Chapter 4.13

“I only called you here to express my wish that you pay some attention to the matter of producing an heir. That’s all I wanted to discuss.”  

Her gaze soon settled on Solnia.  

“I understand that you grew up under the care of the Dowager Madame, but the fact that there hasn’t been a child in the year since your marriage is bound to raise some questions. It’s something I’m beginning to worry about as well. Do you understand what I’m saying?”  

“…Yes, Madame.”  

‘You grew up under the care of the Dowager Madame.’ That statement implied that Solnia’s conservative upbringing could serve as an excuse to smooth over the current situation.  

Should I consider this a relief? 

Solnia wasn’t sure.  

“This might seem like a personal question…”  

The Duchess spoke slowly, her gaze shifting between her son and daughter-in-law.  

“Have the two of you been fighting?”  

“…What?”  

“The maids mentioned that you have been avoiding each other lately.”  

Hearing this, Solnia felt as if she had swallowed unbrewed tea. She had indeed been avoiding Luette Trovill since the hunting trip, but since they rarely crossed paths, she thought it wouldn’t be noticeable.  

This, too, had been a miscalculation. In hindsight, their act of pretending to be a harmonious couple was full of flaws.  

“Did Luette do something to disappoint you?”  

“No, it’s not that…”  

The Duchess was persistent, as if determined to hear an explanation.  

What excuse could she use for suddenly avoiding her husband? Considering past events, a minor quarrel or a lovers’ spat seemed like the best option.  

But how was she supposed to fabricate a lovers’ spat?  

“She’s upset with me.”  

The calm answer came from right beside her.  

“I promised to have dinner together no matter how busy I was, but I kept breaking that promise.”  

It was an astonishingly smooth response. One might even wonder if he had been married before.  

“As I always say—family should come first, no matter how busy you are, Lu. Isn’t that what I taught you?”  

“I’ve taken it to heart. That’s why I’ve planned an outing for this weekend.”  

At this point, Solnia couldn’t help but be curious about how far his lies would go. The one saving grace was that the Duchess seemed satisfied with his explanation.  

“I’m glad it’s nothing serious, but you should both be mindful of your behavior. There are many watching eyes.”  

“I believe the household servants are discreet. The same goes for the staff at the townhouse.”  

“Yes, they are discreet.”  

“……”  

“But they still have mouths, don’t they?”  

The light smile accompanying her ominous words was something Luette seemed familiar with, as he let out a resigned sigh.  

“Oh, by the way, I have something to discuss with Luette. Would you mind stepping out for a bit? It’s about his father.”  

Was the Duke’s condition worsening? 

Solnia nodded, thinking of the absent Duke.  

“Of course, take your time.”  

“Thank you.”  

After saying this, the Duchess stared at Solnia for a moment before offering an uncharacteristically warm smile.  

“Now that I think about it, you look much healthier than when I last saw you. I’m glad.”  

The rare smile carried a strange power. Though her words were merely about Solnia’s improved complexion, they felt like an acknowledgment that she had been observing her closely.  

Just like in the past, when there were people who cared enough to check if she was unwell.  

“…Thank you, Madame.”  

For that brief moment, her smile was genuine.  

***

When Solnia left the drawing room, some time had passed. If she had gone to the garden, she would probably be walking along the small hill path leading to the back garden by now.  

“Speak honestly.”  

The voice, now carrying a very different chill, was directed at Luette.  

“What is the problem?”  

“I’m not sure what you mean.”  

“This is no time for wordplay.”  

The usual sly expression on his face gradually disappeared. Luette let out a sigh, as if exasperated. He had thought it strange that she had spoken so lightly about the matter of an heir.  

“There’s no way you’re avoiding this. Is it Solnia’s decision?”  

“……”  

“Even if it’s about her, you know your own situation, don’t you?”  

My situation. My situation, huh. 

A hollow laugh escaped him unexpectedly. Was she talking about the situation in which he had suddenly become the heir, tarnishing his past life of peace and having his qualifications questioned?  

“Did you hear somewhere that the illness is hereditary?”  

“Sol…”  

Luette swallowed his words.  

In a way, it was a convenient excuse. ‘That’s correct. I’m delaying having an heir because they say my wife’s madness is hereditary. Shouldn’t I do something to cure her illness or whatever it takes? The heir of the House of Trovill shouldn’t be someone like that.’  

If he were to spout such nonsense, his mother would likely stop pressing him immediately.  

But he didn’t want to say it. For some reason, he just… really didn’t.  

“If that’s not the case, Lu, haven’t I always told you? This is your duty. It’s a responsibility you must bear as the heir to the House of Trovill.”  

“……”  

“Why don’t you understand that the days when you could live as you pleased are over?”  

It was unclear what meaning she took from his silence, but her sudden talk of duty continued.  

Duty. Damn that cursed duty.

He let out a deep sigh and fixed his olive-colored eyes, devoid of warmth, on his mother.  

“Do you really think I’m living as I please, Mother?”  

“……”  

At his flat tone, the Duchess bit her lip.  

“Are you suggesting that I force myself on my wife to fulfill my duties more perfectly?”  

“How could you say such a thing!”  

“I thought you might be telling me to do that, to ensure the continuation of the line.”  

“Luette Carter Trovill!”  

Finally, the Duchess’s sharp voice filled the drawing room. It was loud enough to startle the maids standing nearby, but Luette simply brushed his hair back with a calm expression, as if mocking her.  

“I just don’t understand. What more do you want from me?”  

*

Outside the drawing room, Solnia was greeted by the butler, Riven.  

“Would you like to take a walk in the garden, Young Madam? Or shall I assist you with a tour of the mansion?”  

Looking at him, still as polite as ever, Solnia thought to herself. Riven was now well past fifty. Though he still looked fit and healthy…  

“Would a tour of the mansion be better than a walk in the garden?”  

“My knees are still strong, I assure you.”  

At his confident reply, Solnia let out a small laugh.  

“I’ll take the tour. It’s been a while.”  

Like a proper gentleman, Riven placed one hand on his chest and stepped back with his right foot. Just as he had done when treating her as a young girl of six or seven. Solnia, in turn, gave him a slight curtsy.  

The two began walking slowly along the long gallery opposite the drawing room.  

Bright sunlight poured in through the diamond-shaped windows spaced evenly along the corridor. As Solnia watched the patches of sunlight fall intermittently on the long red carpet, she asked,  

“The carpet is the same color as before, isn’t it?”  

“Every social season, a red carpet is always laid out. It’s appropriately elegant and beautiful, don’t you think?”  

“That’s why I like it. It feels the same as back then.”  

Riven nodded, as if he understood her sentiment.  

“How is His Grace the Duke doing these days?”  

“Two days ago, he regained some strength and even took a walk with me. Please don’t worry too much.”  

That was reassuring to hear, but her heart still couldn’t rest easy. It had already been two years since he had been confined to a wheelchair. Judging by how often the Duchess sought out Luette, it seemed she was preparing herself mentally.  

As they chatted and strolled, the two soon stopped in front of a wall. It was the wall where the portraits of the heads of the Trovill family were displayed.  

The paintings, arranged at regular intervals, depicted the family members alongside the heads of the household.  

Solnia’s gaze naturally sought out Luette.  

At the very end of the wall hung a family portrait set against a dark green background. The family looked perfect. A young and dignified Duke, an elegant Duchess, a smiling young William, and a younger Luette Trovill.  

It was an image of Luette from a time slightly earlier than Solnia remembered. Perhaps he was around six or seven years old.  

Even at that young age, the child, who was rather pretty, stared out with a blank expression, as if displeased.  

Seeing that, a thought came to her mind.  

She remembered the portrait of herself in the exhibition room.  

“Did he ever enjoy painting?”  

At her question, Riven furrowed his brow slightly, as if searching his memory.  

“Well… the Young Master was more interested in swordsmanship than painting.”  

“Is that so?”  

That matched Solnia’s memory as well. She once again met the gaze of the defiant-looking child in the frame.  

She couldn’t figure him out. She had thought she knew Luette Trovill well enough, but…  

“By the way, Haziel isn’t in the painting, is he?”  

Realizing belatedly that the youngest, Haziel, was missing from the picture, Solnia asked.  

Riven gave a bitter smile and replied,  

“Unfortunately, there isn’t a portrait where all the family members are present.”  

“……”  

“They never got around to painting one before Young Master William passed away.”  

So that was why. That was why this frame was still hanging here. They couldn’t bring themselves to hang a portrait without William in it.  

Solnia had witnessed firsthand how much the Duke and Duchess of Trovill had loved their eldest son, William. Anyone would have felt the same with such a son—polite, gentle, and kind.  

At that moment, a servant approached Riven in hurried steps. After apologizing to Solnia, the servant whispered something to the butler, who seemed quite flustered.  

“Young Madam, I’m terribly sorry, but I must return to the drawing room.”  

“Is something wrong?”  

“No, it seems Madame has something for me to do. I apologize for not being able to continue the tour.”  

“It’s alright. I’ve enjoyed myself enough. Please, go ahead.”