I knew this would happen. Always in this way, only pulling me into conversations like this.

“Not yet.”

Melly said with a forced smile. She tried to change the subject, wanting to move past this topic, but it was in vain. They persistently clung to it.

“Oh my, you must be so worried. What did your doctor say?”

“Well…”

“What could they say? They probably said it’s aftereffects of the miscarriage, and to wait.”

“That’s not something you can just wait on. Don’t you think you should be more proactive, my lady?”

“Yes. The elders of the Pelton family seem to be waiting eagerly too. Aren’t you being too complacent, Duchess?”

That was precisely why Melly was reluctant to attend parties.

Melly found out she was pregnant not long after getting married.

Rather than joy, she felt bewildered. She was too young, and thinking all pregnancies led to births, she didn’t feel much excitement.

Without morning sickness, Melly went about her days as usual. Then she accidentally slipped on the stairs.

Her foot slid off the edge, causing her to tumble down. She must have hit her head and lost consciousness. When she woke, she was in bed, with everyone looking down at her with devastated faces. And… sticky blood was gushing from between her legs.

Now Melly knows.

That pregnancy and childbirth are not guaranteed.

That life does not come about or enter the world so easily – Melly painfully realized this over the next three years, waiting for a child that did not come despite countless attempts.

But what use is understanding after the loss? It only adds to the guilt with each moment.

“Oh my, Lady Felicie.”

One of the ladies brightened, looking over Melly’s shoulder. Melly turned around.

Lady Felicie, in a loose dress and modest makeup, was approaching them with a bright expression.

“It must be so difficult. A third child, really? Surely you didn’t plan this?”

“Of course not.”

Lady Felicie’s voice pierced Melly’s heart like a thorn.

“We’d been living separately, but the one time we shared a bed, it just happened.”

[This is the timeline separator]

Edric saw Melly among the passing people.

She still couldn’t mingle with the other ladies.

It had already been five years.

Edric sighed and shook his head.

He was a person who believed anything could be achieved through effort, but watching his wife, he learned.

That for some people, there are innate traits that can never be changed no matter how hard they try.

He had done all he could.

Whenever Melly made a mistake, he smoothed things over so she wouldn’t be troubled, and never scolded her for fear she might lose courage.

He tried taking her around, creating an atmosphere where she could naturally blend in with people, and even practiced conversation repertoires that the ladies might enjoy with her.

But like pouring water into a bottomless jar, any strategy became useless once it was in Melly’s hands.

Even at this moment, Edric saw the ladies trying to speak kindly to Melly.

They were making an effort to engage her in conversation and include her. But Melly consistently ignored their goodwill with a blank face.

Her awkward smile as she looked around seemed to be searching for him.

Probably to say it was time to go home.

Edric downed his martini in one gulp and turned away before their eyes could meet.

[This is the timeline separator]

The two were silent the entire way home.

Each gazing out the window nearest to them, admiring the night scenery, they seemed more like fellow passengers than a married couple. Fellow passengers who happened to share a carriage due to similar destinations.

With only the sound of carriage wheels rolling on the paved road chasing away the silence, Melly suddenly turned from the window.

“Um… darling.”

Edric turned his indifferent gaze.

Melly chewed her lips a few times, then spoke with apparent difficulty.

“I was thinking, what do you think about me getting a proper gynecological examination?”

“Why a gynecological exam?”

“Just, the aftereffects of the miscarriage seem to be lasting quite long. And we could find out for sure why I’m not getting pregnant, so I thought…”

“Melissa.”

Melly’s shoulders flinched. Whenever he called her name like that, she had to brace herself for criticism.

“I think you’re being too impatient.”

“…”

“I don’t understand why you’re in such a hurry. You’re still young.”

Still young…

Yes. If there was any consolation for Melly, that was it. She was only twenty-four after all.

But what about when more time passes? Would she be confident not to worry then?

“Youth passes quickly…”

Melly lowered her gaze weakly.

Edric’s eyes were hard as he stared at her.

He didn’t like how Melly always talked about children after parties ended.

She must have seen some pregnant ladies there.

Why couldn’t she be more detached?

He hadn’t even taken her to houses with young children, fearing she might feel a sense of loss, but was his consideration for nothing?

‘If only her body were stronger.’

Edric looked at Melly’s delicate curves, clearly visible even in the darkness.

She looked smaller and more fragile than four years ago, during her first pregnancy.

Insisting on pregnancy with such a body didn’t seem very advisable.

“I’d prefer if you focused a bit more on other things than pregnancy.”

“Other things?”

“For instance, socializing with the noble ladies.”

“…”

“They seem to want to befriend you, but you don’t appear to be opening your heart to them.”

Not opening her heart…

A bitter smile appeared on Melly’s face as she silently repeated Edric’s words to herself.

“Do you really… think so? That the noble ladies want to be friends with me?”

Edric spoke indifferently.

“Of course. It was obvious they were trying to be nice to you.”

‘That’s only when you’re around.’

But Melly didn’t say that. He was a man who trusted his own eyes more than Melly’s words.

“Yes. You’re right. They’re all good people.”

“…”

“But they just don’t suit me well.”

At those words, Edric’s lips twisted subtly.

“What kind of people suit you then? Perhaps the household servants? Or your old friends from the girls’ school you attended when you were young?”

Melly closed her mouth at his sarcastic tone.

He was clearly criticizing the small tea party she had held for the servants a few days ago to thank them for their hard work.

“I’d like you to act more befitting of a duchess.”

“…”

“Stop associating with people beneath your station.”

With that scathing rebuke, he turned away.

Melly opened and closed her mouth a few times looking at Edric’s profile, before closing it completely.

She knew that offering a weak rebuttal was worse than saying nothing at all.

Melly also turned to the opposite window.

She could see the sight of a village with lights gathered cozily at the bottom of a hill, but Melly couldn’t feel any emotion from it.

She was only acutely aware of the gap widening between them with each passing moment.

She wondered if it was possible to narrow that gap even by a single centimeter.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Won’t you have a cup of tea?”

The next day, as Melly turned around after seeing Edric off, Eida invited her for tea time.

“Yes, mother.”

Melly obediently followed her into the living room of the main house.

The main house, decorated with antique mahogany furniture, always looked elegant.

Originally, the main house should have been the residence of the duchess, but Melly gladly gave it up to her mother-in-law.

She was satisfied just with the name of Duchess Pelton. No, she had wanted nothing more than being Edric’s wife. At least, that was how she felt at the time of their marriage.

“So, how was the party? Did you enjoy it?”

Eida suddenly asked while Melly was looking at the new harp that had been brought into the main house’s living room.

“Yes. It wasn’t bad.”

Melly answered calmly.

“You can’t fool my eyes.”

“…”

“Those wretched women stressed you out again, didn’t they?”

Eida saw right through Melly. Then, seeming more angry than Melly herself, she spoke through gritted teeth.

“Those fox-like creatures. If I could get my hands on them, I wouldn’t let them off easy.”

Melly chuckled at the somewhat rough language.

Melly and Eida were on good terms again.

She had returned to being the kind previous Duchess Pelton that Melly used to know. Of course, it took quite a price to get to this point.

Eida’s change towards Melly came after her miscarriage.

It was Eida who carefully took care of Melly, who had to recover physically and emotionally on her own without a birth mother. Saying that having a miscarriage was the same as giving birth, she personally made nutritious foods and even prepared medicine to dry up the milk.

Without this restored relationship with her, Melly would have found it difficult to endure Edric’s cooled affection.

“It’s really alright. I don’t mind at all now. I’ve come to accept it.”

“If that’s how you feel, I won’t say more, but if it ever becomes too hard to bear, tell me. You know I certainly know how to deal with those fox-like noble ladies, don’t you?”

“I will, mother.”

As the two were chatting amicably, the maid Anna came in with teacups.

She set down a cup of clear rosemary tea in front of Eida.

She also placed a cup in front of Melly. It was a white porcelain cup, containing a dark chestnut-colored liquid.

Melly knew what it was.

It was a medicinal brew to nourish her body so she could become pregnant as soon as possible. Eida had specially sought out a reputed herbalist to obtain and decoct it.

“I told them to bring it here since you’d be drinking it anyway. Is that alright?”

“Of course.”

Melly smiled brightly with genuine feeling as she picked up the porcelain cup.

Eida Pelton watched intently over her teacup as Melly drank it down.

The corners of her mouth lifted slightly.

As Melly put down the cup, slightly furrowing her brow at the bitter taste and raising her eyes, the strange smile on the lady’s face disappeared.

The lady spoke with an extremely kind expression.

“Drink it diligently. When you finish this batch, I’ll prepare more for you.”

“Thank you, mother.”

“I hope a child will come soon. It’s truly regrettable.”