The ship that departed from Le Mont arrived at its destination in ten hours. It was around the time when the setting sun began to dye the entire sea in a red hue.

A reddish twilight, lively bustle, and a jumble of boisterous voices. The panorama of the capital of the Brit Kingdom unfolded before Olivia and Anne, who stood on the deck.

“Look, Anne. It’s Liton!”

Olivia shouted, pressing down hard on the brim of her bonnet fluttering in the sea breeze with both hands. Anne turned her gaze in the direction of the slender finger pointing.

In the distance, Liton’s landmark, the clock tower, brightly lit up, came into view at once.

Olivia took in the gradually approaching city with eyes mixed with anticipation and curiosity.

Her heart beat rapidly. Olivia’s gaze deepened as she looked down upon an unknown world.

Just when she thought she had died, she opened her eyes to find herself in another world. That is, the world of a common romance fantasy she had been reading casually.

Even there, she had become Olivia Blanchet, the lowly illegitimate child of a count’s family conceived through adultery, and the nominal wife of the noble Duke Johan Leopold.

Jian remembered that woman’s name.

A woman blinded by jealousy. A pitiful and foolish woman.

Olivia Blanchet’s love, who had never been loved in the original work, failed, and she met her downfall, stubbornly clinging to a twisted emotion that couldn’t even be called affection in the first place.

‘The defendant Olivia Blanchet is sentenced to death for the attempted murder of Clara Sinclair and the contracted murder of Diane Brook and Matilda Fairbax.’

And so she made up her mind.

This time, to survive.

Olivia gazed at the city bathed in sunset and firmly grasped the handle of her trunk.

Good luck to her second life.

Passengers disembarked from the ship that had finished preparations for landing.

After completing the entry procedures at the immigration office, porters swarmed like bees.

A boy wearing a newsboy cap swiftly approached Olivia and Anne, snatching away their travel bags with a quick motion.

“This way, ladies.”

The two hurried along with quick steps to catch up with the boy who was rapidly disappearing.

The place where carriages were lined up was quite a distance from the dock, so Olivia and Anne arrived at the carriage with flushed faces, catching their breath.

“Well then, have a pleasant journey! That’ll be one penny.”

The boy greeted them brightly in a clear voice.

“Thank you. I hope you have a good day too.”

Olivia smiled with rosy cheeks and placed two bills in the palm of the boy’s hand.

“You gave me one extra.”

The boy held out one penny, lifting his forehead beaded with sweat droplets.

“There were two bags, weren’t there?”

Only then did the child smile shyly, carefully folding the bills and tucking them into the inside pocket of his top before energetically running back into the crowd.

As the porter boy disappeared from view, Olivia turned her attention to the coachman. In doing so, she failed to notice Anne’s eyes widening.

“Are we departing right away?”

Olivia asked the coachman.

“We’ll leave once we’re at full capacity,” the coachman replied indifferently while loading the bags into the luggage compartment.

Olivia made a proposal to the coachman.

“How much is the fare for a full carriage? I’ll pay you double that. I’m tired and would like to get to the hotel quickly to rest.”

At Olivia’s words, accompanied by a gentle smile, the coachman readily agreed and opened the carriage door.

“Where shall I take you?”

“Please take us to the Lancelot Hotel.”

The carriage soon departed, and Anne silently gazed at Olivia sitting across from her.

The young lady was still looking out the window with a dazed expression, just as she had on the deck.

Even as the port of Liton, bathed in the light of the setting sun, gradually receded, she didn’t take her eyes off the window.

The young lady Anne knew had never touched money before.

Confined in the count’s house, she had no need for such things, and after marrying Duke Johan Leopold, the secretary appointed by the duke would write checks to merchants for all of the young lady’s expenses.

Given her background, Anne couldn’t help but be surprised by the young lady’s natural behavior just now.

Paying the porter boy, negotiating with the coachman – these were all things far removed from the young lady she knew.

Yet, seeing such ordinary, human-like behavior made Anne feel both relieved and anxious. The saying that people change before they die came to mind.

Anne quickly shook her head to chase away the ominous feeling.

***

Having arrived at the hotel, the two prepared for bed right after dinner, succumbing to travel fatigue.

Anne carefully brushed Olivia’s lush brown hair, which she had changed into nightwear, gathering it neatly and tying it into one.

Olivia snuggled into the cozy blanket. Anne, having finished her evening prayers, lay down beside Olivia.

“Good night, Anne.”

Olivia’s voice was already drowsy with sleep.

“Sweet dreams, young lady.”

Anne whispered softly.

It was something that would have shocked her mother, who was once the head maid of the Blanchet count’s household, but since her mother wasn’t here, she decided not to worry about it.

The young lady, who had miraculously survived after falling into a lake, would have nightmares on rainy days. When Anne would rush to her upon hearing screams, she would find her drenched in sweat.

‘Anne, will you sleep with me?’

The voice emanating from her pale complexion was so desperate that Anne couldn’t refuse. And so, the two fell asleep in the same bed.

Who knows how long they had slept, but the fragrant flower scent wafting from the hotel garden was so pleasant that they had left the window open, allowing the gentle morning breeze to enter. Olivia slowly opened her eyes to the breeze tickling her cheeks.

In the stillness, as if the world had fallen asleep, Olivia carefully got up and went to the window. Stars of dawn twinkled in the clear sky, as if blue paint had been dissolved in it.

The sky, no different from the world she had lived in, stretched out endlessly, and at its end, it seemed as if the world where Han Jian had lived might exist.

‘I wonder if he’s safe?’

As the face of the man who used to ruffle Jian’s hair with his large hand while smiling came to mind, she felt an incomparable longing.

“Young lady?”

Startled by Anne’s voice calling from behind, Olivia reflexively turned around. Anne, who had raised her upper body, was looking at her.

“I’m sorry, did I wake you?”

“No, I usually wake up at this time. Was it uncomfortable sleeping with me after all? I can sleep on the floor.”

“It’s not because of you, Anne. The breeze was just so nice. That’s why I woke up. Anne, do you want to come and see?”

Olivia smiled with her eyes and gestured, turning back to the window. Anne, smoothing her disheveled hair, put on her slippers and stood beside the young lady.

“I really like this time. And when the sun sets. It feels like I’m appreciating the most dreamlike landscape painting in the world. Look, isn’t it wonderful?”

As the boundary between the reddish light of the gas lamps and the blue of dawn began to blur, the red of the sun, starting from the sea where they had disembarked, began to paint over the world.

“It really is… beautiful.”

The two remained motionless by the window for a while.

***

Johan Leopold, who had recently acquired a steel company, was sitting in his office chair, smoking a cigar and scanning the acquisition contract with an irritated look.

Although he had been able to acquire it at a reasonable price, due to one small fish muddying the waters, he had to pay an additional ten thousand pounds above the planned price.

In other words, Johan was quite annoyed at the moment, and Morris, the aide who had to report in front of him, was in a very awkward situation.

Taking a deep breath inwardly, Morris opened his lips.

“Regarding Olivia Leopold, the Duchess… ahem. …I correct myself. Regarding Miss Olivia Blanchet.”

Morris, whose gaze met Johan’s, who had his head buried in the documents with only his eyes glaring, cleared his throat a few times before continuing with difficulty.

“Miss Blanchet is now…”

He couldn’t bring himself to say the next words.

“Now, what?”

With a low voice, along with a look that said ‘hurry up and get out’, Morris, instead of answering, placed the photo he was holding on the desk and quickly stepped back.

Johan picked it up to assess the situation.

In the clearly developed photograph, the backs of two women entering a building, one of whom was undoubtedly his ex-wife, but what caught Johan’s attention immediately was something else.

Jerking his head up and meeting the fierce gaze that now flew at him in earnest, Morris stammered.

“As you can see, she is now… staying at the Lancelot Hotel.”

“Here?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

After Morris’s answer, silence fell.

After a few seconds, Johan’s gaze slowly turned to the photograph. Johan, letting out a shallow sigh, ran his hand through his hair out of habit. His gaze drifted to empty space before closing his eyes.

Had she decided to provoke his temper from an unseen place now that she was no longer by his side? Otherwise, out of the many hotels in the tourist city, how could it possibly be.

How could it possibly be Edgar Lancaster Lancelot’s hotel of all places.

Ah! So that’s what it was.

Evident displeasure etched itself onto Johan’s otherwise expressionless face.

Here was the answer to why she had gone to Brit, a place with no connections.

Edgar.

Already in a foul mood due to the trouble caused by that bastard in this steel company acquisition, his ex-wife’s involvement pushed his mood further into the mire.

How did Edgar know about this acquisition, which was being pursued in utmost secrecy?

Of course, Johan knew that just as he planted spies, that bastard also had eyes and ears around him.

It was completely unexpected that it might be Olivia Blanchet.

Since when.

The ash from the cigar, which he hadn’t managed to fully smoke and was burning away between his fingers, fell onto the desk with a soft thud. Once the seed of doubt was planted, branches spread at an unstoppable speed.

Blood will tell, is that it?

Johan opened his eyes.

“Keep a close watch on what those two are up to.”

Johan gave a look indicating that he could leave now, and then looked at the photograph.

Olivia.

It seemed he had granted the divorce too easily. The matter of sending off a wife should have been handled more carefully and prudently.

When the woman who had said she had no reason to live without his love brought up divorce, there must have been something more.

Johan felt the need to consider what that might be, what he had overlooked.

***

The third morning dawned at the Lancelot Hotel.

Olivia and Anne lazed about until their eyes opened, and when they got hungry, they went down to the cafeteria on the first floor for a late breakfast cum lunch.

Anne sometimes worried that such peaceful days might turn them into lazy bears.

But as soon as the elaborate three-tiered tray they had ordered arrived at the table, she would push her concerns aside and pick up her fork instead.

Following Anne, Olivia also enthusiastically picked up her cutlery.

Now she had to live her life in this unfamiliar world. No longer as herself, but as Olivia Blanchet.

Although nothing was decided yet and the future was uncertain, she resolved to think things through slowly.

For now, she had escaped from Johan Leopold’s shadow.

At present, that fact alone was satisfying enough.

Desserts topped with luscious strawberries, heralding the spring season, filled the plates, wafting a sweet aroma.

“How did you find such a wonderful place, young lady?”

Olivia had pored over guidebooks for tourists visiting Liton while on the ship.

Just as she was about to put a large strawberry dipped in whipped cream into her mouth, Olivia smiled and answered.

“They say the strawberry fraisier here is the best in Liton.”

Olivia smiled brightly as she put the strawberry in her mouth and chewed.

At this moment, the young lady looked like the happiest person in the world to Anne. Anne also took a spoonful of strawberry pudding. Sweetness spread instantly.

As she watched the young lady, whose sweet tooth remained unchanged, Anne thought it was fortunate that at least one thing hadn’t changed.

After clearing away the tray they had decimated with fierce enthusiasm and tidying up the table, the two drank coffee and milk tea with honey.

It was a peaceful afternoon with lazy spring sunlight lazily draped over the gentle piano melody flowing from the gramophone.

The once quiet cafeteria began to fill up with guests coming for tea after finishing their lunch.

It was then that a group of noble ladies entered the room. A woman who had been pondering over which dress to wear to the Rose Ball exclaimed in surprise.

“Oh my, isn’t that woman over there? The Duchess of Leopold, I mean.”

The gazes of the noble ladies all turned in the direction the fan was pointing. A woman was sitting by the large glass window where bright sunlight poured in, smiling and drinking tea with her maid.

“Good heavens!”

It was unmistakably Olivia Blanchet.