Rubica put her hands in the water basin and took them out again. She had lots of things to do, like washing her face and getting dressed, but she just couldn’t bring herself to do all that.

“Your Grace, which dress do you want to wear today?”

Elise realized Rubica wasn’t okay and tried to speak as lively as possible. Choosing among the many dresses she had and deciding on accessories that matched the dress was Rubica’s favorite time. But now, everything just felt tiring.

In the end, Rubica shook her head.

“I just want to stay in the bedroom today.”

She had scheduled to meet Khanna in the afternoon, so Elise was surprised to hear that.

“But madam, you must go to have breakfast…”

“I don’t have any appetite. Could you tell the kitchen I won’t have breakfast?”

“Are you ill?”

Ill? Rubica thought about that. She wasn’t ill since her body was fine. She was just extremely tired.

“I just want to be alone.”

Before, she didn’t find it bothering or tiring to have people surrounding her, but it was quite strange to get everyone’s attention no matter what she did.

She used to live without anyone’s attention on her for a long time. She had almost no memory of being the center of attention, and it wasn’t like she wanted it.

Rubica rather found other’s attention overwhelming.

However, even if her life at Claymore Mansion was strange, she didn’t hate it. Both the maids and she got used to each other.

It was quite fun to talk about dresses and makeups. Her maid taught her many things she hadn’t known and having Elise transform was extremely fun.

But now, she found everything bothering. She didn’t like the noise around her, and she hated having meals more than anything.

She had to cut the meat with a knife and use a fork to swallow it with so many people watching.

Eating was something that was supposed to be done pleasantly with a family, but she was alone.

Moreover, she wasn’t just alone, she was alone while surrounded by so many people.

She just couldn’t endure it.

“Could you all leave now?”

Her voice now came out in tears. What am I doing early in the morning? Elise and the maids will get so confused, and it’s Elise’s first time serving me in the morning. Look at that scared face. It’s time to act like a grown-up now.

She chided herself like that, but emotions were something that always went against reason.

“Oh, um.”

Elise didn’t know what to do. A maid grabbed her arm and winked at her which brought Elise to her senses.

“As you wish, madam.”

Then, she left with the maids. As the door was closing, Elise saw Rubica sitting alone on the bed.

As Duke Claymore had everything, his wife also had everything. She had been nothing before, so it looked dramatic and made many jealous.

Rumors about her had spread in the dukedom and many were jealous of her, but even more people wanted to be like her.

‘Oh, she must be so happy.’

‘Her life just changed with marriage, I envy her so much.’

‘I want that to happen to me as well.’

That was what people said about Rubica. But now, to Elise, Rubica didn’t look happy. She rather looked so lonely and sad.

***

“What are you saying, Carl?”

“He is busy.”

Ann thought Edgar would come to the bedroom first thing in the morning. However, he didn’t come even after she waited for a long time. In the end, she asked Elise, who wasn’t used to her job yet, to take her place and ran to Edgar’s office.

She was going to grab him by his collar, no, by his hair and drag him to the bedroom no matter what nonsense he would say.

However, that plan was stopped by Carl guarding the door of the office.

‘You dog.’

That wasn’t a curse, it just meant Carl was too loyal to the duke.

‘You dog-like idiot.’

That was a curse. Ann had already explained to him what was going on, but he forgot all that the moment the sun came up, behaving like a beast who couldn’t understand human language and followed the usual.

“He must meet his wife and talk to her now no matter what.”

“Ann.”

Carl was worried. Ann didn’t have the key, but it looked like she was about to bring an ax and break the door to get in.

“The king has commanded him to go to the capital in two days, and he hasn’t finished checking the experiment report he must present at that time.”

“The king is always calling our duke, he will understand if he skips the summon just once.”

“… His Majesty hasn’t summoned him for a conference for two weeks to let him enjoy his marriage. Many matters are behind schedule. The king has already been considerate to our duke more than enough, and now he must repay that kindness.’

‘King, you idiot, that marriage is in danger now!’

Ann had to try very hard to not say that out loud.

If she had yelled that, she would have been arrested for dishonoring the king.

“But this is…”

Then, a maid came and gave her a small piece of paper. Ann frowned even harder at reading what was written on it. Although Elise still had a long way to go to get used to her job, she knew what to do in the situation. Moreover, that situation was getting worse and worse. It might even become impossible to make things right if something was not done right away.

“Carl, you can go in to get him drinks and meals, no matter how busy he is, right?”

“I’m not going when you are in front of me. Ann, you are going to push me aside and go in the moment I open this door, right?”

Ann clenched her teeth. That was why working together for a long time wasn’t good. The butler knew her too well.

“Sir Stephen, please come here and grab my arms.”

The maid was surprised to hear that as there was no guard to be seen in the hallway.

“I know you are here. Get down.”

They heard a sigh from the ceiling, and soon Stephen came down without making a sound.

“Mrs. Taylor, I’m just the duke’s guard. I don’t want to interfere with a private quarrel.”

“Oho, but the duke’s and the duchess’ matter cannot be a private quarrel. Sir Stephen, stop saying nonsense and grab my arms tightly, or I might beat our butler till I knock him out.”

Stephen flinched. He didn’t want to interfere, but he didn’t want to create an even bigger fuss. He had no choice but to grab Ann’s arms.

“Carl, Stephen is going to hold me like this. How can an old woman like me beat the guard captain? Carl, open the door, go in, and report to the duke that his wife has refused to have breakfast and said she wanted to be alone.”

Ann was sure that it would make Edgar jump to his feet and go to Rubica’s side. She had seen him not being able to control his feelings in front of Rubica yesterday. He just couldn’t neglect her. He was hurt even more when she looked sad.

“Do you really have to do this?” Carl sadly asked. He didn’t want to deliver the news to Edgar as he didn’t want to see him get hurt because of it.

“Yes.”

“Then promise me, Ann. I will do what you want, but if he still says his work is more important, you should give up and leave.”

Ann nodded without saying anything. She was confident. To her, it wasn’t even gambling. Edgar had only one thing he had to do, anyway.

Carl sighed at seeing her like that as he knew that Edgar didn’t have only one thing to do. He had only one thing he could do.

However, if he didn’t do what Ann wanted now, he could be the one restrained by Stephen. Ann was more than capable of bringing an ax and breaking the door.

Then Edgar’s secret would be revealed, so Carl decided to put calming her down as the top priority.

“Your Grace, there’s something you should know.”

He knocked using the code that meant there were people watching.

“Is it urgent?”

“… yes.”

Ann gave Carl a deadly look and he quickly said yes. After a short pause, Edgar told him to come in.

Carl looked around, carefully turned the key to go in, and quickly closed the door behind him.

Ann lifted her chin high while already wearing a victorious smile. She was going to say I told you so when Edgar came rushing out.

However, time passed and the door didn’t open. She got more and more nervous. According to her expectations, Edgar should have immediately run out scolding everyone for not taking care of his wife well the moment he was told she wasn’t eating. Her smile faded.

‘Creak.’

She heard the sound of the opening door which she had waited so much for. However, the person who came out wasn’t Edgar.

It was a troubled Carl. He must have suffered a lot inside as he took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat off after closing the door.

“Carl, what did he say? Is he going to come out?” Ann anxiously asked, and Carl pitied himself for having to deliver the news.

He had been tormented by Edgar inside, and now it was time to get tormented by Ann.