We shared a late lunch together.

Not as a duke and his wife, but as an ordinary couple enjoying a meal and a chat.

Afterwards, we cleared the table together.

He dried the dishes while I wiped down the table.

We filled the once empty space around us with nothing more than mundane stories.

The home that had long been quiet and lonely was now filled with warmth and love.

I knew these blissful moments wouldn’t last forever.

Claude would eventually have to return to the Azenta Empire, leaving me to wait alone once more.

The thought tugged at my heart, weighing it down with quiet sadness.

But for now, I chose not to dwell on it.

“Do you have no desire to return to the Azenta Empire?”

Claude asked softly, wiping the last of the dishes with a towel.

Outside, dusk had already begun to fall, casting a gentle gloom over the world.

I turned on the lamp above the dining table before answering.

“Of course I want to return, but I’ve already been erased in that place.”

“There’s a secluded estate in the southern region of Azenta.”

Claude said, his voice calm as he began to stack the gleaming dishes neatly to one side.

“It’s as beautiful as the sea here, and the weather is just as pleasant.”

“…”

“You could invite whoever you want to see it. No one is allowed in without permission.”

At his unexpected offer, my hands stilled. I turned to him, wide-eyed.

A hidden southern estate.

I’d never been there myself, but I’d heard whispers about it within House Cassel.

To think… I might be able to see my loved ones again!

My heart fluttered just a little.

I tried to keep my voice steady and hide the hope in my tone.

‘But would Her Highness the Crown Princess even allow me to invite people?’

“Of course.”

Claude smiled gently, as if he could read my thoughts.

“That won’t be difficult at all.”

“…”

When I remained silent, Claude slowly approached me.

“When early summer begins, the southern estate will be breathtaking.”

He was now standing in front of me, so close that I could feel his presence.

Then, with quiet warmth, he took my hand, which was still resting on the table.

“It might be harder to go out and walk around freely like you do here, but it should still be a perfectly enjoyable holiday.”

There was a determined edge to his voice, as if he were trying to convince me. For some reason, that made me want to laugh.

I smiled and looked into his clear, earnest eyes.

“I want to go. It’d be even better if I could bring some friends too.”

“I’ll make it possible.”

He replied, with firm resolve once more.

“We’ll spend time here together. When winter ends, we’ll board a ship and return to Azenta together.”

Together. Hearing that word alone made my heart swell.

I nodded quickly, fighting back tears, determined not to cry during such a happy moment.

Claude leaned down and kissed my cheek.

“Thank you.”

“No, it’s me who should be thanking you.”

A soft smack echoed between our lips as they met briefly again.

He gently brushed back a strand of hair near my ear. This kind gesture only served to deepen the surreal feeling that he was really here with me.

If only this moment could last forever — I felt like I could achieve anything.

***

Claude watched over Diana quietly. She had fallen asleep mid-conversation, still brimming with excitement. Nestled against his chest, she looked so peaceful, lost in a worry-free dream.

Her head had tilted slightly, causing her hair to fall across her face. Reaching out, he swept it back, then bent down and kissed her forehead gently.

He had once vowed that if he ever got Diana back, he wouldn’t want anything else.

But she had given him so much more than just forgiveness.

She had given him an overwhelming love that brought him to tears.

Every letter she sent was filled with affection.

At first, he could hardly believe it was real.

Yet, as time passed, that joy only deepened, stirring new desires within him:

Desires such as becoming her husband again.

Claude wanted to reinstate Diana as the official Duchess of Cassel, but not for the sake of titles or lineage, nor to produce an heir.

In fact, the thought of having a child frightened him.

The idea that she might be harmed during pregnancy or childbirth terrified him.

Unconsciously, he tightened his arms around her shoulders.

Sensing the pressure, Diana let out a small murmur in her sleep.

No, Claude didn’t want to make her a duchess for the sake of legacy.

He wanted it for her happiness.

Claude wanted to give Diana, a woman who had spent her life battling loneliness, a future in which she would be loved by everyone. He knew how difficult it would be for her to live alone in a foreign country, so he would never allow it.

With his eyes closed in thought, he considered the cost.

Making Diana a ‘living’ person again in Azenta would be complicated — very complicated — but that didn’t matter. Complicated or not, he was determined to make it happen. He was determined to see the plan through to the end.

But only after they had enjoyed a little more of this precious time together, just the two of them in the world.

Unaware of his plans, Diana slept on in perfect peace, bathed in the white moonlight filtering through the curtains.

***

They woke up late and spent the morning relaxing in bed. After enjoying a leisurely brunch, they went for a walk.

Once they had finished walking, they either visited the market or tended the small garden at the back of the house. Diana read, while Claude watched her contentedly, happy to let the afternoon drift by.

When the sun began to set, they prepared an early supper. The menu changed from day to day, and Claude’s cooking was far better than Diana had expected. After tasting his vegetable stew and meat pie, she stared at him in astonishment.

“How can you cook this well?”

“During long campaigns with Father, someone had to feed the troops.”

Once they had eaten their fill, they turned in early. They lay in bed talking about anything and everything until Diana fell asleep. Claude watched her for a while longer before drifting off himself.

It was a routine so simple that it bordered on dull, yet the days flew by. They devoted themselves wholeheartedly to loving each other and dreaming of all the happiness that awaited them on their journey.

And every evening, as Diana chattered away with her bright, lovable face, Claude wondered:

‘If I asked you to marry me again… how would you answer?’

Her feelings mattered more to him than any negotiations with the Crown. So he remained silent, choosing patience over haste.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

Diana’s voice, full of quiet wonder, floated through the cottage.

“Yes.”

“Are you sure you’re talking about the view?”

Diana narrowed her eyes at him, her clear voice jolting him back to his senses. They were standing in the middle of a path completely covered in autumn leaves.

“Ah, I was talking about you.”

Claude said this without so much as a change in expression, his affection laid bare. Yet it was Diana whose cheeks turned pink.

‘Had he always been this shameless?’

It reminded her of their days as lovers, except there was now a sneakier, more playful quality to his tone.

Chuckling at his audacity, she opened her mouth.

“Claude. Spending time with you like this, it really feels like we’re married again.”

One of Claude’s eyebrows arched ever so slightly.

He had promised to be patient and wait, and yet—

“So?”

He asked, with a glint of mischief in his eyes.

“So what?”

Diana tilted her head, looking confused.

“How does it feel?”

She laughed softly.

“Of course it feels wonderful.”

She had no idea what kind of certainty her innocent words had just given him.

Claude struggled to stop the corners of his mouth from curling into a grin as he gazed at Diana — Diana, whom he still thought of as his wife.

‘Just a little longer.’
Instead of speaking, he took her hand and held it firmly. Using his other hand, he gently cradled her cheek and fixed her gaze.

Then, he leaned in. He inhaled the scent he had missed so much — the fragrance he remembered as clearly as his own breath.

His hand slowly slid down from her cheek to her slender waist.

“Cla—”

Before she could say his name, he kissed her.

She had probably meant to protest, to say that it wasn’t proper to do this in public.

But he couldn’t help himself. He wanted to kiss her right then and there. She was simply too lovely to resist.

Startled, Diana quickly gave in, lightly wrapping her arms around his waist.

She tiptoed up to him and he lowered his head.

Their story would continue.

Just as in the book she had once read aloud to him, their ordinary, uneventful days would accumulate to form an irreplaceable story of their own.

Claude understood that well. He was looking forward to seeing what kind of beautiful tale their time together would become.

As they shared a long kiss, the branches above them rustled as if pretending not to notice.

Autumn leaves drifted down like blessings onto the quiet path—
—on another beautifully simple, peaceful day.

– Main Story Complete. —