Looking for the Villainess’s Contract Husband
Chapter 17
“My lady, you must eat.”
The maid spoke in a polite voice, bowing her head.
However, Gretel lay on the bed, staring blankly out the window as if she couldn't hear a thing.
If it weren't for the occasional rise and fall of her chest, she was so motionless that she could have been mistaken for a corpse.
When there was no response from Gretel, an irritated sigh escaped through the maid's teeth.
She raised her voice again, urging her.
“My lady. The Marquis said that if this tray comes back untouched again, he will severely punish all of us.”
“…….”
“My lady…….”
At that desperate call, Gretel, who had been as still as a corpse, slowly sat up.
Only then did the maid breathe a sigh of relief.
The 'lady' she had observed for the past few days seemed like someone with no lingering attachment to life, trying to do nothing but breathe. That included washing and eating.
[The marriage talks are imminent. If that girl's appearance is damaged even slightly, you will all pay dearly.]
Marquis Diarmuid had instructed the servants to manage her appearance and force her to eat if necessary, saying that Gretel's marriage would soon be decided and he couldn't send her out looking like that.
However, if a servant were to get into a scuffle while trying to force-feed Gretel and she ended up with even a small scratch, the servant would have to bear the full responsibility.
Because of that, they were stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Whether it was a stroke of luck or not, Gretel couldn't ignore the words 'we will be punished if you do this.'
‘Well, it makes things easier for me, at least.’
As someone handpicked and assigned by the head maid, Nicola, the maid was neither curious about Gretel's circumstances nor did she pity her for being practically imprisoned in the room.
In the maid's mind, there was only the joy that her job had become easier.
“Now, you must hold the spoon. After you finish eating, you'll take a bath and get a massage.”
“…….”
The maid set up a portable table on the bed and laid out appetizing food on top of it.
Then, she forced the spoon into the hand of the blankly sitting Gretel.
Gretel stared down at the bowl while holding the spoon.
As she looked at the food prepared by a skilled chef—something she had almost forgotten about for the past ten years—tears felt like they were about to burst forth instead.
‘Libby…….’
Worries about where her daughter was and what she was doing right now filled her heart instead of the food.
[I've let you do as you please for ten years, so now it's time to repay the family's grace. I intend to marry you off.]
A few days ago. Those were the words Marquis Diarmuid had uttered when he visited Gretel, who had been semi-forcibly washed and groomed by the maids.
For a moment, Gretel doubted her ears.
[……What did you just say.]
[Did something go wrong with your ears while living outside?]
[What kind of nonsense are you talking about!]
In an instant, Gretel, unable to overcome her resentment, tried to lung at the Marquis.
Even though her arms were held by the maids, she twisted her whole body and screamed.
[As I please? Don't make me laugh! How is what you're saying any different from looking at livestock locked in a cage and saying you let them do as they please? You devil!]
But the Marquis didn't listen to Gretel's struggle at all.
Whenever she tried to escape or caused a scene, he would gag her and throw her into an empty room, only letting her out once she calmed down, repeating the process over and over.
It was behavior no different from taming a beast, but it was just as effective.
Eventually, having lost all will, Gretel was living a meaningless life, confined in a room with barred windows.
However, she had to stay alive to keep her promise to Laviella—the promise that she would definitely return to her side—so Gretel moved her spoon mechanically.
Relieved that she was continuing her meal without much resistance, the maid chattered beside her.
“Since we have to be extra careful with preparations today, shall I bring out that navy dress I saw earlier? It looked really good on you.”
“Why…… do I need to be careful?”
Gretel turned her head, noticing a part of the maid's words that suddenly bothered her.
The maid, who seemed to have let the words slip accidentally, stammered in panic before hesitatingly confessing.
“Well, the Marquis informed us that your most likely groom candidate……? will be visiting today. He said he's coming to see you.”
“……What?”
* * *
Inside the rattling carriage of the Esperanza family. Jack Esperanza's aide, Serpen, asked.
“My lord. Are you really going to marry Gretel Diarmuid like this?”
At those words, Jack, who had been leaning back against the carriage seat flipping through documents, raised his head.
It was just that, but Serpen momentarily stiffened his shoulders as he met the red gaze directed at him.
No matter how much time passed, he felt he could never get used to those vivid red eyes that looked as if they could slice through his neck at any moment.
But at the same time, if Serpen were the type of person to be frightened into silence by a single look, he wouldn't have been able to stay by Jack's side for nearly ten years.
“To be honest, there is nothing to gain from this marriage. Rather, it might only provide an opportunity for that snake-like Diarmuid to interfere with Esperanza. It's an investment that is bound to fail.”
Serpen suppressed his fear and gave his loyal advice steadfastly. Because that was his role.
And Jack did not dislike Serpen's attitude. Rather, he tended to welcome it.
‘At any rate, I like his guts.’
People who said everything they wanted to say while trembling with fear in front of Jack were extremely rare.
Wasn't that why he specifically chose Serpen, a commoner, out of so many people to be his aide?
Talent like that was not common.
‘……Another one did roll in recently, though.’
Jack let out a chuckle as he thought of Laviella, who had reflexively hunched her shoulders the moment their eyes met, yet her expression remained unshaken.
“Serpen.”
“……Yes, my lord.”
“You're right. Certainly, a marriage with Diarmuid will be a poison if anything, not a medicine.”
As he recalled Marquis Diarmuid's face, the smile lingering on Jack's lips turned even colder.
[So please, propose to my mother, Duke.]
[If you protect my mother, Duke, I will protect Lucian in return.]
In truth, Laviella's proposal didn't have much benefit for Jack.
Dealing with vassals or nobles was something he had been sick of since he was young.
No matter how loudly they barked, they were ultimately nothing more than beasts that tucked their tails and bowed their heads before someone stronger than them.
If they barked nearby, it would be noisy, but it wouldn't be a threat.
Whether it was Jack's marriage issue or Lucian's succession to the title. He could just crush them all with power.
Even if a backlash occurred because of it, Jack had more than enough ability to eliminate even that without a trace.
Until Laviella appeared, Jack had actually intended to do just that. Serpen knew that as well.
“Then why…….”
Serpen's face crumpled even further.
Yes, Jack Esperanza was not stupid enough to be unable to distinguish between what was harmful and what was beneficial to him.
‘If he were, I would have kicked the aide position away from the start. Saying I can't work under an empty-headed guy like that.’
Then why on earth?
Immediately after, Jack added the answer to Serpen's question in a calm voice.
“However. If it were you, could you ignore that child who risked death to escape from hell and reached out her hand to be saved?”
“…….”
At those words, Serpen's mouth shut.
He couldn't bring himself to ask Laviella directly because it might be a painful memory for her, but there were many other ways to find out about her past.
[……Are you speaking of Lady Laviella.]
For example, that knight named Paul.
Jack visited Paul on the night he regained consciousness.
To Paul, who at first kept his eyes fixed on the wall without saying a word, Jack persuaded him that it was necessary to get Laviella and Gretel out of the Marquis's hands.
Eventually, Paul reluctantly opened his mouth and explained what he knew.
That Gretel Diarmuid had a lover and husband she had loved for a long time.
That when the Marquis found out about it around the time a child was conceived, he killed the husband and tried to kill the child as well, which Gretel resisted.
The story about Laviella, who had to be chased away to the North and live her whole life as a non-existent child.
[The young lady forgave and embraced me even though I committed a great wrong. Until the day I die, my only master is Lady Laviella.]
Paul told the whole story calmly without downplaying his mistakes and then bowed his head.
Jack had experienced and heard quite a few things in his life, but after hearing Paul's story, he couldn't say anything for a while.
How could one not revere those who live their lives so fiercely and desperately?
Jack muttered, lowering his gaze diagonally back to the documents.
“Experiencing letting go of someone's hand because of weighing the benefits is enough to happen once.”
