“I have similar thoughts, so don’t worry. Rather, I’m concerned that this incident might have damaged your reputation. If everyone sees you as weak…”

Idren sometimes tended to worry unnecessarily. Ophelia spoke before he could finish his sentence.

“There’s no need to worry about that. They’ll know what kind of person I am when they see me in the council.”

In any case, nominally Siana was her person, so Ophelia could attend the council as her proxy.

Of course, the ultimate goal was to train Siana well to do her share of work – judging by what she did today, she seemed to have some potential – but that would take time.

So until then, she would be attending the council in her place, and eventually, the elders would see what kind of person she was.

And weakness would not be among their impressions.

Idren, having no rebuttal, closed his mouth and pulled her a little closer. Ophelia twisted her body in a posture that seemed better to lean on. Idren sighed once again and said,

“I don’t know what you’re thinking about in life.”

Ophelia told the truth to the man who was trying to know even unnecessary things.

“Just know that I live thinking about as much as others do.”

A week later, Anika Rohos from the south publicly accused the lords in front of everyone and offered her territory to her.

Ophelia saw the expressions of some of the elders turn to confusion. They must have just realized what the events from a few days ago meant.

On Anika’s way back home, Idren sent inspectors along with her. He said their role was to verify the embezzlement of the southern lords and collect assets according to their crimes.

After briefly explaining what they would do, Idren added,

“Since I took the territory, the assets that come in will be yours.”

Ophelia did not refuse the man who was unnecessarily giving her something she didn’t need. After all, there was nothing wrong with having more money.

Siana was also said to be doing well. Ophelia left her alone for a while so she could enjoy her solitude. She must have been very tired after staying at her father’s house.

The canal tax was also increased. It seemed they had taken action early before the harvest season.

As things were being settled one by one, news came that Netephel had almost reached Edegrun.

Netephel, whom she hadn’t seen in months, was as beautiful as before. The young man with long blonde hair smiled brightly as soon as their eyes met and said,

“Hello, Ophelia. It’s been a while.”

But Ophelia couldn’t smile as brightly as him.

Apart from her decision to distance herself from Netephel, Ophelia felt complicated every time she saw him. It was a flaw of a relationship that had lasted too long.

She refused the young man who tried to embrace her despite Idren being by her side.

“Don’t hug me.”

Netephel blinked as if a little surprised but soon acquiesced. Hmm. I see.

And then he turned his gaze to Idren who was beside her. Worried that Netephel might irritate Idren, Ophelia watched how he behaved.

Fortunately, Netephel seemed to be aware that Idren was the king of this land and her husband. You must be the King of Aglante. Pleased to meet you. He greeted with a light bow. Idren also treated him within the normal range.

Idren escorted her to the reception room and then excused himself.

To be honest, even if he had insisted on staying, it would have been somewhat understandable in this situation, so Ophelia thought she would treat him generously later as well.

After the refreshments were prepared, Ophelia sent all the servants out.

When they were left alone, Netephel was the first to speak. He fidgeted with both hands a little and said,

“About your husband. I can see that you like him, but I think it’s better not to trust him too much.”

As it wasn’t a surprising topic, Ophelia decided to listen to what he had to say.

Seeing her keeping her mouth shut, he must have thought she was waiting for the next words, as Netephel continued in a cautious voice. Actually, I’ve heard some news about him.

“Remember when the former Lord Rohos suddenly died? Maybe the king might have killed that lord.”

Ophelia imagined how Netephel would act if he found out not that Idren might have killed that lord, but that he really did kill him.

He would probably tell her to end this marriage right away, not to live with a murderer.

And if he learned that the murder was done for her sake, would he say that it’s not right to take revenge in such a way and that she should separate from him?

But in her past life, Netephel had planned the murder together after hearing what that lord had done to her.

Without saying a word about the fact that he had been friends with him.

She was going to ask him about it anyway, so Ophelia opened her mouth. It was then that Netephel told her what he was going to reveal even before she asked.

“I actually had a bit of a friendship with that lord. So I looked into it… and there were suspicious aspects to his death.”

Alright, now there’s nothing more to hear.

Taking a deep breath, Ophelia called his name before her antipathy towards him could grow stronger.

“Netephel.”

And Ophelia handed him the ring box she had prepared in advance.

“Take this back.”

Recognizing it as the wedding gift he had sent, Netephel blinked blankly. Ophelia said to her counterpart who was looking at her with disbelieving eyes.

“And I don’t think we’ll be able to see each other much from now on.”

It didn’t seem likely that Idren would allow Netephel to enter the country anymore, and even if he did, she didn’t want to meet him anymore.

It was after a moment of silence that Netephel, who had been staring at her blankly, opened his mouth. With tears welling up in his red eyes, he stammered,

“Is it because of my mistake last time? You said you’d forgive me, Ophelia…”

Ophelia cut off the young man who was trying to appeal with tears while calling her name, as he often did.

“It’s not because of the conversation we had last time.”

“Then why…”

“You know why I’m doing this.”

And Ophelia pushed the ring box that he hadn’t taken yet a little further forward. Realizing that pretending not to know was useless, Netephel said in a trembling voice. …Is it because I love you?

But it was already too late to feel sorry for him after learning so many truths. Ophelia was about to tell her friend that it wasn’t the problem.

She wanted to let him know that her desire to distance herself was not just because of his feelings. That apart from those feelings, he had not shown respect to her husband, and because of his own emotions, he had acted without considering her position.

Underlying this would be disappointment in his lack of honesty, but there were enough reasons for her to distance herself from Netephel without having to bring that up.

However, Netephel spoke before she could open her mouth.

“But Ophelia, I was first. Huh? I was before your husband, even before Haslen.”

…So it was my turn now. His expression as he said this was full of resentment. Ophelia couldn’t understand him.

Netephel was speaking as if he had been unfairly deprived of his share. As if someone had cut in line in front of a store.

But what order was he waiting for?

She was not a store where people lined up to enter or an object to be shared in turns.

Even though she had never loved anyone as a lover, Ophelia could tell that Netephel’s way was not normal.

An unpleasant feeling that she couldn’t precisely define stirred inside her.

She almost asked him what he was talking about, but Ophelia suppressed that impulse. She wanted to end this conversation rationally. Even if she couldn’t end it well, she wanted to end it cleanly.

But Netephel didn’t let her keep her reason.

He mumbled in a voice wet with tears.

“I thought my chance would come someday. I thought you would like me.”

The moment she heard those words, Ophelia felt something break inside her.

“…Chance?”

Ha, she let out a scoff and glared at her counterpart who had widened his eyes in surprise.

“You thought your chance would come? You were first?”

She thought she had heard various nonsense in her life, but this was a first.

Ophelia said, grinding her words.

“What does it matter to me what you think?”

“…What?”

“Did I ever tell you to wait? Did I ever say that your turn would come someday, so be patient?”

Ophelia realized that she was trying to resolve the situation in a way she had never done even when she was thirteen.

She had never fought with Netephel like this. Even if they had met in their childhood that was now a distant memory.

But how could she listen patiently when her counterpart was saying such rotten words right in front of her?

Not throwing the teacup she was gripping was the extent of her patience.

After taking a breath to calm her emotions for a moment, Ophelia said,

“That’s all just your feelings. Your feelings that you alone created as you pleased.”

“…”

“But you shouldn’t blame me for not returning the same.”

Of course, she knew that people’s hearts don’t work as they will. There was Idren right beside her, wasn’t there? Ophelia had seen the man twice her size cry several times unable to control his emotions.

Would Idren have wanted to do that?

Suddenly, Ophelia realized the difference between Idren and the man in front of her.

Unlike Netephel, Idren fully understood that she might have different feelings from him.

No, perhaps he didn’t understand properly and was just enduring, but at least he didn’t shift the responsibility to her.

He kept it inside and inside, and in the end, he blamed it all on himself.

“Netephel, it’s your freedom to think of me however you want. And there’s something so obvious that you’re not even considering.”

Her nose burned with resentment and anger at not being able to have even one proper friend. She said to the man who had backstabbed her in the way she hated the most.

“It’s also my freedom how I think of you.”