Chapter 5: Deep Sorrow

Lowering his gaze, Heinrich continued speaking.

“…I ended up accusing Cecilia, who had done nothing wrong… At the very least, I wanted to apologize and make amends, but when I heard from Arthur that there had been no reply to the letter…”

“Wait a moment. A letter? Hans, was there a letter addressed to Cecilia?”

Leonhardt had not been aware that a letter had been sent by Arthur.

It was true that Leonhardt himself had given the instruction that “there is no need to report anything unless there is a problem,” but even so, if a letter had arrived from the Ashford Ducal House, it was something he should have known.

“…Yes. I received it once and handed it to Madam, but she said, ‘If any more letters arrive from the Ashford Ducal House, they may not even be worth using as firewood, but use them as you see fit,’ and that ‘there is no need to inform either myself or my lord.’”

The three of them were shocked to learn that Cecilia had even refused to accept the letters.

“…Because we couldn’t believe in Cecilia… she must resent us…”

A murmur of “Naturally…” slipped out, filled with Arthur’s anguish, echoing quietly through the office.

At the same time as learning the truth, Leonhardt felt a sharp pain in his chest at the weight of his own mistakes.

“Margrave Trevant… how is Cecilia doing now…?”

Arthur’s face, as he asked this, was that of a brother genuinely worried for his sister.

“…There is something I must tell you as well…”

Leonhardt recounted everything that had happened from the day Cecilia arrived at the Trevant Margrave House up until now.

How he had believed the rumors and, influenced by Heinrich’s letter, had looked down on Cecilia and told her that he had no intention of becoming husband and wife, nor of treating her as the Margravine.

And how, until just recently, he had not even seen her once, and was now himself being rejected.

After hearing it all, Heinrich’s face turned pale, while anger showed clearly on Arthur’s face.

After a moment of silence, Arthur took a deep breath as if suppressing his anger and requested to meet Cecilia, which was, of course, granted.

Since Leonhardt did not even know where Cecilia’s room was, he followed Hans as they led the two of them there.

“This is the room.”

The room they were shown was at the farthest end of the estate and had not been used for a long time—so much so that even Leonhardt had forgotten it existed.

“…Don’t tell me… this is Cecilia’s room?”

The three of them widened their eyes in shock, but Leonhardt quickly composed himself and knocked on the door.

He called out several times, but there was no response, and though he felt it was improper, he opened the door.

There was no one inside.

Stepping into the room and looking around, dust had piled up everywhere, making it hard to believe that Cecilia had been living there at all.

Frowning, Leonhardt was just about to ask Hans if they had mistaken the room—

“Oh my, entering a lady’s room without permission… how very rude.”

Suddenly, a voice came from behind, and when they turned, Cecilia stood there with her butler.

“Cecilia!!”

Seeing her for the first time in a while, looking well, Arthur called out in relief, but she only gave him a brief glance.

“My lord. For what purpose have you gone out of your way to come here?”

As always, without even the slightest smile, she asked Leonhardt in a completely expressionless manner.

Seeing Cecilia like this, both Heinrich and Arthur were unable to hide their shock.

She had never ignored Arthur like this before.

“…Before that, are you truly living here? From the looks of it, there are no signs that this room has been used…”

At those words, Cecilia let out a deep sigh and looked straight at Leonhardt.

“Did you truly think I could live here? It was in this state from the moment I was shown the room. On the first day, the head maid told me, ‘We have been instructed not to treat you as the lady of the house nor as the Margravine, so please take care of yourself,’ so I promptly left the estate. I am currently residing in a separate residence.”

No matter how much Leonhardt claimed he would not involve himself, Cecilia was still the official Margravine and a former ducal lady.

Even if she said she did not need a maid, that did not justify the servants abandoning their duties toward her.

“…I am sorry. I had no idea the servants were neglecting you…”

“It is only natural that servants would not properly serve a wife whom their master himself neglects.”

Her calm and matter-of-fact reply left Leonhardt speechless.

“Now then, what is your business? Surely you did not come all this way just to inspect my room?”

“…I have something to discuss with you. I apologize, but could you come to the office?”

For a moment, Cecilia showed a hint of suspicion, but it quickly vanished as she replied, “Very well,” and moved to the office with them.

“So, what is it you wish to discuss? Is it another royal command for divorce this time?”

“No!! That’s not it… We came all this way to apologize to you, Cecilia.”

As they all took their seats, Cecilia was the first to speak.

Heinrich and the others were momentarily taken aback by her different demeanor, but as they explained their purpose, a faint crease briefly appeared between Cecilia’s brows.

Heinrich then repeated everything he had told Leonhardt.

“I am truly sorry…”

“I only listened to Clara and failed to believe in you, Cecilia… I am truly sorry…”

Both Heinrich and Arthur bowed their heads deeply as they offered their apologies.

“…Please raise your heads. It troubles me to have the Crown Prince and the young Duke bow before me.”

There was no emotion whatsoever visible on Cecilia’s face as she spoke.

“…Will you no longer call me ‘Brother’? Do you hate me that much…?”

Unable to hide his anguish, Arthur clenched his fists tightly on his knees, his hands trembling.

Cecilia did not respond to his words and simply directed a cold gaze at him.

That gaze pierced deeply into his chest, causing a dull, lingering pain.