CHAPTER 39
Having come to a realization, Etisha turned to face Kaien. He had been standing beside her the entire time.
“Your Grace. Let’s return to Wintel Castle.”
“…Miss Etisha?”
“No, it doesn’t have to be the castle. Let’s go somewhere—anywhere—that’s wide and open.”
Etisha, unusually, voiced her own opinion to Kaien.
It was the first time she’d made such a firm request, except for when she had initially proposed their contract marriage.
“The party can wait… Right now, I want to sing. I want to sing more.”
“…”
“I want to sing freely. Without any interruptions.”
Kaien read the determination in Etisha’s blue eyes.
A small ember hidden beneath the ashes, which he thought had long since gone cold.
Even in the face of death, Etisha had appeared indifferent—but in truth, a fire still burned inside her.
“…Very well. Let’s go back.”
Kaien escorted Etisha out of the party hall.
Just before they left, his gaze briefly met Dite’s, who stood there, dazed. Her face had gone pale, and she could only watch the two of them silently walk away.
A carriage bearing the crest of the House of Wintel departed.
Inside, Etisha’s heart still raced, even as the Montmad estate faded into the distance.
After singing the Song of Spring, it truly felt like spring had arrived. Her heart felt so warm it was as if it were blooming with flowers.
“I’m sorry for asking so suddenly, Your Grace.”
“A sudden request?”
“I told you I’d attend the party, and then I just up and left like this. I could’ve stayed longer, really…”
“You worry too much. Even if you had wanted to stay, I would’ve taken us away first.”
Though her decision to sing had shifted the tide of the situation, Kaien had not forgotten Countess Montmad’s rudeness.
And then there was Dite…
Kaien could see through the Countess’s ploy—to use Dite to undermine Etisha, the soon-to-be bride. Naturally, he had no reason to remain in such a place any longer.
“We’ll need to reconsider our dealings with House Montmad.”
All of the Northern economy—mining, logistics, production, even construction—was under the control of House Wintel, Kaien’s house. Cutting just a few ties would bring the Countess begging.
“Still… I’m glad I had the chance to sing.”
Truthfully, if not for the Countess’s scheming, Etisha never would have thought to sing at all.
A blessing in disguise. What the Countess had intended as humiliation became the catalyst for Etisha’s self-discovery.
Kaien, seeming to understand her thoughts, simply nodded.
“I won’t deny it. You were remarkable.”
Kaien recalled the powerful way Etisha had sung. Just as the audience had been moved, he too had been deeply affected by her voice.
Even now, the memory impressed him.
“…That makes me happy to hear.”
Etisha smiled, brushing her hair back. Then, for a moment, her eyes met Kaien’s across from her in the carriage.
Her blue eyes and his jet-black ones met and lingered.
“…”
What they were thinking, or if they could even think clearly at all in that moment—they simply gazed at one another in silence.
The carriage began to slow.
But they had not arrived at Wintel Castle.
Instead, they reached a wide snow-covered field. Beyond it stood a forest of bare trees, and deeper still, a small cabin.
Even after the carriage stopped, the two of them kept looking into each other’s eyes.
“…We’ve arrived,” Kaien said, finally breaking eye contact.
“Ah, yes…”
Only then did Etisha turn her head and answer. Her throat felt dry.
Though the North was covered in snow, it felt like she was in the middle of a desert.
“This isn’t… Wintel Castle, is it?”
Stepping down from the carriage with Kaien’s help, Etisha finally took in their surroundings.
Far off in the distance, she could still see the sharp silhouette of the black castle, so they hadn’t gone too far.
“No. You said you wanted to sing freely, without interruptions.”
“…?”
“This place is completely empty.”
Kaien led Etisha through the snow-covered field. The coachman and carriage waited in the distance, not following them.
“Your Grace? Where are we going?”
He led her toward the woods filled with bare trees.
Snow blanketed the branches and the ground so thickly that it was hard to tell if there was a path at all.
But as they ventured deeper, a small cabin came into view. A quaint house built from logs.
What stood out was that it had been built atop a large tree.
“I used to come here as a child,” Kaien said casually. But Etisha could tell this was a secret place from his youth.
“I’d often take a horse from the castle and spend time here. I believe it’s still sturdy enough for two people.”
With Kaien’s help, Etisha climbed up into the treehouse.
She opened a small arched door—and inside, it was unexpectedly warm.
Like the marital bedroom at Wintel Castle, there must’ve been magic here too.
“Your Grace, this is…”
Etisha couldn’t hide her amazement as she looked around.
The small log cabin bore the marks of time. There wasn’t much furniture, just a single blanket laid across the floor… but it was lovely all the same.
“It’s… really nice.”
She spoke her thoughts shyly.
Perhaps misunderstanding her reaction, Kaien lowered his gaze.
“I know. It’s quite small. Crude, even. If it’s uncomfortable, we can return to Wintel Castle right away.”
Etisha shook her head quickly.
“No! Not at all. I really do like it. I was just… too surprised to know what to say.”
“…”
“It might sound strange, but this place makes me feel at peace. It’s cozy. It’s just… nice.”
“…”
Etisha walked over and opened the cabin’s window.
The long-unused window creaked as it groaned open.
Outside were snow-covered branches and a distant, sprawling horizon. It was the perfect view to sing to.
“Actually, I used to practice swordsmanship alone in these woods when I was young. When you said you wanted somewhere with no distractions, this cabin was the first place I thought of.”
Kaien stood beside her, speaking quietly.
“Even I had forgotten about it for a long time.”
“Oh…”
“Hearing you sing… it just came back to me, suddenly. Ahem.”
He cleared his throat awkwardly and trailed off.
“Never mind. Forget I said anything.”
What nonsense was he even saying?
“In any case, I’m glad you like it. If you ever need a place to be alone, feel free to use this cabin anytime.”
“…”
“It’s not being used by anyone anymore, after all…”
Etisha’s eyes curved into a soft smile.
Instead of replying with words, she began to sing a short melody.
No lyrics—just a hum. But it was enough to fill the tiny, abandoned cabin nestled in the snowy wilderness.
Etisha’s eyes shone with dazzling vibrance.
It was clear now: she had fully reclaimed something within her heart—something she had long forgotten.
Kaien quietly watched her profile.
His dark eyes, calm and focused.
He just watched.
The Ignevan Empire. Capital.
The front doors of the Heinz estate burst open with a bang.
“Ugh! I’m so pissed off!”
Larienne stormed in, her fiery red hair flying behind her. She shoved away the maid who tried to take her coat and headed straight upstairs.
“Mother! Mom!”
She yelled for Dorothea, the mistress of House Heinz.
Hearing her daughter’s shouting, Dorothea hurried over.
“Yes, yes, I’m here, Larie. What’s the matter?”
“Mother! Still no letter for me?”
“Well, the thing is…”
“No invitation?!”
“Larie…”
Dorothea smiled awkwardly. She knew exactly why her daughter was in such a foul mood.
“What is this?! You told me to trust you! You said you’d handle everything! So why hasn’t Tisha contacted me yet?!”
Larienne was so frustrated she felt like slamming her head into a wall.
Etisha.
Tisha.
Her cute, lovable, living doll—made to exist for her alone.
A toy that never got boring.
It had already been two weeks since Etisha left for the North, and not a single message.
Larienne was going insane.
“Do you know what people in society say about me now that Tisha’s gone? They treat me like some dumb, uneducated, broken noblewoman!”
“Larie, please calm down. Change your clothes, drink some water—”
“No! I don’t care what those idiots say about me. But Tisha is different!”
“…”
“Tisha is mine! She’s supposed to be with me!”
Unable to contain her fury, Larienne screamed. Even Dorothea could no longer calm her.
Until now, she had always managed to coax her daughter by promising she’d bring Etisha back. But it was no longer working.
Then Larienne’s eyes gleamed with a dark light.
“…Mother. Did you hear the news?”
“N-news?”
Dorothea clung to her daughter and shook her head, terrified Larienne might lose control and harm herself.
“House Wintel sent out wedding invitations. Society is buzzing.”
“Ah…”
“Everyone’s going to Tisha’s wedding. Everyone.”
“Larie, no… you’re not thinking…”
“I’m going too.”
“Larienne! You can’t!“
“I am going. You can’t stop me this time.”
“I said no! If I must—I’ll lock you in your room again—”
Larienne’s icy blue eyes burned like fire.
“Don’t stop me. If you lock me up again, I’ll bite my tongue and kill myself.”
“W-what?! How can you say such things?! Are you trying to tear your mother’s heart apart?!”
“If you don’t want to find my corpse in my room, then don’t stop me.”
Larienne had already made up her mind.
She would go North.
She would find Tisha.
And she would bring her back.
But if I fail again…
She clenched her teeth.
If I fail again… then…
Her twisted love had blackened, turned into something vile and destructive.
Then I’ll abandon this family too. And I’ll live in the North with Tisha.
Until the day Etisha dies.
I won’t ever leave her again.
