The editor-in-chief of the newspaper Bill Ford, with a cigarette in his mouth, shouted from the pre-dawn twilight.

“Keep those machines running! Distribute the finished newspapers immediately. Hurry!”

Last evening, the news of discord between socialite Ludmila and Kedilen delivered to the editor made his eyes sparkle.

The excitement didn’t fade from the editor’s face as he captured the moment when the true face of the couple, usually shrouded in fog-like rumors, was finally revealed.

The newspapers, printed non-stop from the press, were immediately bundled and distributed to the capital.

When dawn breaks, everyone will see this newspaper. The headline splashed across the front page: rumors of discord between the Marquis and Marchioness Erdi. And even further, speculation of separate living.

Once the lid was off, there were stories overflowing to be written.

The charm of the marquis couple was that they provided enough material to gossip about for at least a month.

The editor, grinning with satisfaction, barked with the cigarette between his fingers.

“Faster! Run it faster, you lazy bums!”

In the dark night air before dawn’s end, only the printing house radiated intense heat.

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“Have you heard?”

As usual, it started with the socializing of ladies gathering from the morning to chat idly.

Life in the capital where one didn’t need to worry about what to talk about every day. In other words, it implied that there were plenty of incidents and accidents.

However, this morning. The newspaper published by Bill Ford, the capital’s largest morning paper, carried news that even those ladies found surprising.

[Discord between the beautiful and noble Marquis couple of Erdi. Is the reason due to infertility news?]

The story of the Erdi marquis couple, whose mere mention of names drew attention, was published with a provocative title.

Moreover, the content inside was mainly speculation mixed with recent news of the Marchioness Erdi’s infertility and that her relationship with her husband had become distant.

“I heard the Marquis and Marchioness Erdi are living separately?”

“Ah, I heard that too. People who recently visited the marquis’ residence all say that the marchioness is nowhere to be seen?”

The light rumors of discord quickly grew like a spark catching on straw, producing absurd speculations.

Newspaper companies, seizing the opportunity, added flesh to these rumors to create plausible articles. A small snowball turned into a massive boulder rolling down in just two days.

That news, of course, reached Kedilen.

“Damn it−!”

Kedilen, after checking the morning paper, crumpled it and threw it on the floor.

His aide, Baron Ferington, calmly picked up the newspaper, confirmed the headline splashed across it, and swallowed a small sigh.

Yesterday, and today.

Since the marchioness disappeared overnight, newspapers and articles had been spread throughout the capital.

People threw speculations and rumors about the discord of the loving couple.

Among them, affairs and illegitimate children were the basics, and provocative words like violence also appeared frequently.

It was the result of the story that the marchioness had collapsed and been hospitalized for examination being exaggerated.

“Why are articles still coming out? I clearly ordered to control and prevent speculative articles!”

“I apologize. We’re repeatedly pressuring them, but since most of the sponsors funding the newspapers are from old noble families…”

Though he trailed off, Kedilen didn’t need to hear more. He cursed and stomped his foot.

Since Ludmila’s disappearance, the Erdi marquis family wasn’t functioning properly.

One might think, what’s the big deal about one mistress of the house disappearing, but it was Ludmila who brought fame to the marquis couple.

Her standing in social circles and the ladies who looked up to her.

Because Ludmila, who became an object of envy among them, was his wife, because he could have her by his side, Kedilen was able to shine.

“Ludmila. Still haven’t found her?”

“I’m sorry. We’ve sent out search parties, but still…”

“Incompetent.”

Though Kedilen sneered at Ferington with insults, there wasn’t much he could do in his position either.

He had ordered a search for Ludmila as discreetly as possible to avoid detection.

It would be barely enough to spread the news of Ludmila’s disappearance in all directions, yet they were searching with minimal personnel.

‘This is a mess.’

Ferington instinctively felt that there was a high possibility that Ludmila wouldn’t return at this rate.

It wasn’t a simple kidnapping or abduction. It was done with purpose and the traces were dispersed.

This was not a phenomenon that appeared in someone who was kidnapped, but in someone who deliberately chose to run away or flee.

In other words, Ludmila had left Kedilen.

Because of this plain conclusion, Kedilen was shaken. After biting his lip and pacing around the room, Kedilen relaxed his furrowed brow and looked at Ferington.

“We need to release an article. No, let’s hold a press conference.”

“What kind…”

Could he be thinking of announcing that Ludmila had disappeared? Ferington, hiding his surprise that Kedilen had made a decision faster than expected, when he thought he would stay silent for at least a month, calmly asked.

“That Ludmila and I are not in discord, but she’s currently recuperating in the Erdi marquis territory to treat her illness.”

“…”

“Send people to make it look like Ludmila is at the mansion in the Erdi marquis family. It’s fine to create a stand-in or bribe people, just make sure to cover it up as much as possible.”

People don’t change. No, it’s not that they don’t change, but that they don’t need to change.

At no point does he try to understand why Ludmila left. Ferington was one of the few people who knew about the relationship between Ludmila and Kedilen.

Of course, he offered sincere advice when he heard that Ludmila had disappeared, but Kedilen didn’t listen. Perhaps, he would never listen.

To Kedilen, Ludmila was an accessory.

A ornament to keep by his side, one that shines when possessed.

“Understood.”

“And secretly deploy more search parties. Make sure to find Ludmila within a month.”

“I will take care of it.”

The aide bowed his head and turned to leave the room.

Though Kedilen’s anger-laced curses could be heard from the other side of the closed door, Ferington called for someone with a composed face.

“Control the servants’ access to this floor as much as possible. It’s not good for too many people to know the marquis’s condition. And for the time being, screen the guests entering and leaving the marquis’s residence.”

“Yes, understood.”

“And…”

Ferington hesitated as he was about to continue. Rolling his eyes and pausing for a moment, Ferington shook his head.

“Never mind. That’s enough. You may go.”

He waved his hand lightly. As the manager withdrew, Ferington, left alone in the hallway, stared blankly at the door.

How long could they keep it hidden? Power must be strong to keep mouths shut.

Conversely, if that power weakens, like a dam breaking, all that was suppressed by force will pour out.

“We need to find out what the marchioness wants to do first.”

If the marchioness were to speak up, the current newspapers and rumors would seem like child’s play.

If he knows this, he should find the marchioness even at the cost of his own face.

How long can a greedy man who can’t give up anything hold out?

Ferington turned away with a self-deprecating sigh. Anger-filled shouts were still erupting from the other side of the door.

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The carriage raced through the quiet forest. A forest lush with greenery despite the dead of winter.

The midday sun’s rays created shadows of straight tree branches and dense leaves, embroidering the ceiling of the running carriage like a painting.

Not a well-paved road, but a bumpy forest path.

Even the luxurious carriage shook violently, but Ludmila’s eyes, looking out the window inside, couldn’t tear away from the unfamiliar scenery.

Aden, resting his chin on his palm, silently observed Ludmila, who couldn’t take her eyes off the window.

The Ludmila he met in the capital was a lifeless doll with no vitality to be found.

In front of people, she pretended to be human like a puppet in a one-act play, but once the curtain call ended, she returned to being a doll.

To think such a woman would make that expression while looking at trees.

“Is this your first time seeing trees?”

“Pardon? Ah, no.”

Ludmila’s eyes, sparkling with life as if touched by sunlight, met Aden’s.

The man’s subtle playfulness, smiling crookedly at her, registered in her eyes.

At that moment, as if realizing what expression she had been making, Ludmila cleared her throat and returned to her original demeanor.

“You’ve been looking at trees the entire ride through the forest. I thought there was a garden at the marquis’s residence too. Are there no trees there?”

“No, there are. There were many crape myrtles, pruned and managed daily by the gardener.”

Ludmila, continuing her words, looked out the window again. Just then, the scenery that had been blocking both sides ended, revealing a panoramic view of the mountain range.

A gentle smile spread across Ludmila’s face at the beautiful sight of the trees swaying in the wind like waves.

As Aden watched Ludmila, a small ripple, like a wave, washed over his golden eyes.

“Indeed, they were beautiful trees with no rough edges and pink flowers, tended by the gardener’s hand. People unanimously praised the trees in that garden as very beautiful. But strangely, I disliked that appearance. The flower buds that should have bloomed brilliantly high up, absorbing light, were cut and trimmed to sprout low.”

“…”

“But it’s not like that here. They stand so tall, as if revealing their existence. As if daring to touch the sun, they’re so high, and as if mocking the cold winter, they’re so green.”

Turning to look at Aden, Ludmila’s face was full of life like a spring garden.

“It’s my first time seeing this. A scenery I couldn’t see in the abandoned imperial palace full of vines, nor in the gardens touched by human hands.”

“…What a trivial sentiment.”

Aden, who had been silently watching Ludmila’s face as he heard those words, dismissed her words with a delayed response.

“We’ll be passing through the Twelvolve region soon, so keep your admiration in check. It’ll be troublesome if we get caught at the gate for no reason. And get some sleep. Didn’t you stay up all night from tension?”

“I will. Thanks for the advice.”

Aden turned his body and shifted his gaze to the window opposite to the one Ludmila was looking at. Unfortunately, that side was completely blocked by brown rock faces, showing only a dark landscape.

Though it was a bleak scenery with nothing to see, surely flowers were blooming there too.

That flower, which he had never seen before, was blooming brilliantly in a beautiful golden color.