Chapter 5

Scarcely had his words ended when the bureaucrats began scrambling to pick up their cups. After a flurry of tasting, a low murmur broke out among them, their faces painted with astonishment.

While a few—perhaps four or five at most—grimaced at the unfamiliar flavor, the rest looked impressed or deeply satisfied.

“Phew…”

An audible sigh of relief escaped Renee’s tightly pressed lips. As she secretly clutched her chest in relief, her eyes instinctively drifted toward Ian’s reaction.

He was the man who controlled the purse strings, respected by his colleagues for his long tenure and sharp intellect, but there was a weight to his presence that transcended mere professional standing. It was as if people believed that if he said something was so, then everyone else would naturally follow suit.

Ian finished the entire cup, savoring the coffee slowly. He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and looked directly at Renee.

“This is marvelous, My Lady.”

‘Success!’ Renee cheered inwardly.

The officials who had initially seemed skeptical of the strange taste of coffee mixed with animal milk now nodded as if they had no choice, seeing Ian’s positive approval.

Meanwhile, Galael stood there holding his cup at an angle; while everyone else had finished theirs, his remained more than half full. Glancing at the reactions of the bureaucrats with an indecipherable expression, he finally set the cup down on the table.

Wiping his mouth with a leisurely gesture, he stared intently at Renee. He was a man who keenly observed his surroundings and always aligned himself with the prevailing tide. Therefore, today’s meeting would inevitably conclude in the direction Renee desired.

The subsequent process of reaching a consensus was merely a formality. The decision had practically been made the moment the officials reacted to the tasting.

“With that, and with the support of all the ministers gathered here, the trade item is officially decided. My Lady, please work with the chef of Castle Sainer to develop additional beverages and desserts. We shall now take a short break before continuing the meeting.”

As Ian finished speaking, the doors to the main hall opened. A line of kitchen servants entered to collect the empty cups and bottles.

Peeking through the gap in the door, Tatisha caught Renee’s eye, silently asking how things went. When Renee gave her a subtle wink instead of an answer, Tatisha threw both hands up in the air as if in a victory pose.

***

Deep into the night, dark blue clouds drifted around a bright moon. A golden carriage came to a halt in the vast front courtyard of the Great Chamber.

It was Ricard’s carriage, just returning to Castle Sainer after completing an external schedule. Extending a long leg, he stepped out of the carriage with swift movements.

Ordinarily, he would have headed straight for the inner chambers where his study and bedroom were located, but today was different. The state council meeting to decide the trade items would be in full swing.

He had once tasted that “bizarre” coffee Renee enjoyed. To be precise, his only experience was licking a drop off his lips after she had sputtered it onto his face.

Except for his time as a wanderer, he had always lived the life of a nobleman. From his childhood in the Imperial Palace to his current status as the Lord of the Castle, he had consumed all manner of expensive and rare things.

Even by his standards, the coffee his wife enjoyed was quite excellent. He couldn’t fathom where she had learned such a peculiar recipe, especially since she had allegedly spent her entire life confined to her room due to illness.

Regardless, the taste of the coffee wasn’t the issue. The problem was whether she could persuade the arrogant ministers who lived for their own pride.

He couldn’t exactly line up the high-and-mighty bureaucrats and spray the drink in their faces one by one.

He recalled the day he first saw his wife, Reneezmia Dainis—the woman who had come out to greet him in a state of undress, brushing back hair that looked like tangled seaweed.

The knights who witnessed that scene kept their mouths shut in front of Ricard, of course, but he knew they still talked among themselves about that shocking memory whenever they were alone.

What if Renee did something equally unpredictable during today’s council meeting? What if she had already done it while he was away?

Throughout the time he spent away from the castle today, Ricard had been unable to focus on his schedule due to the various imaginations haunting him. That was why he had hurried home so quickly.

He didn’t know how he had ended up worrying like this about a woman he thought he had married in a silent, arranged union with a refined noblewoman.

After dismissing the coachman, he walked toward the large front doors of the Great Chamber, his brow furrowing. The hallway windows, which should have been glowing with light, were all dark.

‘Damn it. Did something go wrong?’

He almost ran up the stairs and hurried toward the main hall, when a voice filled with excitement drifted from somewhere at the end of the dark corridor.

“How can you say such a scary thing! This is all thanks to you. Come here, I could just give you a kiss!”

What? A kiss?

The word was so scandalous that Ricard couldn’t believe it had come from his wife’s mouth. His steps came to a dead halt. His eyes emitted a terrifying aura in the darkness.

***

Meanwhile, the National Council meeting had concluded well past dinner time. Renee, who had been standing dazed in the middle of the empty main hall after the officials left, finally forced her trembling legs to move into the hallway.

Tatisha, who had been waiting anxiously for her, brightened the moment the door opened and she emerged.

“My Lady! Why are you just coming out now? The ministers all left ages ago! Do you know how frustrated I was when you didn’t come out?!”

“Sorry, Tatisha. I think my nerves just gave out, and for a moment, I couldn’t think…”

“I couldn’t exactly barge into the main hall, so I was just here by myself!”

Seeing Tatisha raising her voice like a child, which was unlike her, made Renee’s frozen body feel as if it were melting away.

“I was so worried that I had ruined everything by speaking out of turn while trying to help you!”

“I’m sorry. I thought the situation was mostly conveyed when we caught eyes earlier. You even raised both hands in the air like that.”

Renee playfully raised her arms. Tatisha finally seemed to relax, her shoulders sagging.

“But the meeting went on for so much longer after that. The other ministers came out in small groups after the meeting, but only you were nowhere to be seen… I thought something had happened in the following session.”

“What could have happened in the following session? The trade item was decided early on, and we just discussed other things after that.”

“Regardless, it’s a relief, My Lady. If I had done something presumptuous and caused you harm, I might have bitten my tongue and left this world.”

Tatisha made a gesture of biting her tongue with an expression that lacked any hint of a smile. Renee playfully slapped Tatisha on the arm.

“How can you say such a scary thing! This is all thanks to you. Come here, I could just give you a kiss!”

The moment the word ‘kiss’ left her lips, Renee grabbed Tatisha—who looked horrified—and pulled her into a tight embrace. Tatisha was about two spans taller than Renee, and though lean, her body felt solid.

As she shared the hug, smelling the familiar scent of spices lingering on her, Renee’s nose suddenly began to tingle.

‘It’s strange. I haven’t even opened the cafe yet, and nothing has really happened. Why do I feel so proud and happy as if I’ve achieved something monumental?’

As if sensing Renee’s heart, Tatisha hugged her back tightly.

The two of them had been together since the original Reneezmia was a young girl.

She was the maid who had looked upon her lady’s bare body as a matter of destiny, combing and drying her wet hair; the one who stayed by her side all night when she, suffering from lung disease, would cough up blood. She was the only person from home who had followed her when she left her parents to marry a man in the distant Northern Kingdom.

To such a Tatisha, reading Renee’s inner thoughts might not be very difficult.

On the other hand, to the current Renee, Tatisha was a maid she had known for barely two months. And yet…

The meaning she held was far greater than that. If Priest Bernst was the only helper for the original Reneezmia—who would eventually be crushed and broken before meeting her death—Tatisha was the only person who, even if she couldn’t help, would cry alongside her in her pain.

‘I set her up as a character who is compassionate and hardworking despite her tough exterior—not just a maid, but a loyal friend. Someone who would stay by Reneezmia’s side no matter what happened, and who could keep her secrets no matter what she confessed…’

At the end of the dark corridor, where moonlight poured in like a spotlight, the fact that everyone had left and only the two of them remained made it feel like a play.

For some reason, it felt surreal. Was that why? In this moment, Renee was seized by the feeling that she could tell her loyal maid the secret she had been keeping to herself.

More accurately, it was a powerful urge to confess.

“Tatisha.”

Calling her maid’s name, Renee released her from the embrace.

“Yes, My Lady.”

Tatisha was surprised by the low tone of Renee’s voice—a tone she had never heard before—and her eyes met Renee’s, which were glowing quietly in the dark.

It was strange. The person she had spent nearly her entire life with felt like a different person.

“Please, speak,” Tatisha added with a trembling voice.

“Will you believe me, no matter what I say?”

“My Lady…”

Tatisha’s eyes shook with uncertainty. She seemed curious about what Renee was going to say, yet at the same time, she looked as if she didn’t want to hear it.

She reminded Renee of a child huddled under a blanket, eyes shining to hear a terrifying ghost story, yet ready to cover their ears in fear at any moment.

She was a woman who always judged what she had to do with conviction, but now, Tatisha seemed like a different person.

Perhaps she sensed it—that Renee was about to tell her something monumental.

“Tatisha. You said something to me once.”

“What are you talking about, My Lady…?”

“It was about two months ago, on a night when the moon was as bright as it is tonight.”

It was the very night Ricard had moved up his schedule and returned to Castle Sainer.

“Do you remember what you said while helping me with my bath? That even though you’ve been with me for nearly ten years, I’ve felt like a completely different person lately. That it felt like a demon had taken up residence inside me.”

Tatisha looked up for a moment, lost in thought. Soon, as if remembering, she nodded.

“Yes. But I don’t know why you’re bringing that up so suddenly, My Lady.”

“Tatisha. Will you believe me, no matter what I say?”

Renee asked with a desperate heart. Tatisha’s face began to contort into a near-cry.

“My Lady. I’m starting to get scared.”

“Answer me, Tatisha. I feel like I can finally tell you.”

“Then just tell me what on earth you’re talking about!”

Finally, Tatisha shouted in an agitated tone, her cheeks flushing red.

“I’m sorry, My Lady. I was disrespectful to raise my voice.”

She then tried to calm her heightened emotions and apologized. She swallowed hard several times as if trying to swallow back the rudeness she had committed.

Renee shook her head firmly. It wasn’t that she wouldn’t accept the apology, but that such a thing didn’t matter at all.

Tatisha’s lips trembled as she looked around.

“Is it that… My Lady is truly, truly… someone else?”

After stuttering several times, Tatisha finally finished her question and frowned in distress.

“Yes.”

At Renee’s overly simple answer, Tatisha let out a hollow laugh. She even shook her head in disbelief.

Seeing her like that, Renee couldn’t easily offer any response.

Why was she even trying to tell her the truth? What if she was just making another mistake, swept up in a momentary urge?

She needed to ask herself once more.

The most logical reason was to bring this loyal maid to her side. Except for when she was trapped in the Forest of Illusions, she hadn’t faced any major crises so far, but there was no telling what lay ahead.

Perhaps Galael’s presence had triggered this vivid sense of impending danger. She had felt the ominous vibe he projected with just his eyes, even without saying a word, every time they met.

So, if she could just tell one person the truth and make them her ally—if she could get help with the terrible things that might happen in the future…

Her mind was so cluttered with worries it felt like it might explode.

And it seemed the same was true for Tatisha. After a moment of silence with a face as pained as Renee’s, she finally spoke.

“My Lady. I’ve heard that if a dark magic spell goes wrong, the soul of a dead person, or even that of a magical beast or monster, can dwell inside a human shell.”

“…”

“But if that were the case, the soul of the lady I knew would already be gone, so there would be no reason for you to tell me that.”

“You are sharp, Tatisha. …I did set you up that way.”

Renee, finally opening the preface to what she had intended to tell Tatisha, waited tensely for her response.

However, Tatisha was so consumed by her own intense emotions that she seemed to overlook Renee’s last remark. Instead of questioning it, she continued her own train of thought.

“If it’s not that, is it that you had a hidden twin sister? So, the person I know as ‘My Lady’ is actually your younger sister… Of course, I’ve served you since you were a child and I know you couldn’t possibly have a younger sister, but still…”

Tatisha, struggling to make sense of the situation, eventually trailed off, clutching her head with both hands.

Dropping her head for a moment, she looked up at Renee. She was practically pleading for an answer.

“Tatisha.”

“Yes, My Lady! Please, stop calling my name and just—”

“I am not from this world.”

Like a balloon finally popping—pop—the secret was out.

It felt as if time had stopped.

Were Tatisha’s eyes always this large and beautiful? Looking at those reddish-brown eyes shining vividly under the moonlight, the thought occurred to her anew.

It must have been because she had never looked at her face with such focused attention before. And just by looking at her, Renee could tell that her words hadn’t reached Tatisha at all.

It felt as though there was a transparent wall between them. The sound was heard, but the meaning didn’t translate.

In a way, it was only natural. How could she possibly understand the words ‘I am not from this world’?

Tatisha spoke with a stiff expression.

“It seems My Lady truly isn’t the person I knew.”

“…”

“The lady I’ve served for nearly ten years wouldn’t have the wicked hobby of playing such a pointless joke to tease a maid like me.”

She finished her sentence, pressing each word down firmly, then clamped her mouth shut. Her leaden expression indicated she was very angry.

How could she make her believe? What words could she use to persuade her?

While Renee was helplessly letting time slip by in regret…

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

A voice came from the dark behind her without warning. Renee and Tatisha both spun around in shock.

Thud, thud. Seeing as the footsteps were only now audible, the owner of the voice must have been standing there with bated breath, hiding his presence perfectly.

A large silhouette in the darkness drew closer. The one who finally revealed himself under the moonlight was, of course, Ricard.

Why was he here after going out? More importantly, how long had he been listening?

Ricard was looking down at Renee with an indecipherable expression.

In the midst of the darkness, the moonlight from outside was hitting him perfectly. His dark navy cloak, made of a rug-like material, glistened as it caught the light. Though signs of fatigue were evident, his face looked like beautifully crafted porcelain.

For some reason, the moment she first met him flashed through her mind. The moment when he, fresh from the battlefield, had removed his helmet and revealed a face drenched in sweat. The memory of being overwhelmed by his excessively beautiful appearance.

If Renee was momentarily lost in past sentiment and forgot reality, Tatisha was the same just by Ricard’s presence.

Ricard Sainer. The man who appeared only in the hushed gossip of the castle servants was not someone a lady’s maid would ever encounter so closely.

Tatisha, coming to her senses a step late, bowed her head hurriedly. However, Ricard seemed to regard the existence of a mere maid as nothing more than dust floating in the air. He only stared at Renee’s face as if to pierce right through it.

“First, the runt of a girl dared to touch her lady’s meal.”

The ‘runt’ must have been Bonnie. At Ricard’s voice, which echoed through the empty hallway like a growl, Renee felt her whole body go stiff.

“Now, this scrawny girl is having a secret tryst with the lady in such a dark place.”

At the mention of the ‘scrawny girl,’ Tatisha squeezed her eyes shut and bit her lip hard. Her complexion turned so pale she looked as if she might faint at any moment.

Renee took a step forward, closing the distance between her and Ricard. She had to manage the situation somehow.

“Grand Duke. What brings you here?”

As soon as she spoke, Ricard let out a mocking chuckle.

“’What brings me here?’ You speak as if this building belongs to you.”

Renee bit her lower lip and then released it. Ricard continued, his expression difficult to read, making him feel even more threatening.

“I happened to drop by, curious to see how today’s state council meeting was progressing. Contrary to my expectation that a heated debate would continue through the night as usual, the windows of the main hall were already dark.”

“…”

“And then I heard your voice from somewhere in the dark hallway.”

His gaze clouded for a moment as if recalling the scene.

“You were jumping around, shouting excitedly about giving a kiss. I thought I was about to catch an unfaithful wife in the act.”

It didn’t take long to understand what he meant. It was the conversation she had with Tatisha shortly after leaving the main hall.

The moment she had said she would shower her with kisses in joy at having successfully persuaded the officials thanks to her. Ricard had already been somewhere in this dark building at that time.

‘Then, as I thought, did he hear everything after that?’

The sound of her heart beating echoed in her ears. Ricard curled his lips into his signature sarcastic smirk.

“It’s a different picture than I expected, but intriguing nonetheless.”

After speaking, he gave a faint, cynical smile, like a boy bullying a small animal.

“Go on. Tell me.”

“…”

“What is the secret you were trying to tell that girl?”

Ricard asked in a subtle, sinister tone, as if whispering a terrible curse. Renee could say nothing and only shook her head.

“Explain, Reneezmia. The meaning of your words—that you are not from this world.”

Why was it? For a moment, his expression, which had felt consistently indifferent, crumpled.

An emotion he had barely managed to suppress seemed to burst out.

‘What is that expression? Why…’

The atmosphere he projected had clearly changed. If he had seemed to be mocking her before, he now looked as if he were losing control of his emotions.

Mere curiosity or a malicious sense of intrigue were not enough to describe his state at this moment. It was the first time she had seen such a face on him, one that even held a certain earnestness.

‘Why? Why are you looking at me with that face?’

Ricard didn’t continue to press Renee, but waited in silence. Perhaps it was because he desperately wanted her answer, for reasons unknown.

“You said the same thing when we were trapped in the Forest of Illusions.”

Now that she thought about it, it was true. When she was trapped in the Forest of Illusions with Ricard, Renee had already tried to tell him her secret.

Of course, it had ended in failure because he had cut her off before she could even start.

‘Moreover, back then, I was overwhelmed by swirling emotions and couldn’t make a rational judgment.’

But now was different. This place where they stood facing each other was not a forest where mana used in dark magic gathered to control minds, but the first-floor corridor of the Great Chamber, where people of the castle passed by every day.

How would Ricard react if she told him the truth? If he decided his wife was indeed a madwoman and sent her to a doctor, that might actually be the best-case scenario.

Renee clamped her mouth shut as if locking it. It was a sign that she would never answer.

And Ricard, understanding the meaning she conveyed, averted his gaze. Instead of his wife, who stubbornly kept her mouth shut, he looked at Tatisha, who was still bowing her head.

He seemed to have changed his tactics.

“State your name and affiliation.”

At the sudden command, Tatisha answered in a trembling voice.

“I am Tatisha, the personal maid to Lady Sainer. I am the eldest daughter of the Culkin family, and I have served My Lady since I was a child in the Dainis Household.”

“I see, Tatisha Culkin.”

Ricard called Tatisha’s name in a suddenly softened voice. It was a tone that clearly hid a dark intention, like velvet wrapped around a blade.

“Raise your head.”

Tatisha lifted her head, her movements stiff like a wooden puppet.

“It seems you know a secret about my wife that even I am unaware of.”

Tatisha’s lips contorted into an expression of agonizing distress. Renée was equally tormented. Tatisha hadn’t even heard the full story yet, and even if she had, she wasn’t the type to betray a confidence under pressure. Renée couldn’t stand by and watch her maid suffer simply for being her confidante.

“Grand Duke. I haven’t finished telling this child anything yet. Though, if you’ve been eavesdropping on our entire conversation, you already know that.”

The moment Renée spat the word ‘eavesdropping,’ the hint of a smile vanished from Ricard’s face.

“You are gravely mistaken about something.”

He took a step toward her, radiating an overwhelming aura of intimidation.

“Everything within this castle belongs to me. This corridor you stand upon, and that maid you cherish so dearly.”

“…”

“Even every single word shared between you two in this hallway.”

He pressed his body against hers as if to crush her chest with his own, growling like a beast.

“Reneezmia Dainis. No, Reneezmia Sainer.”

“…”

“I’ve turned a blind eye a few times because you tremble like a broken-winged insect just by making eye contact… but your insolence has reached the heavens.”

Ricard’s massive hand gripped Renée’s shoulder. His grip tightened steadily until the pain became excruciating, as if her collarbone were about to shatter.

Just as her reason began to go numb from primal fear, her chest tightened, making it difficult to breathe. Clutching her chest, Renée bowed her head deeply. Ricard looked down at her as she gasped for air, let out a hollow laugh of disbelief.

“Always with that pathetic acting at every opportunity—”

Cough!

A hot, thick sensation surged up her throat as if she were vomiting her entrails. A few more violent coughs followed before subsiding momentarily. Renée slowly pulled her hand away from her mouth. Fresh blood, having leaked through her fingers, ran down her wrist and stained her dress.

Ricard’s hand, which had been gripping her shoulder, fell away limply.

Renée began to cough agonizingly again. Her whole body buckled as if in a seizure, and she staggered violently.

“My Lady!”

Tatisha rushed toward Renée, letting out a cry that was almost a scream. She shouted something in an agitated voice, but Renée couldn’t understand a single word. The sickening taste of blood filled her throat, and it felt as if a clot was blocking her airway, making it impossible to breathe.

Ricard stood there, staring blankly at her. His face, which almost looked terrified, began to blur. Her vision flickered; the world was stained black, and then—total darkness.

***

When she opened her eyes, she saw a familiar ceiling. A smooth white marble ceiling adorned with elaborate and sophisticated carvings.

‘This was the first sight I saw the day I ended up in this world.’

This was her bedroom. To be precise, it was the shared bedroom of the couple, but since they had never once slept together, it was effectively her room. Renée forced her hazy vision to shift toward the window on the right side of the bed. It was the early dawn, before sunrise. A chillingly blue hue filtered through the transparent glass, saturating the bedroom.

“Ah…”

Just moving her eyes made her head spin with severe nausea. Groaning involuntarily, Renée turned her head to the other side. An entirely unexpected sight unfolded before her. Sitting in a large chair placed right next to the bed was Ricard.

His eyelids were closed, and his hands were resting on his knees. It was a perfectly upright posture, no different from when he was working—the kind of posture that looked like it belonged in a royal etiquette manual. He didn’t move an inch, appearing to be in a deep sleep.

‘Is he sleeping?’

Looking up at him from her pillow felt awkward. Renée struggled to lift her upper body, propped a large pillow against the headboard, and leaned her head back carefully. Now that her line of sight was level, she could see him more clearly.

He was wearing a white shirt with a couple of buttons undone and black trousers. It was neither pajamas nor full formal wear. His hair, usually combed back without a single strand out of place, was loose, covering his forehead and casting shadows beneath his eyes. This was the first time she had seen Ricard in such a relaxed state.

Why did he look so sorrowful sitting there with his eyes closed? Perhaps it was the winter dawn light—that characteristic blue, cold feeling. After watching his sleeping face for a long time as if admiring a painting, he spoke.

“I’ve been curious ever since the moment I first saw you.”

“…!”

Without opening his eyes or moving from his seated position, Ricard began to speak. It didn’t seem like he had been awakened by Renée’s movement; rather, it felt as though he hadn’t slept at all.

“Why does your very existence grate on my nerves to this extent?”

Candles lit throughout the vast room spread the fragrance of herbs and flowers. Whenever the small flames flickered, ghost-like shadows danced on the white walls.

“You always make me out to be the worst person.”

He paused for a moment before finally lifting his eyelids. However, instead of looking at Renée in front of him, he stared blankly into the air.

“What do you mean by that…”

“Watching you jump out of a window looking like a drowned rat, I felt… exposed.”

“…”

“Even though it was you who was baring your wet chest and thighs in front of my knights.”

He stopped abruptly, as if suddenly seized by intense emotion. It was clear he was struggling to suppress whatever he was feeling. Finally, he turned his gaze to look at Renée. As their eyes met, a sharp sting, like a burn, flared up somewhere deep inside her.

“We may have entered a marriage neither of us wanted, but you don’t even see me as a human being. You tried to run away while I was off at war, you tell blatant lies to my face, and you look at me as if you’re seeing a monster.”

‘Wait.’

Renée, who had been listening silently, felt an impulse to interrupt. While it was true she had tried to run away and had lied several times, the accusation that she looked at him like he was a monster felt unfair. However, she couldn’t bring herself to retort because she could feel that he was barely managing to speak through deep, heavy emotions.

“Not only do you giggle with those precious maids of yours, but you also talk with a smile to my foster parents, the kitchen and laundry staff… even the bureaucrats of Castle Sainer, whom you would never have even known the names of if not for that business of yours.”

The things coming out of his mouth were incredibly foreign. They were all true, of course. She generally got along well with Tatisha, Bonnie, her parents-in-law—especially Melda—and the rest of the castle staff. But the fact that Ricard knew this, and was mentioning such trivial things now, was bizarre.

“You only ever try to run from me. You only raise your voice at me and wear that expression of hatred. Yes, that face right there.”

His tone suddenly became agitated, like a spark catching fire in the wind. His eyes burned intensely as he looked at Renée. It was a gaze full of resentment. Renée wanted to snap back.

‘How exactly am I looking at you right now? I was just listening to you!’

Besides, wasn’t it Ricard himself who was always hell-bent on devouring her? Renée gripped the edge of the blanket in frustration. Watching her fingertips, he let out a sharp, hollow laugh that was more of a sigh.

“I don’t know why I’m rambling like this to a woman who just collapsed vomiting blood because of me.”

He fell silent after that self-deprecating monologue. His stiff face overlapped with the expression she had seen just before she lost consciousness. It seemed he was blaming himself, thinking she had coughed up blood and collapsed because he had pushed and pressured her so severely.

“My collapsing was due to the illness I have, not your fault, Grand Duke,” Renée said firmly. She intended to ease his guilt, but his dark expression didn’t soften in the slightest.

“I’m so grateful I could cry,” was Ricard’s response, coming only after a long pause. Like a traveler who had burst their pack and spilled all their belongings on the road, he had let out a torrent of emotions, but he instantly gathered them back up, regaining his usual cold and emotionless demeanor.

“Lord Wedson examined you for quite a while and said your life isn’t in danger. He said you just need sufficient rest.”

It seemed that Marquis Vigo Wedson, the physician of Castle Sainer, had examined her while she was unconscious. Ricard straightened his posture. Then, he wore a stern and serious expression, like someone finally getting to the main point.

“So, I need an answer. What does it mean—that you are not from this world?”

“Ha…!”

Renée let out a sharp exhale, as if releasing a held breath. He was relentless. There was no other word to describe it. He had seen her vomit blood and collapse with his own eyes, yet he was bringing that up again. Even a detective interrogating a suspect wouldn’t go this far. They’d order you food if you were hungry and give you a toothbrush afterward.

‘What a cold man. Why act like you were blaming yourself if you were going to be like this?’

Renée glared at Ricard with resentment. He was someone who took zero interest in anything that wasn’t state affairs. So why was he so obsessed with those words?

The uncomfortable silence was broken by a knock at the door.

“Grand Duke, are you inside? I’ve come to check on the Lady’s condition.”

It was the voice of the physician, Vigo Wedson. In this moment, his presence felt like a savior. Ricard frowned, looking back and forth between the bedroom door and Renée. Then, another knock came, a bit more hurried this time.

“Lord Sainer. It is your mother. I’m coming in.”

Scarcely were the words out when Melda pushed the door open. Likely the only person allowed to enter without Ricard’s explicit permission, she was very surprised to see Renée awake.

“My Lady…! You are awake.”

While she spoke casually and called Renée “child” when they were alone, she always used formal language when Ricard was present. Melda hurried to the bedside, leaned down, and gently took Renée’s hands.

“How are you feeling, My Lady? I was so shocked to hear you had collapsed vomiting blood in the middle of the night.”

Renée squeezed Melda’s hands, which were warm and soft like freshly baked bread.

“I’m sorry, Mother. I must have given you quite a scare.”

“Don’t be sorry. Lord Wedson told me on the way here—it’s likely your body was overworked because you’ve been so busy with your business lately.”

After speaking, Melda turned slightly to make room for Vigo, who had been standing behind her. He gave a short nod and stepped closer to Renée. After a brief check for fever and breathing, he turned back to Melda. Melda nodded understandingly and sat on the edge of the bed.

“Shall we take off your dress for a moment, My Lady? Lord Wedson said he would need my help to examine your condition in detail, so I came along.”

Now Renée understood why Melda had come with Vigo. Being a man before a physician, he would have had difficulty performing a thorough examination. Renée nodded compliantly. She sat up straight and lowered the blanket that had been covering her up to her chest.

Her light blue dress, delicately embroidered with jewels, was stained with brown bloodspots in several places. It was a design that revealed the curves of her chest, waist, and hips when the sash was tightened, but it had become a bit disheveled after she collapsed.

“Lord Sainer. The Lady needs to remove her dress and be examined in her slip, so if you could just…” Melda trailed off, looking back at Ricard. He stood there blankly without a word.

“Lord Sainer?” Melda called his name again, her tone urgent as if asking what he was doing. He furrowed his brows in annoyance.

“Is there some law stating I cannot see my own wife’s bare body?”

A sudden silence fell over the bedroom at his unexpected words. As if realizing he had a point, Melda let out a small exclamation of understanding.

“You are right, My Lord. I was presumptuously worried,” Melda added in a subtle tone.

Ricard, who had been standing the furthest from the three, stepped forward. Renée instinctively lowered her gaze.

“Remove your dress, My Lady.”

His tone was incredibly serious. Renée gripped her waist sash tightly. A wave of heat began to spread from her fingers and toes.

“What are you doing?” Ricard urged her in a low voice. Renée did nothing, just clutching the cold, soft ribbon of her dress.

“He needs to examine you, so I told you to remove the dress.”

It would have been better if he wore his usual mocking smile. Ricard’s expression was perfectly serious and resolute. At this point, hesitating any longer would only make things look more awkward. It would be like she was the only one flustered by suggestive thoughts while the others were being professional.

‘Fine. It’s not like I’m going naked, it’s just a slip. Let’s not overreact.’

Persuading herself, Renée finally adjusted her grip on the sash. Then, she pulled the end of the loosely tied ribbon.

Slither… As she untied the sash, the only thing supporting the soft silk, the fabric slid down her chest like a snake, and the front of the dress fell wide open.

As she slipped her arms out, Renée was left in a sheer slip dress. Through the near-translucent white fabric, the silhouette of her chest was clearly visible.

Vigo quickly averted his gaze and took a step back. He then signaled to Melda.

“Could you sit in front of the Lady and gently press the hollow area between her breasts?”

He had clearly asked Melda for help, but it was Ricard, not Melda, who naturally sat by the bedside.

‘He was talking to Melda, not you!’

Ricard looked at Renée with a subtle gaze. Renée felt an impulse to raise her hands and cover herself. Just then, she felt something brush past her hips and legs. It was her dress, which had fallen silently to the floor.

Before Renée could reach for it, Ricard leaned over and picked it up. Then, in a smooth, continuous motion, he handed it to Melda. Melda took the garment from him as if it were perfectly natural.

“This precious dress is stained with blood. I must get it to the laundry staff before the stain sets.”

After speaking, she gave Renée a nod and turned away. Renée involuntarily shifted her hips.

‘Ask a maid or a servant, why are you doing it yourself!’

She screamed inwardly, but of course, Melda couldn’t hear her. As Melda quickly left the room, only Renée, Ricard, and the physician Vigo remained.

“Grand Duke, please press the hollow of the Lady’s chest firmly with your palm.”

“Shouldn’t I do it mys—!”

Renée’s sentence was cut short. Swallowing the rest of her words with a sharp intake of breath, she froze. Ricard’s palm, which slipped between her breasts without hesitation, was hot as heated iron.

“Do you feel any unstable vibrations from deep inside the chest bone as the Lady inhales and exhales?”

As the physician of Castle Sainer, Vigo was diligently performing his duties. But for Renée, it was maddening. Her toes beneath the blanket curled involuntarily.

“I can’t tell because she’s holding her breath.”

“…Pardon?”

As soon as Ricard spoke and Vigo questioned him, Renée exhaled the breath she had been holding. Ricard lowered his gaze lazily, focusing all his attention on his palm.

“My Lady. Please take deep breaths in and out. Huu, haa… making a sound like I am doing now.”

Renée closed her eyes tight and then opened them. She eventually bit her lip as if she had no choice.

“Huu…”

Renée took a deep breath, making a sound as Vigo instructed. Her chest was the only part of her lean upper body with any substance. As her ribcage expanded, her silhouette moved prominently. As the outline of her chest became clearer through the thin slip, Ricard’s gaze wavered slightly. He added a microscopic amount of pressure to his palm, which was buried between her breasts.

Renée’s gaze wandered aimlessly, flitting across every piece of furniture and carving in the room, but there was one thing she absolutely could not look at: Ricard.

Her whole body flushed with heat. It felt as though every nerve ending from head to toe was congregating at her chest.

“Haa…”

This time, she let out a large exhale. Her ribcage tightened again, and she repeated the breathing several times. Each time she took a deep breath, the back of Ricard’s hand rose and fell. She could tell from her peripheral vision that his gaze was deepening intensely.

Renée’s breathing filled the dark bedroom. His palm, which had been hot from the moment it touched her, was now beyond hot—it felt like burning wood. Renée mechanically repeated the inhalations and exhalations like a robot capable of nothing else. Every breath made her head feel as hazy as if she were drinking strong liquor.

An explosive tension gripped her entire body. She was sweating so much her hips and thighs felt damp against the bed.

“Do you feel any vibration from inside the chest bone?” Vigo asked in a calm tone. A considerable amount of time had passed, but Ricard didn’t answer.

Renée finally lifted her gaze to look at his face. In that moment, their eyes met, and Renée felt like a herbivore caught in a snare.

“Grand Duke?” Vigo called him once more, seeking an answer.

Ricard looked like a traveler who had just returned to reality after a trip to another world. He blinked slowly with an expression that sat on the boundary between reality and unreality.

“Not particularly.”

It was an excessively brief answer compared to the time taken. His voice felt strangely languid.

The examination continued for a while longer. Vigo placed his ear near Renée’s chest to listen to her breathing, and whenever he needed Ricard’s hand, he had him assist. Finally, the long check-up concluded.

“It doesn’t seem like there are any major issues, as I observed a few hours ago. Your breathing has stabilized significantly as well. However, there’s still some instability and a slight fever, so it would be best for you to halt your schedule as much as possible for a few days until you fully recover.”

After speaking, he called a name. A maid entered with a knock, carrying a small silver tray. Vigo took a steaming teacup from her and handed it to Renée.

“This medicine will help you breathe more easily. It was boiling hot, so I purposely brought it late. It should be at the perfect temperature to drink by now.”

“Thank you, Lord Wedson.”

Renee quickly tidied up her disheveled clothes before accepting the teacup from him with both hands.

Bowing to Ricard and Renee in turn, Vego walked out of the bedroom.

Now, only Ricard and Renee were left in the room. Renee downed the medicine in one gulp, like a drunkard desperate to lose consciousness.

Then, with a flushed face, she held the empty cup and glanced around. She wanted to set it down on the nightstand, but it was quite far away.

As she tried to push herself up, Ricard lightly took hold of the empty cup in her hand. Their fingertips brushed for a split second, and Renee recoiled as if shocked by electricity.

Looking down at her slightly, Ricard took the cup from her hand without a change in expression.

He was so tall and had such long arms that he almost seemed to belong to a different species; merely lifting his hips a bit and stretching out his arm was enough for him to place the cup on the nightstand.

The medical examination had ended long ago, and the minor mission of putting the cup on the nightstand was also complete. Yet, for some reason, Ricard—who should have gotten up and left by now—remained seated on the edge of the bed without moving.

Stiff with tension, Renee watched his every move. She was as restless as a puppy that desperately needed to relieve itself.

Ricard let out a hollow, exasperated laugh.

“Do you think I’m going to eat you alive?”

The trailing edge of his laughter felt as bitter as the medicine she had just swallowed.

“No, it’s just… it feels a little awkward and strange.”

“What exactly is so awkward and strange?”

“…That the two of us are sitting on the same bed like this.”

Renee’s voice trailed off as she dropped her gaze.

“You seemed to find me abhorrent, even in your sleep.”

“Pardon?”

What Ricard said next was entirely unexpected. If he was talking about talking in her sleep, he had to be referring to what happened before she woke up from her faint.

“‘Don’t touch me. I never wanted this marriage.’”

Ricard continued, mimicking a comically high-pitched voice.

“‘Just looking at your face like this is hideous. It’s hideous.’”

“…Are you saying I said those things in my sleep…?”

“You were twisting your whole body and sobbing. Watching you like that, my heart…”

Ricard’s voice faded, a dry trace of a smile still lingering on his face. But the faint smile quickly vanished, replaced by a vivid look of anguish.

“Ah…!”

Lost in thought, Renee let out a soft gasp as realization struck her. Hearing his words finally brought back the nightmare she had experienced.

“Grand Duke. It’s a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding?”

“Yes. It’s true that I had a dream, but…”

Renee couldn’t finish her sentence and bit her lip nervously. The reason she couldn’t say any more was because the dream she had was about her married life with Gong Jichan.