Blair headed towards the greenhouse in the garden where Agnes was waiting.

Agnes, who had been reading a book, noticed Blair entering the greenhouse and stood up to greet her.

“You look healthier today, my lady.”

Though Agnes’s words seemed to have no particular meaning, Blair felt a twinge of discomfort.

A month ago, when she was confined to the bedroom by Herdin, Blair couldn’t meet Agnes for ten days.

Either trapped in the bedroom by Herdin, or too tired to stay awake even on days he was absent.

When they finally met after ten days, Agnes had worried, saying ‘You seem to have lost some weight.’ Though Mason wouldn’t have told others the truth about the master couple’s situation, it still made Blair uncomfortable.

So today, she couldn’t help but look healthier. The one who had been disturbing her sleep was gone.

Blair feigned nonchalance and asked back.

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Perhaps it’s because the weather has improved? Anyway, I’m glad to see your health has gotten better.”

After exchanging greetings, the two women began their conversation with light, everyday topics.

Agnes mostly talked about small incidents involving her family members, while Blair spoke about Bibi’s growth and her feelings about it.

“Shall we talk about memories related to fire today? It can be from before or after the accident. It would be better if it’s a memory you can talk about pleasantly.”

As Agnes was about to start the counseling as usual, Blair interrupted her.

“Um, my lady.”

“Yes.”

“When do you think we can try hypnosis?”

At this unexpected question, Agnes’s gaze deepened as she looked at Blair.

“Something must have happened.”

Instead of answering, Blair’s eyes wavered.

The Blair that Agnes had observed was someone who couldn’t lie.

“May I ask what happened? Of course, only if talking about it would ease your mind.”

As Blair hesitated, Agnes, as if reading her mind, added:

“I won’t tell His Grace about what we discuss from now on. It will be our secret.”

Agnes reporting the contents of their counseling sessions to Herdin was already agreed upon with Blair. After all, this counseling was part of the process of approaching the truth of the incident from ten years ago.

After a moment’s hesitation, Blair spoke.

“You said you’ve served the Delmark ducal family for a long time, right?”

“Yes. Both my husband and I have been vassals of Delmark since birth.”

Blair remained silent for a long time even after hearing her answer, then carefully asked.

“What kind of person is the Duke, in your opinion?”

In her past life, and after returning to the past to become his wife again. They had spent many nights together, knowing each other’s most intimate places.

But she still didn’t understand him.

What he was thinking, whether he was really such a bad person that he would try to kill her.

She had heard that Agnes had counseled Herdin when he unexpectedly lost both parents ten years ago.

Such a person might know Herdin better. At least better than his wife in name only.

“I… still don’t understand him well.”

Blair lowered her gaze after seeing her own eyes reflected in the teacup.

At this moment, she hoped no one would see the emotion revealed in her eyes. Not even herself.

* * *

“Your Grace, I’ve returned—”

Luth, who had just entered the office, frowned. It was because of the cigar smoke that hit him as soon as he opened the door.

The entire office was hazy with smoke.

‘I thought he had cut back after getting married.’

Herdin was a heavy smoker. He seemed to be restraining himself for a while after getting married, but in the end, he couldn’t even last a few months before reverting to his old habits. It seemed to have started about two weeks ago.

‘It seems he hasn’t been sleeping with the madam since then… I wonder if it’s just a coincidence that the timing overlaps.’

As Luth was pondering this, he dismissed the question that had occurred to him. It wasn’t right to try to know or need to know about the circumstances between the lord and lady.

Herdin, who had put down his cigar, asked.

“How did it go?”

“It was resolved as you wished. The price negotiation went well, and the transaction has been initiated.”

“Good work. You may go now.”

Luth, who had been looking at the cigar smoke filling the office, was about to add a word of nagging but closed his mouth.

Although Herdin was quite a generous master to his subordinates, that didn’t mean he wasn’t intimidating.

Whatever the reason, it was best not to go against Herdin’s mood when he was clearly displeased.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Luth, who had gathered his documents, bowed his head. Herdin merely nodded in response.

After Luth left the office, only a silence so profound that the ticking of the clock’s second hand could be heard filled the room.

Herdin, who had been smoking his cigar, turned his gaze to the desk. Over the neatly organized desk, an afterimage of Blair appeared.

The woman sprawled across his desk.

Just imagining it made a desire like pain boil up. Irritation surged.

It had been two weeks since he last visited Blair. Just because she doesn’t resist doesn’t mean it’s not forced. Knowing that she was desperately enduring those nights made him feel dirty.

It felt like opening a gift box to find nothing inside.

Herdin extinguished the cigar he had been holding and stood up. As he turned to look out the window absentmindedly, he saw Blair.

Blair was with Agnes. They seemed to be returning from their counseling session in the greenhouse.

Suddenly, he remembered her face glaring at him with tearful eyes. And her trembling voice.

‘I really… hate you…’

Words have no power.

Eyes have no strength.

So such things couldn’t affect him at all.

But the face of his wife, speaking as if those words and that gaze were some great attack, was so ridiculous and astounding. That must be why he kept thinking about it.

It was then that Herdin turned his gaze away from that face.

‘Again…’

Something churned inside him as if stirring up his insides, and his vision went white. At the same time, Blair’s face appeared.

In his memory, Blair was wearing a wedding dress. However, this memory was not of the wedding he remembered.

Under the lifted veil, Blair’s face was clearly tense.

She slightly raised her downcast gaze to meet his eyes, then seemed dazed for a moment before hurriedly averting her gaze as if coming to her senses.

‘At the actual wedding, she had indifferent eyes.’

The moment Herdin realized this fact, the memories that had suddenly surfaced disappeared as if erased by a rubber.

What were these memories?

Why did these memories that weren’t even his keep surfacing?

As he was trying to collect his confused emotions, there was a knock.

“Your Grace. May I come in?”

It was Agnes’s voice.

“Come in.”

Herdin leaned against the window frame.

Agnes, who had entered the office, began to talk about the contents of today’s counseling. Except for the conversation she had promised to keep secret with Blair.

In fact, telling Herdin about that conversation would probably be more helpful for the two of them, but she had no intention of revealing it. This was a matter between the two of them. Unwanted intervention is arrogance and rudeness.

When the report was over, Herdin, who had been listening quietly, changed the subject.

“I have something I want to ask you.”

“Yes.”

“Déjà vu, does it only occur when a similar situation arises?”

Herdin asked, curious about the sudden memory that had surfaced before Agnes arrived.

The first thought that came to mind when the memories surfaced was that it felt like he had already experienced something he clearly had never experienced before.

That symptom was similar to déjà vu.

“Yes. The feeling of déjà vu doesn’t occur until that situation arises.”

But judging from the fact that memories completely different from the current situation kept surfacing, it seemed far from déjà vu.

Then how should he understand these memories that suddenly come to mind?

At that moment, he remembered something Blair had said once.

‘I… can see the future.’

Could it be that, as she said, he too had gained the ability to see what might be the future or an illusion?

However, Herdin immediately closed his eyes irritably and erased that voice.

Seeing the future, to think he had even momentarily seriously considered such nonsense.

It couldn’t be true, and it shouldn’t be true.

Agnes, who had been watching Herdin with curious eyes, asked.

“Is there a problem?”

“…No, I just seem to be a bit tired lately.”

“If you ever need my help, please let me know anytime.”

“I will. You may go now.”

Agnes bowed and left the office.

Herdin ran his hand through his hair and leaned his throbbing head against the cold window. The cool sensation eased his headache a bit.

After cooling his head, Herdin got up and headed to the library. There was much to investigate.

* * *

Agnes’s carriage arrived at the Lorelaine mansion.

The servants and butler waiting for the mistress’s return greeted Agnes as she got out of the carriage.

“Welcome back, madam.”

However, their expressions seemed somewhat gloomy. Before Agnes could ask about it, having noticed their demeanor, the butler spoke first.

“A guest is waiting for you.”

Normally, when visiting a noble house, even family members would make an appointment at least two days in advance as a matter of courtesy.

But there had been no such appointment, so in this case, it was either an unpleasant person with no manners or someone who didn’t need to show courtesy to her.

There was one person she could think of.

“Has someone come from the Imperial family?”

“Yes. Countess Magrid has arrived.”

Agnes’s expression hardened.

There was no noble in this empire who didn’t know that Countess Magrid was Katrina’s closest lady-in-waiting.

From the beginning of Blair’s counseling, Herdin had anticipated that Katrina would eventually find out about this.

He had given Agnes a heads up about it in advance.

‘If someone from the Empress Dowager comes, tell them that you’re conducting counseling for my wife’s psychological treatment. They won’t be able to say much against something being done for their daughter.’

Herdin had added:

‘There’s no need to be nervous. Don’t forget that Delmark is behind you.’

Remembering those words, Agnes smiled.

It suddenly hit her how the boy who had been precarious after losing his parents had grown up to reach a position where no one could treat him carelessly.

And the fact that this person was her lord.

Agnes recalled those words as she headed towards the reception room, ordering the butler:

“Bring some tea.”