The daily life, which was expected to return to stability with Cayena’s return, remained as ordinary as before. Perhaps due to the strange feelings received on the day of their reunion, Natasha found it difficult to be as comfortable with Cayena as before.

Due to complex issues, work was distributed fairly among all three of them. As before, there was no special treatment such as spending more time with Cayena or entrusting her with personal matters just because she had been with her in the past.

Thanks to this, she was able to spend a long time with Meliana and Vanessa as well. As time passed, the two of them gradually opened their hearts to Natasha.

Even though her relationship with the haughty ladies-in-waiting had become endearing, the gap between Sieghart and Natasha remained difficult to bridge. Even though they slept on the same bed and ate at the same table, there was no change in the measure of affection.

‘It’s sickening.’

Of course, the fundamental reason lay in Natasha’s indifference.

The note that had been placed on the table every day without fail since the second day of her stay at the duke’s residence greeted Natasha again today as she woke up in the same place.

As usual, when she was about to throw the note in the trash, she noticed that yesterday’s garbage, or more precisely, yesterday’s discarded note, had been neatly cleared away.

‘At this rate, the servants might notice that our relationship is strange.’

The servant who cleaned up the same garbage every day might become curious and open the paper. Given that no rumors had reached her ears yet, either the servant who cleaned the trash bin had a tight lip or was oblivious.

Before attending breakfast, she asked Vanessa, who was choosing accessories:

“Vanessa, have you heard anything about the relationship between us two?”

“Hmm… That your relationship is too good? There’s a rumor that even though you don’t show much affection in front of us, you’re like a lovey-dovey couple behind closed doors! And also…”

Vanessa, who answered readily, had her white cheeks tinged with red.

Thinking she had worried unnecessarily and heard useless information, Natasha hastily changed the subject.

“No, that’s enough. By the way, do you know who’s in charge of cleaning the bedroom?”

Soon, Vanessa began to list in order the groups responsible for arranging bedding, cleaning windows, internal cleaning, and managing the dressing room. True to being a talent who passed the interview at once when the job posting went up, she provided a lot of information without hesitation.

“Thank you, but do the children in charge of cleaning also handle the trash bins?”

“Are you referring to the trash bin in the small study?”

“No, the one next to the bed.”

Vanessa, who was picturing the interior of the bedroom in detail in her mind, soon found the item the duchess was asking about.

Next to the bed…

“The duke specifically ordered that to be left alone, so it’s probably being left untouched. Perhaps the duke manages it separately?”

It was a trash bin that Duke Asthart managed separately.

“…You mean no one but His Grace touches it?”

“Yes, he gave special caution saying it was related to privacy, so even if curiosity arises, no one would dare to look at it.”

Since Sieghart had given strict orders, it seemed unlikely that the servants would touch the trash bin, as Vanessa said. They probably wouldn’t even approach it for fear of possible consequences.

‘Then even though he knows I throw it away without checking…’

The dedication to prepare a note every time, knowing that she throws it away without reading. Some might find a man’s heart admirable, but Natasha was rather displeased.

Perhaps because she knew that with that level of sincerity, it was obviously an intention fabricated by falsehood.

That dawn, Sieghart did not return until late due to dealing with accumulated work. As Natasha tossed and turned, the conversation she had with Vanessa suddenly came to mind.

She sat up abruptly and lit a candle. After tearing off a piece of paper from a notebook, she left a brief note.

「I heard that Your Grace manages the trash bin under the bed. So you’ve been watching me throw away your letters all this time.

Well, now that I’ve been caught, I’ll be a bit more brazen. I never wanted this, so you don’t need to bother preparing it.

It’s a waste of beautiful life and Your Grace’s precious time.」

After finishing writing, she placed it exactly where Sieghart used to put his notes.

The next day.

Natasha woke up at about the usual time and stretched lightly.

Feeling something was missing, she turned her head and noticed that the note that should have been on the side table was gone. Seeing that hers had disappeared, it seemed the man had read it.

‘I suppose he’s given up on that useless act now.’

But being a man of persistent determination, he was unlikely to abandon his plan just because his sincerity was ignored. He would probably come up with another strategy soon and show strange behavior.

Thinking about it already gave her a headache. Natasha sighed briefly and got up completely from the bed to walk on the floor. As she passed the makeshift wall separating the bedroom and living room, she saw a familiar head on the familiar sofa.

“…Your Grace?”

The man who usually left early and only showed up for breakfast was unusually staying in the room.

Sieghart, who had already noticed Natasha’s footsteps, didn’t startle at her voice and leisurely turned his head. His face, split perfectly in half by his sharp nose bridge, was delicate and beautiful enough to surpass a work of art.

“Good morning, my lady.”

“Good morning. It seems you have no morning duties today.”

“I finished this morning’s work late last night. Except for the knight training at noon, I have no other schedules.”

“I see, it would be good for you to rest after a long time.”

Natasha, who was contemplating whether to return to the bedroom, pretended to be nonchalant and moved forward.

The book she read every morning was placed on the table where Sieghart sat. She approached and picked up the book without even glancing at it, as if uninterested.

‘That’s…’

A familiar scent wafted from the air hovering above the table. Across from her, right in front of the man, familiar objects were strewn about.

They were the notes Sieghart sent her every morning.

“I knew my wife didn’t welcome my gifts, but I didn’t expect her to be this indifferent.”

“…”

“It would have been better if you hadn’t thrown them away.”

Sieghart murmured briefly, having read Natasha’s gaze. It was the same dry voice he used in everyday conversations.

“…As I said, they were unwanted gifts.”

“You’ll regret it.”

“…Regret?”

She was about to end the conversation, not wanting to continue it with him. But at his meaningful words, her resolve crumbled, and Natasha finally asked him a question.

“Isn’t throwing away the traces of a loved one’s heart and sincerity an action that will lead to regret?”

But even with Sieghart’s answer, her thirst showed no signs of being quenched. The meaning of his words seemed to point not at Natasha, but at Sieghart himself.

As if he, who seemed to be watching the woman, was actually facing himself reflected beyond the red abyss.

“…No, Your Grace. You’re wrong. There won’t be anything to regret. I…”

Natasha slowly opened and closed her eyes repeatedly. With each transition between dim darkness and bright vision, the man’s posture gradually changed. It was as if he was anxiously waiting for her next words.

“Because I could never love you.”

Finally, she blinked once more.

The last time she looked at Sieghart, he had no expression to speak of. It was almost a helpless attitude.

After a long while, he turned his gaze to his wife. A faint sadness seeped through his slight smile.

“My wife, I knew you would say that.”

But then, he broadened his vocal cords to produce a firm and low-pitched voice.

“Then you must know how I will counter that.”

Sieghart, tilting his head slightly, whispered in front of the woman’s lips.

“You’re wrong, Tisha.”

“…”

“Because you will surely come to love me.”

That day, she couldn’t remember how she had responded.

It seems she had awkwardly mumbled something and rushed out, uncomfortable with the uncharacteristically somber atmosphere.

She vividly remembered the comical sight of Meliana, who was waiting outside, being startled by the duchess’s simple nightgown attire.

From that day on, Sieghart became strangely scarce for some reason.

As he had done in the past, he used busy work as an excuse not to attend dinners, and he came in late at dawn while Natasha was sound asleep and left before she woke up.

Although he had boldly assured that she would come to love him, it was clear that his pride had been trampled in reality.

While she had succeeded in unmasking the man who always responded with a seemingly good smile, strangely, rather than feeling triumphant, her feelings were complex and subtle. Natasha defined it as discomfort.

As their relationship remained cool, the northern winter approached its end. As if worried about its weakening presence, a blizzard struck into the calm winter. It was a time when the always cold Asthart duchy became particularly cold.

The blizzard that blew strongly, hindering weak human steps; crops withered as their spark of life extinguished; the frozen river that trapped countless lives deep below. Many things threatened human life, but the most dangerous were the magical beasts that came down to human territory, unable to withstand the cold.

The Asthart ducal house was also put on alert due to the group of magical beasts that invaded near the duchy. Before the damage could worsen, Sieghart and his knights departed for the incident area.

The duke’s absence was prolonged, as the round-trip time and battle time couldn’t be ignored. During this time, all authority in the Asthart duchy was transferred to the duchess, Natasha Asthart.

As she was signing off on overdue documents in the study, the butler, Jenkins, hurriedly knocked and entered. Without time to wipe the sweat streaming down, he bowed his head and informed her that a guest was waiting in the reception room.

The task of entertaining a guest she had never met before was naturally hers as well.

However, there were no scheduled appointments in the guest book she had checked in the morning. Last week, Natasha had managed all the duchy’s guests as part of her duties as duchess, so she was certain.

“As far as I know, there are no families who requested a visit to the ducal residence today. Don’t tell me you let in a guest who came without notice?”

At the sharp inquiry, Jenkins showed a troubled expression. A sigh escaped between his trembling lips. It seemed he wanted to stamp his feet if he could.

“Well… It’s none other than His Majesty Emperor Letius who has visited.”

A moment later, Jenkins, having barely composed himself, revealed the identity of the unexpected visitor who had barged into the mansion.

Kyle Letius, the ruler of the empire and the enemy who had overthrown the Charliee royal family.