Chapter 09
During the carriage ride, I did nothing but sleep, eat, and stare blankly, over and over again. By the time we arrived at the duke’s estate, I could no longer tell what was a dream and what was reality.
“Tsk. This is just…”
My father clicked his tongue in disapproval. My mother, standing beside him, was too shocked to speak.
“Oh my…”
The towering spires and sturdy drawbridge stood as proof of the duke’s past glory. But now, everything was crumbling. The place looked so abandoned, that it was hard to believe anyone still lived here.
But none of that mattered to me. I simply gazed at the highest point of the castle with empty eyes.
“To leave you in a place like this… God is truly heartless. I pray for you dozens of times every day, and yet He still allows such hardship…”
My mother sobbed. She had never worried about me like this when I was still “Marieanne.”
‘When I was younger, I used to envy Gloria because our mother always worried about her.
I even acted out just to get attention… but I quickly gave up.’
Now, it was ironic that I was receiving that same concern—just under a different name. I let out a dry laugh without realizing it.
“This isn’t much, but it should help.”
My mother slipped a heavy pouch into my hands.
“My dear, just hold on a little longer. When your father calms down, we will come to visit you.”
“Hurry, Louisa. We must leave before nightfall.”
My father had no intention of staying here any longer than necessary.
“I know, stop rushing me. At least let me say goodbye.”
Reluctantly, my mother hurried her steps.
“Eat well, Gloria.”
Before I could even properly say farewell, my parents’ carriage drove away.
I stood in front of the castle, watching as the carriage grew smaller and smaller until it disappeared completely.
“My lady, we have prepared a place for you to rest. Please, come inside.”
The old butler of the duke’s estate bowed deeply to me.
“You must be hungry, so let’s have a meal first…”
“No.”
I firmly cut him off.
“I just want to sleep. For a very, very long time.”
One Week Later, in the Imperial Capital
[The Lost War Hero, Herman Ernst, Returns to the Capital]
[26 Soldiers Stranded on an Island: The Survival Story of Commander Ernst]
Every major newspaper featured Herman Ernst’s face on the front page.
Reports about the miraculous return of the war hero spread rapidly, and letters of celebration poured in from all over the empire.
“This feels surreal. I never thought I’d see your smug face again. I heard you went through hell, but you look even better than before.”
Emperor Castro III couldn’t hide his joy. It was difficult to contain his excitement at the return of his old friend and most trusted general.
“I was devastated at the thought of losing one of the empire’s greatest men. But now that you’re back, I couldn’t be happier.”
“You flatter me, Your Majesty.”
“This is a secret, but after we held your funeral, I was too heartbroken to focus on state affairs. The Treasury Minister even scolded me for it during meetings.”
The emperor’s chatter seemed endless.
But Herman, sitting with perfect posture, appeared lost in thought. He absentmindedly spun his teacup and kept his eyes lowered, as if deep in contemplation.
The emperor finally cleared his throat and regained his composure.
“The victory parade is being prepared in your honor, though it’s a bit rushed. We were thinking of holding it next week so you can have some time to rest.”
Herman remained silent for a moment.
“Thank you, Your Majesty. However, if possible, I’d like to delay the parade.”
“Hmm? Why is that?”
The emperor tilted his head in confusion.
This was the perfect moment to celebrate his miraculous return. The families of the returning soldiers had gathered in the capital for this very occasion.
But Herman seemed to have other priorities.
Even during their private meeting, he appeared distracted—lost in thought. He spun his teacup unnecessarily and occasionally closed his eyes as if remembering something.
After a moment of hesitation, the emperor urged him for an answer.
Herman gave a small smile and finally spoke.
“People are waiting for me at the duchy.”
“Ah, I see. Well, if someone is waiting for you, then of course—”
The emperor nodded but suddenly paused.
He realized who Herman was referring to.
‘Oh no… he hasn’t heard the rumors yet.’
Recently, strange stories had been spreading in high society about the Duchess of Ernst.
‘They say she’s half-mad, pretending to be her twin sister, and that she was cast out after trying to take her place.’
Her family had been trying to suppress the rumors, but the damage had already been done.
At tea parties, the mere mention of the name “Gloria” made Countess Drake flinch.
When asked about it, she simply shook her head and burst into tears.
Society ladies, sensing something amiss, dug into the matter until they uncovered the full story.
It was said that Countess Drake even begged them to keep quiet about it.
‘How tragic. The poor woman still defends her insane twin.’
The emperor sighed.
As the leader of the Imperial faction, Herman had risked everything to fight in the war.
Though his motivations were not purely patriotic, his contribution was undeniable.
The emperor felt indebted to him.
But even as emperor, it was difficult to meddle in a married couple’s private matters.
“Herman.”
“Yes, Your Majesty?”
“I’m not sure how to say this… but you haven’t seen your wife since your wedding, right? That’s been five years now.”
“That’s correct.”
Their marriage had been rushed due to his sudden deployment.
Some even speculated that they had never shared a proper wedding night.
“You’ve been away for a long time, so I understand if you don’t know. And with your return, you’ve had a lot on your mind.”
The emperor hesitated but finally decided to speak.
“Herman, there are troubling rumors about the duchess.”
“You mean the rumors about my wife’s madness?”
Herman’s expression didn’t change at all.
“…You already know?”
“Yes. People say…”
The emperor swallowed hard.
“That my wife has gone mad.”
Despite the shocking nature of the words, Herman remained completely unfazed.
‘Now this… this is the war hero of our empire.’
The emperor sighed.
“This isn’t my place to interfere, but if you want, I can help you arrange an annulment.”
“There’s no need. I have no intention of doing that.”
Herman dismissed the offer without hesitation, taking a sip of tea.
Five years.
Five long years she spent alone in an unfamiliar land, without her husband.
He could imagine how difficult that must have been.
So, if she had gone mad—well, it was understandable.
‘But really, how mad could she be?’
He had seen countless men lose their minds in war. He had led those broken soldiers and brought them home safely.
Compared to that, how bad could one woman’s madness possibly be?
Besides, she was still his wife.
She had stayed faithful to him, even after hearing the news of his supposed death.
“I’ll take responsibility for her.”
The emperor studied Herman’s face.
Something was chilling about his expression, even though his words sounded devoted.
Herman downed the rest of his tea in one go.
“She’ll come to her senses once she realizes her husband is alive.”
Then, as if it were nothing, he calmly added:
“Though strangely, it seems the news of my return hasn’t reached the duchy yet. I suppose their telegram system is outdated.”
