“Milady! Are you leaving already?”

“Yes. It looks like the snow came unexpectedly, so I think we’ll be delayed.”

“Haven’t you been far too busy lately?”

“That’s right. If you were to collapse from exhaustion, we’d be scolded by His Grace.”

“Hehe. I’ll be extra careful, then.”

Selina smiled and put on her coat in response to the servants’ anxious questions.

It had been a considerable amount of time since she had returned to the grand ducal castle.

Initially, she had been followed wherever she went by sharp, unwelcoming gazes. But those looks were the result of her own choices. She had made mistakes, and she accepted the consequences that came with them.

Having come to this realization, Selina quietly fulfilled her duties day after day, waiting patiently for the people of Thalia to accept her once more.

Perhaps that was why.

Before she knew it, the hostility that had once been directed at her had softened. She even reached a point where she could exchange light-hearted jokes with her loved ones — a change that still felt almost unreal.

There were still nights when fear crept in, making sleep elusive. But enduring that was not difficult. After all, she had a beloved child who made every moment of her life feel precious.

“Roche?”

After putting on her coat, Selina looked around.

The little girl who had been following her closely just moments ago had disappeared.

She cast a questioning glance at the servants, but they avoided her gaze.

Judging by the situation, the little prankster must have wanted to play a trick on her mother again.

“Well then. Where could Roche be?”

Selina placed her hands on her hips and scanned her surroundings.

At that moment, she caught sight of a tuft of golden hair sticking out from a wall, but it swiftly vanished from view.

‘There you are.’

A smile spread across Selina’s lips.

“Hmm. I have no idea where she could be.”

Feigning ignorance, she tilted her head exaggeratedly and walked toward the wall where Roche was hiding.

“Let’s see. Roche should be around—”

She planned to sneak up as if she knew nothing, then surprise Roche with a ‘There you are?’ once she found her.

“Here you—”

But her plan went awry.

The hair peeking out from behind the wall was indeed golden—but it was far too tall and broad to belong to Roche.

“Hic!”

Startled by the unexpected sight, Selina gasped so sharply that she hiccupped.

“You’re more surprised than I expected. Did you do something wrong while I was gone?”

He looked amused by the situation, a faint smile curving his lips.

Selina narrowed her eyes and shot Calix a glare.

“Didn’t you say you’d be away for several days?”

“I did.”

“Then why are you here now?”

“I stopped by for a moment. I had some time.”

“But just yesterday, you said we wouldn’t see each other for three days—”

“I thought I’d be fine not seeing you for about three days. Turns out, I wasn’t.”

His tone sounded almost petulant, and in the end, a smile formed on Selina’s lips as well.

“What if other people scold you for that?”

“I already got an earful on my way here. It was heartwarming to see how many people around me want me to live a long life.”

“Th—then you should hurry back!”

“No.”

Calix lifted her hand and pressed a lingering kiss to the back of it.

“I missed you.”

As his lips touched her cold skin, the warmth felt all the more intense. The sensation was as though he were leaving a deep mark behind, and her face flushed.

“W-what if someone sees us?”

As Selina glanced around and tried to pull her hand away—

“Aww, how cuuute.”

From behind Calix came a clear, high voice, bright as a canary’s song.

“Mom and Dad are dating!”

It was Roche, now five years old.

As their daughter suddenly popped out from hiding, Selina stepped back, her face burning red.

“It’s—it’s late. We have to go, so let’s hurry. You should go too!”

In front of a child just as shameless as her father, the only thing she could do was change the subject.

***

“If it’s this secluded, it should be fine to set off the fireworks, right?”

“Yes, milady. There’s no dense forest nearby, so there’s no risk of fire spreading.”

Selina headed to the festival grounds with Roche, where the celebrations would soon begin.

The old year was drawing to a close, and the new year was fast approaching.

In Thalia, a grand festival was held at the start of every year — a time to say goodbye to the past and welcome the future with renewed determination. During the celebrations, the square was filled with countless stalls and vibrant decorations brightened every corner.

The most anticipated event was the night of the fireworks. On the final evening of the festival, the dark sky was lit up with stunning explosions of light. Those who had witnessed the spectacle even once said it was impossible to forget.

‘It really was beautiful.’

Selina also wanted to show Roche that place.

Now that she had turned five, she thought she might remember it more clearly than when she was a toddler and didn’t understand anything.

“Mom! The lake is already completely frozen!”

But Roche didn’t seem interested at all.

The child was completely absorbed in staring at the lake, frozen solid.

“Roche, come here.”

Ever since she was a baby, her daughter had been full of curiosity.

In truth, that was what worried Selina the most.

While curiosity is generally a good thing, Roche’s was so intense that she would engage in dangerous behavior without hesitation.

“Look! We can even ride sleds down from up there!”

The child, seemingly unafraid, was already trying to step onto the surface of the lake.

“Roche. I told you to come here.”

“Heh, heh. It’s all right, milady. It gets so cold at this time of year that children often play on the frozen lake.”

The old man, who had been explaining the explosives and the site, tried to reassure Selina. However, she remained unmoved.

“Roche!”

She was just about to shout to frighten the child and call it back when she heard a strange cracking sound.

The ice beneath Roche’s feet began to fracture and spread with the threat of giving way. Only then did the child realize that something was wrong and freeze on the spot.

“Roche!”

Selina’s face drained of color.

Without looking back, she rushed towards Roche and lifted the child into her arms.

This allowed Roche to make it back onto solid ground, but Selina did not.

The moment her foot touched the lake’s surface, the ice broke and her leg plunged beneath it.

Her body sank into the icy water below in an instant.

“Waaah—!”

From above the lake came Roche’s panicked cries as she stamped helplessly in place.

“Mommy…”

Roche sobbed beside Selina, who had lost consciousness. He didn’t know what to do.

Fortunately, the lake was not deep, and the old man pulled Selina out immediately.

However, Selina did not regain consciousness easily. Ultimately, even after two full days had passed, she was still unable to get out of bed.

“Sir Sion… what should we do? This is my fault.”

Tears welled up in Roche’s large eyes, violet like pansies, so similar to Selina’s.

Watching her, Sion spoke in a casual tone.

“Heh, heh. It’s all right, milady. It gets so cold at this time of year that children often play on the frozen lake.”

‘She survived being swept away by rapids,’ he swallowed the rest of the thought and looked at Selina.

In truth, despite what he said, her unusually pale face made him uneasy.

Surviving the rapids all those years ago had been pure luck.

Hadn’t she suffered severe aphasia as a result?

He couldn’t help but worry that she might get hurt again.

“What if something happens…”

Sion wasn’t the only one worried about Selina.

At one point, Calliope stepped up beside Roche, fidgeting with her fingers and looking concerned.

Seeing the aunt and niece with the same worried expression on their faces made the air feel strangely suffocating.

“She’ll be all right. So the two of you should go inside and get some rest.”

Seeing how worried they were, Sion thought that Selina herself would be uncomfortable lying there unable to rise.

So he was about to leave, keeping only the maid assigned to tend to Selina—

When…

“Huh? Selina just moved her hand!”

“Mom moved!”

Calliope and Roche cried out at the same time.

‘She’s waking up?’

Sion’s eyes widened as he looked at Selina.

They were right.

The fingers of Selina’s hand—until now limp and motionless—twitched ever so slightly.

“Mm…”

A faint groan finally slipped from between her lips.

“Selina!”

“Mom—!”

Just as the two of them rushed toward Selina at the same time—

Bang!

The door flew open, and someone hurried inside.

“Selina?”

The man with the sweaty hair was none other than Calix Silas, the Grand Duke of Thalia.

He wasn’t expected back until tomorrow at the earliest, so he must have been very impatient.

Breathing heavily, he rushed in and went straight over to Selina’s limp body.

Perhaps sensing her husband’s return, she slowly opened her eyes.

“Selina.”

Calix’s face had gone deathly pale. Seeing her bloodless, rigid features must have shaken him badly.

“I told you.”

Murmuring the words, he brushed her cheek gently.

“To be careful… not to do anything dangerous—”

At that moment, Selina shrank back from his touch, fear flickering across her face, and opened her mouth.

“W-who… are you?”

A cold, heavy silence settled over the room.