How To End This Marriage-Chapter 65: A Duel of Wills
In the dimly lit room, tension hung heavy in the air as Alex confronted me, his confusion evident in his furrowed brow. He had been thrust into the world of politics and responsibility at a young age, a far cry from the life of a carefree Duke he had envisioned.
"What are you saying, Madam? What do you mean by you will take the responsibility of Ablia?" Alex asked, his voice laden with confusion.
I met his perplexed gaze, my frustration simmering just below the surface. The swords of his loyal subordinates were once again aimed at my neck, a familiar and unsettling sight.
"You can ask your subordinates. I’m merely fulfilling the duties I promised to. I was brought here to fulfill my duties as a Duchess, and I’m doing just that. But I’m not sure if you are the suitable person to be the Duke," I remarked, my words laced with a hint of defiance.
As the tension escalated, I couldn’t help but feel a wave of frustration wash over me. "Ha ha, see! I was missing this only. And now I have once again confirmed my lowly position among these people," I stated, my voice tinged with bitterness.
"I’m not sure if this is why you proposed marrying me to my father, but if you knowingly did so, you’ve made a grave mistake bringing me here. You’re not losing anything, but you’re making me forget my own worth and existence. Remember this," I continued, my anger driving me to approach Alex, despite the sharp blade of a sword piercing my skin and drawing blood.
"Master, don’t go forward; you’ll lose your life!" Erios exclaimed, his concern evident as he tried to pull me back with his little hands.
"Madam!" Alex called out to me but didn’t intervene, making it clear where his loyalties lay.
"Drop the sword!" I commanded in a low tone, frustration seeping into my voice. Still, no one budged.
"I said, drop the swords! The Duchess is giving you orders! Can’t you hear?" I shouted, finally making them take a step backward.
"Know your place. Even though you are the people of Ablia, you are not my superiors to raise your swords against me. I am your master, and you are my servants. Make sure to keep that in your heads unless you want me to take action," I asserted firmly, though I refrained from punishing anyone, despite knowing that I needed to teach them a lesson.
"Grant, bring the ledgers to my room," I instructed, determined to assert my authority.
"Duc—" Before Grant could utter another word, I turned to him, my gaze unwavering, and said firmly, "I said bring the ledgers to my room. That’s all I asked of you. I didn’t request your hand or your eyes, so don’t hesitate. I’m merely reminding you of your purpose here. Do it. And when I give an order, remember that the only acceptable response is ’Yes, Duchess.’"
With the ledger issue addressed, I led the way inside, still holding the woman’s hand, with Erios at my side.
"Duchess, what happened to you? What’s with the blood on your hand and neck? Are you alright?" Vix asked, genuine concern filling her eyes as she gazed at my injuries.
"Nothing happened. But can you do something for me?" I asked, offering her a reassuring smile.
"Yes, Duchess. I’ll do whatever you ask," she replied, her concern for my well-being palpable.
"Can you bring some food to my room, along with some clean clothes?" I requested.
"Yes, of course. I’ll bring them as quickly as possible," she assured me before hurrying off to the kitchen. I continued walking with the woman and Erios to my room, all the while feeling the pain from my wounds intensify.
"Master, are you okay? You don’t look well. If you allow me, I’d like to help you," Erios offered, his concern touching my heart. However, I declined his assistance and continued toward my room. I had the woman sit on a couch in front of my bed.
"You said you would bring me food. Where is the food? You lied to me, right? You brought me here to be a slave, didn’t you? I knew it. I knew it. I knew you would do something like this. You have such a dark heart, even though you have such a pretty face," the woman began to ramble.
"There will be food soon. Don’t worry. You just have to wait patiently, and food will come to you. No one will make you a slave or force you to do something you don’t want. Okay? Can you understand me?" I asked, and she nodded, her head bobbing up and down.
"Okay, now be good," I said, then turned to go into the washroom. As I gazed at myself in the mirror, I saw the blood on my throat, and memories of the swords against my skin came flooding back.
An illusion made me tremble, as if I had been in this situation before, as if someone had already placed a sword at my throat long ago, even though I didn’t remember. How could something feel so ancient when it wasn’t even in my memory, when I had never been part of such a situation?
"Bernice!" I heard the gentle voice once again.
"Listen to me carefully. There will be many who will protest what you are doing. There will be many obstacles in your way, but don’t waver. Do what you want to do. You are on the right path," the voice urged.
"Who are you?" I asked, my voice quivering.
"Who I am doesn’t matter, but you will soon discover my identity. Although there is a long way to go, you will figure it out, sooner or later. But don’t stop. Don’t listen to anyone; follow your heart," the voice declared.
I was left with a sense of uncertainty. I had believed that my journey would last only a year, that I would face only a year of struggles. So why did the voice hint at a longer, more challenging road ahead? Why did it leave me feeling as if my path was more complicated than I had ever imagined?
