MHC 39

Chapter 39

Because Kalis had arbitrarily changed the schedule, even Chloe had to return to the Ducal House.
“I should have stayed at the palace…”

Jane, who still hadn’t fully regained her senses, and the emperor, who had revealed that he was Chloe’s close friend ‘Kuhn’, were both in situations that needed to be resolved quickly to clarify their relationships—but despite the recent major incident, nothing had been settled.

Contrary to Chloe’s expectation that their relationship would change after Kuhn hinted at his identity, everything remained quiet. As soon as he spoke, the emperor left abruptly and did not return. Chloe expected some sign or message from him that night, but none came. Even at breakfast the next day, the emperor behaved as if nothing had happened.

Before Chloe could cautiously bring up the topic during breakfast, Kalis’s sudden intrusion completely disrupted the situation.

“There are still things to be sorted out at the Ducal House, so I can put them off for now.”

Back at the Ducal House, Chloe went straight to her room to unpack.
“So much luggage…”

Sweating as she unpacked, Chloe realized that the items were gifts from the emperor and from the steward; there was far too much for her small room.
“Should I change rooms?”

She glanced around her room once more. The room she had been staying in since that incident was objectively small. At the time, Chloe thought enduring this unfairness was her way of apologizing to Kalis.

“Foolishly… I even wasted time thinking about something that should have been obvious.”

Brushing dust off her knees, Chloe went out. Perhaps because the Duke had returned from a long trip, the household was bustling with activity. She deliberately went downstairs to find Shane.

Shane, busy caring for Helena who was still unwell, was giving instructions to the surrounding maids. Taking a brief pause at a pillar, he caught his breath.

“Shane.”
“Yes, what is it?”
“I want to move all my things to the larger room, and I’ll need your help.”

Shane furrowed his brows.
“…Has this been discussed?”
“Discussed? What do you mean?”
“I’m asking whether this is an independent decision or if it has been properly arranged.”

Chloe was frustrated by Shane’s formality. No matter how superficial, she was the legitimate mistress of this house. If the Duchess thought the room was too small and wanted to move, there was no reason to refuse.

“Do I need someone’s permission to move rooms?”
“Unless it has been approved by the Duke or Lady Helena, we cannot help. That is the law of the Ducal House.”

Shane’s response, treating Chloe as if she were an oddity, made her even more annoyed.
“Helena? I need her permission in the Ducal House? How absurd.”
“Lady Helena is the current mistress of the Ducal House.”

Shane had somehow developed a bad habit of prioritizing her own sense of authority over Chloe’s. Chloe let out a sigh.

“If I’m not considered the mistress of this house, so be it. I, Chloe Valont, command you.”

Without pause, she brought up the laws of the kingdom. Shane, a noble-born, could hardly reject someone asserting royal authority.

“We’re changing rooms. Will you refuse this too?”
“But this is the Ducal House…”
“Ah, so the words of royalty don’t matter here. Very well, then do inform your father as well, Shane Merchiane.”

Shane froze. Chloe’s emphasis on her family name meant she was threatening to report his misbehavior to the Merchiane Viscount House. If word got out, he would face severe punishment, and the scandal could tarnish his entire family.

“I-I apologize! I spoke out of turn! Please assign the room, and I will move all of your belongings there!”

Realizing that his fate depended on Chloe, Shane hurried to carry out her orders. Before Chloe could even thank him, Shane went to gather the maids to swiftly move her belongings.

Looking at the quickly emptied space, Chloe thought to herself:
“That was easy.”

Correcting wrongs was simple. One just needed to assert themselves—but it had taken her far too long to reach this point.
“Though perhaps it was a bit satisfying too.”

She couldn’t help but laugh at herself, embarrassed. Using the Valont name to wield authority, she was now more decisive and sharp than when at the palace. Perhaps it was because she had spent almost ten days constantly alongside the emperor. Chloe thought she even spoke a little like Kuhn just now.

After Shane confirmed that everything had been moved, Chloe went upstairs. The room was neatly organized, with gifts from the Empire displayed on her vanity. Compared to the palace or the imperial residence, it was small—but several times larger than her previous room.

The only issue was that while the room had grown, the furniture now looked even more inadequate. She would need to find new furniture soon. It didn’t matter too much, though—at least a few days of comfort in this wretched mansion would be a nice change. After all, the money came from her royal allowances, so she needn’t feel guilty.

“Chloe!”

Her ears caught a familiar voice. The door burst open, and Kalis entered, his face red from running—or anger. He strode across the room.

“What are you doing?”
“I moved the room, as you can see.”

Chloe shrugged. After the exhausting explanation to Shane, did she really have to explain it to him too?

“Show some respect!”

Unexpectedly, his first complaint was about her speech. Though she had been patient at the palace, in her own territory he was being fussy. Even as a member of royalty, she was the Duchess here. Chloe had to comply with his request, whether he liked it or not.

“Yes. If you wish, I shall.”

Though polite, her tone remained arrogantly sharp. Kalis, unable to contain his frustration, started ranting and pointing at the room.

“What on earth happened at the palace?”
“What do you mean?”
“You were attached to the emperor all day, behaving as if you’d gone mad. Acting like being favored for a moment makes you special is ridiculous!”
“If you mean the emperor’s mistress, I was thinking the same.”

“Chloe Argen!”

Kalis shouted loudly, though not a pleasant voice, like an opera singer performing a dramatic aria.

“Has your mind gone completely? Do you have any sense of duty as a family member? You ruin everything!”

Chloe frowned. The absurdity of his words made her scowl.

“I ruined anything? I simply made Helena face the consequences of her own mistakes. How is that called ‘shame’?”

“If we’d let it slide quietly, the family’s honor wouldn’t have been tarnished!”
“I see. That’s beyond my concern. My achievements matter more than this petty family honor.”

“Chloe Argen! Truly… has your mind gone? At the palace, you put Helena in trouble…”

Kalis seemed genuinely taken aback by Chloe’s disregard for family ties. He had assumed her rebellion was temporary after bringing Helena, but she continued to defy authority with sharp claws.

“Your attitude toward your husband is utterly rude! Are you really the one who loved me?”

Chloe’s gaze toward her former love was icy, as if looking at a wild animal babbling in an unfamiliar language. For her, discussing past love with someone who had mercilessly trampled on her feelings was laughable.

“Yet you had the audacity to ask about love, Your Excellency.”

Her slender fingers brushed against Kalis’s chest, gripping a brooch just above the heart and tearing it away with force. It was the brooch she had once gifted him.

It clattered to the floor, and the metallic sound briefly filled the silence.

“I asked.”

Her eyes, while looking at it, carried a faint trace of hatred. The look she then turned on him contained the same emotion.

“What?”
“I buried it far away, so it would never come out into the world again, so it would never embarrass me.”