CH 10

T/N: hi. i changed Killian to Gillian as it is more appropriate. sorry for the inconvenience. thank you for your understanding.

The first line of the letter he opened was, “I have no face to show you.” accompanied by a casual greeting.

“… Yes, I guess so.”

Apparently, his wife had put a smokestack in the Count’s car while she was outside.

He should have known better than to let this happen in the first place.

With that thought, Gillian closed the letter he was reading and tossed it into a corner.

“It’s just as well. If the Count is here, she won’t be able to think of anything else. Tell him I’ll be down shortly.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Gillian straightened his clothes and the strands of hair had scattered, composing his words for the earl.

Your daughter is out of her mind, do you know what she dared to say to me, that she is getting a divorce right away…

Then surely the Earl would fly into a rage and exclaim what nonsense it was.

This marriage was certainly something he needed, he remembered. But it was Earl Kryant who was clinging to it far more anxiously.

“Welcome, Earl Kryant.”

“My Duke, it’s been a long time.”

“I wouldn’t say it’s been that long, as the last time we met was at the New Year’s banquet.”

Gillian, who had made his discomfort known by cutting short the Earl’s greeting, gestured upstairs once with his head, as if to say, ‘Listen.’

“I was just coming down to check on a letter from the post office. Something’s gone wrong, but it shouldn’t have taken the Earl all the way down here just to apologize…”

When he tells him this, he’ll blush and shake his head even more.

Then he’ll beg for mercy, promising to never do it again.

Then, sure enough, the Count smiled from ear to ear, clasped his hands together, and said.

“I apologize for the inconvenience I have caused you, but how can I remain in such a state of disgrace? I must come and see you and tell you the truth.”

And so it was.

Gillian could barely contain the sneer that escaped his lips at his behavior, which was not an inch off the mark.

So much for his wife’s craziness.

Now all he had to do was to use this as an excuse to get the money from Count Kryant as a gift.

With that in mind, Gillian was thinking of sending the Earl back with a few choice words when he suddenly heard a strange sound.

“It’s no honor to a father when my daughter is so unruly, and it’s because I haven’t taught her well enough. So I’ll take this opportunity to take her away and educate her properly before sending her back.”

“…You’re taking her away?”

“Yes. You said you’ve seen the letter. I mentioned it beforehand, but I will soothe and teach her well so that this will not happen in the future.”

The earl smiled wryly.

A fine incontinence went through Gillian’s face.

Who was he to take her back out again at will?

But the Earl, who would normally be quick to recognize such a change in his opponent, was for some reason, busy saying his own thing today.

“My lord, this is my greeting.”

Daniel gestured, and the men behind him began to file in, carrying something.

Gillian asked, not bothering to hide her annoyance.

“What is this…?”

“I found it on my way up to the capital. It’s pretty good, don’t you think? I’m going to reap the rewards and invest in it, so I thought I’d show it to the Duke.”

He pointed to an exquisitely carved statue of a falcon.

“… And those?”

“Oh, those are dresses for Ellen. They say it takes a stick and a carrot to move a person…”

He excused himself, a little embarrassed that the introduction of a mountain of gifts should come so soon after his daughter’s educational rant.

“Besides, it’s been a while since Ellen’s been up north, and it’s about time we caught up.”

“Ah, right. The north.”

Having heard that much, Gillian pressed his temples against the pounding headache.

Count Kryant had purchased a dress for his daughter to wear in the North, along with a gift for the Duke of Krembel.

Now there will be rumors in the shopping district.

The Earl of Kryant’s love for his daughter is evident. He has purchased a dress for her to wear in the North, and Lady Krembel will be out on a family outing…

It was an unexpected twist for Gillian, who had never intended to let Ellen move out of the mansion.

‘It was unplanned, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s not really a loss.’

Gillian calmly tapped away at his calculator, despite her rising irritation.

‘For one thing, it’ll give us a good reputation with the fiefs and surrounding nobles.’

It would show off the strong bonds between the families.

And she might be stressed out at the manor right now, so a visit to her family might make her feel a little better.

At the very least, it was a hundred times better than turning down Earl Kryant’s request here, sending him away empty-handed, and then having the rumor spread that ‘the Duchess of Krembel had been imprisoned within the manor’.

Thinking that far, Gillian soon sighed and said.

“Haa… Very well. I’ll look on the bright side and do so.”

“I’ll see to it that you don’t have to worry about it in the future.”

“I hope so. James!”

“Yes.”

“Go and fetch my wife.”

“…Yes.”

James answered helplessly, and wondered if his master would cover him if he were to be accused by her of contempt of the nobility.

* * *

“My lady.”

“I do not know why you have come to see me again, after locking me up in this place.”

As expected, the Duchess was very sharp.

At her sarcastic remark, James quickly bowed his head and said.

“It’s not that, but… the lady’s father, Earl Kryant, has come to see you.”

“My father?”

“Yes. You have to get out now.”

“One minute I’m in, and now I’m out again? I’m tired of how you handle things, and how fickle are that Duke’s orders.”

“…”

James could not make eye contact with her and simply bowed his head.

As she made her way down to the first floor parlor, Count Kryant, who had been waiting for her, called out in a very pleased tone.

“Ellen!”

“Father. I came down when I heard you were coming.”

The Earl, who had seemed ready to rush to her at once, was quickly quieted by his daughter’s calm demeanor, and said.

“Ah, yes.”

She turned to Gillian with a calm smile, as if she knew him from memory.

“Then, Your Grace. We will take our leave now.”

“Please stay. I won’t go far.”

Gillian glanced in the direction of where Ellen was standing.

His eyes met hers.

As soon as their gazes met, Ellen turned away, closing her eyes as if she didn’t want to look.

Gillian gritted his teeth.

“… I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to help you with your problem. I hope you can resolve it soon.”

“Of course, my lord, I’ll see you later.”

With that, the Earl took Ellen’s hand and walked out, closing the door of the Duke’s office behind him.

Only the Kryants and his butler, James, remained in the hallway.

The two people’s eyes met.

It was Ellen who spoke first.

“Father, shall we go then?”

“Let’s leave at once. Let’s go.”

Count Kryant grabbed his daughter’s hand and pulled her hard, as if he had to leave this place as soon as possible.

At first glance, she looked like she was being dragged away, but there was a very refreshing smile on her face as she was being led away.

* * *

A short carriage ride passed, and the couple arrived at the Kryant manor.

Ellen looked around with a newfound appreciation.

This was the home she had known for years, only in the ink of her diary.

A pure white castle, famous for its winter attractions.

Though it wasn’t the snowy landscape she remembered, it was still beautiful, with the fresh greenery of spring.

The gates of the manor opened and an elderly man who had lived his life nostalgically smelling of fresh grass greeted their arrival.

“Welcome, my lord. My lady.”

The gravelly voice rang out, and Ellen’s head snapped around to the person who had caught her attention.

Ellen’s eyes widened slightly as she recognized the voice’s owner. She leapt at the old man and cried out.

“Harry!”

“Oooh, lady! Do you still call me that!”

A face etched with years instead of youth and vitality.

His brow furrowed from worrying about her, his fingertips rough from caring for her.

It was a wrinkled face that could hardly be called handsome, but that was what Ellen loved.

“You shouldn’t say that, especially considering your age!”

“It’s all right, Harrison. There’s no one to blame.”

“Miss.”

Harrison sighed, and Daniel smiled.

“It’s just that I’m glad to see you.”

Pulling away from Harrison’s embrace, Ellen hugged the maid, who had come out to greet her this time.

“Sally, how have you been?”

Sally, who had been standing still behind the butler, was suddenly pulled into Ellen’s arms.

Normally, she would have been startled and might have said something, but instead, Sally calmly turned to face Ellen and said.

“Miss. You’re home safe.”

“Yes.”

Ellen’s reply was equally subdued.

A few pats on each other’s backs later, the two women released each other from their embrace.

The rosy-cheeked girl before her marriage was now a parched woman, body and soul.

Ellen smiled faintly.

“I’m back.”

She missed this place that had made her.