So I Was the Persecuted Grand Duchess Destined to Die? Chapter 5

Chapter 5

As if she’d finally made up her mind, Betty squeezed her eyes shut and blurted everything out like a battle cry.

Then she cautiously opened one eye, let out a long sigh, and continued.

“In any case, His Grace usually stays in the western tower where his study is—not the main residence. You’re very unlikely to run into him.”

“Then isn’t it fine?”

“Well… yes. Technically.”
She hesitated. “But still—could you please not go? You really don’t need to worry about me. If anything, it’s the other way around…”

There was a quiet, unmistakable concern written across her face.

For some reason, it made my chest feel oddly itchy.

Maybe because even in my previous life, I was usually the one looking after others—
not the one being protected.

She wasn’t great at expressing herself, but Betty’s sincerity came through clearly enough.

“…You’re worried about me?”

When I smiled gently, her face instantly turned bright red.

“N-N-Not really! I’ve only been serving you for a week, and I don’t know you well, and you don’t know me either! And sure, when I first saw you, I did think you looked like a tiny white snow rabbit and that was very cute, but that was only for a moment—!”

“Hm.”

Betty had once again begun muttering incomprehensibly to herself.

Quietly, I stood up with the small madeleine in my hand.

“To be honest, I’m small too, but you’re… you’re small and terribly fragile. It’s strange—I’ve never felt this kind of protective instinct toward anyone else befo—mph!”

While she rambled on with her eyes fixed firmly on the floor, I gently popped the madeleine into her mouth.

Her eyes flew open, words cut off instantly.

I seized the moment.

“Thank you for worrying about me, Betty. Like you said, we don’t know each other very well yet. So why don’t we start getting to know each other properly from now on?”

“Mmmf…”

“I’m not as weak or as helpless as you think.”

“Mmph…”

“So let’s go. To the main residence.”

Maybe my voice sounded firmer than usual.

The tension slowly drained from her wide eyes, replaced with reluctant resignation.

After swallowing the madeleine, Betty muttered,

“…Don’t blame me later.”

✦ ✦ ✦

Inside the main residence, in one of its sunniest rooms—

A woman sat before a vanity, brushing her lustrous golden hair.

Her soft hands were clad in pristine white silk gloves,
her slender wrists adorned with pearls and sapphires.

The dress she wore—rich blue fabric chosen to perfectly complement the jewels—shimmered faintly as she moved. Delicate gold embroidery traced elegant patterns across it.

“Mm~”

Eyes curved sweetly upward, brimming with allure.
Plump, rosy lips.

Those features contrasted with her gentle facial lines, giving her an oddly captivating charm.

And that wasn’t all.

Her body was a study in indulgent curves—
a full, generous bust, and a waist cinched tightly by her corset, narrow enough to span with one hand.

Even to her own eyes, the reflection staring back from the mirror was flawless.

It looked as though—

“I look just like a Grand Duchess.”

Truly, she was the very picture of what a Grand Duchess should be.

“If only that woman didn’t exist.”

Crunch.

At the thought of the so-called cursed woman, her clear blue eyes flashed viciously.

The gentle expression she’d worn cracked visibly.

Grinding her teeth, the woman—Katarina Hugo—flung her hairbrush aside.

She was currently occupying the Grand Duchess’s chambers in the main residence of the Grand Ducal castle.

But Katarina was not the Grand Duchess.

“Hah!”

How had things ended up like this?

Her resentment naturally twisted toward the woman who had stolen what should have been hers.

Renée Blanche.

What if that cursed bastard child truly managed to ensnare Xavier?

“No—ah!”

Unable to contain her surging rage, Katarina screamed, her breath hitching—

just as—

“E-Excuse me… Lady Katarina.”

“What is it? Don’t you know how to knock?”

A maid’s timid voice slipped through the half-open door.

As if she’d forgotten she wasn’t the rightful owner of this room, Katarina snapped sharply as she turned.

The young maid paled and bowed deeply at once.

After all, in the few days since Katarina’s arrival at the Grand Ducal castle, her behavior had been nothing short of tyrannical.

And yet—

no one had stopped her.

“That carriage the young lady arrived in—every ornament on it was real gemstones!”

“I heard her family has deep ties with the imperial family. They say she was originally meant to become the Grand Duchess…”

“She’s the cherished only daughter of House Hugo, right? Ever since their regional businesses struck gold, I heard even their toilets are plated with gold.”

“House Blanche may be prestigious, but isn’t the Grand Duchess herself a bastard? You can’t even compare the two.”

“Still… how did their positions end up switching like this?”

And honestly, it wasn’t surprising.

Compared to the Grand Duchess—who had arrived quietly, without ceremony—Katarina’s entrance had been dazzling beyond comparison.

While one woman had been brought here miserably in a cargo wagon, without a single soul to greet her—

Katarina had passed proudly through the grand gates of House Celeste.

Officially, she’d arrived as the new Grand Duchess’s companion and attendant.

But every servant in the castle knew the truth.

Someday, that woman would become the lady of House Celeste.

Because of that, the young maid could only speak with a trembling voice.

“I—I have an urgent message for you, Lady Katarina… I—I’m sorry.”

“What is it?”

“Th-the Grand Duchess—”

“The Grand Duchess?”

Katarina’s brows snapped together.

The maid sucked in a sharp breath and hastily corrected herself.

In Katarina’s presence, the words Grand Duchess were forbidden—
unless they referred to Katarina herself.

“L-Lady Renée has come to the main residence!”

“…What?”

The woman who had stayed hidden away in the annex, as though she barely existed—
why now?

Why all of a sudden?

“She—she just passed through the lobby…”

“Has she lost her mind?”

With an irritated motion, Katarina shot to her feet.

Without sparing the maid another glance, she swept past her and strode down the corridor.

So now she wants to reclaim what’s hers?
How dare she—without knowing her place.

Biting down on her plump lower lip, Katarina quickened her steps.

Her fingers clenched the hem of her dress, wrinkling the soft silk.

From the main staircase overlooking the lobby, she finally saw it—

the scene below.

“Where’s the library?”

She was really there.

That woman.

Standing there with a guilelessly innocent expression.

“….”

Unconcealed contempt flickered through Katarina’s blue eyes.

But after a slow breath, she smoothed her expression into a pleasant smile.

“Oh my!”

And with that, she began descending the stairs.

Her voluminous dress—heavy with lace and frills—fluttered gracefully with each step.

In contrast, the small woman standing below—dressed worse than even the maids—could only stare blankly upward.

What? She’s even more pitiful than I imagined.

For a moment, Katarina almost felt foolish for having been wary of the annex all this time.

After all, Xavier hadn’t given that woman the main residence.

Then again… he hadn’t given it to Katarina either.

Still, unlike Renée—who’d been pushed aside into an isolated annex—Katarina had been assigned the largest room in the side building next to the main residence.

At first, sharing quarters so close to the servants had bruised her pride as a count’s daughter.

But Xavier knew full well that she openly came and went from the Grand Duchess’s chambers.

And yet—

he’d never stopped her.

That means I’ve already won.

Drunk on that sense of triumph, Katarina came to a halt before a pair of worn shoes still dusted with dirt.

“I greet you, Your Grace.”

Her bow was flawless—more refined than anyone else’s.

But the foolish woman before her didn’t seem to know proper greeting etiquette at all.

Renée merely nodded awkwardly, blinking once… twice.

“I am Katarina Hugo, sent to serve as Your Grace’s personal attendant.
I apologize for not greeting you sooner.”

“My attendant?”

Their gazes met.

Those red eyes—despite the strange atmosphere—held an unmistakable firmness.

Perhaps because of the rumors branding her a cursed bastard child—

Katarina’s shoulders shrank almost imperceptibly.

And then—

from the mouth of that cursed woman—

“Well, anyone watching would think you’re the Grand Duchess.”

“!”

The unexpected barb landed cleanly.

A visible crack split Katarina’s perfect mask.

Steadying her warped smile, she asked again,

“What do you mean by that…?”

“I mean you’re very beautiful. Are all attendants like that?”

Ha.

What a shameless little girl.

With an innocent expression, as though she meant no harm at all, Renée had insulted her straight to her face.

What she was really saying was—

No matter how extravagantly you dress or struggle, I’m the Grand Duchess.
You’re just a maid. Know your place.

“….”

In that instant—

Katarina Hugo looked utterly ridiculous.