And so, night gradually fell, blanketing the castle.
A few weeks later, Gray decided to leave the abbey after being convinced by Alen. Once Gray agreed, the preparations for her move went smoothly and quickly. The carriage wheels finally clattered to a halt with just a short way left to go.
Inside the carriage, Laya asked with concern, "Lady Gray, are you feeling any regrets?"
The lady lowered her head and replied, "Not regrets. I'm just sad that I couldn't repay all the kindness I received before I left."
At this, she smiled reassuringly. "To them, your happiness is repayment enough. I'm sure that's what everyone wants."
Gray cried out in surprise, "Is that so? If everyone is that concerned, then I have all the more reason to live well. However, I worry that my condition might be a bother to your family, Laya."
Hearing that, she stared blankly at her for a long time. Then Gray continued to speak. "I only have one worry. Because I've been lonely for so long, I yearn for affection from others. Therefore, I'm worried that my awkwardness and vulnerability might bother Laya's family, because of how hard it is to reconnect with people. I'm worried that I might make the effort Laya has put in useless."
She looked at her with great worry and said, "Lady Gray, please don't say that. My family is very much looking forward to Gray coming over. In fact, you might even find us to be a bother later on, if my little rascal gets too mischievous. You have to give him a good scolding, okay?"
Gray looked at her in confusion and asked, "A little rascal? Laya, you have a younger brother, too?"
Laya's words made me even more excited. This will be the first time I've lived in a house with so many people since I was a child.
She smiled gently and replied to her, "It's nothing at all. I'm just glad you seem to like the idea. My family is still making preparations to welcome you. So, until they're complete, let's stay together at the ducal estate in Central."
Gray quickly agreed. "Yes, I'll be in your care, Miss Laya."
A few days later, at the Thodell estate, they stepped down from the carriage. Alen gallantly extended his hand to help Gray. "This way, mother."
However, she seemed a bit unused to it, replying awkwardly, "Mm."
Just then, Danton also rushed out, calling out, "My lord, my lady. I may be lacking in many ways, but I am Danton, the Duke's attendant. I am greatly honored to serve the former mistress of the Thodell family."
Alen quickly interjected, "That's enough, Danton. Has the madam's family arrived yet?"
He quickly reported, "They have received the telegraph and are on their way. They should arrive shortly."
He praised him and gave an order. "Good. In the meantime, please prepare a room for my mother."
Danton replied with a joyful smile, "Yes. In that case, please have a meal first."
At that moment, he walked past her. Gray, standing behind, hesitated for a moment. Her heart was pounding in her chest from anxiety.
Just then, the doors swung open and a long line of servants was lined up waiting for them. Gray could only stare at the backs of Alen and Laya from behind. Everything felt chaotic in her mind. Darkness engulfed Gray's emotions as a loud shout echoed.
"Stop it."
The sound of shattering plates and cups echoed relentlessly. She collapsed to the ground sorrowfully, sobbing. A hand from someone was raised high as Gray screamed.
Even though she had made the effort to return to the ducal estate in Central, every step seemed to grow heavier. In her memories, this house was always linked with exhaustion and stress.
No one in the mansion noticed Gray's strange behavior except for one person. From behind, Laya approached and called out with a smile, "Lady Gray."
But Laya was different. She understood, thanks to the years she endured under Count Lariston. She understood that Gray was still haunted by nightmares that could not be erased. That allowed her to relax somewhat.
The room around her had been cleaned and decorated tidily. Gray exclaimed in astonishment, "Are these flowers?"
Laya gently gestured toward her, explaining, "Since you like flowers, I changed the atmosphere a little. I hope you like it."
Gray was extremely moved, tears streaming down her face as she cried out, "Thank you so much."
Right after that, she came forward and grasped her hand tightly. "Compared to what you have done for me, this is nothing at all. The plan was quite rushed, and Alen helped a lot, too. Lady Gray, if you don't mind, I'll give you a tour of the house."
Laya held Gray's hand tightly, just like a real family member. She turned to look at her gently and explained, "Even though you're already familiar with this place, I have changed a few things to make it more convenient for you, so I'll explain them directly as we go."
Gray was a bit surprised and turned to ask, "This house has changed?"
Alen stood beside them, witnessing the scene with an incredibly happy smile, and then Laya suggested, "Please, this way first."
The sound of their footsteps echoed continuously around the house. Laya smiled and turned to introduce the room. "This is where you will be staying, Lady Gray. We discussed it with everyone and chose the spot with the best lighting. The light in here is lovely, isn't it? I changed to sheer curtains because I didn't want to block out the light."
Gray looked over at the space and remarked with admiration, "It truly is."
Just then, Laya took her hand again and pulled her along. "Oh, there's one more thing I want to show you. Come this way."
Light from outside quickly flooded in as she opened the door. The balcony behind it, filled with flowers, opened up to a new world. Laya introduced it with great excitement. "Gray, what do you think? I plan to plant new flowers on this balcony every season."
Gray's expression immediately darkened. This place held memories of days when I couldn't even die when I wanted to.
She was incredibly distressed, her whole body trembling as she called out, "My poor Alen."
But now, Laya was just smiling gently toward Gray, painting a picture of a warm family right in this very spot.