IDLYA 10

chapter 10

The servants would surely inform the Marquess of Solen that Rubiel had left with Niveia, so technically, everything was fine.

But that didn’t mean the marquess himself would feel at ease.

He would probably be burning with anxiety, worrying that Niveia might hold a grudge and harm Rubiel.

Unable to fully trust Niveia’s claim that she was going to a palace party, he might even send people out to search the capital.

‘It’ll probably take Father at least another hour to finish his work. It should be around sunset by then.’

Only after that would he mobilize people, try to deduce their destination, and eventually make his way to the imperial palace to find them.

That would take quite some time.

More than enough—plenty of time—for Niveia to finish what she intended to do.

Of course, Niveia could have informed the marquess—or at least a maid—where they were going and why.

That would have been the proper thing to do.

But she chose not to.

She wanted the Marquess of Solen to feel what it was like to bear the consequences of his own mistakes.

To worry desperately about losing Rubiel, and regret—even a little—the wrongs he had done to her.

‘Maybe that’s a bit… cruel of me.’

Niveia let out a small laugh.

It was light as a feather, but Rubiel didn’t miss it and smiled brightly.

“You look happy, sister.”

“Do I?”

A child’s eyes could be surprisingly perceptive.

Niveia gave her a faint, meaningless smile before turning her gaze back to the carriage window.

Golden ornaments and flowers in full bloom welcomed the carriage.

They had arrived at the imperial palace.

Valer had been out of his mind all day.

“Duke Eustache!”

At the voice calling him, Valer snapped back to his senses.

Walking beside him, the Crown Prince looked at him curiously.

“You don’t seem like yourself today. You look as if you’re missing a piece of armor—completely off. I’ve never seen you like this.”

“Ah… my apologies.”

“I heard you broke off your engagement. Is that why?”

Valer’s steps came to an abrupt halt in the palace corridor.

He was already struggling to maintain his composure, but the Crown Prince, oblivious, simply laughed heartily.

“You must feel like a weight’s been lifted. News of your broken engagement has already spread throughout high society. Weren’t you the one who wanted it so badly? You’ve finally gotten your wish—congratulations!”

“…Thank you.”

For some reason, his mouth felt bitter, as if he had chewed on something foul, but he answered out of habit.

As the Crown Prince said, Valer had broken off his engagement yesterday.

Or more precisely, last night—when Niveia declared that she no longer loved him.

It was only on the ride back, in a carriage so expensive it didn’t even jolt, that Valer was finally able to accept it.

The engagement documents had been completed.

At first, he was too stunned to believe it was real.

Then, he became angry.

If she was going to sign so easily, why drag things out for ten years? It had only made things harder for both of them.

After the anger subsided, he should have felt relieved.

Like finally pulling out an aching tooth, he should have stretched his legs and slept soundly.

Yes—he should have.

But he couldn’t.

In fact, he was so affected that it was obvious to anyone.

Not only had he failed to sleep at all last night, but even today, his mind was so scattered he couldn’t focus on the meeting.

“By the way, I can’t understand what those Winfrit fellows are thinking. What’s the point of selecting candidates for a bride if they reject them all?”

“Ah… they rejected them all?”

“Exactly! Saying political marriages don’t suit them… With an emperor like that, it’s no wonder Winfrit is the way it is. And Joachim XII—didn’t his former fiancée commit suicide? There must have been a reason… Duke? Are you listening?”

“Ah.”

Valer snapped back to attention once again.

The Crown Prince now looked utterly exasperated.

Only then did Valer realize he had made another mistake.

“…My apologies. Where were you?”

“It’s fine. I was wondering why you seemed so distracted—this is worse than I thought. Thinking about your next engagement already? Once the national mourning ends and the marriage ban is lifted, I could introduce you to one of my cousins.”

“Ah… I appreciate the offer, but I have no intention of getting engaged again anytime soon.”

Normally, he would have declined more tactfully, with a pleasant smile.

But he didn’t have the capacity for that now.

He didn’t even realize how bluntly he had spoken.

Fortunately, the Crown Prince didn’t seem to mind.

“Well, getting engaged again right after breaking one off wouldn’t look good. You’re so thoughtful, yet your former fiancée was unbelievably foolish.”

“…Did something happen to Lady Solen?”

“What do you mean ‘happen’? She’s having the time of her life. Why do you think rumors spread so quickly just one day after the breakup? As soon as she returned to Solen, she’s been going from salon to salon, spending money like water.”

“…It seems she’s doing well.”

As he said it, a strange ache twisted inside Valer’s chest.

“Shameless woman. To show no embarrassment after being cast aside.”

The more the Crown Prince insulted Niveia, the more two conflicting emotions clashed within Valer.

One agreed.

That she was shameless, selfish—exactly as described.

The other felt uneasy.

Because no matter how selfish she was accused of being, she had never once acted for her own sake.

That was something he had only realized yesterday.

When he returned to the ducal residence, still seething with anger, Valer had ordered all of that detestable woman’s belongings to be burned.

But when the maids carried out items from her small room, he couldn’t hide his confusion.

“That’s… all of Niveia’s clothes?”

“Yes. That’s everything.”

He couldn’t believe it.

A few plain, outdated dresses—so unfashionable even he could tell—were all she owned?

Unable to understand, he reached a conclusion.

“Ah, she must have taken everything with her when she left. Right, butler?”

“…The only things she took were a tea set, writing tools, and five books, Your Grace.”

“What? That can’t be right. She’s a daughter of the Solen family. That’s all she had?”

“It is the truth. She said everything else belonged to Eustache—not to her—so she left it behind.”

Valer, who had intended to burn everything and sleep peacefully, felt something twist violently inside him.

Twisted beyond repair.

But unable to voice it, he canceled the order.

After examining her belongings himself, he realized—

Niveia had barely bought anything for herself.

His mind grew complicated.

No matter her origins, she was the eldest daughter of the prestigious Solen family.

And when the marquess had married a former maid due to a premarital pregnancy, society had been shaken.

People said he must have loved his wife deeply—or at least had a rare sense of responsibility.

So naturally, their daughter should have been raised with love.

And yet—

She had nothing.

Her accessories amounted to a few simple silver hairpins without even cheap gems.

Her clothes were embarrassingly modest for a noble lady.

It was the same with everything else.

She owned nothing.

Not even a proper status.

This contradiction shattered Valer’s image of her, preventing him from feeling at ease.

But after hearing the Crown Prince’s words just now, something inside him loosened.

‘I knew it.’

Frugal? Hardly.

A woman who spent money recklessly the moment her engagement ended didn’t deserve such a description.

Leaving nothing behind must have been deliberate—to evoke his sympathy.

Thinking that way made him feel better.

No—he even felt irritated at himself for having felt guilty over such a woman.

He wasn’t completely at ease, but at least he thought he might sleep tonight.

“Oh, speak of the devil—there’s your former fiancée. Did she come to see you? Shameless, really.”

That was—until he saw Niveia entering the palace ballroom.

After stepping out of the carriage, Niveia entered the imperial palace ballroom with Rubiel.

Rubiel was brimming with excitement at the thought of attending a palace party.

It was only her second time seeing the palace, and she ran around like a child—until she noticed Niveia walking beside her with composed elegance.

Embarrassed, she cleared her throat and began to walk more gracefully, like a swan.

Niveia let her be.

She didn’t dislike the childlike innocence.

But she couldn’t help the dull ache twisting inside her.

Because she had never had such innocence herself.