Chapter 06
—
“Sullyhood Information Guild.”
Duke Ricardis thought for a moment. It seemed he would have to visit that place again after a long time.
He would also need to adjust his original plan — the one where he only kept his wife around for appearances and never spent time with her.
If he wanted to uncover the woman’s true identity, he had to investigate properly.
—
The next morning, Rena received another summons from the Duke.
Breakfast.
‘Again? What kind of whim is this?’
In the original story, they only ate together once — dinner on the first day.
But whatever the reason, she had to please him. For six months, she was bound to act as his wife, no matter what.
If she failed to complete those six months, she would have to return the 200 million talan she had received from Marquis Houre.
Of course, if she could catch him having an affair, she could repay that 200 million as compensation money.
But if things went wrong and she couldn’t prove his affair, she would not only lose that chance but also have to pay back the full amount.
So, it was safer to deal with his “problem” first — then catch him cheating.
—
“Good morning, Duke.”
Rena greeted brightly as she entered the dining room.
The Duke was already seated at the head of the long table — the family’s main seat.
He gave a slight nod in response.
“I didn’t know we’d be having breakfast together today,” Rena said carefully as she took her seat — trying to subtly imply, ‘Don’t just call me anytime you like.’
The Duke stared at her.
‘Why is he looking at me like that?’
“I didn’t know either,” he said calmly. “But now that I think about it, it seems proper for us to share breakfast.”
“What?”
‘Wait, what? Is he saying we’ll be doing this regularly now?’
‘That’s not in the original story!’
“Bart, leave us for a moment,” the Duke said suddenly, dismissing the butler who had been standing by with the tea.
‘Why? What does he want to say to me alone?’
“Rena Ricardis.”
“…Yes?”
He said it so naturally — her new name. Just yesterday she had been Rena Palles, and now he was already calling her by his surname as if it were second nature.
“Your name has been Rena Ricardis since yesterday. You married me, after all.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“Married couples usually eat breakfast together.”
“But we…”
‘We’re in a contract marriage! And in the original story, we didn’t eat together after the first night!’
“Are you trying to let the servants know about our contract marriage, Lady Rena? That’s what it sounds like when you say things like, ‘I didn’t know we’d be eating together.’”
Ah. So that’s what he didn’t like.
Basically, he was saying, ‘Don’t question me when I tell you what to do.’
‘Fine. Whatever. For six months, you’re the boss.’
She forced herself to swallow her frustration. After all, this man was the one who would be giving her 20 million talan at the end of their deal.
If she could endure him for six months, that money would be hers.
“I’m sorry, that was careless of me.”
‘Time to act. Method acting: obedient, gentle wife mode — on.’
“I already knew you were careless,” he said dryly.
‘You arrogant jerk.’
She forced a smile.
‘Method acting. 20 million talan. Focus, Rena.’
“Then at least act better,” he said suddenly.
“…!”
‘Wait, can he hear my thoughts?’
“You say, ‘I was careless,’ but your face says, ‘I’d punch you if I could.’”
Rena gulped.
“No! I didn’t think that.”
‘Not that exactly. I just thought you’re a jerk.’
“The only person who knows our marriage is contractual is Attorney Dawson,” he said. “So act properly.”
“…Yes, Duke.”
‘Maybe I should have majored in acting.’
‘How am I supposed to play the loving wife of this insufferable man?’
—
“What are your plans after breakfast?” he asked.
‘Why is he suddenly so interested in my schedule?’
‘This is weird. In the original story, they barely spoke for two years.’
“Ah, I don’t have much to do. I was thinking of looking around the mansion a bit.”
“Aren’t you going to pack your things? I heard you were supposed to move out of your old house into Marquis Houre’s estate today.”
The Duke sipped his tea again.
‘That tea again! He’s addicted to it.’
“Ah, right… I thought I’d take care of that later.”
‘Because I literally got reincarnated yesterday! I don’t even know the roads here yet! I might get lost the second I step outside!’
“If your house has been sold, you’ll have to remove your belongings today,” he said. “That’s the usual process. Of course, people’s idea of ‘common sense’ can differ.”
He wasn’t even looking at her while he said it — until the last line, when he raised his eyes and gave her a pointed look.
As if to say, ‘Do you even have common sense?’
‘Ugh… fine. I’ll go.’
He was clearly testing her. If she refused, it would only cause more trouble.
‘Might as well go. Maybe I can also stop by a stationery shop and the library.’
She had been thinking about how to send him the anonymous letter — the one warning him about his “problem.”
That issue couldn’t be solved immediately.
In fact, simply stopping his Terrail tea intake could cure it, but that would take too long.
There was a medicinal herb that could speed up the recovery, but in the novel, the Duke only discovered it two years later.
‘No way I’m waiting that long.’
If she could get him to recover sooner, she could divorce him faster — and with full compensation.
The problem was, the novel never mentioned the herb’s name.
It only called it “the medicine.”
‘Finding out what that herb is will take time. But first, I have to make him stop drinking that tea.’
He was literally sipping it nonstop even now.
But last night, she’d realized there was no pen or paper in her room.
When she asked the servants for some, the only paper they brought had the Ricardis family crest printed all over it.
‘If I’m sending an anonymous note, I can’t use that!’
Even if she went back to her old house, she couldn’t be sure there’d be proper stationery.
So she decided — she’d just buy plain paper from a shop.
‘As for not knowing the geography… well, maybe as I walk around, the memories of this world will fill in more. I’ve been gaining new memories every minute anyway.’
—
“Don’t you have anything to bring back? Are you planning to throw everything away?”
The Duke was still watching her — testing her, again.
“No, I should bring back some clothes at least.”
“Hmm. Then you’ll need a carriage,” he said, his sharp gaze softening slightly as he lifted his teacup once more.
‘That damned tea! Can you stop drinking it for one second?’
“Ah, yes! Thank you,” she said quickly.
“Hm… I’ll arrange a personal carriage for you soon, but for today, let’s leave together. I have errands outside too. I can drop you off, then pick you up afterward from your old house.”
“Ah… okay…”
‘No! That’s not okay!’
She bowed her head, hiding her face as she bit her lower lip.
‘Why is he acting so differently from the original? Why do we keep ending up together?’
—
“Please let me get off here,” Rena said quickly once they reached a busier area.
She peeked out the window — lots of people, lots of shops. Perfect.
“This isn’t your house,” the Duke said, arms crossed as he looked at her from across the carriage.
‘Great. Now it feels like an interrogation.’
“Ah… um… I just thought I’d take a short walk,” she said casually.
She couldn’t let him know she was actually going to a stationery store — that would raise too many questions.
Better to walk from here.
“You’re going to walk? Here?” he asked, glancing out the window again.
“Ah, yes. That’s right.”
“Hmm. So the Duchess enjoys walking around Stiletto Street, I see.”
‘Stiletto Street?’
That name sounded familiar.
‘Wait… where did I hear that before?’
“Rena,” he said quietly, “you shouldn’t walk alone around Stiletto Street.”
‘Ah!’
Now she remembered.
In the original story, when Rena had tried to pawn her things to raise money, her mother had warned her — “Never go to Stiletto Street alone.”
It was a dangerous area on the outskirts of the city — full of thugs and pickpockets. Even during the day, women avoided walking there alone.
‘Of all places, why here?’
The Duke was staring at her again.
His gaze was sharp — observing, analyzing, as if studying her every reaction.
