Ariella’s name had not appeared anywhere on Delphius’s list.

Among the sparse names, there had been no one called “Calante.”

And yet, a thoroughly unwelcome guest had stepped into the estate that had once felt as peaceful as if it were cut off from the world.

It had started two days ago.

“Duke Lukhardt will be staying at this estate for a few days.”

It was for Delphius’s succession ceremony. He would receive formal recognition as the young duke and then inherit the title. For that tedious and cumbersome process, the duke would serve as a witness.

“I offered him any room at the hotel, but he insisted on using this estate. He even said he wouldn’t attend otherwise and made quite a fuss.”

After saying that much, Delphius’s gaze turned toward Ilenia. His eyes lingered over his wife, who seemed even smaller than before after giving birth, and he quietly drew in a breath.

“I’ll keep the guest list to a minimum. There’s no one I particularly want to invite anyway.”

The list, justified as a way not to burden Ilenia, had been stripped down to the extreme. Most of the names were unfamiliar, and that had been a relief.

But now, standing face to face with Ariella, things were different.

Ilenia quickly hid her stiffening hands behind her waist.

“Congratulations on your delivery, Ilenia. I heard you had a son.”

“Thank you, Lady Calante.”

“I heard you went through quite a lot. You must have suffered greatly.”

Ariella smiled brightly and held out a bouquet.

But Ilenia couldn’t bring herself to reach for it.

For a fleeting moment, Daniel’s face overlapped with hers and the memory of his gift made nausea rise in her throat.

“…Anna. Take this bouquet and arrange it in a vase.”

“Yes, Milady.”

The bouquet, meant for Ilenia, was instead handed to the maid and carried away.

Under normal circumstances, Ariella would have flown into a rage demanding to know if her gift was considered filthy, raising her voice without hesitation.

But now, she remained unusually quiet.

Without showing any sign of displeasure, she simply smiled faintly.

“How long do you intend to leave your guests standing there? Is it a tradition of the Hildebalt family to keep visitors on the cold floor?”

“My apologies. I was only expecting the Duke of Lukehardt. I wasn’t properly prepared.”

“To lose your composure over something so minor—what will you do in the future? And you, soon to become the Duchess of Lukehardt, move with such sluggish grace.”

She had been confined to the estate even before becoming pregnant. It had been a long time since she last heard such biting mockery.

“…I’m sorry. I’ll make the necessary preparations at once.”

As always, she tried to force a smile onto her face.

But it wouldn’t come.

Her frightened body only made her lips tremble.

The gentle, composed elegance she had once imagined for herself—she could not summon it at all.

“Your Grace, Ilenia is frightened. That’s enough.”

Ariella’s voice was soft, almost soothing.

“I can sit anywhere. Please don’t trouble her any further.”

“You are hardly someone who should be seated just anywhere. You ought to be given the finest seat and treated accordingly.”

The Duke of Lukehardt clicked his tongue and glared at Ilenia.

“At this rate, who knows when you’ll ever appear worthy of the Lukehardt name.”

“Please don’t judge her so harshly. She’ll grow accustomed to it in time.”

Ariella spoke as if to mediate, but it was far from sincere. The duke, as though well aware of that, continued with a displeased expression.

“She is to become the Duchess of Lukehardt. She has already borne the heir to this house, and yet she still fumbles like this—how does she intend to lead in the future?”

“Lukehardt will be led well by Delphius.”

“Even so. My wife was never like that.”

“That’s true. The Duchess of Lukehardt was a perfect woman. I still find myself missing the former duchess. She was truly remarkable.”

Ariella readily chimed in beside him, her tone bright and agreeable. The atmosphere between them was so warm that one might have believed they were family.

“By the way, is it truly all right for you to be out on your own like this? If Marquis Calante finds out, he won’t take it lightly.”

“Father has gone to Treheran for a while. You know how it is—Daniel caused quite a serious incident.”

“Don’t even mention that wretched boy.”

The duke’s brows drew together sharply.

“I feel nothing but regret toward you. To have such a brilliant and beautiful young lady as his fiancée, and yet he remains so foolish and carefree…”

“Please don’t say that. Daniel has been trying.”

“…Yes. Once you marry him and stand by his side, he’ll come to his senses. He’ll devote himself to his family, think things through, and act as a proper head of the household. He must.”

“Of course. He will.”

Ariella soothed the duke effortlessly, as though she were accustomed to it. She looked completely at ease.

At some point, it was as if Ilenia had ceased to exist in their eyes.

Relief washed over her at being overlooked yet at the same time, a deep, bitter emptiness settled in her chest.

It was a perfect picture.

Once, it had been the very image Ilenia longed for.

But within that perfect scene, there was no place for her at all.

For a brief moment, she looked on with quiet envy before lowering her gaze.

Even after bearing a child, Ilenia was still an outsider in the Lukehardt family.

***

When Delphius returned, the sight before him made his expression darken. What he saw was nothing like what he had expected, and it unsettled him.

Why was Ariella standing where his wife should have been? And why was Ilenia left off to the side, all alone?

Unable to make sense of it, he raised a brow and walked over to her.

“Why is Lady Calante here?”

“She came with the duke.”

“That’s not what I meant. Why?”

“Even if you ask me…”

“Delphius, you’re here.”

Despite clearly seeing him speaking with Ilenia, the duke cut in anyway, twisting his mustache with arrogance.

“What did His Majesty say?”

“…He said there’s no need to make an exception while a foreign delegation is visiting. The ceremony isn’t going anywhere—it can wait until after they’ve left.”

“The delegation… ah, right, there was such a thing. When are they leaving?”

“In four days.”

The hand stroking his beard came to a halt.

“That’s too soon. Far too rushed.”

“……”

“So, in the end… you will succeed me.”

The duke’s face twisted with open displeasure, his irritation toward his own son laid bare for all to see.

“Perhaps, deep down, I always knew. Your mother denied it fiercely, refusing even the possibility—but when the three children stood side by side, the difference was obvious. She used to look at you as though you had stolen what rightfully belonged to the eldest…”

“Please don’t concern yourself. I intend to provide more than enough for your retirement.”

“That is not what I’m talking about!”

“Wasn’t it because the amount I offered was insufficient that you insisted on coming all the way to this seasonal estate?”

“Delphius!”

The duke’s furious voice rang through the drawing room. He exhaled sharply, again and again, his irritation unmistakable.

“Take proper care of your siblings. You may have grown up with almost no connection to them, but they are still your blood. When the time comes, they will be of help to you.”

“As if that would ever happen.”

Delphius gave a careless shrug.

“I can’t make any promises, but I suppose I can try.”

Only after that reluctant concession—clearly conditional on them not causing trouble—did the conversation barely move on.

Having said all he wished to say, the duke finally glanced around.

“Where is the child? Why hasn’t he shown his face even once?”

“He’s with the wet nurse.”

“His grandfather has come, and he won’t even be brought out to be seen?”

“He’s a newborn. What would you even do by looking at him?”

“Is this not improper conduct toward the elder of the household? Such shamelessness, already.”

“I instructed that he not be brought out. It’s not as though you’ll be seeing him often anyway.”

“What did you say?”

At last, the fragile thread holding back the duke’s temper snapped. Unable to contain his fury, he shot to his feet.

Once the argument began, it showed no sign of stopping. The tension in the room grew sharp enough to cut, as though they might lunge at each other at any moment.

The suffocating atmosphere clawed at Ilenia’s breath.

Her heart, which had been pounding loudly since earlier, now thrashed as if it might burst through her fragile chest. With every rise in their voices, her ears rang.

She couldn’t breathe.

Ilenia pressed her hand tightly against her chest. The harder she pushed, the more it felt as though the weight inside her lungs was being forced down, little by little—until her fingertips turned pale from the pressure.

“What are you doing?”

Unable to endure her passive silence any longer, Ariella spoke again, her tone sharp.

“At a time like this, shouldn’t you, as the daughter-in-law, step in and mediate between them? What are you doing just standing there?”

“Ah… I—”

“If you simply bring the child and show him to the duke, that would be the end of it. Or is it that you enjoy watching them fight?”

Ariella’s relentless prodding was cut off by a man’s voice—cold as frost.

“Enough, Ariella.”

“It’s just advice. You know that.”

“I’m her husband. I’m more than enough to advise my wife. Rather than that, why don’t you try stopping the duke? At this rate, he’ll be clutching the back of his neck any moment now.”

“You caused this, so you should deal with it, Delphi.”

“You know he listens to you.”

Delphius deftly redirected Ariella’s attention, as if accustomed to her whims, then glanced toward Ilenia.

He had thought she would be fine now that she had caught her breath.

But instead, he saw that her breathing had grown even more labored.

He immediately stopped arguing with the duke and turned fully toward her.

“Ilenia? What’s wrong?”

“Ah…”

Only when Delphius grasped her shoulders did Ilenia realize that she was trembling like a leaf.

“I… I don’t know…”

Her slender hand reached out, fumbling, and clutched at him.

“I don’t know why this is happening… I can’t breathe…”

Clicking his tongue as he watched her trembling like someone in the throes of illness, Delphius made his decision.

If she remained here any longer, his fragile wife would surely collapse.

“Go and rest. Leave this place.”

Leave it.

Everything that happened within the estate was the lady’s responsibility.

Ilenia shook her head.

“But—”

“Now.”

The firmness in his voice drove her out of the drawing room.

The door closed behind her with the command to rest, and familiar silence wrapped around her.

Left alone in the corridor, Ilenia stood there for a long time, staring at the door.

The feeling of being cut off from the world dragged her down, leaving her small and painfully out of place.