NTBYRI 03

Chapter 03

Elsie, who had suffered from insomnia, had often been warned by her physician to take better care of her health.

But these days were different from before.

Strangely, sleep poured over her, and Elsie would nod off inappropriately.

“Madam, it’s time to depart.”

“Ah, yes.”

She even dozed off while the maids were tidying her hair.

As Elsie forced strength into her eyes and rose from her seat, the people around her giggled.

She was so embarrassed. Her ears burned bright red.

She hurried her steps, but the mouths of those following in orderly fashion did not lose their mockery.

As she went out the front gate, a pitch-black carriage greeted Elsie.

Seeing the carriage, tension rose and her body naturally tensed. Drawing a shallow breath, Elsie climbed into the carriage, receiving the valet’s lead rather than Kaiden’s.

Inside the carriage sat Kaiden, not even deigning to look at her.

“We will depart.”

Whether intentional or not, Kaiden didn’t even glance toward Elsie and only stared out the carriage window.

Watching him out of the corner of her eye, Elsie moistened her dry lips with her tongue.

I had liked Kaiden.

The Kaiden of the past would smile gently at her and whisper love.

The one I loved must have been the Kaiden of those days.

No—I liked Kaiden from childhood too, not just then.

Either way, the Kaiden Gray who stole her heart was not the man before her eyes.

Yes. That person is someone else.

Whispering that to herself, her heart crushed by sorrow seemed to return, if only slightly, to its original state.

“……I heard you said you wouldn’t attend, but you came.”

At Kaiden’s sudden murmur, Elsie startled and flinched.

“I was told I had to go. I didn’t hear the details, though.”

She answered as if making an excuse.

Ivy had said there was an important schedule today. That Kaiden had been invited to some opening ceremony—and Elsie had refused, as always.

Then what had Ivy said?

Before leaving the manor, she had set down the newspaper as if tossing it and said one thing.

“When will gossip like this end…… If you don’t go again this time, there will be an even bigger commotion.”

At those words, her eyes went to it despite herself, and Elsie ended up reading the newspaper.

Several columns of the newspaper covered the Gray couple’s divorce and the appearance of Eleanor Underwood.

The hero who led the revolution to victory, Major Kaiden Gray—divorce as things stand?

Professor Eleanor Underwood, dating scene captured! The other party is the famous……

The headlines were truly noisy.

In the black-and-white photo, there was a man and woman who suited each other well.

Naturally, the scene she had seen before flashed through her mind.

So that woman was a professor.

A professor. A professor.

She knew well how remarkable it was for a woman to hold a professorship. Even foolish her could easily infer Eleanor’s symbolic significance.

This twisting in her gut must be because the two suited each other better than she did.

At that moment.

Elsie impulsively decided she must attend this opening ceremony.

“Well, I suppose so. You wouldn’t have thought to look into it yourself.”

There was a laugh mixed in Kaiden’s answering voice. It was the same as the maid’s who had mocked her.

She was so unjustly ashamed that Elsie bowed her head.

The maid doing that was bearable, but Kaiden was different. Her heart shrank until her whole body seemed to crumple.

And how much time had passed?

Even in the uncomfortable silence, sleep poured over her. Unable to overcome her strangely heavy eyelids, she closed her eyes.

“That divorce talk from last time……”

Meanwhile, Kaiden, who had been looking out the window, opened his mouth again.

But his words stopped without finishing.

Looking at Elsie dozing off, Kaiden let out a sigh of disbelief.

This woman is truly self-centered. Still.

His eyes turned cold.

If she had conducted herself properly even once, he wouldn’t feel this pathetic emotion.

But Elsie had always been like this. Leaving all troublesome matters to the servants, acting self-centered inappropriately.

His cold gaze continued until the carriage reached its destination.

* * *

What on earth had happened.

The moment she realized she had dozed off in the carriage, looking pathetic in front of Kaiden, Elsie’s face flushed bright red.

She swore this was a first.

It was because sleep had been pouring over her suddenly these days, and the reason was still unknown.

At this point she wondered if she had suddenly caught some illness, but that seemed unlikely.

The nobles who had enjoyed all sorts of benefits in old Midland did not meet good ends.

There were a very few who joined the revolution and were treated as patriots, but most either met death or were driven out of Midland.

In the midst of that, unlike her executed father, Elsie Gray was living comfortably as the wife of the hero, Major Kaiden Gray.

So there was no reason for her to be ill.

“Aren’t you getting off?”

“Ah, yes.”

As the carriage door opened, Kaiden got off first. With a businesslike appearance, he extended his arm to escort Elsie.

Placing her hand on Kaiden’s forearm was awkward.

Still, just a little, her heart did flutter.

The National Museum of the New Midland Federal Republic.

It was an institution ambitiously established to objectively and thoroughly record and preserve recent history.

Having promoted it extensively, the plaza in front of the museum was crowded with camera-bearing reporters and citizens.

Anticipating the crowd, the museum had requested the dispatch of the capital police in advance. Thanks to that, the carriage’s entry was smooth.

“Shoot!”

“Both the Gray couple came? What’s going on!”

“Weren’t things bad between them?”

“Of course! Who would like that woman? The title for this is being decided right now! A fallen noble’s daughter, visiting the museum with a war hero!”

“And facing past wrongs—how about that?”

As Kaiden and Elsie stepped out of the carriage, reporters swarmed.

She consciously tried not to look at the reporters.

The newspaper articles poured at her swarmed like cockroaches, filling her head.

Then breathing became uncomfortable.

But Kaiden did not stop. So Elsie too had to move busily.

I’m fine.

Elsie muttered that inwardly and faced the people composedly.

“It’s been a while, Madam.”

“Yes.”

“You’re as beautiful as ever.”

Her beauty is unchanged, and so on. Common greeting phrases were subtly transformed.

At their eyes and mouths laden with unpleasant mockery, Elsie forced a smile.

The interest in her was only that much. The people invited to the museum opening soon turned their bodies toward Kaiden.

“I heard the Major will also join the strategic composition meetings. A promotion must be imminent. You might even be transferred to the Strategic Bureau.”

“You flatter me.”

“My, if you’re the ‘Frost Death’ who leads the Sharpshooter Platoon, of course you’d rise higher. Flattery, indeed.”

“The hero who stormed Aldermain Castle and drove out the king is truly humble.”

The people who had formed a circle around Kaiden marveled.

Elsie, standing blankly beside Kaiden, glanced at the artworks beyond the crowd.

She liked the rough lines that captured the moments of revolution in Midland and the brutal aspects of various wars.

A single frame held every kind of passion.

Thinking it was a work that stirred the human heart, she kept her gaze fixed on the artworks.

“By the way, Madam doesn’t seem very interested in the opening ceremony. Ah, of course not—it couldn’t be a pleasant affair for you, after all.”

At the words that suddenly reached her, Elsie blinked slowly and pulled her gaze from the artworks.

“Ah, no. It’s not like that.”

“Is that so? Ah, right. Madam was deeply versed in the arts. Even a moment ago, rather than conversing with us, you were absorbed in appreciating the works hanging there……”

The woman poured out her words quickly. At that, everyone’s gaze concentrated on Elsie.

The moment she felt those gazes, strength entered her whole body. Her shoulders grew numb and heat rose to her head.

‘I want to run away.’

The people’s gazes were burdensome. It hadn’t been like this before.

“I’m curious about the appreciation of such a noble person. I’m not the only one, am I?”

“Of course not. Come to think of it, didn’t the Gray Madam hold a private exhibition long ago?”

“Ahh, she did. I heard she even took art lessons with high-class instructors.”

Like a predator that had found prey, they bared sharp teeth and continued with mocking words.

Elsie looked up at Kaiden standing beside her.

Please calm this fiercely swirling atmosphere even a little—Elsie’s green eyes earnestly gazed at him.

‘Ah……’

But Kaiden’s gaze passed indifferently.

Her heart began to pound roughly. These people had gathered to mock her. Kaiden didn’t care either way.

No—perhaps he too was enjoying this situation. Anticipating how foolishly she would crumble and ruin this occasion.

If it were going to be like this, he shouldn’t have come with her. No, if it were going to be like this, he should have cleanly divorced her and driven her far away.

“I, I…… In my opinion……”

Tears nearly welled up, but she barely held them back.

Forcing her mouth open, she began clumsily pulling out words floating in her muddled head.

“In my opinion……”

Her stomach began to churn.

How was that painting I saw earlier?

A person in ragged clothes screams at a splendid mansion.

Was that scream so heartbreaking because I once stood in the position of the mansion’s owner?

Elsie, lips moving, covered her mouth with her hand.

“Ugh……!”

Thinking she must not be here, she quickly turned and moved her feet. Her stomach churned until what was inside flowed back up.

“Madam?”

“My……”

“What’s happening now……”

Everyone lost their words watching Elsie’s back as she fled the spot, shaking their heads at the wretched escape.

Kaiden, seeing that, clicked his tongue.