IDLYA 3

She thought that if she did this, at the very least, he would acknowledge her as his fiancée.

She believed he might come to cherish her, even just a little.

But the more she tried, the more Valere pushed Niveia away.

He had begun to recoil from the blind love she showed him.

Even when he returned to the ducal residence after three years on the battlefield—where Niveia had been waiting for him—

“Thank you for your efforts, my lady. I’m tired, so I would prefer not to see you any further today.”

“But, Valere. It’s been three years. Can’t we talk for even a moment?”

“If you truly love me as you always claim, must I remind you that the best thing you can do is quietly return to your room?”

Niveia had only been happy to see him again.

Seeing Valere—now fully grown into a young man, sharpened like a blade after three years of war—made her heart race, and she simply wanted to stay by his side a little longer.

Her feelings had not changed even once in the ten years since that engagement ceremony.

And neither had his.

He still felt nothing for her.

No—if anything, he was desperate to end their engagement.

After all, before leaving for the battlefield, he had thrown a signed annulment document at her, saying he was sick of it.

Watching his back as he walked away after coldly dismissing her, Niveia grasped at the empty air.

What were all the years I devoted…?

The scratching sound of a quill glided softly across the paper.

At the end of it, written in a moderately elegant, slightly slanted script typical of a noble lady, was the name:

Niveia Solen.

Beside it, written long ago—the ink now faint—was:

Valere Eustache.

A drop of tear fell onto it with a soft plop, slightly smudging the last stroke of “Eustache.”

“Ah…”

She had wanted to remain calm.

Flustered, Niveia pressed her thumb against the blurred ink, but it was already too late.

Another tear fell onto the back of her hand as it rested on the paper.

Like raindrops.

Come to think of it, it had rained that day too.

A spring rain.

The day Niveia lost her love.

That was also the day Lady Eustace came to the residence after hearing of Valere’s return.

Even with an umbrella, the ends of her pink hair had gotten slightly damp, as if reflecting her feelings for him.

Like Niveia, she was one of the many young ladies deeply infatuated with Valere.

Having heard news of his return, she must have been unable to suppress her longing any longer, rushing here despite knowing it might become the subject of gossip.

But unfortunately, she did not get to meet him.

“The duke has gone to the imperial palace, my lady. Please come another time.”

“I didn’t expect him not to be home after work hours… If Lady Solen isn’t lying to me, I suppose I have no choice but to believe it.”

Her disappointment was obvious.

And she directed the irritation of not seeing the man she loved toward Niveia.

To be fair, their relationship had never been good to begin with.

After all, what kind of relationship could there be between a woman who liked another’s man and that man’s fiancée?

It was nothing new, so Niveia endured even the blatant mockery.

She could endure this much.

“I tend to trust people easily, but it’s hard to trust the words of someone of such low birth. I hope you’ll forgive me for that, my lady.”

She could endure it.

“People may not say it openly, but haven’t there always been rumors about your origins? No matter how much a maid claims to be the marquis’s child, who knows where you really came from…”

She could endure it.

“Oh, don’t be so upset. I can’t be the only one who thinks this way. Perhaps the duke has been delaying your marriage all this time because of your background.”

Smack!

With a sharp crack, Lady Eustace’s head snapped to the side.

“Lady Solen, what are you—!”

“Say that again, Lady Eustace.”

“As expected of someone of low—!”

Smack!

“Y-you crazy—”

Smack! Smack!

The blows came down mercilessly.

It was violence stripped of reason.

Niveia now understood what it meant when people said anger could make your mind go blank.

She could endure insults toward her parents—they were never important to her anyway.

But Valere—

She could not allow anyone to speak of him like that.

The wound she had suppressed for years in silent tears—

no one had the right to touch it.

Why does Valere hate me so much?

She had asked herself that question countless times.

There were many possible answers—

but one stood above the rest.

Her birth.

The label that followed her all her life—being born out of wedlock to a maid.

Maybe… he hates me for that too.

Maybe he despises the idea of someone of low birth entering the noble House of Eustache.

A wound she had never dared voice—

Lady Eustace had ripped it open.

She deserved to be hit.

No matter how much Lady Eustace screamed and struggled, she was no match for Niveia, who had completely lost control.

The violence was one-sided.

After being beaten until her cheeks were swollen and her hair in disarray, the one who saved Lady Eustace was—

“Lady Solen! What do you think you’re doing?!”

Niveia’s love.

Valere had returned from work and witnessed the scene.

He rushed forward and grabbed Niveia.

“What are you doing to Lady Eustace?! Have you lost your mind?!”

“S-sob… Duke…”

“…Lady Eustace, please go inside and receive treatment. The residence has a physician. I will apologize on her behalf.”

As he comforted the crying Lady Eustace, Valere cast a cold gaze at Niveia.

Only then did she come back to her senses.

Oh no… it’s Valere. What have I done in front of him…?

Panicked, she tried to hide her hands—the very instruments of her crime—but he had already seen everything.

Realizing that, her blood ran cold.

The chill that ran down her spine—

there was no better way to describe it.

Valere was angry because of her actions.

Just that thought alone made her feel like she might burst into tears.

What if he hates me? What do I do…?

Terrified, Niveia opened her mouth to explain.

“V-Valere, this is—”

“I won’t ask.”

But Valere didn’t ask anything.

He didn’t even try to listen.

Because the reason was obvious to him.

“It seems that while I was away, you’ve been openly engaging in such behavior, Lady Solen.”

Looking at his eyes—cold with contempt—Niveia realized something.

Nothing she said would reach him.

He thought she had beaten Lady Eustace out of jealousy.

After all, she had often shown jealousy in front of him before, asking him not to associate with her.

Maybe that was why—

he didn’t even get angry.

What she thought was anger was merely irritation.

He wasn’t disappointed in her.

He wasn’t angry.

Which meant—

there was no reason for him to hate her.

Because those emotions—

that depth—

had never existed in him to begin with.

To Valere, Niveia was nothing.

Even after ten years.

The moment she realized that, something inside her shattered.

“…It’s raining, and the air is cold, Lady Solen. You might catch a cold, so please return to your room.”

What he truly meant was I don’t want to see you.

But he phrased it elegantly.

It might have hurt less if he hadn’t pretended to care.

Niveia wiped her tears and stood up.

Behind her remained the annulment document, Valere’s signature slightly smudged.

Now that her own signature had been added, their engagement was officially over.

The end of a ten-year-long, blind love.

It made her a little sad—

so she cried a little.

And she resented the weather for being so bright on a day like this.