“Why are you like this? Are you happy that Rihanel was taken by that commoner girl?”

“She’s not a commoner anymore since they’re married.”

“Carsha!”

Panianna, who had shouted, looked around. Fortunately, they were alone in the marquis’s garden. Ahem, Panianna cleared her throat and spoke again.

“Fine. You don’t particularly like Rihanel, right? So you don’t care if he’s given away to such a girl……”

“Sister.”

Carsia interrupted Panianna. Part of what she said was right and part was wrong.

What was right was that she didn’t particularly like Rihanel. What was wrong was calling Janet “such a girl.”

“Don’t call her ‘such a girl.’ She seemed like a wonderful woman worthy of Rihanel’s affection.”

“Ha! You’ve changed, Carsha. Back when Jerina ran away with that commoner man, you hated it so much.”

“……Rihanel didn’t run away.”

“Oh, forget it! You never give in!”

Panianna drank her tea in gulps, annoyed. To Carsia, this was someone else’s business since she wasn’t on good terms with Rihanel anyway. But to Panianna, it was a crucial matter!

Already, her position had become awkward when it turned out Janet hadn’t gone home but had collapsed that day they went to Philodis Cathedral. If Janet’s status rose because even the emperor blessed their marriage, how high would her nose be in the air?

It was a natural progression that Panianna’s standing within House Reynes would diminish.

“This won’t do. I need to find a way.”

She needed to separate them. Divorce would be best. If not, then create a rift between them so Rihanel could no longer support Janet, making her a secluded woman—that would be the next best option.

To do that, first…

Since Rihanel believed in that child’s strong sense of responsibility, she needed to break that trust.

“What are you thinking about, sister?”

“Hmm? Nothing. Just thinking how fun the boat ride on the Druvegan River will be? It’s coming up soon.”

“That’s true.”

Panianna smiled broadly as she drank her tea again.

There was no need to rush. She planned to lay her net one step at a time, at a leisurely pace.

***

In the afternoon as the sun moved from its zenith, small boats were docked on the Druvegan River, waiting for their owners.

Numerous nobles and servants gathered there and a little away from the riverbank. They all shared an excited atmosphere. White clouds were moderately spread, filtering the sunlight—it was the perfect weather for a boat ride.

“After the walk ends, the men will board the boats first and come to pick up the women over there.”

Rihanel whispered lowly to Janet, who was walking with her arm linked with his.

The June boat ride on the Druvegan River had several rules.

First, men would row to where the women were and pick them up. This was a small performance traditionally carried out.

Second, people riding together in a boat would take a preliminary walk while matching their dress code.

Accordingly, Janet and Rihanel were also taking a light stroll along the riverbank, dressed in matching outfits with a hint of light blue.

Even from a distance, the two looked like a couple attending the boat ride together. Naturally, it wasn’t a particularly pleasing outfit for Rihanel, but it was unavoidable.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been on a boat ride like this.”

Janet murmured, looking at the docked boats in the distance. Rihanel replied with a gentle expression but an indifferent tone.

“I suppose so. Unless you were traveling somewhere instead of being in prison.”

“Don’t speak so sarcastically.”

Rihanel shrugged. He didn’t ask when she had last been on a boat ride. He didn’t want to dredge up memories with another man, as it might make him uncomfortable.

“It’ll only take about the time of a cup of tea, so just sit for a while and then get up. See you in a bit.”

Rihanel ended the walk and left.

Janet went to sit at her designated table. Refreshments were already set up on the table under an awning.

“Thank you, Beji.”

Beji, who had been waiting there, bowed her head in response. Since Letsy had gone to her hometown for a few days, Beji was currently attending to Janet.

Beji poured cool tea into the prepared cup.

Janet took it and sipped. Fortunately, the setup had individual tables for each person, so there was no need to converse with others. Just that fact made her feel lighter.

Even though she hadn’t removed her bonnet, a cool breeze tickled Janet’s cheek.

After enjoying a light teatime, when the group of boats approached together…

Then she would find Rihanel’s boat and board it.

It wasn’t difficult.

“Hmm……”

But she didn’t know why her body felt so droopy. Or was it? Maybe it was similar to usual…

Lately, she had been resting without doing anything, as everyone wanted. Was it because she had come out to such a place after a long time?

“What’s wrong, my lady?”

Beji approached Janet and asked. Janet shook her head.

“It’s nothing. I just feel a bit languid.”

“I heard you haven’t been well recently. Are you alright? If you’re feeling very unwell, perhaps you should go back……”

“I’m fine now. I’ve rested well at the ducal residence.”

When Janet answered with a faint smile, Beji nodded and hesitated before speaking somewhat coquettishly.

“We’ve hardly contributed to your rest. Please trust us and give us roles too, my lady.”

It was a pointed remark. It was also a subtle expression of dissatisfaction about letting only Letsy attend to her.

But those words resonated differently with Janet.

It was unfamiliar that someone wanted Janet’s attention. Overlapping with her precarious position at the company, she felt a subtle empathy with Beji asking for a role.

“Ah… I’ll think about……”

Janet blinked slowly. Her body felt even more sluggish than before.

“My lady…!”

Only when Beji grabbed her arm did Janet realize she had nearly toppled sideways. Beji’s face was colored with alarm.

“……I’m sorry…. Strangely sleepy……”

“My lady, I think you should return home. They said this is when you should do that.”

Janet couldn’t respond to Beji’s words and just blinked her eyes. Fortunately, the distance between seats was quite large, and everyone’s attention was focused on the boats departing from the other side, so no one was concerned about Janet’s condition.

“I’ll call for the carriage.”

Beji urgently left her seat to call for a carriage before it was too late, leaving behind the unwell duchess.

Janet squeezed her eyes shut and then opened them. She drank more of the cool tea and even patted her cheeks with both hands. But this languid feeling showed no signs of dissipating.

And when she opened her eyes again, the ladies had already risen from their seats and were going somewhere.

“Uh……”

Janet rose from her seat in a daze. She felt somewhat awake, yet not quite.

‘I need to board the boat….’

Her eyelids were heavy. Her legs felt weak, making Janet stagger as she walked.

Over here, over here! Raina! Come here! Merin!

Where are you? Paul! Ah, there you are!

Amid the crowd, joyful voices calling and searching for each other could be heard.

Janet kept her eyes as wide open as possible despite their constant urge to close. Her role for today was to participate in the boat ride, and she had to fulfill that duty even if tired. She couldn’t collapse like last time.

In the midst of this, she spotted a sky-blue outfit on one of the boats. Perhaps the color was similar. Holding onto her hazy consciousness, Janet boarded that boat.

“……Janet?”

A somewhat surprised voice came from the person helping her onto the boat.

Wait, that’s not Rihanel’s voice.

Around them, sounds of departing boats could be heard in succession. The sounds of rowing oars and splashing water echoed in her ears before fading into a buzzing vibration.

Janet finally gave in and slumped down onto the boat.

And then she drifted off to sleep.

***

This happened when the duke and duchess were taking a walk before the main boat ride began.

Beji, a servant of House Reynes, carefully plated the refreshments and waited for the duchess. It was Beji’s role to ensure the duchess could enjoy her wait with satisfaction.

But honestly, Beji could not possibly recognize that witch as the duchess. No, it seemed the woman herself had no intention of being recognized as such.

If she had become a duchess, shouldn’t she at least pretend to take charge of the household?

Normally when a new mistress enters a house, she goes around poking into everything! She changes the management style to her own family’s way if she doesn’t like it! She even holds parties to show off her married life!

Isn’t that how it should be?

For that purpose, Beji had prepared everything perfectly until now. Everything was impeccably clean so the duchess couldn’t find fault. She was confident in showing how well House Reynes had been managed until now.

But despite such preparations, this woman didn’t even gather the servants to greet them after the wedding!

She had waited, thinking she would do it in a few days, but more than a month had already passed.

She had worried about having to change the sheets on the wedding night, but it seemed this witch had no intention of fulfilling her responsibilities as a duchess. The duke also seemed completely unaware that something was wrong with this situation.

Not fulfilling her responsibilities but trying to enjoy only the rights of a duchess… as expected… being a witch, she must have hypnotized the duke somehow.