Chapter 6
Elisia stiffened at Cedric’s cold expression for a moment, wondering if she had said something she shouldn’t have. She instinctively took a step back.
“Divorce… after forcing a marriage under the weight of your family name?”
“Did I… do that?”
“…Ha.”
Cedric let out a sharp, derisive breath.
Elisia awkwardly fidgeted with her hands. It was unfortunate if she had been forced into this marriage—but that was hardly her problem.
“You seem to be mistaken,” Cedric said, stepping closer again.
His tall, solid frame loomed over her, threatening. The faint bitter scent that drifted from him made Elisia twitch her nose.
Cocoa.
“I never intended to marry someone like you. You were never my type to begin with.”
He spoke in a low voice.
To Cedric, Elisia Simoe had been an emotional, selfish, and manipulative woman. She overlapped in his mind with her father, the Duke of Simoe, who had long tormented the House of Albrecht.
[How dare you send letters to the Duke?]
After entering the Albrecht estate, the previous Elisia had repeatedly tampered with Cedric’s correspondence. She even remembered which noble ladies had sent party invitations, and when she met them, she would grab them by the hair and splash water on them—turning the estate into a place of daily chaos.
Cedric had begun to suspect it might all have been the Duke of Simoe’s scheme—to deliberately place this unruly woman as the mistress of Albrecht and disgrace them from within.
He had expected her to be exactly as rumored—proud, selfish, and volatile enough to burst into tears and tantrums at the slightest insult.
As always.
“Oh, really?”
Elisia replied calmly.
Of course she did—because she was not the “real” Elisia Simoe.
There was no reason for her to feel hurt.
But Cedric seemed even more enraged by her reaction.
“…………Get out.”
His voice turned cold as he ordered her out.
Elisia bowed politely and quickly left the office.
—
Almost expelled from the room, Elisia wandered aimlessly instead of returning to her quarters. As if drawn by something, she stepped outside into the barren garden.
There, a man stood holding a silver birdcage.
Inside was a large owl, its eyes wide open as it flapped its wings violently.
‘It’s the spirit child!’
Elisia recognized it instantly.
The closer she got, the stronger the spiritual energy became.
“Excuse me…”
She called out carefully.
The man, who had been observing the owl, turned toward her.
“Oh, sister-in-law.”
‘Sister-in-law? Then this must be Cedric Albrecht’s older brother.’
Elisia blinked blankly.
The man chuckled when he saw her expression.
“So the memory loss is real, huh.”
“Ah… yes.”
“I’m Vincent Albrecht. Cedric’s older brother. I stay in the west wing of this estate.”
“Is there another sibling?”
Elisia asked, thinking it would be better to gather all information now rather than be surprised later.
“Of course. There’s Hestia—our youngest sibling.”
Vincent trailed off slightly at the end.
Elisia immediately understood.
‘So she doesn’t get along with Elisia Simoe either.’
In that case… was there anyone in this house who actually liked her?
Her gaze shifted to the owl.
“What’s with the owl?”
Vincent smiled.
“Ah, an unfortunate creature caught in my trap. I originally set it for rabbits or squirrels, but this one turned out to be quite the catch.”
“Is that so…”
Elisia narrowed her eyes slightly.
The owl’s leg was injured—blood trickling from a wound as it struggled against the cage.
“A shame,” she murmured.
“Could you give it to me?”
Vincent smiled gently.
“That would be difficult.”
Elisia clenched her fist.
He was more irritating than Cedric, who at least was honest in his hostility.
Her innate spiritual sensitivity screamed that something about Vincent was unpleasant.
“Why not?”
“Because I caught it. I don’t make a habit of giving away my prey.”
“There are plenty of other prey. It’s a forest, after all.”
Vincent tilted his head.
Still holding the cage, he stepped closer.
Standing right in front of her, his presence pressed down on her.
“So the amnesia… I thought it was a lie.”
“…From the way you speak, it seems I’m no longer the Elisia Simoe you knew.”
She was technically Elisia Albrecht now, having married Cedric—but no one in this estate seemed to see her that way.
Not even her brother-in-law.
“How rude,” Elisia said.
“Did you call me Simoe even before I lost my memory?”
Vincent fell silent.
Then he smiled smoothly.
“If I offended you, I apologize. I’ve been rude to the Duchess.”
He set the cage down and knelt.
Startled, Elisia stepped back—but he suddenly grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips.
“Will this suffice as an apology?”
“…That’s not nearly enough.”
Elisia pulled her hand away and smiled faintly.
She could not shake the feeling that he was testing her.
And it was infuriating.
“If you’re really sorry… give me that owl.”
“I didn’t realize you were fond of owls, sister-in-law.”
“Now you do.”
Vincent stood, glancing between Elisia and the owl.
Then he shrugged and handed her the cage.
“Do visit me sometime. I might get attached to this prey.”
Elisia wanted to refuse immediately—but feared he might take the owl back if she did.
So she nodded reluctantly.
—
“Then I’ll take my leave, Duchess Albrecht.”
He emphasized the surname mockingly before bowing and walking away.
As soon as he disappeared, Elisia rushed to open the cage.
“Spirit child… what happened to you? Hey?”
“…Unni…”
“Get in here quickly!”
Elisia shouted.
As a vessel for a divine spirit, she could only fully access her shamanic powers when the spirit entered her body.
{No, unni… I can’t stay in this miserable bird body—}
Before it could finish, the owl fainted.
“Spirit child!”
“Are you awake?”
Elisia gently stroked its head.
She carried the collapsed owl back to her room, requesting wine and gauze from Betty. Perhaps because of the earlier incident that morning, Betty obeyed without question.
Elisia poured wine over the owl’s injured leg to disinfect it, then wrapped it carefully in gauze and bandaged it.
It looked awkward—like a thick cast on one leg—but she couldn’t bring herself to laugh.
She placed it on the bed and sat on the floor beside it, stroking its body until it woke.
“Where were you? And more importantly… am I dead?”
Elisia recalled her last memory as U Sodan—being struck by a truck. Even now, she could vividly feel her body flying through the air.
{Yes, you died. I know. Because I am your vessel.}
“Then why…?”
{Because right before the truck hit you… you prayed desperately.}
