Chapter 39
7 Arendor
The next day.
Irina woke up as if nothing had happened.
“Howard, did you sleep well?”
“Are you alright?”
“Huh? What do you mean? Did something happen?”
But Irina had completely forgotten that she had visited Howard’s room the previous night.
She didn’t remember the severe headache either.
Only Howard remembered.
It was something he had grown used to long ago, but each time he was reminded of it, the pain in his chest felt new and sharp.
“No, it’s nothing. I’m just glad you slept peacefully.”
“We’re leaving the day after tomorrow, right?”
“Yes.”
“Alright. Then I need to finish some more preparations. See you later!”
With light steps, Irina waved and disappeared.
That day, Howard quietly observed Irina’s daily life in the ducal residence.
She strolled through the garden, oversaw the servants, and spent her time leisurely, as if nothing had ever happened.
The day of departure for Arendor.
It was two days later than originally planned.
The day before they were meant to leave, the whereabouts of Marquis Kosat’s body had been reported.
It had been discarded in a desolate, uninhabited place—horribly.
There was no way they could have shown that to Irina as it was.
It took at least two days to find a proper burial site and move the remains, so their departure was delayed accordingly.
Irina had suggested she could go alone, but of course that idea had been dismissed immediately.
During Howard’s absence, Arenna was to be managed by Werner, and by Weldon, Midian, and Leia, who had recently returned.
“My lady, this is my first time going to another kingdom!”
Before departure, Casey spoke in excitement.
“Really? Hmm, there’s probably not much to see. But we won’t be staying long… Will your mother be alright?”
“Yes! I have to be by your side, miss! His Grace arranged for her to stay here for a while.”
“Really? That’s good. But what’s that in your hand?”
Irina noticed Casey holding something like a piece of wood and asked. Casey shyly opened her palm.
“Hehe. Since it’s my first time traveling abroad, I wanted to leave my mark there. I found this yesterday. It’s an acorn.”
A round, cute acorn—just like Casey herself.
Irina burst into laughter.
“So you’re going to leave that there?”
“Yes! Of course. I even wrote my name on it. And I’ll bring back a seed from Arendor. Is that okay? I want to keep it!”
Indeed, on the bottom of the tiny acorn, “Casey” was written in small letters.
The more she thought about it, the cuter it was.
Irina laughed until her stomach hurt.
“Alright. When we get there, I’ll see if there’s a present I can give you.”
“You don’t have to!”
“I want to. Anyway, where’s Howard…?”
As she spoke, he appeared.
He hadn’t shown himself all morning while preparations were underway, but now he finally did.
“We’ll be leaving shortly.”
“Okay. Is everything ready?”
“Yes. Are you feeling alright?”
“Me? Completely fine.”
Even though Howard still vividly remembered her clutching her head in pain, Irina acted as if nothing had happened.
It was both a relief and a source of anxiety.
After we return.
After Irina finishes what she needs to do.
Howard made that promise to himself.
Casey, who had been chirping like an excited bird all morning, moved to the rear carriage once departure was announced.
A little later, Howard entered.
Irina gave him a small, nervous smile.
Howard sat beside her and gently held her hand.
“I’m fine.”
“I know.”
Irina smirked.
With the coachman’s call and the sound of horses moving, the carriage began its journey.
They passed through several teleportation gates toward Arendor’s entrance without exchanging a single word—sharing only warmth.
When they exited the last gate, Irina lifted the curtain.
The scenery of Arendor came into view.
She had only been away a few weeks, yet everything felt strangely unfamiliar.
“When we reach the estate, you may encounter someone you’d rather not see. If you wish, I can remove her.”
“Scarlett? My stepmother?”
“Yes.”
Hearing him say “remove” made the corner of Irina’s mouth twitch.
She leaned against the window, watching the view pass by.
“She should’ve appeared a little earlier. Would’ve been nice if you removed her back then. Kidding.”
“Just say the word.”
Irina shook her head.
“No. I have to meet her. I don’t even know what’s happening with the family. And… I may need to meet him too.”
The debt cancellation and the salvation of her family had been tied to a marriage agreement.
Irina’s marriage was the bargaining chip.
Howard had secured the estate, but he was now a Borman noble.
If Marquis Eire filed suit in Arendor’s high court, things could get complicated.
“Marquis Eire?”
“Yes. Did he try to contact you?”
“Irina.”
Startled, Irina suddenly tried to stand in the moving carriage.
She swayed dangerously, but Howard steadied her immediately, holding her close.
“Tell me. Did Marquis Eire come to see you?”
He shook his head.
“No. I did not meet him.”
“Then?”
“I went to meet him. But he was nowhere to be found.”
“Nowhere to be found?”
“Yes. There has been no contact. I visited his estate—it was completely empty.”
Irina’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit.
“That’s impossible. He is a formally titled noble of Arendor.”
“I’m aware. And as I said, his estate has been dealt with.”
“So he just disappeared? What do we do?”
“You said you would leave everything to me. So let me handle it. For now, please sit safely.”
Irina was half-standing, perched against Howard’s knee, still restless.
“Mmh.”
She bit her lip.
“What about Scarlett? Where do we meet her?”
Before Howard could answer, Irina realized it herself.
“…So she’s latched onto someone new. Right?”
“She’s still in the capital.”
Irina scoffed quietly.
The woman who had once acted like she couldn’t live without her husband had now run to another man as soon as he died.
And quickly, at that.
“Arrived.”
They had returned home.
Stepping out of the carriage, Irina stared at the large mansion—now empty and silent.
“….”
The once firmly closed iron gates opened.
Irina lifted her dress slightly and slowly walked inside.
Howard followed quietly behind.
“No one’s here.”
Once, her mother’s presence could be felt everywhere—every stone, every tree seemed alive.
Now, silence.
Yet the place was still being maintained. No dust, no torn wallpaper, no creaking stairs.
Irina headed straight to her old room.
“It’s locked.”
“It will be opened.”
A newly hired caretaker rushed over with a key.
Everyone who once worked here had long gone.
Howard had hired new staff after her father’s sudden death had scattered the servants and collapsed the knight order due to unpaid wages.
Just a few weeks.
Everything had fallen in just a few weeks.
They would stay here until returning, as it was most comfortable for Irina.
“I’ll open the rest of the estate shortly.”
“Thank you.”
Irina entered her room. The faint chill suggested the heating had been off for a while—her body had grown used to the warmth of Borman.
“Yet the furniture is still here. The last day I left, I gave my jewelry to Lily. I wonder how she’s doing.”
Lily had said she had no reason to stay once Irina left.
She wasn’t bad—just realistic. Honest. A bit hurtful, but understandable.
Irina sat heavily on the bed.
“Are you alright?”
Howard brushed her cheek gently. Irina leaned into his touch.
“I know what I need to do, but I’m deciding where to start.”
The first thing was to visit her father’s grave.
She knew that.
But seeing the empty house had drained her.
“Take your time.”
“Even if it takes long?”
“Yes. Tomorrow, the next day—whenever.”
“Then let’s start tomorrow.”
“As you wish.”
Irina reached for him.
“Hug me.”
When she wrapped her arms around his waist, warmth enveloped her.
“Pat me.”
He chuckled softly, but obliged, gently stroking her hair and back.
“I just want to go home.”
“Shall we return right now?”
Irina shook her head into his chest.
“If I said yes, what would you do? We have to finish things first, silly.”
Their quiet moment was interrupted.
Someone approached the door.
Howard stopped moving and turned toward the sound.
