“Chainer will stay with me and Pollin. We’ll send her home once a week.”

At Leah’s words, Chainer, who was eating a cookie, shouted out loud.

“Really? I can live with you sisters?”

“Yes.”

“Yay!”

“Chainer, want to explore the ducal house with me?”

“Yes, Sister!”

Pollin took Chainer out of the parlor.

It was better for Chainer to step aside briefly while the two discussed serious business.

“Look at this.”

Leah slid a pile of letters in front of Rapa, who just blinked in silence.

“These are letters from Lubeck’s noblewomen, wanting to order Chainer’s lace.”

“Really? Is that true?”

“Even the Empress sent a letter. She wants to collect the lace Chainer made.”

“Huh…!”

Rapa was shocked, his face turning red.

He had thought his granddaughter’s handiwork was just a hobby, not realizing it was a lucrative skill. And to receive a letter from the Empress herself.

“Grandpa, shall we start discussing business seriously?”

Leah’s face became serious as she pushed several documents towards Rapa.

Before dinner, Leah hurriedly sought out James.
“James, please send this letter to my brother Aidan.”

“A letter…you wrote?”

“Yes? Is that strange?”

“It’s just that it’s never happened before.”

‘Grace never wrote to her brother before.’

“He’s my only sibling. I should send him a message from time to time.”

Leah wasn’t flustered. Just because she hadn’t done it before didn’t mean she couldn’t do it now.

“Yes, of course. I will send it immediately.”

Leah had written about Chainer in the letter as well. She thought Aidan should know if she was going into business. He might object to a noble lady becoming a merchant. She also wanted his response to several issues.

“Where is Terrun? It’s almost dinner time.”

“He should be in his office.”

“I’ll go see him.”

Leah knocked on the office door repeatedly but received no response. It seemed Terrun was not there or perhaps so engrossed in work he didn’t hear. Carefully, she opened the door.

‘It’s dark. Why aren’t the lights on?’

Leah entered the dark office and turned on the lights. But Terrun was slumped over the mahogany desk.

“Terrun, are you tired?”

It seemed he had fallen asleep from exhaustion.

Leah approached him slowly, but then froze at the sight of Terrun sweating profusely and in agony.

“Ugh…! Don’t retreat…!”

He was suffering from the nightmares of war.

“I didn’t kill them!”

Terrun’s tormented self was resurrected, cruelly agitating him.

“Sa, save me…!”

She had thought Terrun had overcome his war wounds by always showing strength. She had no idea he still suffered.

‘It wasn’t a wound that could be easily healed.’

She felt foolish for thinking so simply. This was the difference between those who had experienced war and those who hadn’t.

“Grace, don’t leave…”

“!?”

Leah decided she couldn’t leave him in this hellish state. She quickly approached and woke him up.

“Wake up, Terrun!”

“Ugh.”

“I’m here!”

Leah forcibly lifted Terrun and held his face with both hands, urging him to open his eyes and face reality.

“Open your eyes! Now!”

His eyelids fluttered like butterfly wings, and his pain-filled black eyes met Leah’s.

“Grace?”

“Yes, I haven’t gone anywhere.”

Terrun, as if escaping from hell, pulled her into a tight embrace.

Leah felt it urgent to comfort the trembling Terrun. She repeatedly patted his shoulder and stroked his hair.

“I thought you were dead.”

Terrun, wandering the battlefield in his dream, despaired upon hearing Grace had been kidnapped and killed. Although it was a dream, it felt painfully real.

“I’m not dead. I’m right here with you.”

Leah’s heart ached. Each time Terrun revealed his shattered wounds like this, she felt compelled to love and comfort him.