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Chapter 7
The white hand he held was red and blistered in places, with the skin peeling off.
“It’s because I was working for the first time.”
Selakia looked at her battered hand with a proud expression.
“I did some housework to repay the elderly couple who saved me. I had nothing else to offer.”
“You worked so hard your hand ended up like this?”
Tenus frowned, as if he had seen something unpleasant.
Selakia proudly extended her hand in front of his eyes.
“They said everyone’s hands are like this at first. It’ll get better with time.”
Those were the muttered words of the old woman who had watched her clumsily.
Even if she had been the disgrace of the Viscount’s family, Selakia was still a noble lady. Though she may have been ignored by the servants, she had never prepared a meal, cleaned, or done laundry with her own hands before.
Labor was something utterly foreign and grueling to her. And yet, it had been incredibly rewarding. Even when scolded repeatedly by the old woman for her mistakes, she couldn’t help but smile.
“If I had stayed just a little longer, I would’ve gotten the hang of it. I even started learning how to bait fishing lines and mend gear.”
Tenus, who had been silently staring at her hand, furrowed his brow even deeper.
“What’s the point of you getting used to housework?”
“Housework? It’s essential. Even if it doesn’t look like much—”
“That’s not what I meant. Why are you doing that kind of work in the first place?”
Tenus paused, then continued in a calmer voice.
“Selakia Seydon. You don’t need to do that.”
“…”
“Don’t forget that you’re part of the Seydon family.”
It felt like both a warning and a declaration, and it echoed in her ears.
If only he had said something like that on their wedding night. If only he had acknowledged and respected her on the day of their marriage—then perhaps everything might have turned out differently.
Maybe it was because her fatigue had hit a breaking point. Or maybe it was because she had no expectations left. Whatever the reason, Tenus’s words didn’t stir the slightest ripple in her heart.
“But I liked it. There’s nothing wrong with doing something you enjoy.”
“You really liked it, when your hand ended up like that?”
“I did. You showing up and ruining my peace made you seem like an intruder.”
“An intruder?”
Tenus let out a disbelieving snort. Selakia placed a hand over her heart and spoke with full sincerity.
“I held back from calling you a villain.”
“Why hold back? If you have something to say, say it. Just like you have all day.”
Did he think she wouldn’t dare?
Selakia opened her mouth, even forgetting to breathe.
“A brute with nothing but a handsome face.”
“…”
“The old couple cherished me so much. To them, you probably seemed like a thief.”
“…”
“How could you get suspended just before the Academy’s graduation ceremony? You delinquent.”
“…”
“Do you even plan on inheriting your title? You don’t work. You lazy, good-for-nothing Duke.”
Tenus occasionally chuckled or nodded as he listened to Selakia’s string of ridiculous insults.
His calm, collected face made it seem like he was attending a poetry reading, not getting cursed out.
Was it a ploy to drain her energy? If so, it was very effective. Selakia, who had been venting all her bottled-up resentment, quickly lost steam.
“I was doing well. I wanted to keep living that way.”
The drowsiness, hidden beneath all the tension, suddenly washed over her like a wave.
“Why did you have to come and find me…”
Her fading words slowed, and soon Selakia’s eyelids softly closed.
At last, there was peaceful darkness.
* * *
The bedroom prepared for the Duke and Duchess was massive. Even if she moved all the furnishings from the cabin where she had briefly stayed, there would still be room to spare.
But no matter how spacious a room is, it’s still a confined space—and with a guard present, it’s no different from a prison.
From morning till afternoon, even after a good night’s sleep, Selakia hadn’t been able to step outside the bedroom.
Even simple washing and meals were done inside the room, all under Tenus’s orders and supervision.
Frustrated, she wanted to step out to the balcony—but she gave up before trying. When she had glanced toward it, Tenus had shot her a sharp look. He seemed convinced she would jump from the cliffside balcony.
Tenus hadn’t left the room either. Ignoring his own office, he handled his work at the small table in their shared bedroom, sitting uncomfortably with his long legs cramped beneath him.
Watching him squeeze into such a narrow seat, Selakia didn’t dare complain aloud.
With nothing better to do, she sat on the bed flipping through the papers Tenus had brought the day before. She had hoped to kill time, but the boring content kept making her glance over at him.
“What.”
Tenus turned his head slightly, having noticed her hesitant glances. His gaze toward her was cold.
“Speak.”
“Did you not sleep last night? You look kind of rough.”
She hadn’t meant to say anything in particular and just blurted out whatever came to mind.
And she wasn’t wrong—Tenus did look haggard, as if he hadn’t slept a wink.
“Yeah.”
Tenus nodded once, then fell silent.
Why ask if he wouldn’t even respond properly? Selakia grumbled internally but continued speaking in a deliberately casual tone.
“Did you sleep in this room too?”
Anything was better than sitting in silence.
“I told you I’d stay by your side.”
Again, his reply was incredibly brief.
Selakia scratched her cheek awkwardly. She had made such a fuss about sharing a room with him, yet she had slept soundly, not even noticing he had been beside her.
There wasn’t much more to talk about. Maybe she should just go back to sleep. In such a soft bed, she was sure she could nap again easily.
“Are you bored?”
Selakia, who had been staring at the bed blankly, nodded before she could even think.
Tenus had closed his folder and turned toward her.
“The weather’s nice. Why don’t you go out to the garden?”
“Can I?”
“Why are you asking me? Do as you wish.”
It was a surprisingly generous offer.
Afraid he might change his mind, Selakia hurriedly grabbed a shawl, draped it over her dress, and darted out of the room.
* * *
Under the brilliant sun, the Seydon Duke’s garden was a sight to behold.
The colorful flowerbeds, filled with exotic varieties, were dazzling. The white fluffy clouds floating in the blue sky made a picturesque backdrop. The faint crashing of waves beneath the cliffside estate added a dreamy atmosphere.
“….”
Amid this beautiful scenery, Selakia looked pale and dead inside. Her blue eyes, laced with resentment, fell on Tenus, who sat across from her.
He had dismissed all the servants and was personally pouring tea, completely unaware of her silent plea for him to leave.
Some might say the highlight of the garden was Duke Tenus himself—but in Selakia’s eyes, he was nothing more than a fly wallowing in luxury.
“Hey. Don’t you have work?”
“Not really.”
“I saw earlier that you had a lot of documents to go through.”
She was desperately trying to get rid of him. She didn’t like being alone with him in such a quiet, private garden.
Then suddenly, Tenus handed her a piece of paper without warning.
“…What’s this?”
Was he asking her to stop talking and help him with work?
“I don’t really know much about the Duke’s affairs…”
Selakia trailed off. The sheet was blank.
Tenus then handed her a pen.
“Write it yourself.”
“Write what?”
“Information about yourself—what you remember.”
Selakia frowned faintly.
Was he starting to doubt her lie about losing her memory?
But if that were the case, the documents he had given her yesterday were too unimpressive. They barely offered more than what she herself could have told him.
The previous Viscount Rensh’s second wife’s child from a later marriage. Selakia Rensh. That barely counted as a dossier.
She had never debuted in society or even had a formal coming-out, so even the powerful Seydon family could only learn basic facts—like her being left-handed.
“Simple stuff is fine, right?”
Selakia spun the pen in her left hand and easily wrote down a few details. Since she had claimed she hadn’t lost all her memories, she had nothing to hide.
Her mother and father’s names. Fond memories of times with them. The terrible accident that took them away. And her stepbrother—the son from her mother’s first marriage who inherited the Rensh title…
“….”
Looking over it, it was basically the same as the documents Tenus had shown her. She wanted to add more, but after her parents’ deaths, her life had been confined to her room. There was nothing worth recording.
Was her short life really this insignificant? Selakia silently clicked her tongue in disappointment.
“Do I really have to write it down? Can’t I just tell you?”
She felt embarrassed by the meager details she had written.
It was supposed to be for her own reference—did she even need to hand it to Tenus?
Just as she hesitated, unsure whether to give him the paper, Tenus swiftly snatched it from her hands.
“This is your handwriting?”
Selakia, now suddenly empty-handed, replied bluntly.
“You saw me write it.”
“You could have faked it.”
“Why would I?”
It was a ridiculous suspicion.
Tenus didn’t reply, but he seemed to know she had no reason to lie. He stared intently at the paper for a long time, then muttered in a low voice.
“It’s different.”
There was a pause before he continued.
“From your suicide note.”
