Divorce Begins with Remarriage - ✿ dusk blossoms ✿

Terenzio and Berenice’s rooms were close to each other.

But Terenzio clung to Berenice’s leg, reluctant to part even for a moment.

“Mom, I’ll see you again soon!”

“Of course.”

Nodding like a puppy, Terenzio made another promise.

“I’ll be the one guiding you around the castle tomorrow. There’s probably no one else who knows this castle as well as I do.”

“If you do that, I’ll be grateful. I’m counting on you.”

“Yes!”

After securing that promise, Terenzio, with eyes filled with lingering regret, ran off to change quickly and fulfill his determination to come back to Berenice.

Selphine opened the door to Berenice’s bedroom.

“Wow…”

Selphine exclaimed in awe. If Berenice hadn’t been so reserved, she might have exclaimed along with her. The combination of elegance and grace, along with beauty, was evident from the wallpaper to the placement of decorations.

Among the rooms Berenice had used so far, this one could be said to stand out as exceptionally nice.

Berenice entered, taking off her outer garments. If she had still been a fifteen-year-old girl, she would have jumped onto that bed that looked so soft at first glance.

Berenice sat on the bed.

“Hmm…”

A sound unintentionally escaped her.

What were these items in this noble room made of…? It felt like all my fatigue would melt away as soon as I lay down.

“Oh my. Madam, you should change your clothes first.”

“It seems difficult to get up from this bed…”

“Tsk. You’re acting like a child. Still, it’s fortunate that the atmosphere in this castle seems good, right?”

“Yeah…”

“You’ll only have good things ahead of you.”

To prove Selphine’s words, the festive atmosphere in the ducal estate reached its peak at the banquet.

With their glasses raised, everyone burst into bright laughter. The smell of delicious food, and sweet drinks, along with orange-colored lights, created an atmosphere where everyone could feel happy.

“Today’s greatest contributor seems to have been the chef. Pamelo, thank you for preparing today’s banquet.”

“No need to thank me… Madam, I’m actually grateful. After that incident, I thought the Duke wouldn’t love anyone…”

At Pamelo’s words, the head maid and the butler pinched his side.

“You’re talking nonsense on a good day. Madam, please don’t listen to him. He’s just talking nonsense out of joy.”

Pamelo coughed awkwardly at the sudden attack. He realized from Roberto’s gaze that he had made a mistake and chuckled awkwardly. But everyone noticed it.

“Haha, Madam. I misspoke… Oh, Madam, what kind of food do you enjoy? You can get all the ingredients here. There are skilled chefs here! If you wish, we can even catch fresh deer right away.”

“Um…”

Berenice, who had been too distracted to speak due to her busy mind, finally spoke up.

“I’m not picky. My father owns a merchantry, so I don’t think there’s any food I haven’t tried. So I don’t need to worry about it.”

“Hmm. You have no preferences! Then let Pamelo show you paradise. Just trust me.”

“Thank you, Pamelo.”

Seeing the people looking troubled, they didn’t ask any more questions. But Berenice’s heart still bore the deep scar of the past.

‘What happened?’

Although they seemed harmonious, strangely, everyone in the ducal castle, except for the key figures, seemed to be under thirty years old. Working in such a prestigious family was considered an honor, and the castle atmosphere seemed pleasant enough not to give that position up.

Subtle doubts crept into Berenice’s mind.

She glanced briefly at Roberto, who was mingling with people with a smile on his face. Roberto, who noticed her gaze like a ghost, met her eyes. Berenice’s figure was clearly reflected in Roberto’s deep golden eyes.

It was a sincere and trustworthy gaze.

Once again, Berenice comforted herself.

‘Roberto is different from Cornell.’

Set aside past events for now, Berenice. If he is such a reliable man, he will surely answer your questions without avoiding them. There must be a reason why he’s kept things secret until now.

That’s it.

But Berenice could not help but forget about her worries quickly. It was because Terenzio, who had stuck by her side, never stopped talking all along.

“Grandpa Butler is so smart and knows everything, Mom. And the chef really likes chocolate, so sometimes he makes lots of chocolate bread and shares it with people in the castle. And the head maid is really good at knitting!”

He continued to chatter with tired eyes.

As though Berenice would disappear by tomorrow, he stuck by her side like he was glued to her.

Berenice patted Terenzio’s shoulder.

Looking at Berenice, the small face that had been smiling began to nod off little by little. Those who noticed that Terenzio was gradually falling asleep hushed their voices. Even though he was called a wolf, Terenzio was still a young boy. He must have been tired.

“Come on. Didn’t I tell you to sleep in your room?”

Roberto lifted Terenzio gently with a slight reprimand. But his teasing voice was so full of affection that it didn’t seem like he was scolding him at all. His gentle touch on Terenzio’s forehead seemed affectionate.

Berenice also stood up alongside him.

“I should probably get up too.”

“Oh, you should rest, Madam.”

“Right. Thank you so much for today. See you again tomorrow.”

Berenice followed behind Roberto with light steps. There was something she had to do before going to sleep.

She planned to write a letter to her father, who was probably unable to sleep this time, thinking about the daughter he sent far away. She wanted to fill it with sincerity that was hard to express while looking at his face.

***

It was the same for Bilter Dante, who was grabbing an unfamiliar pen.

In fact, even though the pen was like an extension of his body that he didn’t let go of all day, trying to write a letter to Berenice felt unfamiliar.

But it was harder to speak than to write a letter. That’s why he couldn’t say anything to Berenice when she left for the Cyrilov Duchy.

Before the wedding, all he could do was silently watch his daughter in her wedding dress. How could he convey anything with just that look in his eyes?

Bilter’s regret, apology, and deep affection were not properly conveyed to Berenice. It would have been good to have a wise wife at a time like this.

Bilter’s eyes darkened.

She was a wise wife. Whenever Bilter felt lost like this, she always told him what he needed to do and say. Instead of Bilter, who couldn’t act due to embarrassment, she would have surely hugged Berenice tightly.

No, if he had a wife, perhaps Livio and Berenice wouldn’t have gotten married in the first place.

Livio was never to his liking from the beginning.

But because Berenice liked him, he reluctantly allowed it. But that damn guy, what did he do to Berenice? In the end, he tormented her, made her cry, and hurt her.

If only he had a wise wife…

Bilter bit his cigar in frustration. When was it that he started smoking again? Was it when Berenice returned after divorcing Livio?

No, that wasn’t it either.

It was when Bilter realized that there was nothing more he could do for Berenice that he took the cigar back into his hands.

And he still couldn’t let it go. Perhaps until the day Berenice became happy, Bilter wouldn’t be able to let go of the cigar or even sleep properly.

Like a sinner.

They say parents always become sinners in front of their children.

Bilter repeatedly picked up and put down the pen without even realizing it himself. Then, after taking a deep breath, he slowly wrote Berenice’s name at the top of the letter.

「My beloved daughter, Berenice.」

He hoped to finish the letter by the time this sleepless night ended and began moving his hand slowly. Even the dots and commas contained numerous emotions.

When Bilter placed the final period, dawn was already breaking.

「My beloved daughter, I love you.」

Bilter buried his tired face in his hands.

***

Berenice opened the door leading to the balcony.

Writing the letter wasn’t that difficult. She did it that way because she thought she could reassure her father by simply conveying what she felt and saw here.

When Berenice finished the letter she would send and tidied up her place, the rustling wind outside tempted her with its sound and beautiful starlight.

It was why she had been drawn to the balcony, enchanted. The wine she had drunk as a congratulatory toast at the banquet seemed to be rising slightly. Giving herself over to the wind, she felt a refreshing sensation seep into her chest.

Then Roberto entered the balcony.

“Ah.”

Berenice held her hair, which was swaying in the wind, with her hand.

“Has Terenzio fallen asleep?”

It was a simple question, but Roberto couldn’t answer easily.

This was the Cyrilov Duchy. It wasn’t as splendid as a capital city, and people who had fallen asleep early had already finished their day with streetlights illuminating the streets for a long time.

Other than the dim light of streetlights illuminating the street, there was only moonlight and starlight.

And the rustling wind as well.

Swooosh…

The wind played with the fresh blue leaves.

Berenice’s face, subtly smiling, stood out and caught his eye.

Perhaps it was due to the relaxing atmosphere or maybe because she was lulled into a false sense of security by familiarity. Over and over again, Berenice was in his view.

Even though there was a line drawn between her and Roberto by a contract, constantly, secretly, he kept watching Berenice. Knowing it was impolite.