Roina had no confidence whether she should continue social activities without her memories returning.

But she thought meeting more people would help in finding her memories.

‘There must be some who could help me.’

Roina sorted through the invitations, writing replies of acceptance and rejection.

Then she suddenly discovered a name written on one letter envelope and her expression hardened coldly.

“You are invited to the greenhouse garden of House Clovis……”

The owner of the invitation with neat handwriting was none other than Daphne Clovis.

“Why would the lady send me a letter?”

Roina’s hand holding the envelope trembled slightly. No matter how much she tried not to be shaken, it wasn’t easy.

There was no reason anywhere for Daphne to send an invitation. Wasn’t she the very person who had isolated her from social circles?

Roina pondered the current situation, but no answer came.

However, one thing was certain: Daphne could never have sent the invitation out of pure goodwill.

“Ugh……”

As her temples throbbed again, Roina familiarly took out headache medicine from the drawer.

But soon, due to the severe pain that came, she dropped the medicine bottle from her hand.

The bottle’s cap opened and pills spilled onto the floor, and just as she was bending down to pick them up—

RIIING—

As tinnitus rang in her ears, a scene suddenly came to mind.

“If only the lady hadn’t existed, that position would have been mine.”

“……Please get up, Lady.”

“His Grace promised to marry me!”

“……”

“Hypocrite. You’re just like Marquis Würetti after all.”

At the sudden fragment of memory, Roina’s violet eyes trembled finely.

“What is…… this?”

Sitting on the floor, she soon realized that scene was part of her lost memories.

Daphne, not hiding her contemptuous gaze, and herself looking at her indifferently.

Not knowing why that memory suddenly surfaced or what had happened, Roina quietly caressed her trembling hands.

‘What exactly happened with Daphne?’

A deep sigh flowed out at the situation where nothing came to mind no matter how hard she tried to remember.

Though she didn’t know exactly when or what situation that memory was from, she could vaguely guess.

That Daphne Clovis still hated her.

Even in the midst of this, the words Daphne had said to her in the memory felt like daggers piercing deep into her chest.

She thought it wouldn’t be too late to send a reply after considering it for a while.

‘I should probably consult with Conrad first.’

※※※

Coming out of the study, Roina dismissed all the servants and walked alone along the long garden.

She was simply moving her steps wherever they led, just to calm her unsettled mind.

Gradually the sun set and twilight began to cover the sky, and before she knew it, evening had come.

Looking blankly at the scenery, she now headed toward the corridor to return to her room.

Just then, turning her head at the sound of footsteps echoing in the corridor, she encountered Conrad heading to the main building, apparently having just finished work.

“What are you doing here?”

At the man’s cold gaze, Roina tried not to show her nervousness.

“I was walking briefly. You came home early today.”

“That’s right.”

A quiet silence flowed between them, and neither bothered to speak first.

Roina was gradually getting used to this awkward silence.

From the start, her relationship with him was one that wouldn’t change unless she made an effort.

Though she accepted it sufficiently in her head, each time she reflected on it, one side of her heart ached.

No emotion could be read in Conrad’s golden eyes.

‘What are you thinking?’

At the silence that came again, he withdrew his dry gaze.

As if he had no lingering attachment to leaving this place immediately.

At the distance that struck her anew, Roina bit her lower lip firmly.

Swallowing a self-deprecating smile with effort, she finally spoke after clenching both hands tightly.

“Thanks to you, I was able to meet Aila.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

At the man’s indifferent voice as if receiving a report, Roina carefully asked.

“Could I occasionally send letters to Aila?”

“……”

When Conrad looked at her as if trying to understand her intention, Roina hurriedly added.

“You can check the contents directly.”

“There’s no need to show them to me. Handle it as you see fit.”

Relieved by her husband’s permission, she hesitated briefly before speaking with difficulty.

“And…… I received a tea party invitation.”

As expected, Conrad’s reaction was extremely minimal.

He was someone who had not even the slightest interest in his wife.

Still, perhaps showing minimum courtesy, he looked at her with an uninterested gaze.

At his look that seemed to say continue, she calmly added.

“Lady Clovis sent one too.”

Perhaps he hadn’t expected that, as Conrad’s pupils seemed to widen slightly.

But soon the man, raising an eyebrow obliquely, asked in his usual indifferent voice.

“Why are you telling me that?”

Because she’s someone you liked……

Those words rose to her throat, but Roina couldn’t bring herself to say them.

In the days when they didn’t know each other’s identities, she had once thought Conrad also had feelings for her.

No, until then she had been certain. Surely he felt the same way too.

But after accidentally overhearing a conversation between Conrad and his companions, she learned she had been thoroughly mistaken.

“You seem to be smiling more lately, did you perhaps find a lover?”

“……Nonsense.”

“Then why are you grinning while holding flowers?”

“Someone just came to mind who resembles them.”

“Doesn’t that ultimately mean you like that person?”

“Where would I have such leisure?”

The extremely cold voice and the single plumbago in Conrad’s hand.

Looking at him from neither far nor near, Roina had to give up on her feelings.

The owner of the blue hair reminiscent of plumbago always stayed by his side.

Moreover, not long after that, the two learned each other’s identities.

Before she could emerge from the endlessly collapsing despair, she had to be immersed in sorrow once again.

After learning Roina’s identity, Conrad conspicuously spent more time with Daphne.

As painful memories suddenly surfaced, Roina chewed her lips roughly.

Perhaps she was the troublemaker who prevented their love from being fulfilled.

‘Do the two still feel the same way?’

That seemed highly likely.

Judging by how confidently Daphne had appeared in the memory she recalled a few days ago.

But even if it might be a little selfish, Roina was thinking of confronting it directly.

No matter how much it was a marriage concluded due to an imperial decree, Conrad’s wife right now was herself.

“I thought I should let you know in advance.”

“Do as you please.”

His answer, seeming completely unconcerned, was somewhat unexpected, but Roina nodded slightly.

Returning to her bedroom, she began writing the overdue replies.

I express my intention to attend House Clovis’s tea party.

—From Roina Asheter—

※※※

Checking documents in Duchess Asheter’s study, Roina pressed her forehead.

Even with established formats, the work wasn’t easy at all.

Donovan, who had handled domestic affairs in her place, seemed impressive.

“What exactly was I doing?”

Unable to understand her past self, Roina let out a long sigh.

To finish the remaining work on time, even worrying felt like a luxury.

Thus she busily turned through documents.

After some time passed, with a light knock, a middle-aged man appeared.

“I heard you called for me, my lady.”

Donovan showed courtesy politely while subtly sending cold glances. As she could feel each time they encountered each other in the estate.

He was someone with strong loyalty toward his master. That was a fact even she, having lost her memory, could know.

“Yes, I need your help.”