CHAPTER 58………………………………………
Sheryl Cassius. The late Duchess Cassius who had died over ten years ago, and the eternal love of Edmond Cassius.
When she passed away from illness, people collectively said that no matter how great that love had been, it would eventually be forgotten in the face of merciless time.
Yet, defying everyone’s expectations, Duke Cassius never remarried to this day. Instead, he adopted an orphan who resembled his late wife and raised her with more affection than even his own sons.
Countless beauties tried to tempt the Duke, but he never even glanced at them. In the end, the man called the “Devil Duke” paradoxically became a symbol of eternal, unwavering love.
I looked around the reception room. The most striking feature was a large portrait hanging on one wall.
In the portrait, the Duchess, with long silver hair and a delicate appearance, smiled brightly.
Next to it was an intricately sculpted bust of her, and beside that, a tapestry embroidered with the image of her reading a book, and next to that…
All of these artworks represented one person. She was Sheryl Cassius, born the illegitimate child of a humble noble family, who fell in love with Edmond and married him.
“If this is Reiena’s plan to control the Duke, who would fall head over heels for her words…”
There was only Sheryl Cassius. More precisely, it was the time capsule she left behind before she died.
In truth, the time capsule was just a small collection of letters to her future family and a few personal belongings.
Before she was consumed by illness, one day, Sheryl told her beloved husband that she had hidden a time capsule somewhere in Cassius Manor and challenged him to find it.
Unfortunately, the happy treasure hunt she dreamed of never came to fruition. Her bereaved husband, drowning in grief, ransacked the entire house.
The gardens of Cassius Manor were dug up, every storage space and living area overturned. It is said he even drained the lake to inspect the bottom.
Yet, the time capsule was never found. They widened the search to the townhouses in the capital and every place the Duchess had ever visited within the Cassius domain, but to no avail.
It seemed the time capsule would be lost forever—until, in the epilogue of Walking Only the Flowered Path After Reincarnation, Reiena luckily discovered it.
The novel ends with the Cassius family reading the letters, shedding tears, and introducing their new family to the Duchess in heaven: Reiena and her husband, Mikhail.
“Ah, what a touching scene. But pardon me, I’m going to use that emotion to my advantage a little.”
Still, what harm is there? Finding the time capsule in advance could only help.
The novel’s ending was still years away, and finding it now was beneficial both for the Duchess and the Cassius family.
I justified myself in that way, offering a plausible explanation.
“Actually, I recently solved the clues left by the Duchess.”
“You mean that cryptic poem?”
For the first time, Rehaim spoke up. He had remained silent until now because his father had been stern.
Sheryl had written a poem herself to inform her husband and two sons. She said it would serve as a clue to the location of the time capsule.
“…I can’t believe it.”
Reiena said.
“They called in the Empire’s top cryptographers, poets, and even detectives to decipher the poem, but no one succeeded.”
At her words, the Duke, relieved from his initial confusion, narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
“You’re not lying just to trick me, are you?”
“Of course not. What would I gain from that?”
“If you had framed my son and even betrayed Sheryl’s name, don’t think you’d leave this house alive.”
The severity was unlike anything before. Sitting was fortunate; standing, and he might have collapsed from the sheer tension.
Yet I couldn’t show fear. Confidence is always key!
“Weren’t you just saying moments ago that you wouldn’t care a bit about what I have to offer?”
The Duke stiffened, startled.
“Well, it’s a pity, but I’ll be leaving now. I need to prepare for tomorrow’s trial.”
“Wait.”
“Both of you, get ready.”
“Wait!”
“Is that an order?”
“Yes, but?”
“Then I won’t follow it. Even a grand duke has no right to give me a unilateral order.”
Among nobles, power was obvious, but there was no formal hierarchy.
As I stood, the Duke of Cassius became anxious.
“Idel…”
“Dad, let me go now.”
Reiena blocked him.
“Let’s talk properly later, alright?”
“But don’t you have your late wife’s belongings?”
“We don’t even know that for certain. I’m not saying my sister-in-law is lying, but it could be a misunderstanding.”
She was desperate, fearing that if this continued, not only would she lose control, but the Duke might fully side with me.
“It’s strange logically. That my sister-in-law solved a riddle no one else could, and of all times, she reveals it now.”
Then Duke Cassius, suspicious, asked me,
“How did you solve it?”
“I’ll tell you because otherwise I feel like you’ll think I’m lying.”
I looked back at him.
“I solved the riddle because I’m clever and lucky.”
“….”
My confidence left him at a loss for words.
“And the reason I’m only telling you now is because I just solved it a few days ago.”
Naturally, I had known for some time. I had only stayed silent for the novel’s dramatic effect. But diverging from the story’s path of divorce, my thinking had changed. I didn’t have to follow the novel exactly.
“At first, I thought of using the time capsule to smoothly settle the divorce.”
But that alone was a weak hand. So I prepared for the divorce trial thoroughly.
During the trial, when the Duke was secretly considering whether he really had to go to such lengths to keep me as a daughter-in-law, I planned to play this card.
Besides, I had already shown the Duke that I could do things beyond his common sense multiple times.
Not only was he struggling in what should have been an easy battle, but I had also gained the loyalty of his most trusted steward.
“Outwardly he may ignore me, but inwardly, he’s conflicted.”
Certainly, according to his daughter, it was absurd that I solved the riddle…
“But if it were me, I might believe this isn’t just bluff.”
The quiet Duke finally spoke.
“This is the absolute truth, right?”
“Dad!”
Sorry, Reiena, but it’s useless. You know your father—when it comes to matters concerning his deceased wife, he’s unstoppable.
“Years ago, someone appeared claiming to have solved the riddle and they were a fraud!”
Yet it was Edmond Cassius who had always fallen for those frauds.
“Please. Tell me where my wife’s belongings are.”
It was the first time I’d ever heard the Duke ask so politely. At the same time, Reiena’s expression twisted.
“It’s unreasonable to ask someone like him to do this in our house.”
“…Sorry. I misspoke.”
The Duke’s clenched fist trembled. An imperfect apology, but it was enough.
“Anyway, it’s not like he’s sincere. No use hearing more.”
But when he reads his wife’s letters, he’ll change his mind. Anyone with a sense of duty would.
“Alright. I’ll tell you. First, could you bring paper and a pen?”
At the Duke’s gesture, a servant quickly brought the items I requested.
“Once we have the time capsule, sign this agreement that you’ll cooperate with my divorce.”
“I swear, even if I die, I won’t change my stance on matters concerning my wife.”
“That I believe. But there’s no harm in confirming it.”
“…We’re drawing up the agreement now?”
“I’ve prepared it in advance, Duke, you only need to sign. The paper you brought will be used for another purpose.”
I handed over the agreement. Sharon and I had ensured it was fully compliant with legal requirements.
The Duke read it and signed without a word.
“Since we have lawyers present, let’s notarize it too. Call Parell. There’s no rule against having two or more lawyers notarize it.”
After Parell came and notarized, I wrote a few lines on a blank sheet:
The spring of purity returns without fail
Hydrangeas bloom in the glass garden
The bell in the dawn tower tolls three times over the hill
Fountains protected by baby angels
I have hidden treasure in all these places
“This is the poem from the riddle.”
Rehaim tilted his head.
“Even seeing it again, I don’t understand. I checked the garden, the hill, the fountain—nothing.”
“Duke, the first clue that caught my attention is this part: the baby angels at the fountain.”
“Why?”
“The largest fountain in Cassius Manor’s courtyard. There was one angel statue, but only one.”
“There should have been two angel statues.”
“The other one was smaller, but looking at its face, it was no baby—at most a young girl.”
Rehaim interrupted.
“Isn’t that close enough? Some call anyone young a baby.”
“Normally, yes. That’s why everyone missed the important clue.”
“Next is the glass garden. Did Cassius Manor’s glass garden really have hydrangeas?”
This time Reiena answered.
“Yes! I saw them this spring!”
“I saw them too. They were beautiful. The gardener bragged proudly about planting them.”
The Duke flinched at my words.
“Come to think of it, Sheryl maintained the glass garden until she became ill.”
Which meant…
“When the Duchess was healthy, there were no hydrangeas in the glass garden. The gardener planted them only after she fell ill.”
