A mournful atmosphere hung in the office like the morning mist. In the center stood a man in ragged clothes, overwhelmed by pressure and not knowing what to do with himself, as he reported:

“So, the skull seemed to be crushed… or maybe not…”

As the crematorium keeper fumbled through vague memories, the butler scolded him.

“You fool. Can’t you report properly?”

“I… I want to, but it’s been so long…”

The crematorium keeper felt wronged.

He had simply been diligent in cremating an unidentified body brought to the crematorium a few months ago. And before that, just in case, he had carefully removed the ring from her finger.

He had kept it in case the woman’s family was found later, but then completely forgot about it.

Then one day, trouble arose at home, and when he urgently needed money, he suddenly remembered the forgotten ring. Thinking he would repay it later, he pawned it and borrowed money.

If he had known it was the wedding ring of Duke Pelton, the noble whose name appeared in the news every day, he would never have done such a foolish thing.

“Do you remember the face?”

Edric asked.

The calm voice carrying heavy dignity made the crematorium keeper flinch.

He nodded unconsciously.

“Are you sure it’s this face?”

Edric asked, holding out a photograph.

‘It seems right, but…’

Having seen and cremated so many bodies, the crematorium keeper was uncertain, but he was afraid to delay.

“Yes, it is.”

He said forcefully. Somehow he felt that was the way to escape this situation quickly.

“Without a doubt. This person… no, this lady, it’s definitely her.”

“Oh, my lady!”

“Sob… how could this happen…”

“Our poor lady, what are we to do…”

The servants wailed.

Even Wilson, who had never been fond of Melly, turned his face away and stifled his sobs.

But amid all this, Edric remained calm.

In fact, he seemed even more composed now than when searching for Melly’s whereabouts.

He asked nothing more. The butler wiped tears from under his pince-nez and asked on behalf of his master.

“So where are the ashes?”

“I have them. Usually ashes with no next of kin are scattered immediately, but with the ring issue, I kept them just in case.”

“Bring them.”

Edric quietly ordered.

His voice was in perfect contrast to the servants, agitated with crying.

He instructed once more in an unwavering voice.

“Right now.”

“Ah… yes, sir.”

The crematorium keeper hurriedly turned to leave.

“Take this with you.”

Edric said, nodding towards the desk. It was Melly’s wedding ring.

“As a reward.”

The crematorium keeper waved his hands in shock.

“No… no, I couldn’t possibly…”

“Is it too little?”

Edric took off his own ring and placed it beside the other with an indifferent face.

“Then take this too.”

The crematorium keeper’s face turned pale.

He thought the duke was surely punishing him for misusing his wife’s ring.

He was about to kneel down. But.

“…!”

At that moment, he saw the butler slightly shake his head at him. It seemed to mean not to provoke him with foolish actions, but to quietly accept his will.

“Th-thank you, Your Grace…”

Thinking he would return them later, he gathered the two rings with trembling hands.

“Wilson.”

Edric ordered Wilson.

“Go with him.”

“I’ll go.”

As Wilson was about to obey with bloodshot eyes, Oz interrupted.

“Please let me go. I’ll bring my lady’s ashes back carefully.”

Oz’s voice was resolute.

She was the woman Melly had liked most, even throwing her a birthday party herself, so Edric agreed without hesitation.

“Very well.”

Oz led the stumbling crematorium keeper out of the office.

The servants left, covering their tear-stained faces with their palms. Then Wilson, head bowed with guilt, exited the room, followed lastly by the butler.

Before closing the door, the butler looked back at Edric.

His demeanor had been consistently calm since hearing the news of Melly’s death. No, he even seemed refreshed.

As if he had finished one chapter of his life and could move on to the next. Like someone finally liberated from long imprisonment.

The strangely serene smile on his lips was proof of that…

[This is the timeline separator]

Melly’s urn arrived.

Inside the simple porcelain container was white powder.

Fitting her small frame in life, there were not many ashes.

She who had always lived quietly, barely noticeable, had finally returned to a handful of dust.

The servants wept loudly once again at this heartbreaking situation.

Afterwards, they each took turns holding the urn. Edric allowed them to do so.

But he himself did not embrace it.

He lightly stroked the porcelain surface before handing it to the butler.

“Prepare the funeral.”

The butler bowed his head as he received the urn.

Edric gave instructions for every detail of the funeral procedures. He selected the guest list for the funeral and personally wrote the message.

It was an efficient handling, without any excess.

To the point that all who witnessed were astonished.

“How can he be so unbothered?”

“It must have all been an act. He hasn’t shed a single tear.”

“Poor lady…”

His demeanor was in stark contrast to their own, unable to focus on work due to their grief.

Edric carefully wrote the message, put it in an envelope, and handed it to the butler.

Along with instructions to copy it exactly and send it to the people on the list tomorrow morning.

The butler quietly accepted it and returned to his office, while Edric ordered food to be brought.

For the first time in a long while, he ate a full meal, having barely touched anything but alcohol and cigarettes lately.

To the servants, he truly seemed unburdened.

Like someone who had finally resolved a long-standing problem.

While the servants clicked their tongues at him, they also felt relieved.

If he hadn’t taken charge like this, they wouldn’t have been able to grieve so freely.

Edric even comfortably enjoyed the Darjeeling tea that Melly used to brew for him, before returning to his office.

[This is the timeline separator]

Meanwhile, there was another person who did not grieve Melly’s death as much as Edric.

It was Oz.

Oz did not believe in Melly’s death.

Although the crematorium keeper’s testimony and the ring found on the body’s finger were two decisive pieces of evidence confirming Melly’s death, she still couldn’t believe it.

It didn’t seem likely that Melly would have gone so meaninglessly.

Oz had volunteered to accompany the crematorium keeper and left the mansion with him. When she thought they were far enough from the mansion, she carefully asked.

“Are you really sure the person you cremated was the duchess in the photo?”

“Well… yes. That’s what I said…”

From his trailing, uncertain words, Oz was convinced.

“Don’t lie. Tell me the truth.”

The crematorium keeper denied it a few more times, but when Oz threatened him in Edric’s name, he had no choice but to confess the truth.

“The truth is, I can’t remember well…”

Oz listened quietly as the crematorium keeper explained that he had said it was the duchess out of fear, overwhelmed by the pressure.

“So you’re not certain whether the person in the photo was the duchess or not?”

“That’s right. But I’m sure she was small in stature and had brown hair… And she was wearing a ring on her middle finger…”

“Middle finger?”

Oz’s eyes widened as she spoke.

“Are you sure? The middle finger?”

“Yes, I’m certain. I carefully removed it using soapy water.”

“…”

For a moment, Oz’s expression brightened. But she quickly feigned a grief-stricken look and said to the crematorium keeper.

“You saw correctly. It was definitely my lady.”

At those words, the crematorium keeper breathed a sigh of relief.

Oz turned her head towards the carriage window.

‘My lady.’

With a face full of joy, she spoke inwardly to Melly.

‘I’m so glad you’re alive.’

[This is the timeline separator]

When Oz returned home with the urn, she shed just enough tears not to arouse suspicion while the other servants were wailing in grief.

She had worried about how to react if Edric broke down.

She had watched over Edric since he was a little boy who loved climbing trees, collecting insects, and rolling around in mud puddles.

It would have been very sad to see him crumble and weaken. And if that happened, she might have had to break her vow of secrecy and reveal the truth, despite her resolve to keep quiet so poor Melly could live freely.

But surprisingly, Edric was too calm.

He didn’t seem to be grieving, not just on the surface, but deep inside as well.

Seeing this, she felt even more certain that she had made the right decision not to tell the truth.

Oz intended never to speak of it for the rest of her life.

‘My lady. You are free now. Wherever you are, please be safe.’

Oz was happy. For the first time, she had been able to do something for Melly.

But she was also sad.

At the thought that she would never see Melly again.

If there was one thing that made Oz truly shed tears, it was for this reason.

Her heart ached at the fact that she would no longer be able to drink the Darjeeling tea Melly brewed, chat with her, or go for walks together.

“Sob… my lady…”

As Oz was organizing Melly’s belongings, she wept loudly for a while. Everyone would think it was because of Melly’s death, so there was no need to lower her voice.

After crying for a long time, her heart felt lighter.

She finished cleaning Melly’s room one last time and covered all the furniture with white cloths.

Before opening the door, she looked back once more and felt strange at how much it really looked like the room of a deceased person.

‘My lady, live well.’

Oz bid farewell to Melly and came out.

She had just reached the landing of the stairs going down when the butler was running up two steps at a time from below.

He looked urgent about something.

“What’s the matter?”

Oz asked. The butler, gasping for breath, said.

“Wh-where is His Grace?”

“He should be in his office.”

She had seen him go in there just a moment ago, so he should be there.

“But why? What’s going on?”

Oz asked again.

“J-just look at this.”

The butler held out a letter to Oz. Looking at the envelope, it was a sample of the funeral invitation to be sent to people tomorrow morning.

“What about it?”

“Read the message!”

“The message?”

Oz unfolded the paper.

[On this bright autumn day, I regret to convey such sorrowful news. However, everything has two sides, like a coin. Rather than grieving, we would be more grateful if you could bless the first steps my wife and I take together in another world with a happy heart.]

Oz slowly raised her head. The expression on both their faces as their eyes met was identical.

They turned around at the same time.

As they rushed off with pale faces, the servants began to follow, wondering what was happening. Soon, they all realized that something was not right, that something terrifying was about to happen.

Finally, everyone arrived at the office.

The butler flung open the door rudely.

“…!”

The servants gasped and covered their mouths.

Edric was holding a gun to his temple.