Chapter 10

Yurita set down the tea she had been drinking and smiled brightly at Lady Nora.

“The wedding was held privately with only members of the Killaster Ducal House present. Other families, including yours, could not be invited.”

While Lady Nora awkwardly sipped her tea, the other young ladies eagerly chimed in.

“So it was one of those trendy small weddings. As expected of the Duchess!”

‘The factions are pretty clear.’

One side disliked Yurita because she was the duchess, while the other side adored her for the same reason.

Yurita glanced toward Helena.

‘Which side is the heroine of the original story on?’

Helena silently stared down at her teacup for a moment before looking at Yurita as though she had made up her mind.

“Um… what kind of person is Duke Killaster?”

‘Huh? She’s asking about Zachary first?’

In the original story, Helena had always run away because Zachary’s obsession with her was too burdensome.

Memories of what Yurita had experienced with Zachary briefly crossed her mind.

He didn’t show up at the wedding.

‘Bastard.’

He barged into her house demanding repayment of a debt.

‘Son of a bitch.’

He saved her from vagrants in the middle of the night.

‘Well… that part wasn’t so bad.’

And recently, he had also saved her when she nearly fell out the window…

‘Huh?’

Come to think of it, there had been quite a few times Zachary had helped her.

“Duchess Killaster?”

When Yurita didn’t answer, Helena called to her again, urging her gently.

Yurita slowly opened her mouth.

“I don’t know.”

“You… don’t know?”

Murmurs spread among the noble ladies. Yurita continued calmly.

“His Majesty the Emperor personally arranged this marriage, but it hasn’t been long since we first met. We’re still getting to know each other little by little. However, one thing is certain.”

Turning toward Helena, Yurita smiled.

“Duke Killaster is a much better person than the rumors say.”

At those words, the ladies and married women all stiffened for a moment.

Everyone knew about the rumors surrounding Zachary, yet no one had dared bring them up openly. Yurita had done so first.

‘It’s necessary.’

It was a warning of sorts: she already knew all the rumors, so there was no need for pointless concern or interference.

Whether Helena had asked about Zachary to provoke discussion of those rumors or not, there was no harm in making her stance clear to the other ladies as well.

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, the Empress quickly changed the subject.

“Oh, right. I heard the Duchess will be hosting a wedding celebration banquet at the Killaster estate. If everyone has time, you should all attend.”

The noble ladies immediately bombarded Yurita with questions again.

“A banquet in early winter sounds unusual! Duchess, is there a dress code?”

‘Oh, there definitely is.’

The tail end of autumn and the beginning of winter. Around this season, there was always a certain eerie modern festival.

Yurita glanced at the Empress. The imperial family might dislike it, but she decided to go all in anyway.

“It’s going to be a party with a groundbreaking concept.”

Every woman listening to Yurita’s words felt both excitement and unease at the same time.

And finally, the day of the banquet at the Killaster estate arrived.

“What in the world is all this?!”

The ladies who had attended the Empress’s tea gathering huddled together before entering the ballroom, expressing their agitated emotions.

“Costumes? What noble house would wear something so vulgar?”

All the women wore dresses in black, red, or orange.

“At least we only had to match the dress colors.”

“You call this fortunate?! Just look at those girls!”

Lady Nora sharply pointed toward the unmarried young ladies entering the ballroom in costume.

Though they maintained noble elegance, their fabrics and decorations were extravagantly flashy. Some dresses resembled bats, bees, or lions.

“How utterly disgraceful!”

“Lady Nora, why not just enjoy yourself? Even Her Majesty the Empress didn’t object.”

Despite the other women trying to calm her down, Lady Nora continued glaring suspiciously at the mansion.

“Everyone remembers, right? We’re supposed to carefully observe the Duke and Duchess Killaster today.”

“But Lady Nora, do you really think those wedding rumors are true?”

“My source is reliable. They say the duchess stood alone in an empty wedding hall.”

As the women whispered among themselves, Lady Nora smiled schemingly.

“Why should we treat a duchess with respect when even her own husband doesn’t acknowledge her? We need to make the hierarchy clear.”

The women quietly agreed and entered the banquet hall.

But the wary expressions on their faces instantly transformed into amazement when they saw the scene inside.

“Oh my goodness…!”

Black curtains covered the entire ballroom, while floating candles and pumpkins hanging from the ceiling cast a soft glow over the venue.

Beneath them, elegantly dressed men and women in costumes danced to enchanting music.

“Is this what the duchess meant by… a groundbreaking concept party?”

“I’m glad you all came.”

At that moment, Yurita approached the women.

The white dress draped around her pale skin looked intentionally torn in places, making her resemble a ghost. Her black lips and smoky makeup added an eerie charm.

“I’m happy you came. Please relax and enjoy yourselves.”

After taking a sip of blood-red wine, Yurita smiled at them and walked away.

“Oh my, she’s so enchanting…”

Lady Nora jabbed the side of a woman who looked utterly captivated by Yurita.

“Get a hold of yourself! Don’t let that woman bewitch you.”

Lady Nora had resolved to uncover Yurita’s weakness no matter what today.

Meanwhile.

Yurita slowly surveyed the ballroom she had personally designed.

‘I’ve always wanted to try this.’

A party filled with occult elements!

After all, South Korea wasn’t really a culture where people hosted house parties. In her previous life, Yurita had also been a homebody who rarely went out.

‘I wanted to hang cobwebs from the ceiling and decorate with skeletons too.’

But that probably would have been too much. Yurita discreetly glanced toward the Emperor and Empress seated on the platform.

‘They definitely looked a little shocked.’

Still, since it was her own wedding celebration banquet, they seemed willing to overlook it.

Every time people gasped in surprise at the ballroom decorations, Yurita secretly chuckled to herself with satisfaction.

The floating pumpkins had been hung using fishing lines Toby procured for her. He had even hollowed out all the pumpkins without a single complaint—quite competent indeed.

‘…But that owner of his…’

That bold fool Zachary still hadn’t shown himself, even though the Emperor had arrived.

She had wanted to see him suffer in this noisy mansion packed with people.

‘At this point, maybe I really should curse you, Zachary. Maybe I should just take off this wedding ring.’

Yurita absentmindedly played with the wedding ring she had been forced to wear. It made her wonder whether things like cursed dolls—which she used to order online in modern times—even existed in this era.

“Excuse me.”

At that moment, an unfamiliar man spoke to her.

When Yurita turned around, she saw a healthy-looking young man with dark blue hair.

“Are you the duchess hosting this party?”

“That’s right.”

“Ah, I came to introduce myself! I’m Eustace Hein. Ah—a marquis, that is.”

At that name, Yurita’s eyebrows shot up.

‘Eustace? The male lead of the original story?’

Looking closer, he truly did resemble the original protagonist, with sculpted features and a soft, puppy-like atmosphere.

And the white naval uniform he wore was a bonus.

“I heard this was a costume party, but I wasn’t sure what to wear… Would a military uniform be acceptable?”

Eustace smiled slightly.

With a smile like that, he could have worn rags and still passed.

“Of course, Marquis.”

Eustace was a naval officer and a newly established noble who had only recently inherited the title of marquis.

In the original story, he had struggled greatly to overcome the power gap between himself and Zachary.

“I’ve never seen such a wonderful party in my life.”

“It’s not strange or creepy?”

“To be honest, it is a little creepy.”

“That’s exactly what I was aiming for, so feel free to say so.”

“Is that so? Haha, I just didn’t want to offend Your Grace.”

“I like creepy things. But the ocean scares me a little.”

“Ah! The sea is my specialty then. Have you ever sailed before?”

Before she realized it, Yurita had become absorbed in her conversation with Eustace.

‘This is fun.’

Unlike someone else, Eustace paid careful attention to her.

Suddenly, emotion welled up in her chest.

‘Huh? What’s wrong with me?’

“U-um, are you alright, Your Grace? Did I perhaps say something offensive…?”

When Yurita fell silent, Eustace flusteredly hovered beside her.

“Duchess.”

Before Yurita could even sort out her emotions, Lady Nora approached with several other women.

“We came to greet Duke Killaster, but where is he? We’ve searched the ballroom and can’t find him anywhere.”

It was the worst possible timing.

Yurita answered calmly.

“He stepped away for a moment.”

“Oh dear, he’s been away for an entire hour? How unfortunate.”

Fanning herself, Lady Nora stepped forward.

“You know, I heard a rumor. They say Duke Killaster didn’t attend your wedding. It sounded so absurd that I intended to ignore it, but now it comes to mind again. Isn’t that right, Duchess?”

Yurita glared at Lady Nora.

‘So she knows about the rumors. That explains her confidence.’

Eustace looked uncertain whether he should intervene.

Just as Yurita opened her mouth to confront Lady Nora directly—

“My lady, so this is where you were?”