Alena’s lips opened, but before a sound could even come out, a knock echoed.

They both turned toward the door.

“Forgive me for the disturbance, your grace, but you have to see this.” The male voice behind the door echoed softly yet urgently.

“I guess… let’s put this on hold for now, Duchess.” Kaztiel said, and when Alena turned to look at him, her lips parted in surprise as the duke was already heading towards the door. When did he even climb off her?

Alena sprung from the bed.

Both shame and anger immediately rose within her. And she wasn’t just angry at the infuriating duke, but also herself. She was angry that she was letting this damn man play her in the palm of his hand.

As she watched him reach for the door handle, her eyes gleamed dangerously. How dare he play with her and leave just like this? She didn’t care about his other business, no matter how urgent it was. Because this man now had something to settle with her, and she would never just let him go off and do his usual everyday things anymore. No way! His life needed to be turned upside down too, from now on!

So she lunged at him, reaching out to grab his hand to stop him from leaving.

But her hand glided through him.

Time seemed to freeze, and Alena stood paralyzed. Hand hovering in mid-air, her eyes widening in utter shock.

She looked at her own hand, which had become translucent once more. Slowly taking in her entire form, she saw that both her body and clothes had also turned see-through.  

She stumbled backwards. In that moment, her mind felt so overloaded with the barrage of shocking surprises that all she could do was let out an incredulous laugh.

“What… what in the afterlife just happened?” she murmured.

Desperate for answers, she bolted from the room, wanting nothing but to confront the Duke and make him spill out whatever it was that he did to her for something like this to happen. But the Duke wasn’t there anymore, causing her frustration to surge further within her.

She rushed after him. Her footsteps, if she could call them that, left no mark or sound upon the floors of the spacious, dim, and empty corridor.

She checked every plausible location, but he was gone, as if he vanished into thin air. How could someone outmaneuver a ghost? He's definitely not just an ordinary human!

Alena was fuming and unable to calm down. No one had ever made her feel this kind of frustration and anger.

She was renowned for her unshakeable serenity, a trait that had defined her since childhood. Rarely did anything shake her calm enough to spark such fury. Her regal, tranquil demeanor was not just a matter of public perception; it was a deeply ingrained aspect of her identity. And she valued this calmness as a formidable strength, essential for a princess. Yet now, here she was, a fuming ghost consumed by anger and frustration. She felt an ironic detachment from that once-steadfast calm she had. Was this temper a consequence of her turning into a ghost, or was it simply triggered by the infuriating Duke?

Convinced it was entirely the Duke's fault, her anger towards him deepened. "Just wait until I find you, Duke Donovian," she muttered venomously, gliding through the sprawling courtyard, where the hushed conversations of maids unexpectedly reached her.

"When can we see the duchess?" One of the maids said with a mix of excitement and impatience. "I can't wait anymore. Ever since I heard she's going to marry our master, I've been so eager to see her!"

"You think you're the only one excited?" Another maid responded. "Everyone's looking forward to finally seeing the most beautiful woman in the kingdom."

"Surely, she's in the duke's chambers right now," another maid mused. "After all, I've heard that the Duchess’ wing is still unoccupied."