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. The Duke of the Cliff Castle
“Ah!”
Marie realized it in that instant.
She should have slightly bent her knees and nodded, just like the noble ladies of the Kingdom of Leongrad.
‘My old habits came out without thinking!’
Perhaps because she had greeted him incorrectly, he responded reluctantly with a displeased expression.
“…Calix Bloodstone.”
A low, curt voice.
Yet the tone was attractive, carrying a subtle woody scent and an air of intellectual sophistication.
‘He’s handsome…’
His red eyes, visible beside his lightly swaying bangs, were strikingly beautiful.
Even with half of his face covered by a mask, he looked so good it was almost unbelievable.
‘If he took off the mask, he’d be perfect. Why wear it? It looks like he’s hiding a scar or something.’
Beneath a luxurious black cloak, a black shirt and pants were visible.
Despite the simplicity of the outfit, every movement was graceful, as if he were a prince attending a royal banquet.
“Well then.”
Even masked, the man’s handsomeness was undeniable. He gave a light nod and turned his back.
Soon, his indifferent footsteps echoed through the now-empty reception room.
‘What? He’s just leaving?’
Marie tilted her head in confusion.
Then, the duke’s aide hesitantly approached.
“Um, Lady Whitehouse.”
“Yes,” Marie answered, holding her breath in nervousness.
“As you may have heard, the Whitehouse estate now belongs to the Duke of Bloodstone. We’d appreciate it if you could vacate the premises immediately.”
“You want me to leave immediately?”
Marie was so taken aback that her mouth fell open.
The aide shifted uncomfortably, avoiding her gaze.
“Well then, farewell.”
He turned and followed his master, shaking his head.
Marie quickly came to her senses.
She had no place to go, no money, and knew nothing about this place.
“Wait!”
“I’m sorry, but I have no authority….”
“Shouldn’t I at least be given time to find another place?”
“Well… then we’d appreciate it if you could leave within a week. Excuse me….”
Without waiting for her response, the aide hurried off as if he hadn’t heard anything.
The Duke of Bloodstone had already disappeared without a trace.
“Oh my god…!”
Marie collapsed onto the floor.
—
The Next Day
The Whitehouse estate was desolate.
Upon hearing of the family’s bankruptcy, most of the staff had left. Marie sat alone in the study, holding her head.
“Sigh, I’m in big trouble.”
She had thought saving the house was a relief, but that wasn’t the case at all.
Now, she was practically on the streets.
When she glared at the old desk she’d taken from the storage, the image of the masked Duke Bloodstone popped into her head.
“Duke Bloodstone, you bastard! Where am I supposed to go in a week? I don’t even have money for a new place!”
Cluck-cluck—
A sudden chicken cry startled her.
“Eek! That scared me!”
She looked to the side of the room and saw a chicken in a basket teasing her.
Next to it were a sack of potatoes and a bag of flour, brought by worried villagers.
“Sigh… Looks like the Whitehouse family was well-liked at least.”
Henry Whitehouse had been the top expert in interior design.
With the kingdom lagging behind in that field, he had even studied abroad in the Empire.
But being modest and unambitious, he had never tried to turn his skills into a business.
“How did Henry manage to wreck the family finances this badly?”
She had too little information.
Marie didn’t know why Henry was in debt, and even her own memories of “Marie” were unclear in many places.
Knock knock—
A woman in a black maid’s uniform entered with tea.
She was Mildred, the only servant who had stayed.
“Milady, it’s afternoon tea time.”
Mildred’s brown hair was tied back, and her expression was so emotionless that she almost seemed angry.
But despite not being paid, she had stayed out of loyalty.
“Still having tea after going bankrupt… I guess nobility is nobility. Thank you, Mildred.”
Clink—
Mildred set down the teacup in front of Marie.
“…No need to thank me. I’m only staying because my contract isn’t over yet.”
“What?”
“I was paid three years’ salary in advance due to personal circumstances. A few months are still left on my contract, that’s all.”
Mildred spoke frankly, even though she expected the eccentric and reclusive lady to start screaming in anger.
This once-spoiled noble girl was now in no better shape than her maid.
‘If she starts yelling again, I’m not staying quiet. I just have to make it through the rest of my contract.’
Mildred bit her lip, bracing for the outburst.
“Really…?”
Marie sipped her tea without reacting.
‘She doesn’t like me.’
The red tea shimmered in the cheap servant’s teacup, releasing a calming aroma.
The scent soothed her nerves.
“Still, thank you for staying honestly when you could’ve left unnoticed. I appreciate it.”
Marie was used to hiding her feelings while working in interior design.
Dealing with picky clients and workers had trained her well.
“…What?”
Mildred couldn’t believe her ears.
Did she just say thank you?
This was the first time she’d ever heard that from her lady.
“…I…”
Mildred’s cheeks flushed awkwardly.
Marie tilted her head.
“By the way… how do we still have tea leaves?”
All the fine ingredients should’ve been taken when the staff left.
“That’s just….”
Mildred’s cheeks turned redder beneath her glasses.
“Just… I bought them myself.”
“You did? Thank you, I’ll enjoy it.”
“Ahem, it was just cheap stuff…”
Mildred averted her eyes and asked,
“So, what are you planning to do now?”
“Well….”
“You should figure that out soon. Who knows when the Duke from the Cliff Castle might come back and destroy the place?”
Marie set her teacup down.
“Cliff Castle? That man wants to destroy this beautiful mansion?”
“Sigh, you wouldn’t know since you’ve been locked in your room.”
Mildred’s eyes behind her glasses looked doubtful.
“The Duke of Bloodstone lives in a horrid rock castle on the edge of a cliff.”
“The man from yesterday?”
“Yes, the one wearing that terrifying mask.”
Marie’s green eyes widened as she fell into thought.
‘Wait. The man the heroine was looking for in the book wore a mask too. And this mansion is where the heroine ends up living later, right?’
Was the male and female lead going to end up as landlord and tenant?
Then the Duke of Bloodstone must be the ‘exceptional husband’ from the original novel.
“They say he buys up buildings and castles only to neglect and destroy them.”
Mildred lowered her voice as if someone might be listening.
“Why? Because maintaining them is expensive?”
“Of course not. The Duke is said to be richer than the king.”
“He’s that rich?”
“Yes. You should leave before something happens. He has a reputation for cruelty.”
“Cruelty? What has he done?”
Mildred’s face twisted in fear.
“They say… he killed his own parents and all their servants years ago.”
“What?!”
“Then he set the castle on fire to destroy the evidence. He barely escaped punishment, but he’s a patricide.”
Marie had read less than half of How to Capture an Exceptional Husband.
So she didn’t know Calix’s full backstory.
“Why did he kill his parents?”
“Well… there were rumors that the former duke didn’t want to pass on the title because of his cruel nature. People say he did it for the title.”
“Oh my god…”
“He was badly burned in the fire, which is why he wears a mask now. It’s divine punishment. Tsk tsk.”
Mildred clicked her tongue.
Marie tilted her head.
But the man on the book’s cover had a perfectly fine face.
‘No, he wasn’t just fine—he was totally my type. That’s why I bought the book in the first place.’
She recalled the description of the male lead in the prologue:
> “…The mask fell to the floor.
Then, a face as sculpted as polished marble was revealed.
With slicked-back black hair, his perfect features were even more striking.
His high nose was elegant, and his lips were sensual.
He was the most beautiful and captivating man she’d ever seen.
Even those standing nearby were speechless, mesmerized by his beauty.”
“They say he’s already destroyed more than a few buildings. Maybe he wants others to suffer like he did.”
Marie’s face hardened.
This beautiful mansion was the first home she’d ever had.
And now someone wanted to destroy it?
“Sigh…”
She sighed without realizing it.
Mildred looked at her with concern.
“Milady, maybe you should talk to the butler? You need to find a place to stay.”
“The butler? He hasn’t left yet?”
“No. He said not to call him that anymore, but he’s still around.”
“What do you mean…?”
Suddenly, memories of the butler returned.
> “…Are you going to eat or not?”
“I don’t want to.”
Slap—
“Ah!”
“I said eat!”
Slap—
“Agh!”
“What, are you going to tell the Count? Do you think he’d believe the word of a crazy little sister over his loyal butler?”
“W-What…?”
“Between a devoted butler and the family disgrace of a sister, who do you think he’ll trust?”
Slap—
“Agh!”
Memories of eating in silence, wiping away tears, came flooding back.
The cruel smile of the butler surfaced along with them.
—
Marie had tried to harm herself after her parents died seven years ago.
When her self-harming continued, her older brother Henry chose to confine her instead.
‘And during all that, the butler had physically subdued Marie.’
She was young and had no way to resist his punishments.
Eventually, her depression worsened, and she became a shut-in, locking herself away inside the mansion.
‘By the time Marie had recovered, her relationship with her brother had completely broken down.’
But apparently, the butler—despite claiming to have quit—still hadn’t left the Whitehouse estate.
“Could it be…?”
Marie suddenly stood up from her seat.
“…I need to see the butler. Now.”
