Chapter 5
“Dear, come here quickly. This is Duke Vallon.”
Since early morning, the maids had swarmed around Lucy, dressing her in a beautiful gown and adorning her from head to toe. Not long after, the baron summoned her to the drawing room.
So all that fuss at the crack of dawn was because of this old man?
Perhaps he thought she wouldn’t come willingly, because he hadn’t given her even the slightest hint beforehand.
Dragged to the drawing room without knowing why, Lucy found herself being ogled by a pot-bellied old man with a lecherous gaze.
The baron, wearing the warmest tone and gentlest expression she’d seen since she possessed Lucy’s body, introduced her to the duke.
“This child is shy and poor at expressing herself. But when she heard she’d be meeting Your Grace yesterday, she was so excited she couldn’t sleep all night. Hahaha!”
Startled by Lucy’s blank, unmoving stance, the baron pushed lightly at her back while spouting such nonsense.
“She is even more dazzling than in her portrait. I had already heard much about the young lady’s reputation…”
No doubt, not the good kind of reputation.
“My lady, I hope the day comes soon when I can welcome you as my wife.”
The duke’s greasy face loomed closer, and he took her hand, lifting it to his lips for a lingering kiss.
What is this old man talking about? Wife?!
Shocked by the thunderbolt of his words, Lucy froze stiff.
“F–Father… what is…?”
“A–a proposal? What do you mean…?”
She turned toward Baron Diallo, her voice trembling.
“Dear, this isn’t a dream. The duke has formally sent a marriage proposal for you!”
But before she could finish speaking, the baron cut her off.
“It seems our Lucy is so overjoyed she can’t even speak properly. Hahaha!”
Lucy was left utterly speechless by the baron’s absurd remark.
Duke Vallon went on to say he wished for her to attend the upcoming imperial hunting competition with him.
After the duke left, Lucy, burning with anger, shouted at the baron.
“I can’t agree to this! This is my life — it’s not something for you to decide!”
“What? Y–you… you’ve lost your mind! And here I thought you’d been so obedient lately!”
The baron’s furious roar came crashing down on her, and before she could react, she was shoved to the floor.
He usually avoided striking her face or any visible areas. This time, too, he skillfully landed his blows where they wouldn’t show, beating her without restraint.
Still, while trying to block his kicks, she must have twisted her fingers — two of them on her right hand began to swell badly by the time she returned to her room.
Anna wrapped her hand in bandages, crying bitterly.
“Why did you do that…? You could’ve just gone to the hunting event and come back. Why take a beating like this? You should’ve apologized and promised never to do it again… you used to at least cling to his legs and beg.”
She clutched Lucy’s hand and sobbed.
“From now on, never say ‘I don’t want to’ or ‘I can’t’ in front of the baron. If you stubbornly take beatings like this, and if — heaven forbid — you end up with a permanent injury like last time you broke your leg, he might sell you off somewhere horrible instead of sending you to the duke’s household… sniff…”
At Anna’s words, a fragment of Lucy’s memories surfaced.
After all I’ve done to raise and feed you, you went and fell for that bastard son of a count!
When the baron discovered Lucy had been secretly meeting Edwin, he threatened to kill Edwin.
I’m sorry, Father! I’ll never see him again! He’s done nothing wrong… sob…
She had begged and begged for forgiveness on her knees, even as the baron struck her.
Most of Lucy’s memories were like this — full of gloom and sorrow.
Frowning in distaste, Lucy quietly studied Anna, who was still holding her hand and crying.
“Anna, I’m fine. I thought I’d gotten the hang of taking a beating, but maybe it’s because it’s been a while… I slipped up and got my hand hit.”
It was meant as a joke, but Anna only cried harder.
“Anna… shall we run away?”
It was something she’d been thinking all day but hadn’t said aloud until now. It was impossible, of course, but the thought wouldn’t leave her.
Regardless, preparations for the hunting event were moving along smoothly.
The baron assigned her two maids, who tended to her skin care and massages day and night, and even bathed her in warm water filled with fragrant flowers. For the first time since coming here, Lucy was enjoying a life of unexpected luxury.
“You’re so lucky, my lady. Even if it’s only as a concubine, to have someone like Duke Vallon…”
Of course, the maids’ mocking gazes were an entirely different matter.
So it really is a concubine’s position. Figures.
Two days after the duke’s visit, Lucy went into town to be fitted for a dress for the hunting competition.
She was accompanied by Jessica, her personal maid, and a rough-looking man as their escort.
But in front of a large dress shop, they had to wait for quite some time.
Though they had a reservation, their turn kept getting pushed back by higher-ranking nobles — and once people went inside, they didn’t seem to leave.
The staff merely apologized, explaining that the interior was cramped and asking them to wait outside.
Such was the misery of lower nobility.
Baron Diallo, being originally a merchant who had bought his title, was no different from a wealthy commoner.
“How dare they look down on our family? There’s a limit to patience — it’s been almost two hours!”
Finally, Jessica lost her temper and stormed inside.
Moments later, she reemerged with a triumphant expression, beckoning Lucy and the maid.
“You’ve been waiting so long, my lady. Why didn’t you just say you’re Duke Vallon’s fiancée? We’re honored you chose our shop!”
The woman — presumably the shop’s owner — smiled warmly at Lucy and led them to a sofa.
Fiancée? What did Jessica say? Even concubines get called that?
Lucy gave a small, incredulous laugh and sat down. Two women who had been choosing dresses before them shot her sharp, triangular glares.
“Duke Vallon? He’s marrying again? Didn’t he take a new wife just two years ago?”
“My goodness! That’s Lucy Diallo — the one whose groom ran away on their wedding day and caused an uproar! She looks so innocent…”
“Can’t you tell? That fake-innocent act — she’s clearly a fox. Every party she goes to, she leaves a trail of scandal. What sane man would marry a woman like that?”
Their whispers reached Lucy’s ears clearly, but she let them pass right through — she’d heard it all before.
“Lucy, you should be grateful to Father. Without his effort, would someone like you ever get into a duke’s household? Even there, you mustn’t turn your back on us.”
At Jessica’s shameless words, Lucy let out a faint laugh.
“Really? Then why don’t you go in my place? As the duke’s concubine.”
Her voice was flat as she looked Jessica straight in the eye. Jessica flinched for a moment before her face twisted in fury.
Her slightly upturned eyes had always made her look sharp, but now, scowling, she looked downright mean.
“You think you’re any different from me? After you, I’m next. At least I’d end up in a wealthy noble house. You — with your expensive tastes — what family would take you?”
Lucy heaved a dramatic sigh and continued.
“Why not try seducing Duke Vallon yourself — or Duke Si-Vallon, or whatever his name is? If you’re lucky, when he dies, you might inherit a fortune and live in luxury for the rest of your life.”
The unexpected counterattack left Jessica and her maid gaping.
“Y–You…! Just because the duke seems to like you, you’ve completely lost your manners!”
Jessica trembled with rage, glaring daggers at Lucy, her hand twitching as if she desperately wanted to slap her.
Whether she managed to escape or ended up marrying the duke, it was all the same to Lucy now — she had nothing left to fear.
“If you’re done gawking, could you take my measurements now?”
At her words, the shop owner, who had been watching with great interest, finally came to her senses and hurried to start measuring Lucy.
