Susanna returned to her room, engulfed in sorrow. The luxuries she had envisioned were slipping away from her grasp before she had even begun to savour them.
Why did she transmigrate here? To die!
Susanna screamed internally, clutching her hair as despair gripped her heart.
What shall I do?
Running!
The idea popped into her mind suddenly, convincing her, but soon, she shook her head. She had blurred memories about herself, but she knew Susanna was a poor lady. She did not want to end up in the street! The mere idea filled her with dread. Living a poor life once, the last thing she wished was having the same fate!
But if she stayed, the duke would claim her life. Both options seemed equally horrifying.
Desperation clouded her thoughts as she struggled to unravel the duchess's past. All she knew was that the duchess had come from humble origins. She grew up in the eastern part of the Sylvian Kingdom, alongside her parents and older brother, while the duke's estate was located in the south. Their family's social standing was a world apart from that of the duke's.
The marriage, arranged by the king, was viewed as a stain on the duchy's honour, meant to humiliate the duke whose departure to war on the very day of their wedding only added fuel to the flames of gossip and ridicule.
The duchess, once perceived as a blemish on the duchy, transformed into an arrogant woman who squandered her wealth on frivolous indulgences, desperately trying to prove her worthiness of nobility. In retaliation for the scorn she faced from others, she took out her frustrations on the household staff with her petty, nagging behaviour.
Susanna sighed. It is no wonder no one loves her!
she tried recalling the novel, hoping she would get a clue.
Throne and Love.
It was a fantasy story set in a kingdom named Sylvian Kingdom, the second prince, Leonard, fiercely contends with his brother, the crown prince Lionheart. Their rivalry is further complicated by the machinations of the villainous duke, as they fight not only for the throne but also for love.
The story unfolded as the duke returned victorious from three years on the battlefield. Despite his triumph, the war had left him scarred, both physically and mentally. Upon his return, he was driven to murder his wife, overwhelmed by his madness.
His mental state began to improve when he met the female lead, who offered him the support he so desperately needed with her healing power. However, as fate would have it, she ultimately fell in love with Prince Leonard, which turned the duke into a bitter and coldhearted villain. Despite his efforts to back Prince Lionheart in his quest to win her back, the duke ended up losing both her and his own life in the end.
Susanna sighed heavily. Her character in the novel was a mere footnote, included to highlight the duke's ruthlessness.
She eventually recalled the scene of her demise.
On a dark, stormy night, the duke, tormented by his battlefield memories, began to shout. His wife, curious about the noise, came to investigate and was tragically killed by a stray swing of his sword.
Susanna gulped, imagining the scene. However, one detail caught her attention—the stormy weather. Since the novel indicated her death would occur in winter, and given that it had been over two years since the duke went to war, her end was still some time away.
She had time to plan.
Susanna's troubled emotions calmed down a bit. Letting her think about her next steps, considering her ability to replace the female lead and help heal the duke's trauma. Perhaps she could save her own life this way. Her eyes sparkled with hope, but soon the realization set in—she lacked the healing powers that the female lead possessed.
In this world, magic and power were highly valued. Those who were blessed with such abilities were treated as treasures. The ones with noble origins would soar high and their families would gain more nobility, whereas the ones with common origins would be given grand houses and rewarded with significant wealth, and they might even be given a title if their powers were strong enough.
A pang of sadness struck her heart. If the duchess possessed such power, she would leave and live a beautiful life, given the treatment of those with magic.
The reason for the mockery Susanna faced when she married the duke was clear. Nobles from higher ranks often married women with magical abilities to ensure powerful offspring. The king's decree for her marriage to the duke was an obvious act of targeting him, reflecting the animosity between the king and his nephew, the duke.
Perhaps it was the real reason the duke had murdered his wife, but he concealed it with his madness.
Shaking off the negative thoughts, Susanna turned her attention to a practical solution—exploring her world. Perhaps she would find something new to help keep her alive. She headed directly to the library after asking for the location from a passing maid.
Standing in front of the grand white door, she took a deep breath and entered. Her mouth went down for what she saw. Books in different sizes and colours decorated the walls in an architectural design. It was breathtaking yet heart-wrenching when her grandmother's face flashed in her mind.
Susanna shook her head and began.
Days followed the same routine, getting engrossed in books, from morning til late at night. Things she learned were extra details from what she knew from the novel, the history, geography, politics, and tradition of the Sylvian Kingdom.
Susanna closed the book and rubbed her tired eyes, her body protesting after so long in one position. She stood up and took a leisurely stroll. As she wandered into the garden, she was struck by its desolate appearance, devoid of any vibrant greenery. The old Susanna had always disliked flowers and plants, insisting that they should never be purchased.
The terrains in the duke's estate were mostly infertile, so the nobles purchased flowers and plants to decorate their gardens at huge prices.
She somehow reassembled Susanna in this!
Turning around, she continued her stroll, spotting a man who was directing workers to move boxes into the manor. The steward, likely in his fifties, had long grey hair, piercing black eyes, and sharp features. From the duchess's memories, she knew he was the only one who could withstand her tantrums with unwavering composure. He listened to her whims without ever showing disrespect.
After finishing, he turned to her with a slightly surprised expression that was concealed for a moment, he walked to her.
"Good morning, milady," he greeted with a respectful nod.
"Morning, Edward," she said with a faint smile.
He blinked at her, sensing something weird in the duchess. "How was your reading?"
Susanna's smile fluttered. "It was good. There are many books out there to read," she said with a light chuckle. "Actually, I want to go out, I've been keeping myself in the library that I feel suffocating."
"I will prepare the carriage," he said.
Susanna nodded and retreated. She had to inspect things with her own eyes. She caught a shadow at the corner when she turned her head, she saw a burly man walking in the opposite direction. Her eyes narrowed thinking about something.
After a brief wait, Susanna was finally called. As the carriage rolled away from the manor, she peered out the window at the landscape before her. The sun beamed down brightly, while a cool breeze stirred up yellowish dust in the air.
To her dismay, the scene was far more desolate than she had imagined. The expansive fields stretched out to the horizon, blending seamlessly with the blue of the sky. It should have been springtime, yet there was no hint of greenery anywhere! Although the temperature was pleasant, the damp soil suggested that it had rained in recent days.
The carriage ride went deeper. It stopped in the bustling market that was alive with colour and noise. Stalls lined the streets, selling everything from fruits and vegetables to intricate trinkets. The chatter of merchants and customers blended with the smell of fresh bread and spices, filling her senses.
But it wasn't the market that caught her attention—it was a woman.
A flash of pink hair, partially hidden by a brown scarf, caught Susanna's eye. The woman's emerald eyes sparkled with an innocence that was almost otherworldly. Her pale skin glowed under the sun, and there was a certain grace to her every movement.
It's her. Emilia Rosenberg. The female lead.
Susanna's heart thudded in her chest as she watched the woman move through the crowd, unaware of the attention she was drawing. Emilia was the key to Susanna's survival, and now, she had finally encountered her in person.