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Chapter 34
There wasn’t really anything new to notice, and nothing had changed, but seeing the street I walked every day felt strangely unfamiliar.
‘Have I gotten used to living in luxury all this time?’
The cushions of the carriage I used to ride thoughtlessly before my marriage felt uncomfortably stiff now.
“This is going to be a problem…”
The carriage rolled on for a while before finally entering the street where I used to live. Though the houses were old, the tightly packed street still had its own charm, and it always felt warm and familiar.
It was when I finally stepped out of the carriage.
“Hm?”
The mailbox in front of my house was stuffed with letters. I quickly straightened my clothes, grabbed the pile of letters, and started looking through them one by one.
‘No sender?’
I checked carefully, but there was no sender listed.
However, in Dotcilia, stationery is designated by city, so from seeing unfamiliar stationery, I guessed the letters had come from another region.
[Don’t marry Johannes Schultz. He will only hurt you in the end.]
[Remember this. As soon as you see this letter, get away from him. You will learn truths you don’t want to know.]
The handwriting was completely unfamiliar.
Most of the many letters said similar things—warnings that marrying Johannes would lead to unhappiness, words mixed with curses.
I didn’t feel particularly moved.
‘Maybe it was a noble lady who liked Johannes…’
It was possible. I didn’t really have friends, nor did I have much contact with anyone.
So there would be no one who had a reason to threaten me to avoid marriage.
[Please, I beg you. How about living in another region instead?]
The last letter even pleaded with me to avoid marriage.
But as much as I felt sorry for the sender, I was already married; there was no turning back.
I thought little of it and crumpled the letters into my bag.
The house, after so long, looked exactly the same as when I left. Fortunately, nothing had gone missing, and nothing had been moved. Perhaps someone had cleaned, because not a speck of dust remained.
Only the air was chillier now, as no one lived here.
This house will have to be sorted out someday too…
As I stepped outside, someone cheerfully called my name.
“Edith!”
It was Mrs. Pensler. Without waiting for a greeting, she pulled me into the house.
“Good heavens, Edith. Why does your face look so… thin? No, wait, calm down. Hold on, I’ll get you something to nibble.”
She examined me thoroughly, seated me at the table, and began boiling water. Soon, the fragrant smell of pies and tea tickled my nose.
It was, of course, Mrs. Pensler’s pie. One bite, and the flavor—neither too sweet nor bland—filled my mouth. Eating her pie always seemed to wash away all my worries.
No matter how skilled the chefs at Evansstein Castle were, none could match Mrs. Pensler’s baking.
“This is delicious, ma’am. It’s not much, but I’ve missed this taste.”
Mrs. Pensler seemed pleased to see me enjoying it. I ate moderately, meeting her gaze, and she launched into a flood of conversation as if she had been waiting for it.
“Do you know how surprised I was that day? The navy was all over the street outside your house, and it felt like you were trapped inside. They wouldn’t even let me see you.”
“I’m sorry for surprising you. That day was just… so chaotic.”
“I heard! There was trouble with a loan shark, right? Forged documents—impossible! Anyway, when you disappeared in the navy carriage… I was just about to bring you your favorite stollen.”
“I’m sorry—”
“Do you know how well that stollen had matured that day? Truly the best I’ve ever made. You would have loved it. And yet… marriage!”
She chattered endlessly, giving me no chance to respond. I couldn’t help but laugh at how unchanged she was.
When news of the defeat came, along with reports of neighbors’ deaths, she couldn’t hide her grief, but now she had returned to her old self, full of joy.
“That’s how it turned out, then.”
Mrs. Pensler, speaking without pause, looked me over slowly.
“Goodness, I should call you the Duchess now.”
Apparently, she was aware of my marriage to Johannes, as the news had been published.
I fiddled with my teacup and said,
“No, please, just call me as usual.”
“But still… there’s a rank difference, you know.”
Mrs. Pensler waved her hand dismissively, though her eyes subtly seemed to hope I would insist again.
“Please. It makes me uncomfortable otherwise.”
“……Alright.”
It must have been awkward for her to suddenly treat me as a duchess when she had known me since childhood.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I should have.”
“Oh, it’s fine. It’s not like you could casually tell everyone it’s the Schultz family. And goodness, the streets have been awful lately. Don’t even get me started.”
She squeezed her eyes shut and shuddered.
“Terrible things happened, and the culprits weren’t caught.”
Her expression softened, and she held my hand tightly.
“It was shocking, but a marriage… that’s something to celebrate. Really, I’m glad. Belated congratulations, Edith.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“Oh, but watch out—nobles can be sneaky.”
“My husband isn’t like that.”
When I said this with a smile, her expression grew more serious.
“Yes, yes, I’m sure he’ll treat you well. But you never know… maybe he’s just hiding it early in the marriage.”
Mrs. Pensler had always admired the Schultz family above all else.
So why the sudden change in attitude?
Seeing me stare silently, she quickly apologized, thinking I was upset.
“Oh, no. I was just saying nonsense. Forget it, forget it. I don’t know why I keep babbling as I get older.”
She laughed awkwardly.
“But surviving in high society must be tough… I don’t really know, but Luisa, who recently divorced Count Wagner, said noblewomen can gossip over anything, especially if someone is of common origin.”
I stayed silent, not wanting to upset her.
“Anyway…”
Seeing that I didn’t react, she began talking about something else.
I had forgotten, but Mrs. Pensler was a gifted storyteller. Conversations with her easily lasted two or three hours, even if the other person looked tired. Why hadn’t I considered that?
‘I was just too happy…’
I sighed inwardly, but then someone knocked on the door. I quickly stood up.
“Visitors, perhaps. It’s about time I leave, and I wouldn’t want to trouble you, ma’am, so I’ll step aside—”
“No, no. Wait a moment. There’s someone to introduce. But… who could it be? I wasn’t expecting anyone today.”
Mrs. Pensler, having seated me again, went to the entrance. Soon, I heard a warm welcome given to someone.
After a brief conversation, she returned with the visitor.
A young woman with pale, almost white skin, cheeks flushed with red, and crimson hair. Her well-developed frame suggested she was from the Scandia continent.
She looked at me curiously with a youthful, freckled face. I blinked in surprise, and Mrs. Pensler said,
“Edith, say hello. I was going to introduce her later. She just moved into the house across from ours—her name’s Sina Mekeli. Though it’s only been a few days, we’ve grown quite close. Young people rarely have such manners.”
“Oh…!”
When Mrs. Pensler praised someone, they were usually good people. Thankfully, it seemed I had a new companion.
“Hello. Nice to meet you.”
“…….”
“You are… Edith Fr—Edith Schultz, right? Are you from the Scandia continent?”
Sina’s expression twisted.
Had I made a mistake? Was it rude to greet someone from Scandia first?
As I considered the possibilities, she stepped closer.
Startled by the sudden closeness, I stepped back, which made her stare at me even more curiously. Then, in a clumsy accent, she asked,
“Madam, are you really the wife of Commander Schultz? Of the Baltz fleet?”
Her voice was entirely unlike her appearance—clear, like rolling glass beads.
But why was she asking that?
“Um… yes, that’s right, I suppose?”
I answered in a dazed voice. Sina opened her mouth wide in surprise.
What on earth was her reaction?
As I tried to understand her, she grabbed a leftover piece of pie and said,
“How can anyone live with someone who brags like that?”
