* * *

“Nyx.”

“…….”

Finally, among all the words she knew, the one that came out was somewhat decent and acceptable.

“I am Nyx, from today I will be your knight and friend, becoming your strength and sharing your purpose.”

The voice that had been asking ‘Are you sure about that name?’ for whatever word was uttered, seemed to ponder for a moment before quickly accepting that word and completing the contract.

They didn’t ask if she was really sure.

“…….”

Serena felt a little more disappointed.

As the contract concluded, a dark blue light flowed out and seeped into the back of Serena’s hand.

A pattern appeared and disappeared in an instant.

The black rabbit, which had been a doll, was enveloped in the dark blue light and slowly revealed its form amidst the glow.

The buttons disappeared, and the thread in its mouth vanished.

Finally, the spirit Nyx, transformed into the appearance of a living rabbit, perked up its ears and raised one hand high, holding up a notepad.

[Nice to meet you, Serena!]

Serena’s mood improved a little at the cheerful greeting written in round handwriting by the cute rabbit on the notepad.

So, with a slightly regretful heart, she tried saying:

“Blackie…….”

In fact, she wanted to push for the name Blackie.

It was the name that had come to mind since she first saw the doll.

However, hearing that murmur, Nyx blinked its eyes and turned the notepad back towards itself, starting to write something.

The scratching sound was quite pleasant to hear.

After a short wait, the black rabbit doll showed her the notepad again.

[Hello, I’m Nyx! Nice to meet you, Serena!]

It had added its own name to the greeting it had already written, even using proofreading marks.

“…….”

She closed her mouth somewhat dejectedly.

* * *

It’s quiet.

Sitting in the study of the mansion, handling overdue paperwork, Magnus suddenly thought this about the silence all around.

It had been a week since he received the signature on the divorce papers and submitted them to the imperial court the next day.

In fact, Magnus had doubted her even after receiving her apology.

Because even after the carriage accident, there were occasionally capricious good days when they could converse well like before, so he thought this apology might be similar to those instances.

‘……Was that sincere?’

Magnus put down his pen, becoming somewhat serious.

He interlaced his fingers, rested his chin on them, and looked around the quiet study once.

The house, which hadn’t had a quiet day since marrying her, had been as silent as a grave for the past week.

It was so noticeable that he could feel the servants glancing around nervously from time to time.

No, it wasn’t just the quietness.

This week, despite being in the same mansion, Magnus hadn’t seen a single strand of Serena Lavernia’s peculiar pink hair.

‘Is she dead?’

Once, out of curiosity, he asked Pamel.

Pamel shook his head and simply answered, ‘She’s taking care of everything in her room.’

So she wasn’t dead.

“Why is it so quiet?”

Magnus finally couldn’t resist and opened his mouth.

“Shall I open a window for you?”

Pamel, who was nearby, asked.

“No, I’m scared because Serena Lavernia is too quiet.”

She was scary when noisy, but now she was scary when quiet.

He had been handling overdue work at home all week.

She must have been in the mansion all week too.

But how could they not have crossed paths even once?

It was unbelievable.

“If you’re so worried, why don’t you go check on her?”

“……Worried? Me? About whom?”

Magnus questioned Pamel somewhat indignantly.

It was because it sounded as if he was worried about Serena Lavernia.

Considering the past incidents, Magnus was angry at the very fact that he could appear that way to others.

Especially when he thought of his twin siblings who had nearly been poisoned and fallen seriously ill!

He deliberately recalled his twin siblings who had collapsed from the great shock.

“Aren’t you worried that the madam might cause an accident?”

“Yes, that’s exactly it.”

Magnus nodded quickly.

He was just worried about what kind of accident she might be planning while being so quiet in her room.

“It would be troublesome if she causes an accident, so I should definitely go check.”

Magnus stood up.

To Magnus von Kelahinum, Serena Lavernia is a love-hate existence.

Having been betrothed through a political engagement and having known her since childhood, he has somehow grown fond of her and has affection.

However, along with the time they spent together, hatred has also accumulated for an even longer period.

Magnus always divided people into two categories.

Enemies and allies.

But when it comes to Serena, she’s neither an enemy nor, by any means, an ally.

He never knew how to deal with her.

Still, he had come to be able to hate her.

He clearly hated her until just recently.

He was also extremely angry.

If she continued to refuse the divorce, he was prepared to submit evidence of her fault and force a divorce.

He intended to continue thinking of her as an uncomfortable and displeasing person in the future.

But, having inadvertently accepted her apology a week ago, now he couldn’t even hate her!

Of course, he did get the signature on the divorce papers he wanted so badly, but……!

This was too simple compared to the humiliation he had endured until now.

“Hic, sniff. A-Actually, I should just drink poison and die writhing in pain, bleeding all over while repenting for the sins I’ve committed until now. No, that would be better. What’s the point of someone like me living? Waaah, after, sniff, causing so much, waaah, suffering to… sniff, so many people…… If I live well and comfortably, sniff, what would that… hic.”

Magnus recalled her crying bitterly a week ago as he climbed to the second floor.

Serena Lavernia doesn’t cry.

Magnus saw her crying for the first time then.

So he was surprised.

Because she was a person who didn’t cry no matter what slander she received, no matter what disrespect she faced, no matter how lonely she became.

It was like that when he openly disrespected her when they were young, and it was like that even when they had arguments with raised voices after marriage.

Serena Lavernia was always confident even when slandered by everyone.

When she came to have tea with her fiancé and he rudely ignored her, she still enjoyed her teatime fully by herself before leaving.

After marriage, she liked luxury. She liked parties, she liked shopping, she liked collecting jewelry and dresses.

She would go shopping at least five times a week.

‘But to be this quiet for a week?’

He came to two conclusions.

Either she was very ill, or she had gone mad in some way.

He stood in front of the room of the woman who was still his wife, though they had never shared a room.

‘Whenever I came here, the only reason was to raise our voices.’

Either he was angry, or she was angry.

It was one of the two.

Perhaps that’s why standing here isn’t very pleasant.

Knock knock.

He knocked on the door.

There was no answer from inside. He knocked once more, but it was the same.

‘We’re still married anyway, so it should be fine.’

He hesitated for a moment, then turned the doorknob.

Fortunately, the door opens smoothly.

He deliberately made a noise as he opened the door wide.

Whoof–

The air inside enveloped Magnus. Magnus couldn’t help but scrunch up his face.

“……A stable……?”

He should have entered his wife’s room in the mansion, but he smelled a familiar yet somewhat unpleasant odor that one would expect to find in a stable.

“……”

It was pitch black darkness.

The thick curtains were drawn, all windows were blocked, and the door was tightly closed.

Inside, various smells were mixed together.

It seems that eating only inside the room has caused the smells to accumulate and mix together.

Magnus’s eyes became contemptuous for a moment.

Although he hadn’t lived too cleanly himself, rolling through battlefields and camping, this was extreme.

He would have believed it if mold and mushrooms were growing in the corners.

The musty smell gave him a headache.

‘Alright, so she’s sick and had gone mad.’

Magnus’s judgment was quick.

He concluded, without further consideration, that based on the scene before his eyes, Serena Lavernia was not only very ill but had also gone completely mad.