“Sit down for a moment and breathe deeply. Let’s just rest for a while.”

His voice, neither too low nor high, was comforting.

As if it were the voice of hardened earth softened by rain, Helena folded the hem of her dress and cautiously sat beside him.

For several minutes, only the sound of wind brushing dry branches filled the air, occasionally mixed with their quiet deep breaths.

After a few more minutes had passed and Helena completely relaxed, she adjusted her posture.

When Walter saw her white breath scatter into the air from her red lips, he softly asked,

“If it’s not too intrusive, may I inquire what made the young lady wander outside the ceremony hall?”

Helena widened her eyes in surprise, looking at Walter like a startled rabbit.

It seemed he had overstepped. Her exposed small ears turned red as if caught in a guilty act.

“It’s just that…”

With her head bowed, fixating on her sparkling shoes, she bit her lip. Her carefully painted lips parted several times as if about to speak.

Finally, as Walter was about to reassure her that she needn’t force herself to speak if uncomfortable, Helena spilled her concerns.

“I feel… I feel like I’m receiving love that’s beyond my due, and it scares me.”

“Is it the Duke’s affection that weighs on you?”
“No, it’s not that… He has lived a life so different from mine, surrounded by people similar to him. I’m afraid that I might become his only blemish.”

Helena hung her head again.

Walter silently observed her red hair, intricately woven and fixed in place with laurel leaf-shaped jewels, blending with the surroundings like a blooming flower.

Had no one around this timid woman ever told her that she too was such a person?

Walter knew. Eugene wasn’t just an extraordinary man who could be lumped into a simple category. That’s why he trusted his judgment. Everything Eugene devoted himself to, whether work, objects, or relationships, always had a reason.

Thus, Walter decided to vouch for the reasons Helena might unknowingly possess.

“Well… As someone who lost his wife long ago, I regret I can’t offer a clear solution to those feelings. But I too have experienced being loved by someone who gave more than I deserved.”

All the basis for his words lay with her.

“Because you’re someone worth loving beyond measure, he must have decided to marry you.”

His voice remained consistently soothing.

Looking up at Walter, Helena blinked. This time, it was her cheeks that flushed pink.

Just then, Eugene’s voice calling for her echoed in the distance.

Helena quickly stood up. Like an eager puppy, she emerged from the shadow of the spire and walked into the sunlight. Eugene, dressed for the wedding, appeared at the edge of her vision.

Spotting him, Helena gripped her voluminous dress, ready to run, and turned back to Walter.

“Thank you, Sir Argyle.”

Helena smiled warmly.

“Thanks to your comforting words, I’ve found the courage to stand by Eugene’s side.”

Sunlight draped over her head like a veil. Her smile bloomed more radiantly than the camellias adorning the space.

Helena bid farewell to Walter and ran towards Eugene, who opened his arms to embrace her.

Walter watched the couple share a brief kiss before heading to the ceremony, his gaze lingering on them.

Somehow, she had been an intriguing woman from the start.

When he heard the new Duke was courting her daily, he thought it madness. But now, he understood a little.

As she was about to become the Duchess, Walter hoped she would continue to receive such clear, pure love, and always bloom like a flower with her smile.

That was Walter’s first impression of Helena.

Yes, the future Duchess wasn’t always like a ghost.

But as Helena Owen transformed into Helena Evergale, she began to change.

By the time Walter returned from two years of war, much had already changed.

She spoke less, her smile vanished, and her inner thoughts were rarely revealed.

Especially when looking at His Excellency, she seemed like a child trying to hide disappointment after high hopes.

And whenever Walter accidentally caught such expressions, he would turn away.

Because, because…

“I’m okay. Really, I’m fine, Dad. It doesn’t hurt at all… Don’t cry.”