Book I: Chapter 5

She was soaked in that joy only for a while. She quickly hid herself because she was worried that she might look suspicious for wandering around without any reason.

The grate doors, which seemed unlikely to ever open, opened and let the carriage inside. The carriage drove into the garden and stopped right in front of the magnificent mansion. The mansion looked so large and majestic that it could not be even compared to the Mackenzie house.

Maybe he was expecting Edwin's visit, Marquis Ritchie Cornell had personally come out of the mansion and was waiting for him.

Soon the carriage door opened, and a tall man got out of it. Because she was far away from him, she couldn't see his face properly. But she could tell who it was without even having to check.

The time it took for him to follow the Marquis into the mansion was really short, but Harrieta was content with that alone. It felt like welcoming rain on a dry land after a very long drought.

Harrieta, I'm really worried about you. I'm truly scared of the feelings of loss and pain that you will have to endure when you finally realize that you and him cannot be together.

Lillian said to Harrieta, who was lost in her memories. She was genuinely worried about Harrieta. Lillian had tried her best to advise her not to fall in love with him, but seeing that she refused to listen, she gave up a long time ago. She just wished her niece wouldn't get seriously hurt.

'I would have stopped myself if I could.'

Harrieta murmured in her mind. She didn't know how reckless and ignorant she looked. But if she could have stopped it on her own will, she would have done it a long time before. Leaning weakly against the back of the chair, she closed her eyes. Another day had passed away wasted like this.

Most people liked to interfere and get involved in other people's affairs. And even more so when the subject was an immensely famous person.

Perhaps that was why the news of the perfect successor of the Duke Redford and the beautiful daughter of the Marquis Ritchie Cornell spread rapidly throughout the kingdom. Only then people understood why Edwin had left the capital for so long.

The purpose behind his stay in Lavant and his several visits to the Mansion of Marquis Ritchie Cornell became clear to everyone.

The combination of the two people was absolutely perfect. Although the Cornell family was not as affluent as the Redfords, they were still famous for being one of the most prestigious families in Brimdell. Furthermore, Vivian, the only daughter of Marquis Ritchie Cornell, was so beautiful that there were rumors that she had dozens of suitors waiting in line for her, even before her debut.

All the people of the kingdom had sincerely blessed the two and were delighted with their union.

Except for only one person.

Harrieta Mackenzie.

When she first heard the news, Harrieta felt like the world was falling apart. She felt as if her vision was darkening and the floor was falling apart.If this is a terrible nightmare, then I want to wake up. Please, I just want to wake up from this nightmare quickly.But sadly, it was a terrible reality.

The wounds of a broken heart were painful beyond words. She hadn't even gotten a chance to properly confess her feelings. It was not enough to describe her state as just sad and empty.

That's why I warned you earlier. Now it's all useless.

Time will fix everything, Harrieta. No matter how sad and hard it is now, nothing lasts forever in this world. Soon, you will also forget this sadness and will eventually overcome it. You'll be back to your old self. You will be fine, dear.

Lillian pitied Harrieta. She tried to comfort her, but Harrieta just kept on crying.

She cried every day and night, refusing to eat any food. She even fainted several times because of exhaustion. Realising that the situation was getting worse than what she expected, Lillian reached out to the Mackenzie couple for help.

Viscount Mackenzie's wife, Rose had come at once after being informed of this. Seeing the condition of her daughter, she was really frightened. No matter how long the time had passed, everything was just unrecognizable. It was hard to recognize her daughter, who had been now reduced to the shell of her previous self.

Harrieta, oh my dear daughter! How did you end up like this? At this rate, your body really won't be able to last for long.

Rose was really sad seeing her precious daughter like this.

Let's go back to Philioche together. The air is clear and clean there. It will help you heal your tired mind and body.

Rose seriously made a suggestion. She knew that her daughter was having a hard time because of her broken heart. She didn't know exactly who it was who broke her dear daughter's heart. She looked at Lillian for answers but Lillian intentionally kept silent, only scratching her head with a worried look.

And we all miss you. The mansion is so lonely without you. Everyone misses our little troublemaker. Especially Hugo. That kid really misses you a lot.

Harrieta, who was lying on the bed with a blanket laid over her, responded to the name of her younger brother, from whom she hadn't heard for a long time. He was six years younger than her, only nine years old when she left Philioche.

Harrieta recalled Hugo, who chased her around saying sister, sister like a duckling on the water. The affection and longing for her hometown, which she had buried somewhere deep inside her, rose up again like a spring.

It was only because of Edwin that she had insisted on staying in Lavant from the beginning anyway. But now since he was another woman's man, and had left for the capital immediately after his engagement ceremony, she didn't have any other reason to stay in Lavant.

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After thinking for a long time, Harrieta finally climbed into the carriage headed for Philioche with Rose.

Harrieta sat by the window in her room and looked out of the window. It had already been a year since she had followed Rose back to Philioche.

The time that she had thought would never pass, eventually passed away like flowing water. But she wasn't sure whether she was used to this flow.

As the days went by, the time seemed to pass faster and faster. Sometimes she wondered how the day had passed so quickly.

Harrieta began to read the letter in her hand. It was a letter from Lillian from Lavant.

After she returned to Philioche, Lillian regularly sent her letters. Lillian, who had no child of her own due to the early death of her husband, consideredHarrieta as her own child. The letter, filled with trivial stories from everyday life, always ended with a promise, that sooner or later she would visit Philioche to see Harrieta.

Harrieta smiled. She could guarantee that her aunt would not visit Philioche even if she said this again and again in all her next letters.

With a smile, Harrieta folded the letter paper. As she was folding the letter, she saw a small note at the bottom of the letter paper.

[PS: Recently there has been a strange story going around the kingdom. Harrieta, I hope you haven't listened to it yet.

Even if you have heard it, it wouldn't matter anymore, but just in case.]

Harrieta tilted her head. It was a strange postscript and she couldn't figure out what it meant. There were dense ink stains on the paper which indicated that the person who wrote it had put force in the pen at several places, as if hesitating to write several times.

Harrieta couldn't even guess what strange story Lillian was talking about. Philioche was a very small town with a population of less than five hundred people, and the capital city was

Of course, it was located far away from the countryside, so getting any news from the capital was quite rare.

Most of the people here didn't even know how old the current king was or how many wives or children he had. Other villagers would be surprised to hear this, but at least it wasn't strange here.

Suddenly

Sister!

A boy entered through the slightly opened door. Just like Harrieta, he too had auburn hair. He was a child who had not yet undergone puberty.

Hugo! How many times have I told you to knock first before entering the room?

Why should I knock when it's just my sister and me? Were you doing something fun behind my back?

Hugo, the youngest son of the Mackenzie family and also Harrieta's younger brother, asked with sparkling eyes filled with mischief. With his childish voice, he tried to speak like an old man that didn't match his age.

By the way, what is that?

Hugo pointed to the letter in Harrieta's hand and asked. Harrieta shrugged,

A letter from Aunt Lillian. Would you like to read it too?

No, I don't want to. It must be similar to the 12 letters you received the other day.

Wellthat's right.

Harrieta readily admitted. She folded the letters one by one and put them in the table drawer.

By the way, what brings you here?

Oh, right! Sister, didn't you say you would teach me how to ride a horse without a saddle?

'I did?'

Harrieta tried to search her memory.