As Astelle sorted through her belongings in the room, Hannah entered and offered her help. Having formally resigned from the Imperial Palace, Hannah had accompanied Astelle back to the capital and intended to join her journey to the eastern countryside when Astelle departed.
"Hannah, I'll manage my things. You should rest in your room. You must be exhausted," Astelle insisted gently.
"No, Lady Astelle. I'm alright," Hannah replied.
"Alright, then. You don't have to unpack everything," Astelle relented, considering their brief stay.
Astelle organized only the essentials for the upcoming two days, stowing the rest away in the closet. Through the window, she glimpsed Theor playing in the garden with the Marquis and Blynn.
Upon seeing Theor's radiant expression, thoughts of Kaizen suddenly flooded Astelle's mind. They hadn't engaged in a proper conversation since their last day at Dentsu Castle. Every opportunity to meet him had been hindered by his apparent busyness.
'I suppose it's for the best. Regular encounters would have made things uncomfortable for us both,' she mused.
Deciding on a course of action, Astelle made a firm resolve to visit the temple the following day. There, she aimed to meet Kaizen, complete the Empress Dowager's will, and put an end to their meetings once and for all.
'Should I return to the mansion or try to find a way to escape?' Astelle contemplated, torn between options.
Going back to the mansion seemed like the safer choice to shield Theor's identity from exposure. However, it raised uncertainties about the ongoing assassination case and its potential repercussions.
The uncertainty weighed heavily on her mind. Astelle grappled with the fear of potential danger if the truth about the assassination emerged.
'Should I try to escape instead? But vanishing suddenly might put my grandfather and Theor at risk.'
Engulfed in complex thoughts, Astelle arranged her belongings before heading downstairs to join with Theor and her grandfather. Along the way, a maid approached her in the living room.
"Lady, a guest has arrived," the maid informed.
"A guest?" Astelle was surprised.
Upon facing the visitor, she was momentarily struck speechless.
A figure of impressive height and a face of striking handsomeness came into view. The familiar sight of white blonde hair and light green eyes met her gaze. His pale green eyes were a mix of surprise and delight.
His heart throbbed in his chest, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. In stark contrast, Astelle's eyes turned icy. Her face, initially marked by surprise, quickly hardened into a frosty mask. The man who had entered the room, upon seeing Astelle's icy demeanor, abruptly halted in his tracks.
Astelle uttered a name, one she had nearly forgotten over the past six years.
"Brother Fritz."
It was Fritz, Astelle's brother. Her only sibling and the sole person she considered family. At the sound of his sister's icy voice, Fritz's handsome, well-groomed face twisted with regret and remorse.
"Astelle..."
With a face on the verge of tears, Fritz pleaded for forgiveness. "I'm sorry, Astelle. I made a mistake."
Astelle remained silent. To her younger self, Fritz had been an unreachable figure. Despite sharing the same parents, the gap between Fritz, the family's heir, and Astelle, born a daughter, was as vast as the distance between heaven and earth.
