It was Grita who came down the stairs. Adel reflexively put on a welcoming face, then glanced up the stairs nervously. If the maids knew she had been standing here, they might think she was intentionally eavesdropping.

Seeing this, Grita smiled a little despite her tired face.

“The girls who were gathered scattered when I approached.”

“Is that so?”

“What are you doing here? Starting tomorrow, you’ll be busy receiving mourners. Shouldn’t you go rest?”

“I was just about to head up.”

“Go straight to your room without wandering. I’ll bring up some refreshments.”

Grita came down the stairs with a big yawn. Adel felt both gratitude and guilt towards Grita.

Driven to this desolate north, she finished her grueling daily tasks and even looked after Adel’s meals and bedding when no one else cared for her.

Sometimes they would fall asleep in the same bed, huddled together for warmth like mice.

Of course, it wasn’t an entirely positive relationship.

The more Grita looked after Adel, the worse Adel’s reputation became day by day. The maids thought Adel was extremely shy and used Grita to keep them at a distance. They even mistakenly believed she was an arrogant person with not the slightest intention of adapting to the new environment.

It was a terribly baseless prejudice, but Adel did not actively explain or try to improve her behavior. This was because Grita would flare up in anger whenever Adel tried to talk with other maids.

‘I’ve told you countless times! You can’t trust anyone because you never know what might happen!’

‘I didn’t trust them. But…’

‘You’ve already been deceived! Especially be careful of the head maid who belongs to Archduke Ansgar. Who knows how people’s circumstances might change! Unless you side with Count Oscar instead.’

…Could she have predicted it would turn out like this? Adel followed Grita down a few steps and grabbed her sleeve.

“Um, Grita.”

“Yes?”

She had called out, but faced with Grita’s annoyed expression, the words wouldn’t come out easily.

“Well, you see…”

In truth, she needed someone to talk to honestly. About her worries for what was to come, Oscar’s meaningful comments, and the rumors circulating about Valentin’s death…

But Grita looked exhausted enough without such concerns. Was there any need to trouble her further with these trivial worries?

As Adel’s silence stretched on, Grita slightly furrowed her brow.

“What on earth are you up to now, my lady?”

“It’s nothing. I just felt sorry for giving you so much trouble all this time…”

That was all she could manage to say out loud. Grita just blinked for a moment before giving a slight smile.

“All of a sudden?”

“I thought I might miss the chance to say it if not now, since I’ll be leaving for the convent right after the funeral.”

“…You’re leaving right away?”

“I’ve been discussing various things with the steward. It looks like that’s how it will turn out, barring any issues. Widows who lose their husbands in war are typically sent to convents.”

Adel paused briefly, glancing at Grita’s expression.

“I don’t want you to follow me all the way to the convent, Grita. The steward said he’d return my dowry once the funeral procedures are completed. It’s only 300 gold pieces, but… I’ll give it all to you, my nurse.”

Adel trailed off, her cheeks flushing. Even upon reflection, the level of her dowry was pathetic, not to mention miserable. She could understand why the Ansgars ground their teeth calling it a fraudulent marriage.

Just as Grita, momentarily speechless, was about to open her mouth, a voice suddenly came from behind.

“A convent, you say.”

Adel turned around with a start at the voice from behind. Grita hurriedly finished descending the stairs and bent her knee.

“Count.”

“You say Her Highness is going to a convent? This is news to me.”

“…”

“I’m about to become the head of the family, yet there are things happening in the household that even I don’t know about?”

“…Of course, I was going to inform you properly.”

Adelheit hurriedly cobbled together an excuse.

“I’ve been handing over my duties one by one to other maids, and I was planning to get your approval once that was sorted out.”

“Do you think I’ll believe that excuse, Adel? I know you’re always ready to run away.”

The interrogation was fierce. Adel spoke carefully, widening her eyes to hide her intimidated feelings.

“It’s not an excuse. I’ve truly been busy overseeing the funeral these past few days…”

“Grita, was it? You seem to have plenty of leisure, maid. You should hurry and attend to the Archduchess, as she said she’s hungry.”

But Oscar cut off Adel’s words and jerked his chin towards Grita. Adel’s face instantly paled as she understood the implied meaning. Though roundabout, it was ultimately a request for Grita to leave.

“But, Count…”

As Grita hesitated, he urged her again.

“Surely you don’t think I’d do anything in the hallway? Hm? With my brother’s body lying right over there.”

Adel let out an exasperated breath. It was truly brazen behavior. Just days ago in the hallway, he had questioned how she could be his sister-in-law, and yet now…

Suddenly caught in the tense standoff, Grita looked back and forth between Adel and Oscar with a troubled expression. She was asking what she should do.

Oscar simply looked down at her obliquely with his arms crossed, as if he had no intention of backing down. Adel bit her lip. There was no point in arguing further here; it would only draw people’s attention.

‘At least it’s not a completely deserted hallway like last time…’

Adel reluctantly nodded her permission.

“Go ahead. I’ll stay here. If you see any guards, send them this way immediately.”

“…Then I’ll be back shortly.”

Adel watched Grita’s retreating figure with sorrowful eyes. Seeing that look, Oscar couldn’t help but burst out laughing, causing Adel to take a few steps back from where she had been standing.

Such needless wariness. Every single thing Adel did was laughable and endearing to Oscar. Her naivety in thinking mere guards could make any difference was even delightful.

As he approached, the delicate face of the woman who had been fidgeting froze. The more she reacted this way, the deeper Oscar’s smile grew.

“…”

Despite her stiff demeanor, Adel was quite pretty. When she first came to Bitzhlefen at seventeen, there wasn’t a single aspect about her worth a glance, but with each passing year, she had blossomed like water rising.

Whether it was the cold northern air suiting her constitution, or something else…

Now, just having those moist eyes turned towards him was enough to make his chest tighten.

“You cannot go to the convent.”

“I don’t understand what you mean. It’s already been decided. The steward also said that according to custom and procedure…”

“Having been born and raised in the prosperous south, I understand if you’re still ignorant of northern culture. Do you know why the Bavarians call us barbarians?”

Adel’s eyes widened at the incomprehensible words. Why, you ask? The frozen, desolate soil, the monsters attacking the walls at all hours, the land carved out with blood by nomads who had settled and barely survived by hunting.

Never having known prosperity, they could not let go of what they had once grasped, even in death…

In an instant, as if guessing something, Adelheit’s face turned deathly pale.

“Surely not…”

“In the north, the custom of a brother taking his deceased brother’s wife is still legally guaranteed. It’s a relic of the old era, but I find it quite appealing.”

Oscar’s eyes, narrowed like a snake’s, slowly examined Adel. That gaze, devouring her from head to toe in turn – vile, sinister, mean, and sticky.

“I’ll give you plenty of time to mourn until the funeral is over.”

“…”

“After that, Adelheit, you’ll need to think about what’s best for your survival.”

* * *

‘He’s mad.’

Unable to contain her anxiety, Adel abruptly stood up. She paced around the reception room again, unable to keep still.

Oscar’s intentions were clear. And they were not just rude, but horrifying.

‘He plans to propose to me. He’ll back me into a corner where I have no choice but to accept.’

She had already sworn marriage vows to Valentin once. Morig was a god who considered divorce one of the most terrible sins, and therefore, whether alive or dead, her only husband was Valentin alone.

Even if it meant being buried alive with him in Ansgar’s underground crypt.

And now suddenly she had to accept another man. And her dead husband’s brother at that…

‘This is insane. What on earth is he thinking…!’

In the past, when monsters attacked constantly, it might have been a necessary custom to maintain bloodlines, but Adelheit had grown up under the southern sun. Though she hadn’t been raised gently, she wasn’t familiar enough with the harshness of the north to understand it all.

Adel’s lips trembled at the immorality that went beyond all bounds.

‘He’ll go to hell. Morig will never forgive this.’

Terror instantly enveloped her entire body. Adel gnawed at her fingertips, not even realizing they were bleeding. Though she had always strictly adhered to etiquette due to being easily cowed by others’ criticism, now she simply couldn’t maintain her composure.

“Your Grace.”

She jerked her head up with a start, reflexively hiding her hands. Lost in thought, she hadn’t even noticed the door opening.

“Wh-what is it?”

Had he seen her biting her nails? She carefully studied old Hermann’s expression. But the steward faced her with his usual stern, expressionless face.

“It’s time for the final prayer. Tonight is the last night; the Duke will be laid to rest in the underground crypt.”

“Have the priests… all arrived already?”

“Yes. I just received word that their carriages passed through the main gate. Your Grace should fittingly maintain your dignity and stay until the very end.”

“I understand. But, um…”

Hermann, who had finished his business, was about to leave the reception room when he paused.

“Please speak.”

Tomorrow morning, when the funeral procedures officially end, Oscar will ascend to the position of Duke.

‘And he’ll make that ridiculous claim.’

Then there would be no way to turn back. Before that, she had to find a way to escape from Ansgar territory somehow.

Adel bit her lip. Of course, asking Hermann about escape routes would be the easiest method. But whether she could trust him was a separate issue.

“…”

Hermann was from a family that had served Ansgar for generations. Between the Duchess who was seen as a fraud and the Duke’s blood relative, it was clear where his loyalty would lie. What if she shared her plan and it reached Oscar’s ears? She might foolishly lose even this last chance for escape.

Adel barely swallowed the saliva that had gathered in her mouth.

“…It’s nothing. I guess I’m just nervous.”

At her words, Hermann raised one eyebrow as if unimpressed.

“Then prepare yourself.”

Not long after Hermann left, the horn of the castle tower sounded long and low. Soon after, priests entered the reception room to hold the overnight vigil. The final night consisted of an all-night prayer to honor the soul of the deceased.

Adel knelt at the prepared altar, her long veil draped over her.

‘I’ll escape at dawn when everyone is distracted. If I can just make it to Regenbach Forest… I can find my way from there.’

However, a problem arose in the middle of the night.