"Duchess, may I come in?" I heard a new voice at the doorstep.
"Yes, come in," I allowed, as I began undoing my hair.
"I would like to introduce myself first."
"My name is Vix."
"I was assigned to serve you until the duke assigns a maid for you. I hope I won't make any mistakes in the meantime," she said, her voice trembling slightly. Despite this, she spoke fluently.
"Vix," I called her.
"Yes, Duchess," she replied.
I took a step closer to her. My shadow enveloped her body, and I continued walking until she looked directly at me, if only for a brief moment.
"Are you scared of me?" I eventually asked, though I wasn't sure why. When had I become so self-conscious? While I had always been self-conscious to some degree, after returning, I had stopped caring about what others thought of me. However, for some reason, I wanted to know what this girl thought of me.
"I-I wouldn't dare," she stuttered.
"It's fine if you're afraid. You have every right to think whatever you want," I said, extending my arms so she could help me remove my dress in preparation for my bath, much like my nanny used to do for me.
She didn't respond but proceeded to remove my upper layer and led me to the bathroom, which was spacious and quite different from what I had imagined. The walls featured a fixed mirror that reflected my image from any angle.
"I've prepared warm water. You can now enter the bathtub," she said, double-checking the water temperature repeatedly. She had also added some rose petals and scented candles with a soothing rose fragrance.
"Is the temperature okay?" she asked before helping me into the bath.
I nodded as she gave me a thorough massage, and before I knew it, I had fallen asleep. It was a welcomed respite after a hectic day, filled with the rush of a sudden marriage, a long journey to this place, and the recent encounter with that troublesome god.
I woke up with a start.
"What happened? Did I make a mistake?" she asked, clearly in a panic.
"No, please continue," I said. However, my thoughts strayed back to Lunar. What if he heard my thoughts again? What if Erios was listening too?
No, it couldn't be. Even they had a sense of shame. That was only logical.
I pushed aside my worries and once more closed my eyes, enjoying the tranquility of the bath. It was peaceful and relaxing.
"Duchess?"
"Duchess?"
I heard her voice, but I was too deeply asleep to respond. After a while, her voice ceased, allowing me to sleep in peace.
***
Slowly, I opened my eyes. The window curtains were open, and the moonlight streamed in, almost as if the moon itself were gazing at me, awakening me from my slumber.
"Madam, you're awake?" The voice startled me, and I instinctively took a step back, finding myself cornered at the end of the bed.
"What are you doing here?" I demanded, the presence of someone in my room sending shivers down my spine. It was even more unsettling when it was nighttime, reminiscent of that other night when I had waited, gazing at the moon, only to be left alone, discarded like trash.
"Madam," he said, making me snap out of my thoughts, "I asked what you're doing here?"
"Madam, you seem to have forgotten that it's our wedding night," he replied.
"So?" I retorted.
"So what?" I repeated.
"Madam, you may not be aware, but if the husband doesn't visit the bride's room on their wedding night, people will talk," he explained.
Was he really saying this? Was he truly acting like this? Or had he forgotten what he had done to me? Was it because he had forgotten, and I was the only one who remembered everything?
How could he say something like this so casually when he had effectively left me alone in this place, treating me as if I didn't belong? How could he say such things when he hadn't even bothered to enter my room in the six months since our marriage, our interactions limited to the dining room? Did I appear to be a joke to him?
"Madam, I know what you're worried about, but—"
I cut him off before he could finish his sentence. "So, what if everyone says bad things about me? I have no issues. Do you have any? Will they point fingers at you? If that's the problem, then you can stay here," I said, feigning drowsiness.
"Madam, it's not about me. It's about respect. I want everyone to respect you."
"I made a promise to Marquis Kael. I will protect you."
He continued to prattle on.
I got up from the bed.
"Duke, could you stop mentioning my father all the time?"
"I know you and he have some unresolved issues, but I don't care about that. All I know is that I was sold off here, and that's the truth, as you know. So, stop pretending to care about me or respect me. I know there's nothing like that in this relationship."
"That's why I said I would accept all the responsibilities as the Duchess of Ablia. When the time comes, please divorce me. That's what I want. Nothing more, nothing less."
"I'm tired of hearing about my father all the time," I thought to myself. "It's not entirely his fault. Even if we're on the verge of bankruptcy, it's still both of their fault. The Duke could have refused if he had no desire to be with someone he didn't deem worthy of the title of Duchess. Because I don't want to marry again, to put myself at risk and have my wedding night turn into a night of tears. It's both of their fault. I may not know the context of their conversation, but I'm sure it's not more valuable than my life. Yet here I am, still listening to everything, claiming that it's a responsibility given to me by my father. Why? Why didn't you deny it?"