~Chapter 97~
A Happy Friday Morning
The reason Eleanor had endured staying in this cursed mansion until now was simple.
She had to stay here if she wanted to carry out her revenge more surely and comfortably.
Even though her body — especially her leg — often ached, the pain was nothing compared to the satisfaction of completing two of her revenges flawlessly.
If she had run away earlier, Duke Astria would have hunted her down no matter what. It would’ve been nearly impossible to take her revenge while constantly on the run.
And besides, plans made outside would have been harder to control. There were already so many unexpected problems while she lived inside the house, watching every change between Nora and Damian closely. If that was the case indoors, how much worse would it have been outside?
So yes — staying had been the right decision.
But once she finished her revenge on the Duke, there would be no reason left to remain in Astria mansion.
Eleanor already had a rough plan of how she would punish him. She had thought of it ever since Nora’s debutante ball.
She would drag down the Astria family, the thing her father valued most, and then push him into a pit he could never escape from. After that, she would leave this mansion without fear of being dragged back.
And after that…
Suddenly, the face of a man flashed in her mind — the man who had once grabbed her sticky hand and whispered that it wasn’t enough. Karsian.
She had never confessed the feelings she had for him. There was simply too much left to do. She had promised herself she wouldn’t say anything until her revenge was finished. She had even prepared herself for the possibility that, by then, he might have found someone else.
But his gaze toward her had only grown stronger, never weaker. And her revenge was nearly complete.
So maybe — just maybe — there was a chance.
The thought made Eleanor cough awkwardly. Her chest tickled unbearably, and embarrassment surged up, so she glanced around nervously, as if someone might have read her thoughts.
And then — someone actually had.
“…My lady. What were you just thinking about?”
Eleanor jumped when she found Hilda staring at her. How long had she been watching? She didn’t dare ask.
“Hm? Nothing. I wasn’t thinking about anything special.”
She used every bit of her acting skills, sharpened through countless experiences — but for some reason, Hilda never seemed to fall for them.
“For nothing, your face sure looks red.”
Hilda grinned mischievously like a child who had found something fun to tease about.
“It’s not like that.”
“What’s not like that? I didn’t even say anything.”
Her flustered denial only gave Hilda more fuel. Eleanor closed her eyes tightly.
“It’s really not…”
“Ohh, not really~?”
As Hilda mimicked her tone, both women finally burst out laughing together.
Hilda wanted to keep teasing her embarrassed lady, but she held back, remembering that Sir Ernst was right beside them.
Their bright laughter eventually faded.
Eleanor folded her long, almond-shaped eyes gently and looked at Hilda. Then, in a cautious voice, she said,
“Hilda… if, someday… if I were to leave this mansion… would you come with me?”
She remembered clearly the first time Hilda said she wanted to stay by her side forever. It was the very first time Eleanor had gained someone truly on her side, so she had never forgotten it.
But she wasn’t sure if Hilda had been truly serious then, or if her feelings might have changed. That’s why she asked carefully.
Hilda, however, answered instantly, as if the question were ridiculous.
“Of course I would!”
Her face looked like she was saying: Why are you even asking? Wasn’t that already decided long ago?
“I already made my decision. I’ll stay with you until the day I die. Whether you marry or not, whether you have children or not — it doesn’t matter. I’ll be with you no matter what!”
“…Until the day you die?”
“Yes. Until the day I die.”
Hilda winked playfully and clinked her coffee cup against Eleanor’s.
Clink.
The cheerful sound made Eleanor smile brightly again.
And as if they had planned it, both women turned their eyes toward the same man: Ernst, who was sitting quietly nearby.
Their sparkling eyes were clearly asking: And you? Do you feel the same?
The weight of their gaze made Ernst instinctively lean back.
“…Not until the day I die,” he said hesitantly, then more firmly.
“But yes. Didn’t I already promise? I’ll stay by your side until you find true happiness. No matter where you are, no matter what happens, I’ll be there. That’s my duty.”
Duty. Eleanor knew the Duke had never given him such an order. Which meant it was something Ernst had given himself — his own vow.
“…Thank you, Sir Ernst.”
She smiled warmly and raised her cup toward him. Ernst, embarrassed, finally picked up his untouched cup.
Clink.
The three cups clinked together, and all of them drank their coffee.
Hilda, who finished first, smirked again and teased,
“Sir Ernst, didn’t you say you weren’t supposed to eat or drink during duty?”
Thankfully, the target of teasing was Ernst this time, not Eleanor.
Ernst looked caught off guard, staring seriously at his cup before stammering,
“…Coffee helps me stay alert for guarding, so it’s fine.”
“Pfft—!”
His overly serious excuse was so cute that the two women burst into laughter again.
Seeing him flustered, Eleanor quickly tried to change the subject.
“Come to think of it, your hair has grown long, Sir Ernst.”
She remembered when it used to brush just below his ears. Now it flowed down his neck — almost long enough to tie back.
“Ah, yes. I’ve been too busy to cut it.”
Too busy to even cut his hair!
Eleanor realized just how much she had overworked him. Guilt twisted her expression.
Ernst misread it and bowed his head.
“If it looks messy, I apologize. I’ll take care of it.”
“No! Not at all! It doesn’t look messy in the slightest!”
She waved her hands frantically, even raising her voice. Still, he didn’t seem convinced.
So she rushed to explain.
“That face I made — it was because I felt guilty for overworking you. Honestly, you’re so handsome, the long hair suits you perfectly.”
“…”
“I mean it. You’re the first man I’ve ever seen who looks so good with long hair. You look amazing, Sir Ernst.”
“…Thank you.”
He turned his face to the side, avoiding her gaze. She couldn’t see his expression clearly, but at least the misunderstanding was cleared.
Relieved, Eleanor returned to her coffee with a smile.
My lady, guilty as charged, Hilda thought, shaking her head with pity. If this went on, Ernst’s hair might even grow longer than hers.
Eleanor, unaware, simply smiled brightly and enjoyed the little party.
It was the happiest Friday morning of her life.
***
Meanwhile, Duke Astria’s face grew darker by the day.
His retainers nagged him daily to appoint a new heir. The Astria wine business, which he had boasted about, struggled from the very beginning. And the nobles, mocking him, whispered that perhaps the once-glorious Astria family was finally nearing its fall.
As a result, the Duke became like a ticking time bomb. His sharp eyes grew even sharper, his patience thinner, his temper twice as fiery.
The servants feared even brushing against his nerves. Some whispered that he would soon drag Eleanor into his study and whip her again.
But he didn’t.
For the same reason as always —
“…You’ll really pay that price?”
Because this way was more profitable.
“Yes, Father. His Grace the Grand Duke gave me his word.”
Grand Duke Karsian Royster had promised an enormous sum to make Eleanor his mistress. Enough not only to revive the struggling family business, but also to win back nobles who were leaving Arlo due to his health problems.
“As you said, Father, I worked hard to get the highest price possible. Thanks to your advice, it worked out well.”
The Duke stared at her blankly.
Perhaps from lack of sleep, her face began to blend with the memory of another woman—one he once longed for, even hated.
He clenched his fist tightly to chase away the thoughts.
“…When? When will he pay?”
“He didn’t give a date, but it won’t be long. He said he wants to speak with you soon.”
“Make it sooner. Pressure him. Charm him if you must. Understood?”
“Yes, Father. I’ll persuade him often. I’m meeting him today, actually, so don’t worry.”
Eleanor smiled prettily like a flower. The Duke nodded.
“Good. Now go get ready. Make sure there’s no weakness for anyone to use against us.”
“Yes, Father.”
She bowed politely and turned to leave. The Duke exhaled, comforted. At least he had raised one daughter well enough to be useful.
But just as relief settled in—
“Oh, Father.”
Eleanor turned back suddenly.
“When s
hould I come for my punishment again? The wounds on my leg healed recently, but you haven’t mentioned it.”
