chapter 4
Stella was deep-hearted and wise, so I thought she would handle things better as a duchess than Kayla ever could. What I once wished for as a reader was, in a way, actually happening.
‘Not bad, maybe? If I don’t follow Kayla’s path, the story might change and I might not die either. Besides, I know the original plot. I can avoid all the traps scattered everywhere.’
As I was thinking that, someone suddenly came to mind.
‘Jeno Harboston could appear too. Stella used to have a one-sided crush on him. Maybe this time it could actually work out?’
Thinking about even the maid Stella’s unfulfilled love in a situation like this made me let out a dumbfounded laugh.
‘Fine, let’s just go. Whatever—it’s just marriage to a duke. I’ll have enough time to change the story so I don’t die.’
My negative thoughts gradually started turning positive.
‘Depending on what I do, I might live well and comfortably. That’s better than living here as a maid. If I handle Ricardo and Yelena well and get a clean divorce, I might even get a generous settlement…’
My optimism must have run too far—I was already planning a smooth divorce and alimony. I seemed to be getting ahead of myself.
‘Let’s think about that later.’
First, I considered whether I could really go to the capital and take Kayla’s place as Ricardo’s bride.
As the baron had said, Stella had grown up practically glued to Kayla like a sister, so she had naturally absorbed noble etiquette and knowledge.
‘Yeah. It’s not impossible.’
Without thinking, I turned toward a mirror standing against the wall.
There she was—the Stella I had once cheered for and emotionally invested in while reading the original story.
Neatly braided red hair, eyes that looked both like a cat and a puppy, and purple irises. A small-framed young lady who looked both capable and innocent.
The moment I was fully looking at my possessed self—
“Ahh!”
Behind me in the mirror, black smoke rose, and the figure of a man appeared like a hallucination.
So tall I had to tilt my head back to see him. A solid build earned from countless victorious wars, to the point he was called the god of war. Black hair darker than a moonless night. Cold, mysterious deep-blue eyes and a firm mouth.
It was the male lead of the original story, Duke Ricardo Zenkis. He stood behind me in the mirror like a ghost.
The moment I came to my senses, the black smoke vanished, leaving only my shocked face reflected in the mirror.
Could I really go through with this marriage when I screamed just from seeing Ricardo’s hallucination?
I steadied my wavering resolve and lightly slapped both cheeks.
“Get a grip, Stella!”
A carriage bound for the capital was prepared. The baron and his wife saw me off with mixed expressions of worry and relief.
“That was a very wise decision.”
The man sent from the imperial court held my hand as I boarded the carriage, speaking to me. Without replying, I quickly stepped inside.
But an unexpected problem arose. A maid wearing travel clothes and carrying a large bag climbed into the carriage after me.
When I looked at her in confusion, the baron’s wife approached.
“You’ll need a maid to attend you. Take Molly with you.”
The maid named Molly politely greeted the baron’s wife, then smiled at me.
“I will serve you with all my heart, young lady.”
Her lips were smiling, but her eyes were not. It was an unsettling smile.
And just as expected, the moment we departed, she completely changed her demeanor and began mocking me.
“A bastard child becoming the bride of a duke. This level of social climbing is honestly ridiculous.”
Her malice made me stare at her in disbelief.
“What are you going to do if you glare like that? Want to act like a real noble lady now?”
Just from her attitude, I could tell how Stella had been treated in this household. To think she was looked down on even by a maid she worked with.
“Even so, don’t act so stiff just because you’re a stand-in bride, Stella.”
Molly kept speaking with a twisted smile. I decided to see how far she would go.
“Honestly, going to the capital is a hundred times better than dying old as a maid in some rural estate. You’ve hit the jackpot too. Who knows? Maybe I’ll get my chance as well—seduce some senile old noble and escape this maid’s life.”
As if she had already achieved her dream, Molly crossed her legs and twirled her hair with her finger.
“Don’t think that just because you’re coming along as my maid, you’re actually a lady. I’ll make sure people in the capital know exactly what your position was here.”
It seemed she wasn’t coming as a servant—but to act like she was above me.
Watching her, I was speechless. Was she seriously thinking this was a pleasant trip instead of a place where she might quietly disappear or die?
A ridiculous laugh escaped my lips, and Molly’s expression turned cold.
“Looking at you… I don’t think I need to worry about dying first.”
“What? What did you just say?!”
Molly snapped at me in shock. She seemed surprised to see this side of Stella, who had never acted like this before.
I didn’t even want to deal with her, so I turned toward the window and muttered.
“It means you should be careful how you act once we get there if you don’t want to die.”
From my perspective, who already knew the world of the original story was a battlefield full of conspiracy and jealousy, Molly’s rosy expectations were laughable.
She crossed her arms and scoffed.
“You were pretending to be obedient all this time, and now you’re acting like you’re already a duchess. Let’s see how long that arrogance lasts.”
She kept spitting insults filled with hatred, but to me it was no more than the buzzing of flies.
“I need to think. Be quiet.”
I closed my eyes and gently rubbed my throbbing temples. Even without her, my head already felt like it was going to split.
Once I arrive in the capital, I’ll get rid of this noisy maid first.
At the center of the vast city stood the imperial palace.
Flags fluttered above the towering walls, and the guards stationed there looked fierce and vigilant. But the deep, secluded garden inside the palace had a very different atmosphere.
In the middle of a flower-filled garden stood a large gazebo, golden lace curtains swaying gently around it.
The conversation inside was careful.
“That man Ricardo is surprisingly accepting this marriage. Something must be going on.”
The Third Prince, Illein, clenched his fist slightly, eyes filled with contempt.
Seeing this, the Empress Delzaya curled her crimson lips into a twisted smile.
“What schemes are you talking about? I simply chose a bride suited to his station. He should be grateful.”
Every time she thought of Ricardo, she was reminded of his mother, and she ground her teeth to suppress her anger.
Ricardo Zenkis—the emperor Rom’s son born from an affair with a maid. The emperor’s second son and a war hero, yet to her, he was nothing but a thorn in her side.
From the moment he was born to a maid, she refused to acknowledge him as her son and cast him out. She even annihilated his mother’s family. The crime of coveting the husband of her mistress was one that could not be paid for even with death.
The young Ricardo, living like a slave outside the capital, was brought into the imperial palace only because the Dowager Empress pitied him. To the rest of the court, he was nothing more than filthy blood that did not belong among them.
Before her death, the Dowager Empress left a decree to bring him into the palace.
Delzaya had set her condition:
He must obey the woman who raised him without question.
Thus, arranging a suitable bride for him was also her right and responsibility. Fortunately, she had found a bride who fit him perfectly.
“Even so, isn’t the bride’s side far too inferior? There are already rumors among the nobles that the Empress has gone too far. Even if Ricardo follows the order, how long could such a marriage possibly last…”
Before he could finish, the Crown Prince Duan began coughing lightly. Delzaya looked at him with concern and said,
“You don’t need to worry, Your Highness. Though she is from a remote and insignificant noble house, she is technically a distant relative of mine. The ministers will not dare question my decision.”
At her words, Illein let out a snicker.
“Of course. Even a distant relative of a relative is still family. Mother, where did you even find such a worthless house? Truly impressive.”