So much pain…

My eyes burn with the sunlight coming through the curtains, the world around me spins endlessly as my fingernails try to find somewhere to grip onto. I try to face that glare burning my retinas the way I always do, but the damn fireball on the sky continues to punish my face in its own way.

Someone knocks on the door as I try to sit up in bed.

"Lady Ravenna, may I come in?"

It's one of my maids, I don't remember exactly which one, but she must have been here when my father was still alive.

"Come in."

I grab a blouse lying on the bedside table, covering my breasts and everything below my neck, but I don't need to be ashamed of showing so much skin to just any maid. She enters, carrying a trolley with plates and wearing her perfectly neat uniform.

I fix my bangs, taking the opportunity to grab a piece of bread with jam that they brought me. It's time to get to work... I also need to know where Darius went. I doubt that airhead left without even saying goodbye to me.

Huh? Why won't my legs... work? I can't get up.

"Maid, give me your hand."

Somewhat awkwardly, the maid approaches me and extends her hand, which I grab and use for support to stand up... Oh, hell, it was exactly what I feared most. I can't walk properly! Darius, you bastard, why did you go so far yesterday? I would have been satisfied with less, but you...

I bite my tongue to contain my anger and cross my arms with the maid, dragging her close to the bedroom mirror, where I come face to face with my corpse-like face about to collapse along with the deep dark circles under my eyes. Honestly, what a terrible face, anyone would believe I'm a zombie if I showed up like this...

"Call the others. I want them to dress me and apply makeup, now."

I take the chair in front of the mirror to look at my appearance for a little longer while the maid rushes out of the room.

What a terrible headache. I feel like my spirit left and returned very quickly, as if I were trapped in the spiritual plane talking to Darius's mother again... Hah. The worst thing is that I can see her clearly, with that black hair and smug smile.

Is she proud of her son for finding me? It doesn't matter, she gave me the blessing I sought for so long, and my deceased parents won't stop me from choosing who I marry. I rest one of my elbows on the table, removing a rebellious strand of hair that's bothering me.

I remember when I astral projected myself and decided to have a private conversation with the madam, but... I didn't expect to learn something new. It's a detail I won't tell Darius, obviously, he would be too shocked and it would give him a huge headache. Why does the Moonlight family need so many detours and problems?

"That's their nature."

I turn my head abruptly to the side, coming face to face with Nyx, my patron, slithering above me with the set of bones tracing a spectral body.

"Nyx, did Darius ask anything about himself when he traveled through astral projection?"

"No, he focused purely on his father and returned after a brief interaction. I believe his mind is focused on the goal of going north now."

"Okay, good. And where is he now? You left the room, going wherever you wanted, but you returned at some point, right?"

"As for that... Lord Darius left as soon as the sun came up."

"Lord?! Since when do you treat him that way and not me? And why the hell are you only telling me this now?!"

I bang my fist on the table, shaking the perfumes in front of the mirror and gritting my teeth. Is that cunning snake on his side? No, it can't be... I try to get up, but these legs refuse to move! Damn you, Darius!

"There's no point in getting angry now. Anyone would be on his side if they were in our position. I'd even rather be his patron or servant than a young woman as whiny as you..."

"You have a sharp tongue, don't you?"

The snake swims through the air and dodges out the window, dematerializing in the blink of an eye. The maids also return, and I can finally dress properly. After putting on a comfortable dress and applying decent makeup to hide the signs of fatigue and yesterday's scratches, I take a cane with an emerald on the top and make my way downstairs.

This mansion is full of servants, but there is no one truly important, which bothers me. When I reach the staircase, my foot almost slips because of my aching hip and the weakness taking over me.

Why couldn't he have been kind just once? If he intended to run anyway, he could at least have left something behind and then gone to that frozen north.

I reach the garden and take a seat in the gazebo, but the pain in my tailbone shoots up at once and I am tempted to bend over to improve the feeling a little, however, the reflex to maintain my posture like a high society lady takes over before anything else.

I puff out my chest, allowing my cleavage to show a little, and take a deep breath before demanding my report on where the guests have gone. The maids all seem uncomfortable, for whatever reason. One of them taps the other on the back and pushes her forward.

Apparently, this girl will be the one to take on this responsibility.

"Speak up, I have no patience for beating around the bush."

"Y-Yes, Lady Ravenna..." She clutches her uniform apron. "Lord Darius left his room very early and packed his luggage on his own. He also called the other guests to leave, and even after we asked him to stay, he insisted on leaving."

I see. Apparently, he wants to avoid me, or at least decided to leave because he knew that the next day I would wake up so angry that I might kill him. What a clever man...

"La-Lady Ravenna!"

The maid takes a few steps back because my magical power began to crackle around me with so much anger. Purple lightning and black fireballs swirl around me, with veins about to burst in my neck and forehead. I want to kill him, I want to bury his body six feet under so he never doubts my authority again.

Who does this son of a commoner think he is to lower me to the level of a mere whore? Is he crazy? "You're my bitch", what kind of ridiculous idea went through that idiot's head to say that and leave the next day?!? "Today you'll understand that the one who will get a collar around her neck will be you", ridiculous!

This vulgar man has no courage when faced with a stronger enemy, or even when facing me! How can he think he has so much control in bed? Just because he has those scary purple eyes and a big dick? Or a broad chest and a nice abdomen... or a strong hand and...

No, no, stop thinking about it! This is just his evil strategy to control me! There's no way... how could I be dancing in the palm of this idiot's hand...

Urgh, my face is burning so much! How angry!

Why am I so confused? I'm going to make him my husband and I'll be on top, I'm the one in charge in this relationship, he's just a bastard son who luckily received support from Duke Moonlight, nothing more!

But if he at least apologizes properly, I might reconsider...

No, I won't reconsider! May he die on his trip to the north and...!

I run my hand through my hair. What shameful behavior. A noble lady shouldn't have such frivolous thoughts about another person, in the end, they will lead me nowhere. I get up from my seat, leaning on my cane, and take a short walk through the garden, which still needs a lot of repairs to please me.

The servants walk behind me, following my footsteps as I examine the towers of the property and the crumbling stone wall. The landscape really makes me feel a certain nostalgia. I remember when my father used to push me on a fragile rope swing in that tree at the top of the hill. It's been so long...

Why on earth can I picture Darius and me up there? No, I'm not ready for a daughter who is a spitting image of me. That's pathetic.

"Did he leave anything behind? A note?"

"No, Lady Ravenna."

Typical. He leaves without warning and without leaving any expectations... but I know exactly why. The north is a war zone, and Darius hates vows of love or making empty promises. He knows that if he swore to return and died there, I would feel so much pain that I would be able to bring him back from the dead.

I should have expected things to end this way, anticlimactic, after the high point of our relationship. In the end, that idiot always runs away from his responsibilities with someone else and never wants to settle down with what he already has... but that's okay, it will give me time.

I'm going to get ready to put the noose around your neck, Darius Moonlight.

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