Chapter 24
Belle, the maid, was exceptionally beautiful. With her fair skin, well-textured brown hair with a reddish hue, eyes that seemed to sparkle with light, and an aura of innocence, even her light freckles were attractive. Raylenne thought her name suited her perfectly, reminding her of the protagonist from “Beauty and the Beast.”
However, it seemed Raylenne has not viewed Belle favorably. In her memories, Raylenne’s gaze at Belle was fierce, as if she were planning something. She tried to remember more, but the details of what led her to push Belle remained elusive, and attempting to recall it only intensified her headache. Raylenne frowned and stared into the distance.
[Unlike my sister, who is busy tormenting the maids, I am very occupied.]
[You, who used to slap the maids around daily, have no right to speak.]
Raylenne suddenly had a suspicion. Helis often mentioned maids when mocking her, and she wondered if it was related to this incident. One straightforward scenario came to mind: an affair between the pretty maid and Helis.
‘If Duke Ergen had known, he would have immediately dismissed Belle.’
One day, Raylenne accidentally injured Belle. Helis, discovering this, began to despise Raylenne. Although this was a clumsy theory, it wasn’t entirely implausible. Especially considering Helis recently refused to marry, there might be a connection.
Raylenne was also curious about her own attitude. It seemed she had made mistakes with Caverion and Helis in the past, memories she didn’t want to recall. This implied a sense of guilt, which was surprising.
‘When did I ever act so self-righteous?’
Whether it was karma or a consequence of her actions, Raylenne was now under threat of assassination. Although things had calmed down since Helen’s disappearance, she knew the danger hadn’t been eliminated. There was always the risk that the threat could re-emerge, like a hidden viper.
Sighing, Raylenne felt another headache coming on as she thought about identifying the culprit. She closed her eyes tightly, as if to escape reality.
* * *
Raylenne went to bed early the previous night due to her headache. Fortunately, it wasn’t as severe as before, more like the migraine of a modern person with too many worries. She wanted to stay in bed longer, but the sun was rising, and she had to get up to attend to her sole daily task.
‘I’m going to see Aiden.’
However, she didn’t feel as lighthearted as before. Recently, the once-docile puppy seemed ready to bite its owner. Despite her unease, she needed to visit the prison to check Aiden’s shackles today.
Raylenne had been formulating an elaborate plan for days:
‘To get Aiden out of the cell.’
She intended only to take him outside temporarily, not help him escape entirely from the duchy. Escaping the duchy would require scaling high walls or confronting guards and knights, which was impossible in her current state. The goal was to take him outside briefly.
This risky endeavor was to estimate when Aiden might awaken. In the original story, Aiden awakened with rage after being tormented by the Ergen Duchy and escaped, leading to the unfolding narrative. Since the events at the duchy were only briefly described through flashbacks, there was no way to determine when Aiden would awaken. What was certain was that once he awakened, he might destroy the entire duchy.
Thus, she needed to know when he would awaken, and the best way to find out was to expose him to moonlight. It was known that the source of an awakener’s power was lunar energy, and awakeners reacted to moonlight. They often went berserk on nights with a full moon.
Luckily, a full moon was due in two days, making it the perfect time. If Aiden was close to awakening, a dark aura would swirl around him; if not, there would be no reaction. Another reason to take Aiden out was a consideration for his well-being. Seeing him confined in the small cell made Raylenne feel suffocated. Imagine how Aiden must feel spending all his time there.
Therefore, despite the risks, she planned to take him outside. She would meticulously plan the route to avoid detection. If caught, both she and Aiden would face punishment, so she had to be thorough.
As Raylenne organized her thoughts and opened the door, she found the new maid, Janie, standing there with a surprised look on her face. It seemed she was startled by the sudden opening of the door.
“What is it?”
“Ah… Good morning, Miss…! The Duke has summoned you, and I came to inform you.”
Duke Ergen? Did Helis cause trouble again? Raylenne’s expression darkened.
“Did he summon only me?”
“Yes. He said a guest has arrived, and you should dress appropriately and come.”
“A guest…?”
“I don’t know who it is either. The Duke only said it was an important guest…”
Raylenne was puzzled. She had no connections, yet there was a guest?
“I’ll help you get ready.”
Janie cautiously guided her back into the room, and soon other maids arrived to help with her attire. With their assistance, Raylenne quickly transformed into a radiant appearance.
“All done.”
Seeing her reflection in the mirror, Raylenne realized how much healthier she looked. It was a stark contrast to when she first inhabited Raylenne’s body. Although she had always been a rare beauty, her previously gaunt frame and lifeless face gave a different impression back then.
Well, that aside.
“Where did you say my father is?”
“In the fourth drawing room on the first floor.”
The fourth drawing room was reserved for the highest dignitaries.
If someone were to receive the treatment reserved for a distinguished guest at the Duke’s residence, it would likely be someone from the royal family. When Raylenne opened the door to the drawing room, she realized her guess was correct. The brilliant blond hair and golden eyes were the hallmarks of the royal family described in the original story. The deep navy blue eyes confirmed he was from the Ergen Ducal family.
“You’ve arrived, Raylenne,” Duke Ergen greeted her with a bright smile, a stark contrast to his usual stern demeanor.
Before she could process the unfamiliar attitude of the Duke, the man presumed to be from the royal family extended his hand. “Hello, Miss Raylenne.” As Raylenne extended her hand according to the etiquette ingrained in her memory, he lightly kissed the back of her hand. “Finally, I get to meet you, Miss Raylenne.”
“It’s an honor to meet you,” Raylenne replied, managing to maintain her composure despite her surprise at his gesture. If he was from the royal family, he was indeed of high status.
“Well, enough with the greetings. Please, have a seat,” the Duke said, sitting slowly on the sofa. Raylenne and the man followed suit.
As she looked at Duke Ergen, expecting an explanation, he cleared his throat and began to speak. “Raylenne, this is Crown Prince Harbian.”
Crown Prince…? The Crown Prince was the one who would become the Emperor of the Empire. She had expected someone important, but not the Crown Prince.
“Your Highness, Raylenne has been too ill to attend any parties thus far. Please forgive her for not recognizing you,” the Duke said with a deferential tone.
“Think nothing of it. I am just glad to see she has recovered so well,” Crown Prince Harbian replied with a refreshing smile.
The Duke lifted a steaming teacup, glancing at Raylenne. “Recently, Raylenne even visited the nearby greenhouse by herself, so she’s completely healthy now.”
Raylenne’s eyes widened in surprise. She hadn’t realized the Duke paid any attention to her, yet he knew she had been to the greenhouse recently.
“Seeing how healthy she looks, I can believe that,” Harbian said, elegantly placing his teacup down.
The Crown Prince was an exceptionally handsome man, befitting his status. His every movement exuded refined manners, his neat attire and well-groomed hair framing his striking features. His golden eyes under straight eyebrows turned towards Raylenne.
“As I’ve heard, you are truly a beauty,” he remarked.
But for some reason, Raylenne did not feel pleased by his luminous golden eyes. Perhaps it was the overt friendliness that felt burdensome.
“Haha, I haven’t let Raylenne attend parties not only because of her health but also because of the unwanted attention she attracted,” the Duke said, watching Harbian sharply.
Raylenne, who had been scrutinizing Harbian, shifted her gaze to the Duke.
‘He’s lying through his teeth,’ she thought. He never cared about her in the least.
“It was all to ensure she would meet a wonderful person like Your Highness,” the Duke continued.
Raylenne’s expression hardened as she listened silently.
“Father… What did you just say?” she asked.
“Raylenne, I told you before. You will be engaged to His Highness, the Crown Prince,” the Duke said, his voice gentle yet his eyes cold, warning her not to make a mistake.
In the suddenly chilly atmosphere, Harbian awkwardly smiled. “I understand. This has been discussed hastily, so it’s natural for you to feel surprised, my lady.”
“Thank you for your understanding,” the Duke replied, donning a mask-like smile.
They then shifted away from the topic of marriage and continued their conversation, primarily about the current royal affairs, which Raylenne had a general understanding of. However, she had no interest in the conversation. Her mind was occupied by the thunderbolt revelation that this unfamiliar man was her betrothed.
