“Sophia. Sophia!”
Someone’s familiar voice called her loudly. Sophia heard it, but it was hard to bring her body out of the foggy, water-like daze she was in.
It felt like both her body and mind were sinking deep underwater.
“Sophia, are you awake?”
Sophia barely managed to open her eyes and speak. Even that small movement felt like it took many seconds. As soon as she opened her mouth, she started coughing.
“Cough, cough.”
“Thank goodness. Really, thank goodness.”
Right after her coughing fit, someone pulled her into a tight hug. When she turned her head, she saw Felix’s worried face.
“Felix.”
“You’re really going to get it from me. Have you lost your mind? Jumping out of the carriage to chase after the Duke by yourself?”
Looking around, she realized she was inside a carriage. Sophia rubbed her temple, feeling like her head was about to explode.
“W-what about the Duke?”
“He already went back, of course. What made you think you could chase after him alone without even knowing the way? And why were you in the lake? Did you trip and fall?”
“Huh?”
Sophia looked down at herself in a daze. Now that she noticed, her whole body was soaking wet. The feeling of being wet wasn’t just her imagination.
She mumbled blankly.
“You’re right… Why am I like this?”
“You’re the one who fell in, and that’s your answer?”
Felix quickly took off his jacket and draped it over her. Shivering, Sophia pulled it tighter around herself.
The carriage jolted as it moved—probably because it wasn’t on a paved road. Since this wasn’t their family’s carriage, Felix must’ve rented it right after she left and chased after her.
“Did Mother send you?”
“Of course. How could we let you go alone? Even if he’s your fiancé, walking together through a dark forest path? People would talk. Especially with the Medecia family watching everything. What were you thinking?”
“Solid isn’t the type to spread rumors.”
“I know. But Lady Woodridge isn’t the same. And where on earth were you? I rented the carriage and followed right away, but I couldn’t find you anywhere. I only saw your dress near the lake after a long search—do you know how scared I was? I thought you were dead… Why did you go to the lake?”
Felix must have been really scared—he even mumbled a rare curse. Sophia, still dazed and shivering, slowly shook her head.
“I don’t know. I remember chasing after the Duke, and then… everything’s blank. I don’t remember going to the lake at all.”
“What? Are you really okay? We’ll call a doctor the moment we get home. We should check the area too, just in case there was someone suspicious…”
Felix’s voice sounded distant. Sophia felt a tightness in her throat and pulled at the layered jewel necklace around her neck.
“Felix. Can you take this off?”
“Just hold on. We’re almost there.”
“I can’t breathe well.”
“What?”
Felix looked down at her in surprise. Her pale cheeks and limp body didn’t seem like she was pretending. He hurriedly unfastened the necklaces around her neck one by one.
“Feeling better now?”
He fussed, checking her forehead and cheeks for temperature. She was a little cold, but considering she had been in water, it wasn’t alarming.
Still, Sophia gasped for air like someone who had just come out of the water. Then she lifted her head and showed her neck to Felix.
“Felix. Is my neck okay?”
“What?”
“Any bruises or hand marks?”
Her eyes were filled with confusion and dull light as she asked. Felix looked at her pale, smooth neck and shook his head.
“No, there’s nothing. Why, do you think someone attacked you?”
He asked seriously. Sophia blinked blankly and weakly shook her head.
“No. I was just joking. You said no one was around when you found me.”
“Yeah… it’s not a place people usually go.”
“Then that must be it. Ah, my head hurts. Don’t tell Mother. Just say I slipped and fell into the river on the way back with you.”
“Alright.”
After that, Sophia stayed silent, holding her head, until they arrived at the count’s estate. Felix looked down at her worriedly, trying to convince himself that everything was just the after effects of the poison she had taken, and she would get better with time.
People were gathered at the estate waiting for Sophia. Felix had been gone too long since saying he would go get her.
Even the Duke, who had said he would walk back, had already arrived. As soon as he heard Sophia might have gotten lost while following him, he had rushed to the count’s estate. Though he hadn’t changed his clothes, he appeared perfectly neat and unruffled, showing no signs of dirt, and expressed his worry for her.
“Is it true Sophia hasn’t arrived yet?”
At the sight of his worried and tender face, the young women present couldn’t help but gaze at him again.
“This won’t do. I’ll go find her myself.”
Just as the Duke stood up, unable to bear the weight of his concern, the butler entered, announcing that Felix and Sophia’s carriage had arrived at the front gate, filling the room with relief.
The Count and Countess offered a quick prayer, as did the other guests. Since the Duke had rushed out first to meet Sophia, the others followed after him.
With long, energetic strides, the Duke quickly descended the stairs and ran straight to the carriage.
“Sophia!”
Just then, Sophia was stepping down with Felix’s help. The Duke naturally extended his hand to help his fiancée. Felix was about to pass her hand over, too. But just as their hands were about to meet, a loud slap rang out—Sophia had pushed the Duke’s hand away.
“…!”
She had rejected his hand sharply, as if in retaliation. Felix, startled by her sudden action, looked at the Duke to see how he reacted.
Instead of shock, the Duke looked annoyed. As if something that had been going smoothly had suddenly gone slightly wrong.
But when their eyes met, Felix forgot all about that expression. He thought the Duke had only looked at Sophia with concern the whole time, and felt proud thinking, “Sophia really got a good fiancé.” He didn’t notice the small cracks forming in that thought.
“Why is Sophia wet?” the Duke asked.
Felix replied awkwardly, “She slipped and fell into the water on the way back.”
The words sounded clumsy, but the Duke nodded. He walked up to Sophia and supported her arm. This time, she didn’t resist.
Everyone accepted the explanation that Sophia had simply slipped on the way back. Not one person asked, “How did that happen?” as if they had heard a perfectly logical answer.
Even Felix, who briefly thought the excuse sounded weak, didn’t question it once he saw how easily everyone believed it.
Only Sophia found it strange.
Her family, like dolls behind a spotless glass case, felt overly perfect and deliberate.
But Sophia didn’t have the strength to think deeply. Her wet body felt heavy, her head pounded. Rather than worry or overthink, she just wanted to rest in her family’s warm care.
“Why did you do something so reckless?”
“You’re always careless. That’s your problem!”
“I’m glad you’re back safe, Sophia. I was worried.”
The Count and Countess scolded her, while Solid hugged her warmly and familiarly.
Sophia felt completely drained. It felt like she had gone through so much in a single day and barely made it through something huge.
Many things still felt unsettling behind her, but she wanted to let it all go.
“Sophia.”
Just then, the Duke took her hand. Sophia, who was starting to drift off, looked up at the unfamiliar man in front of her. He held her small hand like it was the most precious thing in the world.
“Sophia, tell me. How did you fall into the water?”
Sophia didn’t understand why he was asking her the same thing again when Felix had already explained it and everyone believed it.
“Felix told you already.”
She replied tiredly. But the Duke shook his head.
“No, I want you to tell me. What happened?”
What happened?
Sophia’s mind spun as if she was sinking into water again. That overwhelming force pushing her under. A strong hand shoving her into the lake.
Or maybe… it was all just a mistake. She didn’t remember anything.
“I don’t remember.”
The Duke looked at her sadly and kissed the back of her hand. Sophia thought she saw a faint smile behind his kiss.
But maybe it was just her imagination.
The feeling that she had passed some kind of test—also just a feeling.
All she wanted now was peace.
