After waiting for what felt like forever, Ione rose to her feet with an awkward smile.
“If no one’s coming… I’ll just go to them.”
Staying put might be the safer route, but clearing up the misunderstanding with the male lead took priority.
Having sorted out her resolve with refreshing clarity, Ione carefully cracked open the bedroom door and peeked into the hallway. The wind echoed through the empty corridor, sending a chill down her spine and making her hesitate.
“Your Grace.”
The sudden voice made Ione jump and spin around.
“H-Helena?”
“Did Your Grace sleep well?”
Helena, the head maid, gave a deep bow, her breathing uneven.
Though she tried to maintain her composure, the sweat glistening on her brow and her heaving shoulders gave her away.
You ran here, didn’t you?
At that moment, Ione remembered something she had completely forgotten.
‘Oh, right. This place is ridiculously huge.’
Once she'd caught her breath, Helena straightened and bowed gracefully.
“It brings me great joy to see Your Grace looking well.”
Ione gave a stiff smile. The image of her desperately yanking every bell pull in the room and solemnly steeling herself for the moment replayed in her mind.
She should have just waited like a proper noble lady.
‘How was I supposed to know how it works?'
There was no bell cord at the Baron Clarke estate. They could barely afford to pay for medicine, let alone a servant's salary. Who needed a bell pull when there were no maids to answer it?
‘Ugh. I really hate this whole ‘destitute ex-wife’ backstory.’
“Haa…”
‘If I’d made a fuss, yelling about being ignored, they’d probably have added “
tyrant
” to my character profile.’
A sigh escaped her lips at the thought. The story’s original force was stronger than she’d expected.
Thankfully—
“His Grace stepped out an hour ago. I’m afraid he won’t be available right away.”
“Oh, I see…”
So she had a one-hour reprieve.
Maybe she should crawl back into bed and cocoon herself under the blankets. If she came up with a perfect excuse in the meantime, even better.
She nodded weakly. After all the tension, her whole body felt like jelly.
“Then, I’ll just—”
“Would Your Grace like a tour of the estate while we wait?”
The rest of her sentence—“
step outside for a bit
”—was drowned out by Helena’s gentle offer.
Ah.
Ione’s shoulders slumped. Helena’s eyes were gleaming like morning stars.
There was no polite way to refuse.
“…Then I suppose I’d love to.”
Even smiling made her cheek twitch.
A problem had arisen.
Despite Helena’s claim that the tour would take just an hour, the sun had nearly set, and they still weren’t done.
Technically speaking, this wasn’t even a tour anymore. Ione had spent the entire time being introduced to every person in the estate.
“Your Grace, Lady Ione, the Grand Duchess.”
With every step, a new staff member appeared out of thin air.
“Your Grace, it’s a true honor. I’m Bennet, the head maid for the second floor. From now on—oh my! You’re even more beautiful than I imagined. Those vivid green eyes! It’s been ages since I’ve seen such brilliance. Don’t you agree, Lady Helena?”
“Indeed, Bennet. I was just thinking the same.”
“Aren’t they positively radiant? Like gemstones!”
Wait… is this really just an introduction?
Ione struggled not to blush.
She had never received compliments like this in her life.
Sure, she was undeniably pretty—with dark hair and bright green eyes. She’d been shocked the first time she saw her reflection after being reincarnated.
But still—this was excessive!
If they kept this up, she might just die from embarrassment.
“
Ahem…
”
“Such a divine hue!”
“
Ahem…
”
She kept clearing her throat, hoping they'd stop.
Sniff.
The endless stream of praise halted instantly at the sound of her sniffle.
“Oh dear, Your Grace? Are you catching a cold?”
“Goodness, Your Grace!”
The shocked looks on both Bennet and Helena’s faces made Ione roll her eyes.
Seriously? You ignored all the ahems but jump at one sniffle?
“It’s nothing.”
Sniff.
She’d barely finished her sentence when her nose betrayed her again.
She’d started to feel better earlier, but now that she was standing still in the cold corridor, her nose was running again.
“This isn’t good.”
“Bennet, fetch Mr. Benson at once.”
Panic spread across Bennet and Helena’s faces.
Something about their expressions made Ione instinctively block Bennet’s path.
“Wait—who is Benson?”
“He’s the Grand Duke’s personal physician, Your Grace.”
I knew it.
Who calls a doctor over a runny nose?
“No, really, that’s unnecessary.”
“Nonsense. Absolutely not. Even Northerners struggle with this winter climate. You, as a Southerner, must be extra cautious.”
“No, really. Look—I'm fine now, see?”
If they brought in the doctor just because of a sniffle, she’d be branded a drama queen!
“Why not just let the physician take a quick look? Just to be safe. Lady Helena didn’t mean a full exam, just a check-up. Right, Lady Helena?”
“Exactly, Your Grace. Just a simple check.”
Ione meant what she said—but now that
two
sincere faces were urging her, she was starting to lose ground.
A creeping dread filled her.
If this kept up, she really would end up getting examined.
The worst part wasn’t being seen as a fussy noble—it was the fact that if she didn’t meet the Grand Duke soon, things could spiral out of control.
Misunderstandings only grew worse the longer they were left alone.
And this wasn’t a small misunderstanding.
It was critical she cleared things up as soon as possible.
“I can’t. I need to speak with His Grace—before it’s too late.”
“You’ll see him at dinner anyway.”
“But I want to see him
before
that.”
This wasn’t something to chat about over food. She needed the right atmosphere.
She thought if she pushed this hard, they’d give in and take her to him.
“…Is it really necessary to meet him now?”
That answer threw her off.
What was with
that
reaction?
“Really… necessary?”
Was the story itself trying to push her deeper into misunderstanding territory?
A nervous unease rose in her chest. Panicking slightly, Ione raised her voice and glared.
“Where is His Grace right now? I need to see him immediately.”
Helena’s gaze wavered, darting anxiously past Ione’s shoulder.
For a brief moment, Ione wondered if she’d gone too far.
But only briefly.
She didn’t have time to care.
This was a life-or-death flag!
“Don’t avoid the question, Helena. I’m his wife. I have a right to know where he is.”
“Quite the forceful declaration.”
Ione froze.
That voice definitely shouldn’t be here right now.
A certain unmistakably cold and familiar voice.
“Someone unfamiliar with the situation might think you’re obsessed with me.”
…What?
Ione slowly turned and met Adrian’s eyes, stunned.
“O-Obsessed?!”
Was he serious right now?
I didn’t think he was the type to say something so rude—but apparently, I was wrong.
“I am
not
—”
Just as she was about to snap back, her own words from earlier hit her like a brick.
“Where is His Grace right now? I need to see him immediately.”
“Don’t avoid the question, Helena. I’m his wife.”
This was a disaster.
“Anyone would think I am obsessed!”
Realizing how it must have sounded, Ione broke out in a cold sweat and started trembling.
“This is a misunderstanding.”
Her voice wavered as she shook her head.
“It’s just… there’s something I need to talk to you about, Your Grace…”
“And which part of this, exactly, is a misunderstanding?”
Adrian’s calm question left her speechless.
What was she supposed to say?
That she
didn’t
want to see him?
That she
didn’t
think of herself as his wife?
She couldn’t possibly say that out loud!
Certainly! Here's the corrected English version while preserving the tone and meaning:
“Um, I… uh…”
“Your Grace, men who act mischievously aren’t popular.”