The Virtually Exiled Duke’s Daughter Is Troubled When Her Fiancé in a Neighboring Country Says, "I Will Never Love You" - Episode 39

Daniel entered the Sisley Marquis household as a servant when he was thirteen.

At first, Magdalene, feeling it was a waste of his intelligence, consulted the Marquis, who arranged for Daniel to enroll in a boarding school. However, Daniel politely declined.

“I am no longer a noble. I have no place to work after graduation, nor any way to repay the tuition. Besides, if one is motivated, they can study without attending school. Instead, I think it’s better to work and gain a skill.”

The Marquis of Sisley and his butler, Swallow, were quite impressed by Daniel’s determination.

“In that case, how about working for us?” the Marquis suggested.

For a moment, Daniel hesitated. If he accepted, even though there would be a difference in status between a servant and the lady of the house, he could continue living under the same roof as Magdalene. However, now that he had recognized his own feelings for her, it would be a painful existence as well.

Gary Sisley, the Marquis, was, in Daniel’s eyes, an excellent man. He had not only wealth and status but also composure and an impeccable personality. He was taller and broader than Daniel, with light brown hair and sky-blue eyes—a handsome man. It was no wonder Magdalene had fallen for him.

Working at the Marquis household meant he would have to support their harmonious life as a married couple.

“…Thank you. I accept,” Daniel bowed his head and steeled himself. He decided he would keep his feelings for Magdalene locked away forever. She was now the Marchioness, and he could no longer call her “Maggie” as he once had. Even so, he wished to support her in any way he could.

The previous Marchioness—the mother of the Marquis—was a very “noble-like” woman. She treated the servants properly as the lady of the house and always maintained the dignity of a refined noblewoman.

Daniel learned from her example what it meant to be a high-ranking noblewoman. The working conditions were not bad, and from a servant’s perspective, he had no complaints. However, from another perspective, there were things he felt about the situation.

“Madam, your clothes will get dirty,” Daniel warned.

“Hehe… Mother-in-law will scold me again,” Magdalene said with an embarrassed laugh. There was mud on her cheek.

Even after marriage, she hadn’t changed much. She spoke warmly not just to the servants and merchants but even to the common folk. She would even help with farmwork, often getting dirt under her nails. Now, in the garden of the Marquis estate, she was working on a small plot of land she had been given for her own use.

At that moment, the rumored mother-in-law appeared. Holding a parasol, she seemed to be out for a morning walk.

“My, what a sight,” she said disapprovingly.

“Good morning, Mother-in-law,” Magdalene greeted.

“I don’t recall having a farmer’s daughter as my child. If you are to call me ‘Mother-in-law,’ then act more like a proper Marchioness!”

The previous Marchioness, as expected, did not approve of Magdalene’s “unfitting” behavior. Daniel could only watch anxiously from the side, unable to speak up as a servant.

“Mother, I gave Maggie permission to work in the garden,” the Marquis intervened.

“Gary!”

The Marquis had arrived, smiling gently as he placed a hand on Magdalene’s shoulder.

“The main industry of the Sisley domain is agriculture. Understanding it properly is an important duty of the Marchioness.”

“…Well, that is true, but…”

“Besides, I love Maggie just the way she is.”

“H-husband…”

Seeing Magdalene blush and fidget, the former Marchioness seemed at a loss for words. She sighed.

“…Well, it’s good that you two get along. But imagine if she behaves like this in a social gathering. The one who will be embarrassed is you, Gary.”

“In a remote region like this, there are hardly any noble gatherings unless one seeks them out. I have told Maggie that she only needs to attend the bare minimum.”

“But at least during those times, she must conduct herself properly!”

“I thought she behaved well at her debutante ball. If you’re that concerned, why don’t you assess her yourself, Mother?”

Magdalene, still flushed from embarrassment, looked straight at her mother-in-law with a sincere expression.

“M-Mother-in-law, I know I am just a country girl. This may be a selfish request, but I would be truly grateful if you could teach me how to be more like a proper Marchioness…!”

It was neither a lie to avoid the situation nor an attempt to curry favor. Even Daniel, standing beside her, could tell it was an honest plea. And apparently, the former Marchioness sensed that sincerity too.

“…Very well. But my lessons will be strict. Be prepared.”

“Yes! Thank you very much!”

In the end, the former Marchioness was not someone who would torment her daughter-in-law. She was simply strict when it came to what was necessary for nobility and the Marquis household.

—Yes, that was all it was. She did not mistreat Magdalene. In fact, despite her disapproval of Magdalene’s casual nature, she secretly found it endearing.

However, that was a separate matter. As Marchioness, Magdalene had one crucial duty—producing an heir. And that was the one role she could not fulfill.

Sometime after their marriage, Magdalene suffered a miscarriage at five months. Even after four years, she was unable to conceive again.

“It’s truly unfortunate, but you must divorce,” the former Marchioness declared. Her voice trembled slightly.

“You wouldn’t want a young mistress to live under the same roof, would you? It would ruin the family’s reputation, and if she bore a child, it would only hurt you more.”

“…Yes…”

“I will speak to Gary myself. Wait here.”

Perhaps unwilling to see her daughter-in-law’s downcast face, the former Marchioness quickly turned away and left.

Only Magdalene and Daniel remained in the room.

“Madam…”

Now seventeen, Daniel had risen to the rank of a butler apprentice. Maintaining his professional demeanor, he silently offered a white handkerchief. But then—

“Dan…”

The woman who had always smiled like the sun called him by his old name, her face streaked with tears.

At that moment, Daniel was no longer a butler apprentice. He was simply Daniel Ashley.

“Maggie… let’s go back to Ollie’s house.”

She shook her head violently, crystal-clear tears scattering in the air.

“No, I can’t. A woman like me, who can’t even bear children, would only drag Ollie’s family down if I returned.”

“Then let’s leave this house together and live somewhere else. If I work hard, I can at least support you.”

“…Dan…!”

As she looked at him, her expression changed completely.

Seeing that, Daniel realized he had broken the vow he had made—to keep his feelings locked away forever.

But it was too late. Words once spoken cannot be taken back.

“No… No! Absolutely not!!”

Magdalene understood everything now, and she was terrified.

The thought that she had not only wasted four years of the Marquis family’s time but might also ruin the bright future of young Daniel was too much to bear.