Janet’s appearance, desperately seeking something to focus on, and sometimes staring blankly with unfocused eyes, caught his attention.

Now is different from then.

She no longer looks anxious.

But… it bothers him.

Her tired appearance, her resigned voice disguised as calmness.

“When you came to Silonya, there were many inadequacies, right? After you left, I thought a lot. That I was too clumsy.”

It bothered him again, so Theo changed the subject and continued talking. Janet tilted her head.

“No. Your explanation was excellent.”

“Really? Thank you. But I feel like I couldn’t properly accommodate you… I thought a lot about how I should have checked if there was any discomfort…”

“Hmm, the process of obtaining what I needed was cumbersome.”

“S-See? I knew it.”

“But these are things unrelated to you, Theo. I’m talking about exchanging currency or finding carriages. In Silonya, they spoke our language, but in other countries, there would be difficulties in communication too…”

Janet didn’t finish her sentence and seemed lost in thought. Why is that? Did he spit in his own face by bringing up inadequacies? Just as Theo was regretting bringing it up.

“Don’t you find it uncomfortable here?”

Janet asked Theo. Theo hastily answered what came to mind.

“Hmm… not knowing which restaurants are good? And there are some subtle cultural differences. I wish someone would tell me about those. Oh, are you going to tell me, Janet?”

“I just had a good idea.”

“Umm…”

“What do you think about a company that complements those aspects of travel? Systematizing and providing information imbalances or inconvenient parts.”

Theo’s eyes widened with interest as he listened to Janet’s story.

Every year, many people travel to various countries for exchange, but usually, they gather people based on acquaintances for travel. As a result, everyone experiences similar hardships as they have to prepare everything for the trip themselves.

“If it’s a connection with Silonya, I can help too.”

Confidence permeated Theo’s voice. Janet’s eyes lit up for the first time in a while.

A transparent excitement enveloped them.

***

“Janet.”

A low call came from above as she climbed the stairs. When she looked up, Rihanel was leaning his arms on the second-floor railing, looking at her.

“It’s been a while.”

“The parliament session will end soon.”

Janet nodded and immediately came up the stairs. She seemed to know what he wanted to talk about.

Since the day they discussed divorce, there hadn’t been any particular topics of conversation between them. However, Rihanel had diligently responded to Janet’s requests and would briefly summarize the situation.

Like this, when they met at the mansion, as if asking about each other’s well-being.

The word divorce wasn’t mentioned. Because you never know who might be listening.

The abolition of the Noble Special Law itself could be related to the duchess’s background, so people might think it’s natural, but “divorce” would be considered strange no matter how positively one tried to think about it.

Rihanel had initiated discussions on the problems of the Noble Special Law in the lower house. It wasn’t difficult—the law’s many issues had already surfaced and were ready to erupt.

Positions filled by those who had status but lacked ability and experience easily disappeared like bubbles. It was gradually being proven that this was also clouding the social atmosphere.

The agenda would certainly rise to the upper house. Perhaps it would have risen even if Rihanel hadn’t moved, as it was clearly a topic that would have come up.

However, it was unknown when this would happen. Whether it would be before the end of this session, or whether it would rise with autumn after taking a break.

Now, with the adjournment approaching. Janet firmly believed that Rihanel had called her to tell her the current status of it.

“So?”

Janet stood close to Rihanel and listened carefully. To ensure others wouldn’t hear.

But Rihanel didn’t whisper as usual. Instead, with his arms crossed, he casually threw out,

“When the session adjourns, we’ll go straight to the Reynes territory. Get ready.”

Janet blinked for a moment before understanding the meaning of his words.

Nobles usually spend a few months at their country houses in summer. So they too… had to do that.

But the company is in the capital.

Janet’s lips moved slightly. Reading her intention from that, Rihanel raised one eyebrow.

“It’s the first summer after our marriage. What would people think if you didn’t come?”

Rihanel was resolute.

Janet also knew that this marriage still needed to appear perfect, so she soon acquiesced.

“…How long do you plan to stay?”

“Well. We’ll see.”

Rihanel blurred his answer like that. In fact, he planned to make a short visit of about a week, but… seeing Janet’s defensive reaction from the start, he didn’t want to tell her.

Rihanel turned and walked to his room.

***

“How can a house be so big! Did you see, my lady? They say there’s even a field over there where deer roam freely.”

After traveling by train to the midpoint, Eysher, and then by carriage for a day, they arrived at the Reynes country house.

Letsy, who had returned from exploring the mansion under the pretext of preliminary investigation, couldn’t hide her excitement as she spoke.

She thought the mansion in the capital was incomparably magnificent compared to other houses, but Elbareo seemed like that magnificent place multiplied by ten.

Is this a house? I’d believe it if they called it a palace!

“Actually, this is my first time coming to the Reynes territory, my lady.”

“It’s my first time too, Letsy.”

Janet smiled. Having Letsy with her made the unfamiliar place feel a bit more familiar.

In the end, parliament concluded without discussing the Noble Special Law. The resolution of their relationship was postponed until autumn.

And here, far from the capital, Janet was given a period where she didn’t have to think about anything.

She felt both urgency and relief about it.

The desire to regain her lost freedom and the self-consolation that she didn’t have to do anything, using the situation as an excuse, came simultaneously.

Regardless, life here seemed like it would be better than she had worried, even if it was a place where she couldn’t do anything.

Even now, Letsy was chattering about various things in front of Janet.

“Anyway… usually at this time, we’re busy preparing for the birthday banquet. But this time, he said he wouldn’t hold one, so everyone is a bit more relaxed. What are you doing, my lady?”

“How does it look?”

Janet showed Letsy the handkerchief in her hand. Around the edges of the handkerchief were some crooked lines embroidered. On the lines were some unidentifiable red patterns.

“Hmm… is it a net?”

“It’s a flower vine…”

“Ah, yes, yes! That’s what I meant!”

Despite Letsy’s attempt to smooth things over, Janet wore a serious expression as she looked at the handkerchief. Even to her own eyes, it didn’t look like a flower.

Janet stared at the thread ring placed on the table. It wasn’t a gift with particularly deep meaning.

Just… even if there was no banquet, it was still his birthday. And perhaps… it might be the last birthday she would spend with him.

So she decided to prepare a small gift for him. Separate from the fact that her relationship with Rihanel wasn’t good, it was his birthday. She thought he might accept and receive it if it was something he needed.

Remembering how he always took out handkerchiefs to wipe her blood, she embroidered one, hoping it would take its place among his many handkerchiefs.

But.

“This is difficult.”

Anyone could see it wasn’t a flower. Janet only now recalled that she had learned embroidery as a child but soon quit. At the time, she thought it didn’t match her interests, but looking back, it seems it didn’t suit her aptitude.

“Are you making it as a gift for the master?”

“…Do you think that’s possible?”

Letsy’s pupils trembled briefly.

“What if you fill in this part a bit more? And if you add threads of similar but different colors to the petal area, it might look more abundant.”

Janet opened her eyes wide and focused on the areas Letsy was pointing to. Indeed, following her suggestion would make it much better.

“Like this?”

“Yes, yes. And a bit more at the top part too.”

With such coaching, as she added threads, what had been a mere array of sparse lines became quite presentable.

“Wow… Letsy, you’re amazing.”

Janet expressed genuine admiration. Letsy blushed with embarrassment and waved her hands.

“Not at all, I just thought about how to decorate what you made a little more. You did all the embroidery yourself, my lady.”

“No, really, thank you.”

Janet raised the corners of her mouth in a smile. Letsy stared at her as if enchanted, then somehow felt a tightness in her chest and shifted her gaze elsewhere.

“Well, dinner will be in about two hours. Please get some rest until then, my lady.”

Letsy smoothed out the already well-spread blanket once more and left the room.

Janet neatly folded the handkerchief and placed it in a box she had prepared. Then she lay down on the bed for a short nap, and when evening came, she went downstairs.

“So that’s why I say. When I gave Selize a fan, would you believe, she gave me a brooch in return. Hoho, isn’t that so precious?”

Janet’s footsteps halted in front of the dining room. A familiar voice was resonating loudly throughout the room.

“I was just conveying my gratitude.”

“Oh my. And she speaks so prettily too?”

Panianna laughed with delight.

Selize, who had come with her, was definitely a woman Janet had seen before. Someone who said she had visited the Reynes territory several times.

It wasn’t unusual for other people to visit a country house and stay for a few days, so this wasn’t strange.

And the one conversing with them was probably…

“What about this one? What do you think, Rihanel?”

“It suits you well.”

A response in a cool yet refreshing tone was heard. It was a voice he rarely let her hear. Janet wondered if she should enter.

Somehow it felt like she didn’t belong there. But since there was a set dinner time, it would be rude not to attend.

Eventually, Janet took a deep breath and stepped inside.