Chapter 7
After returning to the mansion, I entered my room and began preparing to leave.
I instructed the maids not to let anyone enter because I wished to be alone, then locked the door behind me.
My eyes wandered across the elegant room where I had spent the last seven years.
The soft bed and sofa I never would have used had I not lived as the Duchess of Whitdrian.
The small table and chairs where I often enjoyed tea.
For some reason, I found myself gently running my fingers over each beautifully decorated piece of furniture with a faint smile.
It was a strange, complicated feeling.
Now that I was truly preparing to leave everything behind, I felt a small sense of regret.
When I had first become the Duchess, life had been difficult because of the endless rumors and conflicts with the family.
But now…
It wasn’t like that anymore.
I had learned where the line was.
The line I needed to keep before this family.
The line I should never cross.
And now I knew well enough that as long as I respected that boundary…
Nothing would go wrong.
So, aside from having a family that was somewhat indifferent toward me…
It had been a fairly comfortable life.
Lavish meals every day.
Luxurious baths filled with fragrant oils.
Servants who took care of everything without needing to be told.
At least materially…
Those years had probably been the most prosperous of my life.
I walked over to the table and slowly sat down.
Outside the window stretched the vast gardens of the Ducal estate.
Whenever my thoughts became tangled during my years as Duchess…
I always sat here with a cup of tea to clear my mind.
Just as I always had, I quietly gazed at the garden for a while before taking out a sheet of paper and a quill I had prepared.
After hesitating over the crisp paper…
I finally began to write.
“For the first time in a long while, I write this letter not as your new Duchess or your stepmother, but as Kasia—Diana’s friend.”
It had taken me a long time to decide on the opening sentence.
Yet once I began writing…
The words flowed effortlessly, as though this letter had been waiting to be written all along.
My quill moved steadily across the page.
“As of yesterday, Nick has reached adulthood, which means I have fulfilled every part of the seven-year contract I made with Your Grace to become this family’s stepmother.
I’m relieved that I was able to protect this family in Diana’s place, even if only in this way.
Now that I’ve truly decided to leave, I find myself feeling both relieved and reluctant at the same time.
Since my part has come to an end, I intend to leave House Whitdrian and finally live my own life.”
I stopped writing for a moment.
Carefully considering what to say next…
A small laugh escaped me.
I lowered the quill once more.
“Diana was my beautiful friend… and your one and only family.”
If this family had accepted me…
If, by some miracle, we had become a true family…
I had once considered staying beside them even longer than the seven years Diana requested.
Whether as their “stepmother”…
Or as simply “Kasia” after a divorce…
It wouldn’t have mattered.
After all…
We had all shared the pain of losing Diana.
I believed we might overcome that grief together and continue supporting one another.
But…
Now I knew better.
This marriage had been a mistake.
That thought had remained buried deep inside my heart throughout all seven years.
Even if it had been for the sake of protecting this family…
The moment I stepped into Diana’s place…
I had crossed a line I never should have crossed.
That was why I wanted to fix it.
To correct the relationship that had been wrong from the very beginning.
Now that the promised seven years had passed…
I finally could.
“Thank you… for accepting someone as inadequate as me to stand in Diana’s place.”
And…
I wanted to draw a line myself.
Because I was Kasia.
…
I had my own life to live.
That was the greatest reason I had decided to leave House Whitdrian.
“Now it’s time for me to go.
Thank you for these seven years.
May God’s blessings always remain with House Whitdrian.”
Once I finished the letter…
I carefully folded it and placed it inside an envelope.
Opening the locked drawer beside my bed…
I took out the divorce papers I had prepared long ago.
Kasia Whitdrian.
After signing the papers…
I placed them inside the drawer together with the letter.
As though nothing had happened…
I quietly sat by the window, gazing outside.
Everything was ready.
Now…
All that remained was to leave.
Nick’s birthday banquet was a magnificent success.
Beneath chandeliers that poured down brilliant light like waterfalls…
The grand hall was filled with nobles of every age.
Having heard that the youngest son of House Whitdrian had come of age…
Hundreds of nobles had traveled from all across the Empire to attend.
Young noblemen dressed in elegant tuxedos approached Nick one after another, congratulating him while teasing him like boys his own age.
Young noble ladies, dressed in dazzling gowns and jewelry, stole shy glances at him while whispering among themselves.
It was a flawless banquet.
Nothing unexpected happened.
Everything proceeded exactly as planned.
The Duke and I sat side by side at the head table, quietly eating while receiving greetings from visiting nobles.
Ken did not attend.
Since leaving the Ducal estate…
He had never returned even once.
That was also why no coming-of-age banquet had been held for him two years earlier.
Only the Duke and Nick had traveled to the Imperial Palace to share a private meal with him.
I felt a slight regret that I would never see Ken’s face again…
But perhaps…
That was for the best.
As I slowly looked around the banquet hall…
A strange sense of nostalgia washed over me.
The countless exquisite dishes lining the tables.
The servants busily moving about.
The nobles laughing together over glasses of champagne.
…
I would never witness a scene like this again.
It felt almost like a dream.
I’d never particularly enjoyed lavish parties.
Yet knowing this was truly the last one…
Left my heart strangely unsettled.
I wanted to preserve every moment in my memory.
So I carefully took in every sight before me.
Then…
The master of ceremonies’ voice echoed across the hall.
“It is now time for the young master’s birthday cake ceremony.”
The banquet hall fell silent.
Every eye turned toward the stage.
Nick stepped forward, dressed in an elegant tuxedo.
Now that he had grown…
His resemblance to the Duke was astonishing.
Once a frail and rather small boy…
He had become a dignified young man who now stood taller than I did.
Seeing how much he had grown filled me with indescribable emotions.
A birthday cake was placed before him.
The cake…
That I had made myself.
A chocolate cheesecake.
I had combined his favorite chocolate and cheese into a single cake so he could enjoy both flavors.
Compared to the enormous two- and three-tiered cakes normally served at noble coming-of-age celebrations…
It was modest.
But I wanted to give Nick the very best gift I could make with my own hands…
One last time.
The master of ceremonies lit the candles.
Nick quietly made a wish…
Then blew them out.
Trumpets sounded.
Thunderous applause filled the hall.
I smiled warmly and applauded as well, watching the boy who had grown into such a fine young man.
Then…
Nick slowly turned toward me.
Our eyes met across the distance.
The gentle smile that appeared on his face…
Was directed at me.
Then…
He slowly bowed his head.
“…”
I froze.
For a moment, I doubted my own eyes.
The boy who could barely even look me in the eye…
Had just smiled at me.
What had happened?
Was he simply happy today?
Had he somehow realized I was about to leave…
And was this his farewell gift?
My chest tightened.
My heart pounded violently.
Yet…
As I continued staring at him in a daze…
A smile slowly spread across my own face.
I was happy.
It felt as though I had gained the whole world.
That single smile from Nick…
Made every hardship of the past seven years feel worthwhile.
I smiled brightly back at him.
Then…
My eyes met Axion’s.
“You seem happy.”
“…Yes.”
“I was just thinking how wonderfully Nick has grown.”
As I smiled while answering him…
Axion silently looked at me for a brief moment.
Then he smiled as well.
“It’s thanks to you, Kasia.”
His voice carried unmistakable sincerity.
He continued quietly.
“You’ve worked very hard all these years.”
“…Thank you, Your Grace.”
I looked at him and smiled.
“You’ve worked hard as well.”
Those final words…
Made me feel that I could finally leave this mansion without regret.
At dawn the following morning…
I left the mansion.
It was so early that even the servants had yet to wake.
I stood before the mirror.
Instead of the magnificent dresses I always wore as the Duchess…
I was dressed in a simple gray dress.
Instead of high heels…
I wore comfortable flat shoes.
Had I really become so accustomed to life as the Duchess?
Simply changing my clothes made me feel like an entirely different person.
Yet…
It also felt wonderfully familiar.
As though I had finally become the old Kasia again.
Yes…
This was who Kasia truly was.
Someone who disliked cumbersome dresses.
Someone who had never worn high heels before.
Someone who preferred a quiet life over extravagant parties.
That…
Was me.
My luggage was light.
I had a long journey ahead, and carrying much would only be a burden.
…
Besides…
I hadn’t brought much with me when I first arrived, either.
Holding my small travel bag in one hand…
I checked once again to make sure I had packed Diana’s diary.
That was the one thing I absolutely couldn’t leave behind.
Finally…
I fastened my cloak securely around my shoulders.
After leaving my room…
I entered the Duke’s office.
There, I neatly placed the letter and the divorce papers upon his desk.
I suppose…
Leaving with only this notice should be enough.
The Duke already knew that after seven years…
I would have the right to request a divorce.
Suddenly…
I found myself wondering.
How would the family react after discovering I had left?
Would they feel disappointed?
Or would they simply sign the divorce papers without saying a word?
Either way…
It didn’t matter.
It was nothing more than idle curiosity.
Standing alone inside the silent office…
I quietly offered my farewell.
“Goodbye, Axion.”
And goodbye…
Ken.
Nick.
My precious boys.
Rather than remembering the painful and suffocating moments…
I wanted to carry only the happy memories with me.
In that regard…
Yesterday’s banquet had become my happiest memory in this mansion.
Nick’s smile, acknowledging my efforts.
Axion’s sincere words of gratitude.
That was enough.
Because of those two things…
I truly felt grateful to them.
I could leave without lingering attachment.
Without regret.
After taking one last look around the office…
I turned toward the entrance hall.
Step.
Step.
With every footstep…
My heart pounded in rhythm.
Thump.
Thump.
It echoed within me…
As though it had been waiting all these years for the moment I would finally leave this mansion.
The cool dawn air greeted me.
I inhaled deeply…
And began to run.
I ran.
And ran.
As though escaping from something that had imprisoned me for years.
Without looking back even once…
I left the mansion behind.
