Learning this now, she realized she had no strength left even to move a finger.

She should be angry, but her rage had grown so enormous that she couldn’t do anything.

It was similar to flailing helplessly in a violent storm.

Before seeing his face, she’d planned to pour out every ounce of anger she had, but actually confronting him taught her that anger too required strength to express.

Without a single spark left to throw on dry kindling, how could she get angry?

Just when she thought forcing it wouldn’t work, the butler came to the sickbed.

“Madam, the master has sent word that he’ll be home late.”

At those words, she tilted her head. Did she really need to know this? Since when did he bother informing her?

“Whether he comes late or not, what does it have to do with me?”

“Pardon?”

“Since when has he cared for me so attentively?”

If he’d been so concerned, he shouldn’t have created this situation in the first place.

“Now… I’m done with these childish games.”

How long must she be caught up in this?

It made her shudder. Thea decided to get up from her swaying body and go see Margaret instead. It was about time for dinner anyway.

Better to enjoy herself there than waste time here.

That would clearly be better in many ways.

* * *

A week had passed since learning the shocking truth.

During that time, Acel hadn’t cast even a shadow at the estate, which was actually fortunate for Thea. If she’d seen him while her emotions were still unsettled, wouldn’t she have thrown away all dignity and wailed while pounding the ground?

The time she’d wasted being deceived by them was too precious.

Starting from that day, when she retraced everything she’d examined so far, she discovered secrets hidden everywhere that she hadn’t known at the time.

The answers had been there all along in the temple and old tomes she’d heard about while at the Yut estate—how inattentive had she been?

It would be a lie to say nothing like this had happened before.

“Was the inattentive one… me? Not him?”

She recalled what he’d said to her when she returned here. Had he apologized for being indifferent?

What had she answered then?

She definitely hadn’t responded in a kind tone.

Thea furrowed her brow deeply, trying to revive the faint memory. She needed to examine what emotions he’d conveyed through those casually dismissed words.

But it was an emotion not easily grasped. They say those who’ve caught something before catch it better. For Thea, who didn’t know how to understand his heart, it was utterly clumsy.

Then going to meet him directly wouldn’t be bad either.

“If I meet him and see his face…”

An answer might emerge. It seemed time to observe what expression he wore and how he treated her.

Thea shook the neatly placed bell pull to summon a maid or butler.

Before long, a maid came in with quick steps.

“I need to go out for a bit.”

“Where are you planning to go?”

To the maid asking about her destination, Thea couldn’t answer immediately. She didn’t know where he was.

“Where’s the butler?”

“He’s managing the garden trees. The gardener said it was a difficult decision and needed the butler’s advice.”

“It is about time to organize the garden. I was frowning at how poorly maintained it looked.”

“So you’re saying it’s worked out well?”

“Probably so. Still, there might be awkward parts… I should go scold them directly.”

“It happens to be your walking time, so it should be fine.”

Using the maid’s gentle chattering as company, she picked up the coat hanging on the rack.

Then she moved toward the garden without bringing the maid along.

Fortunately, the garden wasn’t far from Thea’s room. Upon arriving at the garden after a short walk, she took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

How long had it been since she came to the garden?

Strangely, she rarely came this way for walks. Even if it was a bit farther, she’d walked in the opposite direction.

Though it wasn’t a particularly strange or problematic place.

Thanks to that, unable to shake off the awkwardness, she looked around and could see the butler giving instructions not far away.

He must have been out quite early—the garden trimming seemed almost finished.

The gardener was only trimming leaves with small scissors.

“Butler.”

At her call, the butler jumped in surprise and looked at Thea.

“Madam, what brings you all the way here?”

“I came because I was curious where the Count is.”

To Thea seeking Acel’s whereabouts, the butler showed a slightly puzzled expression but quickly composed himself.

“The master is still staying at the Grand Duke’s estate. It seems urgent business has arisen and he can’t easily get away.”

“Really? He’s at the Grand Duke’s estate?”

“Yes, it’s also related to Count Yut, so he seems unable to move.”

At the butler’s explanation, Thea let out a small groan. Her father Count Yut should be returning soon, but she’d been slightly worried since there was no news.

But at the words that he was working for her father at the Grand Duke’s estate, cold sweat dripped down. Once she began to notice, truths that hadn’t been visible started creeping into view.

He hadn’t been wandering around like an idle playboy.

‘Always… he must have handled things like that.’

Without a single complaint. She could now understand what a tremendous thing that was.

Once something caught her eye, it caught endlessly.

In this sigh-inducing situation, Thea gulped.

Seeing this, the butler seemed puzzled and kept tilting his head.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, just… I’m concerned that he’s still staying at the Grand Duke’s estate.”

When she said she was concerned that he hadn’t come despite it being well past time to return to the estate, the butler gave off a nuance of understanding.

“Well, you have reason to worry. With the news from the Grand Duke’s estate being so ominous, it’s understandable that you’re troubled, Madam.”

“It’s that ominous?”

“Every night, there are countless people screaming.”

To the butler speaking like it was nothing, Thea’s anger surged. How could he have that reaction when he’d just said countless people were screaming?

At his tone showing not a shred of concern, silent outrage rose within her.

Outwardly pretending to care and cherish, but ultimately revealing his true feelings at the crucial moment.

In this family, not a single person loved or cherished him.

‘I too abandoned him.’

Only now could she see what she’d done. Just because he was consumed by madness didn’t mean she should have let go.

She should have praised him for moving this much while not in his right mind from the curse.

Belated regret came flooding in, but not knowing where to start untangling it, she swallowed the criticism toward the butler.

Then she spoke to the butler who seemed uninterested, like it was someone else’s business.

“I should go fetch the Count.”

“The master?”

“I can’t keep letting him stay at the Grand Duke’s estate. No matter how well they treat him, it’ll be more uncomfortable than home.”

“Well. It’s a family famous for entertainment, so there’s no need for you to go, is there?”

At those words, Thea’s expression turned cold. Who was it that just said screams could be heard every night?

But now saying not to worry because there’s plenty of entertainment?

Wasn’t the front and back too different? In this absurd reality, she no longer wanted to argue with the butler.

Anyway, she’d achieved her reason for seeking the butler, so there was no need to waste time here.

Thea roughly turned her body without lingering and began leaving the garden. Though she felt the butler’s staring gaze from behind, she absolutely didn’t look back.

She only bit her glossy lips painfully.

Once she began feeling the strangeness, uncontrollable emotions became a whirlwind sweeping through.

Eventually, when she reached the end, it was after raising both hands to tear at her hair.

She wanted to pull out all the stiff hair. The hair he’d grabbed when she brought up divorce throbbed and caused pain.

A scar that couldn’t exist seemed to become phantom pain.

In that reality, Thea burst into bitter laughter. What a ridiculous sight.

Was she trying to apologize now?

When she was the one who’d driven him away time and again when he tried to approach?

“If you had any conscience, you couldn’t do that.”

If even a speck of conscience remained, she couldn’t do that.

Right… If even a speck of emotion remained, she absolutely couldn’t do that.

Thea herself, them, and everyone else too.

* * *

Inside the reception room where cold air had settled thickly—

Acel, still bound and unable to move, only stared at the ticking clock.

A week had already passed since he’d last seen the face of the Grand Duchess, the family’s mistress.

It was now the seventh time he’d only heard that she’d come soon.

Each time, she hadn’t released him, using the excuse of being busy. Meanwhile, she also hadn’t sent Count Yut back to his estate.

‘She promised to release us… but seems to have completely forgotten.’

In this sigh-inducing situation, he leaned his back deeply into the plush leather sofa. Then he stared blankly at the slowly rotating ceiling fan.

One, two, three… and when countless rotations had occurred, the thought suddenly struck that he couldn’t keep sitting here any longer.

Shouldn’t he do something?

Killing time like this wasn’t like him. Just when he was about to confront the butler, saying his patience had reached its limit—

A faint sense of déjà vu grabbed his ankle. Like telling him not to move yet.

In this uncomfortable reality, he was just smacking his lips when he could quickly tell his choice had been right.

“Count.”

Thanks to the uninvited guest who arrived.

“What is it? You seem to be the Grand Duchess’s personal attendant.”

“Her Highness the Grand Duchess wishes for you to come to the atelier.”

“She’s finally returned, I see.”

“Actually, Her Highness asked me to tell you she’s sorry her outing was too long.”

At the apology that didn’t seem apologetic at all, he wore a sneering smile. He didn’t have a hobby of receiving bows while lying down, but it looked like he’d be receiving one.

Contrary to his churning insides, he followed the maid with an expressionless face. Before long, they arrived at the atelier, where he could see a chaotic scene—things unorganized because she’d bought so much.

At the center stood the Grand Duchess.

He took heavy steps, slowly but surely standing before the Grand Duchess.

“Your Highness.”

At his call, the Grand Duchess jumped in surprise and turned around.

“Oh my, you still haven’t returned to your estate?”

“I couldn’t leave because the business I needed to handle isn’t finished yet.”

At the words that business remained, the Grand Duchess furrowed her brow deeply, showing displeasure. She’d clearly understood what he meant.

Yet he remained unconcerned, wearing silence on his lips.

In an atmosphere suggesting he wouldn’t back down easily, the Grand Duchess let out a deep sigh. She instinctively knew she couldn’t avoid this.

“Fine, let’s go over there and finish the conversation we couldn’t have last time.”

“That’s what I hoped for.”

“You won’t need tea, will you?”

“No, I’ve had enough while waiting to be sick of it.”

What they needed wasn’t tea but closure. Having sat down with an empty table between them, the two only observed each other’s expressions.