[ I have children? Me? A woman who got zero experience at all? How in the world can I digest something shocking like this? ]
"Grace? How old do you think I am?" she asked desperately refuting reality.
[ I don't know anything about this body at all. I've read once before in a famous web novel that main characters who transmigrated, got the memories of the previous owner but why isn't my case like that? ]
Doubting nothing, Grace responded naturally, "It's been a year since Her Excellency had her debutante ball so you're already 17 years old. Are you testing my loyalty, Her Excellency?" she continued scrubbing Shin Hye's skin.
What Shin Hye heard felt like thunder strikes.
[ What? 17 years old? And I have a children in the age of 17? ]
Shin Hye lost all of her strength and comfortably lied down in the tub. Still recuperating from the sudden emotional distress, Grace launched another surprise attack.
"Ah! Isn't it time for the Twin Masters to enter the social circle, Her Excellency? They've already been held back for 2 years you know," Grace unintentionally blurted out with confidence.
[ Huh? Twins? Social gathering? What the fuck?! ]
Totally exhausted, Shin Hye asked with no emotions attached, "So what do you think we should do, Grace?"
Grace thought that she was upset making her reluctant to answer. She took a glimpse and just like what she had expected, Grace was really troubled by it. A maid casually talking to her master is a disgraceful and incompetent act worthy of death.
To ease Grace's burden, Shin Hye smiled softly, "Feel free to speak out what you think. I can listen to any suggestions anytime," she assured.
[ Talking craps and smiling might become a habit of mine if I continue doing this. This is really a bother. ]
Still won't speak up, Shin Hye didn't stop smiling and instead she looked at her with conviction making Grace felt more burdened than before.
As she felt really drained, Shin Hye unintentionally released this "Don't speak and you're dead" aura around her.
With her lips quivering in fear, Grace shifted her head and looked at her looking pretty horrified.
[ Huh? Why is her expression like that? I'm smiling though? I'm slightly pissed but I'm not obvious right? ]
"Won't you speak up your mind now?" Shin Hye felt weary but still she suppressed a smile.
"It's not my place to talk about this but the Twin Masters were already 8 years old so isn't it time for Her Excellency to let them enter the social circle?" she stuttered and blinked swiftly in discomfort.
Shin Hye was dumbfounded. She didn't expected to be punched by Grace three times in a row. She immediately picked her ears thinking she misheard her words.
[ I gave birth when I was 9? Isn't that a crime?! Having s*x with a minor, no -- a child? Is being a phidophile just normal here? What a mess up world. Disgusting. ]
Shin Hye sighed hopelessly and didn't give a shit anymore. She felt stupified from everything she'd heard.
[ I'm 17 years old with an 8 year old twins. Why did I suddenly became a duchess with a twisted life? I can barely managed to take care of myself now she's telling me I have an 8 year old twins to take care of? ]
While in deep thinking and cursing her ill fated tragedy, Grace asked worriedly, "Are you okay Her Excellency? You looked pale. Should we get out of the bath now?"
Shin Hye looked at her, "Can I see these childre--, Ah! I mean my kids, can I see them?" she stuttered.
"They're currently residing at the right wing mansion. Should I let them informed that you're coming, Her Excellency?" she quiried.
Shin Hye stood up and Grace wiped her body with a piece of cloth. As Grace dressed her,"Don't inform anyone. I'll head there myself," Shin Hye instructed.
After dressing up, Grace fixed her light brown sleeky hair. "As per you instructed, Her Excellency. Then I'll co--" Shin Hye slightly raised her left hand preventing Grace from speaking any further.
"I've got something for you to do. You'd do it for me right, Grace?" she smiled at Grace.
"Just give me your instructions, Her Excellency. Please tell me everything you need," she obediently said as she bowed her head.
Still in front of the vanity desk, Shin Hye stood up and looked back at Grace.
"Then please investigate everything about me. Don't spare any minor details. That's you're first task Grace, are you confident?"
"I'll do everything that Her Excellency instructed. I may not be confident enough but I'll try my best," she opened the door and right before she left, Shin Hye added, "Ah, Grace! Don't tell anyone about this, understand? You may leave now."
Grace bowed down before she left, "As you wished, Her Excellency," and closed the door.
Silence came back in the large stuffy room. As she slowly walked towards the door, her light footsteps echoed.
[ I don't think that this is a trial. If I began living here, first, I need information. Second, eliminate those annoying gazes. I hate being step on by people. I don't want to trust anyone also. I learned my lesson and it won't happen again. Third, I need power and superiority. I am now living as a duchess so for now, I'll slowly build my own forces and plan a grand scheme in a few more years. ]
Standing still in front of the door, she just maintained her silence. Right before opening that large door, she caressed her face and mumbled to herself as she fixed her expression, "Then ... what kind of face should I wear today? It needs to be strong and firm. Let's go with this," she grinned widely as she opened the door.
Wearing an unfazed eyes and wide smile, she walked confidently on that large hallway.
[ If I don't want to be insulted, I need to show whose superior between us. I'll abuse everything that I have right now. I won't be set up and killed miserably just like before. Everything who stands in my way will got their heads cut off. ]
As she walked in the large hallway located in the first floor of the mansion leading to the garden, every single maids she passed by, looked at her with disgust and as if their eyes were cursing her inside out. Despite the harsh treatment, she was unfazed.
[ I'm no longer the duchess they knew. You can easily trample the previous owner before but not anymore. ]
A bunch of knights passing by bowed down to me as soon as they saw my presence.
"Good morning Her Excellency, are you well now?" one of the knights asked.
[ I know that he's not sincere. He's just worried because of my status. Still, I am grateful that they don't show their ill intention openly. ]
With no emotions attached, "Thank you for worrying but would you mind lending me your sword?" she looked at him with an unfazed eyes.
"Ah ... Here you go, Her Excellency," he obediently handed his sword.
As Shin Hye walked away, the knights began whispering on each other. It's a whisper yet it's too loud for her to hear.
[ Are they doing it on purpose? ]
"Her Excellency is awake huh?"
"Why did the duke passed away and not her?"
"She's useless and a garbage whom the duke picked up, you heard the rumors right?"
[ Isn't it shameless to talked like that in the presence of the one they're serving? I still have that thing called pride, you know. ]
She only smirked on their shamelessness and as she walked away, two maids were gossiping to each other passed by her. Upon seeing her presence, one of the maid bowed down and greeted her while the other one stubbornly evaded her sight from Shin Hye.
"Greetings, Her Excellency. It's a relief to see that you're finally awake," said by the maid who bowed down.
[ How fake. ]
Shin Hye just smiled and greeted the maid who showed respect to her, "Thank you for worrying ... Can I ask for your names?"
As one of the maids was ready to answer, the stubborn one sneered and raised her voice as she complained, "What kind of duchess are you? Isn't it the basics to know all of your attending maids?"
"Stop it, Priscilla! You're being rude!" the maid beside her tried to stop her rude actions.
[ Wow! That was annoying. So this is how she gets treated while staying here in this prison - like mansion? How irrititating. ]
Shin Hye clenched the unsheathed sword she's holding as she held her patience back. She tried maintaining her smile as she speak, "Then sorry for being rude. Would you mind telling me your name Miss?"
Instead of telling her name, the rude maid sneered at her and ranted, "Stop acting high and mighty. You're just a garbage picked up by the duke. At least try hiding your stupidity when we're around. You're a disgrace to the Faques Family, you lowborn bitch!"
Shin Hye tried to held her patience as she doesn't want to cause trouble on the first day of her new life.
'SLAP!"
The rude maid slapped her.
"What are you looking at trash? Don't you know me? I'm the second daughter of the Palladine estate. Unlike you whose identity is lower tha--"
'UNSHEATH!'
Shin Hye's patient didn't held out and bursted in an instant. She unsheathed the sword she's holding and ...
'SLASH!'
Shin Hye swung her arm and unhesitantly slashed her left leg with the sword.
"Kyaaah!" she fell down and screamed in pain as she stopped the bleeding with her hands.
"Kyaaah!" the maid besides her fell backward and covered her mouth in shock.
The patrolling knights hurriedly went towards the location of the scream.
Shin Hye gazed down determinedly and her expression was unfazed despite what she did.
[ You did this to yourself. ]
With the sword she's holding, she placed the tip of her sword below the rude maid's chin. The maid looked away but Shin Hye made her looked at her.
With a frightening expression on her face, the maid instantly shivered in fear and began sweating in cold as she looked up at her. The maid was extremely horrified as she began to cry for mercy.
"I held my patience yet you dare overstep your boundaries. How can a maid look at me like that?" she coldly said as she gazed down at her.
'SLAP!'
Shin Hye slapped her back.
"Good. You said you're from the Palladine estate right? Want me to tell you why they send you here just to serve a lowborn bitch?"
"Your family find your existence annoying so they sent you here. You're just a disposable tool for your family to gain additional power, you understand? So don't act high and mighty when you're also a garbage just like me. I may be garbage but I know my place. Don't you think it's better to act accordingly? You won't know what will happen if you acted rashly like that. Take this as an advice from your fellow trash, understand?" Shin Hye pontificately stated calmly despite being furious.
With nonstop tears falling in her face, Lady Palladine nodded desperately as she whispered, "Y--, yes, Her Excellency. I--, i'll g--, glad--, ly take your advice. Please s--, spare me," she begged.
Shin Hye complacency sighed as she sheathed back the sword. The maid whom was watching all that time, snapped out and helped her co maid from standing. By the time the knights arrived, they can't help but be shocked from what they have came upon.
[ I guess I'll end this one with an indirect blackmail. ]
As soon as she sheathed back the sword, she just smiled, "I aimed for the head but it ended up in your legs. Aren't you a lucky one? You know that there's no next time, right?" she threatened.
With fear over her entire face, Lady Palladine shakily bowed her head down, "Thank you for your mercy, Her Excellency."
Before leaving the place, Shin Hye called one of the knights whom were around, "Here's the sword I borrowed. Thank you," she handed the sword back to the knights.
The knights shaked in nervousness.
Shin Hye started walking away. She momentarily stopped at the moment and turned her head around, "Ah! Lady Palladine injured herself while cleaning the garden, you understand what I mean right?" she glared coldly at them.
She turned back in front and, "Take Lady Palladine to the head doctor. I don't want to be an incompetent master to her subjects." she uttered coldly as she walked away.
[ That'll handle the rest of the maids. For now let's focus on what I initially planned to do. ]
As she left the main mansion, she hummed cheerfully as she headed towards the right wing mansion.
[ Let's meet my rumored twins, shall we? ]