VHRTDM 04

Chapter 4

After the meal ended, butler Albert approached us carrying a silver tray with a letter placed on it.

“We have received a letter.”

Kahinel reached out to take it, but Albert turned his body away.

“This letter is addressed to the lady of the house.”

“To me?”

Is there even anyone who would send me a letter?

The moment I checked the sender, I immediately handed it back to Albert.

“Please burn this.”

“Pardon?”

“Use it as fire starter or just throw it away. Do whatever you want.”

“Are you certain, my lady?”

Albert’s reaction made sense.

“And from now on, any letters from Marquis Deil should be discarded as well.”

The letter was from Marquis Deil.

I didn’t even want to know what it said.

A man who had treated and tormented Rishua so horribly—there was no way his letter contained anything good.

To shake off my unpleasant mood, I bit into an orange.

“Why are you burning it without even reading it?”

Kahinel asked me.

His expression… was strange.

‘Why does he look like that?’

He looked genuinely shocked, almost like someone who had been betrayed.

I answered calmly, as if it were obvious.

“I told you. I’m cutting ties with my family.”

“Was that serious?”

“I’ve been saying it’s real. I’m not acting, and I’m definitely not lying.”

“Then who knows if you’re not acting even now?”

Husband, how many times do I have to say it?

It’s not acting—it’s real.

Kahinel’s distrust of Rishua was so deep that I couldn’t even sigh anymore when I faced it.

“I don’t know what you and the Marquis are trying to do to me, but don’t even think about it.”

“I’m not trying to get anything from you—”

“I will excuse myself first.”

Kahinel stood up and left the dining room without letting me finish.

“……”

I understood why he couldn’t trust me or the Marquis Deil.

But still, I felt wronged.

I wasn’t like that.

I was Rishua, yes—but not that Rishua he hated so much.

If I had known this would happen, I would’ve emailed the author.

Asked them to adjust the setting so the couple could at least separate peacefully after divorce.

Then I wouldn’t have to suffer like this.

“Would you like more fruit?”

“I’ll pass. I don’t feel like eating anymore.”

“Please don’t take the Duke’s words too seriously. I’m sure he didn’t mean it in a bad way.”

Anna tried to comfort me as I sulked.

“Stay strong, my lady.”

“Thanks.”

Right. I had to stay strong.

It’s not like I didn’t expect Kahinel to act like this.

I couldn’t break down here.

I need to clearly show him that I really did cut off Marquis Deil.

Burning a single letter wasn’t enough to erase Kahinel’s suspicion.

I needed something stronger.

Kahinel

“Damn it!”

Kahinel threw his sword aside, unable to focus.

His head was a mess.

He couldn’t understand her intentions at all.

His wife had changed overnight.

And she didn’t even give him time to process it before she came at him directly.

“So now that you’ve abandoned Deil, you’re Rishua Hyrent?”

Ridiculous.

Legally, her name was Rishua Hyrent, but no one acknowledged it.

Not even her.

For two years, she had lived like that.

“I’ve changed my mind.”

“Isn’t it normal for spouses to at least eat together?”

Kahinel’s brows tightened slightly.

An unfamiliar irritation rose in his chest as he clenched his jaw.

That wasn’t the kind of thing she would say.

She had been just as dissatisfied with this marriage as he was.

Even if he didn’t welcome her Deil blood, he had been the one who accepted this marriage in the first place.

He had never avoided her.

Even if they couldn’t live like a normal couple, he had tried to maintain this miserable relationship as best as he could.

At least until he got what he needed.

But she had been the one to avoid him first.

He never asked her to act like the lady of the house, but she had thrown away that role, locked herself in her room, and lived like she was neither alive nor dead.

He had never asked why.

Because he didn’t care.

“So what are you trying to do now?”

He thought carefully, but no answer came.

Then he remembered her.

“I need your scent…”

Her flushed face as she clung to him.

A crooked smile formed on his lips.

Has she gone insane?

There was no other explanation.

She had no reason to approach him like that.

The conclusion was simple.

His wife had lost her mind.

Yes. That had to be it.

Anna & Rishua

“Is this really okay, my lady?”

Anna looked around nervously, clearly uneasy.

“It’s fine. Nothing will actually happen to Marquis Deil.”

I placed the curse doll I had made overnight on the fireplace shelf.

Then I took out two pins wrapped in cloth and stuck them into the doll’s chest.

“Eek!”

“Lady!”

“It’s a curse doll. It needs this much, right?”

Yes.

I was going to curse Marquis Deil.

And the audience for this performance was Kahinel.

Honestly… I did feel a bit uneasy.

Did I really have to go this far?

Even if it was just a performance, it felt unsettling.

But this level is necessary if I want Kahinel to believe me even a little.

On the doll’s forehead, the name “Athios Deil” was written clearly.

Everything was ready.

I had rehearsed all night, even practicing my expressions.

All that was left was execution.

“When will Kahinel come to his office?”

“Soon. I’ll go check.”

Anna rushed out, and I adjusted the angle of the doll to make sure it was visible from the door.

“Perfect.”

Now I just had to perform.

I had even prepared my curse speech in advance.

It was my first time cursing someone, so I wasn’t sure what sounded convincing.

Still, after thinking all night, I had come up with something suitably dramatic.

Is this really okay?

I reassured Anna earlier that it wouldn’t work—but I was still a bit worried.

Then I shook my head.

“He deserves it. After everything he did to Rishua.”

The Marquis had destroyed Rishua’s childhood and continued ruining her even as an adult.

According to the novel, Rishua had died early despite being a minor character—but her suffering under the Marquis was emphasized heavily.

So this was justified.

This performance is righteous.

I convinced myself that cursing a bad person wasn’t wrong.

Anna rushed back in.

“He’s coming!”

“Anna, open the door!”

We moved in sync.

The door swung open wide.

I grabbed the curtain tie I had brought and bounced in place.

“Please! Please!”

It’s showtime.

Kahinel

As usual, his wife brought breakfast to his room.

And as usual, Kahinel didn’t eat it.

Not the apple-carrot juice either.

How could he trust anything she brought?

After she left, he had the chef prepare a separate breakfast.

How long is this going to continue?

His time was always valuable.

As Duke of Hyrent, he had duties.

As commander of the Northern Wall Knights, even more.

But lately, his wife had disrupted everything.

What is she going to do today?

A headache began forming.

Taylor noticed.

“Do you have a headache? Should I call Sir Aslan?”

“No. I’m fine.”

“If it continues, I’ll bring medicine.”

Taylor already knew the source of the problem.

He had known Kahinel for 12 years—he had never once seen him unwell.

But lately, Kahinel had constant headaches.

The only change was the Duchess.

So she was the cause.

As they walked toward the office on the second floor, they heard something strange.

“Please! Please!”

Kahinel instinctively pressed his temple.

As they approached, the voice grew louder.

“Please! I’m begging you!”

He tried to ignore it and enter the office—

“Marquis Deil you bastard! May you step outside, put on black powder, get caught in a sudden rain, and wash your face in black mud!”

Kahinel stopped mid-motion.

Taylor tilted his head.

“…Did the Duchess just insult Marquis Deil?”

Was that even an insult?

Or a blessing?

Kahinel sighed deeply from his core.

“…What is she doing now?”

Not a single peaceful day with her.