The journey from the west to the capital took several days. The nobles rested inside the carriage.

The knights and maids pitched tents near the carriage and rested inside them.

Though there were no dangers nearby, the relentless forced march eventually caused Diana to suffer nosebleeds and fevers multiple times.

Each time, beyond the doctor’s back, Calliope would glance at her with a displeased expression before abruptly leaving the carriage.

For several days, Diana hadn’t exchanged a single word with Calliope.

Diana also found herself avoiding his gaze out of embarrassment and guilt as the carriage kept stopping because of her.

“We’ve arrived.”

Wyatt knocked twice on the door from outside.

Shortly after, the carriage door opened, revealing an enormous mansion.

“This is…”

“The Aquitaine family’s capital residence.”

Diana tilted her head.

Wasn’t the capital residence where Helena and Calven stayed?

Seemingly reading her confusion, Wyatt winked.

“The former Marquis and his wife stay at the villa. So you don’t need to worry, my lady.”

“Ah, thank you, Wyatt.”

“You remembered my name?”

Diana felt a pang of guilt inside. But she quickly produced a gentle expression.

“There isn’t a person in Aquitaine who doesn’t know Sir Wyatt.”

“I am rather popular.”

Wyatt joked as he extended his hand. Diana took it and stepped lightly out of the carriage.

The servants lined up in front of the mansion bowed, presenting a neat appearance.

“Let’s receive greetings a bit later.”

Calliope suddenly approached her side and instructed the butler.

The butler immediately directed the lined-up servants to help carry the luggage, moving busily.

Guided by the assigned maids to her room, Diana laid her exhausted body on the bed.

“Lien.”

“Yes.”

Lien, who had entered with her and was organizing luggage, answered politely.

Diana pulled out a letter from her bosom and handed it to Lien.

“Please send this to House Cloud.”

“Understood.”

The letter contained her wish to visit soon.

Though her visit wouldn’t change anything, still.

‘I can’t help worrying.’

Because they’re family.

Lying alone in the empty room, she tapped the soft bedspread with her fingertips.

The end of her thoughts seemed within reach yet remained elusive.

Perhaps if she rested a bit, her thoughts would organize themselves. Then maybe this crushing pain in her chest would disappear too.

* * *

The mansion resembled its master—systematic and quiet.

Even after arriving at the mansion, Calliope had spent the entire day holed up in his study without a single walk, absorbed in documents. By the time he called for Jerome, the sun was already setting.

“My lord, what is it…”

“Did you find it?”

Even with the subject omitted from the question, Jerome answered perceptively.

There was only one matter the lord cared about these days, so there was nothing to deliberate.

“I’ve secured evidence that Chester Stewart was promoted instead of Bern Cloud. But obtaining proof is nearly impossible.”

“The bribed examiner?”

“Dead.”

“The body?”

“They say it burned and can’t be found.”

“Tsk.”

Calliope clicked his tongue softly. Tap, tap—the sound of the pen nib striking the desk rang out rhythmically.

“The imperial family will gather the nobles soon, so I’ll see Duke Stewart’s face then.”

“Surely you’re not planning to attend an event hosted by the emperor after refusing his imperial command?”

Calliope’s calm eyes held a quietly honed k*lling intent.

“I need to go see. Since he dared torment her.”

Jerome nodded in agreement, then couldn’t resist voicing his sudden curiosity.

“More importantly, my lord, what did you fight with Lady Diana about?”

“We didn’t fight.”

“Then why is there suddenly a chill between you two? Just getting close makes me cold, so cold.”

Calliope raised his eyes coolly. Eek. Jerome quickly lowered his hand from rubbing his shoulder to a respectful position.

“…Do you also think my wife is very angry with me?”

After a moment of contemplation, Calliope spoke slowly.

Seeing his darkened face, Jerome sighed inwardly.

These romantic novices.

“To capture someone’s heart, you need to say what they want to hear and give them what they want.”

Jerome was also a work addict who’d never dated once, but he shamelessly pretended to be a romance expert, speaking with affected dignity.

“What Diana wants is revenge.”

“Then revenge… What? No, what I meant was—”

“You’re right, Jerome.”

“No, I mean…”

Calliope rose from his chair and approached the window.

His turned back radiated certainty.

Jerome instinctively sensed something was going wrong, but couldn’t add anything more to Calliope.

“Yes. Revenge.”

The darkening scenery outside the window was beautiful yet somehow desolate.

Calliope looked down at the darkened garden.

Perhaps he’d been turning away from what Diana wanted, even while knowing it.

“What Diana wants is thorough revenge. Then if… if this revenge comes to an end… might she not look at me?”

The voice resembling winter’s sharp scent was steeped in solitude.

“My lord. Having parents like Calven, being born in an empire ruled by a tyrannical emperor—none of that is your fault.”

Jerome appealed with regret in his tone. Jerome had observed Calliope the longest.

And the Calliope he knew always risked his life with every decision.

Calliope had achieved his first resolution, gaining the title of Marquis and becoming the Frontier Marquis of the northwest.

The events that led that young boy to drive out his father and become Marquis were horrifying enough to make one shudder without enumeration.

“But Jerome. If I help her achieve the revenge she yearns for, she won’t be able to abandon me.”

“Have you decided?”

Calliope nodded slowly. His elegant, beautiful golden eyes filled with poison.

His darkly sunken eyes gazed into darkness where nothing ahead was visible.

If he could, he wanted to stop Diana.

The path of revenge was too painful, and even achieving it couldn’t be satisfying.

All that would remain would be his blood-soaked hands and a soul ground to powder like broken glass.

Still, if she wanted it this much, having taken her into his heart, he would gladly resolve to stain himself with blood again.

“Yes. Now the reason for revenge doesn’t matter. If she wants it, I must achieve it.”

“My lord. This is revolution.”

“No. It’s purely an act of treason for Diana.”

“My lord!”

“When my intentions are impure, how could this act bear a noble name?”

Calliope laughed hollowly and turned around.

Jerome and Calliope faced each other. Though their positions were adjutant and lord, they could dare be called friends who’d stood together on the line between life and death.

“…I’ll gather people. There are more than enough nobles and knights who’ve suffered from tyranny.”

“Good. And, Jerome.”

“Command me.”

Jerome bowed solemnly with deliberately exaggerated arm movements. It meant he would now listen as an adjutant to his lord.

Calliope strode forward and placed his hand on Jerome’s shoulder.

“After the knight promotion matter ends, exclude Diana from this affair as much as possible.”

“…Understood.”

* * *

Diana, who’d fallen asleep briefly, suddenly woke at the feeling of darkness surrounding her.

Outside the window, the sun had already set.

She pulled the bell cord to have a maid bring washing water, and after finishing her simple grooming, the sun had completely set.

Diana needed Calliope’s cooperation regarding the knight promotion corruption case.

To somewhat ease the awkward atmosphere, she gathered simple refreshments on a tray and headed to his private room.

“Ah, Lady Diana. The lord said not to let anyone in right now. It seems he has something to discuss with Jerome.”

“Then it’s better not to announce me. I’ll wait outside for a moment.”

“Please give me the tray.”

The servant politely took the tray.

Diana waited outside the door, pondering how she could enter Duke Stewart’s residence and negotiate.

This case, even if it blew up, wouldn’t seriously damage House Stewart’s reputation. Still, since they were founding noble descendants for whom pride was everything, it was worth creating an opportunity to attempt dialogue.

Diana paused her thoughts as she tucked a slightly fallen strand of hair behind her ear.

Perhaps because the corridor was quiet, voices leaked faintly through the door crack.

She instinctively focused on the murmuring voices.

‘Command me.’

‘After the knight promotion matter ends, exclude Diana from this affair as much as possible.’

‘Understood.’

Diana’s hand, which had been arranging her hair, dropped limply.

‘Why? Am I that incompetent?’

‘I tried not to act like my former self. You don’t know what anxiety and fear I’ve chewed down and suppressed to avoid becoming that powerless, weak person.’

The Frontier Marquis who wouldn’t spare her a glance, my husband.

Calliope Aquitaine.

He was indeed the man she knew.

That man from her past life who made her harbor expectations only to disappoint her repeatedly—it was him.

Diana raised the corners of her mouth with a mixture of familiarity and bitterness.

Yes. He hasn’t changed.

Even with regression, nothing had changed.

The emperor who committed tyranny yet would pluck stars and moon for his daughter, Paenna’s fall, the spirited and clever Eleonora, the loyal adjutant Jerome.

The world.

And Calliope Aquitaine, who never let anything close to him.

The only thing in the world that had changed was herself.

“That’s enough. I’ll see him tomorrow.”

“Should I tell the lord later that you came?”

“No. Don’t mention I came here either. Just deliver the refreshments.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Diana slowly turned her steps.

She’d tried so hard. Yet Calliope still didn’t recognize her abilities, and she resented him for it.

Her heart grew cold.

The anxiety that she’d never be acknowledged pounded her heart hard.

She’d become a wife inferior to a subordinate, again.

Jerome remained a capable adjutant who could be trusted with tasks in this life too, while she remained an incompetent wife who only received help from her husband.

Thud.

In the middle of the dark, long corridor barely lit by a few lamps on the walls, Diana stopped walking.

“I couldn’t change anything.”

Her disappointed voice spread through the corridor. The darkness steadily expanded its territory, and the lamps flickered and swayed.

“Don’t waver.”

Diana’s low voice held a slight tremor.

“Just don’t waver.”

She would earn his trust, not his affection. She wouldn’t be greedy. This much disappointment was enough.

She slowly walked the dark corridor again.

For Diana, this night was far too long and desolate.