As soon as I looked through Elijah, my older sister turned her body as much as she could and pretended not to know. Though she seemed to be relieved that she is not going, at least she has a conscience as an older sister.
Neither sister could raise her head properly no matter what I said just now.
"...Then, I guess there is nothing to discuss."
After concluding with a sigh, I got up from my seat. I might regret my decision if I stay here longer.
Rose burst into tears of sorrow behind me, turning around, but no one thought of soothing her.
Even me.
On that very late night, I couldn't sleep. Sitting dazed in the living room for hours, I couldn't help but stay awake.
Am I doing the right thing?
I felt like wanting to turn back time even though I was the one insisting back then.
Why did I even sacrifice myself for a family like this!
I was not even that kind in the first place!
In fact, I was a very calculating person in Korea. I was born in such a poor household that it was inevitable, but I never complained or gave up.
Restaurants, construction sites, landscaping companies, construction companies.
There were no part-time jobs that I hadn't tried to make ends meet. And after a lot of hard work, I entered a real estate developer recognized by the industry and became a promising talent.
Nevertheless, the first time I had ever given a gift to my family without spending a penny was my life.
Should I just break it?
I glared as if I was breaking my finger that paid for "Beauty and the Beast of the Night."
I really thought about purchasing it more than a hundred times, but I decided to close my eyes and clicked on the payment button at that time.
I was happy with the novel I had paid for for the first time like that, but it was like digging a grave with my own hands.
Maybe all the money I had saved in my previous life was left to my brothers. But it's not such a waste that now I know where my biggest reward was.
"..."
I walked slowly to the room as if I was attracted to something there.
As I carefully opened the creaking door, I saw a small figure on the bed. For some reason, the child who sleeps only after listening to a bedtime story I tell her every night had no movement.
"Rose, are you really sleeping?"
"Uhm."
Her eyelids trembled at my whisper. Rose was trying to pretend to sleep, but she couldn't pull the wool over my eyes at the end.
"Rose, I am going to tell you a story. Aren't you going to listen to it?"
"But you are leaving. Uh."
"Someone has to be the bride."
I swept Rose's hair as she burst into tears. The youngest's sadness and anxiety grew even though I tried to talk about it softly.
"But, still... Sister Elijah and sister Melanie said that the Grand Duke is a demon and a scary beast."
"Hey, there is something else they mentioned, right? Don't you remember?"
"Huh?"
The child's curiosity eventually reacted.
Shush.
I looked around, and I lowered my head to Rose's ear.
"They say the whole Northern area belongs to him."
In less than two days, I realized how impatient the Grand Duke was, whether he was a beast or a male protagonist.
I woke up to prepare breakfast as usual, and there was commotion surrounding the house. It was like there was a huge parade of war horses that came to visit father.
"Oh my God.."
Some might think you had committed treason.
I shook my head as I looked up at the black wagon ominously.
To put it in the best sense, it was more of a prisoner convoy than a parade to take the bride. There was not even one of those attributes and decorations in a wagon that was not velvety black.
The cursed Grand Duke hated to reveal his existence. Not only the uniforms but also the carriage removed all the marks that showed their identity.
I swallowed the bitterness when I remembered the phrase that described him.
I guess he would feel displeased if people pitied him.
However, aside from living in hiding because of something that wasn't his fault, I didn't know if it is normal for a once-in-a-lifetime bride to be taken away like this.
… Forget it. Who am I worried about now?
Anyway, the protagonist is a protagonist.
The Grand Duke would become the king of virility that was well-known on the continent in the future anyway.
It meant that I didn't have to worry about having my skin peeled off over a beautiful heroine and a man who was torn apart.
"The Viscount of Mayfield and his daughter Elijah must obey the orders of the Grand Duke!"
The Grand Duke's knight, who was in front of the convoy, jumped off the horse and proudly stepped forward.
My anxious father looked back at me as soon as we came out of the house.
"Be-- I mean, Elijah."
"Did you call me, father?"
Oh, please!
I sent a strong warning to father and approached the knight first.
As the knight extravagantly bent his knee to the Grand Duchess, the sound of the rattling armor resounded throughout the front yard.
"I greet the Grand Duchess. My name is Jerome of the Earl of Starfield. I have come to pick up the Lady on behalf of the Grand Duke."
"I see. It is nice to meet you."
Jerome, who bowed his head, had a look of wonder as I looked calmer than he thought.
Well, that's too bad. It seemed like he came to pick me up personally with the expectation of me making a scene because I was reluctant to go.
I bit my lip and sneaked a look at his face.
Hm... Jerome, huh?
Seeing a typical handsome man with brown hair and blue eyes in front of his eyes, I suddenly recalled something.
This man didn't know who I was, but I knew him well. He was the Grand Duke's faithful aide and the eldest son of an Earl. He also played an important role in the novel.
Of course, Jerome, like a major supporting character in an R-rated novel, he... No. It is not the time to think about that now.
"Are you okay? Your complexion suddenly turned red."
"Ah, yes. I am fine."
I backed off, hand-fanning my hot face.
Hey, but if this guy is this handsome, how about the Grand Duke?
Jerome, who used to be popular when he was alone, immediately lost the light when the Great Duke appeared.
This was one of the phrases that keep appearing in the novel.
Although emphasizing the main character is the fate of the supporting character, Jerome was a man like a 'church oppa'* who stuck in everyone's mind.
(*Church oppa is a term for an older boy/man who is innocent, kind, sweet.)
"F-Father, this is sudden, but I would like to greet that gentleman too--"
"El-- Bella! Aren't you going to get back inside?!"
How could I carelessly forget about her?
Elijah, who was hiding behind the door, couldn’t miss this handsome face.
Come to think of it, Elijah had an affair with one of the Grand Duke's knights, so it could be Sir Jerome!
Yes, there's a good chance that it was him.
Sensing a crisis might arise, I hurried to get ready. If we delay any longer, there could be unwanted events before we even start.
To turn Sir Jerome's attention, I knocked the chest I put next to him.
"Then could you help me with my luggage? All you have to do is load this."
"Yes? Is this really all?"
Sir Jerome raised his eyebrows as if in surprise.
It wasn't unreasonable to react like that since I was one of the daughters from a former noble family who would become the notorious Grand Duchess, yet I was bringing only one chest with me.
Just how bad your life was?
He smiled sadly as if he realized something belatedly.
"Could you please excuse me for a moment?"
"However, the time--"
"Before I go, I would like to say goodbye to my family.”
Sir Jerome was forced to step aside.
It was a family full of sisters, so he might think tears would soon break up.
However, it was merely a fantasy of men.
"..."
"Bella, are you really going? This is wrong... The eldest should have gone."
"The same goes with you, Melanie!"
"What? But you are the one who keeps making trouble!"
Once the men disappeared, the sisters growled at each other as if they had waited for the moment.
Father was restless and paced around, afraid he would get caught that he had replaced his daughter.
"Bella, what if the Grand Duke finds out?"
"Don't worry. I am going to die anyway."
"B-Bella…"
When the word of death came out of my mouth, my sisters turned to me.
Now facing the fact that we're really parting, I shook my head calmly.
As soon as I looked through Elijah, my older sister turned her body as much as she could and pretended not to know. Though she seemed to be relieved that she is not going, at least she has a conscience as an older sister.
Neither sister could raise her head properly no matter what I said just now.
"...Then, I guess there is nothing to discuss."
After concluding with a sigh, I got up from my seat. I might regret my decision if I stay here longer.
Rose burst into tears of sorrow behind me, turning around, but no one thought of soothing her.
Even me.
On that very late night, I couldn't sleep. Sitting dazed in the living room for hours, I couldn't help but stay awake.
Am I doing the right thing?
I felt like wanting to turn back time even though I was the one insisting back then.
Why did I even sacrifice myself for a family like this!
I was not even that kind in the first place!
In fact, I was a very calculating person in Korea. I was born in such a poor household that it was inevitable, but I never complained or gave up.
Restaurants, construction sites, landscaping companies, construction companies.
There were no part-time jobs that I hadn't tried to make ends meet. And after a lot of hard work, I entered a real estate developer recognized by the industry and became a promising talent.
Nevertheless, the first time I had ever given a gift to my family without spending a penny was my life.
Should I just break it?
I glared as if I was breaking my finger that paid for "Beauty and the Beast of the Night."
I really thought about purchasing it more than a hundred times, but I decided to close my eyes and clicked on the payment button at that time.
I was happy with the novel I had paid for for the first time like that, but it was like digging a grave with my own hands.
Maybe all the money I had saved in my previous life was left to my brothers. But it's not such a waste that now I know where my biggest reward was.
"..."
I walked slowly to the room as if I was attracted to something there.
As I carefully opened the creaking door, I saw a small figure on the bed. For some reason, the child who sleeps only after listening to a bedtime story I tell her every night had no movement.
"Rose, are you really sleeping?"
"Uhm."
Her eyelids trembled at my whisper. Rose was trying to pretend to sleep, but she couldn't pull the wool over my eyes at the end.
"Rose, I am going to tell you a story. Aren't you going to listen to it?"
"But you are leaving. Uh."
"Someone has to be the bride."
I swept Rose's hair as she burst into tears. The youngest's sadness and anxiety grew even though I tried to talk about it softly.
"But, still... Sister Elijah and sister Melanie said that the Grand Duke is a demon and a scary beast."
"Hey, there is something else they mentioned, right? Don't you remember?"
"Huh?"
The child's curiosity eventually reacted.
Shush.
I looked around, and I lowered my head to Rose's ear.
"They say the whole Northern area belongs to him."
In less than two days, I realized how impatient the Grand Duke was, whether he was a beast or a male protagonist.
I woke up to prepare breakfast as usual, and there was commotion surrounding the house. It was like there was a huge parade of war horses that came to visit father.
"Oh my God.."
Some might think you had committed treason.
I shook my head as I looked up at the black wagon ominously.
To put it in the best sense, it was more of a prisoner convoy than a parade to take the bride. There was not even one of those attributes and decorations in a wagon that was not velvety black.
The cursed Grand Duke hated to reveal his existence. Not only the uniforms but also the carriage removed all the marks that showed their identity.
I swallowed the bitterness when I remembered the phrase that described him.
I guess he would feel displeased if people pitied him.
However, aside from living in hiding because of something that wasn't his fault, I didn't know if it is normal for a once-in-a-lifetime bride to be taken away like this.
… Forget it. Who am I worried about now?
Anyway, the protagonist is a protagonist.
The Grand Duke would become the king of virility that was well-known on the continent in the future anyway.
It meant that I didn't have to worry about having my skin peeled off over a beautiful heroine and a man who was torn apart.
"The Viscount of Mayfield and his daughter Elijah must obey the orders of the Grand Duke!"
The Grand Duke's knight, who was in front of the convoy, jumped off the horse and proudly stepped forward.
My anxious father looked back at me as soon as we came out of the house.
"Be-- I mean, Elijah."
"Did you call me, father?"
Oh, please!
I sent a strong warning to father and approached the knight first.
As the knight extravagantly bent his knee to the Grand Duchess, the sound of the rattling armor resounded throughout the front yard.
"I greet the Grand Duchess. My name is Jerome of the Earl of Starfield. I have come to pick up the Lady on behalf of the Grand Duke."
"I see. It is nice to meet you."
Jerome, who bowed his head, had a look of wonder as I looked calmer than he thought.
Well, that's too bad. It seemed like he came to pick me up personally with the expectation of me making a scene because I was reluctant to go.
I bit my lip and sneaked a look at his face.
Hm... Jerome, huh?
Seeing a typical handsome man with brown hair and blue eyes in front of his eyes, I suddenly recalled something.
This man didn't know who I was, but I knew him well. He was the Grand Duke's faithful aide and the eldest son of an Earl. He also played an important role in the novel.
Of course, Jerome, like a major supporting character in an R-rated novel, he... No. It is not the time to think about that now.
"Are you okay? Your complexion suddenly turned red."
"Ah, yes. I am fine."
I backed off, hand-fanning my hot face.
Hey, but if this guy is this handsome, how about the Grand Duke?
Jerome, who used to be popular when he was alone, immediately lost the light when the Great Duke appeared.
This was one of the phrases that keep appearing in the novel.
Although emphasizing the main character is the fate of the supporting character, Jerome was a man like a 'church oppa'* who stuck in everyone's mind.
(*Church oppa is a term for an older boy/man who is innocent, kind, sweet.)
"F-Father, this is sudden, but I would like to greet that gentleman too--"
"El-- Bella! Aren't you going to get back inside?!"
How could I carelessly forget about her?
Elijah, who was hiding behind the door, couldn’t miss this handsome face.
Come to think of it, Elijah had an affair with one of the Grand Duke's knights, so it could be Sir Jerome!
Yes, there's a good chance that it was him.
Sensing a crisis might arise, I hurried to get ready. If we delay any longer, there could be unwanted events before we even start.
To turn Sir Jerome's attention, I knocked the chest I put next to him.
"Then could you help me with my luggage? All you have to do is load this."
"Yes? Is this really all?"
Sir Jerome raised his eyebrows as if in surprise.
It wasn't unreasonable to react like that since I was one of the daughters from a former noble family who would become the notorious Grand Duchess, yet I was bringing only one chest with me.
Just how bad your life was?
He smiled sadly as if he realized something belatedly.
"Could you please excuse me for a moment?"
"However, the time--"
"Before I go, I would like to say goodbye to my family.”
Sir Jerome was forced to step aside.
It was a family full of sisters, so he might think tears would soon break up.
However, it was merely a fantasy of men.
"..."
"Bella, are you really going? This is wrong... The eldest should have gone."
"The same goes with you, Melanie!"
"What? But you are the one who keeps making trouble!"
Once the men disappeared, the sisters growled at each other as if they had waited for the moment.
Father was restless and paced around, afraid he would get caught that he had replaced his daughter.
"Bella, what if the Grand Duke finds out?"
"Don't worry. I am going to die anyway."
"B-Bella…"
When the word of death came out of my mouth, my sisters turned to me.
Now facing the fact that we're really parting, I shook my head calmly.
