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Chapter 16
After safely returning to the Grand Duke’s castle, Psyche welcomed a peaceful evening.
As usual, she dined alone and took a walk around the glass conservatory.
Then she idled away the time, waiting for the Grand Duke to visit her that night.
Back in her room, Psyche repeatedly opened and closed her eyes, her body growing sluggish and heavy as if sinking to the floor.
“…My body feels heavy.”
She still hadn’t changed out of her outdoor clothes after the outing.
Because her return was later than expected, she had eaten dinner still dressed in her outing attire.
If her father—who emphasized proper etiquette—had been present, such behavior would never have been allowed. But in the Grand Duke’s castle, no one paid attention to Psyche.
“Aside from Marie, no one even makes eye contact with me…”
They drifted around Psyche like air.
And no matter what order Psyche gave, they would carry it out in silence—as if gladly willing to obey their master’s will.
Psyche sighed softly. Her body sagged.
For some reason, she kept feeling the urge to lie down on the bed.
And yet, despite being home for quite some time, she was still in her outing dress.
She had also spent time idly.
Those two things alone were already enough of a deviation for Psyche. Her actions went against the etiquette her father had always spoken of.
“I should get up now.”
Psyche recalled her father’s face.
Though he was no longer by her side, the promise she made to him still remained deeply rooted in her heart.
She got up and walked toward the drawer beside the bed.
It held the fullness of her emotions.
Sadness, joy, longing—emotions too numerous to take out and display.
Clatter—As the drawer opened, a cloud of dust billowed into the air.
Coughing softly, Psyche picked up a bundle of letters kept in a wooden box.
And she began to read the one on the top.
—
[My beloved daughter, Psyche.]
It was a letter from her father.
As soon as she read the first line, a sting rose in her throat. For some reason, her chest ached, and she bit her lower lip hard.
—
[This is already the twelfth letter. Today, for the twelfth time, this father of yours has once again reflected on his love for his daughter.]
The elegant handwriting bore traces of hesitation.
In some places, the ink had blotted where the pen tip lingered too long.
Psyche felt both sorrow and frustration at those marks. She kept gently brushing her fingertips over them.
Once again, she couldn’t bring herself to finish reading the letter.
Holding the bottom of the page in one hand, Psyche exhaled slowly and brought the other hand to her neck.
Instead of a pendant, her necklace held a ring.
The ring was the symbol of the Clemente Viscount family—an heirloom that only the family head could possess.
She reached to touch the part where the ring should hang. Or, rather, tried to.
As she groped at her neck, she suddenly froze.
“…The ring.”
It was gone.
She clearly remembered seeing it on the necklace before she went out.
Psyche had always kept the ring close to her heart so that she wouldn’t forget her dream.
She believed that as long as she didn’t forget, one day, she could reclaim that dream.
—
“Psyche, whatever decision you make, I will trust and support you.”
—
That memory echoed in her mind, and Psyche sank weakly to the floor.
It had been the season when summer was ending.
The skies were clear, the heat had faded, and pure white clouds drifted on the breeze.
She couldn’t remember her father’s expression as he held her hand and gave her his final words of advice.
—
“There may be times when you can’t make the wisest choice. But remember this, Psyche: you don’t have to despair. As long as you don’t give up, what you earnestly desire will eventually come into your hands.”
—
If you sincerely wish for something, eventually, it will be yours.
At that time, hearing her father’s words that felt like magic, Psyche had earnestly prayed that she could restore the family’s honor with her own hands.
—
“You don’t have to succeed perfectly. Just do your best. The reason I’m giving you the family ring today is because I hope it will mark the beginning of you giving your all to life.”
—
The ring—symbol of the head of the Clemente family.
A promise to live and die for the family.
That memory had taken deep root in Psyche’s heart and stayed with her for a long time.
At first, she had thought the ring simply meant she was named as head of the family.
But that wasn’t all.
The moment she received that ring, she had also been acknowledged by her father.
“Father…”
Psyche traced the spot where the ring should have been.
She had strung the ring onto the necklace so she could always carry it with her. Since then, the ring had never once left her neck.
She had come to think of the necklace as a part of her own body.
Maybe that’s why she hadn’t noticed it was missing until now.
Snapping back to her senses, Psyche stood still for a moment, then quickly shook off her daze. Scolding herself wouldn’t help. What’s done is done.
“Where could I have lost it?”
She had spent a good amount of money to get a strong necklace. It had never broken before.
As she carefully retraced the day’s events, a sudden thought made her breath catch.
“…Aster.”
The man she had met by chance when she got lost. The strange time they spent together. The scarf swept away by the wind.
…And the pleasant scent that lingered from the soft scarf he had gently tied around her neck.
Psyche gave up trying to piece it together. All she could think about was his face.
“I need to go back to the teahouse.”
She checked the time and pulled the cord to summon her maid, Marie.
—
—
Marie seemed to sense that the moment she’d been dreading had finally come. As she entered Psyche’s room, a tense air surrounded her.
“Marie.”
“…My lady.”
Their voices overlapped by a heartbeat.
Psyche stayed quiet to give Marie a chance to speak first.
When Psyche had arrived at the Grand Duke’s castle, Marie had already returned before her.
It was because the messenger had safely found Psyche after she got lost, but Marie still looked as though she felt guilty.
Silence hung between them.
Psyche waited for Marie to speak first out of consideration—but in the end, she broke the silence herself.
“Marie, were you surprised earlier when I suddenly disappeared? I’m sorry—I’m sure it made you worry. I was afraid you’d suffer searching for me in this cold weather.”
Psyche gave her a soft smile. In the warm room, her flushed cheeks had a gentle glow.
“It’s my fault for not staying by your side, my lady. You’re unfamiliar with this place, and I should have been more attentive.”
Marie, still standing stiffly at the door, replied while nervously fidgeting with her clasped hands.
“But I returned safely. Please don’t blame yourself. Anyway… it’s getting late. I should start getting ready.”
Psyche glanced at the table clock by the window and smiled awkwardly.
Evening had passed into the deep night. She had to head to the Grand Duke couple’s bedroom at the usual hour.
Smiling brightly, Psyche rose to put away the letter she had been reading.
As she moved, Marie’s gaze followed.
Another silence settled between them—until Marie finally spoke.
“…My lady, do you truly believe you’ve never met the Grand Duke before?”
