Angelus Carduus

Chapter 2: Blood

The whole time Valeria was thinking to herself, she didn't realise that a maid had knocked on the door and had been waiting close by the door.

"Y-your Grace?" the maid shyly spoke finally catching her attention.

Valeria turned to her and nodded, "Yes?"

"The duke had requested to have breakfast together with you today..." she replied.

Valeria kept her gaze on the maid a bit longer. The maid was named Myra, her personal maid ever since Valeria Rubis became the duchess when she was eighteen. She was now twenty-one.

Valeria who was now that same person, shivered at the thought of being married at the age of eighteen, the age she was before she died and reincarnated as Valeria Rubis.

Though it was better than marrying at the age of sixteen or younger, Valeria never thought she would ever be married.

She allowed Myra to dress her up into a simple apple green dress with angel sleeves. Her hair rested on her right shoulder and her neck and wrist were decorated with simple accessories.

She nodded over at Myra as thanks before walking out of her room. Though she and the duke had been married for around three years, the two never slept in the same room after the first night of their marriage.

Using Valeria Rubis memories, Valeria could tell their relationship was quite strained but not bad since they would still greet one another and go to events together.

Valeria was quite pleased at the fact that even though she had an incurable illness, she wasn't bed ridden and was able to still walk properly and do normal stuff that she used to be unable to do.

Reaching the dining hall thanks to the body remembering where it was, she noticed a black hair man sitting at the table already.

The black hair man noticed her too, his blue eyes falling on her figure. Valeria felt her body straightening up in his presence.

"Good morning." he spoke before looking back at the papers he had in his hands.

"Good morning, duke." Valeria responded back before walking over to the seat at the end of the table.

Silverware sounds echoed through the dining hall as they ate in silence. Valeria had to admit, the food in this mansion was extremely good.

She remembered she was in someone's presence so she looked over at the man sitting at the far end of the table.

Aelius Rubis. He was a year older than her and became the duke after his father died from a heart attack. 

He was pale skin though of course not as pale as her, his hair straight and black, and eyes that were an upturned shape in the shade of blue. His face shape was an oval, his jawline and nose were straight and sharp, and his lips were bow-shaped.

His face was perfect- almost too perfect. Valeria quietly thought to herself that the gods from above were probably proud at how they created his face.

She gulped down the food. The love interest was right in front of her eyes. His personality was someone who was cold to strangers but kind to those he cherished and love.

One of the reasons why his route was popular among the players. However, it wasn't her  favourite out of all the routes.

Valeria did feel a bit bad that her death would leave a very huge impact on him but remembering the route for him, the feeling disappeared. Heck, he was gonna have a real good time after she's gone.

She continued eating until everything on her plate was gone. She wiped her mouth with the napkin provided before waiting for Aelius to finish his meal as well.