INSDL| Chapter 12

Episode 12

‘There’s no way I’m letting some half-baked woman like her become the Duchess of Lorvant.’

If it were a typical arranged marriage between noble families, Louise wouldn’t care so much.

But Lorvant wasn’t just any ducal family — they had imperial succession rights and command of the empire’s army in wartime. There was only one house equal to them: the Marquisate of Dvenzell, one of the founding families and the richest in the empire.

No other noble house could even dream of marrying into Lorvant.

‘It’s not like I want Cullen to marry Alisa either, but still…’

And yet, out of nowhere — in winter, no less — the Burndale family appeared like a frog leaping out in spring. Louise wasn’t exactly an expert on society gossip, but she’d never even heard of them before. That alone told her the family was of low standing.

And now there was talk of a sudden engagement?

‘Something’s off. I smell conspiracy…’

Louise frowned, but then a new thought hit her.

‘Wait… could it be that Cullen just didn’t want to marry Alisa?’

She knew Alisa had been throwing herself at him ever since her debut, to the point of being suffocating. But this? Running off and marrying a random woman to avoid her?

‘Ugh, that idiot assistant of his probably knows something.’

Louise glanced with irritation at Harry, who had dropped his quill for the third time and almost tripped twice while trying to pick it up. Honestly, she had no idea why Cullen kept someone so clumsy around.

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to think calmly.

‘No, it’s not about Alisa. If Cullen wanted to get rid of her, he’d just cut business ties politely and move on. That’s more his style.’

So why spend so much money to bring this strange woman into the family — just to make her a figurehead duchess?

‘It can’t be love.’

If he actually liked her, he’d be grooming her to take on real responsibilities. But he wasn’t — if anything, he seemed to be isolating her.

[You have nowhere to return to now.]

The memory of Cullen’s cold voice sent a shiver down Louise’s spine. She rubbed her arms and shook her head.

‘No… this isn’t about affection. Maybe… revenge?’

Her doll-like face wrinkled in confusion. ‘Could that airheaded woman actually have blackmailed him somehow?’

Then she quickly dismissed it. ‘No way. Cullen’s not the type to be threatened by anyone.’

But if it wasn’t that, what was it? Spending a fortune to bring her into the house, yet keeping her powerless — that did fit a kind of twisted revenge story.

‘You never know. Even someone as ruthless and clever as Cullen might’ve finally met his match.’

Louise’s face scrunched up as she rubbed her chin, thinking back to when she’d seen that woman at the dessert shop.

‘No, she didn’t look smart enough to pull that off…’

Harry, who had been watching her think for a while, hesitated before finally speaking up.

“Um, my lady? There’s one more thing His Grace asked me to tell you… Shall I continue?”

“Ah, right. Go ahead.”

Louise composed her face and crossed her legs with exaggerated elegance — which, to Harry, only made her look cute.

“His Grace would like you, my lady, to keep an eye on Miss Lanelia Burndale — the future Duchess.”

“Me?”

Louise blinked, confused. Wasn’t that usually the job of an older female relative in the family? Then she remembered — the Lorvant family didn’t have any.

‘That’s right… there aren’t any senior women left in our line.’

Someone’s face flashed in her mind, but she quickly pushed it away.

‘Still, I’m way too young for that kind of thing!’

Frowning, she looked at Harry, who gave her a hesitant but serious look. He knew this was for her own good — even if she didn’t understand why.

After a moment’s pause, he decided to give her some advice.

“My lady… whatever you do, don’t underestimate her.”

He couldn’t help remembering what he’d seen — Lady Burndale taking down three hulking men in an instant.

‘She moved like a butterfly… and hit like a hammer.’

Normally she looked all smiles and harmless, but when she fought, she was like one of those warrior spirits from the Eastern Continent.

Harry shuddered at the memory, then looked at Louise again with deadly seriousness.

“Don’t provoke her temper. Trust me — that would be a disaster. But also, don’t avoid her. Stay close to her, no matter what. Got it?”

“…What are you even saying? What is she, some kind of exorcist charm from the East?”

Louise muttered sarcastically — but Harry’s face lit up in agreement.

“That’s exactly it! A charm that drives away evil spirits! Brilliant as always, my lady — your insight is unmatched!”

“Well, I am pretty sharp,” Louise said modestly, though her grin betrayed her pride.

Harry clapped like a happy seal.

“Ah, as expected from our lady! So you’ll stay by her side, right? Amazing! Absolutely amazing!”

Still cheering, he backed out of the room, bowing and singing her praises until he was gone.

Louise, now fully basking in her own self-importance, puffed up with pride — until a thought struck her like lightning.

“Wait a minute… am I supposed to spy on her?”

If Harry had been there, he would’ve made that face — the one that said, ‘Are you serious right now?’

But thankfully, he wasn’t. Louise clenched her fists, fired up with determination.

‘How dare she threaten Cullen — or our family! I’ll find her weakness and kick her out myself!’

Then she recalled her brother’s wedding date and nodded firmly.

She was officially poking her nose where it didn’t belong.

That evening, back at the mansion…

Lana had eaten, bathed, and now lay sprawled across her bed, sighing dramatically.

“Diana… you know, first loves never last.”

Her maid, Diana, who was brushing down her lady’s outer dress, looked up and snorted.

“If anyone heard you, they’d think you already have five grown children, my lady.”

Lana replied seriously, “Well, emotionally, it’s about the same.”

“Sure it is,” Diana said flatly, clearly used to her mistress’s nonsense.

Lana stretched her limbs lazily and stared at the ceiling, lost in thought. But the truth was, she couldn’t even remember her first love’s face anymore.

“He was really smart though… I think.”

Diana tilted her head. “Pardon? Are you talking about the master’s new hunting dogs?”

“Dogs? Oh, right, those.”

Lana propped herself up on one elbow and frowned, remembering what had happened earlier.

When she returned from the dessert shop, exhausted, and entered the mansion gates, three massive dogs she’d never seen before suddenly charged at her — foaming at the mouth and barking furiously.

[What the hell is this?]

She wasn’t scared — she could handle dogs easily if it came to that — but she was annoyed. Where had these things even come from?

The old butler holding their leashes looked like he was the one being dragged around.

‘Honestly, he’s about to get himself killed.’

Sighing, Lana bent down, picked up three small pebbles, and flicked one.

Thwack!

The first dog yelped and jumped back, spinning around in confusion. Two more flicks, two more hits — now all three were staring straight at her, growling low.

‘Oh? So you are smart dogs.’

She bared her teeth right back at them, sending out a sharp, intimidating glare. The dogs immediately whimpered and slunk behind the butler.

The poor man finally managed to catch his breath.

[Where did these dogs come from, Butler?]

He answered weakly, his face pale.

[His Grace the Duke sent them — a gift of friendship, he said. They’re purebreds, certified by the Imperial Palace itself.]

[Really? Looks more like you’re the one being hunted.]

[My lady…]

She’d said it half-jokingly, but the butler’s bitter smile told her he knew she was right.

He probably thought the same thing — that being given those dogs was a not-so-subtle message that he should retire soon.

Her brother Jake wasn’t the kind of man to do something that cruel… but then again, these days, Lana couldn’t say she really knew her brother anymore.