ILTDAMH|CHAPTER 104

Chapter 104

Mercian’s Wedding (03)

The day Ruan had come to the Viscount’s house.

Lucianne had been terrified and horrified as she watched Ruan set fire to the stacked dresses and accessories right before her eyes. She had promised herself that she would never get involved with Merciant again, that she wouldn’t even look in her direction…

Yet, when Lucianne, who had gone into town to sell the hidden jewels she kept for her meager living expenses, saw Mercian smiling happily in the new tableware store, she was enraged.

That girl had always scurried around nervously, climbing trees just to get a meal… nobody had ever cared about her existence…

So what was it about this girl that made everyone lose their composure, unable to resist helping her?

What was it that made her look better than me—appearance, figure… what could she possibly have that I didn’t?

Lucianne’s anger grew as she watched Mercian, who was supposedly inferior to her, wandering around like a noblewoman, wearing expensive dresses and flashy accessories, helped by maids. She was so angry that she wanted to run into the store and spit at her. But just as she approached, she saw a group of nobles hurriedly exiting the store, and she quickly hid herself.

“She’s intolerable… just the daughter of a viscount, yet acting like royalty,” said Suzanne, following behind.

A noblewoman next to her shook her head in disbelief.

“Indeed. And that duke searching frantically for a girl like her—claiming he loves such a woman—he must be bewitched, surely.”

“By the way, Countess, have you heard the rumor?”

“What rumor?”

“About the one in the spire.”

“Well, it’s a bit pitiful, isn’t it? Losing both her son and her husband at once… I doubt anyone could live normally after that.”

“Exactly. She used to be so proud and dignified, but now… word is she’s completely lost her mind.”

“They say she shouts curses at His Majesty the Emperor and the Crown Prince every night, beating the maids who bring her food. Naturally, no one wants to serve her.”

“Oh, I heard that too. That’s why they’re recruiting a new maid to serve meals in the spire. The pay’s apparently quite good.”

“Even with a lot of money, tending to a madwoman’s meals? No, I couldn’t do it.”

“Me neither. Haha.”

“Well, our mood’s ruined. Let’s go check out the new dessert shop instead.”

“Exactly. No need to confront such a woman. If we do, we’d become like her.”

“Right.”

As Suzane and the other noblewomen walked away, Lucianne emerged with a strange smile.

“The spire… that must be the deposed Empress. Recruiting a maid to serve her meals, huh? Mer… seems like opportunity has come sooner than expected.”

With a devious plan forming in her mind, Lucianne grabbed her jewels and headed toward the pawnshop.

***

“Mother, I have to do this.”

Lucianne returned, carrying a few candles she had purchased, and said to Penelope.

“Do this? What kind of work could a noble girl do? And what are these candles for?”

Ignoring her mother’s question, Lucianne went into the storeroom, disappearing for a long while.

What is she thinking?

Penelope watched uneasily, worried about how Lucianne’s condition had worsened since her release from prison.

Finally, covered in dust and holding something, Lucianne emerged.

“Mother, I found out they’re recruiting a maid to serve meals for the deposed Empress in the palace. I’m going to become that maid.”

“What? You, a maid? That’s… impossible. They would hire a commoner for such work. How could you do it?”

Lucianne smiled confidently at her worried mother.

“Don’t worry, Mother. I won’t be doing it for long. I just plan to use the Empress to get revenge on the Duke.”

“Re… revenge? What do you mean?”

Lucianne revealed the hypnosis candles to Penelope.

“These are hypnosis candles. If lit and used with certain words, they can hypnotize a person. I’ll make the Empress aware of who killed her son and husband. Then, she’ll take revenge on the Duke, and I won’t be exposed at all.”

“Using the deposed Empress… and that’s why you want to be her maid?”

“Yes.”

Despite her worry, Penelope knew she could not stop the determined Lucianne.

“Lucianne, what good will this do for our family? You could destroy us if things go wrong.”

“How would our family be destroyed? The maid serving the Empress won’t be me—it’ll be a commoner named Anne. No one will know. And think of all the things the Duke has done to us. He deserves to die.”

Penelope shuddered, recalling Ruan’s threats, wishing she could avoid the man entirely.

“Lucianne, please stop. This path is dangerous.”

“Mother, don’t worry. The one serving the Empress isn’t me; it’s Anne. And with her helping, I’ll remain safe. First, I need to clean up a bit.”

Lucianne carefully placed Anne’s identity badge into her pocket and went to clean herself.

Penelope watched her with an uneasy expression.

“Are you really capable of doing this? It’s tough work, especially for such high pay.”

A few days later, Lucianne, dressed plainly, entered the palace. Smiling confidently at Bianca, she said,

“Don’t worry, Head Maid. My mother’s health isn’t good enough for such work anyway.”

Bianca scrutinized Lucianne and then said,

“If it’s too difficult, let me know immediately. Follow the servant, Anne.”

Lucianne kept Anne’s identity badge hidden in her pocket and followed the servants with the meals.

***

Two weeks passed, and the day of the wedding finally arrived.

“Charles, I’m so nervous. I’ve been married before, but why do I feel this jittery?”

Mercian, waking on the morning of her wedding, spoke to her maid, Charles, who also wore a nervous expression.

“Mistress, I’m nervous too. Let’s get you up. People from the palace are already waiting.”

“From the palace?”

Charles nodded.

“First, let’s start with a bath.”

He helped Mercian bath with unusual care and speed. Once done, the palace maids assisted with hair, makeup, and finally dressing her in the wedding gown.

“Madam… you are truly breathtaking,” Charles exclaimed.

Looking into the mirror, Mercian hardly recognized herself. The ivory wedding dress draped elegantly from her shoulders, enhancing her grace. Her makeup was subtle, emphasizing her clear, translucent skin. Her hair was styled in loose waves, pinned back to make her face appear smaller.

“Madam…”

Ruan, who had come to fetch her, froze in place at the doorway.

“What is it, Ruan?”

“Forgive me. You are so beautiful that I… I lost my composure.”

Ruan slowly approached and gently took her hand.

“Shall we head to the palace, Madam?”

“Yes, Ruan.”

On the carriage ride to the palace, Mercian felt the same nervous tension as with her first wedding. She could barely breathe.

“Mer, don’t be so nervous. I assure you, you will be the most beautiful bride today,” Ruan said, stroking her back gently.

Merciant’s trembling voice replied,

“Ruan, that’s just your opinion.”

“Who else’s opinion matters on your wedding day? To me, you are more beautiful than anyone else in the world.”

“Really? You’re hopeless,” Mercian said, smiling faintly, finally calming a bit.

***

“Seeing another wedding here…” Visceluke murmured.

Pione looked around.

“The security seems stricter than when Hormon got married.”

“Well, the Duke is very cautious,” Viseluke replied.

“Looks like it’s about to start,” Pione said.

The usher climbed to the podium and the head servant loudly announced,

“From this moment, we commence the wedding ceremony of Duke Ruan Canoluf and Mercian of the Kingdom of Allomande. The couple will now enter.”

Mercian took a step forward—but snap! The heel of her shoe broke.

“Oh no. Ruan, what do we do? My shoe broke. This is a bad omen for the ceremony!”

Ruan looked down at her foot calmly.

“Why worry, Madam? There are many ways to enter without shoes.”

Ruan swiftly removed both shoes and lifted her into his arms, carrying her into the garden.

“R-Ruan, wait—this is…”

“It’s fine,” he said.

“Oh my, what a ridiculous thing to do!” someone whispered.

“Yet… isn’t it romantic? Being carried by your husband into the garden,” another said.

Mercian blushed deeper at the whispers.

“Now, I shall put you down,” Ruan said. Slowly, he lowered her.

The head servant announced loudly,

“Let us now exchange the couple’s wedding gifts.”

A maid holding a basket approached—but suddenly, a woman jumped forward from the basket, wielding a knife.

“Death to the ones who killed my son and husband!”

With a dull thud, the woman was subdued by the rushing guards, collapsing atop Mercian.

Her ivory dress slowly began to stain crimson.

Chapter 104

  Mercian’s Wedding (3)

The day Ruan had come to the Viscount’s house.

Lucianne had been terrified and horrified as she watched Ruan set fire to the stacked dresses and accessories right before her eyes. She had promised herself that she would never get involved with Merciant again, that she wouldn’t even look in her direction…

Yet, when Lucianne, who had gone into town to sell the hidden jewels she kept for her meager living expenses, saw Mercian smiling happily in the new tableware store, she was enraged.

That girl had always scurried around nervously, climbing trees just to get a meal… nobody had ever cared about her existence…

So what was it about this girl that made everyone lose their composure, unable to resist helping her?

What was it that made her look better than me—appearance, figure… what could she possibly have that I didn’t?

Lucianne’s anger grew as she watched Mercian, who was supposedly inferior to her, wandering around like a noblewoman, wearing expensive dresses and flashy accessories, helped by maids. She was so angry that she wanted to run into the store and spit at her. But just as she approached, she saw a group of nobles hurriedly exiting the store, and she quickly hid herself.

“She’s intolerable… just the daughter of a viscount, yet acting like royalty,” said Suzanne, following behind.

A noblewoman next to her shook her head in disbelief.

“Indeed. And that duke searching frantically for a girl like her—claiming he loves such a woman—he must be bewitched, surely.”

“By the way, Countess, have you heard the rumor?”

“What rumor?”

“About the one in the spire.”

“Well, it’s a bit pitiful, isn’t it? Losing both her son and her husband at once… I doubt anyone could live normally after that.”

“Exactly. She used to be so proud and dignified, but now… word is she’s completely lost her mind.”

“They say she shouts curses at His Majesty the Emperor and the Crown Prince every night, beating the maids who bring her food. Naturally, no one wants to serve her.”

“Oh, I heard that too. That’s why they’re recruiting a new maid to serve meals in the spire. The pay’s apparently quite good.”

“Even with a lot of money, tending to a madwoman’s meals? No, I couldn’t do it.”

“Me neither. Haha.”

“Well, our mood’s ruined. Let’s go check out the new dessert shop instead.”

“Exactly. No need to confront such a woman. If we do, we’d become like her.”

“Right.”

As Suzane and the other noblewomen walked away, Lucianne emerged with a strange smile.

“The spire… that must be the deposed Empress. Recruiting a maid to serve her meals, huh? Mer… seems like opportunity has come sooner than expected.”

With a devious plan forming in her mind, Lucianne grabbed her jewels and headed toward the pawnshop.

***

“Mother, I have to do this.”

Lucianne returned, carrying a few candles she had purchased, and said to Penelope.

“Do this? What kind of work could a noble girl do? And what are these candles for?”

Ignoring her mother’s question, Lucianne went into the storeroom, disappearing for a long while.

What is she thinking?

Penelope watched uneasily, worried about how Lucianne’s condition had worsened since her release from prison.

Finally, covered in dust and holding something, Lucianne emerged.

“Mother, I found out they’re recruiting a maid to serve meals for the deposed Empress in the palace. I’m going to become that maid.”

“What? You, a maid? That’s… impossible. They would hire a commoner for such work. How could you do it?”

Lucianne smiled confidently at her worried mother.

“Don’t worry, Mother. I won’t be doing it for long. I just plan to use the Empress to get revenge on the Duke.”

“Re… revenge? What do you mean?”

Lucianne revealed the hypnosis candles to Penelope.

“These are hypnosis candles. If lit and used with certain words, they can hypnotize a person. I’ll make the Empress aware of who killed her son and husband. Then, she’ll take revenge on the Duke, and I won’t be exposed at all.”

“Using the deposed Empress… and that’s why you want to be her maid?”

“Yes.”

Despite her worry, Penelope knew she could not stop the determined Lucianne.

“Lucianne, what good will this do for our family? You could destroy us if things go wrong.”

“How would our family be destroyed? The maid serving the Empress won’t be me—it’ll be a commoner named Anne. No one will know. And think of all the things the Duke has done to us. He deserves to die.”

Penelope shuddered, recalling Ruan’s threats, wishing she could avoid the man entirely.

“Lucianne, please stop. This path is dangerous.”

“Mother, don’t worry. The one serving the Empress isn’t me; it’s Anne. And with her helping, I’ll remain safe. First, I need to clean up a bit.”

Lucianne carefully placed Anne’s identity badge into her pocket and went to clean herself.

Penelope watched her with an uneasy expression.

“Are you really capable of doing this? It’s tough work, especially for such high pay.”

A few days later, Lucianne, dressed plainly, entered the palace. Smiling confidently at Bianca, she said,

“Don’t worry, Head Maid. My mother’s health isn’t good enough for such work anyway.”

Bianca scrutinized Lucianne and then said,

“If it’s too difficult, let me know immediately. Follow the servant, Anne.”

Lucianne kept Anne’s identity badge hidden in her pocket and followed the servants with the meals.

***

Two weeks passed, and the day of the wedding finally arrived.

“Charles, I’m so nervous. I’ve been married before, but why do I feel this jittery?”

Mercian, waking on the morning of her wedding, spoke to her maid, Charles, who also wore a nervous expression.

“Mistress, I’m nervous too. Let’s get you up. People from the palace are already waiting.”

“From the palace?”

Charles nodded.

“First, let’s start with a bath.”

He helped Mercian bath with unusual care and speed. Once done, the palace maids assisted with hair, makeup, and finally dressing her in the wedding gown.

“Madam… you are truly breathtaking,” Charles exclaimed.

Looking into the mirror, Mercian hardly recognized herself. The ivory wedding dress draped elegantly from her shoulders, enhancing her grace. Her makeup was subtle, emphasizing her clear, translucent skin. Her hair was styled in loose waves, pinned back to make her face appear smaller.

“Madam…”

Ruan, who had come to fetch her, froze in place at the doorway.

“What is it, Ruan?”

“Forgive me. You are so beautiful that I… I lost my composure.”

Ruan slowly approached and gently took her hand.

“Shall we head to the palace, Madam?”

“Yes, Ruan.”

On the carriage ride to the palace, Mercian felt the same nervous tension as with her first wedding. She could barely breathe.

“Mer, don’t be so nervous. I assure you, you will be the most beautiful bride today,” Ruan said, stroking her back gently.

Merciant’s trembling voice replied,

“Ruan, that’s just your opinion.”

“Who else’s opinion matters on your wedding day? To me, you are more beautiful than anyone else in the world.”

“Really? You’re hopeless,” Mercian said, smiling faintly, finally calming a bit.

***

“Seeing another wedding here…” Visceluke murmured.

Pione looked around.

“The security seems stricter than when Hormon got married.”

“Well, the Duke is very cautious,” Viseluke replied.

“Looks like it’s about to start,” Pione said.

The usher climbed to the podium and the head servant loudly announced,

“From this moment, we commence the wedding ceremony of Duke Ruan Canoluf and Mercian of the Kingdom of Allomande. The couple will now enter.”

Mercian took a step forward—but snap! The heel of her shoe broke.

“Oh no. Ruan, what do we do? My shoe broke. This is a bad omen for the ceremony!”

Ruan looked down at her foot calmly.

“Why worry, Madam? There are many ways to enter without shoes.”

Ruan swiftly removed both shoes and lifted her into his arms, carrying her into the garden.

“R-Ruan, wait—this is…”

“It’s fine,” he said.

“Oh my, what a ridiculous thing to do!” someone whispered.

“Yet… isn’t it romantic? Being carried by your husband into the garden,” another said.

Mercian blushed deeper at the whispers.

“Now, I shall put you down,” Ruan said. Slowly, he lowered her.

The head servant announced loudly,

“Let us now exchange the couple’s wedding gifts.”

A maid holding a basket approached—but suddenly, a woman jumped forward from the basket, wielding a knife.

“Death to the ones who killed my son and husband!”

With a dull thud, the woman was subdued by the rushing guards, collapsing atop Mercian.

Her ivory dress slowly began to stain crimson.