“Olga!”

His voice came at her, urgent.

Caught in his arms, Olga’s face had gone the color of a tomato about to burst.

“Olga.”

Leod steadied her first. Then his eyes swept quickly over her, checking for any sign of injury.

Mortified as she was, Olga stared at him with something close to disbelief.

If behavior like this — so thoroughly convincing, so seemingly genuine — was all an act, then Leod ought to have gone on the stage.

She pressed her lips together again and pulled her gaze away from him.

“I’m not hurt.”

“That’s a relief, but…….”

Even after looking her over and hearing her say she was unhurt, Leod’s eyes still moved over her with the same worried look, checking her again.

“……I believe I told you I wanted to rest.”

The words came out with just a trace of irritation she hadn’t meant to let through.

The last thing she wanted was to look this foolish in front of him — especially right after resolving to have her revenge.

And on top of everything, she had ended up in his arms.

‘Aside from what’s necessary to have Liet — I don’t want so much as a fingertip’s contact with him.’

Olga’s brow twitched with displeasure.

“Ah…….”

Leod’s lips parted, flustered by her reaction.

Then again, he had reason to be. Just the night before, Olga’s eyes had been full of love for him — or so they would have been.

“Olga, are you perhaps…….”

Leod hesitated, as though there was something he wanted to say.

“Your Grace.”

Right on cue, Hans — the head butler of the Morvant ducal household — approached him.

Taking in the state of the corridor, Hans gave his white eyebrows a little twitch, then turned and gestured to a pair of passing maids.

The maids set to work clearing the corridor at once.

“Please step back.”

The servants wedged themselves between Leod and Olga, gathering up the broken dishes and scattered food, and the distance between the two of them grew.

Her eyes drifted briefly to the ruined meal on the floor.

Now that she thought about it — around this time, he used to cook for her himself. Those dishes had suited her perfectly, and she had thought of them when she was expecting Liet — but by then his manner had grown so cold she hadn’t been able to bring herself to say a word about it.

‘That’s right.’

She smiled without meaning to, and it came out cold.

Then, by chance, her eyes met Leod’s.

“Leod.”

If you could put on that performance — so can I.

Olga’s eyes curved into a slow, soft smile.

Visibly relieved to see something of the woman he knew, he closed the distance between them again.

“Yes, Olga.”

“I thought I might rest for a little while and then go out.”

“You said you weren’t feeling well. And yet you want to go out?”

“That’s precisely why I want to go out. I think I need some fresh air.”

“Then I’ll come——”

“No. I’d like to walk alone today.”

She was still smiling, but her manner was firm — pushing him away — and Leod’s eyes blinked rapidly.

Not once, in all the time they had been courting or in the years since their marriage, had Olga ever pushed him away like this.

He found it odd, but nodded regardless.

“Then at least let me assign you an escort.”

“Of course. I’m not merely the daughter of an earl — I’m the Duchess of Morvant.”

“Alright, then——”

“Yes, I’ll go and get ready. Never mind the meal — you went to all that trouble for nothing. I’m sorry for it.”

“A bit of food is hardly more important than your wellbeing.”

Leod gave a small, easy smile and tilted her chin up lightly.

His lips moved slowly toward her.

Olga’s shoulders flinched without her meaning them to.

‘A kiss — it’s just a kiss……!’

It was something she had done countless times, before their marriage and after.

Something she would have to bear regardless, in order to have Liet.

She squeezed her eyes shut.

Leod’s soft lips touched hers with a quiet, fleeting sound — and were gone.

The vivid sensation of it made her heart drop with a thud.

It had been nothing more than a playful, glancing kiss — and yet her heart was already pounding wildly.

“I’ll have the carriage made ready.”

“……Thank you.”

Olga managed to open her eyes and answered in a voice that had gone small.

Leaving Leod behind, his expression still soft with a gentle smile, she turned and made her way quickly back to her room.

Her back against the door, Olga slid slowly down to the floor.

“Haah…….”

Could it be that some small feeling for him still remained?

If anything remained, it could only be hatred and the desire for revenge. Nothing else.

‘It’s just been so long since we’ve kissed. I was simply startled. That’s all.’

Eyes closed, she sorted through her feelings slowly.

She had to settle it that way — otherwise she wouldn’t be able to hold on here.

She rubbed her face with dry hands and rose to her feet, unhurried.

Sitting here like this was pointless. Better to get moving on the things she had planned.

She reached for the small bell on the nightstand and rang it. A moment later, Serina came hurrying through the door.

“You called, Your Grace!”

“Help me get ready to go out.”

“Of course!”

She answered cheerfully and set quickly to helping Olga prepare.

It seemed Leod had already passed the word along.

“The blue peacock feathers suit you so beautifully, as always! His Grace gave you this one as a gift this season, didn’t he?”

Serina clapped her hands with exaggerated delight as she helped Olga change into the dress trimmed with blue peacock feathers.

“Yes, that’s right.”

The Primavera earldom was a family of little account compared to the Morvant ducal household. Which meant there was no purchasing a dress this costly on their own.

A prick of something like inferiority rose in her chest, and Olga pressed her lips together.

“Where are you off to, my lady?”

“Nowhere in particular. I’ve been feeling a little cooped up.”

Everything she said and did would inevitably find its way back to Leod.

So she couldn’t be honest about it.

“Just getting out. Maybe find something good to eat.”

“That sounds wonderful to me!”

Serina’s voice lifted with delight.

And so, hat matched to her dress and all, Olga finally made her way outside and was just about to step up into the carriage——

“Olga.”

The voice was calm and carried an unmistakable air of grace. Her head turned slowly.

“Mother.”

The one who had stopped her was none other than Meriline — the former Duchess of Morvant, now addressed as the Dowager Duchess.

“How are you feeling.”

A gentle smile resting at the corners of her lips, she looked Olga over with quiet concern.

“Are you well?”

“Perfectly.”

Since returning to this place, it was the first truly comfortable smile Olga had managed.

When Leod changed and everyone turned their backs on her — Meriline had been different. Leod’s own mother, and yet she had treated her with warmth, as though she were her own daughter.

“You’re wearing blue today.”

“Yes, Mother. Leod——”

“You ought to wear red today.”

“Pardon?”

Olga’s eyes blinked rapidly, caught off guard.

“A red dress, black shoes. That’s what it must be. All for your sake, dear. You know that, don’t you, Olga. I always pray for you.”

“Of course I know……. There couldn’t be a more devout believer than you, Mother.”

“You’ll go and change before you head out?”

Meriline’s eyes curved softly.

The warmth of her smile carried with it a pressure that was unmistakable.

“……Of course, Mother.”

In the end, she had no choice but to go back to her room and change into the red dress and black shoes Meriline had specified.

When she returned to the carriage, Meriline was still standing there — as though waiting to confirm that Olga had dressed properly.

“Well done. That’s my good girl.”

Meriline lifted the corners of her mouth, satisfied, and smoothed Olga’s hair with a gentle hand.

“I’ll be off, then.”

“Take care on your way.”

Olga smiled brightly at her and climbed up into the carriage.

‘It had been so long I’d almost forgotten.’

She was a truly good person.

Except for that peculiar fixation of hers.

Not that the fixation had lasted forever. The moment Olga fell pregnant with Liet, it had vanished entirely — clean as though it had never been.

“Serina.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“We’re going to the capital today.”

“Oh my — really? All the way to the capital?”