# 36
Rosanna was shocked by Helen's words, and felt as if her entire being was being taken away from her.
She was raised as Daphne's only legitimate princess, beloved by the King and Queen.
She had never bowed down to anyone before, and the humiliation she felt now was unbearable.
‘This is unbelievable… but maybe, maybe Aachen will pity me because of this…’
Rosanna, on the verge of tears, turned to Aachen, wishing for sympathy.
“How can you do this to me, Your Highness? I’ve done so much for Belzeit, like running reading circles...!”
While Rosanna, in a panic, mentioned the reading circles, Helen got straight to the point.
“Ah, now that you mention it, indeed, the Countess of Riol was supervising the reading circles.”
“……”
“From now on, as Lady of Hestor Castle, I will lead the reading circles. Thank you for your efforts.”
With one sentence, Helen took over the reading circles, stripping Rosanna of her last vestiges of influence.
'Why do you keep taking what's mine?'
The reading circles were a symbol of Rosanna's pride, the only official role that allowed her to act as Lady of Hestor Castle.
In a fit of rage, Rosanna deliberately dropped a glass, spilling wine onto Helen's dress.
“Countess Reuel, what does this mean?”
Aachen's sharp rebuke stung Rosanna, and a tear rolled down her cheek.
“Oh my God, what a mistake... I'm so sorry, what should I do?”
She feigned annoyance and added, “My hand slipped, I didn’t mean to drop it. But perhaps Her Highness should change her clothes quickly?”
As Rosanna stared at the wine-stained dress, Aachen took off his jacket and threw it at Helen, covering the stain.
"duke…?"
“Please wear this. As for you, Countess of Reul, regarding this incident...”
As Aachen began to scold her, Rosanna feigned a panic attack, gasping for breath.
“Your Highness… It seems I have exhausted myself. I feel unwell and must excuse myself.”
In an attempt to escape the situation, Rosanna looked at Aachen, but he firmly referred the matter to Helen.
“Countess Reuel, it is not me who you must ask permission to leave, but my wife.”
“……”
“Your Highness, may I excuse myself? I, Rosanna Reul, request permission.”
Rosanna bowed slowly to Helen, her features completely changed from what they had been before.
“If you are sick, you should go and rest.”
Helen put her hand on Rosanna's shoulder.
“Since the Countess of Riole seems ill, we will postpone any formal apology. I hope to see you at the next reading circle.”
Helen called out to Garen, who was waiting outside.
“Garen!”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
Helen gave orders in a firm voice.
“I can’t bid farewell to Countess Reole myself because of the banquet. Accompany her for me, Garen.”
“As you command, Your Highness. Come this way, Countess of Reul.”
Helen smiled as she called Aachen in a calm voice. Aachen led her, as if waiting, to the main seat.
“Please have a seat, ma’am,” he said, pulling out a chair for her.
Everyone was watching, yet Aachen acted completely calm.
Helene closed the first button of her jacket, which smelled of Aachen.
"A pleasure to meet you, Duchess. My name is Benjamin Coss," said one of the henchmen, bowing respectfully.
“I'm Julian Eldin, I greet you again.”
“I am Annathara of the Marchioness of David.”
After all the followers welcomed her, Helen took a sip of her wine.
“Thanks to all of you here, Belzeit is what it is today,” she said, raising her glass. “I look forward to working with you all. Please eat and drink as you please.”
The followers cheered in admiration for her calmness, even after Rosanna spilled wine on her dress.
“You all seem to be saying something unusually kind today.”
“Sir, we object! We express our sincere loyalty!”
shouted one of the henchmen.
“We can even swear an oath of loyalty to Freya if you doubt us.”
As Aachen laughed, the atmosphere of the banquet grew livelier.
“Ma’am, your silver hair is really beautiful.”
One woman commented.
"certainly."
"Thank you. The jewelry you're wearing is gorgeous too. Are those pearls from Ramot?"
Helen asked.
“Oh, yes, I knew her!”
One of the women answered shyly.
"It's rare, so of course I knew it. It suits you, Mrs. Baron Heath."
Helen complimented, which made the lady blush even more.
At that moment, Viscount Denveron, who was clearly drunk, belched and said:
“Isn't this your first night as a married couple?”
Helen, who had completely forgotten about their first night, choked on her drink.
Aachen said in a firm tone as he patted Helen on the back:
“Viscount d'Environ, this is none of your business.”
The followers exchanged glances between Helen and Aachen.
One of them said sarcastically: “Ha ha, it seems that we have stayed for a day like this for a long time.”
Another added, making excuses to leave: "Sure, we should leave. The kids must be waiting for me at home."
"Honey, you look tired. Maybe we should leave?"
A husband suggested to his wife:
“Yes, I'm a little tired. Let's go home and rest.”
Before anyone could stop them, everyone quietly retreated from the dining room.
Aachen said, covering his face in shame and apologizing to Helen:
“Ma’am, I apologize. As for the subordinates, well...”
“Grand Duke,” Helen called.
He replied: “Yes?”
"Can you come to the bedroom later? I have something I want to discuss." She said.
While Helen was speaking, the chair in which Aachen was sitting fell backwards with a loud noise, frightened by her words. His earrings rang as he moved.
“Okay,” he said, blushing before leaving the room.
Helen wondered to herself:
'He was so calm joking with me before, but now he feels embarrassed?'
Expecting that this was how Aachen felt when he saw her earlier in the tower. She smiled slightly and got up, heading to the third floor.
Helen, dressed in a loose silk nightgown, waited in the marital bedroom, thinking about how to tell Aachen that she did not want to share the bed with him tonight.
It wasn't that she hated him; In fact, he was to her taste in many ways, which made him dangerous.
Forming an emotional bond might deepen her feelings, and she can't bear that now.
“How can I explain this?”
‘Don’t I want to sleep with him? He seemed to be expecting something…'
I thought anxiously. While she was lost in thought, she heard footsteps and saw Aachen's shadow approaching.
His hair, still damp from a recent wash, was dripping onto the floor.
His blue eyes seemed darker, with a hint of moisture, and he smelled of soap, not his usual citrus perfume.
The smell was intimate, like skin. Helen's heartbeat quickened.
“My wife”
Aachen called softly as he approached, wearing only a robe.
“You… have come, Grand Duke?”
She stammered, noticing that he had taken off his gloves. His exposed hands were pale, with prominent blue veins.
Helen thought puzzled:
‘ He certainly does not take a mistress. If he had been seeking political gain, his marriage to Rosanna, Princess of Daphne, would have been more beneficial. So why…?’
Unable to understand Aachen's actions, she hurriedly drank some wine.
Achen said as he put a raspberry in her mouth:
“Ma’am, drinking too much will hurt your stomach.”
“Sh-thank you?” She replied, surprised by his behavior.
“If you want more, ask,” he said gently.
“No, it's okay,” she said, chewing a berry.
I wondered: ‘Doesn’t he have any prejudices, even though he knows about my relationship with his brother?’
Her ex-husband, Revan, had rejected an illegitimate child simply because his hair was a different colour.
For anyone else, this would be an unforgivable excuse.
She thought, still confused about him: ‘It doesn’t make sense for him to say he doesn’t care about me after everything he’s done.’
Helen wanted to go along with the situation, but she couldn't, so she decided to confront it directly.
“My lord, the Grand Duke.”
“Yes, ma'am?”
“I would like to postpone our marital duties until the official marriage ceremony.”