Chapter 14: No One to Welcome Me
There was no reception, no congratulations.
The wedding, which had started in silence, ended just as tensely.
After saying her vows, Eleanor didn’t even get a proper look at Kylus.
She was busy in her own way, and the man who suddenly became her husband had many things to take care of.
As the guests left like the tide going out, Eleanor also began to walk away.
She was supposed to ride the carriage straight to the Duke of Carniel’s estate.
While walking, she made eye contact with her father, who was hurling harsh words at the people of the Duke’s family.
His narrow, slanted eyes flashed a sharp, cold warning.
Of course, Eleanor hadn’t forgotten last night’s conversation—or the sharp end of the cane that had struck her shoulder.
“You’re addicted,” her father had whispered sweetly.
“You know something’s wrong with your body, right? The pain must be bad. But still, you kept quiet and didn’t complain. I’m proud of that.”
She swallowed a bitter laugh. She was used to the pain. Looking at her fake father, she held back her disgust.
He smiled with false kindness, even though something clearly bothered him.
As always, after harsh punishments, he would throw in a sprinkle of praise, like a drizzle that didn’t even get your clothes wet.
So fake. So predictable.
He had never shaken her before, not in the past, and not now.
Still, Eleanor smiled like a loyal daughter.
“Whatever you do, Father, I’ll follow your lead. I know my place.”
“Good. That’s the right attitude.”
Then he pressed the cane against her shoulder again. It stung so badly she wanted to collapse, but she stared straight ahead and stood tall.
“People say you’re acting like my right-hand girl lately, but I have no choice but to send you away from the family.”
“Yes, Father.”
“This is the only way I can trust you. Based on your past actions, I’ve decided to believe you. This is the bare minimum for trust between us.”
All of it was nonsense.
“You have to understand me.”
“Of course, Father. No need to explain. So, what should I do next?”
Her eyes filled with fake joy—how disgusting.
“Come to the secret meeting place once a month. I’ll give you the antidote.”
“And after that?”
“The more chaos you cause inside the Duke’s house, the better. Mess things up from the inside and outside. Let them hate you—the spoiled Count’s daughter. Humiliate them. Destroy their pride.”
“You want me to be the evil wife?”
“Exactly. And bring me information. The Duke family’s weaknesses. Their money. Their businesses. Who supports them. Anything that helps me.”
“What else?”
“Finally, do your duty as a wife. Get pregnant with his child. Once all that’s done, you’ll return to the Count’s house and be my daughter again.”
Eleanor felt sick.
He was telling her to live exactly as she had in the past.
Holding back her anger and frustration, she smiled like a fool and asked,
“Or… what about this idea instead?”
“What idea?”
“What if I make the Duke fall for me? A pathetic man, lost over the daughter of his enemy. I’ll seduce him—and the people around him too. I’ll shake the Duke’s household from within. Make his loyal supporters disappointed in him.”
“…Are you confident you can pull that off?”
“I’ll give it a try.”
The Count looked doubtful, still full of suspicion.
“Not a bad idea… but can you really do it? How?”
“If I use every trick I know, maybe I can. So yes, I’ll do it. I’ll earn his trust, and the trust of those around him. Then I’ll turn it all upside down. Give me the chance.”
Eleanor looked at the man in front of her, cutting ties with the ugly promise made the night before.
The Count gave her a reluctant nod and smiled, signaling he understood.
“I hate you, Father. But in this life, I won’t live the way you want me to.”
He turned away and threw a mocking smile at the Duchess of Carniel and the others glaring at him.
Nothing about this wedding looked like the joining of two noble houses.
Eleanor sighed and walked to the carriage.
All of this was new—none of it had happened in the past. It was tiring.
And when the carriage door opened like it had been waiting for her, she felt even more exhausted.
“It’s been a while, Your Grace.”
“…”
“Oh, right. Should I start calling you dear husband now?”
“…”
Her newlywed husband was sitting inside the carriage, arms crossed, glaring at her.
* * *
A few hours later…
Word of the strange wedding spread quickly through the mouths of noble guests.
“It really was shocking. The Duke showed up covered in blood!”
“What could’ve happened? It’s not like he was sent on a mission or something—who goes monster hunting before their wedding?”
“Who cares. Maybe that was his way of insulting the bride’s family.”
The nobles found it all very entertaining.
While the powerful factions like the Emperor’s and nobles’ sides were worried about the political consequences, most nobles were just excited.
“I hear the bride isn’t exactly sweet. This is going to get good. The Duchess is tough too, right?”
“She wore all black to the wedding! Imagine if that woman from his childhood, the one who saved him, showed up now. What a mess!”
They burst out laughing.
Well, at least the social scene wasn’t going to be boring for a while.
* * *
Inside the carriage…
Clunk. The carriage shook.
Eleanor almost fell but caught herself. She looked at the man in front of her, narrowing her eyes.
He looked annoyed and quickly pulled back his hand like he hadn’t meant to reach out.
Maybe she imagined it?
Tsk.
In the past, at least the ride to the Duke’s estate had been peaceful. Now it felt like walking on thorns.
She hadn’t eaten all day and was starving.
Her maids, Laura and Daisy, had packed her a basket of sandwiches with such worry—but she hadn’t even opened it yet.
I can’t keep going like this.
If she wanted to talk, she’d have to be the one to start.
She knew all too well that the man across from her wasn’t the type to notice moods or start conversations.
She licked her dry lips, but just then, he cleared his throat.
She looked up. Kylus was staring at her.
No—he was staring at the sandwich basket in her arms.
Was he asking what it was?
“I’m hungry.”
“…What?”
“They told me to keep my waist small, so I haven’t eaten since lunch yesterday.”
He gave her a sharp look, but she figured she might as well be shameless and use the chance to fill her stomach.
“Did you eat? Or are you just going to sit there and stare?”
Judging by the blood all over his clothes, he probably hadn’t eaten either.
As she opened the basket, she accidentally smiled.
It was the first genuine smile she’d made in front of him—but she didn’t notice.
Kylus, however, looked stiff with surprise.
“Fine. Let’s eat.”
“…Huh?”
Humming to herself, she picked a sandwich with potatoes, cucumbers, and veggies.
Right before biting into it, she paused.
She was about to hand it to him, but then pulled it back.
An awkward silence followed.
He frowned slightly, as if he’d been teased. His ears turned a little red.
“What are you doing?”
She mumbled a reply, almost like an excuse.
“I was going to give it to you, but it has cucumbers.”
“That’s a problem?”
“You don’t like cucumbers.”
“…”
Ah. Cold silence again.
Both their faces twisted into a frown at the same time.
“Do people in House Grace really study even their enemies’ food preferences?”
He growled bitterly, full of scorn.
“Please. It was just a coincidence.”
Of course not.
It wasn’t because of any investigation.
It was because she’d spent ten years as his wife and remembered these things.
She even knew how picky he was.
But she didn’t say any of that.
Instead, she picked another sandwich—mashed potatoes mixed with other veggies—and handed it to him.
As he sat there, stiff, Eleanor motioned for him to eat.
“Even if we’re using a magic stone to travel, I heard it takes a while. I’m going to eat while we ride. We might as well talk too, right?”
Because for Eleanor… Being hungry was unbearable.
