Nearly every time he visited the estate, he stayed in the same designated room, so once he finished work, he’d head there on his own. Sehera bid him goodnight and returned to her room first.

Today… she’d had some draining conversations and traveled by carriage, but somehow she felt completely drained both physically and mentally. The moment Sehera returned to her room, she collapsed onto the bed.

She’d finished what needed to be done today, and now she needed to think things through, but her exhausted body left her mind feeling just as blank.

“I wonder if he got home safely…”

In the end, the person creeping back into her thoughts was him—Ethan.

What was so great about him that she’d put everything down, saying it was too hard and she couldn’t take it anymore, and come here… 

She’d lived just fine for a whole year, seemingly unbothered, yet the tiniest trigger brought back memories and left her worrying, thinking, and… missing him like this.

“Will he really act the way I think he will?”

If he took the initiative, it would be like getting something for nothing.

His body probably hadn’t fully healed yet, so why was he running around so busily?

She shook her head.

Pushing aside today’s complications, dinner time came to mind. She’d enjoyed a pleasant meal with her household staff… but Ethan, who’d returned to the ducal estate, probably ate alone in that lonely way.

She knew better than anyone what it felt like to sit alone at that enormous dining table at the ducal estate.

It must have felt completely different from back when he’d eaten in his room because of his injuries.

Sometimes the sound of her own fork and knife echoing through the quiet dining room became unbearably hard to endure.

“I… left him with that feeling when I left.”

The bitter feeling made Sehera close her eyes tightly.

Even when her attempt to sort things out with Fredil turned into a slight argument, somehow Ethan came to mind.

In the end… was she going to return to him?

* * *

“Lady Sehera!”

Since Fredil was staying at the count’s estate the whole time, they often ate meals together at similar times, but since they each had their own work, they rarely spent much time together.

On the afternoon of the third day, he suddenly left for the imperial palace.

A week later. From early in the morning, Fredil’s voice was ringing through Count Planer’s estate.

Sehera, who happened to be eating breakfast, glanced at Sana. Sana’s face lit up as she stood from her seat and scurried out of the dining room.

“That child has absolutely no intention of hiding her feelings.”

Romina, who’d been watching from the side, shook her head.

“What does it matter? Having feelings of affection is completely natural, and she can learn something from the fact that he doesn’t like her back.”

She knew from spending time unable to control such feelings herself. Having experienced firsthand that you can’t stop such feelings just by trying, Sehera simply watched with a calm smile.

Listening to the cheerful voices of a man and woman conversing outside gradually growing closer, Sehera continued her meal.

Soon the door opened, and the person entering with Sana was, of course, Fredil.

“Did you think I called for you not knowing you were here?”

“So should I have come out to greet you right away without even finishing my meal?”

Sehera had just swallowed her food and looked at Fredil while covering her mouth. He wore a satisfied smile and his eyes sparkled as usual.

“That’s a very good idea, though I suspect I would have gotten an earful.”

Fredil grinned and responded to match her words.

“What brings you here so early? Is Miss going out today?”

Sana warmly welcomed Fredil, whom she hadn’t seen in days, and after guiding him to the table, was about to head to the kitchen.

Knowing she intended to prepare his meal separately, Fredil didn’t stop her.

“Today Miss will be entering the imperial palace with me. You are prepared, aren’t you?”

Fredil grinned while observing Sehera in front of him. Usually diligent, she often sat ready to go out after finishing her meal early with high probability.

Even now, it looked like she could go out after a bit of grooming following her meal.

“Mm, I’m surprised it’s much faster than expected, but I’m truly grateful you called me so quickly. I was worried sick.”

Even if this matter didn’t work out properly, it wouldn’t mean she couldn’t get the count’s title at all. There would be other methods.

The problem was… still Ethan. Since she had no idea how he would act, Sehera worried about him most.

She’d boldly dismissed Fredil’s suspicions, but… would he really act within the bounds of what she knew…?

It was the day she had to attend the noble council. Planer wasn’t originally a family that participated in the noble council, but when there were issues related to titles that required others’ judgment, they could be referred to the noble council for a decision.

Depending on the gravity of the matter, even the Emperor might participate.

The Croft ducal family had of course regained their qualification to participate in the noble council. Content might be a very shrewd person with extremely fast information.

Starting the very day after meeting Content, Sehera had gathered the territory’s people to collect stories about how negligent Content had been in managing the territory, and yet how he’d still collected taxes.

‘Even if we tell you these things, will those above listen?’

Most people cooperated well with Sehera, but they all probably held such doubts in their hearts.

It was frustrating that beyond telling them it would help, there was nothing definite she could do.

Certainly there were no legal problems, but the people making decisions didn’t reach conclusions with law books at their side. That’s why such testimonies were needed, though they might also be completely useless.

What mattered was properly receiving the count’s title and accelerating Dirk’s development.

“Have a safe trip!”

Receiving cheerful farewells from Sana and Romina, she boarded the carriage driven by Rabo. Rabo handled horses as perfectly as his emotional stability, making his carriage the best to ride in.

“The people attending the noble council recently… how are they generally?”

While the carriage was racing along, Sehera finally asked the question.

Her fate rested with them, and she felt slightly self-reproachful for knowing nothing about them.

“They’re people with common sense at least. With what we’ve prepared, you should be able to receive the count’s title, Lady Sehera.”

Fredil answered her without a moment’s hesitation. But instead of Sehera nodding in agreement at that answer, he was looking at her with serious eyes for some reason.

“Is there really… absolutely no chance that person will do something unexpected?”

She understood immediately without needing to think twice about who “that person” was and what “something unexpected” meant in Fredil’s question following her own.

Since Sehera had asked herself the exact same question when leaving the estate, she bit her lip slightly.

“As far as I know, yes. He might not help either side, but there’s no reason for him to help that man.”

Sehera answered firmly after a slight pause.

Right, he might not get involved at all, but he wouldn’t help Content to bring her down.

“If he wants Lady Sehera to… put down Planer and Dirk and return as Duchess of Croft… if he’s thinking that way, I think he could help Content.”

“…”

She hadn’t considered that angle.

He’d definitely said he hadn’t processed the divorce papers, and therefore spoke in a way that suggested they were still married. And considering how he’d particularly stepped forward to protect her at the banquet…

“No. He’s not cowardly enough for that. If that’s what he wants, he’s the type to confront me head-on.”

Even if he’d been alone at the estate, and even if he couldn’t understand how hard that time had been for her… she at least had that much faith in him.

Ethan Croft was taciturn but upright and resolute.

“Alright, fine. Then there won’t be any unexpected problems at the imperial palace today.”

Fredil raised both hands at Sehera’s firmness. Seeing him readily agree, Sehera turned her gaze out the carriage window. The capital’s outskirts were gradually coming into view.

Not knowing the identity of her heart that kept beating unpleasantly, the smooth carriage ran and ran, entering the capital and passing through the palace gates.

But contrary to their expectations, an unpleasant silence hung over the noble council chamber.

People sat in tiers in the semicircular stepped noble council chamber.

At the very bottom were two platforms, occupied by Content and Sehera respectively.

The two wore contrasting expressions as they looked up at the noble sitting in the center as chairman.

“That reason… is unacceptable.”

The triumphant Content was leisurely observing the situation with a slight smile on his lips.

Behind her, Fredil, who’d entered as an observer, was also watching the situation with an extremely grim expression. Even at her question, the nobles didn’t bat an eye and simply sat there looking down at the young woman.

Sehera, who was answering confidently without being intimidated in this situation, looked impressive.

“Everyone knows you are the direct family of the previous Count Planer who died in an accident a year ago. However, our conclusion is that it would be unreasonable for you to receive the count’s title.”

“For the single reason that I’m a woman?”

The words Sehera coldly repeated made even Fredil feel stifled.

He seemed to have overlooked too much the closed-minded thinking of these aging power holders.