Prologue 3
“When I die.”
“That won’t happen.”
“If I die, marry Lillia.”
“.....what are you trying to say?”
“No matter how precious they are, a mistress is a mistress. She's not in the same position as your wife. I've occupied the Duchess's seat for too long without being sensible. But I thought all I had to do was give birth to a successor, and that's not possible either."
“....why do you have such useless thoughts?”
“I’m sorry. But thanks to you, my family was able to survive safely. Thank you for doing your duty at the funeral when my father and mother died. I wasn't going to lean on you that evening, but I didn’t have anyone to run to…”
“Odellette.”
“Ah, I’m sorry again. I couldn’t become a tool to give birth to a successor. I’m sorry that I refused to sleep with you, I’m sorry that I couldn’t fulfill my duty as the duchess. You did so much for my family but I couldn’t even do the basic duty. And, you may not believe me but….”
Odellette contemplated for a moment. She didn’t know if it was right to say in this situation.
Anyway, she only had little time left. Odellette slowly looked at Cherdian.
“I really didn’t have any relations with Wiston.”
“.....!”
"If I had known you'd be so angry, I would have kept to the line. I thought you wouldn't mind that, but my thinking was short. I’m sorry I made you a laughing stock. It sounds like an excuse, but I just enjoyed writing plays before marriage, so I was glad.”
Cherdian stiffened as he didn’t expect that Odellete would say these things. But he stared at her bitter-smiling face, and eventually blurted out words.
“...I know.”
“Thank you for believing me. I used to resent you for being immature, but now that I see it, I was bothering you too much. If it wasn't that day, you'd--ah, no. Thank you anyway."
“.....”
"Thank you all for helping my humble family, for enduring my inexperience and immatureness, and for appointing Brother Khaleed.”
Odellit sighed deeply. Her face was bland from illness. Whenever she met him, she was always dressed up in splendor, so it was the first time he saw her in a humble state.
He hated the smell of perfume and anger from women. That's why the innocent little girl’s make-up got darker and sweeter, and whenever he smelled a common aroma in society, he must have put on a disapproving face.
“If I get better, I’ll divorce you.”
It was then. Odellette opened her mouth again when she saw Cerdian.
"The family is also run properly by brother Khaleed, and we don't need any more money from the duchy. I'll go back to my family, or I'll have a little shop somewhere alone. Externally, I will do it because I can't have children."
“There’s no need, no, never, no, Odellette, I—“
“I, too, maybe I will be free by then.”
Cherdian who shook his head in disagreement suddenly stopped. His hands trembled. His throat tightened. He stared at Odellette and clenched his fist. An unknown feeling that had never been seen by Odellette was engraved on his face.
Odellette took her eyes off Cherdian.
Looking at him again at the end of her life, she recalled a new memory. Eventually, however, the memory pushed Odellette back into pain.
It's nine years, and all that's worth thanking him for nine years is these things. It's really funny. She heard memories are always glorified, but why does she only have memories of despair? Eventually Odellette tried to push the memories to the back of her head.
What’s the use of reminiscing?
She eventually closed her eyes slowly. It was a clear order of congratulation. Cherdian made a slight hesitation as if he wanted to say something, but she closed her eyes and turned her head to the other side. Eventually, the room was filled with silence again.
She didn't want to think about other things anymore.
When death comes, you don't have to be sick anymore. And what comes after you is freedom.
The next morning, Odellit closed her eyes completely.
Act. 1 Regression and Truth
Chapter 1. Not all regression is a gift from God.
Odellette had never regretted her life.
It was quite a pity that her marriage didn't go according to her will, but to think about it, she enjoyed quite a few other things.
Her parents, her brother, and her sister, would always voluntarily yield everything to her, the youngest sibling.
After marriage, the duchess's maids, who were from the periphery of the country, always supported her with the utmost sincerity, and although she once had the jealous eyes of the society, she was only a young woman, and the women who became decent ladies often held their children and had tea parties with her.
Also, a few days before she closed her eyes, she was sorry that she could not stand alone because of the flu, but she handed flowers and other good things to her body.
Her writing also failed to get on stage, but instead the theater owners praised her fairly for her talent.
There is no such thing as a life without regret in this world, there is always a little regret left.
'Yes, it was a good life.'
Mumbling to herself with her eyes closed, she finally died.
And the darkness followed.
Can we experience the afterlife now? She, who was indifferently absent-minded, suddenly frowned at the bright sunlight, when the darkness was lifted and her vision faded.
And soon—
"Oh, my God, you're so beautiful, lady. If Lord Adelegart sees it, he'll be mesmerized the first night."
"Oh my, what are you saying to the child? Lady, don't be too nervous. Just do what I've told you these past few days and you'll have a safe first night."
At the end of the jabbering voice, she slipped out of the utter pitch-dark darkness.
For a moment she sensed something was wrong with the humidity around her. And the sense of the body that is not so vivid. Before long, she froze completely at the reflection of herself in the mirror in front of her.
“What is this?”
A young woman was sitting in front of the mirror.
The face that seemed to have just grown up was bright, and the soft cream-colored hair was wearing a hairstyle that would have been popular a few years ago.
The headdress, which was made by twisting pearls and flowers on top of it, several layers of lace veil, and a colorful white dress swagger that fully revealed the shoulders, were all the rage, how beautiful the design was, the fashion that began nine years ago in her wedding dress was still unheard of.
However, whether it's fashionable or whatever, Odellette thought the appearance in the mirror was something foreign.
Looking at the familiar and unfamiliar appearance, she found that she was exactly what she was now, nine years ago at her wedding, which she had completely erased from her head.
'What, what is it? Why am I doing this here? Didn’t I die?”
She was genuinely confused. Who would believe that a human being died and returned to nine years ago? It was too vivid to be a dream. Watching the maids making a fuss behind the mirror, she covered her mouth with her hands.
“Don’t tell me, I came back…!”
“Yes? Miss? Do you need something?”
Odellotte opened her eyes wide when she saw May, who was her maid when she was single. Not because she’s thrilled, but because she’s shocked.
‘This doesn’t make sense! How did I, how, how did I come back!’
Odellette’s hypothesis slowly became certain.
At that moment, the fact that she had to get married again and meet the man again pushed her into shock and despair.
“The—the wedding.”
“Yes, my lady. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
"Oh, my God. Lady, aren't you too nervous?Don't be too afraid. Even if the rumors of Duke Adelgart are a bit ferocious…”
“Ya!”
“Ah, no, the rumors aren’t scary.”
When May noticed, Reese hurriedly changed her words. But Othelite's mind was not already there.
The only thing that lingered in her mind was how to solve this situation.
However, no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't see a weakness.
The reason why she married Cheddian was because her father's business went through a rough patch and the author suffered from huge debts.
For that reason, there was no place to offer a high salary to a lady, who was young and pretty even when looking for a job, and writing was all about meals.
'Oh, no. No. I'm sure there's another way.'
But Othelitt, who tried to appease himself and fall for it, soon realized there was no other way.
Most of the aristocratic men who were able to pay her debts were married or engaged, They welcomed Odellite with both hands and feet, but they were quite reluctant to marry her.
The Marquis of Eden, who was actively courting her to accept her as a wife, is over seventy years old, He had a sadistic hobby and his wife who died was only 17 years old. Nevertheless, when I was worrying about marrying him, Cherdian’s proposal came.
Her family, who couldn't even think of talking to her because it was too out of class, naturally wanted to send their daughter to a young and healthy man, who wasn’t more than seventy years old. Othelitt also had a longing for marriage and a husband, and even agreed to the marriage after learning that it was helpful to her family.
However, as she knew her future, she had to refuse.
‘I have to but…’
However, she cannot afford to see the collapse of the family.
She knew how her father bent over the nobility to protect her family name.
Even his brothers, who have grown up as noblemen all their lives, did not hesitate to do bad things. Her sister also tried to get help from my husband as much as possible, but there were limitations. In the meantime, they were those who did not try to suffer as much as the youngest child.
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