Chapter 43

Bleria was genuinely thankful for her mask, which concealed her emotions for the first time in a long while. She was relieved she hadn’t betrayed her shock in front of Harriet.

Although she’d always found Harriet’s robust constitution curious, such a story had never crossed her mind.

“Amelia insisted it wasn’t a pregnancy, but no matter how much I thought about it, I was convinced it was. I even planned to secretly go to the villa and have the baby there, but, in the end, Amelia was right.”

“……”

“The Duke knows nothing about it. He assumes I had a huge fight with Damian and returned after a temporary separation. Well, it’s all in the past now.”

“Harriet……“

“Ah, don’t try to come up with comforting words. I was trying to say thank you, you know. Everything is great now!”

Harriet pressed her finger against the corner of Bleria’s mouth, lifting it into a smile before bursting into laughter. Her face looked genuinely happy.

“Everything really is great. You came back, we’ve been blessed with a baby, the Duke is recovering his health, and your marriage is progressing smoothly. Everything will be fine. So don’t worry about anything, Bleria.”

Her affectionate gaze warmed Bleria’s heart. Harriet’s look was resolute and tender as if promising unwavering support no matter what. The tightness in Bleria’s throat was difficult to suppress.

She habitually tried to diminish her own joy but stopped herself. Her fingers touched the pendant on her neck—a gift from the Duke.

This is mine, she thought.

Gripping the locket firmly, she nodded. Harriet responded with a bright smile.

“My husband might be having a harder time, but that’s his own doing.“

“What’s wrong with my brother?“

“He has to quit smoking. The chain smoker is really struggling. But he says he should’ve stopped it before the baby came. Poor guy looks miserable.“

“Miserable?“

“It’s just an expression. He doesn’t show it outwardly, like you and Damian. You two really are siblings in that sense.”

“……”

“At least he’s cut back a lot since you returned, so that’s a relief. Before that, I thought I was married to a raccoon.”

Bleria quickly realized Harriet’s observation was accurate. Compared to when she first met Damian, his smoking had decreased to about a third of what it was. Although she didn’t attribute the change to herself, it was undeniably a good development.

Harriet let out a languid yawn. A quick glance at the clock revealed the hour was getting late.

“It’s time for your nap, Harriet.“

“Mm, seems like it.”

She wiped a tear that had formed at the corner of her eye and rose from her seat.

“Is there anything I can help with for the celebration?“

“This time, His Grace insists on handling everything himself. So, don’t worry, Bleria. Just focus on your health.“

“……Alright.”

Harriet opened the door, but instead of stepping out, she turned back and stretched her arms wide. After a moment’s hesitation, Bleria stepped into her embrace. Harriet’s arms wrapped around her tightly, patting her back.

“I love you, Bleria.“

“I love you too.”

The warmth from their embrace seeped into her chest, making her voice thick with emotion.

As Harriet said, everything was perfect. So perfect, it was almost unsettling.

***

Everything was falling into place.

Eos Liche had survived but still faced accusations of attempted murder directed at Mixel.

The matter was quietly resolved since Eos lacked powerful allies while Mixel was a direct descendant of the Allnight family. But who would people suspect if Eos were murdered under such circumstances?

Most of Eos’s maids had been planted by Mixel, so their suspicions only led to more discreet actions. Now was the best time to kill Eos to avoid suspicion, but Gopher deliberately chose an uncharacteristic approach.

Even if she isn’t killed, casting suspicion on her will suffice.

The clean-up of the fraudsters could wait until after Gopher became head of the household. Besides, the timing couldn’t be better, with a sizeable noble gathering on the horizon.

Gopher thought of the item in his possession and raised his head. Inside the noiselessly moving carriage, a woman sat opposite him. Her head shrunk down, and her pale face looked like that of a cornered white mouse. She glanced out the window every so often, her nervousness palpable.

When Gopher chuckled, the woman flinched and turned wide-eyed at him.

“What’s wrong, Lady Eos? Weren’t you eager to attend the celebration?“

“Oh, no, it’s just… I’m a bit nervous.“

“Worried Mixel might show up?”

On the night Stella ordered his confinement, Mixel Luke had left the mansion and hadn’t returned. Although he hadn’t fled permanently, it was a relief not to see his unpleasant face.

Eos clasped her hands tightly, her fingers turning white.

“He… he might come, don’t you think?“

“If he has an acquaintance with an invitation.”

According to imperial custom, celebration invitations didn’t strictly regulate guests. Those with an invitation could bring companions, but they bore responsibility for their guests’ behavior.

This sometimes led to enemies encountering one another at such events. Hosts often managed such situations if the guests were important, but Eos Liche could not receive such consideration.

Gopher could have forewarned the hosts if he genuinely wished to avoid meeting Mixel, but—

Why would I?

Since Stella was also scheduled to visit that day, there was no reason to fuss over Eos excessively.

“Do you wish to return home now?“

“Oh, no. Not at all.”

Eos denied the suggestion immediately. Well, that was expected. Gopher’s smile deepened.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the Lady… For some strange reason, I feel I must attend this banquet. Thank you for granting my rather unreasonable request.“

“You’re not the type of person to covet someone else’s place, as the rumors say.“

“No, I’m not.”

She replied with a dark expression, fiddling with her necklace. Outside, the destination seemed near, prompting Gopher to speak up.

“Come to think of it, I’ve never properly greeted you, Lady.“

“Greeted me…? What do you mean?“

“I never repaid you for helping me choose a gift. And the misfortune that befell you occurred on the day you accompanied me—yet I failed to protect you.“

“Oh, no, that wasn’t your fault at all—”

Before Eos could finish, Gopher pulled out a small box from his pocket—a black one. He tapped its simple surface with his finger, causing her to fall silent.

“At the masquerade ball held by the Redbirds, a servant reportedly found a necklace dropped by a silver-haired lady. They returned it to its owner, but since it was nighttime, they mistakenly identified the hair color, and the necklace ended up with the wrong person.“

“I’m sorry, what?“

“Apparently, the person who received the necklace later realized it belonged to someone they knew. They intended to return it to the Redbirds, but it ended up with me instead.“

“So, you mean to say…“

“I believe this is the item you’ve been looking for.“

The box opened to reveal a locket pendant. Eos’s eyes trembled slightly, her lips quivering as if she were about to say something. Her gaze alternated between the pendant and the box repeatedly.

Why is that? She doesn’t look like someone happy.

Gopher smiled.

“Open it. You need to confirm if it’s really yours.”

Her hesitant hands moved to open the locket. With a small click, it revealed the portrait of a silver-haired girl. Outwardly, it seemed unchanged from before.

Eos’s lips moved as if searching for the right words before she finally spoke with difficulty.

“Oh, my goodness. I never thought I’d find this locket again. I had searched for it for so long but eventually gave up. Thank you, My Lord.“

“I couldn’t assist with your parting from Mixel, but I’m glad this was of some help.”

As she accepted the box containing the locket, she moved to close it, but Gopher stopped her by holding the lid.

“You should wear it. You might lose it again.“

“But the last time I wore it, it fell off—“

“The clasp has been reinforced, so it should be fine now.”

He stared at her insistently. With no other choice, she removed the necklace she had been wearing. In its place, she fastened the old, worn locket. It clashed terribly with her white, delicate dress.

At just the right moment, the carriage stopped. The escort knight opened the door, and the gazes of those already present shifted toward her.

“Sir Cordel will escort you. You seem startled, so you may take a moment to compose yourself before stepping out.“

“Pardon?“

“Escort her after three minutes.“

“Understood, My Lord.”

Without waiting for Eos’s reply, Gopher exited the carriage. It was a bright and sunny day.

***

The Day of the Celebration

Bleria wore a green dress. The fabric, thick and smooth for the winter season, wrapped her figure. It wasn’t only visually pleasing but also soft to the touch and hot.

“My, Lord Allnight’s taste has certainly improved. The dress suits you perfectly, my Lady.“

“Everything was sent by him, wasn’t it? The dress, the accessories…”

Bleria nodded while examining herself in the mirror. She found herself quite satisfied with her appearance today. Her usual unruly hair had been braided neatly, concealing its imperfections, and Gopher’s gift was a delightful touch.

The warm dress felt considerate of her chilly disposition, softening her voice naturally.

“I should head out now. It seems many guests have already arrived.”