WYDM 08

The person bringing out these three truths found her lips turning pale white. Even putting it into words felt like committing a sin, making her insides burn.

More than anything… she was so curious about Ethan’s reaction.

She thought there should at least be some reaction.

At least if they were people who shared the titles of Duke and Duchess, if he was someone who’d been standing blankly for hours since morning looking at the room Sehera used, the now-empty room.

She thought he should show some kind of reaction.

“So… you tried not to tell me?”

His mouth opened and a heavy, grave voice flowed out. But it wasn’t a complicated or emotional voice.

Truly… were these words really coming from his mouth right now?

“Until when…? Until I became a complete idiot? Until I became a stupid duke running around outside without even knowing his wife ran away?”

Leri couldn’t hide it and stood there with her mouth open, frowning.

She’d thought that even if he seemed cold on the outside, inside he was warm and sensitive.

Having seen how he’d originally grown up, Leri had thought he had a rare, perfect character to match his splendid appearance.

But the person before her eyes now was absolutely not the Duke she’d been thinking of.

“I’m sorry…”

Even the apology she barely managed to bring out felt completely stuck in her throat.

“How long did you think I wouldn’t know about this!”

So in the end, what mattered was his own reputation?

Shouldn’t the first thing to question right now be why exactly the Duchess had no choice but to put down that name and leave?

As far as she knew, this kind of divorce was an unprecedented incident in noble families.

Beyond feeling empty, with a feeling like her chest was completely blocked, Leri felt tears welling up.

Her insides were boiling so much she absolutely couldn’t just stand there.

“I was determined to tell you today. There’s no point hiding it when it can’t be hidden, and I was worried about the Duchess’s safety.”

Though she was kneeling, her tone was extremely firm. Ethan, looking down at her, hesitated for a moment at Leri’s firm voice when he’d expected her to burst into tears.

“But, Your Grace. Though you’re here now, if I hadn’t told you… would Your Grace have noticed that my lady wasn’t in the estate?”

“…What?”

Though he’d found out before Leri could even speak because he’d come to Sehera’s room since morning… when he’d thought he was just visiting the estate like last time, what were the chances she would have looked into this room?

“Don’t come to see her, don’t worry about her. Not knowing where you go or why you get hurt, not letting her care for your injuries. And that’s not enough—Chase and I do all the estate work… Even if my lady disappears, does anything change? Even those always working at the estate don’t know she’s gone…”

Ethan strode over and grabbed Leri by the collar. She was shocked because he was someone who’d never used force against a woman.

Where had that sensitive person gone, and how had he become someone with such a fiery temper who even used violence?

“Are you saying the person who abandoned her married husband and family and left home did the right thing!”

Leri couldn’t understand him getting this angry.

She’d even wanted to convey the emotions Sehera must have experienced, but it seemed that content wasn’t getting through at all.

It might have sounded like she was defending her. But the situations she brought up to defend her were all true. How could he blame the person who left when only he didn’t know about it?

Leri had no idea about the loneliness Sehera must have felt all this time, but right now, this moment, she felt like she was getting an explanation of what it must have been like.

Until now, his actions toward the Duchess could be overlooked to some extent as just his naturally blunt personality, but as days went by, he only got worse.

Did she have to keep the Duchess’s name and maintain dignity living beside such a husband? Were those really the only right choices for her?

She’d heard many rumors that she just lived luxuriously doing nothing at the ducal estate, but those were truly unfair words. Maybe if she’d actually received such treatment properly…

So her efforts weren’t nothing.

“Do you remember the letter I delivered before?”

“Letter…?”

Seeing him not even remember the letter she’d given him, Leri shook her head.

It was when he was sick. Though there was a letter to deliver, it had stayed in Leri’s possession for several days. And while nursing him, his mind became completely clear, and a golden opportunity came for her to be alone in the Duke’s room.

That’s when she’d given it. The Duke had received the letter she held out with a complicated expression, along with saying Duchess Sehera had insisted she deliver it.

Then a careful knock came from outside looking for her, and she left after urging him to be sure to read it.

“You don’t seem to remember. I put it in your hand.”

Ethan’s face crumpled completely, and he moved his legs like he was possessed. The legs that had been frozen since Leri found him here creaked as they moved one step, two steps.

His unsteady feet made heavy, slow sounds as he looked around. The curtains fluttered, the window slightly open.

His feet hesitated and moved around the room that felt awkward without warmth or signs of life, then suddenly stopped.

His feet, whose gaze seemed to stop on the small desk in the middle of the room, approached the desk without increasing speed.

On that neat surface sat a notebook, a candlestick, an inkwell, and a quill pen. And as his gaze swept over the desk, one thing caught his eye. An envelope with one corner pressed under the candlestick.

Ethan’s long, thick fingers touched it on the desk. The hand that picked up what was firmly sealed with sealing wax was full of hesitation.

This was the first time Leri had seen it too. The envelope’s shape and color were the same as the letter envelope she’d delivered to him last time, and the sealing wax was the same too.

But she could immediately tell it was something different from what she’d delivered.

“An envelope…”

Leri opened her mouth thinking to add a word, then closed it again. She had a strong hunch that this too would be difficult content for her to interfere with, like last time.

“I’ll leave first. Right now outside, all the employees have been mobilized searching for Your Grace.”

His gaze, which had been standing transfixed by the envelope, shifted over. He frowned like he didn’t understand her words.

“I haven’t moved from here since morning, so why are people being mobilized to search?”

Seeing the slightly disdainful look in his eyes, Leri almost snorted. Was it because it was morning, or had his head frozen from something too unexpected…

“That’s exactly it, Your Grace. No one living in this estate thought even a little that Your Grace would be here. Even though it’s the Duchess’s room. Even though this is the first place to check when Your Grace isn’t in your room, no one—even while desperately searching for Your Grace for hours… I was the only one who thought to look here.”

“Why…”

Why, really until the end… Leri straightened her knees that had still been on the floor and stood up.

Eventually, Ethan placed both hands on the envelope he’d been holding for a long time without opening.

Leri held her breath and watched that scene. The master unfolding the letter was haggard but beautiful.

Just as much forlorn and even sad.

From the eyes reading the letter’s first sentence, trembling began. His already crumpled brow from expressing uneven anger gained even more force.

Leri only watched until there and left the room. It felt like watching a conversation between Sehera and Ethan.

Just like Sehera listening to Ethan’s voice unilaterally shouting at her not to come, Ethan would have to silently accept that letter that would only contain words of farewell.

The only slightly regrettable thing was that, unlike how Sehera had endured that long time looking at Ethan’s back again and again, trying not to disgrace the family name, if done well, this divorce could pass without dealing a major blow to Ethan.

Someone suffered for such a long time, yet someone else could live grateful for having things cleanly arranged. So if she’d said to take revenge rather than leave, Leri thought she probably would have helped her with all her resources.

“…Frustrating.”

Had she arrived safely at the Count’s estate? Coachman Willin hadn’t arrived yet.

Now when he arrived… would the Duke call him? Would he try to ask what her actions were like, what the Count’s estate he saw upon arrival was like?

She couldn’t predict anything. Leri buried her face in both hands in front of the room Sehera used to use.

“Leri!”

Then a voice came from the other end of the corridor. Were the servants already finished searching the yard and coming in?

The voice urgently calling her was head butler Chase.

Leri glanced sideways at Sehera’s room for a moment. Right now he needed a bit more time.

Whether he came out of that room afterward like nothing happened or carrying a heavy boulder of guilt, anyway, now was the time to decide that weight.

Leri hurriedly moved her feet and walked down the corridor. She swung her arms as much as possible to block both Chase’s actions and mouth as he walked this way showing signs of saying something in a booming voice.

“…Leri?”

“Stop the search immediately. And don’t let anyone come up to the second floor.”

“What are you saying? Why the second floor? We need to find His Grace.”

Chase argued like he couldn’t understand at all. Seeming like his voice would get louder if she let him continue, Leri grabbed his arm and quickly descended the stairs.

“We need to find His Grace quickly! Do you know how many hours it’s been?”

Well, when she was searching around earlier, he should have searched together—why is he getting fired up so late…

Leri glared at him. Chase, who slightly read her mood at her intensity, lowered his voice.

“What’s going on?”

“I found His Grace.”

“His Grace? Where is His Grace now…”

“Ha, be quiet!”

Perhaps finally noticing Leri’s atmosphere like she’d smack his back, the head butler quietly closed his mouth. Because it was rare for Leri to get angry like this normally, Chase looked at her again.

“His Grace is in my lady’s room.”

“My lady, you say…”

Right. She knew he’d react like this.

To my lady… it was a very sorry matter.

“He’ll need some time.”

Chase’s expression as he nodded was solemn, which only made her heart ache more.