Episode 90

“Did you really hear that?”

Aria’s eyes lit up as she questioned the maid.

“…Yes. I’m not completely sure, but…”

The maid trembled. She was the one who had been sent to Mindia’s villa as a spy on Aria’s orders some time ago.

“You’re saying they really mentioned the mine?”

“I definitely heard the word mine! I’m sorry, I don’t know exactly what they were talking about.”

Today, she had been ordered to follow Mindia. But even as she did, something didn’t feel right.

‘Miss Aria has… changed.’

It was a common whisper among all the maids who served Aria these days.

They quietly shared their experiences with one another, and the doubt only grew. Their angelic young lady seemed… different somehow.

The decisive moment came not long ago—one of Aria’s maids had disappeared.

It was only after the fact that they learned she had been ordered to “take care of” the child brought to the ducal house—and that the order had tormented her. In the end, she vanished with the child. No one knew where they had gone.

‘Ordering someone to kill a child… that’s just wrong.’

The series of recent events in the duke’s house, coupled with Aria’s subtle changes, deeply disturbed the maid.

As a result, she had been unable to carry out her assigned task properly. Anxiety gnawed at her the entire time. She even lost track of Mindia during the auction.

Then, the bell rang, signaling the start of the performances.

‘Oh no!’

That’s when she finally remembered what her lady had planned during the High Mass.

Fortunately, Mindia returned to the auction hall, and the maid was able to tail her all the way to the Grand Duke’s carriage.

The Grand Duke’s carriage was well-soundproofed; from a normal distance, no conversation could be heard. Just as she distractedly approached and pressed herself close to the carriage—

‘…mine’s… documents…’

Mine?

She wanted to hear more, but there were too many eyes watching.

Still, she lingered around the carriage, circling it a few times—then, finally, took the risk of pressing her ear against the door.

‘…I’ll return it to you.’

…Mine? Return it to you?

‘No way…’

As the maid strained to connect the pieces, the carriage door suddenly burst open.

‘You!’

She ran like mad. Fortunately, no one grabbed her.

After running for some time, she arrived at the Grand Temple, where Aria—dressed exquisitely—was waiting.

“You’re saying Mindia told His Grace she would return the mine to him?”

Aria’s eyes sparkled. If there was one major mine tied to the ducal house, she knew which it was.

“She’s planning to steal the northern mine deed and hand it over to the Grand Duke. It has to be.”

“C-Could that really be it…?”

“Of course. That girl’s good at stealing. She probably took the documents ahead of time.”

Aria bit her fingernail.

“You go tell Father right now. Tell him that Mindia’s trying to betray the ducal house—that she’s stealing the deed to the northern mine and plans to hand it to the Grand Duke.”

“B-But will His Grace believe me?”

A primal doubt stirred in the maid’s heart.

‘How could Lady Mindia, who’s been away at the villa all this time, have stolen such documents?’

But that question was not allowed.

“Are you saying Father won’t believe me?”

“……!”

“Seems you still don’t see me as the true young lady of this house.”

“N-No, never, my lady!”

The maid panicked and ran off. In the distance, the bell announcing the end of the performances rang.

Aria gently stroked the item tucked in her sleeve—the one she planned to present during the High Mass.

“Everything’s falling into place perfectly.”

A bright smile bloomed on her beautiful face.

“Isn’t it, Mindia?”

* * *

“I don’t know if this is going to be okay…”

I whispered anxiously as I sat in the carriage provided by the boutique. Marie, who was busy adjusting my dress, shook her head.

“His Grace said it would be fine, so it will be.”

“But what if that maid was someone’s spy…?”

The maid who had run off earlier was still bothering me.

Considering she’d lingered near the carriage, there was a real chance she had overheard our conversation.

“Maybe we should cancel the engagement immediately and go after her?”

Marie looked horrified at my suggestion, but I stood firm.

“The engagement isn’t what matters right now. What if she heard something she shouldn’t have?”

“How can you say it’s not important! You and His Grace have been planning this for so long!”

Marie screamed and then lowered her voice.

“I understand how you feel, but this time… please trust His Grace.”

“It’s not that I don’t trust him…”

“You don’t think he’d notice a maid snooping around the carriage?”

Marie’s confident point was valid.

Chris was an extremely perceptive and seasoned swordsman. He would’ve known from the beginning that a maid was lurking nearby. After all, it was Chris who first pointed out the presence of another maid.

“He must’ve only said the important things once he was sure she couldn’t hear them.”

“…You think so?”

“And besides, the Grand Duke’s carriage is soundproof. In case spies come near.”

“That’s true, but still…”

Marie firmly smoothed out the hem of my dress just as the carriage came to a stop. We had arrived at the back passage to the Grand Temple.

“Don’t worry about anything else—just focus on the engagement.”

Just as I was about to argue how I could possibly do that, the carriage door opened. It was the side passage that led to the plaza where the High Mass was taking place.

“This way!”

Marie whispered and gave me a smile.

“You look absolutely beautiful today.”

“Thanks for at least saying that.”

“I mean it.”

As we moved down the passage, we could see the high priests clearing the platform ahead of the mass. Nobles with announcements to make were stepping up one by one, their names already on the list.

“Our daughter, recently married, has given birth to an heir. The couple lives in the countryside, so there won’t be a celebration, but…”

“Our third son was ordained a priest just recently. If anyone would like to greet him…”

Soon, it would be our turn. As I turned my head and looked toward the end of the passage—

“…Mindia.”

Chris, who had arrived early and was waiting for me, looked slightly startled when he saw me. There was a hint of daze in his gaze.

“Did you wait long, Your Grace?”

Wearing my white dress and lifting my veil slightly, I spoke to him.

He, too, wore a white ceremonial uniform that matched mine.

Unlike the summer version I’d seen at the villa, this one was sharp and dignified, the embroidery of the Elzerian crest traced in golden thread.

I gave him my honest impression.

“…You look beautiful.”

Perhaps not the sort of compliment suited to a man like him, but there were no other words I could find. Chris didn’t answer at first, then silently reached out his hand.

“You, more than anyone, are beautiful.”

He smiled as he spoke, and his face lit up. I looked into his sparkling eyes, catching the light filtering through the passageway, and had to resist the sudden urge to throw myself into his arms.

“…The Grand Duke Elzerian has something to announce.”

The priest’s voice rang out. Placing my ringed hand on top of his, I stepped forward with him.

Whoosh. The air changed.

The people who had been chatting and laughing went silent as we stepped onto the platform. Some looked stunned, others reacted as if they had expected this.

“The Grand Duke… with Lady Reinhardt…?”

“Their clothes…”

“Could it be?”

Among the murmurs, Chris held my hand firmly and stepped forward.

His voice, powerful even without effort, rang out over the silent crowd.

“Today, we have come here to receive your blessings.”

There was an audible gasp from the audience.

“Oh my, how romantic.”

“Did they get permission from the families?”

Among the crowd, I spotted Reisha, eyes gleaming at the prospect of a headline, and beside her, Countess Claire and Helena, both wearing expressions of “I knew it.”

“Though we met for the first time at the start of this year’s winter and shared a short, if brief, time together… I became certain during that time.”

Chris continued. I swallowed nervously.

All we had left to do was make the announcement and bring forward the priest prepared to officiate the engagement—and it would be done.

I was just readying myself to smile when—

“I thought… maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to spend the rest of my life with this person.”

That wasn’t part of the lines we had agreed on.

This time, I drew a sharp breath.

“…Your Grace?”

Even at my soft whisper, Chris kept speaking.

“I would like her name to bear Elzerian, not Reinhardt.”

A joyful squeal rose from somewhere in the crowd. My ears buzzed.

I watched as Chris slowly knelt before me on one knee, like a scene in slow motion.

My heart was racing so fast it felt like it might stop.

Chris.

This wasn’t just a strategic engagement…

Chris brought my hand to his lips and kissed it long and gently.

“Your Grace.”

“I thought… maybe you already knew.”

“……”

“That you might already know my feelings.”

My heart stung as if it were being pierced.

Chris’s lips brushed softly over my hand again, warmth lingering as if it would never leave.

“I’ve never hidden my feelings.”

‘One Reinhardt by my side is enough. Whatever that means.’

‘You’re all I need. I don’t need anyone else…’

A voice from long ago flashed through my mind—and was soon overtaken by Chris’s voice in the present.

“I still haven’t changed.”

“……”

“Every time I feel you walking by my side…”

Again, my hearing blurred. A surge of something I couldn’t name—joy or sorrow—swelled inside me, threatening to burst.

“I become more certain I could walk with you for the rest of my life.”

My thoughts started to spread out on their own.

That I wanted to stay by your side too. That if you would allow it, I’d walk with you always.

It was the moment I realized—I had wanted this desperately.

But just as I opened my mouth to answer—

A voice echoed in my mind.

‘Sometimes, things are so precious that you have no choice but to let them go.’

‘Don’t you have something like that, my lady?’