The process moved so fast that before I even realized it, the marriage contract had been signed, and by the time the carriage departed, my surname had already been changed to that of the elderly noble.
“At this rate, I’m going to get beaten to death by some grumpy noble. Should I just steal some jewels and run away?”
With such thoughts, I absentmindedly enjoyed the carriage ride.
To be honest, I knew it was a hopeless idea.
I didn’t know magic or swordsmanship—there was nothing I could do in this situation but pray.
Did the heavens take pity on such a desperate prayer?
“Um… The master has passed away.”
When I arrived at the old noble’s estate, I was met with unexpected news.
The man who had bought me, and the one who was to become my husband—Duke Leighton—had suddenly died of a heart attack the day before.
Literally, just the day before the wedding.
I hadn’t even experienced marriage in my past life, and now here I was—a widow at this age.
And not just any widow, but the widow of Duke Leighton, head of the most powerful noble family in the West.
“Since then, I’ve been living in the annex.”
Because of the sudden death of the previous duke, the ducal household was thrown into chaos.
The wedding was hastily changed to a funeral, and all the retainers were mobilized to prepare for the inauguration of the new duke.
No one had time to pay attention to the newly arrived lady of the house.
After barely attending the funeral, I was cast off to the annex—which had once served only as the old duke’s bedroom—without even a proper tour of the estate or an introduction to the family.
And for the two months that followed, I hadn’t taken a single step outside the annex.
“At least the servants are kind. That’s a relief.”
Perhaps the previous duke had been quite violent, because the servants in the annex were extremely cautious and attentive to their master’s mood.
So when I made a few small improvements to their work environment and told them they didn’t have to overwork themselves, they seemed deeply impressed and began treating me excessively well.
In their eyes, I must’ve looked like “the poor girl who was sold off and then abandoned by the ducal family.”
Well… they weren’t exactly wrong.
“I wonder how long this will last.”
I drank the rest of my tea and placed the teacup back on the tray.
Looking at the neatly emptied tray gave me a sense of satisfaction.
“Once the chaos dies down, they’ll surely kick me out. Who would want a stepmother or mother-in-law they’ve never even spoken to?”
Living in luxury felt nice, but I didn’t think it would last long.
Once I was thrown out, maybe I’d return to the capital and start a business… or perhaps travel to the East.
I was mulling over those possibilities and preparing myself for the inevitable end when—
“Madam.”
The door opened, and a butler entered.
He wasn’t the butler assigned to the annex but one from the main estate.
He had also been the one who guided me when I first arrived at the ducal house.
He looked to be in his early thirties, a man with a refined appearance that combined both youth and experience. He greeted me politely.
“The lady of the house has requested to meet with you.”
“Right now?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The “lady of the house” meant the Duchess of Leighton.
When I frowned slightly, the butler continued in a dry tone.
“It concerns your future.”
“Speak of the devil…”
So much for reminiscing and enjoying my little vacation. She was finally coming to deliver the eviction notice.
I let out a short sigh and stood up.
“My clothes—”
“She said you may come as you are.”
“…Alright.”
Since it was starting to get cold, I grabbed a shawl for my shoulders and followed the butler.
As soon as I stepped out of the room, I saw Anna loitering nervously in the hallway.
I waved to her to indicate that I was fine, then continued outside the annex.
“Madam, I must inform you of one thing first.”
“What is it?”
“Please use appropriate language when speaking to the lady.”
Appropriate language?
I tilted my head, not understanding.
Was he telling me to know my place and use formal speech?
“Although the circumstances are complicated, you are her elder. And the lady of the house is very strict about hierarchy. She said she wishes to be treated as a daughter-in-law.”
“…I see.”
So it was the opposite. She wanted to be treated as the junior.
No wonder the butler had been using such respectful speech.
“So that’s what she meant by ‘appropriate’.”
Suddenly, I recalled the nickname I had only heard through rumors.
A flawless noblewoman. The pure and elegant jewel of the West. For her, order seemed to matter more than pride.
“That takes a strong will.”
Even as a modern woman, I wouldn’t find that easy.
The butler slowed his pace to match mine and led me down the corridor.
Silence returned, and I began to look around to entertain myself.
The Leighton estate was beautiful.
Despite it being autumn, there wasn’t a single fallen leaf in the garden, and the white-and-gold castle shone like something out of a fairy tale under the sunlight.
The old me would have soaked in the atmosphere like I was visiting a historic landmark.
“This way, ma’am.”
Eventually, we arrived at the drawing room of the main estate. I stepped in slowly as the butler opened the door.
Seated on the sofa was a woman.
Maids stood quietly beside her in perfect posture.
Her sapphire-blue eyes looked directly at me.
“Welcome, …Mother.”
She rose slightly and greeted me without the slightest hint of disrespect.
She didn’t seem uncomfortable treating me as her elder, which was surprisingly impressive.
“It’s our first… time meeting, Helene.”
“I apologize for not contacting you sooner.”
I sat opposite her and studied her closely.
Helene Paeon Leighton.
A member of the imperial family and the mistress of the Leighton duchy.
The number one example of a perfect noblewoman, called the star of the social world.
A role model for all noble ladies.
Even I, who had no connections with the nobility, had heard her name back in the capital.
“Have you been well?”
“Yes. And you, Helene?”
“I’ve been quite busy lately.”
So she was too busy to summon me—was that her way of saying, “Don’t take it personally”? Or was I reading too much into it?
Trying to speak like an elder made my mouth go dry.
I waited in silence for her next words.
Helene, after instructing the maids to bring tea, looked at me steadily and spoke.
“First, I would like to talk to you about your future here.”
“My future…?”
“We would like to accept you as an official member of House Leighton.”
“…What?”
The words were so unexpected that I raised my voice without meaning to.
I had assumed she called me here to throw me out, but now she was talking about accepting me into the household?
“Once you become a true member of the Leighton family, I hope you’ll attend the year-end and New Year’s banquets with us.”
She even wanted me to participate in those major events.
Even someone like me, who had never been involved in high society, knew how important those banquets were for a ducal family.
If I showed up there, there would undoubtedly be gossip, even if I was technically a duchess.
“And Anna mentioned it too—someone important is coming to the year-end banquet.”
If they were calling the guest ‘important,’ it meant someone of very high status was coming. And I was to be introduced at that event?
Honestly, I wanted to ask if she had lost her mind.
“I hate to say it myself, but I’m a stain on the Leighton name.”
If it were me, I’d keep someone like me hidden far from the public eye.
Not to mention, what daughter-in-law would welcome a mother-in-law younger and of lower status than herself?
If she wanted full control over the household as its mistress, someone like me would only get in the way.
“She wouldn’t do this out of pity… right?”
This wasn’t like giving charity to a passing beggar. No one would willingly take in an elder with power based on mere sentiment.
The title “mother-in-law” carried real authority.
“…Unless, this wasn’t her idea in the first place?”
Suddenly, I recalled what the butler had said on the way here:
“The lady of the house is very strict about hierarchy.”
That statement reflected Helene’s personality—she prioritized order over pride.
But was I truly higher than Helene in that hierarchy?
I slowly pieced the clues together.
A grand year-end banquet with many noble guests.
The fifth wife of the cruel former duke.
Helene, who was of imperial blood. And an “important guest” from the imperial family.
The Leightons were one of only two ducal houses in the empire. The only person who could exert pressure on them…
“…The Emperor?”
“…!”
Bingo.
