A quietly warm atmosphere lingered somewhere in the air.
Iris followed the steward as they gently inspected the manor.
Everything remained unchanged.
Just as it had always been, exactly as she had once cherished.
‘…I have returned.’
If this feeling were to be named, it would surely be longing.
“Good day, Madam.”
“Good afternoon, Madam!”
The servants working in the estate warmly greeted their new mistress, Iris.
“I am Dante Brown, the steward here. It is an honor to meet you.”
“I am Hanna Everett, head maid of the Leontheim estate. I am honored to serve our lady.”
All familiar faces.
‘None of these were close relationships.’
As a former mistress of the house, Iris had kept her distance from everyone just as she had in the Valentine clan.
Perhaps for that reason, they respected her boundaries and maintained a proper distance.
Yet, even in that reserved state, their care for her was unmistakable.
‘The respect and devotion I never received from Valentine.’
They understood the value of their duties and grasped her intentions without needing words—
something only possible through genuine affection.
Each time she met those familiar faces, Iris felt her heart tighten.
“We will serve our lady with all our might, so as not to disgrace her.”
“Our lady is truly kind. She always thinks of us.”
Now, those memories belonged solely to her.
‘No, they don’t even deserve to be called memories.’
She recalled the moment the charge of rebellion was laid against Leontheim.
Peaceful grounds shattered by blades, blackened by flames, a horrifying scene.
No one had survived.
The Valentine count’s family had led that vanguard.
‘I wished they had hated me…’
They said it was fortunate she was a Valentine.
Perhaps only Iris could have survived.
The steward solemnly planned her escape route and packed her belongings.
“Lady, if you remain in the manor, you may be implicated as a traitor and suffer greatly. If you evacuate, you will have a chance at survival.”
The maids, after exchanging farewells, volunteered to sacrifice themselves without hesitation.
“If we flee, it may bring harm to our lady. We will stay to protect this place.”
In other words, Iris—being of Valentine blood—was to escape alone.
‘That is not acceptable.’
Iris did not want this.
She never expected such family loyalty from Valentine in the first place.
‘…Better for everyone else to flee and leave me behind. At least that would buy some time.’
In the end, no one escaped the manor.
‘It was my arrogance.’
At that time, Iris had not valued her own life, believing her death to be fate.
She never imagined that Cedric would break through enemy lines alone to save her—
and that such a deed would cost him his life.
The steward, silent until now, spoke to Iris.
“What are you thinking about?”
Returning to the present, Iris turned gracefully to him.
“I was looking at the window frame.”
“The window frame, madam?”
The steward expressed his curiosity.
He hadn’t expected the lady of the house to be staring out the window, lost in thought.
“You wiped the metal parts with a dry cloth meticulously after cleaning the windows.”
Iris lifted a faint, sad smile at the corner of her lips.
“It’s a detail many tend to overlook, but it’s clear someone took great care.”
This was something Iris knew because she managed the Leontheim estate as the lady of the house.
‘Partly because I also managed the Valentine estate before.’
There was a surprisingly big difference between estates that managed even the smallest details and those that did not.
Even if it’s not obvious at first glance, if you stay long enough, you can feel it in subtle ways.
In that respect, the Leontheim estate clearly bore the marks of servants who cared deeply.
“Metal doesn’t show damage immediately, so it’s easy to neglect, but if you don’t maintain it steadily, deterioration inevitably follows.”
Thinking back, they had always been like this.
Dutifully fulfilling their roles without fail.
Even if no one acknowledged their efforts.
Perhaps that’s why Iris’s heart was burdened.
‘Someone needed to recognize these invisible efforts.’
She smiled gently at Vincent, the steward.
“It’s clear everyone in this estate is devoted to this family. It’s a good place.”
Vincent couldn’t hide his surprise looking at Iris.
‘The new lady is truly attentive and warm.’
To recognize such subtle aspects of the estate on the very day of arrival required a level of insight few possessed.
Such perception only came with years of experience managing a noble household.
‘At first, I was shocked because she was so beautiful.’
Vincent first saw Iris when she stepped out of the carriage wearing a wedding dress.
At that moment, most of the staff, including Vincent, were deeply stunned.
“How can someone be that beautiful...?”
Under the clear northern sky, Iris, trailing the white dress, looked like an angel.
No one there thought her wedding dress was lacking or that she had too few accessories for a bride.
Her skin, white and flawless like snow, and softly glowing lavender hair reminded them of the noble eternal snow of the north.
‘To think that such a beautiful woman would become the lady of Leontheim.’
‘My goodness. We are truly fortunate to serve her.’
‘I want to serve her so well she never wants to leave!’
Like pristine snow untouched by human footsteps, Iris carried a uniquely serene aura.
But she was more than just delicate beauty; she was exactly the kind of gentle and dignified lady the household had dreamed of.
The more Vincent toured the mansion with her, the higher his hopes rose for the new lady, Iris.
“Would you like some tea in the tea party room?”
“Yes, that sounds nice.”
As they entered the tea party room, a maid appeared carrying a tray with tea prepared.
Iris recognized her immediately.
‘Lucy Berols.’
She was the maid responsible for tea service in Iris’s household.
“Hello, my lady. I am Lucy Berols, maid of the Berols Marquisate family, in charge of tea here.”
Despite her bright smile, Lucy’s movements were professional and precise as she poured the tea.
The warmth of the tea filled the chilled air.
Perfectly tempered.
Lucy always warmed everything — from the teacups to the spoons — to the ideal temperature.
It was a gesture to enhance the enjoyment of tea.
‘A kindness for me, arriving from a cold place.’
“Thank you.”
Iris gracefully lifted a sip of tea and smiled faintly at Lucy.
“You warmed everything perfectly—from the teacup to the spoon. The temperature is just right.”
Lucy was startled, unable to hide her surprise.
“How did you…?”
Iris paused briefly, considering how to respond.
“I noticed the moisture on the spoon caused by the temperature difference.”
Lucy’s eyes widened in amazement.
“Oh my! I never expected you to notice that at a glance! Thank you so much.”
Her astonishment quickly turned into admiration and pride.
Lucy loved tea deeply.
Even though others didn’t recognize her efforts, she worked hard to improve every cup.
No one had ever truly appreciated her dedication before.
People only said she was a hired hand doing her job.
Still, for the new mistress, Lucy wanted to pour her usual care and effort into the tea.
‘To be honest… it’s because the mistress is so beautiful.’
Even if Iris weren’t beautiful, Lucy would have still given her best.
But strangely, brewing tea for such a pure and fresh new mistress made her devotion unconsciously deepen.
More than that, the mistress instantly recognized Lucy’s effort and expertise.
‘She noticed me!’
A wave of emotion swept over Lucy, as if all the moments spent perfecting the tea were finally rewarded.
‘Isn’t our mistress truly remarkable?’
Unconsciously, Lucy’s smile began to rise, and she forced it down.
‘Keep your composure! Show her your best self!’
Yet, no matter the effort, her pride still shone through.
“It’s I who should be thankful.”
Iris gazed at Lucy with a soft expression in her sky-blue eyes, gently curved with warmth.
“In the future, I wonder if there will be a chance to find the tea you like.”
“Of course! It would be an honor! I’ll bring only the finest teas.”
“I’ll look forward to it.”
Excited, Lucy chirped, “Yes, ma’am!” and stepped outside.
Vincent watched the scene, feeling a warmth swell in his chest.
“The new mistress truly has a kind heart.”
While inspecting the manor, Iris carefully noted parts that needed repair and improvement.
Yet, she had also effortlessly won over the hearts of her subordinates.
“Not a single one of the reports was accurate.”
In truth, Vincent had conducted some investigation about the new mistress.
But within the Felsis Empire, finding information on ‘Iris Valentine’ was nearly impossible.
No one seemed to know much.
The rumors he heard were similar:
“A dullard, unlike a true Valentine.”
“The plain older sister of the dazzling and beautiful Liliana.”
“An invisible Valentine.”
So he had prepared thoroughly to serve this new mistress well.
But the woman who actually arrived was neither unremarkable nor incompetent.
“How could anyone mistake someone like her for an invisible nobody?”
Such nonsense was unbelievable.
“Are there only blind fools living in the capital?”
Of course, Iris was not the flashy, ostentatious beauty the capital prized most.
But she was undoubtedly an elegant and pristine beauty.
“Come to think of it, even in the capital, there were occasional murmurs that the lady of the house was beautiful.”
However, her younger sister Liliana always overshadowed those talks, so Iris’s reputation was quietly buried.
Iris was a refined and noble individual whose elegance radiated naturally from her straight posture and graceful movements.
Watching her gave off the effortless aura of someone truly remarkable.
“As for her abilities… everyone just talked without knowing the truth.”
Her insight as the matriarch was impeccable, and her demeanor toward the household disciples was exemplary.
She maintained the exact boundary between master and servant, yet her considerate heart showed through in every action.
Vincent’s mind vividly recalled Iris’s gentle smile as she watched Lucy.
The same warmth was felt by the other servants as well.
Perhaps, as the world believed, Lady Iris was not just the Valentine family’s prodigious sword genius.
But above all, she was a person of exceptional warmth and grace.
He was certain that no matter which sword prodigy arrived, none would be more beloved by this domain than Lady Iris.
“She is exactly the kind of person this cold territory needs more than anyone else.”
Vincent felt as though he could see the bright future of the Leontheim Duchy glowing vividly before him.
For some reason, he couldn’t help but chuckle softly to himself.
A dinner that held no surprises.
“Steak again today?”
Liliana sat down, puffing her cheeks in irritation.
“I told you I wanted seafood tonight. Why is every meal like this lately?”
“My, calling the meals inadequate.”
Their father, who cared most about Liliana, raised an eyebrow.
“In my own home?”
“Exactly. Liliana’s been complaining for days now.”
Orchid, seated opposite, naturally sided with Liliana’s complaints.
“With so many people in the mansion, there isn’t a single one who can handle this basic responsibility properly.”
Orchid’s stern voice sought the one responsible.
Everyone’s eyes instinctively turned to a single spot.
The seat that was always quietly occupied—now empty.
‘Iris Valentine.’
Even though quite some time had passed since Iris left the Valentine household, that seat remained vacant.
‘When did it become empty?’
Yet, they all felt an unfamiliar emotion at once.
‘Then who do we talk to?’
The family fell into a strange dilemma.
The one who always took responsibility for these matters—apologizing and resolving issues—had always been Iris.
That was her natural role and duty within this household.
Now, without her, the family could not adjust to the situation of having no one to listen.
Chapter 14