I’ve Decided to Let You Go - Chapter 29

It had already been about two weeks since Natasha began staying at the Duke’s estate. Sieghart continued to uphold the terms of their agreement with uncanny precision. On top of that, his oddly consistent attempts to earn her favor had not ceased.

This morning was no different. When Natasha opened her eyes, the space beside her was already neatly made. Her husband had long since left. On the opposite nightstand sat a cup of warm tea and a note, both prepared by him. At some point, he had also started leaving a small bouquet.

She looked at it all with a blank expression. Without even reading the note, she tossed it straight into the trash.

While the maids helped fix her hair, Meliana searched through the jewelry box and picked out a necklace. She briefly held it up to Natasha’s neck, then fastened it with a satisfied smile.

Once she finished with the accessories and hair ornaments, Meliana finally began chatting more openly.

“I almost forgot. I have some good news, my lady.”

“Good news?”

“Lady Ten is returning to the estate today.”

“Kayeina?”

“Yes. I heard she’ll be arriving this afternoon.”

At Natasha’s visibly brightened expression, Meliana smiled even more, pleased to see her reaction.

Kayeina was coming back.

Kayeina Ten was the one person in this world whom Natasha truly loved. She was her protector, her savior, and her only companion. It wasn’t an exaggeration to call her the one person she wanted by her side for the rest of her life.

A memory of Kayeina from her previous life surfaced in Natasha’s mind. The thought of her friend grieving her death made Natasha feel sorry. But this time, she promised herself she would survive and build a happy life together with her.

After what felt like endless dull days, a spark of joy had finally entered her routine. The rare sight of Natasha in a cheerful mood lasted all the way until the afternoon.

Kayeina Ten arrived just as the sun began to set. Natasha was in the library when Vanessa delivered the news. She didn’t hesitate for a second and rushed to the annex.

“Kayeina!”

She reached the front entrance just in time to see Kayeina arriving with a servant carrying her luggage.

“My lady, it’s been so long!”

Calling out her name, Natasha ran toward her and hugged her without warning. Kayeina was startled at first but quickly recognized her and broke into a bright smile.

After settling into her room and changing clothes, Kayeina returned. Wanting to catch up with her closest friend, she agreed to take a walk in the garden with Natasha before dinner.

Their conversation began with small talk. Kayeina said she had learned of Natasha’s marriage through the newspapers. She had been so shocked, it felt like the entire world was lying to her.

“But my lady… or should I say, Princess. You don’t seem very surprised to see me working here. I was really looking forward to surprising you as soon as I returned to the estate.”

“Well… I’d already heard about you being here before I arrived.”

“Still, the Natasha I knew would’ve acted shocked even if she already knew the truth. I thought for sure you’d pretend it was the first time hearing it.”

Kayeina was right.

The old Natasha would have done exactly that. Even if she knew, she would have gasped, made a big show of it, and burst with excitement at the idea of living with her best friend again. She wouldn’t have been able to hide her joy.

“I guess I’m not that innocent anymore.”

“Yeah. It’s almost a little sad to see.”

Natasha felt guilty lying to her friend, but she couldn’t reveal the truth about her return to the past. All she could do was play along.

“How has life been here? I’ve heard rumors that His Grace treats you incredibly well, even in my hometown. So I won’t ask about that, but… are you doing alright otherwise?”

Kayeina’s question was gentle but deliberate. What she really wanted to know was whether life in the estate was bearable. Even if the Duke accepted her, not everyone would be willing to embrace a fallen princess.

Natasha considered telling her about what happened with Charlotte but decided to keep quiet. Kayeina would find out soon enough from the others. There was no need for her to bring it up herself.

“It’s fine, more or less. Being the Duchess under His Grace’s protection is a surprisingly comfortable position.”

She shrugged casually and looked around. The garden was empty. It seemed the staff were busy with dinner preparations. Even the gardeners had already gone home.

“But who knows how long their kindness will last. If the Duke’s attention fades, so might theirs. That’s why I’m making preparations now.”

“What kind of preparations?”

Kayeina, who had been nodding along, tilted her head in curiosity.

“To deal with the people who might betray me.”

After the Duke abandoned her in her past life, the entire estate had turned against her. But not everyone was the same. Some people could still be reasoned with. There were clear differences between those who led the mistreatment and those who simply stood by.

“Being unfriendly and being hostile are two very different things. I need to root out the ones who could become a real threat.”

Even if several people held the same resentment, Charlotte, who openly mocked her, was nothing like Meliana or Vanessa, who had only kept their thoughts to themselves. Natasha needed to find and deal with people like Charlotte.

From the informant who watched her every move and reported everything to the Duke, to the accomplice who had given her medicine on the Duke’s orders to erase the child—there were many Natasha needed to watch closely.

If Natasha Aschart were guaranteed to be treated as the Duchess forever, then she wouldn’t need to worry about them. But since that wasn’t likely, she had to stay cautious. She wasn’t asking to be revered as the Duchess, but at the very least, she wanted to protect the dignity and kindness she deserved as a person.

When Kayeina saw the firm resolve on Natasha’s face, her expression grew uneasy. She had been scolding Natasha moments ago for carrying such heavy burdens, but in the end, she promised to support her.

“If you’re worried about it, then I’ll definitely help. What should I do first?”

“Thank you, really. For now, I want to start by sorting the maids. They’re the ones who spread gossip the fastest, so it’s important to understand where each of them stands.”

Since Kayeina had worked at the Aschart estate for over a year, Natasha was sure she could offer plenty of useful insight.

What she needed most was information about the maids. These women had entered society young and quickly learned how to hide their true feelings. Natasha couldn’t read all of them alone.

“Charlotte Tristana…”

Except her. Charlotte had looked down on Natasha so much that she had shamelessly insulted her right outside her door.

“Have you met Lady Tristana? She’s really nice.”

Lost in thought, Natasha had murmured Charlotte’s name aloud. Somehow, Kayeina had heard her and responded.

But her answer didn’t match reality at all.

“Lady Tristana?”

“Yes. She’s one of the kindest people here.”

“You make it sound like she’s treated you well.”

“She has. She’s always been warm to me.”

Kayeina’s cheerful and confident reply left Natasha feeling confused.

Charlotte had called Natasha’s bloodline low and impure. And since she had grouped Kayeina in with her, it was hard to believe she’d shown Kayeina any kindness either.

Was she pretending to be sweet and close with Kayeina just to keep up appearances?

The thought was troubling, but since it was Kayeina’s honest opinion, Natasha decided not to question it too deeply.

“I didn’t know she was like that.”

“She may look cold, but she has a good heart. Actually, while we’re on the topic, do you want to hear about the others too? There’s still time before dinner, so I can tell you everything slowly.”

Kayeina then began describing people one by one, giving detailed impressions of each.

But something didn’t feel right.

She was calling the people who had bullied Natasha in her previous life allies, and suggesting that those who had felt sorry for her and tried to help were enemies who should be dealt with.

There were too many strange overlaps for it to be coincidence. It didn’t sit well with Natasha.

Still, it didn’t seem like Kayeina had any reason to lie. That made Natasha even more unsure of what to think.

“Kayeina…”

“Yes?”

Natasha had intended to ask if she could really stand by what she’d just said. But as she looked at Kayeina’s smiling face, her words got stuck in her throat.

“Never mind. I just wanted to thank you. I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Okay!”

Natasha already knew the truth. She could take Kayeina’s words with some caution.

But…

There had to be a misunderstanding. Maybe there was something she didn’t know yet. Otherwise, Kayeina—who loved her more than anyone—would never lie like this.

No. What was she even thinking? Kayeina loved her. She always had.

Natasha forced herself to ignore the moment when her one and only friend suddenly felt unfamiliar.

This was still the Kayeina she knew. She had to be.

She pressed down the growing doubt, refusing to let it rise.

This was the same Kayeina Ten who had stayed by her side for ten years, who had even been willing to sacrifice herself for her.

Even if she ended up doubting the entire world…

“You were going to die in my place? That’s insane. What if His Grace hadn’t recognized you? You would’ve died for real!”

“I only did what I had to. I was your maid. If you hadn’t taken me in, I would’ve died cold and alone anyway.”

The same girl who had once whispered gently that even death meant nothing if it was for Natasha. That pure and kind-hearted child—how could she ever doubt her?

She couldn’t. Not now, not ever.

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