Chapter 3
“What? She’s our guest. What’s the issue here?”
“She’s been keeping her face hidden under that hat for a while. Looks suspicious.”
Priscilla held back a sigh that was about to escape and casually continued eating, as if she was oblivious to their conversation. She acted like an innocent citizen, unaware that they were referring to her.
The innkeeper, waving his hands dismissively, came to her defense.
“Oh, that guest is just a young lady. She’s nowhere near the age of the person you’re looking for, right, miss?”
“Yes? Yes, that’s right. I’m eighteen years old.”
The innkeeper turned to her, and though caught off guard for a moment, she raised her voice slightly and turned her head just a bit as she answered.
But the Muton Ducal knight wasn’t so easily fooled.
Taking a step closer to Priscilla, he spoke in a menacing tone.
“Show your face and state your name.”
“…Why should I?”
“Because you look suspicious. I need to verify your identity.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“Why not? Do you have something to hide?”
Swallowing hard, Priscilla responded calmly. She had already prepared a story for such a situation.
“Well… I’m actually running away from my father’s abuse. If I’m caught, I’ll be dragged back and beaten immediately.”
The slim outline of her chin and her trembling, full lips visible under the brim of her hat stirred pity in those watching.
It wasn’t uncommon for women fleeing domestic violence to hide their names and faces like this.
Just as the knight hesitated but still moved to confirm Priscilla’s face,
“Enough already.”
The leading knight, who had entered the inn first, frowned and stepped forward.
Priscilla recognized him.
Jake Mitchell. The personal guard who followed the Crown Prince like a shadow.
“She’s clearly not the person we’re looking for, even by age alone. Stop harassing an innocent person and step outside.”
“But—”
“If you want rumors about Muton Ducal knights bullying an innocent young lady to spread, then by all means, continue.”
Jake deliberately emphasized “Muton Ducal” as if on purpose, raising his voice for everyone to hear.
Murmurs quickly spread through the crowd.
“What? They’re Muton Ducal knights?”
“Now that you mention it, the laurel symbol on his chest— that’s the duchy’s insignia.”
“Oh my, that’s terrible. She said she’s running away from an abusive father, and they don’t feel sorry for her at all?”
The knight, visibly aware of the growing criticism, stiffened his shoulders.
He cleared his throat awkwardly and shifted his attitude.
“My apologies. I may have overreacted. I hope you find safety wherever you’re going.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Priscilla slightly bowed her head, keeping her voice trembling as if she were on the verge of tears.
The knight, feeling more like a villain with every passing moment, quickly exited the inn under the judging eyes of the crowd.
The other knights followed him out, but Jake lingered, seemingly lost in thought, before approaching Priscilla.
Why is he coming here?
Priscilla tensed, on high alert, as he placed five gold coins on the table in front of her.
“I offer this as an apology.”
“What? Oh, no, that’s not necessary.”
“Please accept it. It would put my mind at ease.”
His voice dropped as he murmured softly,
“…His Highness instructed me to show kindness.”
“Pardon?”
She couldn’t quite catch his words and asked again, but Jake merely smiled and shook his head before leaving.
Watching his retreating figure, Priscilla felt an odd sense of unease.
Amid the chaos, the Crown Prince’s influence had unexpectedly been helpful. Not only had he subtly tipped her off about her husband’s infidelity, but now his knight had given her a small fortune.
‘…Come to think of it, why did His Highness tell me about Brian Muton’s betrayal?’
She had always sensed that the Crown Prince didn’t particularly like her.
Reflecting on it now, it was quite puzzling.
To Eric, Theodore’s close friend, she was nothing but a disliked stepmother.
Her relationship with Eric—and Evelyn, for that matter—was strained and awkward.
It wasn’t because she mistreated her stepchildren.
On the contrary, having grown up wounded by her own stepmother, she had tried her best to be kind to the Duke’s children.
Given the small age difference, she had hoped to act more like an older sister or friend than a mother.
But…
‘Who do you think you are to boss me around? Why are you stopping me from doing what I want? You’re only here because of Father’s money!’
Eric, the eldest, had a naturally violent and unruly personality, often behaving disrespectfully.
As a child, he frequently bullied and even hit Priscilla, but no one ever stopped or reprimanded him.
The Duke brushed it off, saying his son was simply mischievous and playful.
When Priscilla finally scolded him, Eric bore a grudge.
Their conflicts only grew worse as he matured, deepening the animosity between them.
‘Father, that woman stole my jewelry! She’s probably jealous of me. You should scold her properly.’
Evelyn, the second child, was cunning and manipulative. She delighted in framing Priscilla for things she hadn’t done.
Initially, their relationship had been neutral at worst, but at some point, Evelyn began to harbor an inexplicable hatred for her.
The Duke, however, always took Evelyn’s side, scolding Priscilla in front of her.
With the Duke’s children against her, the household staff naturally began to disregard the young duchess.
Life as the Duchess of the Muton household had been nothing but suffering for Priscilla.
Theodore, the Crown Prince, seemed to have been influenced by his friend Eric,
as he never acknowledged Priscilla as the mistress of the Muton Duchy.
Once, he had said something like this:
“The position of Duchess of Muton doesn’t suit you. You should give up instead of holding on.”
“I’m fine, Your Highness.”
“…So, you won’t give up?”
“Yes.”
When she had firmly answered, he had left with an offended expression.
She recalled that Theodore had been around fifteen or sixteen at the time.
It had been almost amusing to hear such a young boy speak as if he were so mature, so she hadn’t taken it personally.
‘If I had listened to him and given up then, would I have ended up like this…?’
Despite his personal dislike for Priscilla, Theodore always spoke the truth.
She just hadn’t realized it at the time.
‘I should thank him if I ever see him again.’
Though, she doubted there would be any chance to meet the Crown Prince unless she were still the Duchess.
***
Finally, the morning of her departure to the west arrived.
As she had her last meal at the inn, Priscilla checked the morning newspaper.
When she read the headline on the front page, her brows furrowed immediately.
‘That bastard.’
“Exclusive) Duchess of Muton, Discovered Having an Affair with a Young Knight, Jumps to Her Death!”
As expected, Brian Muton had defamed her and falsely accused her.
Priscilla skimmed through the article with a calm expression, but her face twisted with anger as she read further.
The article was outrageous.
‘What? I have a thing for young men? I lose my mind and flirt whenever I see a well-built knight?’
Brian Muton, you lunatic. That’s more like you!
The way the article painted her, she was the ultimate femme fatale—abandoning her family, indulging in pleasure, and preying on every man she encountered.
‘You heartless scoundrel. How could you do this to me…?’
Her delicate hands trembled as they gripped the newspaper.
When she had married Brian Muton, he had been a bald, pot-bellied man.
Priscilla, who had been little more than a girl at the time, could never have felt any romantic attraction toward him.
Thankfully, Brian had no desire for more children beyond the two he already had with his late wife. He had left Priscilla alone.
What he wanted from her was nothing more than the role of a young, beautiful trophy wife.
And Priscilla had fulfilled that role and more.
While their relationship as a couple may not have been perfect, she had remained loyal to him and never once looked at another man.
‘Stay calm, stay calm.’
She tried to assess whether the current situation worked in her favor.
If they were convinced she was dead because they hadn’t found her body, that was an advantage.
However, it was also possible they had published the article to lull her into a false sense of security.
Either way, one thing was certain: she would have to keep her identity hidden for the time being.
…Maybe even for the rest of her life.
Setting the newspaper down, Priscilla gathered her belongings with a resolute expression.
Her determined steps showed none of the hesitation she had once felt.
***
With the official announcement of the Duchess’s death, the knights ended their search and returned to the ducal castle.
Despite the news of the duchess’s passing, there was little change in the castle’s atmosphere. Only a few servants seemed genuinely saddened.
Jake went to report to Theodore one last time.
The Crown Prince stood by the window, gazing down at the garden.
Despite his cold appearance, he was surprisingly fond of flowers and animals.
“We couldn’t find any trace of the Duchess anywhere. She truly seems to have passed away.”
Following Theodore’s orders, Jake had conducted a more thorough investigation into Priscilla’s whereabouts. But he had found no signs of her survival.
“…I see. So, it’s come to this.”
Theodore murmured softly, his blue eyes darkening.
Despite his warning, it seemed his words had not reached her in time.
Noticing his hesitation, Jake whispered,
“Shall we continue searching?”
“No, let it end here.”
Recalling the last image of the frail and pitiful Priscilla, Theodore shook his head.
“We’re leaving. Prepare to depart immediately.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Sensing his master’s poor mood, Jake quickly made the arrangements.
As they headed toward the waiting carriage, a soft voice stopped Theodore in his tracks.
“Your Highness, where are you going?”
It was Evelyn, surrounded by her maids, holding a white cat in her arms and smiling brightly.
“Look at this cat! It was crying so pitifully, so I took it in.”
“…”
“Would you like to pet it, Your Highness? It’s very cute!”
Theodore, narrowing his eyes as he watched her, approached and took the cat from her arms almost forcefully.
He gently stroked the cat’s head and back before setting it free.
As if it had been held against its will, the cat bolted away instantly.
“I saw how pitifully it cried in your hands. Were you planning to show me animal abuse?”
Theodore was well aware that Evelyn often put on exaggerated acts to win his favor.
Caught off guard by his remark, Evelyn’s face reddened as she stammered,
“What? No, I didn’t mean it like that…”
“Enough. Just don’t bother me again.”
Theodore turned away with a cold expression, his hands slipping into his pockets.
His piercing gaze was so icy that Evelyn flinched. But she quickly followed him, grabbing his arm.
“Your Highness, why are you acting like this all of a sudden? You misunderstood. I was only trying to be kind—”
“You’re being unpleasant.”
Theodore firmly cut her off, shaking her hand off his arm.
“…!”
Tears welled up in Evelyn’s large eyes, but Theodore remained utterly indifferent as he turned away.
“Your Highness! Your Highness!”
Ignoring Evelyn’s desperate calls, Theodore boarded his carriage.
Soon, the carriage departed for the capital.
While he wished to sever ties with the Muton Duchy entirely, he couldn’t do so just yet.
The Duchess’s funeral. At the very least, he had to stay until then.
Only then could he properly honor her memory.
—
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