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Chapter 06
“…My friend works at the Nord Ducal House. She said the Duchess there heard that our Madam was thrown out of the Duke’s bedroom late at night—and she was so pleased she handed out gold coins to the servants.”
“So the rumor’s already spread that far?”
“There were witnesses. Of course it spread. Honestly, she’s dragging the whole reputation of women through the mud on her own.”
“Two years without even completing the first night—what hasn’t she done? If it were me, I’d lose my mind and throw myself at him too. She must be absolutely desperate… g—ghk!”
The maids, chatting excitedly as they climbed the stairs, suddenly froze and clamped their mouths shut.
Standing before them like a judge, cold and unmoving, was Nina.
“M-Madam……”
The Nord Duchess, Rebecca.
The granddaughter of Count Kruh, the Imperial Minister of Finance, and the eldest daughter of the Wesler Ducal House.
Though she had become the Nord Duchess through a political marriage, she was once famously known for obsessively admiring Ash D. Bayern.
Because of that, whenever rumors of her unhappy marriage surfaced, she would spread them like a cyber gossip merchant, amplifying them across high society.
And now, if she had heard about that incident, it would soon spread like wildfire through the social world.
Damn it…
Just thinking of the Nord Duchess made Nina grind her teeth.
“…Thrown out of the bedroom, they say? At this rate, I wonder if the Duke of Bayern will soon take a mistress into the household.”
“Oh my, surely it won’t go that far. Duchess Nord is exaggerating again.”
“They’ve been sleeping in separate rooms for two years. If he wants to secure the heirship, he’ll bring in a concubine sooner or later. Honestly, the Madam’s condition is… questionable. What if she bears an heir and the child ends up unstable?”
It was a grand imperial charity event.
That day, she had completely lost her mind after hearing those insults and grabbed the Nord Duchess by the hair, causing a full-blown scandal.
Because of that, I ended up on the Imperial Family’s bad side… and that woman became even more arrogant.
…Maybe I should just throw in a divorce paper and disappear.
Just imagining the Nord Duchess harassing her in the future made her want to run away.
If she didn’t interfere, there wouldn’t be any issue with maintaining her position as guardian…
No. Focus.
The reason she was calculating a “safe divorce” in the first place was simple.
Because otherwise, in one year, her entire family would face a total ruin ending.
At the very least, she must avoid provoking her husband.
These people—if I’d just stayed locked in my room, I wouldn’t have had to hear this nonsense…
Forcing her emotions down, Nina spoke in a chilled voice.
“…Should I say thank you for understanding my circumstances?”
“Madam, should I call the soldiers right now and have them arrested for insulting nobility? Shall I go fetch them immediately?”
Masha clenched her fists, trembling with rage as if she would charge forward any moment. The maids turned pale as paper and began pleading.
“M-Madam! We’ve committed a crime worthy of death!”
“Please forgive us! Just this once!”
Nina glanced at them coldly.
“Masha, go bring the head maid.”
“What? Not the soldiers?”
“Do as I say.”
“If that is your wish, Madam…”
Masha shot the terrified maids a sharp glare before rushing downstairs.
Soon after, she returned with the head maid.
“What is going on?”
The head maid—Melanie—was a woman in her mid-fifties with brown hair and brown eyes.
She was a figure who, under the protection of Duke Bayern, often stood in opposition to Nina and was, after her husband, the person in the manor who disliked her the most.
Her gaze sharpened the moment she saw Nina standing at the top of the stairs.
It was a look that clearly said: What trouble have you caused this time?
That piercing certainty that the root of all problems was Nina only worsened her already unpleasant mood.
“Head Maid. What punishment is given to servants who speak carelessly?”
Melanie’s sharp gaze shifted to the maids.
“Depending on the severity, they may be confined or have their wages reduced. In serious cases, they may be dismissed or even sued under confidentiality agreements.”
“And if they damage the honor of their master and mistress?”
It seemed Melanie had already guessed what had been said.
She let out a quiet sigh.
“…Are you planning to charge them with insulting nobility? If you wish to proceed with a trial, I will have to report the full details to His Grace.”
“I am not someone who lacks shame. I have no intention of reporting this to my husband. That’s why I called you.”
Melanie blinked slightly, surprised.
The Duchess who usually could not tolerate punishing servants personally… delegating punishment?
To speak of her own faults, to remain calm under insult—both were things unimaginable until now.
“…I will report the outcome of the punishment to you once it is decided.”
Nina nodded as Melanie grabbed the maids’ arms and led them away.
Assigning punishment to the head maid meant she was not going to abuse her authority as mistress recklessly.
And Melanie was her husband’s trusted right hand.
Nina hoped that through her, her change would reach her husband’s ears.
She turned and walked away.
The problem was likely that she had forced down a meal yesterday morning while in a foul mood after hearing gossip from the maids.
The nausea that had started then had not gone away even after a full day.
She had forgotten after living so long in the strong body of “Soyeong Jang.”
That “Nina” was not.
Perhaps because she had been born prematurely.
She had always been weak as a child, especially in digestion, which worried her parents greatly.
She had taken medicine constantly until her teens. Only after becoming an adult had she improved somewhat.
But today’s nausea proved she was not as healthy as she had thought.
It was that severe.
“If I’d just torn those loose-mouthed women apart before they got thrown out, what a shame…”
The maids in question had already been fired and expelled from the estate the day before.
As expected.
Once Nina had directly heard such vulgar gossip, even the head maid had no choice but dismissal.
“They didn’t even get recommendation letters, so they’ll never work in a noble household again. In other words, their lives are ruined.”
Masha smiled brightly, as if pleased with the outcome, while Nina sighed.
“Ugh… I feel like I’m going to die…”
“Should I bring more medicine?”
“No… I don’t think it’ll help.”
Even after taking medicine in the morning, her stomach still churned as if she would vomit.
…I want to prick my finger.
If only she had a bloodletting needle.
As she pressed her palm in frustration, debating whether to try it herself—
Knock knock.
“Madam, I have a matter to ask. May I come in?”
Masha looked worried.
“…Madam, what should we do?”
“Let them in. I might as well hear what they want.”
Nina, who had been lying on her side, straightened herself.
The maid entered.
She hesitated upon seeing Nina pale and leaning against the bedhead before speaking.
“Madam, I was told that you had an appointment with Count Aslett, so I came to confirm. However, it seems you are not in a condition to receive guests. I have already moved him to the reception room—shall I send him back?”
“…Ah.”
Count Aslett.
He was a collateral relative of the Bayern Ducal House who had filed a lawsuit to strip her husband of custody over his nephew.
