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Chapter: 6
Heading to Salmon Province
…It was quiet.
Though the newly arrived ducal mansion was bathed in sunshine, his eyes were shrouded in gloom, as if storm clouds had settled there.
“Perhaps it’s natural, since she isn’t here.”
Even if Ail stayed locked in his room and was out of sight, it didn’t matter. Her presence in the mansion had always been a source of comfort and solace for him.
When he received reports that she was quietly having a snack or had taken a brief nap in the mansion, he felt an immeasurable sense of relief.
Had she started enjoying naps about half a year ago? Perhaps it coincided with the time Riza had stubbornly stayed in the ducal mansion, refusing to leave—it made him feel strangely protective.
“Ail is like a frightened cat that won’t leave the corner…”
He wished he could place a rocking chair in the corner of his study and watch over her as she slept right before his eyes.
But then, he would be unable to work at all. He would spend the time staring endlessly at her face, swallowing the love he could not express.
Could he really restrain himself and leave her untouched? Could he possibly refrain from waking her gently sleeping form?
No, he couldn’t.
He clenched his fist tightly. Just as the duke was about to enter his study, a small beige bundle of fur came running straight toward him.
It was Serena.
“Daad!”
“I told you not to run in the hallway. Aren’t you afraid of falling and getting hurt?”
He spoke sternly, but there was only one thing Serena feared on this island—and it wasn’t her father.
Serena had many complaints to lodge against her dad.
“This isn’t fair! And what about stepmom? How could you just send her off to the mainland all alone?!”
To Serena, Ail was her light and salt—her reason for joy.
In the vast ducal mansion, everyone she met was a subordinate who treated her with distance. To think there wouldn’t be a stepmother bringing energy and life into her dull daily routine—just thinking about it made her furious!
“She’ll be back soon.”
“But without telling me! Step-mom is so unfair. I’m the only one in this house who cares about her!”
“That’s nonsense,” the duke scolded, but his daughter stood firm.
“Hmph. I know everything! Serena is the only one who gives her true advice. Nobody else does!”
Serena had been running after fixing her hair, but one of her pigtails dangled loosely like a loose thread. Of course, he had no ability to fix her perfectly styled hair.
The duke clicked his tongue after seeing the maid chasing Serena from behind. Honestly, it was pitiful to see someone unable to control a child running around like that.
Yet, seeing Serena with Ail earlier had looked remarkably peaceful.
“I shouldn’t show any signs of discomfort from the first day Ail left.”
Suppressing his temper, the duke spoke calmly.
“…Tsk, just take her away.”
“Alright, I’ll tell you in advance. Step-mom is coming with me to Salmon Province. Got it? No getting mad when the time comes, okay?”
Eventually, of course. The three of them would travel together every year, both for business and leisure. Were you looking forward to it too?
The duke, casually ignoring Serena’s odd remark, turned away.
“Fine. You go eat properly.”
“Hmph. Really…”
Step-mom isn’t close to dad, just me, right? So I’m not going with dad. Merong! Serena pouted, enjoying her childish remark.
“Annoying.”
He had plenty of work ahead.
Until she returned, he would likely get little sleep—but a few sleepless nights over two or three days wouldn’t wear him down.
So Luflion carelessly ignored the ominous signs creeping around him.
He had no idea how much he would later regret this.
Meanwhile, aboard the ship, Ail sat absentmindedly, passing the time.
The gentle vibrations beneath her were weak. Unlike the trip to the island before, it felt comfortable. Closing her eyes, she felt sleep might easily come.
The area around where she sat was meticulously tidy. There was not a trace of dust, like the kind often seen on poorly maintained carriages or shops.
“Lu… did you prepare all this? I really don’t understand what kind of man you are. Whenever I try to dismiss your personality as indifferent, your meticulous and elegant taste shows itself. And if I admit that… it makes me unbearably aware that I’ve truly been abandoned.”
While she was lost in thought, the captain approached her.
“Approximately two hours remain until Salmon Province.”
“Already that far?”
The captain smiled.
“Yes, ma’am. We could go faster, but this ship is large and not speed-oriented. Try to get some rest until then.”
“Thank you.”
Soon, she would arrive.
Mixed emotions swirled within her.
When she had first gone to Plana Island, she and her family used the more distant Art Harbor, not Salmon Province. They had to go straight from the capital to the island.
The ship had been slow, crowded with people, leaving hardly any room to move.
The problems she feared on board did not occur.
Her Aunt Riza naturally occupied the best cabin, never even stepping outside until they reached the harbor.
Ail had four ducal knights accompanying her, staying in spacious spots in rotation so they could rest.
“You may relax if you like,” she offered.
They refused.
“No, ma’am. We’ll manage ourselves.”
Would it be around noon when they reached Salmon Province? After lunch, she would need to visit the lawyer’s office to get the divorce papers. Avoiding the knights’ eyes would be nearly impossible.
Knights were more stubborn than maids, after all.
But… she smiled faintly, having a plan.
“Understood.”
When the duchess softened her stance, Paul, one of the four knights, muttered.
“Please understand, ma’am. Recently, suspicious ships have been spotted near here. If it happens to be a pirate ship, it could be troublesome…”
“Paul!”
“…Ah, never mind.”
A pirate ship?
Ail managed to understand the unfamiliar word.
Despite her poverty, she took pride as a viscount’s daughter and had frequently visited the nearby library before her home was mortgaged.
“A pirate… Really? Even after years since the war, pirates appear? If it’s a privateer, the government must be involved. Could it be the duchy’s doing?”
It would be a lie to say she wasn’t uneasy.
Even though she would leave Plana Island, he would continue living there, and Serena would inherit the position. If dangerous groups openly roamed the seas, it would be a disaster.
Ail stopped herself from furrowing her brows. Pretending ignorance seemed safer here.
“If they notice that I understand, they’ll get worried, right?”
When the duchess lowered her head slightly, Estelle, who had sent Paul away, scolded him.
Estelle had served the Kran family for a long time, being a promising knight with extensive knowledge. She was the only female knight in the family, sent to take care of Ail.
“Why do you talk nonsense?”
“…I didn’t think she’d understand anyway.”
“Use proper honorifics and watch your words. If you intend to be a knight for life, stop acting like a tomboy. Do you want to get kicked out?”
Even among knights, the strained relationship between the duke and duchess was no secret; they merely maintained decorum.
Few suspected them of intimacy, but Estelle knew. Paul could never learn the truth, even in a dream.
Paul muttered.
“Understood…”
“Be extra careful in Salmon Province. If anyone learns the lady is making her first outing, there’ll be trouble. Got it?”
The people of Salmon Province, newly assigned after the war, were stubborn. While the duke could control them, the delicate lady could not.
As a seasoned knight, Estelle was anxious. She had to worry about pirates before arrival, and about unarmed robbers afterward.
No other ships were in sight until they reached the harbor—a relief.
Estelle gently woke the lady who had briefly dozed.
“Ma’am, wake up. We must disembark.”
“Hmm… is it already time?”
Ail awoke groggily. She disembarked with the help of the maid, but exhaustion from several sleepless nights left her weak.
Ironically, it was Riza who restored her energy.
“Hohoho! My niece has already prepared the carriage I’ll transfer to. She’s so eager to do even the smallest favor for me! How shall I repay this kindness? Oh-ho-ho!”
The hearty sound of Riza Giana’s laughter instantly banished Ail’s drowsiness.
Observing the situation, Estelle stepped forward.
“Yes, Lady Viscountess Riza? That carriage is for the lady. Another carriage is behind you; you should take that one.”
“What did you say?”
Riza’s expression hardened at the unexpected statement.
A black carriage adorned with the family crest, luxurious down to its cushions and handkerchiefs. A package of dried fruit for snacking suggested it came from the Kran family’s trading company.
She had planned to ride this carriage through Salmon Province to the Deluys estate first.
The Deluys family wasn’t as prestigious as the duke’s ex-wife, but still notable. And Miriam, the marquis’s daughter, was recently rejected by the crown prince. Hearing this news firsthand would be perfect for Riza’s plan.
Clenching her teeth, Riza’s mood soured—her carefully laid plans for her niece were being interrupted.
“Then where is my carriage?”
“You’ll see it at the back. Please, ma’am. Even if you didn’t get seasick, it’s best to rest briefly before lunch, as your stomach might still feel unsettled.”
