PDM Chapter 5

“You… You…!”

“For goodness’ sake please”

I bowed my head as a remembrance of the years passed. Suddenly I took the emotions of the past years into her grasp and got strong.

“Please, Father.”

I hoped that he would consider the past affection he had for me and back down. After a long time. I felt a strong look in the back of my head, and suddenly I heard a bang and a heavy door closing.

It was the sound of my father who couldn’t handle his anger and went into the room without being able to do anything. I slowly lifted my head and looked around the living room. Then, for the last time, I watched my father leave.

Please, I hope my greed doesn’t hurt him.

* * *

“The ceremony will begin soon.”

I was distracted by the wedding aisle, which I saw outside the window when someone approached and bowed. It was Laura who would be my exclusive servant in the future. It seemed that the wedding preparations were over while I was dazed in thought. If the ceremony ends without any problems, we would finally be officially married.

(The wedding aisle was written as – 버진 로드, which I couldn’t understand. After searching through the net, I came to the conclusion that It is literally written as Virgin Road which in Japanese means Walking down the aisle)

“Excuse me.”

As I stood by the entrance, the maids approached me and fussed over me. They straightened the hem of my dress and combed my hair neatly. I tried to calm my unstable heart and raised my eyes.

Laura was impeccably dressed, her hair tied in a neat ponytail, without a single strand of hair sticking out. The wrinkles on her face felt like the rings of a tree. She came from an aristocratic family in the province and became the nanny of Kyle Herace .

She married a baron and started a family, but soon divorced, and the Duchess, who felt sorry for her, took her to their house. Kyle brought her back from her hometown after the death of the duke and duchess.

Laura was vapid with me, but I knew. She’s not happy about this marriage.

It was probably hard for her to acknowledge me, who was unqualified to be the Duchess, as a member of the family. I swallowed a bitter smile and stared at Laura.

“Laura.”

Laura stood up at the call. The eyes that met mine bore the years of experience of observing and seeing through people.

“Laura, everyone looked at me and said something like this.”

“… …”

“The clothes don’t suit the subject.”

(I think it meant that she doesn’t fit the role of the Duchess)

“… …”

“But in the future, I will try to be recognized as the Duchess by everyone.”

I smiled tenderly at Laura. I wanted to get along with her.

“With Laura’s help, I’ll be sure to be acknowledged in the future.”

I smiled tenderly at Laura. (Yeah, the raws really repeated the same sentence again. Not even a single character was different)

At that moment, Laura’s face turned embarrassed. Soon after, she hardened her expression and bowed her head.

“If you allow me, may I give you some rude advice?”

“Tell me, Laura.”

“Who are you talking about getting approval from/recognized by?”

I was taken aback/embarrassed by the unexpected question but soon answered calmly.

“The Duchess is not one to seek recognition. On the contrary, a person in such a position merits it. Please don’t lower yourself anymore.”

I blinked in surprise at Laura’s sincere advice. She was a person who expressed her opinions without hesitation rather than someone who only said flattering things.

I would be fortunate. If I had a person like this by my side, if and when I make a mistake, she would quickly point it out and I could fix it.

“Thank you, Laura.”

When I thanked her with a smile, she gave me a bewildered look and told me that I needed to be stingy with my feelings and that I shouldn’t thank her often.

“But I’m grateful…”

When I lowered my eyes and looked sullen, Laura said with a troubled face.

“Then, I’ll hear it just this once.”

“Then, Thank you.”

When I smiled at Laura, she put on an ambiguous expression that did not let me know whether she was smiling or frowning. After a while, she handed the attendant a small jewelry box. When the servant opened the jewellery box, there was a dazzling diamond necklace.

It was the first time I had ever seen such a lavishly crafted ornament, and while I stared at it in wonder, the servant approached me and hung the necklace around my neck in a familiar way.

I felt the heavy weight for the first time in my life, somehow I felt like I had to be careful even when I breathed. At that moment, Laura and the attendant bowed to me.

“Then I will go.”

* * *

I stared at a man standing in the middle of the hallway in the distance. Kyle, he was waiting for me to enter the ceremony hall.

For a moment, the situation and Kyle’s feelings disappeared from my mind, and I wanted to laugh.

He was waiting for me. For that alone, I do not regret offering him a contract marriage.

I followed Laura to Kyle. The sound of heels was as distinct as the sound of raindrops falling on the window.

“Your Excellency.”

Kyle’s eyes unconsciously met mine.

“You.”

At that moment he had a rare look of surprise, so I had no choice but to stop approaching.

“What’s wrong?”

I looked through my body, startled by his unusual words and actions. Was there something strange on me? He looked away for a moment and shut his mouth as if to avoid his own thoughts.

I straightened my dress. There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with it.

“Then, I’ll excuse myself.”

As the entrance time drew near, Laura withdrew. Soon, the first notes of the wedding march started, and we went into position.

I glanced at Kyle’s strong arm, then slowly raised my hand to hold his sleeve. I couldn’t dare link arms with him. Nevertheless, the anger in his face caused my heart to ache.

“The necklace.”

At that moment, Kyle spat out three syllables without hesitation. Necklace? Did he feel my curious gaze? 

Before he could take a step, he let out a muffled voice.

”It is a pretty good match.”

There was a slight anger in Kyle’s calm voice. His cold eyes lingered on my neck. No, to be exact, on the diamond necklace around my neck.

After a while, Kyle’s eyes turned away without hesitation.

Ah, I understood. I smiled bitterly and touched the necklace.

This was a token of love that he couldn’t give to the woman he loved. And he only found out just before the wedding.

He was angry because someone wore that token without his knowledge, and that someone was me. I found Laura in the crowd behind me.

Did she make me wear this necklace even though she knew this? Doubts rose in my mind for a moment, but I shook my head. There was no malice in her eyes.

I was wearing something that wasn’t mine, and I was holding the arm of someone who wasn’t mine.

Yes, I knew that from the beginning. But simply knowing that fact and receiving his cold eyes was quite different.

Like a petulant child, my steps grew heavier, and my grips on his arms grew tighter.

* * *

Knock. Knock-.

Someone knocked on the tightly closed office door.

“Come in.”

After permission was granted, the office door was opened and Laura approached Kyle with her no-nonsense attitude.

“Your Excellency, the Duchess will arrive at the mansion soon.”

Laura conveyed the situation, but Kyle had his gaze fixed on the documents without much response. He then spoke indifferently.

“You did something useless.”

Laura could understand Kyle’s words without difficulty. Kyle was talking about the former Duchess’ necklace, which Aelle wore at the wedding. She bowed her head deeply and replied.

“She is the one who will hold the centre of the family.”

There was a slight tremor at the end of her voice.

“It’s no reason to touch my mother’s belongings without my permission.”

“It was a relic left to me by the former Duchess. She wanted it to be handed down to your new family. She left me with a will.”

The nib of Kyle’s pen fell off the paper. He raised his gaze with boredom and looked at Laura.

“I guess you liked her.”

Laura neither affirmed nor denied his question, but it was more apparent than any answer could give. His grey eyes darkened.

“Laura, what do you think I called you for?”

“I’m sorry, but as a slow/dull person, I’m unaware.”

Kyle twisted his lips and tilted his head. There was no way she didn’t know. Laura has been watching over him since he was young, and would have known who owned his heart. She would know that today’s marriage and the woman staying in the mansion were nothing but pretense.

“You’re very loyal to Mother. You’ve kept her relics safe and have returned them. So, the only person I can entrust this task to is you.”

“… …”

“Aelle. Keep an eye on her and report it to me to make sure she doesn’t spread any rumors.”

How could Laura dare to spy on the Duchess? However, since it was Kyle’s order, Laura had no choice but to follow.

‘If you’re going to be so vigilant, why would you marry and keep her around?’

Laura had a question she didn’t dare to ask. Aelle Karena. She was very different from other noblewomen. She was always wary of others and perceptive of people’s feelings.

Laura could not forget her bright brown eyes. She seemed well aware of her position, so she wasn’t the kind of person to gossip. 

After thinking deeply, Laura looked up.

• 1
  Hey guys, I know it’s been a very long time since the last update! But I’ve been quite busy recently since I have been moving to a new house. I’ll try to update as much as possible, but don’t expect much! Also, since I did this chapter in a hurry, please tell me if there are any mistakes.