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“Welcome, Lady of the White House.”
They arrived at Cliff Castle just before sunset. Although the sky was growing dark, the old butler and servants came all the way to the entrance to greet them.
The butler had graying hair and a kind face.
“You’ve come to work on the interior of Cliff Castle! We’re delighted to have you.”
He seemed genuinely pleased to see Marie. It was clear that visitors to the castle were rare.
“Nice to meet you. The castle’s exterior is quite unique and full of character.”
“I’m glad you think so. We’re equally pleased to welcome you, Lady of the White House.”
“When can I meet the Duke?”
“Ah, the Duke is away for a few days. He should be back by the time the renovation is complete.”
“He’s not here…?”
That was unexpected.
“Yes. But don’t worry. He’ll return around the time the renovations are done.”
Marie felt strangely deflated by his absence. She had hoped for a bit more formal reception.
“Then… did he leave any instructions? Any preferences for the interior design?”
“Pardon? No, he simply said you could choose any room and decorate it as you please.”
That wasn’t the important part.
He didn’t leave any preferences or guidelines for the interior design?
“He really should be here…”
“Is there a problem? The Duke said to follow your instructions completely.”
“I see…”
The foundation of any interior design is the client’s taste. Marie couldn’t just decorate a space the Duke was going to live in based on her own preferences.
No matter how beautiful the decor, if the resident didn’t like it, it was meaningless.
Understanding the Duke’s tastes was essential—and of all times, he had left.
He had merely said he’d return in ten days to inspect the finished design and decide whether or not to invest.
“Is discovering his taste also part of the test?”
Creak—
The front door opened with a heavy groan.
“Eek…!”
A startled yelp escaped Mildred’s lips behind Marie.
Even the sound of the door seemed to make her nervous.
“Mildred, manners.”
“Oh! Y-Yes.”
At Marie’s sharp glance, Mildred clamped her mouth shut.
“It’s quite alright,” the old butler said with a warm smile.
It wasn’t the first time he had seen such a reaction.
But when Marie stepped inside, she began to feel the same as Mildred.
Cliff Castle was far from a luxurious noble’s manor. It was rough, almost like a military fortress, with no decorative elements. The rocky walls were neatly covered with marble and wooden panels, perhaps to hide the stone structure.
Still, dim lighting and insufficient illumination cast a gloomy air over the interior.
“The ventilation must be good. The air feels fresh.”
Marie tried hard to find at least one thing to compliment.
“Thank you. A fire a few years ago destroyed most of the heirlooms, so it may seem quite different from other noble houses.”
“Yes, I saw the ruins of the original mansion on the way here.”
“We only managed to salvage a few paintings from the fire, but we tried our best to recreate the atmosphere of the former duchy.”
The butler was clearly proud of the castle and had likely managed the household in the absence of the mistress.
“I see. It’s… unique and dignified.”
“Thank you. Haha.”
It wasn’t entirely false.
The castle was certainly unique, and the weight of the stone construction pressed down on the entire interior.
‘Most of the portraits must’ve burned in the fire. There are hardly any picture frames.’
Unlike typical noble homes filled with ancestral portraits, Cliff Castle had very few paintings.
But then Marie noticed a large frame hanging on the dark wall of the lobby.
“There’s a portrait over there?”
“Oh, that…”
Upon closer inspection, it depicted a couple with black hair and a boy about four or five years old.
“Who are they?”
“That’s… the former Duke and Duchess.”
The butler’s voice wavered slightly.
“The entire family was quite beautiful…”
“Yes…”
The former Duke was tall, broad-shouldered, and very handsome.
Marie couldn’t help but think that Calix might look like that without his mask.
But the Duchess beside him was painted extremely pale—her skin bluish and lifeless.
“She must’ve been sickly.”
“Yes. The former Duke cared for her dearly, but she never recovered…”
The little boy in the middle had a bright, shy smile.
“Is this boy the current Duke of Bloodstone?”
Marie smiled softly as she removed her cloak. Hard to believe the cold and stern Duke was once such a sweet child.
“Well then, shall we take you to your room first? Would you prefer tea or a meal?”
The butler took Marie’s coat and asked politely.
“No, I’d like to look around the castle first. I need to get a sense of the Duke’s taste.”
“I see. Certainly. The Duke instructed us to fully support anything you require.”
“Thanks. Time is limited, so I’d like to choose the room for renovation first.”
“This way, then.”
As the butler led the way, Mildred whispered quietly.
“Miss, why did you ask about the portrait? You made the butler uncomfortable.”
“The butler?”
“Yes. When you mentioned the painting, he kept fidgeting toward the hallway. Like he wanted to move us away quickly.”
“Really? Why would he—”
“You’re seriously asking? Don’t you know the Duke is—”
At that moment, the butler turned and looked at them.
“Was I walking too fast?”
His expression briefly turned sharp—very different from his usual warmth.
“N-No, not at all.”
“…This way, please.”
Marie quickly smiled, and the butler resumed walking.
“Miss, didn’t he just give us a look?”
Mildred whispered in her ear.
Marie turned and mouthed sternly:
‘Don’t say unnecessary things.’
‘Yes, ma’am.’
The butler opened door after door as he guided them through the castle.
They passed through corridors, a reception room, dining hall, library, tea room, music room, lounge, etc.
“How about this room?”
“…Can I see another one?”
“What about this one?”
But with each new room, Marie’s mood sank.
“Is something wrong? You don’t like them?”
“Not at all…”
Contrary to the castle’s harsh first impression, each room was filled with luxurious furniture and items.
That alone was better than she expected.
‘But it doesn’t feel designed. It’s more like they just filled the space with expensive furniture.’
“Is this the Duke’s taste in interior design?”
“Pardon? Isn’t this every noble’s taste?”
The butler looked puzzled.
And that was the problem.
After over an hour of exploring, it all felt the same.
‘The unique and rugged exterior of the castle clashes completely with the lavish furniture and decor inside.’
True to its name, Cliff Castle was built from stone. Yet the inner walls, merely added onto the stone exterior, were plain, and the extravagant furnishings looked dull against the dark backdrop.
The castle showed signs of great wealth fitting the richest family in the kingdom—every item was clearly expensive—but none of it reflected the Duke’s personal taste.
‘If he wanted to hide the ruggedness with luxury, why live in a stone castle at all?’
Black hair and red eyes.
A mask that warned of danger.
A towering figure.
Black clothes.
Despite mistaking him in her sleepy state, Marie remembered how captivating he had seemed—powerful, dangerous, and seductive.
That impression had matched the castle’s exterior.
But the interior felt like it was trying to suppress the castle’s raw character.
“Where does the Duke usually spend his time?”
“Oh, that would be the study and his office.”
Even those rooms weren’t particularly revealing.
“What else?”
“Well, you’ve seen the dining and reception rooms… other than that… ah, there’s one room he sometimes visits…”
“I’d like to see that one.”
“N-No! I misspoke. That place isn’t really…”
The butler clearly regretted mentioning it.
“Didn’t the Duke say there were no restrictions for me? It should be fine, don’t you think?”
Marie reassured him.
“Well…”
“I’ll only take a quick look.”
“…Sigh. This way, then.”
—
They climbed a long spiral staircase.
At the very top, like a tower, was a narrow space.
“This is the place.”
An old door creaked open.
“Oh…”
It was a small room. No decoration at all. The raw stone walls were exposed.
Unlike every other room, it looked untouched since the castle’s construction.
A small window, lower than eye level, offered a view of the blue garden below.
There was only one hard chair in the room.
No frames. No lamps. Not even a single item to indicate someone lived there.
It could have been a prison.
No—perhaps even prisons were better furnished.
“What does he do in here…?”
A man with danger in his eyes.
With power and wealth to manipulate anyone.
With the charisma to seduce even through a mask.
A gentleman with likely high intelligence.
That was the Duke—at least, the impression he gave.
But he spent time alone in such a lo
nely, barren room?
What could he be thinking in here?
“If I sit in the chair, maybe I’ll see a different view…”
Marie sat in the chair facing the window.
She thought she could faintly smell his musky scent.
But when her eyes finally aligned with the window, she was utterly shocked.
“…That’s—!”
