“Then why are you outside, wife?”

There was no way Conrad would have cared about what situation his wife had been in at the banquet earlier.

Roina, who was gradually becoming accustomed to his heartless appearance, swallowed a bitter smile.

Perhaps noticing that she was somewhat troubled, Michael stepped forward to answer first:

“I happened to meet the duchess and was having a brief conversation.”

At those words, Conrad’s brow furrowed minutely. He soon looked at the young marquis with indifferent eyes.

“Since you’ve been longtime friends, you must have had much to discuss.”

At his dry tone, Michael deliberately hardened his expression.

But soon, curving his lips gently as usual, he glanced at her:

“Yes, she’s a precious existence to me.”

‘Why is Michael suddenly……’

Roina frowned slightly.

She couldn’t understand her friend’s intention in bringing up such talk in Conrad’s presence.

Of course, she also cherished Michael.

“Young Marquis, it would be best to stop here.”

Conrad, who had been quietly watching Roina restrain her friend, let out a sneer.

“A precious existence…… I didn’t know you were still so close.”

No particular emotion could be felt from him as he raised an eyebrow slightly.

To this, Michael nodded slightly as if it were natural and answered:

“A relationship that’s continued since childhood wouldn’t easily break.”

“……”

Conrad quietly looked at the young marquis, and Michael didn’t avoid that gaze either.

After some time passed, Michael addressed Conrad with his usual upright attitude:

“Please take good care of my friend.”

“……”

“She’s more delicate than she appears.”

Conrad, who had been mulling over his words briefly, answered in a cold voice:

“It would be best if you returned to the banquet hall now.”

“I was just about to do that anyway.”

Michael, who had stepped back politely while maintaining courtesy, glanced at Roina.

Not missing that look, Conrad nodded and said:

“I have something to discuss with my wife briefly.”

At his attitude as if dealing with an unwelcome guest, Michael’s brow cracked slightly.

But seeing Roina shake her head, he let out a shallow sigh as if he had no choice.

Giving Roina an eye greeting, Michael bowed lightly before taking his leave.

※※※

A suffocating silence hung between Roina and Conrad.

‘What on earth does he want to talk about?’

Knowing that surely no good words would come from him, Roina moistened her dry lips.

Soon Conrad, who had been staring intently at her, curved one corner of his mouth and said:

“Your friendship seems as remarkable as ever.”

“……”

“Did I perhaps interfere?”

The words he casually threw out, having been indifferent to everything, showed no consideration whatsoever.

Roina tried to maintain her composure and answered calmly:

“……I was just happy to meet an old friend after so long.”

Then Conrad, raising one eyebrow, spoke in a mocking voice:

“It would be good for you to recognize your position.”

‘Recognize…… Could I be any more aware than this?’

Roina looked up at him with a bitter smile. As if emotions she had been suppressing were finally bursting out.

“It’s strange to have this kind of conversation with you.”

“……”

Conrad quietly stared at her as if telling her to continue.

The man who had hated her and shown no interest was only interfering for the sake of the family.

‘Though you clearly said you regretted this marriage.’

Roina wanted to directly confirm whether what she had heard in her recovered memories was true.

Though her insides felt like they were burning black, she swallowed dryly and asked:

“Do you still regret your marriage to me?”

“What’s your reason for asking me that?”

“Because it must have been hard to endure.”

No emotion could be read in Conrad’s eyes as he silently stared at her.

But soon he narrowed his brow and opened his mouth:

“It seems the story about losing your memory isn’t wrong.”

The quiet voice brushing past her ear was as cold as walking on ice.

The goodwill she had once seen in him was as distant as a fabricated fantasy.

“……What do you want to say?”

To her courageously asked question, Conrad showed a somewhat annoyed expression.

Then he answered with an even colder look:

“What I want is one thing. Not causing unnecessary trouble.”

“Is that…… really what you want?”

Then a low, deep voice came from him as he let out a heavy sigh:

“Without anyone knowing. That’s what you’re best at.”

Roina, barely swallowing a hollow laugh, glanced at Conrad.

Still, seeing the man who paid no heed, sorrow seemed to well up in her chest.

In the end, Conrad hadn’t given her a precise answer to her question about whether he regretted their marriage.

But she had already heard the answer from him, in effect.

‘This is…… your true feelings.’

Though the answer was already there, Roina had inwardly hoped he would give a different response.

That he didn’t regret this marriage now, that he wanted to try living well together with her.

Though she knew well that such a thing was impossible, her heart ached.

Perhaps Conrad had wanted to quickly settle their marriage life long ago.

Roina’s lost purple eyes trembled finely and gradually lost their light.

Like the pitch-black night sky shrouded in darkness.

※※※

Perhaps due to worrying about various things, from the night after the banquet ended, Roina’s entire body burned with fever.

With sudden chills and body aches added, her temperature repeatedly dropped and rose without warning.

The attending physician who prescribed medicine urged absolute rest.

The servants at the ducal residence seemed to think it was because Roina’s tension had finally been released after the banquet.

But in truth, there was something else troubling her heart.

“What I want is one thing. Not causing unnecessary trouble.”

“Is that…… really what you want?”

“Without anyone knowing. That’s what you’re best at.”

The more she recalled the conversation she had with Conrad in the garden, the more Roina felt her heart sink and plummet.

The emotions that had been unjust soon turned to sorrow, then to anger, and that anger brought deep despair again.

‘Quiet as a dead mouse……’

He might truly want Roina to do nothing and stay still. Just as she had for the past three years.

“So you never come looking for me.”

A shallow sigh flowed from Roina as she realized her situation once again.

While still loving Conrad, she had an intuition that she needed to gradually reduce her feelings for him.

Just as she, with sad eyes tightly closed and opened, was about to rise from the bed—

Knock knock—

Someone opened the door with light knocking sounds, and Roina’s eyes widened upon confirming who it was.

“Why are you……”

“I stopped by on my way back.”

Conrad, who had been looking at her with eyes devoid of any emotion, soon withdrew his gaze.

“……I see.”

Roina inwardly mocked herself for still not letting go of expectations.

Surely he hadn’t come because he was worried about her. Unless he had some purpose.

‘Even sharing emotions with me would be a luxury.’

Since it seemed like only she was reacting and giving meaning, just as she was biting her lips—

In the quiet silence, Conrad raised an eyebrow obliquely and asked:

“What did you discuss with the emperor at the banquet?”

“……”

At that question, Roina’s purple eyes trembled finely.

As she had somewhat expected, he seemed to have come here merely to resolve his curiosity.

‘Is that all you have to say to me?’

The moment she met the excessively dry eyes of the man, a self-deprecating smile spread across Roina’s lips.

When she didn’t answer, Conrad added as if urging:

“He seemed quite satisfied with your conversation.”

‘I thought the emperor would have already told him.’

It seemed the emperor hadn’t conveyed detailed information to him.