…And the culprit was quickly found.

Searches usually start with outsiders.

And the only outsider currently in Bremlin Castle was the Duchess’s nanny, Seina Ir.

The butler, who first searched Seina’s room for the investigation, found numerous medicinal herbs she had stored. Only one person in Bremlin Castle was permitted to store medicinal herbs: the Duke’s physician. The fact that Seina had kept herbs without permission was highly disadvantageous.

That wasn’t all.

She was the only one who could freely enter the Duchess’s room. The Duchess’s bedroom was connected to the Duke’s bedroom by a passageway, and since they were newlyweds, the passageway was not locked.

This meant she could freely enter the Duke’s bedroom as well.

Coincidentally, the castle’s herbalist was away for a week, so all circumstantial evidence pointed to Seina Ir as the culprit.

Now, the only thing left was the motive…

Listening to the butler’s report, Ethan frowned slightly. There was no particular reason for the nanny to give him a sleeping pill.

Why on earth?

Ethan rubbed his temples and glanced sideways at Seina Ir. She must have known the situation she was in, but the middle-aged woman sat with a neat and stern face. Her posture was incredibly upright.

“Well done. You may leave.”

The butler hesitated for a moment before leaving the office.

Left alone, Ethan chose silence to organize his thoughts.

Did Seina Ir really drug him with a sleeping pill?

If she was indeed the culprit, her motive would undoubtedly be Hyacinth. Ah. Did Hyacinth want that situation?

For him to sleep beside her as if he had fainted?

Indeed, a woman who believes lying in bed together is a consummation would wish for such a situation. She must have pestered her nanny.

“Was it Hyacinth’s wish?”

Seina didn’t answer. She only glared at him with eyes so fierce that even Ethan was impressed. The spirit in those sharp eyes was so resolute that Ethan found it interesting.

“Why didn’t you dispose of the herbs?”

If she didn’t, she must have known she would be easily identified as the culprit.

“They are herbs for my baby. Why would I dispose of them?”

“Should I consider it an honor that you used such herbs on me?”

The middle-aged woman’s eyes filled with cold contempt.

Ethan, familiar with such a gaze, shrugged nonchalantly.

“I’ll cover it up. Leave quietly.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll close the matter here, so return to the capital. You don’t want to be hanged, do you? You have cared for my wife all her life…”

“…”

“Consider this my mercy in respect for your efforts.”

“Are you only now caring about her? Now?”

A mere middle-aged woman without a title dared to argue with the high lord of the North.

But her sharp criticism was justified, so Ethan Erentis turned a blind eye to it. Honestly, he found his own behavior despicable.

He hadn’t consummated the marriage, exploiting her ignorance. They had never intertwined bodies until now. They probably wouldn’t in the future unless necessary.

He didn’t care whether the bloodline of the Erentis duchy ended or not.

Though he pitied his wife for being deceived all her life, that was all. When Hyacinth was still a ‘Hener,’ she was given a chance.

A chance to choose a husband other than him. A chance to build a proper family.

The one who stubbornly chose him was Hyacinth Hener.

The one who decided to follow him to this cold place was Hyacinth Erentis.

“It’s only natural for me to care about my wife.”

“What?”

Ethan averted his gaze slightly. A faint embarrassment crossed his indifferent face. He knew well how shameless he was.

Meanwhile, Seina felt her insides churn in various ways, and her expression twisted.

Judging by the search, the drug seemed to have worked well.

That meant they had properly consummated the marriage. And now, after one act of intercourse, he suddenly wanted to care for his wife, which seemed ridiculous.

Seina suppressed her immediate anger and tried to assess the reality as calmly as possible.

Her goal was to help the Duke and Duchess properly consummate the marriage. And to assist the Duchess in regaining her authority.

She succeeded.

She just failed to clean up properly.

She knew it was safest to burn all the herbs, but seeing Hyacinth suffering from a cold, she couldn’t bring herself to dispose of them. If the northern herbs didn’t work on her, she would have to brew her own.

She was careless, and the Duke was swift.

So she was caught, and by law, faced the threat of hanging, while the other party simply told her to return quietly to the capital.

Seina had only one choice left: to accept the mercy Ethan Erentis offered her. If she chose hanging, it would shatter her precious baby’s spirit.

Seina didn’t want that.

What should I do? Can I leave the Duchess here and go?

Her heart was heavy with conflicting emotions. Even though she only had one choice, Seina desperately pondered to lighten her reluctant steps. It was a thought process close to rationalization.

A man who has learned the pleasure of the flesh is bound to become inflamed. Look at him now. Afraid his wife might be sad, he’s letting go of the one who drugged him—a crime tantamount to treason by law.

The first step is hard, but the next is easy. If they’ve already intertwined once, they will likely do so again…

Hyacinth, her precious child whom she cherished, might finally find happiness. Receiving proper love from the man she loves.

The regret of not being able to see that happiness up close was her only sorrow.

I should have considered other methods instead of the drug. I should have planned more meticulously rather than acting impulsively. Regrets always came too late. Even she had been hasty. Seina bitterly acknowledged this. She had lost her mind upon learning that Hyacinth hadn’t even properly consummated her first night.

“Seina Ir?”

“…”

“Madam?”

No matter how much she regretted and pondered, Seina had only one choice.

“I wish to leave after the lady has recovered.”

“As you wish.”

Ethan Erentis, whose intention was to expel her, readily agreed.

Seven days later, Hyacinth’s cold was completely cured.

Ten days later, Seina Ir bid a polite farewell to the Duke and Duchess and left for the capital.

Her sudden departure to the capital sparked numerous rumors.

Some speculated that her middle-aged body couldn’t withstand the cold, while others suspected something had happened to her family.

However, most did not regret her departure. No matter how much Seina Ir was the Duchess’s nanny, she was an outsider. Clearly an outsider.

Bremlin was inherently a closed place.

With the person who caused discomfort gone, they could only welcome the quiet.

Thus, only Hyacinth missed Seina. Though it was natural for her to miss the nanny who had been by her side all her life, she cried into her pillow secretly every night. Without the one who always cared for her, the northern wind felt even harsher.

In reality, as winter approached, it was becoming more severe.

The flowers froze without even having a chance to wilt. On days when it didn’t snow, the dry, barren wind swept the surroundings. A desolate desert without a hint of brown. As the temperature dropped day by day, people started layering tapestries over their windows.

And Hyacinth would rise every dawn and hastily head towards the castle gate. Though it was a bothersome routine of dressing herself and layering on thick fur coats two or three times, she never skipped it.

The reason was one: to wait for mail from the capital.

Of course, letters didn’t arrive every day, but the few sheets of paper that came sporadically were invaluable to Hyacinth. So, she would blow on her reddened fingers and wait for the mail carrier almost every day.

If the boy shook his head, she became sullen, and if he handed her a letter, she smiled brightly. The letters she received and clutched to her chest were her spring.

Hyacinth was well aware that Bremlin didn’t particularly welcome her actions. But what could she do? She couldn’t help it.

Hyacinth, both arrogant and astute, precisely understood the truth that the North embraced her but did not truly accept her.

It wasn’t that Bremlin drew a clear line.

Since her surname was Erentis and she was the rightful mistress they should serve, they treated her with utmost respect. Yet, a wall was a wall, and a line was a line. Bremlin embraced her but did not hold her, and Hyacinth was naturally trapped in loneliness.

There was only one person who could keep her from being lonely, but, well.

Ethan remained cold, and Hyacinth no longer clung to her husband as she did in the past. It wasn’t that her affection had faded. It was just that a new emotion—betrayal—had covered it.

She resented her husband for exploiting her ignorance, felt the painful reality that he didn’t like her at all, doubted whether she had the right to blame him, and felt sorrowful for her shattered self-esteem.

Even couples who hated each other consummated their marriage properly…

For Hyacinth, who wanted to ignore reality itself, Tyche’s letters were a truly good medium. On the days she received them, her pretty face was full of smiles.

* * *