He and Aaron were merely acquaintances. Even at official occasions, it was Count Hussler who occasionally exchanged greetings, not his son.

“Lord Aaron, would you excuse us? I have some private matters to discuss with my wife.”

Andert turned his gaze to meet Chloe’s eyes before even finishing his words. His attitude showed complete disregard for the other’s response. Meanwhile, his formal tone, while maintaining propriety, was hard to find fault with.

Yet his face showed no concern about this discrepancy. Naturally, he had no interest in what Aaron’s expression might be after he turned away.

In the end, it was Chloe who broke the tense, awkward atmosphere.

“Aaron, I think I should go now.”

“…Then, see you next time.”

Aaron stepped back, but his voice was tinged with regret. At least that’s how it sounded to Andert’s ears.

And that familiar tone… His Adam’s apple visibly bobbed, unaware that the two had briefly been classmates.

“Until next time.”

“Right.”

Until Aaron boarded his carriage, Andert stood motionless, staring at Chloe.

Those eyes that had always been directed at him until recently… could their focus change? It was a thought he’d never had before. Throughout his journey to Bergen, his only concern had been how to navigate the conversation with Chloe. This was literally an issue between the two of them.

Though he had many questions, Aaron wasn’t important today. And before starting the conversation, he wanted to change locations.

“Chloe, let’s move somewhere else. Somewhere quieter would be better.”

His tone somehow felt like a polite request.

In fact, Chloe was quite surprised. After parting that way last night, she assumed he would naturally return to the capital.

Being here at this hour meant he had stayed overnight in Bergen. Moreover, Daniel was nowhere to be seen now. Andert rarely moved alone. So everything about the situation was unexpected for Chloe.

“This way, please.”

Her leading steps headed toward the riverside that cut through the town across the main street. From her two months of experience, there were hardly any people walking along the riverside at this time of day. Though quite a few people strolled along the river from evening until night.

Chloe could imagine the confusion the man who disliked crowds must have felt yesterday at the coffee shop and main street.

“This spot should be good. Please sit.”

As expected, there wasn’t a shadow of anyone on the bench shaded by a large tree. Sitting beside Andert, Chloe fixed her gaze on the sunlight that was sparkling on the water’s surface.

She didn’t want to make eye contact if possible. Chloe really wanted that. Though she had left after sorting out her feelings, she had always been the one unable to control her emotions.

“Please speak. You said you had something to discuss.”

“Chloe… are you really not returning to the capital?”

“No.”

Did he come to confirm this fact again? Chloe answered without hesitation.

At that moment, the calm water rippled. As the reflected light strained her eyes, her motionless eyes slightly lowered their gaze.

“Then, you’ll continue what you’re doing here now.”

“Yes. That’s what I want.”

Though Chloe constantly felt his gaze on her profile, she tried not to acknowledge it. It suddenly seemed amusing. Andert was the man who continued reading his documents even while his wife stood there, right until he received the divorce papers.

So why now, why are you staring so intently?

“Is the divorce… really the only thing you want from me?”

He paused, seemingly carefully choosing his words. But Chloe guessed that this too was her imagination.

For five years, she had attributed meaning to every tiny action, every word, every syllable of her husband. Though she had come here putting aside all her feelings for Andert, it seemed she still hadn’t broken this habit.

“Yes.”

Chloe answered clearly, as if affirming it to herself. She no longer wanted to live just watching his back.

Watching her profile that wouldn’t even turn toward him, Andert felt like he was stuck in mud. But there was something he desperately wanted to ask.

His eyes, which had been tracing Chloe’s hair swaying in the breeze, turned to her face that seemed to have withdrawn all emotion.

“After you left, I found something in the bedroom. A silver necklace with a small locket. Including the photo inside.”

“……”

Chloe still didn’t turn her gaze.

“It was from around when I entered the military academy. That was long before you and I officially met.”

He wanted to know.

Why she had carefully kept a photo from that time in her necklace. The collar of the military academy uniform alone could distinguish the year. The photo was clearly from when he had just entered the school.

‘Chloe, answer me. Why did you have a photo taken before we even met?’

Andert wanted to ask that. As if sensing his inner thoughts perfectly, Chloe turned her head. Her eyes, which had seemed like they would only show her profile forever, were calm.

“I first saw you at Count Declen’s mansion.”

Count Declen? Andert’s memory was hazy about exactly when this was. But as if she didn’t need his response, Chloe continued.

“I attended the party with my mother, who was acquainted with Countess Declen. Yes. That was around when you entered the military academy. To put it briefly, I fell for you at first sight that day.”

“……!!”

“That was the beginning of my one-sided love. And a few years later, something like a dream happened. You became my husband. Back then, being young, I thought perhaps love could work out. I simply loved everything about you. I thought if I tried hard enough, I could become someone worthy of the Dietrich family. And maybe, just maybe, I thought you could love me too.”

“……”

“So I don’t blame you. I know better than anyone that I was an inadequate bride in many ways. And these feelings were something I started unilaterally on my own. So it’s right that I should end it myself.”

Her delicate face in the tree’s shade was composed. She was even calm, like she was reminiscing about a past that had already gone by. It was a look that suggested she had nothing left to hide, nor anything left to hope for.

Actually, Chloe hadn’t intended to reveal everything like this. But the moment he raised a question about the necklace, she wanted to answer honestly.

Thus, Chloe confessed to Andert for the first and last time.

“Loving you wasn’t about effort or will. Meeting you was like an accident that happened suddenly.”

Just then, the wind blew, making the leaves flutter back and forth.

It was strong enough to make Andert’s neatly combed hair fall onto his forehead. The whispers of branches and green leaves seemed to create a cacophony in their ears.

In the late spring, under the dazzling sunlight, a leaf that had provided perfect shade fluttered away. The wind that had arrived without warning subsided in an instant.

As if she had been waiting for this moment, Chloe bid farewell.

“But stopping this love was entirely my decision.”

“……”

He knew he should say something. That he couldn’t let Chloe just get up and leave like this. But his mouth simply wouldn’t move.

What words… how?

Meanwhile, time steadily flowed by. Chloe spoke as if it truly were the last time.

“Announce the reason for divorce however you want to explain it. I don’t mind. And please throw away the necklace. It’s been out of my possession since I left it there.”

Love? So you’re saying the reason you silently endured those years was because of that emotion?

Of course, he had considered various possibilities. But the word ‘love’ was something he hadn’t even thought of in the first place.

So she wants a divorce because she decided to stop that love? Just for that one reason?

The first confession Andert heard from her was a notice of farewell.

Last night, he had prepared three or four options to present to Chloe. So regardless of her answer today, he had planned to play different cards in turn.

But this was a possibility he hadn’t anticipated.

“Then, take care on your way back.”

Chloe’s farewell was brief. Though it sounded casual, as if they would meet again tomorrow, he knew. That this was a goodbye meaning they shouldn’t meet again.

“……”

Andert could only watch her shoes and sparse hem slowly disappear.

Why be so kind in a marriage where what you want is so clear? That’s how he had undervalued Chloe’s efforts all this time. And only today did he learn the true reason for those efforts.

“Love…”

The unfinished soliloquy settled over the heavy silence.

Until now, there had never been a single crisis he couldn’t find a solution for. But now, he couldn’t see any clue about what to do.

To him, love was merely an extremely inefficient emotion where loss and gain couldn’t be clearly distinguished. How could he hold onto Chloe who wanted to leave because that love had ended?

***

Chloe received a card from a stranger early the next morning.

“I was instructed to deliver this to you, Miss Chloe.”

The woman who came to the residence to deliver the card disappeared immediately. Chloe, who couldn’t hear anything else, only knew the sender after checking the envelope.

Chloe. Just seeing the name written, she knew it was Andert’s handwriting.