Chapter 2

Editor: Kalopsia & Diya

Raw Converter: Lylmaxi & Patrick

“One, two, three…”

I looked out the window and counted the leaves on the tree I could see from my bedroom. As spring came, the green color of the young leaves that sprouted on each branch was fresh.

One day, however, it will wither. That’s what fate is. A future that is already fixed and cannot be avoided.

“Madam, what are you doing?”

The maid approached me and snooped as if she didn’t know what to say. I pointed over to the window without looking back at her.

“Louise, look over there. I was counting the leaves in that tree. When the last leaf falls, I… I’m going to die.”

I spoke wistfully like a time-worn lady just waiting for the day she dies. I gently laid my hands over my chest as if I were the heroine of a tragic story. A smile that was formed with a slight pull of the tip of one’s mouth must look pathetic and lonely.

At my words, the maid Louise, looked out the window and at me alternately with an impatient expression.

“What do you mean, Madam? It’s spring now, isn’t it?”

“…….”

Embarrassed by the cold criticism, I simply rolled my eyes. After all, how would she know about《The Last Leaf》? It was a short story from ‘the world outside of the novel’, so there was no way we could be on the same page.

Yes. The season was a sunny spring, and new leaves sprouted abundantly in the tree. The sun shone over the garden as if the day the last leaf falls would never come. 

A soft breeze blew past the garden plants towards me, and my long hair curled and fluttered.

“I know. I was just pretending to be the main character .”

(e/n: main character of the short story she mentioned, “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry)

“Pardon? The main character?”

“Nothing.”

I shook my head gently. It was funny how I imitated the main character when I was just an extra.

Louise, who didn’t know what was going inside my mind, tilted her head. I turned away from her curious gaze and sat down. 

“What about His Grace? Have you heard from him yet?”

“No. He has yet to send word.”

My husband had already been away for days. It was clear that it didn’t matter to him whether his wife was sick or not. I was sure I would’ve gotten news of where and why he left since he had been out of the house ever since I woke up after days of being ill.

‘He’s incredibly indifferent to his wife.’

It was true. I couldn’t believe he had been away from the mansion for days without any word. Did something urgent happen? I felt uneasy even though I knew it was useless. 

I wanted to see him soon, but on the other hand I didn’t want to see him at all. Rashid Fenvernon would be the ultimate proof that I was trapped in the world of the novel.

So whenever I thought of him, I’d inevitably get confused. I decided to think about something else for a change.

“I have to go out on the town tomorrow. It’s frustrating to stay inside the mansion.”

“No, Madam. Please listen to me.”

“It’s okay, it’s frustrating.”

“I’ll get in deep trouble if anything else happens, Madam.”

“Then I’ll defend you.”

“Madam?”

Louise, who had been firmly dissuading me, laughed as if I was telling nonsense this time. She didn’t seem too keen on being criticized for failing to stop me.

‘You’re looking down on me.’

She wasn’t worried about me. Rather, she was more worried about what the Duke might say.

This was all because Alyssa had a low position within the Ducal House of Fenvernon. The Duchess was a woman whom the duke was forced to marry.  Although it wasn’t too obvious, it was a fact, so her situation was embarrassing.

It would be nice to have a more comfortable child as a personal maid. However, in the first place, there weren’t many employees in this mansion.

Furthermore, Louise Garnett was a maid who had worked in the palace before, so I couldn’t just deal with her however I wanted.  The Emperor had personally presented Louise to the Duchess as a wedding gift. Even though she was quick-witted and disregarded my opinion, she took care of me.

For example, she would put a shawl around me without my asking, check my body’s condition and automatically serve suitable tea, open invitations and decide where to sort them before I could, or choose a dress to wear for a banquet without consulting me even once. As if they were self-prepared in advance, schedules and tasks to be done were decided without considering my wishes.

‘Maybe she’s just being presumptuous rather than caring.’

I took a moment to sift through Alyssa’s memories. I was a little worried that Louise would sometimes act in that manner.

However, the original Alyssa was pleased with Louise’s presence.

Alyssa grew up in the County of Regantia, on the northwestern frontier of the Empire. Hailing from an unknown family with a small and barren land, it was impossible for her to know the sophisticated taste of high society.

Having lost her mother early, she was so quiet and timid that she didn’t engage in proper social activities.

I was lucky to have someone like Louise who knows all about high society and socializing to be taking care of me.

“I chose this myself for you. You can’t be seen as tacky.”

Louise, who grew up in the province, was taking care of herself to not be ridiculed by wearing an outdated dress.

“The lady doesn’t know where to go.”

It’s about choosing parties that you can go to for yourself who doesn’t know the subtle war of nerves in society.

“It’s all for your own good, Madam.” 

Everything she said was straightforward for me, who still lacks the capacity as a duchess.

 Usually, Louise would be telling Alyssa where to go, what to wear, and do.

Alyssa wasn’t very dissatisfied with those days, but the Duchess now is no longer the same as she once was.

‘I don’t think I have to do what Louise says anymore.’

It wasn’t because I was in a situation of a Duchess and a maid, but because she kept saying harsh things while squeezing me. 

If I had to stay with her, it seemed necessary to talk with each other about what kind of direction we should take in the future.

“You know, Louise.”

She turned her head at my call.

It was then.

Knock Knock—

A knock at the door was heard.

(T/N: I feel like a ghost will pop up hehe)

Who is it? The doctor came and went earlier, and there’s no one to see me at this time. Is it the maid, Mrs. Ronan? Or a butler? My head tilted itself at the question.

(t/n: don’t tell me it’s the ml!! Getting ready with knives)

Louise, who approached the door to respond, looked surprised when she checked the person outside the door. She knelt

down to show her respect to the guest.

If Louise was polite all of a sudden, it must be…

My back went cold at the unexpected situation.

Of course, I knew we would meet someday, but not now.

No! I’m not ready yet!

“Madam, His Excellency is here.”

As soon as Louise was finished, I hurried into bed.

***

People call Alyssa Fenvernon the luckiest girl in the world.

It was a mockery of her being a duchess as was with her luck.

It’s not wrong.

The daughter of a fallen Count who only had a name left, and an ordinary girl who can be seen everywhere takes the place of the Duchess of the Fenvernon family! Isn’t that perfect luck?

But was it really perfect?

Was it really good enough to make people jealous and envious?

I looked at the best luck God had given me with suspicious eyes.

It was in the form of an admirable man.

A sleek figure like an elegant black leopard, and a gorgeous beauty that catches the eye at once. Looking like that, he was the owner of the most powerful dukedom in the Empire and an unprecedentedly strong swordsman in history, a man with everything.

Because of Alyssa’s memory, I already knew his face, but when I saw him in person, I was speechless because of his overwhelming presence.

I sat down and stared at him, blinking my eyes. He was looking down at me, too. His dark black hair looked like the deepness of the night and golden eyes that shone like a full moon in the middle.

It was him who opened his mouth first.

My husband, the owner of the Fenvernon dukedom, and the male protagonist of the story— Rashid

He said:

“I thought you weren’t feeling well yet, but you look pretty well.”

“…yes, probably because many days have passed.”

He looked at me in a subtle way. I followed him and answered calmly.

“Thank you for your concern. I’m relieved to see that Your Excellency also appears to be flawless.”

It was a formal reply. I wonder if Alyssa would have answered like how I did just now. I wanted to imitate her as much as I could, but it was hard to be completely the same. I can’t help it. Even if I had Alyssa’s memory, I wasn’t really “Alyssa”, so it was hard to talk and act like her.

“You feel much relieved?”

Rashid’s brow slightly frowned. No way, did I choose the wrong reply? But it was a very ordinary answer, so I continued on nervously.

“Yeah, I’m worried that something was going on…because of what I did.”

“You, me?”

He looked down at me coldly. It was a gruesome and sharp look, as was the moonlight of this world once looked.

“Why?”

Asked Rashid. His look of contempt sharply stared down at me, as if he would find out what I truly meant as if trying to find  my true intentions.

The pressure he was exuding was about to choke me. Do you doubt me? What did I do? Are you wondering what kind of tricks a woman who married you at the emperor’s order would do? Or maybe you even noticed that I wasn’t Alyssa?

I replied cautiously, trying to repress my anxious heart.

“Because…I’m your wife.”

“My wife.”

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To the ones interested in ‘The Last Leaf’ check out this pdf. Thanks to Kalopsia for searching it.