Chapter 11
Just as Kylus was furrowing his brow at Alice’s incomprehensible actions, Helkin cautiously asked:
“Um… Your Grace. You said you woke up last night?”
“Yes.”
“Was there anything unusual when you regained consciousness? Was anyone around, or did you consume anything else…?”
“No, there was no one. The only person who came to the bedroom was the Duchess, who came to give me that medicine.”
“The medicine I gave to the Young Madam yesterday was exactly the same as today’s… Your Grace, would it be alright if I examined your body?”
“You examine me?”
Kylus’s gaze sharpened. It was a look of disbelief.
Helkin made a pitiful face, as if wronged.
“Your Grace, how could I dare do anything when you hold my life in your hands? It’s just to check if your body is alright. Please trust me.”
His face, now utterly submissive, showed no signs of deception.
And as he said, if he tried anything foolish, Kylus could simply kill him on the spot.
Kylus softened his sharp demeanor and spoke:
“I’ll allow it.”
Helkin approached Kylus on his knees.
He then took out a magical tool and quickly examined Kylus’s body.
“Has the poison been completely neutralized?” Kylus asked Helkin as he put away the magical tool.
“Well… the poison hasn’t been completely neutralized yet. But at this level, treatment is possible.”
Helkin continued, unable to hide his surprise.
“Previously, no antidote could be used, so even this much is an incredible miracle. The sleeping poison you ingested was an extremely powerful one that was impervious to any treatment method.”
“And that poison was made by you.”
Pretending not to hear Kylus’s chilling low voice, Helkin cleared his throat.
“You said with your own mouth that you’d be useful, so I assume you can make an antidote?”
“Of course. I’ll make an antidote within a week.”
Helkin answered, nodding his head quickly.
Watching him, Kylus gestured to the butler, who then helped Helkin to his feet.
Just before the butler led Helkin out, Kylus warned him:
“Doctor. You must keep the fact that I’ve awakened secret from both Lady Quillian and the Duchess. And act as if you’re following the Duchess’s orders as usual.”
“…Pardon? Ah, I understand.”
Helkin, who had tilted his head in confusion, quickly nodded at Kylus’s ominous gaze.
He felt that if he asked any more questions, he might be killed on the spot.
“Then follow me, Doctor.”
The butler led Helkin, who was drenched in cold sweat, out of the bedroom.
After they left, Kylus slowly rose from the sofa and walked to the window.
Thanks to the curtains Alice had drawn back, the sky outside was clearly visible.
“Alice Fordley…”
All he knew about her was her family background and her voice.
What kind of person are you?
Kylus gazed at the full moon in the sky for a long time, thinking about her, who kept nagging at his mind.
* * *
Three days later.
“The guest will arrive soon, so please hurry with the preparations.”
Just as Alice was finishing her grooming, Maris entered the room and spoke with a sullen face.
“Alright, I understand.”
Alice smiled gently at that now all-too-familiar face.
It had been three days since she heard the news that the Meltain lady, this world’s female protagonist, was coming.
Today was the day the Meltain lady would arrive at the ducal residence.
Alice put on her earrings one last time and stood in front of the mirror.
Unlike yesterday, when she had been wearing a rather worn dress unbefitting a duchess, today Alice was wearing an elegant teal dress that was a step up.
The necklace and earrings she wore also seemed quite expensive, with exceptional jewel craftsmanship.
And all of these were gifts from Lady Quillian.
Hence, Maris’s mood had been quite low lately.
For the past three days, Alice had been fantastically pleasing Lady Quillian.
As a result, Lady Quillian had taken quite a liking to Alice, and had sent these dresses and accessories today.
Of course, on the surface, she had grumbled that it was because it would damage her own reputation if the Duchess looked shabby, but everyone knew.
Given Lady Quillian’s personality, there was no way she would prepare such gifts for someone she didn’t like.
So one can imagine how Maris must be feeling.
She had probably planned to use Lady Quillian’s backing to push Alice around as she pleased.
Thanks to Alice’s skills, Maris’s position was becoming more precarious by the day.
Yesterday, she had even been told outright to serve Alice well.
Maris’s face at that moment, as if she had eaten something rotten, was truly unforgettable.
“Maris, how do I look? Is this alright?”
When Alice asked Maris, whose reflection she could see in the mirror, Maris turned her head with a sour expression.
“…Yes, it’s fine.”
Alice smirked at Maris’s frustrated profile and smoothed out her dress.
Her hair, which she had put up herself without Maris’s help, looked a bit awkward, but it wasn’t unsightly.
Yes, this should be enough to look properly like a noblewoman.
“Let’s go down before we’re late.”
Taking a deep breath to compose herself, Alice left the room to greet the female protagonist.
* * *
“Mother, I didn’t know you had come down already. I’m sorry.”
When they reached the lobby, Lady Quillian was already there.
Alice was a bit flustered but quickly walked to Lady Quillian’s side and spoke as if apologetic.
“It’s fine. Just don’t dawdle next time.”
“Yes.”
Alice gave a faint smile and then turned her head back.
Maris must have known that Lady Quillian had come down. She probably deliberately didn’t tell Alice.
As if confirming her guess, Maris avoided her gaze.
No wonder she had been so quiet yesterday and today.
Alice made a mental note to pay her back later and turned her head.
At that moment, the butler entered the lobby and said:
“Grand Madam, the Meltain family’s carriage has arrived.”
An ivory-colored carriage stopped in front of the mansion.
Inside that carriage was the original novel’s female protagonist, the Meltain lady.
Alice swallowed nervously and clasped her hands together.
Although she had wanted to avoid getting involved with the Meltain lady at all costs, she was secretly curious.
Curious about what the Meltain lady, who was said to be like a splendid rose, looked like.
At that moment, the carriage door opened.
Alice, who had been watching the woman getting out of the carriage with narrowed eyes, gradually widened her eyes as she got closer.
No, her eyes and mouth opened involuntarily.
The Meltain lady was far more beautiful than she had imagined.
[With red hair like the setting sun and green eyes reminiscent of a fresh forest. Meltain Sienna was as beautiful as a magnificent rose in full bloom.]
The description of the female protagonist from the book flashed through Alice’s mind.
And Alice thought:
That description didn’t even capture a quarter of the beauty of the Meltain lady standing before her.
Without a doubt, Alice was facing the second most beautiful human she had ever seen in her life, after Kylus.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Duchess. I’m Meltain Sienna.”
The Meltain lady greeted Alice with a gentle smile, her eyes curving slightly.
She addressed Alice, not Lady Quillian, who had stepped forward to greet her.
It was a clear snub to Lady Quillian.
It was also an action that declared Alice as the mistress of this ducal household.
The dreamy state Alice had been in just moments ago, mesmerized by the Meltain lady’s beauty, was quickly dispelled as the atmosphere turned chilly.
Oh, trying to plant a death flag for me as soon as we meet?
True to her role as the protagonist of the original story, which was full of deadly intrigue, the Meltain lady was already starting to drive a wedge between Lady Quillian and Alice.
As the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, Alice swallowed and addressed the Meltain lady in a cold voice:
“Lady Meltain, you’ve got the order of greetings wrong. You should first pay your respects to the most senior member of the ducal household. Is the Meltain Barony a place that doesn’t even know such basic etiquette?”
At this sharp rebuke, the Meltain lady’s green eyes wavered slightly.
I didn’t want our first meeting to be like this.
Alice truly bore no ill will towards the Meltain lady.
If you hadn’t targeted Lady Quillian, I wouldn’t have targeted you either.
Alice inwardly cried out the sincere feelings she couldn’t express.
At that moment, the Meltain lady lowered her eyelashes and moved her pink lips.
“I apologize, Lady Quillian. I mistakenly thought that the Duchess acts as the head of the household in the Duke’s absence, so I got the order confused. If I’ve offended you, I sincerely apologize.”
The Meltain lady bowed her head in apology.
With such a proper apology, it became awkward for Lady Quillian to say anything.
If she got angry here, it would only make Lady Quillian look petty.
Even though it was clearly the Meltain lady who had been rude first.
“…It’s alright. You’re correct that the Duchess acts as the head of the household in the Duke’s absence. Don’t worry about it.”
Lady Quillian said, awkwardly raising the corners of her mouth.
But Alice saw it.
The slight trembling of Lady Quillian’s lips.
The Meltain lady raised her head with a fresh smile, regardless of Lady Quillian’s reaction.
