The Virtually Exiled Duke’s Daughter Is Troubled When Her Fiancé in a Neighboring Country Says, "I Will Never Love You" - Episode 49

“……”

Deborah couldn’t say anything for a while after hearing everything from the Marquis. To her, Magdala had always seemed like a happy woman—someone who loved everyone and was loved in return.

She had never imagined that love would lead to such a cruel end.

“This is her last letter.”

The Marquis placed a single sheet of paper on the low table. It was rough, mixed with straw, and written in charcoal. It was clear that in a plague-stricken village on the frontier, even obtaining this paper had been a struggle.

*”My love, please. Don’t hold grudges. Don’t hate anyone. This happened because of me. I’m sorry.”*

The trembling, uneven handwriting continued.

*”I love you. I love you all. That’s why I should have left the Sisley family. But when you said you wouldn’t divorce me, I was too weak and accepted it. Now, as I write this, I realize that weakness led to this.”*

There were round stains on parts of the letter. Deborah thought they must have been from tears. But whose? Magdala’s? The Marquis’s? Or both?

*”After I am gone, I hope you will remarry and find happiness. Thank you for everything. I love you.
—Magdala”*

After reading to the end, Deborah gently pushed the letter back toward the Marquis. She was careful not to crease or fold it, as if even the slightest touch would be disrespectful. The letter deserved to be handled with the utmost care.

“I… I knew nothing about this.”

“…It’s no surprise. Not many people know the truth about Maggie’s death. Even among my own people, many outside the northern village still believe she died in the war… Besides,”

Gary Sisley had already removed the gentlemanly mask he once wore as the Marquis.

“Even in this mansion, some know how she died, but few realize that it was because Cornell and I drove her into a corner.”

His face was filled with hatred and conflict. Deborah felt like she could understand his turmoil. He despised both himself and Cornell Supreme. But as the Marquis, he had never been able to abandon either of them.

Yet, as a Marquis, it was difficult to speak openly about his disgrace. It was no wonder that the servants who joined the household after Magdala’s disappearance knew nothing.

“……”

A heavy silence filled the parlor. The cold air settled around them, until finally, Deborah hesitantly spoke.

“…I know this may sound… intrusive, but…”

She glanced at Gary. He remained silent. Unlike their first meeting, he didn’t kindly ask, “What is it?” He probably didn’t have the emotional strength to. Deborah hesitated, then gathered her courage and continued.

“I think… the lady was still happy.”

“…!”

Gary’s eyes widened, revealing his clear sky-blue irises. Even Madame Lauren, standing beside Deborah, looked just as shocked.

“I have never seen a mansion where the servants work with such warmth and joy. I believe it is because the Marquis and his wife were happy and loved each other. And also,”

Deborah lowered her gaze to the letter on the low table.

“This letter… While she regrets her own weakness, there isn’t a single complaint or resentment in it, is there? When someone is near death, they write their true feelings.”

The single page was slightly messy, but there were almost no mistakes. If Magdala had been feverish and on the verge of death in an isolated northern village, would she have wasted multiple sheets just to rewrite something full of pretty words?

No. This was her truth. Deborah was sure Magdala had only written this one letter.

“I have always imagined that the lady truly loved the Marquis and everyone in this mansion, and that she was happy. Hearing your story today, some things were different from what I imagined… But still, I believe she was happy.”

“That can’t be…”

Gary’s voice was filled with doubt. Yet his eyes betrayed him—despite his words, there was a desperate hope in them. Seeing that, Deborah became certain she needed to speak openly.

“Because she was happy and loved everyone, she tried too hard to fulfill her role as the Marquis’s wife, didn’t she? If she had truly felt trapped, she could have run away again.”

“But—!”

Ashley couldn’t hold back any longer and interrupted.

“The lady couldn’t return to her family because of me!”

Deborah blinked her gray eyes and tilted her head slightly. Then, she replied calmly.

“I don’t know the details of that situation, but running away doesn’t necessarily mean returning to her family.”

After all, Deborah herself had been abandoned by her own family and could never return home.

“If she had truly wanted to escape, she would have tried harder after her first failed attempt. The lady was involved in charity work, wasn’t she? She had connections with orphanages and churches, so she could have found a temporary place to stay.”

Everyone in the room stared at Deborah in shock. She continued, effortlessly piecing her thoughts together.

“And speaking of charity… didn’t she manage some of the Marquis family’s funds for it? If so, she could have taken a little for an escape fund. She could have also sold her jewelry or dresses. If she didn’t seek luxury, she could have changed her name and lived quietly somewhere.”

Realizing she had spoken too much, Deborah fell silent. Gary, Madame Lauren, and Ashley were all staring at her, dumbfounded.

“Ah, um…”

Deborah’s face turned red. Even if she were freed from captivity, she wasn’t sure she could return to the Mauzy Ducal House. If that happened, she had thought about taking refuge in a church she once visited for charity work or selling her belongings and living as a commoner.

But for a noble lady to consider escape plans and finances—it was an unsettling thought.

She quickly searched for a way to cover up her mistake but couldn’t think of a good excuse. Left with no choice, she decided to forcefully conclude the discussion.

“…That’s why! I don’t think the lady felt completely trapped. The loss of her child must have been painful, but more than that, she wanted to stay in this mansion—with the Marquis and everyone else. That’s why she worked so hard as the Marquis’s wife.”

“……”

The three people, who had been wide-eyed at Deborah’s words, slowly lowered their gazes in deep thought. They were likely recalling Magdala’s expressions from their memories—wondering if she had truly been happy, rather than just suffering.

Deborah had never met Magdala. As an outsider, she could have been completely wrong.

But because she was an outsider, she might have seen a truth they had overlooked.

She took a sip of herbal tea to soothe her throat. The teacup was decorated with a beautiful rose pattern. But unless she turned it around, she would never see the design on the back.

It was the same with Magdala. Gary and the others had assumed she was only hurt and trapped, never looking deeper into her heart.

If only they had talked more, they might have seen that she wasn’t just suffering—but had also held onto hope.