MHYFMAMD Ch 4

The maid shuddered as if the very thought horrified her.

 

“It’s horrifying just to hear about it.”

 

What on earth was going on?

 

Information that didn’t match up at all swirled in Tenesia’s head.

 

Dietrich? The very Dietrich who cared for and nurtured his people more than anyone?

 

It was unimaginable. Trying to picture it only conjured a monstrous figure instead of Dietrich.

 

“Wasn’t Margrave known for his strong leadership? Why would he…”

 

“That was only true when his wife was alive. Honestly, he wasn’t the gentlest before. Considering his temperament, it’s not surprising now.”

 

The maid lowered her voice slightly and circled her temple with her finger, indicating madness. It was all very confusing.

 

‘There’s some misunderstanding here for sure.’

 

Knowing Dietrich wouldn’t do such things, Tenesia found herself speechless. Her tongue was frozen, unable to articulate anything.

 

‘Ugh, really!’

 

Her throat tightened with helplessness.

 

“…So, has Margrave remarried?”

 

“Oh, how could he? Even now, he’s still claiming that his wife hasn’t died, so why would he bring in a new wife?”

 

The maid waved her hand dismissively.

 

Curses of the deceased wife, surely. Losing his mind over his wife’s death, surely. The maid continued to spill rumors she had heard, but Tenesia wasn’t listening.

 

‘He hasn’t remarried.’

 

Of course, it made sense. Dietrich detested marriage driven by external pressures, which was why their union had been a contract. With an heir already born, he had no need for another wife.

 

Despite knowing this, the corners of Tenesia’s mouth, filled with Grace’s spirit, twitched upwards.

 

“Truly?”

 

“Though there are rumors that the imperial family is subtly trying to push him into continuing the lineage, he’s as unyielding as ever.”

 

The underlying motive was clear. Even five years later, the intention to bind Dietrich through marriage and exploit him remained the same.

 

“And the young lord of Haberfeld?”

 

“The young lord?”

 

The maid tilted her head thoughtfully.

 

“I’m not sure… I haven’t heard much about the young Haberfeld. The estate is so secluded that news rarely gets out unless it’s about someone prominent.”

 

“I see…”

 

She was desperate to hear news of her child, and so this was disheartening to hear. Tenesia sighed deeply.

 

“But it’s the first time you’ve shown interest in Margrave Haberfeld.”

 

“W-what?”

 

“You’ve always dismissed the cold northern lands, saying you’d never want to set foot there.”

 

So Tenesia had said that. She pressed her lips together, concealing her dissatisfaction.

 

Haberfeld was a territory of military and geographical importance. However, its harsh winters and remote location meant it was always struggling with food shortages.

 

The barren land made farming difficult, and even if crops were sown, they struggled to grow. To survive, the people of the domain had to focus more on hunting than agriculture..

 

But that was only Haberfeld’s perspective. To others, they appeared barbaric, which was a problem. As a result, Dietrich, who protected that place, was always attached with unfavorable adjectives.

 

And those adjectives eventually became the conventional view of the public.

 

“Just… hearing how his wife fell ill and eventually passed made it feel like it wasn’t someone else’s affair.”

 

“After five years, suddenly?”

 

Five years. The weight of that time silenced Tenesia and she is unable to gauge how much she had missed during those years.

 

The maid seemed puzzled by her curiosity but didn’t dwell on it.

 

“Sarah.”

 

The name of the maid currently attending to Tenesia’s hair. She called her warmly, trying to appear more friendly.

 

“Would it be difficult for me to visit Haberfeld territory?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

Sarah’s eyes widened before she burst into laughter.

 

“A frail person like you heading to the cold North, Milady? You’d be lucky not to freeze to death.”

 

“Ugh…”

 

Tenesia had forgotten. She glanced down at her frail body with disapproval.

 

It was clear that living in the North with this body would mean enduring grueling days.

 

‘Just waking up each day would feel like a blessing.’

 

Tenesia shuddered as she imagined the frigid winters of the North, where everything froze. Even the thought sent chills through her.

 

“You know there’s a family dinner tonight, right? Please don’t do anything foolish and stay in bed.”

 

Sarah nonchalantly pushed Tenesia back towards the bed. Stumbling slightly, Tenesia frowned.

 

It didn’t seem like Sarah acted with any bad intentions. Tenesia glanced at her out of the corner of her eye.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“… It’s nothing.”

 

If seen in a good light, it was treating her without formality; in a bad light, it was not treating her with proper respect considering her higher standing.

 

It seemed like they were welcoming when Tenesia first woke up. But observing the actions of the family members and servants afterward, it wasn’t entirely so.

 

Still, they weren’t outright rude either…

 

A complex emotion stirred within her. Tenesia leaned quietly against the bed and pulled the blanket over herself.

 

At least Sarah was better than the rest. Though blunt, she did take care of and look after her.

 

‘With these fragmented memories, I can’t possibly discern anyone’s true intentions.’

 

Though incomplete, some fragments of Tenesia’s memories remained. Preferences like jasmine tea or favorite scents—mostly things her body had experienced—lingered in her mind. However, these were memories purely from Tenesia’s perspective, and they couldn’t be deemed flawless.

 

“So, I’m finally going to see my family today, whose faces I haven’t seen once in these three months after I woke up.”

 

Tenesia smiled faintly.