached me carefully as I stepped down from the carriage.
“I’m back, Luciano.”
He reached out his hand to me, but I ignored it and walked past him.
Because of the manifestation of the power of the sun, a red glow always lingered around him, and that sight alone was enough to fill me with fear.
“Madam?”
“I’m sorry, Luciano. I’m tired today, so I’ll go inside first.”
He stared at me blankly, but I left him behind and entered the mansion first.
“Madam, what’s wrong?”
Dahlia, who had been following behind me, tilted her head in confusion as she asked.
“You don’t need to know….”
He hadn’t fully manifested the power of the sun yet, so he wasn’t dangerous enough to take my life—but even so, I was afraid, and I couldn’t help avoiding him.
“Shall I prepare your bath?”
“Yes. Please.”
Dahlia bowed and headed to the bathroom to prepare the bathwater.
“Madam!!”
What now….
Luciano hurried after me into the mansion. I wanted to avoid him, but I couldn’t.
Too many eyes are watching.
Not only Luciano’s attendants, but other servants—and even Ed—were watching. I couldn’t openly avoid him.
“Yes, Luciano.”
“Why have you been avoiding me lately?”
“I haven’t….”
I spoke in a small voice, deliberately avoiding his eyes.
“You’re avoiding my eyes even now.”
“I’m tired.”
“It’s so difficult to talk to you, Madam.”
“You and I are both busy, Luciano.”
“Then please allow me to talk to you now.”
“I’m sorry. Dahlia said she’s preparing my bath.”
Our conversation kept ending abruptly. Nothing flowed smoothly. He kept trying to continue, while I kept trying to cut it short.
“Do you dislike talking to me?”
He let out a sigh before speaking.
“I’m just tired.”
Ah… it’s hard to breathe….
Breathing became more and more difficult.
Does he know? That his power is poison to me.
Unaware of the state I was in, Luciano tried to keep me there.
“Please… have you come to dislike me?”
He grabbed my wrist as he spoke.
His voice was full of sorrow, but I couldn’t pay attention to that—the wrist he was holding burned, stung, and hurt.
In the end, I shook his hand off.
“I told you it’s not like that!”
Luciano seemed startled by my raised voice and couldn’t say anything.
Even the servants passing by began to look at us.
This shouldn’t be happening.
Regret came too late.
“You know it too. We’re going to divorce soon.”
“Madam….”
“This is uncomfortable. All of this.”
“Madam, that’s not—!”
“I’ll go inside first.”
“Estellin….”
Just as I spoke coldly and tried to enter my room, he called my name.
He had always addressed me as “Madam,” so hearing him say “Estellin” felt unfamiliar—like the first time.
But I knew that if I turned around, everything I had said before would become meaningless.
So I didn’t look back and entered my room.
“Madam, the bath is ready.”
“Yes.”
After removing my cumbersome dress and soaking in the bathtub, I dismissed the maids and looked down at my wrist where he had grabbed me.
“It’s red….”
Thankfully, the pain had stopped, but the redness stood out vividly against my pale skin.
“Did I hurt him?”
His sorrowful expression lingered in my mind. To avoid the situation, I had brought up divorce in front of others.
Even knowing Luciano would be put in an awkward position, I had forced myself to justify it.
It’s fine. Rebecca will be here soon.
After finishing my bath and returning to my room, I heard maids whispering through a slightly open door.
“Did you hear earlier??”
“No, I was outside.”
“They say Madam said she’s divorcing His Grace the Grand Duke!”
“Really?!”
One maid exclaimed loudly, and another hurriedly covered her mouth.
“Be quiet…! Madam’s room is right there.”
“But why would they divorce?”
“I know. Lately, it seemed like their relationship was getting better….”
Why is it that my expectations never miss?
The discord between the master and mistress didn’t benefit the family, but it made perfect gossip—so I could understand.
I let it go, but I never expected it to spread as a rumor the very next day.
“Madam!! This is terrible!”
“What is it that has you making such a fuss?”
The moment I woke up, Dahlia, Cassia, and Sera—all my personal maids—rushed into my room.
“It’s truly serious, Madam.”
Seeing normally calm people in such a panic made me curious.
“What happened?”
“The rumor that you and His Grace the Grand Duke are divorcing has spread throughout the entire household. All the servants are talking about it.”
At first, I wondered if it was really that serious—but after thinking about it, it was.
“You must immediately control the servants’ tongues.”
Servants constantly gossiping about their masters was bad for the family’s reputation.
Rumors grow more distorted the more mouths they pass through.
For now, only the Grand Duke’s servants were talking, but there was no telling when it might spread beyond the household. If it reached the Empress of Perisian or the noble faction, it could become a real problem.
“Dahlia.”
“Yes, Madam.”
“Bring Ed here at once.”
“Understood.”
Dahlia immediately went out and brought Ed back.
“You called for me, Madam.”
“I hear that since yesterday, inappropriate rumors about Luciano and me have been circulating among the servants. Is that true?”
Ed nodded.
“I have no desire to control servants’ idle talk, but when the subject is Luciano and me, that becomes a problem.”
“My apologies, Madam.”
I should have silenced them yesterday….
I deeply regretted my choice.
“Make sure the servants are thoroughly silenced. If I find out this has leaked outside the household, not only the servants but you as well will be punished.”
I felt bad for shifting responsibility onto Ed, but there was no other choice.
“Oh—and where is Luciano?”
“His Grace left early for the Imperial Palace.”
“About yesterday—”
I almost asked Ed how Luciano had been afterward, but I swallowed my words, afraid of leaving room for misunderstanding.
“Yes? What did you say, Madam?”
“No. Never mind. You may leave.”
Ed bowed and left my room.
“Will the servants keep quiet now?” Cassia asked beside me.
“They must. And if anyone continues spreading rumors after this, bring them to me. I’ll punish them myself.”
“Yes, Madam.”
Dealing with all this commotion first thing in the morning already left me drained.
“Madam, would you like breakfast?”
“No… I’ll sleep a little longer.”
“Understood.”
The maids drew the curtains and left the room.
Once they were gone, I pulled the blanket over my head and closed my eyes.
When I opened them again, it was already bright midday.
“Madam, you’re awake?”
“Why didn’t you wake me earlier?”
“You seemed very tired, so we didn’t.”
“Thank you.”
With the maids’ help, I washed up and ate lunch.
Perhaps Ed had warned the servants—many of them watched me carefully.
Even so, part of my mind kept drifting back to Luciano.
The memory of raising my voice at him last night lingered.
Of course, I was the only one who raised my voice.
“I wonder if he ate before leaving….”
“If you mean His Grace, he ate early before departing.”
The chef beside me answered my muttering.
“Ah… I see.”
I smiled awkwardly at him.
Not knowing whether the food was going into my mouth or nose, I hurriedly finished eating and returned to my bedroom.
Anyone might criticize me for neglecting a noble’s duties and lazing about—but today, I didn’t care.
After how things ended with Luciano yesterday, the exhaustion wouldn’t leave me.
“Madam, are you going to sleep again?”
“Mm….”
I’d never slept this much before, but no matter how much I slept, my body felt heavy and my eyes kept closing.
“Madam, are you feeling unwell?”
“No. I’m fine. You may go.”
I slept all day. When I opened my eyes, it was evening. When I opened them again, it was night.
What’s wrong with me today?
It wasn’t like me at all.
As I looked out the window, I saw Luciano returning to the estate after leaving the Imperial Palace.
I tried to go outside carefully to avoid him, but whether by chance or fate’s cruel joke, we ran into each other.
“Welcome back, Luciano.”
I felt I should greet him—but his reply was cold.
“Yes. Excuse me.”
It was unbearably cold.
Why is he like this?
If he acted this way, it should make my decision to divorce easier—so why did my heart ache?
Tears welled in my eyes.
It was a strange feeling.
I couldn’t explain it in words, and no matter how hard I tried to smile, I couldn’t.
I forced myself to steady my heart.
This is the right choice.
