Cecilia smirked faintly.

‘Looks like she’s happy to skip the walk.’

Cecilia felt the same.

Benjamine talked too much. Even when Cecilia wanted to ignore her, she had to pretend she still acknowledged the older woman as her nanny in front of the maids.

It wasn’t as if Cecilia walked to get away from Benjamine. She had never been fond of physical activity. On days without banquets, she often stayed cooped up in her room all day.

During her past life, when she first came to Lagos Castle, she had no trouble spending her days indoors.

Now, however, she walked to ensure a good night’s sleep.

Whenever she skipped her daily walk, she invariably spent the night tossing and turning.

After waking from a nightmare, her mind would fill with the overwhelming thought that she couldn’t escape the unhappy future ahead.

The rest of the night would then be spent in restless anxiety.

While staying at Lagos Castle, she wanted to avoid these thoughts and flee from everything.

It was cowardly, but she couldn’t help it.

She knew her limits well.

Born lazy, cowardly, and averse to risk, even dying and being reborn hadn’t changed her fundamental nature.

If her future unfolded as it had before, the time she spent here would likely be the only peaceful respite in her life.

So, she decided to enjoy this rest fully.

As she strolled down the corridor, her gaze drifted outside, and she paused.

Snow was falling.

“It’s snowing.”

The maids beside her exclaimed with delight.

“Oh my, it really is snowing!”

“The snowflakes are so big. It’s like white flowers falling from the sky, Madam.”

If the maids had been servants from Lagos Castle, their reaction would have been different.

The two maids attending her now were from the grand duchy, where snowfall in winter was rare.

Snowflakes there were so small they were barely noticeable and melted quickly.

‘That’s right. It snowed like this before.’

Based on her forty years of life, it was a memory from over twenty years ago.

She recalled a time when heavy snow fell, blanketing the landscape.

At first, the snowflakes were the size of tiny beans, but they grew larger over time.

Standing by the window, Cecilia continued to watch the scene.

‘Snowfall signals the beginning of winter….’

Winter had arrived in Lagos.

For the next two months, until winter ended, snow would fall almost daily.

‘Why hasn’t he come back?’

Russell had yet to return.

Lagos Castle might have received some communication, but Cecilia hadn’t been informed, nor had she asked.

‘He said he had something important to discuss.’

What could it be?

Cecilia found herself wondering several times a day.

‘Enough time has passed that it shouldn’t feel awkward anymore.’

If she had seen him the day after the kiss, it would have been unbearable.

But she had had enough time to sort out her feelings.

She concluded that it was no big deal.

That night, there had been drinking, and the mood had carried them away.

‘It wasn’t a mistake, but it was a sort of… accident.’

Besides, a kiss wasn’t that significant an accident.

Cecilia stood by the window for a long while, watching the swirling snow.

“Madam.”

Cecilia turned her head.

A maid not scheduled to attend her today had approached.

“Janet.”

The maid blushed when her name was called, a shy smile forming on her lips.

“What is it?”

“The lord has returned.”

Thump.

Cecilia unconsciously bit her lower lip.

 

❖ ❖ ❖

 

Contrary to Cecilia’s thoughts, the people of Lagos Castle had no news of Russell.

When the lord went hunting, it was normal for there to be no updates.

Those left behind simply waited, believing no news was good news.

But as winter approached, they began to worry.

The lord usually returned before the first snowfall.

Shortly after the snow began to fall, word spread that hunters had been seen approaching Lagos Castle.

The castle residents abandoned their tasks to go out and greet him.

The spacious square in front of the inner castle filled with people.

In no time, snow had piled up on their shoulders and heads.

Soon, horses carrying the hunters entered the square.

As the horses stopped, Russell dismounted from the lead horse and spoke.

“Why is everyone out here?”

“Welcome back, Milord!”

“You’re late this time, Milord!”