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Chapter: 02
After seeing a few drops of blood from my nose, I fainted on the spot.
Along with the maid’s distant scream.
As I lay unconscious, the real Ekette Dermond’s memories slowly began to flow into my mind.
Just as I had expected, her life had been one without presence. Though she held the title of duchess, she was practically nothing more than a decorative backdrop.
It wasn’t just that she wasn’t mentioned in the novel—within this world itself, she never attracted anyone’s attention.
She was the daughter of a rural viscount family that barely managed to maintain its title. A daughter of a weak and insignificant house with no standing in imperial politics or high society.
The moment her life seemed like it might change was when she married the Duke of Dermond.
Duke Kairon Dermond. Young, yet powerful.
There was no romance in their marriage. It was a union chosen purely for convenience and benefit. Simply because she was a powerless daughter of a minor family.
Among the empire’s high-ranking nobles, marriage at a certain age was a must. For the duke, it was nothing but a troublesome custom.
The pressure to marry and the countless families clinging to him were all annoyances. He had far greater and more ambitious goals than marriage or family.
The duke’s goal was to kill his second half-brother.
It was driven by a desire for revenge over the past.
He had already killed his eldest half-brother and was planning to track down and kill the second, who had fled in fear.
To carry out such ruthless deeds, he had even formed a secret knight order and attacked a temple.
However, all of this was strictly confidential. No one knew he was the leader of the knight order, nor that he was hunting his half-brother.
No one in the empire knew his true identity yet.
What the duke needed was a duchess who would neither take interest in nor interfere with his affairs, but simply fill the position. That way, he could continue his work while also resolving the bothersome issue of marriage.
Ekette vaguely understood this attitude of his.
She knew he didn’t love her at all. She wasn’t foolish enough to expect love from such a husband.
She herself didn’t harbor any romantic feelings either. She only agreed to the marriage in hopes of being of some help to her family.
The day after their wedding, her husband left the house without even spending their first night together.
After the marriage, Ekette spent most of the past year alone, guarding the ducal residence.
Once he left, her husband wouldn’t return for months. Even when he did, he stayed only a few days before leaving again.
It didn’t sadden her that he treated her like she was invisible. She had known what she was getting into.
Still, being alone in such a large mansion made her miss her family back home. She often sighed while gazing out the window, longing for them.
Staying alone in the house, occasionally encountering the dismissive gazes of other nobles when she went out…
That was Ekette’s daily life.
Yes, it was certainly a pitiful life in many ways. But still…
…at least she wasn’t sick.
So why on earth did I suddenly collapse with a nosebleed?!
While I was unconscious, I came to understand Ekette’s memories from before I possessed her.
And I also learned that she had never once had a nosebleed, coughed up blood, or fainted.
Rejecting this confusing situation, I opened my eyes. My consciousness had returned.
“Gasp, my lady! Are you awake?”
The maid I saw earlier—Ria—must have been guarding my bedside the entire time.
She quickly approached me, looking as though she might burst into tears at any moment.
“Are you alright? Do you recognize me now?”
“…Yes.”
“You have no idea how shocked I was! You suddenly couldn’t remember my name, then you collapsed with a nosebleed… I was so worried.”
“We were all worried, my lady.”
At the voice, I realized there were others in the room. Not just Ria, but several servants gathered around the bed.
Since nothing like this had ever happened before, they must all have been quite shocked.
…So was I.
It made no sense that someone perfectly healthy would suddenly become frail right when I possessed her.
I’ve never seen a possession story like this. Usually, you inherit the character’s healthy body and beauty.
This must have just been a one-time incident.
The possession must have shocked the body for a moment. I simply fainted while inheriting Ekette’s memories.
Just a brief happening—it wouldn’t occur again.
I repeated that to myself like a mantra.
And right now, my body felt perfectly fine. The nosebleed had stopped, and though I had fainted, I didn’t feel dizzy or dazed.
I sat up.
“Oh—please lie down a bit longer!”
Ria tried to stop me, but I shook my head and raised my upper body.
“I’m fine now.”
“Still, wouldn’t it be better to see a doctor?”
“No, it’s not necessary. I’m completely fine.”
Even though I smiled brightly and reassured her several times, she still looked uneasy.
“Are you really okay? Earlier you didn’t even recognize me…”
“Haha, that was just a little joke.”
“A joke?”
Her eyes widened in shock. Of course—Ekette wasn’t the type to make such absurd jokes.
“The nosebleed was probably just from being tired for a few days. That happens sometimes, right? It’s nothing serious.”
At my words, Ria lowered her head as if she had committed a grave sin.
“I’m so sorry, my lady… I must not have taken proper care of you, not even noticing you were tired…”
Her concern almost brought tears to my eyes. Though Ekette’s life had been lonely, it seemed the servants were at least on her side.
“It’s not your fault. Don’t blame yourself. More importantly, I’d like to eat something and regain my strength.”
Even if I had fainted briefly, a good meal would make sure it didn’t happen again.
At least, that’s what I chose to believe.
“I’m hungry, and my appetite is back, so please prepare something special today. A top-tier course meal.”
Now that I was a duchess, I intended to enjoy everything I could.
Starting with fine dining.
“Yes! I’ll have it prepared right away!”
Since I usually had a small appetite, Ria responded enthusiastically to my sudden request.
On the way to my first meal in this grand mansion, my steps felt light.
I was about to begin a life of luxury I couldn’t even dream of in my past life.
The ducal residence did not disappoint—it was vast and intricate.
Now all that remained was to spend peaceful and abundant days here.
I couldn’t stop the corners of my lips from curling upward.
But Ria, still worried about my condition, insisted on supporting me.
“If you collapse again, you could get seriously hurt. Please grant me this request, my lady.”
She stubbornly held onto my arm.
In the end, I relented, placing my hand on hers, which slowed my pace.
“As you ordered, I told the chef to put all his expertise into preparing the finest meal. You’ll be amazed when you try it!”
On the way to the dining room, Ria chattered nonstop—not only about the food, but also about how shocked everyone had been earlier.
“It would be nice if the master could join you for a meal, especially since your appetite has returned…”
By “master,” she meant my husband, Kairon.
“Why? I’m more comfortable eating alone.”
He barely came home anyway. Eating together would just be awkward.
I wanted to enjoy my meal in peace.
“But still… I wish the master could see at least once what a good person you are…”
Even though I was the one with the indifferent husband, Ria seemed more upset about it than I was.
“I think being alone is better.”
“…Pardon?”
Surprised by my uncharacteristic response, Ria looked at me.
“I mean, you don’t need to feel upset about it.”
“Ah… I see.”
Though puzzled by my change in demeanor, she nodded.
But what I said next made her even more confused.
“I probably won’t run into my husband often, and I don’t want to either.”
“Then… won’t you see the master off today? You always used to.”
Today?
That meant Kairon was leaving again today.
After briefly returning for a few days, he was leaving once more.
Once he left, this mansion would truly become my world.
What perfect timing for possession.
“See him off? No, I won’t.”
