Chapter : 31
“Um, Duke…?”
“Yes.”
At Deina’s words, Nox immediately lifted the corners of his lips and turned his head toward her.
…What’s this? Something was off.
His face looked the same as usual, yet there was a faint difference — as if he was deep in thought, or perhaps had something he wanted to say to her.
Noticing his subtly different expression, Deina opened her mouth hesitantly.
“Ah, I-I was just wondering why you didn’t ride your horse this time and decided to go with me.”
“Cleon suggested I take the carriage. I’m still a bit fatigued, so I thought it would be better that way.”
“Oh, I see…”
That was the end of their conversation.
What’s going on all of a sudden?
He was definitely acting a little differently toward her, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on what had changed — and that uncertainty was even more frustrating.
We were getting along fine before… weren’t we?
“You must be quite tired. Try to get some rest. The ride might be a bit bumpy, but we still have a long way to go.”
“Yes…”
Nox reached for one of the blankets stacked beside him. Opening it wide, he carefully draped it over Deina’s lap.
Leaning back against the soft seat, wrapped in the warm blanket, Deina sent him a suspicious look.
What is this? What’s going on? Did Cleon say something to him? Is something bothering him?
Then, he suddenly reached out and gently covered her eyes with his palm.
“Go to sleep.”
No, I can’t— not until I figure out what’s going through the Duke’s mind—
…but she was too sleepy and exhausted.
The steady sway of the carriage and the rhythmic sound of the wheels against the road lulled her into a deep sense of calm.
“Mmh…”
I need to talk to him before I fall asleep…
But her consciousness slowly drifted away despite her will to stay awake.
Eventually, Deina succumbed to drowsiness, her head tilting to the side as she fell fast asleep.
Rattle, rattle.
Inside the quietly moving carriage, Nox rested his chin on his hand and watched her.
Her head had fallen to the side, breathing softly in her sleep. He reached for another blanket and tucked it gently between her neck and shoulder.
With that small adjustment, her expression relaxed into peaceful slumber again.
“…”
Returning to his seat, Nox gazed quietly at Deina.
“Actually, I’m not Stella Bibiwood.”
At first, he had thought she was joking under the influence of alcohol — just some silly, harmless jest.
“I’m sorry for lying… I’m not your fiancée.”
Hearing her confess that, he realized it wasn’t something he could brush off as a joke.
Why hadn’t I even thought to doubt her?
He didn’t even know what Stella Bibiwood looked like.
It wasn’t unreasonable for him to assume that the adult woman living in the Bibiwood estate was Stella — but that wasn’t necessarily true, was it?
“They said she’s immature and greedy for wealth.”
Now that he thought about it, the rumors Cleon had mentioned about Stella didn’t match the woman before him at all.
Of course, most of the rumors circulating in the capital were baseless nonsense, but still…
“Haa…”
Nox sighed, rubbing his forehead with a complicated expression.
The reason he had gone to Wisberry in the first place was to hand Stella Bibiwood the divorce papers.
So it hadn’t mattered to him what she looked like, or whether the woman living there was really Stella. All he needed to do was deliver the papers and tie up the legal matters cleanly.
“…”
He looked down again at Deina — her lips slightly parted as she slept.
“…Does it even matter if she’s Stella?”
That thought suddenly crossed his mind.
Did it really matter if the woman before him was Stella Bibiwood?
He had already defied his family elders’ decision and chosen not to divorce Stella Bibiwood, bringing her to the Betelgeuse estate instead.
The elders might disapprove — Lady Hillary in particular would probably be furious — but as the current head of the Betelgeuse family, his will was final.
So perhaps… it didn’t matter at all.
What mattered was that she — this woman — was with him, on her way to the Betelgeuse estate.
“Then… who is she?”
Nox narrowed his eyes, staring at the sleeping Deina.
“I was living with her until just a few weeks ago.”
“In the Bibiwood estate?”
“Yes. She was…”
He recalled their brief conversation, slowly tilting his head.
Perhaps the woman now fast asleep beside him, her mouth slightly open, had once said—
“…She was my maid.”
A slow smile tugged at Nox’s lips.
He rose from his seat and moved to sit beside her. Carefully removing the blanket from her shoulder, he guided her small head to rest on his shoulder.
Deina murmured something faintly in her sleep, shifting slightly as she found a more comfortable position.
Feeling a strange sense of satisfaction, Nox leaned his head back against the seat.
Yes — some things really didn’t matter.
He found her hand resting on her lap and intertwined his fingers with hers, their palms pressed together. Her cool, soft skin felt oddly pleasant against his.
“Mmh…”
“Sleep a bit more, Stella,” he whispered in her ear.
Stella — no, that name no longer mattered. The woman beside him was his wife, no matter what anyone said. And she was returning home with him.
Nox gently tightened his grip around her hand.
His golden eyes gleamed faintly in the dim carriage light.
Outside the window, the snow-covered scenery blurred and faded into the distance as the carriage sped onward.
“Wow…”
After sleeping for quite a while, Deina woke and pressed her forehead against the window, mouth agape.
The snowy landscape was gone. Outside, it looked much warmer than Wisberry. Turning back to Nox, she blinked.
“How did we get here so quickly? It hasn’t even been a full day!”
Nox shrugged lightly.
“I used not only public portals but private ones as well. Fortunately, I had contact with several noble families willing to assist.”
Some nobles, so wealthy that money overflowed from their coffers, had private portals installed under their names across the Empire.
The usage fees paid by merchant guilds and knight orders who needed urgent travel served as a lucrative source of income.
People really did find all sorts of ways to make money…
Deina marveled inwardly and turned back to the view outside.
“So how much farther do we have to go?”
“We should reach the capital in about two days.”
“Um… w-would this route take us through Vaincrut?”
“Most likely.”
Phew, thank goodness!
She didn’t plan to visit Jeffrey Sordaven in Vaincrut just yet, but passing through and memorizing the area’s layout would make a world of difference later.
If she was lucky, she might even catch sight of the house at 156 Ryssen Street — the place he supposedly lived.
“How does it feel, going back to the capital?” Nox asked suddenly.
Then, sitting behind her, he pulled her gently against him by the waist.
Startled, Deina gasped as she found herself pressed against him.
“It—it feels great! There are so many things I love in the capital!”
“Such as?”
“Um… w-well… delicious desserts! My favorite jewelry shops! And, uh, there are so many clothing boutiques too!”
“If there’s anything you want, just tell me. I’ll buy you everything.”
“Wow, thank you…”
Her reply came out hollow as she blinked rapidly.
Now that she was returning to the capital, she would have to play the role of Stella Bibiwood perfectly. Any slip-up or awkward behavior would raise suspicion immediately.
But… wasn’t Stella supposed to have a horrible personality?
Should I start yelling and throwing tantrums the moment I get out of the carriage to assert dominance?
She knew everything about Stella — yet had no idea how to convincingly act like her.
“…It definitely feels like we’re closer to the capital,” Deina murmured, staring out the window. “It’s much warmer now.”
Her mind suddenly became tangled with worry.
Can I really pull this off…?
