Harriet stood before the mirror.

Curly, hunched reddish-brown hair, dark brown eyes without any distinctive features, sun-tanned skin, and a posture that seemed somewhat stooped no matter how straight she tried to stand…She looked like an ordinary country woman.

‘No matter how you look at it, I don’t seem fit to be the lady of the honorable Usra earldom.’

Harriet no longer wanted to try to escape this appearance.

‘…It’s time to end this farce.’

Harriet headed to Earl Usra’s office. Eugene, who usually only stayed at the Usra estate during winter, was still here in spring because of his grandmother Elizabeth’s recent funeral.

“Who do you think is responsible for Eugene not returning from Seldel? Such a rustic, plain girl occupying the position of lady in this noble Usra earldom. Oh my…”

Elizabeth had despised Harriet terribly. Nevertheless, for the past five years, Harriet had lived here serving her hateful grandmother-in-law while her husband was absent.

‘Even though Eugene returned to the estate in winter, he rarely came out of his office, making it difficult to see his face.’

Whether winter or any other season, the fact that Harriet lived alone hadn’t changed much.

“Sigh…”

Upon reaching the office, Harriet took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

“Who is it?”

A beautiful, calm baritone voice was heard.

“It’s me, Harriet.”

Harriet’s casual way of speaking was a sign that only she and he were around. Eugene drew a gentle curve with his lips and said:

“Come in.”

Harriet opened the door but didn’t enter the office, quietly gazing at the scene before her.

Dazzling sunlight streamed through the open window, and the scent of grass wafted in with the breeze that rustled the leaves. Eugene, with his hands on his waist amidst piles of books and documents, smiled awkwardly. Even with his back to the sunlight, his smile was radiant.

‘Still beautiful until today.’

Harriet had once mistakenly thought this perfect man was hers.

‘Not knowing my place… how embarrassing.’

Harriet lowered her gaze with a bitter smile.

“Is it too messy to come in?”

Finding it strange that Harriet wasn’t entering the office, Eugene asked sheepishly. Harriet shook her head and walked into the room.

“No matter how much I organize, it never ends.”

Eugene let out a small laugh. Harriet’s lips twitched. She almost asked “Shall I help?” as usual without thinking. But now wasn’t the time to leisurely help with cleaning.

“That must be difficult.”

“It’s my fault for letting things pile up this much. Anyway, what about lunch?”

“At this hour? Of course I’ve had it.”

Harriet said with a faint smile. Eugene scratched the back of his head.

“Ah. Time has already passed that much…”

“Were you focused on cleaning?”

“Yes. I suppose so.”

Eugene raised the corners of his mouth. Harriet nodded and parted her heavy lips.

“Eugene, actually I have something to say.”

“Really? What is it? Wait, just a moment.”

Eugene fumbled uncharacteristically. Realizing he had done something foolish, he covered his mouth and cleared his throat.

“Would you like to have some tea together?”

Eugene lowered his hand. His face, which had suddenly flushed, still bore a lovely red hue.

“I was just about to…”

The smile disappeared from Eugene’s face. He noticed Harriet’s expression, deep in thought.

‘What’s so difficult about accepting an invitation for tea that she’s contemplating so much?’

Come to think of it, Harriet had been acting strange lately.

‘I thought it was because she was emotionally complex after grandmother’s death.’

Perhaps there was another reason, he thought just then.

“Eugene. I have something I want to tell you.”

“What is it?”

Eugene asked in a gentle voice, as if ready to grant whatever she wished for.

“I want a divorce from you.”

The sound of leaves rustling in the wind mixed with Harriet’s voice.

Perhaps he misheard? Eugene asked with a puzzled face.

“What did you just say?”

“I said let’s get divorced.”

Unlike before, she spoke with a more relaxed expression. In contrast, Eugene’s expression hardened.

“What are you suddenly saying? Are you upset with me about something?”

Harriet shook her head and lowered it.

“No. I just wanted to correct what was wrong, even now.”

“I don’t quite understand what you’re saying…”

Harriet placed divorce papers on Eugene’s still disorganized desk.

Eugene quickly examined the papers with wide eyes. Seeing how neatly the front page was organized, the back pages were likely just as prepared, needing only his signature to finalize.

“Mr. Kensington helped with the paperwork. Along with Pendleton. So there shouldn’t be any issues.”

At the mention of the Usra family’s lawyer and butler, Eugene roughly ran his hand through his hair.

“They helped you write this without even telling me?”

“Your permission is sufficient now, isn’t it?”

“Why are you suddenly like this, Harriet?”

Eugene let out a heavy sigh.

“What’s the reason? Hmm? Tell me, and I’ll fix everything.”

“I told you earlier. I just want to correct what was wrong.”

“What’s wrong with us!”

Eugene raised his voice. Though it was strange to hear him raise his voice when he was always quiet and never angry, it wasn’t surprising.

“You ask what’s wrong with us…”

Harriet bowed her head and smiled wryly. There were many things wrong, but the most important one was clear.

“The very beginning was wrong.”

Harriet still vividly remembered.

“Will you marry me?”

Eugene proposing to her with a serious face, without a trace of a smile, against the backdrop of a brilliant sunset.

At that time, when she was struggling terribly, Eugene, whom she had had a crush on since childhood, proposed. So Harriet was too busy crying to question why he suddenly proposed. It all felt like a sweet dream that would scatter if broken.

But that proposal wasn’t a sweet dream. So Harriet should have been curious, should have confirmed.

‘Why would you propose to me when you don’t love me?’

“I heard that our father asked you to marry me.”

Surprise settled in Eugene’s eyes. His green eyes wavered.

“How did you… Who told you? Grandmother? Or Pendleton?”

“Does it matter who told me?”

Harriet let out a small laugh.

“Anyway, you’re really something. You actually accepted that request? You should have at least insisted that you couldn’t accept such a request since it was made by the previous Earl.”

“…Harriet, I think there’s some misunderstanding. My proposal to you was sincere. It wasn’t forced.”

Harriet couldn’t believe it. No, she was certain Eugene was lying.

‘You have a woman you love.’

‘Then and now, there’s someone you love passionately.’

The woman Eugene loved wasn’t just anyone.

She was Diana, the youngest princess of the Kingdom of Hebnia, adored and loved by all.

‘A noble being who can’t even be compared to the daughter of a poor knight.’

Eugene had proposed to Harriet in a fit of anger when he heard Diana was engaged to someone else.

‘I still vividly remember.’

It was when news came that Diana had married her fiancé after their marriage. Elizabeth lamented, and Eugene, who normally didn’t even look at alcohol, drank heavily for three whole months.

‘You wasted those less than three months of winter and then left.’

Harriet’s lips, which seemed about to confront Eugene, closed tightly again. She didn’t even have the right to resent him.

‘…You could have chosen any other woman. Among all those women, you chose me because of our father.’

War broke out eleven years ago. It was a heavy war involving the ideologies, traditions, and futures of many countries. The Kingdom of Hebnia drafted all firstborn sons according to national law. Even only sons were no exception. Eugene said he would proudly go to the battlefield, but the previous Earl Usra, who loved his son dearly, couldn’t send him. So he finally sought out the knight he had dismissed.

“Looking at the law, I found that a family knight can substitute for the firstborn son.”

“…”

“I know. You must feel resentful that I dismissed you and now suddenly seek you out for this. So I promise! If you go to this war instead of Eugene, I will grant any wish you have. So please…!”

After receiving the Earl’s promise, Jin Desher returned home, greeted his wife, stroked his sleeping daughter’s forehead, and departed for the battlefield.

Harriet only learned the next day that her father had gone to war and cried profusely. Eugene came to her in a mess, knelt down, and apologized, saying it was all his fault. Only then did Harriet realize that her father had gone to the battlefield in Eugene’s place.

‘I wasn’t angry at Eugene. I knew he hadn’t forced my father to go.’

Only when Jin Desher returned from the battlefield and sought out Eugene, mentioning his agreement with the previous Earl Usra, did Eugene learn the whole truth.

Harriet discovered this fact two autumns ago.

Even after marriage, managing the ledgers and documents remained the butler Pendleton’s job. He never said so, but he was displeased with entrusting this important task to Harriet, and Harriet was also uncomfortable managing such vast assets.

“Pendleton has a lot of trouble because of me.”

One afternoon when autumn rain was mercilessly dropping leaves, Harriet said with an awkward smile. It was an apology and comfort.

If she had been ungrateful and haughty, he might have thought it befitting of a countess. But Harriet’s attitude, often cautious like a servant even after years of marriage, made Pendleton uncomfortable.

“Why would it be because of you, madam? It’s because of Jin Desher.”

Pendleton moved his lips without realizing. Harriet frowned at the sudden mention of her father’s name and at Pendleton’s expression of regret.

“What do you mean?”

“…I made a mistake due to fatigue. I’m truly sorry.”

Pendleton bowed his head. Harriet shook her head and said:

“Explain to me. What does that mean?”

“I’ve made a terrible mistake…”

“Pendleton. Please tell me. Must I imagine the worst?”

Her trembling voice made him raise his head. Like her voice, her lower lip was also trembling. Pendleton hesitated briefly before telling her everything.

Harriet froze as if she had fallen into icy water.

Even if Eugene didn’t love her, she thought he had chosen her himself.

Harriet thought this marriage should never have begun. All her efforts until now were like planting and watering rotten seeds, hoping they would grow well.

Harriet realized she needed to end this marriage before it was too late, but she couldn’t immediately tell Eugene. Just seeing his face now might make her cry. And she might hope for him to comfort her, to hold her back.

‘I don’t want to mess up the ending too.’

Harriet took time to calmly organize her thoughts and feelings. And now, with Elizabeth gone, she had nothing holding her back.

With a bitter smile, Harriet said:

“Eugene. Let’s stop now.”

“Please, Harriet. Calm down first.”

When Eugene reached out to Harriet, she avoided his hand. The tired woman was captured in his surprised green eyes.

“Eugene. Since entering this mansion, I’ve never been as calm as I am now.”

Eugene’s eyes filled with shock. Harriet continued with a slight sense of guilt:

“I’m sorry for tarnishing you with the stigma of divorce. But this is for the best for both of us.”

There would still be many young ladies desiring Eugene Usra. Among them, unlike Harriet, there might be beautiful and intelligent ones who could perhaps win over the princess in his heart.

“From now on, both you and I will be happier.”

Harriet wore a faint smile.

Eugene withdrew his hand that had been reaching toward Harriet as if entranced and said:

“…No.”