Refusing to eat.

The unexpected words left Richel unable to respond for a moment. The physician let out another long, weary sigh.

“His stomach is growling from hunger, yet he refuses to eat no matter what I say. I simply can’t persuade him.”

“He’s starving, but he’s still refusing food? Why?”

The physician sighed so deeply it seemed the floor itself might cave in beneath him.

Just a few days ago, he had been smiling confidently, insisting that Edwin would recover his health in no time.

Which meant that, until then, Edwin had been eating properly, sleeping well, and receiving treatment without issue.

So why all of a sudden?

Richel questioned him again.

“It’s not because the food tasted terrible, is it? He’s ridiculously picky.”

She recalled the health meals she herself had eaten.

If the same dishes—filled with that revolting taste and bizarre texture—had been served to Edwin as well, there was no way he would have touched them.

The physician shook his head.

“He was served health food, but that isn’t the reason. He had been finishing every meal without fail until two days ago.”

“What? He ate that? Edwin actually ate health food willingly?”

“Of course. He cleaned every plate spotless.”

He had endured eating that horrifying food.

And not just anyone—Edwin Isle.

Richel frowned in disbelief.

‘There’s no way he actually ate that. They must’ve prepared something tastier for him.’

Even the kitchen staff knew how impossibly fussy Edwin’s palate was.

Having settled on that explanation for herself, she looked back at the physician.

“Fine, let’s leave that aside. Then why did he suddenly stop eating?”

“He refuses to say. He simply rejects every meal and won’t explain the reason at all…”

The physician let out another heavy sigh. Richel’s expression hardened immediately.

‘They say people never change their habits. Whether before he disappeared or after, he’s exactly the same.’

That tendency to avoid conversations and shut his mouth completely.

Edwin had often treated her that way as well.

That silence that drove people insane.

That maddening, unbearable attitude.

“He probably got upset over something on his own. Or something irritated him.”

“That can’t be it. His daily routine never changes. The only people he sees are me and the butler. He was perfectly fine until the day before yesterday… and then suddenly, his attitude changed completely.”

The physician began pouring out his grievances.

For the past several days, Edwin had apparently been wearing him down to the bone.

Seeing no sign that the complaints would end anytime soon, Richel cut him off.

“So why did you come to me?”

“Ah… well… you see, ever since the Count returned, he seems to rely greatly on you, Madam. So I was wondering if perhaps you could speak to him just once…”

“You want me to make Edwin eat?”

The physician carefully watched her reaction as he answered.

“I truly apologize, Madam. I simply have no other choice.”

Even to him, the request was humiliating.

It meant he was failing to properly care for or manage his patient.

‘Honestly, it would’ve been easier if the Count had gone completely insane…’

Edwin’s biggest problem was that he was only partially insane.

If he had been completely insane, they could have restrained him and forced him to eat or take his medicine if necessary.

However, despite his irrational behavior, he was perfectly lucid during ordinary conversations and fully aware of his surroundings.

This meant that no one could treat him recklessly.

After all, he was still Count Isle — the master of the estate and territory.

“Madam, if I weren’t truly desperate, would I have come all this way? Now he’s insisting we not even bring meals into his room anymore… I genuinely don’t know what to do.”

“What about the butler? Does he know about this situation?”

“He probably only knows that the Count’s appetite has decreased somewhat. The butler has been terribly busy lately. I’m the one who mainly attends to the Count these days.”

At those words, Richel felt a small pang of responsibility.

The reason the butler had become so busy was because of the document work she had assigned him.

“Fine. I’ll go speak with him, but don’t expect too much. It’s not as though he’s the type to listen to me.”

“Just the fact that you’re willing to try is enough for me!”

The doctor looked overjoyed.

Seeing things turn out this way, Richel decided that she really needed to sit down with Edwin and have a proper conversation.

She still had to discuss the divorce.

She also needed to find out what had happened to him over the past three years.

‘This time, I’m going to try having a real conversation with him.’

Since Edwin returned, not a single conversation between them had ended peacefully.

Either Edwin would lose his temper or Richel would lose control of her emotions.

They had never had a conversation without shouting, fighting or one of them walking away in anger.

Richel sent Edwin a message, inviting him to join her for lunch.

She thought it would be easiest to bring up the matter naturally over a shared meal.

At the time, she hadn’t given much thought to the menu itself.

She simply assumed they would eat the same dishes as usual.

There didn’t seem to be anything particularly special to prepare or consider.

“My goodness! Absolutely not! Do you realize how long it’s been since the two of you shared a meal together? Please give us two days!”

The head chef’s reaction was so dramatic that lunch was postponed by two days.

The entire kitchen fell into a frenzy of activity.

It wasn’t only the kitchen, either.

The dining room, where the two of them would have eaten together, was reserved exclusively for direct members of House Isle.

It was a room that had not been used once since Edwin disappeared.

They redecorated it completely.

New blue-grey curtains, woven from thick fabric and embroidered with silver thread, were hung over the windows. A dark navy satin tablecloth was laid on the round dining table.

A delicate lace runner stretched elegantly down the center.

Decorations made from pine branches, pine cones, dried flowers, and clusters of red berries had been carefully arranged on top.

In just two days, the dining room had been transformed beyond recognition.

“…What is all this?”

Richel froze in bewilderment the moment she stepped inside. The atmosphere in the dining room was completely different to what she had imagined.

With its lavish decorations and opulent grandeur, it resembled a sumptuous banquet fit for honored guests.

Ena, who had escorted her there, spoke softly.

“Ever since the Count disappeared, there hasn’t really been a chance for this sort of thing…”

After Edwin’s disappearance, gatherings like this had vanished from the estate altogether.

It was only natural that everyone had missed it.

‘Well… with this kind of atmosphere, at least we probably won’t end up throwing punches.’

To stay calm.

To talk without anger.

And, if possible, to match the refined atmosphere of the dining room.

Lightly revising today’s goal in her mind, Richel stepped inside.

“Ah, Richel. You’re here.”

Edwin had already arrived.

He was dressed impeccably, wearing a perfectly tailored suit complete with a shirt blouse and waistcoat jacket.

Richel paused slightly.

She, on the other hand, had simply come down wearing one of the modest dresses she often wore around the house.

As she took her seat, she asked.

“You knew they redecorated this place?”

“Hm? No, I didn’t. Why?”

“Because of the way you’re dressed. It looked like you matched the atmosphere on purpose. I didn’t expect them to go this far decorating the room.”

“It’s been a long time since we shared a meal together, so I thought it might be nice to dress properly. Ah, but I’m not saying you needed to. You’re already perfectly fine as you are.”

He repeatedly insisted that she was ‘perfectly fine’.

He seemed worried that she might feel uncomfortable.

Finding this strange, Richel glanced at a servant.

The servant poured wine and water into her glass.

Beside her, Edwin drank his water as though he had been parched for days. The servant quietly refilled his glass.

Richel spoke to him.

“Then shall we eat?”

Edwin nodded.

The meal began gently.

Freshly baked bread was placed onto each of their plates.

Edwin asked her,

“How’s your body now? I heard your bone was fractured.”

“It’s much better. It still hurts if I move too suddenly, but it’s nothing unbearable.”

Richel lifted the glass placed before her.

The aperitif was pleasantly sweet with a sharp acidity, and its refreshing taste spread across her tongue.

It wasn’t bad at all.

Across from her, Edwin watched silently.

He observed the movement of her hands.

Her slender fingers wrapped around the glass.

The elegant way she lifted the glass and put it back down again.

Everything about her was graceful and beautiful.

He never wanted to lose her again.

No matter what it took, he wanted to stay by her side.

‘Richel probably doesn’t feel the same way I do. She’s still insisting on the divorce.’

Lowering his gaze, Edwin quietly exhaled.

His thoughts were in complete disarray.

Richel called out to him.

“What are you doing, Edwin? You should eat.”

She gestured toward his plate with her chin.

A beat too late, Edwin nodded.

“Ah… right. I should eat.”

“I heard the head chef put a lot of effort into today’s lunch.”

She picked up a slice of bread and cut it in half lengthways.

Warm steam rose from its fluffy interior.

The rich scent of butter wafted upwards.

Richel spread a generous layer of jam on one half and took a bite.

Its soft, moist texture filled her mouth.

‘The head chef really is talented.’

Before she knew it, Richel had finished all the bread on her plate.

The texture, aroma and flavor were all satisfying.

If the bread was this good, she wondered, what would the main courses be like?

Feeling slightly excited, she helped herself to another slice.

Just as she tore into the second slice, Edwin’s plate caught her eye.

It remained exactly the same as before: untouched.