“I was told only reverse-facing seats were left, so I expected someone would be here, and look—there’s a cute young lady! Hello!”

Young lady? Harriet smiled awkwardly.

“Hello.”

“My name is Audrey Ebrahim.”

Audrey plopped down in her seat and extended her hand. Harriet took it with a bewildered expression.

‘Audrey—that’s the same name as the second princess.’

Harriet recalled the royal family photo she had once seen in a newspaper.

‘I was so focused on Princess Diana’s face that I can’t remember the others’ faces.’

Well, there was no need to recall that face anyway. Audrey was a common name, and the surname “Ebrahim” was different from the marquis family she had married into. Above all, such a noble person wouldn’t be traveling by train with just one maid.

Just then, Audrey smiled brightly and said:

“Since we’re sharing this train ride, may I ask your name?”

“I’m Harriet Us…”

For a moment, Harriet almost said “Usra” but quickly corrected herself.

“Desher.”

“Harriet Udasher?”

“No, just Harriet Desher.”

Audrey blinked. Stumbling over her own name?

‘Hmm! I think I understand why.’

Audrey raised the corners of her mouth in a slight smile.

“Oh, that’s the Alpen Magazine, isn’t it?”

Audrey pointed to the magazine on Harriet’s lap.

“Have you read it?”

“Yes.”

Harriet nodded with a bitter smile. Audrey clapped her hands with a delighted smile. Harriet expected her to happily chatter about Diana’s divorce news.

‘I don’t really want to talk about that…’

But Audrey said something different from what Harriet expected.

“So you’ve read today’s ‘Days’ too, right?”

“Pardon?”

Harriet blinked rapidly like a fool.

“Wasn’t this episode really interesting?”

“Ah, well… I haven’t read the novel yet.”

Harriet replied sheepishly. She had been so preoccupied with Diana’s divorce news that she’d forgotten why she originally wanted to buy the Alpen Magazine.

Audrey’s mouth fell open.

“My goodness. You mean you said you read Alpen without reading ‘Days’? That’s impossible, Harriet!”

Audrey’s eyes flashed sharply like a detective interrogating a suspect.

“Have you read the previous installment?”

“O-Of course.”

“Oh, then who did you suspect was the culprit?”

“I suspected Baroness Rose.”

“I knew you’d say that! Hurry and read this issue!”

Audrey urged Harriet. Under the pressure of Audrey’s enthusiasm—she looked ready to grab the magazine herself—Harriet reluctantly picked up the Alpen Magazine. She casually flipped past the breaking news and turned directly to the ‘Days’ serial.

‘I probably won’t be able to concentrate.’

It was her first time reading a book while someone was watching. Harriet felt pressured as she read the first sentence. But contrary to her worries, she was quickly drawn into the story. She was so engrossed that she didn’t even notice when the train started moving with a jolt.

* * *

Eugene stared silently out the window. His mind was a jumble of excitement about meeting Diana and a numbing emotion. Eugene was certain that this numbing feeling was due to his guilt toward Harriet. After all, he had essentially chosen Diana over Harriet.

“Haah…”

Eugene sighed and turned his eyes to the documents on his lap. They were papers recording the Devon Viscount title that Elizabeth had held and her private assets.

“I want to gift Grandmother’s assets to Harriet… but with Harriet acting like this, and relatives likely to oppose, will it be difficult to gift them?”

“It will take time, but it should be possible.”

Eugene nodded. In fact, he knew this. It would take a very long time, but as the inheritor of Elizabeth’s estate, if he was determined, it wouldn’t be impossible.

“With Lady Elizabeth’s will, it should be fine.”

At Pendleton’s additional comment, Eugene’s eyes widened.

“Come to think of it, there is that…”

Eugene smiled bitterly, bowing his head deeply as he murmured:

“What kind of magic did Harriet cast?”

Elizabeth had disliked Harriet so much, yet at some point, she began to ask only for Harriet. Eugene was surprised by the sudden change in their relationship but thought they had simply grown closer over time.

But that wasn’t it.

“There was an incident that you’re not aware of, Master.”

The mature voice of the elderly man filled the carriage heavily. Eugene slowly raised his head.

“What incident?”

“Lady Elizabeth hosted a tea party in early last year.”

Elizabeth, who had invited her birth family and their friends to celebrate the new year, was speaking ill of Harriet as usual. And Harriet was serving her like a maid.

“Tsk, the tea has gone cold! Go get a warm one.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Watching Harriet quickly leave the reception room, Elizabeth pounded her chest, saying she couldn’t understand why that girl was so clueless.

“She’s the daughter of a poor knight, right? No wonder she’s so clueless.”

“I didn’t know that! Are there still knights these days?”

“That’s what I’m saying. Even gentry would be better. At least they have money.”

“Is she talking? What nonsense—gentry for the Usra Earl’s family?”

“No, I’m just making a comparison.”

The guests’ grumbling showed no sign of stopping. Elizabeth wanted to add her own comment, but suddenly she felt a wet sensation around her bottom.

‘What’s this?’

Before the startled Elizabeth could lift her bottom to check, her niece sniffed the air.

“Wait. What’s that smell?”

“Smell?”

“Yes. Doesn’t it smell like urine somewhere?”

Elizabeth’s face turned red. She had unknowingly wet herself.

Just then, Harriet returned with the tea. Elizabeth’s niece, who had been sniffing continuously, asked Harriet:

“You came at the right time. Don’t you smell something strange here?”

Elizabeth’s body trembled. Harriet was close to Elizabeth. She must have smelled it…

“Strange smell? I don’t smell anything.”

Harriet answered with an innocent expression as if she truly didn’t notice anything. The niece’s face flushed, suddenly made to look like she was making a fuss over nothing.

“Is something wrong with your nose?”

The niece complained, looking around at the others.

“I smell a foul odor!”

Is that so? Just as the others were about to sniff the air, Harriet put down the teapot she had brought and picked up the cold one. But then—

“Oh my!”

She dropped the teapot, spilling tea on Elizabeth’s legs. Fortunately, she caught the teapot before it fell on Elizabeth’s legs, but Elizabeth’s skirt and the tea table were ruined.

“Grandmother! Are you alright? I’m so sorry.”

Harriet stamped her feet anxiously and called for a maid outside.

“I’ll take Grandmother to her room, so please guide the guests to the west wing reception room.”

“Yes.”

The niece, rising from her seat following the maid’s guidance, asked:

“She can’t even do such a small task properly! Aunt, are you alright?”

Elizabeth waved her hand and said:

“I’m fine, so hurry along.”

“I’m glad you’re alright, but…”

All the guests, including the niece, glared at Harriet with disapproval. Soon, only the two of them remained at the ruined table.

“Are you alright? If you can’t walk, I’ll call someone else.”

Harriet asked in a calm voice, unlike before. Elizabeth’s face was tinged with shame.

“Did you know and do this on purpose? Just because I made this, this little mistake, you shouldn’t look down on me. I absolutely…”

Elizabeth, rambling incoherently, tried to stand up by supporting herself on the table. But her strength gave out, and her body pitched forward.

“Ugh!”

Harriet caught Elizabeth, who almost fell face-first onto the floor.

“It’s alright.”

Harriet said firmly.

“It can happen to anyone.”

Elizabeth looked up. Harriet, who couldn’t even make eye contact when she first came seeking permission to marry, now didn’t avoid Elizabeth’s eyes. Despite being so intimidated, she now held her head high.

“Were you always this impudent?”

Elizabeth grabbed Harriet’s arm and took a step. Harriet smiled gently and supported her.

“Perhaps I was.”

Later, Harriet informed Pendleton about Elizabeth’s condition. Pendleton had a duty to know about the family’s health status. But she didn’t give details.

“I know this story only because Lady Elizabeth told me.”

“…I see.”

After that tea party, Elizabeth stopped inviting people. Her health gradually worsened, and she made mistakes frequently. Elizabeth, who hated having the maids see her weaknesses, trembled with anxiety and became tyrannical. As a result, even the maids who had always catered to her became reluctant to serve her.

In that situation, there was one person who rushed to help without questioning—Harriet. Harriet took on the unpleasant tasks and comforted her. Eventually, Elizabeth relied on her so much that she would look for Harriet when she wasn’t around.

“Madam Harriet continued to make efforts. How many people can show kindness until the end to someone who despises them?”

Many people wiped away tears at Elizabeth’s funeral. In contrast, Harriet didn’t show any tears.

“Look at that! She has no blood or tears!”

“It’s probably all her fault that Lady Elizabeth passed away. She caused her so much distress.”

The mourners spoke ill of Harriet, not realizing Eugene was behind them. When an upset Eugene was about to step forward, Harriet grabbed his arm.

“Don’t.”

“But…!”

“It’s Grandmother’s funeral. Let’s just quietly…”

At her drained request, Eugene finally had to nod.

The mourners who had been sobbing throughout the funeral changed their attitude as soon as Eugene stood up to give a thank-you speech after the funeral ended.

“When do you plan to disclose the will?”

“Aunt always said my neck resembled my maternal grandmother’s and wanted to give me the black pearl necklace. You know, the one called ‘Tears of Portka.'”

“I mentioned earlier that I wanted to buy the villa in Petra estate, and she said she would gift it to me, so I’ve been waiting…”

“Honestly, Lady Elizabeth’s title was inherited from her birth family, right? Shouldn’t we have a chance too?”

What was Harriet doing when they were burning with greed to fill their own pockets?

‘…She was crying in her room.’

That night, Eugene went to Harriet’s room to thank her for her hard work. But he couldn’t bring himself to knock on the door because of the sobbing sounds coming from inside.

‘Harriet was the only one who truly mourned for Grandmother.’

Eugene’s face fell.