Chapter 10
“My Lady, if you continue to refuse food like this, it will be truly dangerous.”
I barely woke up to the desperate voice of the old butler calling from outside my door.
I wanted to say something in response, but I didn’t have the energy.
I had lost track of how many days had passed.
I couldn’t even tell if it was day or night.
I simply didn’t want to do anything.
I just wanted to sink into the darkness and sleep forever.
Knock, knock, knock.
The old butler knocked on the door again.
“My Lady, the Lord is on his way to the mansion. It has been five years since you last saw him, so you should welcome him looking your best.”
My eyes snapped open at the unexpected words.
“The Lord? Cedric Drake?”
Why would Cedric come here? Has my ridiculous lie finally been exposed?
“So, my father must have found out the truth at last. Maybe he’s ordered Cedric to take me back and restore everything to how it was.”
I quickly pulled my blanket around me, got up, and flung open the door.
“If Cedric himself is coming to take me, then Father must have learned the truth, right?
Tell him I’ll go to the capital immediately.
I have no desire to be trapped in a carriage with that man for hours.”
“No, My Lady. It is not Count Drake but Ern—”
Slam!
I shut the door before the butler could finish.
“Of course. There’s no way that man would come here.”
I was just going to be left alone in this ruined mansion, forgotten by everyone.
Naturally, I had no desire to eat.
For days, I had only swallowed a few sips of water and a few bites of bread, just enough to keep from collapsing completely.
I hardly even chewed—just forced it down with water.
Maybe that’s why my mind felt so clouded like I was wandering endlessly through a fog.
“Is this place even real? Or am I trapped in an endless dream?”
I refused to think too deeply.
The old butler kept knocking, begging me to eat. I pulled the blanket over my head.
“Why is it so cold here?”
The wind seeped through the poorly maintained windows.
I curled up tightly on my hard mattress and closed my eyes.
I had to fall asleep before the little warmth inside the blanket escaped.
***
I didn’t know how much time had passed.
Suddenly, the room was filled with light, making me rub my eyes and sit up.
“My Lady, I’m sorry for entering without permission.
But Hoilun was making such a fuss—I had to check on you.”
An elderly woman stood in front of me, looking apologetic. She seemed to be the head maid of the mansion.
“But Hoilun is right. You must eat something.
If you continue like this, you’ll truly die. Please, just one spoonful.”
The butler, Hoilun, stood at the door with a worried expression.
“Tess, hurry before the soup gets cold.”
“Oh, stop nagging. I know what I’m doing.”
It had been so long since I heard people talking like this.
But I only stared blankly at the spoon Tess offered me before retreating into the blanket.
“Later… I’ll eat later.”
“No, My Lady.”
Tess pulled me up forcefully.
I was too weak to resist, so I simply looked at her in shock.
She gave me a firm look and said,
“There is no ‘later.’ Eat now. In a few hours, the Lord will arrive.
You must finish your meal and get dressed. Right now, you look less like a noblewoman and more like a beggar.”
Before I could protest, a spoonful of warm soup was pushed into my mouth.
“Who exactly is coming?”
I swallowed the soup as Tess ordered, simply because I thought obeying them would let me go back to sleep faster.
Meanwhile, Hoilun was busy preparing for the Lord’s arrival. He had spent days cleaning the mansion, but there were only two servants left—him and Tess.
“The Lord will be here soon.”
Hoilun hurriedly searched for Tess.
“Tess!”
She had disappeared after cleaning up my meal and hadn’t returned.
Hoilun slowly wandered through the mansion, calling out for her.
“Where did that woman go now?”
Just as he passed by the dining hall—
“Hoilun! Hoilun!”
Tess came running towards him, gasping for breath.
“Hoil—Hoilun! My Lady! My Lady—”
“What? What about My Lady?”
Sensing danger, Hoilun grabbed Tess by the shoulders.
“What is it? Tell me properly.”
Tess, still out of breath, shouted at the top of her lungs,
“My Lady is on top of the tower! She’s trying to jump!”
“What?! What are you saying?!”
Hoilun’s heart nearly stopped.
Tess, unable to explain further, simply grabbed his arm and pulled him along.
As they rushed outside, they saw her—
Far away, at the very edge of the tower, their Lady was standing.
“Oh no…”
Hoilun covered his mouth in horror.
“My Lady! My Lady! The railing is old—it could collapse at any moment! Please come down!”
Tess waved her arms frantically, but her voice couldn’t possibly reach the top of the tower.
“I resented her, but I never wanted to see her die. Oh, my heart… I can’t breathe…!”
“Calm down, Tess! We need to think straight.
Stay here and watch. I’ll go up and stop her.”
Despite his aching knees, Hoilun rushed up the stairs.
Tess watched him go, her hands clasped in prayer.
“Please, My Lady, just hold on a little longer!”
At that moment—
Someone entered through the front gate.
A towering figure in a perfectly fitted military uniform.
He walked in like he owned the place, his presence radiating authority.
“What a dramatic welcome.”
Duke Ernst stood at the base of the tower, looking up with a smirk.
***
The wind howled as I stood at the edge of the tower.
“The wind…”
I felt it claw at my face. I looked down at the ground far below.
It was dizzying.
“Ah.”
How did I even get up here?
I couldn’t remember the exact steps that had led me here.
Ironically, after finally eating a proper meal and sleeping, I had just enough strength to climb up.
“I felt so suffocated, but now I can finally breathe.”
I stepped closer and gripped the old railing.
The wind roared past my ears.
It was quiet.
Nothing scared me.
“If I disappear, will anyone finally believe me?”
I had never thought of dying before.
But I also had never desperately wanted to live.
I had just existed—because I was born as “Marieanne.”
Perhaps this was my punishment.
No one believed me.
I had never felt so alone.
The wind howled.
“Ah!”
A sudden gust nearly knocked me over.
I instinctively grabbed the railing and steadied myself.
Far below, I saw Tess screaming.
I looked at the sheer drop below me.
If I had lost my balance, I would have died instantly.
“No. I can’t die like this.”
Suddenly, a voice called out from behind me.
“My Lady, please step back!”
The butler had finally reached the top.
I turned, realizing something—
“Oh… this must be a misunderstanding.”
Before I could explain—
Another voice, deep and commanding, cut through the air.
“You have a knack for causing trouble.”
A tall man appeared at the top of the stairs.
Dark hair. Grey eyes.
A familiar face.
I froze.
“Herman Ernst?”
My twin sister’s husband, who was supposed to be dead—
Was standing right in front of me.
“Come here, Marieanne.”
For the first time in years, someone called me by my real name.
