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Chapter 28
“‘Some days she brings four-leaf clovers, other days chestnuts, and yet other days stones that seem to have been picked from a forest stream to Your Excellency. I tried to discern her intentions, but I simply… cannot.’”
Four-leaf clovers, chestnuts, and stones.
But the most absurd part was in the last paragraph:
“‘Your Excellency permits all of these actions.’”
A vision of his grandfather flashed through Theodore’s mind.
The highest mountain, the greatest wall.
He never showed emotion under any circumstance—even at the funeral of his son and daughter-in-law—yet he tolerated this bizarre behavior.
Was it to avoid creating unnecessary complications?
Ah, perhaps…
A hypothesis crossed Theodore’s mind, gaining speed with each passing thought.
Even though there was no formal justification, Veladis would inevitably leave the Ducal Manor.
From the moment the Imperial Guard was expelled from the Ducal Manor—or even from the moment the imperial physician had tried to poison Calips with the intention of overthrowing her—
their marriage could be considered broken.
In truth, it had never been a normal relationship.
They had only held a wedding ceremony; the consummation had never occurred.
Moreover, Calips’s only current option was to resume the mining of purification stones.
Even to carry out a business not sanctioned by the crown, it would be inconvenient to have Veladis, the Emperor’s ear within the manor, present.
A cruelly cold light flashed in his red eyes.
Yes, perhaps…
His grandfather was not merely “tolerating” it; perhaps he was waiting for him to act.
Still, with her husband very much alive, it seemed strange for his great-grandfather to intervene and “sort out” the granddaughter-in-law.
So, her eccentricities were meticulously recorded, line by line.
When he returned, perhaps those records would be handed to him, accompanied by the order: “Handle it.”
The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed, and Theodore laughed softly.
“Seems likely, then.”
His light words and laughter dissipated like a storm in the wind.
The wind wandered through the vast reed fields, spiraled around the unobstructed sky, and finally reached the majestic castle walls, where the wolf’s banner flapped vigorously.
A soldier on the watchtower above the walls noticed a dark line on the horizon.
At first, he thought it was a flock of crows.
But as the line approached, it became clear that it was far more than mere birds.
He ran down the tower, shouting:
“His Grace, the Duke, is coming!”
The massive gate opened.
Theodore and his knights crossed the bustling streets filled with welcoming crowds. The streets ended at a river that ran across the duchy.
Crossing a sturdy arched bridge over the narrow river, they entered a road lined with dozens of centuries-old, towering trees.
Halfway along the scenic tree-lined avenue,
at the end of the green path, the castle shimmered gold like a mirage.
Calips’s heart gleamed in the setting sun.
Among the servants who had rushed out at the sudden news of Theodore’s return, men in black suits bowed deeply.
“You’ve returned, Your Grace, the Duke.”
Edwin greeted Theodore respectfully as he strode toward the castle.
“The afternoon audience is just concluding; we’ll escort you to your office.”
The early return of the Duke ignited a flurry of activity in the Fillmore household.
While Edwin greeted him, the head maid was busy instructing for the evening dinner and overseeing the castle.
Upon entering the main gate, Countess Fillmore, standing against the lined-up servants, bowed formally.
“Welcome, Your Grace, the Duke. We are delighted to see you return safely.”
For the first time in a long while, sincere emotion touched the man’s eyes, which usually carried only a hollow smile.
The head maid had cared for him since childhood.
“Judging by the Countess’s expression, the Ducal Manor seems to be safe.”
“Your Grace’s wife did not receive prior notice and could not come. Once she learns of your arrival, she will be overjoyed.”
A perfunctory courtesy he had heard countless times on her comings and goings.
Theodore let it slide with a faint smile.
Exiting through the back gate to head toward the office, a familiar courtyard appeared.
The courtyard was quiet to the point of emptiness—not a single ant stirred.
As he walked halfway along the gravel path, the only sound was the crunching of boots.
Thump, thump, thump.
“?”
At the turn leading to the rear garden, suddenly a ball, the size of an apple, rolled toward him.
Covered in dirt and scuffed in multiple places, the ball rolled crookedly, stopping, absurdly, right in front of Theodore.
A single dirty ball dared to block the path of Theodore Calips, whom no one could obstruct.
“Hey! Who dares—!”
A knight following behind shouted sternly, bending to pick up the ball.
“Woof!”
They didn’t know that recently, a creature indifferent to Theodore Calips had been living in the castle.
“…A dog…”
Hector, foam at the mouth, stared blankly at the small dog running at him, muttering and instinctively checking with Edwin.
“A dog, right?”
“…Don’t ask.”
The small white dog, running fiercely, bared its teeth at the knight holding the ball, demanding its return.
Just as the knight looked down in astonishment,
“Ke, Kero-yaa!”
A short child’s cry rang out across the courtyard.
Theodore’s red eyes lifted.
“Kero-yaa, come back!”
“Ron! Shhh!”
“Aunt Susan said we must be quiet and not make noise!”
“Eee!”
At the entrance to the garden, children—presumably servants’ offspring—hid, comforting the smallest child.
Hector stared at Edwin as if to ask, What is going on? but Edwin had no intention of answering.
They would soon understand without being told.
At that moment, the dog, which had been growling as if demanding the ball, perked its ears as if hearing something.
Turning swiftly, it ran toward the children as if forgetting its obsession with the ball.
The path the dog ran along was bathed in the red sunset.
Its shadow stretched long toward the glowing horizon.
“Ah!”
From among the hiding children came a cry of astonishment.
One child jumped up, pointing, shouting:
“The Duchess!”
Theodore’s red eyes softened as they observed the orange-tinged mist.
One by one, the children looked back, raised their arms, and ran into the sunset, waving as if greeting a friend.
“The D-Duchess!”
“The Duchess!”
The courtyard emptied of children, leaving only the awkward silence of adults.
“…The Duchess?”
Hector muttered, unable to believe his ears.
The children’s chatter from beyond the reddish glow made the silence of the courtyard even more pronounced.
And then, like a miracle, a figure emerged from the orange mist.
She seemed to have been playing in the sunset.
Her hair was messy, dyed crimson by the dying sun.
Her face, flushed like it had ripened under the autumn sun.
She held a large bundle of wildflowers, as if she had spent the whole afternoon making bouquets.
And then, suddenly, she stopped walking.
“….”
“……”
In the thick light, almost dreamlike, their gazes met.
Her pink eyes, tinged by the sunset, gradually widened.
“…Huh?”
A sound of recognition escaped, and Theodore slowly slid both hands into his pockets.
The laughter that once came so easily did not surface.
After nearly a month and a half, he was face-to-face with his wife—
and she truly looked like a stranger.
