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Chapter 03
“Was my last remark a lie? Did it show too much?”
Honestly, asking someone to “pass on my regards” was just empty words.
Noble titles, status… whatever!
Right now, I just want to sit by that campfire!
The weather was already freezing, and my patience had run out.
“…Then I shall withdraw.”
Had they finally read my thoughts?
The two maids, hesitating slightly, bowed so deeply that I couldn’t see their faces and then quickly vanished.
I closed the thick door and exhaled lightly.
Inside, shielded from the biting wind, it was warm—and soon, my heart felt that warmth too.
Yes! Home and a campfire the moment I arrived.
Time to gaze at the flames before bed.
Possession of a body is the best!
By the time dawn broke faintly,
the man, still unable to sleep, sat upright, staring out the window as the sky—once as dark as his hair—shifted to a blue-violet hue mirroring his own eyes.
Specifically, he was staring outside.
His gaze was fixed on the distant annex.
In that old, cramped annex was his new bride.
The man—Xenos Celeste—murmured bitterly to himself, lost in thought.
“Not funny at all.”
Rene Blanche.
No, the woman now known as Rene Celeste.
She looked exactly as he had heard.
No, she was even more beautiful than he had been told.
Her silver hair, cascading like waves, seemed softer than silk, proving her bloodline as a member of the Blanche marquis family…
And her fiery red eyes contrasted with her otherwise gentle features, drawing attention.
They glimmered with a strange moisture, like rubies set by a skilled artisan.
“….”
Her eyes were wide, perhaps terrified.
The unwanted consort who had arrived in the desolate north via a carriage even the servants avoided.
Her small, delicate frame could not be hidden even by the voluminous wedding dress.
Perhaps because of her naturally fragile appearance, it was hard to believe she was fully grown.
“…Foolish woman.”
Shaking like the tragic heroine of a story, she seemed almost pitiful.
By all accounts, she was a woman incompatible with him.
He had planned from the start to break her spirit, returning in the carriage ahead of her, yet Rene’s choice was beyond imagination.
The marquis’s daughter riding in a servant’s carriage? Even a baggage cart? She has no pride, it seems.
What was she scheming?
The Blanche family was a prominent supporter of the emperor’s second son by the current empress.
They were clearly at odds with the Celeste dukes, who supported the late empress’s first-born crown prince.
But beyond this political conflict, a more pressing issue existed.
After taking a new empress, the emperor has certainly lost his vigor.
The current empress, Isabella Rembrandt, was not one to hide her ambition.
Soon after her ascension, she bore the second prince.
Since then, the emperor’s once robust health gradually declined.
At some point, he began delaying state affairs, lingering in the empress’s chambers until late afternoon.
Moreover, he casually spoke of giving the first-born crown prince’s position to the second, causing potential confusion.
Who could truly deny Isabella’s involvement?
The empress, keeping the weakened emperor in her grasp, acted without hesitation.
She allied with the influential temple to consolidate her and her second son’s position.
Today’s wedding was part of that plan.
I had to comply with the emperor’s orders, but this is clearly the empress’s manipulation.
Even setting aside politics, the Blanche family was greedy, selfish, and revolting.
Thinking of that family made his anger flare.
At the same time, he pictured the rabbit-like face of the woman.
The unlucky red eyes.
Rumor even says she is the marquis’s illegitimate child…
Judging by the atmosphere at the wedding, that might not be entirely false.
“…Hah.”
Xenos, planted like a stake, turned away from the window with an irritated gesture.
In noble society, couples were worse than strangers anyway.
Especially a woman from the Blanche family.
There would be no bond between them.
She would never yield to him.
Above all, Xenos had a more urgent problem than Rene.
Knock.
“Your Grace, Cal.”
“Yes.”
The butler, neatly dressed, entered the study with a knock, carrying a tray of potion bottles.
“As expected, you’ve been awake all this time again.”
“Sleeping is more torturous.”
“Still, you must rest even a little.”
“That potion won’t help, Cal. As with all medicines in the world.”
Through Cal’s monocle, only concern rippled.
Xenos sighed and took the potion, swallowing it carefully despite its thick texture.
“…There is no cure for madness.”
It was a hereditary disease from his father’s generation.
Its name unknown, they simply called it “madness”—and perhaps that name was most fitting.
Good. At least nothing like becoming her real husband will ever happen.
Xenos intended to end everything with his own generation.
All of it flowing in his blood. All.
One week into possession of an unnamed novel.
“Wow. Sunlight.”
Surprisingly, each day was peaceful.
I sipped herbal tea leisurely, watching the sunlight pour through the window.
The small winter garden was quiet and serene.
A soft morning, with snow on conifers and icicles along the eaves glinting in the sun.
Inside, the fireplace crackled, warming the cold air.
I put down my teacup with a satisfied smile.
“Perfect.”
Truly idyllic!
The life of retiring to the countryside, something any city-weary professional might dream of!
Unlike my past life, I could enjoy such leisure.
After days of lazy relaxation, my body and mind had grown languid.
But…
Being like this for a whole week is boring…
Peaceful, which meant nothing to do.
And as a workaholic even in my previous life, idleness felt strange.
Even waiting in the rental car to pick up my advisor’s son for what I thought was a minor errand had felt more entertaining.
“Is there anything to do?”
Stretching my stiff body, I got up.
The cabin had been lightly cleaned, but long disuse meant there were many things to fix.
Compared to my previous 5-pyeong (roughly 16 m²) apartment, it was overly luxurious.
And having fixed things myself made it feel more homely.
Whenever I needed something, plump-cheeked maid Betty seemed to anticipate it and brought it without fail.
Since I had plenty of time and nothing else to do, a week passed quickly cleaning the cabin—but today presented a problem.
There was nothing left to clean.
Winter makes gardening difficult…
Still, come spring, I could spend my days tending a beautiful garden!
Thinking I could achieve this dream next season made me hum.
As I strolled around the garden, I noticed a small shed in the backyard.
I decided to spend the day organizing it.
“Oh?”
Next to the shed, short logs and a neatly arranged hand axe.
Probably for chopping firewood.
“…Shall I try?”
Suddenly, unfounded confidence surged.
There’s too much firewood consumed overnight anyway.
I had no major complaints living here, but heating was entirely dependent on the fireplace, and the stacked logs were disappearing faster than expected.
Better I do it myself since I have nothing else to do.
Action was immediate.
I opened the shed, picked the sturdiest log, and placed it on the chopping block.
Already, I felt proud.
Today’s jam session.
Haha! I’d chop firewood all day.
I inhaled deeply, gripping the axe with both hands.
But…
“Ugh!”
The axe was heavier than expected, and my body followed its weight!
I tumbled backward like a hundred flips, landing with a thud.
“Ugh…”
It hurt so much, I almost cried.
“Good heavens, Your Grace!”
In the distance, I saw Betty screaming and dropping the tray she had been holding.
