Chapter 80
No one had noticed until now—my eyes had turned purple after my regression.
Not even Leopold or Remington, the ones I considered closest to me, had realized. But Stefan had. What did that mean?
As I began comparing Stefan with the others, I suddenly recalled something I’d overlooked.
“Bedtime…”
Stefan was the only one who shared a bed with me. He had even made that ridiculous request for me to wear the garnet ring while we slept.
“Oh my god… my eyes must look purple when we’re in bed together. That’s why he gave me a rhodolite garnet.”
Feeling like I had just solved a challenging riddle, I was filled with pride.
“Then I guess it’s my turn to give him a little quiz.”
Smiling meaningfully, I chose purple as the color for Stefan’s handkerchief and delicately embroidered his initials—S. E.—in silver thread.
After folding and wrapping the handkerchief neatly, I tucked it away in my console drawer. Stefan had been eagerly anticipating his gift, but I decided to make him wait a bit longer.
“I’ll give it to him on a truly special day.”
I tapped the drawer and smiled contentedly, when suddenly a knock came at the door.
“Come in.”
“My lady, it’s me.”
Mary entered, looking a bit shy. It seemed she had come to say goodbye, now that she’d been promoted to head maid.
“You’ve done so well, Mary.”
“…It was nothing.”
“Thanks to you, I caught two birds with one stone.”
“What do you mean?”
I had already given a heads-up to Mary, Emily, and Johanna. I’d told them what to do if Rita ever tried to manipulate the servants the way she used to.
I told Mary to act as if she desired the head maid position and flatter Rita. I told Emily to win Rita’s favor by promoting the benefits of chocolate tea.
As for Johanna, I advised her that if Rita tried to corner her, she should not be afraid—just walk away. That was the only way she’d have a shot at becoming a professional beautician.
I had given them all different roles, but together they had formed a perfect ensemble—even though they hadn’t rehearsed beforehand.
“It was all thanks to your efforts. I was able to reclaim the household funds from the Grand Madam and appoint someone I trust as head maid. If that’s not killing two birds with one stone, I don’t know what is.”
“Someone you trust…?”
“You are my person, Mary. Someone I could find no matter where you go.”
Mary’s eyes welled up, and at those words, tears began to stream down her face. Perhaps it was the casual way I said it that made it even more touching.
I gently pulled her into a hug and whispered,
“You’ve taken on a heavy responsibility now. Things will get harder and more complicated. But I believe in you, Mary.”
“Thank you for giving me courage, my lady.”
“If you ever feel overwhelmed or tired, come to me. Don’t think you need permission just because you’re no longer my personal maid. You’ll always be my person.”
Although I told Mary I’d gained two things, the truth was I’d gained much more from this incident.
With the estate’s funds back in my hands, I’d firmly solidified my role as the true lady of the house. Having Mary as the head maid would also make managing the household staff easier.
Johanna had been set free to pursue her career as a beautician. Even if Rita found out later, she’d be too ashamed to even step near Johanna’s salon.
And most importantly—Emily. Thanks to the excuse of chocolate tea, she could now move in and out of Rita’s quarters without suspicion. She was bound to bring me valuable information soon.
“If everything keeps falling into place this smoothly, wouldn’t it be nice if pregnancy came just as easily?”
Now that I thought of it, my next night with Stefan was fast approaching. This time, I was determined to put all my practiced bedroom techniques to good use.
—
Late that night, Stefan was heading back to the duchy’s mansion, his body heavy like a soaked sponge.
Not only was he exhausted from the noble council all day, but the Emperor had suddenly decided to throw a drinking party under the pretext of celebrating Stefan’s marriage, causing him to overindulge.
It was clear the Emperor still held a grudge over Stefan’s very public rejection of the princess. He had gone as far as coaxing Stefan into praising the Duchess in front of everyone, which only made Stefan keep downing wine out of frustration.
“How old is he, anyway…? An emperor should act like one. This isn’t the time for petty games.”
Last night, Stefan had received a message from Thomas. He and the others had safely escaped from Marquis Eden’s estate, changed identities, and boarded a ship to the Hua continent from the Port of Bayton.
With them, they sent documents Susan had gathered—evidence of the Eden family’s crimes.
According to Thomas, Elliot had been genuinely in love with Susan and had confessed all the Eden family’s secrets to her whenever she asked.
Unfortunately, the documents didn’t include proof that Rita had commissioned the sinking of the Burke merchant ship. Still, they thoroughly detailed all the piracy and other crimes committed by the Eden family.
“Birds of a feather, Eden or Blanche…”
The Edens had fallen because of Elliot, and the Blanches because of Aileen. It just went to show how important it was to raise your children properly.
Thanks to the evidence Stefan carried, the Blanche and Eden families would soon be stripped of their titles, lands, and wealth.
The fact that Rita’s name was missing from the long list of criminal evidence was suspicious—but he decided to let it slide. No matter how selfish a mother might be, blood was still thicker than water.
“Even someone like her is still a mother… Tch.”
With the carriage shaking and the alcohol hitting him harder, Stefan decided to stop thinking. Bell was already investigating Rita, and she’d surely uncover stronger proof soon.
Before he knew it, he had dozed off.
The coachman, peeking in with a worried expression, gently called out to him.
“My lord, shall I escort you to your chambers?”
“No, it’s fine. I can go alone.”
“Then please rest well, sir.”
“You’ve worked hard today, too.”
After giving the coachman a hearty pat on the shoulder, Stefan naturally headed up to the second floor. His steps led him toward the bedroom, from which warm air was flowing.
“Did Thomas leave the lights on?”
Half-awake and having forgotten that Thomas wasn’t home, Stefan walked into the bedroom and immediately began peeling off his clothes. After a quick shower, he headed straight for the wine bar.
Having endured an exhausting day, Stefan wanted a deep sleep and poured himself another glass of wine to get thoroughly drunk. Wine after a shower hit harder, after all.
“…Now I can finally sleep.”
Satisfied that he’d created the perfect conditions for a good night’s rest, Stefan made his way to the bed. Tonight, the bed felt unusually warm and cozy, wrapping around him like a comforting embrace. Chuckling softly, he murmured to himself,
“How on earth did they manage to warm the bed…?”
He buried his face in the pillow and reached out across the wide mattress, his hand landing on something soft and plush.
“Did they get new pillows?”
Something long and white was lying beside him. Thinking it was a new pillow, he pulled it into his arms. A sweet, familiar scent wafted from it.
Stefan smiled contentedly and began to gently stroke the soft pillow. Strangely, it felt like it was getting warmer. Then, as he squeezed it tightly—as if to crush it—a soft moan escaped.
“Mmh… ah…”
Stefan thought he was dreaming—one of those blissful, vivid dreams. He’d been thinking of Rachel all day at the palace, and with their next night together approaching, it made sense that he’d dream of her.
So he imagined the pillow was Rachel. Its long, slender shape matched her body, and the sweet scent reminded him of her natural fragrance.
Burying his nose deeper into it, he inhaled the scent, and the pillow grew even warmer. His own body started to heat up in response.
Soon, his body began to react. Thinking it was just the alcohol, Stefan tried to calm himself—only to suddenly feel something smooth take hold of his hand and guide it.
“Shuu…”
A sweet whisper brushed past his ears, sending shivers down his spine.
‘No way… is the pillow talking?’
Only then did Stefan finally manage to open his heavy eyelids, and beneath him he found Rachel, gasping softly.
What he’d been stroking all this time, thinking it was a pillow, was Rachel’s body. What he thought was the scent of a new pillow had actually been her scent.
‘How can a dream feel this real…?’
Still weighed down by the alcohol, Stefan closed his eyes tightly again. He decided it was best to keep believing he was lost somewhere in a very vivid dream.
Because if this was a dream, then it was the perfect chance to indulge in Rachel as much as he wanted.
Hey dear readers, the advance chapters of this novel are now available on Patreon. Also I’ll be posting chapters of my other novels there more frequently than here for some time due to some technical issues. Make sure to not miss your favourite novels. Thank you, have a nice day.✨❤️
