The next day, at noon.

Edward kept his promise to me exactly. He did not come himself, but sent his aide whom I had seen yesterday. The aide greeted me.

“We didn’t get to exchange greetings yesterday. I’m Royce Raymond.”

“I’m Adeline Wesley. I’m glad to meet you on such a good occasion.”

Royce narrowed his eyes. Then he asked in a puzzled voice.

“Is it really a good occasion?”

“Of course. His Grace will be able to solve the issues he’s been worrying about, and I can expect aid from Vincent.”

“Do you know what concerns His Grace has?”

I tilted my head. Is he playing word games with me now? Or maybe he’s testing me.

To see what kind of person I am. I thought Edward had a good aide. A smart and capable aide is a good aide, after all.

And I already knew the answer to give Royce.

“An unprecedented cold is coming to the north now. People at the northern edge are already freezing to death. I know that the northeast where Vincent is has already accepted refugees. No matter how wealthy the Vincent family is, they can’t feed all the people living in this vast land. For one thing, even grains and furs won’t be available.”

People were calling the approaching cold a catastrophe. The ground was freezing faster than the cold six years ago.

Before the icy wind that shut down the northernmost villages crosses the North Sea and comes down here, we need to find a way to survive.

“If you want to live, you have to find a way to be self-sufficient by any means necessary. The reason His Grace called me, a stranger, is because he knows that. He must feel like he needs to grasp at straws now.”

“…It seems you’re right that this is a good meeting, Lady. If you also achieve what you want from His Grace. I’m sincerely glad to meet you. I hope we’ll have a good relationship going forward.”

Royce smiled brightly and opened the carriage door for me. It feels like I’ve passed the first gate to Vincent. I made eye contact with Royce once and got into the carriage.

As soon as I sat on the plush seat, a faint sigh escaped.

It’s the kind of carriage I rode while staying in Andres. Wealth and luxury that don’t suit me. I lightly brushed the seat with my fingertips.

I drove my brother to his doom in exchange for riding this carriage. Theodore. I bit my lip hard.

Theodore, are you alright?

Now that Edward seems to have good feelings for Leira, maybe I can get Theodore out of there sooner. Thinking that, I clutched my skirt.

*

Theodore blinked his big eyes. Theodore, who had lived within the fence of Leira all this time, was thrown into an extreme situation for the first time in his life. Seeing the staggering Theodore, those trapped in the northern mine doing forced labor clicked their tongues.

“Tsk tsk. Another innocent life has been caught.”

“How do you know that, old man?”

“Can’t you see?!”

The gruff voices grew louder. Theodore stared at them with a frightened face. Miners enduring with just one worn-out piece of clothing were visible even in this cold mine.

“Get in quickly! Hey, old man. Take special care of this kid, got it?”

“Of course. Just trust me.”

The guard pushed Theodore’s back. Theodore walked, trembling while biting his lip hard. Rather than the guard standing behind with a whip, the miners in worn clothes seemed less threatening. Theodore held back his tears.

Stop crying, Theodore.

If Theodore showed weakness, the heart of the deceased Leira would not be at ease either. Leira was Theodore’s only guardian and family. She must be watching over Theodore, unable to even close her eyes properly. That’s the kind of person his sister was.

“I-I’m Theodore! I…”

“It’s okay. Everyone who comes here has a tragic story. Have you heard about the northern mine?”

Theodore shook his head with reddened eyes. He knew it was a place only criminals went. Once you enter the northern mine, you can only leave after you die. Theodore’s shoulders trembled finely.

“Such a young child…”

Someone’s lament filled the cold air. The northern mine is divided in half. The west wing gathering criminals from the northwest and the east wing gathering criminals from the northeast. The east wing was teeming with truly vicious criminals, but the west wing was different.

Both those who committed crimes and those who didn’t were gathered here. Like Theodore.

*

There was no one trustworthy in Wesley. I guarantee that everyone working in Wesley had taken money from Esme. If not, they had received some kind of favor from Esme.

It was easier now to plant my own person in Lydia’s empty position than to try to make my own person in Wesley.

And fortunately, I had Leira’s memories intact, and I had money to bring everything I had then.

Josephine was the person I needed most to live comfortably in Wesley.

I need to find Josephine within 3 days. While I was lost in thought for a moment, the carriage arrived at Vincent. The fortress of Vincent, no different from an iron castle, was before my eyes.

Vincent in the northeast was a place everyone from the north had seen at least once. A lofty castle built on the highest cliff in the north.

With steep sea cliffs behind it, an impregnable natural fortress that no one could invade.

I never thought I’d actually come here. I swallowed hard. Even for someone like me, a bit of tension came over me at this point.

Someone wearing a dull navy blue dress greeted me.

“I am the head butler of this mansion. You can comfortably call me Susan, Lady.”

“…Nice to meet you, Susan. I’m Adeline Wesley.”

Susan smiled faintly.

“I’ll guide you to His Grace.”

Glancing back, Royce was standing next to the carriage, apparently not intending to follow. He was having a serious conversation with the coachman. Somehow it feels like I’m stepping into a dangerous place.

Vincent’s mansion was completely different from Andres’. Andres was splendid and magnificent. Some people commented that it was as splendid as the imperial palace. It was always warm and your feet were buried in plush rugs.

But Vincent was a mansion where moderate warmth, dignity that made you stand up straight, and subtle elegance blended together. Cumbersome decorations were minimized and replaced with tapestries.

“…The mansion is really beautiful, Susan.”

Susan looked at me with a surprised expression.

“Such mansions are rare. It’s a mansion that suits the beauty of the north.”

“…Thank you.”

Susan replied faintly.

Edward was in the study. He moved his lips without even looking at me, holding documents in his hand.

“Adeline Wesley. Inherited everything after the death of Duke Wesley, but a passive figure who delegated most to Esme Wesley.”

The door closed behind me. Susan left and only Edward and I remained. Edward raised his gaze to look at me.

“Did you investigate me?”

“I need to know what I need to know too. But I couldn’t find the answer I wanted to know.”

Edward showed me the documents and then put them down on the desk. Dressed in a white shirt and casual gray pants, he looked like a pale spirit of this place. His light-colored hair scattered at Edward’s touch.

He slowly moved to lean on the desk. Every movement seemed to be etched in my eyes. Edward was wrapped in a chilling intimidation.

He’s someone I knew, but he’s not someone I knew. I rubbed my palms on my skirt.

“Now tell me. What kind of relationship did you have with Leira? Where is Leira now?”

“Leira was my friend. We occasionally exchanged letters.”

“Is that all?”

He wouldn’t be able to know the details of the private letters we exchanged. Edward narrowed his eyes.

“That’s right. I met Leira at a nobles’ gathering. We exchanged letters after that.”

“I never heard that Leira had a friend like a lady.”

“You don’t know everything about Leira either, Your Grace.”

At that moment, Edward’s eyebrow twitched. What? Why does he look upset… Edward smiled crookedly. Why is he smiling like he’s being so nasty? I think I only said what was right.