Chapter 8
“……Madam. What is the meaning of this?”
“No matter what, how could you open the door so rudely when the maids can all see?”
It was disgusting.
The corners of his lips were lifted as if they had no intention of coming back down, but his actions contradicted his words so blatantly that Railly swallowed another hollow laugh.
Anna shrank back as if she were wounded, hiding behind the duke. Theo quickly draped his jacket over Anna’s shoulders, covering her half-exposed body.
“So now you don’t even care about the place?” Railly sneered. “It would be quite the spectacle for others to see. Imagine how entertaining it would be if people found out that the Duke of the Printz family was rutting in his office like a dog in heat.”
At Railly’s words, heat rushed to Theo’s face.
Seeing it with her own eyes dragged Railly into a despair deeper than she had imagined.
They were the ones undressed, yet she felt as though she herself had been stripped bare. Her body trembled with humiliation and shame. It was enough to make her sick.
Railly could no longer bear to look at the two of them. She flung the letter she had been holding onto the table.
“This is—”
Theo’s eyebrows lifted slightly when he recognized the unmistakable color and seal of a letter from the House of Count Heriond.
“Of course. You didn’t know about this either, did you?”
Her icy gaze and sharp voice echoed through the room. A maid hurriedly shut the door and retreated. Theo had never seen Railly this furious before.
“Are you suggesting Anna intercepted the letter?”
“Then did you do it?”
“Madam, no matter how much you dislike me, isn’t this going too far?”
Railly looked down at Anna, who was covering herself with a startled expression. Her slender body trembled before she suddenly collapsed onto the floor.
“I’m going to the House of Count Heriond right now. I know it won’t look proper for a duchess to show up unannounced without sending notice, but—”
“I’ll go and bring her here.”
“You’re saying you’ll go yourself, dressed like that, without even properly pulling up your trousers?”
Theo dragged a hand down his face. He hurriedly straightened his clothes, then looked at the sobbing Anna. Sensing his gaze, Anna lifted her head and clung to him with a wronged expression.
“Sob… h-hic… Your Grace, I really don’t know anything about this.”
“Anna, you must have been frightened. You should calm down first.”
Theo gently helped her up by the shoulders and seated her on a chair. Watching Anna cry pitifully in his arms, Railly turned away and left the office.
“Ah—! My head… it hurts so much.”
Through the slightly open door, Anna’s pained voice drifted out.
She was perfectly fine enough to have sex, and now she’s suddenly in pain?
A bitter, self-mocking smile spread across Railly’s lips.
“Anna, get a hold of yourself! Anna!”
Theo’s urgent voice followed. Railly looked at the flustered maids and spoke coldly.
“Do you really think someone healthy enough to carry on an affair collapsed from shock because of me?”
“N-No, of course not.”
“Go inside. You never know who might hear.”
At her words, the maids headed toward the office. Railly, expressionless, made her way to the maids’ quarters.
She brought with her the two maids who had spoken about the letter in the garden and returned to the room. Sitting there with tea, she stared out the window as she waited for Leta.
Philia and Bote stood beside her, heads lowered, unable to say a word.
“You look like you have a lot to say. Did you swallow honey or something?”
Setting her teacup down, Railly smiled at Anna, who sat across from her. Anna smiled brazenly, as if nothing were wrong. The mouth that usually chattered without restraint whenever she saw Railly now seemed tightly shut.
“You look perfectly fine. You rushed all the way here when you heard I’d summoned the maids.”
“…Thanks for your concern. But why are those maids here?”
“Good question. Why did I bring them? You pretend to be so clever, yet you can’t see an answer that’s right in front of you?”
Railly glanced once at the clock, then back at Anna. Each time she checked the time, Anna’s expression twisted ever so slightly.
“You should have stayed quiet when I said I’d let you go.”
“What did you say?”
“Pray that nothing happens to my sister.”
Even without all this, their relationship would have ended eventually. But Anna had crossed a line by provoking Railly. She should never have touched Leta.
Railly spoke firmly, yet she herself prayed as well—
that Leta would arrive at the ducal estate safely,
that she would come with the same bright smile Railly remembered.
Even though she already sensed from the letter that it wouldn’t be so, she prayed again and again that the letter placed in the box was a lie.
This can’t continue. At this rate, I’ll—
When Anna met Railly’s frozen gaze, a chill ran down her spine. Nervously biting her nails, she glanced at Bote and Philia beside her.
I knew it—I should never have trusted mere maids!
Seeing the venom in Anna’s eyes, Bote and Philia hurriedly looked away and quietly shifted their positions behind Railly.
Railly, who had been staring out the window, suddenly sprang to her feet.
Please…
She ran outside the mansion and rushed toward the carriage, waiting with a trembling heart for the door to open. Soon, it did. Theo stepped out first and reached out his hand. When Leta descended, holding his hand, Railly collapsed to her knees.
“…Leta.”
“Sister. It’s been a while.”
At a glance, Leta’s face was pale and devoid of life. Seeing her force a smile as if to say she was fine, Railly bowed her head.
“Sister, I finally came, and you’re bowing your head like that?”
“…I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
Theo couldn’t bring himself to approach Railly. What had happened wasn’t entirely free of his fault. He couldn’t even be certain that Anna hadn’t done such a thing. Anna had known about Leta’s marriage—something he himself had not.
Leta gently patted Railly’s back. Seeing Railly, who looked just as worn down as herself, tears threatened to spill.
“Madam, it would be better to go inside and talk. I’ll tell the maids to give you privacy.”
Theo stepped away to give the sisters space. There were things he needed to confirm, and he knew that no matter what he said now, Railly wouldn’t hear him.
Railly merely nodded at his words. Supported by Leta, she entered the room and locked the door.
“Leta… what on earth happened…?”
“Sister, why do you look so worn out?”
“I guess I’ve had a lot on my mind lately.”
When Railly gently placed a hand over her stomach, Leta’s gaze followed. Seeing Railly’s slightly rounded belly, Leta’s eyes widened before she broke into a bright smile.
“Wow… I’m going to have a niece or nephew.”
Seeing Leta trying so hard to act cheerful made Railly’s heart ache even more. As she held Leta’s thin hand and led her to the table, Railly’s eyes flew open.
“…You—don’t tell me.”
“Oh, no. I just bumped into something.”
“Don’t lie! Is the count hitting you?”
“N-No, I said it’s not that.”
Railly grabbed Leta’s arm and rolled up her sleeve. Bruises and wounds covered it. The marks were unmistakable—he had deliberately struck only the places that wouldn’t show.
Unbearable rage surged within her.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have left you there.”
“Sister, this isn’t your fault. Don’t blame yourself because of me.”
Leta shook her head and pulled her sleeve back down, joking that things had gotten better lately.
“Leta, don’t go back. Stay here.”
“You know I can’t.”
“What about Father—!”
So he knew. He knew and still sent you away.
Even as she said the word father, Railly despised herself for it. Leta looked strangely calm. There was no doubt he had married her off knowing exactly what kind of man that was. Railly inhaled sharply as pain stabbed at her heart.
“Leta, it’s fine. Stay here with me. You don’t have to go back.”
“…Father won’t let it go. Sister, don’t ever let him find out.”
“You knew…?”
Leta nodded. She knew about the mark that appeared on Railly’s body. Railly had never told her, never shown her—so how did she know?
“Why… if you knew, why—!”
“Because I understood how you felt. If it were me, I would’ve hated it too. I told you—I don’t resent you.”
“But because of me, you—”
“I’m fine. But if he finds out you hid the mark, he might really try to kill you.”
At Leta’s words, Railly’s emotions finally burst, tears spilling down her face. Foolish… she had known everything, yet—
“And more than anything, you had it hard too. Living in a place you couldn’t even call home. Seeing you loved by the duke, I thought that was enough.”
No—Leta, I—
She couldn’t say it. She didn’t have the courage to admit that the life she gained through Leta’s sacrifice was unhappy, no different from before.
Maybe it’s better this way. That you didn’t see Anna. That you don’t know my situation.
The sisters hid their pain from each other, wearing masks of false reassurance. Though both looked worn down, they said nothing more.
“Leta… do you really have to go?”
“If you permit it, I could stay longer.”
“No… You saw it yourself. If His Grace hadn’t come today, I wouldn’t have even been able to leave. Seeing your face like this is enough for me.”
“Leta, I—”
“It’s okay. Sister. I’m really okay.”
Holding Railly’s hand, Leta patted it gently. Her warm, soft voice slowly calmed the violently trembling heart in Railly’s chest.
Railly stood silently, watching as the carriage carrying Leta left the ducal estate.
The day after Leta’s visit, Railly received a letter informing her that Leta had died
