“If you’re really worried about Sophia, you can go meet Solid again now. But you can’t go alone, Sophia. Saying there was a strange smell isn’t a good enough reason. You need a proper excuse. For example… say you forgot to give Solid a gift and you’re going to give it to her now. Of course, I understand you want to be honest with your friend, but Solid won’t be alone there. So, what do you think? Will you go with my plan?”
Besides, the Duke even agreed to let Sophia go see Solid. Sophia quickly nodded. The Duke gave her a warm smile and patted her head.
“Then go pick a proper gift. Let’s wrap it on the way. Come down to the first floor when you’re ready. We’ll chase after Solid in my carriage.”
“But it’s already been an hour…”
“Rushing after her on horseback wouldn’t look good. People will wonder, ‘Why go that far…?’ The image matters. Honestly, going back because you forgot a gift isn’t a strong reason either… Oh, here it is. There’s an article about a small train accident yesterday—Solid’s train, to be exact. Let’s say you saw this. Got it? It’s the Laverta Morning Paper. Remember that.”
He waved the newspaper in front of her face and then placed it on the table. Sophia nodded slowly. The Duke’s smooth words sounded much more convincing than anything she could say.
Laverta Morning Paper. A small train accident yesterday.
While memorizing those details, the Duke snapped his fingers to get her attention.
“What are you doing, Sophia? Hurry and get ready.”
“Ah, yes!”
Startled, Sophia raised her head and ran upstairs.
As soon as she entered her room, she pulled the bell rope dozens of times and quickly grabbed a hat. Then she dug through her jewelry box and took out sapphire earrings.
“Oh dear, miss! You don’t have to ring it that loudly!”
Sophia threw a red velvet pouch and ribbon at Erica, who was coming up the stairs. Then she shoved the hat onto Erica’s head without care.
“Hurry up! The Duke is waiting.”
“Huh? What’s going on? And what’s all this?”
“A gift for Solid. Tie the ribbon well. No, do it in the carriage. Just come quickly.”
“But miss, you just said goodbye to Lady Solid—or rather, Madam Sandel—earlier.”
“No time to explain!”
“Oh my goodness, miss!”
Erica chased after Sophia, who rushed down the stairs. Sure enough, the Duke was waiting on the first floor. Erica bowed, but neither Sophia nor the Duke saw it.
They were too busy climbing into the carriage. Erica jumped in too, thinking, “What on earth is going on?!”
‘Surely they’re not running away together?’
She glanced at Sophia and the Duke, sitting side by side and staring out the window.
‘Wait, wasn’t she just suspicious of the Duke yesterday, bringing along all her medicine and even a doctor? And now they’re acting like this?’
Narrowing her eyes, Erica studied the two, trying to figure out what she’d missed. Sophia looked nervous and out of breath. The Duke, in contrast, looked completely calm—like he was just out for a stroll.
“Hurry and tie the ribbon, Erica. It needs to look good.”
“Wait a second—this ribbon came from your blue bonnet, didn’t it?”
“I don’t know. I just grabbed something.”
“Oh my! Miss, how could you bring that! And what’s inside this?”
“Sapphire earrings.”
“Wait—aren’t these the ones you got from Marquis So for your coming-of-age?”
“I don’t know. Just tie the ribbon, Erica.”
“Oh dear. Sabarana and Ishiel…”
Erica muttered a short prayer as if she couldn’t handle everything going on. The Duke looked at her and smiled. In the golden sunset, his face suited her prayer—“Lord, watch over this world.”
He had a face worthy of being the one to watch over it.
With his kind and perfect blue eyes, the Duke looked at Erica and said,
“Sophia says she’s worried about Madam Sandel. While she was in the sitting room, I happened to see this article about a small accident on the train Madam Sandel is taking. I couldn’t ignore my fiancée’s concern. I told her I’d go with her. I suppose this is a sudden trip for you.”
“Oh, of course, I must come too! It’s an honor you considered me, Duke.”
“So, Sophia said these earrings were from Marquis So?”
The Duke asked with a playful smile. Erica was startled but then realized he was joking and burst out laughing.
“Oh, Duke, you really don’t know. You can’t imagine how many gifts the lady’s received.”
“I see. I should have asked you first, not scolded Sophia.”
“Of course! I manage all of Miss Sophia’s things… Well, I mean, not comparing you to them. After all, you’re the one who saved her life. All of us staff remember how noble you were while she was asleep…”
With Erica’s excited chatter as background, the carriage sped toward the train station.
They arrived quicker than expected. Sophia almost fell while getting out in a hurry. The Duke caught her smoothly. Sophia gasped in surprise, then grabbed his arm in relief.
“Thank you.”
The Duke smiled.
“Sophia, your medicine?”
“Oh. I’ll take it now.”
Sophia agreed to take the medicine before seeing Solid, just as the Duke suggested. She desperately hoped there would be no scent of death around Solid.
The medicine stung her nose, but soon the smell was nearly gone.
“I took it. But when I hug Solid… can you promise to stay a little back? I want to be sure.”
“Of course.”
The Duke answered. Sophia stepped down from the carriage, leaning on his escort.
Finding Solid in the crowd wasn’t hard. She was talking to Ronald while waiting for the train, and her face lit up in surprise when she saw Sophia. But she quickly smiled and waved.
Sophia started to run but hesitated for a moment.
‘What if she still smells like that…?’
Her steps slowed. The closer she got, the louder her heartbeat became.
‘I can’t lose Solid.’
Sophia clenched her fists and walked toward her. Ten steps. Five steps. One step.
They hugged.
Thankfully, Solid didn’t smell like anything.
‘Sabarana and Ishiel…’
The gods had protected the world.
Peaceful days followed. But Sophia still suffered from the memory of yelling at the Duke in the drawing room like a madwoman. She apologized subtly, but the Duke only smiled and said, “I understand how you must’ve felt.” He never revealed his true feelings.
‘It would’ve been easier if he had teased me a little.’
Sophia thought. Still, she was touched by how generous the Duke was. She’d doubted him and even said some crazy things. Yet he was always calm and kind.
‘Maybe I really did find a good fiancé.’
Sophia thought as she checked the mail again today.
But once again, no letter from Solid.
‘She’s late…’
Sophia pouted and looked around. The bad smell was fading day by day. Some days, she didn’t even need the medicine.
‘The Duke was right. It really was just a misunderstanding.’
She was thankful again for how the Duke had helped her avoid a humiliating mistake.
She picked up some sheet music and headed to the sitting room where the piano was. Just then, she heard a short scream and the loud clatter of dishes.
It came from the Countess’s room. Worried, Sophia ran over.
“Mother, are you all right?”
Thankfully, her mother was just sitting against the bed’s headboard, looking shocked as if she’d read something unbelievable.
“What is it? What kind of article made you flip your breakfast table?”
Sophia joked. But as soon as she saw her mother’s pale face behind the newspaper, her smile faded.
The look on the Countess’s face—she had clearly read something terrible.
“Why… What is it, Mother?”
Sophia’s voice trembled slightly. The Countess closed her eyes tight and said, with a pained expression,
“Sol… Solid lost the baby, Sophia.”
