Kieron’s second new beginning came with the Council of Elders.

Having reconciled with Ariadne, the next matter to be resolved was that of the Council. Unexpectedly, he received something he had never had before in his life: an apology.

Not just from anyone, but from the Council retainers themselves, the very people he had thought would never bow down to him.

“We have come to apologize for every mistake we committed against you, Your Grace.”

“…All of a sudden?”

It was abrupt. Just like last time, this time too.

Why were all these people suddenly showing up to apologize to him with no warning?

He recalled Heidel Peyton, who had appeared a few days ago with a similarly unexpected confession. Heidel’s visit had been disorienting enough, but seeing Franz and the other council elders gathered before him now was far more bewildering.

Why now?

And why bother? He had no intention of retaliating against them.

Rubbing the throbbing spot at his temple, Kieron let out a short sigh.

“You needn’t go this far. I have no intention of doing anything to any of you.”

“We simply wished to do this, Your Grace. Please don’t misunderstand.”

Had the Peyton Marquis instructed them?

When Kieron heard Franz use the same line that Heidel had used, almost word for word, he couldn’t help but suspect some kind of coordination. The wording was too similar to be a coincidence.

As he scanned the elders’ faces suspiciously, one of them cleared his throat.

“Ahem. In any case, since Your Grace will be leading the house from now on, whether we like it or not we will continue crossing paths. We simply wished to see you.”

“Oh? So the real reason is that you don’t want things to become awkward later?”

“How Your Grace chooses to interpret it is your freedom.”

Truly, only the Council could answer like that—unshaken, calm, almost smug.

‘How you interpret it is your freedom.’

What a careless thing to say. As if they were declaring, We’ve done our part, so whatever you feel about it is your problem.

Kieron felt his brow tightening.

Surely they hadn’t come here just to irritate him?

He waved a hand dismissively.

“Fine. If you’ve said what you came to say, then go. I understand what you wished to convey.”

“Then… does that mean you forgive us?”

Kieron felt a hollow laugh rise in his throat.

Forgive them?

Forgiveness? Was that even the right word here?

After everything that had happened, were they really in a position to demand it?

Whatever his true thoughts, he was under no obligation to share them.

“Just go. I told you, I have no intention of doing anything to you.”

After all, it was the victim’s prerogative to forgive.

Even after he explicitly told them that he wouldn’t take action and that they could leave, the Council elders remained rooted to the spot, continuing to utter meaningless words.

Had they simply stayed quiet, half of them might already have left.

They stared at Kieron as if silently urging him to forgive them. They were utterly unaware that their behavior was making matters worse.

So he simply stepped past them.

“Besides, forgiveness isn’t something I’m required to give just because you demand it. Isn’t that so?”

He refused to be pressured into saying ‘forgive’ as if it were his duty.

Heidel Peyton came to mind, he remembered how vastly different an apology could feel when it was sincere.

He scoffed inwardly at the thought.

***

“I truly don’t understand them.”

Ariadne was finally well enough to enjoy tea in the garden. Kieron found her there while wandering aimlessly after leaving the drawing room. He sat down with her and recounted everything that had happened, from the elders’ brazen behavior to their shamelessness.

Ariadne became indignant as if the whole ordeal had happened to her personally.

“What is wrong with those people? Do they not remember a single thing they’ve done?”

“Well… they did show a bit of that attitude, but—”

“No, Your Grace. ‘A bit’ doesn’t cover it. This isn’t something you gloss over with vague words. Of course you felt offended and wronged—they were shameless, and they were the ones at fault.”

Her anger radiated off her as she huffed, trying to comfort him while fuming on his behalf.

Seeing her like that made Kieron’s lips curl faintly. It felt good—unexpectedly good—to have someone stand so firmly on his side.

“Having you say it like that… I do feel much better.”

“Good. And next time they start talking nonsense like that, don’t ever—ever—back down or leave the room. Tell them to their faces that they were wrong! Promise me!”

Ariadne launched into a long lecture about how to handle such situations. She said that he must confront those responsible, demand an apology, and impose consequences if they pretend not to understand.

As she spoke, Kieron felt a warmth settle deep in his chest.

Although it was only a few simple words, having someone so wholeheartedly in his corner was astonishingly meaningful.

He looked at her for a moment before smiling softly.

“Very well. I’ll do that.”

“Of course you will. You should. You deserve to be treated with that much respect, Your Grace.”

She muttered the last line under her breath, sounding both sulky and fiercely protective.

To her, he was precious and deserved to be treated as such.

Kieron drew her into his arms without a word.

Simply by existing, she was a reason to be grateful.

The wedding day of Princess Sylvia and Heidel had finally arrived.

Ariadne had been pacing all over the place since yesterday, unable to settle down.

After all, it was her brother getting married, so why was she the one feeling so restless?

Kieron watched his flustered wife scurry about and let out a small laugh.

“It isn’t you who’s getting married.”

“I know. I know that. But I can’t help feeling nervous.”

Ariadnee sighed deeply, her expression tied up with worry.

“I wasn’t like this when my other brothers got married.”

“Back then, you weren’t married yet.”

He said it matter-of-factly.

At that time, she probably hadn’t given much thought to what marriage truly entailed.

She probably imagined it as a romantic union of two people’s lives without considering what came after, or how enormous and complicated marriage could actually be.

He used to think of marriage purely as an alliance between families, too.

However, after getting married and living together, he realized just how overwhelming, complex and challenging marriage could be.

Of course, he gained things, too.

“Do you think Mother felt like this when she sent me off?”

“Isn’t that a bit of a leap?”

For example, he discovered that his wife had such absurdly adorable thoughts.

Finding those moments endearing is one of the quieter benefits of marriage.

Kieron looked at her — the woman who had now taken up residence in his heart and whom he could no longer resist — and slowly held out his hand.

“Worry about it later. For now, shouldn’t we get going?”

If they waited any longer, they’d be late.

“The bridesmaid shouldn’t arrive late, should she?”

“…That’s true.”

With a resigned yet anxious expression, knowing she had no choice, Ariadne finally took his hand. Her small, pale fingers fit neatly into his much larger palm.

Kieron glanced down at their joined hands, then tightened his grip and began to walk.

“Are you not nervous, Your Grace?”

“And why would I be?”

It wasn’t his wedding.

Shrugging, he remembered his own wedding day, which certainly hadn’t left him with any pleasant memories.

He had felt as though he were being sold off.

Seeing Ariadne back then, with her naïve, dreamy expression and complete lack of understanding, had made his already sour mood worse.

Although he no longer viewed it that way.

But if he hadn’t felt nervous at his own wedding, why would he feel anxious at someone else’s?

Now that the postponement meant Ariadne and Jade Derayan would serve as bridesmaids in their brand-new ceremonial outfits as originally planned, there was absolutely nothing for him to be tense about.

“You’re the one trembling far too much.”

“…Well, I still get nervous standing in front of people.”

She was doing her best to hold herself together, but the tremor in her eyes and fingers was impossible to hide. She bit her lip and gripped his hand tightly.

Even so, she seemed much better than she had been at the beginning.

Kieron glanced at her from the corner of his eye, remembering how her reputation had changed over the past week.

It had been a week since Ariadne exposed Princess Lorelei’s misdeeds to noble society.

Since then, noble ladies had been sending her non-stop messages, inviting her to parties and asking to meet her, hoping she might have time for tea.

To him, all these invitations felt absurdly pointless and like a waste of time.

However, with the help of her mother and sisters-in-law, Ariadne replied to each person with sincere care.

For events she couldn’t attend, she sent polite letters of apology.

For events hosted by influential women or that could be useful later, she expressed gratitude and agreed to participate.

There was, of course, one condition: everything would take place only after her brother’s wedding.

He still couldn’t understand any of it. But he knew that he would inevitably agree to whatever she wanted.

Kieron simply wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, steadying the courage she was trying so hard to gather.