Since the encounter, the royal consort had become restless but listless, having so many things in her mind that there was barely any energy and motivation left in her weakening body.It was not noticeable at first, but those in frequent contact with her saw that her appet.i.te kept worsening and she was not doing most of what she used to love to do. Why was that? What could have caused this? Look, she was not even playing her favorite small schemes against the d.u.c.h.ess at the b.a.l.l.s and gatherings.
"What happened, my beloved?" the king, Francis IV, asked her one time. This man in his mid-thirties was barely worthy as a ruler, but as lover and a husband, perhaps, even Jiang Li had to learn from him.
However, to this king"s deep set of black eyes that were overflowing with love and concern, Agatha only shook her head, refusing to answer his question. Frustrated, the king could only order to invite more magicians and entertainers to come more often to the palace. He also began to throw more parties in hopes the festivities could help uplift her mood.
All his efforts were admirable, especially given his stellar status, but they did little to achieve his purpose.
Since the woman"s downcast mood stayed for almost a week, even Marian, the d.u.c.h.ess, began to notice the change.
At the ducal residence, Marian, who had easily adapted to her life as the new pearl of the Holon Kingdom felt very strange as she listened to her ladies-in-waiting. They were talking about the sweet but secretly evil Agatha.
"What happened to that woman? Why has she been so quiet lately?"
Don"t mistake her questions as a sign of concern. Marian was a very gentle and lovely girl with a heart softer than the most tender persimmon, yet after being put to near-death state several times, she lost hope that she and that woman could get along.
Only brainless would continue to desire to befriend somebody wanting her dead for a secret that she only learned accidentally.
Now, hearing Agatha"s condition, all she wished was to know what caused the change. What happened to her? What made her so quiet lately? Once she learned it, she would make sure to put firewood on the fire! She would make sure to make the reason stay for a bit longer so she could have more breathing s.p.a.ce.
"Dear, you"re s.p.a.cing out again… Please pay attention. Your fingers are very lovely and like pieces of art. If you accidentally puncture even one of them, even I will feel sad." The voice pulled her back to reality.
She was holding a piece of cloth held in place by a wooden embroidery hoop. The location was in was the balcony of her room, one of the best spots in the ducal mansion that was receiving the most sunlight at noon. Where else would st.i.tching be best done if not here?
After being reminded, Marian froze, repeatedly batted her eyelashes, then giggled. "Oh. I"m sorry, I will make sure to pay attention from now on."
Her focus then went back to her embroidery, ensuring her st.i.tches would all be as perfect as possible.
Watching her, the old lady sitting across, separated by a round table from her smile. "Good child. That"s right. With enough concentration and care, the output should not be that bad. Actually, you are making good progress with your st.i.tches. It"s coming out nice."
The one who just spoke with her was the duke"s former nanny, Martha. She had had previously retired but came back to the mansion at the female lead"s request. Marian personally took a trip to invite her back as she had heard from a reliable source that Martha was one of the very few closest to the duke"s heart.
Raised in this era and fully knowing a husband"s love could determine what kind of life a wife would live, she strived to win his affection despite promising a divorce after three or so years of marriage. The nanny was somebody Andre Grey valued. So she became Marian"s first step to conquer the duke"s heart.
The first step became very crucial as Andre Grey was somebody with almost a heart of stone. Anyway, the journey had been hard, but after a few months of hard work, love, and sincerity, she was close to winning. She was still playing the emotional game with him, although part of this was dictated by the plot. On whether she knew this fact or not deep inside her, only she knew, as for now, all her care was to be in a loving and secure relations.h.i.+p. Marian was not the most intelligent woman in the love, but as a woman who suddenly woke up in a foreign body and life, the duke had become her solace and fortress.
"I"m doing my best to make the lion in the pattern look as imposing and close to real version as possible. Still, please look and don"t shy away from giving me your honest impression. Does the set of colors I used match the crest"s image? Do you think the duke will like this kind of handkerchief?" she asked with a hopeful tone.
Looking at her bright eyes s.h.i.+ning with no desire but to please the duke, the nanny heartily laughed. "Of course! Have some more confidence, my dear. You did a great job. After all, it not only has this house precious crest, but a lovely wife"s love."
She instantly looked bashful. Martha"s words made her lower her face that reddened like a ripe apple.
As a qualified female lead, her former looks were already over the top, making her a beauty of the century like Agatha. But now that she was in Margarette Holon"s body, she became prettier than before. Long curly blond hair and blue eyes reminiscent of sapphire moonlight, paired with her delicate temperament, who would dare say that she was not the pearl of the whole Mu continent?
Her reaction was not only witnessed by the nanny still laughing loudly before her, but by the twenty-six years old duke who was actually standing near the door to the balcony. He had been watching them for almost a minute. Looking at the warm interaction between his gorgeous wife and his former nanny, a smile slowly formed on his thin lips.
The oblivious Marian only noticed the man after finding it odd that the gossipmongers outside had quietened down. It was her secret joy listening to the merry discussion about the royals of the country, why did they stop?
When she looked at the direction her maids should be, she then understood the reason. There stood a tall and imposing figure looking so handsome in his court getup. She had no idea how long he had been there.
"Dear!" It was the woman who exclaimed in shock.
What happened next was the cliché of most western and eastern medieval-themed love stories.
An excited female lead stood up due to either excitement or surprise. Since she was doing embroidery, the needle stabbed her finger, and it was seen by the male lead. A second later, the male lead came to her hand and brought the p.r.i.c.ked finger into his mouth.
The rest… Don"t ask for the rest. The author dies… so no continuation. Just kidding. Here was the continuation…
"Why is it so hard for you to take care of yourself more?" Voice filled with faked anger, Andre Grey chastised the woman.
Marian flinched at his also faked emotionless stare, then her eyes darted everywhere.
All in her little and charming head were worries about how many eyes had witnessed her embarra.s.sing scene, why he suddenly did what he did, why she was so stupid to p.r.i.c.k herself, why her chest felt like it would burst at any moment, and why he was being irrationally angry.
This all swirled in her mind while the man was seriously applying "treatment" on her injured finger. It was seriously… a scene that would make single people have a stomach ache, or wish to stab these two to death.
Only a very small minority, even from those around, thought they were cute together. The others who had seen similar scenes between the female lead and male lead were too tired of watching the same spectacle.
"Why are you not speaking now?" The duke once again rebuked using that same tone after freeing his mouth.
Marian felt it hard to meet his scorching gaze. "I, I"m sorry. It"s an accident. I"ll be careful from now on."
"Promise?" He obviously cared so much for her well-being.
"Promise," she nodded.
Still holding her hand, the male lead had her sit back down. He then ordered a servant to ask the butler for his best ointment.
With a smile on her aged face, the nanny said, "Oh, my dear Andre. How have you been? And do you know what she said earlier to me when I told her to be careful of the needle? It is the exact thing! But look what happened in just a minute after she vowed that to me! Save "
The female lead looked down and she appeared lovelier as she blushed from embarra.s.sment. Did she look so foolish just now? Concerns and all sorts of thoughts rushed through her head. She didn"t know that in certain people"s eyes, her actions only made her more charming. Look, she was so cute, the duke felt an itch in his heart that then led him into kissing the top of her head.
Witnessing this, some secretly squealed in their hearts, either envying the luck of the girl and wis.h.i.+ng they were the ones in her place, or simply admiring the affection between the husband and wife.