Refusing Your Ex-Husband’s Obsession: A Guide

“Mom, then I’ll be going in. Have a great day today, too!”

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“Yes, you should rest well today as well, my daughter. You shouldn’t neglect your health just because your high fever has disappeared.”

“Yes, Mom.”

Looking up the stairs and watching until her daughter had left, Helen climbed the stairs as well instead of heading as usual to the drawing room that’s the nearest to the entrance of the mansion.

She climbed all the way to the highest floor of the mansion, then arriving at her destination, she stood in front of an old door at the end of the hallway. Hesitating a moment, she opened the door and promptly reached up to pull on a string dangling from the ceiling.

It was an old, folding ladder that tended to make a creaking sound as it would unfold. She went up to the attic, where the lingering scent of burnt things still remained.

Even though it had already been cleaned up before, this space still carried with it the remnants of the fire that day.

Helen sat in one corner of the attic. Black, scorched trails still remained everywhere, refusing to disappear even after all these years.

“I’ve already made a mistake once. I can’t let it happen again.”

She did not want her daughter to be sick anymore. This included mental pain as well, not just physical pain.

If her daughter would truly move away from her, she just hoped that she would not be hurt by the cold gazes and sharp words of others.

“Meet someone who’s just like your father, Rin.”

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She wished for her daughter to meet a pleasantly plain man, nevertheless reliable, but still infinitely weak to his family. She wished that her daughter could meet a man who acted like she was the only woman in the whole world—a man who would love her just like that.

As though in repentance, Helen reflected on her thoughts and made determined resolutions by herself. After doing so, she went down from the attic and left through the hallway.

Until now, the butler was looking for her, and so he approached her.

“Madam, this is the estate’s budget for the coming summer.”

The butler, who had gray hair, had been working at the baron’s residence for quite a long time now.

“Hmm, the number of children learning horseback riding has increased this year.”

“Yes…”

“I’ll be sure to go through the budget later in the drawing room. You can go ahead and return to your work now.”

“Yes, Madam.”

She went downstairs and entered the drawing room, which she normally used as an office. She skimmed through the budget that was higher than last year, and after that, she also figured that it was time for her to take care of her backlog.

As she was sorting through the papers, she belatedly found a tea set that’s been prepared beforehand on the table. The maid, pouring tea into a cup, spoke with a big smile.

“Milady prepared this just now.”

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“My daughter did?”

“It’s because you always drink a cup of herbal tea before you start working, Madam. Isn’t the lady so thoughtful?”

“Of course, whose daughter is she after all?”

“Fufu, indeed, Madam.”

As the tea was poured into the cup, its pleasant fragrance permeated the drawing room. Helen lifted the cup with a feeling of joy.

She drank this tea all the time, but it tasted even more delicious today thanks to Irene.

Helen recalled the past. She stared into the air, thinking of the one moment that she would preferably not reflect upon—the moment when her daughter, who everyone thought had already passed away, rose from the coffin. It was a scene that still played so vividly in her mind.

That child had looked at her family with empty eyes, like that of a doll.

If a human being were to be deprived of one’s soul, would they look like that?

Even after that, Irene hadn’t opened up to them easily. Helen had been afraid when she saw her daughter being wary of them as if they were strangers and acting as if the culture of their homeland was something she was unfamiliar with.

Helen had been dreadfully afraid of how unfamiliar her daughter had appeared, but Helen was even more afraid that she would lose her daughter again. The little things did not matter to her.

“She’s my daughter.”

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By all means, Irene was her one and only precious daughter. It’s true that she had changed as though she had become an entirely different person when she had come back to life, but that did not mean she was not Helen’s daughter.

* * *

Ciel got off the carriage as soon as it had stopped. He needed to meet the high priest before he could get reprimanded for what he did to the saintess.

It wasn’t that the saintess had fainted because of him in the first place, but someone would inevitably have to take the blame.

And it was most likely going to be him.

Walking with hurried steps, Ciel called the attention of one priest who was in front of the temple. The priest recognized him immediately, and he greeted the duke politely.

“I’d like to see the High Priest.”

“Your Grace the Duke, have you come with an appointment with His Holiness?”

Even if he was a high-ranking aristocrat of this country, the high priest was not the kind of individual who’s easy to meet. Of course, Ciel was aware of this, too.

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Ciel took out a gold coin from his inner coat pocket and slipped it to the priest.

“It wouldn’t be difficult to just mention to him that I’m here, would it?”

The priest furtively looked around before he quickly hid the gold coin inside his sleeve. The benevolent expression was still stamped across the priest’s face, but his greed was clearly revealed anyway.

“Then, please wait in the drawing room, Your Grace.”

Watching the priest walking away, Ciel went into the drawing room and sat on a sofa.

He kept feeling anxious and nauseous. He just wanted to find out what exactly had happened to him.

“Haa… I should have come sooner.”

The high priest should know something for sure. There must be a reason behind why the temple had initially published the prophecy under the guise of a romance novel.

As he waited impatiently, Ciel eventually heard a knock on the door.

“Your Grace, His Holiness is ready to meet you.”

The high priest could have refused to meet Ciel because his visit was too sudden, but he did not.

Anticipation somewhat roused, Ciel sprang up from his seat.