***

Yuis woke up early. The bed beside her, where Edric had been sleeping, was already empty.

After washing quickly in the bathroom, she stepped out to find Laura waiting for her. The moment Laura saw her, her eyes widened in shock and she hurried over to her.

“My lady!”

Seeing her reaction, Yuis let out a slightly embarrassed laugh.

“Do I look that bad?”

Her eyelids were so swollen that even blinking felt heavy. Perhaps she shouldn’t have refused Edric’s offer of another ice pack last night when he jokingly asked if she wanted one.

“No, not at all, my lady. You’re still beautiful… it’s just…”

Laura’s face twisted into a worried frown, causing Yuis to smile softly.

“It’s alright, Laura. Could you come closer and help me a little?”

“Just a moment, my lady. I’ll bring an ice pack!”

Laura soon returned and carefully placed a cold compress over Yuis swollen eyelids. If only the swelling went down, everything else would be fine.

“I have some business to attend to tomorrow morning. I’ll see you in the afternoon.”

It seemed that he planned to enjoy the trip with her from that day onwards. Despite everything that had happened the previous day, Yuis felt a quiet sense of anticipation at the thought of travelling with him.

After Laura removed the ice pack, they had breakfast together. Still worried, Laura kept telling Yuis not to overexert herself, but Yuis found the time they spent together rather pleasant.

She didn’t leave the suite that day. Gazing out at the scenery through the window was more than enough for her.

As the afternoon arrived and Laura helped her prepare, an air of excitement lingered softly in the room.

“My lady, shall I half-tie your hair today? What do you think?”

“Yes, that sounds lovely. Please do, Laura.”

Yuis smiled warmly at her reflection in the mirror.

Using heated curling tongs, Laura gently curled Yuis hair and tied half of it up, securing it with a large ribbon clip.

“All done, my lady! You look absolutely stunning!”

Yuis gave Laura a small nod of thanks and glanced at the bedside clock. It was already four o’clock.

She decided to wait for him while sipping the tea Laura had brought her.

At precisely 4:30 pm, Edric entered the room.

As always, his shirt was buttoned all the way up to the collar, and his tie and vest were perfectly wrinkle-free. The only difference from his usual appearance in Kalang was the jacket draped over his arm, likely due to the warmer weather here.

With steady steps, Edric approached her and extended his hand.

“Shall we go?”

Yuis was relieved at how much more relaxed he seemed compared to the day before, and she gently placed her hand in his. He took her hand and guided her as they left the suite together.

As soon as they climbed into the carriage, it set off smoothly. Yuis gazed at the scenery passing by outside the window before turning to Edric, who was sitting opposite her.

“Did your work go well this morning?”

Edric nodded casually.

“Thanks to you.”

Yuis had no idea that his ‘work’ had actually involved Jérôme Remy, and Edric found her innocent obliviousness amusing.

After blinking a few times, Yuis asked another question.

“Where are we going?”

Had he forgotten to tell her? Perhaps.

Looking into her clear violet eyes, Edric finally spoke.

“Somewhere I think you will like.”

It was the perfect answer.

Yuis stood on the white, sandy beach, overlooking the vast, open sea. She was unable to hide her delight. As she walked slightly ahead with light, excited steps, a faint glimmer of joy sparkled in Edric’s eyes as he watched her.

The very next day, his capable aide, Noah, brought him a full report detailing the identities of everyone present at the scene, just as he had ordered. The file on Jérôme Remy was particularly thorough.

Perhaps breaking his wrist would be fair compensation.

This thought flashed through Edric’s mind as he recalled Yuis bruised wrist from that morning.

As the steady sound of papers turning echoed from his desk, Noah’s voice filled the room.

“Jérôme Remy. Eldest son of Count Remy. It seems he attended tea a few times at the House of Johannes, where he likely first saw the madam.”

“I figured as much.”

Beneath Jérôme’s scornful tone and arrogant attitude toward Yuis, Edric sensed something more primal—a bitter longing. It was the kind of envy that made a fool mock what he secretly desired but knew he could never have.

“While he enjoys a generally good public reputation, the reality appears to be quite different. There have been several incidents involving maids, though it seems Count Remy has intervened each time to quietly cover things up.”

Of course. He was the heir, after all. A few incidents involving maids would hardly tarnish the reputation of a count’s eldest son.

But Yuis Descartes was no longer a maid. She was now the Duchess of Kalang.

“My lady said that Jérôme Remy approached her several times while she was working at the House of Johannes. Each time, she turned him down.”

As expected. His wife had never once strayed from his expectations. If she had wanted an easy life, she wouldn’t have become a maid in the first place.

“She was, in fact, the only maid Jérôme Remy failed to seduce. Because of that, the young lady of Johannes grew even more resentful towards the madam.”

After listening to Noah’s full report, Edric sat tapping his fingers on the desk for a moment before giving a brief command.

“I’ll have to visit Darec myself.”

“Yes, Your Grace. I’ll begin preparations.”

With a respectful bow, Noah quietly placed several documents on the table and withdrew. These documents detailed Count Remy’s recent investments, particularly his involvement in the railway project connecting Kalang and Darec.

Scanning through the files, Edric’s lips curled into a faint smirk.

‘They would pay dearly for daring to insult Descartes.’

He hadn’t intended to raise the matter so soon, but it now seemed that his visit to Darec would coincide with the end of Yuis’s honeymoon. It was only right that he should confront Darec’s foolish king, who had sent Yuis to him, in person and deliver a direct warning about the Houses of Johannes and Remy.

As Yuis walked ahead with light, graceful steps, almost as if she were dancing, Edric followed behind her with a deeply satisfied smile.

Yesterday was already in the past. What mattered now was what lay ahead. He was certain it would cause no great trouble.

After dismissing the servants trailing behind them, Edric quickened his pace to walk beside Yuis.

“This is my first time.”

Her sparkling violet eyes resembled precious gemstones, and Edric found himself watching the slight flush on her cheeks and her bright, lifted smile for quite some time.

“The cliffs.”

Edric finally spoke when Yuis shifted her gaze towards the rolling waves. When she turned back to look at him, he said.

“It’s a beautiful place where the sheer cliffs meet the sea. It’s part of our itinerary.”

Upon hearing that they would be visiting an even better place later, Yuis smiled a little more brightly, like a child. Her laughter was as light as sea foam carried on the breeze.

Seeing her smile, Edric laughed too.

But this time, it wasn’t the polite smile of a refined nobleman that he had always shown her before.

It was a pure, boyish smile – clear and innocent.

The colour of the ocean behind him seemed to be reflected in his eyes.

Yuis found herself staring, slightly dazed, as if a stone had been dropped into her once-calm heart.

She felt that she would remember this smile for a very long time.

At that moment, Edric extended his hand – now familiar, large and warm.

Taking it, they strolled along the shoreline together.

With the warm sunlight on their backs and the soft sand beneath their feet, not to mention the gentle sound of waves crashing, it was the perfect moment.

Yuis pressed her fingernails lightly into her palms several times, as if trying to ground herself in reality.

Yesterday’s events already felt like a distant memory.

Feeling his firm hand wrapped around hers, Yuis quietly matched his pace, stealing glances at him as they walked.

When she began to slow down, Edric placed his jacket on the sand and helped her to sit down.

Only then did she realise that she had been slightly out of breath. Perhaps it was because she had never imagined seeing the world outside Darec like this.

She hadn’t even noticed her flushed cheeks or the beads of sweat gathering on her forehead; her eyes had been completely captivated.