🔊 TTS Settings
chapter 63
At Lydia’s words, calling the Duchess precious, Anita blinked slowly. Not the person she hated most in the world?
“…What?”
“Sereret is a very precious woman who will give birth to my and Yuan’s child. But you harmed Sereret.”
Annoyance flashed in Lydia’s eyes as they fell upon Anita’s face. Truly, Anita’s handling of matters was a disaster.
Since Lydia herself could not bear a child, Sereret had to give birth to Yuan’s child. But if Anita laid hands on such a woman, what then? Foolish Anita.
And if Sereret were to die, Yuan might marry another woman. Then Lydia would have to watch that sight again?
The very thought made Lydia tremble with horror. What should she do with such a stupid Anita? Lydia looked down at her with icy eyes.
Anita turned pale and dropped to the floor at Lydia’s reaction.
“I was wrong, Your Highness.”
“Anita.”
“I have committed a mortal sin.”
“Lift your head.”
Looking down at the trembling, begging Anita, Lydia spoke in a dry voice.
Anita raised her tear-stained face to her.
“You harmed the Duchess, so you cannot escape death.”
“Y-Your Highness…”
Anita trembled violently, her expression pleading desperately for her life, terrified Lydia truly meant to abandon her.
“But since I am here, do not worry. We can set up another as the culprit.”
“Your Highness…”
At Lydia’s following words, Anita burst into tears—tears mingled with both relief and fear.
Lydia knelt before Anita so their eyes were level. She seized Anita’s chin and spoke in a gentle voice.
“I saved you. Since I spared your life, you owe me your very life.”
“……”
“So you must be loyal to me for the rest of your days, Anita.”
Lydia smiled with an angel’s face.
Sereret woke with a pounding headache. Her mind foggy, she stared blankly at the ceiling, until Yuan’s dry voice reached her.
“Sereret.”
She turned her head toward the voice and met Yuan’s eyes as he sat stiffly in a chair.
Why was he wearing such an expression? Had she done something wrong again? What now—what mistake had she made this time? Perhaps he was angry she kept begging to see the baby every day?
Sereret shrank under Yuan’s hardened face. Running through her mind, she tried to tally her faults. Then his voice came again.
“Are you all right?”
There was a hint of worry in his tone, and Sereret was puzzled. He wouldn’t worry about me. He was not such a person.
Then it struck her. This was not her previous life, but the new life she had been granted.
Sophia had died, she had gone to the Berun household, and then… Searching her memory, Sereret recalled the moment she had clutched the medicine bottle before losing consciousness.
Someone had struck her on the head. That was when she blacked out. Who on earth had done it? Frowning at the memory, Sereret tried to rise.
At once, Yuan hurried to support her and help her sit up. Embarrassed by his kindness, she glanced at him.
“Your Grace.”
“Have you lost your mind? What on earth were you thinking, going to a place like that?”
Yuan raised his voice, his face tight with anger.
Her recklessness had infuriated him. Why go to such a dangerous place without fear, making others worry?
“…I had business there.”
Startled by his uncharacteristic anger, Sereret flinched. Yuan seldom raised his voice. In her past life or this one, she had never seen him so angry, and it left her bewildered.
“Why did you go there? Why put yourself in such danger?”
“A maid from the ducal household was killed there. I pitied her… I wanted to know who could have done such a thing.”
“And for a foolish sentiment like that, you go somewhere so dangerous? Why are you so reckless?”
“A foolish sentiment? You call this a foolish sentiment? You know nothing, Your Grace.”
Sereret bristled at his words. He didn’t even know the terror of death, yet he dismissed her heart as a trivial sympathy. She glared at him.
Always thinking only of himself. How could such a man understand her feelings?
“Yes, I know nothing. I don’t know what’s in your head, and I know even less what’s in your heart. But can’t you just stay still, quietly, for once?”
Yuan was frantic. The recurring nightmares alone were driving him mad, and each time Sereret was hurt like this, he thought he might truly lose his mind.
“As the Duchess of Frekthuster, you want me to just sit at home, drink tea, and read books?”
“Is that so hard? Am I asking for too much?”
“You used to treat me like furniture, and now you want to treat me like a watchdog. Is this necklace supposed to be a leash then?”
Sereret grasped the pearl necklace at her throat, irritated by his demand for obedience. She disliked how he sought to control her.
“If I had my way…”
Yuan’s cold gaze slid from her face down to her ankle beneath the blanket. He stared at it and continued.
“…it wouldn’t be a leash. I’d put you in chains.”
“You’d better give up that thought. Sereret Inoheter is neither furniture nor a dog.”
“Sereret Frekthuster. That is my wife’s name.”
He corrected her firmly. The only surname now attached to her name was Frekthuster.
Sereret gave a bitter laugh.
Now she understood why he was angry. Because if word spread that the Duchess of Frekthuster had wandered into the slums and been attacked, it would disgrace the house of Frekthuster. That was the real reason.
“…You’re right. I should apologize—for tarnishing the Frekthuster name.”
She looked at him with a crooked smile.
“Why would you say that now?”
Yuan’s anger surged.
After throwing her into hell, all she could say was sorry for staining the family name? This woman seemed born to drive him insane.
“That’s why you’re so furious, isn’t it? Because the name of Frekthuster has been marred.”
“No.”
“No?”
Sereret looked at him, skeptical.
“What do you take me for?”
Yuan bit out the words, his face openly seething with fury. He seized her shoulders and forced her to meet his eyes.
Her blue eyes shone cold as they met his.
“You mean you’re not worried about the family, but about me?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
The bloodshot eyes staring at her glistened faintly with tears. His grip on her shoulders tightened.
Sereret saw sincerity in his expression, and her heart wavered. Was he truly worried for her? Truly, from the heart? That expression made her soften.
“…I’m sorry. I’ll be careful from now on.”
In the end, she apologized first. She had been reckless, after all. She deeply regretted not taking a coachman with her.
At that moment, Yuan pulled her into his arms.
A woman who never obeyed, who turned his world upside down. At times he wanted to push her far away. But when she was out of sight, it was its own kind of hell. Better to keep her by his side and endure.
“Please, I beg you, don’t do anything dangerous again.”
“All right.”
Sereret nodded quietly against his chest.
Yuan held her for a while, then released her. Once free, she spotted Hanna standing nearby, her face tearful.
“Hanna.”
Relief flooded Sereret at the sight of her unharmed maid. She had worried Hanna might have been attacked too.
“My lady, I was so terrified.”
Hanna hurried to her mistress, still shaken by the memory of Sereret lying unconscious.
“I’m fine now.”
“I’m so sorry. I should never have left you alone.”
Hanna sobbed.
“I was the one who told you to go ahead. Don’t blame yourself, Hanna. I’m all right.”
Sereret comforted her, taking her hand.
Hanna wiped her tears and nodded.
“Have they caught the culprit?”
Sereret turned to Yuan, her curiosity sharp. Who had done this to her? A random vagrant in Berun’s slums, or perhaps Lydia’s doing?
“No.”
Yuan’s face was impassive, but inside he burned with fury at the thought of the culprit.
“There was a medicine bottle… Ah.”
Remembering the vial she had seen among the trash, Sereret suddenly felt dizzy and touched her head.
“What’s wrong?”
Alarmed, Yuan wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“Just a little dizzy.”
She answered while meeting his eyes. Concern filled those gray irises, locking with her gaze.
The excess of his worry made her uneasy, and she quickly looked away.
“Bring in Doctor Cain.”
Yuan ordered Hanna.
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Hanna hurried out of the room.
“There’s no need. Really, I’m fine.”
“I told them to come as soon as you woke. Lie down.”
Yuan gently laid her back on the bed.
He placed a hand on her forehead to check her temperature. Sereret stared at him silently, unsettled by his careful touch.
Noticing her gaze, Yuan looked puzzled.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Do you really… worry about me?”
His concern felt unfamiliar, unbelievable. Yet his expression seemed truly sincere, and that confused her.
“Isn’t that only natural?”
Yuan looked at her as if her question made no sense.
“Is it?”
But in her past life, it hadn’t been natural at all. Sereret murmured inwardly and let a faint smile cross her lips.
