I almost blurted out, “Do you think Master will want me back?” but barely managed to swallow the words.

“I have to oversee Craig’s funeral here and tie up some loose ends. So Beluce should return first.”

“What about you? When will you come to Yebo Dellim?”

“Well…”

Cordelia just mumbled vaguely. She wasn’t sure how things would turn out either.

Beluce opened his mouth to speak but then closed it. He then turned around and headed towards Abrams Castle.

“If you’re going to return anyway, I’ll just go back then too. I can’t let my guard down since I don’t know when you might die.”

“…Do as you please.”

Cordelia didn’t force Beluce to do anything. If something came up, it was clear he would leave on his own.

As Beluce had said, they arrived at Abrams Castle by afternoon.

The gatekeeper was surprised once when he saw the carriage with the Atilei crest, and twice when Cordelia stepped out of it.

“My lady!”

“Gather all the people of the castle. And the Acting Earl of Lancaster too.”

“Yes!”

Not long after he left, everyone from the castle servants to the butler, and even Baron Lancaster, gathered.

Since the news of death had already been sent, they weren’t surprised by Cordelia’s mourning attire.

“Sob, sob, my lady…”

Emily was the first to shed tears. Cordelia calmly instructed them to unload Craig’s coffin from the back of the carriage and then ordered them to open the lid.

Baron Lancaster approached the coffin, confirmed Craig’s face, and then exhaled as if deflated.

“To think the Earl would depart so abruptly. He had endured those difficult five months.”

“The accident… happened in an instant, so Craig probably didn’t suffer much when he passed.”

“Oh my, I apologize, Countess. I should have greeted you first.”

“No need. Once the funeral is over, I’ll become a Vasquez anyway.”

Baron Lancaster didn’t seem particularly surprised, as if he had already guessed this part.

The two entered the castle.

Cordelia looked around as she walked through the corridor. Although she had returned after just over two months, the scenery felt unfamiliar, as if she had come back after several years.

“After receiving the news of death, we’ve made some preparations for the funeral.”

“Thank you, Baron Lancaster. It should have been my job originally.”

“Even if you were here, I would have assisted you with it.”

As they walked, they arrived at the Earl’s office. Baron Lancaster yielded the seat of honor to Cordelia and then carefully opened his mouth.

“I apologize for saying this before even holding the funeral, but there are already quite a few people heading this way upon hearing the news of the Earl’s death.”

“I’m sure. It’s an opportunity to swallow the Earl’s family whole, after all.”

“Would you like me to tell you who’s coming? If you were to support one of them, they might pay more attention to you when you return to the Vasquez family.”

It was a roundabout expression, but it also revealed naked ambition. Cordelia smiled faintly.

“From the way you speak, it seems Baron Lancaster has someone in mind.”

“There is one person who seems capable of carrying on the late Earl Abrams’ will well.”

“That’s good. It would be right for the person who will remain here to decide.”

Cordelia didn’t care who became the next Earl anyway. So she didn’t even ask who the Baron had in mind.

“Is there anything else I need to know? I’m a bit tired.”

“No. I’ve kept someone who’s come from afar for too long. The funeral will be held tomorrow, so please rest well today.”

“Thank you.”

Somehow, she felt like he was saying the words she should be saying, but Cordelia didn’t decline.

Baron Lancaster escorted her to the door. He opened the door for her, then suddenly remembered something and asked her.

“By the way, you arrived in an Atilei carriage. May I ask if something happened?”

“Atilei is…”

He didn’t seem to be asking while knowing. Well, Abrams is in the countryside, so it’s understandable that they might not know Cordelia is Atilei’s disciple.

She spent a long time choosing her words. What should she say to define her relationship with Atilei?

Is it okay to reveal that I’m Master’s disciple? The letter hasn’t come back yet.

She hesitated for a moment, then chose to be vague.

“The Archduke Atilei kindly helped with the aftermath after my husband’s accident. The carriage is an extension of that kindness.”

“Is that so? I had heard that Archduke Atilei had returned alive, but it’s amazing that you’ve formed such a connection. Ah, by any chance, did you see his disciple?”

“Disciple?”

“Yes. I heard that Archduke Atilei had taken on a disciple. I don’t know much about magic myself, but my nephew is a magician, and he sent several excited letters saying that the Magic Association was completely turned upside down because of it.”

“…Well, I’m not sure about that.”

Cordelia left quickly with an awkward greeting.

* * *

The servants at the Atilei townhouse had been feeling like they were walking on thin ice every day recently.

The day before yesterday, a footman was assigned to clean the stables for a month because he was late in opening the door of the carriage the master was riding in, and yesterday, a maid who was tidying up the bedding was chased to the kitchen for leaving hair on the blanket.

“When is Lady Cordelia coming back?”

“She’ll be holding the funeral at Abrams, so it’ll take at least a month, I guess?”

“Sigh, Master Alex. I really can’t even breathe properly. He never did this when Lady Cordelia was here, huh-”

The maid who was complaining quickly shut her mouth and lowered her head. The master of the mansion had returned.

Leonard passed by the servants who had frozen like ice and went up to the second floor. A little while later, Baron followed him. Alex quickly approached Baron to deliver the good news.

“Baron, a letter has arrived for Lady Cordelia.”

“A letter? For me?”

“Yes. Your name is clearly written as the recipient.”

Baron opened the seal on the spot and read the letter.

There wasn’t much content. It just said that she was on her way to Abrams now and that Beluce was with her, so not to worry.

What was a bit unusual was the part where she asked several times how Leonard’s mood seemed, if he was very angry, and such. At the end, there was also a transparent, cute postscript asking to send her regards to Leonard and to make sure to reply.

In fact, this morning, a message had come from Beluce via carrier pigeon. It said they had already arrived at Abrams. Cordelia’s letter seems to have arrived a bit late due to being delivered by a person.

“What does it say? When does she say she’ll return? It feels like peace will only return to this mansion when Lady Cordelia comes back. The master’s mood has been so sensitive lately, it’s like walking on thorns.”

“…Yes. Lady Cordelia needs to return to the mansion quickly.”

At Alex’s complaint, a sudden, absurd thought crossed Baron’s mind. He put the letter in his breast pocket and quickly went up to the second floor where the master was.

“What are you dawdling for? And why is there so much dust in the study again? It seems these people are all slacking off.”

“Where exactly is this dust you’re talking about?”

“Baron. It seems you’re ready to die too. Seeing as you can’t even see what’s right in front of your eyes.”

“Stop tormenting the servants. It’s not like Lady Cordelia will return any faster because of it.”

“Didn’t I tell you not to mention that name?”

Leonard glared at Baron, gnashing his teeth. However, Baron, who had been serving or rather raising Leonard since he was five years old, wasn’t afraid of that terrifying gaze at all.

“If you’re going to be so restless, why don’t you send a letter to Lady Cordelia?”

“Who’s restless? Don’t even bring up that ungrateful wench! How dare she not revere and serve her master, and instead talk back to her master just because her pride was a little hurt?”

“Then should I throw away this pigeon message that came from Beluce?”

Baron took out the note sent by Beluce instead of the letter that came for Cordelia. Leonard glared at it intensely before snatching the note without a word. Baron inwardly laughed at this contradictory behavior.

He had earnestly requested to find out when she would return, but the most important date was missing. He checked the back side just in case, but it was empty. He immediately burst out in anger.

“Did Beluce stop learning how to write midway? Why is this report so shoddy? If she doesn’t answer, shouldn’t he have dug and gotten a date somehow?”

“I’m sure he knows what he’s doing. Didn’t he say he’ll stay by her side until she comes to Atilei?”

“And why doesn’t that Cordelia say when she’s coming? What does she have to do there? No one will care about a widowed countess whose husband died, so why is she dawdling?”

He expressed excessive irritation and anger. It seems he was highly displeased with Beluce’s report. Yet, he carefully tucked the note into his pocket.

“Haha, surely Lady Cordelia wouldn’t just run away, would she?”

“What? Run away?”

There was no such indication in Cordelia’s letter, but Baron pretended not to know and deliberately prodded him. As expected, Leonard jumped as if struck by lightning at the word ‘run away’.

“It probably won’t happen, but you never know with people.”

“Why would she run away? For what reason? After all I’ve done for her!”

“Of course you’ve treated her well. But it’s understandable in a way that Lady Cordelia got angry.”

Baron seized the opportunity and quickly laid out the story he had prepared.

“When we met Lady Cordelia at Abrams not long ago, there was that one time she got angry. Do you remember?”

“…”

He didn’t need to rack his brains to recall that scene. When he asked how much money she needed, her expression hardened and she left the room right away.