Chapter 2 : I Married a Sick Husband
“Lady, it’s the dress sent by Duchess,”
Said the maid Diane, and Meredith doubted her ears.
“Who, what did she send?” Duchess Schwartz was the one who hated her as much as Catarina.
“For someone who ignores my birthday to sent me a dress all of a sudden?”
Diane explained that she was just looking at the dress delivered to her room because she couldn’t read the message.
“It’s a dress sent by the Duchess. There is a tea party tomorrow afternoon at Cuberim’s mansion, and I think she sent it to let you wear it.”
“Tea party?”
I thought I heard wrong.
Meredith has never attended a social gathering until now.
And of course, she has never been to the debut ball too.
Not all illegitimate children were so restricted from social activities.
But Duchess Schwartz was extremely hatred of Meredith’s social activities.
It was the same with Catarina.
“……Don’t you think it’s strange, Diane?” Meredith asked as she narrowing her brows.
“You know, there’s not a single person in this family who likes me.”
Except for her only maid, Diane, it would really be like that.
Meredith could be sure.
“Why is everyone who used to treat me like a dead person is now suddenly being so nice and helping me to become a good wife?”
She couldn’t quite understand it.
Diane carefully wrote down the hypothesis.
“Well, there’s a possibility that everyone’s changed their minds all of a sudden—”
“No way. Just a few days ago, Catarina despised me.”
Even if Catarina was friendly to her, it is still strange.
How can someone change their attitude overnight without being crazy?
‘No matter how much I think about it, this marriage sure is fishy…’
However, she was just frustrated because at the end she couldn’t find out what was the answer behind that.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
The next day.
Meredith went down to the drawing-room in a dress she had received from Duchess Schwartz as a gift.
In the drawing-room, Catarina is talking to Duchess Schwartz.
“So you don’t know anything… Ah.”
Catarina, who had been talking to Duchess Schwartz, quickly shut up when she saw Meredith.
“….I don’t want to see this disgusting girl.”
And she openly showed signs of displeasure with her face.
Receiving the familiar treatment, Meredith was displeased by a little bit.
“You come?”
A cold voice echoed in my ear.
Meredith reflexively turned her gaze.
A woman with the same gorgeous blonde colour as Catarina was staring at her with bright green eyes reminiscent of emeralds.
Darcel Schwartz.
She was Catarina’s biological mother.
The Duchess Schwartz had a very aristocratic appearance, as evidenced by the fact that she’s a noble since birth.
‘…as expected, they’re the same.’
Those dry eyes now have been seen to death since childhood.
Although she even received a dress as a gift, but her attitude remains unchanged.
Meredith replied in a short reply.
“Yes.”
“Let’s go. We’re going to be late for a tea party.”
“We’re—” asked Meredith carefully.
“Perhaps, am I going to ride in the same carriage as you, madam?”
This was quite a question.
Because of Duchess Schwartz and Catarina’s hatred, Meredith could not even have a meal with them at the restaurant.
Meredith never once thought that both of them would ever go with the same carriage.
When she asked, Duchess Schwartz stared at Meredith.
Meredith was naturally nervous as that pair of mysterious eyes stared at her.
A moment later, Duchess Schwartz replied Meredith a surprising answer.
“Yes, we’ll be riding in the same carriage.”
“But…”
“Meredith, you sure talked a lot, don’t you think so.”
Duchess Schwartz cut off Meredith’s words coldly.
“We will have to depart soon before it’s too late.”
Meredith didn’t want to question any further with the risk of infuriating her.
She just followed them meekly and got on the carriage.
After a while, the carriage departed.
“…..”
There was only a dead silence in the carriage of three people.
Catarina was looking out the window, revealing that she didn’t want to talk openly.
Where should Meredith look? It was when she felt awkward because she didn’t know what to do.
“Meredith.”
Duchess Schwartz called Meredith.
Meredith answered immediately.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“From now on.”
Duchess Schwartz ordered with a dry voice.
“Don’t call me ma’am anymore.”
“Pardon?”
“Call me, mother.”
“….Yes?”
Meredith was dumbfounded by that ridiculous request. However, her subsequent demands were even more absurd than she could imagined.
“That’s right. Call Catarina “Sister” too.”
“But—”
Meredith quietly turned her head towards Catarina whom silently looked out of the window.
As if she’s trying to ignore this conversation. In an embarrassed voice, Meredith spoke.
“Can I?”
“Anyway you will have to do it in the future. Today’s tea party will be your first social activity, isn’t it?”
“Yes ma’am..”
“This time—”
At this time, Duchess Schwartz stopped talking and took a deep breath.
“I’ll introduce you to my illegitimate daughter to the others.”
Meredith was surprised again at this time. She never dreamed of hearing such words coming from Duchess Schwartz.
“And I’ll said you’ve been living in a mansion because you’ve been in poor health.”
“Then…”
“So, I’m telling you to keep your mouth shut. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
In other words, “Stay like a flower on the wall.”
E/N: Be like a vase.
‘But if you’re going to do that, why the hell are you taking me to the tea party for?’
Either way, you have been locked me up in the mansion for all these time.
Even now I wouldn’t say I would like to go outside just like that.
Duchess Schwartz added back her words as if she had read Meredith’s inner thoughts who appears to fail to understand the situation.
“You’re going to be the empress soon, and you can’t just enter the palace without trying a bow.”
“Ah…”
“Of course, not long from now we will hire a teacher from the palace to teach you manners.”
At that time, Duchess Schwartz added with a gentle laugh at Meredith just like a cute rabbit.
“Well, I don’t expect you to pull it off properly.”
“……”
“From now on, you will follow me in all my social activities. Do you understand?”
“….Yes, ma’am. ”
Duchess Schwartz glared at Meredith. Meredith quickly corrected her words.
“Um…Mother.”
But although she corrected it immediately, there was no such thing like a smile on the lips of Duchess Schwartz.
In any case, Meredith thought this situation was bizarre, too.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
As soon as she arrived at the Cuberim’s mansion where the tea party was held, Meredith had to get around and terribly busy.
“Oh, Duchess Schwartz. Long time no see.”
“Yes, ma’am. Long time no see. Have you been doing okay?”
“I’ve been well. But, don’t mind If I asked who is that person next to Miss Catarina?”
“Ah, it’s my second daughter, ma’am.”
“Oh, you have a second daughter?”
“I kept my mouth shut about the second child.”
“Oh, what kind of story?”
“She’s a weak kid, so I keep it hidden in my house to make sure nothing might go wrong.”
The fact that Duchess Schwartz, the youngest daughter of a prestigious family, had her husband’s illegitimate child was an unbearable humiliation.
That’s why she disguised her illegitimate child as a weak biological daughter just because she was now an empress.
Meredith was disgusted by Duchess Schwartz’s pretence.
However, she couldn’t reveal her inner thoughts, so she introduced herself to everyone pretend to be fine on the outside.
“Nice to meet all of you, I’m Meredith Schwartz.” She greeted dozens of people.
It was the first time.
The name of Schwartz after her name, and the place like this.
For Meredith, it felt very awkward and challenging.
However, Duchess Schwartz’s fierce gaze stop her from expressing the hardship she faced and continue to drag her around.
“You’ll have to get used to this schedule in the future.”
That was what Duchess Schwartz said to Meredith on her way back to the mansion after the tea party.
“You are going to be the queen of the Empire.”
In fact, Meredith had another tough day after that.
Like an endless day in social activities.
High class of etiquette teachers were hired from the Imperial Palace. Even beauty caretaker to maintain her elegant dignity.
There was no place that were left to not to be cared for her to live a normal Queen’s life.
And such schedule lasted for about three months.
Finally, it was the day of the wedding.
Chapter 2 : I Married a Sick Husband
“Lady, it’s the dress sent by Duchess,”
Said the maid Diane, and Meredith doubted her ears.
“Who, what did she send?” Duchess Schwartz was the one who hated her as much as Catarina.
“For someone who ignores my birthday to sent me a dress all of a sudden?”
Diane explained that she was just looking at the dress delivered to her room because she couldn’t read the message.
“It’s a dress sent by the Duchess. There is a tea party tomorrow afternoon at Cuberim’s mansion, and I think she sent it to let you wear it.”
“Tea party?”
I thought I heard wrong.
Meredith has never attended a social gathering until now.
And of course, she has never been to the debut ball too.
Not all illegitimate children were so restricted from social activities.
But Duchess Schwartz was extremely hatred of Meredith’s social activities.
It was the same with Catarina.
“……Don’t you think it’s strange, Diane?” Meredith asked as she narrowing her brows.
“You know, there’s not a single person in this family who likes me.”
Except for her only maid, Diane, it would really be like that.
Meredith could be sure.
“Why is everyone who used to treat me like a dead person is now suddenly being so nice and helping me to become a good wife?”
She couldn’t quite understand it.
Diane carefully wrote down the hypothesis.
“Well, there’s a possibility that everyone’s changed their minds all of a sudden—”
“No way. Just a few days ago, Catarina despised me.”
Even if Catarina was friendly to her, it is still strange.
How can someone change their attitude overnight without being crazy?
‘No matter how much I think about it, this marriage sure is fishy…’
However, she was just frustrated because at the end she couldn’t find out what was the answer behind that.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
The next day.
Meredith went down to the drawing-room in a dress she had received from Duchess Schwartz as a gift.
In the drawing-room, Catarina is talking to Duchess Schwartz.
“So you don’t know anything… Ah.”
Catarina, who had been talking to Duchess Schwartz, quickly shut up when she saw Meredith.
“….I don’t want to see this disgusting girl.”
And she openly showed signs of displeasure with her face.
Receiving the familiar treatment, Meredith was displeased by a little bit.
“You come?”
A cold voice echoed in my ear.
Meredith reflexively turned her gaze.
A woman with the same gorgeous blonde colour as Catarina was staring at her with bright green eyes reminiscent of emeralds.
Darcel Schwartz.
She was Catarina’s biological mother.
The Duchess Schwartz had a very aristocratic appearance, as evidenced by the fact that she’s a noble since birth.
‘…as expected, they’re the same.’
Those dry eyes now have been seen to death since childhood.
Although she even received a dress as a gift, but her attitude remains unchanged.
Meredith replied in a short reply.
“Yes.”
“Let’s go. We’re going to be late for a tea party.”
“We’re—” asked Meredith carefully.
“Perhaps, am I going to ride in the same carriage as you, madam?”
This was quite a question.
Because of Duchess Schwartz and Catarina’s hatred, Meredith could not even have a meal with them at the restaurant.
Meredith never once thought that both of them would ever go with the same carriage.
When she asked, Duchess Schwartz stared at Meredith.
Meredith was naturally nervous as that pair of mysterious eyes stared at her.
A moment later, Duchess Schwartz replied Meredith a surprising answer.
“Yes, we’ll be riding in the same carriage.”
“But…”
“Meredith, you sure talked a lot, don’t you think so.”
Duchess Schwartz cut off Meredith’s words coldly.
“We will have to depart soon before it’s too late.”
Meredith didn’t want to question any further with the risk of infuriating her.
She just followed them meekly and got on the carriage.
After a while, the carriage departed.
“…..”
There was only a dead silence in the carriage of three people.
Catarina was looking out the window, revealing that she didn’t want to talk openly.
Where should Meredith look? It was when she felt awkward because she didn’t know what to do.
“Meredith.”
Duchess Schwartz called Meredith.
Meredith answered immediately.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“From now on.”
Duchess Schwartz ordered with a dry voice.
“Don’t call me ma’am anymore.”
“Pardon?”
“Call me, mother.”
“….Yes?”
Meredith was dumbfounded by that ridiculous request. However, her subsequent demands were even more absurd than she could imagined.
“That’s right. Call Catarina “Sister” too.”
“But—”
Meredith quietly turned her head towards Catarina whom silently looked out of the window.
As if she’s trying to ignore this conversation. In an embarrassed voice, Meredith spoke.
“Can I?”
“Anyway you will have to do it in the future. Today’s tea party will be your first social activity, isn’t it?”
“Yes ma’am..”
“This time—”
At this time, Duchess Schwartz stopped talking and took a deep breath.
“I’ll introduce you to my illegitimate daughter to the others.”
Meredith was surprised again at this time. She never dreamed of hearing such words coming from Duchess Schwartz.
“And I’ll said you’ve been living in a mansion because you’ve been in poor health.”
“Then…”
“So, I’m telling you to keep your mouth shut. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
In other words, “Stay like a flower on the wall.”
E/N: Be like a vase.
‘But if you’re going to do that, why the hell are you taking me to the tea party for?’
Either way, you have been locked me up in the mansion for all these time.
Even now I wouldn’t say I would like to go outside just like that.
Duchess Schwartz added back her words as if she had read Meredith’s inner thoughts who appears to fail to understand the situation.
“You’re going to be the empress soon, and you can’t just enter the palace without trying a bow.”
“Ah…”
“Of course, not long from now we will hire a teacher from the palace to teach you manners.”
At that time, Duchess Schwartz added with a gentle laugh at Meredith just like a cute rabbit.
“Well, I don’t expect you to pull it off properly.”
“……”
“From now on, you will follow me in all my social activities. Do you understand?”
“….Yes, ma’am. ”
Duchess Schwartz glared at Meredith. Meredith quickly corrected her words.
“Um…Mother.”
But although she corrected it immediately, there was no such thing like a smile on the lips of Duchess Schwartz.
In any case, Meredith thought this situation was bizarre, too.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
As soon as she arrived at the Cuberim’s mansion where the tea party was held, Meredith had to get around and terribly busy.
“Oh, Duchess Schwartz. Long time no see.”
“Yes, ma’am. Long time no see. Have you been doing okay?”
“I’ve been well. But, don’t mind If I asked who is that person next to Miss Catarina?”
“Ah, it’s my second daughter, ma’am.”
“Oh, you have a second daughter?”
“I kept my mouth shut about the second child.”
“Oh, what kind of story?”
“She’s a weak kid, so I keep it hidden in my house to make sure nothing might go wrong.”
The fact that Duchess Schwartz, the youngest daughter of a prestigious family, had her husband’s illegitimate child was an unbearable humiliation.
That’s why she disguised her illegitimate child as a weak biological daughter just because she was now an empress.
Meredith was disgusted by Duchess Schwartz’s pretence.
However, she couldn’t reveal her inner thoughts, so she introduced herself to everyone pretend to be fine on the outside.
“Nice to meet all of you, I’m Meredith Schwartz.” She greeted dozens of people.
It was the first time.
The name of Schwartz after her name, and the place like this.
For Meredith, it felt very awkward and challenging.
However, Duchess Schwartz’s fierce gaze stop her from expressing the hardship she faced and continue to drag her around.
“You’ll have to get used to this schedule in the future.”
That was what Duchess Schwartz said to Meredith on her way back to the mansion after the tea party.
“You are going to be the queen of the Empire.”
In fact, Meredith had another tough day after that.
Like an endless day in social activities.
High class of etiquette teachers were hired from the Imperial Palace. Even beauty caretaker to maintain her elegant dignity.
There was no place that were left to not to be cared for her to live a normal Queen’s life.
And such schedule lasted for about three months.
Finally, it was the day of the wedding.