The former Grand Duke of Richevard, Delphid, was a ‘powerhouse’ in the novel. This was because, unlike others, he possessed multiple special abilities. Not only did he have precognition, but also healing and curse of regression. He put on a grand display of abilities worthy of a male protagonist.
In comparison, what about Edin? Of course, he was an excellent individual, a skilled swordsman, and a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, but he had never publicly shown any of the special abilities passed down through his family.
‘Oh, no way.’
I think I understood the situation. If Edin had possessed that much power from the beginning, the Duke and Duchess would not have fallen victim to a magical spell. I also had to consider that the former Grand Duke of Richevard, who was so powerful, fell into this trap.
‘He was a person who could overcome anything.’
Naturally, the young Edin would not have been able to break the spell. The Richevard family was a family that had many people targeting it. And as long as the head of the family was alive, a minor child could not inherit the title. There was no way that nobles wouldn’t try to deceive the young Edin with promises of raising him until he became an adult and then try to take over the family. I couldn’t think of any other way than to hide them in a place where they wouldn’t be found.
I left the room with Edin and sat on a sofa in the cozy but small living room. He offered me warm tea, but I just stared blankly at the rising steam. Edin hesitated for a moment and then began to explain the beginning of the incident.
“…It was twelve years ago. An incident occurred when I was out for a brief errand.”
His story was simple. While he was briefly away from home, the former Duke and Duchess of Richevard also went out. They had gone for a walk to a nearby lake with the butler and about three maids. They were all found under a magical spell by the lake. The butler and the maids had all died, but the former Duke and Duchess were confirmed to have a pulse.
“The Richevard family… as you know, has many people targeting it.”
Edin could foresee the nobles who would try to seize the family’s assets under the pretense of taking care of the Duke and Duchess until they died. Since there were no direct heirs, it was obvious that the collateral relatives would step up and try to manipulate Edin.
Edin was only twelve years old, but he was able to come up with a solution as soon as he understood the situation. He would declare his parents dead and immediately inherit the title and the family. He decided that this was the only way he could protect the Richevard family.
Since the former Duke, Delphid, had connections with the Magic Tower, Edin later went to find competent wizards. He wanted to get information on how long a magical spell could keep a person asleep and what the future would be like for a person who couldn’t wake up. Through his efforts, Edin was finally able to find a wizard who knew about the magical spell this year. And from him, he was able to get an explanation about the spell.
“…He estimated that there were about six months left.”
“I had no idea something like that happened.”
After hearing the whole story, I didn’t feel well. From the beginning, ‘<A Duchess Beyond Dimensions>’ followed the format of a novel that ended with a happy ending. Although there were developments in the middle that made me want to chug soju. When Edin finally accepted Laylilly and came to love her as his mother, I thought there was no more ideal, ordinary, and satisfying fictional ending than that.
But to think that the lives of Delphid, Laylilly, and Edin were so tragic afterward.
‘Edin’s heart must have been hell, having to live with a clear mind.’
I had been looking at Edin with a suspicious gaze until now, but I decided to change my perspective. Still, I didn’t want to get married. This was the time for me to make a proposal.
“I understand. I will never say a word about this.”
This wasn’t just lip service; I meant it. As someone who had just been entrusted with such a difficult secret, I was also flustered. The finished original novel aside, I was concerned about the person in front of me who was tired and bringing up this story. Edin kept pressing his forehead the entire time he was explaining the situation. His lips had become dry, and his powerless smile only heightened his complicated feelings. In the end, his eyes even became moist, making me feel guilty. It’s not that I’m weak for men who cry, but still.
“Thank you. By the way… my mother was a person who longed for a happy family as much as I put her through a lot. She also told me to find someone I truly love.”
“So, was your engagement with Lady Lena truly just a matter of urgency?”
It might be a rude question, but I was curious about his feelings.
“Yes, it was. Before the spell even ended, I wanted to show my parents a wife while they were still alive. Now that I think about it, I was rude to Lady Lena as well.”
“…Marriage for love is just a dream, anyway. It was an unavoidable situation for both you and Lady Lena. But I have something to say.”
“You’ve listened to such a difficult secret, so I’ll listen to you as well. Please speak.”
“I cannot accept your marriage proposal.”
I got straight to the point without adding any extra words. Edin crossed his arms and nodded listlessly.
“You won’t even try to say you’ll think about it?”
“No, not right now.”
The needle marks on my fingers from embroidering Lena’s dress one by one had not yet healed. My only goal was to take a full year off on vacation. Marriage? The lady of a Grand Duke’s house was busy, tedious, and empty. It was a position that did not suit me at all. But I was a person with a soft nature, except when I was working.
“…But I want to help you with what I can. And I’ll do my best.”
“Are you serious?”
A sparkle of light entered Edin’s disappointed eyes.
“Then, someday… won’t you also help me?”
I was a person who was very clear about give and take. Since we had already shared a secret, I was confident that Edin couldn’t say anything even if I acted shamelessly in this mansion. Edin blinked and then burst into laughter. I can confidently say that there weren’t many people in this world who knew that he could laugh like this.
“May I ask how you plan to help?”
“I’ll help you find a good marriage candidate… And since I have a wide network in the empire, I’ll also look into ways to break the spell separately. While keeping the secret!”
My voice was trembling the whole time I was talking. But since I had already made a mess of Lena’s arranged marriage, I had to offer a solution that would convince the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke nodded.
“Thank you. I’ll be sure to repay you someday, Lady Daphne.”
“Then, shall we correct our relationship first?”
“If that’s what Lady Daphne truly wishes. Then, fine.”
After we made our pact, I got back into Edin’s carriage to go home. Although we had shared a secret, the Grand Duke’s presence was still a burden, but he didn’t make things uncomfortable. Edin looked out the window, and when our eyes met, he gave me a polite expression with a slight curve of his lips. I also followed his gaze and looked up at the sky.
‘Now that I think about it… the first quarter moon is out tonight.’
There was a superstition in the empire. If you confide your worries to the first quarter moon, your worries will be resolved. Of course, you’re supposed to confide in the moon, not me, but still. There was another rumor, too.
‘What was it…’
It was something that young children would like, I think. If I can’t remember, I’ll just move on. At least it’s a good thing that Edin isn’t the type of person who is impossible to talk to.
‘How hard could it be to find a new marriage candidate?’
There would be over a hundred ladies in this empire alone who would want to meet Edin. I went home with that simple thought.
[Edin Richevard-Daphne Algerf ‘We Didn’t Even Greet Each Other at the Ball!’, Known as a Misunderstanding Due to Lena Protard’s Delusion…]
Edin, you sure work fast! I woke up early in the morning, stretched, and felt relieved after reading the morning newspaper. The time I spent happily leaning on a cushion was ten minutes. Emma, who was carrying my washbasin, came in with quick steps.
“Miss, are you really going to open the shop today?”
“I have to! The townhouse’s management fees are still being charged.”
I had saved just enough money to rest for exactly one year. The purchase price of the townhouse was more expensive than I had expected, so I had to spend a lot of my spare money. I had to invest 9/10 of my savings. With two caretakers already hired, I had to work hard making wedding dresses to earn money so that I could enjoy my postponed precious vacation without being strapped for cash.
“Emma, I’m counting on you again today.”
“Of course. I’ll make you look more sophisticated than anyone.”
Emma tied my wheat-colored hair up tightly. Then she began to do my heavy makeup. Her hands were very careful as she used a thin wooden stick to curl my eyelashes. My soft-looking eyes with long eyelashes were an impression that made it difficult for me to look professional. That’s why I would get heavy makeup from Emma to suppress that soft feeling. After an hour of primping, my work makeup was finally complete.
“…You put a lot of effort into this today, Emma.”
“Of course! You said that makeup is a factor that determines your sales.”
I smiled and got up from the chair. Then I got into the prepared carriage. On the way to my wedding dress shop in the center of the capital, I took a deep breath, feeling more nervous than when I first opened the shop. The townhouse management fees were a very important matter, but the shop I ran also had a small salon. My acquaintances in the wedding industry, of course, and idle noblewomen and ladies would come by after three o’clock to have light conversations. It was quite embarrassing that I had been going around telling everyone that I was going to take a break from work, but…
‘I guess I want to save the original main characters more than I thought.’
The moment I saw their faces and Edin’s sad expression, my heart sank. They all felt familiar, as if I had seen them before.
‘I lost my memories when I was ten, and the Duke and Duchess were also in that accident around the same time, weren’t they? It must be a misconception from reading the novel too intensely. Oh well, I don’t know.’
Since I had already proposed a solution to Edin, what more could I do? I straightened my back and grabbed the bag I had left in the corner of the chair. I was almost at the shop.
