The Virtually Exiled Duke’s Daughter Is Troubled When Her Fiancé in a Neighboring Country Says, "I Will Never Love You" - Episode 48

In the lounge, the Marquis and Deborah were once again facing each other, just as they had during their first meeting.

What was different this time was the presence of Swallow in the room, the absence of Deborah’s forced smile, her red, swollen eyes lowered slightly, and the herbal tea placed before her instead of regular tea to help her relax.

“Miss Deborah. This may take some time, but will you listen to me talk about my late wife?”

At the Marquis Sisley’s question, Deborah flinched slightly, her shoulders trembling just a little, but she nodded slowly.

“Thank you. I first met Magdala at her debutante ball. She was dressed in a beautiful gown, but her smile was pure and unpretentious… I fell in love with her smile at first sight.”

The Marquis began to speak in a nostalgic tone. Deborah lowered not only her eyes but also her face slightly.

“When I asked her if she would be willing to come live in a place as rural as this, she laughed and said, ‘My family’s land must be even more remote! I even do farm work myself!’ I had never met a noblewoman who would say something like that.”

Deborah clenched her hands on her lap, grasping the fabric of her dress gently. Her eyes felt warm. She had calmed down, but now, hearing his words, she felt as though she might start crying again. Why? She kept asking herself that question in her mind as she listened.

“The time I spent with her was peaceful yet filled with joy and brightness. I wanted to spend my entire life with her… even if it meant being forceful about it.”

At his final words, the Marquis’s tone suddenly changed, making Deborah look up at him. Gary Sisley had a complicated expression on his face. His mouth held a weak, strained smile, his mustache trembling slightly. His sky-blue eyes shimmered with tears, and the whites were reddened.

“I should have given up my title for her… I regret making a mistake that I can never take back.”

“?”

“…Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but I don’t believe it was your fault, Lord Gary.”

A quiet voice cut through the silence. It was Lady Lauren. Normally, she would call him “Master,” but this time, she addressed him by name, as if speaking to a child. Her voice was full of kindness.

“You loved this land and the people here as much as you loved your wife. You couldn’t simply abandon your title so irresponsibly.”

But the Marquis shook his head.

“No, it was my fault… Miss Deborah, have you noticed? There is no heir in my family.”

Deborah’s eyes widened. She had not been given any prior information about the Marquis. While she had noted that he was of considerable age and had never made any inappropriate advances toward her, the thought that he might not have children had never crossed her mind.

“…No, I assumed you had children who were currently studying at a boarding school in the capital.”

“I see. No, my wife and I were never blessed with children. My mother pressured me to either divorce my wife or take a mistress… but I couldn’t do it. I wanted to love only my wife for my entire life. It felt wrong to be with another woman while holding on to those feelings.”

“Ah… so that’s why…”

“That’s why I told you I would never love you.”

The Marquis’s pained expression twisted into a wry smile.

“That was my honest feeling. But to be truthful, I was relieved when you arrived. People around me kept telling me to remarry, and I had received several marriage proposals. But your presence gave me a reason to refuse them all.”

“I see… But then, who will inherit your title?”

“I had planned to adopt Cornell’s child as my heir.”

“…!”

Seeing Deborah’s stunned expression, the Marquis’s face softened slightly.

“Do you think it was a foolish idea?”

“N-No…”

“It’s fine, you don’t have to be polite. Looking back, I was truly a fool. Cornell is an awful man, but I thought I could take his child, raise him properly, and everything would work out…”

As he forced out those final words, the Marquis hunched over, burying his face in his hands. Deborah stared at him in shock across the low table.

Just moments ago, she had been the one on the verge of tears. Now the situation had completely reversed. Unsure of what to say, she hesitated. Then, Lady Lauren spoke once more.

“…Allow me to continue the story.”

She recounted how Cornell had spoken harsh, thoughtless words to Magdala, leading her to run out of the house in distress.

“If only I had kept a closer eye on her… No, I should never have let Count Supreme into that room in the first place. This is all my fault.”

The Marquis lifted his face slightly, his bloodshot eyes looking at Lady Lauren.

“Mrs. Lauren, I told you—it was not your fault.”

“No!”

For the first time, Lady Lauren raised her voice. Her eyes, too, were red.

“No one understood her pain more than I did! I should have protected her… I should have kept her safe…!”

“That’s not true. The one truly at fault is Count Supreme. And the second person to blame is me.”

At those words, Deborah turned to see Ashley standing with a grim expression, something completely unlike his usual composed demeanor.

“I overstepped my position as a servant. I took advantage of her kindness. If I hadn’t done so, she would have been able to express her feelings freely and cry in her family’s home. But instead, I took away her escape.”

Deborah didn’t fully understand the meaning behind his words. But she could tell that everyone in the room was blaming themselves for Magdala’s death. Even Swallow, placing a hand on Ashley’s shoulder, whispered, “Dan, I was wrong too. I should have taken this more seriously when you were still young.”

(But why…?)

Wasn’t Magdala killed in battle? Then why did everyone here hold themselves responsible?

Perhaps her thoughts were showing on her face. When Deborah turned back, her eyes met the Marquis’s. His pained smile returned.

“I should have either given up on my wife or abandoned my title to stay with her. By trying to have both, I pushed Maggie… my wife into a corner.”

And so, Marquis Gary Sisley began to reveal the truth behind Magdala’s death. A single tear rolled from his sky-blue eyes.