CH 43.1

“I thought I would never find it again . . .”

Anne stroked the necklace around her neck as she did as usual. The bluish ring was intact, with no damage except for a slight faded light.

“Like my grandmother said, it came back to me this time too.”

The necklace was the only thing that the previous Countess had given her.

Unlike her foolish parents, the former County couple were wise people and did not dream of vain dreams. In fact, it was all thanks to their contributions that the family was able to be rebuilt to lead a noble life again.

Anne had received this ring as a gift from her grandmother in the year she turned ten years old.

“This is a ring I got from my grandmother. She said it originally belonged to her older sister.”

“Why doesn’t she still have it?”

As Anne asked with a bewildered face, a shadow formed around her grandmother’s eyes.

“She couldn’t keep it anymore. When she gives birth to a daughter, she says she wants to pass it on, she said it’s like a habit . . . So this was kept by my grandmother and given to me when I was Anne’s age. I’m giving it to you now.”

Her grandmother had only one child, which was her father and had no daughters to pass down, so she gave them to her granddaughter, Anne. She didn’t forget the last request, that Anne must keep it.

“Thank you. So pretty.”

The memory was vivid of accepting with her dainty hands what her gracious grandmother had given her.

At the time, she didn’t understand why she was asked to have it, but little Anne had fallen in love with the sparkling ring. Partly because it was something her benevolent grandmother gave her. But for some reason, whenever she whimpered after being whipped by her mother, touching the ring made her feel the sorrow go away.

Looking back, she thought she was used to this ring as tough it was hers from the beginning. It was nice because it felt like it warmed her heart somehow.

Since then, it had become her habit to stroke the ring whenever she was lonely or when her heart was down. When she was younger, the ring was too big to fit on her hand, so she wore it on a necklace instead, but now she still wore it as a necklace, even though it fit snugly on her hand.

“I’m glad I found you.”

In contrast to the relief she felt from leaving behind everything associated with Libelois, this ring was the medium through which brought her inner peace.

To Luciel, who had found her ring, she thought that she should at least give him a gift the next time they met. Anne had a smile on her face.

* * *

Since then, there had been no major changes in Anne’s life. She was simply killing her time as Madam of the Grand Duke’s castle. She lived a boring life where she never had anything to do. When it wasn’t snowing, she passed her time riding a horse through the thick forest or lounging around on the lawn of the sunny greenhouse.

Luciel, who reappeared, visited Anne often. He would appear in the castle from time to time, but the servants did not respond much, as if they were familiar with him. Neither Mrs. Wald nor the chief attendant seemed to care much, nor did she bother to ask where he was busy wandering around.

Luciel, who was so sociable that the Grand Duke’s attitude of keeping him in check was overshadowed, was an easy partner to get along with, so Anne got along well with him.

“Are you going to the greenhouse today? Tsk, isn’t it boring?”

“There is nothing to do.”

For some time now, Anne has been frequently visiting the well-decorated greenhouse.

She was not very interested in things like flowers or grass, but any scenery that was different from the white snow would do. Moreover, the gazebo created inside was so wonderful that it was a good place to have tea.

“Shall I follow you too?”

“Well . . . You can do as you please.”

Luciel, who was always by her side, followed her into the greenhouse. She didn’t stop him because the silent castle at least seemed alive as he talked incessantly.

* * *

Anne, half leaning against the gazebo at the end of the greenhouse and drinking tea, stared blankly at the busy gardeners. They were supplying water and nutrients for the seeds they planted a few days ago.

Intoxicated by the peaceful atmosphere, Anne’s gaze shifted to the snowflakes flying beyond the glass wall.

“I don’t think the snow will ever stop.”

After the Grand Duke left, she heard from Marie that the mountain range the Grand Duke went to had snow storms even worse than they were here. As well, the regular monster subjugation every year was like a dangerous battlefield where they risk their life to participate.

Of course, she knew he wasn’t the kind of person who would get hurt easily, but from the moment she heard that, she was somewhat concerned. It was said that the deep scar on his chest was also caused by fighting monsters.

“Anne, did you think it would be better if Lord Daymond didn’t come back?”

Anne’s head turned at Luciel’s question.

“Why do you think so?”

“Because your married life is unhappy.”

Luciel, who had been smiling, looked at Anne’s face.

His question hit the mark, but that was because Luciel didn’t know that the end of the relationship was fixed.