Tanasen is a city not too far from the capital, reachable by train in just over two hours.

Unable to hear precise arrival announcements, Louisa asked a crew member for help. Fortunately, he willingly extended kindness to the first-class passenger.

Thus arrived at Tanasen Station.

As soon as she got off the train, she looked around to find Daniel.

Tall and slender, he was noticeable in a different way from Edward.

Near the platform entrance in the distance, she saw Daniel leaning against a pillar with his arms crossed, waiting for her.

Daniel must have spotted her too, as he approached her with his characteristic leisurely gait.

He came up to her at the same pace he had been walking and gave her a tight hug.

“You’ve been through a lot, Louisa.”

A small vibration was felt near her ear. He seemed to have said something.

Knowing Daniel’s personality, he probably greeted her with words like “welcome,” “you must be tired,” or “was the journey difficult?”

Not a soldier returning from the battlefield, nor a businessman or laborer finishing arduous work, but herself, returning to family saying she wanted a divorce.

All she had accomplished was proving her choice had failed. Yet her elder brother welcomed her warmly.

Louisa’s emotions, which had calmed during the journey, began to ripple again like waves.

“I’m sorry, elder brother…”

I’m sorry for coming back like this. But I was struggling too much…

She lowered her head and leaned it against her brother’s chest. His hand gently patted her back.

Louisa bit her lips that refused to part. All she had to tell her brother who warmly welcomed her were stories that would hurt him.

‘How should I tell him the truth?’

That she had lost her voice like her mother, that she had broken herself due to unbearable pain.

How should she convey a story that would surely bring pain to Daniel if told?

Daniel released his arms that were holding her. Then, picking up the trunk she was carrying, he said in a deliberately cheerful voice:

“Your luggage is smaller than I expected. We should go shopping together soon.”

Louisa, hoping against hope, really concentrated on watching Daniel’s lip movements. But she could only guess a few words, unable to accurately read the entire sentence.

She would have to reveal it inevitably.

Louisa tried to keep her eyebrows from furrowing upwards.

“Elder brother. What should I do?”

“It’s alright. In today’s world, divorce isn’t entirely taboo anymore. It’s become something that can happen now.”

Daniel stroked her head with the hand not holding the trunk. But his face slightly stiffened at Louisa’s next words.

“I… can’t hear sounds.”

He frowned slightly as if he had misheard and asked.

“…What did you say?”

Louisa repeated her answer to her brother’s brief question.

“I can’t hear sounds.”

Daniel looked down at her with an astounded expression.

His younger sister who had left for the capital with an excited face, saying they would only have happier times ahead.

And the sister who returned to his arms after several years had lost weight considerably from emotional distress, with resignation in her eyes and a gloomy aura surrounding her.

Daniel tightly gripped the handle of the trunk he was holding.

Words of reproach for the other’s choices were meaningless in front of what had already happened.

Daniel simply spread his arms, hugged her tightly, and said:

“Let’s go home for now.”

Probably for her who couldn’t hear, he firmly grasped his sister’s cold hand.

The view of Tanasen had a somewhat artificial feel, as if a well-made miniature had been transformed into an actual city.

A city with neatly arranged roads and building heights, even the architectural styles maintaining a certain uniformity.

Perhaps it was due to the characteristics of a planned city that prospered later compared to the capital.

Among these, the area near Tanasbanian where the college was located certainly had a very different atmosphere from the uptown of the capital where nobles’ mansions were gathered.

There were many flat buildings that seemed to be 3 or 4 stories high, with many appearing to be residential, and there were quite a few terrace-style buildings with several identical houses attached.

If anything, it seemed closer to the atmosphere of Central Square in the capital.

‘So this is where I’ll be living from now on.’

Louisa looked around curiously.

“Here it is. 477A Knox Street. Your house.”

Daniel pointed to a building with dark gray walls among these numerous buildings.

On the first floor of the building was a store selling simple meals that students would likely frequent, and next to it was a door that looked like it might lead to stairs to the upper floors.

He spoke very slowly and clearly, and wrote more complex words on her palm:

“I live at 499, over there. I bought a detached house when I got the professor position. Come visit sometime. By the way, Julia is staying across the street at 460.”

He pointed across the street about a block ahead. When Louisa nodded, he said, “Let’s go in,” and opened the door next to it.

Climbing the stairs, they came to a black iron front door marked 477A.

He unlocked the front door of the house with a click.

Beyond the door appeared a space neither too large nor too small. It was a suitable size for living alone.

Upon entering, a living room cum reception room filled with dark brown thick wallpaper and light ivory-colored furniture was visible.

Inside, there was a small room that could be used as a bedroom and study, and next to it were a small kitchen and bathroom.

Daniel put down Louisa’s luggage and took her hand. He introduced her to the things he had prepared one by one.

The first thing he showed was the kitchen pantry.

“I’ve just put some basic ingredients in here. Things like flour and salt.”

After confirming that Louisa nodded, he took her to the bedroom.

Daniel conveyed that he had bought an indoor dress just in case—he said he had asked Miss Mulen about the size so it should fit—and that he had prepared everything down to small items like toiletries.

Only after explaining all these little details did he sigh lightly as if his duty was done.

“All of this was prepared on the assumption that you would be staying alone, but if you want, I can assign you one servant. I make enough to afford that.”

Daniel looked at her with eyes full of concern, as if he was really worried.

“It’s fine. This is already enough.”

Louisa shook her head, saying that any more help was unnecessary.

Looking at the current state of this house, it was apparent that Daniel had already invested considerable time and funds for her.

Of course, the Aberit family’s fortune wouldn’t be ruined just by this now, but still, help beyond a certain degree would be a burden to Daniel.

However, Daniel shook his head once and said to her:

“No, I shouldn’t let you choose this. You should have a servant until your condition improves. I’ll send someone soon. Understand?”

Daniel, still unable to bear his worry, came to notify her.

“Oh my. Elder brother, there’s no need to worry that much.”

“Even if you say you’ve grown up, this is your first time in such a situation. It doesn’t hurt to be careful.”

In her brother’s figure speaking to her like this, Louisa saw herself.

Perhaps this is how she, always full of worry, might have appeared to Ed. She couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought.

She smiled at her brother, furrowing her eyebrows towards the center apologetically.

“I understand. I’m sorry, elder brother.”

“It’s alright.”

He wrote words on Louisa’s palm as he spoke:

“Actually, I was hoping to recommend you for an assistant position that was likely to open up, at least until you adjusted. But given this situation, I have no choice but to tell you to focus on treatment for the time being.”

Louisa just smiled apologetically at the words conveyed through lip movements and her palm.

“You shouldn’t go alone to the capital for a meeting or such. Always have a companion by your side. If you have a servant, that will be much easier, so it would be good for you too. If that’s difficult, at least tell me.”

“I understand.”

“Tomorrow… the morning is impossible, but let’s go to the hospital together in the afternoon. I’ll speak to a professor I know.”

“Alright. Elder brother, you worry more than I do.”

As Louisa chuckled, Daniel glared at her coyly and said:

“If you took good care of yourself, I wouldn’t have to be like this. What on earth happened?”

“I’m sorry, elder brother.”

His eyes quickly filled with sadness at his sister apologizing to him. Louisa tried to smile again at her brother and said:

“You have to go to work tomorrow too. You must be tired, so go and rest.”

“Alright. You should rest too. Then get a good night’s sleep and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Daniel stood up. Habitually looking for his coat, he laughed once, realizing that in the confusion, he had forgotten to even take off his coat.

Daniel left through the front door with a brief greeting. And now, finally, Louisa was alone in a new place.

A house filled with warm lighting and small, cozy furniture.

Although it was her first time here, it wasn’t unfamiliar as her brother’s touch was evident everywhere.

A bit of fear and excitement.

The words “new beginning” gave her conflicting emotions, but the heat rising by the fireplace, like a child’s flushed cheeks, warmed her body and heart.