Roina had no idea how to speak to her husband.

Since she couldn’t rashly convey something even the emperor hadn’t revealed, she answered calmly without showing any expression.

“We didn’t particularly exchange any special words.”

“……”

Conrad’s face subtly hardened as he quietly listened to those words.

Perhaps he had come here to have a conversation—that hope proved futile as Roina had to swallow a hollow laugh.

‘There wouldn’t be any trace of your past self left for me.’

Seeing the man who was the opposite of the somewhat clumsy yet affectionate person she remembered, a wistful smile spread across her lips.

The current him was so heartless that she wondered if he was the same person she had known.

‘Am I being punished for coveting you?’

Roina’s gaze, which had been staring blankly out the window, suddenly touched flower petals scattering in the wind.

They were none other than delphiniums used for landscaping decoration.

This insensitive man would never have known what those flowers meant.

Though she wondered what use it would be now, Roina asked him:

“Do you happen to know what delphinium’s flower language means?”

“Well, I’m not sure.”

As expected, Conrad answered dryly with uninterested eyes.

But Roina felt she wouldn’t be able to convey these words if not now.

Trying to hold onto her trembling heart, she slowly opened her mouth:

“Please understand my feelings.”

“……”

“……That’s the meaning it contains.”

At those words, Conrad’s expression turned cold. He slightly narrowed his brow as if trying to understand her intentions.

“What’s your intention in telling me that?”

“There’s no other meaning. I just…… thought of it when I saw this flower.”

‘You wouldn’t remember anyway.’

Only a bitter smile crossed Roina’s lips as she said no more.

※※※

After finishing his bath, Conrad stood by the window in his robe, quietly looking outside.

Torrential rain was pouring mercilessly from the pitch-black sky shrouded in darkness.

Withdrawing his indifferent gaze, he sat in his chair to finish his remaining work.

On one side of his desk were neatly stacked letters from distinguished guests who had attended the banquet.

Thinking he should start sending replies soon, he quickly skimmed through the letters.

‘It should be enough to show appropriate courtesy.’

Soon his brow furrowed slightly as he recalled the events from the banquet one by one.

The unexpected appearance of Young Marquis Bistanto, Roina’s departure, and the meeting between the two.

When he remembered her bright smile while looking at her friend, a hollow laugh escaped Conrad’s lips.

Normally he wouldn’t have cared at all, but why were such unpleasant emotions seeping in?

‘I could have just ignored it as always.’

Though unintentional, he had ended up cornering Roina Würetti.

For words meant to tell her to maintain her dignity as a duchess, he knew the degree had been excessive.

Looking back, he was aware that it had been an excessive action.

“What a pointless thing to do.”

Letting out a deep sigh as he looked toward the window, delphiniums were getting thoroughly soaked in the rainwater.

Conrad, staring at the flowers indifferently, mulled over the conversation he had with Roina in her bedroom.

“Do you happen to know what delphinium’s flower language means?”

“Well, I’m not sure.”

“Please understand my feelings.”

“……”

“……That’s the meaning it contains.”

He already knew about delphinium’s flower language.

In those irreversible days, he had once received that flower from Roina.

Regrettably, at the time he had harbored hopes that she might feel the same way about him.

What a pathetic thing to do. Enough to want to erase that period forever.

‘What use is it now?’

Conrad’s expression became completely distorted as he recalled that moment’s memory.

Now Roina Würetti’s existence was nothing but bothersome and irritating to him.

※※※

The grass blades lay weakly soaked from the rain that had fallen all night, and only dark clouds remained in the hazy sky.

Thanks to Sophie’s nursing care, Roina’s body had become much lighter and improved.

Passing through the corridor that was darker than usual, she stopped in front of the head butler’s room.

Knock knock—

When Roina knocked lightly, Donovan, who had been working inside, opened the door with a puzzled face.

“My lady…… what brings you here at this hour?”

“I wanted to have a brief conversation with you.”

“Please come in.”

Donovan, who bowed politely, guided her to a seat and soon brought out warm tea.

“It’s apple tea. It should be good for relieving fatigue.”

“Yes, I’ll drink it well.”

Roina conveyed her gratitude with a gentle smile for his consideration in preparing tea for her.

When she drank the warm apple tea, the sweet apple fragrance filled her mouth.

Her mind, which had felt like walking through fog, seemed to clear up a bit.

When she had lightly moistened her throat and was about to put down her teacup, the head butler, with a clearly puzzled expression, carefully asked:

“May I dare ask what matter brought you to see me?”

Roina nodded slightly, then spoke to the head butler in a clear voice:

“Were there any letters that arrived for me that weren’t delivered?”

“Letters that weren’t delivered, what exactly do you mean……”

Donovan couldn’t finish his words and hardened his expression. As if he had just understood what she was talking about.

When he couldn’t easily open his mouth as if pondering something, Roina asked once more:

“It seems my sister’s letters have been returned. You know about this too, don’t you?”

The head butler, who had been silent, soon bowed his head and expressed his opinion:

“Regarding that matter, I have nothing particular to say.”

That would mean the letters had been arbitrarily handled by someone else.

Roina could easily guess who that person was.

If it was Conrad, who was wary of the Würetti family, he wouldn’t have delivered Aila’s letters.

And Donovan had simply followed such orders from his master.

Lost in thought, Roina looked at the head butler with narrowed eyes:

“There must have been letters from Young Marquis Bistanto as well.”

“That’s correct, but…… please wait a moment.”

Donovan’s eyes seemed to waver slightly, then he stood up with a troubled expression.

Then he soon took out a box from his desk drawer and handed it to her.

“These are the letters Young Marquis Bistanto has sent to you, my lady.”

“……”

Roina, staring at the box he handed her, slowly opened the lid.

Inside were well-preserved letters neatly arranged.

On the envelope exteriors, the name ‘Michael Bistanto’ was written in familiar handwriting.

‘Why does the head butler have this……’

Roina was simply puzzled about why he had been keeping Michael’s letters.

After closing the box lid again, she asked directly:

“But why were you keeping this instead of delivering it to me?”

Then Donovan, clearing his throat, answered with a serious look:

“You said you wouldn’t receive letters from the young marquis, my lady.”

Roina’s purple eyes wavered at her past behavior that she couldn’t understand at all.

‘I said I wouldn’t receive Michael’s letters?’

But to say she had cut ties with Michael…… when she met him a few days ago, he had greeted her so warmly.

‘What on earth happened?’

Roina, biting her lips, looked at the head butler sitting in front of her.

But for some reason, Donovan seemed to be sparing his words about the reason.

Roina thought she didn’t know what had happened during the period she couldn’t remember.

“I’ll return now.”

She, who had planned to go back to her room and read the letters first, picked up the box and stood up.

※※※

Moving to her bedroom, Roina placed the box on her desk.

Then she took out all the letters from the box and read them one by one in chronological order.

Roina, are you doing well?

Before I knew it, winter has passed and spring is coming.

I’m sending this letter because I want to hear news from my only friend.

It makes me feel somewhat disappointed and regretful that I can only meet you at official events now.

Still…… I’m glad you look happy.

I’ll pray for your happiness more than anyone else in this world.

—From Michael Bistanto—