Chapter 2
The burial ceremony that followed at the cemetery was a quiet one, attended only by the two families.
It was a final farewell in keeping with Diana’s modest way of life.
Seven people dressed in black stood in the ducal family’s graveyard: the Duke of Hydrian — Diana’s husband — and their two children; and from the Count Allison family, the Count and Countess, as well as Diana’s elder brother.
Yes — I was the only outsider permitted to attend the burial.
Once both families, bound by marriage, gathered together, the heavy solemnity from before began to ease slightly.
“Our poor Cassia… what are we to do now?”
The Countess of Allison, Diana’s mother, clung to me and wept as if she might collapse.
“How could this happen to our Diana…? Weren’t you close with her too?”
“I was only her friend, my lady, but she was your daughter.”
As I held the sobbing Countess in my arms, I patted her back gently, offering comfort as best I could. She had always been frail, and I was worried for her.
The truth was, I had always been grateful to those who allowed me to stay close to Diana.
Every member of her family had treated me with kindness.
They were high-ranking nobles — counts and dukes — and could easily have disapproved of a young lady from a lowly family befriending someone of Diana’s status.
Yet they never once looked down on me. Simply because I was Diana’s dear friend, they welcomed me wholeheartedly.
Even now, after her death, that kindness had not changed.
So my affection for them wasn’t born solely out of friendship for Diana. It was for them, too.
“I can’t take Diana’s place, but I’ll visit the Allison estate often. Please, come to me anytime you miss her.”
“Thank you, Cassia. Truly… thank you for being such a good friend to our Diana.”
The Count spoke in a voice thick with grief, patting my shoulder gently.
Diana’s older brother, Michael, stood silently to the side, eyes fixed on the coffin being lowered into the earth.
When the ceremony ended, he escorted his grieving parents toward their carriage, then looked back at me.
“…I’ll see you later. Take care of yourself.”
“Yes. Please look after your parents, Michael.”
His voice trembled with sorrow. I forced the corners of my mouth upward into a faint smile. Then they left.
Soon after, the head maid of the ducal household came to take the two children home.
Despite their young age, the children hadn’t shed a tear. They stood firm through their mother’s entire funeral.
Exhaustion, however, was written all over their faces as they took the maid’s hands and walked back toward the mansion.
It was time for me to return, too. I looked down at Diana’s grave, now nearly covered with soil.
It was time to face reality again. For Diana’s sake — for the friend who had left this world too soon — I had to live well.
Her death was just that — her departure. I refused to crumble. That would be the least respect I could offer to someone who had gone ahead.
As I turned to leave the graveyard, someone called out to me.
“Lady Bennet.”
“Yes? Ah.”
Aksion Hydrian — the Duke of Hydrian. Diana’s husband.
When I turned around, he was standing there, looking at me. It was the first time I had properly seen his face during the entire funeral.
He had always been the kind of man whose looks could easily be described as handsome and refined.
But no matter how fine his features, they could not mask the sorrow of losing the one he loved.
His face was gaunt, half the man he’d once been. His pallor revealed the grief he carried inside.
The only thing that hadn’t changed was his voice — polite and steady, as he spoke to me with formal courtesy.
“It’s nothing serious, but… I’d like to speak with you for a moment.”
“…”
Though we had rarely spoken, I had known him for quite some time — ever since he first began courting Diana.
I had witnessed everything, unintentionally, from the sidelines.
I remembered that day at the academy, when Diana was walking arm-in-arm with me, chattering away.
He had approached us, handed her a letter without a word, and left.
Diana had stared after him, bewildered, the letter in her hands.
I had seen both their faces turn bright red.
Many men had shown interest in Diana back then, but he was the first to approach her so directly.
With a shy expression, he had quietly claimed the place by her side.
Some of his rivals had glared at him in frustration, but none could compete with him.
After all, who could rival the heir of one of the most powerful ducal houses on the continent — the next Duke of Hydrian?
Day by day, letter by letter, their love had blossomed naturally.
Their marriage had followed swiftly, and Diana had joyfully become his bride.
Even after the wedding, his affection for her never waned.
When Diana was pregnant and craving strawberries in the middle of summer, he bought an entire strawberry farm in the north just for her.
Then he took her there himself, letting her stay until she was so surrounded by strawberries she couldn’t even stand the sight of them anymore.
When their child was born, he appointed a deputy to handle his official duties so that he could personally care for the baby.
Others might have seen him as a strict and imposing duke, but as Diana’s closest friend, I knew what kind of man he truly was.
Diana had been his entire world. For her, he would have turned a peaceful nation into ruins without hesitation.
She must have been happy — because she had been with him.
I also knew that inside, he was rotting away with grief. He hadn’t shed a single tear during the funeral, but I could tell — he was the one crying the most, deep down. Even now.
“Yes, Your Grace. Please, go ahead.”
When I nodded, he exhaled deeply before speaking.
“I plan to burn all of my wife’s belongings soon. I… I don’t think I can bear to look at them any longer.”
“…”
“You spent a great deal of time at our estate. I thought perhaps some of your things might have been mixed in with hers. I’d like to ask you to come and sort them out.”
“…Ah. You’re right. I suppose I do have some things there.”
I used to visit the Hydrian estate often, as Diana’s friend.
They even prepared a room for me to stay in whenever I came.
The two children called me ‘Aunt Cassia’ and adored me, and even the Duke himself had always treated me with polite respect.
At the time, I ran a small café on the edge of the duchy, and the children had loved the cakes I made.
“I’ll come and help sort through Diana’s things. And I’ll take the belongings from the room you lent me.”
Now that Diana was gone, it would be hard to visit the estate as before.
He didn’t deny it, but after a pause, he spoke carefully.
“…The children are fond of you, Lady Bennet. Even if we can’t see you as often, I hope things won’t become… uncomfortable.”
“Thank you. I’d actually like to keep seeing them too. I look forward to watching them grow.”
I was grateful for his words. I could no longer see Diana, but at least I could still catch glimpses of her through her children. I had been there since the day they were born, after all.
Diana would never get to see them grow up.
A dull ache pressed against my chest. I bit my lip, frowning slightly. He noticed.
“Are you all right?”
“Ah, yes. Sorry… I was just lost in thought for a moment.”
His gaze softened with quiet melancholy.
“You should rest now, Lady Bennet. You’ve done well, staying through the entire ceremony.”
“Please rest too, Your Grace. And… thank you, for allowing me to see Diana one last time.”
Her death had been so sudden. I had never once imagined that our final meeting would be like this.
It was only thanks to the Duke’s consideration that I’d been able to see her one last time — something I would be forever grateful for.
“I only did what I should. You were one of the people closest to my wife.”
“Thank you. I’ll rest today, and come to the estate tomorrow.”
We exchanged polite farewells. He nodded once and turned away. I called out to him.
“Ah — Your Grace, may I ask you something as well?”
“…?”
He turned back toward me. I hesitated for a moment, then asked,
“About Diana… Did she ever say anything to you about… something like this? About what to do if something were to happen to her?”
It was a question that had weighed on my mind all throughout the funeral.
They’d said she died in a carriage accident.
‘Cassia. Just in case… if I ever die suddenly, please, take care of my family.’
She had said that to me just a few days before the accident.
“I mean… did she ever talk about what to do if she died unexpectedly?”
“…Hmm.”
The Duke looked puzzled, deep in thought, then slowly shook his head.
“No. Nothing like that.”
I studied his face — his eyes showed no trace of deceit, only genuine confusion.
“…I see.”
I nodded quietly, and he gave a small nod in return before walking away.
Was I just being too sensitive? Maybe I was simply exhausted.
Watching his back as he left, I turned and began to walk away myself.
It was time to go home.
After all — today had been, without a doubt, the hardest day of my life.
