How to Survive as the Wife of the Monster Duke - Chapter 219

Preparations for the trip to the Imperial Palace were entrusted to Milo, Acid’s close aide. He handled everything so smoothly and efficiently, as if he had been to the Imperial Palace before, even taking care of the unfamiliar procedures for Ilyn.

“Have you been to the Imperial Palace before?” Ilyn asked curiously.

Milo bowed his head deeply in response.

“I have seen my father go there,” he said.

His father, the former head of Acid and a prominent duke in the Imperial Palace Court, often took charge of the preparations for the noble trips. Thanks to Milo, Ilyn had very little to prepare for herself.

Concerned that Lady Delrose might tire herself out by trying on numerous dresses and accessories, the maidservants of Delrose Manor lined the corridor with dresses, creating an array of choices for Ilyn. Picking out an outfit was all that Ilyn had to do.

“Are you not tired?” Ilyn asked as she got back into the carriage, two days after Lady Danette’s afternoon tea.

“I’m fine,” Milo replied.

Though February in the winter region was relatively mild, those accustomed to the cold still seemed a bit delicate in the sun. Even Aegis and Etrama appeared somewhat fatigued under the warm rays around two in the afternoon. Aden seemed unfazed by the weather, but he still looked a little unaccustomed to it.

Seeing everyone struggling, Milo worried about Ilyn’s well-being throughout the day.

“I’ve always been a sun person,” she reassured him with a smile.

The summer weather was not scorching, but Ilyn looked outside the carriage again.

The yellow sunlight filtering through the green leaves, the sight of the sun gently caressing her silver hair—she thought she wouldn’t be able to see it twice when she left the sun.

“It’s still a bit hot,” Ilyn said, smiling. Etra began to fan her quietly from her side.

Her gaze returned to the window. The gentle breeze brushed against her silver hair, and Ilyn let out a short sigh, holding a soft cushion in her hands.

“He’s coming as a major guest,” she thought.

The face of Lady Moena, the mistress of Jaejak Manor, kept popping into her mind. She was someone Ilyn didn’t need to think about, yet their unexpected encounter had been quite surprising. Ilyn had thought their relationship, which was supposed to end as master and servant in the manor, wouldn’t extend to the social circle.

And now, seeing her as a noble lady was even more surprising.

But it had to be that way. Yet her heart couldn’t help but beat anxiously, just like when she used to meet her father.

“Touching everything with a cursed hand…” she murmured to herself.

The maidservant, who didn’t hide her disdainful gaze and rough words, spread malicious rumors about Ilyn to the other servants of the Arlen Estate. Ever since Seed’s death, the servants had been avoiding Ilyn, but the maid’s meddling only made the situation worse.

“The master can be merciful at times.”

“It would be better to keep her mouth shut, wouldn’t it?”

Such attitudes toward a member of the noble household were not appropriate for the servants, and because of them, Ilyn gradually gave up trying to establish good relationships with people.

Ilyn closed her eyes, recalling how she initially tried to treat the servants well. She believed that having amicable relationships with many of them would improve her life on the estate. Of course, she couldn’t expect significant improvements, as the master, Duke Arlen, treated her poorly. But she thought things might be a little better outside of Duke Arlen’s watchful eye.

However, that was a misconception. The servants believed only in bad rumors, which more people believed. Scandalous stories about the cursed heiress, warning others not to speak about her future or to avoid her altogether, circulated around the estate.

Ilyn opened her eyes, looking out of the window at the Grand palace, far away. Guard soldiers with windows stood in rigid positions in front of the towering and sturdy walls. It felt somewhat stern, but the opulence of the buildings within couldn’t be concealed.

Dazzling. Excessively dazzling.

While other noble ladies praised the beauty of the Grand Palace, Ilyn felt uncomfortable with its grandeur. To her, the Delrose Manor felt much more comfortable and cozy. She hadn’t expected that the estate, with its chilly winds, could become so charming.

“Are you nervous?” Aden asked in a hushed voice. Ilyn turned her head to look at him.

“I’m not nervous.”

“Then,” Aden hesitated for a moment before whispering softly, “What is troubling you?”

Just earlier in the carriage, she had been asked a similar question.

“It’s a secret,” Ilyn replied, smiling. Aden looked at her face and found the answer.

“Seems like it’s the same secret as last time.”

Ilyn’s heart skipped a beat, and she blinked her eyes. It seemed like he was asking how he knew. Aden chuckled.

“You’re smiling just like last time.”

Aden gently held Ilyn’s hand, lifting it up to eye level and tenderly encasing it in his large hand. His warm touch seemed to draw out the heat from her hand. Aden’s index finger lightly traced her soft hand, as if sketching a picture, and then gently brushed away imaginary doodles, just like erasing scribbles on sand.

“Is it still a secret?” he asked. “Or is it too big a secret for me to find out?”

Aden softly kissed the back of her hand. In the end, Ilyn opened her mouth, persuaded by his affectionate tone.

“It’s not a big worry. I saw that maid at the tea party.”

Aden understood most of the hidden meaning behind her brief words. There was only one person she would call “that maid.”

The maid was connected to the Roen family, who left Arlen Estate after marrying into a noble family.

“Did that disturb you?”

His low voice resonated in the carriage. Ilyn smiled; it was an undeniable fact.

“A bit.”

“Undoubtedly, she must have bothered you.”

Aden covered Ilyn’s hand with both of his and placed it on her thigh.

“She bothers you. Using the word ‘bother’ makes it seem insignificant.”

No, in reality, she is insignificant. Whether it’s Lady Moena or still a maid, there was nothing she could do to Ilyn.

Unconsciously, Ilyn smiled, feeling much lighter after thinking that way.

“That’s right, she bothers me.”

It felt so much better. Aden pulled a blanket over Ilyn’s thigh. As they drew closer, Ilyn’s voice became more evident. The ever-sensitive Aden tilted his head slightly.

“Tell me, what is making my queen so nervous?”