“Your Grace! So this is where you were!”

It was late at night when Kieron was found lingering in a small hut on the outskirts of the Ambrose estate.

It had once belonged to the old gardener who had served the ducal household for decades. After his death, however, no one had tended to the hut.

The new gardener lived elsewhere and only came to work, so the little hut had crumbled quietly over time.

Everything inside was warped, aged and listing. In that dilapidated space, Kieron stood by the window, staring out at something far beyond the estate.

Derrick felt his heart drop — and then slowly lift again — as he rushed towards Kieron.

“Do you know how long we’ve been searching for you, Your Grace? If you were going out, you could at least have said something—”

“Derrick. To your eyes… how do I look right now?”

“…Sir?”

Kieron’s first words were startlingly out of place.

What did he look like?

Uncertain whether he was asking literally or figuratively, Derrick let out a small breath and spoke carefully.

“Is something troubling you, Your Grace?”

“I wonder. Is this even a trouble at all?”

Kieron clasped his hands together and stared out of the window at the starry night sky. He had often come here with his father when he was young. Although he had shown little interest in his wife, he was determined to raise his son well enough to earn his own father’s approval. So he brought young Kieron to this hut and talked endlessly.

When he had felt frustrated earlier, to the point where he felt he might be choked by it, this place had suddenly come to mind.

Most of what he’d heard from his father in this hut had been complaints: bitter grievances about his own father, and laments about how unfairly he’d been treated. Yet back then, Kieron had pitied him.

He thought: If Father were properly loved, maybe he could be happier.

Of course, he had not been nearly as skeptical about love back then as he was now. He believed that his parents’ distance wasn’t caused by something as simple as hatred.

Naively, he had hoped that one day they might become like other parents, showing mutual care and kindness towards each other.

He never imagined that he would one day experience the same confusion and suffocating frustration.

Back then, all he felt was a faint warmth when he heard his father speak openly — however one-sided it was — and a gentle contentment simply from spending time with him.

As he grew older, the memory of this place faded.

When he finally came to understand how truly hypocritical and repulsive his father’s actions were, he erased the memory of the hut entirely from his mind. And yet today, for some reason, his steps had brought him back here.

Kieron stared quietly out of the window, then rose to his feet.

“I must have worried everyone. Let’s go back.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Many thoughts had crossed his mind here, old memories he had tried to bury resurfacing and becoming intertwined with confusion and new emotions. This left him feeling both unsettled and strangely clearer.

The thought that had arisen most vividly was—

“Is the duchess asleep?”

“She should be, Your Grace.”

“Should be? Meaning you didn’t check?”

With her personality, she would never fall asleep before hearing that he’d returned. Kieron frowned, assuming Ariadne must be awake, waiting for him.

But then—

“My lady said there was no need to report anything. She told us to focus on searching for Your Grace.”

“No need to report…? What exactly?”

And Derrick’s next words shattered every assumption Kieron had held about Ariadne.

“No, Your Grace. My lady told me not to inform her when you returned. She said she wouldn’t concern herself, so there was no need to tell her at all.”

At that, the vague unease that had been lurking in Kieron’s chest suddenly swelled—sharp, heavy, suffocating.

***

Ariadne couldn’t fall asleep.

Of course, not because she was waiting for Kieron. At least—that was what she told herself.

“My lady, are you truly not going to bed?”

“Mhm. Let me just finish writing this.”

But to Jay, the situation was painfully obvious. Her mistress was clearly waiting, displaying the stubborn resolve of someone who simply could not sleep until her husband came home.

If she was going to wait like this, she might as well sit outside by the door.

Jay sighed as she watched Ariadne repeatedly glance towards the window, even though the curtains were tightly drawn to prevent light from escaping.

Anyone could see she was waiting. Anyone — except, apparently, the duchess herself.

Then, in the middle of the night, Ariadne suddenly announced that she needed to write something down about the bridesmaid duties.

If that were the case, she could easily write it tomorrow after Master Jade had replied.

Why now? And why right after the butler had left?

Jay muttered that she would never understand the minds of nobles, then lifted the edge of the curtain to take a quick look outside.

There—she caught sight of the flicker of firelight below..

“Oh! My lady! His Grace has returned!”

Jay quickly drew the curtain shut and turned to Ariadne.

At those words, the quill that had been wandering aimlessly across the page stopped.

“Really? Good.”

But the voice that emerged from her was flat and almost indifferent.

Jay just about managed to stop her face from showing her shock.

Ariadne resumed writing as if nothing had happened. Jay thought she might actually suffocate at this rate.

“My lady, I’ll go get some water.”

“If you’re tired, you can go to sleep first, Jay.”

“No, my lady. I’ll sleep once you do.”

“But still… I feel bad.”

Even as she said those words, it was clear that she had no intention of going to sleep. Seeing this, Jay was almost certain that her mistress was waiting for a report of some kind, despite her denials.

Jay narrowed her eyes, then allowed a faint, knowing smile to slip out.

If she was going to act like this, she should just behave the way she used to, honestly.

It had been so much simpler and more honest back before the wedding, when simply thinking of the duke made her secretly blush.

After the wedding, Jay felt sorry for her when she spent nights alone, worrying. Later, she pitied her even more when she tried so desperately to forget.

Now, watching her pretend that none of it mattered was the most painful thing of all.

Why were feelings so troublesome?

Why couldn’t she firmly push away affection?

Jay slipped out of the room and let out a long sigh.

She had no idea how His Grace truly felt, but more than anything, she wished her mistress could let go of her feelings and become the gentle, carefree young lady she once was — someone who could accept love without fear.

That was far more like her, and far better for her.

She was lingering in the hallway when it happened.

“Is the duchess asleep?”

A deep voice suddenly came from beside her.

Jay jolted and whipped her head around.

“I asked if she’s still awake.”

He stood there, unscathed and composed, looking even better than he had that morning.

Wow!

Was he planning to seduce the mistress with his good looks?

Jay stared at him, speechless, for a moment, then quickly cleared her throat.

“She is inside, but….”

“Then could you ask if she would allow me to come in for a moment?”

“J-Just a moment, Your Grace.”

Kieron’s tone was unusually polite; it was neither commanding nor imposing.

It was not the clipped, authoritative voice he used with staff.

It was quiet.

Respectful.

In fact, it was almost like Jade Derayan’s, who always spoke courteously, even to a maid.

Flustered, Jay hurried inside.

Ariadne, who had been writing at her desk, looked up.

“Weren’t you going to get water?”

“Well, that was the plan…”

This wasn’t true.

Jay had only wanted to give her some time alone, to let her think without feeling watched.

But it was too late to hide that now.

“It just… happened that way. Anyway, my lady—His Grace is outside…”

“What? His Grace came here?”

But Jay had one more thing to say, something more important than water.

When she heard this, Ariadne’s expression changed instantly.

She looked relieved. She pressed her hand lightly to her chest. The faintest hint of a smile appeared on her lips.

But the expression vanished just as quickly.

Jay didn’t comment.

She just stood there silently, watching.

Panicking, Ariadne hurried to restore her neutral expression. She put on the same indifferent mask she’d worn earlier, hesitated for show and then nodded.

“Tell him to wait a moment. I need to put something on.”

“I’ll do that, my lady.”

Jay nodded obediently at Ariadne’s words.

Of course, there was nothing more to put on, she was already dressed well enough. Still, Ariadne fidgeted with the shawl draped over her shoulders before signaling to Jay.

“Should we prepare some tea?”

“No. It’s late, and there isn’t much to discuss anyway.”

Upon hearing the duchess’s voice, Jay hurried to the door and opened it.

Ariadne, who was now sitting on the sofa, glanced towards the doorway and, without thinking, picked up a book.

It was as if to say, ‘I’m busy.’ Don’t get the wrong idea. I wasn’t waiting for you.’ Even as she picked it up, a quiet, embarrassed laugh almost escaped her lips.

‘Why is he here?’

Jay stepped aside and Kieron walked towards her. He sat down opposite her and looked at her for long enough for her to feel the weight of his gaze.

Only then did she lower the book.

“Do you have something to say?”

Her tone made it unmistakably clear that, if he did, he should speak quickly so he could leave.

Instead of answering, however, he continued to stare. It was as if he was irritated by something, or had come without the faintest idea where to start.

Puzzled, she frowned slightly and met his gaze.

“Your Grace?”

At her call, he blinked, almost as if coming back to himself. He looked at her for a moment longer before speaking slowly.

“It’s about the bridesmaid matter.”

“You’re here to oppose it?”

“No.”

And then he said something she had genuinely never expected.

“If there’s anything you want to do, you may do it. Anything at all. Don’t worry about the budget.”

A pause.

Followed by a quiet addition, low and unmistakably honest.

“Though I would prefer… that the person involved not be Jade Derayan.”