After looking at Conrad for a moment, Roina hesitantly opened her mouth.

“Conrad, if it’s alright, could you spare me some time?”

“Let’s do that.”

The man with indifferent eyes offered her a seat in the reception room.

Taking a sip of tea to moisten her dry lips, Roina casually asked a question.

“Could I…… invite Aila to the estate?”

“You mean the Würetti lady?”

As expected, Conrad’s fine brow furrowed.

“Yes, it seems I’ll need my sister’s help to recover my memories.”

“Now you want to invite your family to the ducal residence?”

The man’s face clearly showed he felt he had wasted his time unnecessarily.

Knowing she was being shameless, she lowered her head.

“I’m sorry. There’s something I absolutely need to confirm.”

At her apologetic appearance, Conrad let out a long sigh.

“I don’t know what kind of great memory you’re trying to find.”

“……”

“The reception room will be the only space available for visits.”

“……Yes, I understand.”

Roina’s gaze, quietly fidgeting with her hands, suddenly fell on her left ring finger where a ring mark was clearly visible.

‘Come to think of it, I should have mentioned this quickly.’

She bit the soft flesh inside her mouth, remembering the wedding ring she had forgotten about due to banquet preparations.

She surely would have treasured the ring that was like proof of marriage, but she couldn’t find it anywhere.

She now had to tell him about the ring’s whereabouts, which didn’t appear even after thoroughly searching her room.

If she didn’t wear her wedding ring even at official events, she would only look foolish to other nobles.

‘How carelessly did I lose it somewhere?’

Roina blamed herself and chewed her lips roughly.

She wanted to avoid situations that would give Conrad cause for complaint if possible, but not saying anything wouldn’t bring back the lost ring either.

Slowly lifting her lowered head, she hesitantly opened her mouth.

“I think I lost my ring.”

At Roina’s calm voice, Conrad glanced at her slender finger joints.

Though it was brief, the man who slightly furrowed his brow seemed lost in thought for a moment.

When no answer came from him, Roina grew increasingly anxious.

‘I must have disappointed you again this time.’

Just as she was biting her lips firmly, thinking about what Conrad might say—

The man, raising one eyebrow slightly, spoke in a dry voice.

“If you mean the wedding ring, I have it.”

“You do……?”

At the completely unexpected answer, Roina’s eyes widened. She hurriedly asked back.

“Why do you have it?”

“I’ll have the ring adjusted and then give it to you.”

Conrad didn’t seem inclined to explain about this.

Though she didn’t know what had happened, just the fact that the wedding ring was with him gave Roina a sense of relief.

“That’s a relief. I thought I had lost it……”

Conrad’s indifferent gaze reached her as she sighed in relief.

※※※

Several days passed after that.

For some reason, Conrad granted Roina’s request. Though he didn’t look particularly pleased about it.

Recalling the man’s cold golden eyes, Roina went downstairs.

On the reception room table were desserts and decorations that the servants had prepared for receiving guests.

They had bundled baby’s breath flowers and placed them in a vase as she had instructed in advance.

‘Now the atmosphere seems much better.’

If Aila had seen the ducal residence’s reception room that was only bleak, she would have exclaimed asking why the atmosphere was so dark.

It was the first time seeing her younger sister since losing her memory, so Roina steadied her breathing.

Though she felt needless tension, she outwardly pretended to be fine and wore a faint smile.

Just then, the head butler lightly knocked on the reception room door and announced a distinguished guest’s visit.

“Lady Würetti has arrived.”

Fine silver hair and blue eyes like embedded sapphires.

Aila had grown from a girl into an eighteen-year-old lady over the years.

‘Three years feels newly significant.’

Taking in the sight of her matured younger sister, Roina gently curved her lips upward.

“It’s been a long time, Aila.”

At those words, Aila ran over with an expression as if she might burst into tears at any moment and threw herself into her embrace.

“Sister! Do you know how worried I was?”

Roina carefully wiped the tear-stained cheeks of her sister who was pouring out tears.

“You worried a lot.”

“You’re saying that now.”

During this time, Aila had consistently sent audience request letters to the ducal residence, saying she needed to meet her sister. But they were repeatedly returned to the marquisate residence.

No matter how much House Würetti was Roina’s family home, there was no way the ducal family would accept those letters.

“But since I kept sending letters consistently, they seem to have granted it.”

Aila wiped her tear-soaked face with a handkerchief and spoke in a somewhat demure voice.

Seeing her sister who still had her spoiled appearance remaining, Roina felt rather relieved.

“Yes, I think you’re right.”

Wearing a faint smile, Roina patted her sister’s head once and sat facing her at the table.

Aila stirred the teacup in front of her with a teaspoon and grumbled quietly.

“I still don’t like your husband.”

“Aila.”

Worried someone might hear those words, Roina looked around and quietly called her sister’s name.

Then Aila, letting out a deep sigh, muttered quietly as if complaining.

“That person is making you suffer.”

“……”

Roina couldn’t readily answer. That was closer to self-reproach.

‘Well, I might be the one making him suffer.’

She swallowed a bitter smile, recalling the relationship between the two families that were like enemies.

For Conrad, the source of misfortune was undoubtedly House Würetti.

At the unchanging fact despite the passage of time, a gloomy shadow settled heavily in Roina’s purple eyes.

Putting down her teacup on the table, she spoke in a somewhat subdued voice.

“What Father did to the previous duke won’t disappear.”

The contract between the two families at that time was unfairly concluded.

Part of the Asheter ducal family’s business shares had fallen into Marquis Würetti’s hands.

Unable to bear this any longer, the previous duke had gone out to find other investors and was caught in heavy snow.

“Sister, you know. We’re separate from Father.”

Aila firmly grasped her sister’s hands, and the eyes that met hers were solid without wavering.

‘I once had eyes like this too.’

Roina also had times when she thought she was separate from her father.

On one hand, she felt wronged. The days when she had to receive hatred from Conrad simply for being the marquis’s child.

But the fact that her existence now hurt him was undeniable.

Perhaps because she recalled her past self who had once been delighted thinking she had grown close to him, wistfulness flowed across Roina’s face.

Aila, glancing at her, seemed to hesitate for a moment before carefully asking.

“Where have you been all this time?”

“……”

Roina couldn’t explain to her sister. That was something even she didn’t know.

She had asked Conrad about this, but he had sent her a cold look asking if she was trying to run away again.

In the still confusing situation, Roina desperately needed her sister’s help.

Putting down the teacup she was holding, she spoke in a rather serious voice.

“Aila, what I’m about to tell you must never be told to anyone.”

“Alright. What kind of story is it……”

To reassure Aila, who seemed frightened and trailed off, Roina firmly grasped her sister’s hand.

“Actually, I have no memory of the past three years.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

At her confession, Aila’s blue eyes shook mercilessly.

“Just as I said. It’s partial amnesia.”

When Roina deliberately revealed her secret as if it were no big deal, Aila’s eyes, which hadn’t yet dried, reddened again.

“What should we do…… I didn’t even know.”

“That’s why I need your help. You understand what I mean, right?”