~Chapter 127~
It had been nearly a week since Ancia was brought to the tower, yet she never once asked to be let out.
Unlike that first day, when she couldn’t even step outside her room, Richard had already instructed the knights and guards at the annex. Until the annex was completely secured, Ancia was only to remain inside the tower. He only warned them not to let her outside into the annex garden or further grounds.
But Ancia did not leave her room at all. Even after a few days, when her maids persuaded her to look around inside the tower, she returned straight to her room and shut herself in again.
It was as if she were declaring she had no need for clumsy, temporary freedom. Almost like a warning — that such things would never ease her heart.
Of course, that was not Ancia’s true intent. Still, Richard, tormented to the point of stomach pain, endured it with patience, unwilling to bend.
A few more days passed before several suspicious spies were finally found. At the very least, Richard was now certain nothing could harm or take Ancia away inside the annex. Only then did he arrange, through her old maid, to suggest a walk.
He wanted to apologize for confining her. He wanted to ask her to stay just a little longer in this safest of places.
Richard waited nervously in front of the tower.
He feared she might refuse — but when he heard she was coming down, his chest tightened with anticipation.
Although he had looked at her sleeping face every night, it had been so long since they truly faced each other. Even while living under the same roof, she had felt far away.
The heavy dark door opened, and like petals unfolding, Ancia appeared — wearing a light pink dress and a lavender shawl. The sunlight touched her, and her beauty shone without a single jewel or flower. She glowed on her own, dazzling to behold.
Richard’s heart raced at the thought of walking beside her, of inviting her to lunch.
He rolled the words on his tongue, practicing them inside his mouth again and again, preparing to speak gently.
But his efforts ended before they could begin.
“Close the door.”
Leaving behind only those firm words, Ancia turned away, leaning on Bianca.
Their eyes had barely met — only the briefest glance — and then she had rejected him completely.
Richard felt as if poison had been poured straight into his chest.
In truth, Ancia had only been overwhelmed — her body, unused to movement, had reacted too sensitively to sunlight and sound. But Richard could not know that. To him, it could only mean rejection.
While he stood frozen, Ancia was already resting comfortably on Bianca’s back.
“Ah, this is so comfy.”
“Right? I carried kids all the time in our village. I’m great at this.”
Ancia looked very relaxed, though Anna, following behind, still remembered how the Duchess had stumbled moments before.
“Shouldn’t we call a doctor?”
“It’s not that bad. I really feel fine now.”
“Don’t worry too much, Anna. If anything happens, we can dash to the physician’s room on the second floor.”
Even carrying Ancia up the four-story staircase, Bianca didn’t lose her breath. Her strength, already known, proved solid once more. Over the past months, Ancia had come to rely on her — and she felt reassured.
Thinking back, life in the snowy village hadn’t been too bad thanks to Bianca. The real burden had been the anxiety of Richard not knowing her location, and the isolation of being trapped there for months.
The villagers, used to being cut off in winter, had their struggles too. With no doctor, they relied only on herbs, and their handmade crafts had to be sold cheaply to traveling merchants.
As Bianca laid her gently onto the bed, Ancia’s eyes lit up with sudden inspiration.
Seeing her lady’s expectant gaze, Bianca felt nervous, as though pressured to do something.
“M-my lady, why are you giving me that cute, mischievous look?”
“Bianca, remember the embroidery and lace the villagers made during winter? What if I bought them all?”
“Oh… so that look was for shopping?”
Bianca grumbled jokingly, but Ancia explained her thoughts.
“Instead of letting them sell for scraps to passing traders, we could collaborate with shops. If I buy everything first and then send it to boutiques, at least they won’t get cheated.”
“You mean… start a business?”
“Not exactly. It just feels wasteful. Their designs are unique, especially the village patterns. Made into bags or pouches, they’d be beautiful.”
“That’s an amazing idea, my lady!”
Bianca cheered right away. But Anna, listening carefully, nodded with serious approval.
“You are wise. Truly, in all of Gwinted territory, apart from magic stones, there are no real specialties. Even when outsiders visit to see the night scenery, they find nothing worth buying.”
Her face, which had been gloomy earlier, now shone with energy.
“I thought you were only forcing yourself to stay calm, pretending to be strong while trapped here. I misunderstood. The Duchess deserves respect.”
“…Actually, I really was just lazing around.”
Ancia laughed.
She reassured them further:
“You won’t be forbidden from going out. And if anyone dares to say otherwise, come to me.”
“I’m staying in this tower because I understand the Duke’s feelings — not because I’m guilty of anything. But if they try to chain your freedom, then I won’t forgive it.”
She endured her own confinement without complaint, yet refused to accept her servants being bound.
Anna, more moved than anyone, was deeply touched. Though her own comings and goings were free, Ancia’s words carried dignity and resolve.
“As expected of the Duchess… Please, give me a mission as well.”
Her eyes sparkled with eagerness, as if forgetting she had originally come only for pregnancy care.
“Then… I’ll give Anna a special mission.”
“Yes, anything! I’ll do my very best.”
Ancia smiled warmly, thinking Anna might not be such a difficult person after all.
The butler came again to the Duke’s office, carrying a light meal and stomach medicine. Though someone always prepared food at meal times, unless the butler himself urged it, the dishes were often left cold and untouched.
Servants, fearful of their master, never dared to press him to eat. So the butler had to take it upon himself.
“My lord, I’m coming in.”
Inside, Richard sat with his eyes closed, pressing his forehead. His complexion was worsening every day.
Already sleep-deprived, and refusing to return to his chambers, he looked ready to collapse despite his normally strong health.
The butler approached, and Richard slowly opened his heavy eyes. The sluggish response unsettled him.
“At this rate, you’ll collapse.”
“…Not yet. I’ve only removed a few spies so far.”
Replacing everyone would not help — new spies could always slip in among the fresh recruits.
And then there was the Emperor’s demand for knights to be sent to the palace. Many, weary from being dragged on the search for the Duchess, volunteered to go. Richard didn’t want discontented men near him — yet dismissing them just for resentment seemed foolish.
He realized, belatedly, how emotional he had become.
Never had anyone described the Duke of Gwinted as “emotional.” But he could not deny that all his thoughts now revolved around Ancia.
A few days ago, when Bianca had asked to return to the snowy village, Richard’s mind had raced through worst-case scenarios. What if Bianca was the true mastermind? Should he have erased that village earlier?
But then came the words: “The Duchess wants the village’s handicrafts.”
The first thing Ancia had wished for in weeks — and it pushed all his suspicions aside.
He was relieved. Relieved that he had not destroyed the village. Relieved that he could finally grant her wish.
Of course, he assigned Bianca multiple escorts and guards. Bianca only laughed that she now had more helping hands.
Richard could only shake his head.
“If Bianca were truly a spy… I’d give her anything to win her over.”
She seemed almost too pure, too simple — to the point of foolishness. No wonder Ancia always defended her.
