Chapter Nine: Extra, Extra!

What I saw first was a familiar name. I couldn’t help but frown at the provocative title.

The article stated that after Zahardt County had declined in wealth, I threw away the normal soldier Siph and married Duke Lapileon. In other words, it was content meant to slander me.

“What in the world is this?”

I checked the journalist who had written the article. Memorizing the name ‘Ash’, I crumpled the newspaper in my hand.

“The article is rather offensive, right?”

“It’s vicious.”

“I’ve used my influence to ensure that it won’t go out in tomorrow’s newspaper, so don’t worry. However, this article has quite a lot of detail about you and your ex-boyfriend.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“My step-mother or Reina… or Siph. One of those three leaked information.”

“Yes. Although the information isn’t even valuable enough to be published, I thought you should know what your family is up to.”

Crumple.

I wanted to tear up the newspaper in my hands.

‘Was this what they meant when they said I would regret what I did today?’

Biting down harshly on my bottom lip, I let out a long sigh before apologizing to Theodore.

“…I’m sorry. In the end, it was my fault that we became the subjects of gossip. If I could meet the journalist who wrote this article, I would explain it to them myself.”

“I’ve already confirmed the reporter. The name is an alias, and because they’ve been submitting their articles to the paper anonymously, their identity is unknown. It is said that they don’t receive payment for their work and only send articles once in a while like this.”

“…Pardon?”

Being a journalist for such a newspaper was usually for those who were badly off and needed a means to make money. They would find dirt on others and either report it in the tabloids or get paid not to by those whose secrets were revealed. It was a dangerous job that you could be killed for.

But to think they wrote anonymously without receiving any payment?

‘Then for what reason would they write articles in the first place?’

I grabbed my forehead, perplexed because I couldn’t understand. Theodore calmly looked down at me.

“They probably wrote this article to damage the reputation of the Lapileon family.”

“Pardon?”

“Strictly speaking, it’s not your fault. It’s my responsibility.”

Theodore took the crumpled up newspaper from my tightly fisted hand. He ripped it to shreds before throwing it into the trash can.

“They used you as a target in order to attack the Lapileon family.”

“What are you…”

“The Lapileon Duchy has many enemies.”

“…”

“If even a small incident occurs, our opponents pounce in like hyenas to try and benefit. Things like this will occur countless times in the future.”

While I stared at him with wide eyes, Theodore gazed listlessly at the scraps of paper fluttering around in the garbage can.

“Like you said earlier, you are now a lady of the Lapileon family.”

“That’s mostly a formality, though.”

“Yes; formally, you are my person. So to others, you are my weakness.”

Theodore kicked the bin filled with ripped newspaper with the heel of his shoe.

“Those who want to kill me may continue these evil deeds.”

He probably meant I should be cautious to an extent fitting to his position, right? I took his advice to heart and nodded.

Theodore seemed to like my response. He nodded and began unbuttoning his shirt in order to wash himself.

Normally, this was something your servants would help with, but Theodore always undressed and dressed himself.

It was because of his curse.

Although he knew that mere contact wouldn’t harm others, Theodore avoided contact with others as if it were a crime.

However, his habits seemed to improve after he found out that I wouldn’t die.

“Have you met with a lawyer about the inheritance? I heard that your family might sue you for the rights to it.”

“I was planning to search for one soon.”

Theodore had completely removed his shirt. It seemed like he didn’t even mind that I was next to him.

Embarrassed, I lowered my gaze to the floor.

“I’ll narrow it down to a few trusted individuals and tell the butler, so go get a consultation.”

“I was planning on looking into it myself…”

“They’re tight-lipped and capable people. If you know them, it’ll be helpful in the future.”

It would certainly be better than just looking for someone random. I quietly said my thanks and nodded.

As if things were finished with my acknowledgement, Theodore shrugged his shoulders and left the bedroom to wash.

After confirming that the bedroom door had closed, I fell back onto the bed and tried to sleep.

* * *

Deep in the night, Theodore opened his eyes to the sounds of someone moving around.

‘Is this a habit?’

To think that he would wake up to the sound of someone else. This was something he’d never experienced in his life. Theodore, who had sat up reflexively, turned his head.

It had already been several days.

Next to him was Pershati, who was sweating, perhaps from a nightmare.

“A nightmare again? Isn’t she tired of it?”

Theodore, who mumbled briefly, got up. As the belt of his robe loosened, his muscles shone under the moonlight. His body was covered in toned muscles and scars that showed his long history with the battlefront.

“Save… Save m…”

Theodore looked down at Pershati, who was moaning. This had been happening every night since their first day together. However, it seemed that she didn’t remember it when she woke up in the morning.

“No one is killing you.”

Theodore said with a low voice, hazy with sleep. But the reply he received was still the same plea for someone to save her.

“Whew.”

Letting out a sigh, Theodore pulled down the blanket around Pershati’s neck. This was a symptom that always appeared when the blanket rose to her neck. She would beg for someone to save her and would sometimes be unable to breathe properly.

“What a terrible sleeping habit.”

At first, he had considered ignoring her and sleeping, but as the sounds continued on into the night, he couldn’t. And if he let her be, she might actually choke to death.

“I… want to… liv…”

Theodore, who was now lying on his side, supporting his head with his left arm, gazed calmly down on the sweating Pershati.

At this point, he was quite curious. Theodore muttered quietly.

“Who on earth is killing you?”

What kind of nightmare is she having? To be begging like this every night, who is she dying at the hands of?

“Is it the family you said that is trying to kill you?”

But as usual, the only response he got was a plea to save her. Clicking his tongue in annoyance, he reached out his right arm.

“How annoying.”

With that, he gently took hold of Pershati’s trembling hand. Holding someone else’s hand first was rather unfamiliar to him.

“I’m not killing you. And since it’s written in our contract, I won’t leave you to die either.”

Whenever Theodore grabbed her hand, Pershati strangely stopped shaking uncontrollably. Her breathing would calm down shortly afterwards and she would stop moving around. Her cries for someone to save her also ceased, and she slept peacefully as if having a good dream.

“It’s hot.”

Theodore mumbled softly, looking down at their intertwined hands. The warmth of another person’s body was strange and foreign to him. It felt like his temperature was rising just from touching another’s hand.

“In this place, no one would dare touch you without my permission.”

Pershati’s breathing gradually stabilized.

“So please rest assured and sleep.”

After watching Pershati fall into a deeper sleep for a long time, he slowly closed his eyes.

* * *

The day was bright. Before the morning dew on the leaves had even dried, bad news arrived at the residence.

“Extra, extra!”

It was the newspaper article Theodore had prevented from being published. It seemed that after they found out its publication was blocked, they had hastily prepared and distributed it on cheap paper. It was an article that was word-for-word with the content they had seen yesterday.

“How vile.”

With a single sheet of paper, the mood at breakfast soured. Theodore stared at the paper with fierce eyes harsher than a winter blizzard.

“It seems they wanted to spread their bullshit no matter what. In any case, your complexion isn’t looking very good. Did you not sleep yesterday?”

“…No. You must be mistaken.”

Was that so?

Since I had already seen it yesterday, it did not have a major effect on me. In contrast to my moderate reaction, Selphius, fork in hand, slammed the table with a bang.

“Who dares to start a fight with the Lapileon family? We should investigate in detail and dig into who did this.”

“Good idea, Selphi. And while we’re digging, we should dig into that person’s stomach.”

Looking back and forth at the two of them so in tune, I sighed loudly.

“Selphi, don’t slam the table. And you shouldn’t say those kinds of things. …Theodore, you should be careful about what you say in front of Selphi too.”

“Your Highness the Grand Duchess, they are obviously trying to provoke our family. We definitely need to find…!”

“I get it, so hurry and eat your carrots. I told you not to be picky, didn’t I?”

The moment I stabbed a carrot he had pushed to the side of his plate and offered it to him, Selphius closed his mouth tightly.

Theodore mercilessly crumpled the extra in his hands.

“Whoever did this found out that I blocked the article’s publication and distributed it themself. They probably spread it throughout the entire capital. They’re clearly showing ill intent, so you should be careful as well.”

“Yes. Don’t worry, I’m usually someone who lives in worry and anxiety, so I’m careful about everything.”

Theodore’s face filled with doubt. It seemed like ‘You?’ was written all over his face.

What, why?

With narrowed eyes that showed he didn’t believe me, he looked me up and down before continuing.

“Your personal lady-in-waiting will arrive today.”

Since I had become the Grand Duchess, I had opened applications for my personal lady-in-waiting.

‘Although there was only one person who applied for the position…’

“Is it really okay to choose a lady-in-waiting like this?”

The Lapileon household seemed as if it were draped in a veil. They avoided hiring new servants and were especially careful about letting in outsiders.

This was all to ensure that the Lapileon family secret wouldn’t be revealed.

But to think that they would choose a lady-in-waiting whom they didn’t even know well and bring her into the household.

Theodore nodded in response to my question.

“Then do you expect us to let you, the Grand Duchess, go around without a lady-in-waiting? When you’re alone, they’ll be a companion you can talk to, and they’ll be on standby otherwise, so it doesn’t matter. The other maids who work at the residence were hired in the same way.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. And just in case, be sure to take them with you whenever you go out.”

“…How nice. It feels like I’m getting a friend.”

As soon as I finished my sentence, Theodore got up from his seat without even touching his plate.

“I’m going to the newspaper company now.”

“Me too!”

With a determined face, Selphius stood up after Theodore.

“I’ll go with Your Excellency. I can’t just let a bastard who prattles on without knowing his place go free.”

With that, the two walked briskly out of the dining room. Looking at Selphius’ plate, I gave a defeated smile.

“He ran away because he didn’t want to eat the carrots.”

On Selphius’ plate were the carefully picked out carrots.

* * *

“Hello, Your Highness the Grand Duchess!”

A young lady grabbed the hem of her cute lace dress and curtsied to me, smiling.

“I’ll be serving the Grand Duchess from now on! I’m Rebecca Knights!”

With orange hair braided into two and a face covered in freckles, it was the lovely young lady of the Knights Barony.

“It must have been tough to travel such a long distance.”

I heard rumors that because the Knights’ wealth had recently declined, they would follow anything you said without question.

That was why she was the sole applicant for my personal lady-in-waiting, in spite of the scary rumors about Theodore which discouraged everyone else.

From what the butler told me, her reputation didn’t seem bad.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Pershati Zaha… no, Lapileon. I’ll be in your hands from now on.”

“Please speak comfortably with me, Your Highness. You can just call me ‘Rebecca.’”

With a good-natured personality, she seemed like a very sociable lady. The way her nose scrunched up when she smiled was particularly charming.

“Okay, there won’t be much work to do. You just need to assist me when I travel and sometimes be a companion I can talk to or drink tea with. And when I’m with my family, I’d prefer to spend time alone with them, so I would prefer if you could leave then.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

Rebecca seemed fairly smart. In my past life, I had spent all my time with Siph and Reina and had not had a single friend. Although she was younger than me, it felt nice to have a friend.

“I’ve prepared the room that you’ll be staying in. If it’s alright with you, can I lead you there?”

“Oh my, really? Thank you so much!”

Smiling brightly, Rebecca picked up her luggage and followed me.

“Is that bag all you’ve brought?”

“Yes, I didn’t have much to bring because we sold everything of any value at our house!”

Aren’t you telling a sad story with too cheery of a smile?

“I’m so happy that I became Your Highness the Grand Duchess’ lady-in-waiting! Honestly, I never imagined I’d be chosen! I thought a more qualified lady would be selected…!”

Yup, it was because you were the only person to apply.

“While I was traveling here, I saw the capital in the midst of preparing for the festival! It was so marvelous!”

“Is that so? I haven’t gone out, so I wasn’t aware.”

“Really? When the festival starts, you should go with me! It must be because it’s an official festival that’s being funded by the imperial family, but the scale is completely different from before.”

It was clear she was nervous from how she was chattering on without stopping. Since those who are nervous talk a lot…

“I heard this festival is to celebrate how His Majesty the Emperor and His Excellency Duke Lapileon led the empire to victory! Did you know? Of course you knew! I think it’s so cool!”

‘Or maybe her personality is originally like this…’

After leaving the garden, I passed the stables and entered the annex. Watching Rebecca, who didn’t stop talking all the way down the long hallway, I awkwardly laughed.

‘I should’ve just asked the butler to guide her.’

Letting out a light sigh, I opened the door to what would be Rebecca’s room.

“This is the place you’re going to spend your time from now on.”

“Wow!”

Rebecca’s mouth, which had been noisily jabbering on, closed in a moment.

“Do you like it? I tried to prepare it so you wouldn’t be uncomfortable…”

“It’s perfect! It’s even larger and nicer than my room back home!”

“I’m glad you like it.”

Rebecca went and bounced on her bed and even opened the window wide, looking outside.

“Thank you, Your Highness the Grand Duchess! I must truly be a lucky person!”

I don’t think it’s something to be so grateful for.

At her excessive praise, I smiled awkwardly. Then, Rebecca seemed to recall something, as she let out a gasp.

“Oh, I saw something weird on my way here.”

“Something weird?”

Rebecca took out a crumpled paper from the front pocket of her bag.

“This…”

It was the ‘extra’ that we had seen this morning.

“On my way here, I saw this spread all over the streets, so much so that they covered the pavement. And there were many posted on the walls as well.”

“To that extent?”

“Yes, I brought it because I thought Your Highness the Grand Duchess should know about this too.”

I crumpled the extra that Rebecca had given me in my hand.

So that meant anyone staying in the capital had definitely read this at least once.

‘As Theodore said, they’re clearly showing their ill intent.’

It was at the moment when I was grinding my teeth, thinking about how I should be careful with my safety.

“Madam.”

The butler, who had knocked twice on Rebecca’s open door, came to find me with a complicated expression.

“What happened?”

“A visitor has come.”

“A visitor?”

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There shouldn’t be anyone coming to visit me, though?

As I tilted my head, red hair fluttered in behind the butler.

“Pershati.”

It was a smiling Sercia.