Chapter 2
“…Ah.”
At that moment, with her vision finally clear, Grace saw the man standing before her—Arthur Felix.
Without realizing it, she let out a small, breathless exclamation, almost like a cry of awe.
His overall appearance was exactly as she had seen through the veil, so it wasn’t that she was surprised by his form. And yet, the reason she involuntarily voiced a sound was because the color of his eyes—now clearly visible beyond the mask—were different.
His left eye was a sapphire blue, like a clear summer sky.
His right eye was a deep ruby red, blazing like the fires of hell.
The instant Grace met his eyes—eyes that seemed to possess a dangerous, pulling force—she understood why he was called the Monster Duke.
They don’t look human at all.
Overwhelmed by fear at the sight of those unfamiliar, uncanny eyes, Grace swallowed hard and avoided his gaze.
At that, the eyes that had been fixed on her seemed to flinch ever so slightly.
“Groom, Sir Arthur Graham Felix, do you swear to take Grace Marie Alberton as your bride and share your life with her for eternity?”
Unaware of the complicated exchange of glances between the two, the Pope read the marriage vows in a flat, ceremonial voice.
Arthur, who had been watching Grace as she avoided his eyes, answered slowly.
There was a brief pause—but no hesitation in his response.
“Yes.”
His voice was far more pleasant than Grace had expected, and for some reason, hearing his answer made her heart sink heavily, as if it had dropped straight to the floor.
“Then do you, Bride Grace Marie Alberton, swear to take Groom Sir Arthur Graham Felix as your husband and share your life with him for eternity?”
After hearing Arthur’s response, the bishop immediately turned the vow toward Grace.
…What should I do?
Was she really going to lie—declare a false vow of “eternity”—in a sacred marriage presided over by the Pope, God’s representative?
For a fleeting moment, Grace wondered if she should just run away right now.
No. I can’t.
She quickly steeled herself. If she fled the wedding, the fate she had narrowly escaped—death by poison—would surely come for her again.
O God, please forgive me for lying to You one last time.
Swallowing hard, Grace took a short, deep breath and lifted her gaze.
Looking straight into those strange eyes—one blue, one red—she answered as if making a solemn declaration.
“Yes. I swear.”
As soon as her answer rang out, the eyes behind the mask widened slightly, and cheers erupted from the surrounding guests.
Whether those cheers were blessings or mockery, she couldn’t tell. Her ears rang as Grace squeezed her eyes shut.
From this moment on, she was the bride of the Monster Duke.
* * *
Duke Arthur Felix—the Empire’s greatest knight, master of Felix Castle in the northernmost territory, the largest domain in the Empire.
He was of noble blood, the nephew of the late Emperor, and a man of unparalleled martial strength who had never once tasted defeat since first stepping onto the battlefield at the age of seventeen.
That knight, tall and broad-shouldered, was just as famous for his unusual appearance as he was for his accomplishments.
Towering over most men, with a sapphire-blue left eye and a ruby-red right eye.
Despite his extraordinary abilities and rare heterochromia, people avoided him.
Because a curse clung to him.
The origin of that curse was said to be the tragic death of Electra, the noble lady of the Duchy of Royenne, who had been joined to him in a political marriage.
When the first Duchess of Felix died less than a year after the wedding, people dismissed it as mere misfortune.
But when women who approached him afterward—drawn by his power and wealth—began to die or go mad before a year had passed, sinister rumors began to circulate among the nobility.
Anyone who got close to Duke Arthur Felix would, without exception, either die or lose their sanity.
That rumor, intertwined with his rare odd-colored eyes, spread among aristocrats as unquestionable truth.
What was the source of the curse?
Whispering behind his back, the nobles came to believe that the cause of it all lay in his eyes.
The black mask he had once worn to mourn his late wife became a shield to hide his cursed face.
And those rumors extended even to his younger brother, Leon Felix—born at the cost of their mother’s life, the younger son of the late Emperor’s sister—who bore the same odd-colored eyes.
Those eyes are cursed as well.
Any woman entangled with those brothers will die—or go mad.
To escape such grotesque rumors and pointed fingers, Duke Arthur Felix withdrew with his younger brother Leon to the northern Felix territory, where snow fell for more than half the year, living there in near isolation.
* * *
Just as the wedding had been conducted without proper engagement procedures, it ended in the blink of an eye.
After the ceremony, without even allowing Grace time to say farewell to Alberton Castle, the Alberton family insisted that she leave immediately for Felix territory.
Grace herself had no desire to remain at Alberton Castle a moment longer, so she prepared at once to depart.
After changing out of the extravagant wedding dress that had never suited her and into more comfortable clothes for the carriage ride, Grace encountered Arthur, who was waiting outside.
Spotting him leaning crookedly against the cathedral wall, she flinched and spoke.
“…I’m sorry. Have you been waiting long?”
“No.”
Arthur answered briefly, then abruptly turned and began walking along the long carpet leading out of the cathedral.
Frowning slightly at his rude behavior—walking ahead without offering her his arm—Grace followed after him.
“Grace, live happily.”
“I hope you give birth to an heir with magical abilities, Grace. Don’t make that child as unhappy as you were.”
“Marianne! Ahem. …As the future mistress of Felix territory, conduct yourself properly.”
“…Yes. I will.”
Standing before the large carriage bearing the falcon emblem of the Felix family, Grace received her family’s send-off.
Their faces looked as though they had finally finished a long-postponed, irritating chore, as they hurled words at her that could have been blessings—or curses.
Grace let their words pass over her and, supported by the maids at her side, climbed into the carriage.
“…Huh?”
Something was strange.
The spacious carriage, large enough to seat at least six people, contained no sign of Arthur.
Since he had walked ahead without escorting her, she had assumed he’d boarded first.
Puzzled, Grace stopped the coachman as he came to close the door.
“Um—won’t the Duke be riding in this carriage?”
“Yes, my lady. His Grace has boarded the Duke’s private carriage just ahead.”
“…Ah, I see.”
“Then we will depart shortly. Please rest comfortably, my lady.”
With that, the coachman closed the carriage door and returned to his seat.
Left alone inside, Grace let out a short sigh and leaned back against the plush seat.
She had been told that even at full speed, the journey to Felix territory would take half a day.
She had worried about how she would endure such a long, awkward ride sitting across from Arthur—but it seemed her concern had been unnecessary.
“…If nothing else, that’s a relief.”
She was somewhat glad she wouldn’t have to keep facing those strange, frightening eyes the entire journey.
Folding her arms, Grace closed her dry, tired eyes.
She intended to rest briefly until they arrived at Felix territory.
* * *
The procession of carriages carrying Duke Arthur Felix and his new bride, Duchess Grace Marie Felix, sped along the long imperial road.
After crossing mountains and rivers and traveling nonstop for half a day, the carriages finally arrived at the gates of Felix Castle.
Following a brief inspection, they proceeded straight toward the estate.
“…Oh my.”
Awakening from sleep, Grace quietly opened the carriage window and observed the scenery of Felix territory.
In both her previous life and this one, she had never been anywhere beyond Alberton territory in the capital and the convent where she had spent her final days.
To her, the sight of Felix Castle was utterly unfamiliar.
Unlike the capital—where autumn had only begun to tint the leaves red—the land here was buried under thick white snow piled as high as the carriage wheels.
The rugged stone manor, the pale smoke rising from chimneys into a darkened sky—it all felt desolate, yet strangely warm.
Bathed in the cold wind blowing through the open window, Grace found her gaze stolen by the snow-covered white world outside.
“My lady, we’ve arrived at the estate.”
“I understand.”
Soon the carriage came to a halt, and the coachman’s voice announced their arrival.
The door opened, and Grace quickly smoothed the wrinkles in her dress.
“…Ah.”
“…Please—your hand.”
The moment the door opened, Grace saw Arthur standing there—the man who had arrived in a different carriage.
It seemed he had arrived earlier and was waiting in front of the estate.
I thought he’d never escort me.
Tilting her head in mild confusion, Grace took the hand he offered and stepped down from the carriage.
“Tha—!”
But the instant her feet touched the ground, Arthur abruptly released her hand as if brushing it away.
Before she could even finish thanking him, he turned and strode toward the open front doors of the manor.
“…Ha!”
“It is an honor to meet you, my lady. I am Robert Heinz, the head butler of Felix Castle.”
“Robert. I will guide her myself. Return to the annex and prepare Leon’s dinner.”
“…Ah—yes. As you command, Your Grace.”
“Follow me.”
Grace let out a short, hollow laugh as she watched Arthur’s back retreat—leaving behind only an order to follow.
The way he had shaken off her hand, as if he didn’t want even their fingertips to touch, made her feel as though she were the monster.
Does he think I’m just a powerless, ordinary woman with no magic?
Is that why he believes he can treat me this way?
The thought made her mood sour instantly.
But soon, Grace shook her head, brushing the idea aside.
Overanalyzing others’ actions and assigning unnecessary meaning to them—that was one of her worst habits.
Not this life. I won’t do that again.
Steeling herself, Grace lifted her head.
“…We’ll exchange proper greetings later, Robert.”
“Of course. Please follow His Grace.”
With that, Grace gave the head butler a brief nod and followed after Arthur, who had already walked far ahead.
