Chapter 2
I got up from the bed where I was wrapped up in blankets. Since things turned out this way, I should at least go see the male lead’s face that the novel praised so much.
I was curious, since it was the face I’d have to see for the next five years anyway. Before going to meet him, I checked myself in the mirror one last time. I couldn’t go looking shabby when meeting the male lead.
In the mirror, my face was objectively pretty cute. The only thing I was satisfied with in this villainess body was the appearance. Soft pink hair like cotton candy.
Big, round, pale water-colored eyes. The face of a fifteen-year-old girl looked as adorable as a baby rabbit.
There was no dirt or mess on me, so I wouldn’t be embarrassed to meet him.
After deciding, I asked Bella,
“The male lead—no, my husband—where is he?”
“Huh? M-Madam, the young duke? Why?”
“Well, he’s my husband, so shouldn’t I at least see his face?”
Seeing Bella’s worried look, I added one more thing.
“At least, I don’t plan to divorce before he grows up, so don’t worry.”
“Ah! Yes! I’ll guide you there!”
She might seem like she cared more about the male lead than about me, but I was satisfied with Bella’s attitude. Of course, the young master she had served all along would be more precious than me, who she just met today.
To have such loyalty even in a ruined family like this—impressive. Well, working here wouldn’t be possible without real loyalty.
…But wait, do they even get paid here?
Surely it wasn’t unpaid labor?
Just remembering bosses from my past life who stole my part-time pay made the back of my neck ache again.
Anyway, we set off bravely and soon arrived at the male lead’s room. His room wasn’t that far from mine. Just two doors away.
“Pretty close, huh?”
When I first saw how big the castle was, I thought it would take a long walk.
“Oh, we purposely made the rooms close. That way it’s easier to manage.”
Hmm, makes sense.
With so few servants, they couldn’t manage this whole big castle. Focus and efficiency.
Good thinking.
I knocked on the door. There was no answer.
I knocked again. Still no answer.
Something felt off, so I looked back at Bella.
“Uh, well… normally he should be in at this time… I’ll go check!”
After Bella left, I waited a moment, then opened the door. I had wanted to wait outside, but the hallway was colder. When I entered, I saw a big bundle of blankets curled up on the bed like a silkworm.
What, so he was inside after all?
Then why didn’t he answer?
“Um…”
I spoke carefully, but there was no reply. I took one step closer. In the original story, the male lead would’ve already sensed me and released killing intent if anyone approached. But now, he was silent.
I poked the blanket with my finger, but still no reaction. What if this wasn’t the male lead, but a corpse he had killed?
Suddenly, the room felt five degrees colder. To shake off that horrible thought, I shut my eyes tight and pulled off the blanket.
And I gasped.
It was the male lead inside, but his body was burning hot.
“Bella! Bella!”
***
“His wages were never late. How could she just run away without a word?”
Bella sobbed. The maid assigned to the male lead had run away. She didn’t even bother with a handover, just disappeared at night.
“I thought she was taking good care of him… but we were busy with the duke’s funeral these past few days, so…”
I brushed my finger over the thick layer of dust on the bed’s headboard. It seemed cleaning hadn’t been done in a while.
“How long ago did the former duke die?”
“About a week ago.”
“Then she must’ve used that time to escape.”
At my words, Bella cried even harder.
“I should’ve taken better care of him. It was my responsibility…”
“Stop crying. Go ask if there’s any firewood left.”
I said while wiping the male lead’s face with a cold wet cloth. At least, snow was everywhere outside, so water cost nothing. As soon as Bella left the room sniffling, I sighed deeply. This was a total mess.
When the cold cloth touched him, the male lead flinched slightly in his feverish sleep. I brushed away the black hair covering his eyes, and his expression looked a little calmer.
Even though he was sick, he really was handsome. No wonder the novel described him with endless flowery words.
If he weren’t sick right now, I might’ve clapped my hands the moment I saw him. I might even have fallen to my knees and shouted “Hallelujah!”
He wasn’t manly handsome yet, but had a graceful, beautiful face.
Even after seeing countless good-looking men on my phone in my past life, his beauty was on a whole different level.
Now I understood why the author had spent so much effort describing his looks.
Ordinary words couldn’t capture this face. This was the utopia of faces. So this is what it takes to be a male lead.
My heart felt complicated. In the novel, he had been tall, strong, and powerful. But right now, he was just a small child.
“Sob… sniff… Mom…”
He rubbed his cheek against my hand, whimpering.
A sting hit my heart.
After all, he was only ten years old and had already lost both parents. And even before that, things weren’t good. His parents had been too busy trying to save the family to care for him.
The vassals could only do so much. There was no leader for the family, and they weren’t paid much. Honestly, the fact that some were still working here and hadn’t fled made them loyal enough.
“This is really terrible…”
I couldn’t stop sighing.
Abuse wasn’t just about hitting or bullying a child. Neglecting them, failing to give proper care—that was abuse too.
The young master of the duchy, no, now the duke himself, was wearing clothes that were far too small and worn-out.
He looked so pitiful that he reminded me of my own childhood.
No, maybe worse.
At least I only had to care for myself. But this boy carried the enormous burden of leading the duchy.
Because of how perfectly he managed everything in the novel, I’d forgotten he was just ten years old now. I held his wandering little hand in mine.
The heat in his hand made me realize he wasn’t just “the male lead” in words, but a real, living person. Even in his dreams, he seemed scared I’d let go, gripping so tightly that his fingertips turned white.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
When I patted his chest and whispered, his expression eased a little, even in sleep.
“I won’t go anywhere, so get better soon.”
And then show me what color your eyes are.
***
A day passed. The boy’s condition didn’t improve.
Even with the fire lit by the firewood Bella had barely managed to get, and with fresh cold cloths constantly applied, his fever didn’t go down.
“We need to call a doctor.”
At my words, Bella’s face darkened.
Calling a doctor cost a lot of money, and the castle had none. And I didn’t have a single coin either.
Even though I knew from the novel that he’d survive, watching him suffer in front of me felt awful. I pulled my coat tight and stood up.
“Who’s in charge of the household now?”
“Since we don’t have a butler, it’s Mr. Prugg… Madam, are you going to ask him for money?”
“We can’t just leave him like this. We have to try something.”
“I’ll take you to him.”
Bella followed along.
I hesitated, wondering if bringing her would help or just get in the way. But I had no excuse to stop her.So I opened the door first and looked back at her.
“You can come if you want, but if you really want a doctor, you’ll have to stay quiet.”
***
Mr. Prugg’s main area was the office.
It was a huge room that dozens of people must have once worked in, but now he alone occupied it.
Even when the mistress of the household (me) entered, he stayed seated arrogantly.
I guess to him, I was just a useless commoner girl forced into marriage.
“I need money to call a doctor…”
Prugg stroked his mustache thoughtfully.
“Sorry, but that’s impossible.”
“Why!”
Bella stomped her feet and shouted.
“Can’t you see how sick the young master—the duke—is? We must call a doctor right away!”
Unlike the panicked Bella, Prugg was utterly calm.
“Oh, Bella. You know well enough. We’re up in the mountains, and it’s snowing outside. To call a doctor here would cost about a commoner’s one month’s living expenses. The duchy doesn’t have that kind of money.”
Bella, who knew the family’s poverty well, couldn’t reply.
“Th-then what about the duke?! If his fever doesn’t go down, wh-what will… sniff!”
Bella burst into tears. Prugg spoke in a pitying tone, as if to comfort her. But to me, it looked like he was mocking her.
“Let’s just hope the young duke endures. He’s strong; he’ll pull through.”
“Is there really no money? Nothing left from the previous duke?”
Because I spoke down to him, displeasure flickered on his face.
“If I had money, why would I hide it?”
I stared at his shiny, well-kept mustache—far too polished for someone working in a poor duchy.
