Chapter 5

“You.”

Perhaps her throat had caught fire. Rowena rubbed the back of her heated neck with her palm before belatedly bringing her arms together.

Then, thinking that her posture looked too strange, she quickly hid her hands behind her back.

Strangely enough, she always ended up like this whenever she stood in front of Marquis Winderbane.

However, everyone who saw him, from young children to middle-aged ladies, tended to blush, so she did not feel particularly ashamed of her awkwardness.

Rowena pondered for a moment how to respond to his joke before murmuring softly.

“……I think you’ll have a difficult time taking me with you.”

“Do you think I came here without making preparations for that?”

The marquis chuckled and leisurely looked around.

After confirming that everyone was paying attention to him, he spoke in a slightly more serious tone.

“Actually, I came to meet Mr. George Miller.”

“Who is he?”

“A legendary businessman. Has word of him not reached this place yet?”

Rowena glanced at Baptiste Morin.

When their eyes met, Baptiste Morin shrugged as though he did not know either. Then he opened his notebook and wrote down the name George Miller.

Anything that came from the mouth of Edric Bernhardt, otherwise known as Marquis Winderbane, would soon become a rumor and spread into a new trend.

Judging by the commotion already beginning around them, Rowena was certain that it would happen again this time.

Marquis Winderbane gazed steadily down at Rowena for a while.

Then, as though they had never exchanged jokes, he gave a slight nod and went inside.

Rowena stared blankly at his enormous back before tilting her head.

Is the business partner Gerard is meeting today someone named George Miller?

“Apparently, a wealthy man named George Miller bought a villa in Erisvale.”

“So, where is he now?”

Indistinct whispers circulated among the people.

Edric, with one arm draped over the back of his chair, leisurely watched them.

By tomorrow, the rumors will have spread throughout Erisvale.

Words such as, “I heard you can become rich overnight if you listen to George Miller’s advice,” would cross the tables of teahouses, drift into the private boxes of theaters, and roll across card tables.

When Edric realized that he had returned to the past, he made several plans.

First, crush Gerard Rendel, that false gentleman.

As part of that plan, Edric had created a person named George Miller.

After all, he intended to thoroughly strip Gerard Rendel of everything he had.

When a man loses his money, honor is always next.

Therefore, his second plan was to expose the private life of Gerard Rendel, that damned bastard.

And naturally, the last thing to be brought to an end would be his life, wouldn’t it?

Only then would his lady obtain complete freedom.

Originally, Edric would not even listen to filthy words, and he never touched anything dirty with his bare hands, regardless of what it was.

His philosophy was that life was too short to adorn his body with all the precious things in the world.

But this time, instead of spending his short life as a good-for-nothing gentleman, he had resolved to devote himself to serving one woman.

If that was what it took, he would willingly step into the mud even while wearing a fine pair of handcrafted leather shoes.

While Edric was strengthening his resolve in this manner, the memorial service came to a successful conclusion.

“Thank you for honoring us with your presence.”

Rowena was seeing the guests off one by one, her eyes bloodshot.

Edric gazed silently at her pretty profile for a while before slipping out through the back door.

Beyond the white gravel path connected to the back door stretched a secluded trail.

Edric passed through the narrow arched gate leading to it as though it were his own home.

On either side of the trail were raised flower beds resembling small mounds, covered with waves of purple hyacinths.

In the middle of that flower-lined path, Edric spotted a familiar middle-aged woman.

It was Mrs. Beaumont, the cook.

The sight of the woman’s restless figure made Edric chuckle.

“Did you want to see me that badly?”

The woman flinched for a moment before running toward him with a delighted expression.

“Your Excellency!”

“How long has it been since we last saw each other for you to be crying? We met just a few days ago.”

“But you’re going to leave again. Every year, you only stay here for a few months before going away.”

“His Majesty the Emperor has summoned me, so I must go.”

Clear tears had gathered in Mrs. Beaumont’s round eyes.

Edric handed her a handkerchief with an air that was both casual and affectionate.

The woman sniffed the peach fragrance coming from the handkerchief before wiping away her tears.

“By the way, are you really that proud? Because the orphan boy you nursed has returned as a marquis?”

“Oh, that’s certainly part of it!”

“I am one of your achievements, after all. I’ve grown up so well and become this big and beautiful, haven’t I?”

The woman shook her head as though he were incorrigible.

Then she returned to her usual lively self and smiled brightly.

As her smile gradually faded, Edric spoke.

“I’d like you to personally take care of my lady’s meals. Don’t let Camillia Sabrin interfere in the kitchen. Of course, I know you’re already keeping a sharp eye on things, but please pay even closer attention.”

In his previous life, Camillia Sabrin had confessed that she had poisoned her mother-in-law and had also given Rowena the same poison.

Although those events would not occur until much later, he thought it would be better to make certain of things now.

Mrs. Beaumont readily nodded.

“Understood. As it happens, I prepared a tender veal dish today. Her Ladyship doesn’t seem to have much of an appetite lately.”

“Indeed. Her face has become so thin.”

“Then, Your Excellency, will you be returning to the imperial capital now?”

“I intend to stay here for the time being.”

“For how long?”

“Well, that depends on how quickly things work out.”

Although he had postponed his departure, Edric would eventually have to leave for Marsen.

Even if he stretched it as far as possible, he had only a couple of months.

But that would be enough time to lay the groundwork.

After that, Gerard Rendel would walk straight into the trap of his own accord.

And what should I do after that?

Should I propose to her again, as I did two years ago? Or……

Edric rubbed his mouth with an unusually restless hand.

He had devised a perfect plan for revenge, but for some reason, his thoughts about what would come afterward progressed slowly.

Perhaps that was because Rowena was the one who held the right to choose between the two of them.

“I need to serve Her Ladyship an early dinner. See you again, Your Excellency!”

With those words, Mrs. Beaumont eventually turned and left.

Rowena often took a walk in the garden after eating an early dinner.

It was a habit she had maintained since she was a tiny little lady, so if he waited here, he would be able to meet her.

“After all, I need to get her permission to thoroughly strip that husband of hers of everything.”

Edric strode toward a nearby elm tree and leaned his shoulder against it.

Time passed terribly slowly.

Time poured down as swiftly as a sudden shower.

Rowena made full use of the transparent time passing through her.

She sincerely thanked the visitors before immediately going upstairs to the study.

Her entire body felt exhausted, but when she thought of the tragedy that awaited her, she could not afford to rest even for a moment.

Her pale, plump fingers moved over the papers densely packed into the bookshelf.

From among them, Rowena pulled out several copies of a newspaper printed on unusually high-quality paper.

The newspaper, which bore the words Royal Gazette in large letters across the top, was a private newsletter published by Camillia.

Rowena was able to discover some very interesting facts in those newspapers.

January 8. My first morning in Baltan was a time to regain balance in my life.

From travel accounts like this, she learned that Camillia’s schedule had, quite coincidentally, overlapped with Gerard’s business trips.

Rodems’s poetry recital concluded with great success.

The love poem by Rodems printed beneath this article was one she had seen in the love letter Gerard had sent to Camillia.

The accessory showing the strongest signs of becoming fashionable this spring is undoubtedly pearls.

She remembered seeing the splendid pearl necklace and earring set featured in the fashion section among the pile of her husband’s receipts.

“You were desperate to make it obvious.”

The evidence of the affair that Rowena had discovered in her previous life had not been coincidental.

At the time, Rowena had gathered her courage and questioned Camillia.

Camillia, however, had spoken as though she had been waiting for that very question.

“Why did I make it so obvious? I wanted to teach you something. The fact that you have nothing. Since you’re the one who taught me that truth, don’t I have the right to give you the same advice?”

Then she had added, “Our poor, gullible young lady.”

Rowena had not understood what Camillia was saying.

Her tearful words that she had considered Camillia a friend had only earned her ridicule.

Looking back now, she did not know why she had tried to understand her.

Even if she learned the reason Camillia had killed her, it was not as though she would accept it and willingly die.

Rowena neatly folded the newspapers and placed them inside an empty chest.

After securely locking the chest with a golden key, she hung the key around her neck and stood up.

Next, she went to the dining room.

She ate half of the tender veal dish that Mrs. Beaumont, the cook, had prepared with such care before going out into the garden.

With every step she took, distracting thoughts rose in her mind.

“The master has not yet returned.”

Rowena merely nodded at the butler’s report.

This, too, might be evidence of his infidelity.

Of course. By now, he might be in Camillia’s bed.

Even though she already knew the truth, it did not make her feel any better.

The thoughts passing through her mind were as heavy as rocks, causing her head to gradually droop toward the ground.

Rowena stopped walking when she noticed a shadow stretching out from her left.

Her pale violet eyes followed the elongated shadow upward and came to rest on the face of a man standing with the setting sun behind him.

“My lady.”

A bright smile began to spread across the man’s lips.

At that moment, a quiet peace settled over Rowena’s troubled mind.

The sound of insects chirping somewhere nearby flowed like music, and the fragrant scent of hyacinths filled her chest.

“Marquis Winderbane.”

Rowena gazed at him silently before quietly opening her mouth.

“Have you perhaps…… lost your way?”

“I lost my way, but I’ve just found it.”

A gentle breeze blew along with his low reply.