Yerpi Deilang’s memories also included the origin of Raymond Growen’s aversion to spices.
‘The Growen Poison Incident.’
The Growen family had protected the inner walls for generations.
The previous Duke of Growen was Roman Growen, Raymond’s older brother, who had been the twentieth Duke.
Raymond had ascended to become the new Duke due to a certain incident.
It began with Roman’s wife—Heairs, a spice and the Duchess of Growen—committing adultery.
‘She fed poison to Roman.’
Heairs had a secret lover hidden away.
He was neither a dragon nor nobility, merely a commoner. It remained unclear why Heairs had fallen for a servant within the castle.
The problem lay in how exceptionally ambitious her lover was.
Using money given by Heairs, the lover purchased a deadly poison and urged her to serve it to Roman and Dante, claiming they could finally become true husband and wife.
Roman happily drank the tea handed to him by Heairs and died instantly on the spot, vomiting blood.
However, Heairs could not have known.
That Raymond, who had left the castle that day, would return.
Upon discovering the truth, Raymond killed both Heairs and her lover.
Raymond succeeded Roman Growen as Duke.
Among those unaware of the truth, rumors spread that he was a treacherous dragon who seized the domain, a mad dragon who tore apart his own brother and sister-in-law.
Yet, knowing the facts, one would realize the rumors were half true and half false.
Raymond did not attempt to clear his false reputation.
Though he took the position of Duke, he neither wielded his power oppressively nor committed any particular tyranny.
The Silent Dragon.
He simply endured everything alone.
This was why the people within the castle feared him.
She knew of this incident thanks to Yerpi Deilang’s memories.
While wandering the castle alone searching for Raymond, Yerpi overheard maids talking.
The senior maid, the eldest among the castle staff, had been working during the incident and was also a close friend of Heairs’s personal attendant.
After learning that Dante was not Raymond’s biological son, Yerpi stopped seeking the boy.
Unaware that Dante’s origin was connected to Raymond’s hatred of spices.
Currently, this was all Yerpi knew.
Why Dante looked the way he did, and why the boy was spoken of in hushed tones within the castle—these were things she would now have to discover.
Perhaps due to her deep contemplation.
The afternoon hour had quietly passed, and dusk painted a dusky crimson glow across the darkening sky.
Even after sunset, there was still no sign of Raymond or Meidi.
The same was true during dinner.
After finishing her solitary meal, Yerpi was about to move toward her assigned sleeping quarters with the maids assigned to her for the day.
Beyond the corridor’s corner.
Murmuring voices caught Yerpi’s attention, halting her steps.
“…Are you in your right mind?”
“Seriously, getting so involved. With senior maids staying up all night, you go ahead serving the Lady before your turn?”
Murmuring voices from beyond the corridor’s corner halted Yerpi in her tracks.
Seeing her pause, the maid assigned to serve the Duchess that day glanced at Yerpi anxiously.
“Ah, Your Grace. This area is rather noisy. Would you prefer taking another route?”
Yerpi looked silently at the maid blocking her path for a brief moment.
She could somewhat understand the maid’s awkward intentions. But still.
“Eileen, covering for a colleague’s mistake isn’t always wrong. But this is too blatant, isn’t it?”
“Ah….”
The maid softly cleared her throat, lowered her head, and quickly stepped aside against the wall.
Beyond the corner, the maids still seemed unaware of Yerpi’s presence, continuing their commotion.
Just as harsh words were about to turn into physical violence, Yerpi revealed herself.
The first to notice her was the senior maid, who had been pressing a finger against Pepe Edgar’s forehead.
“Ah! Your Grace!”
Startled, the maid reflexively pulled her hand back, and the other maids surrounding Pepe immediately turned their heads toward where Yerpi stood.
Pepe was just as flustered.
“Your Grace…?”
“I must ask what is going on here.”
Yerpi calmly questioned them, surrounded by startled expressions.
The maids couldn’t hide their dismay, clearly scrambling for excuses.
“It’s just that… this girl made a mistake.”
“What mistake, and how?”
“Well, that is…”
The first maid to speak hesitated and fell silent.
Sighing softly, Yerpi offered guidance.
“Wouldn’t it be better to clearly state what mistake this girl made, what punishment you were giving her, and whether that punishment was justified?”
Her composed words made the maids surrounding Pepe shrink slightly.
Still, the senior maid summoned courage, lifted her head, and pointed at Pepe.
“There is an order for serving the Lady, but this girl ignored it and pushed herself in first.”
At the maid’s accusation, Pepe tightly bit her lower lip.
Yerpi noticed her lips moving slightly, as if she wanted to say something.
This diligent yet timid maid reminded Yerpi of herself—a mirror image.
Glancing briefly away from Pepe, Yerpi addressed the gathered maids.
“Establishing hierarchy in group living is important, but I hope such incidents won’t happen again.”
The seniors’ real fault lay in allowing such a matter to unfold before a superior.
Moreover, humiliating someone so publicly was no different than insulting the Duchess herself.
After all, their superior was the Duchess, and their mistake stemmed from her poor management of the maids.
Finally realizing the gravity of the situation, the maids hurriedly bowed their heads.
“We are sorry.”
“It’s my fault. Your Grace.”
At least before the Duchess, the maids acknowledged their wrongdoing.
For now, this was enough.
Yerpi let out a small sigh and called Pepe to stand beside her.
“I will take her with me. You may all disperse and return to your duties.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
The other maids reluctantly withdrew.
Now remaining beside Yerpi were only the maid assigned to serve her that day and Pepe.
After sending the attendant maid away, Yerpi instructed Pepe to lead her to the reception room.
The reception room they arrived at had a calm navy tone and, unlike the neglected garden, appeared well-maintained and still in use.
Pepe stiffened, apparently expecting an interrogation.
Instead, Yerpi began brewing tea herself.
The startled maid quickly rose to her feet, but Yerpi shook her head and gestured for her to sit back down.
“But I should—!”
“I can brew tea quite well myself, so don’t worry.”
Yerpi gently reassured the maid with a light joke, prepared hot water, and steeped jasmine tea.
Soon, tea for two was ready.
Yerpi lifted her cup first, savoring its fragrance and taste.
Pepe, who had been fidgeting as if sitting on a nail, cautiously observed her and then carefully reached for her cup.
The fragrant tea gently soothed both body and mind.
Even Pepe, who had been so restless, gradually calmed down.
Though the family mansion had felt like a prison to Yerpi, her time learning the tea ceremony had been different.
The Baron Deilang, who wanted her to be a flawless bride, had arranged numerous strict tutors, many of whom went so far as to use corporal punishment.
But the time with the tea mistress was different.
The teacher showed Yerpi what a peaceful moment felt like, and Yerpi had long wished to share that feeling with someone else.
‘I never thought that moment would come now.’
Pepe’s breathing had grown noticeably calmer. Observing her, Yerpi asked.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes. Thank you for your concern.”
Pepe expressed her gratitude with composed eyes.
Now calmer, the maid found the courage to speak.
She explained that being served before the seniors was not her doing—the senior maids had deliberately placed her there to make themselves look better.
After honestly speaking, the maid took another sip of tea, then cautiously gauged Yerpi’s expression before continuing.
“I heard you met Master Dante.”
At that, Yerpi’s hand, holding the teacup, froze midair.
But only for an instant.
The Duchess brought the fragrant tea to her lips once more.
‘So the news has already spread.’
There was no group more fond of gossip than the maids.
Thus, she held no expectation that they could keep secrets, and felt no disappointment.
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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