IMCUV | 004

Chapter 4

According to the original novel’s setting, Knox and Stella were childhood betrothed, bound by a formal marriage contract without ever meeting. They had little to no contact afterward.

But when the Viviwood family fell into ruin, Lady Hillary, the real power behind the Betelgeuse family, urged Knox to seek a divorce. Following her wishes, he visited Stella to present her with divorce papers. This led to a hurt Stella dreaming of revenge, heading to the capital to torment the heroine who stayed by Knox’s side.

But something was drastically different.

In the original novel, Knox arrived at the Viviwood mansion safely, without encountering an avalanche, confidently striding up to Stella, a stranger to him, and handing her the divorce papers.

So why did he suddenly get caught in an avalanche and end up injured this time?

Since it deviated from what she knew, it wasn’t surprising that Dayna hadn’t immediately recognized Knox. In the original story, he never faced an avalanche.

Strange. Is my memory just wrong?

Lost in thought with her head tilted, she was interrupted as the door opened and Clian entered, carrying a large kettle of hot water.

“I’ve brought the hot water. I couldn’t find any dry cloths, could you tell me where they are… Huh? Is something wrong?”

Stepping into the room, he noticed Dayna’s uneasy expression and asked in a puzzled tone.

Now that she thought about it, the name Clian sounded familiar too. How did I miss such an important supporting character’s name?

Sighing inwardly, Dayna quickly shook her head and replied, “No! Nothing’s wrong.”

“The room’s still cold, though. We should raise the temperature a bit. Let’s see, the fireplace wood—”

“No fireplace!”

Dayna shouted as Clian moved toward it.

He turned to her with a sympathetic look. “Oh, the mansion must be low on firewood. Don’t worry! I’ll speak to the Duke, and as soon as we return to the capital, we’ll send some over.”

“N-No, that’s not it.”

Dayna glanced awkwardly at Knox’s face.

According to the original novel, he…

“If that’s not it, please help. If the Duke’s temperature drops any further, it could be dangerous.”

“No, I’m not saying I won’t help…”

Ugh, I can’t just blurt it out!

With Knox here, the fireplace was off-limits. They’d have to find another way to raise his body temperature, but what could they possibly use in this dilapidated mansion?

After a moment’s thought, Dayna shouted again at Clian, who was inching toward the fireplace.

“There are plenty of dry cloths in the east linen room on the first floor! For now, grab those, soak them in hot water, and use them to warm the Duke’s body.”

“Oh, yes, understood.”

“And when you’re done, come out to the mansion’s garden! I’ll be waiting there.”

“The garden? In this snow?”

Clian looked at her in shock, but Dayna glared back, eyes wide.

“Just do as I say! And absolutely do not put more wood in the fireplace until I’m back!”

“Y-Yes…!”

“I said absolutely do not!”

Intimidated by her intensity, Clian nodded. After giving him a stern warning, Dayna spun around and dashed down the hallway.

Ugh, even I think this is a crazy idea.

Tonight, it seemed, sleep was out of the question.

* * *

The next morning, Knox Betelgeuse woke with a heavy headache, slowly lifting his eyelids. His body felt as weighed down and stifling as a waterlogged blanket.

“…”

Blinking several times to focus, the first thing he saw was an unfamiliar ceiling. Though clean and well-maintained, the wallpaper was old and worn. The unfamiliar pattern suggested this wasn’t the Betelgeuse estate.

Frowning, he slowly shifted his gaze.

Next, he noticed the bed he lay on, covered with round bundles of various sizes.

Lifting the nearest one, he felt its substantial weight.

…A rock?

More precisely, it was a fist-sized stone, heated and wrapped tightly in clean cloth.

It looked like it could be a suspicious weapon or, perhaps, carefully wrapped food.

What is this…?

Then he remembered, he’d been caught in an avalanche on the way to the Viviwood mansion.

Did Clian bring me here?

He glanced at the fireplace in the corner of the room.

Filled with gray ash, it was cold, as if no fire had been lit for a long time, offering no warmth.

Keeping my temperature up with heated stones instead of a fireplace? Whose idea was this?

“Ugh…”

A faint groan came from somewhere.

Turning toward the sound, he saw a woman slumped over a blanket on a chair, asleep, her small shoulders and head visible. Behind her, Clian was also asleep, leaning against the wall with his mouth open.

A woman?

As his vision cleared, Knox scanned the room and quickly concluded.

This was the Viviwood mansion he’d intended to visit.

Which meant this woman was…

Stella Viviwood.

On paper, at least, she was still his wife. Though not for long, once the divorce was finalized.

Her face was mostly hidden by long hair as she slept slumped over. Staring at her light red locks, he slowly shifted his gaze.

Her arms were crossed like a pillow, and his eyes traced her slender wrist to her clenched fist. He paused, staring.

Her fingertips were smudged with dirt, and her hand was covered in fresh scratches, red and swollen.

What’s this?

Knox tilted his head, quietly studying the recent wounds on her small hand.

“D-Duke…?”

Clian’s groggy voice interrupted.

Waking up, he spotted Knox sitting upright on the bed and leapt to his feet.

Wiping drool from his mouth, he hurried over to Knox.

“Duke! You’re awake? How do you feel? Are you alright?”

“Apart from some aches, I’m fine.”

“Thank goodness! Are you cold? Oh, the stones have cooled… Should I light the fireplace?”

“No, it’s fine.”

“Lady Viviwood was very insistent about not lighting it…”

Knox paused, about to brush it off. Stella Viviwood told him not to light the fire?

Noticing his puzzled expression, Clian glanced quickly at the still-slumped Dayna and whispered, “It seems this mansion is very short on firewood! She was quite sensitive about lighting the fireplace!”

“Really?”

“Yes. But Lady Viviwood took great care of you all night, so it might be good to send some support once we’re back in the capital.”

Care?

The word didn’t align with what he’d heard about Stella Viviwood.

But it didn’t matter much.

“I’d like to wash up.”

“Of course, just a moment! I’ll go heat some water.”

As if he’d already familiarized himself with the mansion while Knox was unconscious, Clian left the room without hesitation. Silence settled over the room again.

Sitting idly, Knox picked up another cloth-wrapped stone and stared at it.

Whose idea was this? There’s no way this is warmer than a fireplace.

His gaze shifted to the cold fireplace.

“Ugh.”

At that moment, the sleeping woman let out a strange sound and jerked her head up.

Raising her upper body, she leaned back in the chair, eyes still closed for a while before slowly opening them.

Her green eyes, initially unfocused, gradually sharpened as she blinked at the air.

Moments later, she turned, noticed Knox awake, and broke into a bright smile, exclaiming, “Oh! You’re awake?”