“The Novahans… Islands?”

Norbert asked in surprise, as if my question was somehow outrageous.

I belatedly nodded.

“If I won’t be disturbing His Highness. I was thinking it might be nice to visit.”

“Disturbing? He would be delighted. I’ll inform His Highness in advance—”

“No…! I’ll leave right after finishing my work tomorrow. I think it would be better if His Highness is surprised, like an unexpected gift.”

“Very well, my lady. However…”

Norbert trailed off, seemingly wanting to say something more.

“If you’re going to Novahans, perhaps you should take the day off tomorrow, or at least finish earlier than usual.”

“Why bother? It’s close by. I should complete my work first.”

Norbert’s eyes widened as he stared at me intently.

Then he slowly rolled his eyes and composed his expression.

“Did His Highness… tell you it was close?”

“…Is it not?”

Feeling suspicious about his reaction, I put down my fork and asked.

Norbert and Medlin both hurriedly waved their hands.

“Of course not. Hahaha.”

Norbert suddenly burst into laughter and looked at Medlin as if seeking confirmation.

Simultaneously, Medlin’s laughter grew louder too.

“Of course. If His Highness says it’s close, then it’s close.”

“Indeed. It’s not like you’re crossing national borders, hahaha.”

“Still, wouldn’t it be better if you met him earlier?”

“Oh, yes. Perhaps you should leave after completing only your morning duties.”

“Ah… I suppose…”

In my heart, I wanted to find him immediately and see his face in person.

The message said he trusted me, but I couldn’t quite believe it.

“That sounds good.”

Their suggestion to meet him as early as possible sounded all the more reasonable.

“…Is this all?”

Late at night, Carlo sat in his chair, shaking Lea’s envelope.

But still, nothing fell out.

“That can’t be right.”

Carlo’s eyebrows furrowed deeply, his eyes narrowing slightly as he opened the envelope to examine its contents.

Again, there was no letter other than the one he had just read.

With no other choice, he looked down once more at the letter he had just finished reading.

[Dear Carlo,

December has been selected as the venue for the Imperial Palace charity event!

Isn’t that wonderful?

I’ll do my best to prepare for the charity event.

Just wait and see! I’ll produce results that will make you proud!

P.S.: I really want to be even a small help to your assets!

With sincerity, from Lea.]

“A help to my assets…”

No matter how many times he read it, the letter felt as abrasive as sand in his mouth, thoroughly irritating.

She wanted to be a help to his assets?

Was that all she wanted to say—that she wished to be of use to his wealth?

How should he put it?

She mentioned her efforts, and her characteristic vivaciousness came through, but that was it. It was a parade of words that completely missed the mark, failing to please him.

Of course, he wasn’t sure what he wanted either, but the overall content of this letter didn’t meet his vague standards at all.

For instance, couldn’t she have written about how she spent her day, who she was with, what she planned to do next…?

“Dear…?”

His somewhat dissatisfied gaze now traveled back up the letter, lingering on the greeting “Dear Carlo.”

This “Dear” wasn’t particularly welcome either.

It was literally something that could be attached to anyone.

Dear family.

Dear neighbor.

Even dear next-door dog Sebastian could receive such a greeting.

Therefore, he as her husband deserved a different address.

“Huh?”

As he looked down at the letter haughtily, he suddenly realized something and raised one eyebrow. A scoff escaped involuntarily.

“Anyone watching would think I’m a fool whose mood depends on a mere letter.”

He smiled, lifting the corners of his smooth lips, and casually swept back his hair before finally taking his eyes off the letter.

Then he leaned deeply against the chair’s backrest and tilted his face languidly. He gazed into empty space, lost in thought.

Of course, he received daily reports about her activities.

Who she met, where she went, when she left home and when she returned—he was informed of every detail of her daily movements.

But having her write about her daily routine in a letter herself was completely different from receiving reports about her from grim-faced men.

Could it be that she didn’t think about him at all…?

“That’s impossible.”

Carlo let out a derisive laugh, mocking the thought that had just crossed his mind.

How could she not, when she smiled so happily upon seeing him?

She had been so eager to know where he was going, when he was leaving, and when he would return.

How else could one explain how she flew into his arms with that pretty eye-smile the moment she saw him?

His gaze, full of arrogance as he recalled Lea, gradually returned to the letter.

Yet judging by that letter, she seemed no different from a cheerful sycophant trying hard to make amends for embezzling her husband’s money, rather than a wife.

How could there not be a single word about missing him?

Carlo’s finger tapped the envelope once more.

But still, no hidden letter that he might have missed emerged.

“Still awake?”

Just then, Army Chief Lishi Nighten opened the tent and entered.

Discovering the letter in Carlo’s hand, Lishi grinned.

“Don’t tell me you’ve been reading the Grand Duchess’s letter all this time?”

Since Lishi had delivered the letter to Carlo in the afternoon, he knew exactly when it had arrived. He found it fascinating that the fearsome Grand Duke was still holding that letter.

Had he been thinking about his wife’s letter all along, even while fiercely supervising the trainees?

Though he thought he knew him quite well, people’s hearts were truly unfathomable.

He had always considered him a merciless man like a sword, never blinking an eye even when someone died, seemingly devoid of emotions. Yet here he was, holding onto his wife’s letter for so long.

“I wonder what kind of loving letter the Grand Duchess wrote to make you like this… Perhaps ‘I miss you terribly,’ ‘Come back to St. Berte soon,’ ‘The castle feels empty without Your Highness.’ Something like that? Hahaha!”

Lishi, who had no idea about the letter’s contents, tried to be friendly, sensing an unprecedented humanity in Carlo.

At the same time, Carlo’s gaze turned cold, and the corner of his mouth lifted in a sneer.

He finally realized why he felt so displeased.

That was it.

Her letter contained no hint of wanting Carlo to return quickly, missing him, or lamenting his absence.

“Well, seeing how all the supervisors here grin from ear to ear the moment they open letters from their wives, I suppose they must be full of tender sentiments I can’t even imagine.”

Carlo’s cold gaze, still holding Lea’s letter, now turned directly toward Lishi.

Unfortunately, Lishi, more interested in the items in Carlo’s tent, continued speaking without noticing his chilling expression.

“Just a glance shows they start with things like ‘My darling,’ ‘My beloved,’ ‘To you whom I wish to see even in dreams.’ The Grand Duchess must have addressed you even more sweetly with a pet name, right? Haha! There are widespread rumors about the Grand Duchess being incredibly beautiful, so it’s only natural you’re in such a good mood after receiving a letter full of love from her. Surely, Your Highness wouldn’t be treasuring a letter that wasn’t filled with longing for her husband. Hahaha!”

“Get out.”

“Pardon…?”

“I said get out.”

At Carlo’s indifferent tone, Lishi, who had been examining his tent, turned to him with a creak.

The atmosphere had seemed pleasant just a moment ago… or had it not?

Standing dumbfounded before Carlo, Lishi quickly straightened his posture.

“I-I apologize. I came to see if you needed anything…”

“You came to the wrong place. I don’t need anything.”

As Carlo spoke in a low voice, Lishi rolled his eyes in confusion before hastily bowing.

“Then have a peaceful evening. I’ll see you tomorrow. Oh, and if you write a reply, I won’t forget to deliver it immediately.”

“…What.”

Reply…? Carlo paused as if suddenly realizing something unexpected at Lishi’s words.

Right, having received a letter, he should reply.

He hadn’t thought of that at all.

“Come back in an hour.”

“Excuse me?”

First he told him to leave, and now he wanted him to return? What was this about?

But who would dare question him?

Lishi composed his expression and nodded gravely.

“Yes! Understood!”

After finishing his words while standing at attention, Lishi hurriedly left Carlo’s tent.

Carlo picked up his pen and lightly tapped the table with his other hand.

What should he write…?

“Hmm…”

With an indifferent face, he began writing in neat cursive.

[Write longer letters.

Write everything you want to say.]

Reading the two lines he had written, Carlo gradually furrowed his brow.

“She’ll be thrilled to receive this, I’m sure.”

He wanted to write something that would make her smile, but how could he know how to write such a letter…?

All the letters he had ever written were closer to memos, containing instructions for others.

“……”

If he had known it would be like this, he should have said a proper goodbye.

Who knew that merely stroking her head would weigh so heavily on his mind?

The image of Lea rushing toward him and flying into his arms the moment she spotted him haunted him all day, making the back of his neck stiff.

After adjusting his schedule as much as possible, the most free time he could create was seeing her once every three or four days…

“This is maddening…”

Carlo pressed his temple with a displeased expression.

But he still needed to finish his reply.

With firmly closed lips, he picked up his pen once more.