Marsella Ross II

"My lady." 

Melanie, Marsella's nanny, and now my nanny, looked at me worriedly. "We should..." she paused as she leaned closer, looking around discreetly. "... run away, my lady."

Don't be foolish, my dearest nanny. I sported a weak smile and shook my head. "I'm alright, Nana. You know how Father is like if I disobey him." I reached for her hand, squeezing it lightly.

From the memories of Marsella, only Melanie remained true to her. Melanie treated Marsella as her own, sacrificing herself just so Marsella could have little comfort in life. I wanted to take her with me, but I'd rather leave her for now for her own safety as well.

"Nana, I will surely get you out of here," I reassured, staring at her straight in the eye. "For now, take care of yourself, hmm?"

"My lady..." Melanie welled up as she nodded in agreement.

I felt bad for fooling her. Although I had Marsella's memories, I had no emotional attachments to all people in her life. The only reason I planned to take Melanie with me in the future was because of her unbending loyalty. Those types of loyalty were rare to come across. That was why her value was high.

"My lady, we need to set off." A knight approached us and informed me. I glanced at him and nodded before he left to his steed.

"My lady, please take care." Melanie reminded me and I nodded before I answered, "I will, Nana. You too, take care of yourself until I call for your assistance."

"Yes, my lady."

***

I didn't stay idle with Melanie for a long time as I hitched inside the carriage and we headed towards the imperial capital. It would take us one full day before we reach the Ross Estate. That was why I planned to gather my thoughts until then.

Marsella Ross. The second daughter and the youngest among the five children of Marquess Edmund Ross. She was the fruit of the Marquess' one-night affair with a maid. Her mother died giving birth to her. Marred by her mother's death and the blood of a lowly maid, Marsella received no love and affection from her so-called family. Instead, she was sent to an outskirt town to live with her nanny and rarely received an allowance from her wealthy father.

"What a bastard." I clicked my tongue as Marsella's life was nothing but misery. Before they sent her to an outskirt of the capital, her sister and brothers bullied her. Her stepmother maltreated her, and her father turned a blind eye to it.

Even the damn servants never treated her with respect. In other words, she lived in that estate and had to endure such hardship as a child. It was them; those people in that Ross estate, who drove Marsella to madness until her father finally sent her away so she wouldn't disgrace her family's name.

"And I had to deal with them," I murmured, massaging my temple as I could imagine the injustice and maltreatment that awaits me. "Mel said it was currently the year 665th of the imperial calendar. That means I returned 10 years in the past. If that's the case…" I trailed off as I traced back what was the big occurrence that happened during this time of the year.

If memory serves, I heard that the Ross Family married their daughter off to a devil. Yes, that man was indeed a devil incarnate… my eyes slowly dilated upon my sudden realization.

"Fucking…" I gritted my teeth, cracking my knuckles in irritation. I now understood why Marquess Ross suddenly wanted his daughter back in the estate.

There's only one reason for it: marriage!

I placed the top of my fist before my lips, ruminating about the events after. Before I was mysteriously thrust into this body, I heard that that lunatic of a Grand Duke married the daughter of Marquess Ross, arranged by the emperor to keep an eye on him.

After their marriage, the daughter died after a month and rumors had it that the Grand Duke killed her in one of his fits of rage. If that daughter was Marsella, I guessed the rumors were wrong. Even if Marsella survived last night, the fatigue of the marriage preparations and her deteriorating health would surely take a toll on her, leading to her death.

Still, that incident, whether the rumors were true or my assumptions were correct, it had truly taken an enormous blow on the Grand Duke's already marred reputation. Did Marquess Ross want to send his insignificant daughter to the lion's den instead of his beloved princess?

A smirk resurfaced on my lips. "Well, not bad." I nodded. "Marrying that devil is better than staying in the Ross Estate. Also, I met him on several occasions in my previous life, and I knew what kind of man he is."

Not just that, I was the one who pushed that devil into his own death in the past. In the fierce battle of the throne, I supported Joseph from behind the scenes with a promise to make me, a woman with no title in her name, his empress. I was foolish to believe those empty words, but it didn't matter now.

'Do you plan to make that demon the king?' my mind inquired, and I quirked a brow.

"Well, I don't plan on meddling and getting caught up with politics. I will divorce my fiance — if he turned out to be my fiance — once I have enough money before the bloody fight for the throne begins. After that, I will simply live my life in peace with a lot of money." I nodded, as that was the plan.

"As for now…" I gazed outside the window and smiled, recalling those pair of cold, dark eyes behind his black metal helm. "… it's not bad to play wife in the meantime."