“Are you alright?”

Thanks to Eugen supporting her arm, Celia avoided the embarrassment of falling ungracefully.

Celia looked up and met his eyes. She could feel his bright blue eyes staring at her through the veil. The very same eyes she had seen earlier.

“…I’m fine.”

As she turned her head away again, she felt her heart pounding even more strongly. The hand that had been holding Celia’s arm slowly released. The spot where Eugen had held her felt strangely hot.

“Let’s go back now.”

At his words, the workers who had finished their tasks began to leave one by one. Celia started to move but stopped, staring at the newly covered grave for a long time.

“……”

She simply couldn’t take a step. As if she had already taken root in the ground, she couldn’t move.

Suddenly, her vision spun. The last thing she saw was Eugen running towards her.

2. The Duke’s Heir

Someone’s crying could be heard.

The thin, sobbing voice grated on the nerves like the wail of a banshee (a female ghost said to announce a family death). The cry that seemed about to break off continued again and again, repeating several times. Then, at the sound of crying that grew loud enough to split her ears, Celia’s eyes flew open.

“……”

Upon waking, she felt her whole body damp with sweat. Celia rolled her eyes around, trying to figure out where she was. As she took in the lavishly decorated bedding, she heard someone approaching.

“Are you awake?”

The maid who had been dozing off beside her approached Celia with wide-open eyes.

“Who are you?”

Celia asked with a guarded expression.

“Ah, I was ordered to attend to the madam. I’m Anne.”

The maid quickly said, as if trying to reassure her. Celia looked at the new maid with a still dazed mind.

“How did this…”

“You suddenly collapsed after the coffin was interred.”

Anne carefully explained the situation.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Anne nodded repeatedly.

“If His Grace Eugen hadn’t caught you, you might have rolled in the mud.”

“The Duke?”

“Yes. He carried you himself.”

“……”

“Don’t you remember? You were ill for quite a while.”

“For a while?”

“It’s already been three days. You’ve been feverish and struggling all this time.”

Celia finally examined herself. The face in the mirror Anne brought showed someone who had been severely ill — her complexion was pale, and she had lost weight. Her lips were also chapped and white.

“Here, eat this.”

As Anne brought her some warm soup, Celia took a few spoonfuls before suddenly putting the spoon down.

“Why aren’t you eating more?”

Anne asked worriedly, seeing Celia put down the spoon after barely eating anything.

“It won’t go down.”

Though she didn’t even have the strength to hold the spoon, her mind was strangely clear. The fact that she had no idea what had happened during the three days she had been ill was frightening.

“Where is Duke… His Grace Eugen?”

“He’s probably in his office. He’s been busy ever since he returned.”

Thinking there must be more than enough to do, Celia nodded. It was obvious that there would be numerous matters to handle after the funeral, and things to look after both internally and externally now that he had just inherited the title.

“You sweated a lot.”

Anne wiped her forehead with a damp cloth.

“I want to wash up.”

Celia mumbled with a dazed expression. She could still hear the echo of the woman’s crying from her dream.

As she relaxed in the hot water, her whole body felt languid. While her body became comfortable, her mind became even more complicated.

Now that all the funeral procedures were over, the only thing left was her disposition. That was probably what Eugen wanted to talk about. However, no matter what he said, she had no intention of backing down.

The place where she needed to be was here, in the Hilbert ducal family. It had to be.

As soon as she finished bathing, Anne brought her new mourning clothes and a veil. As Celia unconsciously picked up the veil, she hesitated.

The vivid memory of the man who had suddenly invaded the space beneath her tightly wrapped veil came to mind.

“What’s wrong?”

“…It’s nothing.”

“If it’s uncomfortable, couldn’t you not wear it? The master also said it’s fine to take it off inside the house…”

“No, I’ll wear it.”

Right now, these were like the only armor protecting her. Even though they had crumbled so easily under Eugen’s hand. Just as she finished getting ready, the head butler came looking for her.

“His Grace is asking for you.”

She slowly nodded.

“I understand.”

Celia took a few deep breaths before leaving the room.

Eugen was sitting in the office that had been used by his father, Andro. Seated on the office sofa covered in blue velvet, Eugen nodded lightly as he saw Celia enter.

“Please, sit down.”

Celia went to sit in the seat opposite him as he gestured. As the maid who brought tea, the head butler who had guided her, and the head maid all left the office at once, Celia anxiously turned her head to follow them.

Her wish for at least one of them to remain unfortunately did not come true. Only the sound of the door closing mercilessly seemed particularly loud.

After dismissing all the attendants, Celia scanned the room with a tense expression. Seeing this, Eugen said with a smile,

“I asked them to leave as we have family matters to discuss. I thought it might be uncomfortable for others to hear.”

“……”

“First, please have some tea.”

“……”

Celia stared blankly at the teacup placed in front of her. She had no intention of picking it up to drink. To do so, she would have to lift her veil.

“What does it matter between family?”

Eugen said, as if reading her thoughts.

“I’m more comfortable like this.”

Celia hurriedly shook her head and refused. Keeping this on was the only way to hide her anxious inner thoughts. After her words, she saw the corner of Eugen’s mouth lift slightly.

“What difference does it make, keeping it on like that?”

There was a light hint of laughter in his voice. Was it just her imagination that she sensed a subtle mocking tone? Celia glared at him through her veil.

As if aware that she was looking at him with quite a hostile gaze, even though it wasn’t clearly visible, an amused smile spread across Eugen’s lips.

“We’ve already seen each other’s faces, you seem to be keeping an excessive distance.”

“This is the proper etiquette, so…”

“I can abolish that etiquette if I want to.”

“……”

“Take it off.”

A voice devoid of laughter was heard. Celia clenched her hands, feeling tension flow through her entire body.

“I have no intention of talking to someone who hides their face. We are about to have a very important conversation, madam.”

It was neither a request nor an invitation, but an order. Though his voice was extremely gentle, the power contained within it was not.

“Come on.”

A dry voice was heard. Celia anxiously stared straight ahead. Her fear grew even more because she couldn’t clearly see what expression he was making.

In that quiet stillness, Celia swallowed.

“I’ll keep it on.”

At Celia’s answer, he was silent for a while. She only felt as if he might be smiling behind the veil.

“I heard you were ill.”

Celia reflexively brought her hand to her face. It was an action that came out even though there was no way he could see her face.

“Are you not fully recovered yet?”

“No, I’m fine now.”

Celia quickly answered. Eugen’s intense gaze made her uncomfortable.

“I heard you supported me when I collapsed that day. I caused you trouble.”

“I couldn’t just ignore someone who had fallen.”

“Thank you.”

“Between family, why are there so many things to be thankful and sorry for?”

He casually brought up the word ‘family’. Unless he intentionally meant to tease her, he couldn’t have said it so naturally.

Only a fool would fail to see that he wasn’t really thinking of her as family. The more he emphasized being ‘family’, the more uncomfortable Celia felt. And that might have been exactly what Eugen intended.

“Was your grief over losing your husband so great?”

“……”

“Great enough to faint while watching your husband finally buried in the earth?”