MVH 04

-4-

The aftereffects of the accident had almost completely faded, and I was now able to go about my daily life with relative ease. I could also eat regular meals as long as they weren’t too heavy.

When I went down to the dining hall at Edwin’s summons, I found him already seated at the luxurious table, waiting for me. As I took my seat, he smiled warmly and said,

“Enjoy your meal.”

The food was a healthy spread, carefully prepared to avoid anything overly greasy. For the first time since waking up, I stepped out of my room and had a proper meal in the dining hall. The duke’s personal chef had clearly put great effort into the meal for my sake.

It had been so long since someone had prepared a meal just for me. Every dish was delicious, enough to stir my appetite.

After a satisfying meal, I shared tea time with Edwin. I took a sip of fragrant black tea and studied him quietly from across the table.

During my recovery, he had come to see me every morning. However, he would check on my condition briefly and leave immediately afterward, so we hadn’t had a proper conversation yet.

He must have been busy as a duke with many responsibilities, yet he never missed a morning visit. Aside from checking on me each day, he didn’t say much. Perhaps he was being considerate toward me, knowing I had lost my memory.

Maybe he was giving me time to process and adapt to my situation. Thanks to that, I was able to adjust to life here faster than expected.

Sensing my gaze, Edwin set down his teacup and asked gently,

“Are you feeling better now?”

“Yes. Thanks to the good rest, I’m feeling much better.”

“That’s good to hear. Still, since it was a serious accident, the aftereffects may linger. Don’t push yourself.”

“I won’t. Thank you for worrying about me… Father.”

It took effort to form the word that wouldn’t leave my lips. I couldn’t keep calling him ‘Edwin’ like a stranger forever, so I awkwardly forced myself to call him ‘Father.’

He seemed slightly surprised by that, as if he hadn’t expected it. Though I tried to smile and look away, his complex expression made me tilt my head.

‘Why is he looking at me like that?’

Even if I had lost my memory, I was still his daughter—Tiana. So calling him ‘Father’ shouldn’t be wrong. Could it be that our relationship wasn’t close enough for me to use that word? But from what I’d seen over the past few days, he seemed very affectionate.

Though I hadn’t spent much time with him, his gentle tone when checking on me each morning had carried concern. Even if he was awkward at expressing it, he was a warm-hearted man.

As someone who never had a father to begin with, the thought of having a real one made me a little happy—but maybe I was being too hasty.

“Um… Was it wrong to call you Father? Should I have used your name instead…?”

“No, not at all. Why would you say that? You are my daughter. Of course you may call me Father.”

“But your expression didn’t look very pleased…”

“I was simply relieved that you woke up safely. I’m glad I can talk with you like this again. So don’t worry and feel free to call me Father.”

“…Okay.”

When he said that with a smile, I had no choice but to nod. He really had a way of steering conversations.

Still, that expression from earlier didn’t feel like a father simply happy to see his daughter awake.

His eyes, filled with deep worry, were now calm as he looked at me. It seemed like he was hiding something—but for now, I decided not to press. It felt too soon to pry deeper.

After that, the atmosphere remained awkward, with no particular conversation. I was trying to come up with something to say when a knock broke the silence, and the butler, Alfred, entered.

He seemed more flustered than usual. He glanced at me nervously, hesitated, and finally spoke.

“Duke, um…”

“What is it?”

“A guest has arrived for the young lady, but…”

“A guest?”

A guest for me? No—probably for Tiana. But who would come without warning?

Even Edwin seemed confused as he frowned and asked,

“Who is it?”

“His Grace the Grand Duke has arrived.”

“…What?”

At that unexpected name, both Edwin and I widened our eyes. Did he say… the Grand Duke?

As far as I knew, there was only one Grand Duke in the empire—

Lucious. Tiana’s future husband.

Surely he hadn’t come to see me?

I knew we’d meet eventually, but I didn’t expect it to be this soon. I was startled but also excited to finally see him in person.

No, calm down. My lips are curling up. Control your expression. They don’t know I remember Lucious. As far as they know, I lost my memory. If I look too happy, it’ll seem strange.

As I smoothed my expression, Alfred seemed to think I was flustered and tried to explain who Lucious was.

“His Grace is the young lady’s—”

“Alfred.”

But Edwin cut him off with a stern tone. I looked at him in confusion, only to see his eyes darken as he stared down Alfred. Then he quickly stood up and said,

“Tiana, go back to your room.”

“…What?”

Wait, what do you mean, Father? I finally have a chance to meet Lucious, and you’re telling me to go?

I instinctively stood up as he did, waiting for a better explanation. Though his expression had softened slightly from before, his face was still hard.

“You’re not ready to receive guests yet. I’ll speak with His Grace. Please, go back for now.”

“But…”

“I’ll explain everything later. Just trust me for now, alright?”

“…Okay.”

Though I had many questions about why Edwin was trying to send me away so quickly, I had no choice but to listen. As I left the drawing room with Inabelle, I glanced back at Edwin and Alfred hurrying off toward the parlor. Something about the scene lingered in my mind.

The sudden arrival of an unexpected guest brought a wave of tension to the Celeste Ducal House. The servants, who had been going about their duties as usual, hurriedly bowed as they saw a man walking alongside Head Butler Alfred.

“Greetings to His Grace, Grand Duke Roderick.”

The man swept his indifferent gaze over the bowing staff and continued walking. His jet-black hair shimmered as it swayed with each step. His pale skin contrasted with his finely arranged features. His confident stride and unwavering gaze naturally drew attention.

One of the younger maids, captivated by his appearance, murmured to herself.

“So that’s him…”

He was Lucious Eyal Roderick—owner of the fabled golden eyes and the only Grand Duke of the Hartmann Empire. No one in the empire could mistake the striking combination of black hair and golden eyes.

Though his slender frame might seem delicate at first glance, his cold expression and intimidating aura made him difficult to approach.

The golden eyes that caught the sunlight shone brilliantly, like they held the sun itself. A polished black uniform clung to his broad shoulders, adorned with a striking golden twin-sword brooch. A sword resembling the brooch hung at his waist.

The maid’s gaze drifted to his left hand gripping the sword’s hilt.

“B-blood…?”

A faint but visible bloodstain remained on his fingers. The maid swallowed hard, trembling. Upon closer inspection, his hand was riddled with old scars and callouses.

He truly was the man who had subdued the western provinces and single-handedly brought the southern land war to an end. His power alone was enough to threaten the newly crowned emperor.

As the maids continued staring at his retreating figure, an older maid whispered urgently to the younger one.

“Have some respect! Bow your head!”

“S-sorry!”

The young maid quickly bowed again. She was still new and hadn’t been fully trained yet. The senior maid wiped away a cold sweat and glanced around to ensure the other young maids weren’t making the same mistake.

Veteran maids and servants alike knew Lucious Roderick was no ordinary guest. They steeled themselves accordingly.

To the Celeste Duchy, the Grand Duke wasn’t just important because of his status. He was the fiancé of their one and only treasure—Lady Tiana.

Recently, the duchy had been in turmoil over her condition. After falling from a horse, she’d lost consciousness for two weeks and was now recovering while suffering from memory loss.

It wasn’t strange that her fiancé had come, especially with rumors beginning to spread. The marriage between House Roderick and House Celeste had been set just two months prior, with a wedding date already arranged.

But the accident had thrown everything into question.

If things continued as they were, the marriage arrangement could be canceled. Given the political weight behind their union, the duchy was in a state of emergency.

“This way, Your Grace,” Alfred said, guiding Lucious to a door at the end of the hallway. Lucious nodded without emotion, and Alfred opened the parlor door for him.

Lucious entered the room, and Alfred followed. Once the doors shut tightly behind them, the servants finally let out the breath they’d been holding.

“Welcome, Your Grace. It’s been a long time.”

Duke Edwin gave a polite bow to Lucious, who had entered at Alfred’s guidance. Lucious gave a slight nod in return, his golden eyes narrowing slightly.

“Duke Celeste. My apologies for visiting unannounced.”

“Not at all, Your Grace. We should have contacted you first. Please, have a seat.”

Edwin gestured toward the sofa, and the two men sat facing each other, with Alfred standing at a respectful distance.

A maid quietly placed tea on the table and left at Alfred’s signal.

A heavy silence filled the spacious parlor. Though the scent of tea wafted in the air, neither man reached for their cup.

After a moment, Lucious was the first to speak.

“I heard about the accident. The letter from your household arrived a bit late.”

“We were caught off guard and couldn’t notify you sooner. My apologies, Your Grace.”

“Is the rumor true? That she lost her memory because of the accident?”

Lucious got straight to the point, skipping pleasantries. Edwin flinched.

There was no point in hiding the truth from someone who already knew everything. Edwin took a deep breath and replied, his expression clouded.

“…It’s true.”