Vanessa licked her parched lips, the unexpected confrontation sending a fresh jolt of adrenaline through her veins. In the suffocating silence, she let his question grate against her mind. How ironic, coming from him. This was the man who had coaxed her with honeyed promises of protection, only to cast her into the bowels of a slave auction. Now, he had the audacity to be curious about her journey to the Duchy? [Vanessa] "The Grand Duke was... instrumental in my survival."

Vanessa felt a jolt of panic. She had been laboring under the foolish delusion that because the woman was projecting her hostility from a distance, she wouldn't actually approach. But the brown-haired lady shattered that assumption, marching toward her with predatory intent. Click. Click. Despite the din of the crowded ballroom, the sharp, aggressive strike of the woman's heels rang out like a warning bell in Vanessa’s ears. There was no reason to be terrified of someone sim

The wedding preparations began while the world was still draped in early morning shadows. Perhaps because she had grown accustomed to a life of languid solitude, Vanessa had to be practically guided into the bath in a state of half-slumber. The warmth of the water was a siren song luring her back to sleep, but the maids’ touch—brisk and borderline frosty—snapped her awake. She had no more desire for their assistance than they had to give it, but since she couldn't prepare h

Vanessa stood between his knees, her fingers gently combing through his tousled obsidian hair. As she brushed back the slightly stray locks, his forehead was revealed—a feature so flawless it seemed almost unfair. Below it, the deep-set eyes and the sharp, elegant bridge of his nose unfolded like a masterwork painting following the path of her fingertips. [Declan] "How many days are left?" [Vanessa] "Pardon?" [Declan] "Until our wedding." Declan, who had been accepting her to

Julian’s gaping mouth vividly displayed just how shocked he was. Declan, thinking he wanted to shut that mouth for him, coolly nodded his head. At an unexpected point, with an even more unexpected name popping up, Julian couldn't form words and just opened and closed his mouth like a fish. From Carter to Julian, the reactions of those around him expressing 'astonishment' were identical, as if scripted. So, he couldn't help but ask. [Declan] "Is it that surprising?" [Julian]

Carter stared blankly at Vanessa. Her emerald eyes, which had looked devoid of vitality earlier, now glistened with a sharp clarity for the first time. Looking closer, he noticed her knuckles were bleached white from the force of her grip on the book she was hugging. Perhaps that was why, despite her healthy complexion, she appeared pale. He felt a pang of guilt for making her wait like that. So, Carter racked his brain quickly. Did he order an investigation regarding the R

It was an afternoon indistinguishable from any other. The Grand Duke’s office buzzed with the usual intensity of a heavy workload. The meeting, which had dragged on for hours covering various issues within the Grand Duchy, finally concluded with a discussion on the ominous currents of demonic beast activity lately. Carter meticulously recorded the instructions given, then rose from his seat. The most grueling part of his daily routine was this very time spent facing the Fami

[Declan] "Hm?" He chuckled playfully and rubbed her slightly flushed cheek. His gaze locked onto hers persistently, as if urging her to hurry up and call him by his name, too. Vanessa mumbled, averting her eyes. [Vanessa] "I can't just call Your Grace by name." [Declan] "Why not?" [Vanessa] "Because..." The maids' cackling laughter swirled in her ears like an auditory hallucination. She must not know her place. So brazen. With every repetition, her heart grew heavier, as if

Vanessa found herself sitting up, facing him. Her hand was held in a grip so unyielding it seemed he never intended to let go. [Vanessa] "My hand... it hurts." His grip was quite strong, causing her brow to furrow. Declan immediately relaxed his hold, leaning his upper body forward to press his lips against the back of her hand. The movement was fluid, akin to a dance step. [Declan] "I missed you." With a soft, moist sound of friction, he buried his lips against her skin and

It was quite burdensome to treat the woman the Grand Duke had brought in such a manner. The butler distinctly remembered the Master taking meticulous care of her. Yet, ironically, the person who issued the instruction was also the Master. Thus, the butler tried his utmost to avoid encountering her. Since she tended to remain stationary in her bedroom all day, it didn't require much effort. Coincidentally, a strange spark ignited among the servants. The first malicious gossip

Vanessa was momentarily stunned. She hadn't expected overly lavish treatment, yet this situation was, well, deeply peculiar. She felt a thick line being drawn, marking her as a third party completely disconnected from Declan. She had assumed he had left instructions, but apparently not. Embarrassed, she quickly waved her hands, more flustered than the butler. [Vanessa] "Ah, I—I already asked His Grace for permission. He said I could use the library before he left."

Vanessa sat leaning against the large bathtub, her eyes blankly absorbing the scene of the water filling up. The petals floating on the surface were a vivid crimson. They moved languidly with the ripples, appearing quite elegant. She playfully poked a petal, then dipped her finger into the water. Contrary to her expectation of a warm steam, the temperature she felt was lukewarm. She had been so distracted lately that she failed to notice the water wasn't steaming, unlike us