THSDR 02

 Chapter 02

Beleidon was a very kind and generous place. Unlike Hezest.

Not even half a day after possessing this body, I was handed a marriage contract and put into a carriage. I hadn’t eaten anything until then.

When I said I was hungry, the Duchess of Hezest looked at me with icy eyes and said:

“Being fat is not attractive. Since you’re going anyway, act like a true Hezest, Roana. Don’t forget my teachings. It means you should seduce the Duke of Beleidon and gather information. I will visit Beleidon soon, so I expect you to do well until then. Tanya, take care of Roana in the meantime.”

Then she assigned me a maid who looked like a gatekeeper from hell.

Even though I had just been forced into possession and was already miserable, they made it worse by controlling my food. I wasn’t allowed to eat sweets at all, and if I ate more than three spoonfuls, they took the plate away.

Can a maid even do that?

I really wanted to abandon her on the way, but she was so stubborn she followed me everywhere without leaving my side.

But now, this peaceful meal. Long live Beleidon.

I had already sent the maid back to my family. It took so much effort to send her away because she didn’t want to leave.

“Tanya, right? Beleidon has no money to pay you. We don’t intend to hire you. What do you think, Duchess? Do you want to hire her yourself?”

“It’s better to go back, Tanya.”

There was no reason to miss such a perfect chance to kick her out.

Tanya returned to Hezest. She would probably report everything about me there.

My life wasn’t exactly a flower path either. My parents cared only about my older brother, and I suffered under them, my grandparents, and even my sister-in-law.

But I had my grandmother. She loved me, so I knew Roana’s life was not normal at all.

The maid starving Roana, the Duchess of Hezest forcing a sick daughter into a carriage, those cold eyes looking down at me.

And even the memories of Roana that had seeped into me during the journey.

Now I understood how precious even this simple roasted onion was.

“Roasted onions melt in my mouth, Cheres. Ah, are you leaving already? Don’t you want more?”

“I’m full. I’ll leave first.”

Cheres cut me off coldly and left the dining room. He barely touched the main dish.

What a waste. Maybe he was on some strict diet, because Roana’s stomach was very small. If it were me before, I would have eaten everything left.

Suppressing my regret, I continued eating.

Cheres needed to know this—this luxurious life wouldn’t last long. Six months after marrying Roana, he would go to war.

“It’s so soon.”

And he would die there, never returning.

People say even a ghost who dies after eating looks good.

I glanced sadly at the seat where Cheres had left.

Next time, I should try harder to make him eat more.

* * *

That night.

I had done nothing all day, just lazing around, so I couldn’t fall asleep.

Wow, this place is really nice.

But doing nothing for six months straight might be too boring. Tomorrow I should find something to do.

He told me not to act like the lady of the house, so I’ll skip that.

I felt a bit guilty for not working, but what could I do? If I tried helping the maids, they’d think I was crazy.

While rolling around in bed, I got up and went out of the room.

Walking through the hallway with a lantern, I suddenly heard a baby crying in the distance.

That little boy I saw in the lobby?

He was the only baby in this mansion.

That child was Hayden Beleidon, Cheres’s adopted son. His biological father, Cheres’s brother, had died after the war.

Why was he crying so hard? Where was the nanny?

The crying became so intense that I quickly walked toward the sound.

I opened the door and saw him—his face red from crying. He was alone in the room.

“Didn’t they say I shouldn’t go near the baby?”

But I couldn’t just ignore him crying like that.

I looked around and carefully picked him up. He looked like he had just turned one.

“There, there. Oh dear, you were upset. Were you hungry?”

It wasn’t time for feeding. Was he sick? No fever. Maybe stomach pain?

As I patted him, his round blue eyes slowly began to close.

Maybe it’s teething? There are too many reasons why babies cry.

I had some experience taking care of my nephew before, so caring for a baby wasn’t hard.

I gently rocked him.

“Sleep, sleep…”

When I finally put him down—

“Waaahhh!”

He immediately opened his eyes and cried again.

…Ah.

It seems Hayden is equipped with a premium motion sensor.

I quickly picked him up again. I’ll just hold him until the nanny comes.

“Haahh…”

I yawned and rocked him again.

Where is the nanny?

* * *

The next day.

Cheres received an unexpected report early in the morning.

“The Duchess is missing?”

“Yes, Your Grace. We cannot find her anywhere.”

The maid head, Yurein, reported it nervously.

Cheres rubbed his face.

So it was all an act yesterday.

Running away on the second morning—typical Hezest behavior.

Wherever she was, it was likely nothing good for Beleidon.

Just as he was about to give orders—

The nanny burst into the room in panic.

“Your Grace! You must come quickly!”

Something serious had happened.

Did something happen to Hayden?

At that moment, Roana’s disappearance flashed in his mind.

‘I shouldn’t have let her in!’

He rushed to the room.

But what he saw was—

Two of them sleeping peacefully together.

Roana and Hayden were lying side by side, asleep. Roana’s hair was messy as she hugged the child tightly.

Before he could react, Hayden stirred and whined.

Without even opening her eyes, Roana patted his back.

“Shhh… shhhhhh…”

When Hayden calmed down, she fell asleep again.

Cheres stared at them in disbelief.

Yurein pulled him gently out of the room.

Outside, Cheres looked at the nanny coldly.

“Explain.”

“I-I had severe stomach pain yesterday… I fell asleep without hearing the young master cry. When I woke up, the lady was there. I’m sorry, Your Grace!”

She had been told not to do anything and not to go near the child.

And she broke both rules at once.

“Let her be for now.”

Cheres gave a low order.

“Keep strict surveillance until the Duchess wakes up. Make sure nothing happens to the child.”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

The nanny answered tearfully.

Cheres ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

He needed to talk to Roana again.

What on earth was she thinking?