One Day My Sister Died - Chapter 14

Chapter 14: What Happens on the Wedding Night?

“Let’s do something, Yuan. If we become useful people, they won’t kick us out!”

This was back when I didn’t know I had the power of Felice.

My aunt took over my mother’s bedroom.

Regina took over my bedroom.

Yuan, who had even the items received as birthday presents taken away right before her eyes, keenly felt that there was no place for her in Felice.

Yuan followed Louise, cleaned the mansion, served her aunt, and helped her uncle with his work.

Whether it was due to the peculiarity of Felice being a working nobility or the desperation of not wanting to be kicked out of the mansion, she adapted that way.

“Madam, what are you doing?”

“I’m trying to help with the work. Earlier, Vile seemed very busy in the kitchen.”

“Oh, please, stop speaking so formally! I’ll really get scolded by the butler! And what do you mean by helping with the work?”

Henna asked, her eyes wide open in surprise.

There were still bandages wrapped around her the slender hand under her rolled-up sleeves. What could she possibly help with?

Moreover, a lady who should be commanding maids doing work?

“The mansion is big, but there seemed to be few staff.”

“Well, that’s true, but… Madam, you’re saying that because you still have a fever, right?”

Henna worriedly asked after touching Yuan’s forehead.

Yuan’s large eyes blinked a few times before naturally turning into a smile.

“I mean it. Isn’t My Lord now a commoner without an inherited title?”

Henna’s mouth fell open in surprise. Her expression asked if she had heard correctly.

An innocent-looking wife asking if that terrifying Highness had become a commoner.

“Even the Felice mansion, which isn’t half the size of this mansion, has more than thirty staff.”

“What-?! Is that really true?”

The Black Mansion had fewer than twenty staff members, excluding the guards sent by the royal family for surveillance.

This was because the mansion’s owner didn’t like having many people around, and the Marquis of Reve, who provided financial support, wasn’t in a comfortable position either.

Moreover, due to rumors about the deposed prince, everyone was reluctant to work at this mansion.

The elderly staff members were mostly people who had been working there for a very long time or their family members or relatives.

If not, it was a place where servants who had nowhere else to go after moving from one noble family to another ended up, thinking of it as their final place of exile.

“Still… Madam, it’s a bit…”

“I’m sure there’s a place where I’m needed.”

Yuan answered firmly.

For Yuan, resolving household matters was a very familiar situation.

If she could manage the household in place of the mansion’s owner, who never stepped out of the bedroom.

Or if she could fill in for the lack of staff herself.

Maybe then, she wouldn’t be kicked out.

***

Even if it were a castle in a small principality, the massive mansion always needed more hands.

Cleaning all the countless rooms daily, like other mansions, was unimaginable.

Although the lands around Claude were owned by the Marquis of Reve and taxes or crops were sent directly to the Black Mansion out of his consideration, the region was poor, so the amount was far from sufficient.

The staff seemed overwhelmed with the daily task of salting or drying food to survive the harsh winter.

Yuan, unable to use water due to Vile’s insistence that she not touch water once the precious ointment on her skin wore off, helped with cleaning and tidying up without water and assisted Vile with his tasks bit by bit.

Thanks to this, Vile’s face regained its vitality day by day.

Initially, the butler Gustav was adamant that Yuan, regardless of how soon she would leave, should never work. But as Yuan began helping with his chores, Gustav started to rationalize.

Isn’t it proper for the lady of the house to oversee household affairs?

Gustav had been overwhelmed, handling not only Claude’s affairs but also all the household tasks by himself.

Yuan discreetly assisted the maids while avoiding Gustav’s eyes and would enter the butler’s office under the pretense of needing something, subtly helping resolve his troubles while he was overwhelmed with work.

“The uninvited guest in my mansion. Seeing her walk around, it seems she can leave on her own now.”

Thus, Gustav was left speechless at Claude’s words, unable to utter a sound.

Considering that Claude’s original intention was to send Yuan back to her family as soon as she recovered, it was now much later than expected.

“Um… Your Highness. I apologize for what I’m about to say.”

“Don’t say anything worth apologizing for, Gustav.”

Claude’s face was cold.

His expression, still showing a lack of interest in the world, couldn’t hide the intense rejection and wariness in his eyes.

Over the past few days, Gustav had observed Yuan, the first noble he had seen working. Though Yuan’s actions were far from those of someone married to a royal like Claude, she mingled freely with people and eased the tense atmosphere of the mansion, earning a certain respect from Gustav.

Seeing Yuan’s efforts despite her frail health was endearing and admirable, enough to form positive feelings in a short time.

However, personal feelings had to be distinctly separated from official matters.

No matter how well the ninth bride adapted to the mansion, if the master disliked her, it was right to send her away.

Butler Gustav reflected on how he had tolerated actions unimaginable for any other royal or noble household, then bowed his head deeply in regret.

After Gustav left, Claude sat for a long time in his rocking chair with his eyes closed, listening to the gentle voice seeping in from outside.

***

“Wouldn’t it be nice if every day were like today?”

“Ever since Madam arrived, the atmosphere in the mansion has certainly changed. That’s why every home needs a lady of the house.”

“Exactly. Just look at Vile. He used to complain about feeling like a useless machine making painkillers all day. Now, since treating Madam, he’s come back to life.”

“You must really enjoy working. Hehe.”

Yuan listened silently, smiling as the young maids chattered away.

The maids giggled and made up stories among themselves. When the untidy dirt floor started turning red with the sunset, they hurried their steps.

“Is it that late already?”

“Madam, please don’t touch the bedding tomorrow morning, okay?”

“Yes, the butler warned you, and we’d feel more comfortable just doing our work ourselves.”

Yuan said she would take another look around the garden and saw the maids off as they quickly disappeared into the mansion.

As soon as the sun set, everyone retreated to their rooms.

It was a rule of the mansion.

Yuan eagerly wanted to meet Claude, the master of the mansion, to plead her case.

She wanted to ask to stay in a corner of this vast mansion, express her gratitude, and thank him. If Claude had acted according to his notorious reputation, Yuan would have been killed or thrown out despite her illness.

Yuan had waited in her room, hoping Claude might call for her, but there was still no response.

With a troubled mind, Yuan wandered around the garden when she heard the sound of a window opening above her.

It was on the second floor, where Claude’s bedroom was.

Yuan stiffened and slowly turned around to look up.

Faded blond hair fluttered in the wind.

Yuan cautiously moved back until she was in a position where she could see Claude’s face.

But the inside of the window was shrouded in shadow, and Claude did not fully reveal his face.

“Hello.”

Yuan greeted the man looking down at her as if nothing was amiss.

The man, whose eyes glowed in the darkness, showed no emotion in his indifferent gaze.

“Um…”

“You look fine. Why don’t you leave now?”

Yuan looked up at him, forcing a smile.

Claude’s partially visible face was still pale and shadowed.

His words were harsh, contrasting with his melancholy appearance.

“Stop playing games.”

Games!

What an insolent word.

Yuan hesitated at Claude’s fiercer-than-expected demeanor, but she finally mustered the courage to respond.

“I am your wife, Your Highness.”

She found her own words amusing. It had been a long time since she was told to go back to her family.

He felt as if he could hear the sound of someone mocking him.

“I don’t need a wife.”

Despite putting all her heart and courage into her words, Claude was merciless.

Yuan clutched her skirt, crumpling it like paper.

No, no, I don’t want to be kicked out.

“I can be useful. I’m good at cleaning and preparing meals. Once my hands are healed, I can do laundry well too. I don’t have to be your wife. Just let me stay here, please…”

“I don’t need more maids either.”

Finally, Claude’s icy facade cracked, though it was a twisted, shadowed smile.

“Cleaning. Laundry. Meal preparation… Ha.”

The window closed without hesitation, as if it had never been opened.

Yuan, who had been looking up until her neck hurt, was paralyzed by shock and unable to do anything.

She thought she wasn’t asking for much.

Over the past few days, she had come to understand Claude’s reclusive nature.

She even thought it wouldn’t be bad to secretly annul the marriage and live in this isolated mansion as a maid.

If she were sent back to Felice, Yuan would be caught by her uncle and endure another horrible existence in a side room.

Not only that, but she would also have to return the body of Louise, which she had temporarily placed in the chapel, to that place.

If the Marquis of Compani tried to confirm it, they might have to burn it.

‘This can’t go on.’

She needed a way.

She had to become more useful somehow.

Yuan stared at the firmly closed window for a long time, biting her lower lip hard.

***

An unexpected solution presented itself the very next morning, coming from an external source.

Just as the maids began clearing away breakfast, there was a noise at the open door.

“May I come in for a moment?”

Standing at the doorway was the dark-faced butler, Gustav.

“Dr. Vile has informed me that your health has significantly improved, Madam. I apologize for bringing this up while you’re still recovering…”

Does this mean I have to leave immediately?

Yuan wasn’t mentally prepared and listened anxiously.

“The royal family has sent a notice, urging that the consummation be confirmed and the marital bond formally established as soon as possible.”

Henna, who was clearing the dishes, froze, and Yuan couldn’t hide her surprise either.

“The royal family never pressed previous brides for this, but have you heard anything specific from Felice? This is my first.”

Gustav, still somewhat bewildered by the news he was delivering, scratched the back of his neck.

In noble marriages, producing heirs was the main goal, so it made sense to confirm consummation and recognize the couple as truly married.

Yuan had known this from books since she was very young.

It wasn’t an unreasonable demand from the royal family.

The butler, observing Yuan’s temporary shock, continued speaking.

“Without consummation, the marriage would indeed be considered null and void. My duty is to inform you, so… please don’t worry too much about it.”

The royal family is pressing the matter, so I’m just passing on the message. But you won’t be able to prove consummation anyway, so you’ll be sent back to your family—don’t worry about it.

That’s how it sounded to Yuan.

Wiping any trace of her momentary confusion from her face, Yuan responded.

“What if we consummate the marriage?”

Gustav, who had been about to turn away, stopped in his tracks.

“If we consummate the marriage, does that mean His Highness won’t be able to send me away, even if he wants to?”

He looked at her with wide eyes, as if he couldn’t believe she would suggest such a thing.