“I’ve been thinking a lot about what to say regarding the matter from before.”

Ricardo, who had been filled with thoughts of Bianca, barely managed to stir his mind.

“Ah, don’t tell me I’m being blamed for visiting my own shop.”

“You didn’t come for something so trivial, did you.”

Leon bared his teeth and laughed menacingly. But Ricardo didn’t understand the man’s reaction.

He had gone to the shop to bring a dessert to gift Bianca. And then, as if by magic, that woman had been sitting there, and he had simply approached to check if it was a dream.

Upon confirming it wasn’t an illusion, he sat down to enjoy time with her.

How was he supposed to know that of all people, Leonhart would be sitting across from him?

The uninvited guest had been the other one.

Even if he’d grabbed a passing dog and asked, it would’ve wagged its tail and agreed, but that beast of a man lacked the common sense to understand what everyone else did.

If anything, he was the one who had the right to be angry.

Who was it that had wasted the precious time of that woman?

“Let’s drop the ridiculous excuses. It’s shameless coming from someone who imposed such absurd rules and bothered us.”

This, too, was just an extension of what he had done to protect the woman’s time.

An art museum with a man who couldn’t be reasoned with?

What was the point of going with a brute who didn’t know basic manners and only knew how to stuff meat in his mouth?

It would be far better to go with someone like himself, who had studied every piece in the museum, than waste her time.

Naturally, that made sense.

Having come to a clear conclusion, Ricardo was confident in his innocence.

“As I said, that day, Bianca and I were spending a special time together. It was Your Grace who interrupted that time for an absurd reason.”

“…A special time?”

“I’d prefer such a thing never happens again. It’s unpleasant.”

“Are you engaged?”

He already knew through someone that there hadn’t been any progress between them, but it was necessary to make sure.

Leonhart, who had always shown a hostile attitude, was shaken for the first time.

“Not yet…”

Hearing it firsthand made him feel different. For the first time in a while, Ricardo felt revitalized.

“Not yet? I wonder if you’ve even discussed it with Bianca. Women tend to dislike men who get ahead of themselves, like you.”

He’d never heard it before, but that was probably the case.

“Is that something you’re in any position to say?”

Leonhart, who had hesitated for a long time, finally opened his mouth with a sneer.

“Still, someone who’s just beginning is better than someone it’s already over with. Women usually get creeped out by men who obsess over a relationship that’s ended.”

A sense of triumph spread across his face.

“Who said it’s over?”

“…I wasn’t going to say this, but don’t you know why Bianca has been smiling more lately?”

I don’t. She smiled prettily when she was with me too.

Very prettily. As if she was trying to enchant someone.

But.

“You’re saying that’s thanks to you?”

“Gosh, I never said that. Is that what you’ve been thinking all along?”

Leonhart smiled brightly. Seeing that, Ricardo realized his mistake and quickly turned his head away.

“…I heard you’re practically like family.”

“After becoming lovers, I’ve been hoping we might become a different kind of family.”

Was his goal a swordsman or a dreamer?

Well, that guy wouldn’t know. He’d never seen Bianca on the day of the engagement ceremony, and never would.

He must’ve recalled it about a hundred times. And yet he never got tired of it. She was still beautiful.

“To think you’re gloomily fantasizing like that.”

“I like that girl.”

“…Bianca would never want someone like you.”

A brute who didn’t even know how to hide his rough personality in public. But at least today, he was dressed decently, showing he knew the minimum standard of courtesy.

To think he dressed neatly even when she wasn’t around—if that wasn’t a miracle, then what was?

‘Bianca, you don’t know anything about this man.’

That woman knew the depths of who he was. The man speaking like that only showed a false version of himself, hiding his true nature.

In that sense, he was closer to Bianca.

‘…Besides, you have high standards.’

Since she liked me, that man probably wouldn’t meet her standards.

But why? It wasn’t satisfying.

That woman in the illusion was leaving.

〈Should I just be honest first. I have somewhere to return to.〉

He already knew. That Bianca had long since grown weary of this place.

…But why hadn’t she told that guy?

At the sudden thought, Ricardo’s gaze faltered.

He said she was like family—then why?

No need to say it?

If not that...

Did he hear it before I did?

Leonhart didn’t have the look of a man sensing the end of his relationship with Bianca. Rather, it was the opposite. He had the sinister eyes of a man envisioning a brilliant future.

‘So you’re planning to leave with that man?’

The two of them, going away to a place I could never see again...

In my imagination, Bianca had been beside me. Gradually, my presence began to fade. And when the blurry shadow disappeared, Leonhart’s figure emerged.

The expression I had barely managed to hold began to crack.

Was that why she said it was okay?

Because I was someone she wouldn’t be seeing anymore.

Everything had gone wrong, but I told myself I could start over from the beginning. I had never once thought about the end.

But the woman had already sensed it from the start.

That truth tightened around Ricardo’s throat once more.

* * *

‘Why am I suddenly so chilly?’

I brushed my arm as goosebumps crept up.

“It’s cold, isn’t it?”

Noticing me, Onyx offered me his robe.

It wasn’t the cold, but it was hard to explain. After a moment of hesitation, I accepted the robe, and Onyx smiled kindly.

“If you catch a cold, you won’t be able to face the Marquis.”

“Ha ha, thank you.”

As I clumsily put on the robe, I listened to Onyx and Yurian’s conversation.

“By the way, are they really planning to start a war?”

“Yurian.”

“I’m just really worried! The atmosphere is seriously tense…”

Yurian squeezed her eyes shut.

“I’m wondering if I should just go back to my hometown even now. And the fact that we’re doing this bizarre research too!”

Her gaze met mine. Yurian rolled her eyes, then curled one corner of her mouth up.

“Please pretend you didn’t hear that.”

“Hearing that only makes me more curious.”

As I twinkled my eyes and approached her, Onyx quietly watched me.

“Tsk, Lady Roygin. I don’t usually say things like this, but would you consider joining Cardiff?”

“…So you’re saying I have to become a member to get an answer.”

“You’re sharp, and you seem to fit in well with us, so I made the suggestion.”

I’ll think about it.

As we continued talking, before I knew it, we had arrived at the World Tree. It had grown even more lush than the last time I saw it.

“…Now I see why His Grace was worried.”

Yurian sighed and sat down across from the World Tree. Then she began drawing it on the canvas she had brought.

“Lord Onyx, I need you to check something.”

Before long, he also stepped away. It seemed he wanted me to follow, but I pretended not to notice and managed to slip away.

Just like that, I headed straight to where Eileens was resting.

“……”

She looked exactly the same as the day we first met.

“Hello.”

At my greeting, Eileens slowly opened her eyes.

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