Chapter 16
After touching up her makeup inside the carriage, Grace stepped down with Arthur’s escort.
A man waiting in front of them—dressed in a silver formal uniform with a sword at his waist—approached and bowed politely.
“Welcome, His Grace Duke Arthur Felix, and Her Grace Duchess Grace Felix. I am Tristan Mephis, captain of the Imperial Guard. I have been ordered to guide the two of you, the guests of honor at tonight’s party.”
“It’s been a while, Sir Tristan,” Arthur said.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Grace added.
“Then please, this way to the banquet hall. Many members of the imperial family and nobility are waiting for you.”
After exchanging brief greetings with the knight who had introduced himself as Tristan, Arthur and Grace followed him into the imperial palace.
Walking down the long corridor on Arthur’s arm, Grace subtly turned her gaze to admire the palace’s splendor.
So this is what the imperial palace is like…
Because she had been born without magical ability, she had never once attended a party hosted by the imperial family. To her, the dazzling palace—so lavish it made her dizzy—felt like an entirely different world.
As she walked while absentmindedly admiring the high ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and sculptures, Grace halted when Arthur gently stopped her. She looked up and saw Tristan standing before an enormous door so tall she couldn’t see the top without craning her neck.
After confirming they had stopped, Tristan pushed the door open slightly and spoke.
“You may enter here.”
“Thank you.”
“Thank you very much.”
After offering their thanks, Arthur and Grace stepped inside.
Though it was night, brilliant light poured out like daylight, and the scene beyond unfolded before Grace’s eyes.
“…My goodness.”
It was a world entirely different from the palace corridors that had already stolen her attention.
A towering ceiling hung with dozens of lavish chandeliers studded with countless candles and sparkling crystals; endless walls adorned with famous paintings; long draped curtains, glass doors beyond them, and terraces; and filling the vast, radiant space—imperial family members and nobles dressed head to toe in ornate uniforms and gowns.
Without realizing it, Grace stood there with her mouth slightly open.
It’s like a picture from a fairy tale I saw as a child.
Feeling as though she had become the heroine of that story, her heart floated upward.
“Oh my, that must be the new Duchess Felix.”
“It seems so. I wonder how long she’ll last this time?”
The voices of nobles reached her ears, and her buoyant mood instantly cooled.
Following Arthur deeper into the hall, Grace bit her lower lip and strained her ears to catch the words directed at them.
“Well, she is the second daughter of Duke Alberton. She might last a bit longer than the others.”
“Oh dear, have you forgotten? That young lady—no, the new Duchess Felix—is rather… ordinary.”
“Ah, that’s right. She’s the only one in the Alberton family born without magical ability.”
“Exactly. Hoho, I hear she was quite the burden on the family.”
“So they married her off to that cursed Monster Duke. No matter how much of an imperial order it was, what father would send a beloved daughter to die or go mad?”
“Precisely. If the fiancée had been Lady Marianne, they would have opposed it with blood and tears. Of course, His Majesty wouldn’t have ordered the engagement in the first place.”
“Of course not. Who would send a precious daughter born with magical ability to her death? Since this one was born without any talent, they gladly gave her to the Monster Duke.”
“Hohoho. They got rid of a burden and gained the Emperor’s favor. Duke Alberton really profited from this marriage.”
“Shall we place bets? How long do you think she’ll last before dying or losing her mind? I’ll say two months.”
“One month for me. I heard she’s even close with that monster child. She’s probably suffering twice the curse compared to the previous wives.”
“Really? My, I don’t know whether that’s brave or foolish. Showing affection to that young monster…”
Every word that reached Grace’s ears was laced with mockery and contempt.
She bit her heavily painted lower lip until it nearly bled and clenched her fists.
How could they be so vile and cruel? Every word grated on her nerves, stoking her anger.
And the way they spoke so ruthlessly even about young Leon made her vision turn red with fury.
I’d feel so much better if I could rip those careless mouths right open.
Grinding her teeth with her head lowered, Grace unconsciously tightened her grip on Arthur’s arm.
“…!”
“Please ignore them. They are not worth listening to,” Arthur said quietly.
“…Your Grace.”
“I’m sorry you have to hear such things because of me.”
Arthur gently clasped Grace’s hand, which had turned pale from tension. After softly brushing her hand once, he turned his gaze away as if nothing were amiss.
His calm demeanor surprised—and frustrated—her.
Even if he’s used to insults aimed at himself, how can he stay calm when they mock his little brother? Doesn’t he feel angry at all?
As she fumed internally, Grace caught sight of his profile and let out a quiet realization.
He wasn’t unangry.
He had simply given up—on gazes that never changed, on a reality that wouldn’t.
…He’s just like me, before I died.
Just like when she had once longed for her family’s love, only to grow tired and give up.
Realizing that his indifference was actually the result of wounds dulled over time, Grace let out a heavy sigh.
“Your Grace Duke Felix, His Majesty is requesting your presence.”
At that moment, a man in a knight’s uniform approached and spoke to Arthur. Arthur gently stopped Grace and turned to the man.
“His Majesty?”
“Yes. The banquet hall is too crowded for a private conversation, so he has requested that you come to a side chamber.”
“I understand. However…”
Arthur hesitated, then looked at Grace. Seeing his reluctance to leave her alone, Grace smiled reassuringly.
“I’ll be fine. Please go.”
“…Very well.”
After a brief pause, Arthur nodded and followed the man who had summoned him.
Grace watched his retreating figure as he disappeared into the crowd, then let out a long sigh and scanned the hall. She was looking for a quiet place to stay alone, away from prying eyes and whispers.
Purposely standing behind tall knights and weaving through the crowd to avoid attention, Grace finally spotted an empty corner of the terrace and smiled.
I’ll wait there until Arthur comes back.
Thinking that, she moved quietly, careful not to draw attention—
“Grace! There you are!”
—only to hear her sister Marianne’s voice at the worst possible moment.
Grace turned and looked at her sister, who approached with an expression of exaggerated delight.
“…It’s been a while, Sister. Have you been well?”
“I’ve been very well. And you—have you been well too?”
“Yes. Thanks to you.”
Grace answered Marianne’s polite greeting in a flat tone.
Though Marianne appeared like a caring sister checking on a sibling married far away, her gaze was filled with open contempt as she examined Grace’s appearance.
Raising one eyebrow in displeasure, Marianne continued, openly scrutinizing her.
“My, you really do look well. The dress, the jewels—even your face. It seems Duke Felix treats you quite generously.”
“Yes. As you can see, he treats me far better than I deserve.”
“That’s fortunate. He doesn’t frighten you?”
“Not at all. In fact, thanks to him, I’m quite at ease. Unlike the Alberton estate, the people of House Felix treat me with great care. If I’d known it would be like this, I would have married earlier and left the family sooner.”
Grace replied while putting on the expression of a blissfully happy newlywed.
For just a moment, Marianne’s face twisted openly. But she quickly composed herself and looked at Grace with feigned concern.
“Oh my, Grace. What are you saying? When did we ever fail to treat you well?”
“Well, if raising someone like livestock—feeding them so they don’t starve and throwing any clothes at them to wear—counts as cherishing them, then I suppose you could say that.”
“So you’re saying you’re no longer livestock being raised to be slaughtered?”
“At the very least, I’m no longer a disgraceful noble daughter. I’ve become the wife of an imperial noble.”
“…Ha. How amusing. You’re happy about becoming the wife of a cursed imperial noble you might not even survive a year with?”
“Whether I last one year, ten years, or even a hundred—that’s something no one knows. Who can say?”
When Grace calmly smiled and shot back, Marianne finally dropped her pretense and revealed the darkness she had been hiding.
