CHAPTER 22
“If punishment is to be given, somewhere other than the face would be preferable, wouldn’t it? There’s no need for you to bother, Madam. I’ll take her and speak to her properly myself.”
“……”
“I’m only concerned your precious fan might break, Madam Montmad.”
The Marquis of Hexion bent down and kissed the back of Madam Montmad’s hand, which held the fan. The moment his lips touched her skin, Madam Montmad let out a small gasp, unable to hide her reaction.
“Well… I suppose it can’t be helped. If the Marquis of Hexion insists… Since today is a joyous day, I’ll let it slide this time.”
With that, the Countess of Montmad withdrew her hand and led the nobles away from the scene. Taking advantage of the moment, Marquis Hexion glanced leisurely at Dite.
“Come with me.”
“…Me?”
“Yes, you. If you stay here, it’ll only cause more trouble. Come.”
The Marquis of Hexion grabbed Dite’s wrist and pulled her across the banquet hall.
They walked a few steps, spun as if dancing, then walked again—every movement lazy yet captivating.
Soon, the two of them left the banquet and found themselves in a quiet corridor of Wintel Castle.
Only then did Dite get a good look at the Marquis’s face.
Silvery white hair that shimmered, and bright, blood-red eyes…
He was a beautiful man. Beautiful enough that even a mere kiss on the hand had made the Countess of Montmad retreat.
If Duke Cayenne had a divine, flawless appearance, then the Marquis of Hexion was more like a seductive demon—enticing and dangerous.
“You should go back,” he said, releasing Dite’s hand.
“…What? Go back?”
“Anywhere. You must have somewhere to go. But that banquet hall isn’t it.”
Dite’s lips trembled. Her large eyes filled with tears, and eventually, they rolled down her bruised cheeks.
“But… I was invited by Madam Cyrilleze. It’s the first banquet I’ve ever attended. Until now, not once…”
“Exactly. So go back.”
“Why…!”
“Are you planning to attend a party celebrating the duke’s engagement looking like that? With a face that looks like you’ll cry if someone so much as touches you? Staring off like you can’t hear anyone calling you?”
Dite bit her lips tightly. She knew, even without him pointing it out, just how pathetic she must look right now.
“I don’t know what mercy Madam Cyrilleze was trying to show you by inviting you, but that place isn’t for someone like you.”
Dite bit her soft lips harder.
She knew he was right—but she didn’t want to admit it.
“…Is it because I’m a commoner?”
To that, the Marquis let out a short laugh, amused.
“No.”
“Then why…!”
His smile disappeared, and he spoke coldly.
“You’re completely unprepared.”
“……”
“You’re not ready to jump into a battlefield of nobles. You want to join that savage brawl with no plan and no weapons? Just throw yourself into it unarmed? Then you’ll only keep getting torn apart.”
Dite blinked her golden eyes. She couldn’t understand what the Marquis was trying to say.
“If you’re Madam Cyrilleze’s adopted daughter, act like a proper noble lady. If you’re Cayenne’s mistress, act like a mistress. But you’re neither.”
“……”
“That’s why there’s no place for you there. Understand?”
The Marquis turned toward the banquet hall. He looked like he had nothing more to say, leaving Dite standing alone.
As he whistled and walked away, Dite called out to him desperately.
“…Then!”
“?”
“Then tell me! How to become the duke’s daughter… and how to become Cayenne’s mistress!”
Her voice was choked with sobs, streaming tears falling down her cheeks.
Before long, the banquet came to an end. The distinguished guests who had visited Wintel Castle began to depart, leaving only the castle’s residents behind.
‘My face feels hot. Did I drink too much wine again?’
Ethisha had accepted one congratulatory glass of wine after another and ended up like this.
She rubbed her flushed cheeks while seeing off the departing guests. Cayenne and Madam Cyrilleze were both busy greeting their respective guests.
‘What a chaotic day it’s been…’
Ethisha touched the ring on her left ring finger.
The white eagle crest of Wintel and the large white diamond sparkled as if understanding her feelings.
‘I really thought Dite was the duke’s mistress…’
But she was actually Madam Cyrilleze’s adopted daughter.
Cayenne’s foster sister…
‘Ah, so that’s why the duke said those things in Warptel?’
Wintel’s shame. A secret that must remain hidden.
Back in Laxen, Cayenne had tried to talk about Dite.
Though her old illness had flared up and kept her from hearing the full story, now that the banquet was over, she could piece it together.
‘How did Madam Cyrilleze end up raising Dite, I wonder? Could there be some hidden story…?’
Normally, nobles have no reason to get involved with commoners. And for a high-ranking noble like the Duke of Wintel, even more so.
Unless a commoner had magical talent, which Dite did not—she was just a normal girl. For her to grow up in the Wintel household was very unusual.
‘High nobility sure is complicated.’
Ethisha sighed softly, rubbing her cheeks with both hands.
Just then, after the last guests had left and the castle had quieted, Madam Cyrilleze approached her.
“You worked hard today, Baroness El.”
The madam, still a bit shy, didn’t look Ethisha in the eyes, gazing elsewhere as she spoke.
Anyone seeing it might’ve thought she was ignoring Ethisha.
“Thank you, Madam Cyrilleze.”
But Ethisha no longer misunderstood her.
“Um, about how I address you…”
“Yes?”
“No, never mind. Just pretend you didn’t hear that. I was being too hasty.”
Ethisha found her more endearing than anything.
That the stern, charismatic Duchess Cyrilleze would act this soft only around Ethisha…
It was undeniably adorable.
With a smile tugging at her lips, Ethisha gently replied,
“Sorry, I’m still getting used to it… Mother.”
“……”
“Thank you, Mother.”
Madam Cyrilleze bit her lip and furrowed her brow.
To others, she might’ve looked furious—but to Ethisha, it didn’t seem that way at all.
‘She really is adorable.’
Ethisha carefully approached and gently took the gloved hand of Madam Cyrilleze.
“I’m truly happy, Mother, that you welcomed me with such a grand celebration.”
“Grand? This was nothing. It was rushed and full of flaws.”
“I’ll do my best to become a good daughter-in-law who lives up to your kindness.”
“No, I…”
“Mother.”
Ethisha smiled warmly, her eyes tender as she looked at the flustered madam.
Mother. She called her mother…
Ethisha remembered her birth mother, who died long ago, and the stepmother, Dorothea, who had tormented her.
Today, Ethisha gained her third mother.
“So please, call me by a different title too. Not ‘baroness’. That title still feels unfamiliar to me.”
Ethisha looked up at the duchess with her vivid blue eyes.
Though taller and more intimidating in appearance, Madam Cyrilleze was frozen by the smaller woman’s gaze.
“…What kind of title?”
“Daughter-in-law.”
“?!”
“Dear daughter-in-law…”
Startled, Madam Cyrilleze yanked her hand away. Then, realizing it was too abrupt, she hurriedly reached out and grabbed Ethisha’s hand again.
“!”
Then, thinking she might be holding too tightly, she loosened her grip.
‘Honestly, how is she so cute?’
Unable to help it, Ethisha let out a quiet laugh.
Watching the two of them, Duke Cayenne also wore a quiet smile.
“Ah… I, I must be going,” Madam Cyrilleze stammered, releasing Ethisha’s hand—this time very gently.
“There’s a lot to do. We must prepare for the wedding, select the dress and the jewels. All of it is passed down from the Wintel family. I must manage it carefully.”
“……”
“We shall host a wedding that goes down in history—this time, truly grand.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“…It’s late tonight. Tomorrow, let’s have tea together and talk at ease. Baroness El. I mean…”
Her lips trembled. She seemed to struggle with the next words, barely managing to say them.
“…Daughter-in-law.”
Madam Cyrilleze hurried off before anyone could stop her.
Now only Ethisha and Cayenne remained in the corridor.
Cayenne, now expressionless, murmured,
“Now that she has a daughter-in-law, it seems I’ve become invisible.”
“That’s not true. I’m sure she still treasures her son the most.”
“……”
Cayenne showed no sign of hurt. He didn’t seem bitter about his mother leaving without a word.
Instead, he looked down at Ethisha’s flushed cheeks—rosy from the wine, blending with her pink hair.
“I originally planned to show you around Wintel Castle after the banquet, but it seems you’ve had quite a bit to drink.”
“Ah… yes, a little.”
“In that case, I’ll escort you directly to your chambers. This way.”
Cayenne held out his hand in a formal escort. Ethisha gently placed her hand on his arm and walked with him.
She’d clearly drunk more than she realized, as her steps wobbled slightly.
“The castle is large. It’s easy to get lost, so avoid going alone. Always take a maid with you.”
“I will. I still have much to learn.”
“This is the main castle, the heart of Wintel. There are two smaller castles on the east and west wings—one called the Castle of Snow, the other the Castle of the Sword.”
“Castle of Snow… Castle of the Sword…”
“My parents reside in the Castle of Snow.”
“Then who lives in the Castle of the Sword?”
Is it Dite?
Ethisha asked, and Cayenne shook his head.
“It’s empty. If a successor to Wintel is born, they will stay there.”
“Ah…”
“Dite lives in the tower at the outer edge of the fortress. It’s called the Tower of Stars.”
The more she learned about the vast estate, the more amazed she became.
“Your chambers are on the third floor of the main castle. You may consider the entire floor yours—use it freely.”
“The whole floor?”
“To be precise, it’s shared as the couple’s space.”
“…What?”
What will the Marquis’s angle be?