004.

The sounds of hoofbeats and wheels mingled together, pounding the road before gradually subsiding. A slightly tired-looking noblewoman stepped down from the carriage door held open by a servant.

“Thank you for bringing me home.”

“Not at all, madam.”

Radilt greeted the coachman and servant before entering her house. She gazed briefly at the fully bloomed peonies in her arms before going upstairs to her bedroom.

Where should I display these peonies?

Having received flowers without fail every time she met Pendlore, the previous flowers hadn’t even withered yet. She wondered if she should start giving them to neighbors at this rate.

‘……’

Radilt let out a small sigh as she grasped her bedroom doorknob.

For some reason, she disliked the idea. Despite being someone without greed, she was reluctant to give away flowers prepared purely for her.

Does material desire emerge even when there was none before? Does greed blossom alongside the gifts one keeps receiving?

Radilt opened the door with a bitter smile. Then she froze in place.

The room was a mess.

The wardrobe wide open, boxes scattered, packaging materials strewn about, and drawers half pulled out. It looked like a thief had rummaged through everything and left.

“A thief……!”

Radilt, who reflexively tried to scream, quickly shut her mouth. This seemed strange for a thief’s work. While several items were missing, many remained untouched.

With trembling hands, Radilt placed the bouquet on the bed. Among the wardrobe full of clothes, particularly the thinner ones were missing. Light dresses suitable for the current season.

The same applied to hats and shoes. Those that might be slightly too warm for the current weather or didn’t match well remained intact.

Meanwhile, accessories that weren’t particularly seasonal had almost all disappeared. Only a few relatively modest silver ornaments rolled around in the corner of the otherwise empty jewelry box.

No way.

Radilt bit her lower lip. It couldn’t be her sister-in-law. Erite was taller and bigger than Radilt, so neither clothes nor shoes would fit her. Last time, she had only taken a few pieces of jewelry. But there was one more woman in the house, a woman with a similar build to Radilt.

Her mother-in-law, Merdea.

But. Surely not. Would her mother-in-law really rummage through her daughter-in-law’s wardrobe? Would she take her daughter-in-law’s clothes to wear herself?

She wished it had been a thief instead. She wanted to believe someone had stolen only the clothes that would sell well at this time of year.

Just then, with a clatter, the sound of a door opening and closing came from downstairs. Radilt went down the stairs in a trance. Halfway down, she caught sight of Merdea entering the living room.

“……!”

A splendid red dress wrapped around that slender body, impressive for her age. Ruby-studded accessories adorned her upswept hair, silver jewelry on her arms and neck, and black silk shoes on her feet. She had dressed herself meticulously from head to toe.

With her head held high like a queen, she looked up at the stairs, regarding her daughter-in-law with nonchalance. Radilt’s hands gripped the railing tightly.

“……Mother.”

“Why do you look at me with those eyes.”

Merdea raised the corner of her red-painted lips. Her face, with few wrinkles, showed not a trace of embarrassment.

“Instead of saying it suits me well, or how fortunate the dress fits.”

“……That dress.”

And those accessories, those shoes.

“I received them as gifts.”

“So what?”

Radilt’s mother-in-law snorted coldly. Her shameless gaze, showing no sign of remorse, made Radilt’s shoulders shrink instead.

“If Lushen were alive.”

With those words, Radilt’s eyes, which had been meeting Merdea’s, dropped downward. Her head fell limply.

“Couldn’t he have given his mother a dress like this? He was a child destined for greatness. Talented and hardworking. So if it weren’t for you.”

If you hadn’t married him. If he hadn’t brought home a country girl claiming she was his wife.

“I wouldn’t have even glanced at clothes worn by a daughter-in-law. Lushen would have given me new dresses, new shoes, even necklaces decorated with gold. He would have given me plenty of gifts.”

“……”

“But you!”

How dare you. Merdea’s voice grew loud like a striking thunderbolt. She glared fiercely, like a guard facing a vile criminal.

“You dare blame me with the same mouth that took my precious son? Rather than apologizing for making me pick up clothes you’ve worn and discarded, what’s with that disrespectful look?”

“……I’m sorry.”

Radilt bowed her head even deeper. The edge of her lips, reddened from being bitten, trembled slightly.

“I…… misspoke. I was wrong, Mother.”

“What an impudent girl. Truly ill-mannered.”

Merdea coldly spat out these words before turning away. The moment her mother-in-law entered her bedroom, Radilt’s legs, which had barely been supporting her, gave out. She collapsed onto the stairs, curling up and closing her eyes tightly.

In this household, she was an eternal sinner. Unless Lushen, her dead husband, came back to life, she would remain so forever.

Under a long, deep breath, the trembling of her slender shoulders gradually subsided. Radilt slowly rose to her feet. With a ghost-like pale face, she stared at the spot where Merdea had stood.

I did something unnecessary. Said something stupid. I should have pretended not to know. That’s what I’ve always done until now.

Pretending not to see even when seeing, pretending not to hear even when hearing. With a mouth that never uttered a word, quietly, obediently, like the dead.

From her mother-in-law’s perspective, she was nothing more than a widow. Someone who should have followed her husband in death but hadn’t.

Creeak, the staircase screamed in Radilt’s place beneath her feet. She had momentarily forgotten, seeing Merdea’s slightly yielding attitude after her relationship with Pendlore became known. Wearing expensive dresses, she must have foolishly imagined herself to be a real noblewoman.

Her circumstances, her position. How truly foolish.

Radilt returned to her bedroom. The peonies still filled the room with their fragrant presence. She quietly closed the door and began tidying up.

Restacking collapsed boxes and hanging discarded dresses in the wardrobe. Between these tasks, several missing dresses and accessories flickered before her eyes.

‘That red dress……’

When she had worn it out to Lady Fond’s. At that time, Pendlore’s eyes had clearly held admiration.

Though Radilt had maintained an unaffected, calm, and indifferent attitude, she couldn’t deny feeling somewhat elated inside. She had thought she must be somewhat worthy if such a man would look at her that way.

And the apricot-colored dress. The outfit from the day she had that unpleasant incident with Saldat, but also felt Pendlore’s unintentional kindness.

After the remaining two months passed, these would all be memories to throw away. Memories not worth keeping. So it’s fine. It doesn’t matter.

That’s how it should have been.

“……Ugh.”

Radilt bit her lip hard. She felt disappointed and sad. When her sister-in-law took her accessories and hats, she hadn’t felt any regret. But now, one corner of her heart ached with emptiness.

‘Why am I thinking like this? How can I be like this already?’

There would be nothing to gain from easily giving her affection. She should forget this rude and indifferent man as soon as possible.

Radilt shook her head vigorously. She told herself it was actually good that the dresses were taken. She needed to come to her senses now, to harden her heart.

Like that tender spring rain passing by. She must let it go without leaving a trace.

* * *

In one corner of Pendlore’s study sat a vase of fully bloomed peonies. It seemed the flowers he had ordered bought for Radilt were so abundant that they decorated even his study.

Fingers that maintained aristocratic elegance despite experiencing rough times slowly caressed the thin, soft petals.

Would that woman, as she said, display these flowers in her bedroom? Would she look at these flowers when closing her eyes and opening them?

The corner of Pendlore’s tightly closed lips rose faintly. She tried so hard not to yield even once, but became docile when frightened on horseback. Yet she quickly adapted to riding. For someone trembling so much, she performed admirably well.

“Radilt Brill.”

He placed the name softly on his tongue. Perhaps because flower fragrance seeped between his breaths, it tasted quite sweet.

The woman he had impulsively caught for her summer-green eyes proved more useful and interesting than expected. She still had that annoying habit of being unexpectedly fussy in strange places, but he could overlook it for now. She was a good enough woman.

If the contract period ended well, perhaps he would gift her a decent mansion. Her house was far too old and shabby.

‘I can’t let a woman who stood by my side live in such conditions.’

Along with a stable to raise the gentle mare. A small garden to plant flowers would be nice too.

Imagining the woman who would live quietly under the nameplate of Pendlore Duston’s former lover, he felt quite satisfied, and the man’s lips curved into a deeper arc.

Knock knock

Then came a polite knocking sound.

“Come in.”

With the master’s permission, butler Roil entered. He bowed his head respectfully.

“Master.”

Approaching Pendlore, Roil relayed a piece of news that had arrived. The blue-gray eyes opened slightly.

“Is it already that time?”

The end of spring, the beginning of summer. Pendlore thought of Radilt, who would be arranging peonies right now. A woman who would soon become busy.

* * *