On the day Nadia left the Hess estate, all the residents gathered at the gates of the barony.
There were so many flower crowns gifted by the children that a tower of blossoms formed on top of Nadia’s red head.
Old man Pou waved his wooden cane and scolded the children.
“You little rascals! How dare you be so impudent to Miss Nadia!”
“Grandpa Pou, it’s alright. They’re so pretty I want to wear them all.”
Nadia laughed and stopped Pou from scolding them further. Thanks to her, the children weren’t discouraged and poured out everything they wanted to say.
“Miss, please come back soon, alright?”
“If you’re late, the baron will cry like a baby!”
“You brat! The baron is not your friend!”
As one boy teased, Pou once again ran after him, yelling.
Though Baron Hess and his wife treated the people kindly, their ideal relationship with the villagers was largely thanks to Pou, who knew how to maintain proper boundaries.
Nadia took Pou’s hand and thanked him sincerely.
Pou smiled broadly with his wrinkled face, as if he fully understood her heart.
“Miss, don’t worry about the estate. Just make a fine debut in the capital. I’ll take good care of everything here.”
“Thank you, Grandpa Pou. Truly.”
“No need for such words. Just bring back a handsome and kind man, alright? This old man wants to see a baby who looks just like you.”
“I’ll try.”
Though such a thing was nearly impossible, Nadia nodded instead of pushing back.
One villager watching nearby chuckled.
“Try? With how beautiful you are, you’ll probably have to fend off a swarm of suitors!”
Everyone burst into laughter and agreed.
With a smile, Nadia looked around at the villagers.
Even a slight lift from poverty had brightened their faces.
And her own, among them, was just as radiant.
With the villagers’ cheerful farewell, Nadia boarded the carriage.
The roads out of the Hess estate hadn’t been properly developed yet, so the ride was bumpy for a while. Just as her hips began to ache, they reached the road that connected the Baldwin duchy to the capital.
Nadia let out a soft sigh of relief, while Vivian overreacted with joy.
“If we’d stayed any longer, my hip bones would’ve shattered!”
Nadia giggled at her exaggerated tone.
But the relief was short-lived. While traveling the smoother road, the carriage suddenly came to a halt.
Vivian stepped out, followed by the coachman who explained the situation.
“The rough road earlier must have loosened a wheel. I’ll repair it right away.”
“Can you fix it quickly?”
“Yes, yes. Of course. This sort of thing happens all the time.”
The coachman assured them, seemingly used to it.
But reality wasn’t so kind, and he struggled with the wheel for a long time.
If they didn’t reach a town before nightfall, they might have to camp outdoors. While the road was relatively safe from bandits, sleeping under the night dew was still unpleasant.
The coachman was at a loss, so Nadia gently reassured him.
“The carriage is old, so it can’t be helped. Right now, you’re the only one I can rely on. Stay calm.”
The coachman seemed to regain his composure with her words.
Still, the situation didn’t improve.
Then, the sound of hoofbeats and wheels approached from a distance—thankfully, growing closer.
“Merchants often use this road! I’ll go ask for help!”
The coachman rushed off to flag them down.
But once he reached the approaching carriage, he dropped to the ground in fear.
Even from afar, the carriage looked large and luxurious.
If the travelers were nobles, there was no way a mere coachman could ask for help.
But surprisingly, the carriage stopped before him, and someone familiar stepped out.
‘Alison?’
Though the distance was great, Nadia recognized him immediately—Heinrich’s secretary, Alison.
Alison exchanged a few words with the coachman, then entered the carriage.
It soon moved forward, and the family crest became visible.
“Oh my goodness, it’s the Baldwin carriage!”
Vivian exclaimed in shock, but Nadia said nothing.
She seemed calm, but in reality, she was so stunned she froze.
Nadia gripped her left arm tightly.
If Heinrich ignored her in this moment of trouble, she wanted to be prepared—not to be hurt, to accept it as natural.
But contrary to her fears, the Baldwin carriage stopped in front of hers.
Once again, Alison got out and approached her.
“You must be the daughter of Baron Hess? The coachman told me your carriage is broken. Would it be alright if our coachman had a look?”
Alison, though Heinrich’s retainer, was also a viscount.
So Nadia lightly bowed in gratitude.
“It’s getting late, so your help is greatly appreciated.”
“There’s no need to thank me. Please, offer your thanks to His Grace, the Duke of Baldwin.”
Following Alison’s guidance, Nadia approached the Baldwin carriage.
But when Alison went to open the door, she subtly shook her head.
They had agreed never to meet again, but he must’ve been unable to ignore a woman in distress.
Still, she didn’t want to overstep by thanking him too personally.
Nadia held both sides of her dress and bowed deeply.
“My sincere thanks to His Grace, the Duke of Baldwin. I won’t forget this kindness.”
There was no reply from inside the carriage, but Nadia remained bowed for a long time.
She finally stood upright.
Through the carriage window, Heinrich’s sharp profile was visible.
His blood-red eyes looked utterly devoid of emotion, as if nothing could stir them.
He seemed more lifeless now than when he had looked at her with fury.
‘Heiny, I’m happy now. What about you?’
‘If you’re unhappy because of me, then I can’t truly be happy either.’
Would she find clues about Rivenia’s death in the capital?
No—she had to.
After nodding slightly to Alison, Nadia turned back.
Her face was now set with firm resolve.
Rivenia and Heinrich’s marriage had once been the hottest gossip in high society.
While it was common for older men to marry much younger women, it was rare for a woman to be eight years older than her husband.
Rivenia didn’t want Heinrich to be pitied for marrying an older woman, so she strictly maintained her distance.
They naturally had separate bedrooms and always had servants present when they were alone.
Even then, as night fell, they rarely crossed paths.
She had acted this way so no indecent rumors could form around her young husband.
As a result, she barely saw him—but Rivenia didn’t mind the arrangement.
Being away from the meddlesome Count and Countess Priscillin and her late mother’s haunting memories, even long hours of work felt refreshing.
Of course, this was all Rivenia’s delusion.
Before long, she collapsed from overwork, nose bleeding.
It happened while she and Heinrich were silently dining together.
Rivenia quickly covered her nose with a handkerchief and tried to reassure him.
“It’s nothing. I think it’s just dry from all the fires we’ve been using lately.”
At the time, mana stones were rare, so they often used firewood to heat their rooms.
Heinrich’s room stayed warm thanks to mana stones, but Rivenia didn’t want to waste the duchy’s wealth for her own comfort.
So her excuse wasn’t a complete lie—she had been overworked, and her nose had been dry.
The real problem was the sheer amount of blood—it turned her white handkerchief bright red, almost grotesquely so.
It must have been a traumatic sight for an eight-year-old boy.
“Madam!”
Heinrich immediately jumped up and ran to her side.
The little boy, barely taller than her seated height, had gone pale as a sheet.
“Your Grace, I’m fine. It’s nothing…”
She’d pulled all-nighters like this many times at the academy.
Though not for such an extended period.
Eventually, her vision blurred, and she swayed even while seated.
Heinrich gripped her arm tightly with his small hand, trying to support her.
Though he still looked terrified, his voice was surprisingly composed as he gave orders to the maids.
“Take the Madam to my chambers! Now!”
His young voice already carried the authority of a duke.
And he was only eight years old.
For a moment, Rivenia’s mind cleared.
“No. Take me to my room. My room…”
Several maids helped lift her.
As they exited the dining hall and ascended the stairs—whether walking or being carried, she couldn’t tell—Rivenia blacked out, believing her wishes had been heard.