IGBD 05

Chapter 5

“I’ll have dinner prepared.”

When Yuan closed the documents he was reviewing, his aide rose from his seat and spoke.

At his words, Yuan turned his gaze to the window. The world bathed in the setting sun was dyed orange.

Realizing it was time for dinner, Yuan gave his aide a nod.

Once the aide left the private cabin, Yuan rubbed his temple where a faint headache had been lingering for some time.

Then he suddenly noticed how quiet the room was. He rose from his seat. On the long couch, Sereret sat alone, nodding off to sleep. Her maid was nowhere to be seen.

Yuan strode toward her. Her head kept drooping forward, and he caught it gently with his hand before it fell.

Her head and cheek rested in his palm. The soft, ticklish sensation was unfamiliar, and for a brief moment, Yuan’s gray eyes wavered.

Still holding her head, he slowly examined her sleeping face.

Her curly blonde hair seemed as though it would carry the best scent in the world. Her closed eyes, when open, always sparkled like sapphires.

Whenever Yuan saw blue gemstones, Sereret Inohater was the first person who came to mind. That was how beautiful her eyes were—like jewels.

A beautiful woman.
And a kind, innocent woman.

That was the Sereret he knew. But today, she had shown him sides of herself that surprised him.

The way she had swung a vase, the way she had cursed and spat, the way she had calmly criticized him—he had never seen any of it before.

Even this sight of her fast asleep, breathing softly, felt fresh and strangely stirred his curiosity.

Just then, Sereret whimpered and began talking in her sleep.

“To you… what am I?”

Her long eyelashes quickly grew damp with tears. She looked tormented, as if trapped in a nightmare. Her lips trembled.

“Lady Inohater?”

Yuan called to her, puzzled. But her sleep-talking only deepened.

“I loved you.”

Her murmured words, mingled with sobs, sounded so wretched they pained the ear. Yuan frowned at the sight.

He disliked the sadness on her face. He disliked her saying she had loved.

The words she had spoken during their meal echoed in his mind:

‘Then will you break the engagement?’
‘To think you’d take as your wife a madwoman who already loves someone else.’

Could she have been serious? Yuan’s face hardened.

“Lady Inohater.”

He shook her shoulders. He did not like the thought that his fiancée was dreaming of another man.

“…Mm.”

Her jaw trembled, and at last she opened her eyes.

Perhaps still caught in the sorrow of her dream, her expression remained shadowed as she pulled her face away from his hand.

“It seems you had a nightmare.”

“Yuan…”

Her blue eyes welled with tears as she looked up at him. They shone with such piercing brightness that he felt momentarily blinded.

But then those eyes filled quickly with hatred, resentment, and fury. And all of it was directed at him.

A sharp pang stabbed Yuan’s chest. This gaze—it felt as though he had seen it before.

“Yuan.”

Her voice, heavy with reproach, called his name. The tears in her eyes slid down her cheeks.

Why are you looking at me like that? For what reason? Unconsciously, Yuan gripped her shoulders.

But Sereret wiped away her tears and pushed his arms aside. Rising, she searched for her maid.

“Hannah.”

“She seems to have stepped out.”

Watching her glance about for Hannah, Yuan spoke. At his words, Sereret quickly left the cabin.

Left alone, Yuan stared at the hand that had just gripped her shoulders.

Her slender frame, the faint warmth of her body… Now that it was gone from his hand, he felt strangely unsettled.

A mixture of regret, emptiness, and unease clawed at his nerves.

That such feelings could be provoked by a woman who was nothing more than his fiancée surprised him.

With a quiet sigh, he returned to the table. He tried to calm his restless mind by reading the newspaper, when his aide reentered with Sereret and her maid.

She gave Yuan a quick glance before sitting on the couch again. The aide and a train staff member arranged the food, while Hannah carried a tray over.

“I ordered something light—sandwiches. Would you like tea, or juice?”

“Tea.”

Answering curtly, Yuan flicked a glance at Sereret as she accepted a sandwich from Hannah.

Her eyes were no longer wet. Though that gave him some relief, it also left him strangely displeased. Thus their meal began, each in their own place.

The aide suggested she sit at the table, but Sereret declined.

She chose the inconvenience of eating on the couch without a table, and that too rubbed Yuan the wrong way.

Even while eating, he found himself stealing glances at her.

It was baffling. Yuan Prekthuster, who had never once cared about another’s opinion in his life, was now mindful of his fiancée’s every reaction.

To him, Sereret had always been a woman of no consequence.

He had needed someone to be his fiancée, and she happened to come to mind. She was suitable. So he got engaged to her.

Like a pen or a sheet of paper—an object to be used when needed. Just one of countless things that surrounded him.

Something easily replaceable. Yet here he was, watching her every move. He couldn’t understand himself.

When the meal drew to a close, Sereret rose from the couch and approached him with quiet steps.

Surprised, Yuan looked up. His aide moved aside to give her room.

“Sit, Lady Inohater.”

He gestured to the chair across from him.

She sat down and spoke.

“I have a request, Your Grace.”

“Yes.”

He tilted his head, inviting her to go on.

“Have a dress made for me. And some jewelry, too. I also need shoes. I’d like you to assign me a lady’s maid to attend me.”

“A rather unexpected request.”

Yuan studied her, surprised.

He had never thought Sereret would ask such a thing. Her clothing was always modest—modest even compared to what her family’s finances could afford.

The dresses she wore were mostly old, hand-me-downs from her mother.

Even on the day he proposed, she had been wearing an old brown gown. On his visits to Moshelier, she had always worn outdated styles no young lady would choose.

From what Yuan knew, the Inohater household could afford at least one or two new dresses a year without trouble.

And surely her doting father would not refuse her a decent gown. So, he had always assumed it was Sereret’s choice to dress in such old things.

Even now, her clothes and shoes seemed too plain for a noblewoman. Middle-class families dressed better these days.

He had considered ordering her a gown for the imperial ball, but thought better of it. Preparing such a thing without her request would have been impolite, and he doubted she would accept the gesture.

But here she was, asking him first. That made him both pleased and curious. She wasn’t the sort of woman to make such requests.

“Do you dislike my request?”

“Of course not. I’ll give the order.”

“Thank you.”

With a faint, aloof smile, she gave her thanks, then rose and returned to her maid with light steps.

Watching her retreating figure, Yuan’s brows knit slightly.

His fiancée’s change was unusual. If it had been brought about by another man, that he could not tolerate.

Even if Sereret was as replaceable as pen and paper, it was another matter if some other man dared touch what belonged to him.

Whether to discard what had been handled by another, or to cut off the hand that touched it—he would have to consider carefully.

“Her dress is wrinkled, but don’t worry, my lady. The duke’s residence will have better irons. The creases will be smoothed out in no time.”

Hannah chattered away as she unpacked the dress from the trunk.

Perhaps the lingering excitement of the train journey hadn’t worn off, or perhaps it was the thrill of arriving in the capital for the first time, but she remained restless and giddy.

“No need to press it, Hannah.”

Slouched on the couch, Sereret muttered weakly. Unlike her maid, she was exhausted from the long train ride.

“But you can’t possibly wear a wrinkled gown.”

Hannah leapt up, appalled, as though Sereret had said something outrageous.

“I’ll have a new dress made. I’m not wearing that one.”

Sereret’s voice was heavy with drowsiness. In her previous life, she had worn that very gown to the ball.

It had been altered from one of her mother’s old gowns, and its design was hopelessly outdated compared to the fashions of the capital. To the central nobles, it had looked unbearably rustic.

To her face, they had called it “vintage” or “classic,” but the moment her back was turned, they had mocked her, saying it looked like her grandmother’s dress.

And of course, they had said she was no match for Duke Prekthuster.

“I won’t hear those words again.”

She murmured, fighting the weight of her eyelids.

Whatever happened with Yuan, she would not endure the humiliation of being known as the provincial Lady Inohater.

Hannah, halfway through hanging the dress, spun around in shock.

“A new dress, my lady? All of a sudden?”

“His Grace agreed to it.”

“How wonderfully considerate of him!”

Hannah clasped her hands, eyes shining with emotion.

Considerate, was it? Another such gesture of consideration, and he might bathe her in poison. Sereret gave a small, bitter laugh.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Sitting up, Sereret nodded for Hannah to open it.

When the door swung open, a familiar face entered. It was Mei Lindsy, the head maid of the ducal household in the capital.

In her past life, Mei had opposed her at every turn. She had ignored Sereret’s words, yet hung on Lydia’s every one.

To Mei Lindsy, the true mistress of Prekthuster’s household had not been Sereret, but Lydia.

Lifting her chin, Sereret met the woman’s eyes.

Let’s hear, then—what words will you use this time to put yourself above me?

A faint, sharp smile curved her lips.