Chapter – 06
Her expression was mocking, yet her eyes were dull and lifeless.
If she hated it so much, why not go to a social event or go shopping? What was it that she kept appearing in front of him for?
Was she trying to protest against him?
He already knew that Psyche didn’t want to marry him.
It would have been a marriage forced by money.
Only the person had changed; the marriage conditions offered by the Demosis family remained the same.
He had no intention of interfering in her life, nor did he want to claim her. Yet contrary to his intentions, the woman he had once had a brief connection with looked depressed and listless, as if a blade had been held to her throat.
Ikari, who had been smoking, extinguished the cigarette before half of it was burned.
He quickly collected his expression, which had twisted with self-disgust, and spoke in a slightly gentle tone.
“Spend some money so that gloomy face of hers disappears. Don’t give me anything to worry about.”
After that, Ikari remained holed up in his office for several more hours.
He finally left his seat as dusk settled over the estate.
“……So, does that mean I can’t go down to the storage?”
“Yes. I’m terribly sorry, Madam, but that is correct.”
Psyche looked at the butler with a troubled expression.
As a duchess, she had assumed she could at least view the family’s treasured sword.
The butler, whose hair was streaked with gray, wiped his sweat and spoke.
“Until the duke gives his permission, access to the storage is not allowed. Only the head of the family has that right…”
“I see… I must have made a troublesome request.”
“I’m very sorry, Madam.”
The butler looked more flustered than she did, apologizing profusely, so Psyche could do nothing but accept it.
Besides, it would have been odd for a bride who had been married only a week to suddenly ask her husband to open the treasure storage.
Being a bought bride was already enough; it would be problematic if anyone thought she was after the Demosis family’s treasures.
‘Perhaps it’s not the right time yet.’
The family’s sword had turned back time for her.
Maybe when she saw the sword again, she would find an answer.
Psyche turned away reluctantly, and at that moment, she noticed a gentleman walking from afar.
It was Baron Roil Huens, a retainer serving the Demosis Duke family.
Seeing him, Psyche’s face brightened.
In her previous life, Psyche, as the house mistress, hadn’t earned much trust from the Duke family’s retainers.
Since it was public knowledge that Ikari didn’t favor her, they always looked at her poorly whenever she tried to handle a corner of the Duke family’s affairs.
But Baron Huens was different.
Even though she had only recently married, the young baron treated her very politely.
It was he who regularly sent letters informing her about what Ikari faced at war—whether he was alive or injured.
Through Huens’ letters, she could confirm Ikari’s well-being.
In this life, Baron Huens approached her first with a smiling face.
“Pleased to meet you, Madam. Roil Huens comes to see the Duchess.”
“Nice to meet you, Baron Huens.”
“Please call me Baron Huens.”
Seeing his smiling face, Psyche’s previously tense heart relaxed. It was truly a welcome sight.
Roil Huens swept his dark hair and knelt before her, extending his hand.
“May I offer a greeting kiss? It also means I look forward to your favor in the future.”
Psyche chuckled softly at the baron’s playful words.
Roil made a mock gesture of kissing her pale hand before rising lightly, smiling.
“So, Madam, what brings you here? The rain has passed, and the breeze is pleasant—why not take a stroll?”
“Oh, it’s just… some business in the estate.”
Psyche almost revealed that she had come to see the family’s treasures but quickly changed her words.
No matter how friendly Roil was, he was still a retainer and Ikari’s eyes in the household.
She awkwardly smiled, dismissed the butler standing behind her, and said,
“I’m still getting used to the layout of the estate, so I’ve been walking around inside.”
“Indeed. The main building is so large it could rival the palace of a small kingdom.”
“That’s true.”
“Oh, I wasn’t comparing it to Dosen—it really is enormous!”
“You don’t have to go out of your way to say that, Baron.”
For the first time, Psyche laughed without worry while talking with Roil.
He also smiled contentedly.
After parting with Roil, Psyche strolled through the garden and returned to her room.
The jewelry Anna had secretly sold in the estate had been converted into cash.
Psyche placed the money in the safe prepared for her.
Having seen a familiar face during the day, Psyche’s heart felt lighter.
Upon returning, she found an invitation had arrived.
It was a salon invitation from the Marchioness.
“…A salon? Can I really go to something like this?”
In her previous life, Lady Tilly had dominated the social scene. Psyche, sympathized with her, and could barely lift her head at social events.
In the Imperial social scene, Psyche had been remembered as the infamous woman who rejected Lady Tilly while weighing the Duke family’s adoptive and biological heirs.
‘Did the Marchioness invite me to a salon in my previous life too?’
It might be a malicious attempt to make her invisible at a luxurious event.
‘The Marchioness… I wonder if she’s a good person.’
The invitation ended with the sender’s signature:
“Mia Hulium…”
A person Psyche had never seen in her previous life.
After checking the invitation, Psyche agreed to go to the dining hall for dinner.
In her previous life, she and Ikari had shared a table only once or twice a month due to his busy schedule.
Even then, he would eat quickly in silence and immediately return to his office.
So she expected to dine alone this time as well.
However, the moment the door opened, she was momentarily speechless at the sight of Ikari.
Ikari’s eyes were on her, his indifferent gray eyes sparkling under the chandelier.
“Sit.”
With no choice, she moved to the table while Anna pulled out her chair.
Butter-cooked shrimp, salad, and bite-sized bread were served.
Psyche glanced at the food and picked at the bread. Sitting with Ikari made it impossible to eat.
Whether she ate or not, Ikari cut his meat and shrimp in front of him and ate.
He said to her,
“Lady Tilly’s matter has been resolved on my end. She won’t be coming to the Duke’s house again.”
Psyche’s eyes instinctively turned to him.
Her previous request to prevent Lady Tilly from visiting had been granted.
Psyche nodded and quietly asked,
“Then, the annex…”
She started in a small voice but quickly fell silent. Ikari narrowed his eyes at her.
“You don’t want me to be a villain who makes my bride, married only a week ago, stay in the annex, do you?”
“……”
“No matter what, it was an unreasonable request. You will stay in the main building for at least three months, even if you don’t like it.”
The annex request was rejected. Perhaps she had hoped for more than the Tilly situation.
‘Three months… Why three months? Because of the war?’
Psyche stared at him in thought.
Since when had he known about the war?
Before they married?
Even in this life, would he keep silent until a week before departure?
“You look like you hate it.”
“No, Your Grace.”
Snapping out of her thoughts, Psyche replied dryly. Ikari exhaled softly.
He put down his utensils and asked,
“You’ve been staying in the estate all week. No shopping, no parties?”
“……”
“If you’re not protesting against me, then spend some money and go to parties. Don’t stay in the estate with that gloomy face.”
Ikari had heard from Hans that Psyche had spent the entire week holed up in the estate, not spending a penny of the allocated money.
If she didn’t enjoy shopping or parties, there would be very little for a duchess to do.
Psyche didn’t intend to manage finances. Unlike other families, the Demosis family already had financial experts.
“How many invitations have you received?”
As the only new duchess of the empire, the Imperial capital’s social scene would undoubtedly react.
Whether the events were honorable or embarrassing, invitations would pour in to gossip about the new duchess.
Ikari speculated that Psyche might be hoarding invitations just to protest him, assuming without reason.
Psyche delayed and reluctantly answered,
“I’ll attend a party this week. I was planning to go to a salon anyway.”
“You said how many invitations you received. You never answer questions properly, it seems.”
His tone was calm, but to an observer, it seemed as though he was scolding his wife.
The servants standing at the edge of the dining hall glanced at each other awkwardly.
Psyche, losing her appetite completely, let go of her fork and looked at him.
“Just one invitation today. And I’ve already replied that I’ll attend, so don’t worry. I’ll behave so that you don’t have to…”
“One invitation, only?”
