Married to the Villainous Duke

Chapter 5

"Dr. Ludovic. Abenant. Please explain to me what exactly happened to my wife," the young Duke clasped his hands together on top of the desk.

They were in his office. A mountain of papers that needed to be signed and reports that must be written were piled in front of the Duke. Despite the amount of work he has to do, Nikolaidis needed to hear the castle's doctor and head butler's report first. They probably could give him a clue why Estelle was crying so much last night.

"As I reported in my last letter, Duchess Estelle fell ill and was unconscious. Dr. Ludovic and the best healers from the temple tried to treat her. None were successful. However, her grace miraculously woke up two nights ago. I sent a messenger hawk yesterday morning to your excellency. But, I suppose you weren't able to receive it since you already left the western border and arrived here last night..."

As the Duke's most trusted servant, Abenant was ordered to ensure Estelle was safe and healthy while he was away. The aide and the doctor were both beginning to break a sweat. They know the Duke could easily fire them for being incompetent.

"I deeply apologize for my ineptitude, your grace. I will accept any punishment you deem fitting," the doctor speaks up even though he was shaking in fear.

"There is no need for that since my wife has awoken and is all better now, right doctor?"

"Yes, our dear lady is perfectly fine now, physically that is..." Abenant chimes in but stops to give a nervous look to Dr. Ludovic.

"However, your excellency, the Duchess has lost all her memories..." Dr. Ludovic continues instead of Abenant.

"What do you mean by that, doctor?"

"Her grace developed amnesia, specifically retrograde amnesia. I think that the illness caused this. She cannot recall anything, even information about herself."

Nikolaidis has heard of people losing their memories but he didn't know there was a name for it, "is there a cure for this, doctor?"

"I have looked through every medicine book that I could find and I have found no cure, your grace."

Nikolaidis stays silent for a while. Unsure of what to think of the situation.

"Both of you are dismissed for now," he tells the two servants and they immediately leave his office wordlessly.

Was this why Estelle was crying so much last night? Not being able to remember anything must be difficult for her... It would be good if I can help her regain some of her memories but I don't know if I can be of much help. We don't really share any memories together, other than our wedding ceremony...

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"That's the end of your history reading today, Duchess Estelle," Abenant's voice startles her.

She was intently reading a particular chapter of the Ghesquire history book Abenant tasked her to finish. In this world, all noble ladies must be well versed in etiquette, arts and, above all, the Empire's history. Since she lost all her memories, she has to relearn and study all the things a noble lady must know.

Estelle didn't expect she'd end up studying despite being isekai'd and becoming a Duchess. Her life now, reading books and getting lessons, isn't so different from how she lived as a college student.

She didn't notice Abenant coming into the library because the chapter that she's reading is really interesting. It's about the plague that fell on the Ghesquire Empire 12 years ago. Out of the 11 countries under the empire's rule, Wonheim was the first country to report a new highly contagious and fatal disease.