For the past few days, it seemed like the wind was blowing a little, and from the morning the weather was ominous. Looking at the gloomy scenery outside the window made me feel even more unsettled.

‘He’s not coming today either, Reus…’

For the remaining three days, I repeatedly hoped and was disappointed, but Reus never showed up.

By now it should be time to accept it, but when I came to my senses, I found myself unconsciously staring at the bedroom door or getting excited at the slightest sound, hoping it might be him.

“Ah, I really need to stop this now.”

Rather than this, it seemed better to check the packed luggage once more. To forcefully push thoughts of Reus out of my mind, I shook my head and headed to the dressing room.

“It doesn’t seem like I’ve forgotten anything. That’s a relief.”

Actually, my bankbook that Theron was keeping had disappeared, but I decided to leave it for now. I could always get a new bankbook issued, and if Reus was busy, Theron would be busy too, so I didn’t want to cause unnecessary trouble.

‘The luggage seems good enough… Should I take one last look around the Grand Duke’s castle?’

It was just my own private farewell, but I had already said goodbye to most of the castle staff. But then I realized that today was not only the last day with the staff but also the last day of my life in the Grand Duke’s castle.

Probably once I leave for Belliata, I’ll never have a chance to return here. So I wanted to look around the places filled with memories.

I didn’t have enough time to thoroughly examine every corner of the Grand Duke’s castle, but if I walked briskly, I thought I could at least visit the places I had been with Reus.

First was the glass greenhouse where we held our wedding. Next was the garden where we took daily walks.

Lastly, I looked around the library where we had spent the most time together.

After sitting in the library for a while, I got up, went outside, and locked the door with the key I had brought.

‘This really is the last time.’

Seeing the firmly closed library door, it finally hit me that I was leaving the Grand Duke’s castle for good. Unable to move my feet, I stood in front of the door, fiddling with the key for a long time before I could finally leave the library.

I wanted to wander around everywhere until I left, but as the day began to darken, every servant I met was so worried about my condition that I had to come back into the castle right away.

Then I ran into the butler, Rotheo, in the lobby.

“Rotheo.”

“Your Highness, what brings you here at this hour?”

“I just wanted to take a different route for my walk today. Is everything alright?”

“Of course. It’s peaceful as always.”

“That’s good.”

Ah, I shouldn’t consider that good.

Because once I leave today, it will be none other than me who breaks that peacefulness…

When Milly talked about the servants who left without a word, I should have thought of myself, not Reus.

‘They’ll all feel very betrayed, won’t they…?’

Especially Milly will be very upset.

As I was looking out the window with a complicated expression, Rotheo said,

“His Highness will probably return to the Grand Duke’s castle in a few days.”

“Ah… Is that so?”

It sounded like telling me to finally let go of the thread of hope I had been holding onto until the end.

I tried to hide my disappointment and exchanged a few more words with Rotheo, but because my mood continued to sink, I ended the conversation and returned to my room. On the way, I ran into Milly.

“Your Highness!”

Milly ran up to me with a happy face, then suddenly started observing my expression. Thinking I might not have managed my expression well enough due to her intense scrutiny, I tried to smile awkwardly.

But after hesitating for a moment, Milly abruptly said,

“I’m a little scared these days, Your Highness…”

“Huh? Of what?”

“Like how everyone suddenly left… I’m afraid Your Highness might disappear without a word too…”

“Uh, what?”

I stammered for a moment, too surprised.

“Your expression has been so bad lately too…”

“Is it because of the bad weather? When the weather’s like this, everyone gets a bit down, right?”

“Your Highness.”

“Yes, Milly?”

“No matter how angry you are at the Grand Duke, you shouldn’t leave without saying anything to us. You understand, right? You can surely resolve any fight through conversation.”

Milly went on about how married couples’ fights are like cutting water with a knife, and how she would always be on my side no matter what happened, saying somewhat irrelevant things.

‘I was so surprised thinking she had noticed I was running away…’

I secretly soothed my startled heart without Milly noticing.

Finally, it was time to leave the Grand Duke’s castle. The humid and gloomy weather from the morning was still the same. Perhaps because of that, my mood showed no signs of improving.

“…No. It’s a good thing.”

At the end of a long journey, I’m finally achieving the dream I’ve been picturing all my life.

‘I’m finally exiting the original story.’

As the days of hardship flashed through my mind one by one, I felt a surge of emotion for a moment. But I quickly pulled myself together.

I can fully enjoy the joy when I arrive at the resort.

In Belliata, which will be the foundation of my life from now on!

‘Let’s hurry and leave before it’s too late.’

I picked up the luggage on the floor and headed for the stairs.

But I saw a faint silhouette by the railing. I could immediately recognize who it was.

“…Reus?”

The person who emerged from the darkness was none other than Reus Rochster, the very person I had entered into a contract marriage with, and the villain of this novel.

I thought I might not be able to say a final goodbye since he hadn’t been seen all day, but luckily we ran into each other at just the right moment.

“Looks like your work finished late.”

“I was dealing with some urgent matters, so I’m a bit late.”

Reus said that and then fixed his gaze on me. More precisely, on the luggage filling both of my hands.

“Reus?”

After staring intently at the luggage, only when his name was called did Reus turn his gaze to me, his eyes curving gently.

“The luggage looks too heavy, that’s all.”

“Ah, this? It’s not as heavy as it looks. I packed mostly light things.”

“Is that so?”

Money can be withdrawn from the bank, and necessary things can be bought after arriving in Belliata.

I smiled as if to say not to worry and adjusted my grip on the luggage again.

Then I looked at Reus for a moment, my lips moving slightly. Because it was the last time, I wanted to make sure to convey my thanks to him.

After carefully choosing my words, I finally conveyed my sincerity in simple terms.

“Thank you… for everything until now.”

It was brief for a statement of gratitude. But judging from Reus’s reaction, he seemed to have realized my words were sincere.

Silence fell between us for a moment.

I gave an awkward smile and then walked past Reus.

But then.

“It would be better to put down the luggage and go to sleep now, Roelle.”

Reus’s words made me stop after taking only a few steps.

‘What’s this all of a sudden….’

There’s no way Reus wouldn’t know where I’m heading right now?

That I was planning to start a new life in Belliata, a famous resort, with a new identity. This was a story I had told repeatedly when making the contract with Reus and throughout maintaining that contract.

‘…I guess he forgot. Well. I suppose it’s natural since we’re only connected by contract.’

Thinking back on his reactions whenever I talked about Belliata, it was entirely possible.

Reus always looked uninterested as if he didn’t care even a speck, or openly showed a bored expression.

Still, since it was the last time, I thought an explanation might be necessary, so I turned back to Reus.

“Reus. You seem to have forgotten, but today is that day. The day I always talked about leaving for Belliata.”

As I was speaking, Reus approached until he was right in front of me, gave a slight smile, and then took the luggage from my hands.

“I know.”

“Yes, today… What?”

My eyes widened at the unexpected answer, and Reus added,

“I meant that there’s no point in going through unnecessary trouble since there won’t be any ships even if you go now.”

No ships?

There’s no way I could have mixed up the departure time. I had checked and double-checked the ticket for days. Then one plausible assumption came to mind.

“Ah.”

No wonder I felt uneasy. The wind had been blowing all day, so the ship must have been cancelled because of that.

I nodded a couple of times as if I understood.

“Then when did they say the ship would sail again?”

If I had heard about the cancellation in advance, I would have been informed about when the ship would sail again. But no answer came to my question.

Reus was just smiling at me.

‘…Why does this feel so ominous.’

Whenever Reus smiled with that kind of expression, things never ended well.

Reus, who had been maintaining eye contact with me, soon opened his mouth.

“Didn’t I say?”

“Say what…”

“That even if you go to the port now, there won’t be any ships.”

Reus saying this somehow seemed to be in a very good mood.

While I was in confusion, Reus, who had put down the luggage on one side of the hallway, gently wrapped his hands around my shoulders. Then he turned me around and made me walk forward.

“Then it’s really time to go back now, Roelle.”

Towards where the couple’s bedroom was.

Although I was moving my feet, my head was still fixed on Reus. Despite the silent pressure for an explanation, no answer came.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, I stopped walking.

“Reus. I won’t go back until you properly explain what’s going on.”

Faced with my firm attitude, Reus showed an expression of difficulty. But realizing that I had absolutely no intention of changing my mind, he soon opened his mouth.

“It’s exactly as I said. Even if you go to the port now, there won’t be any ships.”

“That’s what I mean. That means it’s been cancelled, right? If you heard about the cancellation, you would have heard something like when the next ship will sail, the time or date… something like that, right?”

“There are no ship schedules in the near future that I can tell you about.”

He said he knew that today was the day I had been looking forward to so much. Yet he’s excessively relaxed.

The creeping sense of unease made my nerves stand on edge.

“If that’s the case for the immediate future… that can’t be helped. Then, what about after that…?”

At my question, Reus’s expression brightened even more.

As if he had been waiting for me to ask that.

“There are none.”

“What…?”

The reason I responded in a daze was because of Reus’s expression, which seemed to be saying that he himself was the one who had eliminated all the ships heading to Belliata.

‘…No way. There’s no reason for him to do that.’

At least Reus wouldn’t do that. Because he had said he sincerely wanted to help me.

‘Right. I’m just overreacting because my plans have been disrupted… At least Reus wouldn’t do that to me…’

At that moment, a large hand cupped my cheek. Reus slowly lifted my face to make me look at him. Then, while maintaining eye contact with me, he spoke softly.

“You’re right, I did it.”

As if he had been looking into my mind.

“Roelle. Ships heading to Belliata will not sail from now on.”

“…”

“Forever.”

Reus continued speaking while caressing my cheek.

“Just in case you might harbor any false hope.”

The face of the crazy villain uttering cruel words was more radiant than I had ever seen before.