“Then let’s talk now. What I really need to do once I return to the castle.”

Fino stared at the woman’s face—changed yet unchanged—for a moment before pulling out another sheet of paper from his coat.

“There’s only one thing I need you to do, my lady.”

Then he revealed his true purpose.

“Please divorce him again.”

* * *

Clatter clatter.

Inside the carriage racing down the dark road, only the rattling of wheels and the bitterly cold wind—seemingly reluctant to let winter end—could be heard. The two people inside had already finished all necessary conversation, leaving nothing more to say.

As the carriage entered the village of the outer castle, Fino handed Eisha a cloak with instructions.

“We’ll enter through the back gate. Please cover yourself well.”

Eisha nodded silently and pulled on the cloak with its large hood, concealing her small frame completely. Fino watched her briefly before turning his attention to his documents.

Just her return to the castle alone created more than enough paperwork for him to handle.

Once his gaze left her, Eisha turned her eyes to the window.

It’s exactly the same.

Pave Castle atop the hill, visible as soon as they crossed the mountain, stood as majestically as it had the day she left two years ago.

Standing guard over the Leicus region since the day this empire was founded, Pave Castle was the Hebrandt family’s history, relic, and pride. To her, it was merely a tomb-like place where she had lived holding her breath, existing like the dead.

The village and the inner castle’s exterior that soon came into view remained unchanged, making the two years of her absence feel like a complete lie. It was exactly what her maid had once told her.

“No one will care. Even if you disappeared tomorrow, my lady. This Pave Castle will be the same every day. You know it yourself, don’t you? That’s what you are in this castle.”

Can she endure this?

Eisha’s amber eyes darkened with worry and anxiety born from experience.

But Eisha had no choice but to follow their terms. She had to get her grandfather back from them.

Even if that weren’t the case, she needed a place to hide immediately.

She thought Philip had accepted her when everyone else turned away, thought he’d helped her sick grandfather stay at the hospital—but she was wrong. 

He’d conspired with the hospital staff to charge her twice for medical bills that had already been paid in full. Not satisfied with that, he’d used it as leverage to burden her with debt and trap her. 

Philip wasn’t a last lifeline but a snare disguised as help.

To escape this shameless man, and for her sick friend’s peace, she had to leave.

The Hebrandt estate was an excessive refuge for that purpose. A country baron wouldn’t even dare think of setting foot there.

Though she was returning as the “Grand Duchess,” she didn’t really have much to do. Her task was exactly one thing.

To sign divorce papers with the man named Claven Hebrandt once more.

That’s what Fino had said.

“The attending physician Gordon said this. If he frequently encounters familiar things, he might regain his memories faster.”

And he’d added this:

“He might realize it the moment he sees you, my lady. The fact that he divorced you.”

Yes, that might happen.

No matter how broken his memory was, her ex-husband Claven would end that ridiculous delusion the moment he saw her. Her face only brought him contempt and displeasure—completely different from the woman he loved.

At this realization, Eisha felt like laughing bitterly.

During their three years of marriage, he never once considered her his wife, yet after an accident he now regards her as his wife and searches for her—isn’t that absurd?

But Eisha erased this emotion immediately too. The more she held onto it, the more it would eat away at her heart.

Yes, please recognize me right away.

Then she wanted to ask him.

Why did you keep paying my grandfather’s hospital bills when you never once looked for me in two years?

Do you know what I went through because of you?

So were you perhaps a little sorry…?

Eisha pressed down firmly on the area near her left chest out of habit. The small bottle nestled there was her only sanctuary.

* * *

“You can enter this way.”

Fino pointed to the most secluded door of the castle. It was the servants’ entrance.

‘Right, in a way I’m in an employed position to them.’

Receiving set compensation to fulfill the role of “the Grand Duke’s wife.”

If they just let her sign the divorce papers again, they promised not only to safely return her grandfather but also to arrange a quiet place for her and her grandfather to live while avoiding Philip.

Though cold, he wasn’t one to go back on his word, so he would certainly keep his promise. That’s why Eisha accepted calmly.

When she opened the door and entered, a maid who would be in charge of her was waiting inside, just like Fino had said.

“It’s been a while, my lady. My name is Vera.”

She recognized the face. She was someone who had attended to her ex-husband, and perhaps because there was little reason for them to interact, she was one of the few servants who showed no emotion when dealing with her.

If anything, it was fortunate. At least she wouldn’t torment her.

“I’ll guide you to your room. Please follow me.”

And so Eisha began quietly following Vera toward her room.

Really nothing has changed.

That must be thanks to Head Butler Hector, who had managed this castle since the previous Grand Duke’s time, right?

For all those long years, he had managed Pave Castle daily without a single gap. It seemed the same was true now, two years later.

Just as she was walking along, immersed in her own reflections, she suddenly heard crying. It was crying she never thought she’d hear in this Pave Castle.

A baby?

She didn’t know the reason, but Claven, the master of this castle, disliked babies, so during the time she stayed here two years ago, no baby had ever entered. Then the crying she heard now, unless it was a hallucination, could only be that baby.

The very baby Fino had given her advance notice about.

Vera’s steps quickened slightly, and as soon as they turned a corner in the dark corridor, she saw the source of the crying with a middle-aged woman.

“Hic, hic, hic.”

A tiny body that looked less than two years old was curled up in a baby carriage.

The crying seemed to have gone on for a long time—the baby’s cries looked terribly difficult. 

When Vera saw this and tried to approach, the middle-aged woman blocked her with a stern voice.

“Vera, stand back.”

“Lady Dwanda!”

Hearing the name, she thought she knew who it was.

Dwanda Warrek. She was included in Fino’s warning to avoid conflict if possible. She was the woman who had shielded her trembling mistress a few years ago while glaring at her with contemptuous eyes.

‘I remember she was Princess Shatret’s maid… Did she follow as the child’s nanny?’

Dwanda’s gaze briefly swept past Eisha. At the obvious disregard, Eisha’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

They told the castle servants that the divorce was nullified due to procedural issues…

As Eisha recalled Fino’s warning, she smirked at another memory.

That maid had always been like this. Even when Eisha was the Grand Duke’s wife, she had always looked down on her while hiding behind her mistress, Princess Shatret.

Meanwhile, sparks flew between Vera and Dwanda.

“Why are you here? And with Lord Milo…”

“No need to glare like that. I just came out for a walk, worried the baby’s crying might disturb the master’s sleep.”

“But…”

“Enough!”

At Dwanda’s low shout, Vera closed her mouth. If she provoked Dwanda’s anger unnecessarily, the target of that anger would be that helpless baby. Since Dwanda came to this castle, all decisions regarding the baby belonged to her.

“I’ve told you repeatedly. Stop concerning yourself with the baby.”

Dwanda poked Vera’s chest repeatedly with her long index finger. Then, with a crooked sneer on her lips, Dwanda turned sharply and announced:

“He seems to have stopped crying now, so I’ll be going.”

That was it.

Dwanda turned and left. Now she understood. The reason Dwanda had come all the way to this secluded place, using the crying baby as an excuse.

Sure enough, her purpose was her. In the instant she turned, Dwanda’s venomous gaze swept over not Vera, but her. She clearly knew she was returning today.

She must have wanted to confirm with her own eyes, right? 

Whether it was true that Eishatria Claven—who had been the empire’s one and only Grand Duchess, the biggest thorn in her mistress’s side until two years ago—had returned to this Pave Castle.

How foolish. Such pointless vigilance.

At the same time, that mockery was directed at herself too. Though it was fake now, two years ago when it was real, she could never have accepted that malicious gaze with such a calm heart.

It really wasn’t much at all.

Just as her heart began to creak with an irregular rhythm at the memories from two years ago, Vera’s apology brought her consciousness back to reality.

“I apologize for showing you such an unpleasant sight.”

“…I’m tired, so let’s go to my room.”

“…Yes.”

Neither Eisha nor Vera needed forgiveness for the perfunctory apology.

Vera began leading the way again. Soon they arrived at the room where she had stayed two years ago.

As Eisha entered the room, Vera took her cloak and asked:

“Shall I prepare a bath?”

“No, just a simple wash.”

She was already tired from the journey back to Pave Castle, and the unexpected encounter made even uttering a single word feel burdensome.

Vera didn’t hesitate. She quickly helped Eisha change into her nightgown and prepared her bed.

“Is there anything else you need?”

While Vera arranged the bed, Eisha looked around the room and nodded.

“Yes, you may leave now.”

“…Yes.”

Before leaving the room, Vera looked like she had something more to say, but she soon followed the instruction.

Click—

With the sound of the door closing, only heavy silence flowed through the room where Eisha remained alone.