CH 54

The moment she took a bite and put it in her mouth, a deep sigh burst out from within. It was hard to hold back the feeling that was going to come out of her mouth.

Had it not been for Damon being in front of her, she would have been exclaiming with admiration. The taste of seafood she ate for the first time in twenty years was so fantastic that she wanted to cry right away.

It was good enough to die.

…Oh, no, no dying. She wants to live as long as she can and eat this delicious food as much as she wants.

“Is it delicious?”

“Yes.”

This time, she came to her senses and prevented herself from replying excitedly even though her hands kept on moving. While her body was already telling her she was full, she couldn’t stop her hands.

This was not always ready to eat. She had to eat as much as she could while she still could.

Seeing Damon still not touching precious seafood, Elysia thought that the rich were different. He didn’t rush at the food like she did, and he was relaxed because it was always available.

“You can stop eating when you are full.”

…How did he know she was full?

As she moved her hand incessantly, she became more and more anxious about her growing stomach. She couldn’t eat it again if it were not now… Without noticing, she refused to eat anymore. No matter how delicious the food was, she couldn’t help it with her small stomach.

“It’s still fine.”

“You might get indigestion if you force yourself to eat.”

“No…”

She knew she might get indigestion though it was harder for her to stop eating something delicious.

In fact, she lived with indigestion for a while. It was because her stomach refused to eat food suddenly. So, if she ate too much food, she would probably get indigestion again. She had to suffer because there wasn’t a decent digestive medicine here.

“If you don’t want to lie down because you are sick on the first night, I think you should stop eating.”

Clink.

With the mention of the first night, the fork fell from Elysia’s hand.

First night. Of course, she forgot. She was so engrossed in the delicious food that she didn’t even notice what kind of place this was.

“…First, first night?”

“Yes, today is our first night.”

Obviously, there were things she forgot because she thought Damon didn’t care. The first night would be impossible for him. She had no doubts that he would turn her down first.

“The bride cannot lie down sick on the first night.”

* * *

Since then, Elysia couldn’t remember how she finished her meal except that she mechanically straightened her head and drank only water.

“Your Grace, I have prepared a bath.”

Even after Chloe said that she had prepared a bath, she sat blankly.

‘…The first night!’

Naturally, she thought that he would show his refusal first.

“Your Grace…?”

“Ah…? That, yes.”

She creaked and moved suspiciously. Like a robot, the arms and legs went out at the same time. Now, she had to sleep in the same bed as Damon.

If she was unlucky…

“No! No!”

Elysia shouted out loud unknowingly and shook her head. It had to be stopped no matter what. It was something that should never have happened.

“Yes…? Do you have any problems, Your Grace?”

“There is no such thing… It’s okay.”

Replying to her, Elysia took one step at a time with her staggering body. It would be a big deal if she didn’t pay attention here.

“Are you very tired?”

“Right!”

Chloe and Rachel seemed to have opposite personalities. While Rachel seemed relatively quiet, Chloe was bright and lively. Because of them, Elysia was able to relax at the sight of the two that made the listeners smile.

“I’m okay.”

Rachel and Chloe, who looked relatively younger than her, spoke comfortably. Perhaps, they had given her aroma oil, it felt like her body, which had been hardened by tension today, was relieved.

“But, is this my room?”

“No!”

“No.”

Elysia was puzzled to hear that this was not her room. It was a little lacking for the Grand Duchess’s room though it was spacious enough. And, she knew in the first place that she wasn’t going to be treated properly as the Grand Duchess.

Even in a room like this, there was a sense of relief.

Oh, she liked the narrower space than this room. Compared to the days she lived in the attic, it was heaven.

“Your Grace will share the same room with the Grand Duke.”

Elysia’s body faltered when they said that she would share the same room with Damon… Sharing a room with him?

“…What, what?”

“I said that you will be sharing the same room with the Grand Duke.”

“Don’t worry, we have decorated it beautifully.”

Chloe thought Elysia was worried about something else, so she patted her chest, saying not to worry. However, that wasn’t the only thing she was worried about.

“I know that couples do not share the same room.”

It was customary among nobles not to share the same room with each other. Occasionally, there were couples who shared, although that was very few. Even in that case, there was a separate room for the wife.

“That’s because we haven’t finished preparing the room yet…”

“Yes, that’s right.”

The Mistress’ room was the room next to the Master. If that was the case, it was understandable. Still, it was strange that they hadn’t finished preparing the room even after a month had passed…?

“It doesn’t matter as long as there is a bed.”

She’d be better off staying in a room with only a bed rather than sharing the same room with Damon. If not, this room now was fine.

“That is… We haven’t even put in the bedding yet.”

“The bed…?”

“Yes, it seems to take a long time because it is made to order.”

Elysia had never had furniture made here, so she didn’t know how long it would take to complete the furniture. So, did the countess just give her the room Rowena was using as was…? If that was the case, it was understandable.

“…Well, I see.”

For the first night, she would not be able to avoid sleeping in the same bed with him. The problem started the next day. She was forced to live in the same room as Damon every day from now on. It was a terrifying fact, Elysia shook her head.

She wanted to rest at least as comfortably as she did in her room.

“If the room isn’t finished yet, why can’t we stay here?”

There would be empty rooms in this Grand Duke’s castle, and there would be enough places for her. Even if there was no room, this room now seemed to have no owner.

“We don’t know that either.”

“Okay, I think we should ask the Grand Duke.”

Seeing Rachel and Chloe avoid answering, she realized that they, too, were afraid of him. In fact, it was the people of the Grand Duchy who knew Damon better than anyone. Elysia bit her mouth when she realized that she could no longer get the answers she wanted from them.

After all, they all might be in cahoots.

“I don’t need a massage.”

“What?”

“I mean, I want to get up.”

They tried their best to read her faces. Even though she felt sorry, Elysia couldn’t help it. She didn’t have the chance. She wasn’t relaxed enough to save anyone.

“Your Grace…”

“It’s because it’s uncomfortable to sit in the bath for a long time.”

As soon as she got out of the bathtub, a bitter smile came out of the nightgown that looked like dragonfly wings on Elysia’s body. Her treatment in the County and in the Grand Duchy did not change…

And, neither there nor here did she have the power to refuse.

The nightgown she wore felt like it showed resentment on the outside. The only consolation was that there was a covering gown over the outside.

“Then, we will go.”

“…Yes.”

It was a room large enough to be incomparable with the room where she was. Elysia was terrified by the black door that felt intimidating just by standing in front of it. She didn’t know why Grand Duke’s castle looked like Damon Raphael from one to ten.

“….”

Even though she was standing in front of the door, she was afraid to go in. Elysia clenched her lips at the nervousness, and she couldn’t open the door. Not knowing what was waiting for her in front of this door, she could not easily get inside.

Kiiik.

Unbeknownst to her heart, the black door opened with a loud noise of its own accord.

Then, the inside of the room began to show a little. It was too dark for a new couple to spend their first night. Yet, on one hand, she felt that it suited him.

“Your Grace…?”

Obviously, she didn’t open the door, so it was Damon from inside. However, there was no one opening the door.

“Your Grace?”

No one was near the door.

Elysia was afraid of the door that suddenly opened. Even though no one was there, the door opened by itself.

“Your, Your Grace…?”

She began to get scared in the room that was covered in darkness so black that she couldn’t believe she was in a new couple’s room. Originally, she was a timid person, so she couldn’t just get into the room and only called Damon at the entrance to the room.

“Grand Duke!”

The room was so spacious that her voice echoed.

It was dark, so it seemed even more spacious. She was reluctant to step into the dark space, like a haunted house. While she had seen a new couple’s room decorated all in red, it was the first time she had seen a new couple’s room in all-black like this.

She still couldn’t help but hesitate.

With one belief that she wouldn’t be a dead bride from the first night at least, she moved her steps cautiously.

“Ah…!”

As she entered the room, the inside was shining brightly, unlike what she had seen from the outside. As if the dark darkness had gone, a bright light enveloped the room warmly.

A huge white bed was showing its presence in the middle.

“Your Grace?”