“P — please, none of that.”

Edward, visibly flustered, gave her shoulders a gentle push.

“Oh, sorry. I was just so happy…….”

“A — anyway, to come out favorably in a divorce trial, you’ll need evidence. I’ll look into it.”

Pushing his glasses back up — they had slipped with the sweat on his nose — he met her eyes, his gaze already sharpening with that familiar keenness.

“I’m truly grateful. You’ve taken such a weight off me.”

“Don’t worry, just wait. I’ll be in touch.”

“Right.”

Olga rose to her feet, her heart considerably lighter.

“Stay a little longer.”

“I slipped out without telling anyone. Write to me.”

“Understood.”

Edward waved after her, his expression reluctant to let her go.

Olga gave him a warm smile and hurried out of the office. Then she took out the book she had prepared in advance and made her way to Luca Bakery.

“Oh, over here! Your Grace!”

Serina was already waiting, a large paper bag in hand — by the look of it, she had bought an armful of breads and cakes.

“You were quite a while, my lady?”

“The bookshop was crowded too.”

She fell naturally into step beside Serina, taking some of the bags, and the two of them made their way to the carriage together.

“Oh, look at those jewels!”

Serina’s eyes snagged on a jewelry boutique as they walked, chatting idly.

Behind the glass display case sat a small tiara and necklace set with the finest rubies, among other pieces.

Of everything on display, what caught Olga’s eye was a small tie pin set with an emerald.

‘That would suit Edward perfectly.’

She had grown distant from him after the wedding, but he was a dear friend who had always thrown himself wholeheartedly into anything that concerned her.

A tie pin was the sort of gift that wouldn’t weigh too heavily on him.

“Would you mind waiting a moment?”

“Hm? Are you buying something? Could I come look too?”

Serina, who rarely had occasion to step inside a jewelry boutique, pleaded with bright, eager eyes.

“I just want to pick up a small gift for someone.”

She gave a nod of permission and they went in together.

“Could you wrap the emerald tie pin in the display, please?”

“Of course, I’ll wrap it for you right away!”

The boutique owner immediately retrieved the tie pin from the case and began wrapping it with care.

Serina watched the process, her eyes sparkling like starlight.

“Whoever receives that is going to be so pleased!”

“I would think so.”

Olga gave her a small smile.

Serina was Leod’s person — she would undoubtedly report today’s outing to him.

‘I wonder what Leod will think.’

Leod already knew she had a childhood friend named Edward.

He had told her she was free to see him whenever she liked — but out of consideration for her position as a duchess and for him as her husband, Olga had kept her distance from Edward.

And what had that consideration earned her? Betrayal.

‘So what expression will you make, Leod?’

Purchasing a man’s accessory openly, right in front of Serina — that was her small act of revenge.

Not that Leod, who was carrying on with another woman, would spare it a second thought.

“Here you are.”

“Thank you.”

The owner held out the prettily wrapped gift box, and Olga paid before climbing into the waiting carriage with Serina.

The moment she was inside, she cracked the window open slightly.

As the carriage set off, a cool breeze came drifting in through the gap.

“Haah.”

Olga drew in a long, deep breath of fresh air, and a comfortable smile spread across her lips.

Having seen Edward and asked for his help, she felt as though she could finally breathe again.

‘Now, if only I can conceive Liet properly…….’

With a feeling that everything might just work out, she let herself enjoy a quiet moment of rest.

But that rest was not to last.

* * *

“It looks like you had a pleasant outing.”

Olga had arrived back at the Morvant estate and was on her way to her room when a voice came from behind her — carrying, unmistakably, a hint of a sulk.

She turned around slowly.

It was Leod.

“……Leod.”

“I wish I could have come along.”

“We can go together next time.”

Olga smiled — only the corners of her mouth, her expression cool.

“I’m tired, and I’d like to rest alone a little longer today.”

She gathered her purchases close and slipped away from him, all but fleeing.

Left suddenly alone, he blinked several times.

Something was off. He hadn’t done anything wrong — and yet Olga’s manner was colder than the winter that had once blanketed the Duchy of Morvant.

“Ol——.”

Watching her retreating figure grow smaller, he let his outstretched hand drop.

She had already disappeared into her room.

‘Why on earth…….’

Why had she changed like this?

Tilting his head, puzzled, Leod caught Serina’s eye as she moved to follow Olga — and with a single look, redirected her.

She changed course immediately.

“Serina, would you bring some refreshments to my study?”

“Yes, of course. Your Grace.”

Serina dipped into a bow and headed straight for the kitchen, gathered a simple spread of refreshments, and carried them into Leod’s study.

He was pacing in restless circles, waiting for her.

“Serina.”

The very first thing Leod asked when he greeted Serina was——

“Is there anything I might have done to hurt Olga’s feelings?”

He was trying to figure out what he could possibly have done wrong.

“Pardon?”

Her eyes blinked rapidly.

“To Her Grace? I can’t imagine so.”

“And yet something feels off. She seems to be avoiding me. Have you not noticed anything different about her?”

“Hmm…….”

Serina pressed her lips together and thought for a moment.

Now that he mentioned it, perhaps there was something.

Out of nowhere, Olga had given her a bonus — and then there was the matter of sending her to order a pile of breads from Luca Bakery, despite not even having much of a sweet tooth herself.

“There have been some things a little out of the ordinary…….”

But the seriousness faded from her expression, and her smile returned.

“My feeling is — she must be planning a surprise.”

“A surprise?”

“Yes. We went to a jewelry boutique today, and she bought a men’s tie pin. With the most beautiful smile on her face.”

Serina clapped her hands together and laughed, bright and guileless as a child.

“A lovely emerald tie pin. Who else could it possibly be for but Your Grace?”

“A surprise…… gift.”

He had been in low spirits all day — the thought that she might have been preparing a gift for him hadn’t crossed his mind once.

Leod ran a hand back through his hair, his expression caught somewhere between surprise and something softer.

“Then I’d better prepare something in return. I can’t very well receive a gift empty-handed.”

“That does seem wise, doesn’t it? Her Grace will be so pleased!”

“So — do you happen to know what kind of jewels Olga likes?”

For all that theirs had been a love match, there was still much about Olga he didn’t know.

Leod wanted to give her the very best he could.

That was why he had assigned Serina — known throughout the estate as the sharpest and most amiable of the staff — to attend to Olga. Learning what she liked had been an added benefit.

“Of course. Her Grace…….”

The two of them continued in hushed conversation for quite some time after that.

But what neither of them knew was this.

At the far end of the corridor, Olga had been standing — watching the room they had gone into.

For a very long time.