3.

Dawn broke. Catherine rubbed her stiff eyelids while fumbling around the bed. Her hand met a familiar warmth. He hadn’t let go of her until late, and Catherine had cried over and over again. Despite his seemingly indifferent personality, Lorendis was relentless. That relentless nature shone in his eyes, resembling a beast’s gaze directed at her.

‘This persistent personality is something I didn’t expect……’

Lorendis slowly opened his eyes. His coolly subdued pupils pierced her precisely. Catherine flinched and curled up. It was an instinct engraved in her body since last night.

“Are you awake?”

“Did you wake up first?”

Lorendis, who had been lying face down, raised his upper body. His shoulders spread threateningly, and the muscles in his waist settled in fine detail.

The memory was still vivid. He had stirred her entire body dizzily, scratching inside, and driven Catherine to the edge of the cliff.

His dark eyes settled low. As her waist trembled as if chilled, her body beneath the sheet looked particularly pale. Catherine lifted the edge of the sheet, peeked, and quickly covered herself again.

‘Was I a bit rough?’

As she sat quietly on the bed, Lorendis’s gaze followed her. He looked down at Catherine silently, then wrapped her hair around his finger and asked.

“Are you hurt somewhere?”

“No. I was just wondering if all couples really live like this.”

“Why?”

“If everyone lives like this, um, it seems quite open-minded.”

This makes me feel like a real wife, not one with a deadline. As she shrank her neck with a start, the hand touching her nape was hot. She rolled her eyes to glance at him but then avoided even that gaze. Lorendis muttered to himself, ‘No fever,’ and withdrew his hand.

“I’ll send up a maid, so rest.”

After he left, Nancy immediately came to the bedroom. Seeing the languid air flowing in the bedroom, Nancy mumbled her lips. Oh my, it’s so steamy. He just returned and now finally started his honeymoon life. Nancy brought an ointment from the drawer and applied it all over her body.

“You need to wear a dress, but your body……”

“Is it that bad?”

“This is because His Grace lacked consideration. It’s like he bit and tore at a person’s body…… I’ve spoken too much. Let me help you get dressed.”

Nancy made a bewitched moaning sound. Your Grace…… what have you done……

“Hey.”

“Yes, yes?”

“Is this normal?”

Nancy couldn’t bring herself to answer. My master seems to have been a bit excessive, but to speak of that in front of the mistress? She can’t do that even if she dies. Nancy awkwardly smiled and just applied the ointment. Catherine fidgeted with her nape and lowered her hand awkwardly under Nancy’s sharp gaze.

“I’ve applied the ointment, so don’t touch it with your hands.”

After applying ointment and finishing dressing, it was late morning. After much deliberation, they decided to cover her neck with a scarf. Nancy closed her lips, leaving only the advice to be careful with her neck and wrists that were visible outside her clothes from now on. Finally, as she wrapped a scarf to cover her neck, Nancy added matching accessories.

“The master went to inspect the knights. So the mansion has been lively since early morning. Would you like to go out too, madam? Or perhaps it’s better to rest in your room……”

“Since I’m already dressed, shall we go out together?”

Nancy followed behind Catherine, fidgeting anxiously.

“Madam, are you sure you’re alright in that condition? The master lacks consideration. Even knowing your current state……”

“Well. If he had shown consideration for me, I think I would have felt more miserable.”

Catherine smiled brightly.

“And I need to go out today.”

“……Was that today? Madam. I don’t think you need to see off such people who don’t even seem like people.”

Nancy bit her lips, whimpering. As Catherine walked ahead, the maids following behind tilted their heads curiously.

Some maids who had been away on leave for a few days didn’t know what had happened a few days ago.

“Madam, what’s today?”

“It’s the day my family leaves for the monastery. They say they’ll now put down all attachments and abandon greed and avarice at the monastery.”

She had recently told Nancy about what happened with her and her family. That she had a bad relationship with her family, and perhaps that had taken a toll on her body, making her sick. Dr. Dennis and James often visited her for that reason, she was diagnosed with a terminal illness, and Lorendis knew that, which is why she was staying in Helen. Nancy was greatly pained by that story.

‘Why are you only telling this now, madam!’

Nancy whimpered and felt sorry for Catherine who had endured alone all this time. She wept and knelt down at Catherine’s words that nothing would have changed even if she had spoken earlier.

‘Have you been enduring alone all this time?’

There’s a disconnect with the expression “endured.” She hadn’t endured difficult times enough to use such an expression. If anything, it was closer to “just lived.”

“I still haven’t let go of you, madam. The world hasn’t abandoned you and us yet.”

Catherine’s pupils trembled finely. The corner of her lips crumbled.

A moment later, Nancy led Catherine to the outskirts.

“This way.”

“Thank you.”

“Do you really have to see your family?”

“Hmm. Let’s call it a farewell.”

The path was quiet, with only a carriage and coachman standing alone. Catherine slowly stepped along that path. The road was particularly rough, so she was especially careful with her footing.

“Be careful with your steps. The path to the outskirts is rough.”

“There are stones everywhere.”

Nancy supported Catherine, and Catherine stood in front of the solitary carriage. It was an external private carriage.

A wooden carriage with no markings. The interior was roughly covered with coarse cloth, and the surface was also crude. And from inside, a malicious scream was heard.

“Let this go! Remove that filthy hand right now. Catherine Milden, Catherine you damn b*tch! Where are you? Hnngh! Mother…… Mother!”

Catherine greeted Emily, slowly tilting her head.

“I’m here, sister.”

“Do you think this is funny? Is my appearance that amusing? If only you weren’t here. If only you weren’t here, everything would have been mine. You ruined everything. This is all because of you. Without Helen, you were nothing!”

“I know. Without Helen, I am nothing.”

She had only borrowed Helen’s name for a very short time. When the time comes to return that name later, Catherine must return it without hesitation.

“You know what, sister.”

“What, are you mocking me again?”

“If you had apologized first with a few words, I probably would have forgiven you. I had no lingering attachment. If you had just said a few words of regret before I did, things would have been different.”

Emily’s expression darkened.

“It was you who missed that opportunity.”

“You, you said you would forgive me.”

“You didn’t apologize. You just…. adapted to reality.”

Catherine took in Emily carefully with her eyes.

Emily had short hair, but it was a mess like straw. The malice on her face was fierce like an evil spirit. Emily, consumed by evil, tore at her own hair, then hurled curses at Catherine before finally breaking down.

“Catherine. I will never forget this day.”

Mother had red hair similar to Emily’s, but she had combed it down neatly.

“If your father saw you now, he would be very pleased.”

“He would be.”

“Unfilial child. Your father is dead and buried somewhere unknown, so try to endure alone. I hope you find even his corpse. Then go there and tell him. That your mother tried to kill you.”

Unfortunately, your dead father would have no answer.

Amanda boarded the carriage with her chin held stiffly high. Catherine stood in front of the carriage and looked straight down at her family. Then she smiled sweetly like a child.

“I’ll take in this sight and tell father.”

They abandoned me so I also abandoned them, they drove me out so I also drove them out, and in the end…… I won.

“I’ll have servants remove the remaining belongings from the viscount’s residence, have insiders monitor the monastery, and Emily will struggle to forget her time as a noble there…… Please endure well. Goodbye.”

Amanda. She ended by softly speaking just that name. Farewells are light. There’s no way to feel an empty space from sending off just one person.

The viscount’s residence would be a bit quiet, but one can’t let unwelcome guests stay in a house without an owner as if it were their own.

“Stay healthy. Amanda, and Miss Emily.”

The carriage door locked. Though screams and struggles similar to death throes could be heard, this too was not Catherine’s concern. The rattling carriage departed noisily. Hazy dust rose from the path, and Catherine grabbed the hem of her dress and walked slowly.

“Where would you like to go?”

“Well. Where should I go now……”

* * *

After getting rid of one thing, both relief and emptiness rushed in together.

“Make sure the family matters don’t spread outside.”

“Only a very few insiders know. And externally, there are rumors that you get along well.”

“Thanks to my sister, some things work out well.”

Emily would have packaged herself by acting like a good family outside. At first, that pretense was disgusting. But now, she appreciated that fact.

“Sending her with mother was my last consideration.”

“Pardon?”

“Because I couldn’t separate a mother and daughter.”

Catherine emerged from her thoughts and looked around.

“By the way, where are we?”