<Chapter 2>
It was clear that he had come up to the imperial capital with his wife.
“Please visit Daiern with the countess sometime later, Sir Yujeph. It’s better to have at least one acquaintance when you’re trying to settle into the capital.”
However, upon hearing this, Sir Yujeph first showed a meaningful smile.
“Thank you for your kindness, but… would it be unacceptable if I were to visit alone? I do not yet have a spouse suitable to accompany me.”
“My goodness…!”
“I simply haven’t had the leisure to consider marriage.”
It seemed that this year’s social season would be quite lively. A man like that was still unmarried.
Of course, it had nothing to do with me.
“Of course, you’re welcome to visit alone. Please come whenever it’s convenient.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Then I shall visit you soon.”
As he said that, Sir Yujeph added one more remark.
“This may be rude to say to a lady with an injured ankle, but… I consider myself fortunate to have met you here.”
“Fortunate is a bit much.”
“No, I truly mean it.”
Just then, the waltz playing outside the lounge changed.
It seemed the first dance would soon end.
And naturally, those who had been dancing would begin to return to the lounge. It was also about time my husband would send a maid to fetch me.
I placed the nearly melted ice pack on the side table, intending to part ways with Sir Yujeph here.
But then…
“…And I’m not sure how you’ll take this.”
He trailed off for a moment.
When I looked at him curiously, he smiled gently and spoke in a strangely cryptic tone.
“Tonight, when you return home, I think it would be best if you put your children to bed early.”
“…Pardon?”
It was a completely unexpected and baffling remark.
Why were the children being mentioned here?
More importantly—had I even talked about my children? Or did Sir Yujeph already know about me?
“I’m not sure I understand what you mean.”
But Sir Yujeph did not resolve my confusion.
Instead, in an utterly calm voice, he said something even more incomprehensible.
“Your husband will die tonight.”
“…What?”
I had no idea how to react to that statement, and for a moment I could only blink blankly.
* * *
My first meeting with Sir Yujeph was certainly memorable, but it wasn’t something that would have a great impact on my life.
At least, not at the time.
In any case, I left the ballroom early as planned with my maid.
On the carriage ride home, I had a moment to recall what Sir Yujeph had said.
‘What did he mean, my husband would die?’
And what was that about putting the children to bed early?
I was curious, but I didn’t take it seriously.
After all, wasn’t it far too unrealistic to accept as truth? It wasn’t as though Sir Yujeph were a prophet.
However, something soon happened that forced me to reconsider that thought.
“Hahaha, damn it. Why didn’t my beautiful wife come out to greet me?”
“You’ve returned early.”
My husband came back sooner than expected.
Since I couldn’t go out to greet him due to my injured ankle, I had no choice but to receive him while sitting in the bedroom.
Now that I looked at him, he was heavily intoxicated.
Seeing his unfocused eyes, I let out a quiet sigh of relief.
It was fortunate that, just in case, I had sent the children to their rooms early.
But that very action seemed to provoke something in him.
“Ghk!”
It happened without warning.
My husband suddenly rushed forward and grabbed me by the throat.
“If I treat you kindly, you should behave like the pretty doll you are—but instead, you keep trying to climb over my head.”
His strength was unbelievable for someone drunk.
No matter how much I struggled, I couldn’t overcome him.
All I could do was flail desperately to survive.
“Thanks to you, the nobles are looking down on me! They praise you more, value you more than me! Ha! Just a pretty doll!”
As the oxygen dwindled, it felt like my consciousness was slipping away.
At that moment, something came into my hand.
There was no time to hesitate. I swung it immediately.
Thud.
“…Huh?”
Ridiculously, even luck wasn’t on my side.
What I had grabbed was nothing more than a bouquet decorating the room.
But even that seemed enough to provoke him.
Looking back and forth between me and the bouquet in disbelief, my husband suddenly loosened his grip and burst into laughter.
“Puhahaha! My dear wife, did you just try to use violence against me?”
You bastard.
It was an absurd reaction. Who was the one using violence here?
Normally, I would have gotten up and slapped him, but right now I had no choice but to focus on breathing.
My legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor.
Cough, cough.
“Hahaha, to think I’d experience something like this. How dare you, you insolent little—!”
I don’t remember what happened next very clearly.
“How dare you! How dare you! How dare— Aaaagh!”
Unable to contain his rage, my husband staggered about, shouting to himself—
and then lost his balance at the terrace railing.
“……”
A long silence followed.
What just happened?
Forgetting even the pain in my ankle, I crawled toward the balcony where he had fallen.
In my mind, a voice from the lounge replayed over and over.
“Your husband will die tonight.”
No way…!
Amazingly, that prophecy-like statement came true.
My husband, the Duke of Daiern—Carlos Nicolai—met his death that night in such an absurd manner.
* * *
I entered the House of Daiern ten years ago.
At the time, I was twenty-two.
Considering that the ideal marriage age for a noble lady is around sixteen to eighteen, I had already missed the proper timing.
Naturally, the marriage proposals I received were nothing remarkable.
Among them, the best option was becoming the second wife of the Duke of Daiern.
Even though he was eight years older than me and already had three children.
The engagement was quickly arranged through agreement between the two families. There was no room for my opinion.
I didn’t particularly resent the process. Political marriages were normal for nobles.
After the marriage, I fulfilled my duties and responsibilities to my husband and my three new children.
I also did not neglect my duties as the duchess.
Then one day, I discovered that my husband had been abusing the children.
“To think a father would do such things to his own children. I didn’t realize you were a man without even the pride to be ashamed of your actions.”
However, I never expected that single remark would turn his violence toward me as well.
Still, there was something fortunate.
Unlike the underage children, I had the strength and foundation to protect myself.
My husband could not inflict direct violence on me the way he did on them.
Because of that, I was able to create some physical distance between him and the children.
Even that alone was enough for them to grow up well over the past ten years without going astray.
Despite sharing no blood, we had formed a fairly strong bond.
* * *
As the late afternoon sun sank beneath the dark roof of the Daiern estate—
my husband’s funeral was nearing its end.
No matter how deserving he might have been of divine punishment, death was still solemn, and the atmosphere was heavy.
The mourners offered lilies to his coffin and consoled me and the children, who had lost the head of the household overnight.
I, too, did my best to display grief throughout the funeral.
‘Though I’m not actually that sad.’
Rather than sadness, it was seriousness.
The burdens I would now have to bear—and the events that would unfold around me.
Just think about it for a moment.
The ducal title, which could not yet be inherited by a minor, now left without a proper holder.
My life as the acting duchess.
The inevitable interference from collateral relatives…
From now on, countless people would come after what my children and I have—and what we will have.
‘In that storm, how can I protect these children?’
As if aware of my thoughts, the eldest approached me.
“Stepmother, I heard your ankle is still injured. There seem to be no more mourners, so before the burial, please go inside and rest for a while.”
This polite and mature boy was Cardiel Diak Daiern—nicknamed “Kar,” fifteen years old this year.
Though the eldest, he was still a minor.
With a face very much resembling his father, long platinum-blond hair neatly tied back, and clear blue eyes, he was remarkably composed for his age.
Or perhaps… rather than composed, he was reserved.
In three years, after his coming-of-age ceremony, he would become the Duke of Daiern, so it was good that he had a clear sense of duty and a cool-headed personality, but…
‘Still, he’s just a child. It would be nice if he were a little more lively.’
Cardiel first met me when he was five years old.
Even back then, he was unusually thoughtful and mature for his age.
