It was a somewhat familiar carriage. Looking closely, it was similar to the one Selena rode yesterday.
Curious about what was happening, I went out to the front hall. The servants seemed to be in a hurry, running downstairs. Following them down, I saw Selena getting out of the carriage. She greeted the servants who had come out as if she was their mistress, then entered the mansion.
“Cedric isn’t here. Maybe he hasn’t heard the news yet,” I thought, feeling puzzled.
While I was thinking this, Selena happened to see me. She smiled brightly and came over.
“Lord Revril, you’re still here.”
“The trial was postponed.”
“Did Cedric say anything else?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m uncomfortable having you here. So, before I left yesterday, I said a few words.”
“Cedric didn’t say much.”
“That’s strange. Cedric isn’t usually like that.”
Selena quickly glanced around and frowned.
“Um, it looks like this wasn’t cleaned properly.”
A maid hurried over and bowed her head.
“I’m sorry. I will fix it.”
“Do it right. I don’t want to hear this twice.”
The maid bowed even lower. I didn’t understand Selena, so I spoke up.
“Miss Selena, Cedric isn’t at the mansion right now. What’s going on?”
“I know. I heard he has business at the palace, right?”
When I stayed quiet, Selena smiled gently.
“So, I came on purpose. If Cedric isn’t here, I thought the mansion might not be managed well.”
“But Miss Selena…”
I was going to say she had no right, but I stopped. I didn’t have the right to say that either. I didn’t even deserve to say that to Selena.
Seeing my serious face, Selena tilted her head and smiled.
“Lord Revril, I plan to stay here for a while too.”
“Huh?”
Just then, the servants were moving Selena’s luggage. They seemed to know where to go and headed straight up the stairs.
“Did Cedric give you permission?”
“Do I really need permission? We’re engaged anyway.”
“But you should get Cedric’s permission…”
“Lord Revril, you’re not the lady of this mansion.”
I had no words. It was true, and I had tried not to think about it. As I stood there dazed, Selena spoke cheerfully.
“I will soon be the lady of the Jedburgh family, so I thought it would be good to stay here in advance.”
“…”
“To help manage the mansion.”
Selena smiled at me. Inside, I felt tight and suffocated.
Selena searched the mansion like she was really the lady of the Jedburgh family. The servants feared her and followed her orders.
Every morning, Selena ordered all the servants to clean the whole mansion. Because of her orders, mornings were always uncomfortable. The servants started early and made noise cleaning, waking me up and making me tired.
After lunch, when I tried to read quietly, I could hear Selena and her friends laughing and talking loudly all the way up to the second floor. When I went down the stairs, they were having a tea party in fancy dresses, chatting among themselves.
I was fed up with the upper-class gatherings and tried not to interfere, but their loud laughter that echoed through the mansion bothered me a lot. Also, every night, for some reason, Selena would pick on a maid and scold her loudly so the whole mansion could hear.
“You did such a poor job that the mansion looks like this!”
Her voice echoed so much that I got up from my bed and went to the hallway. Selena was standing in front of the door near Cedric’s room, wearing a nightgown and a robe. The maid bowed her head quietly. Even from a distance, the situation was clear.
Selena was just picking a small fault to vent her irritation. The maid said with a stiff face:
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t try to cover your laziness with words like that. Because of you, the Jedburgh family’s reputation could be ruined.”
The maid looked almost like she was about to cry. Feeling sorry for her, I grabbed her arm and pulled her away. Selena frowned and looked at me.
“What are you doing?”
“Selena, stop it. It’s night now…”
“This isn’t your business, Lord Revril.”
“…”
“If you’re just a guest in this mansion, behave like one and stay quiet.”
“Miss Selena, still, this is…”
“Why do you think Cedric called you back here?”
“What do you mean?”
“To show you your real place.”
“Did Cedric really say that?”
Selena smiled and said,
“My younger brother is in a trial for using the family name recklessly and failing to pay debts.”
“…”
“But still, Cedric gave you a room in the mansion. That means he wants you to clearly see your true position.”
I didn’t easily believe that Cedric actually said those things. As I stood with a hard face, Selena said one last thing.
“Lord Revril, know your place. Don’t try to take what’s not yours.”
Selena spun around and went into her room. I just stood there, quietly breathing out. I already knew my place. Even when I married Cedric, I often felt like nothing.
If anything, now felt even more miserable. I slowly turned and headed toward a quiet room. Then someone came up to me. Looking up, it was the maid who had stood before Selena. She quickly said,
“Lord Revril, thank you.”
“You know my name?”
“I’ve heard it before.”
“Before?”
“My master specifically said that when you came, to clean your room well and prepare special food.”
“Did she say anything else about me?”
“Hm?”
“Did she say anything different?”
The maid thought for a moment and then said,
“If anything happens to you, she told me to inform her immediately. She said she would come straight from the capital.”
“Come straight?”
“Yes, she seemed very worried. I think she told the butler that too.”
Hearing that, my heart trembled. Why didn’t she say that to me but told the servants?
“Are you feeling uncomfortable inside?”
“No. Anyway, thanks for telling me.”
Then I went into the room and lay down on the bed. Hearing that from the maid gave me a little strength. I felt he hadn’t completely abandoned me.
I closed my eyes calmly but felt a chill, so I pulled the blanket up to my neck. The cold on my shoulder stayed, so I pulled the blanket higher, but I was still cold. Meanwhile, Selena’s sharp words echoed in my head.
“…Know your place. Don’t try to take what’s not yours.”
Before or now, their eyes on me never changed. Because I bought a title, they treated a family with no honor as worthless. So, people like me didn’t deserve to be the lady of the Jedburgh family, or so Simona and Herder always said.
When Cedric’s mother tormented me, I waited for and leaned on Cedric. But now, I couldn’t depend on him.
I pulled the blanket higher and covered my face. Now, there was no one to lean on, so I had no choice but to get through this alone.
The windows rattled from the rain and wind outside. Maybe because of the rain, no other sounds could be heard for a while. The maid brought breakfast as usual. The food on the silver tray was much worse than before. It was only a piece of bread and thin soup.
Wondering why, I looked up, and the maid spoke carefully.
“Miss Selena said that it seems she waste ingredients too much.”
I didn’t understand. We weren’t even formally married to Cedric, so why did she interfere like this? And even in what I ate.
I couldn’t stand it anymore and left the room. As soon as I got into the hallway, laughter echoed from the stairs. Angry, I quickened my steps. The voices got louder as I went down the stairs.
“Selena really looks different staying here like this.”
The voice was calm but had that special energy. It sounded familiar somehow.
Looking inside the sitting room, I saw someone I hadn’t seen in a while. It was Herder. She slowly raised her teacup while sitting in front of Selena.
“I hope Cedric tells me soon. I’m always ready.”
“Selena, don’t rush. If Cedric has plans, he’ll tell you soon.”
“Right? Herder, do you have any news about Cedric from the capital?”
Herder smiled happily. Selena looked at her with great expectation. Herder gently put down the teacup with an almost exaggerated calm.
“Batis said…”
Herder paused and then smiled at Selena.
“Cedric stopped by the jewelry store.”
I immediately turned away. From inside the sitting room, I could hear bright laughter.
“Really? Then maybe Cedric will give an engagement ring soon!”
Even from afar, I could feel the excitement in their voices. I couldn’t go in there, so I turned away.
“By the way, Revril is really annoying.”
When my name was mentioned, I stopped naturally. Wondering what they were talking about, I turned my head to look at the sitting room.
Herder frowned as if she didn’t understand and said,
“Revril?”
