Still, since he was once a brother-in-law, he thought he should at least show his face, and after taking a few more steps with that thought, he was already heading outside in his outdoor clothes.

Brother-in-law. Family.

‘Until then, I thought those were meaningless words.’

But somehow now, those words came to mind first, as if they were good excuses.

After waiting at the back gate for some time like that,

As he expected, he saw a carriage coming out from the back gate.

“Block that carriage’s path!”

Following Gillian’s order, the carriage ran across the road.

The Crient family’s coachman, seeing this, screamed in shock.

“Wh, what! What’s that!”

He pulled the reins of the horses that were about to rear up in surprise at the carriage cutting in front of them.

Neigh!

At the sudden commotion, Ellen asked toward the outside.

“What’s happening?”

“Some carriage has cut in front of us. It’s blatantly blocking the road, Miss!”

“Go ask what they’re doing. I’m curious which ill-mannered family this is.”

“The thing is…… from what I can see, it looks like the Krembell family crest.”

“What?”

Ellen immediately opened the carriage window to look ahead.

Looking outside, she saw Gillian getting out of his carriage.

“Good heavens.”

She pretended not to be there because she didn’t want to deal with him, and now he’s gone around back to catch her in the act.

Ellen gritted her teeth.

“He must have quite a lot of time on his hands.”

Swish, Ellen closed the carriage window and drew the curtains completely.

But Gillian seemed to have already spotted Ellen and began striding toward the carriage.

Knock knock.

“Ellen. Let’s talk.”

It was a chilling voice.

Ellen, who had no intention of dealing with him, stayed quiet.

Then Gillian’s voice was heard again from outside.

“Pretending not to be there is certainly your choice, but staying here continuously is also my choice.”

Ah, why is this man suddenly……

Ellen pressed her temples.

Should I turn the carriage around and go back inside?

‘No. The sooner I meet Marquis Avalanche, the better.’

Does this bastard really not intend to move?

Ellen pondered for a moment, then sighed and got out of the carriage.

“What is this behavior? How rude.”

“You’re quite rude too, treating a guest poorly with lies about not being here.”

“Don’t you think it was wrong to visit without prior notice in the first place?”

“If it was unpleasant, I apologize. But that doesn’t seem to be a reason why you should lie about not being here.”

“……Fine. I’ll apologize too. So why did you come here?”

“Wouldn’t it be better for us to go inside and talk? This isn’t the kind of conversation to have on the street.”

You’re blatantly trying to enter my mansion?

Ellen struggled to contain her rising irritation and answered.

“……Let’s do that.”

* * *

Ellen walked briskly without caring about the distance between herself and the guest following behind.

As soon as she passed the porch, she turned around and glared at Gillian.

“I don’t want to bother guiding you to the reception room. Since we’ve entered indoors, let’s talk here.”

“……Whatever.”

Gillian answered obediently. Then Ellen, displeased with that attitude too, asked sharply.

“Is there a reason we need to face each other again?”

“A reason? A reason.”

Gillian stroked his chin and said.

“I heard my brother-in-law was hurt. It’s regrettable. I wish for a speedy recovery.”

“Ha, brother-in-law?”

“We were family once, after all.”

“I wonder if that’s something someone who told his former wife that she should have rather died should say.”

“That was…….”

Gillian, momentarily at a loss for words, closed his mouth.

He sighed and ran his hand through his forehead and hair, saying.

“I’ve had a lot going on recently. Those things drove me to that point. Besides, weren’t those commotions things you planned?”

“So?”

“At least you shouldn’t say such things to me.”

“I’d like you to also think about who was responsible for why I had to go that far in the first place.”

Ellen let out a hollow laugh, saying it was ridiculous.

But then it happened.

“Yes. I thought about it.”

Ellen’s eyes widened.

“I thought about it, and I thought that what you want might have changed. What one wants can change over time.”

He spoke plainly while gazing at his own hands once.

“So the existing contract might be judged as not very beneficial. In such cases, we just need to change it to fit the current situation. It’s just time for a new contract.”

He looked at Ellen quietly but with intensely burning eyes.

“And why exactly should I do that?”

“Couldn’t we just take mutual benefit? Since we ended the relationship because we could no longer benefit, I’m suggesting we discuss those benefits again.”

“How many times must I say that there’s no need to discuss merits and demerits, whatever they may be, before you’ll acknowledge it?”

Then Gillian sighed.

“……Fine. Then at least let me properly hear the reason why you acted that way, what you were hoping for. Not that nonsensical talk about wanting divorce to get divorced, but the real reason you wanted divorce.”

“I feel like I’ve already talked about that countless times.”

“You have?”

“It wasn’t me who didn’t listen and didn’t see, it was you, Duke. Even when it came to keeping just one maid.”

“I don’t remember interfering with such things.”

“……Ha.”

Ellen pressed her temples as if a throbbing headache was coming on.

What reason do I have to lay out past stories here?

Why on earth do I have to bring out those emotions from back then again?

But as if reading her thoughts, Gillian said.

“Isn’t it about time to stop thinking of avoiding? You know how I deal with things I need to do, having watched all this time.”

Ellen sighed at those words. As her breath escaped, she finally felt the tightly tensed facial muscles relax.

Right. To get rid of something unpleasant, you eventually have to put your hands on it.

Ellen parted her lips.

“……A maid spilled tea on me.”

Gillian, who had been waiting for her to speak, immediately asked back.

“Tea?”

“Yes. Freshly brewed black tea.”

“She spilled it? Were you hurt? Burns?”

“You’re asking that now.”

Ellen laughed incredulously and continued.

“Whether it stemmed from the servants’ attitude of looking down on me, or was just a clumsy maid’s mistake, I don’t know. But whatever the fundamental cause was, it was clearly something that required punishment, and I gave such instructions.”

“But why……”

“However, you didn’t even discuss punishment for it, you instead made me a lady whose opinions were dismissed in front of the maids.”

“……”

Gillian’s lips, which were about to ask something, closed.

After being quiet for a long time, he opened his mouth heavily.

“……I wasn’t dismissing your opinion. It was a mistake that happened because I was too busy. I only found out after receiving reports from James again.”

He continued making excuses.

“At first, I didn’t know you well either, so I thought it was your mistake, that you were being sensitive. I didn’t know the discipline among the family servants was so lax. But if you had said so……”

“If I had said so? Do you remember what you said to me when you say that?”

“……”

“I brought up problems every time. But you gave orders arbitrarily and then told me not to let loud voices come from the mansion anymore.”

“……”

“To go back now.”

Gillian fell silent, at a loss for words.

“It was you who blocked your own ears, Duke. Not me.”

At Ellen’s sharp words, after being quiet for a long time, he opened his mouth.

“……Yes. My attitude wasn’t certainly good when it came to listening. I acknowledge that.”

He raised one hand and said.

“That’s why I said I’d entrust you with full authority over mansion affairs. But wasn’t it the same for you, having no intention of discussing things step by step from there?”

“……Ha.”

Ellen let out a short sigh.

What reason do I have to continue this conversation?

She closed her eyes at the fatigue that began rushing over her rapidly.

“……That attitude itself is the problem, Duke. In the end, rather than acknowledging your mistakes and working together to fix them, you’re just trying to somehow stand above me and defeat me.”

Ellen waved her hand as if she wanted to end the conversation.

“I don’t want to continue this meaningless argument any longer. Please go back. You don’t need to see El before you go either. Leave.”

When she opened the front door and spoke, Gillian, finally overwhelmed by her attitude of blatantly avoiding him, shouted.

“No matter what, I’m your ex-husband! How can you treat me……!”

But that was the moment.

“I’ve come with His Highness’s message…… but it seems this wasn’t a good time.”

Outside the door stood Claudius Baroque, knight of Second Prince Crescent.

“……Sir Baroque?”

When Ellen also called him with a slightly dazed face in confusion, he scratched the back of his head once with a somewhat awkward expression and said.

“I heard about the young master’s accident. His Highness Crescent expresses deep regret and has sent medicinal herbs that are said to be good for health.”

“Ah.”

Ellen let out a low exclamation once and glanced at Gillian.

His rigidly hardened face had cracks in it.

He seemed quite uncomfortable about making a scene.

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of spreading what I heard, nor any particular place to spread it to. I’ve never seen gossip like this circulate with only honest facts remaining.”

Claudius chuckled and shook his head.

He set down several boxes he was carrying on the ground.

“Here are the medicinal herbs His Highness sent. There are precautions I need to inform you about regarding their use……”

He glanced sideways at Gillian and said.

“Have you finished your business with the duke, my lady?”

“Yes. You’ve come at a really good time, Sir. Please come in.”

Ellen quickly picked up his gifts and said.

She spoke to the butler who was giving instructions to move the luggage.

“The guest is leaving, so see him off.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Sir Baroque. I’ll guide you. Please come in.”

“……”

When Ellen left only orders for the butler and went inside, Gillian, left alone there, looked at the two people with an openly uncomfortable face.

“Then go safely, Duke Krembell.”

At Claudius’s leisurely greeting, Gillian ground his teeth and said.

“……You as well, Sir.”

But he lightly followed Ellen up as if such threats from Gillian were laughable.