“I’m not saying you should quit your job. I’m asking how you would feel about commuting from here. You know as well as I do that our fate is to be subject to articles claiming that a single cough is a deadly disease. So how about we act as if we’re not separated?”

“……I apologize.”

Marianne apologized with a quiet but firm attitude. It was a strong indication that she could not go back to how things were before, a polite but definite refusal.

“Duke.”

Christoph laid down his fork and knife and looked at him. His gaze was so cold and detached that it made onlookers flinch.

However, Duke Schneider was unfazed. He was not the sort to be easily rattled. As if prompting Christoph to continue, he lightly nodded his head.

“Don’t listen to what anyone says. People talk all the time, and it’s not like you care about such chatter to begin with. I’d rather you respect Marianne’s wishes.”

“!”

Marianne looked at him in astonishment, as if she had heard something she never expected. She thought that Christoph would naturally take the Duke’s side, because he too wanted her to return.

So why?

Duke Schneider turned his gaze to Marianne. He smiled, wrinkles forming at the corners of his eyes.

“Don’t misunderstand, Marianne. I have no intention of forcing you to come back. Just like Christoph said, it doesn’t matter what people say; I’m not swayed by it. Maybe it’s because I’m getting old, but these days even if someone sees faults in me, it’s hard to notice.”

At those words, Marianne smiled slightly. As if to say, that was unlikely. He was more energetic than younger people. For at least another decade, he would be just fine.

“Can I ask for just one favor?”

Marianne’s face turned troubled again at the affectionate question. She wasn’t sure if it was a favor she could grant.
“Duke.”

Christoph called out to him once more. The cold tone seemed almost like a warning. However, Duke Schneider paid him no mind, focusing his gaze on Marianne instead.

A sigh mixed with the old man’s voice.

“Would you not come by more often to dine with us? As I age, I find myself thinking more of family. The only family I have is a distant grandson and a kind granddaughter-in-law. You’re not in the capital anyway, and since you’re here in Blauburg, it would be a blessing for this old man if we could dine like today. …How many more days will we have to dine together, don’t you agree, Marianne?”

Christoph glared at the Duke, his forehead furrowed subtly. His feigned weakness seemed almost repugnant.

The Duke was still in shape. He rode horses every morning and met influential figures in Blauburg daily. He even exercised his influence proudly upon them.

That wasn’t all. The bankruptcy of Earl Gross was also the Duke’s doing. Though Christoph had raged, it was all part of his plan.

Now he groaned like a toothless old man. How could one not doubt his intentions? Just as he was about to issue a warning to Marianne.

“Marianne, don’t pay attention to…”

“Please don’t say such things, Duke.”

Christoph’s gaze faltered. She looked at the Duke with a pitiful expression and nodded.

“I will make an effort to visit more frequently.”

“Thank you, Marianne.”

“…”

Slowly, the eyes of the Duke and Christoph met. The Duke faintly tugged at the corner of his lips.

Ah.

At that moment, Christoph realized one thing. The more forceful he became with Marianne, the more she rebelled and resisted.

Strength and weakness.

To persuade her, what was needed was not raw power but delicate compassion. Or perhaps guilt, or a sense of obligation. Whatever it was, it was not a force that could suppress her.

The crafty Duke Schneider had already known this. That’s why he had taught Christoph a lesson. The Duke’s eyes, as they looked at his grandson, seemed to regard him like a fledgling.

To the Duke’s thinking, Christoph was certainly a capable man, but he still lacked experience. He didn’t know that there were people in the world who couldn’t be simply pulled.

He also didn’t know how to lose. And sometimes, losing was winning.

Duke Schneider spoke softly as he looked back at Marianne. The once-foxy eyes now glowed with a kind light.
“I heard your story about how you dodged the servants and ran away from the department store. So, are you going to tell me about catching the jewel thief today?”

At that, Christoph swiftly turned his head. Marianne lowered her eyes awkwardly. Unable to withstand the persistent silence of the Count, she sipped her wine, as if her throat were burning, and opened her mouth.

“It’s not an interesting story.”

“I’ll be the judge of that, tell me what happened.”

“Um, so, on the first day while sorting through papers, I happened to see a montage of the jewel thief. It was a montage drawn by a fairly skilled artist. Then, after work…”

Marianne’s voice calmly filled the dining room. Christoph attentively listened to her voice.

Suddenly, the thought occurred to him that having a casual conversation during a meal felt incredibly unfamiliar. He had treated even his meals as part of his workload, consuming them quickly and efficiently.

Nutritional replenishment was more important than trivial chitchat. There was no time to waste idly. A single argument from him brought in massive sums of money. With every concluded trial, his reputation rose a notch. To him, time was money. Literally.

So, he had no idea how Marianne’s day had been. Nor did he realize how, little by little, she was withering away.

Another boomerang flew and struck him. Christoph’s eyes took on a bitter light. And it wasn’t just because of the bitter taste of the wine lingering on his tongue.