After seeing her brothers off, Ariadne went to look for Kieron. It weighed on her that he had walked out like that, but more than anything, she sincerely wanted to apologize.

‘That talk about how he might look like an incompetent head of house who couldn’t even handle the Council’s affairs…’

The cold, cutting words he had directed at her echoed relentlessly in her mind.

He had worked tirelessly, day and night, all for the sake of his family.

While most children his age clung to their parents for comfort, he had been thr*st onto the battlefield. He had pushed himself to the limit to uphold the honor of his family.

Even after becoming the empire’s greatest war hero, the Council never stopped tormenting him with their constant demands.

She should have understood.

Someone shaped by hardship and burdened by expectations like him would never want his family’s internal affairs exposed to outsiders.

Ariadne wanted to apologize.

Truly.

Even if it felt awkward and frightened her, it was the right thing to do.

So she went to his study.

“Stupidity has limits!”

The voice that greeted her—sharp, furious, cutting—froze her in place before she could even fully open the door.

“Your Grace. Her Ladyship was only trying to help you.”

“Help me? By going straight to the very people who already look down on me?”

“They’re not the kind who would use that against you.”

Behind Kieron’s enraged voice, she could hear Derrick trying to soothe him. Herald, sounding troubled, let out a quiet breath.

Ariadne had not imagined he would be this angry.

Still gripping the doorknob, she stood frozen, unsure what to do.

“You think they aren’t the kind to use it, Derrick? I’ve already been threatened—and warned—by them.”

‘A duke being threatened by a marquis!’

Kieron’s voice rang with humiliation and resentment. Hearing it, Ariadne felt her guilt deepen. Her father must have intimidated him. Even though she had begged her father not to burden him…

Of course, as a parent sending off his daughter, her father must have been worried—but still…

“If it’s as Your Grace says, then the marquis will surely pressure the Council on my lady’s behalf. Isn’t that actually a good thing?”

Herald spoke with a sigh. That was exactly what Ariadne had thought as well. If the Council was pressured, wouldn’t that make things easier for Kieron?

But Kieron scoffed.

“You’re only seeing half the picture, Herald. Do you think the Council will sit quietly if they’re forced to hand over authority? You don’t think that will make every future matter even more difficult?”

Indeed, the Ambrose Council was infamous for its arrogance. It was a nest of stubborn old men from both the main and branch families, all clinging to their authority.

What would those men do if they were forced into a corner?

Kieron knew they would oppose everything he did, their veins bulging with rage. In the worst case, they might even try to undermine the family head’s position.

He scolded Herald, telling him to face reality.

“Get a hold of yourself, Herald. We’re not dealing with wise, seasoned veterans here.”

Just old men drowning in stubbornness and the glory of the past.

After saying so, Kieron turned his head toward the door.

“So if you understand, stop standing there and go back to your room, my lady.”

And at that moment, his eyes met Ariadne’s—who had been frozen in place, unsure of what to do.

She startled when she saw three pairs of eyes suddenly turn toward her.

“S-sorry. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop…”

“Then you came because you had something to say?”

Kieron responded sharply and sarcastically, while Ariadne blushed and stumbled over her words.

In that moment, he could only see her as the cause of the catastrophe, the person who had destroyed all his hard work.

Herald and Derrick nearly collapsed where they stood.

Ariadne was not entirely without fault; she had erred in allowing family matters to become public knowledge. However, her intentions were sincere, she acted because she wanted to help her husband.

Her method was wrong, yes, but her heart was in the right place and she deserved gratitude, not this cold disdain.

‘If this keeps up, what if they really end up divorcing?’
‘Don’t say unlucky things. Words have power.’

Herald and Derrick exchanged a silent conversation with their eyes.

With the future of their lord and lady already hanging in the balance, Kieron’s behaviour was not helping matters.

However, they could not simply silence their master. All they could do was shoot him frantic looks, which he completely failed to notice.

“If you have something to say, hurry up and go. My head feels like it’ll burst because of what you’ve done.”

As always, he was oblivious. He waved his hand at her dismissively, as though shooing away an annoying insect.

Herald and Derrick silently clutched their foreheads.

They realized something — and, of course, so did Ariadne.

She stared directly at Kieron, then suddenly spoke in a hurt and resentful tone of voice.

“You speak as if I’m some bothersome insect.”

“…What?”

It erupted.

That single word flashed through the minds of both servants.

The gentle, soft-spoken lady, who was as warm as spring sunlight, had finally snapped.

Derrick, who had practically been living like a ghost since their last argument, felt his knees weaken.

Hearing Ariadne speak with such pain twice was unbearable. He wished with all his heart that he could shut his eyes and disappear from the world.

The fact that their kind mistress had been pushed this far was unbearable.

Twice.

It had happened twice.

If only he had paid more attention to her, perhaps none of this would have happened.

If only she had felt she could confide in him.

If only he had stayed by her side, he might have been able to prevent it.

But after returning to his duties as butler, he was overwhelmed by his responsibilities and used this as an excuse to overlook her loneliness.

Regret crashed over Derrick so fiercely that he could barely breathe.

He should have remained calm and level-headed, and tried to understand her situation clearly. Yet he couldn’t free himself from the crushing weight of self-blame.

“Your behavior just now, Your Grace. You’re speaking as though I’ve become someone who harms you, someone who obstructs you!”

“Ariadne Ambrose. What exactly are you saying? You caused this whole mess and now—”

Kieron scowled in response to her words.

He was clearly stunned; he had never experienced a conversation like this before.

She was a mistress who had grown up loved, who understood her own emotions and could express them.

He, on the other hand, had never voiced his true feelings to anyone and was clumsy at recognizing and naming his own emotions.

Ariadne didn’t realize it, but Derrick and Herald could see everything clearly.

Kieron was completely thrown off.

“That’s exactly it! I did cause trouble that’s why I came to apologize. But Your Grace treats me like I’m beneath notice, like I’m nothing! How can you speak to someone like that, even if they make a mistake? Do you really think this is how a husband should talk to his wife?”

“So the one at fault gets to raise their voice? My lady, does apologizing erase what has already happened? Wouldn’t it have been better if you’d kept your mouth shut in the first place?”

Ariadne’s voice rose, and Kieron refused to yield. Yet, to the servants who watched, it was painfully clear that he was shaken to the core and fighting desperately not to show it.

‘Someone has to stop this.’

Herald looked on helplessly, feeling panic tighten in his throat.

If this continued, it would turn into a real fight.

‘Do something, Head Butler!’
‘…What can I possibly do? If either of us steps in now, we’ll be the ones who won’t survive.’

At Herald’s pleading look, Derrick slumped, utterly defeated.

Given the situation, what could he do?

But Herald stared at him, appalled.

‘They can’t just stand here while their lord and lady tear each other apart. Something had to be done.’

He stepped forward—

—just in time for Ariadne’s words to drop like lightning from a clear sky.

“Then you should just get rid of me.”

“…What?”

Even Kieron froze.

Herald fell silent.

Derrick, deep in his thoughts, snapped back to reality as if struck.

Her words were so shocking they wiped the room clean of breath.

“You think that’s something you can say to your husband?”

“And what you said was appropriate to say to your wife?”

Tears clung to Ariadne’s eyes as she glared at Kieron, trembling with anger.

She had truly—finally—exploded.

Herald, nearly fainting, shuffled forward despite his terror.

“Your Grace. Let’s stop here. There is much to do.”

That was the best Herald could manage in an attempt to stop the argument between his lord and lady.
He silently cursed his own lack of quick thinking, forcing an awkward smile onto his face.

“My lady, please return and rest. I’ll send a maid up shortly, so—”

“No. There’s no need.”

Herald broke out in a cold sweat, doing everything he could to calm them, but Ariadne cut him off sharply.

“I’ll stay at my family’s estate for a while. If I stay here, I’ll only get in Your Grace’s way when you’re so busy.”

“My lady.”

“Isn’t that what you want anyway, Your Grace? Isn’t it more convenient for you?”

Ariadne twisted her lips into a cold, bitter smile. Her expression was so frigid that it felt as though icy winds were sweeping through the room.