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nThe reason was simple.

nEven if she married such a prominent aristocrat, wouldn’t the hardship she suffered only be added onto?

nOf course, Sir Jenkins was right.

nBut he insisted on her, and she insisted on him.

nDid their combined effort pay off?

nThe strong opposition had indeed gradually crumbled.

n“My daughter loves you, so I will do my best to like the Duke.”

nAnd they were married at long last.

nAt the wedding, his wife smiled and said,

n“To overcome so much opposition, doesn’t it feel like you’ve become the main character in a novel?”

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n

nThe cheerful words were so cute, he couldn’t resist the urge to kiss her.

nHow many times had he thought back to that moment?

nIf, as she had said, they were the main characters in a novel, that moment should have been the last chapter.

nIt was just the right moment to end with a so they lived happily ever after.

nBut life wasn’t a novel. It was just a period of survival.

nThe Duke recalled the memory of that terrible moment, where he could barely breathe.

nNews from the Duchy.

nThose who stopped him from running to her right away.

nA pitch black news of death.

nA funeral without even a body.

nAt the funeral, Sir Jenkins had grabbed the Duke by the collar.

nThe emperor was there, but no one could stop a father who lost his daughter.

n“You killed her! You and your estate killed my beautiful daughter!”

nNo one said that his anger was justified. Nor did anyone say it was unfair.

nThere was only a somber silence

nAt first, everyone had been against their marriage.

nIf the Duke had given up on her a little earlier . . .

nIf she had married another young man . . .

nThere may not have been a funeral that day.

nThe Duke had sent letters or gifts to Sir Jenkins several times after the funeral.

nHe had no intention of begging for forgiveness with pretentious words.

nHe deserved to be cursed forever.

nOf course, there was no reply to those letters.

nAlthough they often met each other at large banquets, Sir Jenkins had always completely ignored the Duke’s existence.

n“Duke, will you wait any longer?”

nThe butler’s tone was cautious as he voiced his inquiry.

n“. . . I don’t know.”

nThe Duke pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time, smiling bitterly.

nIn fact, he had sent an invitation to Sir Jenkins not too long ago.

nAfter completing the portrait of the Duchess, he would take the time to welcome her picture.

nI hope you will join us.

nIt was about Sir Jenkins’s beloved daughter. The Duke had hoped to hear back.

nBut there was only silence.

n“. . . What of the expenses?”

n“I left it loose, as you had instructed.”

n“I hope it is of use.”

nThe Duke gently stroked the face of the woman in the picture.

nThe nostalgia tinging that movement was so obvious. So heartbreaking.

n* * *

nRieta awoke from her sleep. Her body was soaked in sweat.

nBoth the duvet and pillows were damp.

nStill, her body was much refreshed. Maybe it was because her fever had gone down.

nWhen she turned to look out the window, it was snowing again.

nRieta grabbed her doll and walked toward the window.

nThe moonlight greeted her eyes and the garden was shining white.

n“. . . Wow.”

nPretty. Even with such a romantic scene, the only thing Noel would have appreciated was the large amount of snowman material.

n“Pfft.”

nThinking about Noel made her laugh again.

nUpon the news that she had caught a cold, he had clung to Rieta’s bedside and looked as though he were about to cry.

n“I, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that you’re sick . . . Hey, are you okay? Your forehead . . . It’s hot . . . Sorry . . .”

nHe had no reason to be so sorry. It hadn’t really been Noel’s fault.

nGrowl.

nAt that moment, a sound came from Rieta’s stomach, alerting her hunger.

nPerhaps it was because she had never been hungry, but she was glad to hear it after a long time.

n“Hunger and pain cannot be tolerated.”

nRieta followed the Duke’s advice and carefully opened the door.

nOne of the maids was sitting in front of her door, dozing off.

nPerhaps because she had been so worried about the sick Rieta, she left the maid to her sleep.

nRieta crept past her so she wouldn’t wake her up.

nThe Duchy was very quiet.

nShe may have been mistaken, but she thought that it was a little quieter than usual.

nIt’s really empty.

nFeeling somewhat reluctant to break this silence, Rieta carefully descended to the first floor.

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nThere, she noticed that the door to the family room was slightly open.

n“. . . ?”

nWas someone there?

nA dark shadow flickered through the gap in the narrow door.

nWas it the Duke?

nRieta approached and cautiously opened the door.

nIn the slightly darkened family room was a stranger’s figure.

nHer eyes were wide as she looked at the other person.

nBlack clothes that melted into the darkness, a scarf over the head and a somewhat shady appearance.

n“. . .”

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