Ever since suffering a throat injury years ago, Garrick had spoken with difficulty.
Most of his words came out rough and broken.
But Elysia had long grown accustomed to it.
She listened patiently and smiled.
"Today is my return visit. His Grace remains unconscious, so it wasn’t convenient for him to accompany me."
Garrick nodded repeatedly.
"Good... good..."
Elysia smiled softly.
"I’ll go to the family chapel first and pay my respects."
"Good... good..."
Garrick nodded again.
"You can return to your duties. There is no need to accompany me."
Garrick grunted in acknowledgment.
Then suddenly, as though remembering something important, he raised a hand.
"The Duke’s... heir..."
"He... is here..."
Elysia looked surprised.
"Leonhart?"
Garrick nodded.
"Yes... yes..."
A smile immediately appeared on Elysia’s face.
She took Miriam with her and headed toward the chapel.
Behind them, Garrick struggled to finish the rest of his sentence.
"Also..."
"His Highness..."
"Came too..."
Unfortunately, Elysia was already too far away to hear him.
The path leading to the chapel wound through the quiet grounds of Hartwell Manor.
As they walked, Miriam grinned.
"I remember Lord Leonhart always loved the things you baked, my lady."
Elysia laughed softly.
"He did. I brought Honey-Almond Tea Cakes today. I’ll give him a few."
Even so, she felt slightly puzzled.
Why would Leonhart visit the family chapel today?
Before long, they arrived.
The interior was dim.
Sunlight filtered through the narrow windows, casting long shadows across the stone floor.
Elysia could make out two figures standing near the altar.
One was clearly Leonhart.
The other—
Most likely his attendant.
Smiling, she stepped inside.
"Leonhart! Sometimes I think you must possess the gift of prophecy. How else could you know I brought tea cakes today?"
At the sound of her voice, Leonhart immediately turned around.
"Elys—"
He abruptly stopped himself.
Then he corrected,
"Your Grace."
Elysia laughed.
"So polite."
Her smile widened.
Then her gaze shifted.
And froze.
The second figure stepped out from the shadows.
Tall.
Elegant.
Cold.
Even in the dim light, Vaelen’s face was unmistakable.
The smile faded from Elysia’s lips.
Instinctively, she took half a step backward.
The movement was small.
Almost imperceptible.
But Vaelen noticed it.
A moment later, Elysia composed herself. A faint smile returned.
Polite.
Distant.
Nothing more.
"Your Highness."
Her voice was calm and courteous.
No different from how she might greet any other nobleman.
Vaelen’s expression darkened.
Just moments ago, she had greeted Leonhart with warmth and laughter. Now she looked at him as though he were a stranger.
The difference irritated him far more than it should have.
What was she trying to prove?
Was this another one of her games?
"Oh, right."
Elysia suddenly turned toward Miriam.
She accepted the food box from her maid and opened it.
The sweet scent of freshly baked pastries immediately filled the air.
Then she held the box out toward Leonhart.
"Would you like one?"
Leonhart nearly burst into tears.
Earlier that morning, he had still been sleeping peacefully when Vaelen dragged him out of bed and forced him into a carriage.
He hadn’t even eaten breakfast. Now he was starving. The sight of those tea cakes nearly made him weep with gratitude.
"These are offerings for the ancestors."
Vaelen’s voice cut through the air.
Leonhart’s hand froze midway.
So...
Could he eat them or not?
Fortunately, Elysia smiled.
"It’s fine, I made extra. You can have some."
Only then did Leonhart relax.
He grabbed one immediately.
The moment he bit into it, his eyes widened.
The pastry was soft.
Lightly sweet.
Perfectly balanced.
For a brief moment, pure happiness washed across his face.
Then he stuffed the rest into his mouth.
Vaelen watched silently.
His throat moved.
He was hungry too.
In truth, no one knew Elysia’s cooking better than he did.
Back then, she constantly sent pastries and cakes to the Crown Prince’s Wing.
Every single time, he either gave them away or ordered servants to throw them out.
Yet strangely...
Today, if Elysia personally offered him one—
He might actually accept.
Perhaps he would even eat it.
To his surprise, after Leonhart took his share, Elysia simply closed the box.
Then she handed it back to Miriam.
Not once did she look in his direction.
Not once did she offer him anything.
Vaelen’s jaw tightened and a low cold laugh escaped him.
"All right."
Elysia turned toward the altar.
"It’s time."
She carefully arranged the offerings upon the long wooden table.
Fresh bread.
Tea cakes.
Sweet pastries.
One by one.
When everything was prepared, she lit a taper.
The small flame flickered gently.
Then she bowed before the ancestral tablets.
"Father, brothers, uncles and ancestors of Hartwell Manor."
Her voice softened.
"I am married now. I have entered Draevenor Manor. I carry the title of Duchess."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"His Grace remains unconscious. But everyone there has treated me well. I have been cared for and... I am doing well."
The final words caught in her throat.
Suddenly, speaking became difficult.
A lump formed in her chest.
Her eyes burned.
For so long, she had acted cheerful.
Carefree.
Strong.
As though nothing could hurt her.
But the truth was very different.
She missed them.
Every day.
Every single day.
Their absence had carved a wound inside her that would never fully heal.
Only now, after living through two lifetimes, did she finally understand certain things.
For example—
Why she had clung to Vaelen so desperately in her previous life.
Because after losing everyone else...
He had become the last connection she had left to the days when Hartwell Manor still felt like home.