Chapter 12
The room I was locked in again was still filthy and bleak.
The funny thing was that only after being left completely alone did I finally have the energy to process the situation.
‘I was too overwhelmed earlier to think, but what exactly is happening right now?’
How could someone who had a funeral come back to life?
It wasn’t surprising that I didn’t recognize my twin sister’s husband, Duke Herman Ernst, at first glance.
After all, he had changed a lot since I last saw him five years ago.
Not only had his features become sharper, but he also carried a heavy, commanding presence. Everything about him felt unfamiliar.
As he had said, he was more of a rigid soldier than a polite nobleman. His straightforward way of speaking, free from the usual social niceties, was like a bullet shooting directly at its target.
And because of that…
‘I couldn’t refute him.’
Herman Ernst warned me that if what I was saying was true, my family, the Seymour household, would also bear heavy responsibility.
It was clear that his anger was justified.
‘Why did I assume he would simply help me?’
The only way out of this situation—the thought that had come to my mind the moment I saw him—had been nothing but a naïve delusion.
Knock, knock.
A knock came from outside the door.
“Madam, it’s Tess. I’ve brought Hoilun with me. May we come in?”
I straightened my posture and allowed them to enter.
The butler and head maid walked in, carrying various items. Hoilun held a thick, sturdy rope, while Tess had a small pouch and a stack of newspapers.
“What… is all this?”
Ignoring my murmurs, they went straight to the window leading to the terrace.
They started tying the rope tightly around the door handle.
“What on earth are you doing?”
“The master ordered us to eliminate all risks as a precaution. I’m sorry, madam,” Hoilun answered politely as he secured the knots.
“Seriously, why did you do such a thing?”
After helping Hoilun, Tess placed the newspapers on the table and began gathering anything remotely sharp from around the room.
“Do you know how much you scared me, madam? I swear, I lost years of my life because of you.”
I weakly protested to their turned backs.
“I wasn’t trying to die, you know.”
They responded with half-hearted acknowledgments, not seeming to believe me at all.
Still, I wanted to offer a sincere apology, so I continued.
“I truly mean it. I deeply regret worrying you both.”
Tess, who had been walking away, suddenly stopped and turned to look at me. She seemed surprised at first, but her expression quickly turned cold.
“We’re just servants. There’s no need for you to apologize to us. That’s not the kind of person you are, madam.”
“Tess.”
Hoilun hurriedly tried to stop her, but it was no use.
“But madam, today of all days… You could’ve at least controlled yourself since the master was coming home.”
Tess let out a deep sigh, her gaze filled with something close to resentment.
“All I wanted was for you to greet him warmly. He’s coming home after five years. He even postponed his victory celebration just to see you first…”
I had never heard that before—that Herman had delayed his welcome ceremony just to see his wife.
The problem was, Tess looked even more bewildered about it than I was.
“I know you must have had a hard time while he was gone. But he survived and came back. So please, gather your strength and be his support.”
It was sincere advice. The only issue was that the real Gloria, the one who should be hearing it, wasn’t here.
“You are his only family now, madam.”
Family.
I turned the word over in my mind. It felt awkward and uncomfortable. Once, I thought family was the most precious thing in the world.
But my twin stole my place. My foolish husband let it happen.
My parents didn’t believe me. And the servants no longer recognized me.
I didn’t even know what to feel toward them anymore.
Anger? Hatred?
Even when those emotions faded, all that remained was an empty void.
“……”
I lowered my head in silence. Tess’s words had been honest, but I couldn’t argue back.
What had Gloria been thinking when she betrayed so many people’s sincerity?
“Enough, Tess. The madam must be exhausted. Let’s go.”
Hoilun placed both hands on Tess’s shoulders and gently urged her away.
Tess left with a final remark, telling me to call if I needed anything.
Though her face was still filled with frustration.
Before closing the door, Hoilun gave me a warm smile.
That gentle expression only made me feel worse.
The next day, I remained locked in my room as usual.
‘Where do I even begin to fix this?’
I reached for the teacup on the table.
I didn’t intend to drink the already cold tea—I was just fidgeting with it, my nerves on edge.
That was when I noticed the newspapers Tess had left behind.
I picked one up without much thought.
I just wanted something to pass the time.
But as soon as I opened the paper, his face appeared again.
[The Hero Returns: An Interview with Herman Ernst]
His black-and-white photo took up almost two full pages.
Maybe because of the lack of color, his striking features stood out even more.
Below the image was a long, standard interview.
Most of it consisted of questions about his time stranded on the island. Herman answered in surprising detail.
[Q: What was the hardest part of living on the island?]
One question in particular caught my eye.
[A: The fear that we might never return. None of the crew showed it openly, but I could feel the despair among them. Those things don’t need to be spoken—they’re felt.]
[Q: What kept you from giving up?]
[A: The families waiting for my crew. I always felt responsible for bringing them home.]
Then came another question.
[Q: Many families of the Navy’s 1st Fleet have gathered in the capital to welcome their loved ones. But I heard you delayed your victory ceremony. Why is that?]
I found myself holding my breath as I read his reply.
[A: Simple. I wanted to return to the person who was waiting for me the most.]
I couldn’t look away from that single sentence.
It clearly showed just how much Herman had longed to reunite with his family.
For some reason, I felt an odd sense of kinship.
We had both put family above all else, only to be betrayed by them.
Tess’s words from yesterday echoed in my mind.
“All he wanted was a simple welcome home.”
Herman Ernst had led his fleet to victory by cutting off enemy supply lines.
Even when their ship was wrecked, he managed to save every one of his men and bring them back.
Welcoming him as my husband felt impossible.
But treating him as a hero?
That, I could do.
‘I need to talk to him. Sitting here won’t solve anything.’
Just then, Tess entered the room.
She mechanically placed my meal on the table, opened the curtains, and tidied up my bed.
I hesitated before finally speaking.
“Tess.”
She stopped and turned to me.
“Can you ask the Duke if he would have dinner with me tomorrow?”
Tess blinked in confusion. “Pardon?”
I pulled out a small bundle from deep inside my drawer and handed it to her.
‘Just in case, I had saved it.’
It was the emergency money my mother had secretly given me before she left.
It was all I had.
Spending it this way felt a bit wasteful, but…
“He’s been through a lot. I want to at least treat him to a proper meal.”
Tess took the heavy bundle, looking utterly stunned.
Meanwhile, Herman flipped through financial reports with irritation.
“Spent this much on that.”
He flipped another page.
“And even more on this.”
His grip tightened on the documents.
By the time he reached the last page, he threw the papers aside.
While he had been risking his life in war, his estate had been drained dry.
The family’s businesses had been taken over by distant relatives.
Their properties, including estates and mines, had long been confiscated.
‘So the real enemy wasn’t outside—it was within.’
His wife, Gloria Ernst, had been recklessly spending for five years.
The records were filled with gambling, parties, luxuries, and more.
The more he read, the more his face burned with anger.
‘She’s lost her mind.’
And then, he suddenly remembered something.
‘Oh, right.’
She was supposed to have gone mad.
